I sat across from a guest at the Shadow Feast, and a group was gathering to hear my story. Beginning from the start, I told them what happened.
I had just finished all my courses for the Dark Maven in writing, and as I was leaving professor Dek Iron'yikut caught up with me. The Sullustan met my eyes with his.
“Kade, Headmaster Stephens wants to see you. I believe it’s important.”
*Krong.* There was no reason he should have to see me unless he knew -- nevermind. I headed on over to his office and gave the entrance a knock.
The headmaster opened the door. I always appreciated how well his hair went with his beard, and his hazel eyes seemed to gaze into your soul. I may be a dirtbag, but I can respect a good look.
“Do come in.” Stephens said, with a tone I couldn’t quite pick out.
“Your studies have been improving Kade, but I’m going to get straight to the point: An interesting item was discovered in an excavation on Tatooine. They have it secured over there, but no one has made contact or studied it closely. I need you to head over there and find out what you can. And yes, we will pay you some credits for this.”
I was waiting for him to stop talking so I could go back to Zsoldos and have a drink, but when he mentioned credits I may have had a change of heart.
“Alright, I’m in.”
“Great, there’s an academy Star Courier about to take off at the main hanger.”
So, I ran over to the hanger, black hair flowing behind me because I was never a fan of tying it up. Headed over as soon as they were about, to take off, I boarded the Star Courier and made it to Tatooine.
I’ve always believed this planet is as useful as the Bantha it inhabits. And I wasn’t wrong: The whole thing’s essentially a wasteland from some event that happened a while ago.
The Star Courier headed straight to the excavation site and dropped me off. As I walked into the main area, one of the archaeologists, a bald male human with brown eyes, came up to me.
“You must be Kade, I was told you were coming. I’m Kresh. Follow me, I’ll lead you to sword.”
*So it is some type of sword*
As I went over the hill, I saw a wide excavation site, probably a fourth of a mile wide.
*There is nobody on the site right now, what were they expecting the sword to do, explode?* I wondered, a thought which I would later come back a laugh at later.
“This is as far as I’m going, the sword is on the floor about half-way towards the center of the site. Just walk down the middle.” Kresh explained as I silently judged him for not coming.
Walking down the dune, I finally came upon the sword - but it wasn’t any ordinary sword. It was a Khopesh, a sickle sword, which was just laying in the sand, but it had something very unique about it: It was made of Phrik. I could tell by the fact it still looked in excellent condition, and the shade matched up.
*How did it even get sharp enough to be a blade? Why is it sickle-shaped? Who used it?*
These questions went through my head as I looked down at the weapon. Suddenly, I felt The Force within the object: some kind of power I haven’t felt before. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to pick it up without other tests, but I couldn’t resist the power I sensed: I gripped the cold metal and lifted it up to take a look, and something you may not believe happened.
I could feel the thoughts of a dead man whom had great power. His name was Cran Krasp: He was a Chiss who was very strong with the ways of the force, but never acquired a lightsaber. Killed by a Jedi named Talon that had succumbed to the full embrace of the dark side, Cran was a Force Disciple that discovered The Force on his own, and used it to its potential, but met an early end.
However, I could feel more than just his thoughts though: I had the power he had. Flowing through my like never before, The Force embraced my every move. Happening all in a moment, I felt this man a part of me, and he was. Like actually was: Cran had inhabited my thoughts: He was an apparition of The Force in me.
The next thing that happened after I grabbed the sword is pretty crazy. In the distance I could see a figure, which through Cran, I could tell that it was Talon.
As it got closer, confusion became a more prominent thing on my mind: I was looking at a crinken monkey. And It talked too.
“Krasp, I’ve finally tracked your weapon down, and thus can finish off every aspect of you. Give me the sword or I’ll slay you like I did that Chiss 500 years ago.”
Then I shouted “Talon we will end your evil deeds right here, right now.” Technically It wasn’t me, It was Cran that said that though. Or was it me? I don’t know. I didn’t even know who I was anyways. I also don’t know how that monkey was alive 500 years ago.
The humanoid, four foot fall monkey activated its red lightsaber and started towards me. With Saber in right hand and Khopesh in left, I took a defensive stance, crouching in an appropriate manner. Now here’s the thing about that though: I shouldn’t be able to fight that well, but Cran was an excellent fighter. I had the knowledge that he had. But I didn’t know why the monkey was still freaking alive, so he probably didn’t either.
The monkey raised its hand and sent mass amounts of lighting at me, and I got my saber up in the nick of time to block it.
*Let me take this over Kade, I’ve fought this thing before.*
*You died against it.*
Before I realized it, the monkey's lightsaber was interlocked between my crossed weapons. I jumped back at prepared to move in again, but Talon disarmed me with a simple wave of the hand. Lifting its hand up for another shock, I knew I was in for it.
I willed up a barrier just in time, one stronger than my normal ones, but not strong enough. The non stop barrage of Force Lightning broke through and I felt myself giving out.
*If I die here it’s your fault Cran. Get us out. Also why is your nemesis a monkey!*
*Hey, you picked up my sword. Don’t worry we won’t die, we’ll finish this together *
*If you’re going to do something, do it now!*
Then, fighting through the pain, Cran(or me, you guys decide at this point) fought through the pain and pulled the lightsaber back with The Force. The Yellow light practically nonexistent in the bright desert, it was kinda confusing to see the lightning absorbed by it.
We jumped back and threw a Bacta Bomb down. This helped to recover from the shocking, but I was getting tired. After a continual lightsaber dual, I wasn’t sure anymore how long I could hold out. Out of nowhere though, Cran had an idea.
*We need to get my weapon. Grab my sword.*
I could see the sword in the distance but I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it. This was because Talon was an aggressive fighter, you had to always be on your guard. The monkey would jump everywhere around you and I don’t know how I kept all my limbs. I tried to weave out fighting towards the other weapon, and it sort of worked.
“Just give up and let me end you, Cran. All of you,” Talon sneered as the fighting moved towards the sword. Also I don’t know how a monkey had such a deep voice, none of the made sense.
As I finally reached the sword, Talon disarmed me again. Preparing for a final swing, the monkey charged at me for one final blow.
Then Cran took over, grabbing the Khopesh, and the two weapons interlocked. However, the inner side of the curve was in the saber, so we curved it over the top, pushed the saber down a little, and punctured the body of the stupid monkey. The animal fell to the ground, dead, and I still wondered if I took any drugs.
*Thank you Kade, now I can finally be one with the Force.*
*Your nemesis was a monkey. You died to a sith monkey.*
The weapon I was holding dissolved in my hand, and I was left with mild confusion. I knew nobody would think that this is true if I told them, so I didn’t bother collecting any credits. Moving on from this odd event, I traveled to the nearest cantina to go drink. Like drink a lot...