Chapter Five

Information Gathering

Calliope trailed behind him as he walked around the room getting a feel for what he wanted to do. So escape was going to be difficult as well as rescuing the victims of the slaving run. The fact was that Obi-Wan still had no clear idea of where he was and it was kind of infuriating. He got the feeling his was missing something rather obvious and it frustrated him to no end.

Sighing he allowed himself time to breathe and let his frustrations go. Getting annoyed at a situation out his control wouldn't help anyone least of all his ward. It was best if he approached this situation with a clear mind. Okay so what did he have to go on?

Well firstly he was on a recently reconquered or just recently conquered planet. The natives were either the Yuuzhan Vong or the natives had been driven out. The Yuuzhan Vong seemed to have a polytheistic religion that had a Darwisja mentality and discouraged compassion in many respects. Also they owned slaves openly in a way he hadn't seen since going to the Outer Rim namely Tatooine.

"Your clothing and some food," A feminine voice said shattering what was left of the calm. Turning towards the speaker he saw a pale female looking being dressed in a course shirt with some trousers carrying several clothes her arms and looked to be a few bowls of food in her hands. There was one that looked to be his size and the other was big enough for Calliope. Her face was tattooed and scared and her black hair was done in a severe braid that draped over her shoulder. One of her hands namely the right had been replaced with a seven digit appendage that had nails or fingers that looked like tools that looked slightly droopy.

"Thank you ma'am," he said as he gently took the clothing from her. She looked at him startled at his apparent kind behavior. "And who are you?"

"A Shamed One," she said bowing her head deferentially.

"Is that a title?"

"It is a caste determined by the gods," she replied giving him an odd look it looked a mixture of respect and curiosity.

So they were caste based? Another piece of the puzzle revealed itself. Good information but he needed more.

"Are you a Jeedai?" She suddenly asked. Clearly she'd taken note of his attire.

"Yes I'm a Jedi." He smiled gently at her.

"Then you know of Anakin Solo the one who redeemed Vua Rapuug," she said eagerly.

"Anakin Solo?" Obi-Wan blinked at the name feeling his stomach drop. He'd never heard of any Jedi named that. Anakin Skywalker, his apprentice, was the only one that he knew of. Also the last name sounded like something a immigration officer would stamp on someone without a family name. Not something a family would saddle themselves voluntarily with he'd think.

"How do you not know?" She asked repeating the question Obi-Wan had a feeling he was going to accustomed to for a good long while looking both disappointed and shocked. "You can't possibly not know of the heir of Skywalker."

Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to look dumbfounded. He felt his head spin at the implications. A second of dizzying disoriented thinking later he breathed and out and let it go although he still felt befuddled. Surely they weren't referring to his beloved and now missing Padawan. Maybe it was a cousin of his once removed. Shmi Skywalker was a slave so it could be entirely possible or it could be just another with a similar name. It was a big galaxy after all. So another Skywalker was strong in the Force? Okay that's something that he'd need to look into.

"I-" he paused for a second trying to decide what to actually say to her. Obviously something was amiss here and again he didn't have all the information that he needed. After a moment of thinking he made the decision to tell the truth.

"I'm from a splinter faction from the Unknown Region from a planet called Jedhu. We've been out of touch with the main Jedi Order until now. As of now I'm the last in my Order."

Well from a certain point of view that was true. But he couldn't afford to tell everything and he had a sinking suspicion(Perhaps it was a prompting from the Force?)that he would be branded a lunatic or worse killed if the full truth were exposed. He could handle being called crazy if that didn't mean he'd lose Calliope which would most likely happen. So for now he'd stick with this story until he got back to the Republic.

"Unknown Regions?" She blinked. "Then how did you get here?"

"That's a secret," he smiled at her. "Perhaps someday I shall tell you. So who are you?"

"I- well was part of the Jovan domain. My name is Menvra."

"Ben of the clan Kryze," Obi-Wan bowed to her.

"You are an odd one," she commented giving him a bemused stare.

"So I've been told madam."

"Why do you keep do that?"

"Do what?"

"Address me with such a high title," she clarified. "I am nobody. Scorned by the gods for blasphemy. No worthy of respect."

"I would beg to differ. I've been taught that all beings no matter their status are worthy of respect. Pray tell though just what kind of blasphemy has exiled you?"

"For daring to attempt to refine the Seventh Cortex outside of its designated parameters."

"May I ask how's that bad?"

"Ah that's right, you wouldn't know. For Shapers such as I used to be there are Eight Shaper Protocols that we follow. We follow the mainly the Seven with the Eight being the highest of them all only accessible to the Supreme Overlord for it is a direct conduit to the gods themselves namely Yun-Yuuzhan. I accessed the Seventh Cortex to see if I could save a worldship, our equivalent of spaceship. I tried to modify the design to make it more efficient and better made but my attempts at modification were deemed too heretical for my priest overseers tastes so I was Shamed."

"Then I take it innovation is frowned upon," Obi-Wan commented as he turned and began to dress Calliope in her slave outfit. So they had technology of a sort and given he was surrounded by organic life it seemed that it was biologically based. And for some reason they didn't encourage innovation which was odd to say the least considering that life itself grew and adapted.

"As much as can be expected for a Shaper," Menvra shrugged. "We are to follow the Protocols religiously no improvement."

"So you're part of the faith caste?"

"No," she shook her head. "Shapers are different then priests. The castes are Supreme Overlord, warrior, priests, intendants, workers, Shamed Ones and slaves such as yourself."

So there were six castes, how interesting. So he, Calliope and Menvra were on the bottom of the caste system. Well now that was something he could work with and use. And it was nice to have someone his age to converse with.

"So I take it that we're on the same rung," he said voicing aloud some of his thoughts.

"Close enough," Menrva confirmed with a nod giving him a strange look. "You truly are the strangest Jeedai I've every ran into."

"How so?"

"Well you're not a warrior for one," she commented looking at his belt where his lightsaber remained hidden in the back. "A Jeedai would've fought to the death. And would've called upon their machines to get them out of trouble."

"Wait machines? Do you mean their lightsabers?"

"I was told they had mechanical implants that allowed them to engage in sorcery and blaspheme against the Yun'o."

"That's...an interesting new one," Obi-Wan said as he finished up dressing Calliope his mind spinning with the sheer amount of shock. He'd never heard that kind of idea before. "And entirely wrong."

"How so?" She parroted his phrase back to him raising her eye ridge in a challenging manner.

"Well the Force isn't in machines for one. It's an energy field that surrounds us and binds the galaxy together. It comes from all living things even you."

"Me?" She pointed to herself looking rather bemused. "I was under the impression that I was outside of it according to what I heard before being banished."

"Oh? Then how is it I can feel your presence?"

"My presence?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan nodded smiling at her. "It's like a small fire burning within your being that identifies you as a unique person in the Force."

"How is that possible?"

"Well you're a living being so I assume you've got a midi-chlorian count that's how."

"Midi-chlorians?"

"Microscopic organisms that reside in all living cells. We are symbionts. Without them life couldn't exist at all. The more you have the more likely you'll be Force Sensitive and able to train as a Jedi."

"So," she breathed her face becoming even more paler then usual casing the tribal tattoos that adorned her head in a starker detail. "It is biological?"

"Yes," he answered. "Like the kyber crystals that used to power my lightsaber. They sing with the Force and are alive similar to you and I."

"Living crystals?" Menvra's look was of fierce curiosity. She was like a child in a class with thirst for knowledge Obi-Wan felt the same since he was now getting some answers and seeing what she knew as well as teaching her. What was Master Yoda said? That the joy of teaching is the joy of learning. One can not exist without the other.

"I could say more about that but unfortunately we're being watched."

"No," she shook her head. "The viewspider isn't awake. I should know. This corridor wasn't grown that long ago so many of the security isn't working right until the Master Shapers finish the Shaping."

"Interesting," Obi-Wan said looking at the spider like beast. He wasn't sure it was sleeping so he had to go by what she was saying. The Force rang with the truthfulness of her statement and Obi-Wan could see no reason for her to lie to him. "When is everything supposed to be completed?"

"Supposedly in time for the Great Sacrifice that the Overlord has deeded to happen according to Nom Anor," Menvra said coming out of whatever she was thinking of. "If you are a Jeedai that they seek then they might sacrifice you to their supposed convert."

"You doubt the sincerity of convert?" He asked as he began to think of ways out before he got sacrificed to the local religious fanatic. He had no intention on becoming a martyr and since others like Calliope depended upon him.

"It was rather abrupt turn to say the least," Menvra shrugged. "Also that infidel Vergere was involved...I must confess that I have a nasty feeling about her intentions. It's like..."

"Like what?" Obi-Wan prodded gently even as his stomach started to drop and enthusiasm dying down. He really hoped he didn't run into any Dark Side users or worse the Sith Master of the apprentice that he'd killed nearly ten years ago on Naboo. That wouldn't be good and it would endanger everyone from the Yuuzhan Vong to Calliope. Bad enough he was on the possible sacrifice list as it was. No need to add more headache to something that was already going to be difficult as it was.

"It's like gluchen slime when shaping a yammka clinging to your Shaping hand no matter what you do to remove it," Menvra said. "I felt similar around Overlord Shimmra as well."

"That would be the Dark Side of the Force," Obi-Wan said with a wince. "Jedi and all others try to avoid it."

"Does it feel...cold?" Menvra asked hesitantly.

"Yes it does," Obi-Wan whispered. "Cold and sick."

She stared at him with awe in her eyes before her eyes fell upon his bandage that now obvious since he'd removed his shirt and changed into the tunic she'd handed to him.

"Are you hurt?"

"Oh that that's just a scratch from one of your warriors blades," he brushed it off even as she approached him despite Calliope's best efforts at keeping her away which consisted mostly of her standing in between them.

"Let me change the bandages at least," Menvra said. "It'll prevent infection."

He nodded his consent and then Menvra peeled off the bandage drawing out some blood which she quickly mopped up. Then with drift hands she wrapped up the wound once more. Calliope gave her a glare while standing in front him. He didn't blame her in the slightest considering they were in a hostile environment for all intents and purposes.

"Shamed One!" Qat's voice bellowed making her and Obi-Wan jump slightly. It would seem that whatever business he had been concluded now he really needed to pay attention to his surrounds from now on. "Be gone! You've done my will now go!"

"We'll speak later assume?" Obi-Wan asked as he flexed his arm making sure the bandage was secure. She nodded and quickly ran out leaving the two alone with Commander Qat. Obi-Wan steeled himself for whatever was to come.

Talking to the Jeedai was interesting to say the least. Menvra had learned more about them then all of the reports she'd heard before receiving her mark of shame. Now? Now she had a blood sample which she could study and possibly under the Jeedai better.

Midi-chlorians he said. She would have to see microorganism for herself. Fortunately she knew of a lesser used Shaper laboratory in the newly constructed area that she could use without attracting attention from others like Shimrra's personal Shaper Nen Yim. She quickly walked down the corridor with her status actually working in favor for her since most avoided her entirely and didn't pay attention to her. Once she reached the area she looked for occupants that might happen to be using it. The gods smiled upon her for she found none. Then taking a seat at one of the examination table she began to look at the sample using a magnifying beast.

At first she found nothing different then what she'd been told and observed herself via her master since he was the one that oversaw those that infiltrated the galaxy. So either the Jeedai was truly mad or something else. Suddenly her thoughts trailed off as she noticed a piece of the cell she'd never seen before. Something about it drew her attention to it...

"Ah," she hissed as her none Shaper hand scrapped a sharp tool she'd not notice before on the table. To make matters worse her blood mixed with the rest of the sample that she'd set aside for further study smearing onto her hand and getting into her body. Of all the rotten luck. She scoffed at her rookie mistake. How could she make such an amateur mistake? Her old master would have chided her so harshly...

It was then that she felt something awaken inside her. And with it then came the pain. Such exquisite pain, deeper then the anything she'd experienced before going deep into her bones and making every part of being sing with rapturous joy at the Awakening. Her senses were in a deluged with a feeling of peace and belongs in a way she'd never experienced before.

Was this the will of the Yun'o? She wondered as she finally felt the initial impression left leaving her not with bitterness of a parting but with a sense of peace and calm. Was that Jeedai that Qat now owned Yun-Yuuzhan's personal herald? This was far beyond anything she was experienced before. How was she to interpret this? She needed help to understand what had happened to her and what it meant to her as well as the Yuuzhan Vong.

Maybe Kukulkan a fellow Shamed One could help her. He was a priest at one point. A devotee of Yun-Harla would see through the deception. Yes she'd check with him. He'd guide her and she'd bring him the Jeedai. This was something all should know among the Shamed Ones. That something was Awakening this was more then the Jeedai heresy. This was something else.