"It is finished." I say, not to anyone in particular. The monument of our histories is built. The Great Library. Here I will spend the rest of my days meditating in solitude. Such is the conclusion of the life I led. My hand gently caresses the old cloth sack hanging on my belt. Out of habit I suppose.

Carefully I walk the steps gapping the distance between the shrine and the library. I look down. I shouldn't have done that. The cavernous depths seem to stretch on forever. I closed my eyes and stood completely still. Calm. Calm fills me to my core. It flows through me and within me. I am at peace.

The maze of platforms held in the air by the Force winds though the great cavern. Mighty stalagmites greater than the tallest Kashyyyk trees drop down around the platforms. One of them drops down before me; a tunnel had to be cut through it.

At the end of the maze, I enter the shrine. Simple, a pedestal stands at the end of a long room. Quietly, I approach it. It's so plain, hardly worthy of what it will hold. Then again, neither was I.

My hand grips the sack while gently untying the frayed leather cord. I reverently unwrap the cord and open the sack. The Codex, a small stone, not even a decameter in height, it seems so deceptively plain. I touch its smooth surface.

The Force, an energy field binding all things together, flows through me. More then I've ever felt. And all at once, I see. I understand. I comprehend. I know. My mind clears and for an eternity, for an instant, I know how all things are connected, as one, and I cannot help but regret that I cannot ever put what I know into words. Basic is too limited a language. Words…

I let go of the artifact, the Codex, and it rests on the pedestal. The enlightenment leaves me, and I feel a part of my mind go with it. How long will it stay there; Decades, Centuries, Millenia? Will it ever be found? Should it be? Thoughts like this stews within my mind as I leave the dangerous relic behind.

A familiar face greets me as I reenter the Great Library. Taboon, my old and dear friend, I see him approach me. His metal stave bangs on the stone floors and echoes through the halls. Fondly, I remember his red robes adorned with Frah-Zhahan trinkets. I suppose this may be the last time we see each other, so I try to remember every detail.

"Walk in Balance, Joah-Quin." a Frah-Zhahan greeting. It amazes me to think how fully he's adopted a culture and way of life that has been dead for millenia. "This day was a long time coming."

"Indeed it was. Do you know where you'll be going?"

"Yes, but I fear it may be a mistake."

"What do you mean?"

"To take this artifact and hide it there for so long, the Tya will be poisoned forever. How can I make that kind of decision?"

"The decision was already made. Our future depends on it."

"How many times have we done this? How many times have we parted ways, just to have events repeat themselves? How many more times must we do this?"

"As many times as necessary." He seems to relent that point. Something bothers him. Perhaps the prolonged possession of that damned artifact has affected him. Hopefully once he has hidden it, he will return to balance. "We will meet again."

He nods. We both hope I'm right. From this point on, neither of us really knows where we will go from here. "It is time for me to be rid of this thing. I have felt its influence for far to long." What a wretched fate, to be in possession of that cursed Dark Side thing. Whatever possessed their creators to make it, I'll never know. I am surprised when he reaches into the pockets sewn into his robes and produces two smooth spherical stones. "Take these. They will protect the Codex."

"What are they?"

"A precaution."

I nod, it would be unfit of me to press further. "Take the worker droids with you. They will help you build the shrine. I will send you 3-KHK once I have finished with him." Behind me, the droid seems to acknowledge his name, but realizes I'm not addressing him. "May the Force be with you, Taboon."

"Walk in Balance, Joah-Quin." He bows and walks away. I will miss him.

Chink. Chink. Chink. The halls echo with the sound of my stave pounding the stone floors. The sound is hollow and empty, like me. I know these thoughts come from the imbalance caused by this relic I hold, but I cannot help myself. What is it all for? Is it even worth it anymore?

I walk though the great hall. Statues erected of great and powerful Jedi and Sith alike, names who in time will be entirely forgotten. Along the walls, hieroglyphs of great and terrible battles, histories doomed to repeat themselves. Who will remember the Destruction of the Calmirian Temple, The Great Sith Insurgence of Coruscant, or The Overthrow of the Settian Dynasty? No one will. That's who. Wars costing thousands of lives, nay millions, none remembered. How can I bear this burden?

Joah-Quin got out of this the easy way. His burden was the Codex, the Frah-Zhahan artifact of Light. I hate him. His spirit gets the enlightenment while mine must struggle with the Dark Side. He tricked me into taking this cursed thing. He knew I would suffer like this. I should make him suffer.

NO! I do not turn around. I keep going. Such thoughts are the price I agreed to pay when I swore to hide this artifact. It calls to me. It does not wish to be hidden. But it is not the relic's fault. The Dark Side flows strongly through it. It tips the scales, it imbalances me. I must fight it a little longer.

Worker droids efficiently store their tools and prepare to join me. They will build a similar monument to store this, the Addius Vaquila, the relic that has caused so much pain, and will cause it again.

I leave this Great Library built by my friend, and board a large transport. I look over the flat plans of Nandooith, marveling at its vastness. Its single moon dances its dance with the sun across the sky. What changes with the Codex wrought upon the face of this planet after a few centuries of its presense? Who knows?

As we leave the planet, I look out a window. A small nebula seems to have formed in the distance. I marvel at its splendor, or at least, I try to. The Addius Vaquila seems to take all my joys from me. I wish for nothing more than to be rid of it once and for all.

The worker droids have left with Master Taboon to a planet I will be sent to as soon as my work here is finished. I'm sure the Jedi Council had good reason to send me, their chief expert on Holocron design, to this desolate place. Master Joah-Quin seems distracted. It would be best to let him be for the time being.

All the work on the Great Library has been completed according to Master Joah-Quin's specifications. Of course, why any Jedi would choose to honor the Sith side by side with the Jedi is beyond my understanding. I'm sure it's for a good reason. I will cease computing this thought stream.

The Holocron's activation matrix is the largest I have ever seen. I'm much more used to the portable handheld models. I wonder how long I will be here. There must be tons of data Master Joah-Quin needs to store in this vault. I will place this thought stream on hold until further data has been inputted.

I decide it is time to engage conversation with Master Joah-Quin, even though his distraction has not ceased for several minutes. "Master Joah-Quin, I am ready at your convenience to begin the Holocron recording process."

"Yes, yes. Thank you 3-KHK. I will be with you in a moment." the Jedi replies. Perhaps I was premature with my decision to engage conversation. The Jedi are so polite with their responses, it is hard to tell genuine sincerity from feigned sincerity. But that is their way, and nothing I can say or do will ever alter this fact. I will cease computing this thought stream.

I observe Master Joah-Quin walking slowly around the Library. His distraction appears more evident. It is most fortunate that the Jedi saw fit to program me with incredible allowances of patience for behavioral idiosyncrasies of organic life forms; otherwise I may find myself upset by the delay I am faced with. I wonder if the Jedi programmed me to think this way? If they did it was most likely for good reason. I elect not to investigate my programming.

My master's behavior seems to return to normal. I wonder if he was trying to access his organic memory center. I understand remembering things for organics can take a considerably long time. How inefficient. I prepare to accept oral input from my master.

"I am ready. Let's begin." He tells me. I instantly open up my database for Holocron data input. I have to admit, it is quite extensive. I hope my master has the patience necessary to complete this task.

"Master Joah-Quin, please stand on the platform. The holo-image recorders have been activated." I am pleased when he obeys. Not all organics are so compliant. It is fortunate my particular specialty demands a level of respect. He stands there for a mere moment before I notice this must be his first time creating a Holocron. This could take some time. I reinitialize my patience routine, I have a feeling I'm going to need it. "When you are ready, record your greeting." I am surprised by the level of detail he chose to exhibit.

"Greetings, friends. I am Joah-Quin, Jedi Master of the High Council, Scholar of the Frah-Zhah, and Guardian of the Codex. Do I have the honor of addressing Master Palteth or Master Wyndryder?"