Disclaimer: I am not Rick Riordan or George Lucas.
Enter Ben, Tahiri, and Tikk, on Dantooine.
After a while of running, Tikk whinnies and pulls to a stop. Ben and Tahiri dismount from the uvak.
Tahiri. He needs to eat. He likes aurodium, but . . .
Ben. Aurodium?
Tahiri. He'll settle for grass. Go on, Tikk. Thanks for the ride. I'll call you.
Exit Tikk, leaping into hyperspace.
Ben. Fast uvak . . . and expensive to feed.
Tahiri. Not really. Aurodium is easy for me.
Ben. [raises his eyebrows] How is aurodium easy? Please tell me you're not related to Warlord Zsinj. I don't like that guy.
Tahiri. [purses her lips] Never mind.
Ben kneels down on the beach.
Ben. Well, one problem solved, anyway. This is chromium.
Tahiri. [frowns] The whole beach?
Ben. Yeah. See? The granules are perfectly round. It's not really sand. It's a compound composed of titanium and chromium.
As Ben kneels down and stores the titanium-chromium in a plasteel container, Abeloth contacts him via the Force.
Abeloth's Voice. Walk away, young Jedi. Without you, the ship cannot be fixed.
Tahiri notices Ben's discomfort.
Tahiri. Ben? You okay?
Ben takes a shaky breath, managing to compose himself.
Ben. Yeah. Yeah, fine.
Ben resumes gathering titanium-chromium, aided by Tahiri.
Tahiri. We should have brought a pail and shovels.
Ben. [smiles] We could have made a sand castle.
Tahiri. A chromium castle.
Ben and Tahiri lock eyes, and the latter quickly looks away.
Tahiri. You are so much like . . .
Ben. Anakin?
Tahiri. [taken aback] You know?
Ben. I have no idea who Anakin is. But Jag asked me if I was sure that wasn't my name.
Tahiri. And . . . it isn't?
Ben. No. Stang.
Tahiri. You don't have a twin brother or . . . Is your family from Tatooine?
Ben. Yeah, Anchorhead. Why? Is Anakin a guy you used to know?
Tahiri. I . . . It's nothing. You just look like him.
Tahiri looks away, as if this topic made her feel to vulnerable.
Ben. [aside, frowns] If Tahiri is a girl out of time, does that mean this Anakin was a contemporary of the Great Galactic War, as well? If so, how does Jag know him? And why would she think I was him, all these decades later?
Ben and Tahiri finish storing the titanium-chromium in silence, then Ben places the plasteel container in his utility belt. Afterward, he and Tahiri rise to their feet to begin their next quest: the search for Adegan crystal.
[to Tahiri] The Falcon said there was Adegan crystal close by. But I'm not sure where . . .
Through the Force, Tahiri detects the Adegan crystal and points in that direction.
Tahiri. That way. About five hundred meters.
Ben. How do you . . . ?
Tahiri. Precious metals. It's a Vitiate thing.
Ben. Handy talent. Lead the way, Riina.
Tahiri leads Ben toward the Adegan crystal. After a while, she veers inland.
You sure this is a good idea?
Tahiri. We're close. Come on.
Enter Yun-Harla, a shadowy deity with the ability to assume many shapes and forms, as well as a skeleton composed of yorik coral.
Ben. [aside] I am wary about approaching this being. I've had bad experience with mysterious females. My old babysitter, Brisha Syo, turned out to be Queen Shira, the goddess who practically arranged my entire life. Then Abeloth, the Bringer of Chaos, killed my mother and, several years later, I was nearly killed by her servant, the Yuuzhan Vong collaborator Nen Yim. Nevertheless, since Tahiri is approaching her, I guess I have no choice but to do so also.
As Ben and Tahiri approach her, Yun-Harla looks through Quay novelty toys and tosses them aside.
[to Yun-Harla] What are you doing?
As Yun-Harla looks upon Ben, the Trickster assumes the form of Rouge Organa.
Aunt Rouge?
Yun-Harla. Is that what you see? Interesting. [turns to Tahiri] And you, Tahiri, dear?
Tahiri. How did you . . . ? [takes a step back] You . . . you look like Sliven, a former mentor of mine. I hated you.
Yun-Harla. [laughs] Excellent. You resented him, eh? He judged you unfairly?
Tahiri. You . . . He taped my hands to the desk for misbehaving. He called my mother a witch. He blamed me for everything I didn't do and . . . No. He has to be dead. Who are you?
Yun-Harla. Oh, Ben knows. How do you feel about Aunt Rouge, mah bukee?
Ben. [aside] Mah bukee. That's what Mom always called me. After Mom died, Rouge rejected me, called me a demon, blaming me for the fire that killed her niece. Rouge turned my family against me and abandoned me. I never had a stable home after that . . . not until I arrived at the Jedi Praxeum. Now, I don't hate many beings, but even after all these years, Aunt Rouge's face still makes me boil with resentment. Who do I feel? I want to get even. I want revenge.
Ben looks up at Yun-Harla with realization.
[to all] Yun-Harla, the Trickster. You're the goddess of revenge.
Yun-Harla. You see? [smiles at Tahiri] He recognizes me.
Yun-Harla shakes the Quay toy.
"You will have great fortune when you least expect it." That's exactly the sort of nonsense I hate. Someone shakes this sphere, and suddenly they have a prophecy that they'll be rich. I blame that schutta Hod Ha'ran. Always dispensing good luck to beings who don't deserve it.
Ben. [frowns] Er, you know those aren't real prophecies, right? It's just a novelty toy . . .
Yun-Harla. Don't try to excuse it. It's just like Hod Ha'ran to get beings' hopes up. No, no. I must counter her.
Yun-Harla waves her hand and magically changes the words written into the Quay toy.
"You will die painfully when you most expect it." There. Much better.
Tahiri. That's horrible. You'd let someone get that message as they shake that sphere, and it would come true?
Yun-Harla. [sneers] My dear Tahiri, haven't you ever wished horrible things on Sliven for the way he treated you?
Tahiri. That doesn't mean I'd want them to come true.
Yun-Harla. [scoffs] Hod Ha'ran would be Ymile for you, I suppose, being Imperial. Like the others, she's in a horrible way right now. Me? I'm not affected. I was called Yun-Harla in the days of the Old Republic, and Ksstarr during the height of the Empire. But it was nothing but a name. I do not change, because revenge is universal.
Ben. What are you talking about? What are you doing here?
Yun-Harla shakes the Quay toy again.
Yun-Harla. Lucky numbers. Ridiculous. That's not even a proper fortune.
Yun-Harla smashes the Quay toy on the ground.
To answer your question, Ben Skywalker, the gods are in terrible shape. It always happens when a civil war is brewing between you Imperials and Jeedai. The Je'daii are torn between their two natures, called on by both sides. They become quite delusional, I'm afraid. Splitting headaches. Disorientation.
Ben. But we're not at war.
Tahiri winces.
Tahiri. Er, Ben . . . Except for the fact that you recently blew up large sections of New Bastion.
Ben. Not on purpose.
Tahiri. I know. But the Imperials don't realize that. And they'll be pursuing us in retaliation.
Yun-Harla. [laughs] Ben. Listen to the girl. War is coming. Abeloth has seen to it, with your help. And can you guess whom the Je'daii blame for their predicament?
Ben. Me.
Yun-Harla. [snorts] Well, don't you have a high opinion of yourself. You're just a pawn on the dejarik board, Ben Skywalker. I was referring to the player who set this ridiculous quest in motion, bringing the Jeedai and the Empire together. The Je'daii blame Shira . . . or Lumiya, if you prefer. The Queen has fled Tython to escape the wrath of her family. Don't expect any more help from your patron.
Ben. So why are you here?
Yun-Harla. Why, to offer my help.
At Yun-Harla's smile, Ben and Tahiri exchange looks.
Ben. Your help.
Yun-Harla. Of course. I enjoy tearing down the proud and powerful. And there are none who deserve tearing down like Abeloth and her Yuuzhan Vong. Still, I must warn you that I will not suffer undeserved success. Good luck is a sham. The wheel of fortune is a con. True success requires sacrifice.
Tahiri. Sacrifice? I lost my mother. I died and came back. Now my brother is missing. Isn't that enough sacrifice for you?
Ben. Right now, all I want is some Adegan crystal.
Yun-Harla. Oh, that's easy. It's just over the rise. You'll find it with the sweethearts.
Tahiri. Wait. What sweethearts?
Yun-Harla. You'll see. Perhaps they will teach you a lesson, Tahiri Veila. Most heroes cannot escape their nature, even when given a second chance at life. [smiles] And speaking of your brother Kyp, you don't have much time. Let's see . . . It's the twenty-fifth of June? Yes, after today, six more days. Then he dies, along with the entire world of Bastion.
Tahiri. [eyes widen] How . . . ? What . . . ?
Yun-Harla. [to Ben] And as for you, spawn of the Modeler. Your worst hardships are yet to come. You will always be the outsider, the seventh wheel. You will not find a place among your brethren. Soon you will face a problem you cannot solve, though I could help you . . . for a price.
Through his pyrokinesis, and caused due to his emotional reaction to the Trickster's words, Ben's hands explode into flames. Noticing this, he quickly puts them out.
Ben. I like to solve my own problems.
Yun-Harla. Very well.
Ben. But, er, what sort of price are we talking about?
Yun-Harla. [shrugs] One of my children recently traded an eye for the ability to make a real difference in the galaxy.
Ben. You . . . want an eye?
Yun-Harla. In your case, perhaps another sacrifice would do. But something just as painful. Here.
Yun-Harla hands Ben a Quay toy.
If you need an answer, shake this. It will solve your problem.
Ben's hand trembles as he holds the Quay toy.
Ben. What problem?
Yun-Harla. You'll know when the time comes.
Ben. No, thanks.
Nevertheless, Ben stores the Quay toy in his utility belt. Meanwhile, Yun-Harla shakes another Quay toy.
Yun-Harla. "You will have cause to reconsider your choices soon." Oh, I like that one. No changes needed here.
Yun-Harla tosses the Quay toy into a basket.
Very few gods will be able to help you on the quest. Most are already incapacitated, and their confusion will only grow worse. One thing might bring unity to Tython again — an old wrong finally avenged. Ah, that would be sweet indeed, the scales finally balanced. But it will not happen unless you accept my help.
Tahiri. I suppose you won't tell us what you're talking about . . . or why my brother Kyp has only six days to live . . . or why Bastion is going to be destroyed.
Yun-Harla laughs and rises to her feet.
Yun-Harla. Oh, it's all tied together, Tahiri Veila. [to Ben] As for my offer, Ben Skywalker, give it some thought. You're a good child, a hard worker. We could do business. But I have detained you too long. You should visit the reflecting pool before the light fades. My poor cursed boy gets quite . . . agitated when the darkness comes.
Yun-Harla mounts her speeder bike and swerves away.
Exit Yun-Harla.
Tahiri bends down and shakes one of the Quay toys.
Tahiri. "You will see yourself reflected, and you will have reason to despair."
Ben. [sarcastic] Fantastic. Let's go see what that means.
Exit all.