The Ancient Ruins
C8-42 saw a group of kath hounds up ahead. He moved as fast as his servos would take him, heading toward the small herd.
"Hopefully, this time these nasty beasts will finish the job!" Cee Eight intoned as he swung his metal arm at the large beast, hoping he hit it hard enough to anger the animal into attacking him. The kath hound reached up and grabbed Cee Eight's arm and pulled the droid to the ground. Another kath hound joined in the fray, grabbing Cee Eight's other arm.
#
They skirted around the Sandral estate in search of the missing droid. As they crossed over a low bridge crossing a large stream, Ashla thought it was a good place to stop for a break. She sat on the grassy bank, nibbling on a ration bar as she pulled off her tall black boots. The afternoon was warming up and after all the walking they had done this morning, the thought of soaking her feet in the cool water was too good to pass up. After rolling up the bottom of her pants, she plunged her feet into the refreshing cold water. Ash leaned back and enjoyed the few minutes of peace away from the enclave. No masters, no lessons, just sunshine and the peaceful sound of birds singing. She thought of Juhani, who was heading back to the enclave to speak to the Council. Ash hoped she made the right decision in convincing her return to the Council. It felt right. She hoped the master's welcomed Juhani as she promised they would.
Sighing deeply, Ash pulled her feet from the water and dried them off on the soft grass before pulling her long socks and boots back on. She checked her datapad to see if the map had updated their current location. She stood and marched up the bank to where Carth and Canderous stood guard.
"We'll search this pasture area here to the east," Ash said as she pointed to the map readout on her datapad. "If we can't find the droid here, we'll head back to the enclave. There is no way to know where the blasted droid has run off too. Although, I can't say I blame him. Elise's treatment of him is not very… healthy."
Canderous laughed. "Well, I guess that depends on whose point of view it's from, doesn't it?"
Ash blushed lightly as she laughed. "Nonetheless, we'll check this direction, then call it a day."
She pushed forward, with Carth and Canderous marching behind her. Ash paused and pulled out her macrobinoculars out of her pack and scanned the pastureland ahead of her. Kath hounds grazed on the green grasslands. She thought she saw a speck of gold struggling under one of the kath hounds. "I think we found our droid."
#
Cee Eight was happy. The kath hounds would destroy him, and he wouldn't have to go back to his master ever again! He was just about to start shutting down and let the kath hound finish him off, when he heard the snap-hiss of a lightsaber igniting. The kath hound cried out in pain as Cee Eight saw a blue blur pass through the hound and red streams of energy blast into it. 'Oh, dear. I think I'm being saved. Oh no…' Cee Eight thought as he saw the Jedi woman reach out her hand to help him up.
"Oh, thank you, master Jedi!" Cee Eight intoned. It was against his programming to be impolite. He was a protocol droid, afterall.
Ash helped the droid over to a nearby sheltering tree, in which she propped him up against. "Wow, that was some beating you took. What's your name, droid?"
"I am C8-42, otherwise known as Cee Eight. And, that was nothing compared to what I'm used to enduring from my master."
"You're Elise's droid?" Ash asked as she opened her pack and pulled out a small set of tools she kept to use on Teethree. "Here, hold still and let me look at that arm."
Cee Eight swiveled his golden head to look at her. "Oh, no, did she send you to find me? Please, don't tell her you found me!"
Ash frowned as she sat down beside the droid in the grass and began working on reattaching his damaged arm. "Are you running away from her?"
"Yes, but… I have my reasons!" Cee Eight intoned. "After her husband died, I'm afraid she has become too attached to me. She's obsessed! She treats me as her dead husband. It's not healthy."
"I see. Is this… all the time?" Ash asked as she pushed back in one of his photo receptors that had popped out during his struggle with the kath hounds.
"You don't want to know…"
Ash leaned back and stared at the droid. She couldn't remember ever having met a droid that actually looked miserable. This poor droid.
Cee Eight continued. "She rarely sees other organics. It's not healthy. I thought perhaps if I left, she would meet other people and it would be better for her. That was the reason I came here and sought out the kath hounds."
Carth moved in closer to listen to the conversation. "You went looking for those kath hounds to attack you?" he asked.
"I thought it would be best. She would meet new people… living people. Would you destroy me, please?"
Ash stood, shocked by the droid's request. "You want me to kill you?"
"Yes! It's the only way! If I return, she'll just continue on with her unhealthy obsession!"
Ash stood and walked away from the droid, unsure of what to do. She stared at the droid. He was miserable. It was clear that Elise had been abusing the droid's programming. "Does your programming allow for you to refuse to do the commands your master tells you to do?"
"Oh, I'm afraid Mr. Montagne did not allow for that in my programming. I am programmed to fulfill any task set by Mrs. Montagne." Cee Eight intoned sadly. "Please kill me."
Carth murmured, "I don't think I've ever felt bad for a droid before… damn."
"Droid wants you to put him out of his misery, huh?" Canderous said gruffly.
"Yes, he does. I need to think about this." Ash said.
Carth frowned at her. "You can't seriously be considering that, are you?"
Ash didn't respond. Instead, she paced, deep in thought. It's what the droid wants after all, she thought as she unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and turned toward the droid. It would end his suffering.
Did she see fear flash in the droid's photo receptors or did she imagine it?
Master Zhar's words flashed in her mind, 'the dark side is easier… quicker…"
I shouldn't do this. It's wrong, she thought.
"No. I will not do this. A Jedi uses their weapon only to defend, never to attack." She clipped the saber back onto her belt. "You should return to her."
Cee Eight stammered, "but...why?"
"She is lonely, Cee Eight. She needs your support. Help her get out more. Find reasons for her to be around other organics." Ash said as she picked up her pack and placed it on her back.
"But… You're right. I shouldn't be so selfish. Why, she must be frantic with worry! I will return to her. It is my duty." Cee Eight said as he bowed to them and scuttled off.
Canderous propped his blaster rifle on his shoulder as he joined the pair. "Ha! Well, I guess that droid is really going to serve his master tonight!"
#
Canderous left Carth and Ash standing in the quiet interior courtyard of the Jedi enclave as he returned to the ship to, as he put it, 'beat Carth to the refresher.'
"I need to check in with Master Zhar. Thank you for the help today." Ash said, as she removed the heavy pack from her back and set it on the ground in between them.
"You don't have to thank me. I was happy to get off of the ship for a while." Carth gave her a lopsided grin as he picked up the pack. "Here, I'll take this back for you."
A blonde female Jedi shyly approached them. "Ash? I saw that Juhani has returned to us! You have done a great thing today! Thank you." The Jedi bowed to her and smiled broadly.
Ash was stunned at her declaration. This was the same Jedi who rudely berated her on her first day on Dantooine for not wearing her Jedi robes. She gave her a bow in return before replying, "you're welcome, Belaya. I trust Juhani made it back well?"
Belaya replied, "yes, she did. She's in with the council now." Belaya nodded to Carth before leaving the courtyard.
"You did good out there today. I'll see you back at the ship later, beautiful." Carth slung the pack over his shoulder with a wink as he turned and headed toward the corridor that led to the docking bay.
Ash smiled as she watched him leave before heading the opposite way, toward the council chambers to wait for Master Zhar. She met Juhani as the once fallen Jedi was leaving the council chambers.
"I must give you my thanks, Ash. Thanks to you, I have been accepted back into the Jedi order." Juhani gave her a quick friendly embrace.
"How did it go with the council?" Ash asked warmly.
"It went well. They helped me see the truth about my actions and myself. My master's injuries weren't as severe as I thought. I was foolish to think I could harm my master with my clumsy efforts. My master wanted me to see how easy the threat from the dark side can be, to see how easy it is to fall from the light."
"Yes, Master Zhar says the dark side is not stronger, just easier… quicker… It is a hard lesson to learn." Ash said. She thought of the droid, C8-42, and how easy it was to make such a misstep.
"And, with your help, I have passed this difficult trial. The Council now deems that I can continue with my training." Juhani replied. "I do not know what they have in store for me, but I will trust in the Force and the way of the Jedi to help me along my path."
Ash bowed to Juhani as she entered the council chambers. She bowed to the Jedi Masters assembled before her.
Master Zhar smiled proudly as he addressed her. "You have done well, apprentice Ash. The ancient grove has been cleansed. Juhani has been saved from the dark path. Because of you, she walks in the light once more. Heed this lesson well, apprentice. Though she has been saved, do not dismiss her story. She is both dedicated and true to the ideals of the Order. Yet, she is still vulnerable to the dark side, as are we all. Juhani struck her master in anger during training, and seriously injured her. It was Quatra's choice to test Juhani in this manner, and she seemed to have made her point. Juhani has been redeemed and you have passed your final test."
Master Vandar handed a brown bundle to her. "It is good to see Juhani returned to the light. You are commended for your role in this. Your actions give us hope for the future."
Ash bowed and murmured her thanks as she accepted the brown bundle from the small green Jedi master.
Master Zhar nodded. "Congratulations, apprentice. Or should I say, Padawan. We welcome you as a full fledged member of the Jedi Order."
Master Vandar smiled warmly. "Go and rest. You and Bastila should return in the morning for your briefing before heading out to investigate the ruins."
#
Carth put away Ash's pack in the cargo hold before stowing his gear in his footlocker under his bunk, then headed to the refresher to clean up. Getting outside for the day had been a great reprieve from being cooped up in the ship all day. Plus, it had given him time to spend with Ash. After not seeing her very much over the last few weeks, he felt like he was having to get to know her all over again. She was different than she was when they first arrived on Dantooine. She seemed more in control. Calmer. Training with the Jedi had given her a boost in confidence, not just in her abilities, but in herself as well.
Canderous was in the common area, drinking one of the Tarisian ales when Carth entered the galley in search of something to drink.
Carth motioned to the ale in Canderous' hand. "Any of those left?"
Canderous nodded as he took a sip, and pointed to the small refrigeration unit in the galley. Carth nodded his thanks as he pulled an ale out of the fridge and popped the top. He leaned back against the counter of the galley as he tipped the bottle to his lips, drinking in the cool refreshing ale.
"Urgh, I'll be glad when those two finish whatever training Ash has left to complete, so we can go find Malak." Canderous said in his gravelly voice. "Dantooine is about one of the most boring planets I've ever set foot on. Farms. Kath hounds. Give me a real battle, or at least something worthy of wasting the charge on my blaster than killing kath hounds all day."
"Dantooine is boring, I'll give you that. What makes you think the council is going to send Ash and Bastila up against Malak? I mean, I know Bastila was instrumental in helping bring down Revan, but sending her in with a novice? That's ludicrous." Carth frowned. Surely the council wouldn't do something crazy like that, would they?
"Humph. Well, Ash seems to think so."
Carth's frown deepened. "What makes you think that?"
"Hell, she said as much to me this morning! I quote, 'going up against Malak, I think we'll need all the help we can get.' It doesn't take an astrophysicist to figure that one out." Canderous said gruffly as he stood, stretching. He pitched his empty bottle in the recycle receptacle.
"Maybe she was mistaken. I mean, wouldn't they send in Jedi Masters to take down Malak?" Carth said as he placed a tray under the food synthesizer, and made his selection.
"I don't ask questions. I just follow orders. It's easier that way." Canderous said as he left the common area, leaving Carth alone with his thoughts. It seems odd that the Jedi Council would send Ash against Malak. She hasn't even finished training yet. Why would they do that? It makes zero sense. On the other hand, if they do send them after Malak, I'm going too. Saul will be there. Finally, this just might be my chance to get him once and for all. For Morgana's sake, and for Dustil's.
#
Ash walked up the ramp into the Ebon Hawk holding the brown bundle to her chest. She headed toward the starboard dormitory to put her new robes into her footlocker under her bunk. The door to the dormitory was locked when she tried to open the door. Hesitantly she knocked.
"Go away, Z. I'm fine." Mission said, as she huddled down deeper into her bunk.
"Mission? It's Ash. What's going on?" Ash pressed her hand lightly onto the door waiting for Mission to unlock the door. If I need to I can unlock it using the Force. I've never done that before but I'm sure I could do it.
"Ash?"
"Yes, Mission. Unlock the door. Please?"
Ash waited for a moment for Mission to unlock the door. She was just about to use the Force and visualize the locking mechanism in her mind when she heard the click of the lock releasing. Pressing the button, Ash opened the door to the dormitory. Mission had the lights off and was huddled in her bunk.
"Mission? Are you ill? What's wrong?" Ash asked worriedly as she placed the brown bundle on her bunk and turned back to the young Twi'lek.
"I'm fine. Just tell Z I'm okay and to stop worrying." Mission's words were muffled from the blanket covering her face.
Ash sat down on the end of the girl's bunk. "Zaalbar didn't send me. What's wrong, Mission?" She asked again. "Is this about Taris? If you need to talk, I'm here for you."
"Really? You've been gone all the time, Ash. You're always busy… off doing Jedi stuff!"
Ash groaned inwardly. Of course, she feels that I've been ignoring her. Unfortunately, I have been, her and the others, unintentionally. Carth and Canderous are bored out of their minds, Zaalbar probably too. And, poor Mission feels like she not only lost her home, and probably abandoned too. "Mission. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you and leave you here with just the guys. Please forgive me?"
Ash heard a sniffle from under Mission's blanket. She rose, and turned on the light. She opened her footlocker and rummaged around until she found a clean handkerchief and handed it to her.
Mission sat up and wiped her eyes with the borrowed handkerchief. "It's okay, Ash. I know you didn't mean too. I know you had to do your Jedi training. I mean, I've had Zaalbar around, and Teethree has been keeping me company, trying to cheer me up. But…"
"You've gone through a lot, Mission. You lost your friends and your home, all in one go. You don't always have to put on a brave face. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you." Ash pulled her tall boots off and set them down beside her bunk. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No… maybe. I was doing fine until I ran into that skank at the cantina." Mission pouted.
Ash gave her a confused look. "What skank?"
"Lena! She ran off with my brother a couple of years ago, and they left me on Taris!" Mission huffed as she crossed her arms over the blanket.
"Your brother? Mission, I didn't know you had a brother." Ash said as she rose and shut the door to the dormitory. After locking the door, she began pulling off her soiled clothes, putting in the pile to be cleaned.
"According to Lena, it was his idea to leave me on Taris. But he told me, she didn't want me tagging along! Urgh! I'm so mad, I can't see straight!" Mission slammed her fists into the bunk.
Ash thought about how to console the girl while she put on a fresh set of clothes. Opting to save her new robe for tomorrow, she put on one her white sleeveless undershirts and a fresh pair of pants. She pulled one of her brown padawan robes around her, then sat back down on the end of Mission's bunk. "So, who do you believe? Lena or your brother?"
"That's the thing. I don't know who to believe. First, Taris and now this!" Mission buried her face in her hands and wept. Ash walked over and unlocked the door, in case Bastila needed to get in the room, before sitting down beside the young Twi'lek and hugging her close.
Ash patted her on the shoulder. "I don't think we'll be on Dantooine forever, Mission. Where did she say she saw your brother last?"
Mission lifted her head and wiped the tears away with the handkerchief. "Tatooine."
Ash nodded. "Alright. You never know where the Jedi might send me after I finish my training. I promise that if we come close to Tatooine for any reason, you and Zaalbar are welcome to come with me. We'll try to find him. Did she mention whereabouts on Tatooine?"
"She said when she saw him last he was working for the Czerka Corporation in Anchorhead. I promise I won't let searching for my brother get in the way. Honest." Mission said. She blew her nose noisily into the handkerchief. "Thanks, Ash."
Ash had tried to remember her family several times since the accident and drew a blank every time. If Mission's family was out there, Ash wanted to help her find them.
Ash left the dormitory after Mission drifted off in an uneasy sleep. She pressed the button to close the door before heading down the corridor toward the galley. She nodded to Zaalbar as she entered the common area.
"Is Mission better? She wouldn't talk to me at all." Zaalbar moaned softly.
"I think she'll be alright, Zaalbar. It's been tough for her, losing everything like she did. I guess her brother is a sore spot for her. She had never mentioned him before." Ash said as she placed a tray under the food synthesizer.
"Mission doesn't like discussing him. I try to not bring him up. She is easily angered when he is mentioned." Zaalbar groaned.
"What about you, Zaalbar? Where's your family? Still on Kashyyyk?" Ash asked as she sat down at the small table with her dinner.
"Wookies do not speak of our ways or our family to Outsiders. You are ignorant of our culture and would not understand." Zaalbar moaned.
Ash nodded. It was his choice to tell her or not. "I respect your customs, Zaalbar. I will leave you be, if that is what you wish."
Zaalbar moaned a 'thank you,' then left the common area, leaving Ash sitting alone in the large room.
After finishing her meal and then putting the dishes in the sonic dishwasher, she climbed the ladder up to the hull of the ship. She sat down with her legs crossed under her, and looked up to the night sky, wondering about her own family. She tried to recall what the doctors had told her about her family while on Coruscant, but nothing could come to mind. It was like there was a huge void inside her head. When she tried to remember anything that happened before the Endar Spire, it was blurry, vague or split into fragments. Before Coruscant, there was nothing but blackness. As she stared up at the night sky searching the constellations, she wondered if she still had a family out there… somewhere. Hugging her arms close to her body as the night began to turn cold, she felt suddenly very alone in the universe. A single tear slid down her cheek as she pulled her knees in close to her chest.
#
Bastila finished securing her Jedi robe around her waist, then sat down on her bunk to pull on her boots. She glanced at Ash's still sleeping form and felt a tinge of guilt as she thought back over yesterday morning's conversation. The Council had asked her to find out more about what Ash could remember from before her accident and report back. The few times Bastila had brought up the subject to Ash, Ash would change the subject. Bastila sensed she was uncomfortable discussing the matter and had told the Council such. Nonetheless, they asked her to press forward to see if she could glean any additional information.
After clipping her lightsaber to her belt, she left the dormitory and entered the common area. Carth was seated at the table, sipping a cup of caff while reading on his datapad. Ash seems to have a good rapport with Carth. Perhaps she has confided in him more about her past than she is willing to divulge to me.
"Good morning, Carth." Bastila said as she poured herself a cup of caff.
Carth looked up from his datapad. "Morning, Bastila." He went back to reading the article on his datapad.
"Carth? Can I ask you something?" Bastila asked as she sat down.
Carth paused. His eyes narrowed as he looked up from the datapad. "Um, sure, I suppose."
"Has Ash told you anything about what she… remembers from before her accident?" Bastila asked innocently, as she blew across the top of her caff, trying to cool it down before taking a sip.
"Not much. Why do you ask?"
Bastila smiled. "Merely curious. That's all."
Carth frowned slightly. "Humph. Sounds like something you should be asking her, not me." He went back to reading.
"Well, I've tried… a few times, but she didn't seem to want to talk about it. I thought perhaps while you two were... alone on Taris, she might have mentioned something of what she could remember to you."
Carth gave her a pointed stare. "Well, listen, sister… If she doesn't want to tell you, then I'm not sure I should be the one telling you. That's up to her, not me." Carth picked up his mug and datapad and headed for the cockpit. He paused. "Let me ask you something, Bastila. What's this I hear about you and Ash going up against Malak?"
"Where, by the Force, did you hear that?" Bastila asked, shocked.
"Canderous told me that Ash mentioned it to him yesterday. I find it hard to believe that the council would send the two of you, you still a Padawan and Ash still a mere apprentice, up against a frackin' Sith Lord." He tightened his hand around his mug. "I mean, I'm not trying to underestimate your abilities, since I know you were part of the strike team that was sent to stop Revan, but you had a host of Jedi Knights with you, not just a newly inducted apprentice."
"Hmm... Ash shouldn't have said anything. Matters such as these are not to be discussed with those who aren't members of the Jedi order. Besides, nothing has been decided upon yet." Bastila said as she picked up her mug and finished her caff.
Carth stared at the Jedi's stiff back, contemplating continuing the conversation. Deciding against it, he turned and stalked toward the cockpit to finish his caff in solitude.
#
Ash and Mission sat at the table in the common area finishing their breakfast when Carth walked in to put away his mug. Ash felt Mission kick her lightly under the table. She looked at the girl in confusion. Mission nodded her head in Carth's direction and widened her eyes at Ash. She understood the idea the girl was trying to convey... Talk to him.
Ash shook her head at Mission, causing the girl to roll her eyes at her. Ash suppressed a laugh that threatened to bubble up. She stood and put her dishes in the sonic dishwasher.
Carth took in Ash's new robes with a questioning glance. The robes were more stylized than the plain brown Padawan robes she usually wore. "New robes?"
Ash nodded as she ran her hand over the soft supple dark brown fabric. "Yes. I was granted the rank of Padawan yesterday." There was even a hooded robe to go with it, which she had left in her footlocker. She wore her hair loose this morning, and it flowed in waves down her back.
"That was very fast, wasn't it?" Carth frowned as he wondered why the council seemed intent on pushing her so quickly through her training. Bastila knows more than she's letting on. Something was definitely weird this morning with all her questions regarding Ash's memory loss.
Mission shook her head at Carth. "Geez, Carth." She looked back at Ash. "That's great, Ash!"
She shrugged, giving the Twi'lek a half smile. "It's fine, Mission. I have to go. I'm sure Bastila has already left for the council briefing this morning."
Carth watched her leave, then felt the weight of Mission's gaze as she glared at him. "What?"
Mission rolled her eyes at him. "Geez, Carth. Couldn't you at least congratulate her? She's been working hard for weeks, and you're just like," she deepened her voice to imitate Carth's. "'oh, new robes? Well, that was very fast.' "
Carth frowned as he clipped the datapad onto his belt. The girl had a point. Ash had been busting her ass for weeks. All he focused on was the negative, instead of all the hard work she had put in. He sighed. It seemed all he could do was insult the woman. "You're right, Mission. I'll talk to her later and apologize."
Mission smiled. "Good."
"So, what do you think, Mission? Should we go with her? See if she needs any help after the briefing?" He knew the Council wouldn't let them in the council chamber, but she might want assistance with whatever mission the Council sent her on.
"I don't have anything else to do." Mission said.
He tapped his fingers on the counter, debating whether or not they should follow.
"Well, are we going or not?" Mission asked as she put her dishes in the sonic dishwasher and turned it on.
Carth glanced at the young Twi'lek and nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
#
Ash paused under the uneti tree in the courtyard before heading into the council chambers. Carth's words had stung a little, but there was a truth to what he said. It was fast, that's true. They said I was exceptionally strong in the Force. Maybe I'm just moving at my own pace? But, I keep sensing there is something they aren't telling me. Maybe I've been around Carth too much. His suspicious nature seems to be rubbing off on me, she thought with a frown. She looked up to see Carth and Mission enter the courtyard.
"What are you two doing here?" She asked.
"Mission wanted to tag along. You know, get out of the ship." Carth said with a boyish grin.
Mission glared at him. "Now, wait just a minute..."
Ash laughed at the two of them. "You just want to know what the council meeting is all about, flyboy. You don't fool me."
Carth shrugged as he gave her another lopsided grin. "What can I say? You found me out, beautiful."
Ash laughed as she headed towards the council chambers. "You two wait here. Hopefully, this won't take very long."
Bastila was already in the council chambers talking in earnest with the Jedi Masters assembled. Master Vandar smiled at Ash as she walked across the tiled floor.
"Awh, Padawan. Now that your training is complete, we can discuss the nature of the vision you shared with Bastila. When we heard Bastila describe the ruins in the vision, they sounded very similar to a series of ancient structures here on Dantooine. This one in particular lies to the East of the enclave." Master Vandar paused, his green ears twitched. "We sent out a Jedi Knight to investigate, but he has not returned. Perhaps it was a mistake to send him in the first place. It may be that investigating the ruins is tied to your destiny. This is why the council has decided you should be the one to investigate the ruins. The secret to stopping Malak lies inside. Investigate the ruins and see if you can ascertain what Revan and Malak found there years ago."
Ash bowed to the Jedi Masters. "Yes, Master. I will go at once." Perhaps it was a good thing Carth and Mission wanted to tag along. We might need all the help we can get if they sent in a Jedi Knight and he didn't return. That doesn't bode well.
Master Vandar nodded. "Good. Be sure to take Bastila with you. The way ahead will be difficult for you. Because of your force bond with her, you can draw strength from one another. May the Force be with you."
Ash and Bastila bowed as they were dismissed from the meeting. Ash paused by the double doors for Bastila to catch up.
"Bastila, before we head out I'd like to ask you more about the vision. I think we need to know as much as possible before going into the ruins." Ash said quietly.
Bastila nodded. "Alright, what did you want to know?"
"Could you feel the dark side energy when you had the vision, like I did?" Ash asked hesitantly.
"What do mean? How did it feel to you?" Bastila asked in confusion.
"Cold. I woke up shaking from the cold. I felt as if I would never be warm again." Ash shivered as she remembered waking up the morning she had the vision.
"Hmm. Yes, I remember the cold. Their fear at what they might find inside." Bastila said softly.
"But, why did we dream, or have this vision, of them? Why us?" Ash shook her head. She didn't want to dream of Revan and Malak. The past couple of times she had had a vision of Revan, she was left with an intense wave of fear and suffering.
"I… I don't know. They were very strong in the Force. Perhaps whatever they uncovered left a huge trace in the Force, one that we are sensitive to." Bastila said hesitantly. Her gaze shifted to the Jedi Masters standing down by the uneti trees in the large chamber.
"And you think we'll have more?" Ash asked, apprehension coating her words.
"With any luck, yes, I believe we will. These visions might be the only real clues we'll have to go on if we want to stop Malak."
Ash followed Bastila's gaze to the Jedi Masters. She shook off the feeling of unease and opened the double doors leading out of the chamber. "Come on. Carth and Mission are waiting for us. They'll be a huge help in our investigation."
"Ash, I don't think that's a good idea. They're not Jedi. We shouldn't include them in the mission."
"Why not? The Council didn't say we couldn't bring them along." Ash said as she stepped out into the foyer.
"Yet, they didn't say we could either, Ash." Bastila sighed. "The information we might recover should be kept secret, only be told to the Council." Already, Ash is bending the rules, she thought.
"They want to help. I say we let them help us. If a Jedi Knight went in there and hasn't come back, what do you think our chances are? A Padawan and a novice Padawan? It would be suicide not to take backup." Ash said as she paused waiting for Bastila to respond. When she didn't, Ash headed into the courtyard to where Mission and Carth stood waiting.
#
Ash led the way out of the enclave. Bastila followed close behind her, with Carth and Mission flanking. Having remembered which direction the ruins lay from her meditation to find Juhani, Ash led them out across the green pasture lands.
"Are you sure this is the right path?" Bastila asked as she jogged up next to Ash.
Ash stopped and peered at the younger woman. Could she not sense it? Ash thought as she felt the looming darkness up ahead. "Yes, I'm certain."
As Bastila followed behind Ash, she could feel a tinge of darkness through the Force. Ash was right, she thought. The further they headed East, the murkier the Force felt around her.
Ash wished she had thought to bring her hooded robe with her, as the cool air swirled around her. She paused and turned to check on those who followed behind her.
"It's colder here. I believe you were right. This is the correct path." Bastila said as she hugged her arms around herself for warmth.
Carth and Mission had caught up with them. He shivered visibly, "Ash, it feels similar to how it was in the grove." He zipped up his flight jacket.
Only Mission seemed to not be phased by the temperature difference. She merely shrugged her shoulders. "I don't feel anything different, guys."
Bastila stared oddly at Carth. "You can feel the cold, Carth?"
Carth nodded as he looked around, as if trying to find the source.
Bastila glanced at Ash. "Did you know about this?" She asked.
"Yes, I did. He and Canderous were with me at the grove when I helped Juhani."
"Why didn't you tell me about that? And, you were supposed to have done your trial alone, Ash."
Carth holstered his blaster. "We didn't interfere. She did the task alone."
"Bastila, could we discuss that later, please?" Ash motioned for them to follow. "We need to push on. Just be mindful of your thoughts. The dark side can have an adverse affect on them. It surrounds us the closer we get to the ancient ruins."
Bastila stared quizzically at Ash. Had Master Zhar discussed the dark side with her during her training, she thought as she walked silently alongside her. "Did Master Zhar teach you that about the dark side?"
Ash glanced quickly at her before turning her gaze back to the path ahead. "We talked some about the dark side. Not much, though. Why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering where you learned that. It seems a little advanced for the studies you would have been subjected to during your apprentice stage." Bastila said as she matched Ash's stride.
Ash frowned slightly. "I'm not sure. It just came to me. Kind of like when we fought against the Sith governor on Taris."
She stopped suddenly. Ahead of them was a pathway lined with ancient standing megaliths. "This is it. Can you feel it, Bastila?" She whispered.
Ash stood rooted before the lined pathway. She didn't want to get any closer to the standing megaliths. She felt the weight of Bastila's questioning gaze upon her. The image of the stone doorway flashed in her mind as her hands trembled ever so slightly. With trepidation, she pushed onward toward the ancient ruins that stood beyond the megaliths.
Ash waited for the others to join her before the door from her vision. Everyone was silent before the ancient structure.
Carth broke the strained silence. "I don't see any way to open the door."
"You have to use the Force to open the door. It will not open otherwise." Ash said softly. She closed her eyes and readied her mind for meditation. "I will open it."
Ash focused on the door in front of her. The sounds of birds and the farmland around her slowly melted away as she connected to the Force swirling like waves around the door. As she extended her hand, the door slid apart as it opened. She moved forward, with her arm still extended and opened the interior door as well.
Ash opened her eyes to see the dark stone walled interior of the temple from her vision. It's real. It's very real. She swallowed hard as she entered the temple with Bastila at her side, as Carth and Mission followed. She acknowledged her fear and then closed her eyes as she focused on letting it go. Ash breathed in deeply and as she exhaled, she felt calmer.
I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me, she thought as she walked further into the large empty room.