Ahsoka had been worried about her Master. Over the past few days, Sorobi had been unusually quiet, and she hadn't heard any of his usual jokes.
She hurriedly finished her training and rushed to Sorobi's quarters. As she approached the door, it slid open automatically.
The Togruta girl peeked inside and saw Sorobi sitting cross-legged on the floor, clearly in meditation. Floating in the air before him was a peculiarly shaped lightsaber.
The curved hilt stood out strikingly, completely different from the standard Jedi design.
"Master?" Sorobi opened his eyes, his gaze falling on Ahsoka. His finger instinctively pointed at the lightsaber. "What kind of sword is this? It looks so strange."
Sorobi explained, "This is Asajj Ventress's lightsaber."
"Wow! A Sith lightsaber? Can I take a look at it?" Ahsoka's excitement surged, and she nearly started bouncing up and down on the spot.
Sorobi glanced at her, then at the floating lightsaber. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded. "Go ahead, but be careful."
Ahsoka rushed over like a bolt of lightning, sat down beside Solo, and carefully took the lightsaber from him.
She first ran her fingers over the curved hilt, feeling the cold metal, then looked up at him for permission.
After receiving Solo's nod, she gently pressed the activation button. A crimson blade instantly sprang from the hilt, slicing through the air with a low hum. The dark energy coursing through the hilt made Ahsoka instinctively tighten her grip.
"It's actually a red blade!" Ahsoka exclaimed. "Now everyone's going to envy you—having fought a real Sith! It's too bad you didn't bring me along this time. I could have definitely helped!"
"You think this is 'lucky'?" Solo chuckled, snapping his fingers to draw her attention to the scar on his arm—the mark left by the lightsaber.
Ahsoka's smile froze. She quickly deactivated the lightsaber and waved her hand. "Master, that's not what I meant! I just meant... everyone thought the Sith had been eradicated ages ago. Their sudden reappearance is completely unexpected!"
"You're wrong, Spike," Solo said, his tone turning serious. "In fact, Ventress isn't a Sith at all."
"But she has a red lightsaber... Wait!" Ahsoka froze, her fingers spreading apart. "Don't say a word. Let me think."
She had always believed that "red lightsaber" equaled "Sith"—basic Temple teachings.
Suddenly remembering something, she held up her hands and made a V sign. "Master, you once said, 'The color of a lightsaber doesn't define everything.' So who exactly is she?"
"First, tell me what you know about the Sith."
Solo propped his head up with one hand, ready to hear his apprentice's perspective.
"Uh... oh!" Ahsoka improvised on the spot. "I... I think I missed that class. I only remember that the Sith were an ancient race from... Korriban. They were sensitive to the Force, and one day, they were discovered by a Jedi traitor who had fallen to the Dark Side. The traitor... conquered them, became a Dark Lord, and established his own Empire. They fought the Jedi for thousands of years, but were finally wiped out a thousand years ago in the Battle of Ruusan."
"You know surprisingly little! Did you skip class?"
"How is that possible...?" Seeing her Master's gaze, Ahsoka continued awkwardly, "Uh... there were a few times I was in the Lightsaber Training Hall, and then... I got lost in the moment."
Solo shook his head, deciding to give her a "history lesson." After a pause, he began:
"A long, long time ago—about thirty-five thousand years ago—on Tython, a planet at the heart of the galaxy, there existed the Jedi Order.
Sapient beings sensitive to the Force went there, or were born on this extraordinary planet.
At that time, the Force was first divided into Light and Dark, corresponding to the planet's two moons: Ashla, representing Light, and Bogan, representing Dark.
Since then, the Jedi have pursued balance in the Force, because Tython itself is a convergence point for the Force, and any deviation from balance would trigger catastrophic disasters.
This balance was maintained for ten thousand years, until the Jedi encountered the Rakatan Infinite Empire."
"The Rakata?" Ahsoka interrupted. "The species that conquered the galaxy with their Infinite Fleet? I've seen Rakatan artifacts in the Temple's history displays."
"That's right," Solo nodded and continued. "The Rakata attacked Tython, attempting to seize this Force-rich planet. They were repelled by the Jedi. It was then that the followers of Bogan emerged—Jedi who had become hopelessly ensnared by the Dark Side. They ignited the first 'Force War'."
"After the war, the dark followers were banished from Tython."
"Yet the balance had been broken. The remaining Jedi left Tython and migrated to Ossus, where they established a new Warrior Order—the Jedi Order."
He paused, then continued with a different tone. "As for those traitors... they wandered the galaxy for millennia, sometimes evading the Jedi Order established 25,000 years ago by the Republic, and at other times openly clashing with galactic powers."
"Finally, they discovered the Force-sensitive Sith race on Korriban and enslaved them, forcing them to submit to their will. It was then that the Sith Order was formed."
"From that point on, the war between the Jedi and the Sith has raged for thousands of years."
Ahsoka asked curiously, "Does the Sith have its own code, like our Jedi Code?"
"Of course!" Solo replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Um... ah..." The Togruta girl shrugged uncertainly. "Do you know it?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"I'm just really curious, you see."
The Togruta girl stared at Solo with expectant eyes.
"Alright, I happen to know their code, but remember, you mustn't share this with anyone." Solo glanced at the cabin ceiling and slowly recited the Sith Code:
*Peace is a lie, there is only passion.*
*Through passion, I gain strength.*
*Through strength, I gain power.*
*Through power, I gain victory.*
*Through victory, my chains are broken.*
*The Force shall free me.*
Ahsoka listened, stunned, leaning forward instinctively. "This completely contradicts our Jedi Code! We seek serenity, while they glorify passion and strength."
"Of course it's different. They're Sith."
"Master, how is the Sith Order structured? Is it similar to ours, or different?"
Solo paused to recall. "Initially, the Jedi and Sith Orders were quite similar. Most members were warriors rather than peacemakers, and both held dominant positions within the Republic and Empire. But later, due to intense power struggles within the Sith, new rules were established. The first was: 'A Master may only have one Apprentice.'"
Ahsoka tilted her head in confusion. "Why? Isn't that similar to our Jedi Order?"
"It's completely different," Solo said, shaking his head solemnly. "The Sith rules were designed to prevent internal strife. In the Sith world, an Apprentice doesn't become a Knight by passing trials. Instead, they must duel and kill their Master. If a Master has multiple Apprentices, they would slaughter each other, ultimately weakening the entire Warrior Order."
"What does that mean? I don't understand."
"How should I explain it...? Let's use us as an example. If we were Sith, for you to become a Knight, you wouldn't pass trials. You'd have to defeat me in a duel."
"Oh, what's wrong with that?!"
"Duels have no rules. They continue until one side is dead!"
"Oh!"
"Exactly. Large numbers of Sith always lead to internal conflicts, ultimately weakening the entire Warrior Order or nation. But when there's only one Master, aside from his own Apprentice, there's no one to challenge him..."
"But... why? Our Warrior Order isn't like that!"
"You know, in ancient times, there was a... Sith named Darth Revan. He once said: 'Those who embrace the Dark Side must face the eternal challenge of coexisting with it. The nature of the Dark Side fosters competition and conflict. This is the Sith's greatest strength, for it weeds out the weak from our Warrior Order.'"
However, this competition may also be our greatest weakness.
The strong must beware lest they be destroyed by the ambitions of those who act in the shadows.
Any Master who teaches multiple apprentices the ways of the Dark Side is foolish.
Over time, the apprentices will unite to overthrow their Master... This is why each Master can only have one apprentice."
Ahsoka's eyes widened in shock. She had never imagined the Sith's apprenticeship system to be so ruthless. "What about our Jedi apprenticeship system? Wasn't it also common for a Master to have multiple apprentices before the Ruusan Reforms?"
"You certainly have a good memory," Solo said with a approving smile. "Before the Ruusan Reforms, a Jedi could indeed have multiple apprentices. Training didn't take place in the Temple either. Jedi Knights would travel throughout the galaxy, recruiting Force-sensitive children. It was common for a Master to have multiple apprentices. But after the reforms, the Warrior Order was reorganized. Now, gifted children must first enter the Coruscant Temple to learn foundational knowledge before a Master can accept them as an apprentice—and only one at a time. This was done to ensure the quality of instruction."
"Master, that... what exactly is Ventress's status? She's not a Sith, so why does she wield the power of the Dark Side?" Ahsoka finally returned to her original question.
"Ventress... she's a Dathomir Witch," Solo said, his tone turning serious. "The Dathomir people have a natural affinity for the Dark Side, especially the Witch clans. And she wasn't trained from childhood. She was discovered and taught by her first Master—a Jedi—around your age."
"A Jedi Master? Then why did she fall to the Dark Side?"
"Her Master was murdered. Ventress killed the killer in revenge, and that's when she fell to the Dark Side," Solo explained. "But she's different from other Dark Side users. She can control dark energy with innate stability, a gift she was born with—and that's also what makes her the most dangerous. So, Ahsoka, if you ever want to face her, you must double your training now... I'll only allow you to participate in such battles when you're strong enough."
"Yes, Master!" Ahsoka immediately stood up, her eyes burning with determination. She rushed out of the chamber like a whirlwind, heading straight for the training hall.
Watching Ahsoka's retreating figure, Solo sighed helplessly. "Mentoring an apprentice is truly a thankless task."
He used the Force to pull Ventress's lightsaber into his storage pouch, then began considering his plans upon reaching Donovia. There was so much to be done.
He now commanded fourteen and a half clone trooper regiments, roughly the size of a corps, but still half a regiment short of the standard "four full legions."
*Perhaps I could temporarily fill the ranks by distributing B-1 battle droids across the legions,* Solo mused. *It's a stopgap measure, but at least it would ensure our units are fully manned for any sudden combat situations.*
Next came the appointment of commanders.
Solo decided to promote Commander Bram of the First Regiment to be his deputy, responsible for overseeing the entire corps's operations.
Then, from among the longest-serving regiment commanders, he would select four senior commanders to each lead one of the four legions.
Establishing the command structure was also a priority.
Solo immediately thought of Li Norega, that clever and capable officer. She would be perfect for handling administrative work, operational planning, and fleet communications. *With her intellect, she'll definitely excel.*
There was also Miro, the communications genius. Solo remembered how, in the animated series, the Jedi often found themselves in trouble due to communication breakdowns. He needed to equip Miro properly and have him oversee communication support; there could be no room for error.
In addition, they needed to recruit clone experts for the staff: pilots for aerial tactics, infantry officers for ground combat advice, tankers to manage armored units, and technicians to ensure equipment maintenance. These experts in their respective fields would enable the Command to make more precise decisions.
"We can't just run around with a bunch of robots. It's fine at the base, but on Coruscant, drawing too much attention will attract unnecessary trouble."
Finally, there was the security force.
Solo planned to arrange a company of clone infantry, equipped with vibration blades for close combat, along with several RC clone commandos.
RC clone commandos were the elite among clones, skilled in reconnaissance and special operations. With them, there would be an extra layer of protection.
However, just as he was preparing to return to Donovia, an urgent and inescapable communication nearly made him jump and curse.
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