Form II: Lightsabers Clash.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Serenno. A rather typical planet, Wei thought. It had the usual mixture of geography: rainforests, mountains, rivers, oceans, and the like. Not like Tattooine, which was all desert, or Coruscant, which was one endless city. Really, the one thing that made the place atypical was the fact that the place seemed to be run by six counts.

Something tugged at the back of his mind. He felt like there was something significant about this place. But what was it? Once he had his drink, he would probably remember.

Hours later, Wei was drunk to the point he couldn't quite stand up, feeling much better, but still no closer to remembering why Serenno's counts were supposed to be significant to him.

Then suddenly, he hit something or someone, and found himself entirely on the ground.

"Whu hit me?"

[Zenas Codrey]

"You hit me."

Zenas Codrey, full of hate, weary and on edge from months of being hunted for a bounty, stared down at the drunken human with twitching eyes. It was starting to get to him. It was certainly getting in his way.

"Get up. Move on. I have more important people to spend energy on than you."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Oh." Wei stood up, swayed a bit, and kept himself from falling over by grabbing the Togrutan's montrals, or whatever those hangy things on his head were called.

Realizing what he'd done, the drunken man let go, placed his palms on Zenas' shoulders, and pushed himself back up to standing. He teetered for a moment, then stumbled backwards.

"Sorry."

[Zenas Codrey]

Zenas yelled as the man bore his full weight on Zenas's lekku, bowing his head and trying to lessen the strain. When Wei let go Zenas had a mighty headache, his eyes were watering, and he'd changed his mind about where, when, and who to burn his energy on. Zenas stepped and struck Wei full in the chest with both palms, using enough of the Force to stumble the man back several paces.

"You are standing on my last nerve, drunkard!" he vowed, stalking forward to close the space and keep beating Wei.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei stumbled back, fell over, and rolled backwards onto his feet. He stood, activated his lightsaber out of reflex, and felt his mind start to clear.

Form I would work. It would help. He felt his feet settle and his legs lower into the solid stance meant for Form I.

[Zenas Codrey]

Zenas was not going to have it. He drew his own lightsaber, snapping the blade on as he went straight for Djem So's most famous move. In a blur of speed and strength that made his lightsaber shriek with fury, Zenas brought the red blade smashing down on Wei.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei blocked it smartly, and swung wide: Form I was not suited to fighting just one person: though Wei's technique was solid, the cut telegraphed poorly. The drunken Jedi focused on the humming blades--they were his channel into the Force--and put more impetus into his attack.

[Zenas Codrey]

It was easy for Zenas to parry Wei's strike. He pushed the blue lightsaber aside and cut back in along the same path, snapping his arms quickly to cut Wei while his weapon was still outside his body.

[Wei Wu Wei]

The drunken Jedi stumbled back, thrown off by the force of Zenas' parry. The cut missed his flesh, but cut at his shirt. It was too close. Way too close.

Wei tried a basic combination of attacks: a cut from the left, then from the right, ended with a quick thrust. He needed to regain control of the fight.

[Zenas Codrey]

Zenas was relentless. His strikes came in time with Wei's, his own powerfully battering down the human's offense. His third strike swatted Wei's lightsaber up, then on his fourth stroke he performed the avalanche overhead again, trying to drive the man's own weapon into his body.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei managed to keep the attacks from reaching him, but only just. One managed to touch his face, blasting him out of his drunkenness and into a full-blown panic. He had to get away.

He gathered all his shaky power under him and pushed against Zenas' blade with all he had, then before Zenas could recover, he ran like a Force-assisted rabbit.

He did not stop until he was somewhere in the outer regions of the town. He stopped at last, resting with his back to a large metal gate.

So, sneered a pompous voice, what have we here?

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei looked up and saw an old man sneer down a long nose at him. The ghost stood straight backed, head held high. A noble. A noble Wei recognized from days long past.

"Count Dooku."

And it knows my name. The Count shook his head. The drunken riffraff knows my name! What are you doing here, at my manor? The doors are locked and everything is guarded. There is no treasure for your plunder!

Wei could hardly believe his ears. The ghost of the former Sith Darth Tyrannus was before him, and all it cared about was its manor!

"No, not a thief," Wei said. He was exhausted. The lightsaber fell from his hand.

A Jedi, then. Come to take pity on Darth Tyrannus? I have no need of pity. I did not in life, and I do not even as I have rejoined the Force. The ghost paused. You are injured. No doubt while using the very lightsaber that lays on the ground?

Wei nodded.

Pathetic. Most Jedi don't understand a lightsaber's true nature. They know nothing of finesse, or grace. They all wanted to be like Anakin Skywalker. Bludgeoning away with it like it were a hammer or a club. That was not the way a lightsaber was meant to be handled.

"Could you teach me?" The words were out of Wei's mouth before he knew what he was asking.

[Wei Wu Wei]

The apparition laughed. Me teach you? You stink of the Light side of the Force. A Jedi to the core.

Wei looked at his feet as he crouched and ran a tired hand through his hair. "Yeah. Sure."

Dooku raised a stately eyebrow at the man's doubt. So you think you are susceptible to the Dark side of the Force? We shall see. There was a pause. I will teach you my lightsaber technique as I taught Asajj Ventress.

The Force Ghost shimmered and reappeared in the courtyard. Come, and we shall begin your training.

Wei followed Dooku around the back of the manor to where a small, circular area stood flanked by well-manicured bushes. It was paved with sets of round stones, some a dull ruddy earth-tone, and others a dull grey.

Dooku stopped. He turned to face Wei with his hands clasped behind his back, which was straight. He looked Wei squarely in the eye, and with a chest swelled with pride, recited in his calm, lordly voice, Makashi, commonly known as Form II is also referred to as The Way of the Ysalimir. It is also called the Contention Form. Makashi is the ultimate refinement of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. Developed at a time where Jedi found themselves commonly dueling with Sith Lords and other Dark Jedi, it excels in defending against the sweeping blade movements used by lightsaber wielders, and is also an effective Form for preventing someone from disarming you. As a Form meant for blade-to-blade fighting, Makashi lacks an effective means of dealing with blaster rifles. Though in the hands of a Master, these weaknesses are heavily reduced.

Dooku smiled with malevolent intent. I hope you are ready, Jedi. This training will not be easy.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei shrugged. "It never is."

The Dark Count sneered. Indeed. Listen closely, Jedi. Form II basic stance begins with the feet shoulder width apart. Hold the lightsaber in your dominant hand at the side in a low guard. Though I chose to begin my duels by facing my opponent head on, some find it easier if they stand sidelong with the blade of their lightsaber facing the opponent.

Wei put his lightsaber in his left hand, held his arm out to his side at an angle, and switched the blade on. Though the hum could reach his mind, he was still affected by the alcohol. He could feel himself swaying back and forth.

"So what's the advantage of turning sideways?" Wei asked, fumbling to turn himself 90 degrees.

Darth Tyrannus offered a pompous grunt of disgust. Is it not obvious? You offer an opponent a smaller target area. As such, you will use less energy defending yourself. 'Turn sideways' indeed.

Wei raised his sword arm and cut a figure-eight in the air with his blade.

No no no! Don't just hold the hilt in your fist! Place the hilt in your hand so that the tip of your thumb follows the blade. Then wrap your fingers around the blade tight enough that you offer yourself stability and control without diminishing fluidity in your movements.

The whiskey Jedi did so, and tried the figure-eight again. "I see what you mean."

Do you now? Then you are ready to spar an opponent? Very well. Go press that button on the wall behind you.

Wu Wei stumbled over to the wall, slapped the button after a couple of tries (it just wouldn't sit still), and turned around.

[Wei Wu Wei]

The sounds of machinery working echoed about the courtyard. A large stone statue slid to one side, and from the uncovered opening a droid rose. It was tall, thin, with plating of the darkest black. The droid activated a curved hilt lightsaber.

"What? Huh?"

The droid offered the Makashi Salute: it brought the blade in front of it and raised the blade so the tip pointed straight up, then brought it down into the Form II stance.

Come now, Wu Wei. The niceties must be observed.

Wei offered a rather sloppy solute in return, but before he could get himself situated, the droid lunged with a blistering fast stab at the stomach.

The drunken Jedi swung his whole arm and batted the sabre away.

Makashi is a form of precision. It does not do to flail about. Keep your elbow in. Use your wrist to parry. Swing from the elbow. Jedi are fragile creatures. If it takes little effort to hurt them, then why spend the extra energy?

Wei tightened up his stance. He moved the droid's blade aside with a flick of the wrist. He followed up with a quick forward step and a stab of his own. Then he followed with a low cut directed at the droid's knee joint. Each attack started at his elbow.

That droid will kill you if you don't try harder. Looking to join your wife in death so soon?

[Wei Wu Wei]

His gut grew colder than Hoth at night. "What did you just say to me?"

The droid attacked again. Wei used a Force push to fling the droid across the courtyard. "How do you know about my wife?"

I know a lot of things. When you join the Force, you find that all sorts of things that you could not have comprehended in life are suddenly laid out plainly in death.

Dooku smirked. It was obvious he was enjoying Wei's outburst.

Careful. Anger leads to the darkside. The Sith laughed mirthlessly.

"Turn the droid off! I'm not going to stick around to be harassed by you!"

Oh dear. I'm afraid that will be a problem. You see, the droid will not shut off. The only way to keep it from attacking you is to destroy it.

Wei felt shaken. He felt anger at Dooku's words, shame for his anger, and the familiar feeling of hopelessness he thought he had drowned in ale a few hours before. He wanted to disappear, sure. He was a failure. A second-rate Jedi, out of touch with the Force. He couldn't even keep his own family safe. And now they were dead. Because of him. Because he was a Jedi. And a second-rate one at that.

These thoughts swirled around him like the stormy waves of Kamino's oceans. He could see the droid getting up. It was coming for him. Wei brought his lightsaber into a fighting position. He gripped the hilt tightly. His heart still raced from the shock of the Dark Count's verbal jabs. Wei's hands shook. The lightsaber jittered through the air. The blade's hum sounded irregular, anxious.

The noise got Wei's attention. Wei stared at the blade, forcing himself to listen to the hum. He focused on it, and could feel the hum vibrating in his mind. Suddenly, he could breathe.

The droid drew into attack range. It lunged. Wei's sabre flicked the blade away. The noise of the clashing blades replaced his own conflicting feelings. What had he been so upset about?

The former Jedi offered a riposte: a scolding tap to the droid's shoulder. The casing around the joint slagged under the sudden heat. The combat machine switched the lightsaber to the other hand. It struck again.

Wei blocked the blade, keeping the enemy lightsabre to the outside. The blades stuck together. They crackled with energy. Wei's mind was full with the rhythms of combat. He felt no turmoil. He smiled.

The Jedi's sabre struck like lightning and hit true. He drove his weapon into the droid's chest up to the hilt, then switched it off. The machine crumpled to the ground.

Impressive. For your first day.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei could feel himself sobering up. He enjoyed being able to stand on steady feet. He definitely liked that his vision stopped swimming. But there was one problem with alcoholism: withdrawal was a bantha and a half.

"Is there anything to drink in this great big mansion?" Wei asked.

Not for you. However, it would not do for you to starve. My manor has been abandoned for years, but I know for a fact that numerous restaurants on Serenno still have my address in their files.

"Why is that? You were the only Dooku left, weren't you?"

No one is ever careless when it comes to aristocracy.

"Oh, I get it. Some kind of social no-no amongst the upper crust of society."

Darth Tyrannus turned his nose up at the drunk with a glower and a sneer. Indeed.

Hours later, Wei was eating a rather sumptuous meal. Too bad his heart wasn't in it. His thoughts remained mired in the helplessness he felt at not being able to save his family.

"Dooku?"

Count Dooku, if you please.

"Count Dooku, then. Why did you fall to the darkside?"

Are you familiar with the Jedi mission to Galidraan? The governor of the planet asked for help from the Jedi to fight off a group of Mandalorians led by Jango Fett. I led that mission. I succeeded, but not without incurring heavy losses. I later found out the governor used the Jedi order for his personal gain: he had used Jango Fett as a mercenary, and then used us to eliminate him to avoid paying that mighty warrior for the job he had done.

Later, an estranged apprentice of mine went with some other Jedi on a mission to Baltizaar. Again, the Jedi suffered heavy losses, including my Padawan. I accused the Jedi Council of using members of its own order as political pawns, and from there it began.

"That's right. You taught Qui Gon Jinn and another."

Komari Vosa. Not that many people remember her. Jinn became famous for finding Anakin Skywalker. She merely faded into obscurity and died pointlessly on Baltizaar. I am convinced.

"So you fell because of the Jedi Order's apparent disregard for your pupil?"

I did not fall. I chose a different path. A better path. The Jedi Council could not be trusted. I wanted the power to stop them. And so I found it in the Dark side, with the tutelage of Darth Sidious.

Wei chewed a morsel thoughtfully while he considered this. "I'm sorry you lost your Padawan."

She was rather taken with me. Her feelings for me were not appropriate for a Jedi, and so I had to dismiss her. But I did not want her to die.

Wei nodded. "I loved my family a lot. Probably too much for the Council's taste. But then again, that was all after Order 66 and Darth Vader's Jedi purge."

Yes, I sense much pain and anger around that subject. You feel powerless about it. It is too bad you did not have the power of the Dark Side at your command. Surely, with the strength of the Sith, you would have been able to save them.

"Thing is, I got no indication. No premonition from the Force about what was going to happen. I used to know when danger was going to find the people close to me, but it didn't happen that time."

Still, I sense rage in you. A desire to revenge yourself on their killers, perhaps?

Wei had considered it. How hard would it have been to find them? Contingents of stormtroopers usually stayed at a base for several years before getting reassigned. Most of the ones that raided his home that day were probably still there. It would have been no big feat to storm the base with his lightsabre flashing and kill every single man inside.

"No. It wouldn't do. My wife wouldn't have wanted that."

Ever the Jedi. Why stick to beliefs that you hardly trust anymore? Why hold on to the ideals of an extinct group? The Dark Jedi yet remain. How difficult should it be to join the better side?

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei answered the Sith ghost's questions with a shrug, and decided to change the subject. "I remember seeing you around the Jedi Order when I was a Youngling."

Yes. The little one with the crooked glasses and the Rancor doll twice as big as you. The Jedi Masters didn't approve of your attachment to the toy, but it seemed to be the only way to teach you the more abstract elements of using the Force.

Wei chuckled. "So I have a hard time with Force Push."

They also did not like how fascinated you were with lightsabres. Quinlan Vos saw it as your natural disposition when it came to Jedi disciplines, but Yoday and Shaak Ti worried you might be too eager to fight. They kept an eye on you during lightsabre practice in the event your eagerness turned to bloodlust. Their fears were unfounded, of course. But such is the nature of a Jedi. Fearful, cautious.

"I just thought they were neat. I liked the colors."

I heard. A group of Jedi Knights gathered one evening to discuss their Padawans. He told us about how when you were asked what color blade you wanted, you told him you would one day have one lightsabre for every color crystal there was. When you heard that red was the traditional Sith color, you apparently replied--

"It's only a color. A Sith can be a Sith whether he wears black or white."

A remarkably insightful statement for one so young. Masters Yoda, Plo Koon, and Ki-Adi-Mundi were especially pleased.

"On the subject of lightsabres, what's the deal with the curved hilt?"

The curved hilt of the lightsabre allows a person a more natural and comfortable grip. Come, and you may see for yourself.

Wei got up from his meal and followed the ghost through the manor's long hallways. Count Dooku stopped in front of a door. This was once the place where I meditated on the Force. Now it is just a dusty old room that attests to the legacy of my tenure serving the Dark side of the Force.

The door opened with a snakelike hiss. Wei could practically taste the taint of the Dark Side in that room.

"Why are we here?"

This is where my lightsabre is located.

"You're giving me your lightsabre?"

Hardly. I am letting you make use of one of the replica sabres I constructed in the event mine was ever destroyed in combat. Besides, the lightsabre I used during the Clone Wars was lost forever after I died at the hands of Anakin Skywalker.

Wei reluctantly entered the room. He could feel the oppressive presence of the Dark Side squeezing his chest. It made him uncomfortable and anxious. He watched Darth Tyrannus glide across to the far end of the chamber.

Ah, yes. Here we are. All still in perfect working order, I assure you. Come and see for yourself. Tyrannus saw the former Jedi start to clutch his sides. Did your dinner not agree with you? Or are you scared? I don't see what there is to fear: they're only lightsabres. The dead Sith smiled sadistically. Or is there some other reason why I suddenly sense so much fear in you?

[Wei Wu Wei]

Anger erupted in Wei's chest. He bared his teeth. "Shut up!" The words broke forth from his mouth like laser bolts. Wei stretched forth his hand towards the glass case holding the lightsabres. He wanted one. He wanted to feel the cold metal in his palm and the heat of the blade. He wanted to shut the dead man up.

One of the weapons burst through the case, making the glass shatter violently. The old weapon snapped smartly into his palm. Wei pressed the button, activating the sabre before he knew what he was doing. It was just like Tyrannus said. Old, but in perfect working order.

Good. Let your hate fuel your command of the Force. Take action against your enemies, Wei Wu Wei! Make them know fear! Make them taste indescribable pain! Avenge your family!

Wei snarled. "What do you know about my family? What do you know what I really want?"

Maybe I know nothing. But I can feel your anger. I can feel it directed at yourself for not being able to protect your family. I can feel it pointed at the Empire for what they did. And why shouldn't you be angry? They destroyed your home and the people you loved for no reason.

That got Wei's attention. "No, there was a reason. The Empire is a lot of things, but it is above all, the creation of Darth Sidious. Palpatine never did anything without a reason. Everything was calculated, everything was planned out."

Wei stared at the red sabre in his hand. Why hadn't he gone for the one in his sleeve? Was red really just a color?

At least the hum was the same. Even surrounded as he was by Dark influence, the hum was the same. Steady, constant. Not good. Not bad. It just was. Like him. Or rather, how he used to be.

The hum focused his mind, honing his faculties into a fine, sharp point. He did want to avenge his family's deaths. He wanted to make sure they had not died in vain.

He knew--He knew--those troopers were at the house looking for him. His wife may not have known what he used to be, but his father had known everything. No doubt the two of them were tortured before they were killed in an attempt to get them to confess where he was, and his old affiliations with the Jedi Order. His father had apparently not talked. Neither had his wife.

Why had the stormtroopers left the house, then? If they wanted him that badly, they would have waited for him to come home. Something caused them to leave. What could it have been? A false lead on his location? An emergency greater than hunting down a rogue Jedi?

Wei looked at the weapon in his hands. It was neither good, nor bad. It could only be used for those two ends. Would he use it to protect? To bring Justice? Or would he use it to lay waste to everything he saw?

"I'm going to do justice to their murders. I'm going to find out why they were killed, and then I'm going to see to it that the Empire doesn't meet that goal."

Spoken like a true Jedi fool. Tyrannus cursed his bad luck. He was so close to turning the Jedi.

Wei cleared his plates from the dining room table. With the space clear of chaotic clutter, he could focus on the task at hand. He just hoped he still had his personal datapad. He found it in his pocket. The thing was essentially the size of his hand, utilizing a basic touch screen. He switched it on, and began diving through its massive stores of data in search of his father's business files.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"He was the only one who knew I was a Jedi once."

Ever since Wei joined his father in running the furniture company his father owned, Wei received a copy of every scrap of information his father deemed relevant to the success of the business. Wei used to skim over it from time to time when he was bored in line at the grocery store, or at night when he stayed up with his pregnant wife when she was too sick and uncomfortable to sleep. Not once had he ever gone over his own personnel file.

Does it matter why they were murdered? Dooku asked. Is it not enough to know that they were killed, and that the culprits walk free and under government sanction?

Wei glanced up from the datapad. His eyes narrowed. He could feel irritation gnawing at him. He had bigger fish to fry than arguing with a Force Ghost.

"Of course it does."

Looking to absolve yourself of guilt?

Wei shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm not looking for absolution. I'm looking for answers."

So you're over feeling responsible for their deaths?

"No," Wei replied with a little more vitriol than he planned. "I just need to know."

Tyrannus snorted. Then I will leave you to this grand waste of time. Summon me when you are ready to return to your training.

"You're still interested in teaching me?"

Jedi or Sith, I have always been a man of my word. He disappeared.

Wei raised an eyebrow at Dooku's last words, shrugged, and returned to the datapad.

Wei Wu Wei. Job Title: Production Manager.

Demonstrates uncanny ability to motivate employees. Fast learner, good planner. Picks up on procedures and policies quickly. Shows a knack for innovation.

Employee History:

N/A

Volunteer Experience:

Coruscant

Dantooine

Ruusan

Ossus

Tython



"Dad, you were always pretty clever, but you could be a real idiot, too."

Each entry linked under the planets' headings detailed a series of charitable acts Wei performed during his tenure as a Jedi. Some he remembered telling his dad about, but others were clearly a fabrication. Also, Wei had only really been to Coruscant and Dantooine. The other three planets he had only read about in the archives.

Each world listed was a planet of significance to the Jedi. Wei supposed it was his dad's way of recognizing and celebrating his son's past. Still, any knowledgeable intelligence officer would have recognized that list immediately.

Wei scanned each heading in turn. When he got back to the main page of his personnel file, he saw something odd at the bottom.

"Crib designs for the tiniest Wu Wei?"

Wei opened the file. Sure enough, it was a crib, fashioned from the finest woods The company offered. The bars of the crib were carved out to look like lightsabres. The headboard held the symbol of the Jedi Order. The footboard displayed a spherical shape, with sparkles scattered throughout. It was an odd design. At first Wei supposed it was supposed to be a pattern, but it was too irregular for that. It looked like stars, or a set of planets.

"A star map?"

[Wei Wu Wei]

The former Jedi yawned expansively. It was late, and the puzzle would keep until tomorrow.

Wei wasn't sure if Dooku would try to do anything to him in his sleep, but to his limited knowledge, Force Ghosts couldn't do much more than disappear, reappear, and talk to you. Wei never reached a decision about where he was going to sleep: his head hit the table and he fell asleep with his nose in his datapad.

Morning broke on the Dooku manor. Soft yellow sunlight poured into the windows of the dining room, puddling here and there on the dusty, moth-eaten rugs. One golden sunbeam lit on Wei's face, caressing his cheek with a gentle warmth.

"Good morning, Chariss," Wei muttered with a smile. "I love you more than you could possibly know." He made a snuffling noise in his sleep, and turned his face to the side. His cheek hit the datapad.

Suddenly a loud noise filled his ear, jarring him violently from his dream.

Wei, listen to me, son. It was his father's voice. Last week, when I traveled to Kashyyyk on business, I ran across something...interesting. It wasn't anything physical, you know. Just some local stormtroopers on security detail discussing the planet. They said that once upon a time before the Clone Wars of the Old Republic, there was a star map on the planet floor that led to a powerful artifact of the Force. Someone named Revan was looking for them long ago. I don't know how grunt Stormies get that kind of Jedi info, but after asking around, it turns out it was true.

Wei had heard the story of Revan and the Star Forge studying in the Jedi Archives as a Padawan, but the odd map he saw last night in the crib designs didn't seem to match what he knew of the story of Revan.

That's neither here or nor there, his father continued, but this is what was the real deal. One of those stormtroopers said he heard something similar about another set of secrets or clues related to the Jedi they've been hunting. Turns out, that's why the Stormies were on Kashyyyk to begin with. They were hunting Jedi and knew Yoda had some sort of connection to the Wookies. Sure seems like they're way to invested in killing Jedi to me. Anyway, Son, I went to the cantina set up at the outpost and let the soldiers drink and talk a while, when one of the officers starts some passionate rant about how they're looking in all the wrong places. They should be looking on worlds where Jedi were once very influential. He said he was there when they ransacked the archives and he found out that any amount of Jedi artifacts could be found on the other worlds where the Jedi held a lot of sway. He managed to tell me, and so I worked the planets into your personnel file. I also mapped them out for you in the crib design. I know you would have figured it out on your own, but I thought I'd tell you anyway. I just wanted you to have whatever was out there, since you were a Jedi and all. I know how much it meant to you to be a member of the Order, and how much it tore you up to see it fall. I figured if you could get your hands on whatever Jedi things are out there, it might make you feel better. I don't know what you'll say to Chariss. If I was sure it wouldn't be dangerous, I'd tell you to take her along. She's got spunk. I love you. Say Hi to your wife for me.

Wei tapped the screen to close the datapad and sat for a moment in the light of dawn, ingesting the words his father spoke. So that's what it was all about. His dad stuck his nose where it didn't belong. For Wei.

He had to go. He had to see if he could find whatever it was his dad died for.

Are you ready for another day of training? Dooku's voice asked from behind his left shoulder.

But it would keep. First, he needed to master Makashi.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Well, Wei thought it would keep. Dooku could pick out Wei's every tiniest negative emotion and inflate it to a point where the thoughts in his head kept him from focusing. Once he nearly lost an arm to the new training droid, before finally lopping off the mechanical limb himself.

And still the lightsabre's hum remained constant and unchanging in both pitch and volume. Even as Wei grit his teeth in an attempt to bite back the angry words he wanted to fling at Darth Tyrannus, he kept his eyes and ears fixed on the sabre.

Days turned into weeks, and Wei's impatience and irritation grew. Wei scrapped droid after droid, and yet more remained. Each one seemed to get faster, or could anticipate his actions sooner. The Sith Ghost plied pressure to Wei's frustration, which only made things worse.

Finally, after kicking aside the remains of the third training droid for the day, Wei pitched the droid's head at the button on the wall in the courtyard. The stone doors ground open for the next droid to emerge, but Wei stepped through the opening instead.

With a mighty burst of Force Speed he lunged through. The opening was only just big enough for his slim profile . The red blade of the borrowed curved-hilt sabre found a home in the one of the droid's optical sensors, slagging the cpu just behind them.

The doors finished opening, paused, then shut again. The floor beneath him lurched, then he felt himself descending to some unknown depths beneath the manor's cellars.

The lift's gate slid back, revealing a warehouse the length and width of the manor as a whole. It was half full of combat droids, each equipped with its own lightsabre.

"There's got to be 200 of these things here."

208 according to the inventory.

"How did you manage to get 208 lightsabres?"

By killing 208 Jedi.

It was an exaggeration. It had to be. It was just Dooku trying to tick him off again.

"Activate them."

I beg your pardon?

"Activate them. All of them. I'll finish this business once and for all, and then I'm going to go. You can't keep me here, and I won't be subjected to your wheedling anymore."

I sense your frustration. Your anger. Use it. You cannot defeat them all without it. Let the Dark Side aid you in this task.

"I'll be fine, thanks."

You think some monotonous noise will help you here?

"Go haunt a broom cupboard."

Have it your way.

Darth Tyrannus faded away, leaving Wei in the large rectangular space. 416 robotic eyes glowed an intense red. The noise of the droids' sabres igniting echoed off the walls. It was almost deafening.

Wei offered the Makashi Flourish: an X drawn in the air with his lightsabre before his Salute. The droids offered the same.

The droids advanced on Wei.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei couldn't just hear the humming of the lightsabres. He could feel it. The noise echoed off the bare walls of the chamber and amplified, causing his skin to tingle. The Jedi's mind was clear and free. He allowed himself to shut his eyes. The clear feeling in his mind trickled down throughout his body. It gave him a clean feeling. Like all the pain, anguish, anger, and guilt got flushed out of his system.

There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony
There is no death, there is the Force.

The first droid came into range. Wei flicked his wrist, and the droid lost its forearm. With a twist of his elbow, the blade found the droid's midsection, bit into the metal, and cut through easily.

The next droid stepped over the remains of its twin. Wei ducked low to avoid a horizontal swipe. As he stood up, he stepped forward and thrust upward. The blade entered through the droid's chest and emerged out of the top of its head.

The first dozen or so went down quickly. Soon Wei figured out why. The droids seemed to be networked. When one fought him, the data transmitted to the other units, which then downloaded and unpacked the data. Apparently during the training in the courtyard, the droids had time to process the information, and were up to date on his combat techniques by the time they stepped into the courtyard.

Without the precious time spent to process their opponent, the droids showed slower response times, and could easily fall to the same tactics. Really, it only meant one thing: Fighting the droids in the back of the line would suuuuuuuuuuuck!

[Wei Wu Wei]

Fighting the droids in the back did suck. The floor proved difficult to walk on as the clutter of robot parts grew. He could only move about the room by sliding his feet. If he lifted them off the floor, there was a chance he would step on something and twist his ankle, or fall over. Then all would lost. He'd never get out.

If only he was good at moving objects with the Force. All the debris in the room made for a near limitless supply of ammunition.

Such as it was, he would have to do what he could with what he had.

He found the droids could not keep up with high speeds, though it pushed him to his limits to Force Boost his attacks to speeds faster than the droids' servos could respond. Wei found himself thanking the Force that he could cause his body to move as fast as he could think. Still, the exertion wore on him. As each droid fell, they began to pile up on one another, until Wei was constantly fighting opponents uphill.

Wei stood against the wall surrounded by a mountain of droid debris. Had he destroyed them all? He had lost count. Wei felt exhausted. The humming of his lightsabre dulled the pain of effort.

The former Jedi cast about for the lift gate when he heard it. A distinct sound of metal footfalls and the clatter of rubbish shifted underfoot. Wei Wu Wei raised his eyes to the top of the pile to find one lone droid different from all the others. Its optical sensors looked narrow and angry.

"Statement: I see you have destroyed my comrades, lifeform. But we saved the best for last!"

[Wei Wu Wei]

The droid performed the Makashi Flourish, ending in the Salute. Wei copied the motion. The droid leveled the lightsabre at its foe. It's speaker crackled for a moment before the machine's "voice" kicked in.

"Mocking Query: Are you going to stand there until world's end, or are we going to fight each other?"

Wei didn't like it. Between the odd pops of the droid's ancient audio module, the fact that it announced what sort of statement it was making before it actually engaged conversation wheedled at him so. It would have been amusing if he wasn't having to fight.

He didn't want to advance on the droid. It was bad enough fighting someone who had the high ground, but if he tried to climb the droid pile, he'd have the extra disadvantage of poor footing.

"Mockery: Come now, Master Jedi. I am, after all, only a droid. Surely you should just be able to use the Force to overpower me?"

It was a Dark Side droid? Wei was confused. Since when did a droid ever engage in smack talk? The way it talked, it sounded like Dooku trying to get him irritated.

There was no helping it. Wei took a deep breath. He pointed his lightsabre at those emotionless red eyes. He charged.

The droid took kicked a head at Wei as the human approached it. Wei swatted the thing aside, finished closing the distance, and aimed a light, scolding cut at the droid's ankle. The machine slid its food out of the way. It slashed down at Wei's head, causing the Jedi to duck out of the way and slide a short distance down the pile.

"Boast: I am the King of this mountain, you soft and squishy thing!"

"

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei was exhausted. His face hit the scrap heap. The jagged metal debris cut into his face as his lightsabre slagged everything it touched. The hum reflected how he felt: empty.

But empty was good, right? Peace, serenity. These were things a Jedi sought most fervently. But he needed to get up. He had to clear this once last obstacle. Wei pushed himself up, careful to avoid the hot metal his lightsabre blade left behind. Wei held his stance on the mountain, and allowed his mind to turn in on the empty feeling inside him. The empty pang of exhaustion drained out of his body to make room for the quiet nothingness of the Force. Nothing, but substantial. Empty, but full. It was the strangest feeling starting from the top of his head to the bottoms of his feet. And then, beyond. Wei could feel the connection between his feet and the pile, the pile and the floor, the floor and the walls, the walls and the ceiling, the ceiling and the manor above, then between the manor and the surrounding landscape.

He could especially feel the connection between himself and the final droid that stood at the crest of the refuse pile, making the air vibrate with sounds.

"Proclamation: I will end your miserable life now, human!"

The droid started forward, letting the shifting rubble under its feet carry him down the small slope towards its adversary. Wei could sense the enemy's sword arm start the lethal cut. He crouched ever so slightly, just enough to avoid the blow, and countered with an elegant vertical slash from where the droid's navel would be to the neck.

"Admission: I underestimated you..." The droid's voicebox slowed as it lost power. The shell continued to clatter down the pile, where it lay broken and useless to anyone except for scrap metal.

Dooku reappeared in the lift as Wei stepped inside it. You remind me of myself when I was a Jedi. Though I have left my Jedi ways behind me, I admire and respect how masterfully you gave yourself to the Light. You are indeed a Jedi, and one well worth respecting. Use Makashi well.

Wei nodded. "I will. Thank you for teaching me."

The former Jedi waved good bye as the Force Ghost faded away for the last time. He put his lightsabre back in his sleeve where it belonged, replaying those final moments fighting the droid in his mind. Maybe he wasn't beyond redemption. But why was his mouth so dry?

By the time Wei reached the spaceport his mind was on drink yet again. He took a sip of Corellian brandy to wet his whistle. As the booze splashed down his gullet, so too did all the old feelings as he remembered his wife and family.

"So much for that," Wei muttered to himself. Drunk again, he stumbled into the cargo hatch of a nearby freighter to sleep off his stupor. The ship took off, carrying its stowaway to only the Force knew where.