Chapter 12: "Visiting" Mother and Father
"Damas!" Jak stood up and exclaimed to the Force Ghost. Many emotions were running through the hero's mind. He was excited, stunned, confused, happy, and remorseful all at the same time. He could see and hear his father again, but he was only an intangible apparition. After moments of confused emotions, Jak regained his humility and softly continued, "I mean…Yes…I found him, Father. That little boy that you referred to before? Well, I was that little boy."
"I know, son," Damas replied, "I knew all along."
"Wait, I thought you never knew!" Jak started as he was thrown off guard, "How did you know all this time? When did you realize that I was your son?"
"I came to that realization after your first arena match in Spargus," Damas confirmed to his son. "At first, I knew that you would turn out to be a fine warrior and pass all the tests, until you transformed into your dark eco form. That's how I knew that you were my son. That's how I knew that the prophecy that my monks have shown me many years ago, was coming into fruition."
"What prophecy?" Jak inquired.
So Damas told him, "Years before you were born, my monks in Haven City showed me a vision that they had. They predicted that I would have not one, but two heirs to the throne. Both would gain immense power, but also darkness would dwell within them. One would embrace the darkness and harness it for something good, while the other would become lost within it. I couldn't tell which was which until I saw you in Spargus for the first time. "
"I had a brother?" Jak asked again.
"Yes, a twin brother, whom I sadly saw only once." Damas affirmed with a heartbroken voice. "Unfortunately, that led to his demise. It was the worst mistake I ever made in my life."
"How did you lose him?" Jak asked his father once more.
"We were waging a terrible war with the Metal Heads and the Dark Makers," Damas began, "and I was running out of supplies and defense systems to protect the city. I had taken several bribes and broke many laws to protect the people of Haven City, but this act I was the most disgusted with myself with. You see Jak, the day after you and your brother were born, I made a deal with a gang lord whom I had connections with across the galaxy. He needed slaves on his planet and was offering me a substantial amount of credits, more than enough to purchase more powerful defense systems. He needed two people to serve him, and he reached out to me for an offer. I didn't want to give the both of you up, and I knew that you and your brother were far too young to take over the throne."
"So what did you do?" Jak asked in disgust.
The ghost took a few moments to collect his thoughts and answered, "I sold your mother and your brother to the gang lord that lived far on the other side of the galaxy. It was not an easy trade, as your mother never forgave me for what I had done to our family, and rightfully so. I was able to attain the credits I needed to keep the people of Haven safe, but that was the beginning of my family falling apart. Five years later I lost you, and the rest you know."
Jak was almost beside himself from what he had just heard. He spoke to him in a disgusted tone, "I…I don't even know what to say right now, I-"
"Jak," Damas started calmly to his son, "I'm sorry that I was never that much of a father to you. It was my fault that I never gave myself the chance to keep my family intact. I felt at the time that it was the only way to protect the people. But I was wrong. The only way to save the people of the world was through you. Although it would have never been driven into complete chaos if your brother served alongside of you."
Then Jak remembered of his failure to save Eco, and immediately felt remorse for himself rather than disgust toward his father. He replied to the ghost, "Yeah, I didn't do that much of a good job as the King of Haven City either. Because of me, our home planet is lost, the people are dying, and I'm driven all the way out here-"
"My son," Damas calmly interrupted him. "I couldn't be any more proud of the hero that you have become today. You became everything and more I would want either of my sons to be. You've saved the world many times except for this one, and that's okay. As I have learned, there are necessary casualties that need to be made to save the greater good. Your ambition and your will for strength has brought you here to save an entire universe from a greater evil, and you are slowly but surely turning into one of the greatest and most powerful warriors in the universe, even more powerful than our great Precursors themselves, the Jedi."
"You knew the Jedi?" Jak inquired in wonder.
"I gained a few of their assets and some of their wisdom to protect our planet," Damas declared, "They were helpful, wise, and reasonable beings. They gave me the tools that I needed to protect Haven City and more. Ever since I was a little boy, when my father told me fables of the great Jedi Knights of the Old Republic, I have always dreamed of becoming the first man from Eco and the first man from our lineage to become a Jedi Knight. Not just any Jedi Knight, but the bravest, strongest, and simply the best of them all. Unfortunately my ambitions were not strong enough to warrant me the connections to fulfill that dream, so when I gained the connections necessary to meet them, I was far too old to become one. But now you are here, in the Jedi Temple of Coruscant, my son. You currently stand in the same area where the wisest and most powerful Jedi Knights on the Jedi Council would congregate and discuss methods to save the galaxy from any opposing harm. You have taken it upon yourself to attempt an endeavor that I was not strong enough to embark on. I am beyond thrilled with joy that you are embarking on the greatest endeavor a warrior could take on, and I KNOW you will meet the expectations necessary to save this universe from the brink of destruction."
"Thanks, Father," Jak said to him in confidence. He was feeling better about his destiny already. But one question remained still; "I know one half of the equation, but I don't know the other half. Who was my mother?"
"Her name was Shmi," Damas answered him. "and I sold her to a slave owner in a planet called Tatooine. She was the most beautiful woman I ever saw in the whole world, and yet she was different. She was down-to-earth, wise, and caring for others. She was willing to set herself apart from all the other women in the world, and that is why I chose her to become my queen. Letting her go was a foolish mistake, and it broke my heart when I did. So take my advice: the woman that you have now, you never let her go under any circumstances. You keep her by your side, day and night, by whatever means. You will not commit the grave mistake I made. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Father." Jak affirmed.
"Good," Damas began to finish with his son, "Now since I am not a Jedi, I cannot help you with your quest to become one. This is YOUR destiny to fulfill. However, just know that I will ALWAYS be by your side no matter what, until the very end."
"Wait!" Jak cried out to his father's ghost as it began to vanish, "I have so much more I need to know! I have so many questions that I need to ask! Father! Wait!"
"All will be revealed soon!" Damas cried back to his son as his voice began to fade "Search for the answers within you, Mar! You will soon know of the truth! YOU WILL FUFILL YOUR DESTINY!" When Damas vanished into deep space, Jak saw another spirit come before him in thin air. This spirit was more slender than Damas, and he was adorned in several layers of robes. He had a beard, long, dark hair, a short ponytail, and dark, gleaming eyes that stared deep within Jak's soul.
"Now who the hell are you!?" Jak called out to the spirit in agitation.
The spirit replied, "Don't fret my angry young friend. I am someone completely un-related to you, but know of the whereabouts of your family. I am a former Jedi Master that just so happened to cross with your twin brother's path. My name is Master Qui-Gon Jinn."
"Qui-Gon," Jak began to the spirit, "What the hell is going on right now? I feel so confused. Apparently I have a twin brother that I never even knew about, I just figured out who my mother was, I'm not even sure if they're alive, I have friends and a wife still scrounging around this God-forsaken temple, and on top of all that, I have to save an entire universe from this…Empire!"
"It may be overwhelming now," the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn softly assured the young Jedi, "but all of the questions that you ask yourself will be revealed to you in your journey, and your destiny will have that much more clarity. I promise."
"This 'Force Stuff' keeps getting weirder and weirder every day," Jak began to complain. Then he demanded, "Just give it to me straight!"
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that," Qui-Gon denied him. Jak grimaced in disapproval in response, but the spirit continued, "The mark of a true Jedi is one that seeks out the answers within himself, by himself, for himself. In order to attain the answers in which you seek, you must know your purpose. So I ask you, Jak Mikwa, why do you WANT to become a Jedi?"
This question confused Jak. In all of the adventures that he went on he had no idea what his purpose in life was. He knew he was a hero that was admired by millions, and he knew that he was from the legendary lineage of Mar, but he never quite figured out why he was given all the abilities that he has, and he was most confused as to why he was pursuing to become a Jedi Knight.
Jak sat down, pondered for a few moments, and guessed, "Because…Samos told me to?"
Qui-Gon shook his head in dissatisfaction. He was looking for something more out of Jak. He denied his answer, "That statement is far too insufficient for your purpose. Try again."
Jak thought even harder for an answer. He dug deeper into his mind into his mind to formulate the correct statement. He guessed again, "To get the Empire back for what they have done to my planet and to my people."
Qui-Gon then slowly nodded in some satisfaction, but was still puzzled by Jak's statement. "You're on the right track, young one," he started, "but your answer lacks a few important components. Try harder, dig deeper, and concentrate on your feelings. Look into your heart, and convey to me what it tells you."
Jak searched within himself longer, harder, and deeper than the other two attempts. He closed his eyes, and heard a collection of voices within his head. They were all incoherent, but they were all familiar to him. The voices of Daxter, Keira, Samos, Torn, Ashelin, Sig, and his father simultaneously spoke to him. These voices came from the people that counted on him most from day one on forward, and they were all collectively trying to motivate Jak to do the impossible, to save the world, and this time, the galaxy.
Jak concluded, "Because the Force calls upon me to become one. The Force calls upon me to become a Jedi in order to save the billions of people and beings that live on this galaxy. The Force calls upon me to save the galaxy from the Empire on behalf of my friends, my family, my legacy, and especially…Keira. So, I was meant to leave Eco in bombardment all along! The only way for me to save the galaxy for others is to sacrifice the comfort zone that I have lived in all of my life, and to go beyond my own bounds to do the impossible! Not just for me, but for everyone that came before me, and will come after me!"
"There, you have your answer," the spirit affirmed to him, "You have discovered your true purpose in life. When your father told me of the darkness that dwells within you, I immediately became worried that the same darkness might consume you and force you to fall into the Dark Side. However, with the answer that you gave me, there is hope for you, Young Jak. Your eco abilities make you far more unique than any other Jedi that I have seen, but it will not be enough to stand against the Empire. You still have tendencies to be brash, arrogant, and easily tempered, as these tendencies could lead you to suffering. However, you just took the first step towards righteousness, and that gives this galaxy a glimmer of hope, which is all it needs."
"So, why are you here for me?" Jak asked the spirit.
Qui-Gon Jinn answered, "Because the Force calls upon me to aid you in spiritual guidance. You need me, Jak. You need a conscience to keep you away from the temptations that can lead you into darkness forever. You have been struggling with nightmares triggered by fear, and fear is a path that leads to the Dark Side. Neither you, or your loved ones, or even this galaxy can afford that to happen. You have proven time and again that you are brave, heroic, and powerful, but we must hone your humility to help you attain a greater power than you can possibly imagine. But you must realize that with great power comes with great responsibility, all controlled by great wisdom. Can you do that, Jak?"
"Yes, Master," Jak answered to the ghost as he stood up. He looked into Qui-Gon's eyes with confidence and told him, "the check is in the mail!"
"Exciting," Qui-Gon spoke with satisfaction and relief, "You are bold indeed, and I am most eager to guide you on your epic journey."
Then, the spirit told him of his next task, "But before I can guide you, you must go to the planet of Tatooine to discover the fate of your mother and your twin brother. I cannot tell you everything, as you must discover it for yourself. However, once you do, I will give you enough clues to help you discover more of where you came from, as it is an essential part of your destiny. Now go, and may the Force be with you."
"May the force be with you as well, my master." Jak said as the spirit vanished away from his sight, and the setting changed back to normal when he came. Then he felt a series of calming endorphins flowing coolly through his veins, which eased his mind. He contemplated to himself, 'The Force, it calmed the eco inside of me. Both dark and light eco have become less insurgent and more passive. It's like it's flowing in my blood, but not boiling. I've never felt this feeling before. I feel a lot better!" He walked towards the exit of the room, and descended down the elevator to rejoin his comrades.
Meanwhile, Keira, Tess, and Ahsoka descended to the underground temple so that Keira could meditate in peace. The room that they were in was three times larger than the small room at the top of the tower that Jak was in, but it was also substantially darker, as the walls and floors were painted in deep shades of black, only illuminated by faint blue lights.
"I've got a weird vibe about this place," Keira shook as she walked in an uneasy pace.
"It's only natural," Ahsoka soothed to her new comerade, "just empty your mind of any distractions that you have, and soon the answer that you seek for will be revealed."
Keira reluctantly walked to the center of the room as Tess scurried off of her shoulder. She sat on the floor and closed her eyes slowly. She struggled to concentrate as many thoughts ran through her head. She twitched her head as if she was in a nightmare. She then stood up and turned to Ahsoka, "I can't do it! There's too much fear inside of me. I can't concentrate!"
"Fear of what?" Ahsoka inquired.
"Loss." Keira replied with a dejected tone.
"Loss of what?" Ahsoka continued, "People that are close to you?"
"Yes," Keira began to admit to her, "especially Jak. I need him more than anything in the universe. And then there's my father, who got us into becoming Jedi. He's in a separate group and fighting this war on his own as well. I'm not sure how much longer he can hold out."
Then, Ahsoka suggested to her, "Well instead of dwelling on the fear of losing those that are closest to you, why don't you think of your happiest moments with them?"
Without reply, Keira sat down and closed her eyes again. She pictured in her mind all of the best moments that she shared with Jak, even the moments that led to Daxter rudely interrupting their kisses. Her finest and most cherished moment with Jak was the two of them bonding together on their wedding day. She pictured the wedding ceremony itself, the joy that everyone shared during the reception, and then the love that the two shared with each other at the end of the night. Yet when she opened her eyes, she felt dissatisfied. She knew that she came here for something else.
"You're missing something," Ahsoka deducted. "You think of your happiest thoughts, and yet you feel empty inside. Didn't your mother ever tell you never to take the best things in life for granted?"
"I never knew my mother," Keira softly replied.
Then, Ahsoka came to a conclusion, "That's it! You've lived your whole life without a mother to guide you! Here's an idea: Try picturing you mother, what she would look like, what she would sound like, what she would be like, everything. Then, she will appear in front of you to give you everything you ask for! Your mother is out there somewhere, Keira; you just never came to her for help. Now is the time."
"Hmm," Keira contemplated to herself deeply, and continued, "You're right. I never really got the chance to reach out to her. I was hoping my new eco powers would help me out with that, but I guess there's no excuse now." Then she closed her eyes and concentrated in deep thought. Moments later, the scenery changed into bright blue skies with fluffy white clouds surrounding her. She opened her eyes and stood up frantically. She looked around in all directions until she saw a golden sun straight ahead of her. From that golden sun came out an older woman. She looked very similar to Keira, but significantly older. Surrounding the wrinkles on her face and her bony arms she had the same dark-teal hair but different length, had the same green eyes, and fair skin. She was adorned with a long white dress with large angel's wings spread out wide as she was gliding towards Keira.
Keira was stunned and in awe. She had finally caught a glimpse of her mother for the first time. Tears began to stream down her face. She was excited that she saw her mother for the first time at this moment, but also gravely disappointed and saddened that she never got to see her in flesh and bone. Like Damas, Keira's mother would forever be and apparition lost in the modern universe. Keira began to sob in sadness as she collapsed onto the cloudy floor.
"Do not cry, my daughter," the angel spoke softly to her, slightly grabbing her chin as she looked up to her. Her daughter's tears soon subsided, and their emerald-green eyes stared deeply at each other. The angel continued, "I am your mother, Rhiannon. It is such a thrill to meet you for the first time."
"But you're not here!" Keira yelled as she stood up and backed away. "You're not in flesh and blood! This can't be real! You can't be my mother!"
"Oh, but I am, my child," the angel softly replied, "and this is real. I have always been with you as you have grown up to be an intelligent, powerful, wise, and beautiful young woman, with many talents in mechanics, eco, and now the Force."
"You've been with me all 22 years of my life?" Keira scoffed in disbelief. "Impossible."
"I am part of the living Force just as you and your father are," Rhiannon continued, "I am one of the many beings that allows eco to flow all over the universe."
"So why do you come to me now?" Keira asked the spirit, "Why didn't you come to me in my nightmares when I was a little girl? Why didn't you come to me in any of my moments when I was one bullet wound shy of death? Why didn't you come to me when my heart was broken, or when I was confused? Daddy always told me that angels are supposed to come to people during the best of times and the worst of times! Why didn't you!?"
The angel let out a dejected sigh and told her, "Because I was supposed to be that angel. I didn't want to come help any one else but you, and I can only reach out to Jedi in need. I have waited so long to urge your father to convince him to train you in the ways of the Force, techniques that I have taught him. And now that you are willing to embrace yourself with the Force, I have come to you as not only your mother, but as a spiritual conscience that will guide you through your journey."
"It was only until recently that my father told me that he was a Jedi Knight once," Keira told the ghost. Then she asked her, "Why did he wait so long to tell me about this?"
"Because your father was embarrassed and ashamed of the legacy he left behind in the Jedi Order." Rhiannon gravely replied, "You see, the Jedi Council was desperate, they were looking for new warriors in unknown areas of the universe to fight an unknown evil. They found a young Samos at the time, and he was urged by his father to go forth and become a Jedi, in hope that he would find the Precursors and unlock their secrets. Instead, he found me. He was a bold warrior that was brash, colorful, strong, witty, and full of life. When he was old enough, he became my Padawan learner. I was a young Jedi at the time, but I had a strong connection with the Force and I was willing to show him all of my secrets. He was a very happy man at the time. Master Yoda sent us on a few missions, and we worked very well together. We served together for a very long time, oddly with him eventually becoming the oldest Padawan in Jedi history."
"Why so long?" Keira asked.
"I wish I had the answer for you, my child," the angel replied, "He grew impatient and tempered as to why they procrastinated to promote him. So I urged the Jedi Council to grant him knighthood for many years, but they refused because they had plenty of knights. We ended up falling in love, but we knew that it was forbidden in the Jedi Code to fall in love with a colleague that served in the Republic. Nevertheless, we were young and reckless, and the romance continued. Finally, the council listened to me and decided to promote him as a Jedi Knight. But all of his dreams would soon be crushed, by me."
"How?" Keira asked again.
The angel continued, "Just before he was to be granted Knighthood, I conceived you in my womb. One of the Senators of the Republic soon discovered this, and bought it to the attention of everyone: the Council, the courts, and the Senate. Your father and I knew that we were both bound to be executed for breaking the law, so the day before the verdict was given, I called upon the Force to give up the life that I had so that you could live the life that you are living in now. It was a necessary sacrifice for me, as it paid off well. Originally, the Republic wanted to execute you and your father, but they had second thoughts. So they banished you and your father through time, and sent you two deep into the past, hoping that you two would never come back. Your father felt so disappointed and dejected that he let everyone down, and that he lost me in the process, he gave up his Jedi abilities and trained tirelessly to become a Green Eco Sage. Alas, he grew weaker, and more ornery."
"Being a Jedi made him happy," Keira realized. "He was at his prime when he served as a Jedi. All of his happiest memories came with that experience, and I took it away from him!" She collapsed to the ground and sobbed again.
With her soothing, angelic voice, Rhiannon assured her daughter, "Keira, if your father was disappointed in you for taking away his prime, he wouldn't have raised you the way that you are today. In fact, it led him to an even greater destiny."
"Which was…"Keira prodded as she looked up to her mother, cracking a smile.
Then the angel concluded, "He was called upon the Force one last time to search for a very special hero. Someone with unique eco channeling abilities, and one who could be capable enough to learn the ways of the Force in time to save the universe from its greatest hardship yet. Four years after you were born, he travelled into the future, a few years after his original timeframe, and brought back with him, a young boy."
"Jak!" She exclaimed as she put the pieces of the puzzle together. Then she concluded, "So that's why you're here! You're here to tell me that my destiny is to finish what my father started, by continuing his legacy, and that's helping Jak destroy the Empire!"
"Your instincts serve you well, my daughter," the spirit complimented her offspring, and then commanded her, "you must finish what your father had started. You must face his most formidable enemies and his darkest demons head-on. You are the beacon of light that gives this universe hope, my little girl. Use that light to guide Jak to his destiny, to fulfill yours, and to give your father his happiness again. I can't give it to him myself, but if you do, you and Jak will receive the greatest gift that anyone can have. A gift that is more powerful than both dark and light eco."
"What's the gift?" Keira shouted with eagerness.
"It is developing now," the angel told her, "but in due time you shall see how powerful it is. Just save the galaxy first, my daughter. And may the Force be with you."
Then Keira bowed humbly and replied, "May the Force be with you as well, my mother."
The angel smiled to her daughter as she turned around and floated toward the setting sun. She quickly faced Keira again as she was departing and told her, "Oh, and one more thing; you don't need dark or light powers to show your strength. You don't need them like Jak does. You are already special in every way possible. You are everything I imagined you to be and I couldn't be more proud of you and your father. Just know that from here on out, I will always be with you." Then as the sun finished setting, she vanished, and the bright blue sky dimmed into the dark setting that Keira was in originally, and the clouds evaporated from underneath her. Keira smiled up to the ceiling and let one last tear slowly roll down her face.
"I feel a lot more better about myself than ever before," Keira claimed to Ahsoka and Tess with relief and joyful enlightenment. "For the first time, I know what to do with my life. I know what my calling is!"
"Sounds like you have a plan," Ahsoka confirmed, "now its time to put it into action!"
"Well what are we waiting for?" Keira began to urge her two comrades, "let's go meet up with the boys and figure out how we can overthrow this big bad Empire once and for all. There's no time like the present!" Then the three walked out of the room and ascended up the elevator. The three girls walked towards the center of the Jedi Archives, simultaneously linking up with Jak and the rest of the boys, who walked toward them.
