All eyes were fixed on Joe as he walked out of the meeting room. Blood was still dripping from his hands. Out of nowhere Julia ran over to him and hugged him. “Oh I heard what happened!” She stated. Julia is a fellow knight in Clan Taldryan as well as Joe’s lover. “I can’t believe they killed Victoria even though she didn’t know where you were.” Julia stated with tears running down her cheeks. Victoria was like a mother to Joe and a prominent member of Clan Taldryan. Since he had found her stabbed in the abdomen and watched her slowly die in her apartment, Joe has been like a walking corpse. “The Summit has ordered me to kill Vicious and take down the Syndicate.” Joe told her. “What..by yourself?” Julia asked concerned. Joe simply nodded in return. “That’s a suicide mission!” She yelled at no one. “I’ll go with you.” Julia tried to reassure Joe. “I’ll be with you until the very end.” She continued. Joe grabbed her hand and walked towards the vacant window. “I’m sorry, I’m gonna make a bit of a scene.” He said. “But THIS, it’s something that I’VE gotta do alone!” Joe explained before leaving. “Joe do you have a moment?” Asked Rian, the Consul of Taldryan, as he pointed to the other leaders of Taldryan. “BOOM!” Suddenly there was a loud explosion and then nothing.
The Syndicate, led by Joe’s former best friend and former member of Taldryan Vicious, just exploded a bomb inside the Taldryan headquarters. Hundreds of masters, knights, and apprentices were killed. Including Julia, Joe’s lover. With her death, Joe is now completely dead inside.

Several weeks later inside Joe’s apartment:

Joe’s roommates, his former master and his partner, were in the living room. “I guess Joe’s gonna be busy for a while.” Kromtal said casually. “That Joe, he was nothing but trouble, there’s no way he’s coming back.” Faye said as Kromtal continued to watch the holonet. “They may have killed him already ya know.” She stated sarcastically. “It’s possible.” Said Kromtal. “So what, you want me to go looking for him?” He asked. “Forget it, he’s dealing with his own past, it’s his fight!” Kromtal finished. “You told him to go after them!” Faye said angrily. Kromtal quickly grabbed her by her shirt collar. “My leg is busted, hell yes he was nothing but trouble and I don’t give a damn!” He yelled before releasing her and they turned away from each other. “....So what kinda woman was she, what was Julia like?” Kromtal asked after a long awkward pause. “Ordinary...the kind of dangerous beautiful ordinary that you just can’t leave alone.” Faye said looking down. “I see.” Was all Kromtal said. Several minutes later and Faye had left the apartment and Joe had returned from helping with the bombing a few weeks ago at the headquarters. Joe and Kromtal were in the living room. “Ever heard this story?” Joe asked Kromtal. His voice was raspy and sounded like Joe had been through some sort of living hell. “There once was a tiger cat...this cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives.”Joe said looking down at his glass of Corellian Ale as Kromtal listened. “ And he was owned by various people who he didn’t really care for.” Joe continued. “The cat wasn’t afraid to die...then one day the cat became a stray cat and he was free.” Joe said. “He met a white female cat and the two of them spent their days together happily.” Joe continued. “Well, years passed and the white cat grew weak and died of old age...the tiger cat cried a million times then he died too.” Joe said with nothing but gloom emanating from him through the Force. “Except this time, he didn’t come back to life.” Joe finished. “Yeah that’s a good story.” Kromtal said. “I hate that story!” Joe stated. “Wha?!” Kromtal looked up in surprise. “I never liked cats master, you know that.” Joe said somehow managing to form a small smile. “Hahhahahaha!” They both shared several minutes of laughter. However, there was a sense of sad irony in this laughter not happiness.
Finally, Joe stood up and began to walk towards the door. “Hey Joe!” Kromtal called out. “Yeah?” Joe questioned. “I just wanna ask you one thing.” Kromtal said. “What’s that?” Joe asked still facing the door with his hands in his pockets. “Is it for the girl?” Kromtal asked seriously. Joe turned to look at Kromtal one last time. “She’s dead, there’s nothing I can do for her now.” Joe said quietly before walking out the door to the docking bay.
As Joe turned the corner, he ran into Faye who was leaning against a wall. “Look into my eyes Faye.” Joe said bending down towards Faye’s face. “If you look with the Force you’ll see more Force energy flowing through one.” Joe said looking straight into her eyes. “Since Julia died, I’ve been seeing the past in one and the present in the other.” Joe continued. “So I thought I could see patches of reality...never the whole picture.” Joe finished. “Don’t tell me things like that.” Faye said still leaning against the wall and looking into Joe’s eyes. “Ever since we’ve worked together you’ve never told me anything about yourself SO DON’T TELL ME NOW!” She exclaimed. “It felt as though I was watching a dream I’d never wake up from.” Joe said looking down, all life was gone from his eyes and his voice was cold...so cold. Faye was left speechless by how strong Joe’s presence in the Force had grown. “Before I knew it the dream was all over.” Joe finished before beginning to walk away. “My memory finally came back.” Faye said causing Joe to stop. “But nothing good came out of it.” She continued on the verge of tears. “There was no place for me to return to Taldryan was the only place I could go.” She said clenching her fist. “AND NOW YOU’RE LEAVING JUST LIKE THAT!” She yelled. “Why do you have to go why did they have to send you?” She asked trying to hold back a sob. “Where are you going?” She continued. “What are you gonna do JUST THROW YOUR LIFE AWAY?!” She yelled as she turned to face Joe. “ I’m not going there to die….I’m going to find out if I’m still alive.” Joe said finally looking up. “I have to do it Faye.” Joe said before continuing to walk to his ship in the docking bay. Faye dropped to her knees and began crying as loud, terrible sobs left her mouth.

At the Syndicate secret headquarters:

The doors to the building slid open and Joe casually strolled in with his hands in his pockets. Inside were at least 3 dozen guards on the first floor and a dozen guards looking down over the room from the second floor. They were heavily armed with blaster pistols and rifles. The ones on the first floor crowded in front of Joe with their weapons aimed. Suddenly one of them threw a thermal detonator towards Joe. Joe quickly stretched out his hand and reached out to the Force. The thermal detonator was deflected back towards the guards and Joe placed his full concentration on his Force barrier. “BOOM!” The resulting explosion blew out the entire front entrance to the building as well as killing or wounding most of the guards on the first floor. Before the guards could regain their composure, Joe took out his purple lightsaber and darted to the flight of stairs leading to the second floor. Midway up the stairs two guards from the second floor opened fire on Joe. Joe easily deflected the blaster bolts and they hit the two guards killing them. Suddenly, a guard appeared at the top of the stairs. Before he could open fire Joe, with the assistance of the Force, jumped the rest of the and landed behind the guard. Joe slashed across the guard’s neck with his lightsaber, decapitating the guard. Three guards began to run up the stairs after Joe. He bent down and picked up a thermal detonator from the guard he had just killed. He threw it down the stairs and it exploded, killing the three guards chasing Joe.
Joe slowly made his way to an elevator, cutting down at least 2 dozen guards who attempted to stop him. All this time he kept quiet, not saying a single word. He turned a corner and finally found an elevator at the back of the hallway. Suddenly as Joe walked to the elevator blaster fire rang out from the hallway adjacent to the one he was in. “Ahh!” Joe grunted as he turned and managed to deflect most of blaster bolts back at the single guard in the hall. But one of the bolts managed to hit Joe in his shoulder and a stream of blood slowly crept down his arm. Joe simply kept going.
The elevator made it to the top floor of the building. Suddenly Joe moved to the side and as the doors opened a series of blaster bolts hit the spot Joe had just been in. Then a thermal detonator was thrown into the elevator and Joe just barely managed to get out in time and lost his lightsaber in the process. Although he had suffered a cut to his head and blood trickle down the side of his head. Joe managed to kill the 16 guards that had wounded him with his DL 44 blaster pistol. After that Joe made his way to the big doors at the end of the hall. This is where he’d find Vicious.
Joe entered the smoky and nearly destroyed room and saw Vicious sitting on a throne in the back. “I told you before Joe.” Vicious said looking at Joe. “I’m the only one who can kill you and set you free.” He finished. “Those words apply to you as well VICIOUS.” Joe replied, feeling nothing but pure hatred. “Either way it’s going to end here.” Joe said. He raised his blaster and tried to aim at Vicious but blood was getting into his eye. Even with his blurred vision he fired once and charged Vicious. A small knife fell from Vicious’ sleeve and into his hand. He threw it at Joe, managing to hit him in the thigh. But Joe didn’t stop and Vicious pulled out a metal sword and slice at Joe’s arm. Joe caught the attack with the trigger guard of his pistol. Joe fired twice. With one bolt missing and the other managing to graze the side of Vicious’ face. “Ugh!” Vicious groaned. He broke free from the blade lock he and Joe were in and swung at Joe’s other leg, managing to cut him before Joe could react. Vicious swung again at Joe. But this time Joe could feel the danger coming before it happened. He parried Vicious’ blade with the barrel of his blaster pistol. Quickly, they both attacked and this time Joe’s pistol and Vicious’ sword was knocked into the air. The sword landed next to Joe’s feet and the pistol next to Vicious’. “JULIA IS DEAD!” Joe said with bloodlust in his voice. “Let’s finish it now!” He yelled at Vicious. “As you wish.” Vicious responded. Several seconds went by with complete silence as nothing happened. Then as if on command they simultaneously slid each other’s weapon to them. Weapons in hand both tried to go for the final blow. Vicious quickly slid his sword along the floor as he swung and cut Joe across his abdomen. Just as Joe had picked I’ll his blaster pistol and managed to shoot Vicious in the chest. Both of their blood spattered our in multiple directions. A breeze of wind passed through the room as there was no ceiling. Suddenly, Vicious collapsed onto the floor face first dead. Joe simply looked up at the night sky. It’s all over..a dream. He swore he the wind whisper to him. It sounded just like Julia. “Yeah...just a dream.” Joe whispered to himself. Still looking up at the empty night sky.
Joe limped his way back down to the first floor where the Syndicate forces were recovering. When they saw Joe limping down the stairs they all stopped, lowered their weapons and stared at him in disbelief. Holding his abdomen Joe reached the middle of the flight of stairs. He stretched out his hand and pointed his finger at the group. “Bang.” He said before collapsing.