That Boy is a Monster

Clear your mind.

The young man sat alone, legs crossed in front of him, in a dark room, the only source of light a few thin rays that filtered in through the shaded window. His eyes were shut tightly, his face devoid of all emotion, his hands resting idly upon his knees, hidden in the confines of a large cloak.

Let every thought flood out of you.

Inside of this realm, this room saturated with an eerie sort of silence, there was no knowledge of the hustle and bustle of the world just beyond the outer walls: the busy streets of Coruscant, the planet that never slept, where something was always happening and nothing ever mattered. But in here, in this quiet solitude in which the young man had confined himself, nothing happened, at least not outwardly, and everything mattered.

That which has happened, cannot be undone. That which will be, cannot be avoided.

It was during his periods of meditation when Rae Ingvar, a young Mirialan who was a Knight of the Jedi Order, occasionally allowed - although this was perhaps a misnomer, for he did everything he could to stop it from happening - his thoughts to drift, and when this happened, they always, inevitably, arrived at one location.

It was not your fault.

He missed him. Though he could never admit this aloud, to anyone else in the Order, he missed his master, Darvuis Mont, terribly. As master and padawan, they had been through much together, and had bonded in a way that only master and apprentice could. In the privacy of his own thoughts, Rae would admit that he had come to even love his master, like the father - for there had been quite a bit of an age difference between them, roughly twenty years - he had never truly known. Having been taken away from his family to become a Jedi warrior so early in life, Rae had never gotten to know his family (though he missed them every once in a while, when he had time for such things), and so his master had become a sort of family to him in their stead. As such, yes, he had come to love Master Mont, though only in a platonic, friendly way. But this love, this bond between them, was not to last forever.

You did all you could.

They had been sent on a mission to Ryloth, a planet in the dangerous and uncontrolled Outer Rim, to investigate - and put an end to - a shadow, mob-ruled government that had ascended over the Hutterites, an ethnic minority on Ryloth which was being oppressed by the new government. It was alleged that the government was planning on wiping out the Hutterites in its entirety, and so it had been up to the Jedi - to Darvuis and Rae - to take out the leaders of the shadow government before the plans could be made into actions. But by the time they had gotten there and fought their way through the myriad guards blocking the palace, it was too late: Rae did not like re-living the specific details, but the Hutterites were now gone, completely decimated - he and his master had failed to save them. Rae had also been the target of a rather nasty blow from a Charge-Gun, a weapon used by the guards that sent an electric surge through the victim, and because of that he now occasionally twitched involuntarily. It was a day to live in on infamy. Master Mont had told him to take the ship back to Coruscant, that he was going to go meditate elsewhere. That was the last he ever saw of him.

Do not dwell on past failures; look forward to future successes.

Rae had more or less moved on from the experience, realizing he had tried his best and that time had simply not been on their side, but rumors began to swirl with regards to Darvuis and how he had taken the defeat. Months later, it came to the attention of the Council that Darvuis no longer considered himself in the Order: in a moment of weakness, he had sought revenge against the leaders of the shadow government, and had brutally slaughtered all of them. Rae did not know the minor details, but apparently a Sith Lord had gotten to him, and his master - former master, he had to remind himself - had fallen to the Dark Side.

That was two years ago. As far as Rae was aware, those rumors had been true, although the Council had decided it was in his best interest to undergo the trials - which he passed with flying colors - and become a Knight, as opposed to being given to someone else to continue as a padawan.

A soft knock at the door stirred him from these thoughts, from these memories that haunted him whenever he had a moment to spare, and he turned to see Barriss Offee, another Mirialan who was about his age, standing in the doorway.

"The ship is ready," she said, eyes expressionless.

"Thank you," Rae responded, standing himself up and heading out of his meditation chamber.

As the two Mirialans - soon joined by Barriss' master, Luminara Unduli, also a Mirialan (the government of Mirial had decided long ago that Mirialan Jedi could only be trained by other Mirialan Jedi, although an exception had been made for Rae because there had been no Mirialan masters to spare) - walked towards the port attached to the Jedi Temple, Rae went over their mission in his mind: they were to fly to the jungle planet of Felucia, a hot and humid planet overrun with vegetation and home to all sorts of fauna. Complaints had been filed about a mining scheme involving a large mob that had enslaved a tribal population and turned them into an involuntary workforce. Rae, Barriss, and Luminara were to confront the mobsters, dispose of them as necessary - preferably with handcuffs, but lightsabers were always available for "aggressive diplomacy" - and set the enslaved miners free. It didn't sound too difficult, but Rae kept his full concentration on the mission in front of him: he could not go through again what he had gone through only a few years ago.

The three were met on the landing platform by Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, and Yoda: whenever a group was sent off for a mission, members of the Council were always there to wish them luck and a safe return.

"The Yazu Tribe is counting on you," said Master Windu, a grave expression in his face as always. "Any moment wasted is another moment they must live under a repressive regime."

"We will act swiftly and deliberately," Master Unduli responded.

"Master Unduli, Knight Ingvar, Padawan Offee," Master Gallia said, turning to each Mirialan as she spoke his or her name. "May the Force be with you."

The flight to Felucia was a long one, and Rae kept himself occupied by engaging his fellow Mirialans in some intellectual games: the Mirialans were known for being intellectual types, very thoughtful and pensive, and so what some might find dreadfully boring made his trip rather amusing. But once they had arrived on Felucia, their ship settling uncomfortably down into the thick jungle grasses, the games were put away and their smiles faded. They had one job to do, and they mustn't fail.

The air was thick and muggy as the three green-skinned Jedi climbed out of their ship and into the canopied environment below. Equipped with blasters, lightsabers, and comlinks - to stay in touch - the three split up unevenly, with Master Unduli and Barriss going in one direction - towards the large Citadel that housed the mob controlling the mining operation - and Rae himself going in the other direction, towards the mines. His was merely a reconnaissance mission: he was simply to take note of the level of security in the area, and then report back to the other two Jedi, who would join him later after defeating the mob bosses.

"May the Force be with you," Master Unduli had said to Rae just before they had parted ways.

"Go with honor," Rae had replied, using an age-old Mirialan farewell. Turning away from his fellow Jedi, Rae made his way silently and cautiously into the think of the Felucian jungle. They had set their ship down far away from both the Citadel and the mines in order to avoid any sort of ambush, and so their respective journeys would be hours long each.

And so, Rae continued on his way for miles, using his lightsaber to cut back any plants blocking his yet-to-be-forged path. Around him were noises coming from all different sorts of animals, as well as the occasional aggressive plant, and Rae was careful not to disturb anything to a considerable degree, lest the forest metaphorically "wake up" to find an intruder in their midst. The journey was long yet relatively peaceful. Just over two hours later, Rae arrived at the mines, remaining in the shadows given to him by the large mushrooms that towered over the grasses.

"I've arrived at the mines," he reported into his comlink. "There are guards here, but not many. I'm going to go have a closer look."

"Be careful," chided Master Unduli who, along with her padawan, were also nearing their destination. "Don't get too far in, we'll join you as soon as we're done here. I have a feeling there are more guards there than there are here, and more than you're expecting."

Rae turned his comlink off now - the last thing he needed was for it to start making noises while he was sneaking about the mines - and began to creep closer and closer towards the entrance into the long, dark, and presumably toxic network of tunnels.



((Oh goodness, this is quite long. Please do not feel obligated to match my length! I haven't roleplayed Star Wars in such a long time, and I simply couldn't resist! I also had the responsibility of introducing the situation, the characters' history, etc. I look forward to your response!))

"Everything is in place, my lord." An overseer said, his voice grading across the thick air like nails on a blackboard. He held is arm out and bowed deeply to a figure hidden deep within the folds of a black cloak. The overseer held his bow, lifting only his head to look at the deadly cold eyes which shined from the dim glow of an overhead lamp. "My lord?" He asked as the figure took a step forward to the rusty rail on the high set platform.

"Good." His voice was dark and rough but much smoother than the overseer who picked himself up from the bow and waddled away, off the platform and into the dust and rocks of the Flucian floor. The figure followed the overseer until he vanished into the hot darkness of the tunnel. "Very good indeed." He murmured to himself, crossing his arms and staring at the other side of the tunnel, thoughts racing.

His master, Darth Julhin, had predicted the Jedi would interfere with his current side plan. Darth Yvi'ni had no reason to side against his master, the old man knew pretty much everything. He grabbed Yvi'ni's arm, pulling him close enough to him where his master's lips nearly touched his ear as he whispered something to make Yvi'ni's heart crawl.

"...Be careful my apprentice, there is someone coming. Someone you know, someone ... close to you." His voice slithered like a snake, slimly and dangerous. Yvi'ni pulled away from him, eyes wide with anger and fear. His master laughed at him as Yvi'ni stormed out of the ship and onto the muggy planet below. He did not want to believe the words of his master.

But he could feel it.

Waiting on the hot planet, Yvi'ni noticed three Force strong life-forms take hold on the planet. He took no time in relaying the message to his master who again laughed at him, telling him to watch out for buried kindness in his heart. Yvi'ni spat back that he had no kindness left in his heart - all of that was taken away during that mission on Ryloth. If no one was to be kind to the world or it's inhabitance, why should he?

His thoughts where sidetracked by the squeal of someone below him. His body did not move but his eyes glided down, watching a few others swarm around the squealing. He heard a momentary scream and in a moment he was on the floor below, lightsaber activated and humming in his hand. The few who gathered parted for him, letting him pass to see the commotion. His eyes narrowed at the sight of a bloodied young woman, scratches along his shoulders and down her barely covered chest, her stomach gashed open to reveal intestines and organs. Her legs were twisted awkwardly, blood trailing down her thighs. Yvi'ni pointed to her with his red lightsaber.

"Who did this?" He asked, his voice kept very low.

"...Lord Arami did." One of the other overseers whispered.

"And why was there screaming?" He asked, almost gently as he knelt down and touched the cold, pale face of the slave-girl.

"It's dangerous to find a woman's body dead! Who knows the curses she--" His voice came to an abrupt end as the red lightsaber stabbed into the blubber on his chest, digging inward and then cutting out wards, leaving a gash like the woman's. He fell to his knees, mouth open and then into the dirt with the others gasping around him.

Yvi'ni deactivated his lightsaber and placed it back under his cloak. "Bury them." He ordered simply and turned away from the two bodies.

"B-both of them? Together? Lord Yvi'ni--!" They started but Yvi'ni turned to them, a glare set in his cold gaze. They froze and then broke out and gathered of the bodies and hurried out to quickly throw them into the large slave grave already dug for them. Yvi'ni watched them flee out of the tunnel, mumbled to themselves as they quieted morned the loss of their fellow but the woman's body was dumped quickly with a grunt of how disgusting it was to hold her body. Yvi'ni turned and climbed back up the steps of the platform, grabbing the knob and wrenching the door open. His footsteps were angry and hard as he confronted the reclining Lord Amari.

"Why did you attack that woman?" Darth Yvi'ni growled at him, grabbing the front of his clothes and pulling Lord Amari to him. Yvi'ni's face turned up in a snarl but Lord Amari only chuckled at him, pulling his arm away from him.

"Because she tempted me." Lord Amari smirked at him, "Why should you care? She wasn't yours, was she?"

Lord Amari was the leader of the mob, a devil of a man who thought he could do as he pleased. He had no thought for the others below him and he had no care what happened. The only thing he requested of them was for them to do his dirty work while he relaxed.

His words hit true for Yvi'ni, he had no place in confronting Lord Amari of his own work. He took a step back from him, his eyes still coated with ice and then he turned away, making way toward the door.

"Besides, Darvuis, shouldn't you be worried about something else?" Lord Amari smeared his name out, the name he hadn't been called in a very long time. It screamed about the mission on Ryloth, the hurt and pain that was uncovered in himself at the thought of him not being able to help those people. The loss of his heart and the hope he had for the Jedi. The thoughts of his apprentice, betraying him and the Order for the own hurt inside of him.

Yvi'ni turned around, his lightsaber hilt in hand and then he was in front of Lord Amari, the red blade humming right beside his neck. With one flick of his wrist, he could have been rid of the man. Lord Amari suddenly knew fear in that moment, his eyes grew wide and his mouth popped open. The drink he was holding spilled on top of him, the red liquid staining his white robes.

"Don't forget you're under our protection but we Sith have been known for dark dealings. Say another word like that against me and I'll have your head." He spat darkly at him, narrowing his eyes. Lord Amari nodded quickly and the blade was deactivated and Yvi'ni walked out and into the tunnel, marching out.

He kept the black cloak on his head even thought outside the temperature rose like mad. He sought out the closest Force strong life being and went after it.

The two female Mirialan Jedi walked in virtual silence, concentrating not on words but on picking their way carefully through the thick, densely-packed forest of the Felucian terrain. Every so often, some type of strange creature within earshot would utter a howl, a hoot, or a cackle, and Barriss Offee would swear some of the plants were giving her strange looks.

"Master," the padawan, who was walking just ahead of her master, said through the relative silence of the jungle as she separated a few vines to step through. "I've been having a strange feel-"

"I know, I've had it too," Master Unduli cut off her apprentice, nodding her head slowly as she stepped over a large root. "There are more than three beings on this planet with knowledge of the Force."

Such was exactly what Barriss had been thinking, but hearing it from her master, in that somber, careful way of hers, sent a chill up her spine nonetheless.

"The only question, then," Luminara continued, "is this: if there is another Force-sensitive being on Felucia, be he friend or foe?"

The young padawan could only respond with silence, for before they knew it they were upon the large citadel that housed the mob boss and his team of theives. It was a dull, metallic building, rusted at the sides but massive in stature and visually imposing. Master signalled to padawan to follow her in silence, and together they approached the building, which was heavily guarded in the front but almost deserted in the back. It was there that they witnessed a stranger in a dark cloak gut a man with his lightsaber, and then threaten another man - presumably one of importance, given the narcissism with which he spoke - with the same weapon. The pair watched in silence, both coming to the same conclusion, but unable to speak the words: this man, this force-sensitive being whose aura they had both felt upon arriving on Felucia, was a Sith Lord.

Moments later, the man was gone, and the Jedi wasted no time busting through the window and decimating all evil-doers who were inside.

"That was the easy part," the older of the pair said as they simultaneously deactivated their lightsabers and replaced them in their cloaks. "It seems we have a member of the Sith on the loose. It would be unthinkable to leave this planet until he has been brought to justice."

Barriss nodded her head in agreement, before an idea came upon her. "I'll alert Rae, in case he's headed in that direction."

"Good idea," Luminara agreed, as she surveyed the room with her eyes to make sure every mob member had been dealt with.

"Rae, this is Barriss," the younger of the two said into her comlink. "Come in, Rae."

Rae had turned his comlink off half an hour earlier.

"Rae, there is a Sith Lord on Felucia. I repeat, there is a Sith Lord on Felucia. We did not see his face, but he was tall in stature, armed and dangerous. He was here at the Citadel but left just as we arrived." She realized then that this message was not getting heard, so she gave up, turning her comlink back off. "We'll just have to hope for the best," she said, turning back towards her master.

Luminara nodded, pausing for a moment before speaking, as was custom in Mirialan culture. "Rae is strong and resourceful," she said at length. "If he runs into this Sith Lord of ours, he will be fine. But just in case, why don't we go pay our comrade a visit at the mines? We were supposed to go there anyway after finishing up here."

And so the two headed off, completely oblivious to the fact that they would be too late. For just as they were leaving the Citadel, Darth Yvi'ni was already approaching the mines, where Rae Ingvar, the third in the trio of Jedi who had been sent to the humid jungle planet, was sneaking around towards the entrance of the tunnel into the mines, where he planned on disposing of the two guards who were standing, blasters in hand, just outside.

He stopped, however, when what had been merely an itch at the back of his mind jumped to the forefront of his thoughts: someone was coming, someone was close, someone who was Force-sensitive, and it was someone who was alone.

In that instant, a million thoughts ran through the young green-skinned man's mind: why was this person alone? Was it one of his fellow Jedi, and had one of his comrades fallen at the citadel? Had both fallen, and this was another Jedi entirely who had been sent as back-up? What if it wasn't a Jedi at all? Could a Sith Lord have been following them? Did he kill his friends? Was this all just a set-up, and he and his two comrades had walked right into a Sith-created trap?

A million thoughts, and only one, unsatisfying answer: he would have to wait to see who it was. But judging by the strength of the aura this being - whoever it was - was giving off, he wouldn't have to wait long. But in that moment, he had plenty of time to ignite is lightsaber and dispose of the two guards, who for all the time he'd been just feet away from them hadn't even noticed his presence.

After completing that simple task, he kept his lightsaber ignited, looking around the jungle clearing in which the entrance to the mines was situated. 'Almost here...' he thought to himself as the being's aura grew stronger, not noticing the tiny beads of perspiration forming on his forehead as his eyes scanned the dense forest for any sign of intelligent life.

He had hoped it would be a Jedi, preferably one of the ones he had arrived with. He had prepared for it to be a Sith, his lightsaber in hand, feet planted in case a battle was inevitable. But he had not expected - he couldn't possibly have, though now it seemed so obvious that the stars would eventually align in such a manner - that not only would it be a Sith Lord approaching him, but that this Sith Lord would be none other than his former master, Darvuis Mont.

"Mas-" he began, lips apart in surprise, as he found himself face to face - albeit with several meters between the two men - with his former master and friend. He cut himself off mid-word, however: this man was no longer his master. And seeing as how the rumors had been apparently true, he was no longer a Jedi, either: he recognized the man's wild expression, his dark cloak - no, he was no Jedi.

"Darvuis," he corrected himself, unaware that the man had changed his name. His eyes narrowed slightly: he wasn't one to get angry, prefering to think over his emotions rather than wear his heart on his sleeve. "Traitor," he hissed through gritted teeth. "What are you doing here?" His lightsaber, still ignited, he now held defensively in both hands, not wanting to engage the other in battle, but ready to strike if necessary. He had a thousand questions to ask this man, this enigma of a man, but it was unlikely that he would be given the opportunity to do so.

Yvi'ni had not expected that name to spit out of the young Jedi's mouth. The name felt so old in the rich air, like recalling a memory from times past. His mouth turned into a sharp line as he heard it, it was no longer his name anymore. That name belonged to a Jedi, a Jedi betrayed. He had also not expected to see Rae so grown up like he was now. Yvi'ni still had the image of Rae as he was younger, as his padawan. He had guessed, in those few moments when Yvi'ni thought about the guilt on his chest, that Rae would grow up but seeing him like this gave him a shake down to the past.

Yvi'ni forced himself to ignore the name calling, eying the humming lightsaber in his former apprentice's hand. He stood defensive, Yvi'ni holding the attack. He could not help the sick smirk that ruined the line on his face as he reached into his cloak. The Sith Lord took out the hilt of his own lightsaber but that was merely what he did. It did not activate and he did not throw it at Rae's head, only held it deactivate in his hands.

"What am I doing here?" Yvi'ni said, using his other hand to take off the hood of his cloak. His face had changed in the course of two years. It looked tired, like he was holding a burden upon his broad shoulders. He didn't appear to take good care of himself, a few new scars were littered on his cheek and down his neck. Faded pink while his skin was roughly tan. His hair was dirty and looked unkempt, the black locks of curled hair touched the nape of his neck in the back, curling back his ears and brushed along his dark eyebrows. His chin was slightly shadowed, he looked nothing like the man from two years ago.

"My master ordered me here, so thus I'm here." He said, finally allowing his red lightsaber alive. The smirk on his lips finally disappeared into the thin line again, "What about you, Rae?" He nearly spat out the name, he hadn't said it so long and it brought back memories that Yvi'ni felt shouldn't be brought back. "Why are you here?"

Rae had matured over the past few years, and it had been necessary in overcoming the guilt he had felt over failing to complete his mission in time on Ryloth, and overcoming the feelings of betrayal and disappointment he had felt towards his former master upon hearing the rumors of Darvuis' betrayal of the Jedi Order. Rae had grown out of necessity, having had the responsibility of picking up the pieces of his shattered pride, his shattered trust. The Jedi Council, understanding that they were in danger of losing not one, but two Jedi to anger and vengeance, had decided it best that Rae undergo the knighthood trials. The Mirialan had immersed himself in the process, passing them with flying colors and allowing them to take his mind off of his worries. And those worries faded, and he had blossomed into a strong warrior, strong of mind and strong of heart. And yes, he had grown quite mature in those few years; he had had to. If asked, in fact, he would be so bold as to say that he was more grown-up than his master, who was almost double his age. For he had been able to suppress his anger and work past it in healthy ways. His master had failed to do so.

Rae remained motionless and expressionless as he carefully watched this Sith Lord, his former master, reach into his cloack and retrieve his deactivated lightsaber. He dug his feet into the muddy floor of the jungle planet, ready to defend himself if necessary, but it was not typically the way of the Jedi to attack unprovoked: they were defenders of peace, not instigators of terror. That was the job of the Sith, and they did that job with pride.

Against his better judgement but unable to control himself, the boy winced somewhat upon seeing his master's face clearly for the first time in two years, his frown deepening and his eyebrows furrowing: he did not look good. Two years earlier, Rae - in a moment of weakness - would have gone so far as to say that the man had a charismatic charm to him, ruggedly handsome looks that were unconventional yet alluring. These traits had been lost, perhaps not forever but for the time being at the very least. But either way, Rae Ingvar could not be attracted to such a coward.

The answer given by the other man was obviously unsatisfying, but Rae did not feel it wise to press him much further, oblivious as to how far he could go before a battle was imminent - and he had noticed, much to his chagrine, when the Sith Lord activated his lightsaber. He winced a second time as the man, a man he had looked up to, a man he had admired, spat out his name like something sour, but he did not let his feelings of resentment show, or get the best of him. "I was ordered here by the Council," he began, a similar response to Darvuis's, but then hedecided to go further by adding, "there's a slave-driven mining operation going on here, and we've come to stop it." He stressed the word 'we' to indicate that he was not the only Jedi on the planet. And with two other Jedi somewhere in the jungle, perhaps even making their way to the mines as they spoke, it would be unwise to initiate an attack.

"Look at how low you've sunk," he added, unable to control the urge to say something - anything - that could perhaps get under his former master's skin. "For shame. Your anger over what happened on Ryloth led you down a path that would only lead to more anger, more wasted lives, and more deception." Why he was saying such things, he was not sure: perhaps he did have some bottled-up emotions that had needed to come out. It was unbecoming of a Jedi to act on such emotions, but grievances had to be aired.

"Shame, anger, dishonor - all of the Jedi seem to only say that. As for more wasted lives, I don't see a change in the Jedi. Still millions of people killed and all you do is sit and meditate." Yvi'ni said, disgusted. Of course, Yvi'ni only saw one other Jedi that had noticed him and started proclaiming those same words. She asked why Yvi'ni chose a path that only lead to pain and to suffering, why he chose the darker road that lead to death instead of walking with the Jedi, choosing life. Yvi'ni' hadn't answered her like he was answering Rae. He spoke, instead, with his lightsaber and down she tumbled into the garbage shoots. That had only been a couple of months ago, when he was still on the flagship.

Yvi'ni hadn't ever been good at explaining things, even when he was a Jedi. He found meditation slightly difficult because he couldn't come to terms with his own feelings at times. He would have rather hid them away than try to sort them out. He often had to meditate with another master who would tell him to keep his mind on his emotions. After missions, he had Rae explain what happened. He only added a few words here or there but otherwise kept quiet. The other masters had been a little unsure about letting him become a master. Even now, as a Sith Lord, he found it difficult to explain what happened to Rae even though he had no limits anymore. Instead of explaining, he blamed.

"How can you sleep easy at night? Knowing those people are still hurting and crying out for help but you Jedi won't listen. You're all too caught up in keeping the peace than defending those who need it." The way he said 'Jedi' was like the word had been made of poison, like it burned his mouth when he said it. Yvi'ni stepped forward slightly, removing the dark cloak from his shoulders. The sleeve of it burned in half as it slid over his lightsaber but he only kept his dark eyes on Rae.

"You are angry with me, Rae. I know it." He said, stepping toward him one foot at a time. "Your master, friend and mentor is now suddenly your enemy. As a Jedi, you cannot let me live. So strike me down. Let me see how much stronger, if at all, you've gotten since Ryloth." He challenged, pointing his lightsaber to him. "Do not tell you can't because of the Jedi Code, I am your enemy - take me down."

Rae obviously had not been expecting a one-way conversation: he knew that, when he spoke his angry words to the other man - who bearly looked recognizable, but was nonetheless still as atypically handsome as Rae had remembered, almost ruggedly so - he would receive very much the same in return. And so he listened, intently, to what the other man - this foul, loathsome creature who had spurned all that was good in exchange for what was evil and reprehensible, and had almost traumatized his apprentice in the process - had to say for himself, and then paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before replying. "You lie," he stated simply. "We do not simply sit and meditate. We do our best to help those who cannot help themselves. Why do you think I am here on Felucia? It is my assignment to save the wretched souls of the slaves of this mine," he explained, gesturing with his free hand - the one not currently holding his weapon, a magnificent blue that hummed vibrantly in the open air - towards the entrance into the mine, in front of which lay the two bodies of the now-dead guards. "Furthermore, I am now beginning to think that you, you maniacal Sith and whoever you work for, are behind this operation," he added, eyebrows furrowing deeply. Yes, that would make sense: there was no explanation otherwise as to why Darvuis was now here.

"And your logic is flawed," he continued, passing his lightsaber from one hand to the other, not quite pointing it at the other man. "You say that we don't listen, that we don't defend those who need defending. But who are you to accuse me of not helping? In your anger, you chose a life that would hurt others, and in doing such you have made yourself into nothing but a hypocrite and a coward." He would not add that one of those who had been hurt had been him - for while he had been upset and had felt betrayed when he had heard - and had now seen for himself - that his former master had turned to the Dark side, there were many other people the Sith had hurt, physically and more violently, and that was more important than his own personal feelings.

The Mirialan Jedi Knight was somewhat surprised when he heard Darvuis instruct him to take a swing at him, although when he thought about it again it seemed like an obvious next step: the Sith were known for toying with others' emotions and trying to turn their anger against them. But Rae, more intelligent than most, would not give in so easily. "I will avoid the fate you yourself could not," he said, shaking his head slowly. "For it is against the Jedi Code to act on your raw emotions; there can be no personal bias in upholding the rule of law. However, as you are a Sith Lord and I am a Jedi Knight," he continued, finding himself wondering in the recesses of his mind as to whether Darvuis was aware that he was now a knight, "it is my duty to bring you to justice. As such, I am placing you under the arrest of the Jedi Order and the Republic. And so the question is: will you go peacefully," he added, now raising his lightsaber to point it towards the other man, as though to show him he meant what he was saying, "or must I first subjugate you?"

Yvi'ni gave no answer to his accusation. The Sith were not exactly behind it, the leader of the horde had asked for protection from others wanting what they were mining. It was originally his plan, the Sith just took it over and twisted it until it fit their plans. Yvi'ni's master, Julhin, was after what the inhabitance were mining. A precious rock only found in the thick forests of Felucia. Yvi'ni was given no clue as to what it would do or what Julhin intended to use it for. Yvi'ni had a feeling that if he didn't ask, then he would be better off. Julhin's mind work in ways that Yvi'ni was not interested in. The dark corners held nothing but secrets that he was more than willing to leave behind and not feel anything for not knowing them. He only knew that it was valuable and his Master sent him to fetch it and that was what he was doing.

The Sith Lord was quiet, letting the words slide off of his back like grease. Yvi'ni did not need the Jedi breathing down his neck, he didn't do this for the Jedi. They refused to take any action against those who were in danger, Yvi'ni merely did his job. He put the threat to an end, he wiped them out completely. Those who were in fear no longer needed to worry anymore. "I bring justice to those who need it, the Jedi do not." He said shaking his head. Yvi'ni saw no wrong in his doings, his ways were pure to his eyes.

"Oh, now that's scary." Yvi'ni chuckled, watching the blade as it hopped from hand to hand. Yvi'ni went from the humming blue lightsaber to the serious face of his former padawan. He hadn't noticed the change upon the first glance. The air about him had changed, the way he walked and how he held himself, everything was different. Usually those who lose someone such as master is forced to grow up, it would make sense that Rae would be a Knight already. He watched the lightsaber as it was drawn at him, a threat made without words. "Let's see you try, Rae, I already told you to come at me."

Rae was oblivious as to how exactly the Sith were involved in this mining operation, who exactly was behind it if the Sith weren't, and what was being mined in the first place. To him, those were all minor details: what was important was that a native population was being exploited for slave labor so that whatever was down in those tunnels could be extracted and sold for a profit. That was unfair, and Rae and the rest of the Jedi were well aware that the needless and senseless exploitation needed to be stopped. That the Sith were involved, reasoned the young Mirialan, was a side-plot to the real purpose of his trip to Felucia. That one of the Sith was his former master - well, that was important in a personal sense, but nothing about this trip, about Rae's duties as a Jedi Knight, could be personal. He had to be selfless, but he was finding it difficult to separate these things now that they had come crashing together. Master Yoda had told him, back when his master had first defected, that there would be times when he would be confronted with situations wherein it was difficult to keep his personal feelings and his unbiased judgment separate. Such were the true trials of a Jedi warrior. Master Yoda had no idea.

The green-tinged Jedi could scarcely believe his ears: Darvuis was truly insane if he believed the Sith were the good guys and the Jedi were the bad guys. "Justice?!" He spat, eyebrows furrowing. "What know you of justice? What do any of your Sith friends know of justice?" He shook his head. "I'm here to rescue the Felucian slaves being exploited in this mine. I doubt the reasons for your presence are so just."

He was aware that his former master was not afraid of him, and he was also aware that the Sith Lord was now egging him on, trying to get him to go on the offensive so that he would fall to his own fury and be caught off-guard in battle. And Rae had almost fallen for it, as he realized the grip on his lightsaber had tightened, and he was truly ready to fight. But no, he was not strong enough to defeat Darvuis in battle, and even trying to do so would only put his own life at risk. Would Master Unduli and Barriss arrive in time to help him? He would have to wait and see, but he only hoped he was still alive at that point: if Darvuis wanted, he could probably kill him. Three against one would go swimmingly, but in a one-on-one battle, Darvuis would be the victor.

Rae sighed as he realized all of these things, lowering his lightsaber. "I would be foolish to do so," he said, unsure as to why he was voicing such thoughts aloud when doing so could be dangerous and only serve to tip his hand. "And even if I could..." He sighed, lowering his head; no, he could not fight his former master. He had his duties as a Jedi, but he simply could not bring himself to engage his former master in battle. He had trusted him so much; he had relied on him in times of need. He remembered an instance when they had been sent to the snowy planet of Hoth, where the Trade Federation had been blockading the planet from receiving precious shipments of goods, which the planet relied on as it could not grow its own food. Rae had not been properly dressed for the subzero temperatures, and Darvuis had brought him into his arms, wrapping his extra cloaks around him and shielding him from the cold. Rae had been able to feel the beating of his master's heart, his head against the older man's chest as he shivered himself to sleep. That had been seven years ago, and how the Mirialan longed for such comfort, for such protection, for such security. He had none now: he had to supply his own safety.

"I won't engage you in battle," he said, deactivating his lightsaber: he was quick enough that he would be able to reactivate it should Darvuis make a sudden attack, but he had a strong feeling that he would not need to do so. "Why did you do it, Darvuis?" He asked, using the man's former name once more as he looked back up at him. "Why didn't you tell me what you were feeling? I could have helped you." There was a pained look in his soft blue eyes: he had matured, yes, but seeing his master turned evil still crippled him.

Yvi'ni kept his dark eyes on the blade but he didn't feel the intense reason to attack anymore. He lowered his own blade but only slightly, the feeling to attack still lingered on the edges. He didn't want to appear like he could be won over by words that expressed the truth. Yvi'ni had been a master Jedi and was now was a master Sith, his power was strong and he agreed with him in his being foolish. The part of him that wanted Rae to attack cursed the fact that his former apprentice had a good head on his shoulders, he was good in knowing whether or not he could win the challenge. That knowledge saved Darvuis' life more than once. He would end up beaten up half to death on occasions with his apprentice telling him he told him so. After several different incidences, Darvuis finally started to listen.

"You've always been smart, Rae." He said. It was not a praise as it would have been, but simply a stated fact. Had Rae acted on his duty, he would have been dead. The blue glow of the lightsaber vanished, Yvi'ni's eyes kept on the silver hilt as if he was waiting for it to activate back up again. The Sith Master drew his mouth into a tight line, he knew that these questions would be asked. However he could not prepare an answer that would satisfy him and the opponent. The Jedi he killed before asked and the answer was never returned. Rae was left open, his lightsaber turned off. Yvi'ni could have attacked right there, he could have won and not have to face these hard questions. Not have to face that sorrowful look in his former padawan's eyes.

"Why?" Yvi'ni asked, lowering his lightsaber. "You saw them, those disgusting creatures. You saw what they did." He said, narrowing his eyes as he remembered. Bodies of innocent people mutilated beyond on the point of recognition. Arms and legs ripped from bodies, blood coated the floor like a river. The screams of help were unheard, the pain of their loss echoed in the Force. They hurried as fast as they could, trying to find a single flame of life in the agony. They were too late. The promises of freedom vanished into the night along with their lives, the pain settled deeply in Yvi'ni's heart. He had witnessed these things before, seeing people wiped out because the Jedi were too late in coming. Of course, those he was to overcome. He went against the Code, becoming close to the people. He went as far to promise them safety and good homes. He said that he personally would set them free from this evil hand that clouded the skies. "Do you think we could just let that go? The Jedi didn't even go after them even after what they did! I did what had to be done." He kept his promise to the lifeless bodies, hunting each one of them down and slaughtering them all. He watched with almost joy as their life leaked slowly from their eyes, watching them fall down to the justice that they were condemned too.

Yvi'ni shook his head, he didn't believe so. He had trouble explaining what he felt even as a Master. "No, you couldn't."

Rae nodded solemnly in agreement. It was true: he was smart, and while he supposed he was happy to hear these words spoken by his former master, he quickly reminded himself that it was highly doubtful - nay, utterly improbable - that it had been meant as some sort of gracious compliment. No, Darvuis had always spoken the truth, sometimes gravely so, at this moment brutally so, and so Rae accepted it for what it was: a fact to be agreed with, not praise to be thankful for. It hurt Rae to realize this, to realize that gone were the days of Darvuis giving him a simple yet kind-hearted compliment, and Rae, the young, doe-eyed padawan, looking up hopefully into his master's eyes, and seeing genuine pride in them. It hurt, but this was reality, this was what life was now, and the sooner Rae accepted that he had lost his master for good, the better off he would be. But he was grateful all the same. His master's pride had once been his primary motivation.

"Yes, I did," he replied to Darvuis' next statement, closing his eyes for just a moment. As his eyelids met, similar images to those which Darvuis saw flashed through his own mind: cries of pain, looks of despair, burnt remains, a decimated population that would never return to the mortal realm. There wasn't a single Hutterite left; Rae and Darvuis had failed to save even one. They had simply been too late. The truth of the matter was, this failure, this ultimate and inexcusable failure, had affected Rae, too. He had spent days, weeks, by himself in his meditation chamber - a chamber he and his master had once shared but was now solely his own - thinking over what had happened. Nothing the Jedi could have done could have altered the course of events: time and fate simply had not been on their side. Knowing this sort of helped, a little, but only time could have healed the wounds to his shattered pride and his broken heart, which mourned for the poor Hutterites who would never again populate Ryloth. Time healed all wounds, didn't it?

"If you ask me," he said, knowing fully well that his opinion was not desired, "I think you did the right thing." Once more, this was not a compliment that passed from one bitter former-ally to the next, but a simple statement of fact. "Those cold-hearted beings deserved to die. Each and every one of them." He said these words with absolutely no emotional inflection, simply voicing that which he had been thinking for years now. "But it's not that you killed them that disappoints me, it's how you killed them. So much... anger." He spoke the last word like it pained him to do so. "That's why you fell to the dark side: you let your emotions get the best of you. It could have been different." Here, his voice cracked, just slightly, the smallest hint of an emotion escaping his throat to be put out on the table, for better or for worse. "You really let me down."

He shook his head fervently when Darvuis asserted that he couldn't have helped. "No, you're wrong," he said, his voice raised slightly, more emotion on display than before. "I could have helped you, I know I could have." He turned away from the other, just a few degrees, head lowered. His deactivated lightsaber was still in his hand and he would be ready to use it if necessary, but his intuition told him he would not need it: if Darvuis had meant to kill him, he would have done so by now. "You always helped me whenever I needed it," he added. He turned his head to face Darvuis, to look into those clouded, angry eyes, his body still turned away from him. "You were... like a father to me." He'd never spoken those words aloud before, and it felt strange doing so now, when it hardly mattered. "I would have helped you. I would have given anything to."

Yvi'ni doubted that it actually could have been different. He didn't think so, he worked hard to keep his emotions from exploding for many years. He stuffed them under a shell and left them there trying to move on to other important things. Those feelings and others from other missions that failed. The sight of crispy flesh and picked clean bones still stirred a dark wave in his heart, the feeling that had he acted sooner then things actually would have been different. Yvi'ni had trouble with his emotions since he was a youngling, being rash and down right disobedient at times. After the death of his master, the other masters had to force him to understand the importance of dealing with his emotions, a concept he faked well enough. Ryloth only opened those flood gates and allowed everything to come spilling out into the open. Yvi'ni had great doubts it would have been different, it might have been stalled but he was sure that sooner or late something such as that would happen. Other Jedi's had a feeling it would have happened too, it just happened sooner than expected for them.

Yvi'ni's eyes went to the thick forest floor of the planet, watching an insect crawl on the spine of a leaf. Those words almost made him feel like he was that insect. He brought them back to Rae, doing his best to keep his face stone cold as it usually was. That throw out of emotion spilled into the open and Yvi'ni caught it quickly. His actions had hurt his apprentice where he had long ago hoped he never would. At that moment on Ryloth, he only thought about himself and what he was doing to help those souls feel better in anyway he could. He thought about his anger that boiled deeply in his bones and he thought about the options that his new master would bring. He never once took into account the damage he left behind in his wake of emotions. He thought he left them all behind when his master took him away. The face of the past, the hurt of two years, had appeared before him and Yvi'ni had no idea what to do with it. There was a secret game back in the Jedi Temple that younglings would play when the Masters were out. They would stand in a circle and throw a large stone to each other by using the Force, if fear caught you and you grabbed the stone with your hands then you would be out of the game. He felt like he was playing that game again, the stone being everything he thrown away and now it was coming back at him.

The former Jedi narrowed his eyes as Rae objected. He shook his head, the curls of wet black hair brushing his skin. "No, you couldn't have. You wouldn't understand at all." He spat back at him, feeling the anger as it stirred in his hand. The hilt of his lightsaber grew hot in his hand and he was tempted just to attack him. The red blade shimmered slightly but then it vanished as Rae spoke with those emotions that Jedi's weren't allowed to have. Humble beings were not allowed emotions, they weren't allowed attachments, and Yvi'ni wondered if that was what he felt. He tucked the hilt of his lightsaber back into the folds of his cloak. "You would have given anything to stop me? Anything to help me?" He asked now, head tilted in a way that would have someone wondering just what he was thinking. The Sith took a step forward, foot crunching the growth that lived on the floor as he stepped closer to the Knight. "You would have traded places? You would have killed yourself to save them? All to help me? You would have done all of that? I don't believe you, Rae. I don't think you would have given anything, I don't think you will do anything to help me. To you and your other Jedis, I am a lost cause." He said, keeping his voice low. He brought his hand up, the gloved fingertips so close to touching him and still keeping that Master distance.

Rae was not a fatalist: he didn't believe that certain things were meant to happen, that certain things could not be avoided, that they were simply pawns in the Great Plan and had a part to play and nothing more. He tried to convince himself of these things sometimes, when he was deep in meditation, particularly soon after the incident on Ryloth. He tried to tell himself that fate simply hadn't been on their side, that they were helpless to stop what was meant to be, but he knew that wasn't true. Fate didn't exist, he had discovered long ago. No, you made your own fortune, and you could do anything you set your mind to. What had happened on Ryloth had been terrible, traumatizing to say the least. But the idea that Darvuis was helpless to his own emotions and was destined to turn to the dark side made no sense in the Mirialan's mind. No, Rae could have done something, he could have helped, he knew he could have. Perhaps Darvuis was weak-willed, but Rae could have been strong for the both of them - or, at the very least, he would have tried.

Comforted by the fact that the other man had placed his lightsaber back within the folds of his cloak, Rae decided it would be best not to do the same, not just yet. After all, Darvuis was the better fighter by far, and he could very quickly retrieve his lightsaber and strike at any moment. No, Rae had to remind himself that, after all they had been through together, Darvuis was now a threat to him and all others; he could not let his guard down. And so he continued holding his lightsaber in his hand, grasp slightly lessened than before, but still ready to defend himself if necessary. He was a bit taken-aback when the other began approaching him, one deliberate step at a time, and he would be lying were he to say the he wasn't a bit nervous. After all, Darvuis had always been sort of unpredictable and somewhat abrasive, and now that he was playing for the other team, per se, these mannerisms were disconcerting. But he stood tall, he held his ground, and he did not step back, even though his mind was screaming not to let the Sith Lord come any closer.

As the man bore into him with his words, Rae flinched slightly, not out of fear: he had been attacked by a guard on Ryloth who had been carrying a stun gun, and the electrical charge that had surged through his body had left him with an occasional twitch that only seemed to make itself known during times of anxiety, of which this situation was certainly one. It was like his own reminder of what had happened, of how they had failed to rescue a single Hutterite from a brutal and grotesque destruction. Darvuis was so close to him now, but so far: Rae had come to terms long ago with the fact that his master was gone, but now that he was right in front of him, brooding eyes gazing into his, his absence was truly felt. 'I don't think you would have given anything, I don't think you will do anything to help me.' These words cut through Rae like a dagger: did Darvuis know nothing of how much Rae had admired him, of how much he'd looked up to him, of how much he had wanted to be just like him? Was he completely unaware as to what he had meant to his apprentice? "I would have, I swear I would have," he said, shaking a bit, emotions that had hid themselves for so long suddenly coming to the forefront of his psyche. "You were my master, I would have given so much to keep you from becoming what you have become." He turned away now, using all of his energy on keeping himself together: why was he suddenly acting in such an undignified manner? 'To you and your other Jedis, I am a lost cause.' No. It wasn't true. "Not to me," he whispered, teeth biting down onto his lower lip as though hanging on to his last ounce of composure. "Maybe to the others, but you're not lost to me." He forced himself to look up at his master, so near to him now, the master's hand raised as though to touch his apprentice. The boy's eyes watered, although it would take a lot to get a Mirialan to really cry, and he blinked these tears away. "Never, not even now. Have you any idea how much I would give to have you back, to have things the way they were, for Ryloth never to have happened?" His eyes scanned Darvuis's face for any sign of familiarity, for any sign that what he was saying had some effect on the man. For after all of the growing up Rae had been forced to do, it was becoming apparent now that he was still but a child.