Chapter 8: Old Wounds
Scorekeeper's Talon emerged from hyperspace on the edge of Coruscant's gravity well and hung there momentarily, its crew taking stock of the devastated former capital-world. Once it had been a world of sprawling cities, with majestic towers soaring high into the atmosphere, covering a surface darker and more savage than that of many wild frontier planets. During the reign of the Yuuzhan Vong it had become a paradise of life gone mad- or so Hassk had heard; he'd never been foolish enough himself to visit the heart of Vong power even when he still ran with the Peace Brigade. Now the planet was caught somewhere between, with Vonglife being cleared away or controlled by the immense World Brain and the ruins of cities poking through, waiting to be refurbished, while a small blockade of Galactic Alliance battlecruisers surrounded it, preventing anyone unauthorized from descending to the surface. Someday it would be the center of the galaxy again; now it merely combined the worst of two cultures.
And Hassk and his crew were heading right into it.
"Hard to believe that used to be the bright center of the universe," Hensen remarked from the pilot's seat. "Even harder to believe we let you talk us into this one, boss."
From the door behind them, Rhona snorted. "I'd agree with you if it weren't for one thing- our big bosses. Between Coruscant and Vong, I'll take Coruscant, thanks."
"There's probably Vong down there too," Hensen muttered, "ones who don't know we're running errands for their buddies. And worse things than Vong, if all the old scary stories are true."
Hassk had had enough. "Silence, both of you," he snarled at the humans. "You know as well as I that stories such as those get blown out of proportion across the generations. Have we not all used planets that were supposedly haunted or cursed as bases before? This is no different. What awaits below are ruins, nothing more or less."
It was clear from Hensen and Rhona's expression's that they didn't believe that any more than Hassk himself did. Still, many species enjoyed their comforting fantasies- even Trandoshans, though they were loathe to admit it- and he needed to keep morale as high as was realistically possible if this mission was to succeed.
The mercenary crew was pulled from their dark thoughts by a signal flaring on the console- they were being hailed by one of the Galactic Alliance warships. Hensen activated the communications array, and a miniature hologram of a Bothan in a GA captain's uniform appeared in midair. "This is Captain Yei'lya of the Freedom's Sacrifice," he said without preamble. "You are entering restricted space- identify yourself or turn back."
Hensen leaned forward- it was the customary role he took whenever the Talon entered this type of situation; too many stereotypes were associated with Trandoshan captains to allow Hassk to be the spokesman and remain above suspicion. "This is Captain Jeral Antilles of the Starlit Panther," the human pilot said, using a common surname from his homeworld of Corellia. "I've got a delivery of supplies for the surface."
Yei'lya's eyes narrowed, and Hassk silently cursed Bothans and their naturally suspicious minds. "What kind of supplies?" the Alliance captain asked.
"Spare parts for construction droids, mostly," Hensen said, "and a few packs of antidote for amphistaff venom and a few other Vong poisons that you might run into down there. Now then, I suppose you'll be needing our clearance code?"
"Yes," the Bothan said, eyes still narrowed in distrust. "Transmit it over presently. Failure to do so will require me to seize and search this vessel." The nearest warship- obviously Freedom's Sacrifice- was rotating towards the Talon, making certain the smaller ship was in range of its tractor beams.
"No need to get jumpy, Captain!" Hensen said with a great air of affronted dignity. Keying in the code- one of several that Rhona had recently sliced from a database on Denon for situations where guile was more profitable than force- he transmitted it to the Alliance ship. Yei'lya's image leaned to one side as he conferred with an unseen subordinate, and finally he looked back up at Hensen.
"You may proceed," the Bothan told him. "A word of advice- there are many… unpleasant… things lose on the world below. Do take care to avoid them while you unload." The hologram flickered and vanished.
"Well, that was pleasant," Hensen remarked. "What is it with Bothans in authority and the need to lord it over everyone?"
"It's not just Bothans," Rhona said. "Every government flunky I ever met was either stupid, arrogant, or both at the same time. Why do you think I work for the underworld?"
"Enough, both of you," Hassk hissed. "Hensen, take us in. We must retrieve Palpatine's artifact as quickly as possible, and then leave this dead world behind us."
"Best idea I've heard all day," Hensen said as he guided Scorekeeper's Talon through the blockade and towards the ruins of Coruscant.
/
"Farmboy, we have a situation." Mara Jade's cool, controlled voice echoed from the comlink. Her tone didn't sound terribly stressed- whatever it was, the Academy was probably in no immediate danger- but was just urgent enough that it was clear she wanted Luke there as soon as possible.
"What's going on?" Master Skywalker asked, getting to his feet. Tahiri did the same.
"Kyp and some of his students think they've caught a spy near the landing platform," Mara said. "Never thought I'd say it, but he's doing a pretty good job of restraining them. Still, you'd better get out here- this could turn nasty."
"On my way," the Master said, switching the comm off. Walking to the door, he motioned for Tahiri. "I think you'd better come with me- I'm not sure how long it will take to sort this out."
The young Jedi followed Master Skywalker across the grounds, her heart sinking as she considered who the "spy" most likely was. Sure enough, as they reached the landing platforms, she saw a small group- mostly teenagers, though a few were older- surrounding a tall, skinny human Tahiri had never seen before, but whose posture of abject submission was all too familiar, as was the void that was his "presence" in the Force. Ziil, disguised in his stolen masquer.
It was clear that the trainees had recognized the Shamed One for what he was (not difficult, considering they were Force-sensitives and he was a Yuuzhan Vong) and had moved to apprehend him. Though all of them managed to keep a lid on their anger, it was clear that some were barely managing- few worlds had come off of the invasion unscathed. Master Kyp Durron, his natural cockiness somewhat reduced during the war but not totally destroyed, prowled around the edges, keeping his students under control. Mara stood off to one side, apparently having decided that the situation hadn't turned nasty enough to merit her interfering with Kyp's students- yet.
Master Skywalker stepped forward, hands raised. "Would someone care to explain to me what's going on here?" he asked mildly. "Master Durron?"
Kyp turned to look at him, a dark expression on his face. "I was taking my students out to practice their dueling when we ran into this guy." He motioned at Ziil. "He looks harmless enough, but…"
"He's Vong," one of the students, an intense-looking teenage boy maybe four years younger than Tahiri herself, said. "We could all sense it. He's here to spy on us."
"Yuuzhan Vong," Tahiri muttered under her breath; if anyone heard her, they gave no sign.
"Has he said that?" Master Skywalker asked, still looking at Kyp.
"He hasn't said anything, apart from what sounded like some prayers in his own language. I caught "Jeedai" and "Yun-Shuno", but my Vong's a bit rusty," the younger master said. "Like I said, he doesn't seem dangerous, but, all things considered, I thought it was best to corral him first and then figure out why he's here."
"He came with me," Tahiri said, stepping forward. "His name is Ziil, and he's a former Shamed One and heretic. Trust me, he's not dangerous." Though he could learn to be a bit better at staying put. I thought the lower castes were supposed to be good at that sort of thing.
"Tahiri?" Kyp asked, surprised. "Thought you were still on Sekot. Anyway, you brought him here?"
"Not exactly," she admitted. "More like he snuck on board my ship without telling anyone- and trust me, I'm going to have words with him about this."
"Please, Jeedai," Ziil said in halting Basic. "This humble one meant no offense."
"I don't care what he is," the intense-looking apprentice said. "He's Vong, and they're all dangerous."
Master Skywalker stepped forward to face him. "Your name's Phenn Tarrin, if I remember correctly," he said. "You're from Coruscant, aren't you, son?"
"Yeah," Phenn said. "My sister and me made it out when the Vong hit. The rest of my family… wasn't so lucky."
"I know how you feel, Phenn," Master Skywalker told him softly. "When the Empire killed my aunt and uncle, I hated them, just like you hate the Yuuzhan Vong right now. That hate felt good, and it made fighting them feel good, but in the end it almost destroyed me. Hate isn't the Jedi way- blind hate certainly isn't. Ziil here didn't kill your family, didn't destroy Coruscant- you could take your hate out on him, but it wouldn't accomplish anything other than to punish an innocent make you hate even more. Or you could learn to let it go and find acceptance and peace."
"I'm sorry, Master," the young apprentice said, bowing and backing up. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have judged so hastily."
"So long as you learn from it, there is no harm done." Master Skywalker looked over at Ziil. "After saying all that, I do hope you really aren't here to spy on us."
"It is as I said, Master Jeedai," the Shamed One said. "I meant no offense. I merely wished to see the Jeedai in their holy place."
"No harm was done," Master Skywalker told him, "but I do think it would be best if you didn't wander around by yourself. As you saw just now, people- even Jedi- are still somewhat touchy about your species." That was a diplomatic way of putting it, Tahiri thought wryly. Stepping forward, she grabbed Ziil by the arm.
"You'd better get back on the ship," she whispered to him in Yuuzhan Vong to make absolutely certain he got the message. "If you want to wander around, make sure you do it with me. Understand?" He nodded and allowed himself to be led off, the dark stares of some of the trainees still boring into them from behind. Master Skywalker might be able to keep the apprentices from acting on their pent-up hatred, but even he couldn't completely eradicate it with only one short talk.
It's probably a good thing all around that Sekot took responsibility to the Yuuzhan Vong, Tahiri thought, her mind going back to the still-angry warriors on the living world as well as those in the galaxy. Otherwise, I think there are beings on both sides who would have made certain the war never ended.
/
"Well, that was unexpected," Kyp said as Tahiri and the masqued Vong departed. The three Masters stepped away from the apprentices to have a private conversation while remaining close enough to keep an eye on them.
Mara raised an eyebrow. "Which part? A Yuuzhan Vong showing up here, or you as the voice of reason in a crisis? I'm still not sure which part amazes me more."
"Very funny," Kyp replied. "I meant the Yuuzhan Vong showing up here- and Tahiri too, for that matter. I just never thought it would happen, certainly not so soon after the end of the war. I'm just surprised that Phenn back there didn't try and accuse her of collaborating with the enemy, because of… you know."
"Even if he recognized her, and it's not like she's a galactic celebrity, he knows that if every Jedi with darkness in their past was a traitor, the whole Order would be cut in half- starting with me, you, and Luke," Mara pointed out. "Safer to go for the easy target."
"Both of them- Tahiri and the Yuuzhan Vong- are tied up in the things I've been worrying about lately," Luke said. "The thefts of the Sith artifacts and the general disturbances- or at least she is, and he seems to have attached himself to her. She was just telling me about a vision that she had that disturbed her a lot, and fits in with the signs I've been seeing. I'm going to have her address the council tonight."
"You've got that look in your eye again, Skywalker," Mara said, frowning. "The same one you always get when something big is about to happen. Please tell me there's not going to be another war- I don't think this galaxy would last through another apocalypse."
"Not yet," Luke said quietly. "Things haven't reached that point, but something tells me we need to act to head them off, or else there's a chance that another nightmare may become reality."
/
I feel like this chapter is mostly self-explanatory. Though we see Hassk and co. arriving on Coruscant (which I felt that Legends fixed too quickly, after it had been through one invasion, Vongforming, and then another invasion) the real focus here is on Ossus and the Academy. Ziil's, er, zeal got him into a bit of trouble here; while the full knights and masters would have probably figured out what was going on relatively quickly (especially if they knew Tahiri was there) a lot of the students aren't yet as patient and understanding, and are still carrying a lot of baggage from the war. Luckily, Luke showed up to keep anything from happening and turn the whole thing into a teachable moment, and it felt good to get a chance to show him using his own life experiences as a Jedi Master.
-MasterGhandalf
