Note: It's been...* counts* Six months... wow bad bad Cat
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"I'm sorry, but the Masters can only see people by appointment." The dark-eyed male Knight argued fairly.
"This is an urgent matter." Luke replied, maintaining an even yet commanding tone.
"Be that as it may, Sir."
"Master." Luke corrected. "Master Owen Lars. Tell them this concerns Master Skywalker. They'll see me."
The Knight looked at him uncertainly. His gaze switched back and forth and he shifted from foot to foot. He sighed.
"I'll inform them..." He said reluctantly. "But I give you no guarantee they'll see you."
Luke watched as he disappeared beyond the doors, all the while doing his best not to look cross. He was already pushing it by demanding to see the Council-and an unknown Master demanding to see the Council was sure to raise a few eyebrows as well as a few red flags. He was lucky the Knight had not turned him down outright.
He sighed heavily then reached within himself to draw on the calm and patience he was sorely lacking at the moment. He drew in a deep breath then let it out, a bit more softly than before, and proceeded to center himself.E sigh
Eyes closed, he began to extend his senses, feeling the reservoir of calm beginning to draw into himself.
The man returned shortly with resigned look on his face.
"The Council had granted you admittance." He informed. "Go through these doors and up to the top floor. The code is 5664."
Although Luke already knew the way, he didn't correct the Knight. He simple bobbed his head, arms folded, and replied, "Thank you," before retreating into the confines of the turbolift.
Once in, he punched in the provided code then the designation. He brought out his commlink provided to him by Kol. He looked at it for a minute, contemplating who he was planning to comm. He could comm Ben. But to do what….inform him that he was leaving? That was better left face to face. Besides, Ben had still been asleep when he left. He pocketed the device again, waiting with baited breath as the lift ascended.
After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, he finally reached the top most floor and the door slid open. He stepped out of the lift and glanced at large door that led to the Council room. He had not taken the time to examine it the first time, but now he studied it. It was not much different from what it had been in his era. Once again, he stood before it, feeling the brief comfort it gave—and he welcomed it.
He raised his hand to ring the chime when a soothing voice said:
"Come in."
Luke recognized it as coming from T'ra Saa, the Neti Master. The door slid open a second later and he found himself peering into the familiar chamber for a moment. He stepped over the threshold and ventured further into the space. As he stood in the middle of the chamber, he felt very much like a youngling.
"Grand Master..." T'ra Saa intoned.
Luke waved this off. "Please, it's just Luke."
As much as he didn't mind being the Grand Master, he had not taken the position all those years ago because he had desired it. He had taken it because it was necessary at the time. He much preferred to be treated as himself and not by his title.
He noticed how they observed him expectantly, feeling their anticipation. Though he felt as if they already knew why he had come and were merely waiting for him to announce it.
"You're leaving us." Master Saa stated.
He nodded stoically. "I'm afraid I must. Nat has yet to return; I don't like the possibilities that lie ahead." He paused. "I haven't made this decision lightly I assure you, and I can't stay while there's something I could be doing."
Tili Qua scrunched her nose. "We would expect no less."
"I'll need a transport, of course."
"We can provide that." T'ra Saa replied.
"And any information on Nat Skywalker." He concluded. "His projected destination…it should be logged with Temple control, I assume?"
K'Kruhk's tusks shifted. "Perhaps. Ever since Nat Skywalker left the Order, his dealings have been kept to himself."
"What about his ship's transponder code?" He asked, knowing that if he had logged with control he could get his transponder code. "Is he registered with any known trading company or alliance?"
The Masters traded looks.
No luck there.
That was fine with him, there were ways to get information.
"That's fine." Luke said out loud then cleared his throat. "When will the transport be available?"
"When do you expect to depart?" K'Kruhk inquired.
"Soon…I'll need at least thirty minutes to gather my things and make my farewells to my son. I also need to consult with Healer Staad."
"Very well." Saa responded softly. "You are quite certain with this?"
"Yes."
"Then we will make the appropriate preparations." K'Kruhk said.
"Thank you." Luke bowed his head humbly. As he turned to leave, he paused as if he'd just thought of something. "I don't suppose you know who Kol was meeting with?" His asked over his shoulder, the tone in his voice clear.
Another exchange of looks. He had a feeling that their answer would be same as it had concerning Nat: nothing at all. He needed to know nonetheless. The change in circumstances mitigated all else; they did not have the option of silence.
"I see." He said, letting out a heavy sigh. "But I still have to get in touch with him." His eyes said he would accept nothing less.
K'Kruhk gave a contemplative look, his tusks shifting once more. He looked over to his fellow Masters. T'ra Saa had her eyes closed and he could tell she was considering their current options. She opened her eyes and turned to Tili Qua then K'Kruhk. Tili gave a consenting nod and her ears flapped in time with it.
"Very well." Saa murmured. "We will send an emergency holo communication to Master Skywalker before you leave."
Qua added, "Join us in communications center on the ground floor after you have made you preparations."
He bowed his head. "I will, and thank you." He responded, then turned to leave.
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Luke returned to the ground floor and stood there in the turbolift, finger pressed against the HOLD button. He reached into his pocket, thumbing the commlink, and contemplated whether he should attend to his son first or get his things in order. He extracted the commlink and pressed the button.
He would contact Master Staad first to give him a heads up.
"Yes?" a female voice answered.
"This is Master Lars, is Master Staad nearby? I have to speak to him."
"He's currently out. Is there anything wrong, Master Lars?"'
Luke debated on whether to let the medic in on it, but chose to keep it concise.
"I'm making preparations to leave soon, and I'd like to confirm with him the care of my son. Could you pass that message along? I'd also like to speak with Ben before I leave, if all possible."
"I don't believe that will be a problem." She responded, "When should we expect you?"
He pursed his lips and debated. "Give me ten minutes; that should be sufficient."
"Very well, Master Lars. We'll see you then."
Luke clicked off, shoved the commlink back in his pocket and headed to Kol's private quarters to pack. It took him less time then he'd believed due to the fact that he had so little. A point he had forgotten. He strapped the lightsaber to his belt and headed out the door, making his way back to the turbo lifts. Just when he was about to descend once more, an apprentice came running up the hall toward him. At least, he assumed it was an apprentice.
By the look in the lad's face he could tell whatever he had to say, it was very important.
"Master Lars, Master Lars!" the youth cried out.
Luke looked questioningly to him, eyebrow raised.
"Yes?"
He skidded to a halt in front of Luke, breathing heavily. "The….the…" His body sagged in an attempt to catch his breath. "The Council requests your presence immediately in the communication center. Please follow me."
Luke cast a glance at the lift then back toward the boy. He felt an odd tingling dance along his spine. He frowned. He hadn't expected to arrive at the communications room until he had finished his preparation.
Something's not right. He thought.
"Lead the way."
"Yes, Sir." The apprentice executed a quick, polite bow before turning heel. "This way," He instructed, glancing over his shoulder as if to make sure Luke was following him.
The boy was quite diligent, Luke observed, an admirable trait in a youth. He was at least eighteen years in age, tall and gangly. Some would have pegged someone as tall as him for Knight, but Luke could see the difference. He could feel it.
Luke elongated his strides in order to close the gap between them. He couldn't slow the boy down nor would he want him to look as if the boy was discourteous.
"If you don't mind my asking…what's your name?" He asked.
The apprentice looked over his shoulder.
"Jax. Jax Rigs." The boy answered.
"Jax," Luke repeated then smiled. "You're an apprentice, correct?"
Jax glanced at him curiously. "That's right." He grinned. "Though I'm almost to knighthood I wager. I've just got to take the trials. Hopefully the masters will believe I'm ready." He blew out a worried breath.
Luke smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure you'll do fine."
"Probably will. My Master says I worry too much."
He was about to respond when the youth stopped suddenly.
Jax announced, "Well, this is the communications center. Please go in. They're expecting you."
Luke nodded and watched as the boy disappeared back down the corridor. Behind him the door opened wide. Looming beyond the entrance way was a medium sized metallic room with various comm stations. Three beings were gathered around a comm station at the back wall. T'ra Saa turned to face him and bade him enter. He crossed the room in few seconds, his strides quick, and joined them. They were hunched over the console, examining a blinking red light
When he was close enough, Tili Qua pressed the button and a message crackled over the comm station.
"This is Bantha Rawk….I'll make this brief; I believe I have encountered a piece to the puzzle which my brother and the Grand Master seek. I do not know where it will lead me, if to anything. I'm sending out this comm as precaution, leaving my coordinates, in the event something happens."
The crackling sound gave way to a soft click, signaling the end of the recording.
Saa looked to him. "That was the complete recording. The time mark for this message was sent half a standard hour ago."
Luke folded his arms over his chest, staring down at the non-blinking light. His face remained still as if trying to digest what he'd just learned.
"Then there's no time to lose." He said definitively.
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Half Hour Earlier
Nat Skywalker, aka, Bantha Rawk, gaped openly at the destination visible on his map. He felt his stomach begin to sour considerably. He now understood the old familiar saying "I have a bad feeling about this", and this was a bad as they came. The Vong creature's path did not bode well at all, and if he was on the mark about it, things were going to Hell soon. Nat could not stand to watch the downward spiral of the galaxy and they could not have another galactic war. The galaxy had barely survives its former great wars; i.e. the Yuuzhan Vong War and the Second Galactic Civil War. Both of which his ancestors could not halt in time.
And his great-great grandfather was about to take on two back to back crises; one which wasn't his to fight. Nat snorted. Not that that had ever stopped Luke Skywalker.
He tightened his fingers around the steering yoke. What were the odds that this Vong was headed to Ossus? Slim, he knew, but he didn't like it nonetheless. It wasn't that Yuuzhan Vong were such a foreign entity anymore, but the darkness that surrounded this situation and the creature's destination couldn't be a coincidence in Nat's mind.
Even now he could feel a subtle shift in the Force. Something was about to happen.
"All right," He muttered, blowing out a breath.
He reached over to the holo transmitter, knowing he was venturing into troubling territory at this point. He had to have a backup plan just in case everything went wrong. Thumbing the control panel, he set the holo transmitter to send out a message.
He drew in another breath and began to relay his message.
"This is Bantha Rawk…I'll make this brief…."
Once he was satisfied with the content, he sent it on ahead care of Owen Lars at the Jedi Temple. He leaned back in his chair. It was all up to his great-grandfather and the Jedi Council now.
"Now, it's time to see if I'm right." Nat murmured. "But I hope I'm wrong." He then typed in the coordinates for the Auril System. If he planned correctly, he could get the jump on the Yuuzhan Vong and beat him there by a day in advance.
He sent up a silent prayer and made the jump to lightspeed once more.
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After the message had ended, Luke and the Masters started to discuss the current situation. There was indeed, 'no time to lose', as Luke had said. It was obvious to all that this had to do with Luke's presence and the young girl's dark vision, whether or not it was definite. They couldn't leave anything to chance at this point.
Although Luke could feel uncertainty boiling beneath the surface, he also a stronger resolve.
He inquired, "What about Kol? Are we going to involve him in this?"
"Yes," Saa answered. "Given the current situation we believe the most prudent decision would be to inform him of it, since his negotiations hinge on the outcome of all this."
"So you haven't yet?"
"No," Qua answered. "We wished to confer with you before relaying the message to Master Skywalker…" She looked as if she wished to say more, but simply trailed off instead.
"I still intend to go." He responded to her unspoken question.
K'Kruhk replied with a snort, "We expected as much, but we needed to confirm."
"We will inform Kol that you are going to look into it." Saa said.
Luke took note that she had used his given name, instead of calling him Master Skywalker. He supposed it had to do with the kinship he and the other masters shared. Though Qua still had called him Master; it was perhaps out of respect. He shrugged this off.
"Good," He shifted his bag "I must take my leave now if I'm to look into this; I'll be seeing my son then be off. I'll be sure to report anything I find, and to update you on the situation on the hour."
Saying this, he turned and exited the chambers, heading back for the turbolift. He took it down to the med center and passed through the doors. He spotted Healer Staad who had obviously returned within the short period he'd been preoccupied.
"Master Staad." He greeted.
Staad turned, his bulbous eyes finding him. "Master…" The way he had voiced this greeting was an acknowledgement of Luke's true identity. "He's only been up a few minutes. He's waiting for you."
"Thank you, I'll go on ahead." He stopped. "I'll be leaving soon."
"Yes, I know."
"Good."
He ventured down the corridor, approaching Ben's room. Entering it he took in his son who was sitting up and eating from a tray placed in front of him. He looked up and Luke noticed he looked much better than usual.
Ben's face brightened upon seeing him. "Hey, Dad," He finished chewing his food, but frowned noticing the look on his father's face. "What's wrong?"
"I'm leaving. Nat hasn't come back and he should have been here a day ago."
Ben continued to examine his father's face. "It's that serious then?"
"We believe so; Nat may have encountered something important." He explained the message and Ben listened intently.
"I'm going with you then." Ben said after he had finished.
"What?!" Luke exclaimed startled. "No. No. You're still wounded."
"But what if…"
"I said, no, Ben."
Ben sighed. "I just that I worry about you. You're all I have."
"And you're all I have."
"I know."
"Ben, it's my job to look after you, I'm your father. It's not your job to look after me." He could see the concern in his son's eyes. "I'm going to come back, Ben."
"You better." He rejoined playfully.
Luke smiled. "I will." He walked over and lightly hugged his son. "You take care, and get some rest."
"All right," He shrugged his father off. "Enough with the mushy stuff."
Even as he said these words, Luke could see the warmth in Ben's eyes. He chuckled at this.
"All right. I'll be leaving. Don't give Master Staad or the medics any trouble."
"I won't." As Luke turned to leave, Ben called out, "Hey, Dad. Watch you're back out there, all right? I won't be there to save you this time."
He simply smiled at his son's cheek and gave an acknowledging wave.
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"He still intends to go then?" Kol asked, sighing.
He had just been about to bed down when a holo transmission had come through. He had alerted Fel immediately and the two congregated on his shuttle along with two Imperial Knights. If he could have he would have liked to have retained comm silence, but news of his great-grandfather's decision couldn't be ignored. Too much hinged on it.
"Yes." Saa answered on the other side. "He was on his way to visit his son in the med center before leaving."
He gnawed on his lip. He had known that if the situation changed that Luke would willingly thrust himself into the proverbial rancor's jaws. He knew this changed matters, but the question was how much. He didn't necessarily have to bring in Fel in entirely—in fact it was better if Fel handled things separately on his side. Divide and conquer and all that.
His negotiations concerning the Knights, however, still stood. He had Fel agree to such a thing because he knew sooner or later something like this would take place. It was sooner than Kol would have liked. If you looked up resolute in the dictionary, you'd see a picture of Luke Skywalker. And beneath it would say, 'See stubborn'.
"Let him go," He finally said. "Nat could use the back up and he'll do so regardless whether we forbid it or not anyhow. Please keep me informed."
"We will."
Kol then clicked off before Saa could say anything further.
"Will you be joining him?" Fel's deep voice rumbled from behind.
Kol turned to the Emperor and shook his head.
"I'll be heading back to the Temple. Then I'll assess the situation further when I arrive." His eyes were like hard emeralds as he said this; the situation reflected in them. "I want you to keep a look out on your end, put your feelers out and prepare, but otherwise do nothing." He paused. "I'll need your Knights now more than ever."
Fel replied gravely, "I understand." He looked to his Knights. "I cannot spare the ones I have at this time, but I can send Knights later."
"That's perfectly fine."
"You're leaving right away I assume?"
"Yes. I would have liked to have rested but I suppose that will have to wait."
"Indeed. We will take our leave then." Fel excused himself. "And let you prepare to leave."
Kol nodded. "Let me escort you out."
"That will not be necessary." He waved the offer off and turned to exit the shuttle, his Knights flanking him.
Kol watched them leave then followed after a time. As the Imperials descended the ramp, he called out from the hatch, "I'll be sure to appraise you of the situation should anything new occur. I ask that you please do likewise."
His cousin looked back.
"Of course."
Fel then continued on toward his own ship. Kol turned back, sealing the yacht's hatch behind him before proceeding to the cockpit. His mind remained focus on the future as he began to power it up. After the ship was primed, he did a brief systems check before lifting off. As he piloted the ship into the atmosphere his began to think about his grandfather Ben who lay wounded in bed. He knew without a doubt Ben would resent the fact that he had to remain bedbound during all of this.
He then thought about his own son and what all this meant for him. Cade would provide a proper distraction for Ben and watch him while Luke was away, Kol decided.
Several minutes later, he burst through Endor's atmosphere and hovered above the planet for a brief moment before programing the jump coordinates to Coruscant. Drawing in a deep breath, he punched it and sat back as the Roundabout made the jump.
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Darth Maladi lounged back in the ship's lounge, absentmindedly examining a map in front of her. She picked up her head as Darth Nihl walked in. He looked extremely irritated about something, his thin lips set in displeasure. Yet at the same time she glimpsed something else….Though she couldn't establish what.
"What is it now?" She asked annoyed.
"The Jedi have played us." He stated matter-of-factly. "Skywalker is here, or he was a half hour ago."
"Was?" Maladi inquired, intrigued.
The other Sith's lips spread into a viciously eerie smirk and Maladi could sense the excitement in the air. The uncountable….joy.
"We now we have the proof our master needs. Now, we know where he is."
He almost seemed gleeful at this news-almost.
Maladi shuddered at the image of an exuberant Nihl.
Dismissing this, she sat up. "How did you find this out?"
"I have my own sources; moles within places outsiders can't go." His smirk grew wider. "Places such as the Jedi Temple."
Maladi flared with irritance. "Then why didn't you tell me earlier about this?" She hissed.
Nihl gauged her with a sickly smile.
"In case your plan turned up nothing, I had to have a backup source."
Maladi could hear the disdain in his voice. She curled her fingers tight, her nails cutting into her palms. Hostility radiated from them both, though she was feeling a greater share of it than Nihl. Reluctantly, she tamped down her rage; she couldn't afford to lose her head over this.
Tracking down Skywalker was their number one priority—even though she'd like to personally rend Nihl limb from limb for his snide remark.
She dismissed her urge to kill for the time being.
"What did your mole find out exactly?"
"Both Kol Skywalker and the elder Skywalker were in residence up until recently. Kol left several days ago, but the Grand Master himself left quite recently." He gestured towards the holotable where he inserted a data card then pulled up a 3D map of Coruscant. The spires of the city rose up, spanning at least five feet in the air. "My informant," He tapped a button on the side of the table, panning in on the digital map to the chosen area. "Was situated in this area," He waved his hand over what appeared to be the southwest side of the Temple near the gardens. "He was milling around this area near the docking bays when he witnessed the Jedi Council and a single man dress in Jedi clothing heading toward a shuttle. The others stayed behind while the unknown Jedi boarded the ship-"
"How does your mole know it was him?" Maladi cut in abruptly
Nihl shot her a disguised look of irritation.
"I was getting to that. They called him Master Lars." Maladi frowned when Nihl looked expectantly her way. "Master Lars. Full name: Owen Lars."
"Owen Lars," She said huskily. "The uncle and surrogate father of Luke Skywalker before he joined the Rebellion."
"Correct." He strode away from the table. "If you recall, Owen Lars was an alias Skywalker used."
"Very sparingly." Maladi murmured. "Once on Nam Chorios during the Death Seed plague, the other…is speculative."
It was speculative in that they weren't sure if during Skywalker's own timestream he'd made it to Nam Chorios again. It didn't matter anyhow.
"And did your spy find out anything else?"
Nihl didn't answer her immediately.
"Nihl?"
"Nat Skywalker has found our Vong spy." He said with grim look in his eye.
Maladi was apt at reading in between the lines, and she could already discern what Nihl had left unsaid. Luke Skywalker, the dashing hero that he was, was going after his kin. No doubt to what he thought was to prevent him from harm.
Maladi had the greatest urge to roll her eyes.
"Well, shall we greet the hero of Heroes?" Maladi asked, her voice dripping with derision.