HISTORY: A Ravaged Childhood (1,198 ABY)

Posted on Tue Oct 23rd, 2012 @ 8:50pm by Thane
Edited on Mon Jun 18th, 2018 @ 11:05am

2,095 words; about a 10 minute read

RECORD 001
AUDIO RECORDING: JEDI KNIGHT THANE
SUBJECT: HISTORY - AXION'S ATTACK ON CAANUS 1,198 ABY

Whilst each of the Jedi Masters that sit upon the High Council, as well as many of my other contemporaries in the Jedi Order, are aware of the details of my childhood, I have never seen fit to make a recording myself of the events of the day that basically set me on my path to becoming a Jedi Knight. However, the incidents of the past few days have revealed some missing - and crucial - details concerning those days... details I did not expect to ever come across.

Now that I do know these things, however, I am undecided over whether I would have been better knowing or not. No, should not doubt myself. It is better that I know; closure is important, and this gives me focus and understanding - a purpose. Better that than never knowing what truly happened, or why it happened... without me ever knowing how to get retribution for the atrocities that were committed that day.

Just a day ago, whilst engaging on a mission on Nar Shaddaa to hunt down the Mandalorian Jedi hunter, Sev Rezer, myself and fellow Jedi Knight Bomoor Thort found ourselves a new directive: to apprehend a dark side organisation, known as the Cult of Axion, who were exploiting a Hutt turf war to procure a shard of a Force artefact known as the Kaiburr crystal, a piece that augments a Force user's abilities to extreme levels. Little did I know that when we came face-to-face with the Master of the Cult, it was in fact the Dark Jedi who had come to my family's ancestral home on Caanus... and tore my young life apart.


Nineteen years ago, the Second Outer Rim Conflict that my father - Archae Wulhart - fought in had only been over for three years, and I was only six standard years old. By this time, my father had once again chosen to be Caanus' senator in the Third Republic's Galactic Senate. A stalwart supporter of the government, he was only too happy to be both the leader of our world and its representative, one of the rare and outspoken Republic supporters in the Outer Rim. He would often regale myself and my younger brother, Ventul, with tales of serving on the frontline against the Outer Rim Alliance, although he never romanticised the conflict, and took every opportunity he could to return home to visit his wife - my mother - Lady Amica.

She was a fair woman, and I remember her as being kind-hearted, softly-spoken and friendly, and most certainly devoted to my father, and was overjoyed at his return from the war - but not at the guest he brought with him. During one of the battles, I forget which, Wulhart happened upon one of the Rift Jedi (a Jedi Master who had left the Order to join the Alliance against the Republic). By all accounts, he should have arrested him as a POW, but instead, my father helped treat the Kel Dor's wounds, repaired his lightsaber, and left him to his freedom.

Apparently, this Kel Dor - Dora-Sul - took this seriously, and even abandoned his post to serve at Wulhart's side, with the two becoming fast friends. When my father returned, the exile became a permanent fixture in Vaarthul, our family keep up in the mountains... and also my informal master. Revealing to my parents that I was Force sensitive, Dora-Sul was given permission to train myself, and (as my brother shared this natural gift) Ventul when he was a bit older, and for three years, despite my youth, I learnt the arts of the Jedi - or at least his version.

The peace did not last. Whilst it was not uncommon for there to be storms and torrential downpour of rain on Caanus, this night was darker than usual, and the purple sky had turned a deep and grim colour, unnatural - but this could be just how a child remembers these things. It was on this night that a Dark Jedi attacked Vaarthul, violently sweeping through my home and killing many of the household guard with his own men. Dozens died on both sides, but this tattooed human - a much younger Axion, I have now learnt - was the one who cut down Dora-Sul as he tried to protect me, as well as the one who took my mother and baby brother from before me - to do awful things with, I have no doubt.

[Pause]

I can still remember the duel between Axion and Dora-Sul in the throne room well. I was in the room at the time; my father was battling elsewhere in the keep and Dora-Sul had hidden me away, but from my hiding place, I could see everything. I presume that he did not register my presence in the Force, or perhaps assumed it was Dora-Sul or my mother and brother, even though during our most recent duel he claimed to have sensed me then and there. He lies.

It was as our sabers were locking that much of the battle came back to me. Of course, Axion has adapted his form over the years, perhaps whilst training this retched cult of his, but it was still the same. It's funny - it's not a million lightyears from my own style, only his is more unique, a delicate blend. I can't help but admire it.

Dora-Sul wielded a distinctive pure-white blade in the battle, and it was vicious. The former Rift Jedi waded into the battle full of his usual confidence and control, swinging his blade with power and speed in what I now know to be Djem So, using his heavy blows to smack Axion's lightsaber away, hoping to cleave the darksider apart in defence of the House of Verus. The duel was long and heated. Axion had attempted to proceed up the carpeted stairs to where the throne was, sat upon the Sceptre of Saaphia, and behind it a massive mural of Canaan history.

Axion's red blade slipped about Dora-Sul's quickly, his Soresu/Makashi expertise allowing him to quickly shift about his opponent, but the Kel Dor's aggressive form made it impossible for Axion to move towards the throne. At one point, Dora-Sul had his opponent retreating to one side, near where I hid, and narrowly avoided decapitation as a white blade swung through one of the ancient tapestries of my House, and carved an ornate table in two.

With a kick, Axion threw Dora-Sul back, and flung a blast of his red-hued Force Lightening at my informal mentor. Having now experienced that pain - my fingers still tingle under the bacta patches - I know what Dora-Sul must have felt, but he was able to use his blade to then deflect it and regain ground. With elements of Ataru seeping into the Kel Dor's technique, he began to try and move quickly to keep up with Axion's own speed and precision, in the hope of ending the stalemate that had developed.

As Dora-Sul came down with a leaping blow, the Dark Jedi was quick enough to then use the Force to throw the exile back, landing him at the top of the steps leading to the throne. I heard bones crack as he landed badly on some of the stairs, and the sound of Axion's laughter as he walked up towards the injured Kel Dor. Evidently, he now had the upper hand, and was confident enough to deactivate his blade and take slow, mocking steps towards my father's friend.

Dora-Sul was grunting, the respirator his species needed to survive had received some damage, and his breathing had become heavy. As he gathered power back, he was too slow to stop Axion from drawing his own white blade to his black gloved hand, his facial tattoos laughing with him as he plunged the blade deep into Dora-Sul's chest.

I felt the life leave his body.

[Deep Breath]

Even now, I feel the rage building in me as I think about that night, of what one man and his cronies did to my entire family in one fell swoop. He shattered my life; my mentor was murdered, my mother and brother stolen, and my father left in shambles. Heartbroken and defeated, he left the Senate and secluded himself in his chambers whilst I was taken (apparently at the behest of the late Dora-Sul) to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Then, I felt sorry for myself - now I do not; that is a selfish and self-destructive path.

There were mentions of a sort of service corps, rather than actual training, but at the time I did not care - I just wanted my life back. Nevertheless, when I came to Coruscant, it was unlike anything I had ever seen.


Understand: Caanus is a swampy, forested and damp world, thick with trees, wildlife and nobility - not skyscrapers, speeders and the billions of people. It was overwhelming, and not just from a physical perspective - I felt them all through the Force. After all was said and done, and the Council reviewed me, my abilities and my past, it seemed likely I was going to be turned down. I was slightly too old, I knew much emotion and had a chequered past... but one man took pity, saw promise.

That man, a Selkath named Sotah, became my Jedi Master.

Whilst I cannot confess to agree with all the Jedi preach or all that Master Sotah has said and advised, he did a lot to help me cope with what happened; I do not believe that one can let these things control you, to let yourself become depressed and self-pitying. Certainly, it is right that you feel something from these events, but you should not let them control you - turn them into something useful, and don't drag everyone else down with you... but I cannot deny my thirst for vengeance against Axion.

Nothing in this life is worth feeling self-pity about, as nothing in this life is truly beyond your control, which is why I turn my anger into something useful, both in my pursuit of Axion and in my general life. The seventh lightsaber form I practise now is testament to this, although the Jedi frown upon that (as they do with so much else in this world).

All that has occurred recently leads me questioning - more so than usual - the tenets by which I am expected to live, of my own philosophies and beliefs. Constantly, I had to act to progress in the Order. Whilst that is not so much of a problem as a Knight, it does leave many things in flux. Whilst these things are fresh in my mind, I should speak with Bomoor.

Perhaps he will have a new perspective that may calm these concerns.


Of course, I now know why Axion came to Caanus, though. He wasn't simply someone who came to rape and pillage, no... Of course, he had no interest in the damage he did, or the lives he destroyed - he wanted the Sceptre of Saaphia. Handed down by the old Rexcaanae and Archae of Caanus, the Sceptre had a remarkable jewel embedded within it. Given Axion's hunt for the Kaiburr shards, I can now only assume that is what the jewel was.

My family... my life... was torn apart for one man's greed and lust for power - for a glowing rock. This only adds insult to injury.

Whilst I cannot let bitterness and sadness consume me, I don't care what the Jedi say: Axion deserves death for what he has done - what he intends to do - and I will hunt him to the end of the galaxy and back to see that happen.

[Voice grows sterner]

He is a true evil: greedy, chaotic and vile, a plight upon justice and all that is true in this corrupt and weak Republic, but he shall pay the price.

There is much that needs to be done in the galaxy... that can be done in the galaxy but is not, and this shall not be one of those cases.

My family deserve's justice for what he has done.

There will be retribution for this man's sins.

END OF RECORDING

 

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