Chapter 13
After several cycles without any activity in space, the remains of the fleet moved into orbit of the dead planet, coming within the envelope of time distortion generated by the planet. Aboard the Shadow Redeemer, Athin stands motionless just outside the recently repaired door to the Admiral’s quarters. Inside, Anhiel fastens the long cape of her uniform, letting it rest on her shoulders as she takes a long look at herself in the tall mirror. She lifts up a hand to the tightly bound ponytail and pulls the band restraining it, letting her white and silver hair fall to its full length just past her shoulder blades. A beep from her communicator breaks her concentration. She keys it on, hearing the Commander’s gruff voice “Ma’am, an unidentified ship has exited hyperspace nearby. It appears to be a Defender class but the pilot does not know the proper response code.” Anhiel releases a long breath before responding, “It is Master Rajavia. Direct her to the hangar. Athin and I will meet her there.” The connection is cut and she straightens the uniform, running a hand through the length of her unbound hair before adopting the reserved look she often wore. Athin straightens at the sound of a hissing noise behind him from the door that slid open, revealing Anhiel. The Miraluka addresses her with a gentle tone, and bows lightly “Admiral.” The woman tilts her head to the side slightly, “Did you enlist without me knowing?” Athin chuckled, shaking his head “No, I did not. Just still getting used to using your name, Anhiel.” The woman’s cool eyes appraise him before she responds flatly, “Rajavia has arrived. I thought it would be fitting that you come with me to receive her, since you requested her presence.” Athin nods, “Of course, Anhiel.” The pair strides through the corridors of the capital ship towards the hangar bay. As they arrive, a Defender class ship maneuvers into position and settles on the deck, gently. The ramp begins to descend while Anhiel and Athin take up positions a couple meters from the end. Rajavia descends the ramp, her long brown hair concealed within her traditional tan robes. She stops just in front of the pair and bows to Anhiel, addressing her shortly “Grandmaster.” Anhiel inclines her head in response as the slightly older woman turns to Athin and adopts a grateful tone “It has been some time, Athin. Thank you for your message. I do believe she asked you to contact me but I know the inclusion of your location was not part of that request. She is stubbornly resistant to help.” The Grandmaster’s eyes rolled as often happened when she interacted with the woman she considered her closest friend. Athin smiled lightly, “I am happy to help, Master Rajavia.” Anhiel clears her throat shortly before interjecting dryly, “Shall we? I doubt you traveled all this way just to thank Athin.”
The trio walked through the ship, Athin and Rajavia beside each other conversing lightly while Anhiel led. “So Athin, tell me what it was that you observed. I understand the sight of a Miraluka is much different than most species?” Athin nods, “That is correct. We see auras and impressions left by people and objects in the force. Anhiel’s aura is often tumultuous, but consistently so. There is also a void at her center which has always appeared to be lifeless. However, during the most recent fit, it started moving as if alive and caused the rest of her aura to react defensively. Outside of that, I do not have much more to add. My knowledge in the healing arts is limited.” Rajavia frowns as she ponders his words until the trio arrives at a door which Anhiel keys open. The room is a small lounge, with a low angled couch and a long low table in the far corner which Anhiel moves towards and sits down. Rajavia begins to follow but stops and turns, noticing that Athin remained outside. The Miraluka preempts the question, “I believe you two need some privacy for this. I am going to return to the planet to check on Rend and Sun. Please reach out if you need anything.” He keys the control panel for the door and it closes with a satisfying click before he strides away back towards the hangar. Once he arrives, he spots Captain Jov’aine preparing to board a shuttle and calls out, “Room for one more, Captain?”
On the planet below, Rend and his padawan briskly walk from the main dwelling towards the compound as Sun’s curiosity gets the best of her. “Master, I remember you telling me about your first time here and I am curious. Why would someone want to live out here, alone in the cold?” Rend replied thoughtfully, “You are referring to Master Joash? There has to be a reason, although it may not be clear to us. Master Anhiel taught me that we should not impose our will onto the Force. We are merely vessels for it to fill up and flow through. I believe Joash has been here for this very reason. His exile is not for us to interpret, instead just know that there is a reason for everything and Joash’s survival is no accident.” Sun’s astonishment at her master was evident in her features, “Master, I will meditate on your wisdom”. Rend, also surprised at what he had said, nodded and replied “Are you ready to begin?”
Rend grabbed the training swords and tossed one towards his padawan, which she caught with much more precision than the first session they had on the planet. “Today’s lesson is similar to what I learned when I was here last. I want you to open yourself to the force as we spar. Allow the Force to flow through and around you. Gather that feeling from the pit of your stomach and push it outward through every inch of your body. Expand your presence and become the Force.” Nervous about the instruction, Sun gave a swift nod and they began. A cross bodied strike aimed at her chest was defended with precision, the young woman standing fast against the strength of the strike. Rend immediately assaulted again with a spinning slice towards Sun’s feet which she avoids by shifting her stance slightly. As his blade continues past his opponent, the knight recovers and crouches while pulling the hilt of the weapon to his side before lashing out with a quick stab. Sun started to feel the Force creeping around her like a youngling hiding behind their parents’ legs. CLANG, the sound of their strikes and defenses rang through the building as she rotated, lashing out upwards with her blade to deflect the thrust. Rend presses his padawan by increasing his speed and power, chaining strikes in an attempt to open up her defenses. Sun started to notice the feeling of something deep with her and began to do as her master had instructed, opening herself to tendrils of the force around her. “That’s it, keep expanding. Let the force guide your movements” Rend encouraged as he continued his assault.
Just outside a window into the main building, Joash watched the bout and sensed the events taking place inside for a half hour or more when he felt a pull at his core, drawing him back to his dwelling. He followed his senses, moving quickly through the barren terrain as Sun and Rend ended their training session. Joash continued walking until he arrived at his dwelling and moved into the main living area. The old Jedi weaved his way through the sitting area and into the eating room. The tug continued until he reached his sleeping quarters. Peering around the modest room he came upon what he was being called to find. There on a small corner shelf sat a leather pouch neatly bound by a lock of braided hair. Joash slowly approached the shelf, smiling with knowledge of the intention he placed his hand on the pouch and closed his eyes, allowing a small tear to creep out of the corner of his eye. The tear trickled down his cheek through his deep cavernous scar and stopped in between his lips. In his focus on the rising memory, Joash failed to notice the arrival of the Miraluka. “Master Joash?” Athin queried the older Jedi, having just arrived at the dwelling and noticed his aura was slightly different than it had been, “Is everything alright?”
“Yes Athin, everything is just fine.” Joash gruffed trying to hide his current state. Athin moved deeper into the dwelling and leans against a nearby wall, “Do you mind if I ask you a question then?” Joash nodded in response, wiping his face without turning around. “How do you know Anhiel?” Athin pressed, echoing Sun’s question from many cycles ago. Joash responded abruptly, allowing a twang of emotion to carry through his voice “Anhiel really does keep it close to the chest, doesn’t she?” The response caught Athin by surprise as Joash continued, “I believe we need to sit for this tale”. Joash removed his hand from the pouch and patted on the end of his bed. Athin moved from just inside the threshold of the room and sat down. Joash stepped around Athin and sat beside him, rolling his eyes back as they shut and began to explain one of the last encounters he had with Anhiel.
There is something wrong.
Pain….
Anger….
Revenge!
“I have to hurry,” Joash thought to himself as he could sense Anhiel in the distance. “No! Don't give in to it!” He rushes in her direction, weaving his way through the battlefield until he arrives at the rubble of a building where the white haired Jedi loomed over a fallen Sith. “General… GENERAL!” Joash’s deep gruff exclamation fell on deaf ears. He found himself staring at the knight as she slowly drove her purple saber into the sith’s abdomen. She was making him suffer for whatever malice he had spewed upon her. With each twist of her petite wrist the sith offender screamed and begged for it to end.
Joash peered at the rapidly fading fallen jedi a few meters away, “There is nothing left. She will pass soon”, he thought to himself. “That's enough!” he shouted. Again, Anhiel did not acknowledge his presence, continuing to exact her seemingly unending punishment on the Sith. Joash could feel the shattered knight continue to slip, “This isn’t you! Don’t lose yourself!” The pain within her was starting to envelope the two as she made sure her victim felt every centimeter of her blade. “Anhiel!” Her concentration was slightly broken by the authority in Joash’s voice. In that brief moment Joash reached out in the force, pushing the woman’s arm to finish her prey in an attempt to stop what was consuming her. Without hesitation, the same blade that had been torturing her assailant, slashed towards Joash. The attack was blisteringly quick leaving Joash unable to defend as he attempted to side step the blade. Searing heat and the scent of burning flesh filled the older Jedi’s senses as the saber kissed his cheek. Stunned by her speed and aggressiveness Joash fell back, igniting his heavy blade as he assumed a defensive posture in preparation for the second saber. The blade never came. Instead, the blades retreated back into their hilts as Anhiel stopped. Her eyes focused on the young woman lying nearby as the yellow slowly drained from her irises, replaced by vibrant blue. Joash relaxed slightly, cutting off his ancient blade while staring at Anhiel as she walked past him to her fading partner.
The armor-clad woman knelt on both knees, resting the Miraluka’s head gently in her lap as a rare softness formed on her features. Joash could feel the immense pain radiating from the pair. Every breath from the fallen Jedi was ragged and each came slower than the previous. The pain originating from the Miraluka faded away as the young woman passed. However, Joash now sensed a pain greater than any felt thus far as Anhiel screeched with a noise that chilled all those nearby to the core before she collapsed. Joash, in grave pain from the attack, gathered himself and directed some nearby soldiers to take the two jedi to a transport. “And get me a medic!” he shouted as he followed.
Joash, having dived deep into his memories, didn't notice that his tale had drawn a crowd. When he opened his eyes, there on the messy floor sat Rend and Sun, eyes intently focused on him. To no one's surprise, Sun’s voice broke the silence after the completion of the story, “Why would Master Anhiel turn on you? And what happened to her to cause her to fall unconscious? She didn’t have any physical injuries.” Joash shrugged lightly, “I am not sure.” Both Rend and Sun bore quizzical looks as they contemplated the possibilities until Athin interjected, “Anhiel and Padawan Dulci, the Miraluka Joash mentioned, shared a force bond.” The reactions to the statement were varied. Joash appeared to be the least surprised as he knew the pair were close but the presence of a force bond was still surprising to him. Rend was the most astonished, knowing only a little about force bonds but the fact Master Anhiel ever had such a bond with another being was the most foreign of concepts. Sun’s curiosity was piqued even more as she did not know what a force bond was and her question exited her lips before it fully formed in her mind. “What is a force bond?”
Athin straightened and moved to sit on the floor as well, facing the young Padawan and answered with a gentle voice, “A force bond is a link forged between two beings within the Force. It joins them in a way that allows for communication over a great distance and an intimate understanding of the bond mate that is not possible otherwise. But there are drawbacks to such a close link. Both joys and pains are shared across the bond and it is said that there are few things worse in the galaxy than suffering the death of your bondmate. So much so that to hear of someone surviving such an event is very rare.” Joash releases a long sigh as a deeper understanding sets in of the events he had just recounted. Athin continued as Sun processed his words, “The fatal wound that Padawan Dulci suffered would have equally been felt by Master Anhiel. As we have seen recently, she is not afraid to tap into the darkness to protect those that she cares about. But when Dulci passed on from this life, Master Anhiel was injured in a way far worse than any physical injury. She has been left with a wound deep within her very being. It is no small wonder that she even survived the event.” Joash grunts in agreement with the final statement, “As I said, young Padawan, do not underestimate the power of that woman.” Sun looks at the two older Jedi with wide eyes as she asks a final question, “How is such a bond formed?” To everyone’s surprise, it was Joash who responded with respect in his voice, “There are several ways, but if that question is to ever be answered for this situation, the answer should come from Anhiel herself.”