Chapter 3
Vergence
The durasteel doors to the Jedi Council chambers were shut.
Yoda stood before them with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes closed, his face impassive. His rock-still position hid his disdain for where he stood. The doors were tall, even for species of average height. For Yoda, they were two slabs of mountainside that parted to reveal a massive estuary into which the currents of the Force flowed, often unbeknownst to its residents. He revered the chamber, but he despised it as well. The reverence, he held for the history of the room—the disdain, he felt for those who occupied it.
The Jedi Council was nothing more than a midi-chlorian club.
Millennia ago, one earned a position on the Jedi Council through years of service and demonstration of phenomenal control of oneself and the abilities granted by the Force. The Jedi had understood then that true power had nothing to do with the gifts naturally given, but with the ability to grow beyond those natural abilities.
Two hundred years prior, an astute young Jedi Healer named Callista Blade had discovered the existence of midi-chlorians and recognized the correlation between midi-chlorian count and Force-potential. While no direct causal effect was ever discovered, before long, this one biological oddity became the primary deciding factor in selecting new Jedi students for training.
Yoda thought of the many times he had seen worthy padawans go unselected by Jedi Masters simply because the youngling's midi-chlorian count was too low. He had made it a habit of selecting those undesirable students for training as often as possible and took great pride in watching his students dismantle the more gifted students in lightsaber practice.
As he stood there, impassive, he considered how much the Jedi Council had come to reflect the prejudices of the Order. Elevation to the Jedi Council had become a matter of biological caprice. Having not experienced any real challenges since the Sith War, the Jedi Order relied not on skill or mastery of the Force in selecting Jedi Council Members, but on the number of microscopic organisms in one's cells.
They had been hounding him for over two hundred years to join the Council. He would have been their pride and joy, he was sure—the being with the highest midi-chlorian count on record. The very thought of joining them made his stomach lurch. They were little more than the pawns of the Republic. He did his best to hide his contempt when he was before them.
They were sycophants.
They were weak.
They were everything he hated about what the Order had become.
The doors suddenly opened and Yoda opened his eyes. His face became an inscrutable mask as he strode into the room.
They were also his leaders.
"Do you believe this void to be a Vergence in the Force?" Master Tulook's pallid pink eyes bored into Yoda. His triangular-shaped wrinkled skull was cocked slightly in what passed for a quizzical look among the Arcona. His recent addition to the Council after years as a Jedi Archivist did not hinder his voice in the chambers.
Yoda shrugged slightly. "An absence of the Force, a more apt description would be." Yoda looked around the room. "Like a black hole, it was. From its horizon, nothing escaped. Spoke to me from its center, someone did. Unable to locate him, I have been."
A loud snort came from the direction of Jedi Master Fanzeh, the Klantooinian. "It seems to me that this void you refer to had more to do with kriva juice than the Force."
Yoda scowled and the olive-skinned humanoid straightened slightly in his chair. Fanzeh's eyes, which were set deep into his skull and hidden under a large wrinkled brow ridge, locked with Yoda's. The bottom row of his jagged teeth moved upwards and slipped seamlessly under the split jowls of his upper lip. At length, Master Fanzeh looked down.
"Drunk on kriva juice, I was," He turned his back on Fanzeh, "when bought you from the Hutts, I did."
"Let's not make this personal." The Negotiator.
Yoda turned and nodded curtly. Master Qui-Lek stood, drawing his imposing height to its fullest. He walked out to the center of the chamber and joined Yoda. Typical. Condescending.
"Personal, it is not. Concerned, we should be. Uncertain, I may be, but convinced, I am, that of the dark side, this phenomenon was."
"The dark side?" Qui-Lek looked down at Yoda, his eyebrows raised.
"Master Yoda, I was under the impression that the dark side was hot, not cold as you described this experience." Ji-Aba-Zin was the most intelligent of the group. The Cerean Jedi Master clasped his hands between his spread legs and leaned his long, conical head forward in a look of keen interest.
Yoda turned to face him, which made Qui-Lek's frown given that Yoda's new position pointed his back to the head of the Jedi Council.
"Odd indeed, it is. When encounter users of the dark side of the Force, we do, unusually passionate, they are. In the Force, red hot flames of rage, they become. Cold, this void was. No experience with it, I have. But of the dark side this void was, I am sure."
"Then it can't be centered on a Force-user, Master Yoda," Ji-Aba-Zin answered with certainty. He sat back with a satisfied look. "It must be some other phenomenon we haven't encountered yet."
"Perhaps. Investigate it further, I will. I will report my findings to the Council, when understanding I gain."
"Very well, Yoda," Master Qui-Lek returned to his seat and looked sternly at Yoda. "But first, we need to discuss why we called you here." The corners of Qui-Lek's mouth drew downward and Yoda knew immediately that the news was not good. "Master Kreen has died." Qui-Lek leaned forward with compassionate eyes. "I know she was your friend. I'm sorry."
Yoda nodded. His knew that his face was completely unreadable and he preferred it that way.
San Kreen had been more than a friend. It was into Yoda's hands that the Jedi Seekers had placed her when she was six months old. He had watched her grow from that birth into the Order until she was ready for selection as a padawan. Masters clamored to claim her because she was unusually strong in the Force, but it was Yoda who ended up guiding her into knighthood. Eighty-three years later, the bonds of their friendship were severed. It was not the first friend he had lost in the last five hundred years. It would not be the last. When one lives over a thousand years, he comes to expect losing friends.
He allowed himself a moment to grieve before letting her passing go.
"From me, what do you want?" Yoda whispered, at length.
"Her death has opened a seat on the Council. I'm afraid that we have to insist that you fill it. Now…don't try to tell us that you don't belong here. We've all heard your arguments more times than we can count. The simple fact is that there is no one else who can fill her position. You are the only choice."
"Hundreds of Jedi, we have!" His eyes were alight with irritation. "Need me, you do not. No important qualifications, I have! Set your midi-chlorian bar lower, you should!"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Fanzeh snorted. "This isn't about midi-chlorians and you know it! You're the oldest Jedi Master in the order! You have more experience than all of us combined. You should be leading the Jedi Order, not running from it!"
"Run? Run?" Yoda's fists balled tightly as he took several threatening steps towards Fanzeh, whose face suddenly looked ashen as he leaned back in his chair, clearly unsure of what to do should Yoda reach him.
Qui-Lek made Fanzeh's concerns moot.
"Master Yoda, please." Qui-Lek extended his arms in a welcoming gesture. "We're only asking you to fill a seat. We've discussed it at length and are convinced that there would be no harm in you continuing as you have. You would merely take part in the decisions of this Council via holocomm when necessary." He brought his arms in when Yoda stopped in place and regarded him.
Qui-Lek's face grew stern. "It is the final decision of the Council. Will you abide by it?"
"No!"
"Yoda!"
Yoda locked eyes with Qui-Lek defiantly. The human's eyes were watering and Yoda suppressed a giggle at the man's obvious discomfort.
Let them win, sometimes I should, Yoda thought. "Accept the Council's decision, I will."
The tension in the room immediately broke as Yoda bowed curtly and Qui-Lek leaned back in his chair with a smile on his face.
"Excellent, Yoda." Qui-Lek crossed his legs and spread both his arms along the sides of his chair casually. "You mentioned there was something else?"
"A new padawan taken, I have."
"You're speaking of this Rizza from your home world that came with you?" Master Redous nodded. "We examined her. She has been well trained by Yaddle. The Council has meditated on whether or not it is wise for you to train her."
Yoda raised his right eyebrow.
"We believe it is not."
Yoda's lips tightened.
"You are attracted to her. You have already been intimate with her."
Yoda's breath grew short.
"You are not in a position to evaluate her as a Master should. It would be a conflict of interest."
Yoda's pulse quickened.
"The Council has decided that I should train her instead."
"Want her for yourself, you do!" The words were out before he knew what he was saying, and flames licked at the insides of his chest. "Have her, you can not! Train her, I will!"
All the Masters on the Council exchanged silent, wary glances. In that moment, Yoda closed his eyes and tried to center himself in the Force. He found it more difficult than it had been in the past. Breathing deeply, he finally felt the calm sweep over him. Silence filled the chambers and all the Masters stared at Yoda intently when he finally opened his eyes.
Several tense moments past before Yoda finally spoke again. His voice was quiet and resigned. "Apologize, I do. Understand your decision and accept it, I will. Request, I do that return with me to Migruna, she does. Assist in my investigation, she can. When completed the mission is, return for your training, she will."
"That is perfectly acceptable." Redous nodded his reptilian head.
Yoda scanned the room and realized that there was nothing left to say. They were all looking at him with concern. He fought the look of disdain that threatened to draw itself on his face.
He nodded curtly and left the Council Chambers.
"Why do you insist on upsetting them, Yoda?"
The gentle trickling sound of water filled the entire chamber. Yoda was perched atop a large bolder that sat near the edge of the artificial pond, wearing only a pair of form fitting black shorts. He pushed himself gracefully off the rock and slid into the water. It came to just below his neck. A broad smile filled his face as he leaned backward into the water and began to float in the fountain.
"Yoda!"
He laughed and began to stroke away from his friend, who frowned at him in exasperation. She stood up from her uncomfortable stone seat and turned to follow him, who was gliding through the water elegantly. As she paced his progress, she pulled her hands behind her back, mimicking Yoda's gait during instruction and settled into quiet breathing. When he'd traversed the nearly one-hundred meter wide pool, he calmly turned and quietly swam back. Despite her outward calm, the occasional twitch of her long lavender tentacles, which extended from the base of her skull, displayed her annoyance. As Yoda began yet another trip down the pool, she stopped.
"Enough! Yoda, I've had enough of this. You shouldn't even be swimming in the fountain! What if someone sees you?"
"Seen me, someone has, Elyana." Yoda stopped swimming and stood up. He stared at her reprovingly for a long moment and then trudged to the embankment where she stood. He glanced over at her as he dried himself and noticed her right lekku flickering almost continuously. He sighed. "Sorry I am, if upsets you my swimming does."
"It's not your swimming, Yoda! It's your absolute disregard for anything the Council says! Why must you always fight them?"
Yoda regarded her quietly. She was breathing heavily and her hands trembled slightly.
"Unwise, you think I am being, my old padawan?"
The impact of the words was immediate. Elyana lowered her head and calmed her breathing. Yoda knew she was calling on the Force to help steady herself before she spoke again—exactly as he had taught her when she was only five nearly three decades before. She stood before him, a proud Jedi Master and his staunchest supporter on the Council. He donned his robes and turned to face the pool. A twitch of the Force pulled a small pebble from the calm waters. Another flicker brought another pebble from within the streaming waterfall that poured into the still pond.
"Master Secura!" His voice rebounded off the waterfall. "Join me."
With a respectful nod, Elyana walked over to Yoda and stood by his side. She looked down at him expectantly. It was often during moments like this that Yoda had imparted some of his deepest wisdom to her. She smiled. It was also during moments like this that she might expect to find herself lifted by the wings of the Force and dumped unceremoniously into the water. She wasn't sure which Yoda she was considering. As a precaution, she decided to use the Force to hold her to ground.
Her sidelong glance caught Yoda's mischievous grin.
"Another time, perhaps," he chuckled. "Know, you should though, that if wanted you wet I did, bring the fountain to the mountain, I would."
Elyana's eyes widened at the thought of the entire contents of the pool being lifted into the air and dumped onto her head. If there was a Jedi who could do such a thing, it would be Yoda. What concerned her even more was the fact that he was also the only Jedi who would consider doing it.
Yoda faced her and opened his palms. Master Secura looked down and saw one pebble nestled in each stubby green hand. The pebbles were completely unremarkable. She regarded them, trying to anticipate Yoda's point.
"I see two pebbles."
"Their differences, explain."
"Well...they're actually quite similar, Master Yoda. Both are about the same size and shape. They were both immersed in water before you snatched them up. They—"
"No! Their differences, explain."
"I only see one difference, really."
"Hmmm…"
"One is rather coarse and the other is smooth."
"The cause of the difference, you know?"
"I suppose because one is younger than the other?"
"No. No difference in age, there is."
"One was smoother than the other in the first place?"
"No. Born the same, these two brothers were."
"I don't understand, then."
Yoda grunted in irritation. "If told you were, that from the calm of the fountain one was pulled and from the waterfall, the other, help you that would?"
Realization dawned. "Of course! The smooth one was pulled from the waterfall and the coarse one was pulled from the calm waters."
Yoda nodded approval but said nothing.
"Are you saying that the Jedi Council is a pebble and that you are a waterfall?"
Yoda chuckled. "Perhaps. Perhaps, saying I am that…not always bad, conflict is. Smoothes out the rough patches, it can. Too calm, the Council is, for its own good. Learn, you all must, to deal with life. Face the challenges and grow. Or—"
He tossed the coarse stone into the water. A ripple formed and spread but the waters quickly returned to their previous calm.
"Stagnant you will become."
"Yoda!"
The migru Jedi Master's face wrinkled under a deep frown. He was beginning to think that his name was the only one anyone in the Jedi Order knew. What was worse, they seemed to only know one way to pronounce it—loudly! Unhurriedly, he continued to walk toward Master Qui-Lek.
The head of the Council had summoned him nearly an hour before but Yoda never responded well to being summoned—especially when it had been delivered by a young padawan human no older than thirteen who stammered the message so many times that Yoda felt compelled to teach the boy the more basic meditation techniques.
"Yoda!"
"Coming, clearly I am," Yoda snapped. He glared at Qui-Lek but didn't change his pace. "A planet is dying, I presume, to arouse such urgency in you!"
Qui-Lek blinked. After a long moment, he relaxed.
"Oh, I get it. You were trying to be funny. I'm not laughing."
Yoda finally stopped at the Jedi Master's side. "See that, I can. What do you want?"
"I want you to meet somebody. He's a lobbyist from the Corellian System, but he's not Corellian—he seems to want to make sure we understand that—what? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Fortunate it is, that not busy I was. A good thing, perhaps, that called me you did not, for something unimportant. Meet a politician, urgent it must be!"
"Yoda. Please. Sarcasm is beneath you."
"When my height you are, few things beneath me you will find."
Yoda's face was stern. His eyes were full of impatience. He had been teaching Rizza the beginning stages of Ataro. Given that the summons was from Qui-Lek, he hoped that the interruption was necessary. He was very disappointed.
"Look, Yoda. This isn't just some politician! He's been lobbying the Senate to increase our role in the Galactic Dispute Bill which is coming to a vote this week. He's trying to increase our funding and raise our status as guardians of the Republic."
"Guardians of the Republic, we are, whether granted by the Senate or not. Need a law, we do not."
Qui-Lek looked at Yoda with what Yoda felt was a condescending air of pity. "Don't you understand? Yes, we would guard the Republic whether they asked us to or not, but think about how much easier it will be to accomplish our missions if we have the blessing of the Republic Senate? Plus, more funding means that we can cover more missions! We can do more good! Isn't that what you're always telling us we should be doing? Going out and doing good, instead of staying at the Temple?"
"Do this we should, because it is right. A resolution from the Senate need, we should not!" Yoda's voice rose a little higher and he pointed his long-nailed finger at Qui-Lek. "A pointless discussion, this is. To meet your lobbyist, what point would there be? Things to do, more important than this, I have." Yoda turned away and started to walk back to the training room.
"He specifically asked to meet you."
Yoda stopped and turned, his right eyebrow raised high on his forehead. "Yes, Yoda. Two years ago when he first came here, he asked for a tour of the Temple, which we gladly granted him. He was impressed, of course, but immediately recognized our need for more ships and training room. He donated over a billion credits to our mission fund and began his lobby to increase our position in the Republic government. Even then, all he talked about when he wasn't discussing political maneuvering was meeting the great Jedi Master Yoda!"
Yoda stared in surprise. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "A joke, this is."
"Yoda, come on. Don't pretend you're not flattered. We know each other too well to play games. He's waiting in the Council Chambers for you. He insisted on a private meeting. All I ask is that you be nice. Let him get his handshake in and he'll be happy. He's probably given this Order more promise of stability than we've had in centuries. Can you please be friendly?"
"Politics! Feh!" Yoda marched toward the chamber doors. He turned when he reached the entrance to look again at Qui-Lek. "Understand, you do, of course, that with Senate funding, more oversight by the Republic, we will have. More control over Jedi matters, the Senate will obtain. A dangerous path we walk, Master Qui-Lek."
Qui-Lek shrugged. "His name is Dorran Kaine."
A wave of Yoda's hand opened the chamber doors wide and he entered the room.
Elegant.
Yoda was taken aback by the striking man who stood at the outskirts of the empty Council Chambers, staring quietly out the transparisteel window at the Coruscanti skyline. The man was tall, even for a human. Yoda estimated two meters. His hands were clasped neatly behind his back, forming a perfect triangle that lay atop his dark armorweave cloak. Yoda noted the expensive knee-high black boots were pristine, polished to a high gloss. His dark skin almost seemed to blend into the deep brown pants and tunic he wore, which were only slightly lighter than the thick black belt he wore around his midsection. His hair was in the same style and length as Yoda's and was only slightly duller in color.
"Dorran Kaine, I presume."
The man turned slowly and faced Yoda. His face was remarkably blank—a look Yoda would ascribe to a Jedi deep in meditation. Yoda observed the man in the Force but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The moment his eyes fell on Yoda, his face came alive. A large smile erupted on Kaine's face and he glided across the room anxiously. Yoda was impressed with the man's grace.
"Please, Master Yoda, call me Dorran. I've been anxious to meet you."
"So I hear."
Kaine's hand was extended to Yoda but the Jedi Master only stared at it. Soon, it became clear that Kaine was not going to lower his hand until he obtained contact, so Yoda reached up and shook the benefactor's hand. As he shook it, Yoda noted uncomfortably that Kaine was staring at him intently, as if scrutinizing him. The handshake was beginning to linger. Yoda broke it.
"It is a real pleasure to finally meet you! You have no idea how long I've been trying to spend a few moments with you."
"Two years."
"Well…umm…yes, actually. That's how long I've been asking, anyway. I've been trying to find an excuse to meet you virtually my entire life. I still remember the first time I heard about you! Is it true that you single-handedly stopped the entire Kan'li army from invading Ken'li?"
"Stop the army, I did not. Stopped the leaders, I did."
"Well…I'm sure the story got exaggerated over time."
"Common, exaggeration is. Boast of one's accomplishments, one should not. Unless boast of his failures too, he will." Yoda narrowed his eyes. "Nearly killed on that mission, I was."
Dorran Kaine's smile shrank a little and he resumed his somewhat regal stance.
"Well, it does not matter. You are the oldest Jedi alive! It is an honor to meet you! Have I mentioned that I have obtained permission to review some of your unclassified missions from the archive? I am really looking forward to that."
Yoda did his best to smile. It came across as a grimace. He was trying to decide if he had spent the requisite amount of time to fall under the category of "courteous." Given that Kaine seemed to be interested in talking, Yoda decided it best to change the subject.
"A Korun, you are, are you not?"
Kaine's eyes widened. "Yes, actually. I am from Haruun Kal. How did you know?"
"Been there, I have. That belt-buckle you wear, a family crest it is."
"Yes! Amazing observation skills, Master Yoda! Did you actually meet someone from the Kaine family? We go back at least ten generations there."
"No. Saw the crest I did, when investigating the destruction of the castle home."
"I remember that! I was seventeen or eighteen then. Fortunately, I was away on my father's orders." Kaine's face fell. "I might have…"
"Fortunate, you were. The loss of your family, grieve you need not. Joined the Force, they have." Yoda's voice grew sympathetic. "A great tragedy, it was. But glad you should be, that found the murderer, we did."
"Yes. I was…pleased by the outcome of the investigation. I still cannot believe it, even after fifty years." Kaine's eyes seemed to mist. "Did you know my brother died on that prison planet they sent him to? Murdered by an inmate apparently."
"Unfortunate, that is. Amazing, it is, that meet you—"
It's only a matter of time…
The wave of frigidity struck Yoda and drove the Jedi Master to his knees. Panic swept through him and pounded against his temples. Yoda's hand hit the duracrete floor to hold him upright as the freezing torrent threatened to burn him up.
"Master Yoda, are you OK?" Concern filled Kaine's voice.
The cold vanished.
Yoda felt the cool sensation of the duracrete floor on his hands and feet again. He lifted his head and stared wildly around.
Nothing.
He closed his eyes and searched the heavens with the Force, hoping to locate the ship he had felt on Migruna III. Nothing. Yoda breathed deeply to calm himself. The Force flowed into him slowly and Yoda stood. Maintaining his connection with the Force, Yoda searched the currents for guidance.
Fire.
A beam of particle energy ripped the sky apart…
Migru died…
Migruna III died…
Yoda's eyes flew open.
"Master Yoda?"
Distractedly, Yoda looked up at the apparently bewildered politician. "Leave you, I must. Urgent matters to attend to, I have."
Less than an hour later, Yoda and Rizza were onboard his Jedi Interceptor and rocketing into hyperspace toward Migruna III, the strange politician completely forgotten.
