CHAPTER 2

Marek opened his eyes after having meditated. Though the nightmare no longer filled his consciousness, it still lingered at the back of his mind like a beast whose eyes glowed in the shadows. He stood and attempted to dispel the vision around him, but the strange starry environment remained. He tried again, and again to the same result. Marek stood, confused and a little frightened. No, no fear, he told himself. Fear is a path to The Dark Side, as Master Kota had always told him. Galen Marek had delved in the dark side for far too long, he refused to return. He would never allow himself to become the monster he once was. As he looked at his surroundings he found that he was no longer alone. Slowly drifting towards him was another stone, similar to his own but this one had an imperial stormtrooper with his blaster ready. Galen Drew his twin blue lightsabers, and prepared for battle. The trooper stepped forward, as the two drifting rocks connected to make one large platform. He fired his blaster twice, which The Jedi sidestepped. Galen leapt in the air. As he fell he brought the heel of his boot into the side of the troopers helmet, knocking it off. Galen spun and readied himself for the troopers next attack. But the trooper didn't attack, instead he stood at attention and faced Galen. As the white armored soldier stared at Galen, he saw that the troopers face was sunken and hollow, and his eyes were gray and lifeless. Shocked Galen stepped back. The stormtrooper spoke, "I am Lt. Veran Titus, stormtrooper, and soldier for His Majesty, Emperor Palpatine. I was stationed at the TIE Fighter Assembly Factory as part of the security detail. It was a fairly simple assignment until the day the factory was attacked by a militia under the command of The Jedi fugitive Rahm Kota. My squad and I were under heavy fire in the main hangar, but were receiving reinforcements. The last thing I remember is the sound of my comrades screaming, and a burning pain in my chest." After his story was finished, Veran Titus stood and looked expectantly at Galen Marek. Marek, however, was completely speechless.

Back on the Rogue Shadow, Juno Eclipse was utilizing the Shadow's spy systems to hack the Imperial transmissions looking for evidence of Galen Marek's capture. PROXY searched the rest of the surveillance systems recordings. While, much to Juno's irritation, Master Kota meditated. "Don't you think you should be helping us to find Galen, instead of just sitting on your ass?" Juno said. Master Kota only smiled and replied, "Never interrupt a Jedi's meditation, I'm attempting to reach out, and find Galen through The Force."

"Any Luck?"

"Yes, and no."

Juno Rolled her eyes, she never did quite understand these Jedi, and they're riddles.

"What exactly does that mean?"

Kota smiled, "It means I can sense his presence, but at the same time I can't pin point where he is. It's almost as if he and The Force are one and the same, something that only happens when a Jedi dies." At this Juno was on the verge of tears. Sensing her distress, Kota quickly added, "he's not dead though! I've had experience with communicating Jedi who've passed on. This is something different." Though still nervous Juno felt a little less upset. "What do you think has happened to him then?" Without answering Master Kota stood and left the cockpit. Juno looked to PROXY who simply shrugged his shoulders. Master Kota made his way to the training room and began to look around. Searching for any sign of Galen, but found none. Kota felt the younger Jedi's presence, if he had died and become one with the force, then his clothes and sabers would still be here. But nothing.

Galen stared at the soldier he now knew to be Veran Titus. The trooper claimed to have been inside the TIE Fighter Factory at the same time as Kota and his militia. Was it possible that anyone had survived? Galen doubted it, as this man didn't appear to be anything alive. The sightless look in his eyes told him that much. "D-do you know who I am?" He asked, to which the trooper simply responded, "No." Galen tried again, "Do you know, where we are?" This seemed to stump the stormtrooper, who seemed to only then become aware of his surroundings. However he replied once again by simply saying, "No." This time Galen tried a different type of question, "How did you get out of the TIE factory alive?" At first the trooper seemed to have an answer, but appeared to second guess himself and merely replied, "I don't know." Becoming irritated Galen deactivated his sabers and sat down. The stormtrooper no longer appeared to be aggressive, so Galen felt there was no need for weapons now. Marek placed his head in his hands and stared at the trooper who remained motionless. Finally he asked the question that had been on the tip of his tongue since he first saw the troopers face, "Are you dead?" Veran Titus looked at first confused, but then he replied, "I think I may be."

"You know you don't answer questions very well." Galen said somewhat fed up with Veran Titus' lack of straight answers.

"To be honest sir, I'm just as confused as you are." The last thing I remember is fighting alongside my men and then poof, I'm here."

Galen suddenly gasped and clutched his head, as a vision of the TIE Factory entered his mind. He saw Stormtroopers and Militia firing at each other. One trooper in particular caught his eye. Galen wasn't sure how, but he knew this man must be Lt. Titus. As he watched a dark figure approached, red lightsaber held in a reverse grip. The figure was cutting down stormtroopers and militia alike with brutal saber slashes. The figure approached Lt. Titus and drove the crimson blade through his chest. Galen opened his eyes and found that Titus was no longer with him. As he looked around he saw that another stone was drifting towards him, atop it was yet another figure standing with blaster ready.