Chapter XI. 7932.241 to 7932.963 CRC
XI. 7932.241 to 7932.963 CRC
While Arya, Arkous and Obi Wan were on Mandalore, life went on in the Temple – a bit more animated and chaotic than before their return and re-awakening. The returned Jedi’s friends were starting to get chosen as padawan – Siri Tachi, just like in his previous life, had been chosen by Tholothian knight Adi Gallia, an expert diplomat and network manager; Bant had met master Tahl, a friend of Qui-Gon, far earlier than before, and the two had quickly clicked together.
More surprisingly, now that the age limit to be chosen had been relaxed, Bruck Chun, who’d once upon a time been Obi Wan’s bully, had considerably mellowed down, and even gotten chosen, something that never happened in his previous life. And after how he’d mocked the returned Jedi for his master, he certainly hadn’t expected the boy to be so happy under the tutelage of crèche master Ali-Alann!
In the end, Arkous’ team of Jedi stayed three months in Keldabe, settling down the details for their collaboration with the Mand’alor – that was looking to be long-lasting, as now that they’d come out of hiding, the Kyr’tsad were acting with a vengeance, hitting targets left and right, and never shying from civilian objectives.
After years of bubbling tensions – civil war had finally broken in the Mandalorian system.
Nobody had expected the Jedi in the middle of this mess, and the Senate had tried to protest, citing that the Mandalorian system wasn’t a part of the Galactic Republic.
They’d been quickly reminded that the Jedi worked with the Senate, not for it, and went where their help was needed – and that it was the Senate themselves that had sent them hunting terrorists in Galidraan.
Obi Wan had listened to knight Gallia’s address to the Senate with relish – but truth be told, he hadn’t been the only one cheering for her in the mess where regular inhabitants of the Keldabe fortress’ took their meals. Mando’ade enjoyed verbal violence just as much as physical violence – and Adi Gallia was deadly with her words!
Since Jedi weren’t warriors, what they gave wasn’t as much fighting support as specialized teams – mainly Shadows and other investigators, who worked with the Mando’ade to track the Kyr’tsad, find their bases, their supply lines, and so on…
A Medicorp team had also volunteered – and been welcomed – and took care of the wounds that regular medicine couldn’t do much for.
A couple of masters were also staying by Jango’s side – officially as strategic advisors, but more often than not, those ended in the middle of the fighting, since, of course, the Mand’alor wasn’t the kind of leader who waited behind the lines for the fight to be done.
Dooku had been surprised when Mace and his senior padawan, Deepa Billaba, had been the first to replace Arkous by Jango’s side. The Korun master knew him well enough to guess at his surprise, and had pointed out, “You’re the one who told us the High Council was too separate from the people it was supposed to lead.” a shrug, “We’ve enacted a new rule, that means we’re supposed to take regular missions at least four times a year.”
Truth be told, Dooku had to admit – Mace wasn’t the one who needed the most to be out in the field, the man was still young enough that he hadn’t forgotten what it meant to be a regular knight, but the regulation was an excellent idea, and something he’d indeed advocated for years.
Eyeing Arkous, Arya and Obi Wan banter with Jango Fett while coming toward them to greet the new arriving Jedi, the master of the Order had to refrain from rolling his eyes.
“I should have expected those three to fit right in with the Mandalorians.” he muttered, making Dooku laugh, and look a bit startled himself at the sound – spending months with the Mando’ade had done nothing for his usual sense of decorum
While they were leaving – Obi Wan knew this wasn’t the last time they’d be in the area, as the Jedi assigned to the area would be on a rotation. The returned Jedi had easily fallen into the rhythm of life with the warring Mando’ade – just like Arya and Arkous, to his complete absence of surprise.
But as much as he’d always felt kinship with the warrior people, he knew it was better for him to head back to the Temple – as their war, as harsh as it sounded, was but a small part of the Sith grand plan to end the Jedi and the Republic.
While they hadn’t been able to find any proof yet that they were involved with Kyr’tsad – investigating the violent faction had at least proved that they were funded by someone else, even if just who wasn’t clear yet. For now, all indicated an alliance between Kyr’tsad and the Trade Federation, which was rather logical, given that Obi Wan knew they had worked with the Sith in his past-future.
Still, while he knew things wouldn’t remain peaceful for long, he was still delighted to head back to the Temple – and to his friends.
¤.¤.¤
It was on their way back toward Coruscant that the couple from the past had given the Jedi from the future his next great shock.
“What the kriff…”
Arkous raised an eyebrow, amused by the slowly enunciated swearword, the only clear sign of surprise from his padawan, who was eyeing the green words floating in front of him while clearly wondering if he was dreaming.
Arya had finally decided to add him to the WildMookaCrew, whose only members still alive right now had been Arkous and her. She hadn’t thought about it before, as with their Force bond, and the unawakened god’s already excellent training, it hadn’t really been needed. She’d only though to do it when he’d mentioned the Yinchorri uprising that would be coming in a fear year, and the Ysalamiri he’d encountered during the Clone Wars, both of which would probably impair their Force abilities enough for the MoonGame to become far more useful than it currently was.
Still – she wasn’t given the time to enjoy Obi Wan’s surprise, as she was having her own surprise.
[System Log updated!
Failed to reach Immortal Realms: all systems locked
Failed to reach Chaos: quests locked
Failed to reach Luck: world overview locked
War reached: Fighting Achievements unlocked
…
Auspice Art reached: Character Creation unlocked
Revolution Art reached: Achievement System unlocked
Local God’s Assistance obtained(Ossus/Voss/Tython/Ashla/Bogan/Korriban/Odessen Fourth Circle God): Moon Game interfacing with corresponding worlds
…
This is an ongoing process, new features may be unlocked later on
…]
[Map System unlocked!]
[System Log updated!
Map System allows the player to gain an overview of the surrounding area. The area taken in account by the MapSystem scaled with the player's HeartStats and Sensingskills and proficiencies. The Map doesn’t work in space, but only on a planet / astronomical object / space station /starship.
Interfacing with War allows the map to identify hostile and non-hostile beings in said area.]
[System Log updated!
FightingAchievement have been added to the AchievementSystem.]
[Crew System updated!]
[System Log updated!
Crew now have access to the MapSystem.]
[Achievements unlocked!
Named Opponent Vanquished(14): 14*50 XP
Skirmish Won(11): 11*25 XP
Battle Won(9): 9*50 XP
War Won(2): 2*100 XP]
[Level up! Arya Lunika is now LV 40!
+1PP, +3 SP]
She eyed Obi Wan with thoughtful eyes, not having expected the MoonGame to react that much to him – but then again, even if he currently didn’t remember it, he was War, and her powers were used to interface with other First Circle gods.
“So the hints about you remembering things from birth had already told me that you were not quite… normal…” the returned Jedi pointed out, “But this will need a bit more of an explanation.”
“Do you know about Force entities?”
“Far more than I’d like.” Obi Wan admitted with a groan, “Powerful, dangerous and incomprehensible for us mere mortals.”
Arkous and Arya shared an amused glance at his tone, and the next second, both were laughing so hard the Mirialan nearly fell over the Sith.
“Oh Force, this is going to take a while.” the green-skinned woman mused once she was finally able to talk again, “And I’m rather curious about whom you’ve met, with such a description…” she admitted
“You first.”
“In this life, I’ve met the local divinities of Tython and its two moons, Voss, Ossus, Odessen and Korriban.”
The padawan raised an eyebrow.
“Local divinities?” he mused, eyeing her curiously
Ordinarily, he’d pointed out that calling them gods was a rather naive perspective – but he was getting used enough to the couple’s strangeness to know she hadn’t chosen the word without a good reason.
“Local divinities.” she agreed, “Gods whose powers and existence are tied to a place.” she elaborated, “Generally they appear in places where strong powers lays and comes to sentience gradually, or are brought to life by the belief of sentient species.”
“I’m going to take a guess and say that if there are local gods, there also are some that aren’t?” the returned Jedi mused, deciding to put his doubts to the side to listen to what he was being told
After all – what he’d just witnessed with the MoonGame clearly wasn’t anything to do with the Force, that much he knew.
“There are.” Arya agreed, “And the most powerful gods are tied to… concepts.”
Obi Wan’s mind stirred at that, as if trying to grasp at something he’d forgotten, and suddenly, he was reminded of that talk they’d had, perched in one of the Temple’s spires, when the Mirialan had helped him come to terms – both with his lack of natural talent for healing, but also with the necessity of balance.
Not only in the Force – but in all things.
“Life and Death. Order and Chaos. War and Peace…” he remembered, “You weren’t merely talking about the concept themselves, were you?”
She smiled, happy but not really surprised he’d come to terms with it that quickly – while he currently didn’t remember it, he was one of them after all, and clearly, while the memories were dormant, they weren’t really gone.
Though she didn’t dare to meddle with them – after all, she didn’t want to interfere in whatever bargain he’d struck with Mana.
“Precisely. And while they can’t interfere too much in mortals affairs, they do meddle a bit where they can, to help maintain balance.”
“Then clearly, they’re failing.”
“Why do you think you were sent back?” a smirk, “Or me forward?”
The Jedi’s eyes widened.
“But… But why send me back? Why not Anakin?” he protested, “He was the Chosen One! And he…” he stumbled, suddenly remembering his best friend’s last words before he’d awakened in the past, “He knew.” he realized
“I couldn’t say what happened,” Arya answered honestly, “I wasn’t there. And clearly, you don’t remember striking a bargain so… He may well have been the one to do it.” she speculated
She focused her senses on him, her eyes glowing as she checked what she already knew.
“You aren’t a Chosen One,” she reiterated, “Fate wasn’t the one to pick you…” a smirk, “But apparently her Chosen One chose you.”
“That brat.” Obi Wan muttered, fondly, yet with a bit of sadness
He knew why the other had done it, if he stopped and thought about it – Anakin had failed grievously, and knew it, and didn’t think he could do better. Not alone – so instead of going back himself, he’d entrusted his mentor with the task of raising him once more, differently enough that he didn’t fail this time.
He held in his tears.
After all, while Anakin had failed – he’d failed too, so obsessed with the rules, and grieving, that he hadn’t managed to understand how deeply the boy felt, how much more powerful than anyone else he was, until far too late. Until he’d already found a kinder, more understanding mentor…
And yet – yet they’d still been best friends and brothers – enough so that the Chosen One had managed to forgive him for his failings, when he hadn’t managed to forgive himself.
“Talk about putting the fate of the galaxy on my shoulders.” he sighed tiredly, absentmindedly patting the large head of Blanche, all three of Arya’s familiar having gathered around him as he drowned in his emotions
“Hey, don’t look so gloom about it, you already had the weight of the galaxy on your shoulders!” Arkous smirked, “Now you just have a better idea of why.”
“And you?”
“I’m just along for the ride.” the Sith smirked, before pointing at his wife, “And she’s Shadow. Old One and Goddess of Heroes.”
“To be perfectly honest.” the green-skinned woman demurred as he watched her with wide eyes, “I really wasn’t in the area for my job.”
The choice of words worked in making him come out of shock – and laugh instead.
By the end of the evening, he knew all about how she was looking for her mother – and even he could feel the power pulsing in the pendant around her neck, strangely familiar, and helping a fellow concept god – First Circle Gods or Old Ones, she called them – who’d foolishly forsaken his powers.
This all sounded rather complicated to him – but given that he’d been sent back in time to prevent the genocide of his people, he really couldn’t judge.
She’d then explained a bit more about the MoonSystem – telling him how it was Chaos who’d gotten the idea first, which really hadn’t surprised him, and how she’d made it her own over time. And how something in the current world made her powers broken, and harder to use than normal.
While he could understand her frustration about her abilities being diminished, as he understood easily that to her, her powers as a goddess were as inherently part of herself as his ability with the Force was to him – the MoonSystem was already quite useful, between the ability to communicate with chosen people with or without the Force thanks to the CommunicationSystem, the chance to have a fighting outfit always at the ready with the WardrobeSystem, and the overview about his abilities that could help him decide where to focus his training given by the CharacterSheet, not to mention the newest addition of the MapSystem, that wasn’t really useful in the SandwalkingMooka, but he knew could prove life-saving later on.
¤.¤.¤
In the end, Arya, Arkous and Obi Wan didn’t stay long on Coruscant, as while they were on Mandalore, the first whispers of pirate attacks in the Polith sector had started to be heard – and the returned Jedi remembered all too well the short but bloody war this had led to, once upon another future.
Master Tyvokka, Wookie and revered member of the High Council, renowned for his ability to sense the future, had been the one to call for both the trio, and master Tholme and his padawan.
His growls were self-recriminating, “I have been remiss in my duties,” he admitted, eyeing Obi Wan, “because of the chaos your…” he paused, eyeing the returned Jedi a moment before reluctantly settling on, “visions… provoked…”
The way he was watching him made Obi Wan acutely aware that evidently– this was another Jedi who knew quite well that it wasn’t mere visions he’d had. And really, his presence, and that of Arkous and Arya, wreaking havoc on the senses of those Jedi gifted in sensing the future wasn’t much of a surprise given that they were precisely doing all in their power to change said future.
“I’ve avoided you.” the Wookie admitted, confirming his suspicions, “But I shouldn’t have, and in doing so, I nearly forgot what my duties were as a Jedi.” he bowed his head contritely, “A few headaches shouldn’t prevent me from helping people.”
The padawan was acutely aware of Quinlan and his master eyeing him, but also his master and his wife, speculatively – but then again, with how closely they’d worked during the Melida/Daan conflict, it wasn’t surprising they’d noticed just how much more there was to the three of them than people realized.
He bowed, answering the master’s apology.
“I apologize for the headaches I caused,” a wince, “they weren’t intended, but I’m afraid I can’t stop doing what I am doing.”
“You can’t.” Tyvokka agreed, before snorting, “Besides, look at your master and his wife, they don’t need visions to cause us headaches.”
At that amused laugh echoed around the Council chamber, most of the masters present agreed, even thought they understood that much of the chaos provoked by the three of them during the past two years had been for the better.
They’d left toward Thyferra – or rather, Tholme and Quinlan had, posing as a small-time smuggler and his son, aboard Shmi’s Red Bird, while Arkous and Obi Wan went with Arya, toward the Outer Rim – and more precisely the Colundra Sector, from where the pirate attacking in the Polith Sector were suspected to come from.
Once more, Obi Wan had donned the outfit of a teen-ling spacer – then Arkous had been dragged to the quartermaster, to acquire a new outfit of his own, his wife looking gleeful at the prospect.
“What?” she’d protested when the returned Jedi had eyed her animatedly speaking with the Jedi in charge of the props, “I only ever saw him in high-end Sith robes or Jedi tunics! Let me have my fun!”
“You’re just taking this as a pretext to undress him.”
“So?” she glanced toward the half-naked Sith, who clearly didn’t mind entertaining his spouse, “Wouldn’t you?”
He’d had to laugh at that – as someone who liked male and females alike, he understood where she came from, as the red-skin male, with his well-defined but not too heavy musculature and aristocratic traits, was a fine eye-candy indeed, and clearly knew it.
“Alright, alright!” he raised his hands in surrender, “Have fun!”
The quartermaster, an aging Twi’lek, had eyed the exchange with mirth in his eyes, making Obi Wan smile a bit more – clearly, the Temple was changing, if this was how old masters reacted to the couple’s antics now.
Still, Arya really knew what she was doing, and by the end of it, Arkous had the looks of a dangerous rogue, and would doubtlessly make just as much head turns as his wife in any cantina they went to.
The Colundra Sector was near the Chorlian one, where Zygerria was still the most powerful planet, and Obi Wan hadn’t been able to refrain from a frown when they’d encountered their first Zygerrian in a cantina, his feelings clearly echoed by Arya. She’d glanced at him sharply when she’d felt his turmoil through their bond, just like Arkous had – and the returned Jedi had barely refrained from another wince, knowing they wouldn’t let it go, as both members of the couple seemed to make it their life mission to make him talk about his feelings.
And Force knew he hadn’t talked to them about this – neither about the weeks he’d spent, an explosive collar around his neck, on Bandomeer, nor about the months spent as a slave on Zygerria – thought of course, he knew Arya had her doubts, ever since she’d seen him listening to Shmi’s tale. After all, only Amavikkan and slaves only ever heard these tales…
But until now, the incarnate goddess had waited for him to talk, which he’d appreciated. But now – so close to the slaver’s bastion, he knew well he would have to clear the air, if only to be able to keep his cover during their mission.
Obi Wan felt the Force shift discreetly around them, only noticing it because he was so close to Arya, and suddenly, people around them stopped paying them any attention.
Arkous slid a drink toward him, and immediately shifted his attention back outward, easily slipping into the mingling conversations of the cantina, making people speak about the Stark Commercial Combine, the current heroes of the area, who ‘acquired’ cargo otherwise far too pricey, and sold it more cheaply to the Outer Rim sectors.
Arya, on the contrary, trusting her husband to do the job, shifted her attention toward him.
“For all the lives I’ve lived before,” she told him, “Arkous dropping me on Korriban was my first brush with slavery.”
He glanced toward the Sith, eyes widening, as she’d never told quite as directly that the man had enslaved her.
“Oh, sure enough, he knew I wouldn’t stay a slave.” she admitted, “But all I knew was that this guy was my first encounter with my parents’ enemy, and his first reaction at seeing a four-year-old dart around Nar Shaddaa’s spaceport was to capture her, and drop her in the Korriban Sith Academy’s slave quarter.”
“How did you ever manage to fall in love with him?”
“Years later, when I realized he never expected me to stay a slave.” a laugh, “Of course, I also went about my freedom entirely differently than he had expected, as I escaped and became a spy, rather than rose through the ranks as a Sith!”
Slowly, she told him about the desert planet, both so hot and cold, of the slaves drowning in anger, who’d become Sith, but would never be truly free – of the Amavikkan in the kitchen, who became her family.
Of escaping, only to fall in the hands of an agent of the Imperial Secret Services – and how he’d convinced her she’d be more useful as a spy than a Jedi. Then how he’d eventually revealed himself as an Amavikkan too, and became her father.
And somewhere along the way, Obi Wan found himself talking about his first stint in this life – about the sting of rejection as he was sent away from the Temple and told he was ‘too violent’, about the dangerous trip to Bandomeer, but more importantly, about Qui-Gon Jinn and his fallen padawan, who’d been waiting for them on the mining planet, and how he’d nearly fallen for the human’s sympathetic words, only to end up deep in the mines.
How he’d nearly sacrificed his life for the broken man who in turn became his master – and how instead of sending him back home to a mind healer, he’d dragged him along to the next mission, and the next one. Until Melida/Daan – where the young, idealistic padawan had chosen to leave the Jedi behind to stay and help.
He’d finally been assigned some mandatory hours with a mind healer, once he came back from that war, and been put on probation – but not nearly enough, truth be told, and the nightmares of the deep mines haunted him just as much as those of the battlefield, for the longest time.
It wasn’t the only time he became a slave, during his padawanship, missions somehow nearly always going wrong by Qui-Gon’s side, thought the grey Jedi always rescued him – if he hadn’t rescued himself first along the way.
Once he’d become a knight, and had been given Anakin to care for, he’d gone out of his way to try to avoid any missions tied to slavery, knowing his padawan wouldn’t react well to them – but then, the Clone Wars had happened, and Zygerria.
“This mission was a disaster from start to finish.” he sighed, knowing he was rather drunk, but not finding the strength to mind right now — he had needed as much to share all of this, and purging the alcohol before sleeping would go a long way in avoiding any negative effects
The Zygerrian, still bitter about the Republic’s brutal strike against their slaving empire, had jumped at the chance to collaborate with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. While, whatever the Senate may say, slavery had never really disappeared from the planet – it had at least been tamer until then. But once under the protection of the Sith, they took back their old ways with a relish, and after a whole colony of Togruta had disappeared, Obi Wan and Anakin had been assigned to get them back.
“Anakin’s padawan was fifteen years old, and a Togruta herself.” he reminisced bitterly, “Looking back, the fact that the Sith were already acting against us from the heart of the Republic was really evident, yet we remained blind…”
¤.¤.¤
Obi Wan had barely remembered to burn the alcohol before falling asleep, and hadn’t even been surprised to wake up curled around Arya, Arkous on the other side of the green-skinned Mirialan, and three large familiars for only blankets – thought he did spend a moment to wonder how Padfoot managed not to hurt any of them when sprawled like that, despite his spikes and other claws and horns.
The next morning, Arya had dragged him toward the nearest tattoo artist – which, honestly, he should have seen coming, given the fact she was half-Mirialan. With how close to the Zygerrian's planet they were, the middle-aged human hadn’t seemed surprised at all to be asked for the seven-parts broken circle, only glancing at the green-skinned matching symbol with approval glinting in his eyes.
Obi Wan, who remembered from the drunken haze of the previous evening the story she’d told him about the fact this was a tattoo she’d shared with her adopted father, felt rather awed at the easy acceptance she was sharing with him.
Arkous hadn’t commented on the shared tattoo when they’d met back at the cantina to share a midday meal, which, the returned Jedi realized, was his own way of caring – because the Sith was someone who’d always been free contrarily to them, yet understood that they didn’t want nor need any pity about it. Obi Wan didn’t doubt the man knew far more about the Amavikkan than he let out, but not acknowledging it outwardly was his own way of respecting it, since the slave culture was quite secretive.
In the following weeks, the trio took small jobs left and right, waiting – until finally, words came that the Stark Combine was back from a raid, and looking for small hands to sell back their loot.
In those weeks, Obi Wan couldn’t help but look fondly at his new tattoo – and realize that while he didn’t mind having lost his scars because it also meant he’d lost the physical pain that came with them, a visible reminder like this new tattoo was something he wouldn’t mind.
Which is how he found himself asking more about the Mirialan culture, and the meaning behind his master’s wife's different tattoos – but also the Sith’s own gold symbols, inlaid within his very skin.
Arya, of course, didn’t mind talking about the Mirialan of her time – but he’d been surprised at the quiet enthusiasm with which Arkous had answered his question, as Sith culture had always been a mystery.
Then he’d abruptly realized that it was precisely the reason the man was answering so honestly.
Because while, unbeknownst to the Jedi, the Sith did still exist – the Sith specie was long gone. And Obi Wan, Arya, and whatever child the couple may have been the man’s only chance at passing on his culture. And while it was, without surprise, rather harsh and violent, there was more to the pureblood Siths than the Dark Side of the Force, just like there was more to the Mando’ade than mere violence. He’d already had a taste of their cuisine, which wasn’t something that screamed ‘Dark Lord’, but as weeks went by, he also learned about the ways Sith families worked, the importance of children in their culture, how he’d courted Arya, or how he’d grown up himself, and even how he’d learned to see farther than the Dark Side, first with the Revanites, than on his own.
By the time the trio was finally hired by the Stark Syndicate, as had been their aim all along, the returned Jedi had unlocked proficiencies for both the Sith and Mirialanlanguages and cultures, and was once more reminded that, as much as he was good at war — he’d also always enjoyed learning about other people. There was a reason why, by the time of his death, he’d been nearly fluent in about forty different languages.
¤.¤.¤
“That man,” Arkous had mused as they’d come back from their meeting with Iaco Stark, “is in love with his own legend.”
Iaco Stark really was – as greedy and ambitious as he was, his ego had always been his greatest falling, he remembered. This was what had made him arrogant enough to wage war against the Republic, dreaming of himself as some sort of charismatic, falsely benevolent leader of the galaxy, and how master Koon had managed to manipulate him into betraying the organization he’d founded, thus ending the Hyperspace War.
He’d become legal for a while, working for the Commerce Guild for a time – easily turning coat and going to work for the Separatists as soon as he’d felt they had a better chance at victory. As he aged and became ill, he went mad, and ended up killing his children in one last attempt to take over the galaxy, this time as a cyborg.
Taking a few jobs for Stark Combine, the crew of the SandwalkingMooka rapidly ascended through the ranks – just far enough to be invited on Iaco Stark’s flagship, the Raptor. There, Arya and Arkous had kept the pirate and his crew busy drinking, while Obi Wan had made himself scarce.
The time he’d spent breaking through the holo-terminal in Iaco’s cabin made him realize he needed to brush on his coding and cracking skills, but he still ended up with all the data needed on a chip.
Master Tholme and Quinlan had come through at just about the same time as they had.
While Obi Wan had found proofs of the Stark Combine’s guilt in the attack against the bacta shipments, the Shadow and his padawan had found proofs that the Trade Federation had made a deal with the pirates, artificially engineering the current shortage of bacta, and taking a cut of the Stark Combine’s profit in the Outer Rim.
As such, while Tholme and Quinlan Vos were stopping a pirate attack aimed at the main Alazhi’s processing factory, that would have only worsened the bacta shortage – Arya, Arkous and Obi Wan were arresting Iaco Stark and all the main board of the Start Commercial Combine.
Naturally, things hadn’t been that easy, since they were rather popular all around the Outer Rim as they made the pricey bacta affordable – but putting the right incriminating files of the holonet may not be quite ethical, it was nonetheless very effective in destroying their reputation.
Obi Wan and Arkous had both felt Arya’s spike of regret while the three of them – plus three familiars – assaulted the Raptor, and came out on top of the several hundreds crewmen rather easily.
That evening – it hadn’t been Obi Wan talking about his past, but the Mirialan.
When she’d fallen asleep, between her husband and the returned Jedi, both had shared a heavy look. Arkous may be surprisingly reserved with his rather intense feelings, Obi Wan still felt how deeply the guilt stung, as he remembered how he’d caught the young, and oh so interesting girl, in the midst of Nar Shaddaa’s spaceport.
Back then – all he’d seen was a wild, fierce, little girl, brimming with potential in the Force, and a very strange bond singing between them.
It was only later – that he’d heard about the FluffyMooka found in the frigate’s docking bay, then about the Jedi couple, and their daughter. At that time, he’d still been far more entrenched in the Dark Side – all he’d thought, was that it was better for her to have been found by him than by any other slaver.
And from Arya’s own rumblings a few weeks before – he’d been right, as despite as harsh as it had been on her, the Mirialan did know that she’d had it comparatively easy on Korriban, compared to others.
But never before – had the man been confronted with the lingering regrets and trauma of the girl who'd become his wife. Confronted with the memories of a four-year-old girl feeling the life of her parents ending, hidden in some pipes – only to realize, some decades and millennia later, that just a bit more power would have allowed her to win that fight.
To save her parents.
“It says a lot about us, doesn’t it…” Obi Wan had mumbled not long before falling asleep, “That the millennia old Sith Lord who's the last of his specie is the one with the least amount of trauma among us three?”
Arkous had laughed silently, a low rumbled that felt nearly like a purr.
“That it does, tâsho’dzoiwo nukata.”
Obi Wan filled the words into a corner of his memory just before falling asleep– knowing the Sith well enough by now to know he wouldn’t just hand out the translation, yet somehow knowing this was important.
There had been no Hyperspace Stark War.
Iaco Stark was imprisoned, as well as a bunch of his fellow pirates, the Trade Federation had been officially censured, thought Obi Wan knew it probably wouldn’t last long.
Still, while there had been some consequences – like Quinlan’s new scars on his left arm, or master Tholme’s loss of a leg, not to mention Arya or Obi Wan’s nightmares – the conflict had ended far better than it had the first time around. It gave the returned Jedi hope – because, once he’d had time to think about it, lost in the wastelands of Tatooine, this conflict had been one of those quite evidently orchestrated by the Sith.
And this time – they’d stopped it.
[Achievements unlocked!
War Avoided (Stark Hyperspace): +100XP]
Sure enough, the price of bacta had been raised drastically – but the galaxy still had been spared the loss of life of the war, not to mention the one caused by the healing substance’s shortage. And there still had been enough of a shortage – for people to realize how reliant they were on it, yet how easily the supply could be cut off.
Thyferra’s monopoly on the Alazhi bacteria, which only grew on the native Xoorzi fungus, was over – and finally, the Medicorp, among several other research centers, were allowed to get their hands on samples, to try to adapt them to grow on other planets.
¤.¤.¤
The trio had given their report during a holo-conference, Arkous announcing along the way that he was taking his padawan on a training trip. Tyvokka hadn’t seemed surprised, and had growled his wishes for safe travel, which had worried said padawan quite a bit.
His thirteen birthday was spent on the SandwalkingMooka – en route toward Korriban.
The returned Jedi felt rather ambivalent about their trip.
On one hand – Korriban was well known as a bastion of the Dark Side, and a desert world still brimming with dangerous creatures; Yoda himself had been direly tested by this planet in the future that he was trying to prevent, not to mention Anakin himself.
But on the other hand – this was Arkous’ birth planet, and the cradle of his people.
And the place of Arya’s last fight against the Sith Emperor of that era, a man so greedy for power that he’d managed and to make himself a god– who’d only been finally vanquished after a fight that had led Arya to fall into a three-thousand-years-long coma.
The first thing he felt about the planet was how incredibly Dark it was, steeped in the Dark Side in a way he’d never witnessed before – in a way that made even Sidious or Vader look tame. Yet, it was also very different from how the two Siths – or even Maul, or Tyranus – felt, he realized after a while.
The outward feeling of anger, fear and pain, old and steeped as it was, changed as soon as they’d entered the ruins, nearly hidden under the sand, of the old Academy.
Arya stretched as they started to descend into the lower levels, “This is different.” she mused
“Far more balanced.” Arkous agreed, making Obi Wan wonder just how bad things must have been back in their era for the both of them to look so at ease
Still, they were right – the deeper they went, the more the untamed feelings receded, replaced by something both more powerful yet less Dark. Thought it wasn’t Light by any measure, more of a mix of both.
He felt – both a wildness/strength/will to fight clearly steeped in the Dark side – but also, just as powerfully, feelings of protectiveness/duty/resilience.
And the deeper they went – the more he was reminded of Mortis, which did raise some worry in him – thought Arya and Arkous had told him about local gods, he really hadn’t expected to see one so soon.
Yet clearly, this was where they were headed – toward Korriban’s heart.
And the god born from the Dark planet.
It was in this strangely familiar yet alien context, that the polished walls of the old Sith Academy were replaced by brute stone, and eventually, veins of Force attuned crystals, most of them glowing red, but some also shimmering in various shades of orange, pink, violet, or yellows.
Old memories started to take life around him, echoing ghostly, like they tended to do on Illum, or other places rich in Kyber crystals.
“You were my brother, Anakin!”
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.”
“Don’t think too badly of me, master.”
“Do me a favor. Don’t let me grow up a slave again.”
Obi Wan had forgotten any lingering distrust, too focused on the call only him could hear.
And here, on one of the planet with the darkest reputation in the galaxy, he found his faith renewed. Whatever lingering doubts he may have had about Arya’s tale of gods and other worlds disappeared, as beyond the glimpses of his own past, he caught echoes and silhouettes – which he just knew were of the woman’s previous life.
A little girl, tied to an operating table, bleeding pain and terror from all her pores.
A girl, young in body, yet soul older and grieving, learning how to live and love again in the depths of the underworld.
A tall, proud warrior-princess, nine tails in her back, giving every last bit of her strength to save her people.
A young girl, sacrificing her life-span, to save her brother.
A teenage girl, on the cusp of adulthood, greeting Death like an old friend.
The same girl, far different now, ascending for the third time – finally becoming the goddess of heroes.
Arya wasn’t the only one he saw either, and like always when it came to the Sith – things felt much more intimate.
He’d caught glimpses of Arya’s lives and feelings.
He lived Arkous’ memories.
A young boy, red-skin protecting him from the sun, alone with a vibroblade against a horde of tuk’ata. Glancing toward a nearby cliff, he hardened his resolve, vowing not to give any reason for the older man, looking so much like him, to climb down. The fight had been long and bloody – and by the end of it, he could feel his blood sing in his veins, and the Dark Side howl in victory around him. From the cliff, his father merely nodded once – but in the Force, he could feel the man’s fierce pride.
The same boy, older now, nose-deep in an old tome written in the ancient Sith language. He could hear some laugh not too far – Humans, so drunk on the Dark side they forgot that he had better hearing than them, mocking him for his peaceful ways. He carefully took note of their appearance, feeling nothing but disdain for those idiots who left themselves controlled by the heady rush of the Dark Side, rather than control it. On the next outing in the old mines – the three Humans would-be apprentices never came out.
The mixed feeling of fierce pride, and grief, as the fight ended with his victory – as his master’s, his father’s body fell to the ground one last time. His mother had given him a proud and sorrowful look, that day, when he’d come back from their training trip alone – and he’d put his childhood name to the side, taking on a new name.
Arkous was full-grown by now, having already built his reputation in the Empire, both as a fierce warrior, and as a known-scholar. And as time went by, he was becoming more and more disillusioned by what he saw. Most of the Siths who came out of Korriban nowadays were mad, controlled by the Dark side like all his teachings had taught him not to be – the Empire only kept together by the work of countless anonymous non-Force-sensitive. An aging Sith sorceress had found him, and aired all his doubts – and pointed him in a new direction.
The Revanites were better than the regular Siths, and their idea of balance, one that finally felt right. Yet, they still had their failings, believing their founder would come back like some sort of Messiah.
Once more, Arkous found himself doubting his path, wondering if committing to the Revanites wouldn’t be better, despite his doubts.
Then he’d found a little green-skinned girl, slipping in the shadows in Nar Shaddaa’s spaceport.
Her presence echoing in the Force like nothing he’d ever seen before.
And once more, his path was clear.
By the time the vision faded, his hand was clasped around a bright orange crystal, all but singing to him, and they were in a small cave, shimmering in the colors of all the surrounding crystals, an old cryostasis pod in a corner, echoing Darkly to his senses, the rest of the area feeling strangely homely.
“Welcome back, War, Shadow, War. It is good to see you both whole once more.”
The man in front of them – no, the god, Obi Wan realized – what a pureblood Sith, just like Arkous, and even gave a rather similar feeling to him.
“Thanks for keeping him sealed.” Arya said, nodding toward the pod – and suddenly, Obi Wan realized just who was kept in the thing, that wasn’t as much keeping him alive as keeping him imprisoned
Tenebrae – the Sith God-Emperor of old.
“It was my pleasure.” the deity assured with relish – which, given the fate the man had inflicted to other planetary entities, the returned Jedi could easily understand
The darkness receded as he added, “Besides, I wasn’t alone in my vigil.”
“I had felt as much.” Arya nodded, “Though I hadn’t expected it.”
Three silhouette stepped out of a corner of the cave.
A slender, red-headed human woman with deep blue eyes, wearing a rather old style of Jedi robes, a tall, broad-shouldered pureblood Sith, and a child, with red-skin and blue and gold odd-eyes, looking no older than ten year old, yet feeling much more ancient to his senses.
“Kira, Scourge.” Arya greeted warmly
“It has been far too long, Dasha.”
Obi Wan’s eyes widened as he realized – that though they weren’t gods like Korriban was – those two were friends of the couple. Friends – from three thousand years ago.
“We swore to keep Tenebrae imprisoned.” the pureblood Sith answered to the Mirialan unasked question, “And so we did.”
“I didn’t mean for you to give up your life.” the Mirialan said with some sorrow, “Not when you were finally free from the bastard.”
“It was our choice.” the Human woman reassured her kindly, “Living out of the mortal realm made for a strange life,” she smiled, gesturing toward the child by their side, “but not an unwelcome one.” she smiled, “This is Saarai, our daughter.”
The young girl bowed, much like a Jedi would. The basic in mouth sounded alien, as if it wasn’t the language she was used to speaking.
“Well met.”
“Well met indeed.” Arya agreed, Arkous needing a moment, as they’d both felt his shock through their bond with the Sith – who hadn’t expected to see a child from his own specie
Scourge and Kira had told them of their decision of staying, hidden in the depths of Korriban, to protect the prison of Vitiate – and how, as time went by, they’d spend more and more time in the heart of the planet – eventually completely ceasing to leave it, as they knew that so much time had gone by, then, that stepping back in the mortal realm would mean time catching up with them.
“We’re not afraid of dying,” the Sith had been the one to say with a careless shrug that made Obi Wan guess this may have been something they’d talked about numerous time, “But it would leave Tenebrae without mortal guardians.” given the dark glare he was giving the pod, the man’s feeling toward the sealed emperor were clearly quite personal
“And we couldn’t ask Saarai to take over this duty without having experimented the mortal world first.”
Her daughter’s stubborn glare at that affirmation was rather similar to her father’s – and was a clear indication that she didn’t agree with her parents’ assessment.
Obi Wan couldn’t say how much time they spent in the heart of the planet, speaking with its god as if he were merely another Jedi or Sith they hadn’t seen in a while, and with whom they were sharing gossip about the galaxy at large – and any strangeness about the situation had soon been forgotten as they talked.
Saarai, he’d learned along the way, had stopped aging a long time ago, probably because she hadn’t ever stepped a foot outside of Korriban’s heart – souls needed to experiment things to grow, and while she was quite knowledgeable, the centuries-old girl still was rather innocent in many ways, despite her mastery of both the Dark and Light side, never having experimented life in the mortal realm.
Which was why, naturally, her parents had quickly asked them to take her with them once they left.
Saarai had looked both elated at the idea of seeing for herself the galaxy – and worried, at the idea of leaving everything she knew.
Arya had immediately agreed, “I can take her as a padawan,” she’d said, “though I still spent more time as a smuggler.”
The fact that the couple was currently playing the Jedi had made both Kira and Scourge laugh, especially when they’d heard that Arkous was, technically speaking, a crèche master.
They’d been more somber when they’d heard about the latest Sith on the rise – and the fate he’d inflicted on the galaxy in Obi Wan’s past-future – thought not really surprised.
“While we’re out of the mortal realm,” Scourge had pointed out, “this is still Korriban’s own domain, so he feels all that happens outside.” a shrug, “And while their numbers have diminished, Sith never stopped coming.” a sigh “And the last few, felt particularly dangerous.”
“Besides,” Kira had pointed out, “Arya waking up now couldn’t be a mere coincidence, could it?”
She wasn’t the first to say as much – Yoda had said just about the same when Arkous and his wife had woken up, after all – which made Obi Wan wonder just how much the old grand-master knew about his crèche master.
Obi Wan had spent some time meditating with his new lightsaber crystal, but had quickly come to the conclusion that he wasn’t ready to use it yet – or rather, that he still needed something before using it.
Arya had nodded, “Then we’ll find what’s needed.” she’d told him, before asking Saarai about her own saber, falling easily into the teaching ways of a master with their padawan, as she’d already acted as such with Obi Wan
Something the returned Jedi didn’t mind, and remembered all too well from his old days – when he’d been just as much Asoka’s master as Anakin had been.
The time spent in Korriban’s heart had been both longer and shorter than he’d expected, the SandwalkingMooka’s chrono indicating they’d spent several weeks in the depths of the planets – when it had felt both like years and mere days to him.
Saarai had watched everything with wide eyes, looking calm, but feeling rather conflicted in the Force as she left her parents behind. While her knowledge was vast, she had no practical experience at all, not to mention much of what she knew came from her parents, and as such was several millennia outdated.
But she was a quick learner, and rather enthusiastic about it, since she’d never been taught to repress her feelings like far too many Jedi did.
The four of them had left Korriban behind them before calling the High Council to report in – and continue on their journey, as apparently, they weren’t done; though really, Obi Wan had trouble thinking of a destination who would top the Siths’ birthing place.
Tyvokka hadn’t looked surprised to see Saarai through the holo-unit, thought Obi Wan was pretty sure he’d heard a few of the masters of the High Council nearly strangle themselves.
The returned Jedi could understand in a way – seeing a second pureblood Sith coming out of the woods after having believed them extincts was rather jarring, no matter that those Sith weren’t the nightmare monsters found in old stories.
¤.¤.¤
They’d stopped on Coruscant only for refueling, not even dropping by the Temple – thought Obi Wan had the time to catch up with his friends via holo-calls. Quinlan was stuck in the Temple for a few months, along with his master, as the man had to be fitted for an artificial limb, and do the corresponding reeducation.
Bant had gone to Ossus with master Tahl, where she was participating in the excavation effort of the ruins of the old Temple and Library, spearheaded by master Nu – who’d heard about Arya’s travel there, and had thus found herself curious, something not really surprising coming from the head of the Archives.
Siri was away on a mission too – and this would be her first brush with the darker sides of the galaxy, since she was off to Nar Shaddaa with her master.
Garen was still an initiate, but had met the knight who’d been his master in Obi Wan’s memories – Clee Rhara, an ace from the Starfighter Corps.
“Obi Wan Kenobi! How dare you not tell me anything!”
The returned Jedi winced at the furious shriek – he hadn’t told many details about his previous mission to the girl the last time they’d talked, as they were still confidential.
Apparently, she must have heard from her father.
“Is it true you got adopted by the Mand’alor?”
Bo-Katan was sounding both curious and jealous, but far more cordial than she’d been in another life.
“I didn’t get adopted.” he contradicted, “My master wouldn’t have stood for it.” he added with a wry smile, accidentally projecting a bit of pride about it
He didn’t mind listening to Arkous and Arya while growing up anew, after all, both had decades of life-time over him – but he knew himself well-enough to admit he’d chafe at listening to someone trying to raise him as a regular child, not when he’d already grown up once.
“Are you going back?”
“Probably.” Obi admitted, “The Jedi have a rotary of forces serving along the Mando’ade, but since we’re on a training trip, I doubt we’ll go there for the next rotation… So it depends on how long the war with Kyr’tsad lasts, really.” a shrug and a wince, “But honestly, given how it's going, it'll probably last for a while…”
In the background, he heard Bo-Katan mutter something about, “hut’uun, di’kutla aruetiise.” echoed by Satine’s half-hearted, “Language!”
Clearly – while she didn’t approve the insults, she didn’t really disagree with her sister’s opinion – which the returned Jedi understood all too well, given that the Kyr’tsad had made it a habit of haranguing the Haat Mando’ade about loosing their way for associating with the Jedi, all the while hitting civilians targets who had nothing to do with their fight.
No matter how peaceful Satine was – she’d come to understand, as months went by and the death toll increased, that it was impossible to negotiate with some people if you hadn’t beaten them first.
“Well, whatever happened, apparently, you’ve made quite the impression. As have your master and Arya.” Satine mused, “Thought they seem to be under the impression that they’re married?” she added, clearly surprised
Obi Wan hid a smirk – how the otherwise very perceptive girl hadn’t noticed was beyond him, but with how stubborn she was, she did tend to cling to her worldview until they were forcibly shattered.
“They are married.”
“I thought Jedi couldn’t get married?” Bo-Katan was the one to ask – she hadn’t met Arkous and Arya, but already did like them, as she’d saw a few recordings of their fights in Little Keldabe’s arenas
“Nowadays.” Obi Wan agreed, “Though there are some exceptions, which Arkous would qualify for, given that there are only two remaining members of his specie.” he pointed out, not counting Scourge since the man was out of the mortal world
The girls nodded.
“Uh, I guess that made sense then.” Satine mused
“But truly,” Obi Wan added, taking far too much amusement in what he was about to say – maybe the couple's sense of humor really was rubbing off him, “they got wedded about two thousand years before the marriage interdiction.”
He relished in the stunned silence.
Then the two sisters talked together, “Pardon me?” / “What the kriff?”
He laughed at the diametrically opposite reactions, and explained rapidly how Arkous had stopped aging when his wife had fallen in a coma, and waited over three thousand years for the counter-poison to heal her to be invented.
“Kriffing Jedi…” Bo-Katan was the first to mutter, sounding rather approving of the sheer stubbornness needed to wait three thousand years for your spouse
Before he ended their talk, Obi Wan had left the sisters with one last thing – a list of good instructors living in Little Keldabe, for fighting, but also arts or other daily knowledge, that the Mand’alor and his men had helped him compile, which he hadn’t been able to give then the last time they’d commed, since the missions still had been classified.
“They’re good teachers.” he told the two, “But they’re also Mando’ade, so they won’t be easy to learn from.” he warned them, “The rest is up to you.”
At first, he’d started the list more for Bo-Katan, as he knew she was still trying to learn all on her own – but then, he remembered Satine wistfulness when talking about old Mando’ade poetry, and realized she could be helped too.
Of course – if she really wanted to learn about Mando’ade culture, she’d also have to learn to throw a fist – but this, she’d realize by herself soon enough. Along with the fact that knowing how to fight did mean you had to fight.
The sister’s thanks weren't loud – but given the odd shine even the holo-com could pick in their eyes, it was sincere.
¤.¤.¤
The last step of the trip had been taken off the beaten path – as they’d quite simply left the only chartered hyperlane that went through the Core, and headed toward the perilous to navigate Deep Core.
What would have taken them barely a few hours on a hyperlane lasted nearly two weeks in the uncharted area, packed with stars and planets, and so dangerous Arya and Arkous had to take turns piloting the Sandwalking Mooka, as it was far too delicate to be done by anything but a Force user.
“I hope you’ve watched what we were doing.” Arya had warned with an amused smile at Obi Wan’s frown while the freighter made one more strange lurch, “After all, Saarai and you are the one taking us home.”
The young, odd-eyed Sith and him shared an equally appalled and apprehensive glance, neither of them looking forward to the prospect.
But neither answered, as they’d finally realized where they were.
“Tython…” Obi Wan whispered, eyes wide as he watched the birthing place of the Je’daii appear in the starship viewshield
A place mythical to the Jedi nowadays – and whose emplacement had been lost over nine centuries years ago, around the same time as Darth Bane’s death. He eyed the world from space, whose presence was powerful, but also very different from Korriban.
“It feels… perfectly balanced.” Saarai was the first to break the silence
“It is.” the green-skinned Force user agreed, gently maneuvering her vessel toward the South-East of the largest continent.
They landed on a large grassy area, and Obi Wan realized, eyes wide, than he could still guess at the strange shape of the clearing, that this had been a dedicated landing pad, once upon a time.
He paused a second, just outside the SandwalkingMooka, feeling nearly overwhelmed by the potency of the surrounding Force. Saarai, he noticed, was looking just as dazed as he probably did.
Arkous and Arya were looking just at ease here as they had in the darkest part of Korriban, making him roll hi eyes at the two.
“Does nothing phase you?” he recriminated
“Well, it’s not our first time here,” Arya reminded him, “Arkous even lived here for over two centuries.”
Despite time having done its job, it was evident that the Sith knew precisely where they were going. Hidden in a forest of gigantic trees, they eventually arrived near the rumbled of the old Temple where the man had lived.
[System Log updated!
Failed to reach Immortal Realms: all systems locked
Failed to reach Chaos: quests locked
Failed to reach Luck: world overview locked
War reached: Fighting Achievements unlocked
…
Auspice Art reached: Character Creation unlocked
Revolution Art reached: Achievement System unlocked
Local God’s Assistance obtained(Ossus/Voss/Tython/Ashla/Bogan/Korriban/OdessenFourth Circle God): Moon Game interfacing with corresponding worlds
…
This is an ongoing process, new features may be unlocked later on
…]
[System Log updated!
ExplorationAchievement have been added to the AchievementSystem.]
[Achievements unlocked!
Force Temple visited(9): +2 250 XP, +9 elemental skills points (determined by the Temples visited)
Planet visited(32): +800 XP]
[Level up! Arya Lunika is now LV 44!
+4 SP]
The four of them stopped a moment to take in the MoonSystem’s latest update, but attention soon captured back by the serene aura of the old, abandoned Temple, where they could feel the echoes of generations of ancient Jedi.
“Why was this place abandoned?” Obi Wan asked, awed at the peaceful aura that surrounded the old Temple
It was quite different from the bustling aura of Coruscant, but in a good way – the Force felt more alive here, stronger and nearly dizzying, and he could just imagine younglings and initiates running through the halls and making them come alive…
No, he realized – he’d really seen them, inadvertently dipping into Arkous’ own thoughts.
“It was too retired from the Republic for the Senate’s taste.” Arkous answered with a frown, “And since the place was still in shambles, after the Revanites attacks and the destruction waged by the Eternal Empire, it wasn’t repaired.” a sigh, “A few old masters stayed until the end, but little by little, the Temple relocated to Coruscant, and Tython was all but forgotten.” a frown, “And then, two thousand years later, it was rediscovered by Sith wanna-be, who broke the balance, which in turn caused the very planet to rebel.”
Catching their curious glances, it was Arya who explained to the two padawans, “Like you said, Tython is perfectly balanced. And when it isn’t, when the balance is too upset, then the ground shakes, storms occur, and the whole planet protest.” a wince, “And if it is bad enough, then the planet’s response will be bad too. It was first abandoned by the Je’daii precisely because of this, following their order’s schism between Ashla and Bogan siders”
“But wasn’t the planet unbalanced when the Jedi were there?” Saarai couldn’t help but protest
Obi Wan winced – as much as he didn’t like to admit it, she was right. No matter what they strove toward, Jedi weren’t balanced, but steeped in the Light Side.
“The balance was kept by the apparition of dark side beasts, mainly in the Rift.” Arya explained, gesturing toward the North, “But also in the Silent Desert on the Thyr continent, and in the Fire Lands of Kato Zakar.”
“But merely light side beasts weren’t enough with how out of balance the Sith from the Sictis Wars put the planet. Groundquakes shook the continents, Force storms raged all around the planet, eventually causing the death of Sith Lord Darzu, and forcing her successors to abandon the planet.” Arkous concluded, looking inordinately pleased by the Dark siders failure for someone who was a Sith himself
“What?” the red-skinned man raised an eyebrow elegantly, “Of course I enjoy their failure, they were merely destructive wanna-be, and they tried to erase the last traces of the Je’daii temples during their occupation of the planet!” which explained his vindictive pleasure, the returned Jedi realized, having already noticed how much of a bookworm his new master could be
The Sith smirked, “Not, of course, that they managed, the Je’daii knew how dangerous the planet could be, and their Temples were built to withstand time itself.”
¤.¤.¤
They hadn’t lingered long near the old Jedi Temple, despite Obi Wan’s clear interest – and he had barely started to notice the tugging feeling in the Force, that they were already back on the SandwalkingMooka.
This time, they’d landed on the island-continent of Masara, near a large, stone and gold structure, with elegant spires, arching toward the sky, partially hidden under the lush vegetation of a tropical forest, and the returned Jedi quickly forgot any regrets about leaving the Jedi Temple.
“Welcome to Padawan Kesh, first of the Nine Je’daii Temple.”
[Achievements unlocked!
Force Temple visited(Padawan Kesh): +250 XP, +1 to Light elemental skill point]
[Level up! Arya Lunika is now LV 45!
+1SP]
Obi Wan didn’t know why they were here – but truth be told, he didn’t really care at that moment, the unique aura of the Temple calming and serene enough that he felt himself better able to push to the side the constants worries he lived with, and just enjoy their trip.
After all – nobody in living memory, current company excluded, had ever seen the Je’daii ruins!
Even thought it had been abandoned since before the beginnings of the Republic, the building still stood tall – a bit damaged here and there, but still echoing in the Force from the passage of a multitude of Force users over the more than ten millennia in had been in activity.
Padawan Kesh had been the Initiate Temple of the Je’daii, where the Force users who believed in balance had trained their younglings much like the Jedi crèche masters did. As such, it had an uplifting presence in the Force, the innocence and eagerness to learn of all those children still imbuing the building and its surrounding area.
Even the local life around was rather amicable, probably kept calm and non-hostile by the Temple’s aura.
¤.¤.¤
They’d ended staying in Padawan Kesh for several weeks, Obi Wan and Saarai following Arkous and Arya around with holo-recorders, all the while listening to whatever wisdom the two felt like sharing.
This, the returned Jedi had felt, must have been how the padawan of old learned – and while most of what they were being taught were simple things, that he already knew, and that the young Sith knew of, the lessons still didn’t feel superfluous.
But more like a much-needed return to the basis.
From Padawan Kesh, going to Bodhi had taken a few days of walking, and while they hadn’t stayed long, the Temple of Art had been magnificent, each square-centimeters of the place a work of art, created by countless Je’daii pouring their emotions, and the Force, into the structure of the four identical looking building with red roofs. The water fountain, in the middle of a courtyard overtaken by nature, was still functioning – and the potent feeling of completion/beauty/balance/serenity/passion had been so overwhelming, that all four had tears in their eyes when they first saw it.
[Achievements unlocked!
Force Temple visited(Bodhi): +250 XP, +1 to Water elemental skill point]
Amusingly enough, it while during the few days they spent in Bodhi that Arkous had deigned to teach them about what he knew about calligraphy, by walking them through the surprisingly elegant Kittât, and more ancient and harsher looking Ur-Kittât. Of all the places where he’d finally learn about the old Sith language, Tython hadn’t been the place he’d been betting on.
Of course, Obi Wan was the only one in the group not to know much about the language – Saarai was a Sith pureblood herself, and Arya had spent years in the Korriban Academy, after all.
Calligraphy, even Sith calligraphy, was an activity that was quite suitable for mediation, and more often than not, over the course of their stay in the Temple of Art, the four Force users fell into shared meditations, glimpses of memories shared between then, and all of them enjoying the peaceful aura of the Masara island-continent.
¤.¤.¤
Their next stop had been in the depths of the gigantic Deep Ocean – and even knowing the Sandwalking Mooka, despite its name, was seaworthy, diving with it had been a bit jarring, as most starships weren’t as versatile as the Mon Calamari model was.
Eight blue crystalline pyramids were encircling a ninth large one.
Once upon a time, the Temple of Healing had floated on the Deep Ocean’s surface, but when the planet had been abandoned a first time, over twenty-five thousand years ago, the Je’daii structured had been anchored to the ocean floor, where it had remained ever since.
The whole building was water proofed, and the hangar bay where they landed even had a force-field that kept the water out. These were the kind of installation one could see on Manaan, or any other water world, but to see it remaining in working order after twenty-five millennia was impressive nonetheless.
[Achievements unlocked!
Force Temple visited(Mahara Kesh): +250 XP, +1 to Water elemental skill point]
This temple was less serene than the previous two, the Force echoing with calm/reassurance/healing but also with the remains of pain/fear/grief/anger that tended to linger in all healing centers and were one of the main reasons why so many Jedi didn’t like the Healing Halls much, despite how often they were purified to get rid of the echoes.
But while the aura was less peaceful, the place was interesting, nonetheless, and choke full of old datapads and even ancient holocrons.
The datapads were copied, but the holocron remained behind, as they all could feel now wasn’t the time to disturb them.
¤.¤.¤
Following the Mahara Kesh underwater temple, they’d gone to the Talss continent, where, now that he’d been elsewhere on the planet, he did indeed feel better the Dark and Light side creatures living, and sometimes clashing.
This time, they landed atop of the Chasm, not too far from the center of the continent, where stood the Anil Kesh Temple, floating low, three large claws keeping it centered just above the abyss.
[Achievements unlocked!
Force Temple visited(Anil Kesh): +250 XP, +1 to Lightning elemental skill point]
[Level up! Arya Lunika is now LV 46!
+1SP]
Here, gone was the peace and serenity of Padawan Kesh or Bodhi, or even the benevolent aura of Mahara Kesh, where people strove to heal others.
The Chasm’s gaping map descended into darkness, flashes of thunder lightning up its depths from time to time, yet revealing nothing, dark clouds hanging above as if the sky itself was trying to close down on them from above.
And that was without even mentioning the feeling of the area in the Force, powerful, dizzying, nearly hypnotizing – but also dangerous, like a creature trying to lure a prey into its mouth.
Even more worryingly, this temple was the first they encountered that was truly damaged – in a way that Obi Wan easily recognized, with how many wars he’d been in – the Temple had bee thorn apart by a direct hit from a powerful laser beam, the kind of which only the largest capital ships of the Republic Army, then Empire Army, had been able to produce. Except the beam had clearly come – from within the Temple, whose midst section was blown apart, yet still stood above the Chasm.
The Temple of Science was filled with old projects, which they soon noticed were clearly peak technologies for their era, and touched on all kinds of topics, from computer sciences to biology, passing by space travel methods. Most of them obsolete nowadays, but interesting as they told much about the way the Je’daii thought.
More interesting even, had been tracing the story about what had happened in the place, which clearly hadn’t been easy, and had demanded countless hours of meditation, not to mention shifting through pages and pages of report redacted in an old style of basic that tended to leave them all with headaches.
The mere idea – that a Je’daii of old had sacrificed their lives, and the temple along with it, to destroy an ancient artifact in the depths of the Chasm, thus preventing the Rakata from going on a new spree of conquest, was mind-blowing, and humbling in a way Obi Wan understood far too well.
The first two temples had helped him forget about the wars on the horizon – the third, had reminded him about the suffering he’d witnessed during said wars. This one – brought to mind the sacrifices wars all too often needed, always taking too much, but also revealing the true strength of character of countless people.
This trip, he was starting to realize – wasn’t about forgetting the wars to come.
It was about admitting that they would come – and that he couldn’t save everyone.
Arkous had taken a glance at his somber face, and decreed, “You’re getting there.”
“I don’t like this lesson.” Obi Wan had retorted, calm, but somewhat bitter
“Good.” Arya agreed, “You shouldn’t.”
4316.165.9 CRC – birth of Arya Lunika on Benduday (5th day of the week) of the 6th week of the 1st month of the year 4316 while in Hyperspace (3661 BBY / -7 ATC)
4320.412.0 CRC – Fluffy Mooka boarded, death of Sayah and Leelai Lunika, Arya Lunika registered to the Korriban Academy as “Jen’Nwit” (Little Shadow) by Darth Arkous (3657 BBY / -3 ATC)
4322.742 CRC –Arya saves Lyn’Me, they become sisters (3655 BBY / -1 ATC)
4323.273 CRC – Arya Lunika escapes the Korriban Academy and is recruited by Cipher Eleven (3654 BBY / 0 ATC)
4325.323.0 CRC – Deaknal (Born from the Wind) Raheth (Sandwalker) adopts Arya Lunika (3652 BBY / 2 ATC)
4328.444 CRC – Return to the Empire, Deaknal promoted (3649 BBY / 5 ATC)
4330.974 CRC – Lyn’Me escapes Korriban (3647 BBY / 7 ATC)
4331.165.0 CRC – re-birth of Padfoot, Arya leaves Dromund Kaas on her first solo mission (3646 BBY / 8 ATC)
4331.721 CRC – finding of the vergeance and re-birth of Blanche on Lothal (3646 BBY / 8 ATC)
4332.211 CRC– finding the vergeance of Ossus (3645 BBY / 9 ATC)
4332.231 CRC– return on Dromund Kaas (3645 BBY / 9 ATC)
4332.315 CRC– mission on Nal Hutta starts (3645 BBY / 9 ATC)
4333.164 CRC– arrival of Ketan Seva on Nal Hutta (3644 BBY / 10 ATC)
4333.333 CRC– Arya becomes Cipher Seven (3644 BBY / 10 ATC)
4333.923 CRC– Darth Arkous becomes a member of the Dark Council, Deaknal is promoted from Keeper to Minister (3644 BBY / 10 ATC)
4334.233 CRC– Dash.a Ellan becomes a Privateer for the Republic (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4334.762 CRC– War starts again (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4334.943 CRC– re-birth of Kagetsu (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4334.954 CRC– death of Sel-Makor (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4335.625 CRC– birth of Jela’Me, son of Lyn’Me and Xenloth Nor (3642 BBY / 12 ATC)
4337.172 CRC– death of Vitiate’s Voice in the Empire (3640 BBY / 14 ATC)
4340.835 CRC– battle against Revan (3637 BBY / 17 ATC)
4340.064 CRC– destruction of Ziost (3637 BBY / 17 ATC)
4341.174 CRC– Eternal Empire offensive (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4341.342 CRC– Arya wakes up (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4341.461 CRC– visit on Tython (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4341.512 CRC– defeat against the Eternal Empire, death of Darth Marr, Arya in cryostasis (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4346.364 CRC– Arya rescued and waked up (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4346.415 CRC– battle of Asylum (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4346.061 CRC– journey to Odessen’s core (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4346.074 CRC– Firebrand’s assault on Zakuul’s infrastructures (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4347.122 CRC– Arcann’s retaliation (3630 BBY / 24 ATC)
4347.413 CRC– assault on Zakuul (3630 BBY / 24 ATC)
4348.272 CRC– battle against Tenebrae (3659 BBY / 25 ATC)
4351.xxx CRC– Arkous starts living on Tython (3656 BBY / 28 ATC)
4383.xxx CRC– death of Deaknal (3624 BBY / 60 ATC)
4408.xxx CRC– death of Xenloth and Lyn’Me (3599 BBY / 85 ATC)
4439.xxx CRC– Aayla’Me becomes Grand Master (3568 BBY / 116 ATC)
4517.xxx CRC– death of Aayla’Me (3590 BBY / 194 ATC)
4568.xxx CRC– Arkous takes Arya’s pod to Coruscant (3539 BBY / 245 ATC)
6945.354 CRC– birth of Fay (1031 BBY / 2621 ATC)
6976.xxx CRC– Ruusan Reformation, Fay gives up her lightsaber (1000 BBY / 2652 ATC)
7080.075 CRC– birth of Yoda (896 BBY / 2756 ATC)
7919.653 CRC– birth of Obi Wan Kenobi (57 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.234 CRC– return of Obi Wan Kenobi, awakening of Arkous (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.262 CRC– awakening of Arya (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.265 CRC– second anti-poison (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.471 CRC– Obi Wan becomes Arkous’ padawan (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.654 CRC– Quinlan saves Aayla’Secura, Arya gets Pol Secura arrested (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.923 CRC– gambling cession at the Outlander (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.962 CRC– arrival on Hetzal Prime (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7930.971 CRC– arrival on Melida/Daan (46 BBY / 3598 ATC)
7931.212 CRC– counter-offensive begins (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7931.423 CRC– return to Coruscant (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7931.475 CRC– Feemor’s presentation (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7931.642 CRC– first reformations (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7931.7xx CRC– pranking war (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7931.814 CRC– first meeting with Satine Kyrze (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7931.863 CRC– arrival on Telos (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7931.945 CRC– capture of Xanathos (45 BBY / 3599 ATC)
7932.222 CRC– battle of Galidraan (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.241 CRC– meeting with Adonai Kyrze (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.515 CRC– return to Coruscant (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.563 CRC– arrival in the Colundra Sector (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.624 CRC– first job for the Stark Combine (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.651 CRC– arrest of Iaco Stark (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.663 CRC– trip to Korriban’s heart (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.775 CRC– trip to Tython (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.834 CRC– stay at Padawan Kesh (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.852 CRC– stay at Bodhi (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.911 CRC– stay at Mahara Kesh (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
7932.963 CRC– stay at Anil Kesh (44 BBY / 3600 ATC)
Fluffy Mooka – Defender Class light corvette, lime green paint job (Sayah and Leelai Lunika’s starship)
? – Praetor Class frigate (Exchange slave cargo)
Ember – Fury Class light corvette (Darth Arkous’ starship)
? –X-70B-Phatom (Cipher 11’ starship)
Unfettered Mooka – XS Stock Class light freighter, lime line around the hull (Davin and Dash.a Ellan’s starship)
Ziost’ Revenger – Terminus Class destroyer (Darth Marr’s flagship)
SandwalkingMooka – DeepWater Class light freighter, double lime- line along the top of the hull (Dasha’s starship)
Red Bird – HT 2200 Class light freighter, black band with blue borders all around the hull (Shmi’s ship)
Raptor – ? Carrier (flagship of the Stark Commercial Combine)
- Repository(enhancement): unlocks the Repository System
Kitsune Weave(clothe, leveling, LV37):+37 Physical Defense
FuurinKiba (weapon, leveling, LV37): +1 AG, +39 Cutting Damages
- Saya(enhancement): +10 Force Reservoir
KageShin (weapon, leveling, LV37): +1 WIS, +39 Shadow Damages
ShiroInu Tessen (weapon, leveling, LV37): +1 LUCK, +37 Cutting Damages
Trill-181 prototype (weapon, leveling, LV37, adaptable: blaster gun/carbine/rifle): +37/39/42 Energy Damages
Arkous’ Shoto Saber (weapon, leveling, LV37): +1 AG, +39 Force Damages
- Adegan Crystal (enhancement): +1 INT, WILL and WIS
- Daiyoukai Claws (enhancement): +2 damages
[Arkous’ Shadow Weave(clothe, leveling): + x Physical Defense)]
(bXP)New Proficiency: Mando’a Language / Mando’ade Culture / Shyriiwook / Calligraphy
(+1 specific Skill, 5bXP)Force Temple: Fallanassi Temple(+1 YinYang) / Arkania Praexum (+1 Stone)/ Korriban’s Sith Academy(+1 Fire) / Dromund Kaas Temple (+1 Blood) / Leritor’s Krath Temple (+1 Poison) / Ossus Temple (+1 Earth) / Voss’ Shrine of Healing (+1 Lightning) / Tython’s Jedi Temple (+1 YinYang) / Coruscant’s Jedi Temple (+1 Storm) / Padawan Kesh(+1 Light) / Bodhi(+1 Water) / Mahara Kesh(+1 Water) / Anil Kesh(+1 Lightning)
(XP)Planet: Lucazec / Dantooine / Ord Mantell / Dubrillon / Arkania / Nar Shaddaa / Korriban / Rishi / Naboo / Mirialan / Ryloth / Dromund Kaas / Balmora / Leritor / Ossus / Nal Hutta / Coruscant / Taris / Quesh / Hoth / Voss / Makeb / Illum / Manaan / Yavin / Ziost / Tython / Zakuul / Odessen / Melidaan / Galidraan / Mandalore
(bXP) Named opponent vanquished: Xenloth Nor / Darth Zhorrid / Darth Jadus / Voice of the Emperor / Sel-Makor / Emperor(Vitiate Incarnation) /Shae Vizla / Revan / Emperor(Ziost Incarnation) / Emperor(Valkorion Incarnation) / Arcann / Vaylin / Emperor(Tenebrae Incarnation) / Xanathos du Crion
(XP) Skirmish won: Praetor(4320 CRC) / Training on Korriban(4322 CRC) / Fauna of Ossus (4332 CRC) / Pirate encounter near Rishi(4325) / Dromund Kaas old Temples(4329 CRC) / Pirate encounter near Naboo(4331 CRC) / Fauna on Taris(4332 CRC) / Gormaks on Voss(4337 CRC) / Escape from Zakuul(4346 CRC) / Mandalorian cantina fight(4346 CRC) / Encounter with smugglers on Coruscant lower levels(7930 CRC)
(2XP) Battle won: Nem’ro forces (4332 CRC) / Hands of the Emperor (4337 CRC) / Massassi warriors (4340 CRC) / Possessed citizens of Ziost(4340 CRC) / Eternal Empire forces (4341 CRC) / Asylum(4346 CRC) / Zakuul (4347 CRC) / Zehava(7931 CRC) / Galidraan(7930 CRC)
(4XP) War won: Eternal Empire vanquished (4347 CRC) / Melida/Daan (7931 CRC) / Hyperspace Stark (avoided)(7932 CRC)
current XP: 21 720
current LV: 46
XP to next level: 210
ARYA LUNIKA AGE 29 LV46
BODY: Agility (15/1:16) / Strength (11/1:12) / Endurance (11/1:12)
MIND: Intelligence (12/2:14) / Willpower (15/2:17) / Wisdom (12/5:17)
Heart: Presence (10/4:14) / Instinct (12/3:15)
UNIQUE: Luck (30) / Element (34) / Godly (28)