Artum Somir, still an apprentice Sith Lord by all rights, had made contact with one of his father's intelligence officers and managed to locate the outcast, Anakin Skywalker, on a planet in the outer rim. He chose to keep this information from his father and deal with the cretin himself. Surely he would finally win his father's respect and admiration with this bold move.

He landed upon the planet, some distance from the encampment where the self claimed 'Jedi' had decided to hold up before his trip to Naboo and the Jedi Council. This untrained boy would be an easy kill, but a noteworthy one. The Sith Apprentice moved swiftly across the landscape and towards the encampment. Drawing his twin crimson sabers, which he modeled after his father's, he leapt upon the makeshift tent holding Anakin and sliced through...

Barely able to call himself a Jedi, and only be self appointment, he still sensed something amiss. Something was not right here. His hands instinctively dropped to his light sabers, one blue one green. Suddenly, and with little other warning, a red blade of light energy slammed into the side of the tent ripping it open violently.

With a snap hiss his blades sprang to life. Brilliant flashes of light illuminated the area as his blade masterfully collided with those of the intruder. Thankfully, he had had some memory implants upon creation. Limited Force training and extensive hand to hand combat training, including the use of light sabers. Hopefully, he thought, he was adequately prepared for a fight for his life.

His blades twirled deftly in his hands as he backed far enough away to see who his attacker was. Artum Somir, youngest son of the Dark Lord. So, the Dark Lord had sent someone after him after all. Thankfully, it was not one of the more well trained Sith. Thankfully he still had a chance. Neatly slicing himself a hole, he stepped from the tent to give himself more room to maneuver.

This would be interesting.

His attacker came from the tent like a demon from the mouth of hell. The four light sabers hummed almost in tune with one another. Suddenly, his foe struck without warning and Anakin instinctively parried. A loud crash of energy and flash of light washed over the area.

"We don't have to do this, you and I." Anakin stated as he held the other's blade in place.

"I do." came the cold, emotionless reply.

The blades twirled away from one another again then came crashing together. First the right of each, then the left. A large double X of hard light energy formed before them, the Sith growled in anger.

"Your anger will be your undoing. It is already leading you from the path of focus and into the valley of misfortune." Anakin stated as he pulled away.

"Your fear will be yours." came another reply, this time filled with anger and hate.

"I am not afraid. I merely wish we could have avoided this." Anakin said as the blades slammed into each other once more. Brilliant flashes of light almost blinded him as the blades met with such Force it nearly unbalanced him.

"You betrayed my father. The punishment is death." Artum responded coldly.

"If death is the only way to end this, than so be it." Anakin replied.

The blades arched together once more, flashing and crackling. Suddenly a loud blast erupted in Anakin's ear and he found himself thrown backwards by the Force. Artum had learned to use inborn power, but to what extent? Hopefully Anakin could still survive this.

The Sith apprentice grinned. Now was his time to strike. He leapt forward, somersaulting in the air. Landing just before the downed 'Jedi' he slashed out with his saber, only to have it violently parried by the young man before him. Anakin stood quickly, his blades coming now with speed and ferocity Artum did not expect.

He backed away as the onslaught of blows came towards him. Parrying each with growing fear. His anger boiled. How could this boy be driving him back? How could he be allowing him to do so. Finally, Artum found his footing once more and the blades clashed together and locked. Sparks flew and the scent of burnt ozone came to him.

"Now, you die.. Jedi."

His own blows began. Raining down upon the Jedi like a hail storm. Left, right, left again they came. Blades blurred to indefinable lines of light as they clashed together and were brought apart once more only to repeat the process. Deafening claps of energetic collisions assaulted Artum's ears. He backed the boy right to the edge of a chasm, readying to finish the job.

Then, suddenly...

Anakin felt it coming. He somehow knew each attack just before it came towards him. It became more and more easy to deflect the onslaught of blows placed upon him by the Sith Apprentice. He felt his rear foot begin to slide towards the chasm and realized it must be the Sith Apprentice or he.

Both blades came up in a powerful show of force, slamming into the blades of his foe. The crimson blades were driven back and apart. Just as this happened, Anakin found his body twirling, his right saber outstretched, and suddenly the hum of light sabers was down to two.

Laying before him on the ground, outstretched by the shear force of the attack, was a headless Sith Apprentice. Anakin heaved a sigh but found he could feel no remorse. He was not pleased that he had taken the life, he merely knew it was his only choice.

The young Jedi gathered the man's things, clipping his own and then the other's light sabers to his belt. He went about building a funeral pyre and disposed of the Sith Apprentice's body. He may have been twisted by evil, but he was still a man and his body should not be left for scavenger animals.

As he watched the pyre burn, he said to himself..

"I am a Jedi."