Ghost of Nightmares Past/Chapter 10

THE SITH ELDERS

"Impossible," Mace said angrily, in front of the council, as Obi-Wan explained the situation to them, Ahsoka at his shoulder, next to his chair. Obi-Wan shook his head, before saying,

"It's obvious Aalto and his friends knew that if Bruck should rise again, the body was to be taken care of." He held up Aalto's comm. Link. "I think this, combined with the holo-vision will explain everything we need to know."

He motioned to Ahsoka, who took it from his hand and walked towards the small projector in the middle of the room, and connected it up. There was a flicker, and two people were visible. Aalto, and Bruck, both aged thirteen.

"I can't believe he took Master Jinn!" Bruck was saying angrily. Aalto nodded slightly, and cracked his knuckles. "I just can't believe it!"

"What you gonna do?" Aalto asked.

The image flickered, and, this time, it was Aalto himself, walking through the air, sabre held high. They saw him stop, and, out of no-where, a new person appeared that none of them seemed to recognise. She was tall and wearing leather clothes. She had a long flowing cloak, her brown hair waved and flopping over her shoulders. She walked around Aalto and placed her head on his shoulder, before whispering, "You hid the body?"

"Yes," He answered, extinguishing his blade. "Now, how do I bring him back?"

The woman smiled, and walked around to face him, before planting a kiss on Aalto's lips. "Yuk!" Ahsoka said, screwing up her face.

"I'm afraid, Jedi, that I will need a piece of his DNA," The woman said, and, instantly, Aalto pulled out something from his robes; a lock of white hair. "That will do." She disappeared from the hologram for a moment, before returning, holding a vial, "Pour this over the body, and he will rise again, as a spirit, capable of controlling anyone he comes into contact with."

"That's it?" Aalto said taking the vial. "Can't you bring him back completely?"

"The only way he can come back completely is if he takes possession of a powerful Jedi, and uses his force-energy to build himself a body." The woman said, flicking her hair from behind her shoulders to her front. "That is all I can do for you."

"Thank you Stellandra," Aalto said, placing the vial in his pocket.

"There is one more thing I need you to do," Stellandra said, her voice low and seductive.

"Yes?"

"Can you kill Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

The image flickered again, and this time, it showed Aalto and his friends, waiting in the shadows as Obi-Wan sat by the fountain, and place his hands over his face. Aalto ignited his sabre, and lunged for him. The image died, and the viewing ended. The Council were quiet, as Obi-Wan gave a massive sigh. "Well," Ki-adi Mundi said, rather tiredly, "That explains a lot."

"Indeed." Plo Koon said, and he sighed as well. Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead slightly, staring at the place where the woman had stood. Where had he seen her before?

"Who was she?" Ahsoka asked, "The woman."

Mace and Yoda exchanged glances, and Mace instantly said, "Her name is Stellandra, a Sith Elder with unimaginable powers. They make Dooku and Ventress look like babies compared to their power."

"Incredibly powerful they are," Yoda said, "And tell you her story, I shall." He cleared his throat, as the whole council turned to him. "A padawan she was, in this temple. Knew her, I did."

"That was nearly nine hundred years ago!" Ahsoka interrupted, but she suddenly flinched and gave an apology-look.

"Indeed," Mace said, "And when they were padawans, Stellandra and Yoda were close friends, so close that they helped each other out when they were on missions together." He took a breath, and continued, "However, when they were being selected as padawans, most of the Masters were so interested in Yoda that they all queued up to select him. Stellandra was one of the last to be selected, and, well, she didn't like the fact that, even though she had a midichlorian count at over thirty thousand, she was never wanted."

"Ended up in a fight, we did." Yoda continued, "Ended up defeating her, I did, and run, she did." He took a massive sigh, "Joined the dark-side at any early age she did, master the forces of the dark side, she did."

"Why mention me?" Obi-Wan demanded.

"Looked for Jedi that she thought a threat she did," Yoda answered.

"Maybe she saw you as a threat," Mace comforted him.

"Oh that's good to know," Obi-Wan said sarcastically.

Ahsoka turned to him, and said, "Well, you do control the Grand army Master."

"Can we keep our minds on the situation at hand?" Obi-Wan said hotly. He stood, looking very bad tempered. "Anakin is in trouble; Bruck is killing him from the inside! Grevious is going to kill Siri Tachi in an hour, and we have a Sith Elder who maybe behind all of this in the first place! So please, if you excuse me, I have a mission I need to attend to!" He walked out, followed closely by Ahsoka, and, a rather reluctant Mace Windu.