Chapter Text
The Darkness crept through what had once been the Jedi temple, but which was now the imperial palace. She moved like a shadow among shadows, seeping like a cold mist through the mighty halls and long corridors. On bare feet that made not a sound she walked in the dim light from the tall windows viewing Coruscant's twinkling night lights. The vast city never asleep but was always buzzing with life.
The night was often a quieter time of day, but in the imperial palace there was always life, as many of her children preferred the dark hours of the day.
The first of her children she found were Jen Karuvis and Jen Teate. As expected, she found them in the chamber which had once housed the Jedi Council, and from which the Dark Family now ruled. Not surprisingly they were engrossed in a philosophical disquisition.
The darkness smiled to herself as she watched them argue, as they always had, not disagreeing but not agreeing either, and always happy to argue. The force flowed cold and calm like a lazy stream of dark energy around them.
The council chamber itself looked almost as it always had, a semicircle of diverse seats along the large windows, though there was fewer than before the fall of the light. Currently there were nine seats, but in time there would be more, while others might disappear, that would be her children's choice.
The seats themselves were shaped to fit each member of the Dark Family.
Jen Teate sat reclined in a high-backed chair that most resembled a throne or deep recliner. His long hands folded speculatively under his chin as he watched Jen Karuvis with thoughtful golden eyes.
Jen Karuvis sat cross-legged in his rounded seat, which had not changed much. He used his cane to emphasize his point, as he so often did, pointing it at Jen Teate.
The darkness knew that they were just arguing for the sake of arguing, and in fact they were here because it was the place in the former Jedi temple where they were sure not to be disturbed. Only the Dark Family had access to this room.
The Darkness looked around at the other seats. Jen Taral's seat was located at the end of the semicircle opposite Jen Teate's. His seat was a comfortably shaped wide seat that allowed a relaxed and reclined attention.
Between that and the elongated seat with room for three, was Jen Kojasi's place. Her seat allowed her to both sit and lie relaxed during the long discussions, she so often found tedious and unnecessary. Jen Kojasi was still young and restless, but she would learn patience with time.
The elongated seat that resembled a large soft sofa belonged to Jen Dhasia, Jen Norete and Jen Tash. As always the three of them were an inseparable force, who preferred to share their power and to be close to each other. They enjoyed slouching in the soft furniture during long discussions, often with Jen Norete lying with his feet lazily out over one armrest, and with his head resting either in Jen Tash's or Jen Dhasia's lap.
Next to them was a seat, which had not changed much either, and which belonged to Jen Shâsot.
After that came the her oven seat, which mostly resembled a simple wide stool, which allowed her to sit in a cross-legged position. It had no backrest, so there was room for her large black wings.
After that came Jen Karuvis and Jen Teate's seats completing the semicircle.
In this semicircle of highly diverse seats lay all the power in the galaxy. From here they ruled and wielded their power, but not many who knew this. They saw only the empire and its empresses and emperors, and the family preferred it that way. This way they could spin their dark web in peace, and pull all the strings without anyone knowing or understanding the full extent of their power.
Only those who had chosen the darkness, those who had become the Jen'jidai Order, knew the truth, or most of the truth, about how the Republic had fallen and the Empire had arisen. Only they knew that the Jedi Order no longer existed. Everyone else knew only that the Jedi who had survived the purge were changed, and that the Order was never the same again.
Even now that they ruled openly, the Dark Family and the Darkness still preferred to walk and live in the shadows.
Leaving her two eldest children to their discussion, the Darkness continued her wandering through the temple that had been her prison for millennia, but which was now her home and realm.
In the great hangar she observed how it, even here in the dark hours, was full of life. The galaxy was a vast place and there was always someone who needed to be reminded of who ruled it.
The many clones, who had survived the war, now served them as the imperial army, with Jen Norete and Jen Tash as their supreme commanders. But many other skilled and loyal beings had also become part of their military force. The Dark Family knew how to harness potential and the lust for power in others to their own advantage.
With their combined forces of clones, druids and new troops alike, it was no challenge to subdue the few who dared to rebel against them. And those who were more insistent...they met a swift and cruel death, that often discouraged others from trying to rebel.
So the galaxy was at peace under under their firm rule.
The darkness continued her nocturnal wandering.
In the room of a thousand fountains the air was warm and filled with the scent of living plants from all corners of the galaxy. The endless gurgle, murmur and roar of water, filled the room with an eternal sound. The force flowed strongly here, neither light nor dark, but full of life.
In the center of the garden, under an old tree, she found another of her children.
Jen Taral sat in a relaxed meditative pose, with the force flowing, like a great calm swirling current around him. With him were many of the younglings and younger padawans. Some of them meditated as he did, while others relaxed, read or talked quietly together.
Jen Taral’s wife were here too, busy telling an old legend from Tatooine to a group of younglings. She had joined her son and the Dark Family after her former husband had died. It had been just in time to help with the birth of the twins, and though she did not possess the same power as the rest of the Dark Family, she was a highly valued member and often a voice of reason and compassion.
In the soft grass not far from her some of the youngest slept bunched together in a tight cluster. Their light beautiful and pure in the force.
It was often like this, Jen Taral and his gentle wife was like a magnet to them all. Jen Tarals force was calm and soothing, but the Darkness knew that he, like the rest of the family, could be cruel and ruthless when he saw fit.
He had surrendered most of the power over the galaxy's underworld to Maul, Asajj and Quin years ago, and now spent most of his time in the temple, teaching the young ones. He guided them toward the choice, that was not really a choice, but a choice they all had to make.
The dark trio was the perfect choice to control the criminal, desperate and shadowy underworld that would always exist in the galaxy. They had the right amount of cunning and ruthlessness to keep the many different criminal factions in check and under some semblance of control, but the Darkness knew that Jen Taral was still the controlling hand behind them.
The darkness went on through the garden, and at the edge of a small shallow pond she found a small creature which shone like a powerful star in the force. Carefully she bent and lifted him up in her arms without waking him. Quite gently she wrested the still living frog from his grasp and put it back into the pond, it would be allowed to survive this night but would probably end up as a snack another.
With her fingers she stroked lightly over the long ears of the young sleeping creature, who would surely one day become as powerful as his kind. The Darkness had always loved his kind, they looked treacherously small and frail, but possessed overwhelming power and will.
She cradled him gently, as she walked the last distance through the garden to the large open space that had been laid out at the back of it.
A single tall pillar stood in the center of the circular square. It was created of a dull white stone and inlaid with kyber crystals and beskar that glittered and shone with a muted silver-white glow in the darkness.
An inscription of runes adorned it.
'The Darkness will reign forever, and the light live in the innocent'
Along one half of the circular square a high curved wall was erected. It resembled a piece of a huge beehive, as thousands of hexagonal niches pierced it. Every niche contained a lightsaber. Their crystals cried mournfully in the memory of the many lights that had been extinguished forever in the sacrifice that had given the Darkness her freedom.
The Darkness bowed her head in a silent respectful acknowledgment of them. Their sacrifice had been necessary, a cleansing to make way for a new beginning. They had paid the price for their ancestors having once bound and trapped her.
Their lightsaber was here to appease them, but also to show the power of the Dark Family. The light lived at their mercy, and because even she recognized that it was a part of the balance in the force.
The light would be allowed to live in the innocent, but only there.
The darkness looked down at the small sleeping creature in her arms, his light still pure. She wondered if he too would one day choose the darkness, or if his choice would be the light and thus eternity in the force.
The Darkness left the room of a thousand fountains after placing the small sleeping creature with the other younglings.
She walked through the cool darkness of the temple halls, and soon found herself in the great training halls, drawn by the pulsing dark energy that emanated from them. She knew well which of her children she would find here, and just as expected, Jen Kojasi's two dark red blades lit up the dimly lit hall, but they were far from alone.
With her were many of the young padawans who had been allowed to survive the purge, and who had eventually chosen the darkness. They were all eager to show off and improve their skills in combat.
Several of the Masters who had chosen the darkness and had become Jen'jidai had also joined her.
Their blades glowed with dim golden, copper and purple lights illuminating the darkness, sparkling and crackling when they met, between them were a few deep blue and dark green blades.
It was barbaric to break and bleed a kyber crystal as the Sith had done, the kyber crystals were far more powerful if they accepted the darkness in those who possessed and wielded them.
Only Jen Kojasi's blades glowed dark red, as only the Dark Family was allowed to possess the red kyber crystals created by darkness and collected from the dark well. Only they were powerful enough to wield them.
Jen Kojasi was at the center of the duel that was unfolding. With great skill she kept everyone in check. Gracefully and aggressively she managed to keep even the Masters at bay. She was like a whirlpool of red light and darkness.
She had become the most skilled warrior of the Jen'jidai order, a force to be feared by all. The Darkness was very proud of her youngest restless and powerful daughter.
As the darkness moved on, the shadows caressed her affectionately and led her on her way.
A lager part of the temple had been converted into a luxurious living area reserved for the Dark Family, and here she knew the last of her children would be.
Quietly she crept into their rooms, going first to the room where she knew their children slept, exhausted after a long day in the senate with their mother, making trouble for senators while learning how to exploit others. They were already quite adept in the art of manipulation.
Even now as almost teenagers, they still preferred to be close to each other, sleeping in each other's arms. The darkness suspected that it would not change, no matter how old they got. They shared everything and were each other's greatest passion and love.
Gently she let a hand glide over the light and dark hair of the children whose innocent blood had been what finally broke the last bonds, setting her free.
They were the Dark Family's most precious jewels. Children born of darkness, but pure in the force... for now. Soon they would have to make the choice like everyone ells.
Hidden in the shadows, the Darkness crept into the large sleeping chamber. The sounds of deep moans and lustful gasps coming from it told her that her last three children were busy bestowing pleasure upon each other. Their three dark powerful force signatures so entangled that they were hard to separate, they were like a storm or vortex, full of charged energy, uncountable and unstoppable.
Jen Dhasia was at the center of the passionate embrace, caught between her lovers, filled by them both. Jen Norete was beneath her with his hands buried in her lush dark hair, while Jen Tash was above them both, pinning them to the bed controlling them both with long powerful thrusts.
The Darkness smiled to herself, they were a beautiful sight, covered in sweat and the marks form possessive kisses and bites, so preoccupied with each other she doubted even the galaxy's demise would have disturbed them.
Satisfied that she had found all her children, The Darkness finally headed back forward her own chambers.
Inside them she undressed, letting her silk robes fall to the floor. Beating her large black wings once, she landed in the middle of the large sleeping space that took up most of the room to kneel over Jen Shâsot, who rested there with one hand behind his head and a datapad in the other.
Golden eyes that shone in the darkness met hers and a small wicked smile showed his white teeth. "Have you been out spying on your children again Jen Motina?" he asked.
The Darkness slid her hand teasingly over the dark skin of his flat stomach and muscular chest "Maybe," she whispered, lowering her head so her dark hair fell over her lover's chest. She bit through the dark skin over his heart, so that a few dark red drops of blood welled up for her to lick with relish.
A large hand caressed one of her black twisted horns, sending a shiver of pleasure through her.
The Darkness straightened up and looked with glittering golden eyes at the man beneath her, at the Master and warrior who had fought so stubbornly for the light, and whom she had still managed to tempt and seduce, so that he in the end gave himself willing to the darkness.
"You are all mine to do with as I please," she purred, as she slowly lowered herself over him, enveloping him, so that he had to throw his head back in pleasure and surrender.
This was her time, her children, her family, her order, her galaxy, and she would rule them all for eternity.