Title: Kareena "The Beginning"

Author: Pamela K. Kinney

Category: Post-TPM; set during Ep. 3

Warnings: PG-13

Summary: How a young Jedi Padawan, last of the Jedi’s being hunted down by Darth Vader becomes a Sith herself.

Disclaimer: I do not nor intend to make any profit off this story. All rights belong to George Lucas and LucasFilms. The only thing own in story would be Kareena.

Kareena

She watched the tall, darkly armored figure directing the amored figures in white, a long cape hanging from the dark figure’s broad shoulders, swirling and swiveling in the slight breeze hitting the planet, Naboo. Clutching her robe tightly around her slim form, the woman flipped her over-large hood over her blonde head, then ducked into some brush nearby. From there, she viewed what the others were doing, which was a massive search for some escaped Jedi Knights who had come to Naboo from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant some time ago.

Palpatine, having not long ago been voted in as the new leader of the whole Senate, had just proclaimed himself Emperor of the whole known galaxy, and had sent his faithful dogs, the stormtroopers, led by his most faithful of boot-licking dogs, Darth Vader, to eradicate the last of the Jedi Knights from the face of the galaxy.

And her master, Soun-Tae was one of the last, with she, his Padawan also with him here on this world. Her master had sensed Vader coming for him, her and the other two Jedi Knights. She had demanded that now was the time to take action and fight back, but Soun-Tae had said no, that anger was not the way. Sure! Just hide away like some miserable Tatooine womprats, while the dog pack hunted for them, wiping them out like the dirt beneath their feet!

Well, she would hide out until she found the right time, then bamn! Watch out Vader, you and your master will soon know that not all of the Jedi were spineless cowards, hiding out from you. A smile formed slowly on her lips, more like the snarl of a Correlian wolf, lean and hungry.

Kar-Zen hid out for two more days until Vader, with his stormtroopers found Soun-Tae and the other two Jedi Knights. With not much effort, Vader dueled each one in a lightsaber duel and systematically destroyed almost all of the Jedi, all except the lone Padawan hiding in the nearby Naboo woods and Vader’s former Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. And even Kenobi had taken flight like a frightened rabbit, just after fighting Anakin Skywalker and sending him into a lava pit, where surviving the lava and his disfigurement, the new Dark Lord of the Sith emerged.

Not finding Soun-Tae’s Padawan on Naboo, he found himself summoned back to the former Coruscant, now the Imperial Center. Vader, with his stormtroopers hastened to the Imperial Destroyer that was waiting above the planet. With him, and escaping Vader’s Force-sensitive detection, was the Padawan, hiding deep in the shuttle. From there she managed, with the light speed of a Jedi, to become invisible to the eyes of others and hide away in a storage cell on the destroyer. And with the Imperial forces, the young Jedi traveled back to the Imperial Center, where, besides Darth Vader, she would destroy Palpatine himself also.

On that trip where a Jedi Padawan had entered the ship, a Sith was becoming, anger filling every vestibule of her being, the Darkside singing its song into her ear. With her fear and anger interlocking together, and no Jedi Master to guide her, the tenacious fingers of the Darkside of the Force started to hold her in its grip, slowly choking out any vestiges of light.

Kar-Zen Sarkan was awoken from her fitful sleep- one that had been full of confusing nightmares-when she heard some workers entered the storage cell, coming to take out some needed crates of things as the Imperial Destroyer had just pulled into spacedock above the planet of the Imperial Center. Determined not to be found, Kar-Zen used the Force with her mind, sending thoughts to the workers that she wasn’ there, while in the meantime, she calmly walked past them and out into the corridor of the ship.

Then, with the incredible ability of the Jedi to go so fast that the Jedi becomes invisible Kar-Zen slipped along the many corridors of the giant starship, ending up in a Imperial shuttle that was heading for the Imperial Center below.

The shuttle landed in the shuttle docking bay, just inside the Emperor’ new palace, where outside, workers were building a giant statue of Palpatine, where it would stand, until the day the Rebellion led by Luke Skywalker and his friends would win against the Imperial forces.

Kar-Zen quietly slipped past the pilots and any guards, managing to infiltrate the palace. Where is that damn Vader? she thought. I know he’s not on the destroyer, for I did not sense him up there. So logically, he must be here in the palace, most likely with his master, that vile serpent himself!

Hiding behind a cabinet, she overheard two Imperial guards talking as they walked by. "Lord Darth Vader is in audience with the Emperor," laughed one of the guards. "Guess more reports of those pathetic Jedi Knights destroyed! I can’t believe that the Jedi Knights were ever the protectors of this galaxy! Such wimps!" The other guard burst out in laughter, the first one joining in.

Kar-Zen listened, anger forming a dark cloud in her mind, crowding out anything but her need to strike out. With simple reflexes, she pulled out her lightsaber, igniting it and sending a long stream of green laser light upwards. With a couple of easy strokes, she cut down both guards, no blood spilled. Quickly, she grabbed and stuffed their bodies into the cabinet, locking them securely in it.

On fleet foot, the young Padawan searched the rooms, trying to find Darth Vader and Palpatine, hoping to catch them together and strike them both down. Just as she was about to fling herself down in frustration, she found the room the Dark Lord of the Sith and his master were in. It was Palpatine’s quarters, where he would rest after a day of politicking and ruling the vast Empire he was building. Also, Palpatine noticed to his dismay that for some undefined reason the Darkside of the Force was beginning to age him rapidly, just as rapidly his power in it grew and grew. Every morning as he awoke and

viewed his face in the mirror, he saw new wrinkles there that weren’t there the day before. There seem to be a price to pay for his growing dark power and for total command of the newly formed Empire. So more and more, until he found a way to combat this new problem, he hid more inside his rooms, seen only by a chosen few. Few, like his new apprentice, Darth Vader.

Now, there was one thing that had went right! Leaving the young Anakin Skywalker to grow under the tutelage of that fool Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi had been a stroke of genius. This way his future apprentice got trained, leaving Palpatine’s hands free to put all of his fingers in all of the political pies of the Republic, and slowly, insidiously take control of the government. And now he sat in his favorite chair, awaiting to hear that Vader had destroyed all of the Jedi, except for that fool, Obi-Wan, and that wouldn’t be long before he too was captured and destroyed.

But what of the one who will bring balance to the Force? There was that. . .that whispering voice inside his mind again! Bringing on dark thoughts, Palpatine forced it to be sent away, letting him once more to dwell on the bowed helmeted head of his apprentice. Yes, he loved the Dark Lord in this position, subservial and demeaned.

"Well," Palpatine cackled, "did you get the last of them, Vader?" He waited,his bright eyes alert and searching.

The machine-motivated voice boomed out of Vader, impressive and deep. "All, but one mere padawan, my master. Master Soun-Tae’s padawan, Kar-Zen Sarken was not among them. But, Soun-Tae, and the two Knights with him were dispatched. . .easily."

Palpatine rose out of his chair, anger flashing in his eyes. "You let one get away, Lord Vader?! I had said all must be destroyed! So, where is this miserable padawan at, anyway?"

"Here, you miserable reptile!" Kar-Zen stepped out from behind the door to the room, her lightsaber on and ready. A feral smile covered her lips, while her eyes were shadowed with darkness. In one fluid movement, she slipped off her robe, flinging it to one side. "Come, Lord Vader, it’s time we finally meet." Like a hungry tiger, she stalked, her movements with panther-like grace. Vader ignited his saber, a red beam of light streaking out of the metal grip clutched tightly in his gloved hand. The massive Dark Lord moved forward, a bulldozer daring to cut down the smaller in stature padawan.

As both parried and thrust with their lightsabers, Palpatine watched with eager eyes, his eyes especially on the tall woman, her long blonde braid flying in all directions as she jumped and leaped away from Vader’s oncoming attacks. He felt her anger, like a black cloud filling every pore within her body, giving her supernatural strength to fight with the more larger Sith. Yes, he thought, she would make a great Sith. I feel it!

The Dark Master came between them, his hands upraised, lightening flashes of the Force crackling out of his fingertips. "Stop, Vader!" he commanded. "Leave this one to me." The lightbeam pulled back into the metal hilt that it came from, Vader bowed his metalled head slightly, then with a bow to Kar-Zen he left the room.

Angrily, Kar-Zen screamed after him. "Darth Vader, come back here! I’m not through with you! I demand revenge for my Master’s death, and for all of the Jedis that have died!"

So angry was she, that Kar-Zen shook visibly, her muscles quivering wildly, bringing to Palpatine’s mind of a wild equine he had once seen on the planet of Kaltine. It had been captured by some handlers, and had been wildly fighting them, anger and hatred in its eyes and in every muscle contracting. He smiled, the smile not unlike the cold smile of a Naboo constrictor, ready to strike down the unwary victim.

"Well, well, my young padawan," he crooned, "what will we do?" He approached her, a hand out towards her. "I sense the anger and fear within you, I sense the Darkside calling you to dance to its tune." He stopped and waited.

Still gripping her saber tightly and still in her battle stance, Kar-Zen’s eyes glinted withuncertainty. Palpatine’s smile widened. "I sense your indecision," he soothed. "Let me make the decision for you." He reached out with a hand and touched a strand of blonde hair, loosened from the braid.

Confused, Kar-Zen turned off her saber, the light beam disappearing. Like a nervous highbred mare, she quivered under Palpatine’s sensuous touch, stroking her lightly against the skin of her face. "Let the Darkside envelope you deeply, young Jedi, and become one with it. I sense it has always been there deep within you, hidden until now. Free it, let it soar like an eagle, its talons eager to grasp the light that still flickers there, in your heart. Become what your destiny demands, become a . . .Sith! You know this to be true."

"No. . .no, I’m not. . .Sith material," moaned Kar-Zen. "I am a Jedi! I am Jedi!"

"The Jedi are all dead, come be a Padawan for a Sith Lord I know. One Lord Pernicious, he will teach you all you need to know as a Sith Lady. Come join us, and I will see your life spared. Denounce your Jedi leanings."

Kar-Zen eyes closed, her face solidly silent like a stone. A minute later, her eyelids lifted upwards, uncovering her eyes. Palpatine looked deep into them and saw the light completely gone from her, the

Darkside of the Force entrenched instead. She smiled. It was a smile of pure evil. "I am ready. my Lord. When do I meet this. . .Lord Pernicious?"

"Soon, my dear, soon. Come, join me, and we’ll celebrate. A new Sith apprentice has been born this night," said Palpatine, his hand covering one of hers. "I, myself will teach you of things you never dreamed of, and tomorrow you will leave for Andovia, where Pernicious will be waiting for you."

The Dark Lord pulled an unresisting Kar-Zen after him, heading for his bedchamber. it had been a while since he had a nubile young female, especially one still virginal. But he sensed, virgin or not, that she would have many surprises for him to learn. For a minute he felt confused, thinking, Now, who’s the Master and who’s the Padawan? Feminine laughter broke in, freezing cold. Then the unbidden thoughts were gone, and he turned to her at the entrance to his bedchamber.

"What shall I call you now?" he asked.

Her tongue flicked out from between her lips and licked sensuously over them. "Call me…Kareena." She followed him as he entered his bedchamber. Mysteriously, the lights in the room they had just left winked out, coloring the room in darkness.

END.