Earth. A backwater planet whose natives nonetheless possessed an intimate knowledge of our galaxy's dealings. Property of General Grievous. Jessa's homeworld. Birthplace of Talitha and the Shadow. Original homeworld of the dragons of old.
And our final destination.
I set the shuttle down atop a plateau that offered us an incredible view of the surrounding landscape. Dust-colored scrub radiated out from the base of the plateau in all directions, scrub that eventually faded into a uniform reddish-tan of sands and sun-cracked earth. Scarlet and purple mountains lined the horizon, and rags of white cloud dotted the endlessly blue sky. A lone bird of prey circled overhead on the dry wind, and in the distance a sprawl of gray was visible – a small city.
"Jessa, you know this planet," I told her as we exited the shuttle. "Where are we?"
"Judging by the terrain, I'd say Arizona," she replied, shielding her eyes with a hand as she scanned the horizon. Her gaze rested on the distant city, and a flash of recognition crossed her eyes. "Yup, definitely Arizona."
"You recognize the town."
She nodded. "Yup. Behind us is an Indian Reservation, and it used to be a big game for kids to sneak inside the borders and get drunk or harass the wildlife or other brainless stuff." She gestured dramatically at the town. "And that, my friend, is Black Water, Arizona, so named because when they first established it and tried drilling a well all that came out was bad water." She sighed. "That's my hometown."
She had grown up here. The journey had come full circle for her. She was home.
"And if I remember correctly, judging from our position right now…" She pointed at the easternmost edge of the sprawl of civilization. "My folks' house should be about there."
"Will you go there now?"
She shook her head. "No," she said in a soft voice. "My life there is over. It's time I moved on."'
Without a word we located a path down the plateau, descending to the desert floor and walking away from Black Water. Jessa only spoke to point out various creatures and identify them – hawk, rattlesnake, horned toad, jackrabbit, armadillo. Beyond that, nothing was said… but then again, nothing needed to be said.
The ring pulsed strongly as we walked. I flexed my hand in anticipation. I had not simply come to Earth on a whim. I sensed there was something here that could help me. I knew what I had to do, but I would need the aid of a higher power to accomplish it.
"Where're we going anyhow?" she asked at last.
"To accomplish our quests," I replied.
"Are you going to enlighten me with the where and how?"
"I shall when I know that for myself."
A tangle of sagebrush to our left rustled ominously, and I drew my lightsaber and turned to face it.
"Better come out, whoever you are," Jessa advised. "This guy's nasty when he's pissed."
"You again?" came the all-too-familiar sneer as a blaster-wielding figure emerged from hiding.
"Hello again, Cleiko," I greeted.
The Gungan Lieutenant twisted her lip in a grimace. "Back to harass us some more, I see." She glanced around, as if expecting the other five of us to materialize at any given moment. "Where's your friends?"
"It's a long story," Jessa began.
"And we'd be happy to hear it in its entirety shortly," Grievous rasped, stepping out from behind the sagebrush screen. "Jessalyn! I had hoped we would meet again."
"Grievous," she said brightly. But she hesitated and looked plaintively at me, as if seeking permission.
"Go on," I urged her. "You don't need my consent."
Her eyes sparkled as if she were smiling, and she strode toward Grievous and embraced him. His reptilian eyes registered shock for a moment, then he laughed and returned the gesture.
Cleiko gave me an incredulous look. I just shrugged. I had seen stranger things.
"What brings you here?" he asked. "Are you seeking out your family?"
"Not really…" she confessed.
"What brings you to Earth?" I asked.
He laughed. "I'm allowed to visit my property once in awhile, am I not?" he retorted. "Besides, when I see an unidentified ship preparing to land on my planet, I have to investigate…"
The ring suddenly burned, and at the same instant a plume of dust flared on the horizon.
"Something's coming," hissed Cleiko, bringing her weapon to bear again.
"If we've been spotted, we could be in trouble," Jessa said uneasily. "I mean, Vader might be able to get away with it, but not the rest of us…"
Shapes were visible on the horizon now… silhouettes of powerful, quadrupedal beasts that bolted gracefully across the desert, proud and free…
"Mustangs!" Jessa exclaimed, her apprehension becoming awe.
"Horses," I corrected.
"Wild horses are called mustangs in these parts," Grievous corrected. He draped a metallic arm around Jessa's shoulders. "Shall I round up a few of them for you, my dear?"
She shook her head, her gaze never leaving the mustangs. "They deserve to run wild here. There are so few of them left… in high school my girlfriends and I would come out here every weekend hoping to see the wild horses, but the most we ever saw were hoofprints… and once a skull, Angie took it home but her mom made her throw it away…"
Unbidden a memory surfaced… a memory of a wounded black stallion… of a circle of stones and a power as old as the stars streaming through my blood… of a midnight ride across the wilds of Endor… of a promise of aid…
…For helping me, this is your reward… for helping our people, our herd, something is still owed… watch well, Bearer of the Ring, for there will come a day when our kind will help you as you helped us…
I closed my eyes and extended my awareness to touch the minds of these creatures. They were not the least bit startled at my attempts to communicate, but they were reluctant to comply with my request. I maintained the connection, allowing them to sense that I meant them no harm.
"Boss, the herd…" Cleiko barked.
"Let them alone," Grievous told her sharply. "We will see about acquiring some tame horses to add to my menagerie…"
"The herd's coming right for us!" she clarified, blaster up and ready to fire.
"Stampede!" hissed Jessa. "Darth, can you turn them away?"
"No," I replied, severing my mental bond and turning to face her.
"Why not?" she demanded.
"Because," I replied simply, "I called them."
Her eyes flashed with confusion and fear, but before she could speak any more the thunder of hooves was upon us. A mass of bodies surrounded us, gray upon brown upon black upon tan upon white. I counted over a dozen of the beasts, ranging from a gangly piebald colt to the magnificent blood-bay stallion with a white star between his eyes that stepped forward as regally as a king to confront me.
I raised my ring-bearing hand and placed it upon his brow, where a horn would be on a unicorn, and he shivered slightly at the touch as he recognized the material of the ring.
"Some time ago," I told him solemnly, "a comrade of yours placed your kind in my debt. That debt is still owing. I have need of you."
His proud head raised, and a liquid brown eye regarded me expectantly. "What do you require?"
The ring provided the answer. "I have a mission to fulfill… but I cannot do it unaided. I need the aid of a greater power."
"We know the source of such a power," came the reply, and he lowered his head. "Upon my back, and I will take you there."
Jessa gaped as I mounted the stallion. "He's letting you ride him?"
I extended a hand. "Come with me, Jessa. You can return to Grievous once we have found what we're looking for."
She turned and gave the cyborg general an apologetic look. "Be right back."
Grievous nodded, an amused gleam in his eyes.
Jessa climbed on behind me, and with a lunge the stallion plunged ahead, the rest of his herd close behind. I clung to his mane, reveling in the power and speed, the thrill of the chase, the feeling of near-weightlessness, almost of flight…
Abruptly our steed turned sharply, leaping into a shallow canyon. His hooves thundered upon the stone as he plunged on ahead. Jessa's claws tightened on my arms as the stallion leaped a slide, expertly navigated the jags of the ravine…
And slid to such an abrupt halt it was all I could do to avoid flying over his head.
"Here," he said simply.
I dismounted. Jessa slid off like a sack of baggage, lying dazedly on the ground a few moments before scrambling to her feet.
"Please tell me this thing didn't take us where I think he took us," she muttered.
"Where would that be?" I asked.
"La Copa de Muerta," she replied. "Cup of Death. Sacred Indian site. It's supposedly cursed… and haunted."
The canyon dead-ended scarcely a dozen meters ahead in a wall of sandstone and a bowl-shaped depression in the ground. A scattering of humble objects lay in the dust at the base of the wall – a painted clay pot, a woven rug, a knife blade whose handle had long since rotted away, and other paraphernalia. Upon the cliff face itself were designs and figures painted on or etched into the stone. Animals and human figures, of course, but dominating was the image of a great winged reptile…
"This is a Place of Power," the stallion said gravely. "Spirits come here. Strange things happen by moonlight. Perhaps here you may find what you seek, Bearer of the Ring."
I stroked the great neck one last time. "Go, my friend, and may the Force be with you."
He tossed his head and was gone in a burst of dust.
Jessa watched him go. Then she turned to me expectantly. "What was that all about?"
I did not answer, only gazed upon La Copa de Muerta. Cursed and haunted… source of spirits and strange happenings…
I stepped forward, letting my right foot land within the boundaries of the Place of Power. Immediately the energies of this sacred site poured into me, melding with the power of the dragon and the power of the Force. I let it flood me, let myself become a vessel for the power that it might do what needed to be done…
Then it happened.
The ring – my mother's legacy, my inheritance, my guide and protector – slid off my finger and fell with a metallic ring upon the stony ground.
Jessa and I stared mutely at the ring, too stunned for words. I had worn the ring for so long, it had almost become part of me. It felt strange to be separated from it, and so suddenly.
Jessa stooped, picked up the ring, and wordlessly handed it to me.
I held my inheritance in my palm, wondering at how it had helped me so much over the past year. Removed from me, it seemed lifeless and dull, a curl of yellowed horn and nothing else. I knew somehow that, if I attempted to put it back on, it would be either too large or too small for my fingers, that it would never fit.
"You don't need it anymore," Jessa noted. "It knows that."
I lifted my gaze to look at her. "Go back to the shuttle, Jessa. Retrieve my journals and the journals of my mother and ancestor, as well as the objects the others have left behind. Bring them here. After that… you're free to go. The fellowship has dissolved."
She nodded. "I'll be back. And Darth… you be careful. Magic's a screwy thing…"
And she loped off in the direction the stallion had gone.
I turned to face the painting of the dragon and knelt in the center of the Place of Power, feeling its energy course through me, listening and waiting.
Break…
The rumors that La Copa de Muerta are haunted are more or less true, it would seem. As I knelt within its boundaries countless faces from my past showed themselves. None spoke… but then, words were not needed.
I saw a brilliant white horse with a spiral horn of gold upon his brow, eyes infinitely wise and sorrowful, nodding his approval before galloping off.
I saw Talitha and Jasper. Stars, she was beautiful. Her smile alone could move a man to tears. And Jasper… in human form, he was every bit as intimidating as ever. How I longed to speak to them again.
I saw my mother, Shmi Skywalker. There was a sadness to her features, as if she regretted that I had discovered my true heritage. But there was also pride – of all things pride! Despite all that I had done, she chose to honor me for my accomplishments, not shun me for my sins.
I saw my Padme, my angel. That was perhaps hardest of all. Had I not killed her in my anger? Had I not become a monster before her very eyes? But there was no hatred in her expression, only love. Only forgiveness. And in her eyes… a longing. A desire to be reunited with me… yet an acceptance, the patience to wait until I had completed my mission on this plane.
I saw Qui-gon and Obi-wan, the former beaming with pride, the latter's face apologetic. I could no longer hate my Master, for how could he have known his pupil was not fully human and could not be contained by the Codes of his day?
I saw a young man, unfamiliar to my eyes, his black hair styled in short spikes, clad in ragged trousers and a simple shirt that declared "Keep Staring – I Might Do A Trick." I strained to place him somewhere… then recognized the eyes.
He offered me a smile, as if to say "Say hi to my sister for me." Then Harley vanished as the rest of the spirits had.
I had many other visitors from beyond the grave, enough to fill a book on their own. But of them all, I judged the above to be of the most import.
Break…
I had one other visitor that night.
Dusk had fallen by this point, the sky taking on purple hues as the sun faded from view. By this time I had familiarized myself with the power here, and I realized that it was not a steady stream of magic – it ebbed and flowed like the tide. If I wished to utilize the power to its full potential, I would have to wait until it reached its peak.
The rumble of an engine interrupted my meditation, and I looked up to see a battered vehicle resembling a four-wheeled swoop bike snarl to a halt. The rider dismounted casually and removed a bundle from the back of the vehicle, then stepped forward to the Place of Power.
"Who are you?" I asked.
His black eyes shone amusedly from under the visor of his helmet. "Tribal wise man." He must have sensed my puzzlement, and he laughed good-naturedly. "We've adopted the new ways, son, but we still hold onto our heritage."
I nodded. There was no shame in that.
"If you're wanting help from the spirits," the wise man advised, "you might want to leave an offering."
An offering? It couldn't hurt, I supposed. Magic could be finicky, and perhaps it was indeed awaiting an offering before it allowed me full access to it. But I had nothing to give.
"Anything'll do, as long as it's given freely and has some significance for you."
I reached for my belt and drew the Vong knife. My blood still stained the grooves in the blade, and as I gazed upon the weapon I recalled how the Vong's attack had finally awakened my dragon power, had finally driven me to accept my father's identity and legacy. They had intended to destroy the galaxy as we knew it… but instead they had granted me a gift.
With great reverence I laid the knife beneath the dragon painting.
"Good choice." The wise man laid a few items beside the blade, then turned to me. "Need a blanket or something? Nights here get awfully cold."
"No," I told him. "You have done enough for me."
He smiled and lowered the visor of his helmet. "I won't tell. I'm good at keeping a secret." He boarded his vehicle. "May the Force be with you."
"And with you."
The vehicle sputtered to life and roared away.
Break…
Jessa returned soon after the wise man's departure, and she listened with interest as I described our encounter.
"Wish I could have seen his ATV, those are cool," she noted. "And yeah, some magic does require ritual and offerings. Good thing he showed up."
She handed me a bundle. I opened it to ensure its contents were intact – Fleur and Talitha's journals, my account of my life before the ring, the unfinished chronicle of my journey with the ring, Ash's feather, Nightwind's tooth, Fett's carving, Tuck's ID card, and the memento from Luke's mother.
"I must ask one more thing of you, Jessa."
"Sure, anything."
"I will be gone by morning. When I leave… please make sure these reach Luke. They will rightfully be his."
"Will do." She scuffed the dirt with a clawed foot. "Grievous and I won't be going until tomorrow afternoon, actually, so that works out fine."
"Then your fate lies with him."
"I love him. He loves me. We belong together. He told me I would always have a place with him… and I'm taking it." She gazed upon the dragon image. "Are you sure this is what YOU want?"
"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "This is my path."
She reached into the folds of her cloak and withdrew something. "Here, add this to the package. Don't need it anymore."
I took her MP3 player and added it to the bundle, then offered her something in return – the crystal brooch that had been Grievous' first gift to her.
We said nothing for a long time. I would miss Jessa. Her presence had always provided us with wisdom, humor, and a biting wit. Her knowledge of the ring had proven invaluable, and her ability to make us laugh had saved our sanity more than once. In some ways, she was as much a daughter to me as Leia. I hoped her path would bring her some much-needed happiness.
"We should have a big reunion sometime," she said lightly. "Couple years down the road, all seven of us. Have it at the Shadow's place. Catch up on things and party."
I laughed. "That would be wonderful."
"Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday," she wished me. "And Happy Halloween while we're at it." She embraced me. "Take care of yourself, Darth Dragon. Remember me."
"I shall."
And she was gone.
Break…
This is the last I shall write.
Once I have completed this entry, I will bind this journal into the package I have prepared for Luke. As my son, he is the rightful heir to its contents – and the rightful heir to the ring.
Everyone in our fellowship has left something behind, and my contribution shall be my lightsaber. I have no use for it where I am going. And as Obi-wan gave it to my son in the first place, it is rightfully his. May he wield it well.
The ring also goes into the package. It has served me well all this time, and I thank the Shadow for her aid in discovering it that day – for it was surely her that drew my attention to the secret chamber within the Emperor's palace.
It has been exactly one year since that fateful afternoon when I discovered the unicorn ring and the dragon's egg – for there can be no doubt that the second case in that chamber contained my egg and, with it, my misshapen former body. In that time I have accomplished and learned more than I ever thought possible… and all because of an eccentric sorceress and an ancient ring. I am indebted forever to the Shadow, and it is my hope that I will cross paths with her again and find some way to repay her.
It is All Hallows' Eve, a night of powerful magic. A full moon, as blazingly red-gold as a phoenix, rides high upon the velvet black sky. The energy of the Place of Power is at its height.
It is time.
At one time I had rejected my dragon blood. At another time a foe had spilled it… and unlocked its secrets.
Tonight, at long last, I embrace it.
May the Force be with all whom I have loved.
