The Best Intentions: A Star Wars Story

[Sir Godfrey]

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“The Best Intentions Pave The Way to Hades.”
-St. Bernard of Clairvaux
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We had such dreams. Our leader Ajunta Pall divined the secret, that Life creates The Force, and thus if one took control of It one could master The Force itself. This discovery would change not only our fates, but the nature of the galaxy forever…

Ajunta was an esteemed Jedi Master. I was chosen to be his apprentice. It became abundantly clear that my Master was not like the other masters. While they recited dogma, and taught the tenets of The Jedi Path, my Master delved into alchemy and seemed to be searching for something.

I remember the first day I felt it, the chill of a presence that I felt frost bite my soul. It swirled around the lab, as my Master in long dark brown robes stood above a carcass of a Kath Hound. The beast was clearly still, no breath rising from its yellow and copper snout. Then remarkably I watched as my Master placed metal, like scaffolding into its head, and began to chant words that made the limp mass of the hound jerk, until the eyes of peridot green opened and the jaws of the creature snapped and let out a howl.

I was shaken by this display of power. It was unprecedented, the creature had been dead! How had my Master restored it to life?! My questions were buried by awe and a fear that the lab was rank with. I was suffocating under a invisible weight. As if the room was full of fumes.

My Master turned to me and wiped his grey gloved hands clean as he examined my expression.
“What do you feel?”
It was difficult to put into words, but I tried, “I feel cold.. and breathing is hard, as if my lungs are full of water Master .”
My Master drew closer as he crosses his armored arms,
“There is more to The Force than we ever dreamed. You have seen a demonstration of its power. The power to cheat death.”
My response was automatic, as if a droid, “But Master, are we not to seek to become One with The Force? That requires death.”

My Master titled his hooded head.
“So we are taught. What if we are wrong? What if the key to life, to mastering The Force itself lies but a hand stretch away?”
More of my programming regurgitated, “I thought we are to serve The Force, and seek It’s Will?”
My Master nodded,
“What if this is It’s Will? For us to take control of the life thread and weave a new world! A new galaxy! Imagine never needing go fear the loss of those you love! That Jedi could conquer death and face any enemy of The Republic without fear!”
I being the good Padawan objected with more Jedi Dogma,
“Master, is not death is a natural part of life? And remember the teaching on attachment, it can lead to coveting, and misery.”
My Master gave a great sigh,
“Of course, you are right. It seems what Master Tulak said is true, we Masters learn from our apprentices as much as apprentices learn from masters.”
Placing his hand on my shoulder, Master Pall tried to assure me that he was back on track, back to Orthodoxy, but I could not shake the feeling that this moment was not an end, but a beginning.

 

[Copperfox]

Have you decided what connection your story has with Palpatine's deception of Anakin in the Prequel Trilogy?

 

[Sir Godfrey]

Have you decided what connection your story has with Palpatine's deception of Anakin in the Prequel Trilogy?

That is a theme indeed. Ajunta Pall was the first Dark Jedi, and creator of the Sith. I wanted to tell his story and how the path to darkness is paved with good intentions but ends in misery.

 

[Sir Godfrey]

The next day my Master and I were in the training sqaure, my saber moved about me as a serpent, Master Pall shook his head as I displayed some spins.
“My Apprentice, this is not a dance. If you take your eye..”
With a swift movement, my Master caught me in another flurry, his cobalt blads caught my peridot one, and he using the metallic hilt pivoted under my chun and threw me to the pebbles ground.
“off your opponent, you will know defeat or worse..”
Offering his hand, my Master took my pale fingers and pulled me to my feet.
“But Master.. the other Padawans use The Force to see and when they spun..”
“You are not like other Padawans! I am trying to teach you that auch tactics will kill you in the field. The Force cannot be drawn on infintely, our mortal shells weaken and tire, you must conserve your power for the kill. The goal of a fight is not theatrics, it is to vanquish the enemy! Do you understand?”
There was something in my Master’s tone, an energy that was like the spark of rocks to make fire. The Jedi had a word for it, and it was forbidden.. anger.
“Yes, Master.”
As I tried to catch my breath Master Saru appeared, his head adorned with a crown of horns. The Zabrak Master eyed Master Pall.
“I see you are instructing your Padawan in the Way of the Saber. Though I hear that is not all you have been teaching him..”
Master Saru and my Master had a great rivalry, which was frowned upon by The Council.
“Tell me Ajunta, what are you cooking up in that lab at all hours? What are you seeking in the entails of the dead?”
My Master tightened his grip on his lightsaber hilt.
“I doubt it would interest you Saru, you were never one for science.”
Master Saru laughed, and it made me uneasy, it had a tinge of malice that seemed misplaced for a renowned Jedi Master.
“Science? Is that what you call it? Sorcery more like. Tell me Ajunta, why are you so on edge? Hmmm? I can sense no calm in you, on the contrary I sense..”
My Master cut him off with a sharp retort,
“I am on the verge of discovering a breakthrough that will benefit The Order! Including yourself!”
Master Saru gave another unnerving chuckle that signaled it was for the purpose of mocking.
“Benefit? May we benefit from a demonstration of this ‘breakthrough’ say in The Council Chambers? Unless perhaps it is not ready to be shared with the rest of the Order?”
I could see the trap, My Master was being baited by another noble Master. I did not understand why this was happening. We were ok the same side.
With a great sigh, Master Pall nodded.
“I shall show The Council and you the fruit of my labors in due time.”
Master Saru bore his teeth in a vicious smile.
“I look forward to it.”
With that Master Saru bowed his head and left the training square. I could see that my Master was seething from this encounter. He snapped his blade to life and charged, I raised my blade, but the blows were of such power my blade was beaten aside, and I had to step back as Master Pall cut down a post sending sparks into the air and leaving a tail like mark of orange that turned black as piece of wooden post was cut asunder. I watched as my Master stood there panting, his eyes turned to look at mine and they were like coals bathed in hot flame. These were not the eyes I had known since I was a Youngling, they frightened me.
“Master..”
I watched as he looked at his hilt with his gloved hands gripping it and then eyeing the post, and then looking back at me, his eyes returned to their normal hazel color.
As he extinguished the blade with a touch of a button near the pummel, he said, “Forgive me.”
With that he bowed to me and left the square. I could tell whatever was happening to Him was getting worse.
In an atrempt to seek answera I went to Library, where The Jedi Librarian sought to help me.
“How can I help you?”
I considered my inquiry carefully.
“Is there anything in archives on Jedi who use anger?”
The Ithorian tilted his horsehoe head.
“Anger? Let me see.. can you be more specific?”
I thought of what else I could describe it as,
“Agression, and fear.. much fear.”
The Ithorian’s big eyes looked at me with concern.
“Are you alright Padawan?”
And so I told my first lie since joining The Jedi,
“I’m fi-ne.. please this is important.”
The Ithorian tilted his head and checked the database and then went to a bookcase, and pulled a black volume from it and laid it on a tan wood table.
“Here..”
i approached and saw a great eye, the lashes like flames, and my mind went to My Master in that moment with burning pupils.
I tried to read the cover.
“What is this word?”
The Librarian trembled a little,
“It is not to uttered, not here anyways. In the Common Tongue it means Darkness.”
Lookimg at me with those big blacl eyes The Ithorian placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Be cautious Young One. This is the history of our Forerunners is frought with sorrow. If you were not Master Pall’a apprentice, I would forbid you read it.”
With that he stepped away and I opened the codex that showed paintings two moons, one full pf light and the other darkness. Beneath was two figures, one clade in black with a blood colored saber and the other in white with a golden blade. The inscription read The Je’daii, and beneath the two moons was the words Ashla, and Bogan. The latter word made my head throb, and as I turned the old pages I wondered what these strange words meant, and why I had not heard them until now.