The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 59
A Good Puzzle
Robin took a deep breath as the ship swayed beneath his body. His legs were crossed. Hands folded in his lap. Eyes closed as he breathed deep. Relaxed, but focused. The sound of the waves moving around the wooden hull soothed his mind. Allowed the tactician to drown out any other distractions. He let all pressing thoughts fade away in his mind.
There is the Force. Only the Force. Those were Ben's words to him. When meditating, clear your mind. Let the Force speak to you. The only way to hear its will is to quiet yourself and listen. Remove all distractions. Let the currents of the force take you and sweep you away. Let it guide you.
Listen and it will speak. Robin exhaled.
He opened his eyes.
The ship was gone. Instead, he found himself sitting in a rather warm room. What looked like royal chambers actually. The furniture appeared lavish and comfortable. A soft, intricate rug rested on the floor beneath him. Covering up glossy, tan, stone tiles. Bookshelves lined the wall opposite of the bed. And in between two of the shelves was a stone fireplace with a respectable fire burning in its midst. A freezing wind swept into the room from the open balcony.
Robin looked around. Both impressed by the very nice space, and also very confused. Where exactly was he? Where was the ship for that matter? He furrowed his brow and rubbed his chin as he sat on the soft rug.
"This Force stuff is very confusing."
He expected the Force to speak to him. Like a voice in his head. Not teleport him to another place.
How odd.
He shrugged and stood up. His mind drawn over to the many books littering the shelves around the fireplace. He stood in front of the shelves. Eyes scanning over the various different leather spines. He ran his finger over them as he tried to decide which book seemed the most interesting.
"I recommend the top left shelf. That is where the more forbidden texts are."
Robin spun around. A woman entered the room. An older woman for that matter. Her brown hair had streaks of gray hidden within it. Beyond the hints of gray in her hair, the woman appeared rather young. Her face unblemished save for a worry line or two on her forehead. She had a pale face and bright green eyes. But what caught Robin's eye, and caused an insane amount of worry to fill him, was the weathered, faded Grimleal robes covering slender her body.
The robes had lost their black sheen. The linen long ago bleached by exposure to the sun and tarnished by the elements. The gold trimming along the fringes of the robes lacked their normal luster. They even appeared to be chipping away in some spots.
With grace befitting a swan, she crossed the room and closed the doors that led out to the balcony.
"Regan Ferox." She muttered, "The cold never ends here." She huffed and rubbed her hands together.
Robin felt completely entranced by this woman. He could not take his eyes off of her. Every move she made seemed so familiar. Every sound that left her lips rang through his mind. Forcing nostalgia to fill his core. He knew this woman? But from where? Who was she?
"I'm glad to see you have done well for yourself." She said as she opened a drawer by the bed and pulled out a spell book from it. The black tome of a Grimleal sorceress, "You always were better at socializing than Aversa."
Robin opened then closed his mouth. Was she speaking to him? He glanced back behind him. There was no one standing there. And other than the woman, he was the only person in the room.
"Your powers are beginning to manifest." She said, " They will become more erratic as time passes."
Robin arched an eyebrow, "Um… who are you exactly?"
The woman arched an eyebrow as well. Very much in the same way Robin often did.
"I forgot. That amnesia has not passed." Robin's eyes widened as she spoke, "An unfortunate and accidental condition. One that I made sure to keep in place. And it has done its job."
Robin gaped at her, "You- you're responsible for-" He shook his head, "What the hell is going on?"
The woman uttered a soft laugh that made Robin's heart leap in his chest.
"Not having the answers always frustrated you." She smiled at him, "Do not worry, Robin. All will be revealed in time." She opened her spell book, "This mental connection will sever soon. You do not have the control or stamina to maintain it for long." She gave him a curious look, "I wonder… who is teaching you these rare techniques?"
Robin folded his arms, "Who's asking?"
The woman gave him a smirk. A smirk that reminded him way to much of the dark smiles Tharja would often make when something pleased her.
"Well done, Robin. You can never be too careful."
The pages to her spell book flew in her hands. Each page filled to the brim with notes on magic and various incantations. She stopped the pages near the end of the book.
"This spell will keep their powers from growing too swiftly inside of you." She began muttering an incantation.
Robin felt even more confused. And even more concerned. The thought of being hexed by an unknown, Grimleal mage really worried him.
"Now hold on a minute. Can you at least-"
A wave of magic slammed into him. Robin's world spun. Something inside his mind snarled. It sounded like an angry demon. A beast being placed back into its chains. A second voice cried out in pain before cursing the woman. Robin's eyes widened even as he fell back onto the floor.
What the hell?
"Go back to your ship and friends, Robin." The woman commanded as the magical wave ended, "For now, you will not lose control."
Robin felt an intense wave of drowsiness rush over his body. He struggled to keep his eyes closed. The woman took a seat on her bed and bowed her head. Eyes staring down into her book. And as Robin's vision faded to black, he saw small tears falling from her eyes down onto the full pages.
Shadows surrounded her. Torches flickered near the hallway's ceiling. But the light they delivered failed to penetrated the darkness. Midnight in Plegia was either riddled with stars and the pale, cold moon; or as dark as the deepest pit. But this darkness around Aversa was not the typical shadows of a Plegian night. Those nights held heat. Warmth. A feeling that brought comfort even to the coldest of Grimleal mages. It connected them to their roots. To their hellish homeland.
These shadows were cold. The air bit into Aversa's skin as the armored monster dragged her through the palace halls. She cast a wounded gaze forward at her captor.
He had to be the strangest thing she had ever seen. A smaller looking man. Covered head to toe in outlandish, silver plating. That was not the strangest thing about the man and his armor. The helmet took that distinction. Expressionless. Devoid of any emotion. A simple, dark, T-shaped visor outlined with a shade of purple that reminded her of the Grimleal's own colors. A strange antennae jutted up from the side. Like a perfectly straight metal horn. But slender and blunt. She could not see a shred a skin. Not a single hint of humanity beneath the armor.
When it found her, she cast every spell she had against it. She knew why it had come for her. She was no fool. Validar demanded accountability. He wanted her at his feet, begging for mercy for her failures. There was no way in hell she would give that to him. Every curse and hex she knew she flung at this monster that now held her at its mercy. And it shrugged them off. Dodged them with that even stranger pack on his back. The pack that generated blue fire and allowed him to fly about the cave she hid inside. It made battling the monster impossible.
When she magically exhausted herself, she knew she had lost. So she relented. Grima deemed it her time for judgement. And his servant, Validar, would see that judgement passed. A small smile crossed over the witch's face. At least, in the end, she knew Grima would win. The now King Validar would see to that himself. And a King who could defy death as Validar had could never be defeated. Her life's work would be seen through.
She wondered how the Fell Dragon's embrace felt once death's cold hands gripped her. Would she remember who she was in the afterlife? Or would the Fell Dragon swallow her essence and render her non-existent? Forever a part of him. Both did not seem so bad.
The Hunter stopped in front of a set of double doors. The King's chambers. She knew them well. When King Gangrel ruled, she often visited in order to counsel him. Well, more like filled his mind with dark poison and venomous thoughts. In the land of Plegia, it was easy to confuse the two.
Her captor grunted and tossed her into the room. She fell face first onto the ice cold tile floor. Her body shivered. The cold in this room was enormous. It felt like needles jabbing into her skin. Her teeth chattered as she lay prostrated on the floor.
"I found her."
Her eyes widened. Those were the first words the Hunter had spoken. His voice sounded artificial. Hidden behind layers of material that muffled and morphed it into a metallic sound.
She took a deep breath. It was time to face Validar. She slowly raised her head.
To her surprise, Validar did not occupy this room. Instead, standing out on an open balcony, enjoying the night air, was another man wearing a heavy, purple and gold coat. He had a hood drawn over his head. Hiding his face in deep shadows. But there was no mistaking the power he possessed. It suffocated the room. Hanging heavy in the air like fog.
"You may leave us, Draco."
So it does have a name? Aversa thought, How cute.
The hunter stiffened, performed a small bow, then exited the room. Aversa pushed herself up onto her hands and knees as the doors clicked shut behind her.
"Do not get up." The hooded man said, his voice quiet but cold, "You have not earned that right yet."
"What right?" Aversa hissed back, "I can stand where I please."
"Can you?" The man turned. Aversa sucked in a sharp breath as yellow eyes bored holes into her, "As far as I am concerned, you are nothing. But please, do try to stand up. See how I react."
Aversa gulped as the air grew icier. She could see frost leaving her lips as she shivered in the room. Those eyes. They were not natural. Filled with fury and hatred. But also a coldness that betrayed a calculating mind.
She remained kneeling. A pleased smirk crossed the man's face.
"Good. You are smart enough to know your place."
"Where is his majesty?" Aversa asked, "I thought Validar would be the one to see me."
A low chuckle left the hooded man's lips, "You believe the power belongs with him? That is funny." He stepped closer to her and leaned down so that his voice brushed against her ear, "How do you think he got his power?"
Aversa's dark eyes widened. The darkness she felt coming from this man was unlike anything she ever felt before. He held all of the power. He was power. She was an ant in the presence of a giant. Already, she could feel black magic crawling over her. Seeping into her mind. Reading her thoughts.
A soft laugh left the man's lips.
"Good. You understand." He pulled back from Aversa, "I am the reason Validar holds power. I am the reason he is even alive. If not for me, he would be dust in the earth. A corpse riddled with worms. A name forever forgotten."
Aversa struggled to breathe as she began to understand who she knelt before. Her entire body shook. Not from the cold. But from pure terror.
"You know who I am now, don't you?"
She gulped and gave the man a shaky nod.
"You now know it was foolish to try and hide?"
A terrified whimper left Aversa's lips. Her arms would not stop shaking as she remained on her hands and knees. She kept her head bowed. Both in terror and in reverence.
"You are the Hierophant. The one Lord Validar spoke of." She trembled before him, "My-my lord please-"
"Did I say you could speak?" The Hierophant snarled, "You failed. You failed to defeat the Shepherds. You failed to outdo their green tactician. As a result, you set my plans back significantly. Such failure cannot go unpunished."
Aversa could not stop shaking. Pressure built around her body. Cold sweat ran down her spine. Never in her life did she feel this scared. What was he going to do to her? Kill her? No, that was too merciful. A quick death would be a mercy she was not worthy of. Perhaps torture? That would make sense.
Her eyes widened as a shadow formed beneath the Hierophant. An indescribable monster leaked out of him. Forming into something both otherworldly and grotesque.
A small, mocking laugh left the Hierophant's lips. It sounded distorted. Monstrous. Aversa raised her eyes. The Heirophant's mouth was closed. The laugh came from the shadow. She felt cold breath brush against her skin.
"Maybe…" The Hierophant whispered, but not to her, "Stop!"
The shadow froze around Aversa. She heard a disgruntled snarl come from it before it decided to retreat back to its master. The Hierophant's frowned beneath his hood.
"So… she is alive after all." He chuckled, "And she has taken a great risk opening her powers up like that once again. Time moves much swifter now that we have decided to dabble with the events in the past." The Heirophant smirked down at Aversa, "You will not be destroyed. Not yet."
Aversa wanted to feel relief. But for some reason, she only felt more terror. If the Hierophant did not want to destroy her, what did he want to do with her? What horrible fate did he have in mind for her?
"This will be your one chance to redeem yourself in my eyes." The Hierophant spoke.
Shock filled Aversa. Her lord was being merciful?
The Hierophant laughed, "If you think this is merciful, you are sadly mistaken. I have a task for you. One that will likely kill you if you are the weakling I think you are."
Aversa grit her teeth.
"I am not weak!"
"Really? Then prove it to me." The Hierophant turned his back and stared out open doors that led to the balcony, "There is a rouge sect of Grimleal mages that broke away during Validar's rise to power. Their leader just made herself known to me. You are to find them and wipe them out."
Aversa blinked," A-alone?"
"Yes." The Hierophant smirked, "You contend that you are not weak. So prove it to me. Snuff out the heretics and their matriarch. And you will earn a place back by my side. Back by Grima's side."
Aversa took a deep breath. She would live, for now. And all she had to do was wipe out some rogue mages. That did not seem too difficult. She was one of the more powerful dark mages on the continent. Not many could stand against her in a magical duel.
"Where should I start looking for them?" She asked.
"That is for you to figure out. Begin by speaking to Validar though. He may have some… long buried information on the matter. If he refuses to divulge it, you may refer him to me. It is time his own negligence caught up to him."
Aversa gulped, bowed her head.
"As you will, my Lord."
"Run along, Aversa. You have work to do."
As Aversa exited the room to go about her task, the Hierophant drew in a deep breath.
"Why?"
An exasperated breath left his lips.
"Because she still has her uses, you gluttonous buffoon."
"Her power smelled good. Only my morsel could taste better."
"She has her uses." The Hierophant breathed in reply, "This particular issue is one of Validar's own making. One that needs to be taken care of."
"May I inquire as to who you speak of?"
"You both know very well who."
The demon growled inside of him.
"Her."
"Oh. That one." The rational one hummed, "Are you sure little Aversa can manage such a task?"
"If she fails to finally end that Witch's life, then it will prove to me that Aversa really was as useless as I originally thought. If that does happen, we will handle her ourselves."
"She knows how to contain us."
"The hungry one has a point. She is our greatest enemy at this point."
"I am aware." The Hierophant closed his eyes, "And she will be dealt with. Now both of you silence yourselves. I want some peace."
"And I want to feed."
"Not all of us get what we want."
"Silence!" The Hierophant hissed.
Both voices grumbled at him. But eventually, they returned to their slumber. Which relieved the Hierophant. This new snag in his plans already caused him a great deal of anxiety.
She was a Witch of unparalleled power. Someone so well versed in the dark arts that she put Validar to shame. Forbidden and lost magics were her specialty. It is why he feared her. She knew the spells that could subdue him. Knew the curses that could imprison his power once again. Capable of delaying his plans even further.
Validar told him she was dead. While he doubted that explanation, he still did not think she had enough power to challenge him anymore. But then a small blip of power burst through the air. One he immediately recognized as hers. Her mental prowess was unrivaled. And she had just used it to contact someone. The Hierophant had an idea as to who. And if she did just contact the Tactician, then his plans were in jeopardy.
Events needed to be accelerated. Peace could not be allowed to last. He turned on his heel and strode over to his desk. He dipped a pen in an inkwell and started penning a letter to his servant in Valm. Once it was finished he called for a messenger to make sure the letter was delivered to Excellus without delay.
When the messenger rushed away, the Hierophant slumped down in his seat and ran a hand over his forehead. He hated to rush everything. But it had to be done. The Valm invasion needed to proceed sooner than expected. He needed both Ylisse and Regna Ferox pushed to the brink by Emperor Walhart and his misguided attempt to unite the world. But was it too soon? He let out a long sigh. Anxiety was a foreign feeling for him. He did not like it. And only she could make him feel this way.
"Damn you, Mother."
The low hum of Vader's meditation chamber filled his ears. It drowned out the low rumble of the Chimaera's powerful engines and constant din of soldiers and crew going about their business. Not that Darth Vader would have noticed any of the noises. His focus was elsewhere. On a small hologram, projected in the palm of his hand.
A beautiful woman. Slender and elegant. A bright, hopeful smile on her face. Her delicate appearance hid steely resolve and gritty determination. One of the strongest women Vader had ever known. The one person he had ever loved.
And they took her from him. Vader turned his naked eyes to the view screen which showed the planet, Tython. The ancient birthplace of the Jedi order. Where those hypocrites and traitors first perfected their abominable ways. His fist clenched on the armrest of his chair.
What failures. That is all the Jedi represented. Failure, stagnation, the inability to adapt in favor of appeasing tradition. For a thousand generations they claimed to be the guardians of peace and justice. And for a thousand generations they fought in wars and brought death and suffering on a galactic scale. There had never been peace during the days of the Jedi Order. Just a horrible facade. A cheap imitation of peace. If the Jedi Order truly stood for peace and justice, they would not have allowed slavery to exist in the old Republic. They would not have allowed wars to occur between planets. They would not have allowed the Republic to become corrupt. They would have acted instead of sitting back and watching.
Vader's eyes glanced back at the woman's hologram. His beloved Padme.
If the Jedi were not evil, then they would have helped him save her. They would have made it so that he could be with her. Love her. Cherish her without worrying about punishment or expulsion. They would have helped him find a way to keep her from dying.
The Jedi code crossed through his mind. It was a code he had memorized as a young boy. Had drilled into his head since he arrived at that cursed Temple. All of it a lie. All of it a farce. A sick, demented ideology that was cold and inhumane. Failing to recognize the realities of the universe. The Jedi lived in a fantasy world where their version of peace and justice was good.
But did they achieve peace in the end? No. They died. Died fighting a war that consumed the entire galaxy and led to the deaths of billions. Generals instead of peacekeepers. Warriors instead of mediators. A twisted version of their original mission. Only the Emperor saw that. Only Vader's master had the daring to combat such a corrupt order. The power to stand against a group of people the sewed nothing but incompetence and stagnation.
Under the Empire, there was peace. The galaxy had been reunited. The Jedi and their influence, wiped clean. The corruption rooted out and destroyed. Replaced by cold militarism and brutal efficiency. Such was the way to maintain order.
Her face still looked so hopeful when this picture was taken. Vader swallowed hard. To her dying breath, she believed in the Jedi. Believed in the Republic. Believed in him. All of those failed her. Everything she believed in turned on her and killed her.
A buzz interrupted his thoughts. Someone wanted to enter his meditation chamber. Someone wished to speak with him.
Let them wait.
He wanted to gaze on her beautiful face a while longer.
Another buzz. Vader grit his teeth.
"Lord Vader." Thrawn's neutral voice sounded throughout the meditation chamber, "We are about to set course again."
He let out a frustrated breath and pushed a control on his chair. The pressure inside of the small meditation sphere hissed out as the chamber cracked open like an egg. The robotic arm that held his helmet from his head lowered that infernal contraption back down over his skull. His seat turned to face the Admiral.
He knew the Chiss caught a glimpse of his true face. Often times, officers under his command did. But only once. Then they knew to stay away when he sat in this chamber. If for no other reason than to never gaze on his grisly visage ever again. The scarred skin given to him by Mustafar's fires was enough to make any man blanch.
To his surprise, Thrawn remained emotionless. Neutral.
"What course are you setting?" Vader asked, his deep baritone booming from his helmet. Even though his true voice was barely a whisper.
"Debating. One plan is to press deeper into the core instead of circumventing around it. The description of the area our mystery planet resides seems to imply that there is a multitude of stars nearby. The probes we have launched now report dense clusters of stars on the other side of the galactic center. While I believe a straight line approach to be swiftest, it may not be-"
"Time is of the essence, Admiral. I do not wish to wander about this section of the galaxy. The Emperor wants his wishes accomplished as soon as possible."
"May I ask why?"
Vader had to admire the gall Thrawn had. To dare to question him or the Emperor took a lot of courage. That, or foolishness.
"Because, he wills it so. The Emperor has far less patience than I have."
"If that is the case, his patience would certainly shatter if he were to find that we had to return to the known galaxy. In order to conduct repairs to our ship due to skirting too close to a supernova or running through yet another asteroid field of course." Thrawn said, "I highly recommend a much more cautious approach to our search."
"Your recommendation is noted." Vader rumbled, "Now execute our designed course."
Thrawn sighed and gave Vader a low bow.
"Yes, my lord."
The Chiss spun on hi sheel and marched to the door. He paused as the door hissed open.
"She looks lovely, Lord Vader."
Vader's heart stopped in his chest. Padme's hologram still stood in his Chiss exited the meditation room with Vader silently watching.
Back on the bridge of the Chimaera, Thrawn relayed Lord Vader's orders. They were to press on. A straight shot through the galactic center towards the large stellar clusters on the other side. No delays. No excuses. No exceptions.
Most of the crew whispered their worries and concerns. None raised their voices in dissent. If they did, Thrawn would not have blamed them. The galactic core had to be one of the most dangerous places known to exist. No ships had successfully navigated it in millennia. And after the damage dealt to the ship by the asteroid field, a lot of the crew were worried that they were flying to their deaths.
Thrawn did feel a tinge of worry over that possibility. But his mind was occupied by a far more interesting subject. Lord Vader apparently had a fascination with the late Senator from Naboo, Padme Amidala. How curious. It was the largest clue Thrawn had yet to the identity of the man in the suit. And perhaps, even a clue as to the nature of their mission.
"Commande Vanto."
"Yes sir?" Eli Vanto chirped back as he monitored engine readouts.
"Walk with me."
Thrawn turned on his heel and exited the bridge. Vanto hesitated, placed one of the other commanders in charge, then hastily followed Thrawn.
The pair strode through the brightly lit halls of the Chimaera. The drab, military style bored Thrawn. But it was imperial regulation. It had to be kept. They remained silent until they reached Thrawn's quarters. Once inside, Thrawn beckoned Vanto to take a seat.
Vanto raised an eyebrow, but sat down as his Admiral commanded. While he sat, the young human commander took a look around Thrawn's quarters.
Very unlike the rest of the officer's rooms. Most officers kept their quarters bland. Maybe a personal affect or two. A family hologram or a special totem by their bedside. Perhaps a favorite drink kept in a drawer. Vanto practiced that tradition. But Admiral Thrawn was different.
His quarters were littered with art. On the far wall, on a stone slab, was a smaller recreation of the Jedi Temple mural from Lothal. Beside it, on smaller pedestals were various other strange artifacts. A green clone helmet. One that may have belonged to one of the old military commanders from the republic. Several sculptures from various galactic cultures. Ranging from simple statues to erratic, abstract art pieces. Far from a boring space.
"Care for a drink, Commander?" Thrawn asked.
Vanto thought about it, then nodded. Thrawn poured both of them a glass of wine then sat down in a seat across from Vanto.
"I may have learned something about Lord Vader." Thrawn began, startling Eli Vanto, "But first, I wish to know your progress uncovering the nature of our mission."
Vanto took a long gulp from his cup.
"Slow, unfortunately. Imperial intelligence is locked down tight. I called in my favors. A few have managed to get back to me already. Most have no idea. Some are only speculation."
"Tell me what they speculate."
"Well, they suspect that the Emperor may have once been a Jedi of some sort."
"Impossible." Thrawn replied, "Emperor Palpatine was never a member of the Jedi Order."
"Then why is he so fascinated with the Force?" Vanto countered, "My sources have informed me that we are not the only secret investigation regarding ancient Jedi beliefs and secrets. There are more ongoing. One even in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Another on the sacred Jedi world of Illum. I even heard there was a team of scientists sent to Lothal after we left."
"You believe that our search has something to do with the Force?" Thrawn asked.
"Something that everyone has desired to learn in the Force." Vanto continued, "I don't know what. The Jedi were… enigmas. No one, outside of well learned scholars, truly understood their capabilities and philosophy.
Thrawn pursed his lips and set his glass down. He was silent for a moment. Cleary mulling over what Vanto told him.
"Lord Vader loves the late Padme Amidala."
Vanto's eyes practically bugged out of his skull. He choked on his wine for a second.
"Um… I apologize for my candor in this moment Admiral, but how is that relevant?"
"And he is rather tenacious in this search for an unknown planet." Thrawn rose from his seat and turned to look at the artwork from Lothal,
Thrawn hummed to himself. He gently rotated the wine glass in his hand. Red eyes never leaving the mural.
"Commander, what lengths would you go to save someone you love?"
Vanto drew back, "That is… a rather pointed question."
"Would you cross the boundaries of life and death in order to save them?"
Vanto furrowed his brow, "What exactly are you saying?"
Thrawn gestured at the Mortis gods.
"These beings, they represent different aspects of the Force. The woman represents light. The man, dark. The elder in the center, the in between. The glue holding them both together. But also the entity keeping them at bay. The Force, by Jedi teaching is life itself." Thrawn nodded, "Perhaps these gods know the secrets of it."
Vanto's jaw slowly fell open.
"Are you insinuating that the Emperor seeks a way to prolong life?" Vanto shifted in his seat, "He is… an older man. I guess that could make some sense. He may still have a lot he wishes to accomplish before passing away."
"Not prolong life." Thrawn corrected. His eyes settled on the dark figure of the mural, "But to cheat death." Thrawn glanced back at Vanto, "Who better to send in order to make certain such a thing exists, than the man who lost the one he loved most?"
Vanto appeared puzzled. The commander set his wine glass down.
"So… the Emperor believes that the secret to cheating death using the Force, is an unknown planet?"
"Don't be ridiculous." Thrawn replied, "A planet is a dense ball of rock and gas floating in space. Nothing more. No, it is not the planet we are searching for. It is what resides on that planet. That is what we seek."
Vanto rubbed his chin.
"A thing?'
"Or a person?" Thrawn sipped his glass, "That is the next puzzle we must solve."
Vanto hummed, "I assume you want me to continue to drill for more intel?"
Thrawn nodded, "Yes. Continue your part." Though his orders sounded hollow. His mind was not with Vanto at the moment. The Chiss's attention remained on the artwork in front of him
Vanto nodded, "Admiral, can I ask you something?"
Thrawn glanced back at Commander Vanto.
"Why go through all of this trouble? Why try to figure out what we are searching for? Aren't we going to learn the answer once the mission is accomplished anyways?"
Thrawn smirked.
"To properly solve a puzzle, one must have an idea regarding the solution. This mission is a mystery. A mystery is a puzzle without physical pieces. It is all mental. And there is no solution to this mystery. At least, none that has been revealed to us. We cannot successfully complete this mission without understanding both the scope of it and objective that must be achieved. And I do not want to risk my men and my ship without knowing both."
Thrawn continuing rotating his wine. They were linked after all. He was certain of it. Vader's identity and the nature of their mission. A faint bond. But a bond nonetheless. Learn Vader's motives regarding this mission, and he would learn it's true goal. A back door to the mystery had been opened. And he would step through it.
"I do enjoy a good puzzle."
And chapter! A mostly villain centric chapter! And the introduction of a new, original character this story. One that will have a very important role in the plot. The Hierophant is just too much fun to write. I love it when I give him moments of subtle terror. And Thrawn is fun too, but also quite the challenge. We now know the place of a few of our villains now. Next chapter we will go back to Ben. It is time for him to arrive in Valm.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!