Chapter 5 - Remembering

It was late in the evening when Maraan found Syran Dill back in the labyrinth. The Star Keeper shivered in the cold, yet at the same time he took comfort in what he could sense all around. He assumed that the strange priest felt the same.
"Have you ever led troops into battle?" he asked as he appraoched him.
"Many times, yes", Syran Dill answered and though he was facing the other way, Maraan could hear the smile in his voice. "Both on the ground and in space. Can't say I was particularly good at it, though." He turned to face the Star Keeper. "Why do you ask?"
"Because it sounded as if you had encountered the ships threatening us before. And it did not seem to me that you were afraid to face them."
"There are very few things that scare me."
"And why is that?" Maraan felt his skin crawl as he imagined who could claim such a thing. Someone very powerful and very dangerous, he thought. Involuntarily, he took a step back. Syran Dill noticed and his brow furrowed ever so slightly. "You are scared", he stated. "Of me."
"Maybe?" the Star Keeper volunteered. "Do I have reason to trust you?"
For a moment Dill remained silent. Then, with what sounded like a sigh, he drew himself upright so he could look into Maraan's eyes. "I remember, Star Keeper. Who I am, what I am and why I am here. Yes, I am a scary creature. Anyone who ever put their trust in me is long dead. As are my enemies. And Rhen Joul would rather destroy me than let me help, if he knew all that. So, will you keep that secret for now? All you need to know is that I mean you no harm. None of you"
Maraan felt his fur ripple with anxiety. "You are right", he whispered. "You scare me." Again he was reminded of how indifferent this creature was when it came to killing and he was asking himself once more, if it had been the right decision to attempt to heal it. So far, it had done very little to earn their trust.
"What does it take to earn your trust?"
"The truth", Maraan returned instantly.
Syran Dill nodded. "I see. First, then, my true origin. I was born on Os'jen'thana, a remote world now known as Ordesha. I was born", he repeated, his face cold as stone, "over two thousand years ago."
Maraan gasped in shock. "That is impossible!"
"To your knowledge, maybe. But now you understand why my outlook on life - and death - differs from yours. I have seen and experienced more than anyone alive. There is little that can surprise me. Or, as I said before, that can scare me. Does this suffice?"
Dumb-founded, the Star Keeper nodded his head. "It does. Thank you. What about Rhen Joul?"
"He cannot know, For now."
"Then you will accompany us?"
The other smiled coldly. "I do not believe I will be given a choice in the matter. Do you?"
Maraan shook his head. "No. You are right. Let us return to the Citadel. It is late."

ROJ Kell followed the Star Keeper to his speeder with reluctance. He could sense that Maraan had more questions but was content to let Rhen Joul do the asking instead of him. No doubt he wanted to avoid losing what little trust he had gained so far. It was a wise decision. In the light of what they were potentially facing, though, hard questions were unavoidable.
When he had killed his master on Yavin 4 he had also caused the exodus of the Massassi people and the creatures Exar Khun had turned some of their number into. Creatures as depraved as their creator, twisted in his own image. After hearing the tale of the massacre that had taken place on this world, and judging by the very bad feeling he had had ever since reaching this corner of space, he could hazard a guess as to what had happened since. But he had to be sure.
The speeder brought them back to the city swiftly. And once they had disembarked and stepped inside the Citadel, they were immediately greeted by Cri'll, Alen'Di's second-in-command. She held her Dek sticks in her left hand, her right pointed towards the ramp leading upward. "The queen awaits you", she explained.
"Thank you", Maraan replied and took the lead. Roj Kell followed him while Cri'll brought up the rear.
As expected, the queen was not alone. Her safekeeper, Alen'Di, as well as the warlord Rhen Joul were with her.
"Syran Dill", the queen greeted him. "We have more questions for you. About those ships."
"I will have to see for myself before I can tell you anything", he answered.
"You seem to know something about them, by you own admission", Rhen Joul insisted.
Roj Kell nodded. "I believe I do, yes, but I need confirmation."
Rhen Joul stepped uncomfortably close. "Why don't you tell us what you suspect, then?"
He opened his arms in an appeasing gesture, fully conscious of the pain the creature's hands alone could inflict. "I suspect", he conceded, "that they are a civilization evolved from an experiment. From a long time ago. If I am right, they could be extremely dangerous."
"In what way?"
"That I need to find out."
"Earlier, you seemed to remember about your past", the queen injected suddenly. Her gaze was intense. "Will you reveal that secret at least?"
Roj Kell nodded. "I will." He cast a glance at the rest of the assembly then stepped toward the window. "I am a guardian of sorts, a priest of a kind. You have heard of the Force, yes?" Mutual silence answered him. "Simply put, it is what binds everything together, every planet, every plant, every creature. It is what allows Maraan here to sense what he does back in the labyrinth, and it is responsible for his sense of premonition. I am, if you will, an extension of that Force. My connection to it runs deeper than anyone else's. It is what drew me here, to this part of the galaxy."
"You can sense what happenend in the gorge. Can you also discern that strange fleet's intentions?"
"I will try my best. But to do that, I have to get closer. It is", he hesitated briefly, "the reason why I am here at all."
Rhen Joul took another step towards him. "You say you are a guardian. What is it, you guard, exactly?"
Roj Kell smiled brightly. "Everything, really."

RHEN Joul shot the creature a quizzical glance. The answer had surprised him, actually. While it was as evasive and mysterious as pretty much any other of Syran Dill's replies, he could hear the heartfelt sincerity in the word "everything". There was just something about the inflection that made it seem genuine. Whether his claim was true or not, it definitely was what he believed.
Interesting.
"Are you saying this - Force - sent you into the Shenos Cluster?" he inquired.
Syran DIll hesitated for the fraction of a second. "There was another reason why I left my previous home behind", he admitted, "but the fact that I came here of all places had eluded me until you mentioned that fleet. So, the answer is yes."
Rhen Joul bared his gills in a wide smile. "You seem awefully invested in an experiment conducted a long time ago. Why is that?"
He saw Maraan cast a strange look at the creature, who did not seem to notice. But the warrior noticed a change in Syran Dill's gaze. It seemed to turn inward, as if he were remembering something. Finally, he answered: "The reason why Maraan looked at me like that is because he knows something I have withheld from you until now."
Rhen Joul started in shock. "You read my mind!" he exclaimed, affronted.
"I believe everyone present - except Maraan and myself - were thinking the same you did", Syran Dill rebuked him with a tiny smile. "I understand your curiosity. And there is no sense in withholding the truth, I think. Not if you are to understand the urgency of the matter and my - investment. Please", here he gestured to the room in general, "why don't you take a seat?"
The queen nodded slightly and slowly retreated to her throne. She gracefully sat down while Alen'Di resumed his customary place standing at her side. The safekeeper had been awfully quiet throughout the entire conversation, Rhen Joul thought, as he himself dropped to his haunches to make himself more comfortable. Maraan sat down on the floor.
Everyone's eyes were on the strange priest, waiting for him to begin his tale. And so he did.
"I was born on a world on the other side of this galaxy. It was once called Os'jen'thana, but is now known as Ordesha. There, I was made guardian of the Force, Cor'Dan."
The unfamiliar word roused Rhen Joul's suspicion instantly. "What does that mean? Cor'Dan?" he asked.
"It literally means 'Heart of Darkness', which is the reason why I did not translate it in the first place", Syran Dill epxlained and nodded meaningfully at Alen'Di, who - upon hearing his words - had taken an aggressive step forward, half-shielding the queen from the others.
She gently put a hand on his elbow and he subsided again. Yet his eyes lingered on the priest's face, betraying his continued suspicion.
"Why 'Heart of Darkness'?" the queen inquired.
Syran Dill spread his arms in a gesture that seemed to encompass the entire room. "My people believe that darkness is never absolute. There is always hope, a new beginning. A light, if you will. I am that light."
"A guardian of everything, you claim", Alen'Di injected. "And yet you slaughtered our people without remorse!"
"I already explained myself to you, safekeeper", Syran DIll replied coldly. "I will not repeat myself."
Rhen Joul decided to intervene. "We are all aware of the fact that different cultures have different belief systems and values. You are obviously very set in yours, Syran Dill. But, so far, apart from your title, I have heard nothing that would shock me, so I wonder what secret exactly you chose to keep from us?"
The priest nodded ever so slightly, acknowledging the warrior's insight. "You are observant, Salva, as expected", he said. "What I chose to withhold was the fact that my bond to the Force has slowed the effects of age to such an extent that I will soon be celebrating my twothousandfivehundredandsecond Naming Day. I was a young man when that experiment was first conducted by my then mentor on the planet Yavin 4. What he created disgusted me so much that I eventually killed him for it and left that world behind without looking back. I did not yet have the wisdom and insight to foresee the consequences of my actions when I left that unfinished business behind."
Rhen Joul felt a terrible dryness in his throat before he realised he had followed half of the tale with his mouth wide open in shock. Alen'Di's face bore an incredulous expression and by the look on Maraan's features he had not been aware of all of the story himself. The queen, in contrast, betrayed none of her emotions.
"But you did inquire later on, did you not", she stated.
"I did. The people who had dwelt on Yavin 4 had gone, leaving nothing but ruins. And of my master's creations nothing remained either. I assumed that they had perished."
"But now you think that maybe they came here, and that they were responsible for the massacre in the gorge."
"I do."
The queen inclined her head in thanks. "I believe it prudent that you verify your suspicions as soon as possible", she declared. "Do you agree, Salva?"
Rhen Joul rose gracefully and nodded his acquiesance. "I do indeed. You will acompany me, Syran Dill, you and Star Keeper Maraan both. Alas, there is no room for passengers on our small craft."
"I will arrange for transport", Alen'Di promised.
"Thank you. Then let us make haste and meet the enemy."