The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 46
Memories of the Hive Mind
Lothal. If this world was located anywhere else in the galaxy it would have been considered poor. However, it sat just within the edges of the outer-rim. Not far from the more prosperous mid-rim. Which meant that it still garnered enough trade traffic to allow the residents on the surface a comfortable existence. It was not just rock in space. The surface was fertile and green. Mostly plains and endless savannas covered the surface. Water dotted certain points around the world. There were a few large rivers. Overall, it was a surprisingly fertile planet for this portion of the galaxy.
It's fertility and location in the galaxy made the planet an important outpost for the fledgling Empire. Within a few years of the Emperor founding the new government, Lothal welcomed Imperial rule. The prospects of new jobs and better living conditions were too much to pass up. And so far, to Thrawn's detailed eye, the Empire had delivered. The people were not starving. The jobs at the planet-side industries were plentiful. There was a constant military presence on the world. But that was likely due to its location in the Outer-rim. The Hutt Cartel still controlled an enormous portion of this area in the galaxy. A strong military presence would deter most illegal activities such as smuggling and raiding.
"We are nearing our destination." Thrawn's aide, Eli Vanto, said as he guided their shuttle closer to a large, conical building near Lothal's capital city.
Darth Vader's rasping breaths rang through the Lambda shuttle's passenger compartment. The intimidating man, creature, insisted on accompanying the two naval officers on their first mission to the abandoned Jedi Temple. Thrawn was still trying to figure out what exactly Lord Vader was. He looked humanoid. Two arms, two legs, the helmet gave him the appearance of two eyes with a mouth and nose hidden behind the large respirator. But he seemed much too tall for a normal human being. And he did not speak any other languages except basic, a characteristic most humans were known for.
Thrawn considered the possibility that Vader was a cyborg of some sort. In the same mold as the late Separatist, General Grevious. But if that were the case, why the respirator. Why the portable iron lung? No, he was not a complete cyborg. Thrawn knew there was flesh and bone behind that mask and suit. How much was the question.
"So that's the Jedi Temple?" Eli Vanto whistled as he circled the enormous cone shaped structure that jutted up into the sky from the rocky ground, "Doesn't look anything like the one on Coruscant."
"Of course not." Thrawn said as he studied the architecture below them, "The temple on Coruscant underwent extensive renovations when the Emperor turned it into the Imperial Palace. Plus, this temple is much older than the one on Coruscant. There will be a much more natural design to it. At one time the Jedi did care more about the natural world than interfering in politics."
"I find that hard to believe." Vanto snorted as he guided the shuttle down to a safe landing beside the temple.
A squadron of stormtroopers from the local barracks was waiting for them. As well as the Imperial Governor of this territory. A tall, well muscled human named Ryder Azadi. The shuttle jostled as it touched down. Before the ramp could even begin to touch the ground, Vader marched off of the shuttle with Thrawn in tow.
The Stormtroopers all snapped to attention at the sight of the Naval Captain, his aide, and Lord Vader. Governor Azadi uttered a quick gasp once he saw Lord Vader exiting the shuttle. Apparently, he was not expecting the Emperor's fist to come to the surface personally.
"Lord Vader, this is quite the surprise. I was under the impression that Captain Thrawn and Commander Vanto were the ones who wished to tour the Temple." Governor Azadi said.
A hint of nervous tension filled his voice. But the older man did his best to hide it. Anyone else would not have noticed. But Thrawn picked up the change in tone right away. And he held no doubts Vader noticed as well. Probably before he did.
Vader towered over the already tall Governor. The black mask glowered down at the man.
"Have you located what I want to see in the Temple?" Vader rumbled.
Governor Azadi nodded, "Of course, Lord Vader. When we received word of the Chimaera's imminent arrival, as well as the request from Captain Thrawn, we immediately unsealed the Temple and started excavating. It did not take us long to find it."
"Lead the way." Vader said.
Thrawn felt a small surge of excitement burst inside of him. Finally he was going to see some original Jedi artwork. He had always held the artwork of other cultures in very high esteem. He enjoyed studying it, interpreting the works of art in order to gather the hidden meaning behind it. Vanto seemed less enthused by the subject.
"I still don't understand, sir." The commander whispered to Thrawn as Vader strode ahead with the Governor, "WE came all this way on a secret mission in order to look at a painting?"
Thrawn sighed, "If it was just a mere painting then it would not be worth Lord Vader's time and energy. There is something significant about the mural in this temple. Something unique that is not found at other sacred Jedi sights."
Vanto rolled his eyes, "Great, an art history lecture from a kowtowing governor. That will absolutely not put me to sleep."
"You would be wise to listen to it." Thrawn replied sharply, "Art is important after all."
Vanto frowned, "With all due respect sir, I'd consider tactics and military intelligence more important than drawings."
"Are you so sure of that?" Thrawn replied with a raise eyebrow, "The Emperor seems to think differently. And I have the same opinion as he does regarding the matter. You see Commander, art is not just the study of a culture's creativity. It is a window into the mindset of that culture. The mindset of entire species even. Through art you can learn how they think. What they prioritize the most in their civilizations. If you ever wish to out think your enemies, it certainly helps to know their thought process. To know what they value most in all of existence. You cannot get that information through simple spy reports. Those can be laced with half-truths and misleading lies. But art does not lie. Art always tells a people's truth. You just have to look for it."
"You are a smart Naval Officer." Governor Azadi called from ahead as he overheard their conversation, "That's a rare thing in today's military ranks. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Vader."
Lord Vader did not reply as he strode ahead of the governor. The governor slowed his pace as they reached their destination inside of the dark temple. With a snap of Azadi's fingers, the stormtroopers flooded the shadowy space with light from enormous lanterns.
Thrawn's red eyes widened at what he saw.
Towering over all of them was an enormous stone wall. And carved into that stone wall was one of the most grand murals Thrawn had ever laid eyes on. The colors ingrained in the stone sparkled as the floodlights shone up at them. His red eyes followed the precise lines and sharp angles of the drawing all the way over to the three figures that dominated the center of the mural.
There was a tall, thin, elderly humanoid male at the very center of the mural. Long grey hair ran down from beneath a tall, blue hat on the man's head. A thick beard drifted over aged blue robes. His left hand was held up and open. A general sign of peace. The right hand was closed in a fist at his side. A sign of conflict.
To his right was a dark figure. Clad all in black. A sinister looking thing with a raised fist and a long snarl over pale lips. Yellow eyes stared down over Thrawn, Vader, and the others. They were filled with anger and hate. To the elder's left was a beautiful, ethereal, young woman. Long locks of white hair flowed over her shoulders. Her hands were down. A kind smile was on her rosy lips. A curious owl of some sort was perched on her right shoulder.
"I've never seen Jedi artwork like that before." Vanto admitted, "Then again, I haven't seen much Jedi artwork at all."
"And you likely never will due to the purges." Thrawn breathed as he got closer to the mural, "Most of all, you will not see anything like this at any other Jedi Temple. For this is not Jedi artwork."
Vader's head turned to look at Thrawn ever so slightly. The Chiss suppressed the urge to smirk. So the man was listening after all.
"Look at the way it is painted. The strong, bold lines. Sharp angles. It is rather two dimensional in its orientation. Typical Jedi artwork involves much more flowing lines, softer edges, less sharpness in the angles. It is more pleasant to look at. Calming by design. This mural though, grabs the observer's attention. It demands you look at it. Demands observation and intense study. It is not meant to calm a being's mind. It is meant to rattle it." Thrawn rubbed his chin, "I'm curious how something like this ended up in a Jedi Temple?"
"Governor Azadi, leave us." Lord Vader ordered.
The Governor opened his mouth to protest. Thrawn felt a slight pressure in the air as soon as he attempted to do so. The governor noticed it as well. His face went pale. He gave Lord Vader a stiff nod and ordered the stormtroopers to follow him out as well. Leaving the dark lord, Thrawn, and Vanto alone in the massive atrium.
"Tell me, Vanto, what do you think this artwork portrays?" Thrawn asked.
Vanto pursed his lips and shook his head, "I'm… not so sure, Captain. Maybe it depicts a family of some sort. A father and his two children?" He pointed at the figure in black, "One looks like a troublemaker. Heh! Before I joined the navy, I probably would have identified with him."
Thrawn nodded, "A simple observation. But not necessarily incorrect. But you must look into the deeper meaning of this work. Look at the dichotomy portrayed between the two flanking figures. One is clearly bright and good. The other dark and evil. One offers peace. The other promises conflict. And at the center, holding both at bay, keeping one from overpowering the other, is an omnipotent neutral." Thrawn took a breath, "It is a representation of the Force. A very old interpretation."
"What both of you are seeing is a physical representation of the Mortis gods." Lord Vader's voice rumbled.
Thrawn gave Lord Vader a surprised glance. He had read about the strange beings that lived on Mortis when he studied that curious report. The two Jedi that submitted the report were Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi. War heroes during the Clone War. And both reliable sources of information regarding the battles that occurred during those savage years. In fact, the only truly outlandish field report they both had was the Mortis report. Which seemed like pure fantasy when Thrawn initially read it.
But now, he was seeing physical evidence of Mortis and its strange beings right before his eyes. And so was Vanto, who also read the report and deemed it to be mere rubbish.
"So… Mortis is real?" Vanto gulped, "Or, if we're continuing with this whole symbolism business, is it just a representation of ancient Jedi beliefs?"
"It is real." Lord Vader rumbled.
"How do you know that?" Thrawn wondered out loud.
Vader was deathly silent, "One must know the ways of the force to unlock those secrets."
Thrawn felt a small shot of disappointment. Mystics and their riddles. Sometimes they were more irritating than interesting.
"So what exactly are we looking for in this mural?" Vanto asked.
"I'm not sure myself." Thrawn replied.
Vader ignored their puzzled debate and took a few steps forward. His breathing echoed around the cavernous room. All sound seemed to dull around him.
So far, Thrawn had impressed the Sith Lord. He did not cower in fear from him. The Chiss actually maintained his composure and had proven to be very competent while in command. They had made record time in getting to Lothal thanks to how he ran his bridge. And Vader could not dismiss the amount of intelligence the Captain possessed. No wonder the Emperor held him in such high esteem.
But the realm of the Force was beyond even Thrawn's intellect. Only a Jedi or Sith could understand its mysteries. Even then, the Jedi only could grasp a little. But a Sith saw the whole picture.
Vader reached out his gloved hand and placed it against the mural.
A shock coursed through his body. Electricity rocked his suit. A long groan left his lungs as he felt multiple systems in his suit malfunction. He collapsed to one knee and struggled to breathe. He heard Thrawn and Vanto's alarmed cries as the mural spat more electrical energy at the Sith Lord. But they dared not approach. The dark side of the force swarmed around Lord Vader.
This painting was pissing him off.
Vader balled up his fist and rose back to his feet. His rage gave him power. The pain he felt fueled the Force inside of him. He would not be defeated by a simple painting. Vader growled and rested his palm against the mural once again.
His mind blanked. Suddenly, he no longer saw the red images granted to him by his mask's optical lenses. Instead, he saw all colors once again. He was looking at strange world with his natural eyes. One that was cold and bleak. Covered by the ruins of a castle. Shattered stone littered the small area all around him.
A cold wind brushed against his skin. Vader uttered a sharp gasp. He was out of his suit. But how? Who removed him from the prison that kept him alive.
He ran a shaking hand over his eyes. He felt flesh beneath them. It was not scarred or burnt anymore. It felt smooth. Like how it was before he was defeated on Mustafar.
"Anakin Skywalker?"
Vader grit his teeth. Who dared call him by that name? He turned around and took a step back in surprise.
The elderly man from the mural stared down at him from a shattered throne. He looked weak. Exhausted. In pain and utterly defeated. Vader knew who glowered down at him with disappointment. It was one of the Mortis gods. The one simply known as the Father.
"What have you become?" The Father gasped in horror.
"I am not Anakin Skywalker." Vader growled. He hesitated to speak anymore. He was not used to the sound of his natural voice anymore, "I destroyed him."
"Have you, Lord Vader? If you have, why do you take his form. Why do I see his face before me?"
Vader snarled, "You are the one who brought me here." His frustration was beginning to grow, "You tell me the answer."
The Father sighed, "So impatient and foolish. Just as I feared you would become. Filled with rage and hatred. Consumed by a lust for power. Driven mad by greed and grief."
Vader's lips curled into a hideous snarl. He raised his hand and pinched his fingers in the air. The Father uttered a startled cry as he was lifted in the air. Vader used the force to grip the old cretin by the throat.
"You are sheltering a woman. A woman who knows how to cheat death." Vader growled, his voice starting to distort once again, "Where is she?"
The Father uttered a pain filled gasp, "Yes… cheat death, she has." Vader loosened his grip so the fool could speak, "A cheat it more she shall. For death is soon to cower in fear as a greater punishment than it emerges from a deep slumber." He uttered a manic laugh, "My daughter no longer lives. My son lives, yet does not. For he is a slave to his own insanity and lust for power. I alone bar the gates that contain it. If the Force is not brought to balance, the galaxy will be consumed!"
A flood of images hit Vader's mind. He saw a planet. A bright, blue jewel sitting in space. A single, small moon drifted in orbit around the lush world. All around it were stars innumerable. He could see its surface now. Snow capped mountains. Flower filled plains and rolling hills. Scorched deserts and rocky, cracked badlands. Raging oceans and gentle streams. Soft winds and violent hurricanes. A world hidden from the galaxy. Guarded by a being hidden in shadow and a white, ethereal owl.
"Madness!" The Father sobbed, "My children claw at each other's throats. And I can do nothing to stop them. They forget what to do. They forget what must be contained! They have lost balance. For they seek to vanquish the other in order to achieve a false harmony. But the lie will undo them. And it will come!"
Vader saw her. The woman his Master spoke of. She was shockingly young. One arm was cut off at the elbow. Her face was set in a determined expression as she entered a frozen port city. The force radiated from her like a bright tidal wave.
He saw a young man next. Blonde haired and yellow eyed. His presence in the Force black as coal. He sat deep in mediation inside of a strange palace.
Then lastly, he saw a shadowy figure in the shape of a young woman. She was not remarkable in the force, yet she felt entirely different than the other two. She felt balanced. In tune with the world around her. Exuding perfect control over both the light and the dark. Not powerful, not overwhelming, but balanced.
"Instead of one chosen, now there are three. For the original has fallen. The new trinity must rise. One for the dark, one for the light, and one for balance. Each one meant to shoulder the burdens that the others cannot bear. If disaster is to be averted. If it is to remain imprisoned, balance must be achieved. Balance… yes… for my children failed. And so have I."
The Father dropped to his knees and let out a long sigh.
"No longer can I hold the prison in place. Time is short."
Vader's spine tingled. There was a new presence circling the air around him. One that felt unlike any he had ever sensed before. The Force came surging around him like a violent hurricane. A mad scream filled the air. The Father began to utter insane, manic cackles.
His mind could not handle anymore. Vader succumbed to the darkness that clawed over his body and claimed his consciousness.
….
Ben thanked the stars above that Donnel was kind enough to offer him a new tent. When the group left his village, they got a heroes send off. The villagers refilled their water skins, resupplied them with food that would last through their travels, and gave Ben a new tent. Now he no longer had to share with Tharja. Who, after the events of that night, made him think twice about spending time in the same space alone with her. She was truly terrifying while executing Robin's strategy.
He was also grateful for the tent because now he actually had some privacy from the others. Gaius was Gaius. The thief was a nosy person. And he had a habit of rummaging through stuff he had no business rummaging through. More than once, Ben had caught him trying to take a peak at his rapier. Panne's company was not bad. But it was more silent than enjoyable. He did not mind Robin's company. The tactician was a very pleasant person to be around. And he was swiftly becoming a very good friend. During the day time, when they were not marching, Ben took to training him and Donnel. A task the three liked to do once they rose in the morning.
Speaking of morning, the sun was rising. Ben winced a little as he sat up from his mat and stretched his arms over his head. Having his own tent was more comfortable, but he still would much rather sleep on a proper mattress than on the ground. He rolled his shoulders and placed his boots on his feet. Once that was done, he grabbed his rapier and stepped outside to being warming up.
Robin and Donnel were both waiting for him beside the remains of their campfire. Tharja was awake as well. The dark mage sat near the smoldering embers. Enjoying what little warmth the charred logs still provided. Her eyes were glued to the pages of her book. But on occasion, she glanced up in order to cast a longing look at Robin and a curious stare at Ben.
"Ready Ben?" Donnel asked, his voice filled with excitement.
"Hold on." Ben yawned, "I just woke up."
"Aw shucks." Donnel muttered, "I keep forgetting y'all are castle folk. Ya ain't used to waking up before the crack of dawn."
"No worries, Donnel." Robin smirked, "We will get used to it eventually."
"You might." Ben replied, "But I still need my beauty rest."
"Beauty is subjective in this sense right?" Robin joked.
Ben lunged at Robin with his rapier. A playful jab that sent the tactician scampering back. Ben pointed his sword at the laughing man.
"Don't taunt unless you are ready for the consequences." Ben smirked.
"Yeah, yeah." Robin replied as he readied himself for their daily spar.
Donnel looked less ready. The boy was progressing slowly. He held his own sword with an uneasy grip. Still not comfortable with the fact that he was holding a deadly weapon now instead of farming equipment. Ben had been instructing the boy for a few days now. He had shown some progress. But he still had the same problem. That problem being hesitance. He would not progress any further unless he began fighting with confidence.
The only way that confidence could be built was through experience. And so, Robin, Ben, and Donnel started having three way duels. Short sparring sessions. Not very intense in nature. More of a warm up before more intense instruction. But it helped shake the nerves out of Donnel and Robin.
Ben twirled his blade and readied himself. Donnel swallowed hard and held his blade out in front of him.
"Ready?" Ben smirked at the two others.
"Bring it." Robin smirked.
"Er- let's fight." Donnel stammered.
Ben lunged at Robin. The tactician deftly parried his thrust then countered with a sharp slash at Ben's right shoulder. Ben ducked beneath the attack and shoved his elbow into Robin's stomach. The wind rushed from Robin's lungs as he was shoved backwards.
Donnel let out a high pitched yell as he charged at Ben. Ben smirked and twirled around. He caught Donnel's clumsy, overhand attack. With a flick of the wrist, Donnel lost his grip on his sword and watched, defeated, as it landed in the dirt a few feet away.
Ben clicked his tongue.
"What have I told you, Donnel?"
"Don't lose my weapon." Donnel muttered.
"Why?"
"Because that weapon is my life."
"Exactly." Ben nodded, "That weapon is your life. It can save it or take it. So never lose it. Especially to an enemy."
He glanced over at Robin as the tactician pushed himself back up to his feet with Tharja's help. Coughs wracked his lungs as he continued to reel from Ben's sharp elbow. Even though Tharja was helping him, Ben could see Robin was not very comfortable with her. He could understand why. Whenever Tharja was not studying her spellbook, she was stalking Robin. One time, Ben found out she had followed the tactician to the river in order to watch him bathe. She claimed it was for research purposes. But Ben doubted it had anything to do with magical research.
More like romantic research. He thought to himself before returning his attention to Donnel.
"Pick up your weapon." He nodded.
Donnel swallowed hard. The boy was on the verge of tears, "I'm sorry, Sir Ben. I- I'm just no good at this."
Ben let out a sympathetic sigh, "No one ever is at first. That is why you must train and practice. Now, show me how you were holding the blade."
Donnel held his blade how he normally did. Ben shook his head and fixed his hands.
"You are reverting back to bad habits." Ben said as he smacked Donnel's hands with his own, "This is not a club or a hammer, this is a sword. You can not hold it tight or you will not be flexible. And if you hold it too lose, well… you saw what happened. You need to place the right amount of pressure in your grip. Enough so the blade will not fly away if I hit it. But also enough to where you have some flexibility in your movements. Understand?"
Donnel sniffled then nodded, "I think so."
"Good." Ben smiled, "Then let's try again." He turned to Robin, "Ready, Sir Breathless?"
"Ha *wheeze* Ha." Robin gasped as he twirled his sword, "That was a cheap shot."
"You should always expect one in a fight." Ben advised.
The duel continued. This fight was a little more even. Donnel had taken Ben's advice to heart. To Ben's approval, he adjusted his grip and displayed more fluid movements.
Robin was taking to Niman like a fish to water. His grasp of the basics to Form One helped accelerate his learning when it came to the more complex Form Six. He was struggling a little more with Forms Three and Four. He did not have the timing or reflexes yet for either of them. And his lack of natural athleticism raised issues with Ataru's demanding physical movements. So, when Ben instructed Robin in the basics of that form, he emphasized Master Qui Gon's version of it. His master had to alter the aggressive fighting form in order to compensate for his age. As he got older, he was less able to use the wild flips and twirls the form often required. His rendition of Ataru was perfect for Robin, who had tried to do a flip once before; only to smack his head on the ground mid flight.
As for Donnel, Ben was more concerned with him growing used to his weapon before actually teaching him complex techniques. He was getting the youngling treatment. Basic movements. Parries and slashes that were not difficult to execute. A lot of focus went to the fundamentals. His footwork needed to be built up. His reflexes needed sharpening. If there was one advantage Donnel did have over Robin, it was raw strength. The boy was not massive, but he was damn strong. A product of being a farm boy tasked with rearing cattle and baling hay in the hot sun all day. When he managed to land a solid blow, Ben felt it. Form five would be perfect for him once he had a solid foundation.
Ben ducked beneath a wild slash from Donnel. He jumped over a stab at his legs from Robin. A wry smirk crossed the swordsman's lips. They were ganging up on him.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked with a playful grin.
"Strength in numbers." Robin shrugged while Donnel smiled.
They charged at him. Ben decided it was time to put the newbies in their place. He changed his stance from form one's predictable posture to his favored form, form number three. His blade twirled around him. Blocking every attack from the two lesser swordsmen. Tharja's eyes were no longer on her book as she watched with great interest. Ben could see her muttering something under breath. But he was not sure what.
He caught Donnel's blade and shoved the boy back. The boy lost his footing and fell hard on his rump. Ben turned his attention to Robin.
BY THE FORCE! Ben thought as an absurdly fast slash nearly took his head off.
"Ben! Help!" Robin cried.
"HELP!?" Ben exclaimed as he struggled to fend off Robin's furious assault, "You're the one attacking me!"
"I can't stop myself!" Robin exclaimed.
"Just drop your weapon!" Ben shouted back as he block a savage strike.
"I'm trying!"
Tharja had a pleased smirk on her face as she continued watching the duel. That pleased smirk disappeared though once she felt the energy in the air ripple around Ben.
The swordsman unleashed on Robin. His blade moved so fast it became a blur. A red gash formed on Robin's cheek. The pain that it caused was enough to shake Robin free of whatever spell he was under. His hand twitched and his blade fell into the earth.
Ben took a deep breath. Robin's own breathing was shallow and scared. The sound of Tharja slamming her spellbook closed drew both of their attention. The tactician wheeled around at Tharja.
"What did you do!?" He cried.
Tharja frowned, "I made it a fair fight."
"Fair fight!?" Robin yelled as Ben caught his breath behind him, "I almost killed him."
"If only you were that skilled." Ben muttered under his breath. He rubbed his lower back and winced, "Force, I need to work out harder."
"You were struggling. I evened the odds." Tharja's even, cold voice responded, "I thought you would be grateful for my help."
"Grate-" Robin bit his tongue as he fought off a stream of curses, "Tharja, I'm trying to learn from Ben. Not beat him!"
"But-"
"Naga why can't you be a little just normal. First you follow me around everywhere. Now you're hexing me!" Robin huffed and turned towards his tent, "I need a break."
Tharja blinked as Robin stormed away. The dark mage narrowed her eyes, puzzled.
"Normal?" She muttered.
Ben uttered a long sigh, "Well, that could have gone better." He glanced over at Donnel, "Go ahead and do your individual exercises."
Donnel nodded. He started going through his simple routine of movements. Meanwhile, Ben walked over to Tharja and sat down beside her. He grabbed his waterskin and drank deep from it.
"Whatever hex that was, it was surprising." Ben breathed before taking another gulp of water.
"You sound pleased by it." Tharja muttered.
Ben shrugged, "I'd save it for a real battle next time." He looked across their campsite at Donnel. Who somehow managed to trip over his own two feet, "At the rate he's going, Donnel will need that kind of help."
"I wanted Robin to like it." Tharja breathed, "But he did not."
Ben glanced over at the mage. She looked, sad? Tharja never looked sad. Creepy and a touch off putting sure. Angry, sometimes. But sad? That was new.
"I'm sure he did not mean what he-"
"Come along, Kenobi." Tharja grabbed Ben by the wrist.
She dragged Ben to her tent.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" He muttered under his breath.
She sat Ben down outside of her tent. Then Tharja sat down across from him.
"Robin said so himself, he wants me to be normal." SHe narrowed her eyes at Ben, "So… you shall teach me how to be normal."
Ben snorted hard, "You- you're serious?" He pointed at his chest, "You want me to teach you how to be normal?"
Tharja raised an eyebrow as Ben started to laugh uncontrollably.
"Do you even remember the memory you just so happened to take a stroll through?" Ben laughed a little more, "I am the furthest thing from normal around here."
"And Robin tolerates you for some reason." Tharja pointed out, "Why? What am I missing?" She gripped Ben's collar, "You must tell me the secret!"
Ben blinked, "Tharja," He gently reached for her hand and pried it away from his shirt, "I think you are overthinking this."
"Maybe he expects me to be like that one Pegasus rider. Like Prince Chrom's wife." Tharja muttered as she ignored Ben, "A doting, smiling wench." She shivered in revulsion but then sighed, "The things I must do for love."
Ben rolled his eyes, "Tharja…"
"I shall cook for Robin tonight. That seemed to work for Sumia. She gained her love's attention that way. Truly, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
Ben sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. She was not listening to him. Force, she probably was not going to listen to any of his advice right now. She had a deep infatuation with Robin. One that blinded her to reality. There was only one thing that could shake the dark mage from her scheming now at this point.
"Tharja."
"I wish that stumbling bimbo told me her pie recipe." Tharja muttered as she bit her thumb.
"Care to take a memory walk?" Ben asked reluctantly.
He did not want to go through another memory. The first time, while not overly painful, had brought forth some troubling emotions that gave him some pause. And he was still hesitant to unveil the entire truth to Tharja. The more she scryed his memories, the more of the truth she would discover. Truth was a dangerous thing with the Empire now in power throughout the galaxy.
But he could not bear to see Tharja tearing herself apart like this. Robin's words were harsh. True, Tharja's hex had some unintended consequences that were almost disastrous. But the intentions behind the hex were not dark in nature. In fact, her intentions were very kind. She knew Robin was struggling to keep up with Ben in a duel. So she decided to try and help. As a true team member and friend should.
His plan worked. Tharja blinked and tore herself away from her own thoughts.
"You wish to see another memory?" She asked, surprised.
Ben shrugged, "The nightmares are starting to come back."
Also true, but they were not as strong right now. Just ghosts of images here and there. Enough to make his sleeps fitful. But not enough to force him awake.
Tharja gave him a suspicious look, "Very well. I don't know what you are planning, Kenobi." She opened her spellbook and drew her knife. Ben held out his open palm. She cut a thin line over his hand and dropped some blood onto the page. The book began to glow purple once again, "However, I should not be overly suspicious. This is an opportunity for me to see how far along I have come with this particular spell." She then plucked a hair from Ben's head and added it to the page. There was a brief flash, "There." She nodded, "Are you ready?"
Ben gulped, "As ready as I will ever be."
The mist erupted from Tharja's book and swirled around their faces. It blasted against their foreheads. Ben's vision went black.
….
Tharja opened her eyes. All around her was pitch black darkness. The air smelled damp and warm. And there was a horrid stench coming from her right.
She was lying down on a hard, sandy surface. Tharja blinked a couple times as she struggled to adjust to the darkness. With a small groan, the dark mage sat upright.
"Ben?" She whispered.
She heard him groan beside her. The swordsman's eyes fluttered open. He took a deep breath and coughed as some sand rushed into his mouth. He quickly spat it out then pushed himself up onto his knees.
She watched as Ben blinked in the darkness.
"I don't suppose you have a hex for seeing the dark?" Ben chirped
"Magic will not work in memories, idiot." She hissed back.
Tharja's eyes darted around her. Her eyes were starting to adjust now. They were in a cave. No, not a cave. A tunnel. The biggest tunnel Tharja had ever seen. She could see the rocky walls around her. Her eyes darted up to the ceiling.
A terrified gasp rushed from her lips.
The ceiling was moving. Crawling with massive, insect looking creatures. They all clicked and moaned above her. They writhed like worms in the dirt. A sea of hardened, bony limbs and pupilless eyes all looking down at her and Ben. A green substance was dripping down from the ceiling on occasion. It hit the floor beside her hand with a wet, sticky plop.
"Oh no." Ben sighed as he adjusted to the darkness and saw what Tharja was seeing, "It's this one."
"What do you mean this one?"
"Obi wan!" A young man's voice hissed behind them, "This is not a good idea!"
Tharja heard four sets of footsteps marching behind her. She gasped as a young man with long brown hair and a scar over his right eye brushed past her. Unaware that she even stood in his path. Beside him walked another man. This one looked very similar to Ben. But he looked older. Wiser. There were some bags under his eyes. He wore cream colored robes with white armored gauntlets over his wrist and white pauldrons over his shoulders. Despite the appearance of weariness, he seemed excited about something.
"Is that you?" Tharja asked as she pointed at the older man in the cream colored robes.
"Ten years older, yes." Ben answered.
Two more sets of footsteps brushed by the pair. Tharja raised her brow in confusion as two men wearing nearly identical white armor rushed by her. Their armor was dirty. Scuffed up by dirt and black scorch marks. The only other distinguishable features between the two men were the yellow visor over one man's face concealing helmet and the blue visor and shoulder pauldron on the other. Both men looked exactly the same. They were the same height and build. They moved the same. Even breathed the same.
A few more of those same, white armored men strode past her and Ben. They did not have any colors on their armor. And they followed the signals of the two men at the lead.
"Ok, Ben," Tharja gulped, "What is going on?"
"We are on the planet Geonosis."
Tharja stared at him wide eyed. She pointed a finger up above her, "Natives?"
"They were natives." Ben explained, "In this memory they are all dead."
Tharja's jaw fell open, "But they are moving?"
"Yes, because they are under the control of a hive mind."
Tharja gave Ben a confused look.
"They are like bees on your world." He explained in a matter of fact tone, "The Queen controls them. Except with the Geonosians, even if they die, their corpses are still under the command of the Queen."
Tharja quirked an eyebrow, "You sound excited by all of this?"
"Oh it was very fascinating to witness." Ben replied as he started following his past self.
Tharja carefully followed in his footsteps. She gulped a little in fear. The insect like beings above her were still moving and clicking. She knew they could not see her. This was just a memory. They no longer existed except for in Ben's mind. But it was still unsettling to see.
She followed Ben until they reached a large chamber. The Geonosians parted out of the way of his past self and his companions. Tharja drew up beside Ben as the swordsman came to a stop just behind the white armored soldiers. What she saw made her blood go cold in her veins.
The Geonosian Queen was a terrifying monster to look at. She towered over everything in the cavern. It was as massive as any tree trunk Tharja had ever seen. Six thin, twig like appendages extended from her carapace covered torso. The queen's 'mouth' opened and uttered an ear piercing roar that shook the cavern around all of them.
"That was a greeting." Ben smirked over at Tharja.
"What!?"
"How did you know they wouldn't just attack us?" The younger man in dark brown robes asked Obi Wan.
"Because I make observations, while you think with your lightsaber."
Tharja stayed silent as the two robed men stopped in front of the Queen. It was at that moment Tharja noticed the pale blue light emanating beneath the Queen.
Suspended in a halo of blue light by chains made of blue lightning, was a green skinned woman covered head to toe in black robes. She had a worried expression on her face. But she was not terrified. In fact, she looked relieved once she saw Ben and his companions.
Tharja noticed some sadness cross Ben's face.
"Luminara Unduli." Ben explained, "She was… an old friend of mine. We grew up together."
Tharja pursed her lips, "How many lovers did you-"
"No! Never!" Ben snapped quickly, "Master Luminara was a model jedi. She held no attachments and followed the code to the letter. And the code forbade any and all romantic attachments."
Tharja stared stunned at Ben. Who exactly were these Jedi he was a part of?
She sensed movement in the darkness. The other soldiers in plain white armor were scurrying around large stones and stalagmites. Each one wielded a strange, black, metal weapon that was blunt on the end. She arched her brow in confusion. Those did not look like they could kill anything.
"They all look the same." She muttered out loud.
"Who does?" Ben followed her gaze over to the hiding soldiers, "Oh, the clones. Of course they look the same."
"Clones?" Tharja questioned, "What are Clones? Another strange creature from another planet?"
"No, not necessarily." Ben rubbed his chin, "How do I explain a clone? Well… inside of your body there is a thing called DNA. That DNA is in every single one of your cells. The things that make up your body. It determines your eye color, hair color, sex, how tall you will grow, diseases you may be susceptible to, and more." Ben took a breath, "In the galaxy there is a species of people called the Kaminoans. And they are masters of taking DNA and copying it exactly. Doing so allows them to create exact copies of any living being in the galaxy."
Tharja gave Ben a blank stare as she struggled to absorb this information.
"All of these soldiers are just the same person copied over and over again?" She asked.
Ben nodded.
Tharja exhaled loudly, "This is getting crazy."
"Oh, this memory hasn't even started yet. Just wait." Ben smirked at her.
At the same time though, he gave the Clones an uneasy glance. Tharja noticed Ben's nervousness around them. Was he not comfortable around Clones? Did he disagree with the idea of copying someone? Or was there something else causing his unease?
"Well that quick thinking of mine is usually needed when your observations get us into trouble." The younger man said to Obi Wan.
"Anakin, the Queen took Luminara hostage. She wanted a Jedi. Now she has two more. I want to know what she is after." Obi Wan explained.
Tharja saw pain cross Ben's face.
So this is Anakin? She thought as she carefully observed the other Jedi warrior. He had a confident, borderline arrogant posture. He was taller than the average person. But he did not boast anything special physically beyond that. He doesn't look like much.
"Well, when this doesn't go as planned, which it won't, I'll be ready." Anakin whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
Tharja suppressed a wry smirk. Anakin knew Ben so well. Nothing the swordsman did ever went according the plan.
"Oh, that is so reassuring." Obi Wan sassed back.
The pair stopped in front of the Geonosian Queen. The behemoth rumbled once more. Down below, Jedi Master Luminara let out a long sigh.
"I thought I told you not to follow me, Master Kenobi." She sighed.
"Yes, well, I took a lesson from Anakin and decided not to follow orders."
Tharja snickered at Ben's side. He still followed that lesson. After all, he was the one who disobeyed Prince Chrom and went on his own mission to rescue Exalt Emmeryn.
"Hey!" Anakin cried.
"You!" Tharja froze as the Queen began to speak. It was a weak, croaking noise. Barely understandable, "You are the creatures that attacked Geonosia. Why have you come before… me?"
"Your majesty, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Obi Wan Kenobi and this is Anakin Skywalker. It is our sad duty to inform you that your rule is at an end."
"You do not dictate to me, Jedi. My empire is forever."
"I'm afraid it does not appear that way your grace." Obi Wan countered, "You shall release the Jedi, Luminara, and submit to Republic law."
Tharja eyed Ben, "You were an officer of the law?"
Ben shook his head, "I was a Jedi Master. A keeper of the peace."
Tharja eyed the increasingly hostile, undead insects around her. She could see their Queen was growing more agitated as well.
"This does not look very peaceful." She muttered.
Before Ben could reply, the Queen uttered a rage filled roar. She pointed down at both Anakin and Obi Wan.
"I no submit to you."
The undead creatures drew closer to the two Jedi. A bar of blue light appeared in Anakin's hands. Tharja recognized the weapon as one similar to Maul and Kage's weapons. To her surprise, Obi Wan stopped his friend from defending himself. Anakin reluctantly deactivated his weapon. The blue bar of light disappeared into a silver hilt with a quiet hiss.
"Your Majesty, destroying us shall only make the Republic's judgement of you harsher." Obi Wan warned the Queen.
"No, Jedi, no. I no destroy you. I devour you. I control you. I have but one Jedi before young Poggle bring me. But now I have three. Now, watch as my child enters your Jedi friend. And once inside, her mind becomes my mind. Her thoughts, my thoughts."
Tharja's eyes lit up as she watched one of the Geonosians, one that appeared very alive, grab a small worm like being from near the Queen. She felt some excitement build up in her.
"A hive mind. She's going to try and control all of you?" She asked Ben.
"She certainly did try."
Tharja returned her gaze to the Queen, "I can appreciate that."
Ben gave Tharja a look that was a cross between worried, terrified, and amused.
"I want to see how it works." Obi Wan told Anakin.
Tharja's jaw fell open.
"I don't think Luminara wants to see how it works." Anakin argued back.
"I really don't." The green skinned Master agreed.
"Anakin, the more we know the better." Obi Wan replied.
"I disagree!" Luminara drew back from the Geonosian named Poggle as he raised the worm near her face.
"So do I." Anakin said.
"I agree with you actually." Tharja elbowed Ben, "You will learn the effects of such a hive mind and maybe figure out a way to counter it. Plus it is fun to watch something like this."
"Come now, the nose or the ear?" Obi Wan continued, ignoring Anakin and Luminara's arguments, "Which do you think it will enter?"
"How about the eye?" Tharja wondered with a dark snicker.
Ben paled beside her, "I never even considered that."
"Well, you know what I think." Tharja smirked.
"I think the nose." Anakin sighed.
"I really hope this is part of the plan." Luminara said with a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Isn't it always? Cody, now!"
The Clone soldier in the yellow painted armor barked out an order. Bright lights flooded the cave. Surprising the undead insects and startling the Queen. Obi Wan and Anakin moved in and grabbed both Luminara and Poggle. Just as they grabbed the two, the cave trembled. Several loud booms shot through the tunnel and slammed into Tharja's ears. A shock wave barreled into her and Ben. She dropped to the ground, startled and in pain.
The memory shimmered and faded as she lost her focus.
….
Tharja gasped as her mind rushed back to reality. She inhaled deep. Exhaled. Then inhaled again. Doing her best to calm her racing heart. Across from her, Ben coughed hard as he abruptly returned to the real world as well.
"That was," Tharja gasped, "Strange."
"But interesting?" Ben smirked over at her.
"Very." Tharja sucked in another breath, "The amount of creatures out there in the stars must be tremendous."
"Is is." Ben replied, "All of them unique both in mind and body."
"Even the clones?" She asked him.
She saw Ben stiffen, "I used to think so."
Tharja narrowed her eyes at him.
"Remember," She said, "This entire hex is about confronting the pain of your past."
Ben nodded. He took a deep breath and settled back down.
"The clones were great soldiers." He explained, "They followed orders perfectly. Never questioned the orders were gave them. And each one of them earned my trust during the war." Ben gulped, "But… in the end, they betrayed us." Tharja's eyes widened as he continued, "They were pawns in a much greater plan that involved wiping out the Jedi order."
Tharja felt a pit form in her stomach.
"Your own soldiers turned on you?" She breathed in shock.
Ben nodded, "Cody was the one in yellow. He was my clone commander. The one tasked with assisting me in missions. He and I were close friends once." Ben shook his head, "And then he tried to kill me."
Tharja furrowed her brow. Ben could sense some anger radiating from her. Was she feeling sympathy for him?
"You were betrayed by close friends. That is bound to leave scars." Tharja muttered as she closed her spell book. The mist from the hex evaporated into the wind, "But you cannot allow their actions to rule over your own."
Ben took a deep breath then nodded.
"That is the purpose of all of this." Tharja said, "Your past is controlling you, Ben Kenobi. If you let that happen, you will never be happy. You will never be your own person ever again. You will just be a shell."
Ben snorted, "You sound like Qui Gon when you say that."
"He was right then." Tharja snapped back, "You should listen to his advice. From what you have told me, he sounded like a very wise man."
Ben hung his head then nodded. She was right. Tharja and Qui Gon were both right. It was just so difficult to move on from it all. How could he simply move on from everything he ever knew? His entire life had been the Jedi Order? Was he supposed to simply abandon everything that made him into the man he was today?
"I need to meditate." Ben sighed.
Tharja closed her eyes and uttered a dissapointed sigh, "Of course you do. Right when I was going to start asking even more questions."
Ben uttered a light chuckled, "I assume those questions involve space zombies, clones, and the nature of other species in the galaxy?"
"How did you know?" Tharja smirked back.
"Lucky guess." Ben smirked and rubbed his thighs, "You know what, I think I have time to answer those questions."
Tharja's eyes lit up, "You do!?"
"Yes I-"
Ben frowned. They were being watched. He turned his head and saw Gaius sitting near the burnt out campfire. The thief had an enormous, mischievous grin on his face as he watched the pair.
"Oh please, continue." Gaius waved a hand. He reached into his pocket, unwrapped a new lollipop, and stuck it in his mouth, "Don't mind me. I'll just observe as Ben seduces the dark mage."
"Seduces?" Tharja's eyes widened.
Ben surged to his feet and lunged at Gaius. Before he could get his hands on him, the thief scampered away to his tent. His laughter echoing throughout the campsite. As he retreated away, Robin emerged from his tent once again.
"Alright, I've calmed down." Robin sighed, "You ready to continue Ben?"
Ben pressed his lips into a thin line. He nodded then drew his sword.
"Is there anyway to turn Gaius into a practice dummy?"
"No." Robin shook his head and laughed a little, "I don't think so."
Tharja slowly raised her hand. There was a devious smile on her pale lips. Robin stomped his foot and pointed at both her and Ben.
"No!"
….
Marth shivered as she trudged through the ice covered streets of Port Ferox. A blizzard had begun to pass through the city. It brought icy winds and ungodly amounts of snow to the port city. Snow that she had to struggle through in order to reach the docks.
It had taken her several days to finally reach Port Ferox. As much as she thought she was ready to travel, she really was not. Her body was still not fully recovered from the wounds she had received. But she powered through the pain. When she stopped marching, she would sit and meditate. Attempt to use the force healing technique her Master had tried to teach her so many times. She had some mild success. But not enough to prevent her from having to march slowly over land.
Kage had a massive head start on her. So her slow pace frustrated her even more. And the weather did not help matters. She thanked Naga that she made it to Port Ferox before the worst portion of the blizzard began. If she had been caught in the wilderness with this weather- Marth shivered. She did not want to even consider what might have happened.
A warm, yellow light filled her vision. She blinked snow from her eyes and pushed her way into an inn. A roaring fire burned in the common room. It heated the room to a nice, comfortable temperature. Warm enough that the snow that clung to her hair and clothes began to melt away.
She wiped her weary eyes with the back of her hand and trudged up to the innkeeper's counter.
"Good evening, miss." A large, Feroxi woman greeted her, "Care for a room?"
Marth shook her head, "I'm looking for a captain to take me to Valm."
The innkeep frowned, "Valm?" She shook her head, "I don't know why you would want to go there. Bad news continues to flow from that place. Unrest everywhere. Very few traders make the trip anymore."
"There has to be someone." Marth pleaded, "It is important. I'm trying to find someone."
The inkeep sighed, "If you're that determined, there is a captain in the common room drinking. He just got back from making the crossing. You'll find him next to the fire."
"Thank you." Marth nodded.
She took a deep breath and walked over to the common room. Sailors and dock workers filled the little, warm space. Each one of them held a mug of Feroxi ale in their hands as they sang bawdy songs, drank, and talked about their lives. Marth slipped through the crowd until she got close to the fireplace."
Sitting on a wooden stool, next to the roaring fire was the Feroxi sea captain. A tall, burly man who had far too much to drink.
"Lads! Lads! I tell you, this stowaway was loaded with gold!" He bellowed as he continued whatever tale he was telling, "I don't know how he ended up on my ship. But he just appeared. Like a damn shadow-"
Marth's eyes widened. A shadow?
She tapped the sea captain on the shoulder.
"Who are you talking about?" She asked him.
The man gave her a drunk grin, "Well ain't you a pretty looking thing." He slurred then patted his lap, "Come take a seat."
Marth narrowed her eyes. She reached over with her right hand and gripped the man by the side of his neck. Right where the tendon met the shoulder.
"I squeeze, and you will go down like a box of rocks." Marth threatened.
"Whoa! Whoa!" The sea captain cried as she put some pressure, "Do that, and my men gut you."
"Oh really?" She narrowed her eyes and gave the other sailors near the fire a deadly glare, "I would love to see them try."
Her stare had the intended effect. She could look damn intimidating when she wanted to. The other sailors hesitated and remained where they sat.
"Now, let's try again." Marth snarled at the sea captain, "Who are you talking about?"
"I don't know." The captain winced as she placed more pressure on the pressure point, "Some-some blonde haired kid. Wore all black. Why do you want to know?"
Marth released her grip on him. She reached for a small pouch on her hip and threw it in the man's lap. Gold slipped from the pouch and rested between his legs. The drunk Captain stared dumbstruck at the amount of gold in his lap.
"You're going to take me to him."
And chapter! Marth is hot on Kage's trail. Ben underwent another memory therapy session with Tharja. Using a one of my favorite moments from the Clone Wars cartoons. I giggled the entire time I wrote it. As for how Robin spoke to Tharja, I wrote that as spur of the moment anger. He does not hate Tharja. It was just a moment of anger due to a dangerous situation. Besides, I'm trying my best not to copy the game word for word. Especially the supports. I will try to take some of the very good ones and use them, but I also want to give you guys some truly original stuff when it comes to the character relationships. So yeah, that's my explanation for that.
As for Vader and Thrawn, that was an interesting part to write. The Father from Mortis has apparently gone crazy. And Vader now knows about the planet our heroes are on and where it might be located. Now it is just a matter of getting there for him. And it will not be easy.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!