Arion glared back at Darth Saaron. "What could Aurora possibly feel for one such as you? You've imprisoned her, tortured her, and now.... you're defiling her."

* * *

Aurora stood where Darth Saaron had left her, alone, and hesitantly reached out in the Force to him, almost afraid to, the aura he was emanating was so dark, and dripping with hate. ::....Ben? Please... can I speak with him? He- he doesn't understand.::

Darth Saaron felt Aurora cautiously reach out to him through the force and replied ::....You may. I- I am sorry if I frightened you? Something tells me, that you can't be in the same room as me. Come to me, and speak to your brother, before my father comes and greets him.:: He continued to glare at Arion, and waited for her arrival, however, his dark aura remained.

Aurora hurried to the interrogation chamber, and, after a moment's hesitation, embraced Darth Saaron, briefly, before turning to her brother. "Arion...."

Arion moved as close to the edge of the force cage as he dared. "Aurora! Are- are you all right?"

She nodded. "I'm- I'm fine, Arion. Listen, Ben---"

He cut her off. "Oh, so it's "Ben", now, is it? What has he been doing to you?"

"Nothing!" She sighed. "Arion, just stop and listen to me. I- I love him, and he loves me. He's.... been toying with you the whole time. I'm- I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I got you into this mess. I should have contacted you before."

Arion stared at her, speechless, for a moment. Finally, he said, "You- you love him? Aurora.... he's a Sith Lord!"

She nodded, sadly. "I- I know." She glanced over at Darth Saaron, then turned back to look at Arion. "But there is still good in him, I've felt it. It- it may not seem like it right now...." a tear rolled down her cheek. "But deep down, he's a good man, still. I know he is."

Arion watched her, in silence, for a while. "Aurora.... are- are you sure about this?" He could feel the answer without having to ask. "Then- then I'll support you, but he had better not ever give you a reason to be unhappy."

Aurora smiled at him, softly. "Thank you, Arion. Now please, make your peace with Ben. I want you to be friends, not enemies."

Arion scowled. "But- but he-" He stopped when he saw the look on Aurora's face. "Oh, very well. I- I suppose I'm as much to blame as he is." He glanced over at Darth Saaron, and said, "Er, I'm- I'm sorry I said the things I did. It was wrong of me to judge you without fully understanding the circumstances. Please forgive me, and accept my sincere hopes that things will work out well for you... and Aurora."

Darth Saaron felt Aurora's embrace and wispered "I love you", as he watched the conversation between brother and sister. After he was being addressed by Arion, he folded his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes as he walked right up to the cage and put his face so near to the cage that if he were any closer he would have been shocked by it. His glowing yellow eyes seemed to be piercing through Arion's very soul... searching for something. After several minutes Darth Saaron spoke. "You... are suspicious of me. Do you doubt me, Jedi?" He hissed through gritted teeth.

"All right, Ladies and gentlemen," CSI cleared his throat, while trying to ignore the pain, "Well, I know you folks are eager to chop, bash, or shoot someone's head off, but before that, let me give you a bath, look, you," CSI pointed at a droid, and picked off a leaf, "You call that a 'clear' droid? Then you got terrible master. Let me wash you throughly." CSI smiled evilly and whispered to Vergil, ::Vergil, jump when I jump.::

Vergil nodded.

"Say hello to my Oil Bather," CSI jumped up and took out a flamethrower, and shouted: "Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy your bath! That's free, after all!"

Then the flames devoured the droids.

As the droids were envloped with flames, Darth Saaron recieved a message on his datapad. He picked up the pad and saw that his droids were being burnt to peices... no matter he thought to himself, they want to do things the hard way... that is perfectly fine with me... let the fun begin. He tapped a few commands onto his datapad and ordered all of the droids to self-destruct. The extra detpacks each of the droids were carrying would make a very large explosion indeed.

Once the command was recieved by all the droids, it was only a matter of seconds before a hugh explosion engulfed everything that was around the droids, nothing stopping the shockwaves of the explosion which were causeing the ground to shake voilently, and pushing everything violently away.

Feeling the ground shake, Darth Saaron looked at his datapad looking for a confirmation that the droid's orders were recieved, and saw that it could be confirmed nor denied, but there was definately a massive explosion.

Arion looked from Darth Saaron, to Aurora, and back again. Finally, he said, "Difficult as this may be for me to accept--"

Aurora nudged him with the Force. ::Arion! Please.... try not to upset him.::

"--if Aurora trusts you with her heart, then I will trust you." Arion continued, smoothly. "You'll forgive me if it takes time to get used to the idea, though...." he looked at Aurora. "My sister means a lot to me, and I'd hate to see anything happen to her, or for her to be unhappy." He then looked Darth Saaron right in the eye, despite his fearsome appearance. "I'm trusting Aurora to you. I- I don't think there's anything else I can say..... though I was disappointed you didn't accept my apology. I did mean it sincerely, and I think you owe me one, as well, for your conduct towards me earlier." He then crossed his arms and waited, silently, for a reply.

"Great. I forgot there are detonator packs." CSI muttered when in the sky, "What do you propose, Vergil?"

Vergil shrugged.

"Then may the Force be with us," CSI said grimmly.

Darth Saaron continued to look Arion right in the eye. Cooly, he said "Tell me... How can you understand me? You do not even know me, and have threattened me more than once, and are also a threat I think to my father, why should I believe you? Others before you have told me their appologies and never had any intention of keeping them, all I got was a BEATING, STOLEN FROM, OR JUST PLAIN ABUSED!"

After the deafening Ka-Booooooom, CSI and Vergil fall on the ground. "That's the most exciting landing I have experienced," CSI said.

Vergil nodded and added, "Well, the most comfortable one,"

Then they both stood up and walked to the entrance of the academy.

----

Just near the academy, Vergil stopped CSI: "I sense a trap."

CSI replied, "Very well, then. Let's wait here and see what happens."

Arion stared coolly back. "You do not know me, either, you have delivered your own threats, and your father has tortured my sister. And yet I am willing to trust you with all I hold dear. Am I to believe my trust is misplaced?" He leaned closer towards Darth Saaron. "I don't know who made those false apologies to you, but you are a fool if you think I would fling apologies out needlessly. If I did not mean my apology, why would I degrade myself by making it? I'm in your power; you have the ability to torture me, even to kill me. You probably will. What do I stand to gain by apologizing? Absolutely nothing. Do you think it's easy for me to apologize to you? It's not. But once given, I assure you I mean every word of it."

Darth Saaron continued to glare at Arion, but after several moments he finally said. "I sense no deception in you. Your right that you are in my father's will, he is on his way here now, I can feel it. I have already taken great care of your sister and I will continue to do so. However... your appology, will take time to believe I'm afraid, but over time... I hope to be able to trust you... Jedi. But know this... I am loyal to my father, and will continue to be."

He then turned around and walked back over to Aurora and embraced her.

Arion looked at them both, for a moment. "So be it," he said softly, and sat down to meditate.

Aurora embraced Darth Saaron, lovingly. ::You're right, it will take time, but I have confidence in both of you, and I hope you'll eventually be friends.::

Darth Saaron rested his head on Aurora's sholder and closed his eyes breifly... but was still watching the approaching Jedi through the force and was becommming more agaitated, but kept it to himself. "I love you Aurora." He chuckled at the irony of their situation, "not quite the person you expected to fall in love with, am I?"

* * * *

As CSI and Vergil approached the acadmey, 25 dark jedi surrounded them. They were all projecting hate for the Jedi's intrusion into their acadmey. Without speaking, all of them attacked, viciously. No longer intending to take them alive, corpses would do at this point since they refused to surrender the first time.

Aurora laughed a little, and placed a hand over his heart. "It's not the man outside I fell in love with, it's who you are inside, at your core, that's what counts." Her eyes twinkled, humorously. "Though I hope one day your whole being will come to reflect the man I love, not just the core. I'll.... I'll never forget how blue your eyes were, that day I first saw you....."

Darth Saaron looked at Aurora and smiled. "Then I hope you find this present... refreshing." It took about half a minute to complete but he willed his eyes to return to their normal color, bright blue. He was only able to maintain the hold on his eye color for about a minute before they began to glow yellow once more. "I love you Aurora, I hope you liked that."

Aurora smiled up at him, wistfully. "Oh, Ben, thank you. It was a very special gift, one that I'll treasure." She hesitated a moment, a little shy, then gently reached up for his face and began to kiss him, tenderly. ::You'll never know how happy that made me, even if it was only for a short time, my love. Thank you, so very much.::

Darth Saaron willed Aurora's kiss to go on forever, just being with her, enjoying her company. He reached to touch her face and continued to hiss her. ::I'm glad you enjoyed it, my love. I am happy just to be with you and enjoy your company.::

Darth Kelion walked into the Interigation Room, "Well done, you have captured... What are you doing?!" he asked when he saw Darth Saaron kissing the Jedi.

Upon being adressed by his master, Darth Saaron walked in front of his father and knelt down before his father, lowering his head. "I am... using a new kind of torment on her brother. It seems to be quite affective, earlier he swore to kill me and almost lost control of his emotions." He answered back while raising up heavy mental shields to guard his secret from his father, not sure if he would be able to feel him doing so through their bond.

Darth Kelion looked at his son, "Very well, I must take a little trip, I'm sure you can handle the Jedi. Fare well." Darth Kelion left the room and took a shuttle to his Star Destroyer and set a course for the Navare System and left.

Darth Saaron slowly got up once his father had left the room and stood there reflecting for what seemed like eternity with a expression void of all expressions and emotions. Without turning around, he told Aurora and Arion "I... am going to meditate" blankly, appearing to be... troubled by something. With that he hedded off for his quarters' meditation chamber.

Once inside, he began to meditate, focusing on his father and his... little trip. Searching deep in his feelings, he found that his father never truely cared about him, and this enraged him to his very core. Going even deeper, tracking his father's presence as well, he found that he had left... and had no intention of comming back for him. This filled Darth Saaron with more hate and anger than anyone could have possibly had before him. In his rage, he let out a scream that was filled with dark energy, causing all who heard it to be killed while all of the objects in his quarters were completely crushed, and all of the walls, and ceiling, exploded outward, filling the room, hallways and adjoining rooms completely with dust and debris.

In large troop barracks located in the same wing of the acadmey as Darth Saaron's quarters, where currently over 80 soldiers were located, they suddenly heard an intense scream which made them all cover their ears and scream themselves for several seconds and then, drop dead.

Aurora had stayed near her brother, worried by the look on Darth Saaron's face when he had left. When the emotional shockwave hit them, she flinched, knowing exactly what must have happened.

"Go find him," Arion said, grimly. "Something's very wrong."

Aurora nodded, numbly, and rushed off. She focused on the darkness emanating in a wide radius from a certain point, and soon ran into ground zero. Dead soldiers were lying on the ground, blood trickling from their ears, amid rooms that had been completely destroyed. Finally, in the center of the chaos, she found him.

"B- Ben? Are.... are you all right? What happened? Tell me what's wrong." She knelt down by his side, and tentatively put her arm around him.

Darth Saaron glanced at Aurora but then returned his gaze in front of him again. Very quietly, he wispered "He had never had cared for me... at all! I am just a tool, a tool that was designed to lead the Sith to destroy the Republic. My family has abandoned me, nobody in the vaunted Rebublic tried to help me, how do I know you won't abondon me? My father's departure signaled that my training is complete, and that I am the Dark Lord of the Sith now. I can feel him loosing strength, he is old and febile minded now. How could he possibly have underestood me? I am his creation, and I can feel my task calling to me, begging me to complete it." He then turned to look Aurora in the eyes, his expression that of someone completely alone, hurt, and broken.

Aurora embraced him, tightly, feeling how hurt and broken he was. "Oh, Ben..." She said nothing for a long while, at a loss for words to comfort him, and just held him close. Finally she whispered, "No, Ben. No matter what he did to you, you still have a choice. You don't have to be his tool any longer. You- you're free, free to choose your destiny. You don't have to be the dark lord, you can be so much more." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I- I love you."

Darth Saaron leaned into Aurora's embrace and felt that she truly cared about him. He reached up to whipe the tear on Aurora's face away and wispered "I... I can feel that you tell the truth when you say that you love me. For this reason... I... I will come with you. However, do not expect me to embrace your Republic... or the Jedi, they betrayed me on Naboo, and I will not allow them to do so again. If you have to go back to the Council, do not expect me to see them, I don't care what they demand, they have no control over me... and if they try using force to get me to see them or against me, then I swear I will become the Dark Lord and return here." He then leaned back a little and kissed her.

Aurora was filled with relief, and kissed him, happy that he chose to come with her. ::Thank you, my love. I- I'll try to get the Council to leave you in peace. I hope.....:: she trailed off, not wanting to think about it anymore, and instead focused on Ben.

Reluctantly, Darth Saaron gently pulled out of their kiss and got up to his feet. He began searching what remained of his quarters for any personal belongings. After searching the room, he found several of his robes... but he found something else as well, that had not been there before... an achient sith mask, along with a pair of new robes. He walked up to it and found a datapad inside it... from his father. He picked up the datapad out of the mask and read it. Congraulations, my son. You have completed your training... and I am so proud of you. Lead the Sith, my son. Rebuild our Empire, and then lead it! Use all of what you have learned, take on an apprentice and crush the Jedi! My destiny takes me... elsewhere, it was you who was destined for this. One day I will return to see what you have built. As a gift for completing your training, I have left you something I found long ago, a achient sith mask and robes. They onced belonged to a great Sith Lord from 4000 years ago; his name was Darth Revan. Wear them proudly, Darth Saaron.

After finishing reading the datapad, Darth Saaron reached down and picked up the pair of robes as well. He though to himself after thinking for a moment, [i]so... I really did mean something to him afterall. He really did care for my well being.[i] He smiled and turned to Aurora.

Aurora watched him, curiously. "What is it?"

* * *

Arion sat patiently in his force cage, wondering if someone was ever going to come to let him out. I wonder what happened to CSI and Vergil....

Darth Saaron continued to look at Auora and calmly said to her "These are the robes of a achient Sith Lord named Darth Revan. My father found them, although he did not say where, and has given them to me as a... symbol of my status... since I have completed my training. I will tell you more about Lord Revan later, needless to say, these are powerful Sith robes."

He continued to look at Aurora for a moment and then turned on his heel and headded to what remainded of his closet, enough so that he could get changed without being... watched. After he had finished the robes on, Darth Saaron then put on Revan's mask and put the hood up. He could instantly feel the dark side energies inside him being focused, making him even more powerful. He then walked back out to where Aurora was standing.

Aurora cocked her head to the side, studying the way he looked with the robes on. Finally she sighed. "It doesn't look like you anymore.... now I can't even see your face. But... if- if you like it, then...." Her eyes twinkled, amused. "Can we let Arion out now? I sense that he's bored with his current state of.... immobility."

"Mmm...Dark Jedi? Come on...They don't ever learn, do they?" CSI blinked and looked at the one who was charging at him: "Well, this one doesn't need a plastic surgery. Since they offered us a 'warm' welcome, we have to accept it, right?"

Vergil nodded and smiled grimmly.

"Force Rage!" CSI shouted and charged to the Dark Jedi, and jumped high above him, and he drew his katana and made a heavy blow at the leading Dark Jedi.

Vergil ignited one of his dual lightsabers and throw it towards another Dark Jedi, attempting to strike him down.

Darth Saaron looked at Aurora through his mask and nodded. Then, walked next to her down to the interrogation room and entered. Once inside, he walked up to Arion once again and stared at him, observing him.

Arion stood up when they entered, and stared at the "stranger" for a moment, then focused his attention closer. "Darth Saaron? You... seem to have a new wardrobe. Almost didn't recognize you for a minute." He paused for a moment, then asked, "Might I inquire as to your intentions towards me? No offense or anything, but a force cage isn't exactly the most comfortable place to spend several hours."

Aurora hid a smile. Arion could be irrepressible sometimes.

Darth Saaron glared at Arion behind his mask and coldly said, his voice being distorted by his mask, "You should be grateful that you are still alive... Jedi. My intentions..." he chuckled, "you have no idea. My training is finally complete, and my master finally has stepped down from the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith so someone stronger can. That someone... is me, and I have."

Aurora felt as though a cold vice was clamped down on her heart. She had suspected, deep down, that he was going to say that, but knowing did not make actually hearing it any easier.

"You what?" Arion said, in a low voice. He scowled, and continued, coldly, "So.... you're no better than your father, after all. I had hoped.... that there was something more to you. Aurora seemed to think so." He turned to look at her, briefly, before turning his gaze back to Darth Saaron. "Perhaps she was mistaken."

Darth Saaron almost instantly became very calm, too calm. "She can think for herself, she is a sentient being afterall, she does not need you to think for her." His voice became even colder, "Watch what you say and imply... scum. I will not be as tolerant as I was before, the only reason you are getting this warning is because of your sister."

Aurora shivered at the tone of Darth Saaron's voice. ::Arion.... don't. Please don't. It- it's not going to help, and I don't want you to get killed because you think you have to defend me. I- I'll be fine.::

Arion frowned, but nodded. "Fine. Forget I said anything, then."

Darth Saaron glared at Arion through his mask and then turned around to look at Aurora. After a moment, he walked up to her and embraced her. Through the force he wispered to her ::Is your brother always this agravating?::

Aurora let him embrace her, trying to forget her inner uneasiness. ::He- he has his moments, but he's a good man, and I love him very much. Arion and I.... we've always been together, even as padawans our masters were often assigned together. He's just trying to protect me from being hurt. I- I wanted you both to get along, you're the only people I love in the galaxy, the.... the only family I have.::

Darth Saaron let his love for Aurora flow into the force. ::Trying to protect you from me.:: He allowed a feeling that resembled being hurt to flow into the force. Arion is most likely the only person who has ever hurt him that will survive even though Darth Saaron was becomming irrated with him. He focused on reaching into Arion's mind and even colder than before, said ::Learn your place. The only reason that you are alive right now is because Auora is your sister and she loves you as well. But continue to anger me, and I will personally hunt down the entire Jedi Council, and anyone who gets in my way.::

Aurora looked up at him, trying to see past the expressionless mask. ::Yes.... protect me from you.:: She was silent for a while, lost in thought. Finally, she asked, ::What are you going to do? Are you going to attack the Republic, and rebuild the Sith Empire, like your father wanted?::

Arion felt Darth Saaron's touch on his mind, and barely bit back a retort. ::Aurora has asked me not to fight with you, and so I'm going to respect her request, for the time being. It's probably best if I don't say anything, so I won't.:: He sat down in his force cage with his back to them both.

I liked it was enjoyable enough that I reread it three times over there was much action the padawan

Aurora's comment about Arion protecting Aurora from him made him angry. Angry because he had no intention of hurting her, it felt more like... betrayal. He turned away from both Arion and Aurora, feeling hurt by their comments, and started to walk out of the room. Through the force he muttered ::What good are my intentions if you don't even trust me.::

Aurora ran after him and caught hold of his arm. "Ben.... I'm sorry. That- that's not what I meant. I do trust you, with my life. But I'm.... I'm so worried about you. I don't know what you're becoming, and it... it frightens me," she admitted. "I'm afraid you're going somewhere I can't follow." Her eyes began to fill with tears, as she looked up at his face, but it was hidden behind the inexorable mask.

Darth Saaron was walking slowly down the hallway, thinking about what Aurora had just said to him when all of a sudden he felt someone grabbed his arm. He turned around to see Aurora's hand on his arm while she was appologizing, but still felt hurt. Slowly, he reached up and took off his mask and used the force to levitate it next to him. He embraced her slowly to try and confort her, and softly said "What can one become when only one person in the galaxy cares about you? Your Jedi Order will want to hunt me, in fact there are still two of your Order here trying to hunt me. Going back to you would just make it worse. Have you thought what the Jedi will do to you for loving one such as I? What will you when they order you to destroy or capture me?" He paused, thinking of Arion and then continued. "What will your brother do? He dosn't seem to trust me. He has no reason to, as I have absoultely no reason to trust him, and he expects me to let him out?"

Aurora looked up at him, and gently touched his cheek. "But Ben, someone does care, me. Doesn't that make a difference?" she asked, softly. She considered what he said for a while. "I- I don't know what they'll do.... I fear I've failed you, and the Order..... If only...." She trailed off, trying not to think what might have been. "Arion.... Arion wants me to be happy, and he's afraid that.... afraid that I won't be. Actually, I'm surprised he's taken it as well as he has, but.... I won't hide it from you.... I'm as worried about your choice to be the Sith Lord as he is. I'm not sure you see what the dark side has done to you, but I have, and it upsets me."

Darth Saaron looked back at Aurora and continued, "Don't expect me to let Arion out of his cage as we head back to the core." He reached out to his followers who were currently attacking the two Jedi and commanded ::Enough, my survants. I have something else I wish you to do for me, secure the captured Jedi in my ship and remain there. Camaflouge yourselves at all times.::. As his survants complied and brought Arion, who was still in his force cage, to a spare quarters on his ship, Darth Saaron continued to look at Aurora. "I will come with you to the core, do not expect me to meet with your Order. I still don't think that it will be a day before there is an... incident." He paused, trying to word his responce to Aurora's worries about himself. "What is there to see when you are going back to your Order to do what ever they tell you? I know they will want you to betray me, the only question is... will you?"

Aurora said nothing for a while. "I have to face them, at least once more. You must understand, the Order has been my family, my life, ever since I was little. I need to tell the Council what happened. I... I hope they can forgive me for my failure." She looked at him. "I hope you can forgive me for failing you. If I'd been faster...." She sighed. "I don't know what they will ask of me, but know this: I will always love you. How could I betray you? I could never wish you anything but happiness."

* * *

Arion looked around at his new surroundings from the confines of the force cage. "Now where are we going?" he muttered to himself.

Darth Saaron's face suddenly became serious and said "I will always love you, Aurora. Know this." He then held her in a tight embrace, trying to comfort her. ::Perhaps in time, thinks will work out for us... but for right now, I just want to be with you.::