"Rex. Rex, do you read me? We're at the rendezvous point awaiting your arrival. Where are you?" Anakin asked Rex on the hologram. We were sent to meet with a cruiser to investigate an ancient Jedi distress signal that had suddenly been activated.
"Sir, we are at the rendezvous point and there's no sign of you on our scanners." I squinted my eyes at that, clearly something was malfunctioning.
"Oh, come on. That's impossible." Anakin scoffed, turning to Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and I. "Something's wrong. We're at the exact coordinates where the distress signal originated, but there's nothing here. Rex is at the exact same coordinates and he's not here."
"This is getting interesting." Obi-Wan commented.
"-Unable to find you.- Where are you, sir?-" The transmission was wavering, cutting out with static.
"Something's blocking the signal." Ahsoka said, pressing buttons. Suddenly everything shut off, leaving us to drift in space.
"Not good." Obi-Wan muttered.
"Everything's dead, even the life support."
"Hmm, this is really strange." Anakin said.
"Why does this feel more and more like the Bermuda triangle?" I asked myself. Everything came back on, as if nothing had happened in the first place.
"There, see? Nothing to be concerned about after all." Obi-Wan told us, putting on a brave face.
"Then what's that?" Ahsoka asked, pointing dead ahead. A giant rhombohedron was spinning through space, slowly opening to reveal blinding light. "It's pulling us towards it."
"Everyone, strap yourselves in. Looks as though we're going for a ride." Obi-Wan ordered, grabbing his buckles. Ahsoka and I scrambled to sit, the ship being dragged closer. The light became too bright, making my head swim and become distant.
-Clone Wars-
The world came back into focus, my body feeling stiff as if I had taken a long nap. Anakin groaned in the pilot's seat. "I must have blacked out."
"Then who landed the shuttle?" Obi-Wan asked, waking as well.
"Not me." Ahsoka answered on the other side of the room.
"Mm. Where are we?" Anakin grumbled, getting to his feet.
"Some kind of organic mass. All of our readings indicate that it's bigger than an asteroid, but at least the atmosphere is breathable." Ahsoka explained, reading the screens.
"Well, this is getting more unusual by the minute. I can't even lock down where in the galaxy we are. Or if we are even in our own galaxy." Obi-Wan added.
"Well, the ship's systems seem fine but for whatever reason, nothing's working." Anakin finished it off. Ahsoka went to the back and opened the hatch, we three following her outside. It looked like a jungle from home, though at the same time felt unnaturally alien.
"Hey! I saw something. A reflection, up on the hill." Ahsoka pointed to a ridge far away.
"I don't see anything." Obi-Wan replied, holding g a pair of binoculars to his eyes.
"Are you the one?" Anakin and I both spun around looking for the voice.
"What?" I asked the air.
"What the...what? Did you hear that?" Anakin turned to the others.
"I didn't hear anything." Obi-Wan denied, continuing to inspect the environment.
"Are you the one?" Said the voice again, this time behind us. All four of us turned to behold a pale, glowing woman with green hair and a golden dress.
"Hello." Obi-Wan greeted cautiously.
"Who are you?" Anakin put his hands on his hips.
"I am daughter. Are you the one?" She asked again. "Or are you?" She looked between the two of us. Daughter...the word prodded something in the back of my brain.
"Uh...the one what?" Anakin asked back.
"I will take you to him."
"Him, who?" It was Ahsoka's turn to speak.
"Did you bring us here?" Obi-Wan spoke after her.
"Only he can help you. There is little time. Follow me, we must have shelter by nightfall." Daughter brushed past us, walking away to a cliff side path.
"Ahem, Daughter?" I grabbed her attention. "Can we not play the pronoun game, please?" She didn't say anything, only continuing on her path.
"And we thought the planet was strange. How about this one?" Anakin joked once she was further away.
"We'll be fine as long as we stay together." As we followed, Obi-Wan noticed my put off demeanor. "Are you alright, Kate?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. I just feel like I remember this place, or something about it."
Attempting to take my mind off of it, Obi-Wan looked at the scenery, which had turned a dark red as the sun set. "Have you noticed the seasons seem to change with the time of day?"
"Yeah." Anakin answered.
"And there are no animals." Ahsoka added.
"And you sense it?"
"Mm-hmm, since we arrived. The Force is very strong.
"An intersection unlike anything I've ever felt before. Be wary."
"Honestly, it's extraordinary how powerful it it here." I commented, taking a deep breath.
"Excuse me, who are you taking us to?" Anakin asked Daughter.
"The father, of course." Was her answer.
"Of course." Ahsoka grunted, rolling her eyes.
"And what exactly are you?" Obi-Wan continued.
"We are the ones who guard the power. We are the middle, the beginning, and the end."
"Glad she cleared that up for us." Anakin chuckled. As we came to an underpass, rocks shifted above us and a boulder came down.
"Hey! Look out!" Anakin shoved Daughter and I forward, the debris landing behind us. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were still on the other side, however.
"It is forbidden for you to touch me." She hissed when Anakin tried to help her to her feet.
"Sorry. I was just saving your life." He shot back.
"That was my brother's work. You are in great danger. Wait for me. Do not leave this place." With that, Daughter stalked away, Leaving Anakin and I to stand at the block.
"Hey! Wait."
"Ungrateful." I muttered.
"I know, right?"
"Anakin, Kate, are you there? Are you all right?" Said Obi-Wan over the comlink.
"We're fine." I answered.
"But our friend here has run off!" Anakin shouted to the woman. "Go back to the ship and try sending another distress call. We'll follow her and find out how to get off this rock."
"And if this is a trap?" His Master asked.
"Then we're not gonna wait around to find out."
"Duh. Race you." I smirked deviously.
"Anakin, stop! Wait for us to find another way around and meet you. Anakin? Kate?" We weren't listening, already on our way to catch up with Daughter. As we almost made it, she disappeared around a bend.
"Well, this is fantastic. Now what?" The light from a nonexistent sun had almost fully set below the mountains in the distance, as well as a storm heading in our direction.
"We just keep going. Eventually we'll find something." He took off again, leaving me to scoff and go after him. After a few minutes we reached hills, and the sun had set. All life had begun crumbling away into dust, and the storm was closer. Anakin and I took shelter in a cave nearby, the glow of a tall tower catching our eyes.
"Whoever we're looking for is in that monastery." Anakin said, pointing.
"You're right, but I don't trust this planet. Something is far too familiar to me."
"All the more reason to leave sooner, eh?"
"Agreed. Now let's go." We both rushed out and fell into a run towards a tall as set of stairs, barely unfazed as we got to the top and found a giant doorway. Inside the building was dark stone walls and paths, statues of symbols lining the main hall to a great throne. Two statues of winged creatures stood poised on either side, a lone man meditating on his knees at the base.
"Welcome, my friends." He greeted as we neared him, opening his black and blue eyes. His grey beard matched well with his tan and blue robes.
"What is it that you want from us?" Anakin asked.
"To learn the truth about who you really are. One that maybe you have known all along. One you must believe in order to fulfill your destinies."
"Enough with the riddles, old man. Tell us what's going on here." He demanded.
"As you can see, there is nowhere else to go. It is late. You will be my guests tonight." Anakin and I looked at each other wearily, not buying his calm demeanor.
"Very well." I agreed.
"Allow me to show you to your rooms." He gestured to the right, leading down another long hallway.
"Thank you for your hospitality, sir." I bowed, entering the door on the left. My rest was fitful, feeling uncomfortable from the energy flowing around me.
"I know what haunts you, Kate." Said Obi-Wan right next to me. I catapulted out of bed and turned to face my friend.
"What do you mean, Master?"
"You show signs of darkness because you long for what is forbidden. You want love, children, a family of your own in a world you don't belong to."
"I don't..." I couldn't find the words.
"I know what you feel, Kate. I know how hopelessly desperate you are to begin something I'll never be a part of. It makes me sick!" He spat the words like venom, shattering my heart. "Don't you see? By being here you're abandoning your real family! You had a brother, and parents who loved you! You're so selfish that you can't go back to them because you're too infatuated with me and the galaxy! Wake up, Kate!" The vision faded, leaving me shivering and weeping in the corner of my room. He was right. How could I leave my family for adventure? How could I do something so horrible to them, the people who cared for me? Anger suddenly froze my heart at the realization of where we were and what we were doing. I came out and marched to the throne, the Father still kneeling without a care.
"Cannot sleep? To strike an unarmed man is hardly the Jedi way." He asked as if it were a common occurrence.
"I know who you are. I know who you all are. We're on Mortis, aren't we? You're the three eternals who embody the Force."
"Very good. You have extensive knowledge of the galaxy."
"I also know about what you'd never tell us. What you hope will never come to be."
"And what is that, child?" He asked calmly.
"Abeloth!" I was tired of the planet, tired of the son's antics, everything having to do with that screwed up family. His eyes snapped open, a frown molding over his face.
"This is a dangerous road you travel." He warned.
"Believe me, I'll be recording the threat of that...creature once we get back home. Because, some day in the far future, she's going to hurt a lot of good people." Anakin suddenly burst from his room and ignited his lightsaber, pointing it between his eyes.
"You're a sith lord!" The young Knight accused.
"Pfft, hardly. He's worse, and we need to leave." I scoffed at the leap in judgement.
"You have a very simple view of the universe. I am neither Sith nor Jedi. I am much more, and so are you two." The Father said crypticly.
"What do you mean two?" I asked.
"I see through your spells and visions, old man. Tell me what is going on here." Anakin growled over me, leaving my question unanswered.
"Some call us force-wielders." The old man relented slightly.
"The Jedi have never spoken of this."
"Mm. Few still know of our existence."
"In that room, my mother came to me, but it was not her. It was something else." So that was why he was so on edge.
"Ah. My son, I suspect. We can take many forms. The shapes we embody are merely a reflection of the life force around us. You carry a great sadness in your heart. My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other, therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as anchorites."
I belted out a laugh at that. "That and the fact you trapped your immortal and godlike mistress on your old world." I mumbled.
"As a sanctuary?" Anakin ignored me.
"And a prison. You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children and realize that they could tear the very fabric of our universe."
"Not the only ones." I started to walk away.
"I don't understand."
"It is only here that I can control them. A family in balance. The light and the dark, day with night. Destruction replaced by creation." He sounded so mystical and mysterious. He was causing a lot of pain being so short on details.
"Then why reveal yourselves to us?"
"There are some who would like to exploit our power. The Sith are but one. Too much dark or light would be the undoing of life as you understand it. When news reached me that the chosen one had been found, I needed to see for myself."
"The chosen one is a myth." Anakin denied.
"Is it? I should very much like to know. Why don't we find out together? Pass one test, and I shall know the truth. Then, you and your friends may leave."
"What did you mean 'you two'? What do I have to do with this?" I turned back to them, a hand on my hip.
"You both rival each other in power and control of the Force. I cannot discern which of you are indeed the chosen one."
"Um, I believe I fit the bill more than she does." Anakin stepped forward. "I was born to only a mother. Kate just...appeared one day. She teleported across the universe."
"Low blow, Anakin." I rubbed my arm shyly.
"Rest tonight. I shall know the truth in the morning." The Father shut the conversation down, leaving us to go back to bed.
The day came soon, all life being renewed as if it were spring. The Father brought us outside to what seemed like a large colloseum.
"It is time to face your guilt and know the truth." He said calmly, gesturing to our right. A screech from two winged creatures pierced my ears as they swooped over us and landed on either side of the circle. I gasped when I saw Obi-Wan and Ahsoka being held under each of them.
"Whatever he wants, don't do it, Master!" Ahsoka shouted from under the black and red one.
"Let them go. We will not play your games!" Anakin ordered the Father.
"Oh, but I think you will. I have ordered my children to kill your friends. The question is..." He disappeared, continuing his speech from above us. "which one will you choose to save? The Master or the apprentice? You must now release the guilt and free yourself by choosing."
"No!" We both shouted.
"Their powers are too strong for us. Save Ahsoka." Obi-Wan called to us, watching g the young togrutan struggle.
"Let them go." Anakin growled.
"You hurt Obi-Wan and I will find a way to kill you." I added.
"Only you can make my children release them."
"Anakin, the planet is the force. Use it." Obi-Wan reminded. Anakin glared daggers at the Father, using the Force as he was told. Only it wasn't the children he used it on. The Father clutched his throat, Anakin's eyes turning red and yellow.
"You will let them go!" He ordered with no light left in him. "Down! On your knees!"
"Anakin, let him go!" I shouted. He wasn't listening, tightening his grip. The two children were roaring and screeching, clutching my friends tighter. It was when Obi-Wan cried out in pain that I snapped.
"Everyone stop!" I threw my hands out, sending out a wave of energy that shook the area. "Let them go!" I ordered the children, choking and raising them in the air. The two Jedi were dropped, and I launched them against the walls. Anakin was distracted by the display, allowing me to drag him towards me.
"You almost got our friends killed. Congratulations." I growled. His eyes changed back to their normal color, as well as joining the stunned expressions.
"And now you see who you truly are. Only the chosen one could tame both my children." Said the Father, reappearing behind me.
"Don't start, old man. I know what you're doing. I know why I'm here. I've taken your test, now let us go." I spin around to face him pointing a warning finger.
"Ah, but first you must understand the truth. Now all of you, leave us." He ordered.
"Do not trust him." Ahsoka warned me.
"As if." I chuckled.
"I said leave us." The Father interrupted sternly.
"And you don't give us orders." I fired back. Once they were far enough away, he spoke.
"Do you feel your destiny? You must see it now. I am dying, and you must replace me."
"Absolutely not." I immediately answered, seeing it coming as soon as the test started.
"But this is yours. It has been foretold. The chosen one will remain to keep my children in balance. You know what threat my death brings."
"Which is why I need to prepare everyone for it. My answer is no."
He sighed in resignation. "I cannot force you to do this. The choice must be yours. But leave and your selfishness shall haunt you and the galaxy." I turned away to follow the others.
"Not as much as if I stayed. The galaxy needs me more than your children do." With that, I left him in the colloseum.
"Ready to get out of here?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin and I. I was taking one last look at the beautiful intersection before we left. I nodded and boarded, strapping myself in for take off. I felt something dark prickling in the back of my mind as we flew over the mountains, though I couldn't tell what it was.
