Previously: The masters discuss Jaran's progress and argue about Jaran's training. Jaran reflects on a conversation with Bastila, where she points out that anything he does can affect her through the bond. Jaran spars with Juhani, convincing her to return to the enclave and let go of her darkness. Jaran and Bastila experience a sudden deepening of their bond. They clear out the kinrath cave, where Jaran collects some crystals.
Chapter 13 – Along the Path to Darkness
If Jaran had expected some reaction to his return to the enclave, the almost reverential and welcome was not it. For a man who had been something akin to a loner for most of his adult life—due in part to the nature of his role in the Republic military, not to mention the fact that he had not wanted to spend any time with the lowlifes which were rife in the smuggling world—this look of awed approval and deferential welcome was not something with which he had a lot of experience.
Word of his actions in the grove must have travelled ahead of him—no doubt related by a reformed and grateful Juhani—and the word that he had affected the return of one of their own had already made its way like wildfire through the denizens of the academy. More than once, Jedi of all ranks had stopped to shake his hand and thank him, and those who did not approach watched him with approval. It was a stark contrast to the barely concealed suspicion and passive hostility which had previously been directed toward him since his arrival on Dantooine.
"You have saved one of their own," was Bastila's simple reply. Though he had not voiced a question, she must have understood, either through the Force, or through her own observation, how perplexed he was by the change in everyone around him.
"But what I did was not something overly heroic or noble," Jaran protested. "The masters themselves may have brought about Juhani's reformation if they had taken the time to do so. Or if they hadn't decided that the situation was perfect to test me…"
Though perhaps he would have expected Bastila to protest against the oblique swipe he had directed at the masters, she ignored it instead. "Perhaps you are correct. But you must remember that you still did perform admirably in your test, where many may have been tempted to simply kill her as a lost cause. Your wisdom and instinctive desire to hold to the light are very impressive."
When Jaran simply mumbled a response—half protestation, and half embarrassment at her praise—Bastila stopped and turned to him. Her expression was serious, but also betrayed a fondness he had never before seen in her countenance. "Jaran, I would urge you not to dismiss this. You must understand that for any Jedi, the lure and temptation of the dark side is an ever-present danger, and one which we all wary of. Juhani had not gone far down that path, I suspect, but you, with your passion and implacable will, saved her from herself, when it would have been easier simply to kill her out of hand. With your prowess, I suspect you could have done it without too much trouble. And yet, you thought through the situation, realized there was more to it than a simple Sith infestation, and listened to her story and the promptings of the Force. The return of any prodigal is to be celebrated, and you should allow your deed to be recognized in the manner in which it should be."
"You should listen to her, Jaran," another voice interrupted their conversation.
Turning, Jaran noticed Belaya standing, observing their conversation with a slight smile on her face. "Bastila only speaks the truth. What you did for Juhani is worthy of great praise, and though you should not bask in your own prowess or goodness, I do not think the masters would think it amiss if you were to allow yourself to take some pleasure in helping to save another."
She stopped for a moment, clearly trying to find a way to express herself. "Juhani and I have always been very close friends," she continued at length. "We were apprentices together and when we were old enough to be chosen by masters, we were apprenticed to masters who often worked together. I consider her a very dear friend and I was almost out of my mind with worry over her state the past few days. I thank you, Jaran, for helping her and returning her to us. It is no small thing to save one from the darkness."
"I am glad I was an acceptable vessel of the Force," said Jaran with a slight bow, realizing that these strong women would not be gainsaid. "I have merely attempted to uphold the tenets of goodness and light. Juhani is a worthy warrior and a good soul, and I am glad I was able to be of some service to her."
Belaya stepped forward and, stretching up, kissed his cheek gently. "You are a good man, Jaran Kalind," she said as she favored him with a smile. "I am glad you have come to us.
"Now," she continued, a little more businesslike, "I believe the council wishes to speak with you. You should make your way to them as soon as you can."
Nodding a little bemusedly in response, Jaran exchanged a look with Bastila, before they bid goodbye to Belaya and continued deeper into the enclave. Clearly this was another facet of Jedi life that perhaps he had not considered before. These were people who had all left their families at a very young age and had given their entire lives over to the service of justice and peace. They were all one tightly knit family of sorts, though they were many and scattered throughout the galaxy, and the loss of one was felt by them all. Jaran could not imagine what they must have felt when Revan and Malak led so many away from the order those years before. It must have left a gaping wound in the collective spirit of the entire Jedi Order.
Outside the entrance to the council chambers, they met Juhani exiting from the presence of the masters. Her eyes lit up at the sight of him and she greeted him with a nod—Cathar were not known for their tactile displays of affection, and he would not have expected a greeting such as that with which Belaya had favored him.
"Jaran Kalind," she said. "I once again extend my thanks for your assistance in helping me see the error of my ways."
"You are very welcome," replied Jaran, remembering Bastila's words from only a short time earlier. "But please give yourself some credit, Juhani: I helped you to see the reason you should return, but it was your own character and fortitude which provided you the means for your own redemption."
"I am grateful for that push," stated the Cathar.
"So, was I correct? Have the masters welcomed you back?"
Juhani ducked her head, a gesture which Jaran knew would have been accompanied by a blush had she been human. "They have. In fact, my former master Quatra has been reprimanded by the council for her methods. She had thought to teach me the dangers of the dark side by provoking me to such a reaction, a stratagem the council deemed excessive. Regardless, I believe I have now learned my lesson."
"That's the important thing," Jaran agreed.
"I admit," the Cathar continued, "that I have also learned the lesson of excessive pride. To think that I thought could have killed my own master with my clumsy flailing! I did injure her, it is true, but not as grievously as I had thought. She has already left the enclave to return to Coruscant and another apprentice."
"To refer to your skills as 'clumsy flailing' is harsh. You are very skilled, Juhani, and I expect you will become a very powerful Jedi."
Juhani nodded her thanks.
"You said 'former master,'" Jaran continued. "Have you been reassigned?"
"I have not," Juhani responded. "I have been allowed to take a little time for myself to once again find my balance in the Force. For the time being, I have not been assigned any duties, though I hope to once again become a productive member of the academy."
"Good for you. I know you will be successful."
A few more moments of speaking, the Padawan excused herself and retreated. Jaran and Bastila shared a look before they entered the council chambers and approached the four members of the Dantooine council. Vandar and Zhar wore matching expressions of welcome and pride, while Dorak, while always more guarded in his expressions, still looked on Jaran with some warmth. Even the irascible Vrook had a look of grudging respect and approval on his face.
"Welcome, Padawan," Zhar stated with his customary friendliness, once Bastila and Jaran stood in front of the council. "Juhani has returned to us and has explained what happened between you. You have passed this final test with your customary flair and competence, and I am very glad to welcome you officially to the Jedi Order."
Jaran thanked him in an understated manner, wary of Master Vrook's admonitions against pride and hubris, and gave his report in a succinct manner. The council was obviously as pleased as was the rest of the enclave, allowing Jaran to feel a sense of accomplishment—he was finally beginning to feel like he fit in.
After their discussion had wound down, and he had been officially welcomed by the rest of the council into the order, talk once again became a little more serious—it was clear to all that much work still had to be done. The road to becoming a Padawan was the simple part of this endeavor; what was to follow would be immeasurably harder.
"Though we would perhaps wish to allow you a few days to assimilate all which as occurred, I believe the time does not exist for such reflection," said Vandar, beginning the inevitable conversation. "Your training is now complete, and the needs of the galaxy must now intrude."
"I understand, Master," Jaran responded. "Reflection can wait until there is time. Unfortunately, Malak is not so gracious as to allow for such indulgences."
Slight smiles met his flippant statement, though Vrook's face remained impassive.
"No, he does not," said Zhar, "which is why we must turn to the matter of this vision which you shared with Bastila. I believe that through your explorations of the area that you have encountered the ruins in which you saw Revan and Malak?"
The ruins in question were no more than a fifteen minute hike from the entrance to the enclave. Jaran had found them within days of taking up residence with the Jedi during one of his early morning runs. Though he had been curious he had not approached; the feeling he had had as he had entered the vicinity had been oddly disconcerting—after the fact, he realized that it was similar in nature to what he had felt upon arriving at Juhani's corrupted grove, though certainly not as strong. The ruins had felt ancient and dark, not to mention alien—a result of some ancient evil the likes of which he had never before encountered.
Once he indicated that he had indeed seen them, Dorak continued. "There are a series of ancient structures on Dantooine, and I believe the one in your dream was the one very close to this enclave. It has been sealed by ancient Jedi for some reason which is not recorded. We had not thought much of these mounds, other than that they appeared to have been simple burial mounds of ancient Sith, or some other such evil. Perhaps we should have paid more attention to them."
"The value of hindsight, my friend," Vandar interjected. He turned back to Jaran and Bastila. "Clearly, Revan and Malak visited these structures some time in the past. Whether they had already fallen at that time is uncertain, but the things they said and the way they acted in your dream suggests that they had already begun to walk down the dark path. Whether this led to their ultimate corruption we cannot say, but the mounds must be explored."
"That is your first task, Padawan," said Zhar. "Take Bastila with you, as the link between you can only be of great assistance in your endeavor. Once you have investigated, return and report your findings to the council."
"I understand, Masters," said Jaran. Thinking for several moments, he turned to Bastila with a raised eyebrow. "Tomorrow morning?"
Bastila indicated her assent, and Jaran turned back to the council. "We will finish our preparations this evening, and go to the ruins at first light."
Though he did not refer to the fact that he wished to complete the final stages of the construction of his second lightsaber—he did not wish to needlessly antagonize them, after all—the meaning of his statement was clear to all.
"Very well, Padawan," Zhar stated, neatly cutting off what appeared to be a biting comment from Vrook. "Tomorrow is sufficient, but you must not delay any longer. Time is short."
"And may the Force be with you," Vandar stated in a soft tone of voice.
For the rest of that day, Jaran kept mostly to himself. He had, after all, a lightsaber to finish building, and his mood was not precisely conducive to spending a great deal of time with others. This seemed to suit Bastila quite well as, after a quick conversation following their meeting with the masters, his female companion bid him farewell and left to spend some solitary time in her quarters, largely, he suspected, to meditate upon what had happened that morning. And as Zaalbar and Mission were still up to who knows what, and he had not seen Canderous or Carth much in the past weeks, there was no one else with whom he would be required to spend any time.
First, he replaced the crystal in his first lightsaber with one which he had found in the kinrath den. It was a little darker in color than the other—a deep cobalt—and though he could not explain it, he felt that the color was somehow more appropriate. Then he busied himself with the completion of the other weapon, with another crystal he had found in the cave, a light cyan color.
Working on his lightsaber was incredibly soothing to the newly acknowledged Padawan, and sitting at the work bench for the rest of the afternoon, as a consequence, had the effect of calming him, and allowing him to center himself. It had always been thus, he reflected—working with his hands was something he found satisfying, and it had always been something at which he possessed a certain amount of skill.
The work on his lightsaber in particular, while intricate and requiring some attention to detail, was familiar to him, and allowed his mind to wander to a certain extent. While simply sitting and thinking about the past weeks, and his thoughts, fears, and worries would have left him unbalanced and fretful, allowing his mind to flit over the issues in his life while concentrating on what he was doing, helped him to be somewhat more detached and calm about it all. It was very much a balm to his troubled state of mind.
The primary thought in his mind, of course, had to do with the investigation of the ruins scheduled for the following morning. He was not afraid. Rather he was concerned for just what Revan and Malak had found there, and consequently, where it would lead them. The site was disquieting of course; the faint miasma of the dark side lingering over it unsettled him. He knew the reason for this—his discussion with Bastila earlier that morning. The thought that something he did could affect her negatively had not been far from his mind since she had brought the issue to his mind, and had had the effect of sobering him rather thoroughly.
And then, of course, the other thoughts which came to his mind were concerning the other event which had passed between them outside the kinrath cave. Unless Jaran missed his guess, he suspected the bond had in that instant deepened rather significantly. And in this matter, Jaran felt himself completely out of his depth—he had never experienced something quite like it, and it worried him. The experience had been so profound, and the bond was tying them so tightly together, he was beginning to wonder if he would ever be free of her.
Even more than that, a small part of him wondered if he truly wanted to be free of her…
That fact was possibly the most contradictory, being both shocking in how quickly it had come about and—surprisingly—almost welcome. His feelings had certainly come a long way from disdainful and disgusted with her hauteur, to being protective of her, and affectionate toward her. He now actually looked forward to spending time with her; he could never have dreamed of crossing that gap so quickly.
By the end of the afternoon, Jaran had accomplished several things. The first was his lightsaber—its construction was completed and a quick test in the training room proved that its construction had been a success. Standing in his quarters after he had returned, Jaran compared the two, noting how they were very similar in design, though the second had a slightly shorter handle, and a beam which could be made even shorter as was preferred for a second weapon. It was still a deadly weapon, however, as deadly as the first, and as soon as he had activated it, he had felt the same sort of affinity for it as he possessed for his first. These were truly two weapons with which he felt he could almost take on the entire galaxy.
The second accomplishment was more for his peace of mind—the whole situation with Bastila. Knowing that there was truly nothing he could do immediately, he had decided with some thought that he would simply have to do as the masters had commanded—be watchful for any tendency toward the dark side, strive to remember to follow the light, and behave in a manner which befitted a Jedi at all times. Yes he had become jaded during his time as a soldier and smuggler, but even with his somewhat cynical outlook, he had always tried to maintain his connection to his better side, and fight the temptation to indulge in anything unsavory. He would simply need to ensure that he continued to do so, for his companion's sake if not for his own.
That evening he saw Bastila again in the common dining room the residents of the enclave gathered to eat. She appeared to have spent her time wisely as she was every bit the serene and confident Jedi she had ever been. And though he knew that things had once again changed between them, they had had no difficulty in spending the evening in one another's companion with equanimity and comfort. It was almost as though the trials of the morning did not even exist, though Jaran knew they would have to face them at the proper time.
"This appears to be it," Bastila commented.
Jaran could only nod; the location—and the feelings it engendered—were much as he remembered them. They stood in front of an ancient metal door, which stood closed and barred before them. The door was set into the side of a low, oval hill, which gave the impression of a burial mound, much as the masters had said. The sides of the mound sloped up gently to come to a crest about twenty meters high, and it was covered with many millennia of dirt and dust. The mound was overgrown with long slender weeds, gently undulating in the Dantooine wind. Or perhaps it was indeed a burial mound of some sort, and the inner chamber was simply tunneled into the side of the hill.
Privately he doubted that. Not only would whatever the mound contained not have survived several hundreds—or more—of years it had lain here dormant, but the mound in general was much too smooth and symmetrical to have occurred naturally.
"Do you plan to stand and stare at the door longer, or shall we enter?" Bastila asked, a cheekiness Jaran had rarely heard before evident in her voice.
Flashing her a quick grin—and secretly pleased that she was learning to tease a little on her own—Jaran motioned her to lead the way. Several centuries earlier when the enclave had first been established, the Jedi of the time, thinking that the mounds were Sith burial sites, and not wishing their apprentices to find anything which had best be left undisturbed, had sealed the entrances up and forgotten about them. The keys, however, had been left to succeeding generations of Jedi to protect. One of the knights in the enclave had been sent a number of days earlier to investigate the mounds, but he had never returned. It was clear that the knight had been there, as the Jedi protections were down, and the way to enter was clear. How Revan and Malak had managed to enter was not certain, but they must have circumvented them in some fashion. Either that or they found some other hidden entrance.
Bastila stepped forward and depressed a switch on the door. A crack formed horizontally in its center and the two halves slid apart, revealing a dim hallway, perhaps some fifty meters long, which ended at the far side of the hallway with another door, much like the one they had just opened. As Jaran had suspected, the interior was fashioned from massive flagstones expertly and seamlessly fitted, and sealed with some agent Jaran had never before seen. And though he would have expected the interior to be dusty and filthy, it appeared as though it was largely clean and free of dirt.
Stepping in through the door, Jaran made his way past down the hallway toward the other door. "Cheerful sort of place, isn't it?" he commented.
"Positively delightful," was Bastila's dry reply.
At the end of the hallway, Jaran checked his lightsabers, making certain they were close to hand—noting offhandedly that Bastila had done the same with her saber staff—before once again touching the control to open the door.
The next room beyond the door was much smaller than the corridor through which they had just traversed. It was square in shape, with doors set in each of the other three walls, constructed of the same materials which had characterized the outer corridor. In the center of this room, however, stood an ancient droid of a design Jaran had never before seen. It had four legs which jutted up from near the bottom of its cylindrical body, up to a joint, and then down to the floor, narrowing to a point where they touched the floor. The bottom section of the body rotated and whirred as it turned, while the upper portion was stationary. At the top was a cone-shaped appendage which Jaran took for the head, with a single glowing yellow eye which jutted out from its neck. The droid immediately turned and focused its eye on them as soon as the door opened.
"It doesn't look like it's armed," Jaran noted to his companion.
"Only one way to find out, isn't there?"
Bastila stepped into the room cautiously, eyeing the droid as it stared impassively back at them. It still made no move to challenge them or speak until they had approached to within ten meters of its position, when it began to speak at them. Unfortunately, whether it was just making noise, or was speaking in a language which they could not understand, he could not make out.
"I'm sorry, we don't understand," said Jaran, prompting the droid to switch up the sounds it was making. Jaran still could not understand what it was saying, but it appeared certain now that it was making an attempt to communicate.
"It seems to be cycling through a variety of languages."
"I'd guess so. But unfortunately, I haven't heard anything that I recognize yet."
"Do you think it can understand us?"
"It's possible," was Bastila's response. "But it may not be programmed to speak in galactic basic."
"Which means we may not be able to understand it at all."
The droid changed then to a guttural, hissing sound, much like the sound of two large rocks colliding against one another under water. "I can reproduce any of the languages spoken by the slaves of the builders."
"I understood that!" Jaran exclaimed.
"I recognize the language as well, though I didn't catch all of what it said," Bastila confirmed. "It's an archaic dialect of the Selkath language spoken on Manaan, isn't it?"
"Yes it is," Jaran agreed. "I'm not sure I understand why a droid on Dantooine would be programmed to speak ancient Selkath."
"Well, you're the linguist here—speak with it," Bastila declared with a smug grin.
Jaran smiled at her, but the droid was already responding to his rhetorical question. "It was necessary that I was able to communicate with the slave species who constructed this temple as directed by the Builders. You are not of the slave species, nor are you of the Builders. You are like the one who came before."
"Revan?" Bastila queried with an upraised eyebrow.
"That would be my guess," Jaran agreed absentmindedly. "They must have encountered this droid when they explored these ruins."
Turning his attention back to the droid, Jaran thought for a few moments before deciding how he would approach the droid. Thus far it had not turned hostile, but he knew he had to remain on his guard.
"Why are you here?"
"I am the Overseer," the droid responded. "I was programmed to oversee the construction of this site, and enforce discipline among the slaves. This is a monument to the power of the Star Forge. At project completion, all slaves were executed. I was then reprogrammed to serve should a Builder return in search of knowledge of the Star Forge."
"Which would appear to be one of the reasons why there is no record of what this site truly is," Bastila said with a measure of frosty disapproval. "These Builders do not appear to be have been especially benevolent in nature."
Jaran could only agree. "How long have you been here?" he asked, eschewing the obvious question for the moment.
"My chronological circuits have marked over ten full revolutions of this system's outermost planet around the sun since the Builders left."
Bastila gasped. "Jaran, the outermost planet's revolution cycle takes over two thousand years. That's more than 20,000 years!"
"Not to mention predating the Republic by more than 5,000 years," Jaran replied. "Are you certain your circuits are working correctly?"
"There is no mistake. The Builders constructed my chronological circuitry using the technology of the Star Forge itself. My calculations are infallible."
"Then who are the Builders?"
"The Builders are the great masters of the galaxy, the conquerors of all worlds, the rulers of the infinite empire and the creators of the Star Forge."
"They must be extinct," said Bastila. "There certainly isn't any record of any 'infinite empire' or a race which enslaved the entire galaxy in the archives. It's strange that there is no mention of their existence."
Thinking about what they had just discussed, Jaran wondered where these Builders could have come from. Or could they possibly have been one of the sentient species which still inhabited the galaxy?
"The Hutts were dominant before the formation of the Republic. Could they have been the Builders?
"They never built an empire," Bastila disagreed.
"That we know of," countered Jaran. "If somehow the existence of this empire has been hidden or lost to history, it's possible that the Builders are one of the known sentient species in the galaxy."
"Perhaps," conceded Bastila. "I hardly think so, though—the Hutts are vile and evil slugs, but they've never been numerous or powerful enough to dominate the galaxy."
"What of the Selkath?" Jaran asked. "The droid speaks Selkath—perhaps they were the Builders."
The droid, which had obviously been listening to their conversation, interjected at that point. "The Selkath were nothing but slaves and servants of the true masters. Like all the other species, they bowed down before the might of the Builders and the Star Forge.
"The empire of the Builders is infinite and everlasting. None can stand against their might and the power of the Star Forge."
Jaran exchanged a glance with Bastila and chucked quietly. "Now that doesn't appear to be the case, now does it? At least, there certainly is no species which dominates the galaxy to the extent this droid is insinuating.
"Have you seen a Builder recently?" Jaran directed the question at the droid.
"I have been here ever since the completion of this monument. In all this time no Builder has returned to seek information on the Star Forge."
Mention of the 'Star Forge' had come up several times from this strange droid, and Jaran decided it was time to find out exactly what it was.
"What is the 'Star Forge'?"
"The Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex of their infinite empire. It is a machine of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."
"Well that's not very illuminating, is it?" quipped Bastila.
"At least it has confirmed it is a machine—one which they evidently used to build their empire," Jaran countered. He turned his attention back to the droid. "But was does the Star Forge do?"
The droid's head moved erratically for several seconds before it responded, almost seeming hesitant as it did so. "The… Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex of their infinite empire. It is a machine of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."
"It doesn't have the knowledge we seek," Bastila said with a shake of her head. "They have programmed it with their rhetoric and their propaganda about their race's supposed superiority, but with little real information; likely they assumed that anyone searching for it would already know what it is."
"But why would they need to seek for this knowledge at all? If this thing was of such importance, wouldn't they already know of it?"
"Perhaps it was something of a pilgrimage," suggested Bastila.
"Still sounds a little strange," returned Jaran. "It seems more likely that they set this up as a means for their people to once again find their device, should their empire ever experience an uprising of slaves, or fall on difficult times."
"The empire of the Builders is infinite and everlasting. None can stand against their might and the power of the Star Forge."
Jaran lifted an eyebrow at his companion in response to the droid's assertion. Obviously, its programming left little room for anything other than this mysterious race's official superior dogma."
Bastila nodded, but was silent, allowing Jaran to consider what they had been told. By all indications, regardless of the boasting with which the droid was programmed, this Star Forge appeared to have been what Revan and Malak were searching for when they visited Dantooine. The question was, what was it? Though the droid gave them no true information, the name at least suggested a possibility.
"It sounds like the Star Forge is some kind of weapons plant, or some large factory."
Bastila nodded. "That would explain Malak's limitless resources. It's probably something more powerful than a simple factory. Perhaps it has more information we can use. It seems to respond to you; why don't you ask it something else?"
Frowning, Jaran glanced at the droid. "Why would it respond to me?"
"I don't know," Bastila said with a shrug. "Perhaps these Builders were a patriarchal society, or maybe it sees you as dominant, as the other Jedi who have investigated this place were also male."
Jaran was unconvinced, but he made no further comment. It was not important why the droid responded to him, simply that they gain whatever information they could from it.
"So, your purpose here was to build this… monument did you call it?"
"It was, but that purpose ended when this monument was complete. Now that the slaves are gone, my purpose is to aid those who seek the knowledge of the Star Forge… if they are worthy.
"The ones who came before you—the ones like you, not Builders but not slaves—sought knowledge of the Star Forge and its origins. They proved themselves worthy. They discovered the secrets of the Star Forge locked beyond the sealed door behind me. But there was another who failed to unlock the secrets and paid the price."
The droid's eye flickered to the corner behind them. Turning, Jaran turned and, in the corner behind them, obscured by the gloom, lay the body of a Jedi knight. Jaran exchanged a glance with Bastila and approached the gloom, noting the energy wounds on the body. He turned the body over, and saw the face of Nemo, an older Jedi knight who he had sometimes spoken to at the academy. The mystery of the Jedi who had been sent to investigate the ruins was solved.
"Poor Nemo," Bastila said. "He was always kind and considerate, but only became a knight because he had been a Padawan for so long."
Jaran glanced at her curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Nemo was not very powerful," Bastila responded. "He was apparently taken in for training only after some debate—he was only borderline Force sensitive, and struggled to master the skills necessary to become a full member of the order. It was fairly common knowledge that the exacting standards of the trials were relaxed in his case so he could become a knight."
"I didn't know that," said Jaran. "I only spoke with him a few times, but when I did he impressed me with his wisdom and knowledge."
Smiling sadly, Bastila said, "It's funny how these things work out. Had he been more powerful, Nemo almost certainly would have been considered to be one of the foremost philosophers of the order. As it is, he spent most of his life on the fringes, either here on Dantooine, or in other out of the way Jedi centers. Intellectually I am certain he would have been able to meet any challenge in this temple, but if any combat was required…"
Bastila did not need to finish her sentence—her meaning was completely clear. Rising from the body, Jaran peered at the droid in the center of the room, as it regarded them impassively. It would certainly feel no remorse due to the death of such a worthy being, even had it been programmed with the necessary feelings. Given its comments thus far, Jaran suspected it had not.
"Did you kill this Jedi?"
The droid's impassive answer was everything he expected. "I am not programmed for combat. I did not harm the one who failed. This temple's own protections will destroy those who seek knowledge of the Star Forge if they are deemed worthy.
"I'd hate to think of how a temple steeped in the dark side would decide how one can be considered 'worthy,'" Jaran muttered.
The droid, however, took this as a question and answered him readily. "Enter the proving grounds to the east and west. Within them those who understand the will of the Builders can unlock their secrets and open the doors. But those who fail will be destroyed by the power of the temple itself. More than this, I am not programmed to say.
Exchanging a glance, with Bastila, Jaran sighed. "I suppose we don't have a choice."
"Revan and Malak obviously passed through the door, Jaran. Whatever it is they uncovered—whatever information exists regarding this 'Star Forge' was important enough for them to risk it. And given what has transpired since that time, the Star Forge is being used against the Republic. We must find out what it is and where it can be found, so that it can be combated."
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Jaran said with a cheeky grin, which was returned immediately by his companion.
Not much was said after that. Both Jedi removed their lightsabers from their belts, and readied themselves for anything. Given the fact that Nemo lay dead on the floor with burns on his body, it was undeniable that they would need to prevail in combat with some entity of the temple.
Stepping up to the door to the left of the entrance, Jaran glanced at Bastila for confirmation, depressing the switch as soon as he received it.
The room beyond was much darker than the central chamber and was perhaps half as long as the entrance hallway. Jaran did not have much time to make out much more than that, however, as the moment the door opened, the two Jedi were greeted with a hail of blaster fire, emanating from deep inside the room. Bringing his lightsaber up, Jaran deflected the first volley back toward its source, seeing them impact against a red shield at the far end of the room. The shield surrounded a droid which appeared remarkably similar to the one with which they had just finished their discussion. The difference was that this droid was armed with an impressive battery of energy weapons which it was now using against the two Jedi.
"It's shielded!" Bastila shouted as her lightsaber moved in a blur, intercepting the impressive array of blaster fire headed in their direction.
"Cover me!" Jaran shouted, moving behind her as she moved to take position in front of him.
Reaching into a pouch, Jaran fished a grenade and, pulling the pin, took aim and heaved it at the droid, guiding it to a rest directly under the machine with the Force. The resulting explosion weakened the droid and knocked out some of its weapons, while simultaneously destroying its shield. From there it was a simple matter to continue to deflect its remaining blaster bolts back at it until it collapsed to the floor in a heap of molten metal from its own weapons.
Panting, Bastila brought her weapon down and peered at Jaran. "I didn't realize you had brought grenades with you."
Shrugging, Jaran entered the room, glancing warily into the darkness for any other threats. "It seemed prudent to be prepared for anything."
They quickly searched the room, coming across an ancient terminal along the back wall of the room. Glancing at Bastila, Jaran raised an eyebrow, prompting a gesture in return.
"The droid responded to you—it would seem to make sense you will have better luck with their computer technology too."
With a nod, Jaran peered down at the terminal, only to find a bewildering array of symbols and keys, none of which he could make any sense. "I'm not sure what to push," he said. "I've never seen anything like this before."
At his words, the terminal flashed briefly and emitted a cacophony of sounds which meant nothing. But at the end, Jaran heard his datapad in his pouch respond with a single note.
Glancing at Bastila, Jaran examined the terminal, finding an open slot underneath the screen and keyboard at the top. Gingerly, he inserted his datapad into the opening, letting go when the terminal drew it in to the slot.
"It appears like it needs to learn Basic, the same as the droid outside," Bastila commented.
"Apparently," was Jaran's dry reply.
A moment later, his datapad emerged again from the terminal. Jaran pocketed the small device and looked down at the screen. The terminal still displayed the strange characters, but in the center it was cycling through them at a high rate of speed.
"Interpret to Galactic Basic," Jaran instructed the terminal.
After a moment it flashed once again, and messages began appearing on the screen.
DATA INTERPRETATION – COMPLETE. LANGUAGE ANALYSIS – COMPLETE.
"Well, that seems to have done it."
Jaran nodded, but his attention was focused on the terminal, which was now displaying a new message.
INTERROGATIVE: IDENTIFY THE THREE PRIMARY LIFE-GIVING SEED WORLD TYPES.
Six possibilities were listed underneath the question: Oceanic, Grassland, Desert, Volcanic, Arboreal, and Barren.
Confused, Jaran glanced at Bastila, who was staring at the screen herself. "Is this thing for real?"
"The answers appear simple enough."
"That's the point, Bastila," was his curt response. "This is what they consider to be 'proving grounds'? A child could answer this question."
"They obviously did not think highly of their slave races," was Bastila's response. "Perhaps all of their slave races were confined to their own worlds and kept downtrodden and uneducated. To the Builders this may have been an insurmountable obstacle—or perhaps the droid was the true test."
Jaran shook his head. "Or perhaps these Builders were dumb as gizkas."
"Are you actually complaining that this is too easy?" Bastila teased. "Does everything always have to be life and death?"
Ruefully, Jaran shook his head. It just seemed that it was rather anticlimactic that the final test was nothing more than a simple question which any student at a standard school would be able to answer. He quickly keyed in the correct responses, noting the final message displayed on the terminal: BREAKING DEATH SEAL. The screen then went black
"That would seem to be it," Jaran said, and he turned and left the room with his companion by his side.
The 'proving ground' on the other side contained an identical challenge to the first, though this terminal asked for 'death-giving seed world types', though the available answers were again the same as before. Keying in the correct answers prompted the same response, and once again they exited the room.
The Overseer still stood in the center of the room with its eye trained on them, but it offered no further information. Ignoring it, Jaran stepped to the door opposite the entrance and, after a confirmation again from Bastila that she was ready, he depressed the switch and stepped back, watching the door slid open.
This room was markedly different from the other rooms. For one, it was much smaller, perhaps no more than fifteen meters from entrance to the back wall. There were no threats waiting in this room for them—it appeared to be undisturbed and completely still. And the only object in the room was a curious machine which gave off a low hum. The machine had a circular base, from which three long arms jutted up almost a meter into the air. It appeared almost like an inverted tripod in the way it sat on the floor, waiting for some supplicant to approach.
And approach Jaran did, almost cautiously, feeling Bastila's movements to his side mirroring his own. They edged toward the machine, inspecting it for any hidden threats, until they had moved within a few meters. Then, the machine seemed to come to life. The three arms moved on hidden hinges at the base, lowering until they were almost horizontal to the floor. From their joints down in the center of the machine, a ball of light whirled before rising almost a meter in the air, rotating ever faster. Then the light emitting from the ball coalesced, before bursting out into a larger sphere, which then rotated in the air, thousands upon thousands of tiny pinpricks of light, rotating around and through the sphere.
"A map of the galaxy?" Jaran queried.
"It would appear to be so," was Bastila's absent reply. "A Star Map of sorts." She was studying the machine before them with an intense scrutiny which was so like her that Jaran simply had to grin in response.
It did appear to be a map of the galaxy, but where parts of a standard Republic map were blacked out—most notably the area of the Unknown Regions—this map was much better detailed in that area, while being a little sparser in others. Looking closer at the rotating image in front of him, Jaran noted that a few locations appeared to be highlighted with an array of colors.
"Bastila, have a look at these," Jaran said, addressing his companion. "There are a few planets which are a little different from the rest."
"I had noticed that," Bastila confirmed. "I'm cross-referencing them in my datapad now."
While Bastila was busy with that, Jaran walked around the map to get a better view of it. The alien technology was constructed of a material which Jaran had never seen before. It almost seemed to be a cross between a dark grayish rock and some sort of durasteel, though in the dim light it was impossible to make out more than that. The map was also impressive in its detail and accuracy. Though the droid claimed that it was more than twenty thousand years old, galactic movement appeared to have been accounted for—there were no errors in the locations of the systems that he could immediately discern.
"I've determined the locations of the highlighted systems," Bastila's voice interrupted him from his contemplation. She pointed at the applicable systems as she spoke. "This tan planet here appears to be Tatooine, the green one is Kashyyyk, the blue is Manaan, and finally, the red one is Korriban."
"Korriban?" Jaran asked.
Bastila's answer was grim. "Yes; the Sith world. And if you notice here," Bastila continued, pointing at a series of numbers down near the bottom, "there is also a set of coordinates. They are, unfortunately, not complete."
"Do you think there are other maps on those other worlds?" Jaran asked after a moment's consideration.
Nodding, Bastila sighed and tucked her datapad back into her pouch. "It would seem to make sense. The droid outside told us this was a monument to the Builders, and a place of testing for those who are searching for the Star Forge."
"In that case, with the incomplete coordinates, it appears that this is not the only monument they built. The test must encompass all the Star Maps. Perhaps that was why the challenge in the proving grounds was not much of a challenge; the challenge is finding them all.
"I would suspect so," was Bastila's reply.
Exchanging glances, Jaran motioned back toward the entrance. "I think we have everything we came here for; our path appears to have been determined for us. We had better get this information back to the masters."
The Overseer had nothing further to say, unfortunately, though perhaps unsurprisingly. Jaran had hoped that passing the tests and finding the map would activate some further routine or program which would give them more information. Unfortunately, the Builders had not seen fit to provide any further illumination. It appeared that they were on their own in the search for the Star Forge.
Their return to the enclave was accomplished in silence, and when they arrived, they immediately made their way toward the council chamber and the waiting masters. The council was all gathered there, and though they displayed their typical Jedi calm and stoic dispassion, Jaran thought he could sense a certain tension about them. It was understandable, considering the situation and importance of the mission.
"Jaran, Bastila," Vandar said in greeting as they entered the room. "What have you discovered?"
Bastila stepped forward as the spokesman, and pulled out her datapad. "We found an incomplete Star Map and a reference to a device called a 'Star Forge.'"
The masters shared a glance at this news, and motioned for the two Padawans to continue their story. The Next hour was spent detailing exactly what happened in the Builders' monument. Carefully, the six Jedi considered all of the available information and discussed the ramifications of the morning's discoveries. At one point during the discussion, Master Dorak left the room to sift through the Jedi archives to see if he could find any mention of this Star Forge, but he was forced to return in failure—there was nothing which gave them any indication of the nature of the Star Forge. Morning had almost given away to afternoon by the time they began to plan for the future mission.
"It would appear that there is no other course for us to pursue than to search for missing coordinates at the planets listed in the Star Map," Zhar finally said. "If you can trace Revan's steps and find the coordinates, they should ultimately lead you to the Star Forge."
"When do we leave?" Jaran asked, earning a fond smile from the Twi'lek master.
"Your eagerness is welcome, and not misplaced," Zhar responded. "I believe you will need to leave immediately and move quickly before Malak presses us further."
"We should discuss how this mission is to be pursued," Vandar interjected. "It is obvious that you and Bastila will go, but some thought needs to be taken for who will accompany you."
"Is it wise for Bastila to go?" Jaran asked, noting at once the displeased frown adorning his companion's face. "Isn't her Battle Meditation needed to hold the Sith at bay?"
"Perhaps conventional wisdom would suggest that you are correct, Padawan," Vandar replied. "But it has become more and more apparent that victory over Malak's forces will not come via martial might."
"And there is also the bond between you to consider," interjected Vrook. "The Force has bound you together for a purpose, and we would be fools if we ignored that and split you at so critical a time."
"Master Vrook is correct," said Vandar with a nod. "Bastila may indeed be able to give us more valuable time if her Battle Meditation is utilized against Malak, but in the end, she will fail, and the Republic will fall with her. It is better for you both to go."
By now Jaran had had enough exposure to the Jedi ability to correctly interpret the situation, and he said nothing. The soldier in him clamoring to be heard, however, wanted to argue that tactically the Master's position was unsound. Bastila's Battle Meditation may buy them several more months in which to find the Star Forge and stop Malak, and there was no telling how long this mission would take, after all. But Jaran held his tongue, contenting himself with a nod of acknowledgement, allowing the discussion to continue.
"What exactly this Star Forge constitutes is uncertain, but it is obviously a powerful tool of the dark side," continued Vandar "It must be found!"
"Now, as to the particulars," said Zhar, "though it would perhaps be prudent to send a company of knights along to assist you in your endeavor, I believe that would do more harm than good."
"Definitely not," Jaran said firmly. "The more Jedi you send on this mission, the more likely we are to be detected. As you said, Master, martial might will not win us the day. Our best hope is secrecy."
"I concur, Padawan," Vandar said with approval. "Bastila will of course accompany you, but I think your company should be kept small."
"I do have a few companions who will likely want to come along," Jaran said. "I seem to have… acquired a life debt from Zaalbar, our Wookiee companion, and I doubt that I would be able to keep Mission away either, if Zaalbar goes."
"We are aware of this," said Dorak. "Of course your companions will want to travel with you."
"And as Carth Onasi has been reassigned to the Jedi," Vandar continued, "he will also accompany you. His skills as a soldier and pilot will be very useful to your cause.
"Just remember and be on your guard. You will, of course, be unable to hide the fact that you are Jedi, and we would not recommend you attempt to do so in any case. However, the true nature of your mission must not be discovered by Malak or the Sith."
Jaran frowned. "We may not be able to keep it a secret, masters. If Malak and Revan followed this same path, Malak may realize what we are doing if he receives reports that we have been sighted on those worlds."
"Unfortunately, that cannot be helped," Zhar said. "Do your best to remain inconspicuous and attempt to avoid notice. You may wish to visit other planets as well, in an attempt to throw Malak off your trail."
It seemed like it was a long shot. Malak knew the path to this Star Forge—how could they even know that the infamous pair had not destroyed the Star Maps in an attempt to prevent someone else from attempting to follow the same path to the Star Forge? Of course, they had not destroyed the first, but that did not mean that they had left the rest intact.
And what of the planets themselves? It was very possible that the Sith Lords had left behind some forces to protect the Star Maps if they had not destroyed them, or at the very least left a spies watching the planets. If he had, their mission would be betrayed by the time they arrived at the second world. Never mind that one of the worlds—Manaan—had a significant Sith presence, while another—Korriban—was actually the site of their academy. And neither Kashyyyk, nor Tatooine were under direct Republic control either being both too inhospitable and too remote for the Republic to have much sway in either location.
Still, there truly was no choice, as Master Zhar had said; Malak was winning the war with his seemingly unlimited supply of ships and brutal tactics, regardless of all the Republic and Bastila with her Battle Meditation could do. The key to stopping his advance must lie in the discovery of the source of those supplies, and Jaran knew that this Star Forge was most likely the culprit. It had to be found!
"Very well, Masters," Jaran acknowledged. "We will take the rest of the day to ensure that we are stocked for our journey. We can leave first thing tomorrow morning."
"That is well, Padawan," Vandar said. "Feel free to return to Dantooine if necessary during your travels, and we will give you whatever aid you require. Otherwise, may the Force be with you."
"But remember, young Padawan," Vrook interjected, his voice and expression serious and solemn, "you must hold to the light and strive to behave as a Jedi at all times. The lure of the dark side can be very difficult to resist, especially when hope seems dim and despair sets in. I fear this quest to find the Star Forge could lead you down an all too familiar path."
Jaran stared at the master with some consternation, but he did not say anything further. The meeting broke up and each of the masters went their separate ways, all appearing deep in thought. Jaran could not help but wonder about Vrook's meaning, and the ominous words with which he had ended the conversation; it was almost as though the master worried that he was going into a situation which would result in his fall. The meaning of his statement hovered just beyond Jaran's grasp, tantalizing him, teasing him, but not coming any closer to clarity.
"Jaran, we should leave." The sound of Bastila's voice jarred him from his ruminations, and he looked at her with some confusion.
"Don't worry about Master Vrook," she continued, favoring him with a sympathetic smile. "He's known for making pronouncements like this. Like you said yesterday—we will help each other. That will keep us in the light."
Nodding, Jaran took one last look around the room before following Bastila out toward the Hawk. They had some planning and preparation to complete before they could leave.
The meeting with the entire crew of the Ebon Hawk that afternoon proceeded in a fashion in which Jaran would have expected, though there was certainly a surprise or two. Zaalbar was stoic, as was his wont, never giving any hint of his feelings over the news that they were to depart the next morning. His only comment was an affirmation that he did take his lifedebt seriously and, yes, he would be accompanying Jaran on his journey, wherever it may end up taking him. And Mission, young and idealistic as she was, was excited at the prospect of secret quests and heroic last stands. At the very least, it gave her something to think about other than her devastated home world.
Carth, true to form, scowled when informed that they would be leaving the very next day for parts unknown, Jaran and Bastila having decided previously that they would not share the particulars of their mission with their companions until after they had left the planet.
"You know, I'm really getting tired of being left out of the loop," was his angry comment.
"Left out of the loop?" Jaran asked quietly.
"Yeah," he snapped back. "You know, as in ordered about without any explanation, kept in the dark and fed manure… It's really starting to get on my nerves."
"Are you not a soldier, Carth?" Canderous rumbled quietly from his side. And though a month previous Jaran would have expected that comment to incite a war, Carth merely scowled at his companion and turned back to Jaran—the month they had spent in each other's company seemed to have lessened the tension between the two. Now, they appeared to have developed a certain camaraderie and respect for one another, though they certainly could not be termed as being friends.
"You know what I mean," Carth rejoined. "As a soldier, I expect to be ordered on missions and not always given all the strategic details of why the order was given. But we are always given enough of the objective to know what might be required of us. This… farce of an order from the council with no hint of what is going on is only going to get us all killed."
Canderous nodded, but trained his eye on the two Jedi. "I assume you know what our orders are?"
Arching an eyebrow, Jaran regarded the Mandalorian. "Our orders, Canderous?"
The burly soldier shrugged. "I really don't have anything better to do, and this jaunt you are going on sounds like it will be more interesting than selling my services to some lowlife crime boss like Davik."
The look on Carth's face was filled with some disgust. "Interesting? Is that the only reason why you would be willing to go? Do the depravations of Malak and the Sith mean nothing to you?"
"As you know, Carth," Canderous responded evenly, "the people of the Republic are not my people. My people are scattered to the four corners of the galaxy."
"You deserved it," Carth muttered under his breath,
Apparently Carth's muffled comment was still audible enough for the Mandalorian to hear him. "I am not surprised you would think so," Canderous agreed with an affability which belied the seriousness of the accusation. "You must understand that we did not attack you for gain or for hatred or any other reason. We did it to test ourselves and for the honor and glory of battle. No other test has any meaning."
"It appears that you failed," was Carth's snide reply.
"It is no dishonor in yielding to a superior foe. And yes, we ultimately were bested, but it was largely because of the efforts of one man." Canderous stabbed Republic soldier with a piercing glare. "Your Republic was losing and losing badly until the Jedi Revan intervened. He proved himself to be our superior in battle, which is why we respect him."
"Then what of what Malak is doing now?" Jaran asked in spite of himself.
"There is… no honor in your Jedi's actions since my people's defeat," Canderous said after a slight hesitation. "This Malak especially. To bombard an entire world and destroy it without mercy is despicable."
"And your people did not do the same?"
Finally Canderous's ire appeared to be raised and he directed his glare at Carth. "My people destroyed our adversaries, yes, but never those who were defenseless. We conquered worthy foes—we never destroyed those who were unable to defend themselves."
"This is all very interesting," interjected Bastila, "but we are planning a very important mission, not discussing a treatise on Mandalorian honor systems."
"So, do you know the specifics of these orders?" Carth asked, peering at the two Jedi.
Jaran, for one, had almost had as much as he could take of Carth's accusatory manner. But it would not do to provoke an even larger disagreement—Carth's skills would be needed in the coming trials. "Carth, in answer to your question, yes, we do know what our orders are and the reasons for them."
"We will share those with the entire group at the appropriate time," Bastila added.
Compassion replaced annoyance in her expression, and she hastened to reassure the untrusting soldier. "Carth, I assure you that we are not keeping anything from you for spite, or any other reason than the need to ensure our success. I understand your desire to know more about our task, and I swear to you that we will tell you as much as we can. I ask you to trust us and trust the council. We will not lead you astray."
Though he was still obviously unhappy, Carth released an explosive sigh and his shoulders slumped as though defeated. He made a dismissive motion with his hand. "It's not that I don't trust you, precisely, it's just…" He appeared to struggle for words for a few moments before he threw his hands up in the air and stood. "If that's the way it has to be, then I suppose I'll just have to live with it. I'm going outside to inspect the ship. We need her in tiptop condition if we are leaving tomorrow."
"I'll help," Canderous stated and the two men left the hold.
"Well, that was pleasant," Jaran commented with a grimace.
"He'll come around," said Bastila. "He's a career soldier and he's used to following orders. We just need to let him find his trust."
"He had better find it quickly, or he'll be a liability," said Jaran. "Now, we had better follow suit if we are to leave in the morning."
It was perhaps an inauspicious beginning, but as the two Jedi left to attend to their preparations, Jaran knew that it would only become more difficult. This mission would change them all he was certain. He only hoped the changes would be for the better.
A/N:
1. Now don't anyone have a heart attack! Yes, I have finally updated this story. I do want to finish it, and I'm hoping that I finally have my interest and momentum back. For anyone keeping track of Heart and Soul, you have a double posting today!
2. I finally broke down and did something I should have done long ago. Part of the reason why it has been so difficult to get going on this again is because it has been so long since I played the game and I had forgotten so much that I was not confident in trying to compose the story. I recently decided to take the game up again, and I was reminded why I liked it in the first place - it's a great game, and I have found myself truly enjoying it all over again. So, I played up to the point I was in the story, then played a little more before writing the chapter. I will keep doing that, and hopefully will make some progress.
3. When I first started writing Redemption, I took a lot of the dialogue directly from the game, adding a hefty amount to it. Dialogue from a game tends to get a little goofy, after all, and it's certainly sparse. Now I'm mostly writing the dialogue myself, though there are likely some phrases which will still find their way in. The kinrath pup quip is, of course, directly from the game, and purposefully used, as it fits with the type of character I am trying to portray in Jaran. I will likely continue to use certain memorable phrases. The one exception to this rule is the dialogue from the Overseer - that I largely took straight from the game, because it sounded so much better than when I tried to embellish.
4. Just a note of interest - this chapter marks the beginning of the second third of the story. Right now my plan calls for 36 chapters in total, though, as always, that is subject to change.
5. I will try to keep updating fairly regularly, but Heart and Soul will still be my priority, as will other projects I am currently working on. Still, I would reasonably think that you can expect at least a chapter a month. Crossing my fingers anyway...