Chapter One
Mining was a valuable activity for those who could not become true members of the Je'daii Order. After all, in exchange for mining the metal used in forging the sword of the Je'daii as well as their armor and the tools of the miners, these people received protection from those that'd destroy them. Gilgamesh was one such miner though he was known for being ruthless on his mining technique as well as on his own application of those techniques. "Hey Gilgamesh, easy with those pickaxes; those don't come cheap, you know!" his friend Draco would sometimes shout.
"You keep mining like that and you're going to swing your arms right off your body if your heart doesn't give out first!" his brother Zen would warn him. "If you two were my size and height, you'd want to make the most of it too especially after failing to become a Je'daii," Gilgamesh replied to both. "No, if I were your size then I'd only exert myself with it through bringing the ore back to the Je'daii as it should be," Zen and Draco would both tell him. "I just hope we don't find anything related to Bogan down here," Draco once added randomly.
"Oh you mean something from the Goddess that the Rakata called Stygia, who they also claim to have been the source of their power, right?" Zen asked. "Yeah, hopefully nothing from her," Draco answered. "The day we find anything related to her or the Dark Side is the day we commit a crime and get our heads chopped off," Gilgamesh assured them. "Oh speaking of committing crimes, Master Seti is coming by today to check on our progress in this wing of the Tythan cave networks," Draco stated.
"Which means we gotta get back to work if we don't want to give him a reason to punish us, right? Whatever the hell are we waiting for?" Gilgamesh demanded. They returned to work within an hour of Seti's arrival and it was good that they did: he was only checking on the ore shipment progress. "Gilgamesh, I don't like that you choose to extract ore by yourself. Does your brother ever swing by to help you?" Seti asked him.
"Yes master he has but I've told him to go back to his section. I need no help with this end of the cave," Gilgamesh answered. "Hmm, maybe not but it is risky procedure to work in these mines alone, strength and power notwithstanding," Seti warned. "I try and avoid anything that so much as smells wrong, sir," Gilgamesh replied.
"Smart lad, maybe that's why you're so confident to work alone and no one else is: they don't quite have your brain. However, I think I'll come back here in a few days and watch you as you dig. No matter how bright, all miners have fallen for the tendency to waltz right over something of value until after they've completed mining for the first half of their day which is fine since the ore is easily obtained. Would you mind an observer watching how you do things?" Seti inquired.
"So long as you don't mind inhaling a little dust and keeping out of the way of some of the bigger shards I leave, not at all," Gilgamesh admitted. "Very well then, I'll be back in two days to watch you and see if there's anything that best be checked in your technique. Whether or not you were rejected by the other Je'daii, I sense an interesting aura about you," Seti told him. "I look forward to it, sir," Gilgamesh said with surprising sincerity.
"Glad you do, boy. I'd hate to be setting aside time to watch you mine to your discomfort," Seti said. Then he left like that to check on the rest of the progress on ore extraction, none of the other sections interesting him nearly as much as Gilgamesh's. After Seti left, the day went on much as it had for most of Gilgamesh's thirty-five years alive: mining until the noon hours then extracting all the ore. Luncheon lasted about an hour between the finish of all the drilling and the extraction of the ore left behind in the wake of the drilling.
Upon the finish of the ore extraction, miners could choose to either continue making their manual drills into the mountains of Tython or go home to their family for the rest of the day. After all, unlike the Rakata Infinite Empire, the miners were in a legitimate partnership with the Je'daii Order. As such, each individual miner was allowed to extract ore at his or her own pace as they were not slaves. Gilgamesh had to admit that under those conditions, he felt sorry for the slaves of the verminous Infinite Empire.
Considering that many were forced to work until they dropped, Gilgamesh was pretty sure that even with his strength he wouldn't like working for the Rakata scum for very long. Nonetheless, he was content to help fulfill the terms of the bargain the miners had struck with the Je'daii, here on Tython. The Je'daii would protect their women and children from predators whilst they mined in the mountains. In return, they were asked to give at least half of the ore to the Je'daii to create armor and swords.
It was a cycle of benefit that didn't infringe on the livelihood of the miners and their families but did ensure that they would have to be called back home during an attack. Thinking about this as he returned home to his pregnant wife, Gilgamesh had to admit he was nervous about having his first child. After all, the Je'daii had struck their bargain on the basis of protecting the woman in addition to the children. Would Gilgamesh still be comfortable with the Je'daii protecting his wife if there was also a child he had to feed with his earning from the mining?
Would his fatherly instincts force him to be constantly wary of the Je'daii despite the fact that they meant no harm to him or his new family? Could Seti, the protector of his family and every family within a block's width of the village, still be trusted once Gilgamesh's fatherhood was established? "Welcome home, love, how was it at the mines today?" his wife, Verinia, asked as greetings. "The same as it always is, darling: the best part shall always be returning home to you and the baby," he answered.
"Trust me when I say that they grow stronger and stronger with each day that passes," she told him when he asked how the boys were. "Maybe one'll be a nice big boy with miner arms like his dad. Or sword arms to become a Je'daii, someday," he said with a smile. "Did Seti pick on you guys again?" she asked.
"No but he did say that he was coming back in two days to observe my mining technique. He described it as an insurance policy, in case I missed anything valuable," he admitted. "So Seti's still obsessing with that ring the Force Hound Xesh lost, two years ago? What's his interest in an Empire that's collapsing whenever it doesn't have the guts to attack us?" she demanded.
"I don't know but the Je'daii have done us no wrong and Seti has meant us no ill-intent so far. I see no reason why I should deny him his desire for accompaniment," he replied. "Just be careful, love: I don't want anything happening to you while he's with you," she requested. "Don't worry love, I will," he said, kissing her and holding her as closely and tightly as her cramped back would allow him.
Returning from the mines, Master Seti had to admit that he wondered why Gilgamesh was rejected by his superiors. Did he fail to grasp some message from the Initiation Trial he was undoubtedly asked to do? Was he given a task that most others would fail at with him being no different? What is it about him that fascinates me so much? Seti asked himself.
Perhaps, it was nostalgia from the days when Seti had trained a distant uncle of Gilgamesh as one of his Padawans. Maybe it was the pain of the memories for that favored Padawan had been Sek'nos Rath, who disappeared after his encounter with Force Hound Trill. Who am I kidding? Even if I somehow proved that Gilgamesh inherited his uncle's abilities, he's already been rejected.
The poor boy will have no chance at becoming a Je'daii like his uncle had been but perhaps, that's for the better Seti told himself. "Still nostalgic for your fallen Padawan, brother?" a familiar voice asked. "Perhaps, Tutankhamun, but then perhaps I believe there is potential in this distant nephew of his that I have not seen in any other member of the family since Sek'nos," Seti answered. "Either that or you're foreseeing what a child born of his seed may be like with Force potential on their side," Tut suggested.
"Perhaps that's it, brother: that can and has happened in the history of the Je'daii Order where one of our kind sensed what they thought was potential in someone only for it to appear in their children. We could indeed be looking at a sign of the same phenomena and I could be experiencing a premonition of what his children may be like," Seti admitted. "I think it'll be safe to say that in six years' time, we need to pay Gilgamesh's family a visit and see if there are any Je'daii among them," Tut said.
Six years later...
"Rhadamanthus, get your pickaxe and shovel: we're going to work!" Gilgamesh shouted. "Yes Papa but before we go, may I ask why Minos and Aeacus don't have to work?" Rhadamanthus asked. "Because they're training to become Je'daii, had you had the Force like your brother then I wouldn't be telling you to grab your tools. By the way, grab your tools and I'm not going to ask you a third time," Gilgamesh answered.
Born as triplets and delivered by Seti and his brother Tut, it had amazed everyone when Rhadamanthus was the only one who was not attuned to the Force. Six years later, Minos and Aeacus were initiated as Je'daii and became the Padawans of Seti and Tut respectively. As a result, Aeacus was sometimes gone for long periods of time in succession though he regularly returned home. However, Minos stuck around since Seti was assigned to the Home Defense Force of the Je'daii Order whereas Tut was assigned to expeditions concerning the containment of the Rakata.
Only once were both brothers gone for a mission and that was because Aeacus and Tut had fallen out of communication for two months, forcing Minos and Seti to track them down. "Be thankful you don't have to run the risk of being captured and used for energy by the Rakata. Your brothers put themselves on the line even though they know Rakata technology so we can keep up our lifestyle. Besides, it's hard enough seeing one of them travel to worlds I'll never see let alone both of your brothers.
"Imagine how hard it would be on your mother and I if you also were Force-sensitive and assigned to a Master who traveled a lot," Gilgamesh told Rhadamanthus. "I know father but still, I am the one most yearning for adventure and yet I can't get it," Rhadamanthus complained. "Trust me, that's probably for the better: you have a distant granduncle who had the same yearning and Force-sensitivity. However, his lust for action and his desire to basically schism away from the Order cost him his life after he sided with a Force Hound named Xesh who had been banished to Bogan," Gilgamesh said.
"I'm nothing like Uncle Rath, I am Rhadamanthus Rath!" Rhadamanthus snapped. "And I am Gilgamesh Rath, both of us are completely different from our uncle, yes. However, in each of us and even in your brothers lies the potential to once again fall in the same loop as Rath. Remember that always my son for the potential to be just like him is within us and all we know," Gilgamesh warned.
Rhadamanthus gave up at that point and asked his father where he wanted him to start mining today. "On the wing east of me, I've heard some of the best ore deposits lie in that passage and in mine. The more ore we can bring in, the better off will be as far as food for the winter and wine for the evening meal are concerned," Gilgamesh answered. "It's cold down in that shaft, you sure there's any ore to be found in there?" Rhadamanthus asked.
"Something I've observed is what happens when you melt the rock around the ore and then try to give the messy clump of material after that: it's usually worth very little. So it would seem that the best ore would come from cold, damp environments of which there are plenty in the mountains. Since yours would be one of the coldest areas we've found so far, I think you may have the best extract possible. Only way to be sure though is if you go digging around there and see for yourself," Gilgamesh replied.
Rhadamanthus nodded and promised that he would do his best though he made no promises. "Could you two use a visitor?" they heard the familiar voice of Minos ask. "Minos, a visit from you is always a pleasure. Did Seti release you from training?" Gilgamesh replied.
"No, I just agreed to do them in the morning in exchange for time to see you off to the mines and maybe even observe you working. By the way, the old chap wants to know how you're doing on your health, father," Minos said. "Doing good, the shoulder's healing and the cramps have gone away since he applied that medicine to it," Gilgamesh admitted. Two years ago, Gilgamesh had an accident in the mine that popped out his shoulder bone and twisted his legs enough to cause cramps for a year.
"That's good to hear, let's head up to the mine. I want to see my brother working for the first time ever," Minos stated. "It's not my first time working, you know all miners begin working when they're fourteen years old," Rhadamanthus corrected. "First time for me to see you in action, brother! Not first time for you working, please don't spite me so much," Minos requested.
Heading up to the mines, Gilgamesh asked Minos to supervise his brother in case anything went wrong while he went exploring the new passage. "Not a problem father, I'm more worried about you though. You sure that you're alright to be continuing work?" Minos asked. "I've survived a lot worse than a shoulder ache and leg cramps, broke my back once, remember?" Gilgamesh answered.
Smiling, Minos knew that his father would be fine and turned his attention to his brother Rhadamanthus. "You know Minos, you should really consider settling down and finding yourself a wife since you've remained here on Tython pretty much all your life," Rhadamanthus said during the dig. "Je'daii are forbidden from forming such such attachments unless prior arrangements have been made with the Council at the Heraklion Temple. I have given it thought though and have reminded myself that with my luck, my wife would probably be worse than yours," Minos retorted.
"Hey, my wife's thighs may be a little thick but she isn't bloated or anything like that!" Rhadamanthus replied. Two years ago, Rhadamanthus had been arranged to marry the niece of the village magistrate to enhance good standing with the Je'daii as a result of Minos and Aeacus existing. Whenever Rhadamanthus was not spending his time in bed with her or providing food with his earnings for them both, she was either with her father or her posse of women friends who gossiped about men. "True but she most certainly is not what I'd call the finest example of a wife to the brother of the Padawans of two legendary Je'daii Masters," Minos teased.
"Maybe you would be better off unmarried and a virgin but so what, believe me when I tell that if you do find a woman then you oughta be sure she doesn't want lots of loving," Rhadamanthus said. "Why is that?" Minos asked. "Because by the time she's through with you, you'll lose thirty pounds and be unfit to even wield a sword, nevermind serve the Je'daii Order," Rhadamanthus answered. As Rhadamanthus pounded away at the rock, Minos began to feel a chill up and down his entire spine.
It wasn't the cold, danky, dampness of the mine shaft which he was more than prepared to withstand thanks to his robe but rather, the chill lied within the Force itself. To Minos, it was as though there was some sort of dark power in these shafts that continued to compel him along. It was only when Minos sensed it was noon and was able to tell his brother to take a lunchbreak that he started searching. Digging amongst the rocks with the Force, so as to practice the exercises Seti taught him, he sought out whatever it was that was causing the disturbance and the chill in his blood.
Unfortunately, ten minutes of searching turned up nothing and so he decided it was best just to wait until his brother began extracting ore from the rock. "What's up, Minos?" Rhadamanthus asked when he returned. "I thought I felt something in the Force, something trapped here in this shaft of the mine. But not to worry, I won't have you digging for whatever it was," Minos answered.
"Good, easy as it is, I'm going to have to extract as much ore as I can in a few trips if I ever hope to have any alone time before I return home," Rhadamanthus said. Minos offered to help with the Force and Rhadamanthus gladly allowed him to oblige. The Padawan even pulled a wheelbarrow of ore himself to help his brother and get in some physical exercise as Seti also requested of him. "Thanks brother, I think I can take it from here," Rhadamanthus said after an hour of loading ore-extract.
"You sure you don't need any more help?" Minos asked. "I'm perfectly fine from here, besides that I don't want you wearing yourself before returning to your Master," Rhadamanthus replied jokingly. "Alright, if you'll be fine then I'll go see if Dad's going to need any of my help," Minos said before clasping his brother on the shoulder and leaving. Turning back to his extractions after his brother left, Rhadamanthus busied himself with putting as much in his wheelbarrow as possible.
It was then, as he was reaching for a particularly valuable hunk of ore that something icy burned his finger. When he went to suck it better, he noticed no burn marks on his finger and he wondered what had done that. Okay, what the hell just did that to me? How can something that burns at the touch not leave burn marks on whoever touches it? he asked himself quietly.
Grabbing and tossing ore aside, digging through the loose sediment that remained, Rhadamanthus felt around for anything that might have done that to him. He knew it wasn't a piece of ore or else even his father would have reported it to the authorities by now, if one had. Then, just when he was about to give up on the search after grabbing a handful of sediment, he found something. It was icy cold to the touch much like whatever had burned him earlier and he let much of the sediment slip.
Whatever sediment remained in his hand was blown away to reveal a ink-black ring which he then blew on and wiped with his handkerchief to remove any remaining sediment. Examining the ring, even to the point of closing one eye and bringing it close to the open one, he became fascinated. It was almost as if he was meant to find the ring and then meant to have it since he was the one who found it. A shiver riveting through his spine reminded him of the icy touch it had but he was compelled to wear it.
Slowly, he turned the ring around in his index and thumb fingers on his left hand before bringing the index of his right hand parallel to the hole of the ring. Wait, should I do this or should I not? Rhadamanthus asked himself silently. "Rhadamanthus, are you still alive down there!?" he heard his father shout. "I'm alright, father, just about to pack this last shipment up for tonight!" Rhadamanthus shouted back before putting the ring in a pocket where no one would look and leaving the shaft.
But even as he was bringing the last wheelbarrow of ore to the front of the mine for collection as well as his payment, he still felt the desire to put on the ring. He still felt compelled to bear it on his finger as though it would grant him the strength and power of a god if he did. Joining his father and brother for the evening transport back to the village, Rhadamanthus went off in the distance, thinking about the ring. Could it be that he had found the ring of the Rakatan Force Hound Xesh, the very ring said to have been cut from his hand around the time he was captured for the second time?
Was this the ring that Xesh's Predor had used to control him before his untimely death, here on Tython, at the hands of Xesh? Did this ring somehow develop a life of its own and possess Xesh to do it? Was this ring the reason for Xesh's seeming invincibility and was he being called to wield the powers of the fallen servant of the Rakata as though they were his own? When he was dropped off near his home, he decided that he would examine it again while his wife was still out with her posse of friends.
It was during this that he finally gave into the compulsion to wear it and didn't even savor putting it on. At first, nothing happened but then it painfully singed itself into his finger and caused him to hiss and groan in agony. When it was finally over, he tried to remove it but to no avail and he became frightened for his safety now that it was attached. What have I done? he asked himself quietly.