The Shadows of Korriban

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Korriban Space – Korriban System

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The crimson sphere of Korriban loomed closer as our ships descended through the planet's murky atmosphere. The red-hued sands of the Sith homeworld stretched as far as the eye could see, a testament to its ancient and cursed history. The whispers of the past seemed to echo through the Force, and even before landing, I felt the weight of something sinister pressing down upon us.

Ahsoka, the clones, and I had been deployed to investigate a criminal syndicate operating in Sith space. But deep down, I knew there was more to this than just smugglers or raiders. The Force had led us here for a reason, and my gut told me it was something far darker than mere lawbreakers.

As we initiated our landing sequence, interference blared across our comms. Static filled my cockpit as my astromech droid, R2-D9—nicknamed Denine—attempted to clear the signal.

"Major Rex, were you able to make anything out of that transmission?" I asked.

Rex, recently promoted for his unwavering loyalty to the Republic, responded, "Negative, General Kriss. My men and I didn't catch anything. Too much interference."

I switched channels. "Ahsoka, did you hear anything?"

She shook her head through the holofeed. "Nothing but static."

That didn't bode well.

Our main vessel, the Acclamator-class Assault Ship Hope, remained in orbit under the command of Admiral Jenn Tempra. She was a young but brilliant strategist, often compared to Senior Admiral Wulf Yularen of The Resolute. While I had faith in her abilities, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking into something beyond our original mission parameters.

Ahsoka and I weren't aboard Hope; instead, we piloted our respective Delta-7B Aethersprite-class interceptors, ready for any confrontation. Mine bore a cyan and gray color scheme, standing out from the typical Jedi starfighters. Skywalker had managed to get approval for us to use the newer Eta-2 Actis-class interceptors, but for now, we were sticking with what we had.

Once groundside, Rex, Echo, and Rook joined us as we made our way toward our target—King's Valley, home to the tombs of the earliest Dark Lords of the Sith.

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The Valley of the Dark Lords was eerily silent as we moved across the barren landscape. The closer we got to the tombs, the stronger the feeling of unease grew.

Ahsoka suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Will, do you feel that?"

I nodded grimly. "Yeah. We're not alone."

Rex signaled his men to activate their camouflage and switch to night vision. "Set your weapons to stun," Ahsoka ordered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why stun bolts?"

"Because even a novice lightsaber wielder can deflect a blaster bolt," she explained. "Stun bolts, on the other hand, are a different type of energy. Most Jedi Masters or Sith Lords can handle them, but lower-ranked Force users struggle."

I smirked. "Tactical thinking. I like it."

Behind us, the clones exchanged whispers.

Echo muttered, "Did General Kriss just flirt with General Tano?"

Rook chuckled. "I don't know… or maybe he's just crazy."

Echo sighed. "Could be both."

After setting up a temporary camp, we divided into two groups to cover more ground. Ahsoka and Rex took one route, while Echo, Rook, and I went another, leading us deeper into the ancient tombs.

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The entrance to the tomb of Ajunta Pall loomed before us, its jagged, decayed stone covered in Sith inscriptions. He was the leader of the Dark Jedi exiled after the Hundred-Year Darkness, the first of the Dark Lords of the Sith. His story was legendary—a Jedi who turned against the Order, ruling over the Sith species and creating the first Sith Empire.

Stepping inside, I felt an immediate chill run down my spine. The walls were lined with ancient artifacts—metal swords, shields, and armors, all tainted by the Dark Side.

"So uncivilized," I muttered, eyeing the primitive weaponry.

Echo and Rook exchanged glances but kept their hands on their blasters.

Minutes passed in relative silence until I felt a shift in the Force. Someone was watching us.

Quick footsteps echoed through the chamber, stopping just outside our line of sight. A voice, dripping with mockery, called out from the shadows.

"Looking for something, Jedi?"

The figure stepped forward—a woman, slightly shorter than me, clad in black robes. A hood covered her face, but her loose clothing still accentuated her silhouette. Her presence in the Force was undeniable.

"Maybe you can help us," I quipped, channeling Kenobi's sarcasm. "We're looking for a Force user, someone who dresses in black and wields a red lightsaber. You wouldn't happen to have seen them, would you?"

Echo muttered to Rook, "Is it just me, or does General Kriss remind you of General Kenobi?"

Rook smirked. "Oh yeah, definitely."

The woman chuckled. "Unfortunately no. Maybe you'll find them… in the afterlife."

TSsshhhh—

Her crimson lightsaber ignited, casting a menacing glow over the tomb's walls. The elongated hilt, designed for heavy blows, suggested a preference for Juyo—the seventh and most aggressive lightsaber form.

PSsshhhh—

I activated my own saber, the bluish-green blade humming to life.

I signaled the clones, and they took cover behind pillars. The dark acolyte took a stance resembling Shii-Cho, the first and most basic combat form. Either she was a beginner… or she was masking her true skill.

We circled each other, our gazes locked. But impatience was her downfall. She swung her saber in a powerful downward arc, aiming to cleave me in half.

I sidestepped, letting her stumble past. Seizing the opening, I thrust my saber toward her chest, but she twisted just in time, my blade grazing her robes instead.

Gaining momentum, I aimed a strike at her head, but she parried, sparks flying between us.

Then, before she could react—

"Now!" I shouted.

Echo and Fives fired stun bolts, catching her off guard. Electricity crackled through her body, causing her to convulse and collapse. I wasted no time, pinning her down as the clones placed force-cuffs on her wrists.

Pulling her hood back, I was momentarily stunned by her features—far too delicate to belong to a Sith. But her presence in the Dark Side was undeniable.

"She's coming with us," I said firmly. "We need answers, not corpses."

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We returned to the camp, expecting Ahsoka and Rex to have already arrived. But as we stepped into the clearing, we found ourselves alone.

Half an hour passed before we spotted them emerging from the darkness. They carried three identical lightsabers, each made of silver and black metals.

As we locked eyes, we spoke at the same time:

"We caught an Acolyte alive."

"We killed three Acolytes."

Silence hung between us. The weight of what had transpired was only beginning to settle.

And deep inside, I knew this was just the beginning of something far greater.

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