Chapter XXIV
Jade found herself back on Atarashi'ie, treading across the cliffs that dotted the side of the mountains into which the Jedi Temple had been built.
She faced a myriad of obstacles: above her, the Temple was still being bombarded, shaking the mountain and raining debris and rocks down the mountainside. Ahead of her, the ledges were fragile, requiring her to tread lightly, lest she break them and fall into the lake below.
Behind her, a shadowy mist had risen from the lake, and was expanding towards her. No matter how fast Jade climbed, the mist crept closer and closer.
Jade moved faster now, leaping from ledge to ledge, even as they started to crumble beneath her feet.
Suddenly, the ledge gave way, forcing her to grab the cliff. There was no surface for her feet, thus she was stuck, clinging to the mountain with her hands as the fog enveloped her.
She tried to hold on to the ledge, but the jutting rock became slippery with mist and her own sweat. She couldn't hold on any longer, thus she slipped and fell down the mountainside, splashing into the cold, dark lake.
Jade found herself in darkness, unable to see anything. She tried to swim to the surface, but she couldn't. She was frantic, unable to move, unable to figure out which way was up, which way was down. She squirmed, flailing her arms and legs in a vain attempt to grab some kind of surface, but all she found was the water.
She realized that she couldn't swim back up. She couldn't go back: she had to swim through the murky depths and find a way to the crystal grotto.
So Jade swam forward, weaving her way through rocks and boulders from the avalanche that continued to impact and sink into the water.
Slowly, the water heated, growing warmer and warmer as she reached the dormant geysers at the lake's floor, Jade winced as it began to scald her. Yet she kept going, further and further, until she finally saw the gleam of dragite crystals…
Jade woke up. She found herself on her bunk, panting, her hair plastered to her forehead, which was beaded with sweat.
Frantically, she surveyed the surrounding area. Asharr's menacing red eyes were gone.
Instead, Niner, Val, and Emdee were hovering around her bed. Jade suddenly felt awkward.
As her grogginess dissipated, she couldn't help but notice that one set of Emdee's arms and photoreceptors focused on a datapad while the rest were directed at Jade. Staring into her head-mounted monitor, Jade had an uncomfortable feeling that she was being scanned.
"What are you all doing here?" she asked.
"You were out for a while," Val explained, slightly startled, "Emdee started getting worried."
"Fourteen hours, thirty-six minutes," Emdee noted, "You don't look well-rested."
Come to think of it, Jade didn't remember getting into bed. Her last memory was collapsing on the floor, crying.
She felt a pang of regret in her heart as she remembered what she had said to Riko.
"You okay, copilot?" Val asked.
"I'm a little shaken," Jade replied, "Where are we?"
Now fully conscious, she deduced – based on the lack of the subtle hum of hyperspace or the engines – that they had landed somewhere.
"Starport THX1140," Emdee replied, "Better known as Malor Kel. It's an old spaceport in the Sy Myrth system."
"Kali'sto brought us here," Val explained, "He said…this place was important to him."
Val's momentary pause told Jade everything.
"Is Riko okay?" Jade asked. Her rage-filled outburst echoed in her mind. Truth be told, she wasn't sure whether it was Riko or Asharr she had been angry at.
"They've been out there for a couple of hours now," Val replied, "And they're not responding to comms."
"Something might be wrong," Jade declared, fixing her belt, "I'll go check on them. Just point me in the right direction."
"Wait," Emdee replied as Jade slipped on her boots, "You're sure you want to go out now?"
"Is that a problem?" Jade asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Jade, just wait a minute," Emdee calmly advised, "You've just had a breakdown. I am technically the ship's official physician, so let me evaluate you first."
"I was in a nightmare-infused temple," Jade excused, "I felt exhausted, I got a good night's sleep. Now I'm all better."
Emdee didn't budge. Jade assumed she was still skeptical.
"She'll be with me, Emdee," Val assured her, "Besides, I think she could 'use some fresh air.'"
A low, prolonged beep issued from the medical droid. Jade wondered if it was the droid equivalent of sighing.
"Access to fresh air is moot in a place like this," Emdee said matter-of-factly, "Just be careful, both of you."
"We will," Jade attempted to assure her. She grabbed her lightsaber and gently placed the crystal back within its chamber. Donning a poncho to conceal her weapon, Jade joined Val and Niner.
"Emdee's a little twitchy about this place," Val whispered to her as they walked down the landing ramp, "A spiced-up scavenger eyed her on our first visit here…"
"Do you know how much it costs to replace a surgeon-approved precision laser?" Emdee yelled behind them, "Be careful!"
"We will!" Niner called back to her.
As they journeyed through the hangar, Jade – despite her disdain for the urbane – couldn't help but be begrudgingly awed at Malor Kel's aesthetic and layout, which reminded her of a giant insect hive. The frantic, busy energy she perceived through the Force reinforced the analogy…
Jade realized with a jolt that this was the first time in a while she was passively using the Force like this. Her experience on Nyr'itz had torn down her mental wall. She wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or worried about that.
She couldn't help but drift a little, concentrating further to see if she sensed anything threatening. When she found nothing, she decided to try and see if she could find Riko within this busy hive…
Jade sensed a faint hint in the Force. He felt…anxious, overwhelmed…
"Everything okay, copilot?" Val asked.
"I just tried to sense Riko," Jade replied, "I think he's upset at something."
"He couldn't stop thinking about you," Val explained.
"I'm not sure it's just me," Jade mused, starting to worry, "I can't really tell, the Force isn't very precise."
"Riko told me to tell you something!" Niner piped up, "He told me it very important."
"What is it?" Jade asked, looking down towards the little droid.
"He told me to 'make sure you are okay," Niner sounded like he was quoting, "That he is sorry, and wants to talk when you is ready."
Jade didn't say anything. She felt frozen in place as Riko's words sank in. Relief, joy, and frustration collided within her as she realized how Riko had interpreted her actions and how he felt about it all. Of all the people who had contributed to her breakdown, he deserved the least blame.
She lowered herself to her knees, and then gave Niner a hug.
"Is you okay, Jade?" Niner asked.
"It's been a rough day," Jade replied, holding back a sob, "I really need to talk to Riko."
"Let's get moving, then," Val added. Jade moved to her feet.
As they resumed their pace, Jade wondered what else was troubling Riko…
"What exactly are Riko and Bao doing?" Jade asked.
"Kali'sto's teaching them some kind of Force technique," Val explained, "Something about peering into the past."
"I think I've heard of something like that," Jade replied, "My…" She grew silent as she remembered who had mentioned it to her. Val didn't inquire further. No one — save Niner — spoke until they reached their destination.
"Here we is!" Niner cheerfully announced as they turned down the corner on the semi-abandoned promenade, "This empty shop…here."
It was completely deserted. Niner accelerated his speed, hurrying towards the shop. Jade ran after him.
"Where is they?" Niner asked, frantically rummaging through the place, "They was right here!"
A slight hint of anxiety brewed within Jade as she searched the empty shop. She placed her hand within the folds of her cloak, towards her saber…
"Val," Bao's commanding voice caught Jade's attention. She turned to see the Trandoshan approaching the group. He looked worried, but not wounded or exhausted.
"Where's the kid?" Val asked.
Bao's head lowered slightly. Something was clearly wrong.
"What's going on?" Jade asked.
"Kali'sto did not come here to help us," he explained, "He came to take Riko back."
Jade froze on the spot. She didn't know what to say.
Bao's next words only slightly eased her anxiety, "Riko panicked and ran off. I think he needed a place to think. No one in this area has seen him, and he isn't answering comms. Kali'sto and I have been trying to find him for the last half hour."
The group was silent as Bao's words sank in.
"What's next?" Val eventually asked.
"We got to find Riko!" Niner declared, "He needs us."
"What's our plan, though?" Val clarified, "Clearly Kali'sto won't help us. Whatever's next, we have to do it ourselves."
Jade didn't say anything. She was intimately familiar with the feeling of helplessness that Bao felt.
Then, Bao reached into the folds of his cloak, producing a lightsaber with a metal crossguard.
"Where'd you get that?" Jade asked.
"It belonged to one of the Shadows," Bao explained. He placed it back within his cloak as he said, "Kali'sto taught Riko and I to use the Force to sense the echoes surrounding an object and look into the past. I believe he may have helped us after all.
Find Riko," he commanded, "Once you have accounted for him, meet me back at the Wild Nomad."
"We'll find him," Niner insisted.
"Be vigilant," Bao insisted, "The Shadows are still tracking us. If you detect any sign of them, do not hesitate to contact me…or Kali'sto."
"Are you coordinating your search?" Jade asked, "You and Kali'sto?"
"No," Bao replied, "However, we may not be allies, but we are not enemies. Kali'sto and his associate are also searching for Riko. If you come across them, you should not interfere."
"Interfere?" Jade asked, "He's going to take Riko away!"
"It's not our place to decide if Riko stays with us, Jade," Bao replied, "It is his."
"He won't just turn our back on us!" Jade insisted.
Would he? A small part of Jade doubted. Riko had a chance to go home. Jade wasn't sure she could be angry at him if he did choose to leave…
"We'll find him," Jade declared aloud.
May the Force be with you," Bao wished.
As he departed, Val issued instructions.
"Alright," Val declared, "We'll split up, so we can cover more ground. I've got the layout of the station downloaded, so Artoo and Emdee can guide us remotely. Ask around, look for places that Riko might hang out in."
"I'll go start with the maintenance halls," Jade replied.
"Good instincts," Val complimented, before adding, "Niner, you stick with her," he addressed Jade as he added, "since you don't speak droid."
"Okay!" Niner replied.
"Stay in comm range," Val finished, "The race is on, copilot."
Jade knew that beneath the helmet, he was smirking. She forced a smile in response.
Once they split, Jade couldn't help but ruminate, even as she and Niner made their way across the promenade.
I used to hide from my fears, too, Riko's words echoed in her memory, I realized, eventually, that my problems weren't going away. I had to face them. And...it was the scariest thing I ever did, but it was how I saved you.
I'm tired of hiding, too, Jade recalled her own response, No matter what happens, we can't just hide and do nothing.
She couldn't ignore her past any longer.
Whatever's next, we have to do it ourselves.
Jade knew what was next. She was going to find Asharr, and kill her.