Four weeks after the events of Disorder

Even now, Liu was not used to the strange entity known as the Shroud. Forget armored naval fleets and patrols - the Shroud itself, a strange funnel of dark cosmos, was enough to send any average man's head spinning. The density of the nebulae and the pull of the vacuum was dizzying, and the pressure threatened to compress and fold up the small vessel like metallic origami.

Liu cursed under his breath as he attempted to steer his ship. He remembered traveling through the Shroud before, but as a Force navigator, not a pilot. The Brotherhood knew the system inside out - after all, a home system needed to be well managed. The Jedi recalled the Grand Master's vessel moving sluggishly through the cosmos like a javelin, its hull piercing the spacial clouds like mist.

He attempted to relax. He set the coordinates to auto-pilot. Then he delved straight into the Force.

He was in 60 ABY, a chiseled man, a Jedi carved straight out of the white marble that was the light side. He was not a follower of Skywalker, in contrast to his young years as a padawan. Instead, he had his own legion, his gang of Dark Jedi poachers, following the legacy of Omancor Crask. He remembered the blood and the smell of cauterized wounds on every planet he walked on, as each proclaimed monarch from the Brotherhood seized the systems and became brutal warlords. Liu would never go back to that time again. He couldn't, anyway.

Now he was in 33 ABY, on a mission that would end in victory or death. He saw the scarred face of one Dark Jedi Master, the declared Headmaster. In this time period, he would still be an initiate learning the ways of the dark side within the deep, enclosing chambers of the Shadow Academy. He saw the face of a female Dark Prophet - white-haired and golden-eyed - the Deputy Grand Master. Only a newcomer in this era, fresh from the urban filth of Coruscant. Maybe her eyes, in this year, were of a different hue.

Liu let himself drift, and the ship's flight seemed to grew more stable, as if he were simply gliding through space like a kite in the wind. He let the Force guide him, just as it had done so many times before. His browned face grew damp with sweat, but his expression was tranquil, his thick brow only slightly furrowed, his eyes hidden behind scarred drapes. Liu could sense Antei coming closer. He was going to make it through the mist.

---

"What's this all about, Taigikori?"

The Headmaster looked stoically upon Ronovi, who stood in the courtyard awaiting him as he stepped from the dark silhouette of the tower where his office was situated. His green eyes seemed somewhat glazed over in his Praetor's opinion, though she attempted to subdue that thought before he sensed it.

"What's what all about?" he asked.

"I just got here from the Yridia system. There are security patrols everywhere. You expecting someone?"

"Hmm. Yes," Taigikori replied. "As a matter of fact, I am."

Ronovi raised an eyebrow, removing a flask from her belt. "I'm guessing this is a guest you don't want on the premises. Whiskey?"

Taigikori shook his head. The two Equites began to stroll through the yard, passing the various statues and edifications of the Headmasters of old. Those initiates who were meditating or studying broke out of their trances long enough to bow or nod to the two superiors of the Academy, before returning to their allegedly educational stupor. Ronovi took a long drink from her flask and coughed loudly, breaking the brief silence between her and the Headmaster.

"I'd like to be of assistance, if you'd fill me in on what's exactly going on," the Epicanthix said in a husky voice, rough from the liquor.

"It's a fairly simple threat," Taigikori stated, "but one that may not be enforced for a while. It seems that a Jedi is attempting to find his way to Lyspair."

"Here? Don't tell me it's another Crask fanatic."

"Maybe. Maybe not." Taigikori's eyes flickered sharply to two initiates attempting to brawl with each other, and they instantly fell to their knees under his piercing glance. "But I'm remaining vigilant. Come. I want to discuss staff supervision with you."

Ronovi grinned and downed another swallow of whiskey, as Taigikori removed a cigarra from his robes and lit up. The smell of dry tobacco soon burned the Praetor's nostrils, and she watched as the Headmaster let a thick plume of smoke erupt from his mouth and nose. The sigh she heard as a result was a happy one, a calm one. And while Ronovi was used to calm from Taigikori, it was normally a mood preceding another malicious action from the Headmaster, such as a decapitation. He was full of surprises like that.

"To each his own vice," Ronovi said, remembering her own as she capped her flask and closed the door behind her and Taigikori as they entered the building.

Disorder is in full swing, pitting the three orders against each other. I'm a little disappointed to see that a lot of people aren't looking outside their own houses for some of the events. This will be the true test of to see who is worthy of earning the Clan name again. I've heard a lot of "re-clanning is all that matters in the long haul!!!!11!!". Well...yes. But how do you plan on getting there? I can tell you now, those that take advantage of the Order alliances will be looked at a lot more seriously than those who stick just to their houses. In the "long haul", it's about the Dark Brotherhood, not your individual house. We won't long survive the trials ahead if we don't put aside the old Clan grudges and start working together, as a family. When the Dark Council looks at the houses after the first of the year, the houses that have shown true "brotherhood" will stand out more than any others. Make it count. Make new friends, re-connect with some old friends, that's the whole point of this Vendetta.

With Aabsdu's resignation from Headmaster, we had the chance to sit down and interview him, as countless of Headmasters before him have done, no doubt this will find it's way to me one day when I retire. Here's the interview, it'll be uploaded onto the SA page in the coming weeks.

1. How do you experience the Shadow Academy as it is at this moment? After stepping down as Headmaster to focus on personal development within the Force, I remained attached to the Shadow Academy as a Magistrate to Headmaster Aybara, helping out with the development of new courses and overall general advisement. I am also currently serving as Professor of a Department, although that is a temporary position while certain things are settled out. So, I'm still working with the Academy, but at the same time I am slowly pulling away from direct representation and starting back on my personal journey as a Sith and follower of the Force. Even once I do those things, however, I will attempt to remain close to the Shadow Academy.

_2. Looking back at your work as Headmaster. What is, in your eyes, the achievement you'll be remembered for? _The reorganization of the Shadow Academy was a major moment in its history, porting things into a departmental system, and I would say that the transition was very successful. I was also Headmaster during some of the most turbulent periods in recent Brotherhood history, coming into the position while in exile and having to help in the reclamation of Antei and in turn Lyspair. The Shadow Academy was rebuilt after being wrenched from the hands of the monstrous Yuuzhan Vong. All during this time, however, we continued to expand the selection of coursework as well as the degree system, the latter of which I would say I am most proud of. Whether there is a specific accomplishment of my leadership that I will be known for I do not know, but I am confident that when looked upon as a Headmaster I will be seen as one who did his duty and left the Shadow Academy in a better place than when I entered it.

3. What was, in your eyes, the low-point of your time as Headmaster? During exile from the Antei System, having to run the Academy from on board the Arcanum was a challenge, but it worked out in the long run. The period during which the Academy was being reconstructed on Lyspair was also particularly slow, but again, in the long run I would say the Academy is in a better position than when I started.

4. You've been a member of the Brotherhood for some time now. In your time with us, how did, in your eyes, the academy evolve? While I have been involved with the Brotherhood for many years now, I still joined after many of the more tumultuous changes to the Shadow Academy took place, so when I first got involved it did not look all that different than it does now, save for the departmental system. The biggest changes have probably been concerning the dark side degree system, as well as the number and type of courses offered in the first place. The Academy is also much more active with members and with the rest of the Brotherhood than it use to be, and is continuing to improve there as it moves forward.

5. After which Headmaster did you model your rule as Headmaster? Who was your Role-model? The only Headmaster I seriously studied under or knew much of was Anshar, so he definitely had the biggest impact on how I did things when I first came into the position. I would argue, however, that after being the position for a time, I developed my own style of leadership very different from Anshar. This developed even more as I worked with Taigikori and started training him to eventually replace me. So now, I would say that the Academy as well as the position of the Headmaster in general is very different from when Anshar was Headmaster.

6. How do you think the Shadow Academy will evolve during the next few years? I have all the confidence needed in Headmaster Aybara that the Shadow Academy will take the numerous projects I started but was unable to finish, along with projects of its own, and continue to change things for the better. The Academy has had its rough times, but it is still one of the largest sources of knowledge known to the Brotherhood, and a great source to develop oneself in the Force and the workings of the Dark Side. I don't know exactly what will happen, but I look forward to finding out.

7. Do you have any words of wisdom for future Headmasters and the Brotherhood in general? The biggest thing to remember is that the Shadow Academy is not just about taking courses and, even now, earning degrees. It is about learning more, expanding your knowledge, and then putting that knowledge to use in the rest of a member's Brotherhood career. Headmasters should keep this in mind when they are concerning where they want to take the Academy and what its focus will be. The Academy is no different than any of the houses, it should always have an active role in Brotherhood affairs.

Next month we'll be opening "Blast from the Past", where two exams that have been closed will be reopened for the chance for members to fill out their Training tabs. Also expect more pre-2011 GJW fiction being put out in these reports. Hold out until then, m'kay?

His Excellency, Taigikori Aybara Dupar Headmaster of the Brotherhood