Star Wars: Darkness Rising

PART 2

CHAPTER 1: THE ASSIGNMENTS

Over the next couple of days things settled a bit at the Binka academy, there was plenty of commotion to go around for everyone, the head masters examined Ayden to assess his power. But the main concern was the revelation that the coordinates to Rakata prime had been stolen, one of the darkest points in galactic history was about to resurface and take a bow, a part of history the entire galaxy made sure was erased from all records more than fifty thousand years ago.
The masters drilled Seilif Lok on all he knew about the ancient Rakata, more information than they cared to handle or wanted to, the morning of the second day saw master Lok's padawans gathered in the main classroom were the sparring sessions took place. Master Lok entered early around eight in the morning only to find his students already there, Sylus and Rysa sat together by the far table.
Ferben and Jaden looked at them from the opposite end of the table, Jaden leaned into his friend and whispered.
"Told you they were together."
"Be quiet." Murmured Ferben.
Ayden sat alone near the front doors, it wasn't because the love of his life was snuggled next to Sylus, but rather all he endured from the masters learning of his powers, he felt exhausted and more importantly, he was scared.
Master Lok took on the sight of the young man, he was worried for him, he had received the information on what they found, Ayden's power was of some concern for everyone, specially Ayden himself. He turned and walked towards the far table, the other students greeted him with warm smiles, he looked at Ayden briefly.
"Come join us Ayden." He offered.
The young Jedi knight stood and skulked his way towards them, he ploped his form in an empty chair, they all sensed the mood wasn't right. Something troubled him and they had no way to help him.
"If you want to talk afterwards I'm always here Ayden." Offered Lok.
The young man nodded but never lifted his eyes to meet his master's gaze. Lok turned to the other Jedi in the room.
"I have the particulars of what happened in Coruscant, the order wants some of you to investigate the Mandalorians, I want you to be careful, I trust your abilities but the Mandalorians can be quite challenging."
"Am I going on that mission?" Asked Sylus with sarcasm.
"No, you already have an assingment remember, we spoke of this."
"But the council gave me a mission, what was it?" Master Lok sat on the remaining empty chair.
"Not of much importance."
Sylus rested his elbows on the table.
"I want to know if it's all the same."
"It's a territorial dispute between two spice farmers on Dantooine." Sylus sighed and stood, he paced the room.
"Those bastards! After all I did investigating the Vanguard, helping the Union bring them down and they sent me to deal with two farmers!" He cried out upset.
Rysa rose and walked to him, she held him close, "Don't lose your cool Sylus, the council does the right thing, even if we don't see it."
"Oh Rysa please, this is because I spoke in master Lok's behalf at the meeting we had." Spoke Sylus, master Lok settled him down.
"Sylus you brought this upon yourself, but you shouldn't worry, we had an agreement you and I."
Sylus nodded; "I know master, I'm not upset over that, just the fact that they don't trust me and can't even say it to my face!"
Rysa managed to bring him back to his seat, "Listen closely young knights..." spoke master Lok.
"...No matter what you think of the council they do the things that need to be done, when they need to be done, don't judge them too harshly, now; can we concentrate on your assingments?" His former students nodded.
"Good; now, Rysa you and Ayden will look into the Mandalorian threat, I will have to brief you later in private with the head masters, Sylus you will go after Jerr Khan and the Vanguard, I want Ferben and Jaden to go with you, it'll take the attention away from you. The council will think they are the ones spearheading the investigation."
Sylus looked at him for a moment, "So they decided to go after the Vanguard after all?"
"No, I decided, they will know nothing of this, anything you find comes back to me through ferben and Jaden understood, I'll deal with the farmers on Dantooine. I will send you the particulars on that situation and you have to address the council yourself, that way they'll think you're the one doing all the work."
Ayden shifted in his seat, "What about...you know, my situation?"
"You have to deal with that yourself, you're a Jedi knight now, I'll make sure Rysa is aware of the problems you'll be facing so she can help you out."
"What is going on, it'll help if we knew?" Asked Rysa confused.
"Yes master, we're all friends we need to know if something is wrong." Added Ferben.
Master Lok looked at the boy, Ayden shrugged his shoulders, he didn't care who knew, it wouldn't be a secret for too long, master Lok proceeded.
"Ayden has a strange ability, I've heard of something similar in the past, but not quite like his, he can draw the force energy from all around him, the living force; which is why we felt the pain when he did it during our group meditation."
Sylus looked at Ayden with a frown, "Why is that bad, isn't that supposed to make him stronger? Yania Mopa used to have that ability."
Master Lok looked at the young man, Ayden again shrugged his shoulders.
"Well technically yes, there have been several members of our order that had a similar ability, and yes they did become stronger when they drew energy from the force and into their essence. Ayden's case is a bit unique; he can do the same thing, so when he uses his force abilities they will be stronger, however....well, he has no control of it once it happens."
Jaden frowned, "Meaning what master?" Lok paused before responding.
"He can draw the force in for a short while, perhaps enough to unleash one force ability, any more and the strength of the force will be too much."
"Too much how?" Asked Rysa with concern.
"Well...it's not easy to explain you know..."
Ayden cut him off abruptly with his statement; "He means I will die." An eerie hush befell the room.
"Die? No, how?" Asked Rysa as she rose and walked around the table.
She hugged her friend, Ayden wanted to hold her tightly but refrained from it.
"How's that even possible, Yania Mopa was never in any danger?" Commented Sylus, the rest were too baffled to speak.
Master Lok looked down before delivering an explanation.
"Yania, like the others before her were able to control the energy being drawn, Ayden has no control, he can draw it in or he can stop it, he can't control how much of it is drawn, nor can he sustain it; anything longer than maybe twenty or thirty seconds and the force will consume him, he will become pure energy and his living form will seize to exist."
No one spoke, Rysa closed her eyes as she held her best friend, tears scaped her eventually, Sylus rose to take her in his arms, it was then that she released Ayden and hugged Sylus, she couldn't control herself anymore, she began to sob into his chest.
Ayden looked up at her, "I'm not dead yet guys, I have to do this thing first before I'm in any real danger."
"I'm so sorry buddy." Exclaimed Ferben.
"I'm not going to die please! let it go, I won't even use that power." Exclaimed Ayden clearly frustrated and annoyed.
"Is it innate?" Asked Sylus.
"As far as I understand it, He will not be restricted from using the force. But should he enter a meditative state then the energy used will increase exponentially every second, then he will die from it's discharge." Offered Lok as he observed the mood around the room.
Master Lok broke the moment between them, "Ok enough with that, Rysa please keep it together." She nodded and wiped her tears away.
She smiled at Sylus, they sat together again as master Lok continued. "Lets concentrate on the missions you will undertake, Sylus what did you find out about the Vanguard's vessel?" Sylus shifted in his seat.
"The ship was in Mannan recently, then it docked at a refuling depot near Koda station, seems they are heading into uncharted space, hard to know though; there isn't much near the dead space sector to track them, they could've returned into Union space by now or continued."
Master Lok rose from his chair, clearly shaken, he paced the room, they heard him murmur, incoherent babble; all but one sentence.
"The council will not exile me, they will execute me."
A consortium of frowns on display by his former students, "This is all my fault, I dreaded this but it's true, he has finally cracked the code, he accessed the Holocron, my life is at stake now."
"Master Lok what are you talking about?" Asked Jaden confused.
"All secrets need to be revealed, no more private briefings, no more withholding information, all of you must know what we are up against, for I fear the end is upon us, and not just for the Jedi, but the entire galaxy."