STAR WARS JEDI: THE DARK TIMES

Act 4. Hell and Back. Chapter 19. The Unbreakable

PRESENT DAY

   Not long after the capture of Cann and Clodd, Bakkou finds himself sitting in his one person vessel which is currently situated on an asteroid not far off from Bracca. At this moment, the lad is listening to an audio recording with Lord Vader's voice saying "The Following is a List of Instructions given to me by the Emperor that we might both learn about the ways of the Sith and of the Dark Side of the Force. Use this knowledge to your advantage, my apprentice, and use it well. May the force be with you."

   The audio then switches over to the voice of Palpatine saying "The key to Unlocking the Dark Side of the force is quite different from what most Jedi are familiar with. It involves raw emotion...raw anger...and raw anguish. It is important to let these emotions flow freely...in order to take full advantage of the dark side of the force. You must give in to your anger. Use your pain and frustration to strengthen your abilities."

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Aboard the Imperial Cruiser...

   The Sith Lord Vader enters a room where a group of three clones have all but destroyed one of Clodd's closest allies...R3. "My Lord! What are you doing here?" says one of the clones.

   Lord Vader is furious as he walks toward the clones. "What have you done to the droid?" He says. Vader then lunges at the first clone that spoke, grabs him by the throat, and starts choking him. "What have you done?!" he growls.

   "The droid was wiped, my lord," says another clone. "Keeping it around served no purpose."

   "Ignorant Bastards!" Vader exclaims. "Destroying it was not necessary! We could've kept it here and used it for ourselves!"

   "B-but we have plenty of other droids available, sir-." The second clone starts choking as Vader uses the force choke on him.

   "Let them go, Lord Vader," says Palpatine who just entered the room. "I ordered the droid's destruction myself."

   "What?" a confused Vader asks. He releases his force grip on the second clone. "For what reason, Master?"

   "The Jedi we just captured are of a strong-minded sort. They are Ethosians, which means we need to consider every angle in order to break their wills."

   After a short pause, Vader lowers the first clone and lets him go. "But they are not our primary objective, Master."

   "Perhaps not...but they have provided us with an opportunity, my apprentice. If we can manage to break these two Jedi...it will prove beyond reasonable doubt...that no Jedi is unbreakable...not even the ones of strongest wills. Do I make myself clear?"

   "Yes, Master."

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Back at Bakkou's Location...

   The Former Jedi reiterates a short phrase that the audio recordings had previously stated. "'Raw Emotion'...Huh." Bakkou clenches his fist in front of him. "Lets see if this works." He closes his eyes and reaches his hand forward. In front of the vessel in which he is seated is a large boulder. As Bakkou attempts to use the force, the boulder neither moves nor shatters. Soon, Bakkou opens his eyes and slams his fist in defeat. "Dammit!" He exclaims under his breath. The Lad immediately clutches his hand in pain. "Ow!" In another moment, the former Jedi takes a breath while looking at his palm. "'Use your Pain and Frustration'..." he repeats to himself.

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In Clodd's Cell...

   Lord Vader enters the room and sees the boy Jedi cross legged on the floor; facing away from the open doorway. After taking a filtered breath, Vader says "I was expecting Kenobi when your ship was found."

   "Sorry to disappoint you," the boy says. "And in case you're wondering...I am not giving my allies away." He shakes his head. "Not ever."

   Vader takes another filtered breath. "Your name is Clodd, isn't it? Clodd of Ethosia. Is that correct?"

   This statement troubles Clodd. "How do you know who I am?"

   "I know many things about you, young Jedi. You could've had a place on the battlefield fighting the Separatist forces head on, but you rejected it. You chose a different path for yourself...as did others before you. I also know that you have untapped potential as well."

   "Tch...You're hardly the first person to acknowledge my worth or claim I had potential. Never seen any proof of it myself. Tell me this. Why the hell haven't you killed me yet? Isn't that your job to kill Jedi like me?"

   Vader takes in a filtered breath. "Killing Jedi is the Clone Army's Prerogative, but the Emperor is willing to make exceptions to the rule. Your latent potential makes you highly desirable to Lord Palpatine, but your...'Potential' can only be realized through the dark side of the force. Only those who are willing to submit to the dark side can be spared a grueling fate."

   Clodd puts two and two together. "You're kidding. You expect me to just give in to you and your master? Fall to the dark side willingly? No...I will Not forsaken the Way of the Jedi just to increase my power, so if the only other option is getting rid of me once and for all...then by all means do so. I do not fear the embrace of death."

   "I must advise that you reconsider...for if you will not bend to the Emperor's will, there are other steps I am willing to take to ensure your co-operation."

   "I've heard enough!" the boy exclaims. "Do your worst, Sithlord."

   Vader takes in another breath. Then in a cold tone of voice, he says "So I will."

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At Bakkou's Position...

   The lad's eyes are closed once more as he takes a moment to recollect previous conversations that made him feel angry and frustrated. He hears his own voice in his head...

    "Cut the crap! I know what the Council asked you to do. Investigating my family without my knowledge.../You should be the one holding a saber to Barriss's throat...If somebody else gets killed because of her, don't say I didn't warn you./I let that report go through and it made my family into a joke!/Barriss deserved to die for what she did...and we let her go!"

    As the former Jedi is thinking about these things, the boulder in front of his transport begins to shake. He opens his eyes again, which have now turned Gold and Red with Hatred and Darkness. Suddenly the boulder explodes and shatters into a cloud of pebbles and dust. As Bakkou blinks, his eyes return to their natural brown color. "Hm. So this is the power of the Dark Side," he says looking at his palm. "A kind of power that the Jedi never taught me." He clenches his fist. "This power is a gift. I will do as Vader asked of me...and use this power to my advantage. Thank you...Master."