The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 49
The Scholar
"How many damn deserts are we going to travel through!?" Gaius complained as his feet stomped against the cracked, dry earth.
Ben rolled his eyes as he led the group onward through the sparse wasteland, "We must cover all possible locations. Besides, this route is the fastest to Eastern Ylisse."
Ben adjusted his cloak. The hood worked wonders in shielding his head from the intense sun. But it also kept him very warm. The sweat that formed from the heat made the loose fabric cling to any exposed skin on his body. He took a deep breath and scanned the horizon in front of them.
This desert was different than the one that covered all of Plegia. Plegia's desert was covered in sand. Giant sloping mountains of the stuff. The dunes of that land rose and fell like a strong ocean tide. The Plegian sands could easily consume any traveler unlucky enough to lose their wits in that land. The sand would bury any evidence of their existence. Allowing the desert to return to it's unbroken state. Leaving the landscape harsh, yet surprisingly tranquil.
This desert was the opposite. A flat, barren waste of cracked earth that had not seen any rainfall in years. The cracked and yellowed bones of long dead animals baked in the intense heat around them. A few snarled weeds tumbled through the arid landscape. But they provided nothing except annoyance. There was nothing that could live here. Traveling through such a land was almost impossible.
But Ben and the others had to try. They were losing time. And by extension, the trail that could lead them to baby Luke grew colder by the day. They had spent many days combing through southeastern Ylisse. Searching for any sign or any word of an orphan boy matching Luke's description. But there was nothing. And Ben's desperation only mounted. Their next destination was the mountainous lands surrounding the Eastern Palace. Not many villages existed in the rocky foothills in that area. But there was a chance refugees and war orphans took shelter there during the war. He had failed to find Luke where he first arrived in Ylisse. Now he had to search the most likely area next.
Luke was everything. He was the last hope the galaxy had for peace. The last hope for the light in a galaxy consumed by the dark side of the force. Ben swore to Master Yoda that he would protect the boy. Be a silent guardian and eventually begin his Jedi training. And within the span of several hours, he failed in his mission.
Ben grit his teeth and pressed onward, ignoring the growing blisters on his feet. He refused to accept defeat when it came to this endeavor. This was his last mission as a Jedi Knight. The last task appointed to him by Master Yoda before they were ambushed on the Tantive IV. He would not fail Master Yoda. He would not fail Luke.
"Ben." Robin gasped, "We need to stop for a minute."
The tactician's pace began to slow. The young man was struggling in the intense heat. He had even decided to wrap his heavy coat around his waist instead of wearing it over his shoulders like he normally did. The pale skin on his arms and neck looked bright red. Ben frowned as he looked at the wary tactician. The sunburn was beginning to look nasty.
The swordsman just nodded in agreement. Rest would do them some good. Gaius let out a small sigh of relief as he began to set up the tents with Panne and Donnel. Tharja found a rock and took a seat. The heat did not bother the dark mage as much. She grew up in an environment like this. Lived every day in the intense heat and dry air that dominated Plegia. She knew how to handle the harsh climate better than anyone else. Ben sighed as he took a seat beside her.
"Water?" Tharja offered.
Ben gave her a weary nod and gratefully accepted the waterskin from her. He had run through his own supply of water nearly a day ago. Perhaps he had underestimated the scale of the desert in eastern Ylisse.
Ben let out a loud gasp as he pulled the water from his lips. The lukewarm liquid felt so refreshing. He nodded to Tharja and handed the waterskin back to her.
"Save the rest for yourself." He muttered.
Tharja dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand, "I will be fine."
Robin flopped down on the other side of Tharja, "So hot!" He glanced over at Gaius and Donnel, "Guys, how are the tents coming along?"
"Almost ready. But I don't know how much good they will do."
"Trust me." Ben muttered, "A little shade will work wonders right now. We will rest for a few hours then continue onward."
"I agree Sir Ben." Donnel said as he finished setting up a tent, "Back at the farm, ma would make sure I was always proper hydrated when working on a hot day. And she also made sure we all took a good break in the shade. Last thing she needed was one of us boys passing out from the sun 'n all." He nodded, satisfied with the tent, "Miss Tharja and Miss Panne, this one is for y'all."
"Such a gentleman." Tharja snickered before giving Gaius a dark look as he lounged in the shade of his own tent, "Unlike a certain someone."
Gaius did not reply. He simply waved his hand and lay back against his travel pack.
"I'll be more of a gentleman when you use a water hex to keep us from dying of thirst."
"And as I explained a hundred times before, hexes are not beneficial spells." Tharja grumbled, "Well," A dark smile crossed her lips, "Not beneficial to you at least."
"Even the best minds at the Ylissean magic college have not figured out how to create water using magic." Robin pointed out as he found a shady spot beside one of the tents, "And their main focus is on elemental magic."
Gaius frowned, "What good are you mages if you can't get me what I need when I need it?" He flicked his gaze over to Ben, "You got anything useful, Benny?"
Ben shook his head and lay back in the shade. Now that they had actually stopped, he realized that rest really was needed. His feet ached. Several blisters had opened up on his heels. They had been marching at a relentless pace these past few days. Hoping to be clear of the desert as quickly as possible. Instead, they only grew more lost in the sun scorched land.
He could hear Donnel, Gaius, and the others beginning to engage in some small talk. Something about what is the hottest you ever felt before today. Ben smirked a little. If only they knew about Tatooine. This little desert is paradise compared to that planet. He tuned out their conversation and closed his eyes. This break was perfect for meditation. A chance to let the force repair his exhausted body and clear his mind.
At first it was a peaceful exercise. He could feel the force around him. Even in a land devoid of most life, the Force was ever present. A constant comfort that Ben could turn to when needed. It was serene. Like calm, still waters.
His mind drifted through the many meditation exercises he had learned as a Jedi Knight. But as he delved deeper into the waters of the living force, something began to bother him.
The surface of the force was calm. If one was to dip their toe in the waters, one would not notice anything off about it. But once he dove deep into the Force's depths, Ben realized there was shift. A small ripple that hit him. It did not originate from this desert. It did not even originate from this planet. Ben honed in on the strange disturbance.
His heart started pounding. Fear lanced through him. The dark side of the force raged across the stars. It had found something. An ancient power that it did not understand but sought to control. A flash shot through his mind. And in his ears, Ben heard pain filled, rasping breaths. He could see a sinister figure, kneeling on the ground in front of an archaic mural. His black armor smoked and smoldered. Static sparked along the pauldrons and over the glossy, black helmet. The dark side of the force snarled and thrashed around the figure. The monstrous man appeared confused and very, very angry.
The sound of soldiers panicking hit his mind. The black clad figure slumped forward against the stone mural. Just as Ben pressed further, he felt a hand shake his shoulder.
"Hey, Benny." Gaius snapped his fingers in front of his face. Ben's eyes fluttered open, "You sleeping already? Damn, how do you managed to fall asleep so fast?"
"I was not sleeping. I was meditating." Ben replied, "And you managed to interrupt me."
"Sure looked like sleeping." Gaius replied with a smirk.
"I heard a snore or two." Robin chuckled.
"I was not sleeping!" Ben cried defensively as the others chuckled around him.
"Uncle Jon would say the same thing when he fell asleep driving the corn wagon." Donnel snickered, "Didn't mean we believed him."
"You man-spawn require more rest than most creatures. It is not something to be ashamed of." Panne noted.
Tharja said nothing as she flicked through her spellbook. Her eyes narrowed as she peered off into the distance.
"What exactly do you do when meditating anyways?" Robin asked Ben.
"Well, I rest in the Force." Ben explained.
Robin quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "Rest? Is it a way of recuperating magic then? Marth would meditate when she was very tired and it always seemed to help." Robin leaned back on his elbows, "She tried to teach me how to do that but," He shook his head, "I guess it requires more than one lesson in order to pick up the practice."
"It is more of a habit than a skill." Ben noted, "And meditation doesn't just help a force wielder recuperate energy. It also allows us to focus our minds, gather our thoughts, even temper our feelings."
"Temper feelings?" Gaius muttered, looking very confused.
Robin furrowed his brow, "Is this part of Jedi philosophy?"
Ben gave Robin a stunned look.
"Marth gave me a lesson before she disappeared again." Robin explained, "During that lesson she gave me a very brief introduction as to what a Jedi actually is."
"Uh," Gaius raised his hand, "What is a Jedi?"
"I get the feeling Ben is a Jedi." Donnel mumbled as he listened to Robin and Ben.
"Oh, so a stick in the mud. Gotcha!" Gaius chirped.
"Jedi are not sticks in the mud." Ben replied with a small snort, "We are… guardians. Well, we were supposed to be. The Jedi order strived to understand the force. Part of our attempt to understand the force was to control our emotions."
Tharja flicked her gaze back over at the others. Their conversation greatly interested her. But sadly, she could not pay them her full attention. She swore she had seen something through the shimmering heat on the horizon. If she did in fact see something, or someone, then she had to make certain it was not a threat.
"Control emotions?" Robin frowned, "As in suppress them?"
Ben pursed his lips, "To a certain extent."
Gaius whistled beside them, "That explains quite a bit."
Ben gave the thief a withering look. The red haired man chuckled.
"There's no suppressed emotion in that look."
Robin shook his head, "But… emotion is emotion. Sure, it is wise to want to control certain emotions during certain situations. But they are all necessary in some way or another. They are part of what makes us human. I-I just don't see how suppressing all of them leads to anything good."
"You have to understand that the nature of the force in a person is very much tied to their emotional state." Ben replied, "Negative emotion fuels the dark side of the force." He saw Robin's puzzled look, "The force has a dual nature, per say." Ben explained, "Light and dark."
"And the dark is a big no go." Gaius summarized.
"Precisely. It can lead down very dark paths that can easily destroy a person and all those around them. The Jedi Order found that many emotions led to the dark side of the force. Hence the need to control them."
Robin furrowed his brow. He pondered what Ben said for a moment then shook his head again, "No, it still doesn't seem right. You can't just bury emotion. It has to come out in some way or another. I mean, you're a Jedi Ben. You are supposed to be an emotionless rock, by your own admission. But from what I have seen, you care a great deal about everyone around you. That right there is an emotion. Would it be wrong to suppress that?"
Ben frowned. Robin posed a very difficult question. Force he wished he had the centuries of wisdom Master Yoda possessed. The aged master always knew how to respond to such pointed questions.
"That I am not sure about." Ben replied, "I am not that skilled compared to many of the great Jedi that have lived. Nor am I very in tune with the Force." He let out a small sigh, "I'm still learning myself."
"Ben, Robin." Tharja called over to them.
"Yeah?" Robin replied as he twisted to look over at the dark mage.
Tharja pointed out over the flat, dry plain. Robin peered into the distance and noticed something that made his mouth fall open. There was a young man just standing there. Face gazing upward at the sky. He wore the garb of a mage. But there was no color to his robes. They were a mottled assembly of greys and browns. The hat he wore was rather large for his head. But it served as an excellent shield from the sun.
"Uh?" Robin glanced at Ben, "Should we-"
"If he's got water, I say we rob him." Gaius suggested.
"Huh!?" Donnel exclaimed, appalled by the thief's suggestion.
"The thief's suggestion has merit." Tharja smirked, "We will need more water to complete the crossing."
"I ain't robbing someone!" Donnel declared.
"Gaius, Tharja, please tell your dark sides to simmer down." Ben groaned before staring hard at the lone figure in the distance, "He's just standing there, staring up?"
"Do you think he notices us?" Robin wondered.
"I don't think he would notice a bull if it came charging straight at him." Donnel muttered.
"I'm gonna rob him." Gaius nodded to himself as he moved to get up.
Ben lunged and pulled the thief back to his seat.
"You will stay put. Robin, come with me. We shall see if this stranger is a friend or foe."
Gaius hummed, "If he is a foe can I rob him?"
"If he is a foe we can kill him." Tharja said with a dark snicker, "Or better yet, we can make him our… servant."
Donnel paled as he looked at both of them. Ben and Robin were already moving towards the stranger. The former farm boy inched closer to Panne. Ben shook his head as he marched through the intense heat towards the stranger. Gaius and Tharja were in their moods today, that was certain. And poor Donnel was mortified by it.
The thief had an itch for petty thievery that needed to be scratched. That or quelled with a large lollipop. And Tharja well… she just enjoyed the stranger things in life. Ben was convinced that her intimidating demeanor was more of a facade than her actual personality. But that wall that he felt was there had yet to fall.
As they got closer to the stranger, Ben noticed he was actually a very young man. A mere teenager. He had a large tome clutched to his chest. Spectacles sat on the bridge of his nose. Whoever this stranger was, he was very much out of place for the desert.
"So do we just say hi?" Robin asked Ben.
Ben smirked, "We could scare him."
Robin gave Ben a nervous look, "I'm beginning to worry that your little mind adventures with Tharja are leaving their mark."
"I'm just joking." Ben chuckled, "Go on and say hello."
"Brilliant isn't it?" The stranger said, his voice high and quick. His gaze turned from the sun to his tome. He cracked the massive book open and used a piece of charcoal to scribble notes into it.
"Uh… hi?" Robin said.
"A proper greeting. Ah yes, I forgot to do that, didn't I? No wait, I don't forget. I just don't always remember is all." The stranger said with a little laugh. He closed his tome and turned to face both Ben and Robin, "Laurent." He bowed to both of them, "And you are?"
Robin gave Ben a concerned look. Ben shared his worry. This boy behaved rather strangely. Perhaps the heat had gotten to him?
"I am Ben Kenobi." The swordsman gestured over to Robin, "This is my friend Robin."
"Robin?" Laurent said quickly, "As in the Robin?" His dark eyes flicked over to Ben, "And the mad swordsman himself?"
Ben frowned, "I need to find whoever began that rumor and sit them down for a small discussion."
"So you have heard of us?" Robin asked.
"Of course I have. Any person capable of hearing has heard of the Shepherd's tactician and the mad swordsman. The intellectual that brought about Plegia's defeat and the crazed warrior willing to leap off of pegasi in order to achieve victory. Such tales are so tall that they cannot possibly be false."
Robin gave Laurent a confused look.
"Uh?"
"I don't know." Ben sighed.
"As I was saying before however," Laurent returned his attention to the sun, "Isn't it brilliant? A marvel? How such an object can be cold and distant at one location but yet so overpowering and hot in another. The very same sun sits over Regna Ferox and gives that frozen land little warmth. But here, it scorches the earth." He rubbed his chin, "Perhaps Mother's hypothesis regarding the suspension of our world around the sun and the centripetal forces involved do have merit? I must study it even further."
Robin leaned closed to Ben, "Did you get a word of that?"
"Nope." Ben shook his head, "Maybe he is delirious from lack of water. I do not see a waterskin on him. Do you?"
Robin shook his head.
"Studying the sun is not the reason for my presence in this desert." Laurent continued, "But it is an added bonus. I am currently wandering this desolate wasteland in search of a fabled mirage village. It is such a common tale in this area of the world that there has to be some truth to it. But it also cannot be true. How can a village be a mirage? In order to find out, I did the only thing that could possibly induce a mirage filled state." He glanced back at Ben and Robin, "I have not consumed any hydrating liquid for two and half days."
Robin's mouth hung open. Ben sighed and shook his head.
"And…" Ben let out an astonished snort, "How exactly has that worked out for you?"
"You are a man of science as well, Ben Kenobi!" Laurent cheered, "This is wonderful news. I'm sure you will be interested in the observations as well Sir Robin. So far I have not witnessed any mirages. There have been plenty of hallucinations. And I have a horrible cramp in my left gastrocnemius muscle." The young man eyed the pair, "And in mentioning hallucinations, you don't happen to be a couple, right?"
Ben glanced over at Robin. The tactician nodded in agreement. They both turned, looked back at their camp, and called for her at the same time.
"Tharja!"
….
Laurent sat silent for a minute as he felt the water run down his throat and into his empty stomach. As soon as that cool liquid touched his tongue he felt much better. The haze that invaded his mind faded away and the strange birds he had seen floating near his eyes disappeared. His mind felt more alert. Sharper, and stronger than before. And as he sat quietly in the shade of his new companion's tents, he pondered the results of his (in hindsight) very dangerous experiment.
"Feeling any better?" Robin asked the boy.
"Very much." Laurent replied with a stiff nod, "It appears my methods for finding the mirage village were deeply flawed."
Across the little campsite, the young scholar saw the thief, Gaius, pinch the bridge of his nose and utter a frustrated sigh. Laurent could understand why the thief was so bitter right now. Because of his dangerous scientific procedure, the scholar had to consume precious amounts of water. Water that Ben and his group of companions could not spare a lot of. In fact, it was such a precious commodity that their lone full waterskin was under the watchful guard of the dark mage, Tharja. An incredibly intimidating woman who both fascinated and terrified Laurent.
"Now that I have drank and feel semi hydrated," Laurent continued, "I can confirm that none of you are hallucinations."
"Thanks for the heads up." Gaius grumbled.
Ben gave the thief a long glare before turning his attention back to Laurent.
"You said you were wandering this desert looking for a mirage village?" Ben began, "Why in the world would you do that?"
"The village is a fable for one." Laurent explained, "I do so enjoy explaining the unexplainable. It is what makes me a scientist. Drew me to the subject in fact. That and my mother's influence. Her own scientific mind rubbed off on my own. Much to father's pride and confusion. But I also was in search of the mirage village due to the mythical artifact it supposedly contains."
"Let me-" Gaius let out a small laugh, "Let me get this straight. You went searching for an imaginary village in order to find an imaginary artifact. All of which happen to be in the most hostile environment in all of Ylisse-"
"There are much more hostile biomes in the Halidom." Laurent interrupted.
"Whatever!" Gaius snapped back, "The point is, you're an intelligent idiot."
Laurent blinked, "Hm… that is not the first time someone has referred to me as such." He brushed Gaius's insult to the side, "Regardless of my methods, I have deduced one thing from my search, thanks to your timely arrival."
"That being?" Ben asked.
"We all will not die of thirst." Laurent replied.
Gaius got close to Laurent's face, "Explain! Now!"
Ben pushed Gaius back from the poor kid, "What do you mean, Laurent?"
The boy pushed his spectacles back up the bridge of his nose, "What I mean, is that by seeing you, I have confirmed that some of what I may have seen is, in fact, not a hallucination. One of which was a possible oasis several hours northwest of here."
"Thank Grima, Naga, and every other god there is!" Gaius cried, "I am so thirsty!"
"Do ya have to thank the fell dragon?" Donnel gulped.
"How do you know there is an oasis nearby?" Robin asked Laurent.
"An interesting question. With an equally interesting answer. I just so happened to be midway through my second day of wandering when the first of my hallucinations began. I recorded all of those too. Some of them are utterly fascinating. Who knew the mind was capable of conjuring such strange, vivid images when deprived of essential nourishment?"
Tharja slowly raised her hand. Ben quickly pushed her hand back down before Laurent continued.
"One such hallucination, or what I thought was a hallucination, was palm trees in the distance. A sure sign of an oasis."
"So why didn't you go check it out?" Gaius asked.
"Because at the same time I hallucinated a pink elephant with blue and yellow polka dots doing a jig in front of me." Laurent replied with a bit of shame in his voice, "So, taking what information I had in front of me, I assumed that, like the polka dotted elephant, the oasis was an illusion. And I set off in the opposite direction. That is when I ran into you." Laurent frowned, "Now that I think about it further, the oasis was not so outlandish like the other hallucinations. Which means that it is even more likely to be real than before. We must make our way to the oasis with all haste. Otherwise, we will die of thirst in this wasteland."
"Don't need to tell me that twice." Gaius chirped, "Lead the way, kid."
….
Ben was not the only one that breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the oasis Laurent mentioned. Gaius dove headfirst into the clear spring waters as soon as he laid sight on it. Panne dipped into the cold waters as well. A long, happy sigh leaving her lips as her body cooled down from the intense heat. Robin and Donnel set about filling all of their waterskins. Ben took a seat under some palms with Tharja and Laurent. But the young scholar did not sit still for long, Ben watched with a small smirk as he scampered towards the oasis, book in hand. Muttering something about studying how such a large lake of water could be created in such a dry area of the world.
"Thank Grima for this oasis." Tharja muttered.
Ben cocked an eyebrow, "I thought the heat did not bother you?"
"It wasn't. But even a Grimleal has their limits." Tharja pointed out, "My throat was getting a little dry."
A loud splash rang out. Followed by some panicked cries from Gaius. Ben chuckled as he watched a completely drenched Panne chase the thief out of the water.
"Get back here!"
"I only splashed you!"
"Guys!" Robin called as they sprinted past him and disappeared into the brush surrounding the oasis, "Don't go too… far." He sighed, "I really should stop trying at this point."
He finished filling up his waterskins and handed them over to Donnel. The farmboy quickly went about putting the skins into each person's travel pack. Meanwhile, Laurent had waded out to waist deep water as he cradled as small glass vial.
"What do you think of our new friend?" Robin asked Ben as he slumped down in the shade beside him.
"He's a curious fellow." Ben replied.
"Hmph, eager to learn." Tharja muttered, "Probably too eager for his own good. Given the fact that he nearly died of thirst just because he wanted to learn something."
"At least he's passionate." Robin pointed out, "In his own way at least." He glanced over at Ben, "Are you thinking about having him tag along?"
Ben nodded, "He won't survive on his own. That much I have gathered." Ben lay back onto the cooler ground, "We will at least take him with us to the Eastern Palace. From there, he can stay with us, or go his own way."
"I have never seen a mage with those color robes before." Tharja muttered as she eyed the young scholar, "Who is he associated with?"
"Maybe he's an independent wizard?" Robin thought.
"He has to have learned from somebody." Tharja argued back, "He's too nice to be a Grimleal. But also too undisciplined to have come from the Ylissean academy. One of your mages would not enter the desert so unprepared."
Robin shrugged, "Does it really matter? He's friendly enough."
"One cannot be too careful. It is easy to deceive the friendly." Tharja muttered.
Ben smirked, "I'm not worried. We did bring you on as an ally."
Tharja flicked her gaze over to him, "And I am still debating as to whether or not to execute a deception."
Ben chuckled, "Well, have fun figuring that one out. But if I were to take a guess, I'd say you like all of us more than you let on."
"Maybe a little too much." Robin muttered under his breath. He glanced over to the brush where Panne and Gaius ran off, "Where did those two run off to?"
The tactician got to his feet and marched over to the tree line. He carefully stepped through the thick bushes and trees until he reached the edge of the oasis. When he reached the edge, he heard some voices. Robin paused and lowered himself to a crouch.
"Even if we don't find the mirage village, we at least caught us a rare prize." A gruff, gritty voice said.
"I ain't never thought I'd catch a Taguel." Another voice said. Robin froze, "Think she'd sell well?"
"I guarantee it." The first voice replied.
Robin grit his teeth and was about to burst out the bushes when he felt a hand clamp over his mouth. A shot of panic rushed through him. But it subsided when he heard Gaius's voice in his ear.
"Keep quiet, Bubbles. There are a lot more than two of them."
Robin's eyes widened. He broke free from Gaius's grip and peered through the brush.
The thief was not wrong. A group of twenty ruffians sat camped on the edge of the oasis. Standing in the middle of them, was a large, muscled man with rough, brown hair. In his meaty hands was a frayed map. A map that, if Robin took a guess, led to the fabled mirage village.
But that map did not concern him. What did concern him was the Taguel being held down by three of the ruffians. Anger covered Panne's face as she struggled against their iron grip.
"Which way are we going, Nombry?" One of the ruffians asked the man with the map.
Nombry rubbed his stubble lined chin, "Due north. If what I see here is correct, then we will find the village there. And with it, treasure beyond our wildest imaginations." He rolled up the map, "Once that is done, we'll make for Plegia and auction off that one."
Robin felt his blood start to boil. At his side, Gaius gave the tactician a worried look.
"Hey, Bubbles." He gripped the other man's shoulder, "Don't do something stupid."
"You heard what they want to do to Panne."
"And I'm pissed too. But we will not help her if we're killed." Gaius pointed out, "Think tactically on this one."
Robin clenched his jaw but relented to Gaius's sound logic.
"We need to grab the others and follow them until a more advantageous opportunity presents itself." Robin admitted reluctantly.
Gaius nodded and carefully tip toed back to the oasis. Once they were free from the trees, and the eyes of the ruffians, they sprinted over to Ben, Tharja, Donnel, and Laurent.
Ben rose to his feet when he saw the duo rushing towards them.
"Where is Panne?"
"Ruffians. Treasure Hunters or Bandits maybe?" Robin breathed as he came to a stop in front of Ben, "They got her."
"Got her!?" Donnel paled.
Tharja's face darkened, "How many?"
"Too many." Gaius breathed, "And unlike Farm Boy's village, there is nowhere to set up an ambush out here."
"Your Taguel friend has been kidnapped? A pity. I was hoping to learn more about her species." Laurent asked as he waded out of the oasis.
"Her name is Panne!" Gaius snapped, "And it's because we listened to you that she is captured and about to be sold off you-"
"Gaius." Ben raised his hand, silencing the thief, "It is not his fault."
The thief exhaled, "Bubbles suggested following until we can make a move. Apparently those bastards are looking for the same mirage village as the kid."
"Really!?" Laurent gasped.
"The mirage village doesn't matter now." Ben told Laurent, "We will track down these kidnappers. Panne will not be taken from us."
"Well we better get moving." Gaius grunted as he began marching in the same direction as the ruffians.
….
The ruffians must have been well supplied and well rested, because they did not stop until the sun had set and moon rose high overhead. When their party finally did stop; Ben, Robin, and the others slowed down and stayed within sight of their enemy's encampment. But far enough away that they could not be spotted. Once they were certain that they were a safe distance away, Robin and Ben both dropped to their bellies and crawled towards the enemy camp so that they could get a closer look.
"What do you see?" Ben asked as he kept his body flat against the hot earth.
Robin frowned, "Panne must be inside one of those tents. Which is good. They think she is valuable enough to keep alive and somewhat healthy." Robin began to silently count, "Gaius is right. Twenty ruffians. All armed. Some more heavily than others."
"Long ranged or short ranged?"
Robin shook his head, "I don't see any mages or bowmen. Looks like we're dealing with a treasure hunter and his hired swords."
"A ruthless treasure hunter at that." Ben scowled, "He may as well be a raider." Ben pulled his hood up over his head and began to crawl forward.
"What are you doing?" Robin hissed.
"Going to find Panne." Ben replied, "I may be able to slip into their camp."
"How!?"
Ben pursed his lips, "A little force technique. One that I'm actually quite good at."
Just ask General Grevious how I infiltrated his entire base. He thought to himself with a small smile.
"Ben you can't just-" Robin let out a long groan, "No one here listens to me. Look, be careful. If anything goes wrong, signal us. Tharja and I will rain hellfire down on them."
"I don't think it will come to that." Ben replied, "But I will keep it in mind."
Robin nodded and crawled back to where the others waited.
Ben slowly crawled towards the enemy camp. He briefly froze as he caught sight of a sentry keeping watch over the camp. The man was armed with a simple, iron sword. He made lazy circles around the camp. Eyes glancing up from his feet every few minutes or so. Apparently he was not worried at all about any dangerous encounters.
Ben smiled to himself as he slipped past the bored sentry and drew up alongside one of the tents. He called upon the Force to mask his movements and muffle the noise he made shuffling through along the earth. And it answered his call. Not a single ruffian noticed him as he drew up alongside their tents.
He paused and closed his eyes. He reached out with the Force, attempting to sense exactly which tent Panne was held in.
The tent beside him housed some ruffians. Two in fact. No Taguel. Ben frowned and crawled over to the next tent. No one was in that one. Most of the ruffians were gathered around a large fire. Ben could smell the sweet aroma of meat in the air. It had been a few days since he had a proper meal. He could feel his stomach growling at the thought of a nice, tender steak.
With a quick shake of his head, he returned his focus to finding Panne. He passed three more tents before finally sensing her.
She was afraid. And… he could sense great anger in her. Ben grimaced as he pressed himself flat against the earth then slipped underneath the wall of the tent.
Panne was tied up to the center post. Arms bound behind her with thick cords of rope. Legs bound together as well. Her eyes were closed. Ben could see some tear stains on her cheeks as he got closer. He knelt down beside her and drew a small knife.
The sound of his knife scraping against her bonds woke Panne up. A snarl rushed over his lips first. Then shock. And finally, her lips began to tremble. She sniffled as tears pooled up in her terrified eyes.
"I thought you all left me." She whimpered as Ben worked on her binds.
Ben glanced up at her, "Now when I have a I ever left a friend behind?"
A small sob left Panne's chest, "I just-"
Ben put a finger to his lips, "Stay quiet now. We don't want to be found out."
He managed to cut through the rope around her ankles first. Panne let out a long sigh of relief as she wiggled her toes. Ben swept around her and began to slice through the ropes around her wrists.
"Ben, I was scared."
"So were we." Ben replied, "The others are just a little ways away. Waiting for you."
Panne sniffled again, "When-when they grabbed me, and no one came to stop them, I thought you abandoned me. I thought that because I was a Taguel and not a human that you thought my loss was-"
"Now what kind of nonsense is that?" Ben remarked, "Taguel, Human, whatever; you are a shepherd like the rest of us. And that means you are our friend. And I would never let a friend be taken from me like that."
The rope around Panne's wrists went slack. The Taguel rubbed her wrists as she got to her feet. Before Ben could do anything, Panne enveloped him in a large hug.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Ben returned her embrace, "We need to get out of here."
"Well looky here." Someone sneered behind both of them, "The rabbit has a friend."
Ben twirled around and saw four ruffians entering the tent. In an instant, Ben drew his rapier. Beside him, Panne bared her teeth. A low growl rumbled from her lungs.
Ben recognized the man at the front of the four ruffians. He was the man with the map he and Robin observed early.
"Nombry, I assume?" Ben said as he pointed his rapier at the group of men.
"Aye. That be me." Nombry nodded his head at Ben, "And since we're introducing ourselves, you are?"
"Ben Kenobi." Ben replied with a small smirk. He saw the nervous glances exchanged between the three ruffians behind Nombry, "And you managed to kidnap a friend of mine. Not a very smart move."
"Is it now?"
"No. And, you are a treasure hunter, yes?" Nombry replied with a stiff nod, "Then that means you aren't as dumb as you look. So, seeing as you are an intelligent man, how about you let me and my friend go."
"Let you go?" Nombry scoffed, "Sorry Mr. Kenobi, but that isn't gonna happen." He jabbed a finger at Panne, "That rabbit is worth a lot to me. Enough to make it so I never have to go treasure hunting ever again. Combine her worth with the treasure I'm on the verge of finding… well, you get the idea. I'll be living like a king."
Ben narrowed his eyes, "Trust me, Nombry. You don't want to do this."
"I think I do."
His three mercenaries charged at Ben and Panne. Ben moved in a flash, cutting down the first mercenary with one easy swipe of his blade. Panne let out a loud snarl as she wrapped her arms around the second's neck took him to the ground. Ben then plunged his blade into the man's heart. The third mercenary backed off along with Nombry.
"Boys! We got an intruder!" Nombry called.
Ben grit his teeth and sent a force push at Nombry and his guard. The two men flew out of the tent. The swordsman grabbed Panne by the wrist and sprinted out. Just as he got out of the tent, Ben felt a club smack into his forehead.
"BEN!" Panne cried.
"Grab her!" Nombry ordered as four more mercenaries closed in, "Without that little stone that helps her transform, she can't hurt us."
Ben groaned. Stars flashed through his vision. He could feel a large lump forming on his forehead. He shook his head and tried to rise to his feet. His head swam and he slumped back down into the earth.
"So much for that bravado, Ben Kenobi." Nombry chuckled, "A good blow to the head beats any fancy moves, no matter how good the fighter is." He laughed some more, "I hear Plegia has a new King right about now too. He might be interested in you, considering all the havoc you caused in his country."
"You will not be taking us anywhere alive." Panne snarled as she stood in front of Ben.
Nombry shrugged, "I'll be taking you alive no matter what. But I never said anything about Mr. Kenobi being taken alive."
The ruffians tightened the circle around Panne and Ben. Their weapons gleamed in the firelight. Ben shook his head and winced as he got back to his feet. The stars that flashed through his eyes made it difficult to concentrate. But he was not about to allow a bunch of bandits be the death of him.
Just as he was about to charge into the teeth of the enemy, a dark blast of magic rocked the encampment. Tharja leaped over the large fire and sent a devastating spell directly at Nombry. Dark tendrils of magic gripped the man and sent him crashing to the ground. Pain filled screams echoed through the night air as he thrashed around.
Before the other mercenaries could even react, lightning shot across the camp and slammed into the largest man. Just as that mercenary hit the dirt, a third spell, this one a large blast of fire, rocketed in between Ben and the other enemies. Creating a small defensive barrier so that Ben could regather his wits. The dazed swordsman caught sight of Laurent readying another fire spell as he rushed into the enemy camp.
Donnel and Gaius barreled into the camp next. Both brandishing blades. Robin followed close behind them, his own blade in hand.
Tharja shifted her focus from Nombry over to another enemy. One that dared to try and attack her. The dark mage slipped underneath a wild slash and tapped the man's stomach. Purple runes flashed over him. The ruffian uttered a loud howl then collapsed to the earth clutching his stomach.
An ax flashed out of the corner of her eye. Tharja dropped to the ground then launched a flux at her next attacker. The man crumpled to the ground without a sound. Robin reached her side and picked the dark mage up from the earth as the mercenaries realized the other shepherds were more of a threat than Ben and Panne at the moment.
Gaius and Donnel fought side by side. The farm boy was using all of the knowledge Ben taught him in order to hold his own against their enemies. He hacked and slashed against the mercenaries. Taking down two before a large man with an enormous ax began to give him trouble.
Gaius pulled away from Donnel and made a mad dash for Panne. He leaped over the flames conjured by Laurent and grabbed the Taguel.
"Let's get outta here, Whiskers." The thief smirked. He glanced over at Ben as the swordsman rubbed his eyes, "Snap out of it Benny. I've seen you take worse."
"My ears are ringing." Ben complained loudly.
At that moment, Nombry regained his senses and pushed himself back to his feet. He turned and stared hatefully at Ben. He glanced to his right and saw one of his fallen mercenary's ax. Without a second thought, Nombry grabbed the ax and threw it at Ben with all of his might.
Ben turned and saw the ax coming. He shoved both Gaius and Panne out of the way. Just as he was about to raise his hands and attempt to catch the ax with the force, the weapon stopped mid air. Ben raised an eyebrow. He did not catch it. So who did?
The ax spun and sped back at Nombry. The man uttered a whimper before the ax buried itself in his chest. He gasped, dropped to his knees, then fell dead to the earth. Ben's eyes widened as he saw Robin appear behind the fallen treasure hunter. The tactician looked pale. His chest heaved up and down. And Ben saw his hand in front of him. Palm splayed open. Ben's jaw fell open. He was the one who stopped the ax.
The other mercenaries stopped fighting as they saw the man that was paying them fall dead. One of the mercenaries cried out as Tharja gathered more magic into her body. Ready to unleash a devastating hex.
They all panicked. Gaius laughed loudly as the mercenaries took off in all directions. Donnel let out a sigh of relief and slumped back onto his rump as the man with the ax decided fighting the farm boy was not worth his life.
"That's right! You better run!" Gaius shouted at the fleeing mercenaries. He nudged Panne, "I scared them, didn't I?"
"You are about as terrifying as a juvenile Taguel." Panne replied.
"Uh… thanks?" Gaius remarked.
Ben brushed past both of them and made his way over to Robin. The tactician looked at Ben with both fear and confusion.
"I-" Robin's mouth opened and closed, "I don't know how I just-"
"Did it?" Ben finished for him.
"Y-yeah." Robin stammered, "It felt-"
"Natural?"
Robin nodded.
Ben's heart hammered in his chest. Marth was not the only force sensitive on this planet. He thought he saw Robin utilize some powers on the battlefield during the war with Plegia. But he was never one hundred percent certain. But now he knew for a fact that Robin was capable of wielding the force. Not only was he capable, but he appeared to be a damn natural at it. To be able to catch a moving object without any formal training then redirect it was no small feat for a novice.
"Ben did I just-"
"Yes." Ben nodded, "And… we will discuss it at length later. But thank you. You saved my life."
"We." Tharja corrected as she sauntered over to both of them.
Ben laughed, "How did you all know to come and help? I never signaled you."
"One does not earn the nickname, Mad Swordsman, without getting into troublesome situations." Laurent said with a knowing smirk, "I pointed that out to Lady Tharja. And she promptly marched towards the enemy. I believe she also muttered something about always having to save your life."
"Always?" Ben saw Tharja snickered, "Now hold on a minute. I haven't needed rescuing that often."
"My experience with you says otherwise." Tharja snickered, "By the way, Laurent." Tharja reached down to Nombry's corpse and pulled a blood stained map from his pocket, "I think you will want this."
Laurent's snatched the map from Tharja. He unfolded it and carefully studied the markings. A loud gasp left his lips.
"We are close!"
"Close to what?" Gaius wondered out loud.
"The Mirage Village is real, isn't it?" Ben asked as Robin took a seat beside Donnel. Both men a little shaken up from the events of the small skirmish.
Laurent gave Ben an excited nod.
"Well," Tharja said, "What are we waiting for. We got into all this trouble over this damn desert with this village in it. Let's go pay it a visit."
Gaius let out a long groan, "Can't we just leave this desert already? I want to go somewhere that isn't boiling hot for a change."
Panne pushed the thief forward so that he would stare following Laurent out into the desert. Ben helped both Donnel and Robin to their feet. He gave Donnel a pat on the back and nodded over to Robin. The two men let out long sighs then smiled as Laurent began to excitedly talk about all the unique discoveries they could find in such an isolated village.
"We always seem to wind up with the weird ones." Robin smirked.
"It never fails to happen." Ben replied with a small laugh.
Tharja strode alongside both of them.
"I still haven't heard a thank you." She said to Ben.
Ben laughed. To Robin's immense surprise, he wrapped an arm around Tharja's shoulder.
"Thank you for saving my life, again."
Tharja stiffened for a minute. Robin could see she was contemplating whether or not to hex Ben. But to his great shock, Tharja just sighed.
"Don't mention it."
….
Thrawn braced himself. A red light blinked on and off on his desk. A sign that a call was waiting. A call he dreaded to answer. The Emperor wished to speak with Lord Vader. It was an urgent call. One that the terrifying man would not be able to answer.
Several hours ago, both he and Lord Vader had touched down on the surface of Lothal and investigated the strange mural in the ruined Jedi Temple. When Vader touched the mural something happened. Something that sent the massive man to his knees. Thrawn witnessed strange winds whipping through the Jedi Temple atrium. He saw small bolts of lightning course in and out of Vader as he connected with the mural. Then, when the phenomenon ended. Vader slumped to the ground. And Thrawn's aid, Commander Vanto, promptly called for medical aid.
Thrawn had just gotten the medical exam back regarding his dark overseer. Lord Vader's suit was completely fried. It was a miracle the man was intact. And his suspicions about Lord Vader being a cyborg were partially correct. There were still bits of a human being there. But he was much more machine than man. He had been able to obtain the medical droids initial scans and marveled at the injuries Vader had sustained. Injuries that would have killed any normal being. The explanation for his survival no doubt lay with that mysterious power he wielded.
The force, an enigmatic entity that Thrawn barely understood. He had studied the force and those capable of wielding it. But he failed to fully grasp it. It was one of the few concepts that truly challenged his sharp mind. And there was so much conflicting information regarding the subject. It made gathering any concrete, factual information difficult. But whatever the force was, it had a hand in Vader's survival. Both during his previous injuries that rendered him bound to his black suit, and the injuries he sustained on Lothal.
The light on his desk flashed red again. The Emperor was waiting. His musings on who and what Vader was would have to wait.
He tapped a button on his desk. A hologram of Emperor Palpatine appeared.
"Your excellency." Thrawn bowed his head.
Palpatine appeared somewhat surprised, "Captain? I do not believe I messaged you?"
"Lord Vader is currently… incapacitated at the moment." Thrawn said carefully.
"Incapacitated?" The Emperor rose from his own seat.
"There was an incident at the Temple on Lothal. We managed to find the mural. Vader went to investigate it. Something… strange occurred. Something I cannot fully explain myself. But when it was over, Lord Vader's suit had been fried by electricity. We had to rush him back to the Chimaera for emergency treatment."
"Will he live?" Palpatine asked, his voice sharp and cold.
Thrawn nodded, "He will. The medical droids assure me Lord Vader will be conscious soon. And we have already begun repairs to his suit."
"When he wakes have him contact me immediately." The Emperor ordered.
"As you wish, your excellency." Thrawn bowed.
The Emperor nodded and his image flickered away. Thrawn let out a small breath that he had not realized he was holding. Speaking to the Emperor was always a tense affair. Thrawn always had the sense that the Emperor knew much more about any given situation than he was willing to let on. Which always gave the frail man an edge in a conversation.
Thrawn also did not delude himself regarding the Emperor's power. He may put on the facade of an old man, but Thrawn knew that old man had to be extremely powerful in order to keep a monster like Vader on a leash. It was not so far a stretch to assume that the Emperor was capable of using the force as well.
The Chiss furrowed his brow. That call with the Emperor intrigued him. The ruler of the galaxy seemed distressed. Not about Lord Vader. When he had mentioned Vader's condition, the Emperor was cross. Disappointed even. No, whatever worried the Emperor had nothing to do with Lord Vader. Perhaps something happened with the Force that caused him to worry. Did it have something to do with the events on Lothal?
Thrawn folded his hands behind his back and stared out the view port of his personal office. The puzzle for his current mission grew more complex by the minutes. There was the secret nature of the mission. Vader and the 501st presence added to the curious nature of this mission. Then there was the Emperor's own distress and haste to see the objective of this mission completed. And Thrawn did not even know what the true objective was. Whatever it was, it certainly was not a simple exploration mission. The Emperor was not in search of a planet. Lord Vader himself would not be supervising such a frivolous pursuit.
He reached for his personal communicator on his belt.
"Vanto."
There was a small buzz of static.
"Yes, Captain?"
"I believe if we are to succeed in our mission, we need to know more about what this mission entails. Do you still have contacts in Imperial intelligence?"
"I do sir. Some even owe me a few favors."
"Then call those favors in." Thrawn glanced over as a buzzer sounded on his desk. The one he told the medical crew to ring once Vader woke up, "I wish to know what exactly we are searching for."
"Yes sir."
The communicator clicked off.
Thrawn smiled to himself. Vanto was a good staff aid. He would sometimes question Thrawn, but only if it meant furthering his own skills. Beyond that, Vanto made sure to follow Thrawn's orders to the letter. Even if that meant breaking a few military codes along the way. He was confident the Commander would find some relevant information. For now, Thrawn would be patient and not press the issue with Lord Vader. He doubted the man would give him any further information anyways.
But a debrief of what occurred on Lothal was necessary. Thrawn took a deep breath and turned for the door. Depending on Vader's mood, this was either going to be a pleasant, informative debrief; or a deadly one.
He hoped for the former.
And chapter! A little side adventure for Ben and friends. And we have a new character introduced. Laurent was very fun to write. I can't wait to have him included even more in this story. We also got to see Robin use the Force a little more. And he has Ben's attention now. We will definitely be seeing some more formal training between him and Robin now. And Thrawn is starting to poke his nose into some very dangerous places. How will that go for him, I wonder? We shall see.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!