Rise of Nihilus

Chapter One- Kalinta

((The above picture is Padawan Kalinta))

A dream. It was all a dream. She kept telling herself that. It wasn't helping. The nightmare of last night haunted her. She couldn't see or feel anything. All she could do was hear the haunting voice delivering a cryptic message about light and dark. She intended to ask Master Katarn or Grand Master Skywalker about it today.

She sauntered down the domed hallway, her short, honey brown hair bouncing slightly. As Jedi passed her, they noticed her confident bearing. Most recognized her as a user of form Vapaad, an aggressive stance with hardly any defensive capabilities. Others noted her as Kyle Katarn's padawan. Regardless, she was well known.

Off in the distance, a padawan watched her intently but with a soft, calm smile on his face. As she entered the chamber at the end of the hall, he turned to leave, revealing the edge of a strange mark on the back of his neck. A mysterious symbol we can't quite see.

"Kalinta. Welcome." The Grand Master was seated at the edge of the room, surrounded by the rest of the Council. They had summoned her here, but she didn't know why. Her icy blue eyes examined each one in turn. Some she knew intimately, others only by name and reputation.

She bowed respectfully. "Masters."

The Grand Master waved his hand and a hologram of a mysterious Planet appeared. "Kalinta, do you know this planet?"

"I'm afraid I don't, Grand Master Skywalker. What is it?"

"This is Zandar. A distant, uninhabited planet. However, we believe that it was not always empty. There has been a Sith Temple spotted in the Eastern hemisphere. We would like for you to check it out."

She bit her lip, taking a deep breath. This was not her first mission, but a Sith Temple? This was huge.

"I'll need time to ready my ship. It needs a few minor repairs. Who will be joining me?" She asked respectfully.

"I will be accompanying you," Kyle said as he stood. "Also, Yaleen and her padawan Royce."

She groaned internally. Royce was the biggest jerk of all the padawans in the temple. He especially liked to pick on her. But, he was good. She had to admit that. He was very good at what he did.

"Very well. I'll go prep my ship."

She walked gracefully back out of the chamber, in a hurry she walked to her ship, the Rogue Shadow. Old but reliable, everyone else thought it was a piece of junk. Not her. This was her baby. She walked up the boarding ramp and into the engine room, flipping a few switches. It wasn't long before steam exploded in her face and she frantically searched for a way to turn it off. It shut off suddenly and she stood there, confused. What happened?

"Looked like you could use some help."

"I'm just fine, thank you very much, Tristan. I don't need help." She huffed

"Rrrriiiight..." He smirked. He was a handsome boy, tall, lean, with deep brown eyes and sandy brown hair. He wore the typical tan robes of a Padawan, the same as her, but they didn't fit his personality and look at all. He looked a little out of place in them.

"Shouldn't you be bugging some helpless Padawan somewhere?" She smirked. Her closest friends in the temple were small in number, only four, but they meant everything to her. They teased each other mercilessly.

"Nah, Ben's busy training and Mels is... I have no idea where Mels is. So I found you." His casual manner of speaking told a lot about him.

"Alright, wise guy. You're here, so you're gonna help." She threw a small tool pouch at him and he caught it.

"Go fix the cockpit access door. It sticks." She turned back to her work.

He chuckled. "Yes, Master," he said mockingly, and Kalinta threw a wrench at him. He dodged and walked out towards the cockpit, laughing.

She chuckled. "Jerk."

* * * * * *

The stupid thing wouldn't turn! She struggled with it, until she felt another pair of hands try to reach in to help. She shoved them off quickly, sending Tristan a glare.

"Whoa, beautiful, I was only trying to help!" He raised his arms.

"Would you stop calling me that?" She continued struggling.

"Sure, Kal."

She huffed and gave up. "Sometimes, you are the most frustrating man in the galaxy."

"I am. I really am. But admit it. Sometimes you think I'm OK." He smirked.

She turned towards him. "Occasionally. Maybe. When you aren't acting like a scoundrel."

His eyebrows rose, the smirk still on his lips. "Scoundrel? Scoundrel! I like the sound of that."

He gently massaged her hand.

"Stop that..." She said softly.

"Stop what?"

"You're gonna get your hands dirty."

"They're already dirty. What are you afraid of?"

"Afraid?"

"You're trembling."

"I'm not trembling."

"You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."

"I happen to like nice men."

"I'm nice men."

'No you're not, you're-"

He interrupted, pressing his lips against hers. For a moment, it was just them, no ship, no temple. Just them and the Force. Then she heard snickering.

"Oooh... Busted!"

Tristan pulled away from Kalinta and sighed. "Buzz off, Royce. Leave us alone." She groaned, annoyed.

"No way. I'm ready to go. Come on, Kalinta. Get your act together. Is the ship ready?"

She turned to look at Royce. "Yes. It is." She spoke in short, clipped tones. "Are you?"

"Don't give me sass, little girl. Just get us flying."

She rolled her eyes as soon as he walked away. "Wish me luck? I have to deal with that..."

He chuckled. "I can't do that. All I can say is, may the Force be with you."

"Then that'll have to do. See you around, flyboy."

"Later." He walked off the ship just as Kyle and Yaleen strode up the boarding ramp.

"Ready to go, kid?" Kyle asked.

"Always. Let's hit it."

As I settled in to the pilot's seat, I smiled. This was my baby. I flipped some switches and the engines hummed to life.

"This thing is a piece of junk!" Royce commented from behind me.

"You know what, Royce? Shut up. Just don't talk the whole way there, and you and me will be just fine."

Kyle spoke up from next to me. "Hyperspace in three, two, one."

A/N

Thanks for reading so far, guys! I hope you like it! The updates might be a little slow, but hey. I'm a busy girl. Anyways, I promise, the next chapter is where it really gets good! We get some action, some heartbreak, some drama... So you got that to look forward to. See ya in the next chapter!!