Star Wars: Apprentice of the Jedi

Echoes of Darkness

The skies of the planet Nirvaxus were blood red as Snoke's transport ship landed on the barren wasteland outside of a broken-down city that the First Order had recently taken back. The Nirvaxus system was loyal to the Empire until the New Republic took control. Nirvaxus, however, was not under the jurisdiction of the New Republic. The planet's environment had no signs of vegetation or water sources visible. Due to the thick and toxic gases in the planet's atmosphere, the air had a pungent, acrid smell that could be overwhelming and unpleasant to those not used to it. Its isolation and lack of official government oversight made it a popular location for criminal activities and other illicit operations. The planet was also known for its harsh weather conditions, which varied depending on the location and time of day. Some regions experienced extreme heat during the day, while others were bitterly cold at night. The weather patterns on Nirvaxus were unpredictable, with sudden storms and temperature fluctuations that could catch travelers off guard. As the ship's ramp descended, a group of stormtroopers stood at attention, waiting for their leader to disembark. Snoke walked down the ramp, his long, gnarled fingers curling around his black cloak. The hood of his cloak covered most of his deformed face. Four of his praetorian guards, with crimson red armor, followed after him.

"Sir, the planet has been taken over. Our troops have secured the capital city and are rooting out any remaining resistance," a stormtrooper said.

"Begin construction of a new facility immediately. I want our presence felt on this planet."

The stormtrooper saluted and hurried off to carry out his orders. Snoke was escorted through the city. They were met by a group of ragged, desperate-looking locals, who looked at them with a mix of fear and awe.

A brave local approached the First Order entourage, trying to speak with the imposing figure of their leader. The man, dressed in simple and tattered clothing, spoke in a language none of the stormtroopers could understand. Nevertheless, he gestured towards the surrounding landscape as if trying to convey a message.

One of the stormtroopers stepped forward, blaster rifle at the ready, and barked at the man to back away. But the local persisted, stepping closer to the First Order group and raising his voice. He seemed determined to make himself heard, even in such apparent hostility. Snoke listened for a moment, then gestured to a group of stormtroopers nearby, and they took the man away.

Snoke was then brought to a room that served as the city's school for young children. The old school room was a dilapidated shell of its former self. The walls were lined with faded tapestries and oil paintings depicting scenes of battles and triumphs long since forgotten. The floor was nothing but polished marble, now marred by scuffs and scratches from years of use.

The room was dimly lit by the occasional shaft of red light that filtered in through the cracks in the ceiling; it still had a certain dark ambiance that was hard to ignore. Nothing was in the room except a few broken chairs and a large rock structure that served as a chair for the schoolmaster.

Colonel Kaplan, who had recently arrived from the ordeal on Verdari, stood in the center of the room, his hands clasped behind his back as he waited for Snoke to arrive. When Snoke finally entered the room, flanked by two stormtroopers and his guards, he sat down on the large rock structure. Kaplan bowed deeply.

"Report," Snoke demanded.

"Sir, the First Order has successfully taken control of the planet. General Hux is en route to oversee the final stages of the operation," Kaplan reported.

"Excellent. I trust all resistance has been eliminated," Snoke sat on the old, weathered throne.

"Yes, sir. Our troops quickly crushed any pockets of resistance," Kaplan replied.

"Very good," Snoke said. "Colonel, prepare my ship. I leave for the targeted planet tomorrow.

Colonel Kaplan nodded.

As the colonel left the room, Snoke stood and sauntered toward the center of the room. He removed the hood from his scarred head and faced a white sentry droid awaiting a transmission from First Order High Command. Snoke's features twisted into a cruel smile when the transmission finally came through.

"Supreme Leader," came the voice of a highly ranked officer. "We are concerned that the New Republic will discover our current activities in the Outer Rim."

Snoke's expression grew even more malevolent. "Let them come," he sneered.

Another officer began to speak, "We advise caution, Supreme Leader. Prematurely revealing our existence to the New Republic would be catastrophic to our cause and the First Order."

Snoke's eyes narrowed. "I will not tolerate any threat," he hissed. "We must proceed with our plans, but we will do so cautiously. The First Order's power will be revealed in due time."

After a moment's pause, the officer on the other end of the transmission spoke up again. "And what of Skywalker, Supreme Leader?"

Snoke curled his lip in contempt. "Skywalker is a relic of a failed Jedi order. He will soon be dealt with."

One of the other officers spoke up hesitantly. "But Supreme Leader, how can that be?"

Snoke stopped in his tracks, turning to face the officer over the transmitter with a look of disdain. "I have foreseen their destruction. The power of the dark side will consume them all. Skywalker is a mere obstacle to our ultimate goal, nothing more."

Snoke turned his back on the sentry droid, dismissing the officers over the transmission with a wave of his hand. He sat down once more with an evil smirk of confidence.

Back on the planet of Ossus, the home of Luke's Jedi Academy, in the middle of the night, Ben lay in his bed, tossing and turning as he tried to fall asleep. His mind was still troubled by the terrifying noises he had heard inside his head earlier that day, and he couldn't shake the feeling of darkness that seemed to be creeping into his thoughts. As he finally drifted off, he fell into a restless sleep.

He began to dream. In his dream, he saw the Jedi Academy engulfed in flames. The heat was so intense that he could feel it on his skin, and the smoke made breathing hard. He looked around frantically, trying to find a way out, but the flames seemed to be closing in on him.

Suddenly, he heard a voice that sounded like his own, yet it had a lower pitch. "Impressive, Ben," the voice said. He spun around, but no one was there.

"Who's there?" he called out, but there was no answer.

Then, he saw a figure walking towards him from behind. It was tall and thin, dressed in black garments that seemed to swallow the light. As the figure came closer, Ben tried to run, but his feet felt like they were stuck in quicksand. A creepy laughter echoed in his ears as he struggled to escape. Suddenly, the dark figure grabbed Ben's arm. "Embrace the power within," the voice whispered in his ear.

He woke up with a start, his heart racing and his sheets soaked with sweat. For a moment, he couldn't tell if he was still dreaming or had escaped the nightmare.

He sat up in bed, his breathing still ragged, and looked around the darkened hut. Everything was silent except for his breathing and the peaceful wind outside. He knew he couldn't go back to sleep after what he had just experienced.

He exited bed and walked out of his hut, looking at the stars that dotted the sky. He knew that he needed to talk to someone about his dreams, but he also knew that he couldn't trust anyone at the moment, not even his Uncle Luke.

As he stood there, staring out into the night, he felt that he was more alone than he had ever been before. He missed home. He longed to see his mother and father. And he knew deep inside it was only going to get worse.