The Darkest Caves Hold the Greatest Treasure
By Sean O'Connor
Based on a universe created by George Lucas
The Force.
The most powerful tool known to any race in the galaxy, and only few could reach out and grasp it with their own two hands. Fewer even could use it well enough to become part of the official discipline. Matthew Legis and Altus Quinn were two such young men.
Matthew and Quinn had known each other since both were younglings and kept in contact through their apprenticeship under Shin Tai-Ghul and Lakmir Yars respectively. Now Jedi Knights, both were free from the shackles of constant study and ready to protect the world from its many evils and spread the word about the Jedi Code and all the peace and guidance that comes with it.
They both had tickets aboard a starcruiser set to travel from Courisant to Wakyul, a less developed planet with a rather indifferent host species, and were off to travel tomorrow. Of course, that's when Altus called Matthew up in the middle of the night because of something he "had to talk about". He told him to meet up at the park next to the Council Dormitories. Well, the park on the 17th floor. The building next to the Council Dormitories was one of the many botanical skyscrapers that Courisant had. They were filled with grass and trees and other plants that kept people from feeling that their life was a cold, caged existence of metal and concrete.
Matthew arrived to find Altus meditating in a patch of wildflowers with several of the trinkets he collected floating around him in a small orbit. "So what was this about?"
Quinn woke from his sedate state and turned around. "Ah, Matthew," he said with a sort of hesitance reserved for when someone had recently passed away. Altus stood up as he continued, "Yes, I did have something I needed to share with you."
Matthew rubbed his eyes for the fourth time since Quinn had forced him into consciousness a few hours ago. "Could you get to the point? Our trip is pretty early, and I don't know about you, but I need some sleep."
"It's about…" Quinn searched for the right words. "A feeling I've got."
"Do you have a bad feeling about something?" Matthew asked. "Should we not be getting on the starcruiser tomorrow?"
"No no no. Nothing like that." Altus twiddled his thumbs a bit before proceeding. "It's love."
Matthew was shocked to hear such words. "Love? Have you forgotten all that you were taught?!"
"I was taught that it is our duty as Jedi to protect the innocents."
"Yes and that is all."
"But how may we protect without caring for the ones we help?"
Matthew took a step toward his friend. "By trusting in justice and repressing all biases."
"But why deny it? Why not embrace it? Life is not dictated by strict laws and rules. It's filled with love and passion-"
"And passion leads to anger, Quinn," Matthew interrupted. "If you keep thinking like this, The Council will have you excommunicated for sure."
"Then maybe I don't want anything to do with The Council or this oppressive Jedi Order. Maybe I want to show the galaxy the good of the spirit." Quinn turned back around to face his old friend. "Passion may lead to anger, but it can also lead to love. Love is what makes life worth protecting, and isn't that why we take up the sabers?"
Matthew growled and looked at the betrayer in front of him. "We take up the title of Jedi to hold up order and protect the innocent. We take no sides in arguments and only pursue the most reasonable-"
"Enough of that!" Altus's fury was visible even to the thickest of skulls. "I am sick of hearing you quote the Order any time I actually make a point. Couldn't the Order be going about the wrong way of doing things? Couldn't they all be wrong?"
"Do you know how improbable that would be?"
"All it takes to believe is a little persuasion. Tyrant kings have used this skill to command armies of misguided men."
"But the Jedi are not manipulative. It goes against their whole belief set."
"A belief set that was created by whom?"
Matthew couldn't speak. Quinn was questioning the very formation of the Jedi Order. "Altus…" His mouth moved up and down but no words came out. "Perhaps you are not ready to become a Jedi Knight if this is how you truly feel."
"That's just it: I feel!"
"And it clouds your judgment."
"I believe this is the clearest I've ever thought." Altus walked in tangent to Matthew's position, never unlocking eyes. "And you know what? I'm probably not the only one who's thought like this."
"What madness do you suggest?"
"I suggest spreading my so-called 'madness' to Younglings and Masters alike. Letting my beautiful revelation be sewn into the very reality of the Jedi way."
Matthew grabbed for the short rod at his hip. "I cannot let you do that."
Quinn looked at his newfound enemy. "So this is really what it's like? I want to tell you something I'm trying to deal with so you call me blasphemous and draw your blade." Quinn's lightsaber lit up in response. "You fear my words."
"You threaten the natural order of things."
"I threaten oppression!"
Matthew swung his blade over his head and Altus quickly parried it away. A series of fast strikes were exchanged between the two newly appointed Jedi Knights. The battle carried them through the thickets and between floors. Over artificial hills and under stone bridges, until finally Matthew caught Quinn off guard and stabbed him straight through the chest. Quinn's heartbeat raced in its final pulses as he finally fell to the ground. Matthew stood over him, feeling completely justified in his actions.
"Did you want to know who it was I loved?" Altus croaked out a few laughs and heaved the last one out with his final breath.
Matthew opened up a communication with the Jedi Council. No one answered, so he left a transmission. "My name is Matthew Legis and I have a fallen knight to report." He shut off the communicator and sat next to his freshly deceased friend. He looked back at Quinn's face, smiling a sick and twisted grin. There was only one thing that went through Matthew's mind though. A specific color that filled the entire green room and changed how Matthew looked at everything.
It was all Red.