I wrote this chapter with a heavy heart because recently (on 29.02.2020) I had to say goodbye to my beloved dog. She was with us for fourteen years and had numerous diseases. She had diabetes, three tumors and she stopped digesting food. She was scrawny and developed an amyotrophic. One day the tumor in her throat started to bleed and she couldn't eat and she barely drank water. The next day we had to make the final decision and we all agreed to euthanize her so she wouldn't suffer anymore. At least she passed away peacefully – there were no complications. But it was the most painful thing I've ever seen – her corpse being lifted by the vet. I mean, she never was so peaceful while being picked up. I'm sorry, I know it's not a place to tell such things but I had to share it. Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 23

If someone asked Meetra what she expected to see when they exited the hyperspace, her answer would certainly differ from what she saw. She visited Telos IV more than once in her life. She's been there both before and during the Mandalorian Wars. She even came to that planet shortly after her exile. She remembered Telos as a vibrant, green planet that looked just like Dantooine. She was even sent there a few times by the Jedi Council to escort the students who failed in their training. Many times she spent a few hours at least, just wandering across the green plains, marveling in the variety of plants that covered the surface of that world.

But now Telos IV was nothing more than a wasteland. Its once green surface looked as if it was covered with rust, safe for a few green spots but they were as small as a grain of sand on a beach. Not to mention the station that was floating over one-quarter of the planet. Meetra could notice a larger green plain spreading from beneath the station, though there wasn't much of it. The only part of the planet that remained unchanged and looked just as Meetra remembered it was the polar region. The northern section was covered with a white ice cap just as it was for centuries if not millenniums. But that wasn't the only difference Meetra noticed.

She used to be able to feel the Force strongly and remembered what Telos was like years earlier. Everyone who was at least somewhat attuned to the Force was capable of feeling the vibrancy of that planet that the Ebon Hawk was approaching. And where once was life, now there was only death. Even if Meetra's connection to the Force wasn't as strong as it used to be, she felt the agony and death radiating from the planet in front of her.

"What happened here?" Meetra muttered, not directing that question to anyone particular. She leaned forward in her seat, still hardly believing her eyes. Never before had she seen a planet so dead and empty as Telos IV. Save for Malachor V, of course.

"Malak and his fleet attacked this planet years ago" Kreia replied, providing her with an answer. Her sudden answer startled both Meetra and Atton; they both didn't notice the old woman entering the cockpit. "Back in the Jedi Civil War, his men turned the planet into dust."

"You mean… it was Revan's order?" Meetra asked, whispering the last part as if in an attempt to lessen the weight of her words. She was afraid that the answer would be positive and she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when Kreia shook her head in denial.

"No" she replied without a moment of hesitation. "While it's true that Revan's order was to attack Telos, his direct order was to conquer this world, not to destroy it. Revan was aware that the apprentices who failed in becoming Jedi Knights were sent here and his goal was to take control of them and convert them to his cause. Malak, unaware of his true intentions, thought that this was a sign of weakness from Revan's side and decided to do the things in his own way. He and Saul Karath attacked Telos, bypassing every Republic defenses. They turned the planet into dust in a matter of a few hours. The Republic had no time to respond. When they arrived, Malak's forces were already retreating, leaving behind a burning planet."

Kreia's reply didn't soothe Meetra fully. She was glad that Revan didn't order Telos to be destroyed, of course, but Malak used to be her friend as well. Or maybe it was Alek who used to be her friend. She wasn't blind, she knew what was happening to him during the Mandalorian Wars. Ever since the incident on Flashpoint Station, Alek began to change and it was a change for the worse.

"So, in the end, Malak's attack on Telos had no meaning?" Meetra deducted.

"Other than showing what Malak was capable of, no" Kreia confirmed. "That attack was a message to everyone in the Galaxy. Malak wanted to make a statement and he was successful in that. Revan never ordered an entire planet to be annihilated. And as it later turned out, Telos wasn't the only planet that he ordered to be destroyed. Taris, as well as Dantooine, were targets of Malak's rage during the Jedi Civil War and under his direct order, they both were turned into oblivion under the might of his fleet."

Meetra massaged her templates while Atton navigated the Ebon Hawk towards the station. She watched as the grey mass began to turn into individual shapes of buildings and structures. Many vessels were traveling between the buildings, just like on Coruscant, though not on such a scale. They were floating over the station, searching for an empty landing pad, though their efforts came to naught. It took them nearly half an hour before Atton managed to find a place to land. It was at the far end of the station in one of the buildings that undoubtedly was a civilian building.

"Well, here we are" Atton commented after turning off the Ebon Hawk's consoles. He quickly stood up from his seat and began to stretch out. Everyone in the cockpit heard the sound of cracking bones and Atton's content sigh as the tension in his body lessened.

"What are we even supposed to find here?" Meetra queried. "Atton said it was a matter of a navicomputer that we arrived here. I say we get some proper hyperspace routes and leave this place. There is nothing here" she suggested, also standing up from the co-pilot's seat.

"No, there is something here" Kreia countered after a moment of deep thinking. "Places like Telos – places touched by war resonate strongly within the Force. If you want to relearn how to listen to it, you must first listen to the world around you. Focus on what runs deep beneath what your eyes can see and what your ears can hear, and listen, truly listen to what the Force has to tell" she lectured, looking directly at Meetra, though her hood still covered her eyes.

"I know I've accepted your offer to be my teacher but I'm well past my years as Padawan" Meetra replied, holding Kreia's gaze, even though she couldn't see her eyes. "If I wanted to listen to riddles, I would have traveled to the Jedi Council. I'm already an adult and I'd appreciate if you treated me as such."

"The Force flows through not only what lives, but also through what is dead" Kreia explained. "Just as Malachor V, Telos sends a peculiar echo that can only be heard by those who know how to listen to it. You've been at Malachor, you know what it feels like. Try to listen to Telos just as you listened to Malachor when it was destroyed."

"Malachor is an empty void" Meetra countered. "There is nothing to listen to on that planet."

"Because you refuse to do so" Kreia replied calmly. "But if you refuse to acknowledge something, it doesn't mean it isn't there. Telos is a wound in the Force but it still channels it and you should learn how to listen also to the unpleasant things that the Force carries."

"We might have as well traveled to Malachor" Meetra muttered sarcastically, though Kreia heard her.

"Malachor is… different" Kreia countered. "Its destruction was much more tragic than what happened to Telos. Its echo is much more gentle and I'm afraid that traveling to Malachor V just after regaining your connection to the Force would have been too much for you to bear. The Force guided us to Telos for a reason and we shouldn't leave it immediately. I sense that there is something that you must experience here first before we can move on."

"All right, all right" Meetra agreed, heading towards the exit of the Ebon Hawk. "Though I'd still appreciate it if you were a little less cryptic" she commented when she passed Kreia by.

"And what good would come out of it?" she asked in response. "You wouldn't learn anything if I gave you the answers you seek right away. I will guide you to the solutions but it is your task to find them."

"T3, you will stay and guard the ship" Meetra instructed the small droid, not replying to Kreia's words. "Contact me if anything happens." The small unit beeped a few times in response. Meetra, Kreia, and Atton headed towards the loading ramp and lowered it, enabling a breeze of fresh air to enter the interior of the Ebon Hawk. If the building's air could even be described as fresh. The trio stepped down on the landing pad.

"Attention" a female voice spoke through the speakers. Meetra looked around to find its source and quickly noticed a woman standing at the opposite side of the glass panel, right under the ceiling. "This is Citadel Station Bay Control, Dock Module 126. Please remain where you are. Lieutenant Dol Grenn will arrive shortly to meet you" she informed them. "That is all."

"I don't like the sound of that" Atton commented quietly. "If they think we caused the explosion…" Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by the sudden appearance of four soldiers – three of them serving as an escort. "Uh oh – here comes the welcoming party. They may not know what happened, so don't blow it" he said under his breath, making sure that only Kreia and Meetra heard him. The younger woman nodded slightly in response, signalizing that she understood.

"I'm Lieutenant Grenn" one of the four introduced himself. "Telos Security Force. I'm under orders to take you into custody in regards to the destruction of the Peragus Mining Facility" he said, approaching them. Meetra quickly noticed that three soldiers who accompanied him were gripping their rifles tightly as if in an attempt to intimidate them. "You haven't been formally charged, but you will be placed under house arrest pending the results of our investigation" Dol quickly added, trying to approach this matter in a friendly manner. "Due to the nature of the investigation, I have no specific timetable to offer you. In the meantime, your ship and any droids will have to be given over for safekeeping. In addition, we will have to take your personal arms and armor until the completion of our inquiry."

"We are innocent" Meetra spoke calmly. "But I understand you're just following orders, so we'll cooperate" she replied.

"Good" Lieutenant Grenn commented, breathing a sigh of relief. Apparently, he wasn't sure if this whole thing would go smoothly. "So, my men will now relieve you of any arms and armor. Please follow me."

"Tell me I'm not going to jail again," Atton said while shaking his head in disbelief, though he had no other option but to comply.

The trio followed the soldiers and the entire group entered the control room. The members of the TSF took their weapons away from them and carried them to another room where they disappeared from their sight. After double-checking if they didn't have any concealed arms, Lieutenant Grenn led them to the apartment in which they were to remain during their house arrest.

"These will serve as your quarters for the duration of your house arrest" Grenn informed them when they've finally reached an apartment in module 082. "Two Officers will be stationed outside at all times."

"How long will we be here?" Meetra asked, crossing her arms under her chest.

"I can't say" Lieutenant replied honestly. "We have a ship examining what's left of the Peragus facility now, so your stay might be brief. We'll keep you informed. Let's go" he directed the last sentence at the two soldiers who accompanied him and the three left the apartment, closing the doors behind them.

"This isn't good" Atton commented as soon as the doors were shut. "We've got to get off this station."

"And why is that?" Meetra countered with a question. "I mean, it's not like I want to stay here but Kreia says we should remain here for some time, you say we should leave… what is your argument?"

"What do you think the TSF is going to find at Peragus?" Atton asked her. "That could bring the S… You know what, forget it," he said, changing his tone to a resigned one. "As long as we're trapped here, it doesn't matter."

"We cannot stay in any one place too long" Kreia commented. "The recent… development does neither of us any good. We might have escaped our enemy twice already but they do not stop in their pursuit, but our path has brought us to Telos for a reason. We need to find a way to end this house arrest quickly or hope that the investigation on Peragus doesn't take the TSF too long."

"Yeah, and then we will be prosecuted about the destruction of the Mining Facility and indirectly, the destruction of the Citadel Station as well" Atton commented, wiping his face with his palm.

"What do you mean?" Meetra asked him, noticing his distress. The man began to pace back and forth.

"Even if they find evidence that the Harbinger was there, what conclusion you think they will reach?" Atton asked, replying with a question of his own. "First of all, let's take a look at who's to blame, ok? On the one hand, you have the Republic Warship and, if you don't know it, Telos is part of the Republic and the TSF is just a name for a contingent of the Republic troops. On the other hand, you have an ex-smuggler vessel. Do you want me to do the maths for you or do you get my point by now?"

"For once, I agree with Atton" Kreia commented. "I doubt that the result of the investigation will be positive for us and we shouldn't waste our time here. We should find a way to leave this apartment as soon as possible but I think that all three of us can agree that we could use some rest after recent events."

"Well, I could use some good sleep" Meetra admitted. "So, we rest for a while and then what, a breakout?" she asked, sitting on the edge of one of the beds. She tried to suppress a yawn but she found it impossible after touching the soft mattress.

"If there will be no other option, then yes" Kreia replied. "Perhaps the Force will show us a way out of here but in the meantime, we should rest. I will meditate to try to find out what the future has in store for us."

Meetra nodded her head in agreement and laid down on the soft bed. It wasn't long before she fell asleep, mesmerized by how comfortable the bed was.

"Explain something to me" Atton whispered, approaching Kreia who was sitting on the floor, meditating.

"I do not have the years required – nor the desire to indulge you" she replied sarcastically, not even bothering to look at him. Atton pretended to not hear that.

"If she served in the war… well, Jedi are supposed to be tough. Capable" he said, not sure if what he was saying made any sense.

"Yes," Kreia agreed. "And what are they without the Force?" she asked him. "You've been Revan's assassin for a few years – you've seen multiple times how the Jedi can be broken. Take the greatest Jedi Knight, strip away the Force, and what remains? They rely on it, depend on it, more than they know. Watch as one tries to hold a blaster, as they try to hold a lightsaber, and you will see nothing more than a woman – or a man. A child."

"But to lose so much" Atton commented, risking a glance at Meetra's sleeping form. "I guess I didn't realize how much they relied on it" he added, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Do not be surprised" Kreia replied. "In many ways, even you are more capable than a Jedi," she said. "You could survive where they could not simply because you do not hear the Force as they do. It is irony of a sort – and it is why I tolerate your presence."

"But such a loss of ability – for a Jedi, it seems so extreme" he commented, trying to get a better understanding of what Meetra was going through.

"She has been gone from war some time" Kreia replied calmly. "It is a conflict that strengthens us… and isolation that weakens us, erodes us. Add to that that she turned away from war, did all that she could to forget it, and the last piece clicks into place. And that is why Revan wanted me to retrain her before we lead her back to him. He needs the General who served under him in the Mandalorian Wars and not the woman who is broken upon the Council's verdict."

"Then why we don't simply tell her the truth?" Atton queried, making sure that he wasn't speaking too loud. "I mean, if I were her, I'd rather know what I was getting myself into."

"No" Kreia replied immediately, leaving no place for disagreement. "She has forgotten much and she has to relearn all of it and even more if she is supposed to join Revan in the dark places of the Galaxy. And she must believe that she's doing it for herself; otherwise, all our and her effort will be in vain."

"Why?"

"I assure you that that doesn't concern you, murderer and I will speak of this no more" Kreia replied and returned to her previous position and to the meditation, letting Atton know that she considered their conversation to be over. Atton only puffed in annoyance and approached another bed that was standing at the far end of the apartment, deciding that he also could use some sleep.

HK walked across the civilian sector of the Citadel Station in the Residential Module 082, heading towards the docking bay. For the past few years, he perfected his façade as the protocol droid and it allowed him now to walk freely amongst the citizens. If droids were capable of that, HK would most certainly be jumping with joy. Ever since Revan had sent him to Telos to protect Bastila Shan and the rest of the meatbags, he was only getting impatient. Contrary to Revan's prediction, no one came after her and HK's programming and weaponry were only being wasted. He was glad that he finally received new orders.

He had no problem with finding a spare HK-50 unit and copying his own programming into the other droid. Truth be told that he wasn't sure if it was even necessary after five years of nothing. But the order was order. HK could only be glad that Revan didn't appoint him to continue his role as the guardian. He was eager to get back into action.

In that part of the Citadel, the night has already fallen and the majority of the TSF members and the simple civilians were asleep, allowing HK to move freely. It didn't take him long to reach the docking bay where the Ebon Hawk was stationed. HK's eyes gleamed in the dark upon noticing the ship that took him from Tatooine.

HK boarded the Ebon Hawk, quickly scanning the interior of the ship. His senses picked up only one signal that even didn't belong to a living being. HK drew his rifle that remained hidden in a concealed compartment that was built-in his thigh. If he wasn't a droid, he most certainly would have forgotten what it felt like to hold the blaster rifle. Luckily for him, his programming made it impossible for him to forget combat.

HK stomped on the metallic floor of the Ebon Hawk; his rifle ready to shoot. His audio-receptors picked up a sound that only an astromechanical droid could do with its wheels. HK followed the sound towards its source, trying to locate the other unit that was on board of the Ebon Hawk. He quickly spotted the T3-M4 unit near the cockpit of the Ebon Hawk.

"Statement: You are encrypted in my memory core," HK said, startling the little droid. "Observation: It can be no coincidence that we meet here again. And I can say with one hundred percent certainty that we both work for Lord Revan. Conclusive statement: No matter how much I find the perspective of working with you repulsive, I guess we must reach the conclusion and learn how to tolerate each other's presence."

"Or you can just shut up and turn off, droid." HK heard behind his back before he felt an electric jolt run through his internal circuits. After a moment, his systems were forced to shut down as the electrical overcharge fried his components from the inside.

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