Chapter 22: Enter the Light

"This planet looks like it sucks." The Kiffar Master had his face pressed up against the viewport, watching as the red planet of Dathomir grew steadily larger.

"The planet is ruled by a clan of Force sensitive women." Quinlan looked at his companion, eyebrow raised skeptically.

"All women?"

"Yes, the Nightsisters are all female."

Quinlan shoved his face up against the viewport again. "This planet looks like it's awesome."

Obi-Wan scoffed. "Don't get too excited. They subjugate the males, they're basically just used for breeding, they serve literally no other purpose."

"This planet looks like it's super awesome."

Kenobi groaned, giving full power to the engines as they approached the planet. He had slept nearly the entire way to Dathomir, and the rest had done him a lot of good. All the frantic anxiety and fear was gone, replaced by strong mental walls that had been rebuilt as he rested. He had felt a shaky connection with the Force before, disrupted by fear and pain, but now he felt grounded and centered, the calm peace of the Force's embrace surrounding him. The fear and the dark wasn't forgotten, but it was eased and soothed away, leaving small cracks in his walls, but safely hidden behind them.

They entered the atmosphere, and Kenobi brought them exactly where they needed to go, setting down near the Nightsister's temple in the same clearing he had landed before with Luminara. Powering the ship down, he grabbed a his bag and his lightsaber from his room and grabbed the swirling green orb from the supply closet, the Gungan comedy still playing on the datapad. Slipping the orb into his bag, he threw the strap over his shoulder and went to meet Quinlan outside the ship. The Kiffar was standing, hands on his hips and observing the forest with the sharp eyes of a tracker.

"The Dark Side is really strong here," he said softly, a smirk on his lips. He didn't seem bothered by the oppressive darkness and the chill in the Force. Kenobi closed his eyes and reached out to the Master, and couldn't get through at all. Quinlan's defenses were stronger than he had ever felt.

"The planet is a Dark Side nexus."

The Kiffar whistled. "No wonder Yoda didn't want to come down here." Quinlan grinned when Kenobi glared at him.

"Master Yoda has nothing to fear from this place. He just trusts us."

"You know we're being watched?" His brown eyes looked lazily up at the trees, and Kenobi tried to see what he was looking at, catching movement out of the corner of his vision, but uncertain of it was just the wind, or something far more dangerous. "So where does this Talzin live?"

"Just over there, follow me." They went through the forest in silent, long strides, Kenobi feeling the anxiety creep back into him even while Quinlan walked easily at his side. The last time he was here, he had lost Luminara. He did not want something similar to happen, though he suspected that things would be fine. Quinlan was on point, the very image of a Jedi Master, all confidence and comfort without any fear.

They weren't far from the subterranean temple when the Nightsisters dropped out of the trees, surrounding the two Jedi with their weapons drawn. Obi-Wan put his hands in the air, Quinlan soon following suit, a confident smirk on his face.

"Why have you returned, Jedi?" one of the Nightsister's hissed, and Quinlan leaned in toward her, purring.

"Hello, ladies..." He was hit swiftly on the head with one of the women's staffs, but the idiot smirk never left the Kiffar's face. He, in fact, didn't seem to react at all, and Obi-Wan suspected this happened more often than the Master would admit.

"We're just here to see Talzin, we mean you no harm." The silver eyes of the women narrowed, looking over the Jedi carefully, and two of the woman took the lightsabers from them, the others leading them into the Temple.

The Temple wasn't nearly as dark as Obi-Wan had remembered, the entire cavern lit by the glowing green pools throughout the temple, and the girls led them through the village."

"I can't see a thing," Quinlan muttered softly, and Obi-Wan's blue eyes looked to the Master.

"The first time I was here, I couldn't see either."

"Can you see now?"

"I can."

Quinlan scoffed. "Some people have all the luck. Hold on." The Kiffar closed his eyes and Obi-Wan watched as his face relaxed.

"I couldn't reach the Force here before."

"Let me guess. You can now."

"...yes." But why? Before, Talzin had blocked his ability to access it, but before, she was uncertain of his intentions on the planet. She knew him now, which could have explained it. It could also be explained by Kenobi simply reaching through the Dark Side, but if that were true, he was doing it unconsciously, and he didn't want to think aboyt the implications of that.

The Kiffar stopped, his face twitching on concentration, not moving even when one of the Nightsister's behind him prodded him with her spear. In a moment, he relaxed, grinning but keeping his eyes closed. "Yeah, I got it too. Something was blocking it, but I'm through now."

Well, there went his theory about Talzin, leaving him with the more disturbing alternative. Kenobi frowned, walking next to his companion as the Nightsisters led them through the cave. When he was here the first time, he couldn't see at all, couldn't break through to reach the Force until Talzin allowed it. But Quinlan had no trouble doing so. Was the Kiffar just that much stronger than he was? Kenobi's eyes narrowed, considering all the possibilities, but coming up with nothing. The Force here felt cold, as expected, but the Dark Side seemed to have no effect on Vos. Kenobi shivered, crossing his arms against the chill.

They were brought to a room with a long table, and the Nightsister leader was sitting at the head of it, eyes closed and green mist swirling around her. Her pale eyes opened when the Jedi entered, the two men standing behind two of the seats. "Obi-Wan Kenobi," she purred, pleased, her strange, layered voice echoing through the hazy air and the Force. "I did not think I would see you so soon. Please, sit."

"I'd rather not," Kenobi said tensely, hands gripping the back of the chair, but Quinlan pulled his chair out, leaning back in the ornate stone seat and placing his feet on the table, hands folded behind his head. He flashed his most charming smile at her.

"Hi. Quinlan Vos. Jedi. Nice place you've got here."

Talzin laughed. "You have brought me a powerful Jedi, Kenobi."

Quinlan purred. "Just for you, sweetie..."

"I brought you something, but not him, Talzin," Obi-Wan growled, taking the orb out of his pack. The Nightsister's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she took it from the Jedi with a long fingered hand. She held it up, observing the artifact, before she hissed, the Force surging around her as the orb was shattered.

"Where did you find this." The amusement she displayed earlier was gone. Now, Talzin was angry, offended, and Obi-Wan could feel the Dark Side shift and stir, both around her and within him. He held his breath, chest tightening as he resisted. He looked at Quinlan, and the Master hadn't budged. If he was afraid, he didn't show it, the surging of the Dark Side completely ineffective against the stalwart Jedi.

"Oh, stop that," Quinlan drawled lazily, bored brown eyes looking at the witch. "We found it on Athiss, a former Sith world. I touched it and read it's history and I got nothing on it. What I did get, though, was images of other places. Now tell me, what sort of thing does that."

Talzin's rage dissipated as she looked at the Master, relaxed and at ease even in this place of darkness, and she recoiled, hissing under her breath, and Obi-Wan could feel fear from the Nightsister. "You have a rare talent, Jedi," the witch growled softly, and Quinlan flashed her his most charming smile.

"Oh, I know."

"Do you know what it is, Talzin?" Obi-Wan asked swiftly, and the Nightsister's fear disappeared as her focus shifted.

"It's a modification of my own magic. Through the mists, I can see the children of Dathomir, no matter where they are. This...device does similar."

"Did you teach this technique to the Sith Lord when you two met?"

"I did."

Kenobi's eyes narrowed, his hand stroking his beard as he thought. "Could he have modified it to allow him to see places with great power in the Dark Side?"

"That may be how it works," the witch purred. "But it is lost on me. This is different from my magic."

"Do you think he was using that device to see?" Quinlan asked softly, but Kenobi shook his head.

"I think it's more likely that the device acted as a security camera. He's observing them from elsewhere. I think you tapped into his network."

"Beware, Jedi," the Nightsister growled, but her voice was amused. "It seems the Sith Lord is watching you. It may be that he is simply toying with you."

Obi-Wan held his breath, but Quinlan scoffed. "Are you trying to scare us, witch? Obi-Wan and I spent the past few months exploring Sith worlds and places infected with the Dark Side. We aren't afraid of the darkness."

"The arrogance of a Jedi."

"It isn't arrogance if it's true, sweetheart."

Talzin glared at the Kiffar, pale eyes running over him as she slowly put more distance between them. "I cannot help you further, Jedi. If the Sith Lord is watching you, then you will find him at some point. Be prepared, though, as he will strike at any time if you get too close."

"We found nothing on the other Sith worlds, Talzin," Kenobi said quickly. He hadn't learned enough, he needed more. "We found that thing, then nothing. Could the Sith Lord block our ability to sense anything on other worlds?"

"Yes."

That explained it. The other worlds were being watched as well. At some point, he would have to return and look again. He couldn't keep a planet shrouded forever. Before he could stop himself, he swiftly asked, "Can Dark Side users manifest after death?"

The question seemed to catch Talzin off-guard, her silver eyes examining the Jedi, a cruel grin spreading across her face. "Kenobi. Have you seen such?"

"Just answer the question." He didn't need to tell her, he could sense she knew, felt in the Dark Side her pleasure and her interest.

"A powerful one can linger in a place of power or importance, yes, but is not true life after death." She grinned maliciously. "I feel it in you, Kenobi. I see the mark the Sith have left upon your mind." He felt Quinlan's eyes on him, searching and worried, and he tightened his defenses, feeling them slowly begin to crack under the pressure of the Dark Side.

"I'm fine."

"You are. You have grown much stronger." Obi-Wan could feel the darkness seeping into him, slowly at first, the pressure building as his mental defenses began to crack at an alarming rate. His heart rate increased, he felt the dark rush through him and grip him, eyes dilating as his power surged. It stopped abruptly when Quinlan grabbed his hand, leaving the Jedi feeling disoriented.

"We done, witch?" he snarled, brown eyes narrowing at the amused woman. "We have what we need, Obi-Wan, let's go." He didn't wait for the other Jedi to respond, he just got out of his chair and pulled Kenobi behind him, reaching out with his other hand and pulling with the Force, their confiscated lightsabers flying into his outstretched hand. The Nightsisters didn't follow them, just watched cautiously as the Jedi made their way through the subterranean temple and out into the red world of Dathomir.

They didn't speak until they got onto the ship and sealed it up in preparation for leaving for orbit. Obi-Wan sat quietly in the pilot's seat, preparing the engines and retracting the landing supports when Quinlan quietly asked, "Did you get what you wanted?"

"Yes. The Sith Lord is watching us. We thought that before, but Talzin confirmed it. It explains everything."

"Everything except what happened on Dromund Kaas. If he has been watching us, then why did we find so much when we got there? Why didn't he cover his tracks there too?"

Obi-Wan lifted the ship off the ground, the engines roaring as they shot up into the sky to escape the planet's gravitational pull. "I don't know. The planet wasn't in our records, so he may have assumed the planet was safe."

"Maybe he isn't watching us directly, maybe he's assuming where we're going. I mean, we haven't seen any more of those things at the other places we've visited. Maybe this was the mistake that will lead to us finding him."

"Or maybe he wanted us to find that information."

They were silent as they left Dathomir's sky for the expanse of space, and Kenobi shut off the thrusters when the ship was in orbit around the planet.

"Hey, Kenobi?" Quinlan finally asked after the silence had become too much for him. "How come you always say the most uncomfortable shit?"

Kenobi smirked. "I just like watching you squirm, Quinlan."


They were in orbit five days before Master Yoda docked with their ship. Both Jedi waited by the airlock, shifting nervously from foot to foot. They briefly discussed returning to Coruscant, but both men agreed that they did not want to return. Quinlan was a restless man, used to being away from the ecumenopolis for long periods of time, and a few months just wasn't enough for him. Obi-Wan did miss the Temple, but his recent run-ins with the Council was making returning a less pleasant prospect than it would have been, and his own fastidious nature made him eager to finish the uncomplete task before his return. Both of their reluctance to rejoin the Jedi was making them nervous to be in the presence of the Grandmaster Yoda.

The airlock disengaged, and both men held their breath as if the air was sucked from the room. The little Master hobbled into the ship, and both Jedi bowed reverently.

"Master Yoda..."

"We thought you couldn't find us," Quinlan said slyly. "We waited for a while."

"Patience, you must learn, Quinlan." Yoda rasped, but he was smiling slightly, chuckling when the Kiffar grinned.

"Learned something useful on Dathomir, have you?"

"Well..."

"Kenobi thinks the Sith Lord was watching us. The artifact we found was based on something that he learned from the Nightsisters."

"Hmm..." Yoda's eyes closed and he clutched his stick tighter. "Clouded, everything is, around the Sith. Find them, we will not, unless the Dark Side, we understand."

"Master Yoda, the Jedi have been taught to avoid the Dark Side, not understand it," Kenobi said carefully. "You will remember how hard I fought to get permission to study it."

"Agreed with you, I did, Obi-Wan. Right, you were. Changed, the Sith have."

"So what do we do?" Obi-Wan asked as the little Master hobbled past him, his stick clinking on the metallic floor.

"Your vision, I must see. Come." Quinlan quickly patted Obi-Wan on the shoulder, the Kiffar smiling softly, and he went off, leaving Kenobi to follow the little Master.

"Master Yoda, what if it doesn't-"

"Worried, are you, Obi-Wan?"

"No, no, not worried, I'm just..." He sighed, running his hair nervously through his hair. "The past week has just been a point of anxiety for me, I suppose." His fingers tapped the console on the wall, the door of his room sliding open, and Yoda walked inside and promptly sat on the ground, tapping the place across him with his stick, and Obi-Wan sat where he was told.

"Let me in, you must, so your vision, I can see." The Master smiled as the tense Jedi took a few deep breaths to relax, his shoulders dropping, but his entire back ridged. "Relax, you must."

"I'm trying, Master..."

Yoda closed his eyes, reaching out with the Force and establishing a connection between himself and the Jedi, and Obi-Wan sucked in a sharp breath, his body tense as he felt the Master's presence within him, and his defenses reflexively flew up. He could feel the Master gripping him with the warm, gentle hands of the Force, and for a moment, he could feel the Sith spirit's skeletal hands raking through his mind. This was different. The spirit had torn him open, forced him against his will to lay everything before him, but Master Yoda gently held his consciousness, comforting and coaxing to show the Master what he wanted, but it was up to Kenobi to allow it.

Obi-Wan couldn't help it. The warm, gentle pressure on his mind forced him to relax, his shoulders slumping and breathing deep and even, trying to keep his eyes open, but he couldn't. He could feel the Master's hands entering his mind, gently combing through everything, and Kenobi just barely had the consciousness to safely tuck away his connection to the Dark Side, the darkness small and cowering in the presence of the Jedi Master.

"Obi-Wan."

"Mmm..."

"Imagine the vision, you will." Kenobi recognized this as a command, the Force aiding to the suggestion, and without thinking, he complied, the vision running through his mind, and he felt the Master grab it, slow the images down, examine them with a careful eye. He felt the Master frown, face wrinkling in concentration as he viewed the vision over and over again. "Understand this, I must," the Master grumbled softly. "Creators of this vision were ghosts of Sith, you say?"

"Yes, Master..."

"Show me, you will."

And he did. Kenobi's hazy mind willfully surrendered the memory in the crypt, the circle of specters, the Sith spirit that spoke to him, taunted him, broke his mind and took what he wanted, and Obi-Wan could hear the small Master gasp softly, hold his breath, clutch his chest as he shared the pain that was inflicted on the Jedi. Obi-Wan felt the Master's presence tremble as he slowly let go of the Jedi's mind, and Kenobi's focus returned, the warm haze replaced by his guarded defense.

"Real, your ghosts are," Yoda said softly, "though dead, they are. Manifestations of the Dark Side, of anger and hatred, they have become."

"But it was real."

Yoda nodded. "Tricks of the Dark Side, yes, but real, your pain was."

"What does the vision mean?"

"Know, I do not, but learn, in time, we will. Now, Obi-Wan, is about you."

"Master Yoda, I'm fine. We need to learn about the vision if we're going to-oww!" Yoda had struck his hand with his stick. Kenobi frowned. He had forgotten what it was like to be taught by Yoda, it had been a very long time since he was an initiate.

"Fine, you are not. Afraid and uncertain, you are." Again, it wasn't a question. Obi-Wan looked away from the Master, but he struck his hand again, and the Jedi grit his teeth, looking hard at the green face. "And anger, there is."

"Of course there is, you keep hitting me." Again Yoda struck his hand, and Obi-Wan threw his hands up and out of reach, smirking until the Master struck him on the knee. "Will you stop it."

"No."

"Why."

"Angry and uncertain, the Dark Side has left you. Fight it, you do, but touched you, it has." Obi-Wan held his breath, watching the Master carefully. How much did Yoda know? He didn't say anything, waiting for the Master's eyes to stop boring into him. "Fear the Dark Side, do you?"

"No, Master."

"Yes." He poked the stick in the middle of Obi-Wan's chest. "Young, you are, Obi-Wan. Fear the Dark Side, all Jedi do. Unprepared for this task, you were."

"Master, no, I am ready! I...I-I killed a Sith Lord!"

Yoda nodded. "Ready to face the Dark Side, this does not make you. Come," he said, standing and shuffling out of the room, and Obi-Wan followed closely behind him.

"Master, where are we going?"

"Dathomir."

"Um...why?"

"Face the Dark Side, we must." Yoda felt the Jedi behind him tense, and he chuckled softly. "Fear the Dark Side, you must not. Show you, I will, the power of the Force."

The Master hit the airlock, and Quinlan stuck his head out of his room. "Hey! Kenobi, where you going?'

"Um...Master Yoda is taking me to Dathomir."

"...why." Kenobi shrugged, mouthing that he didn't know, his face confused, and Vos looked to the Master.

"Master Yoda!"

"If return, we do not, in three days, inform the Council of where we went."

"Wait, three days?!" Obi-Wan huffed, securing his lightsaber to his belt, but Yoda held his hand up.

"Help you, your lightsaber will not. Leave it."

Obi-Wan looked at the weapon in his hand, and, sighing, tossed it to Quinlan. "Keep that safe for me."

"Will do, buddy. May the Force be with you."

Kenobi stepped into the airlock after the Master, shot his friend a long-suffering look, and the door slammed shut.