Okay everyone, here's the next chapter:
Chapter 21: Tales of the Dolkar Sector
Part 1: Walking the Path – The tale of the Jedi
Marol – Dolkar Sector
Jedi Citadel – Archives
Afternoon
He had selected three students that would soon follow him on a holy mission. They were the strongest of the clan and the only ones worthy enough to escort him: Laros Ben, Nieron and Belran Ka'tas.
He called up another holographic set of Rakatan runes.
As you can see here, he said, you have to visit each of the five surrounding temples before you can enter the main temple that will hold the 'Eye'. I have acquired the key for the main temple during my mission on Cyphar, but the others may still be inside the other temples.
"Actually, you can interpret it in a different was, too" a young female voice said behind him.
Farmgirl? What are you doing? He didn't ask because he was surprised to see her. She had been here for a while, studying for herself but also listening to the conversation he had with his followers – more or less involuntary.
"Studying, Master", she replied, confused. "What else are the archives for? But on your runes: Some of them have an ambiguous meaning. You could interpret the text so that…"
Framgirl, he interrupted her. Tell me: The weak teaching the strong. What is wrong with that picture?
"Master, I only wanted…"
You only wanted to help me? Me, a Jedi more powerful than anything you will ever achieve in you sorry existence? Touching, but unnecessary. Now go, take another training run or try to do something useful, but do not ever interrupt us with your pitiful intellect again!
Embarrassed, humiliated and ashamed, Farmgirl bowed her head and left the room.
"She never learns", Nieron, the Zabrak, commented.
"I wonder why the old Master picked her up anyway" the Bothan Belran asked.
Because at this times, we need numbers more than anything else. It disgusts me to have such a weakling around and even more that she thinks she's good enough to be a Jedi, but we all have to make some sacrifices. But let us come back to our expedition. I'll have to make some more researches here, but can already prepare the Winter Lake.
"Excuse me, Master", Laros Ben asked, "But didn't master Aqinos ground you because something went wrong on Cyphar?"
Let this be of my concern.
Marol – Dolkar Sector
Jedi Citadel – Hangar bay
Around two weeks before the Battle of Marol
He stood with his back towards the ramp of the Winter Lake. Laros Ben had already entered the freighter's cockpit and begun with the starting sequence. Not only twenty-four hours ago one of their own – Farmgirl – had not only stolen the Imperial V38 starfighter but also murdered one of their comrades.
Since the failed attack on the Imperial palace nearly a month ago, he had been grounded here on Marol. The Rebel Council had been upset, especially Trybokk. But now he had been given a chance to redeem himself: To find Farmgirl and to prevent her at any cost from giving information to the Empire.
At least, that was what all the others thought.
Farmgirl was insignificant; her strength in the force was minimal. Whatever she would tell the Empire, she couldn't stop the will of the force.
He waved goodbye with his hand towards Aqinos. Don't worry, he said, I'll find her.
With these words, he boarded the ship.
Old fool.
BlackHawk System – Dolkar Sector
Winter Lake – Comm-Station
Half an hour later
„So, he finally let you go?" Iran Kalamar's hologram asked, observing the obvious.
"Yes, he did", he said. Once again, he had to use his voice, cursing the underdeveloped technology. "He thinks that I'm looking for a defected student, but we both know that my journey will take me to Regal IV."
"Yes, of course." The eyes of Kalamar sparkled when he remembered what was supposed on this world. "The Eye of the One! A superweapon so strong that it will cause terror among the Empire! Once I have it, my first target will be Cyphar. I want to see the face of this arrogant Moff when he realizes that it was his incompetence that caused all this…
"And then: Telemita! And then all the others… Once the centers of oppression are gone, they'll all bow to me. Me, the great Iran Kalamar, leader of the Rebellion and saviour of the galaxy…"
He paused for a moment. "But I'm drifting off, right? What about this rouge student of yours? Is he any danger for us?"
"She is a weakling in the force who could never accept her place in the natural order of the Force. She will not achieve anything but her own demise. However, she possesses valuable information. I will send you everything we have about her. Maybe your agents can find her. But don't worry, she isn't a threat."
"These are difficult times. It seems like the Empire is closing in on us. I'll tell my people to look for her, but we have taken heavy losses all over the sector. It won't be easy.
But then again: you are right – she isn't a threat. Now, that the Eye of the One is almost in my possession, nobody can stop me."
The hologram vanished. Valuable Information, indeed, but all the knowledge in the galaxy was insignificant next to the power of the Force. Iran Kalamar was free to think what he wanted, it wouldn't matter. Sending his men on an unimportant chase was nothing but a distraction. If they caught Farmgirl – good, if not – it wouldn't matter.
The Eye was a key element to rebuild the galaxy. With a smile on his face he imagined what Kalamar would say when he would reveal his plans: That the Eye was not for the Rebellion, but for him. It was his destiny to found a new civilisation of the force.
Arrogant fool.
Marol – Dolkar Sector
Jedi Citadel – Private Quarters
A week later
Master Aqinos was a very worried man. He could feel the grasp of the Empire getting tighter every minute. Within a month the Empire had found out about the existence of his new order. Three of his students killed, one had fallen to the dark side and now four had gone missing missing. Ironically, these four – including his own Padawan – had been tasked to find the rouge Cassidy Nolan who had fallen to the dark side. But they hadn't reported to anyone and any attempts to contact them had been without any success.
In the Rebellion they had blamed his Padawan for all of the troubles. But hadn't he always been a good Master? Hadn't he always taught him the way of the Jedi? His Padawan couldn't have done all this. He was too… good for this. But now he had his doubts.
He watched at the hologram in front of him. The person he was talking to could see his worries.
"I know that you have to evacuate the Academy, Master Aqinos", the hologram of Iran Kalamar said, "but I also know how important moral support can be."
"And I really appreciate your offer, triumvir Kalamar. But we are really in a hurry over here."
"I will come with an escort. With these additional ships, the evacuation should go on a little bit faster." He paused for a moment. "Let me talk to your students, Master Aqinos. After what they have been through, they need some encouraging words."
Aqinos could feel that it was wrong. He shouldn't allow this. But then again, he could also feel the logic in Kalamar's words. He was now the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. It was his duty to take care of his students. So he had to so the right thing. "Alright, triumvir", he finally said, "You may come."
Hyperspace – en route to Regal IV
Winter Lake – freight hold
Around one week before the Battle of Marol
The infinity of the Hypersapce had always been something pure for him. Here, in this alternate reality, he could feel the force in its most untouched form. Normal, limited, beings just saw the hyperspace as a method of fast travelling, but he, he was able to breathe freely: a force unpolluted.
Of course, nothing could be perfect. He could feel the ship around him and of course his companions: One in the freighter and one in each of the two X-Wings. But that was alright. He was on a mission, not on a meditation trip. And they were all force sensitive. So they didn't disturb the force as much as they would do if they were… normal.
Soon, he would arrive at Regal IV. The Eye of the One would soon be his. And then nothing would stop him. Not the Empire, not the relic he used to call master, not some disillusioned Rebels – No one. He would build a new civilisation: A civilisation loyal and sworn to the Force. The Jedi would be a leading caste, all the other weaklings and normals servants and he, as an incarnation of the will of the Force, would lead them all, of course.
But all dreams have to start with the one thing this civilisation was built of: Power, unlimited power. And with the Eye of the One he would have this power.
Hyperspace – en route to Regal IV
Winter Lake – Cockpit
A few days before the Battle of Marol
Laros Ben was sitting behind the controls of the freighter. His view was fixed to the shining vortex of the hyperspace. His mouth was half-opened and he looked like he hadn't blinked for a while.
Who will rebuild the Jedi Order? his master asked from the co-pilot's seat behind him.
"You, my master", Laros answered.
What will happen to this galaxy?
"A civilisation of the force, a universe of order, my master, as it has always been the will of the Force."
The Jedi behind him waved his hand and Laros could feel a prickle in the back of his head. But soon afterwards, he had forgotten all about it and his mind was filled with new insight.
What about the Rebellion and Aqinos?
"They are unimportant, my master", Laros replied with a stoic and zombie-like voice. "Nothing but a tool. You are our true leader. You are our saviour!"
Yes, indeed.
Weak-minded fool.
Regal IV – Dolkar Sector
Valley of the temples – landing site
A few days before the Battle of Marol
The base camp had been set up: a few perimeter sensors around three landed starships, and a loading cell for the two speeder bikes. Not that anything more was necessary; the YT-2000 freighter would serve for anything else.
He was already sitting on his speeder bike and gave the last instructions: You two stay here and guard the camp. Laros and I will inspect the temples.
"Yeah, sure", Belran Ka'tas replied.
"Whatever", Nieron added.
He looked up the freighter. Laros, my pupil, are you coming?
With an emotionless face and wide-open eyes Laros Ben walked down the ramp. "Yes, my master, I am coming."
Laros climbed on his bike and then both drove off, vanishing in the distance.
"Finally", Ka'tas said, shaking his fur. "He's gone."
"Yeah, he's scaring me", Nieron said, "Did you see how Laros was behaving? Like one of these Force-zombies!"
"Creepy. Either these days in hyperspace had gotten to his nerves or Djerok did something to his mind."
"To point one: we were locked into the cockpit of an X-Wing for the whole time and we're not crazy. And to point two: You never know what a Jedi can do to your mind."
Ka'tas shrugged. "True, but we're Jedi, too."
"Good point", Nieron replied and looked around. "So, got a story to pass the time?"
Regal IV – Dolkar Sector
Temple of the Eye – Entrance
Two days after the Battle of Marol
It had taken him days to visit all the temples, but it had been worth it: In each temple, representing one of five archaic elements, there was a fragment of an ancient Rakatan chant, which he was now repeating:
The Temple of Wood:
Place the seed in the ground
Take control of your destiny
And make a new beginning
The Temple of Fire:
See the seed grow
Build your own destiny
And find the core of your existence
The Temple of Earth:
From seed to plant
Change is a part of destiny
And nothing will stay forever
The Temple of Gold:
The plant will decay
The memories will be your destiny
And beneath them lies the core
The Temple of Water:
Now the plant is silent
The destiny is forgotten
And now open your eyes to see it again
And as he had finished chanting these old lyrics that almost made a knot in his tongue, the door to the temple opened. Slowly, with loud crunching and rumbling, stones were moved for the first time for nearly thirty thousand years. Inside, there was darkness.
He walked up the stairs and Laros, like a good servant, followed him without any word or order. He took a look at the interior. He couldn't see much, but that was not important.
From now on, the force would guide his way.
This was the beginning of his destiny.
---End of Part 1---
Author's notes:
-The main Jedi antagonist is certainly not a model representative of the Order's ideals. He has taken on several aspects of the teachings and turned them into extremes. His own ego was certainly a big help.
-The five elements presented in the last part are not the western four classic elements plus energy/life or something. They are based on the Chinese philosophy.
-Part 2 will follow the leadership of the Rebellion and certain sub-groups within.