AN: Hey everyone! I'm back with Chapter 11 of The Legend Reborn! I would like to apologize for my prolonged absence these past few months. So, now that the first few chapters have been redone, we can finally return to the continuation of Revan's tale. While Revan is busy with Plagueis, and HK has his hands full with Spar, we return our attention to Zeego, Count Dooku, and the Star Forge.
Star Forge - In orbit over Tython
Zeego shut down the station's transit systems as the Star Forge exited lightspeed. As the large planet came into view on the computer, he deactivated it and turned to the Observation Deck's viewport. Watching silently as the planet rotated along its axis was almost calming to Zeego, finally a moment of piece since he joined Revan's crusade.
"Tython. To think that everything we know about the Force started here." Dooku commented.
Zeego watched as he placed his hand on the transparisteel viewport, "Really, everything? You aren't exaggerating that at all?"
Dooku remained silent for a moment, as if thinking, "Yes. This is where the Force was discovered." Dooku paused, "I never thought I would actually see it. We were always told it was lost. Impossible to be found."
Zeego remained silent as he returned to the console, "Not impossible, just really difficult. Revan's coordinates were incorrect."
The Count pushed off the glass and approached the computer, "How? He transferred them straight to his datapad before returning to the Foundry."
Zeego nodded, "You're right, he did. What he didn't do however was account for planetary drift."
Dooku looked at him blankly, "Planetary what?"
"You aren't a spacer, so I'll try to explain." He paused, "A planet's revolution around a star is based on the strength of the gravitational pull the star holds on the planet, the sizes of the planet and the star, plus the inertial force as the planet tries to break free of the star's hold. Now, over time the Star's pull weakens as it ages and as the planet continues moving around it, the planet starts to drift further away, creating a larger orbit. In addition, the star continues to drift further away from the Galactic Core."
"Hence the term 'planetary drift'? Dooku inquired.
Zeego nodded, "There you go, you're catching on. Now naturally, the drift isn't that bad. It happens all the time so we barely notice it. Unless you don't come back for say... nearly four thousand years?"
"Then, if the coordinates he had aren't correct, then what about when he had us go to the Ark?"
"Oh, while he was sleeping, I shut down the hyperdrive and changed the codes."
"And you never thought to tell him?"
"The man's about to wage a full scale galactic war, I figured the last thing he needs to be bothered with was a bunch of incorrect codes."
Dooku remained silent for a few minutes, simply looking at the planet on sight. He snorted after a while.
"What is it?" Zeego asked.
"Just imagining Nute Gunray suddenly becoming broke and then trying to perform tasks from your skill-set for a living and failing miserably," Dooku answered with a light chuckle. "Business and wealth aside, that guy is a fat fool, and as useless on his own as they come."
Zeego laughed. "Good to know the great Count Dooku considers me more independently resourceful than the viceroy of the Trade Federation."
"Well, you certainly aren't the typical neimodian, that's for sure," Dooku commented. "Your species has such a hardline business reputation it can be a little hard to think of you as a successful smuggler akin to the typical outer rim pirate. No offense."
"None taken," Zeego replied. "In fact, you could say that's one of the reasons I like doing what I do: shatter the pre-conceptions about my kind. I tend to appreciate diversity."
"Good to know," Dooku said as he looked back at the planet beyond.
Zeego allowed him to keep pondering Force-related matters while he continued to push buttons from the terminal. After a few minutes he snapped the Count out of his thoughts.
"I have prepared a Herald-class shuttle produced by the Star Forge to land on the planet," The neimoidian said. "But I am not detecting any advanced cities on the scanners... so I'm not sure where to land."
"You wouldn't," Dooku stated. "The Jedi Order as a whole left Tython about 35 centuries ago once the Second Great Galactic War was over."
Zeego blinked. "Interesting name for a galaxy spanning war, especially as it implies it's the second one."
"Indeed," Dooku agreed. "That was the name of the war that was going on at the time Revan disappeared from record, although now we know that the reason for that was because he hadn't arrived to the end of his journey through time."
"Understood but back to the topic at hand, does that mean this planet is completely devoid of sentient life?" Zeego asked with a slightly concerned tone. "Because if it is, that may prove to be a problem for Revan's cause. This planet may be ideal to hide our organization until it's ready but sooner or later we are gonna need man-power of the kind droids can't provide and if we have to import people for those tasks from other systems, the coordinates of this planet may not be so secret before we are ready."
Dooku frowned in consideration. "Well, I hadn't read much on our records about Tython, mind you, but from what I can remember, there hasn't been any Jedi presence on the planet in nearly a thousand years. As for any native species, the only ones that come to my mind are the Flesh Raiders."
"Flesh Raiders?" Zeego sound in alarm. "Who names a sentient species like that?"
"Someone who didn't like cannibals over 3 millenniums ago," The Count retorted. "Our records don't know very much about them. Their origins have long been lost and they don't keep a recorded history of their own. Before the Second Great Galactic War erupted, during a period called the Cold War in which the Jedi Order sought refuge on their home-world over Coruscant, some of our scholars studied the creatures and their results hinted the possibility that they were once a more evolved people, both biologically and culturally but eventually devolved for some reason at some point after the Jedi left their homeworld in favor of Ossus, over 25 thousand years ago," Dooku explained. "At any rate, though sentient they were savages in every sense of the word and their name is due to the fact they loved eating the flesh of sentient beings, although if they couldn't non-sentient beings were fine for them as well. Because of these traits and their apparent lack of understanding in diplomacy and complex negotiations they frequently clashed with the Jedi during the Cold War."
Zeego winced. "So they are our only option should we ever need local assistance for whatever reason? I would prefer to keep my flesh where it is, thank you very much."
"So would I," Dooku said. "Although if those barbarians would somehow manage to get the better of me then I deserve to be eaten," The experienced Force user declared.
Zeego chuckled. "Then should I let you get devoured if that were to happen?" He asked and when Dooku glared at him he rose his hands in surrender. "Don't answer that. Anyway, any ideas on where to land?"
Dooku looked back to the planet and before closing his eyes so as to spread his Force sense. Zeego didn't interrupt when he noticed he was somehow using the Force to find a good place to land. After nearly 15 standard minutes of waiting, the Count's eyes snapped open.
"I had a vision," Dooku said. "Of a mountain range were most of the plant life has been consumed by fire, and south east of there is a powerful Force Nexus."
Zeego shrugged. "I am not sure what that means but would I be right in assuming that people who wield the Force can draw energy from such places?"
Dooku nodded. "We should check it out and report it to Revan. If nothing else, it will be essentially an energy well for any Force-sensitive that will follow him."
"Very well," Zeego said. "Could you please point out to the scanners, in which continent did you sensed that 'nexus of power'?"
Dooku looked at the screen for a moment before pointing a specific spot in the geographic map of the largest continent.
"Very well but just in case I will tell a group of droids mass produced by the Star Forge to come looking for us if he doesn't hear anything from us in half a rotation and to contact Revan if he still doesn't find us in a full rotation," Zeego said as he put his blaster on his holster.
Dooku nodded. "It's good to have contingency plans," He said in agreement as he followed the nemoidian to the ship.
The pair stepped off the turbolift and approached the hangar bay, walking in tandem as they approached the shuttle.
Zeego sighed in disappointment.
"What is it?" Dooku questioned.
"I was hoping for something a bit sleeker..." Zeego replied.
Dooku chuckled in agreement, "I suppose it is a bit archaic looking."
Zeego remained silent as the pair entered the vessel, the pristine ship echoing their footsteps throughout the corridors. Zeego lowered himself into the pilot's chair as Dooku reclined in the seat beside him.
"Alright then," Zeego commented. "Let's see how this thing handles."
"You sure you know what you're doing?" Dooku asked, a concerned look on his face.
Zeego glanced at him, "Is that a lack of confidence, Count?" The spacer mocked, "that hurts."
"I'll make it up to you." Dooku promised.
"I'm gonna hold you to that." Zeego fired up the engines, "Alright, now I say something suitably heroic and encouragingly adventurous."
"May the Force be with us?" Dooku suggested.
"Nah, that's lame," Zeego said before shrinking in his seat under Dooku's insulted gaze. "I take it I will be buying the next round of drinks?"
Dooku nodded sternly.
Tython
Zeego began descending the shuttle below the clouds of the Tythonian atmosphere, switching it to autopilot before bringing his hands behind his head and letting out a slow yawn.
He turned to Dooku, "We should be there before too long. That area that you mentioned had been consumed by fire? We should be passing over it in... 5 standard minutes."
Dooku nodded, "Yes, I can sense it. The nexus is getting stronger."
Zeego stared at him, "Wow, you can actually feel how close to the thing you are?"
"Yes, it's a powerful presence."
Zeego was cut off by the shuttle sensors going off, Dooku turned to him, "What is it?"
"But... that can't be right. I thought you said there were no civilized settlements."
"There shouldn't be..." Dooku replied.
"You sure about that? Because according to this, there's a Twi'lek settlement just northwest of that Force nexus."
Dooku let out a surprised gasp, "I never would've thought... they're still there."
"Who's still here?"
"During the Cold War, and the Second Great Galactic War the Jedi were not the only ones to relocate to Tython. A small group of Twi'leks also made the journey illegally, and founded the Kalikori settlement. I assumed they had left with the Jedi Order after the war..."
"Then why didn't the settlement show up on the Star Forge's scans?
"They're probably too primitive for the station to recognize it. It's probably the same reason why they're still here."
Zeego gave him a confused look.
"The twi'leks weren't advanced enough at the time for independent Space-travel. They probably stayed here because they couldn't figure out how to leave the planet. Either that, or while they may have known the science behind it they simply lacked the machinery and raw materials to build starships after the Jedi Order and their allies left.
"So odds are we probably shouldn't land in the settlement directly for fear of spooking the natives and being regarded as gods or being brutally beaten with clubs? Although... the former doesn't sound too bad." Zeego commented as he began looking out of the viewport.
The Count rolled his eyes, "Probably not. Land as close as you think you can get without provoking them."
"Alright..." Zeego stepped toward the topographic map of the planet, scanning the surrounding area for a level enough terrain to land, "There. Though it'll be a bit of a walk, I found a landing site. But, fair warning, it's along the Tythos Ridge. You know? That large area that is completely devoid of life because it got burned."
"Let's hope we don't have to worry about our flesh being raided." Dooku remarked.
As the shuttle touched down on the planet's surface, Zeego and Dooku stood in the cargohold, a small map of the region laid out on a holochart, Zeego pointed to a region near the south end of the map.
"The Force nexus you detected it here," he paused before motioning to another sector of the map, "Kali- whatever it's called should be somewhere over here. If we follow this ridgeline, then we can hopefully enter the village without shooting up the place, and then maybe get some help investigating the nexus."
"And if we don't come across the village? Or it's empty?"
"If we don't see it, we don't see it. If it's empty, we salvage what we can then get back to why we're here," Zeego explained.
"And if the nexus stems from something underground?"
"Then I get to fulfill my lifelong desire to go spelunking," Zeego remarked.
Dooku scoffed, "Have fun, I'm too old for that sort of thing."
The pair descended the loading ramp, stepping out into the scorched terrain of the Tythos Ridge, ancient corpses littering the landscape.
"Huh, looks like something went down here," Zeego observed.
Dooku knelt down; a contemplative look on his face, "I sense... I sense great darkness here. And sadness, pain... suffering,"
"Of the lingering kind or from the present day?" Zeego asked tensely as his other hand went for his blaster.
"Both," Dooku replied. "These are definitely Twi'lek skeletons and from the looks of it they have been here longer than either of us have been alive but I can also sense more recent dead bodies in different parts of the ridge."
Zeego cursed. "Don't tell me we landed exactly in the ground zero of these Flesh Raiders."
"Does that answer your question?" Dooku asked calmly as he pointed at their right.
"Unfortunately, yes," Zeego said with his blaster firmly gripped as he saw figures appear from behind a hill.
Once the group of figures fully appeared, however, the nemoidian smuggler was startled as he had never seen creatures like them. Before him stood 6 pink and bulky bipedal humanoids with razor-sharp teeth, which, Zeego thought with sudden ill, they probably used to strip the bones of both sentient and non-sentient prey. Eight small olfactory slits lined their upper lip and two stumpy eye stalks protruded from the sides of their box-shaped heads.
"By the stars," Zeego said in wonder. "And the humans call us ugly."
"Don't get distracted," Dooku warned as activated his red lightsaber. "They may be primitives but that doesn't make them less dangerous if they can manage to swarm you," He added and turned to face a second, larger group of 10 raiders to their left.
"Duly noted," Zeego said as he pointed his blaster at his opponents.
The group halted their advance for a moment as their slow brains looked at the weapon and tried to decide if it was any danger. If they recognized it as such they didn't appear to fear it because they screeched loudly and storm their way towards the smuggler. Zeego didn't waste any more time and fired blue blaster bolts as fast as he could while walking backwards. Four of the bulky humanoids succumbed to their wounds and collapsed but the last two managed to get past his line of fire and jumped at him.
Zeego cried out as he was knocked down, one of the hideous creatures biting down on his light metallic armor and making it crack with its sharp teeth while Zeego tried desperately to keep the last one from biting his face off while preventing it from eating his fingers in the process. But just as his lower armor was nearly shredded, Dooku used the Force to pull the upper cannibal towards himself and proceeded to impale him with his lightsaber. Zeego quickly grabbed his blaster and shot down the last one above his legs.
"Uff, that was close," The neimoidan said as Dooku helped him up. "Good thing I was wearing that piece of armor but now it's ruined," He complained as he removed the useless remains.
"They certainly possess dangerous teeth," Dooku recognized.
Zeego then turned to look at his left and whistled. "That's quite the handiwork you got there, old man," He said impressed as he looked at the 10 corpses of Flesh Raiders with lightsaber-made wounds.
"It's not over yet," Dooku said knowingly.
From their front, a much larger group of about 25 Flesh Raiders appeared; their chubby fingers gripping spiked clubs.
"Cover me," Dooku said as he extinguished his lightsaber. "I have an idea.
"Uh, okay," The Nemoidan said with some level of concern.
Zeego fired at the group. Some fell, some disperse and others were slowed down out of injuries. But they were getting closer. The smuggler swallowed.
"Uh, are you done yet?" Zeego asked nervously as he kept firing at the fast approaching group.
Dooku's eyes snapped open and he pushed his raised palms in the air. Suddenly, the air crackled and Zeego gasped when he actually saw a blurring line as the winds shifted that indicated a mighty telekinetic attack. Moreover, the powerful Force-push was charged with blue Force-lightning and the twin attack of Force energy headed directly to the group.
The Flesh Raiders didn't stand a chance the ones that weren't burned on contact were violently pushed high in the air before hitting the ground and its rocks below.
"Woah! Zeego exclaimed. "Why didn't you do that from the beginning?"
The count looked surprised with his actions for a moment. "Well, I tried to absorb energy from the nearby Force Nexus to amplify my next Force-based attack. I have never managed to combine a Force push with Force-lightning, however, so that's new for me."
"Well it was awesome!" Zeego replied with glee. "This Force thing is actually kinda cool."
Dooku remained silent, offering only a nod of acknowledgement before bringing his lightsaber to bear once more.
"Son of a hutt!" Zeego complained, "More of them? Really?"
The pair watched as a small group of blue humanoids emerged from behind a rockface, their lekku dangling from their heads and the large forehead plate quickly marked them as Twi'leks. One of the younger ones slowly approached Zeego, indistinct chatter coming from the others.
"Is it just me, or is that basic?" Zeego whispered.
"I think so," Dooku replied. "Which is good. I don't speak Rylothean, or Twi'leki. Whatever it's called."
"Was... was that all of them?" The approaching one asked, "Are they gone?"
"Yes, they're gone." Zeego gazed at the others, inspecting they crude array of weapons. From what he could make out, they were a mix of clubs, and mostly ancient vibroblades. "What's your name?
"My name is Cahn. And that is Ubek, and the eldest one is Hanstan," The twi'lek answered.
Dooku fixed his gaze on the eldest, something stood out about him more than the others.
"That one there? In the back? The eldest, he's Force sensitive." Dooku commented.
Zeego's eyes went wide for a second, "Him? Are you sure?"
"His connection is strong, I can sense it."
Zeego made a slight smirk, "We should let Revan know as soon as we can."
"Agreed," Dooku approached the group, "You seem curious about us. Bring us to your village, please. We can talk more there."
Hanstan nodded, "The Matriarch will be interested to hear of this, but only if you promise to explain to us how you used the Force."
Dooku raised a brow, as if curious, "You know of the Force?"
"Yes," Hanstan nodded. "As small as it is, the Matriarchs have passed down knowledge to those of us who were 'gifted'."
"Gifted?" Dooku questioned, "So my thoughts were correct, you are strong in the Force."
Hanstan hesitated, "I'm really not that strong. But my daughter... she is more gifted than I for such things. She can move things with just a thought, influence others. As for myself? I can... I can see things before they happen; react."
Zeego stepped in, "We would very much like to meet her then, if you can take us there."
The twi'leks nodded before moving back into the overgrown foliage that grew just beyond the rockface. Dooku gave Zeego a hesitant look, only to be shrugged off as the smuggler gladly holstered his pistol before following the two. Dooku broke into a light jog to catch up with the others.
After close to nearly two standard hours of slow progress, the group could see the outline of a large wooden structure. From what Zeego could tell, the wall seemed to stretch around the entire village. He glanced near the top, expecting to see guards patrolling the perimeter, yet it was completely barren. A small portion of the wall slowly opened, allowing them to pass through. Zeego kept his gaze focused forward despite the many stares he and Dooku were receiving.
A tall, thin female stepped out of the largest of the homes, Zeego no doubt recognized her as the Matriarch. Hanstan was the first to address her.
"Madame, they have returned," Hanstan gave a slight bow. "The Jedi are here once more."
She smiled nervously, obviously taken aback, "After so long. My mother told me this day might come. Just as her mother told her, and her mother's mother before her. I hoped it wouldn't. I must say, from the stories I've been told I don't hold you in very high regard. You're the reason we were left behind."
"You weren't supposed to be here in the first place," Dooku remarked. "Your ancestors came here illegally. The Jedi offered you transport back to Republic Space, you could've left at any time!" Dooku was certain that it was the truth, but he doubted the Matriarch would believe him. He gave her a gentle nudge through the Force, making his words seem more persuasive to her.
The Matriarch remained silent, "I was never told about that part. Regardless, that doesn't change my opinion of you. There were countless times Kalikori could have used your help!"
Zeego stepped in, "You're right, they should have helped you. I'm not a Jedi, and to be honest I was never really a big fan of them. I was just an honest spacer trying to make a living when I just happened to befriend one. I didn't even know who he was when I first met him, but there was something about him. I trusted him. Help us, and given the chance we'll do the same for you."
Dooku let out a slight chuckle, "How touching. I feel like I'm in a holovid."
Zeego glared at him, "Oh shut up!"
The young leader spoke up, "Very well. I'll help you, but I expect aid in return."
Dooku smiled, "Zeego? You're up."
"Gladly," he activated the holomap display. "We've come to Tython searching for something. My friend here referred to it as a 'Force Nexus'. That large ridge we had just passed? My understanding is that whatever we're looking for is probably large, and just south east of that ridge."
Hanstan came forward with another twi'lek beside him; Zeego quickly figured out it must've been his daughter. She stepped forward.
"I know where that is! Dad? It's the old Jedi Temple!" the girl shouted.
"She's right. We've kept it maintained since they left, in case we ever needed to abandon the Village. It could easily house the nine-thousands of us in the village. I can take you." Hanstan added.
His daughter spoke up, "I'm coming too!"
No, Isael. It's too dangerous!"
"Dad! You just said you kept it in good shape. I'm going."
Hanstan relented, "Alright, fine. Grab your things, Issy. Meet us at the gates."
She nodded triumphantly as she hurried off down one of the dirt paths lined with small huts, giving Zeego a slight smile as she did so. Dooku raised a hand to his chin, and began stroking it as if pondering.
"Jedi Temple, eh? You thinking what I'm thinking?" Zeego asked.
Dooku nodded, "Contact Revan."
AN: And thus ends Chapter 11! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. A bit of a break from what Revan's perspective from a bit, so it was interesting to write. But, Chapter 12 is gonna have quite a bit going on, so I look forward to writing it as we get closer and closer to the end of the first part of the story. Until next time!
-CaptainCakeless117