The Story of forgotten Jedi Owen Sun
Chapter 39: Choices
Six months had passed since the slaughter on Foundry. Owen had filled the council in on everything- the setup, Grievous, and of course the tragic death of the entire ACS squad under his command thereby ending any hopes of creating more just like them. The CIS bluff had worked and the operation was a resounding failure for the Republic that drove home the reality that this war was far, far, from over. But the most troubling thing was the fact that the council was wrong and couldn't sense the impending danger, it's as if the force had turned on them blinding their efforts to see into the future, this whole thing stank of the dark side to the worried Jedi Council.
The only positive thing that came out of it was the fact the orders prized Jedi Knight Owen Sun escaped with his life, and that despite the councils combined mental strength Owen was the only one who could sense the deadly outcome via his strong premonitions, a result of his honed Jedi gift no doubt, and on top of that Owen was the only Jedi to date to face the powerful General Grievous in battle and return alive. Despite the missions failure the council began to weigh these factors including several others in recent past to determine if indeed Owen Sun was ready to become a Jedi Master.
As the months flew by Owen was patient, waiting for the council's hard decision. The Jedi Council had quite the conundrum, if Owen were to become a Master he would certainly cast aside the war and begin his passion of training the students and younglings of the Jedi Temple. On the other hand if they left him as a Knight Owen would continue to aid in the desperate war effort in which they sorely needed excellent Jedi Commanders like him. The Jedi Council took their time weighing both Owens patience thus far in his heartfelt desire to become a Master and the fact that there was still plenty of seemingly unending battles to be fought in the Clone War.
Meanwhile in Owens quarters.
Owen tossed and turned in his bed, it had been the same violent dream every night for the past several weeks. People were being killed left and right, thousands of bodies lay dead throughout the ruined city from adults to children, it was a massacre. Well all the while soldiers marched through the streets in neat filed lines looking for their next victims, the killing was unstoppable as blood soaked the sun parched ground. The marching of the soldier's feet in unison would get closer and closer…closer and closer becoming louder with each stomp until an all too familiar female voice would cry out in agony. "AHHHHHHHHHH!" she screamed.
That was when he would awake in a deep cold sweat just like every night before.
A 30 year old Owen Sun sat up in bed shirtless rubbing the horribly, violent, dream from his eyes as Coruscants sun began to rise streaming off his toned rippled physique. He careened his still shoulder length blond hair out of his equally blond eyes as his heartbeat began to steady once again, suddenly the call button on his quarters activated. Reaching over Owen hit the switch near his bedside. "Come" he invited opening the door up.
It was his good friend and mentor Cin Drallig.
Seeing Owen sat up in his bed covers draped over his legs clutching his head in his hands Drallig knew right away. "You had the dream again didn't you" he implied.
"Yes" Owen replied in a low tone.
Master Cin Drallig shrugged. "You should tell the council"
"And what would they say…I still have no idea what it means" replied Owen.
"Is it still the same?" wondered Drallig.
"The images are the same but the intensity of it grows every night" informed Owen.
"I ache when I see the killing and bloodshed, it's as if a part of me is dying along with them…and I'm helpless to stop it" added Owen.
"And the women's scream, is it still there?" asked Drallig.
"Yes…it's what wakes me every time" replied Owen.
Silence hung in the air.
"What are you going to do then?" wondered Drallig.
Owen shook his head slowly. "I don't know, I've got to figure this thing out somehow…the dream is trying to tell me something, I just don't know what?"
"I believe it may be a result of my gift" added Owen.
"You think it's an event yet to happen?" wondered Drallig.
"Could be, or maybe it's nothing…I've had these types of dreams before, almost every time it turns out to be nothing, but this time I fear it's different, I'll have to meditate again to see if I can find out more" explained Owen.
Master Cin Drallig then looked to his clock. "Well…in any case you're late"
"Late?" questioned Owen furrowing his blond eyebrows.
Drallig simply cracked a half smile and nodded forward waiting for it to click into place for him.
Owens eyes widened as it hit him. "Oh blast it I forgot!"
Quickly with what little he had on Owen undressed stepping into the refresher for his shower, then soaked he popped his head back out of the refresher. "Could you tell the council that…" he was cut right off.
"Ha-ha yes I'll inform the council that you'll be a little late this morning" interrupted Drallig assuring him as he left Owens quarters.
Today was an important day for Owen, he would have a final meeting with the council and get their decision on him becoming a Master or not.
After several minutes Owen emerged from the refresher drying and dressing quickly, he put on his perfectly creased Jedi robe that was traditional in design but was brand new. Finally Owen emerged from his quarters and walked fast through the Temple arriving at the turbo-lift, next stop the round chambers of the Jedi Council.
Meanwhile in the council chambers.
"Do you think he'll be arriving soon?" wondered Mundi.
"That's what Master Drallig told us" replied Windu.
Yoda then spoke up. "Um, here he is"
Suddenly the doors to the council chambers slid open graciously. "Forgive me Master's, I've had a rough night" apologized Owen taking his place in the center of the circle around them.
"I suggest you be on time in the future Owen" replied Ki-Adi-Mundi.
"Of course Master Mundi, I apologize again" said Owen.
Yoda chuckled. "He-he perfect a Jedi is not"
Most of the council was in attendance including Kit Fisto and Plo Koon via holovid in their respective seats.
"Let us begin" started Windu.
"Now we have already gone over many times before our inability to sense the impending danger on your assignment six months ago" began Windu.
"Hmm yes, believe blinded with the force we were…the dark side I sense" added Yoda.
"The operations failure aside you were able to see the possibility of disaster striking on a fatal scale, but we did not listen and your premonition came to pass with the mission being a setup and the death of the ACS Troopers" stated Mundi.
"Certainly a result of your Jedi gift" perceived Master Rancisis.
"It's obvious to us that your growing stronger in the force and your Jedi gift is becoming more honed because of this, that is why you were able to sense the catastrophe on the dangerous mission when we could not" pointed out Windu.
"Then why was it that Master Yoda could not sense the danger, he and I share the same gift?" pondered Owen.
"Someone blinded the council with the force they did, unable to see I was" explained Yoda.
"That's right and whoever blinded the council and Master Yoda with the force didn't count on you and you're rare gift to perceive the deadly encounter, this is the final conclusion we have come to" added Koon via holovid.
Owen nodded. "I understand"
"We have taken all this into consideration debating over your advancement in the order as a Jedi Master, including many other recent events" informed Windu.
"Yes, like the fact that you are the only Jedi in our order to face this General Grievous in battle and return victorious" added Rancisis.
"I wouldn't say I was victorious Master" replied Owen.
"In any case you showed tremendous valor in the Battle of Geonosis saving Master Windu from certain death when you pushed him out of the way of the charging beast and you were trampled in turn, the act of heroism alone would gain you the rank" stated Master Tiin.
"And not to mention the number of struggles you've managed to overcome over these past few years…your command of the 501st in your victory on Castell, the loss of your close friend Jedi Knight Talarus, two separate encounters with Count Dooku, and against tremendous odds you managed to escape Foundry alive" pointed out Rancisis.
"Finally a strong recommendation from a Master of our order Cin Drallig" added Fisto via holovid in basic.
"Hmm made plus overcome many achievements and obstacles you have, each one consideration enough for Jedi Master" stated Master Yoda.
"I will admit it is impressive, you have accomplished far more than almost every Jedi Knight in our order presently but let's not forget a pertinent angle in you not achieving the rank yet…you're inability to take on a student and raise him or her to Knight status, that alone despite whatever the achievement should deny you acceptance" pointed out Mundi.
Owen shrugged accepting the criticism.
"It is this tradition that has been used by our order from generation to generation, only a handful have become Masters under different circumstances…and I believe Jedi Knight Sun should uphold to our old traditions" finished Mundi.
"Hmm Master Ki-Adi-Mundi makes a good point, Owen could have much to teach to one lucky Padawan" added Rancisis.
"I respect your judgment of my character Master but I must say in my defense that I wish not to teach just one but many as a teacher of the younglings and students here at the Jedi Temple as most of you know" replied Owen.
Owen wouldn't admit it but there was another important reason…Milla, ever since her death he has self-consciously refused to take on a single Apprentice fearing an unjust attachment and the fact that Milla's strong presence still inside him would cause him to train the student falsely, thereby the Jedi would be flawed. "Um" Yoda nodded knowing the true reason why.
Silence hung in the air as the council discussed things quietly amongst themselves, Owen just stood there waiting for their decision until Windu spoke up. "We will need a few minutes to discuss these new progressions in private" he informed.
Owen bowed his head forward. "Of course Masters"
He left the chambers leaving them to debate.
After several overdue minutes Owen was summoned back inside, as he took his position back in the center of the round chambers he could sense the council had come to a decision. "Come to a decision we have" stated Master Yoda.
Yoda nodded to Windu giving him the honors of informing Owen.
Owens took a deep breath and swallowed tight bracing himself for the news.
"First off let me say one last time that I thank you for saving my life on Geonosis, if it were up to me I would certainly grant you what you so obviously desire" started Windu.
"But we are a council and all our minds must think as one to make the right decision, in this instance in the best interests of both parties I feel we have" continued Windu.
Mace looked intently at Owen. "It has taken us many months but you have been graciously patient in awaiting our final decision and we commend you for this…we have decided that you will…" Mace was interrupted by a Jedi Knight Arret Tiv who busted through the chamber doors.
"Masters…(breathing heavily)…forgive me b…but…(cough)…I ran all the way from the military base and I…" the out of breath Tiv was cut off by his own heavy breathing.
All eyes were now fixed on Jedi Knight Arret Tiv. "Slow down and tell us what's happened" said Windu.
"It's the Separatists Masters, a large force is massing towards one of our systems farthest from the core, some kind of Solarian planet is already under attack" informed Tiv.
Owens heart skipped a beat. "Solarian…you mean Solar?"
"Yes that's it, their bombarding the planet from space…should be only a matter of time before the CIS invade with their droid armies" informed Tiv.
Owen approached Arret Tiv both frantic and angry. "What else do you know?" he asked intently.
The council looked worried fearing an emotional entanglement looming. "That's all we could tell from news reports on the planet…sorry" Tiv apologized.
Windu looked to Master Yoda. "What would the Separatists want with a peaceful planet like Solar?"
Tiv then noticed Owens blond hair and eyes. "Hey, wait a minute aren't you…" he didn't get a chance to finish as Owen stormed back over to the chamber circle.
"Masters permission to lead a clone army to the planet to destroy the Separatists threat" Owen demanded quickly and flawlessly.
The council took a brief look to one another. "No, Owen, you won't" said Windu deflating him.
"But I implore the council my knowledge of my home…" Owen was cut off immediately.
"There is to be no questioning our decision Owen…you know all to well why you will not lead any kind of force to you're homeworld" interrupted Mundi as Jedi Knight Arret Tiv departed.
Even though he didn't want to accept it deep down Owen knew the reason why…his long forgotten family could very well still be on the planet and his acceptance to the order so long ago forbid him to have any kind of contact whatsoever with his former loved ones as such strong emotional attachments are not the way of a Jedi. Plus it being his homeworld old memories from his past could easily return to him opening up old wounds that could be deadly for a Jedi.
"Um, clear are we Owen, spell disaster it could for your trained Jedi mind if relived such events from your past you did" stated the wise Yoda agreeing with the council.
"We are unanimous in our decision, you will have nothing to do with this in any way" finalized Windu.
"Who is to lead the attack then?" asked Owen firmly wanting to know.
"That is for us to decide and for you not to know" replied Mundi immediately.
Windu raised his hand stopping him, he looked at Owen feeling his desire to at least know who would come to the rescue of his people. "Master Fisto will lead the clone army" he stated.
"But Master Fisto is several light years away it will take him hours to reach Coruscant" pointed out Owen.
"Master Fisto will leave immediately and get there as soon as he is able" replied Mundi in defense.
"But thousands could die before then, Solar has no means to defend itself we have lived in peace for countless millennia, they don't even have weapons" stated Owen.
"Do the best we can on such short notice we shall" replied Yoda.
"Masters please, if only I could just…" Owen was cut off immediately again.
"You know where we stand on that Owen, you will not lead the clone army!" interrupted Windu firmly.
Windu turned to Kit Fistos holovid in his respective seat. "I suggest you leave right away Master Fisto"
"Of course, I am at the councils disposal, I will leave immediately" replied Fisto over the crackling holovid.
"We will await your arrival…May the Force be with you" stated Master Windu.
With that Fistos holovid flickered out.
"Now with this…new development I think it would be wise if we waited and see what happens with this situation before we give you our final decision on your advancement as a Jedi" stated Windu.
The council then noticed Owens deflated off stare look, it's as if he was somewhere else. "Owen…Owen" called out Windu trying to get his attention.
He couldn't find himself, Owen felt like he was drowning in his mind…so many things rushed through his head from his past that was thought to be long forgotten and buried. "Owen…Owen" he continued to call out.
Finally a defeated Owen Sun found some words. "Yes Master" he replied swallowing deeply.
"Are you alright?" asked Windu concerned.
"I will respect the council's decision" replied Owen blatantly.
"Very well…perhaps you should get some air, you look ill" suggested Windu.
"Yes Master" replied Owen leaving the council chambers with an emotional mess wreaking havoc inside his physique.
"Umm terrible it was to deny him" stated Master Yoda not happy with himself.
"We made the right choice, if Owen were to fall prey to such deeply felt emotions…we cannot allow it to happen again if there is a chance to prevent it" stated Windu.
"I agree, in the long run it is better for Owen, this would only cause him harm" added Mundi.
Yoda shrugged. "Umm yes, strong Jedi Knight Sun is, accept it he will in time"
A few hours later.
Owen stood in front of the clear screen with his hands connected under his robe glancing at the busy skies of Coruscant. His mind was still abuzz as he tried to sort everything out inside his troubled head. "What am I going to do, the council forbade me from doing anything if I even attempt to do something it will surely jeopardize my acceptance as a Master, I have worked so hard to earn the title but I can't just sit here, I'll be ignoring the deaths of millions of my people, and oh God what about my family- my mother, my father…what if Fisto arrives too late, they could die" thought Owen.
Suddenly the welcomed presence of an old friend warmed his heart. "Owen, are you alright?" asked Obi-Wan.
He hesitated. "To tell you the truth Obi-Wan, no I'm not" replied Owen.
"I heard about Solar…I'm sorry, I know it can't be easy to sit and watch with your hands tied while another rushes off to defend your homeworld" stated Obi-Wan.
"I can feel your thoughts, their frantic" sensed Obi-Wan.
"I'm trying to figure everything out, (sigh) I'm still debating on what to do" replied Owen.
"Debating, but the council told you to stay out of all this" reminded Obi-Wan.
Owen let out a deep sigh. "I know, but I can't just sit here while my people and homeworld are destroyed…I'll tell you Obi-Wan I have never been this torn, ever" he stated.
There was utter silence between them as Obi-Wan searched his thoughts.
"You know Qui-Gon once told me that a man who does not listen to his heart is blind" replied Obi-Wan.
"What do you mean?" wondered Owen.
"Well in your case you can either remain content and let the council deal with this or not and do something about it" answered Obi-Wan.
"What does your heart tell you?" wondered Obi-Wan.
"You don't want to know what my heart tells me" replied Owen.
Awkwardness hung in the air for a moment.
Owen rubbed his eyes in frustration. "Listen, I need to meditate…maybe it'll clear my thoughts"
"Of course, take your time, try to sort this out" replied Obi-Wan.
Owen placed his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Thanks again old friend"
He walked off to his quarters to try and make sense of it all…
Back in Owen Suns quarters.
Owen sat in his quarters legs crossed, eyes closed, beginning to meditate.
It didn't take long as everything slid into focus...
He began to recount his dream…the killing all around him, sounds of soldiers marching, the familiar scream of a women, but this time something was different. The severity of it hit him as something began to speak to him deep down, a sound lower than a whisper showing him the final piece of the puzzle.
Owens eyes suddenly snapped open.
"The dream…the dream, my God of course it's the same thing" he said to himself.
Owen scrabbled to his feet and tried to access the only news feed available from his intergalactic information panel. Normally he would only use the control panel for important info on missions and pertinent galactic data but he needed to find the news feed from Solar. After a few minutes of hacking to his joy he found what he was looking for but in order to access it he needed a precise code which only Masters had. Owen searched his memory and remembered his former Masters access code. "Thank you Master Arca" he thought.
Punching up the news feed Owen was horrified…the City of Light was in ruin as droids stormed the streets killing anyone who resisted. Suddenly the live news feed went dead as a stray blaster shot hit the camera. "Damn it, I lost it" cursed Owen.
As terrible as he felt Owen again tried to figure it out. "But it doesn't make any sense in my dream there was men marching not droids" he pondered.
He began to pace around his quarters as the answer seemed to be on the tip of his mind, suddenly like a shot straight to the head a vision came to him.
The women's screams became more familiar by the second…he suddenly realized that this wasn't just any women terrified…it was his mother. She pleaded for her life as the daunting figure grew closer and closer until the sun streamed in and revealed a heavily armored man clad in gold from his helmet to his boots, the sun shimmered off the soldier's armor almost blinding him. But as he sees a significant emblem on the mans shoulder his eyes widened and a cold shiver ran down his spine…it was the emblem of an ideal thought long dead, it was the emblem of 'The Sun Gods'.
Owens vision ended as he clutched the wall to keep himself from falling, the last image tore into his self-conscious. Nothing mattered now…not even the stiff warning of the Jedi Council, the decision had already been made. Owen grabbed his lightsaber and left.
Meanwhile at the military base.
The vast clone army was already ready for departure as every trooper rallied onto the heavily armored military assault ships.
Owen approached ready to do whatever it took. "Commander is everything in preparation I want to leave right away"
"Uh yes Master Jedi but I was told we would be under the command of a Master Kit Fisto and you don't look like a Nautolan to me" replied the clone Commander.
"Well things have changed, Master Fisto is unable to make it so I'll be taking his place" professed Owen.
"Excuse me Master Jedi but I'm under strict orders to report any change to the battle plan, I better confer with the Jedi Council on this" replied the clone Commander.
Owen waved his hand slightly. "You don't need to confer with the council"
"I don't need to confer with the council" obeyed the clone Commanders weak mind.
"Things will proceed differently from the battle plan and I will be leading this invasion" continued Owen.
"You will be leading this invasion" obeyed the clone Commander.
"Good" Owen completed releasing his hold on the Commanders mind.
The clone Commander shook his head disoriented. "Now is everything in preparation Commander" asked Owen once again.
"Yes Sir, the invasion fleet is standing by ready to depart" replied the clone Commander.
"Then get the fleet into the air, I want to leave right now" ordered Owen.
"Yes Sir!" he obeyed.
Owen quickly jumped into one of the many nearby Jedi Starfighters and took to the sky with the imposing fleet.
Choices, that's really what everything comes down to…either good or bad one must be made. Some are small and menial, while others can shape or break a man, even a galaxy. But the moment Owen saw that emblem in his vision everything else faded away…he knew what he had to do, the choice had been made and now it was in the hands of fate to decide what would happen next.
Back inside the Jedi Temple several hours later.
Master Fisto had finally arrived and made his way through the Temple meeting with Master Windu. "Master Windu is the fleet ready for the assault?" asked Fisto in basic.
"Yes, they've been waiting at the base for several hours now" replied Windu.
"You'll have to forgive me the trip took longer than I expected" apologized Fisto.
"I just hope where not too late" stated Windu.
"How is our only Solarian doing?" wondered Fisto.
"Owen will be fine, in time he'll realize that our decision is for his own good" replied Windu.
But as they made their way to the military base everything in the docking bay was gone. "What's going on, where's the fleet and all our troopers?" asked Fisto.
Mace was in shock, the entire area was cleared out to where the fleet should be. "Come with me" he said.
Master Windu went to a few members of the council for some answers but getting nowhere he stopped Obi-Wan Kenobi in the vast hallway of the Jedi Temple. "Obi-Wan, do you have any idea what happened to the invasion fleet?" he asked.
"It's missing?" Obi-Wan questioned.
"Yes, do you know anything about it" replied Windu.
"Well no Master I…uh" he stumbled.
Obi-Wan than remembered Owens words before he left to meditate. "You don't want to know what my heart tells me" he recalled.
"Oh no, he wouldn't" stated Obi-Wan.
Windu didn't need an explanation. "Owen" he simply said.
The three of them rushed to his quarters, Obi-Wan hit the call button but got nothing. Quickly he punched in the code for the door but as it slid open the room was emptier than a tomb.
Obi-Wan poked his head inside. "He's gone"