Chapter 14
A lone figure sits within a dark room, only illuminated by the yellow and blue light emanating from the console before her and the six monitors arranged in two rows on the wall. Foreign symbols stream vertically across the screens as the young woman types rapidly, deep green eyes reflecting the artificial light as they flick over the information. A scowl forms on her features as she abruptly stops and rests her head on the desk, releasing a long frustrated sigh. A knock on the door brings the woman to lift her head slightly and she acknowledges the knock with an exhausted voice “Come in.” The door slides open revealing Rend who steps into the dimly lit room and addresses the woman with a concerned look, “Padawan, when have you last slept?” Sun sits up, leaning back in her chair while looking upwards, counting in her mind “I lost track and it feels like I am getting further from the solution to cracking into what data we have.” She pauses, clenching her right hand into a fist in frustration “I don’t even understand how I was able to get any data in the first place.” Rend takes a seat in the chair next to Sun and places a hand on her shoulder as a sign of reassurance, “From what Master Anhiel told me, you drew upon the Force to accomplish your task. Have you attempted to do so again?” Sun shakes her head, “No, I don’t even remember how I made it happen the last time.”
“Sun, do you remember the story I told you of my first time on Belloth?” She nods, “Yes, Master. You discovered yourself but exactly what that means, I am not sure.” Rend smiles lightly, dropping his hand from her shoulder to his side, “I discovered what I excelled at. I am able to mimic the abilities of other force users when close enough. In my duel with Master Joash I was able to utilize his gravity ability against him. I was not aware of it at the time, though.” Rend pauses, turning to look at his padawan’s face “During the recent space battle, I was able to tap into Master Anhiel’s battle meditation. I do not possess the ability to wield it entirely, but I was able to access her tactical knowledge during the battle. I still have a long way to go to hone this ability, but the only way to do that is to continue to use it.” Sun begins to speak but her master raises his hand, “Do not think, Padawan. Open yourself, and listen.” With reservation, the young woman nods and looks back at the monitors. Her eyes close as she breathes deeply, attempting to open herself to the tendrils of the Force around her, as she did aboard the foreign bridge though she still did not remember how. Warmth began to spread through her as she contemplated the data she had reviewed for many hours. Her eyes open to look at the screens again before they widen with surprise. The symbols looked less foreign than before and she could see a pattern where before there was only randomness. Sun quickly makes many rapid entries on the console before her. She exclaimed excitedly, “I did it, Master! And I don’t feel exhausted like I did the last time.” Rend responds with a proud smile, “Very good, Padawan. I suspect the great efforts you have made to train your physicality and mind gave you the foundation to not exhaust yourself.” He pauses a moment before continuing in a more concerned tone, “You should still rest, however. I sense it is mostly the adrenaline from excitement that is keeping you going at this point.” The exuberant Padawan’s face turns somewhat defeated at her Master’s request as she retorts “But the Admiral wants…” The remainder of the response dies in her throat as Rend continues, “Please, Sun. You have cracked it, but it won’t do any good to hurt yourself by failing to rest. Master Anhiel will understand.” Sun nods reluctantly as the adrenaline begins to fade, allowing exhaustion to settle in rapidly, “Yes…Master.” As she began to step away she could almost feel a touch push her chin up and she caught a glimpse of something more. Amongst the symbols and clutter of numbers was something teasing her senses. Sun squinted to intensify her gaze. “Master look!”, she exclaimed and pointed to what appeared to Rend as just another several lines of code. “What is it?” He quizzed his padawan. “I don’t completely understand it but maybe master Anhiel will. We need to take this to her immediately.” Rend nodded as Sun downloaded the information on her data pad and they swiftly left towards the High Admiral's location.
Two local cycles pass without event. Sun rested from her efforts. Rend continued to integrate himself more into military related items. Athin and Rajavia discussed Anhiel’s condition while keeping watchful eyes on her and the Admiral continued with an unrelenting focus. Officers and other key personnel gathered in the war room aboard the Shadow Redeemer. Rend and Sun entered to the sound of everyone straightening to attention, the closest guard addressing Rend, “General!” The young man smiles lightly, “As you were.” before moving into the room, followed by Joash who offered a sarcastic remark as he moved to a chair along the wall, “Like Master, like Padawan.” The sound in the room slowly began to lessen as individuals found their seats. It settled into a hushed sound as quiet conversations carried on about what the meeting was called for as no details had been provided. After several minutes, the High Admiral entered with a stone-faced expression as the room leaped to attention, save for Joash. A wave of her hand returned everyone to their seats as she took her position at the head of the table. Silence reigned as she scanned the room, her gaze coming to rest on Sun a couple seats away, “Commander Sun has cracked the data extracted from the enemy vessel.” A long pause is indication of the nature of what was found, “The ships we encountered are controlled by a sentient AI. The nature of which is unknown. However, their coordination in combat is nearly flawless.” After a slight nod to Sun, her eyes begin to wander the room as Sun interacts with her datapad to display the data on the nearby monitor. Anhiel continues in a somber yet authoritative tone, “Based on the limited numbers salvaged from this information, the size of the enemy forces rivals that of the Republic and Sith, combined. As for the armored troops, there was no information on where they came from but it is clear, an invasion is already underway the likes of which there is no hope to stand against.” After several long, silent moments the older commander speaks, “Ma’am, what shall we do?” A look bordering on shame crosses the woman’s face before the stone of her features returns, “We shall retreat.”
The surprise on the Commander’s face is echoed by many present as he questions, “If the Republic is being invaded we cannot retre…” Ice fills the Commander’s veins under the woman’s gaze as she speaks with a cold tone, “What information we have has been communicated to the Republic. However, if you feel our small task force will make a difference when we nearly lost against an expeditionary fleet despite a significant advantage in numbers and my Battle Meditation, I doubt your tactical council is very sound. Need I remind you of our casualties from that battle, Commander?” “No, Ma’am.” The Commander bows his head in acquiescence. A short nod by the Admiral signals the finality of the exchange as she addresses the room as a whole, “I do not wish to retreat. Nor do I wish to sacrifice lives in a futile struggle. We will retreat but I promise you, we will not be silent in this struggle.” Those gathered slowly nod, solemnly and it is Commander Sun’s voice that breaks into the silence, “Ma’am, where will we go?” Anhiel responds as she stands, straightening the long cape she wore “It is called Zonama Sekot. But you won’t find it on any map.” With that, the High Admiral looked over those gathered once more before ordering, “We leave in the next two standard cycles for an outer rim spaceport to replenish supplies before continuing on. Officers, I expect detailed reports on what your areas require by the end of the next cycle. Dismissed.” The sounds of moving chairs, footsteps, and quiet conversations fill the space as those gathered begin to disperse and depart the room. Joash remains behind, electing to rise from his chair only after Rend and Sun depart, leaving the older Jedi and Anhiel alone. The Admiral reviews a datapad as she addresses the man in a flat tone, “Did you need something, Joash?” After clearing his throat, Joash pauses before responding “I would like to accompany you, if you would have me.” Skepticism radiates from the woman as she glances towards the man without turning her head, prompting Joash to continue, “I have spent long enough in exile and would like to witness how Rend and Padawan Veruna grow.” Anhiel locks the datapad as she stands, straightening her uniform as she exhales, “I will have quarters prepared for you. Gather what you require from your home, we will not be returning, nor will we be leaving any trace that we were here.” Joash nods, understanding the implications of what she said, “Understood, Grandmaster. Thank you.” With that, he bowed low and departed the room heading towards the hangar to catch the next shuttle to the planet.
A few hours pass before a shuttle lands near to the small camouflaged dwelling. The ramp opens, letting the frigid air whip into the ship as Joash descends the ramp. Solemnly he looks over the shabby hut before stepping over the threshold. Inside, he grabbed a large canvas bag with items already inside as he headed towards the sleeping quarters. Again, he looks around with a solemn expression, “I am going to miss this place” Joash thought to himself as he slowly gathered the few remaining items he needed. He had already packed his battle armor consisting of an old blue tunic, utility belt and his wrist shield made of a zillo beast scale in the large canvas bag. He shuts the lights down to the room and closes the door. Several troops were removing the remaining items from the main living area when Joash caught a glimpse of Rend. “Young man, may I speak with you and your padawan?” Rend nodded before calling out to Sun who stood several meters away looking towards the temporary compound that was being rapidly deconstructed. The Padawan and Master pair entered the residence and gathered around the eating table where the older Jedi now sat. Joash pulled a small pouch made of Tauntaun leather from under his trench coat and placed it in front of him on the table. “Rend, with your permission, I would like to gift your Padawan with something.” The young Knight analyzed Joash with a suspicious look in his eye before he inclined his head, obliging the request. The old Jedi turned his sights on the young Padawan as he slid the pouch closer to the woman, “Sun, in this pouch is my Padawan's lightsaber, or what remains of it. For many years now I have attempted to reassemble it to no avail. When you were training a few cycles ago I sensed that you should be the next one to have it. It would please me very much if you would honor her by accepting this broken saber as a gift.” Sun stood up immediately and gave a deep bow after reigning in the massive smile she wore, speaking in a more serious tone “Thank you, Master Joash. I hope I prove to be worthy of such a precious item.” Joash expressed a rare smile at the woman’s prior exuberance and the respect she showed his Padawan before he gestured towards the pouch. Joash turned his head away to hide the falling tear as he spoke with a quivered voice “I hope you will succeed where I have failed.”
Sun and Rend depart as the Padawan excitedly speaks about some information she recently read on lightsaber construction. Joash leaned back in his chair, exhaling a long breath as he looked towards the ceiling as he thought to himself, “Only one thing left to do now. Perhaps she has mellowed during these many years.” The thought was more hopeful than realistic but the man steeled himself for the confrontation that he felt must happen before their journey continued. He exited the dwelling for the last time, trudging through the frigid landscape and boarding the shuttle to return to the Shadow Redeemer along with Rend and Sun. The young Padawan beamed as she examined the broken hilt she was gifted while the shuttle rose from the planet and shot towards the capital ship. Joash leans back and closes his eyes as he relives the memories from Ord Radama.
Several minutes after the arrival of the shuttle aboard the Shadow Redeemer, a durasteel door slides open with a slight hiss as an older gentleman walks into the training room. In the center of the room is a slender woman sitting on her knees in deep meditation, her voice is calm as she addresses the new arrival “Joash, I did not expect you. I will be leaving shortly if you require the room.” Joash replied with an authoritative tone “No need for that, I need to speak with you about something before we set off on this journey.” The silver-haired woman rose in a fluid motion and cast her icy gaze on Joash, speaking to him in an equally authoritative tone, tinged with warning to the older Jedi “Careful, old man. I don’t appreciate your tone.” Joash waved his hand at the door controls and the door hissed shut and locked. “I would like to gauge how rusty I have become. Will you spar with me?” Taken aback by the request Anhiel nodded with suspicion, her eyes narrowed. She moves to remove her cape as she walks towards one end of the room, placing it neatly on a floor tile. Joash mimicked her movements and tossed his trench coat at the other end. Anhiel addressed Joash frankly, “I am confused by your request Joash, if you wanted to train you could have done that with Rend. You seemed to enjoy that in his time with you.” Joash smirked as he replied “You are right, I could have but it is not the same. I have been in exile for quite some time. Will you oblige an old man?”
Anhiel’s hands open, slightly raised above her hips, calling her sabers from their place at her hips to her hands. Joash reaches with his right hand and retrieves his weapon as well. The Grandmaster’s clear blue eyes locked into Joash’s hazel irises as they slowly circle the room. They both ignite their sabers almost simultaneously, dual purple blades and a single wide blue blade flash to life. The hum of their blades filled the room as they continued to circle, coming to a stop almost in the same spots where they started. Anhiel crouches slightly, one blade horizontal to the floor in a reverse grip behind her, the other pointed towards her opponent while the arm is held back, the blade illuminating her face due to its proximity. Joash stands straight holding his saber vertically above his head at a slight angle where the hilt was directly above his head. The female Jedi leaps with her blades crossed in an overhead strike. Joash turned his blade in defense as the deadly purple sabers crashed into his own. He moves the two blades from above him to his right side and jabs his shoulder into Anhiel’s collar bone, sending her sliding back about a meter. Joash, with his saber remaining at his side closes the gap and aims an upper slice making contact with Anhiels blades and is immediately followed by a crouching spin that was met with her left saber, held in a reverse grip. The second comes swiftly from above as Joash rolls away from the attack and stands up.
On the bridge, a quick elbow is felt by an ensign at one of the operator panels, “Look! Monitor 7, the training room! It looks like the High Admiral is sparring with someone.” The pained ensign replied, awestruck by the scene “I can hardly keep up with their movements.” He turns to another nearby soldier, waving him over to view the console. Rapidly, more and more crew members started to gather around the monitor as they watched quietly.
“What’s the matter, Grandmaster? Are you having trouble keeping up with an old man?” Joash gruffed while his blade collided with both of Anhiel’s. “Do not flatter yourself, JoasichuBana’kaeda. You know my capabilities better than that” she replied, slightly agitated. The pair continued to exchange blows for many moments, neither gaining an edge at the moment.
Rend sat quietly in his quarters as he meditated, sensing Anhiel’s presence diminish in the Force. He thought to himself, “What is going on with Master Anhiel? Why would she be suppressing her presence in the Force right now?” Rend started towards his old master’s quarters when he ran into Sun. “Did you feel that?”, she quizzed her master. Rend hesitated, surprised his Padawan was able to pick up on the shift in Anhiel’s presence. They both started to walk briskly towards Anhiel’s quarters when they overheard a crew member talking about what was taking place on the bridge. The pair looked at each other with concern and they increased their pace towards Athin’s room nearby.
By the time the now trio arrived at the bridge, a large portion of the ship’s crew was gathered and exchanging conversation about what was going on in the training room. Rend, Sun and Athin rush into the crowd and Rend immediately barks at those gathered,”Back to your stations! There is nothing to see here!” Immediately everyone responds almost in chorus “Yes General!” as they immediately started back to their appointed stations when Rend addressed the ensign at the control panel, “Can you route this image to a different location?” The ensign replied “ Yes sir which level and corridor would you like it displayed?” Rend pondered the question for a moment, but Athin interjects, “Please route it to the monitor in the same corridor as the training room.” The ensign looked a little puzzled and hesitated in his response. “You heard him. Send it to the monitor he requested!” Rend responded. “Yes General!” the ensign replied and commenced sending the data to the monitor that Athin had described. The trio rushed out towards the training room, making a few turns along the way until they arrived. Rend, Sun and Athin approached the monitor in the hallway adjacent to the training room and continued to watch the session. Rend queried Sun with urgency after the door refused to open, “Padawan, can you open a com to that room so we can hear what they are talking about?” Sun replied, “Yes master.” A few moments into Sun’s attempt the hum and cracking of their sabers filled the corridor.
The battle was intensifying as the two jedi continued to exchange blows. Joash pops up after ducking and rolling from a wide sweeping slash aimed at his head. The slender woman quickly moved inside his defenses and delivered a powerful front kick to his sternum, sending him backwards a couple of meters. She stands tall, looking over her opponent as he recovers, questioning him in an impatient tone “You said you wished to discuss something. What is it?” As the older Jedi rises to his feet, he responds with slightly labored breaths “Anhiel, you have to let go of her.” Joash stated flatly. “I understand you had a bond but that is in the past and you clearly continue to carry that burden after all these years.” Vibrant yellow began to creep into the woman’s irises as a look of malice formed on her features. He had heard the guttural growl she released before but that did not lessen its potency, “How dare you speak of her to me.” “I have struck a nerve but she is not there yet” Joash thought to himself as he pressed forward, his blade attacking at an unnatural speed as he continued to press the Grandmaster. “It's ok to let go, you have to or it will consume you. Letting go is not forgetting, it's a chance for renewal.” The increased ferocity of Anhiel’s strikes left little doubt about how she felt about the words. As she became more enraged at the suggestions she began to strike harder, continually intensifying her combination attacks. “Let go? She was everything to me!” Joash began losing ground to her assault as he felt the woman begin to draw on the Force, rather than suppress it. He switched to a purely defensive posture as he replied” You can, you have to forgive yourself and let go.”
“You gave mercy to the one responsible! Your weak stomach robbed me of my revenge.” Anhiel screamed at her opponent. Joash, starting to falter under her pressure rebuttled, “Anhiel, I gave you your last moments with her. If I had not intervened she would have died while you were slipping too far. The pain you experienced would have sent you into a pit that has no bottom, no way out.” Her blades moved at an alarming rate pummeling Joash’s rapidly slowing defenses. With his last remaining energy he stabbed his blade towards Anhiel’s left shoulder. The thrust was deflected, opening Joash’s defenses for the woman to move in. She brought her right blade, now in a reverse grip, upwards and stopped abruptly at the neck of the old Jedi. The blade was close enough to singe the stubble on the man’s neck, causing the aroma of burnt hair to waft into the air. The blade remained in place for several long moments as the yellow ran from her eyes before she deactivated her sabers. Anhiel places the hilts into their places at her hips as she addresses the beaten Jedi, “Your stubbornness is something I have often admired. If you feel so strongly about this that you would risk your life for a second time, I cannot wholly ignore your words despite my current feelings on the matter. While I cannot forgive you for your actions on Ord Radama, I will meditate on what you have said out of respect for our past.” Both Jedi, completely drenched in sweat, gathered their items that were on the floor, turned towards each other and bowed. In an appreciative voice, Joash speaks while bowing “That is all I ask, my friend.” As they straightened, Joash gazed upon the Grandmaster’s face and was met by a look that radiated deadly promise. Her word’s matched the look as she addressed the older Jedi, “Make no mistake Ca’ JoasichuBana’kaeda, should you bring this up again I will leave you with much more than a single scar.” Anhiel turns, striding to the door and keying it open. She offers little notice to the trio that were standing behind it as she strides by, heading to her quarters. As they watch the woman disappear from the corridor, Sun poses a question with a timid voice, “Did Master Anhiel just…threaten Master Joash?” Athin frowns as Rend stands still, save for the rapid blinking of his eyelids as he stared off into the distance, shocked. Gruffly, Joash answers the question as he stands behind the small group, “I never put much stock in threats. People never seem to follow through on them.” He sighs, “But that was a promise, young Padawan. One I will not forget.”