44BBY Room of a Thousand Fountains Six Months Later
This is my life now, I'm sprawled out on the grass, basking in the warmth of the artificial lights and the general peace, my muscles are still sore but the good kind of sore that reminds you of the good exercise you've done. My lightsaber is resting on my belt and even now six months later I enjoy holding it in my hands, feeling it. Master Tavik thinks I may have gotten a Pontite crystal for my saber which would explain why it's so calming to hold.
In other news, now that I'm a padawan I've gained new opportunities, most significant the freedom of the Temple, when I'm not on assignment or training with Master Tavik. The Great Holocron in the Temple Archives is also now available to me and is simultaneously the most amazing and depressing thing ever. So much knowledge available to me, thousands of Jedi offering teachings ranging from cartographical reports on outlying systems to great Jedi philosophers discussing aspects of Jedi lore and doctrine. Even better is that they're actually interactive, I can talk and converse with them. Unfortunately, I've had to force myself to broaden my horizons and skillset to better prepare myself for what's coming, otherwise I'd never leave the Archives.
Master Tavik has been running me through Ataru and Niman forms in our training spars which is a bit of a mixed blessing, Ataru's a decent form but Niman is terrible for what I know is coming. It has no use in open battlefields and every noted practitioner of it who was at Geonosis died. Master Tavik disagrees with my criticism of this form and in his defense, he doesn't know what's coming. It's still frustrating though.
Ilena has been a much better sparring partner for this reason, she's all too willing to practice Ataru with me and whenever the two of us have some free time we tend to gravitate to the training rooms to practice against each other. I've also spent some time practicing blaster deflection with training remotes, sensing them is easy but testing my reflexes is the point.
Beyond that I've been meditating and practicing moving objects with the Force whenever I can. Flight simulators with Jang, sparring with Ilena, helping Maks with her studies, practicing with Jai and Zey when they're around, and discussing politics with Politrix. My free time has been severely limited as of late. Especially with how tense the Temple has been for the past three weeks. Master Tavik and the other senior Jedi aren't talking about it but I've noticed the tension. Is Galidraan about to happen, or the Stark Hyperspace War maybe? I know they're coming up soon just not exactly when.
Even now the Room of a Thousand Fountains is silent, the waterfall has stopped flowing and I think I'm the only one here right now, not even Yoda and he loves meditating at the bridge leading up to the waterfall.
I did manage to talk to Yoda in private after Ilum and talk to him about my vision in the cave and my belief that the old Academy on Ossus is what I was shown. He didn't commit to anything and I didn't expect him to but he said he'd meditate on it and bring it up to the Council during a free moment, so here's hoping.
Though now that I consider it, why is it so quiet in here, that's not right. I stand slowly, breathing out and calling on the Force I can feel my senses expand and fill the room around me. There's one person in the room with me now, they're…..at the top of the waterfall? Alright, I should probably go see what's going on. I swear something's off, I feel I should know what's going on but the memory is eluding me now.
Finding the path isn't hard nor is making the trek up to the top of the waterfall, the old me from before I came here would have been panting by the end of it, instead I'm not even winded. The top of the waterfall is a lake with rocky outcroppings on the side wide enough to walk on. I've contemplated swimming here but with the Waterfall it's too dangerous. Where's the person I sensed, I narrow my focus to the room and frown as the Force directs me to the lake.
Why is there someone in the lake? And why are they chained there, not moving. I don't even think as I toss my lightsaber to one of the rocks and dive in, the water is cold and refreshing but my goal is the person, small and close to my age, chained to the depths, they're still alive as I can feel them respond to my approach.
My hands feel for whatever's holding them in place, there are several, one around the neck, one holding both hands together and one around the feet. Go for the hands first, then they can help you do the rest. The synthcord is taut and firm but a few tugs with the Force has it undone quickly. My breath is almost out so I shoot to the surface for air, whoever's down there can obviously, breath underwater so they shouldn't need me with their hands freed.
After a few moments, a young Mon Calamari female surfaces and smiles at me, I don't immediately recognize her but she's another padawan I think. I swim towards the rock where I left my lightsaber and pull myself up, she's right behind me.
"Thank you so much, I thought I'd be trapped down there until they came back for me." She says as I help her out of the water.
"You're welcome, who's they and why did they tie you up down there? You're a Mon Calamari, what's the point of tying you up underwater?" If they were trying to kill her they failed spectacularly, she doesn't seem to notice the sarcasm.
"Xanatos and Bruck wanted me out of the way so they could destroy the Temple, they've stolen the Healing Crystals of Fire and plan to use them to ignite the Temple's fusion furnace." The-wait! Xanatos, Bruck Chun, the super healing crystals with the cliché name. I'd forgotten all about them, mostly because I found Xanatos to be a completely uninteresting character, same with Bruck. That means this has to be Bant Erin, Obi-Wan's friend.
"Where are they now?" I expand my senses again, the last thing I need is either Xanatos or Chun showing up here now, Chun I could probably handle but not Xanatos.
"I'm not sure, they chained me down here and left a little bit ago, I don't know where."
That's unfortunate, and would probably explain why the Temple's been on alert for the past week or so, goddamn it, I never cared for that plotline so I'd just ignored it. Now it's here to bite me on the ass. Well it was never a problem before without my help, not like I'm going to fuck this up.
"Alright, you're free now so we'll go get some of the Masters and let them stop the Temple from exploding." I really don't want to get involved in this situation any more than I need to, Xanatos was a terrible character and I shouldn't even be needed to solve him, let Qui-Gon deal with him.
I hear clashing lightsabers approach from above as I finish that statement and I suppress some very unhelpful language. Of course this would happen the minute I got involved. Alright I don't remember exactly who fights here if it's Xanatos and Qui-Gon then we need to run but if it's not then-
"Obi-Wan!" Bant's shout snaps my train of thought but it's actually the best news I could ask for as I look upwards, there he is, a young Ewan McGregor, lightsaber flashing as he retreats along the upper walkway. Normally its used by Temple staff to activate the lights, waterfalls, and ambient sound for the room but they're nowhere to be seen. Obi-Wan is fighting another young man, Bruck Chun if I had to guess.
"Bant, go find a Master and tell them about the furnace and what's going on here, I'll help your friend." Thankfully, with no weapon she's not in position to argue and takes off. Alright here goes nothing. I take hold of my lightsaber and ignite it, instantly as the blade extends I feel calm and the stress fades away.
The Force is my ally as I leap, allowing the Force to extend and guide my jump, I've practiced force jumping on occasion and it's surprisingly easy but still every time I feel anxious. It's such an exhilarating rush and then terror as inertia reasserts itself and pulls you towards the ground. As I land on the walkway, my lightsaber is already moving, guided not by my own hand as Bruck's lightsaber comes toward me. Okay he's reacting quickly, but he couldn't beat Obi-Wan in canon so with me here he's in even worse shape.
"Another weakling come to die." Bruck from what I remember was the stereotypical jock type bully. Which is weird, how the hell did that attitude survive initiate training
"He's fallen to the Dark Side, be careful!" Thank you, Obi-Wan I hadn't noticed, the obvious. It's odd however, this is my first encounter with someone consciously using the Dark Side, I remember the typical yellow eyes of doom but as a Miraluka it's rather different. Despite Obi-Wan's words he hasn't fallen, not yet, but he's close. The Force swirls around him but it's twisting in places, distorted. It's almost like looking at something through a kaleidoscope or looking at a tree with a single rot inside and seeing it grow. It's honestly disturbing, and I have to force myself to keep looking at him, I need to defeat him quickly.
Another strike comes my way and I raise my saber to block. Obi-Wan tries to attack from behind, oddly content with a lethal strike but Bruck simply disengages with me and turns to block Obi-Wan.
Alright, this is harder than I thought, he's open but do I kill him? It would be easy to do, he's not nearly good enough to fight me and Obi-Wan, finding an opening to kill him would be easy. It's not the Jedi way though, non-lethal is the name of the game unless no other choice presents itself. Taking him alive it is then.
I swing my lightsaber towards him, aiming for destroy his own lightsaber when he ducks and I have to quickly stop before I sever Obi-Wan's head. Damnit, he seems to have figured out a strategy of trying to force us into each other.
Well I can play that game, we don't need to win, we just need to stall. I raise my lightsaber into a defensive position and wait, Bruck watches me and Obi-Wan warily for a moment before he senses I'm not moving against him. He takes the cue and begins to attack Obi-Wan furiously as I follow, not necessarily attacking but still staying close enough to intervene. Obi-Wan seems to be tired and he spares me an incredulous glance
"What're you standing there for, help me!" Obi-Wan is not as amused by my less than helpfulness, alright might as well give him a break for a few minutes.
"Alright, disengage and rest, let me handle him." Step forward, overhand Shii-Cho slash and watch as Bruck blocks it reflexively, continue engaging to draw his attention. Obi-Wan seems to understand my plan and hangs back cautiously, I can see the exhaustion in him from here.
"Another weak padawan like Oafy-Wan there, Xanatos was right you're all fools not to use this power." Oh, my god he sounds like a combination of Biff Tannen and Flash from the Spider-Man cartoons. I do not grace him with a reply and continue my strategy of delaying, it can't take that long for Bant to find a more experienced Jedi to come to our aid, if we even need it
Unlike Obi-Wan, Bruck is not nearly as exhausted and he seems to be more than willing to lash out at anyone nearby, he takes a swing for Obi-Wan but is forced to back off when I press the attack.
"You can die first, bitch," Very mature, he's not a happy camper. I offer a smile in return and flourish my saber in an over the top manner, which only angers him more.
Bruck seems to have not realized my plan, all too happy to just attack my defense furiously, Obi-Wan is watching and waiting for a sign to take over and attack but I've got this for the moment, Bruck is hitting surprisingly hard and fast, obviously, the boon the Dark Side has given him. However, it's pointless as I'm still better than him, compared to Ilena this is nothing.
Seriously she hits like a truck.
His strength and stamina is not limitless though and eventually it seems like but he's tiring, his swings coming slower and with less force. Where the hell are the senior Jedi? They better be busy keeping the Temple from exploding, otherwise this delay is horrible. Bruck growls, something I don't hear and cuts the grating below him and jumping towards the top of the waterfall. I make to follow but the walkway splits under me and I'm forced to jump to the ground. I summon the Force again; the bright warmth of the sun invigorates my body and guides me to safety on the rocks lining the lake. A quick look shows Obi-Wan has done likewise.
Bruck is already further down the hill, he's trying to run.
"After him! Keep him contained." I leap after him, and as I descend he turns, swinging to try to bisect me as I land. My Ataru training with Master Tavik kicks in, the basic rolls at least. The minute I hit the ground I'm ducking and rolling backwards, his blade passing inches over my head. Okay, that was too close, we're in the open now-Ah, he's kicked me, I'm tumbling down the slope.
He's chasing me, my saber is deactivated so I don't accidentally kill myself and he's almost on top of me. I come to a halt, momentum finally stalled and I see him standing over me for a moment before Obi-Wan tackles him from behind. He stumbles forward and trips over me, sending both him and Obi-Wan to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
I scramble to my feet, and look around, Bruck's Lightsaber is farther off and I rush for it, igniting my own saber and destroying it with one clean cut, the grass around it scorched from the strike. Alright, that's done with now back to Obi-Wan.
And his own saber has been knocked aside, the two have descended into almost childish brawling, I hesitate for only a moment, I'm already done with this shit and I stride over to Bruck who is too busy punching Obi-Wan to notice me before I kick him in the face. His head jerks with the force of the kick and he's unconscious immediately.
He'll wake with a massive headache and in some serious trouble but I don't really care about him anymore. Obi-Wan stands slowly, panting noticeably from his ordeal. He does not look relieved though.
"My friend Bant, she's missing, Bruck said they'd taken her somewhere." Oh, well I can relieve his fears there.
"Don't worry, I found her in the lake and sent her off to find a Master to fix this whole situation." By all means, let's end this so I can go back to training for the upcoming war. Obi-Wan offers his hand and I take it, shaking firmly as I was taught.
"Thank you for that then, I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, padawan to Qui-Gon Jinn." Force that accent is amazing, I'm remembering why I adored Obi-Wan in the prequels, but now is not the time.
"Viera Sarat, padawan to Zun Tavik, a pleasure to meet you Obi-Wan." He takes a moment to retrieve his lightsaber and I walk over to Brun's, a bit of fiddling around with the casing reveals the transmitter I just remembered was there. Now we have some evidence should any shenanigans happen.
"What is going on here!" And that's when Anoon Bondarda storms into the room in all his Battlemaster glory, I just shrug and point to Obi-Wan.
"Ask him, I just got here."
After that things began to happen very quickly, Bruck was expelled from the Order and last I heard he was facing charges for his role in the attempted destruction of the Temple, Xanatos fled but died on Telos IV as normal.
Obi-Wan and I received a commendation from the Council, Obi-Wan for his part in discovering the plot, myself for rescuing Bant and the both of us for working together to defeat the fallen initiate. Master Tavik seemed quite pleased and I'll take that as a plus.
Afterwards Obi-Wan, Bant, and Siri Tachi joined our little group of padawans. Bant took to Maks and Jai quite well and Obi-Wan and Siri have proven to be adept and able duelists for both myself and Ilena.
However, a few weeks later I found myself with Master Tavik, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan before the Jedi Council, I assume we're here for a mission together, but what kind of mission I wonder.
Master Yoda stares deliberately at each of us for a moment before he taps his cane on the ground.
"Emerged, a crisis has, Pirates in the Outer Rim have joined together into a collective. Powerful and dangerous they have proven to be." Mace picks up from there.
"A pirate by the name of Iaco Stark has brought several different pirate groups together to form an army, they have all but stopped traffic out of Thyferra and if this continues we'll see a bacta shortage across the galaxy." Wait, what.
"Have the pirates made any demands?" Jinn is concerned, quite rightly, but holy shit this is the Stark Hyperspace War!
"None as of yet but the Senate is determined to see an end to hostilities, since the Judicial forces have failed, we are being sent as mediators over the conflict." Master Tavik frowns.
"Are we being ordered out by the Senate now; some Jedi Aces should be enough to help the Senate Judicial forces break up these pirates." Mace frowns.
"Possibly but the Chancellor has asked that we solve this peacefully if we can, Finis Valorum will be acting as the Republic negotiator for the talks alongside Nute Gunray representing the Trade Federation, we will be sending you along with a few other Jedi as bodyguards and representatives of the Order." Holy Shit, I'm going to be taking place in the Stark Hyperspace War. So many possibilities to die.
"Who else will be going with us." Jinn asks and I immediately turn to the person I know is coming along. The Wookiee Jedi Master roars out something unintelligible to me as he stands and speaks in surprisingly good basic
"I will be accompanying you as the leader of the Jedi delegation, as will my former apprentice Plo Koon." If I remember this right, Tholme and Quinlan Vos will be going to Thyferra and come to help us later. I mostly tune out the rest of the briefing, too focused on another more important factor.
Ranulph Tarkin.
The lead militarist of the era, he leads a fleet here and tries to steal the glory for solving the Stark problem, he fails and inevitably dies resulting in Wilhuff Tarkin's rise to prominence.
But what if he doesn't? Sure, he's a glory-seeking humanocentric bigot but he's rich and influential in the Senate, plus I remember faintly him and his men having a 'we're all equal' moment fighting alongside Plo Koon. If the same happens here would he move beyond his humanocentric ways?
Could I use this moment to offer my plan for the militarists? I'm not quite sure but this offers new opportunities I can't afford to pass up, provided I don't die along the way. Which is the real pressing thing here, could I die here? Obviously, I'm not required for any 'canon' events down the line so my chance of dying here is certainly higher than anyone else.
That's….worrying to say the least, I've given thought to my own mortality here but this will be the first time I'll have to face that mortality, I'm not sure how to handle it.
I turn to look at Obi-Wan next to me, he's obviously excited about such an important mission, lucky him he's likely to survive this.
"Transport has already been arranged, you leave tomorrow morning, dismissed." I bow alongside the other Jedi and we exit the Council chambers.
I need to meditate, I need to be calm.
