The Light In The Dark

Mar saw Serenity finally, sense the fear and saw how she was hyperventilating. He went to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Serenity. Focus your mind. If there was ever a time for you to remember the Jedi Code it is now...

"There is no emotion... there is peace..."

As Mar recited the Jedi Code he saw that she was still not calming down. He recalled the last time she had felt at peace and decided to pull her into a light hug.

"There is no ignorance... there is knowledge."

He held her there and thought of a time when he himself felt at ease. Tal came to his mind. Her voice reciting the Jedi Code in unison with his.

"There is no passion... there is serenity..."

It was like she was there now. Giving him guidance in the ways of the light. He continued to hold Serenity and

"There is no chaos... there is harmony..."

"There is no death... there is The Force..."

Just as he felt like Serenity had finally calmed down a new wave of panic struck through the scene as Ghost's fowl began to panic, looking up at the building they were in front of. He looked up, wondering if there had been a third assassin lurking in wait all along...

---
[Later - On Board The Oppression, Darth Liden's flagship]

The Female Assassin clutched her mangled arm as she knelt at Liden's feet. The Dark Mistress wasn't looking at her, however. Rather, she was staring out the window at the planet Jakku below. She regarded the assassin with a turn of the head, looking over her shoulder.

"Speak." Liden said.

"We failed you, mistress..." The Assassin said, lowering her head. "We underestimated our prey..."

"And the Jedi?" Liden asked.

"There were three... led by another..." The Assassin said.

"So four Jedi?"

The Assassin shook her head. "No... this other... he was not a Jedi. He was strong in The Dark Side and wielded a crimson blade. However his allegiance was to the young Jedi... I believe one of them called him 'master' even..." The Assassin's brow furrowed with anger seething from her very being. "He crushed my brother with a single thought... No hesitation... such power..."

Liden began to laugh, her husky voice echoing in the large chamber they were in. "And so the Grand Inquisitor has chosen to return after such a long time..."

"We realized he was a traitor... but a Grand Inquisitor?" The Assassin looked up at her mistress.

"That was Grand Inquisitor Leto..." Liden said. "An old friend..."

"Now he fights for the Jedi it seems..." The Assassin said.

"You were certainly outmatched..." Liden finally turned. "Rise..."

The Assassin wondered if this was it. If this was when her mistress would end her life for this most grievous failure. Yet for what seemed like an eternity the cold grip of the dark side never wrapped around her throat. Liden merely regarded her with curiosity. "You ready yourself for death, yet I have no intention of killing you."

This surprised the assassin. "Mistress?"

"You think me a thoughtless monster, my dear? Who wantonly slaughters their subordinates for their failures?" Liden chuffed and smiled. "Failure is an opportunity to learn, my dear. Only fools kill those under their station, and now you know the enemy you face. Go... see to your injuries and rebuild your lightsaber. Next time you will be ready..."

The Assassin bowed. "Yes, mistress..." Then left the room.

Liden turned back to the view of Jakku and her lips curled into a sneer. "What brought you out of hiding, dear Leto?" She pondered. "I await our inevitable reunion..."