Star Wars: Specters of the Past
By SSG Michael B. Jackson
Disclaimer: Star Wars and all associated characters belong, ultimately, to George Lucas, and aren't mine, more's the pity. Still, he's done a damn good job so far, so who's complaining?
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and, as much as I'd like to, I think I'll forego the individual comments this time. I truly appreciate all the feedback, but my review-replies are starting to take up as much room as the story itself! Also, sorry for the long break. It's just a combination of things being hectic here and me not being in the right mood to write this. I'll try not to make the next break this long!
It was late afternoon before Han and Mara, in their rented speeder, reached the outskirts of the refugee camp. They'd called ahead, of course, informing Master Cilghal of the unexpected and unwelcome change in their plans, and their resulting inability to bring Padmé to her. As they'd hoped, she had immediately offered to take a short break from her duties at the camp, saying that a trip into Theed, unlike a hop off-planet, was no big deal. Naturally, they'd been more than willing to give her a ride.
They glided slowly past the rows of communal living tents, latrine facilities, and dining halls, Han's eyes firmly on the path ahead lest one of the myriad small children of several species who seemed to be running loose through the camp should decide to dart out in front of them. Both were silent as they took in the too-familiar scene around them, and neither met the curious stares of the disenfranchised people who, like the camp itself, carried a worn and weary air. And these, they both knew, were the lucky ones; they'd at least escaped from wherever they'd come from with their lives, if nothing else. Now, even if they were living essentially on the charity of others, wearing borrowed clothing and eating donated foodstuffs, their children playing with toys contributed by other, more fortunate youngsters, at least they were alive. And, thanks to the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances and the Jedi Order, they had access to very competent medical care, which, unfortunately, was sadly needed in many cases.
This was brought home forcibly to Han and Mara as they came to the camp infirmary, outside of which a long line of the afflicted stretched. They dismounted, and, sidling past the many sick and wounded beings waiting for care, couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Some of those in line looked as though they'd been waiting for hours, all day perhaps, and here they were, come to spirit away one of the healers for whom they'd surely been waiting. Still, despite the maladies they saw, neither Han nor Mara got the impression that anyone in line was in immediate danger of losing life or limb and, in all truth, no one knew if the same could be said for Padmé. Thus far, her symptoms had remained mild, and had been mostly negated by the 2-1B's ministrations, but there was no way to know how long that would last, or how rapid her decline would be.
Still, Han had a hunch how Padmé might feel about taking anything away from these unfortunates, and, leaning close to Mara he said in a low voice, "Let's not mention anything about the patient load around the mother-in-law. Something tells me that if she knew about this, she'd probably refuse treatment until she could come out here herself. In fact, she'd probably insist on going to the back of the line like anybody else."
Mara nodded slowly, and said, "I wouldn't doubt it, Solo. She's that kind of lady. Fortunately, you and I are a little more… practical. These poor people aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and none of them is likely to drop dead in the few short hours Master Cilghal will be away. Padmé, on the other hand…"
"Yeah," Solo said gravely. "But, looking at these people, it's kinda hard to feel good about this."
Mara sighed, and said, "Han, if anybody should know about making right decisions that feel wrong and vice versa, it's the two of us."
Han shook his head and, pushing open the infirmary door said tiredly, "Yeah, some things never change, Jade. As much as you'd like 'em to."
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Aboard the Jade Shadow, Jaina did her level best to retain her slowly fraying sanity. It was her turn to watch after her little cousin, Jacen having 'tagged out', so to speak, so that he could be present to assist Master Cilghal. But her mind could hardly be said to be on task. Ever since learning from her parents what had occurred in the spaceport terminal, she'd been itching to do something. Anything! Anything but sitting idly in her aunt and uncle's ship, chasing after a very energetic, if, mercifully, well-behaved toddler, that is. She still couldn't believe that her grandmother had been arrested, or that no one had done anything to prevent it! Not that she could think of anything that could've been done differently, though she'd certainly tried. But surely heroes of her family's caliber could have thought of something! How could the four people most directly responsible for the fall of the Galactic Empire have just let this happen?!
These thoughts chased themselves round and round her turbulent mind, overriding even her attempts at Jedi meditation. She found herself becoming ever more restless, glancing more and more often at the ship's chrono and wishing that her 'shift' were over so that she could at least go to visit her grandmother in her overly opulent prison cell. Unfortunately, she knew that wouldn't happen until morning, still interminable hours away. She also knew that she should put her cousin down for the night soon, and then try to get some sleep herself, but somehow she doubted that the latter was likely.
Finally, having had enough of brooding, she rose from the pilot's chair where she'd been sitting, intending to scoop Ben up and get him ready for bed. But before she could take a first step in his direction, she was startled by the attention tone from the ship's com system. Spinning around, she bent to examine the panel and was vaguely surprised to find that the incoming call was a Holonet transmission, not a local call from some member of her family. Frowning slightly, she hit the 'Acknowledge' key and watched the image that slowly formed over the miniature holo-stage.
"Admiral Kre'fey," she said in a slightly bemused tone, recognizing the Bothan's countenance as it flickered before her.
"Colonel Solo," the Admiral said slowly in reply. "I don't suppose your uncle or aunt are anywhere about, are they?"
She sighed, and said, "No, sir, I'm afraid they're not. Everyone except me is a bit… preoccupied at the moment."
The admiral cocked his head quizzically, and said, "Preoccupied? With what, exactly?"
Shaking her head slowly, Jaina said, "That's a long story, sir. But let's just say that I know where Mom and Uncle Luke get their 'luck genes' from now."
"Excuse me, Colonel?" the admiral said in a bewildered tone, wondering if he'd heard correctly over the admittedly shaky Holonet connection.
"Grandmother Padmé is in trouble, sir," she said leadenly. "As soon as we landed here on Naboo, she was arrested on some ancient war crimes charges that were whipped up right after the Emperor died. Apparently, the government here thinks she was in collusion with Palpatine and helped him gain the throne."
"What?" the admiral said, shocked. "I take it that none of you lends any credence to these charges?"
Jaina laughed bitterly, and said, "Of course not, sir. And not just because she's family. But from what I understand, it's going to be hell getting the tribunal here on Naboo to believe that."
"Hmm," the admiral rumbled thoughtfully. "That is unfortunate…"
Frowning once again, Jaina said, "Yes sir, it is. But somehow I get the feeling you didn't call for a rundown on the Skywalker/Solo clan's current list of woes."
Shaking his head slowly, the admiral said, "No, I didn't." And then, changing the subject abruptly, he said, "I don't suppose you have access to crypto-key 137B4421, do you?"
Reaching into a small compartment near the com set, Jaina pulled out a small crystalline device and held it in front of the pick-up wordlessly.
Nodding slowly, the admiral said, "Good. Insert that into the com set if you will, Colonel Solo. And then we can get down to business."
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Inside Padmé's 'guest suite', a rapid discussion between Master Cilghal, Luke, Jacen, and the 2-1B droid had just concluded. Padmé herself was seated on the large sofa in the center of the room, staring in dismay at the hairbrush in her daughter's hand, choked now with her own chestnut-brown locks. As if to confirm what she was seeing, she slowly ran a hand through her soft tresses, coming away with a loose handful. Leia looked on with muted horror, but Padmé just sighed and dropped her hand to her lap.
"Well, it's not as if we didn't know this would start sooner or later," she said resignedly.
"Mother-" Leia began a bit uncertainly and then stopped, not knowing what to say.
Shaking her head, Padmé said, "It's alright, Leia. At least this waited until the subject matter expert was present."
As if in reply to this, Master Cilghal chose that moment to move to Padmé's side, bending a large, fishy eye close to peer at the brush in Leia's hand.
"Hmm," she said critically. "I guess I'm not a moment too soon, am I?"
Looking up to meet her gaze, Padmé said, "No, Master Cilghal, I'm afraid you're not. So what happens now?"
"Now," she said, "You just need to relax. Go ahead and recline back against the cushions or lie down, whichever is more comfortable for you." As Padmé took her advice, leaning back into the sofa's ample cushions, she said, "Good." And then, glancing over her shoulder, she said, "Jacen, come on over here. You'll be part of this too."
Following the master's instructions, Jacen came to her side, then sat down beside his grandmother when Master Cilghal motioned him to. Sitting down on the opposite side, she said, "Just do as I do, Jacen, and follow the instructions I give you."
"Yes, Master," Jacen said obediently, watching closely.
Closing her eyes, Master Cilghal reached out and placed her hands on Padmé, one resting lightly on her face, the other on her shoulder. Tentatively, Jacen did the same, reaching down in to the Force as he did so. Casting about carefully, Jacen found Master Cilghal's familiar presence, slowly and skillfully probing and analyzing both his grandmother's body and essence. Making himself pliant, malleable, Jacen slowly extended his presence in the Force, molding it to and reinforcing Master Cilghal's, gradually merging his perceptions to hers.
As he did so, Jacen began to see his grandmother as Master Cilghal did, a luminous nimbus of varicolored lights; shells and tubes and granules of light, all nested and coiled and flowing within one another. Despite his natural talent for healing and the experiences he'd had, Jacen had never seen anything quite like Master Cilghal's perceptions, and it struck him as both beautiful and efficient. It was a perfect way for a healer to visualize a body and the living Force that flowed through it.
But, following Master Cilghal's lead, Jacen soon noticed blemishes in the beauty he'd been admiring. Scattered throughout the luminous structure of Padmé's body, tiny dark motes swam and darted unnaturally. And wherever they congregated, the natural luminosity of Padmé's organs and muscles dimmed, fading toward blackness themselves.
Jacen felt Master Cilghal drawing deeper on the living Force, and their mutual perspective dove closer to one of the black agglomerations. As they closed in, he felt her reach out, gently probing the tiny points of blackness, trying to ascertain their properties and vulnerabilities. Their reaction was sudden and startling.
Wherever Master Cilghal's awareness touched the tiny motes, they suddenly whipped into a flurry of frenzied activity, morphing through all the colors of the spectrum and sliding away from her touch like tiny drops of oil or quicksilver. Jacen felt Master Cilghal's mental frown at this, and watched as she tried several different probing techniques, all of which met with similar results.
Finally, setting aside subtlety with a resigned internal sigh, Master Cilghal drew even deeper on the Force, and focused all her will on simply counteracting the black motes' activities and existence. Her efforts took the form of a shining white light, the opposite of the motes' stygian blackness, practically a laser beam of sheer will. Unfortunately, this proved no more effective than her previous efforts.
Once again shifting through all the colors of the spectrum, the tiny motes simply reflected the light of Master Cilghal's concentrated will off their infinitesimal hides, slipping and sliding away as before. Slightly aghast now, Master Cilghal wordlessly asked for and received Jacen's permission to add his strength to her own, and drew as deeply into both his and her reserves of power as she was able.
Redoubling her efforts, Master Cilghal unleashed a veritable wave of cleansing power over the tiny motes, only taking care not to damage any of Padmé's still healthy tissues in the process. This time, apparently unable to react in time, a few of the motes did wink out of existence, consumed by a conflagration of healing energies. But the vast majority, quicker than their fellows, simply adapted to the new situation as they had before and slid away.
Jacen felt Master Cilghal's deep consternation then, as she let the wave of power ebb away. Consternation and bewilderment, to be exact. Finally, with no better course of action available, Master Cilghal turned her attention away from the tiny motes of destruction, and focused instead on Padmé herself and the damaged tissues the tiny invaders were so industriously attacking.
What followed was fairly routine for Jacen, but he followed along anyway as Master Cilghal did what she could to restore the ravaged tissues. He saw that her ministrations did help, and would undoubtedly serve to prolong Padmé's life. But at the same time he knew that this was a stopgap measure at best, and that the invaders were multiplying as they did their work. Eventually, no amount of healing would be able to offset the damage that was being done, and when things reached that point, it wouldn't be long before his grandmother either died or chose for herself the same fate that had been visited upon his grandfather so many years ago. And she'd already made her choice on that matter abundantly clear.
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Once Master Cilghal and Jacen had come out of their healing trance, it hadn't taken long to explain what they'd found. And even though Padmé now felt better than she had at any point since her awakening, the failure of even a Jedi Master Healer's efforts to permanently alleviate her illness cast a pall over everyone present.
For a long time after Master Cilghal had finished her explanation, no one spoke, lost in their own morose thoughts. Finally, though, the silence was broken.
"Okay, that didn't work," Mara said resolutely. "So now what?"
Shaking his head slowly, Luke said, "I wish I knew. I was sure that if anything would work, this would be it."
Frowning slightly, Mara said, "Well, news flash, farm boy; it didn't. So either we figure out something else or we let your mom die. Which is it?"
"Mara," he said tightly, pain evident in his voice.
Softening slightly, she said, "I'm sorry, Luke. I don't mean to be so hard. But we can't let this discourage us. If plan A doesn't work, go to plan B. If you don't have a plan B-"
"Make one up," Luke said, smiling tiredly. "Or skip right on to plans C, D, E, F or G. Whatever it takes."
Nodding encouragingly, Mara smiled and said, "That's right. You know the drill."
Sighing loudly, Luke said, "Yeah, I guess I do. So anybody have a plan B in mind? I'm open to suggestion at this point."
From the corner he'd been standing in throughout the procedure, Han Solo said, "Well, kid, I think maybe Master Cilghal's the one we should be asking about that." And, looking to her, he said, "Any bright ideas?"
Considering for a moment, she finally said slowly, "This organism, this thing, is like nothing I've ever seen before. Where did you say you thought it was from?"
Looking thoughtful, Leia said, "The doctor said he thought it might be from a place called Drongar. I've never heard of it, but apparently it was a Clone War battlefield of some kind. The doctor said he'd been posted there when he was barely out of medical school and that this thing reminded him of some of the life forms there. He said that it looked like it had the same 'adaptagenic biology', whatever that is. But he also said that he was pretty sure it had been altered somehow; engineered, probably."
"Hmm," Master Cilghal said, and then, "I've never heard of this Drongar either, but if this organism, or the base stock it was engineered from, is from there… A sample of that base stock or a related organism might help us out with this."
"How do you figure that?" Padmé said, still sitting on the sofa.
"Well," Master Cilghal said slowly, "The organism inside your body resists all efforts at analysis or isolation. In other words, no one has been able to get a hold of it and figure out what makes it tick. If we could get a sample of the original bug, or something like it, that was already isolated-"
"Someone who knew what they were doing might be able to take it apart and figure out how to fight the thing inside of Grandmother!" Jacen interjected excitedly.
Master Cilghal nodded and said, "Just so. But that means that someone will need to go to this Drongar and collect a sample, of course. And then there's the matter of someone with the necessary expertise to exploit it."
"Huh!" Han said from his corner. "Getting' it shouldn't be a problem. I think me and the Falcon can handle that."
Frowning, Leia said, "You and the Falcon? Since when did you and the Falcon fly alone?"
Waving his hands in a dismissive gesture, Han said, "Ah, I wouldn't worry about that one, sweetheart. You and Luke probably need to stay here with your mom, but I'm sure I'll have no shortage of volunteers to co-pilot. In fact, I'll bet Jaina would jump at the chance. Knowing her, she's probably tearing her hair out right now, wishing she had something to do."
Leia sighed, and said, "You're probably right about that." And then, a sly grin quirking her lips, she added, "There's a first time for everything, I guess."
Rolling his eyes heavenward, Han looked to Padmé and said sardonically, "You see what I get here?"
Smiling softly, she said knowingly, "I see."
"Okay," Mara said, just a trace of exasperation in her voice, "So Solo goes to Drongar and picks up a sample of this thing. Then what? Who's going to rip this thing apart and come up with a cure?" Looking to Master Cilghal she said, "Can you do that?"
Master Cilghal sighed and said, "I can try. But I'm honestly not sure that a Jedi healer is the best choice for that. This thing has already proven to be rather resistant to manipulation through the Force."
"Then who did you have in mind?" Luke said curiously.
Considering, she said, "It would have to be someone who was extremely adept at analyzing, altering and utilizing living organisms. Someone who was a master at genetic engineering." She paused for a moment, and then said, "I think we're all familiar with one race that fits that description."
There were several frowns of consternation as the sense of this sank into all those present save Padmé, but it was Jacen who finally gave voice to what all of them were thinking.
"You mean the Yuuzhan Vong," he said flatly.
She nodded slowly as the silence in the room thickened, ultimately to be broken by Padmé.
"Now wait a moment," she said dubiously. "Aren't the Yuuzhan Vong the ones you said the entire galaxy just went to war against? The race that destroys entire worlds?"
Luke sighed and said, "Well, yes Mother. But it's a little bit more complicated than that."
Frowning, Padmé said, "Complicated? What do you mean, Luke?"
Jumping in, Jacen said, "What he means, Grandmother, is that we didn't just defeat them. In a very real way, we saved them. From themselves, that is."
More puzzled than before, Padmé said, "Okay, and how does that one work?"
Smiling indulgently, Jacen said, "Well, in a way, they were in the same predicament the Empire was. They were being lead by an Emperor who wasn't what he seemed and had no one's interests at heart except his own. They were also caught in the grips of a self-destructive religion that basically doomed them to being a race of vicious, sadistic conquerors. We, uh, fixed all of that. And, incidentally, returned them to a, uh, descendant of their original home world. That part is even more complicated, I'm afraid."
Still frowning, Padmé said slowly, "So what you're telling me is that, basically, they sort of owe us one. Is that it?"
Jacen nodded and said, "More or less. And we parted with the group we settled on Zonama Sekot amicably. In fact, a couple of Jedi stayed with them there to help smooth things out, so that should work in our favor."
Nodding also, Luke said, "It should work. I don't see why they wouldn't go for it. There's just one problem, of course…"
"And that would be?" Padmé said curiously.
"We don't know where Zonama Sekot is right now," Leia said tiredly.
Her eyebrows raising in surprise, Padmé said, "You don't know where it is?"
Leia sighed and said, "Unfortunately, no. I don't quite understand all of this, but apparently Zonama Sekot is, well, alive. The whole planet. Alive and Force sensitive, no less. But, beyond that, it's mobile too. It has huge engines, sublight and hyperdrive, built right into the crust. Whenever it feels the need, it just- moves. And, after it was all done in Coruscant's system, it moved out. To parts unknown, I'm afraid."
Sighing loudly, Han said, "Yeah, well, let's not borrow trouble. We've got plenty as it is. First we get a sample of this thing and then, assuming that works out, we figure out how to get it to the Vong. How's that grab everybody?"
Luke nodded, and said, "Sounds like a plan to me. Or at least as much of a plan as we're likely to come up with at this point. So-"
But, before he could finish, Luke was interrupted by the beeping of his wrist-com. Frowning, he pressed the 'Acknowledge' key and said, "Skywalker."
A tinny, somewhat agitated feminine voice replied, saying, "Hey, Uncle Luke, it's me, Jaina."
Still frowning, he said, "What's up, kiddo? You don't sound very happy."
Jaina sighed, and said, "Well, you wouldn't either if you'd just heard what I have. Admiral Kre'fey called."
Feeling a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach, Luke said, "What'd he have to say, Jaina?"
"If it tells you anything, I can't talk about it over an open com, Uncle Luke," she said, and then, "I need you and Aunt Mara, at least, to come back here so I can brief you up on this. And I don't think you're going to like it much."
Mara, crowding close to Luke now, sighed and said, "Well, there's a big surprise. Let me guess; word on a certain Galactic Emperor's last big toy?"
After a slight pause, worry evident in her tone, Jaina said, "Yep, and guess what? Not only do our mutual friends not want to play with it, they don't even want to send anybody to the playground to see if it's still there. They're looking for volunteers instead."
Well, once again, sorry for the long, long, LONG wait! Things here in Ass-Crackastan have been more than a little bit hectic, and probably won't slow down for a while. I hope it won't be nearly this long before I update again, but I can't make any promises. I hope at least some of you will stick with me on this, and I certainly appreciate any of you who do! Please take a little time to review this, as the reviews are my meat and drink when it comes to writing! Thanks.