-Chapter 93: Living in The Light-
Location: Charros IV
"A man at war with himself will lose every battle."
The consistent thud of heavy footfalls filled the near-empty forest, the foliage momentarily broken by first one runner and then another, barely ten seconds apart. He had the head start, but she was keeping up and drawing closer.
Wraith's head was filled with fearful thoughts as it seemed everything crumbled around him all at once. Everything he'd ever known was suddenly thrown into question, his fear overriding every logical pathway his brain might've once followed in the wake of the terrifying notion that he was Force-sensitive. He was panicking, sure, but for good reason. All his life he'd been taught that the Force was wielded by the hated Jedi, enemies of reform and the Republic's go to defenders of corruption. Therefore, the Force represented the epitome of his fight against the Republic. Even in the likes of Darth Sidious, the Force represented a sense of power and dominion that seemed worthy of power-hungry, corrupt fools. He respected it in the likes of Dooku, who had abandoned the Jedi for the sake of reform, but there were few other Force-sensitives who weren't Jedi who shared his fight.
And now he had it.
What did that mean for him? He felt conflicted beyond description, lost beyond recovery. What was he supposed to do?
Eventually, the mental war with himself finally forced him to slow down and it wasn't long before Ahsoka caught up with him. They had left the battle far behind them, to a point where the distant explosions and blaster fire could barely be heard over the sounds of nature around them. Wraith leaned against a tree, shoulders rising and falling in time with his deep, desperate breaths as he tried in vain to focus. For all of his armor and tools and skills, nothing could prepare him for a shock like this.
"Wraith, please... i-it's gonna be okay." Ahsoka tried to assure him, still trying to comprehend everything for herself. To suddenly see him use the Force had left her quite speechless, even now she was just barely able to grasp the reality presented her. Such tumultuous suddenness was enough to jar her thoughts entirely, the Urge long forgotten in the wake of this revelation. Wraith, however, was still struggling with it.
"Is it?" He replied in a strained voice. Pulling off his helmet, Wraith bore a look of complete and utter disbelief as he struggled to even speak. "I don't... I'm not supposed to..." He rambled, thoughts so disjointed he was unable to finish a complete one. He struggled for coherency, lost in the mire of doubt and fear. It was driving him towards his breaking point and frustration finally settled in. "I don't know what the kriffing hell is going on?!" He shouted, fist passively smacking a tree in exasperation. The result was a channeling of his newfound abilities into the action, so that a simple thwack absolutely smashed the trunk into splinters that blew away at subsonic speeds. Wraith recoiled, frozen in shock much like Ahsoka was. He cast a nervous glance down to his hand and muttered, "That's... not supposed to happen!" Once again, nothing was as it seemed and his mind was clouded with doubts and fears. Ahsoka quietly approached him,
"Wraith..." She softly spoke his name, trying to get his attention. But he was too panicky, too upset by this sudden revelation and the dozens of consequences already filling his mind.
"Where's another cliff?" He feverishly wondered aloud. "A boulder? A pile of rocks? I need something to throw myself off!" Now he was speaking nonsense.
"Wraith just stop!" Ahsoka cried, finally gaining his attention. "You have to calm down." She instructed.
"Calm... down?" He repeated, turning towards her. "After what just happened?" The notion seemed ludicrous. How was he supposed to do anything normal after that? "Ahsoka, the Force represents everything I stand against. It represents everything I'm fighting against! And now I... I-I have it...?" Even saying it out loud sparked disbelief within him. It seemed so impossible.
"I know you're afraid. But you don't have to be." Ahsoka gently replied.
"I'm not supposed to have this! I'm not supposed to be Force-sensitive!" Wraith exclaimed, losing himself to panic again. "I don't understand. I... I-I-I don't know what's going on with me!" He stammered, hands shaking as he dropped his helmet.
"Wraith. Look at me." Ahsoka softly commanded, marching over to him and guiding his face towards her. "Take a deep breath." Wraith seemed reluctant to comply, but eventually did, inhaling and exhaling. "That's it, in and out." Ahsoka encouraged, slowly calming him down. After a few more, Wraith seemed to be okay, his shoulders slumping as the taxing effects of panic were suddenly made known to him. "Now... focus on me. Don't think about anything else, just me." The Togruta whispered. "I get it, you're scared. But it really will be okay." In the moment, Ahsoka had forgotten all about the potential ramifications of Wraith possessing the Force and was focused solely on him and his fears. "You don't have to walk this path alone. I know you're afraid of what Count Dooku and the others will think, but I promise you, I'll be right by your side. I will help you figure this all out."
"I'm... I..." The broken, fragmented words leave his lips and Ahsoka knows he still struggling, especially when he pauses and closes his eyes in an effort to regain control of his thoughts. "I'm sorry. I'm just not sure what you can do." He quietly apologized.
"I can do a lot of things." Ahsoka assured him. "You've saved me so many times. Let me save you now." She urged. Already her mind was running wild with possible ways she could help him, his Force-sensitivity opening up dozens of new avenues she might explore. After a moment of slow consideration, Wraith gently nodded.
"So... now what?" He quietly wondered, not knowing what to do for one of the first times in his life. Technical problems had methods, battlefields had patterns, equipment had manuals, there was always something he could do in every instance. But there seemed to be nothing he could do in the face of this.
Having already been thinking about how she could help him, Ahsoka chose to go with the best possible way to help Wraith not be scared. It would be the most potent and possibly intimate thing she could do, but to her it seemed like the only way forward.
"I... I think I have an idea. Or, at least, something that may make things easier for you." She began. "But I need you to trust me. Okay?" He nodded in agreement. Ahsoka led them over to a fallen log where they sat beside each other. "I need you to be calm and relax. No matter what happens, just trust me. Alright?" She asked, placing her hands on either side of his head. Wraith slowly nodded and she could sense his uncertainty. "Close your eyes." He did as directed and Ahsoka did too. She focused her power and her energy as she dipped into Wraith's mind, feeling out his Force signature.
She was amazed by what she discovered.
Within moments, she could sense two distinct aspects to him, contrasting elements equal in every regard. One side was Dark and bold and powerful, so much so that it caused her to shiver, while the other side was soft and warm and Light. Further more, she could sense that they, while very different, were almost in perfect synch, harmonized beyond what she thought possible for Dark and Light. It was like these two powers, personalities possibly, had fused together to create him. She had always known there was the potential for good in him and now she could see it for herself. The Light did exist within him, only it was locked in a synchronous loop with the Dark.
As she dove further into her exploration, Ahsoka could sense the purity of his potential and an absolute rawness about him. The Force truly was a part of him and it seemed like it had been for some time, leaving her to wonder why it would suddenly manifest now. But she pushed that aside and immersed herself in his being, sensing everything she needed to pull this off. He was clearly distraught, his emotions rolling and crashing about like great waves, but maybe she could do something about that.
It was time for her to get to work.
Wraith felt the Force sweep through him like a rush of strong wind, taking his breath away, leaving him feeling exposed. The last time he'd felt such immensity was when Sidious rewrote his mind, trying to eradicate his feelings for Ahsoka, and he suddenly felt fearful. But the fear passed, burned away as another calming presence filled his mind. This was not Sidious' rough intrusion, this was something else altogether. Something soothing, like a soft light in the midst of a stormy darkness.
Ahsoka was revealed to him. Wraith could feel her very presence, the portion of the Living Force within her amplified tenfold. This was how she felt, Wraith was feeling her being, her mind through the Force. It was the most tranquil and beautiful sensation he'd ever experienced before and he suddenly felt completely at peace.
The calm let Wraith open himself up a little further, Ahsoka filling his head completely. He felt another presence in his mind, like a whole other person was within him and it was remarkable. He could feel Ahsoka searching the contents of his mind, like a gardener taking a walk through a grove to see what needed to be tended to. He felt her careful focus as she touched his emotions, his will, the whole of his physical being, purifying each one with her presence alone. She exposed everything, every fibre of his being, and Wraith felt like he'd been torn open and laid bare. He trusted her, but he was starting to have his doubts. The Force was unknown to him, and it scared him. Wraith couldn't imagine such power before and now that he could feel it piercing every level of his conscious, penetrating everything from his mind to his soul, he felt like a shadow of the man he was; weak and afraid.
But then he felt Ahsoka again. And this time he realized she had opened herself up to him as well. He felt as though he could see her thoughts, her emotions, her physical being, all of it on display much like his were. Then the fibres of her being reached out to him, reaching for the threads of his existence as Ahsoka's incredible power slowly knit them together. Like a master weaver stitching threads together and pulling them taught, Wraith felt his being meld with Ahsoka's as she drew them together. With each new connection, his awareness of her grew, as well as his understanding of what she was doing. He felt exactly what she was feeling, he could see exactly what she was thinking. All of her was calm and tranquil, bathing his soul in a peace the likes of which he'd never felt before. Like a breath of fresh air, Wraith drank in the feelings she transmitted through their growing bond. She blocked out his distress and his fear, his doubts and his worries, replacing them with a calming peace. She drew the last connection together, like the final thread in a glorious tapestry finally being sewn taut, and Wraith felt complete again.
Only this time, Ahsoka was now a part of him.
His loosed a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He opened his eyes and looked right into Ahsoka's crystal blue hues. He looked into her and saw what the Force could be; gentle and calming. For the first time, Wraith felt like he finally understood what the Force was and why people respected it so much. It were as though Ahsoka had let him in on some secret knowledge he'd been oblivious to for years, but now learned that it held all the answers he'd been searching for. He felt warm, he felt free, whole and complete.
But his innate Separatist leanings, that which had been programmed into him for years, were still butting against this newness. The knowledge of what he'd been taught to fear, to hate and to fight was still present. There was a war within him now, and only he could choose the outcome.
"There..." the Togruta breathed, her work finished, "How do you feel now?" She asked, looking hopefully to him. Wraith exhaled slowly, like he had just inhaled the freshest air he'd ever known and was simply trying to savour it.
"I feel like I've been walking in the darkness all this time," he whispered, taking her hand in his, "and only now have I found the light." He added with a smile. His admission and description caused Ahsoka to smile, content with the fact she'd succeeded. "What did you do?" Wraith asked, feeling all sorts of new things at the fringes of his untrained senses.
"I forged a bond between us." She replied. "It's a connection in the Force, it allows part of me to flow over to you and vice versa. Hopefully, I can use this to help sort you out and calm you down." What she didn't tell him was that she could sense his every emotion and search all of his feelings. This bond was a two-way street between them and, while Wraith might be new and untrained in the ways of using the Force, she was not and Ahsoka could sense everything he was feeling and thinking about. And right now, it was all about her.
Sensing him now, truly and fully, his every emotion, thought and feeling exposed to her, Ahsoka was nearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all.
She knew he loved her, knew he cared about her... but she hadn't known the sheer depth of his affections. Until now.
The immensity was staggering. She could feel so much care and love all at once. This was not simple infatuation, this was no childish crush. He LOVED her. It was sincere, it was boundless, it was... breathtaking. It were as if she finally understood and even now she was blown away by it all.
Wraith, on the other hand, could feel her sense of amazement and was befuddled. "Ahsoka... I feel something... strange."
"What is it?" She queried.
"I... I feel this sense of... something is amazing. But I'm not sure why or what." He revealed. Ahsoka realized what he was referring to and was immediately embarrassed, her face going flush as a result. "Now I'm feeling embarrassed. Is this you-"
"That's me." She quickly explained, clearing her throat. "I, uh... I guess I forgot to mention that part of the bond. N-Not only am I part of you but you're a part of me. You can sense whatever I'm feeling." Wraith paused, his expression shifting from puzzled to curious to surprised.
"Why do I get the feeling this is gonna get awkward?" He commented. Ahsoka let out a nervous laugh in agreement.
"We-... I should teach you about masking your feelings. I'll be sure to do the same." She suggested. "The best way for you to mask your feelings is to envision a kind of 'ray shield' around them."
"Ray shield... got it." He repeated. "Phew, this is a lot to take in."
"I know. But it'll be okay, I promise." Ahsoka assured him, clasping his hand with both of hers. "You're not alone Wraith. I'll do everything I can to help you." Despite his attempts to 'shield' his feelings, Wraith could sense the genuine sincerity behind her words and smiled, his free hand rising to her cheek. In lieu of an answer, he kissed her, sincerely and wholeheartedly. Ahsoka kissed him back, letting subtle passions burn brightly and fuel their actions. Their emotions swept back and forth through the Force, filling each other's minds with serenity, peace, and the purest love.
This had to be the best kiss ever.
They parted and Wraith felt much better now. The panic was long since gone, replaced by Ahsoka's warming peace. He was eternally grateful for her, especially now that she had been able to help him in such a capacity. The future seemed a little less scary knowing she would be there with him.
"As much as I am enjoying your company, we do need to return." Wraith told her.
"You're right," Ahsoka nodded, "Master Plo is probably worried sick about me." Leaving the log, Ahsoka started walking as Wraith collected his helmet.
"You go first, I need to work on my 'ray shielding'." He stated, using the new metaphor she'd coined.
"You do that." She agreed. "I'll be sure to call you when I get a chance, just to make sure you're faring well."
"If you're calling me, then I'll definitely be in a good mood." Wraith remarked with a smirk as he donned his helmet. Ahsoka chuckled and continued on her way. The twin red optics powered up, HUD coming back online as all of his systems sorted themselves out. His targeting systems reset, his scanners calibrated, his proximity sensors displayed two targets not far off, his thermal sensors re- "Wait, what?" He stopped himself and double-checked his proximity sensors, guidance programs zeroing in on the twin blips on his HUD. With Ahsoka off in one direction and these two in the opposite, Wraith realized something else must be afoot and, instead of following Ahsoka like he'd planned, turned and made to investigate.
Flying clean through a tree, Wraith deeply wished he'd followed Ahsoka.
The two contacts turned out to be the Houk brothers of the Titan Conglomerate, indicating the mercenary band had arrived to aid the Republic. Clad in their power-armor, the Houks were all about power and strength, forcing Wraith to rely on deterixty, agility and tactical foresight to best them. So far, he'd been able to avoid the majority of their heavy, wild swings.
But not all of them.
With fragments of bark raining down around him, Wraith forcibly took control of his motions and rolled out of the way just before the remains of the tree crashed into the ground where he'd been crouched. The twin Houks were charging him, their massive bodies barreling through trees and swatting them aside like they were twigs, obviously hellbent on either putting him out of action or taking him down altogether.
"We'll probably get a bigger cut if we take 'im down ourselves, eh Block?" Stock wondered.
"Yeah! An' the boss'll probably promote us too!" His burly twin replied.
"Ya hear that Bucket-head? Your corpse is our ticket to gettin' rich!" Stock bellowed with a toothy grin. "So hold still!" His fists came flying towards Wraith as the super-soldier backflipped away, his movements precise and planned within the fraction of a second. he was fast, infinitely faster than these Houks. But one wrong step and he'd be nursing a shattered ribcage.
"Careful. I just might knock your block off." Wraith threatened, body tense as he boosted back on his jump jets to put some distance between them. His unintended pun put Stock into a fit of laughter.
"Ha! He's sure got jokes!" He cackled. His brother lightly chuckled in response.
"Heh... I don't get it." A puzzled Block said. His brother rolled his eyes.
"Nevermind." He grumbled. "Let's just keep hittin' 'im."
"Now that I get!" Block joyously cried as he took off after Wraith again. The super-soldier was moving quickly, sprinting through the woods in an effort to lose his hulking pursuers. He took them as being five-hundred pounds of muscle and not an ounce of brain, only to realize his mistake too little too late when the log he was scaling suddenly got upended by one of them bringing a knuckleduster down onto the opposite end. Catapulted through the air, Wraith wound up on the unfortunate end of Block's knuckleduster which hammered him into the ground. A blow from Stock knocked the air from his lungs and another punch sent him tumbling through the air and smashing through yet another tree. Rolling like a ragdoll across the ground, Wraith eventually slid to a halt and groaned as he regained his senses, only to lose them as one of the Houks kept him pinned to the ground with both fists.
"Should I rip 'im like a wishbone?" Stock asked.
"Naw, just flatten 'im like a piece of sheet metal." Block replied, some ways off. Wraith caught sight of Stock's toothy grin as he began to press down harder, trying to crush him. The super-soldier struggled and fought back, both hands on the Houk's knuckledusters.
"Get... off... me..." he slowly growled, anger welling up within him, fueling his strength, "NOW!" With a sudden roar, Wraith inadvertently channeled the Force into his hands and sent Stock flying with a mighty Force push. It was so sudden and unintended, Wraith had no idea what was going on until it was over.
The super-soldier picked himself up, mildly stunned by the sight of the Houk careening through the air. Block watched his brother with equally surprise until the Houk landed with an almighty crash.
"How'd you do that?" The bewildered brother asked as Wraith dusted off his armor.
"Ever heard of a concussive charge?" Wraith quickly excused as he turned and started running again. Block was left standing there scratching his head, pondering that statement.
"Concussive, eh?" He said aloud. "I thought that was exclusive to just missiles." With a shrug, he supposed it wasn't. "Come on, bro! Get up!" He called, turning to check on his brother.
Wraith kept moving, his tracking systems putting him on a direct course for the Haor Chall plant. As he did, a call came through using a frequency he recognized.
"Banshee." He greeted and realized simultaneously.
"Wraith, what happened to you? You were supposed to attack Koon's unit and now we've had to retreat to the factory base!" She exclaimed.
"The Titans showed up." He plainly responded, nimbly bouncing off a tree to avoid a cluster of large rocks.
"That mercenary group that's been hunting you?" She queried, still working on ascribing certain terms to definitions.
"The same. Had to hold them off for a bit, their firepower would've been too much for the droids." Wraith answered, coupling it with a believable explanation. There was no way he could tell his newbie partner about his sudden ability to use the Force. Fortunately, she seemed to buy it without any further explanation required.
"I understand, sir. Forgive me, I was... worried." She apologized.
"It's all good, partner." He warmly responded, picking up the pace a tad. "I'm heading to your location, we need to reinforce our defences." He stated, ensuring she had a direction to work in before he ended the call. The Battle for Charros had not gone as he had planned and now they needed to heavily compensate and make up for lost time. Everything seemed to getting out of hand... especially himself. Just thinking about was enough to bewilder him. He was a Force-sensitive! He'd have to extra careful and plan his every move ahead of time, so as not to accidentally unleash it like he just did with the Houks.
With a shake of his head, he did what he did best and soldiered on...
Later, aboard the Invisible Hand...
Count Dooku knelt before a flickering hologram that slowly materialized into the appearance of Darth Sidious. Dooku had a feeling he knew exactly what this call was to be about.
"What is thy bidding, my master?" He asked out of politeness. Sidious took a moment before replying,
"There has been an awakening... Have you felt it?"
"I have." Dooku told him. "A vergence in the Force has been unveiled."
"This is no vergence, my apprentice." Sidious chided. "This was a revelation. Someone in this galaxy has discovered their great potential. I have no doubt that some Jedi have sensed it as well." The Sith Lord grimly added. "Such an explosion of raw, unbridled potential... if they can be turned to our vision, they will make a most formidable ally."
"Why would they make such a wave in the Force?" Dooku questioned.
"Clearly they have no idea what they are doing and have unleashed their abilities in a chaotic fashion. They are in need of shaping and guidance... something we should offer them freely." Sidious said, a small yet villainous smile tugging at the corners of his crooked mouth.
"This was not like Ventress or Savage. This felt like more than them." Dooku admitted.
"All the more reason to bind them under the power of the Sith." Sidious replied. "I will have my agents search for them and I suggest that you watch closely for more signs of their presence as well." He commanded. "This person must be ours! No exceptions."
"It shall be done, Master." Dooku agreed with a bow.
Author's Note: And so the stakes continue to rise, the wheels continue to turn, and every other metaphor you can think of about advancement! Whatever will happen next, you ask? Stick around to find out!
