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Bane found her there: a young human child weeping over the remains of one of Ruusan’s native bouncers. The corpses of two young Jedi lay nearby, their heads twisted at obscene angles to their bodies. It took him only an instant to piece together what must have happened.

The girl looked up at him as he approached, her eyes puffy and red. He guessed she was nine, maybe ten at the most. He could feel the power of the Force burning in her, fueled by grief and rage and hatred. Even if he hadn’t sensed it, the broken Jedi at her feet gave mute testament to her abilities.

He didn’t speak, but stood silently. The girl’s sobbing stopped. She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Then she rose to her feet and took a tentative step toward him.

“Who are you?” he demanded, his voice deep and threatening.

She didn’t retreat or flee, though her reply was hesitant. “My name is Rain … I mean Zannah. My cousins used to call me Rain, but they’re dead now. Zannah’s my real name.”

Bane nodded, understanding completely. Rain: a nickname, a name of childhood and innocence. An innocence now lost.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked.

She nodded and took another step forward. “You’re a Sith.”

“You’re not afraid of me?”

“No,” she insisted with a shake of her head, though Bane knew she wasn’t being completely honest. He could feel her fear, but it was buried beneath far stronger emotions: grief, anger, hatred, and the desire for revenge.

“I have killed many people,” Bane warned her. “Men, women … even children.”

She shuddered but held her ground. “I’m a killer, too.”

Bane glanced over at the Jedi corpses, then turned his focus back to the little girl standing defiantly before him. Was she the one? Had the Force led him along this route back to his ship? Had it brought him here at this exact moment simply so he could find his apprentice?

He asked the final, most important question. “Do you know the ways of the Force? Do you understand the true nature of the dark side?”

“No,” Rain admitted, never dropping her gaze from his own. “But you can teach me. I’m young. I will learn.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DREW KARPYSHYN is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction and its sequel, Star Wars: Darth Bane: Rule of Two. He also wrote the acclaimed Mass Effect series of novels, and is an award-winning writer/designer of video games for BioWare. After spending most of his life in Canada he finally grew tired of the long, cold winters and headed south in search of a climate more conducive to year-round golf. He now lives in Texas with his wife, Jennifer, and their cat.

BOOKS BY DREW KARPYSHYN

Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal

Temple Hill

Mass Effect: Revelation

Mass Effect: Ascension

Star Wars: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction

Star Wars: Darth Bane: Rule of Two

Star Wars: Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil

STAR WARS—The Expanded Universe

You saw the movies. You watched the cartoon series, or maybe played some of the video games. But did you know …

In The Empire Strikes Back, Princess Leia Organa said to Han Solo, “I love you.” Han said, “I know.” But did you know that they actually got married? And had three Jedi children: the twins, Jacen and Jaina, and a younger son, Anakin?

Luke Skywalker was trained as a Jedi by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. But did you know that, years later, he went on to revive the Jedi Order and its commitment to defending the galaxy from evil and injustice?

Obi-Wan said to Luke, “For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.” Did you know that over those millennia, legendary Jedi and infamous Sith Lords were adding their names to the annals of Republic history?

Yoda explained that the dreaded Sith tend to come in twos: “Always two, there are. No more, no less. A Master, and an apprentice.” But did you know that the Sith didn’t always exist in pairs? That at one time in the ancient Republic there were as many Sith