Chapter 23
Metal clashing against metal reverberates through the atmosphere as Anhiel descends the ramp of the shuttle, her heavy steps amplifying the sound of her armor impacting the ramp. Soft dirt depresses as she steps onto the surface of the planet. As she inhales deeply, Anhiel looks around the largely flat area where the shuttle had landed. Nearby, the sound of a waterfall crashing over the plateau can be heard. A black XB-70 streams into view, positioning itself to rest on the ground a hundred meters from the shuttle. As the struts meet the ground, the seal on the hatch breaks and the ramp begins to descend. The first to depart is the energetic padawan clad in the garb of a
Sith Infiltrator. She strides quickly to the armored Grandmaster nearby, glee in her eyes showing her feeling despite the mask she wore. Excitedly she exclaims as she approaches, “Grandmaster, this place is beautiful.” Anhiel returns a rare smile, “It is indeed. But you have yet to see the true beauty of this place. Keep your mind open and you will learn much during your time here.” Excited expectation radiates from the young Padawan as she smiles even more beneath her mask. Over her shoulder, Athin can be seen slowly exiting the ships with the support of Joash and Rend. Seeing this, Anhiel strides over quickly, meeting them at the bottom of the ramp. Her tone is concerned as she queries the Miraluka, “What is wrong, Athin?” He attempts to straighten before answering with pain in his voice, “I am alright. Sekot’s aura is just overwhelming me at the moment, but I should adjust soon.” The narrowing of the Admiral’s eyes can be felt without seeing them. Her voice is now more stern than concerned as she admonishes her partner, “And you chose now to bring this to my attention? If I had known, I would have had you remain behind until you adjusted.” Feeling that she felt he was not fit for duty, Athin retorted, “I am alright, Anhiel. I can assist as well as anyone.” A long pause hangs in the air, Athin’s supporting comrades look off in the distance not wishing to intervene in the exchange. Eventually, Anhiel responds with a quiet voice, “That is not my concern. I do not wish you to suffer unnecessarily.” A pain hits the Miraluka’s heart as he hears the words. Internally he curses himself for acting tough to keep up his image. Anhiel waves away Joash and Rend, “Please begin surveying the area and determine the optimal place for a base. I will take care of Athin from here.” After looking at each other, Joash and Rend straighten and bow to the woman before Rend responds, “As you command, Grandmaster.”
As the two men step away from Athin, Anhiel swiftly moves to his left side, wrapping her right arm around him while moving his left around her shoulders. Her left hand intertwines with Athins hand on her shoulder as she speaks in her rare soft voice, “You should have told me sooner that you were being affected this way.” In an attempt to allay her fears, Athin chuckles as they shuffle along, “I told you, it will pass. I am…” Anhiel suddenly stops and turns her ice blue eyes towards her partner. The weight of her stare impacts Athin greatly but not nearly as much as the tone in her voice, “You do not need to prove yourself to me, Athin. I already owe you my life and have pledged my heart to you. I do not wish to see you suffer unnecessarily.” Smiling, Athin nods gently, “Yes ma’am. I apologize. I just wished to be by your side but I will be more conscious in the future.” The kiss she gently laid on his cheek shocked not only the Miraluka but Rend and Sun who stood twenty meters away and noticed the interaction while speaking quietly about the area. However, a wry smile crosses Joash’s face at the sight before turning to the younger Jedi, “You stand upon a sentient planet and yet that is the most curious thing you see?” Rend looks at the older Jedi, shrugging lightly with a chuckle. Joash responds with a similar chuckle, “I suppose you are right.” Sun eye’s glance back and forth between Joash and the pair in the distance. Perplexed by the lack of reaction Joash gave she asked hesitantly, “Are Master Athin and the Admiral…together?” The only response Joash gives is a look often given to those who ask the obvious. Perplexed, Sun continues, “That seems….odd, given what little I know about Master Anhiel….and very quick.” In his usual gruff voice he responds, “They have known each other far longer than this. What you are seeing, young one, is someone who has lost much, sacrificed even more, endured pain beyond measure, and began to believe she was unworthy of happiness. However, we are now witnessing her first steps towards forgiveness, healing, and ultimately happiness.” His voice breaks ever so slightly as he finishes the last sentence. Rend was listening passively and did not notice as he had turned to survey the area for the base. The sight of the intimacy his Master showed made him uncomfortable as he was unsure if he was supposed to witness it. However, the slight change in voice is noticed by the ever perceptive Padawan and she tilts her head slightly with curiosity at Joash. The older Jedi clears his throat and continues, “But, more than that, I cannot say. They will share the details of their relationship once they are ready. For now, simply be grateful that they share even a glimpse with us. It is a true honor.” Sun laughs lightly before she smiles, “Are you a romantic, Master Joash?” A single “HA!” in a grizzled voice is the only response she receives before Joash turns around towards the open area. “We should set to our task before the High Admiral has us thrown in the brig for dereliction of duty.”
The trio begins to walk around the flat area. The ground was soft, but stable. Sun pulls a scanner from her pack and begins gathering data, analyzing the points as they appear on the attached display. “There appears to be stable bedrock not far below the surface. We should not have any issues with stability here.” After putting the scanner away, she steps over towards the now nearby cliff, leaning over slightly to see how far the drop is. The cliff ends abruptly several hundred meters below. Beyond are rolling hills of green. A river winds its way through the hills with rocky banks, fed by the waterfall nearby that now sounds louder from Sun’s position. The young Jedi looks out over the view in astonishment. Her black robes ripple in the slight breeze that rises up and over the cliff face. Anhiel’s words resurface in her mind, “Keep your mind open and you will learn much…” Sun closes her eyes and exhales deeply as she attempts to expand her presence in the Force. Each attempt the young woman made since beginning her training allowed her to expand more and more. Initially, she struggled with grasping how to tap into and expand something so physically intangible. Now, she was gaining confidence and proficiency in the exercise, allowing her presence to envelope the immediate area. Familiar presences of Joash and Rend can be felt a hundred meters away as they discuss next steps with Captain Jov’aine. Further away, where the ships rested she felt Anhiel and Athin with Mirr approaching where they rested. Concern radiated off of the Grandmaster as she looked over Athin. A desire to ease the woman’s concern rose in the Padawan’s mind as the Force began to swirl around her.
Quietly, Anhiel spoke with Athin “How long do you think it will take for you to adj…” The sentence ends abruptly as a familiar presence comes in contact with her own. It is followed by a warm sensation that blankets Anhiel, causing some of her worry to recede. From her kneeling position, the Grandmaster’s head snaps to the right, focusing piercing eyes on Padawan Veruna. Although the Padawan’s back is turned, the movement and emotions are clearly felt through the Force, causing the young woman to visibly jump and return her presence to normal. Nervously, she turns around, unsure what caused Anhiel’s sudden change in mood and sees the white haired woman still stares in her direction, eyes narrowed before finally turning back to Athin. Before she could move to apologize for whatever she did, Sekot’s voice pounded in her mind, “Very interesting, young one.” Now utterly confused, Sun looks around quickly only to find everyone working on their tasks, unaware of what occurred. Rend’s voice calls out to her, “Sun, I believe we have a rough plan for the base's structure. Come take a look before we present it to the Admiral.” After gathering herself over a few moments she calls back, “Yes Master, I will be right there.” She hurried over, subconsciously pulling her deep hood further forward as she strode quickly towards Rend. As she approaches, the lead engineer hands her a datapad while addressing her with a deep voice, “Commander, here are the schematics. Based on the available space, I suggest a hexagonal complex. In the center is a training room/meditation area for the force users. Extending out from each point will be other key facilities such as the mess, barracks/refreshers, officer’s quarters, intelligence, armory, general supply.” Green eyes flit across the schematics while Sun reviews the information. After a long minute she responds, “This is a sound plan to me. When will it be presented to…” Heavy footsteps cut into her words as Anhiel approached the small group which she addressed in her usual authoritative voice. “I am returning to the Shadow Redeemer with Athin. Send the relevant data to me and I will review it.” She pauses as the engineer acknowledges his orders. The Admiral’s gaze turns towards Sun before she continues in a tone that brings anxiety to the young woman. “Commander Veruna can go over the particulars with me as she will be returning with us.” Without waiting for responses, Anhiel turns sharply and quickly strides back to where Athin rested. Sun turns nervously to her master, searching for words to voice her worry but nothing comes to mind. Rend offers a reassuring smile along with a gentle tone, “We shall see you soon, Padawan. I will oversee the transportation of materials from the fleet to the surface. Go now, you do not want to keep the Admiral waiting.” Sun bows, pushing her anxiety away before she turns and jogs over to the shuttle where Anhiel was assisting Athin aboard. She moves to support the Miraluka’s unsupported right side as they move up the ramp until he sets down heavily in one of the seats along the bulkhead. Anhiel takes a seat next to him and Sun grabs one on the opposite side, facing the pair. Still nervous, Sun fumbles with securing the restraints until a softer voice sighs from across the way, “Peace, Sun. You have done nothing wrong. However, it is clear there are things you and I must discuss before you continue your training.” The young woman looks up at the Grandmaster and sees the other woman looking at Athin, who appears to have fallen unconscious from exertion, with concern as she continues to speak, “But first I need to get Athin settled, then we shall talk.” Sun inclines her head to the woman while she shuttle begins to lift off from the surface, “Of course, Grandmaster.”
It takes nearly nearly thirty minutes for the shuttle to arrive at the Shadow Redeemer that now orbits the planet. The ramp begins opening even as the landing struts near the deck. Once the weight of the vessel settles, a medical team enters the shuttle with a stretcher. Athin still remained unconscious as Anhiel unclipped the restraints across his chest, allowing the medics to transfer him to the floating stretcher. The lead medic was a middle aged woman with white streaks of hair mixed amongst the black. She queried the Admiral, “Ma’am, what happened exactly? The notes we received were confusing.” Anhiel watches the stretcher float down the ramp slowly as she responds, “Suffice it to say he is exhausted from sensory overload.” The medic nods slowly, “And that rendered him unconscious?” The slight chuckle from Anhiel surprised the medic and Sun as did her response, “Not exactly, he was refusing to sleep despite being exhausted, so I gave him a bit of a…push. However, healing techniques such as that have never been my strong suit so I anticipate he will wake in an hour, maybe two.” The medic nods again, taking some notes on a datapad. “Understood. We shall keep him under observation. Is there anything else we should do?” Anhiel sighs gently, shaking her head “There is nothing we can do at the moment. A Miraluka's sight is very different from ours. It will take time for him to adjust. If necessary, we shall gain some distance from this place to assist in that process. For now, he just needs rest.” After taking some final notes, the medic departs the shuttle and Anhiel turns to Sun who still sat strapped into her seat. “I am going to accompany them until he is settled. Meet me in my meditation chamber in an hour. Come as you are and bring your datapad.” Sun nods rapidly as she starts to unbuckle herself, “Yes ma’am. And I hope Master Athin is able to recover quickly.” Anhiel offers a fleeting smile to the young woman before turning and following the group of medics as they escort the stretcher bearing Athin to the Shadow Redeemer’s medical facilities.
An hour later, Sun approaches the entrance to Anhiel’s meditation chamber, just aft of the bridge of the capital ship. She fidgets with her black robes before keying the door open and stepping inside. Her mouth opens to begin speaking until she realizes no one is present. Surprised, Sun slowly walks around the circular room, examining the smooth steel walls and their pristine white color. The seams between panels are nearly non-existent except when she intensely scrutinizes them. Several minutes pass as she makes her way around the room until her eyes fall to a large symbol laid out on the gray floor in the center of the room. The color of the symbol matches the pristine white of the walls. A large circle surrounds what appears to be two lightsabers with ornate hilts that contain what appears to be a cross guard. The sabers lie in parallel with each other, their single crossguards extending in opposite directions at an angle. Extending from the base of the hilts to the bottom of the circle and rising up each side are abstract designs that closely resemble wings when put together. Sun continued to examine the unknown symbol for several minutes and with such intensity that she did not notice Anhiel enter the room. The white haired Jedi elected to watch the Padawan ponder what she was seeing for a minute or two before Anhiel cleared her throat gently. The sudden sound, although mild in volume, caused Sun to jump. As Sun gathered her composure, Anhiel addressed her flatly, “Even aboard our own vessel, you must be more aware of your surroundings, Padawan Veruna.” Sun bows, “I apologize, Grandmaster. My curiosity often gets the best of me and I focus so intently on one thing.” “There is nothing wrong with seeking knowledge, Padawan. But remember, knowledge blinds without the strength to act. Inaction hastens the grave.” Sun’s features fall slightly before she hardens her expression, “I will be more aware in the future, Grandmaster.”
After a slight nod, Anhiel folds her hands behind her back, “Did you bring your datapad?” Sun nods rapidly, reaching into her robes to pull her datapad out. Anhiel continues, “You should have a file from me that goes over key abilities that will be critical for you to master in order to excel at your stealth function. In addition to those, there are details on the main reason I wished to speak with you.” Sun’s excitement dissipated somewhat as the events planetside resurfaced in her mind. Quickly, she moved to apologize, “Grandmaster, I do not know what I did but I am so…” Anhiel gently raised a hand to silence the younger woman before she spoke in a gentle tone, “Sun, you did nothing wrong. You merely surprised me. It appears that the Force has gifted you with the ability to influence people’s emotions. Unknowingly, you eased some of the concern and anxiety I was feeling due to the distress Athin was in. Amongst other applications, this ability is also suited for shadow operations.” Anhiel makes a gesture for Sun to look at her datapad for the message she mentioned. After several keystrokes, Sun brings up the message and begins reviewing the information.
Shadow Jedi Force Ability Training Regimen:
The following abilities are presented in order of complexity.
Sound Suppression:
The ability to reduce/eliminate sound generated by the wielder. Sound is reduced by focusing Force energy in an envelope around the epicenter of sound. Sound waves are reflected back towards the epicenter, causing a cancellation of sound. Start by expanding your presence just past your physical being. Then concentrate on forming a spherical object around the parts of the body you wish to silence. The sphere is the ultimate shape for noise cancellation as sound vibrations are sent in all directions. Once the general area is enveloped by the concentrated sphere, focus on shrinking the sphere, compressing the sphere to just larger than the object needing to be silenced. The tighter the compression the more sound reduction capability of the technique. After this is perfected you must maintain this concentration in a way that it moves with you.
Invisibility:
The ability eliminates the visual presence of the wielder from most sources. By changing how light refracts, the user can eliminate their visible presence. Used in conjunction with a stealth unit results in very effective results. Note: Use of this technique alone will not shield one’s presence from Force users or the sight of beings such as Miraluka.
Emotional Interference:
The ability allows the wielder to influence the emotions of another being. This is different from the widely used Mind Trick ability as it acts on the chemical’s within the brain that influence emotions, instead of specific thoughts. The nature of influence is up to the wielder and may be used to elicit positive emotions, or negative emotions. The use of negative emotions is similar to Battle Meditation, however, it lacks the added combat ability for allied forces. Note: Negative emotions will likely be most effective during stealth missions. See me for more specific training.
Force Suppression:
The ability allows the wielder to nearly eliminate their presence in the force. Successful usage can ensure they remain undetected by other force users and those who have mastered the ability can hide from the sight of beings such as Miraluka. Complete Force Suppression is considered a Master level technique. Although it does not present any danger to the wielder, mastery is rare.
Kill:
This ability is not normally taught by the order or the enclave. However, use may be beneficial and necessary during stealth missions. Similar to a standard Force Choke, Kill is more refined and focused, allowing instantaneous destruction of key arteries, formation of embolisms, or various other critical afflictions. Use of this ability allows for the removal of obstacles that cannot be avoided without the use of a saber which would reveal the wielder’s position.
Sun quietly reads for several minutes, her eyes widening as she reads the last technique. Once complete, she looks up at the Grandmaster “Will I really be expected to learn this technique…Kill?” Anhiel tilts her head slightly, a neutral expression on her face as she poses a question in response, “Did you not kill those Mandalorians aboard the derelict ship?” The young woman is taken aback by the question as she begins to stammer, looking for words. Before she can formulate a response, Anhiel continues in a neutral tone “Knowledge blinds without the strength to act, Padawan Veruna. Had you failed to act then, you, the rest of the commandos, and Mirr would be dead.” Anhiel pauses briefly before continuing, now beginning to walk slowly around the room with her hands folded behind her back. “We serve balance and the will of the Force. To act often means to take a life and the manner in which we take life does not matter. All that matters is our purpose. We do not kill for personal gain but to preserve balance.” Once more she pauses, coming to a stop in front of Sun where she levels her eyes at the Padawan, “We wield what is often considered dark because we must, not because we desire to. It is the intent that shapes whether something is light or dark. The Force is neither and we may access it as it is in order to do its bidding” In demonstration, Anhiel raises her right hand which begins to spark and crackle with green lighting. With wide eyes Sun watches and swallows nervously. “I understand, Grandmaster, and will do what must be done when necessary.” She bows to the white haired woman as she speaks the words. Anhiel inclines her head in response, “Our path is not easy, Padawan. But it is necessary. You may use this chamber to practice these techniques. It aids in focusing the Force and will be beneficial for you in gaining an understanding of the techniques early on.” Once more, Sun bows low, “Thank you, Grandmaster. I will not disappoint you.”