Jedi Temple Medcenter, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY
Ben finished his story in a monotone, his shining eyes glancing off to the side as if seeing what he'd just describe happen in real time. Given the unknown properties of the water in the Font of Power and Pool of Knowledge, Luke supposed that he could very well be seeing it.
"So now you know, Dad." Ben's eyes darted back to his father, locking in on his own normal ones. "Things have changed a bit since then, obviously," he said as he gestured to his shimmering blue eyes.
Luke wasn't sure what to say, he'd closely read Ben throughout the story for any signs of deception, but sensed only simple truth and it tore his heart, "Why did you do it, Ben?"
Ben shrugged slightly, barely disturbing the sheets that covered his lower form. "Not everyone thinks clearly in the heat of the battle, and we decided that Abeloth's destruction meant more than we did individually. Now we must see Ves, I told you what you wanted to know."
Luke still had reservations, but his son had fulfilled his part of the bargain. "Come with me."
They emerged from the hospital room to find Cilghal, Tekli, and four other Jedi healers standing in semi-circle around the room's hatchway. Luke raised his hand for pause and gestured for them to lower their weapons. "I know what you felt, but everything is okay. Cilghal, will you accompany us to the detention center? I have reason to believe that Vestara Khai is awake."
Glancing uneasily at Ben, most likely noticing his eyes, Cilghal gave the Mon Calamari equivalent of a frown, "Are you sure that's wise, Master Skywalker?"
"I know what it looks like, Master Cilghal, but it's not. We just need to see Ves." Ben said, "Please."
"He's explained part of the story to me, we just need to see Vestara to finish it. On the way down, Ben can fill you in on the first half." Luke said, easing some of the fears.
Cilghal nodded, another ersatz human motion, and motioned for Tekli to follow them.
Jedi Temple Detention Center Medical Wing, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY
The turbolift was spacious enough to fit a dozen beings, so the four riders had ample space on the way down. The two healers listened in rapt attention as Ben gave a summary, as that was all the time they had, of what he'd already relayed to his father.
"This is fascinating, but I was given to understand that those two places were vortexes of dark side power," Cilghal said after Ben had finished.
"Yes and no," Ben said, tilting his head as he spoke, "They are both, but the dark must be consumed first."
"Can you explain that?" Luke finally asked, he'd listened in silence to the second retelling. He'd understood what had happened, but not yet why. He had a theory, somewhat alluded to by what Ben had just said.
"That's partially why we're here, Dad, we will explain."
"And the other part?"
"Because I must come."
The turbolift opened to the Temple's medical wing of the Detention Center, currently holding a single prisoner. They moved quickly to the cell holding Vestara Khai and paused when they noticed the lights had been shut off, normal for this time of day. Pale greens and blues shone from medical instruments around where the bed was, but within that void was nothing but solid black. As if they were turned on by the arrival of visitors, twin pinpoints of light flashed from where the headboard was supposed to be. Iridescent glows that burned a shade of red at the edges where Ben's eyes held blue.
"Let me out of here," snarled a vaguely female voice, though she could not possibly see past the one way mirror.
Cilghal touched an external control and the cells lighting flashed to hospital white, a burning fluorescent white to made everything seem colorless. Vestara Khai lay cuffed to her bed at both the wrists and ankles, hair hanging slightly over her face. Her pupils had dilated in the darkness leaving a thin ring of brown around the tiny stars at the dead center of her eyes. She hissed as the bright light burned her eyes and flinched away from the pain.
"Open the door," Ben said, "and please remove the ysalamir, you won't need them."
"Release me," Vestara spat from the cell, unable to know who was outside. The brown irises burned away to a radiation yellow. The red stars of light smoldered an oversaturated red.
Raising his eyebrows in disbelief, Luke shook his head. "You know I can't do that, Ben, she's dangerous, just look at her."
"Then at least open the door for now," Ben let out a frustrate sigh, "we'll get to the other part later."
The two Jedi Masters glanced at one another, a silent conversation possible only between close friends, before Cilghal depressed the cell lock, popping the door open. Ben was the first through the door and raced to the bed.
As soon as she saw him, Vestara's rage seemed to evaporate. The citrine coloring left her iris and the stars took on a more neutral red shine. The false smile her scar created surrendered to a genuine one as Ben sat on the edge of the bed and pressed his hand to hers.
Luke and the other Jedi entered more slowly and eyed the young pair warily, there was far too much familiarity there, especially with what they knew about Vestara's last acts on Coruscant. Clearing his throat politely, Luke took one of the visitor seats lined across from the bed. Cilghal and Tekli joined him, the former holding an emergency comlink should they need assistance.
"I think it's time for some explanations," Luke said after Ben and Vestara looked up at him.
"Yes, Master Skywalker," Vestara's voice had lost its anger, "We will explain what we can."
"I already told them what we did, Ves." Ben said, and she nodded in understanding.
"But not how you were able to derive such different effects from the waters," Luke said.
"The first thing you must understand, Master Skywalker," Vestara began, after glancing at Ben and receiving a confirming dip, "is neither the Font of Power—"
"—Nor the Pool of Knowledge are inherently light or dark. They are both, shelled upon one another," Ben finished.
Luke had the unsettling sensation that they were finishing each other's sentences, which was quite impossible, more so without being able to access the Force. He shook his head, "You forget that I've been to both and they're steeped in dark power."
Both Ben and Vestara nodded judiciously, and Luke was somewhat dismayed to see them holding hands. Ben answered, "Yes, and it would be if one alone used either."
"But that world and its sites are created on the concept of balance, Master Skywalker. One is not balance, one is corruption, one is chaos." Vestara said, so calm despite the earlier outburst. Her voice had taken on a lecturing tone similar to Ben's own.
"Ben said something about that before we came in here, what did you mean?"
Ben and Vestara turned toward one another and seemed to converse silently for a few seconds. "They are both light and dark—" Ben started.
"—But cannot coexist in one person—"
"—Balance requires one light and one dark—"
"—Or the warring sides within create chaos."
Cilghal glanced nervously over to the Grand Master. Having two beings complete multiple parts of the same sentence was never a good sign, no matter the circumstance. Luke had his brow set in consideration, as if trying to phrase the next question properly.
"And you took the dark power?" Luke asked, indicating the former Sith apprentice.
"Yes, so Ben would have the light." Vestara smiled slightly "Together we are balance. Together we will keep balance."
Luke rose and indicated for Tekli and Cilghal to follow him. Ben quirked an eyebrow in question before turning back to Vestara.
Outside Medical Detention Cell #3, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY
The cell door slid shut, cutting off Ben and Vestara from overhearing the three Jedi outside. For the first time the worry Luke had been feeling finally broke the surface. "What do you think?"
Cilghal paused to collect her thoughts, "I have no real basis to draw any conclusions. We clearly didn't detect any physical changes before they woke up."
Tekli lifted a hand in question, "Perhaps we must see the change in the Force?"
"Is that safe?" Luke asked, "We already know the obvious changes, but perhaps we should run tests with Ben first, he would be the safer of the two to take outside, especially as he was before we came down here."
Cilghal locked eyes with the Grand Master, "Will he leave? From what I've seen he worked very hard to get into the same room with her."
Not liking the implication, Luke thinned his lips. "Let's find out, shall we?"
Inside Medical Detention Cell #3, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY
"They're talking about running tests on you," Vestara said, intertwining her fingers with Ben's, "so they won't have to let me out."
Feeling relaxed for the first time since awakening, Ben shifted his eyes to her own, crimson and cerulean stars meeting, "Yes, but they don't understand."
"How could they? They didn't see what we saw."
"They didn't feel what we felt."
"Or know what we must do."
The doorway slid open, and Luke was dismayed to see Ben and Vestara whispering to one another, with Ben turned away from the wall-length one-way mirror and Vestara staring intently into it. He had the strangest sensation that they knew what he and Cilghal had just talked about, but just as the other things that had disquieted him, it was clearly impossible while they were all still within the ysalamiri bubble.
"I think it's been a long day, why don't we all call it a night and start again tomorrow?" Luke asked after they both looked to him.
"Dad, we need to let Ves out," Ben stated forcefully.
"You know why we can't do that, Ben, we still don't understand what's happening to the two of you," Cilghal stepped in smoothly, "But if it would make you feel better, I think we can remove the restraints for tonight."
"You can't hold us prisoner." Ben said.
The Chada-Fan tilted her head in question. "We aren't holding you, Ben, but we must take precautions with Ms. Khai."
Ben took Vestara's hand in his own and spoke vehemently. "What is done to one, it done to the other."
Cilghal gave a sidelong look to Luke, there wasn't much they seemed to be able to do short of forcibly removing Ben from the cell. Vestara gave a small squeeze to Ben's hand. "It's okay, I'll still be here in the morning," she said softly. "Just don't keep a girl waiting."
Luke firmed his lips, something else must have happened on that planet. Ben's story, while indicating that they worked together well, gave nothing to show why they seemed even more inseparable now. He would need to tell Ben about what Vestara had done, her attack on the Falcon and revelation of Allana's true identity. Han had been furious when he found out she was captured, he'd wanted her shipped off for Hapan justice.
"You heard her, Ben," Luke said. He may not like how the situation had been resolved, but wasn't going to force the issue at this point. "We should get going."
With one last look, Ben followed his father and the two healers out solemnly. Cilghal had paused to remove the restraints, so by the time they were all outside the cell, Vestara was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking toward the mirror. Luke was surprised to note the aurulent coloring had returned to her eyes, though she wasn't nearly as angry as she had been before seeing his son.
The turbolift let off Cilghal and Tekli at the Medcenter, Ben and Luke stayed to continue on to the general sleeping quarters. A silence had fallen on the group. Luke and the healers unwilling to discuss the situation with Ben there and Ben so obviously wishing to have stayed in the Detention Center. Now they were alone, Luke decided now was as good a time as any to break the news to Ben. It would hurt no matter when he heard it, and he was almost certainly going to find it out on his own soon enough. Han wasn't very reserved in his opinion about it all.
"We need to talk about Vestara, Ben."
Sparkling azure eyes shifted slightly, but stayed rooted to the floor. "You want to tell me what you think will change things between her and I, but they won't."
"How can you be so sure?" Luke asked, Ben was rarely so blatantly sure of himself.
"Because she already told me, and because I already know what you're going to say." He sounded tired again, as if he'd already had this conversation before.
Luke's steps faltered and he came to a stop next to his son. "How do you know what I am going to say?"
Ben seemed to struggle to put the thought into words. "There are . . . points in time, fixed points that will happen in one form or another no matter what we do. This is more obvious than others, as I'd undoubtedly learn somewhere what Ves did, her attack on the Falcon and Allana. The Pool of Knowledge shows those points, we saw them coming. Or see them coming, depending on your point of view."
"And you don't have a problem with what she did?" Luke asked, it would be best to leave the part about fixed time points till later, yet another issue to bring up to the Masters.
"Of course I do," Ben said, but there was no fire behind the words, "but I also understand why she did it. Furthermore, it's somewhat of a moot point. Allana's identity would have come out eventually, far sooner than we'd hoped."
"A 'moot point?' Bazel Warv died in that attack," Luke couldn't understand the acceptance Ben was showing, he'd gotten angry for less before, at the minor betrayals, but not this?
They reached Ben's room and he keyed in his pass-code. "Yes, but he would have regardless if Ves had led it or not. The Sith would have gone through the hatch and attacked anyway."
Luke shook his head. "What else happened on that planet, Ben? I can't help but feel you've left something out concerning why you're suddenly so trusting with Vestara Khai."
"Of course I'm leaving something out, Dad." Ben gave a sad smile, "But not because of anything sinister. You're not supposed to know, or it will change things, things that must happen for there to be stability."
Ben entered his room, leaving Luke to stare at the closed door for a few seconds. He definitely had things to discuss with the Masters.
Inside Medical Detention Cell #3, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY
Vestara paced the sparse cell. It was one thing to understand what would happen, but so different to be forced to experience it in real time. Some things she hadn't expected to happen. When she was alone, cut off from Ben by the accursed ysalamiri bubble, her anger raged. Seeing him had seemed enough, but now she was alone. It was hard to not lash out at something, knowing that it would do nothing to help her cause, and go a long way to hurting it. Her eyes burned a yellow she knew would make any Jedi pause, but she couldn't help it.
It seemed Ben had been right about the rot from the Font, and she'd gotten it all. Taken in the poison and now it simmered under her surface. But it wasn't always like that, she was normal when she was with him. His light to temper the dark. She didn't fully understand the connection, despite their glimpses of the future and past. On one level, she hoped she wouldn't need to be tethered to Ben for the rest of her life to stay sane now. She certainly wouldn't be handling herself nearly as well as he undoubtedly was, if it had been him trapped here and she had access to the Force. On another level, she didn't want to be separated again.
Things had changed, perhaps for the better. She no longer longed to rejoin the Sith, the desire had died at the Pool, what she'd seen, what they'd seen, had been so much more. Could they do it? Could they be what it showed?
She laid back in the bed and dialed down the light. In the darkness, her star-like eyes illuminated her hands in a blood-shine red, nearly identical to the color her lightsaber had given off. Her lightsaber; what had happened to it? Ah, it had been taken at the Temple. She very much hoped to get it back, but that brought on a small pang of guilt: Ben.
He had been destined to be a great Jedi, probably to succeed Luke one day as Grand Master. But he lost that when they drank, his life altered irreparably. She'd gotten a life so much better than what she would have otherwise. Had they not drunk, what would she have had left? Her life with Ben would have been over, no doubt she'd be imprisoned for what she had done, what she'd been, not unlike how she was now, only more permanent. Either that, or live life on the run, trying to scrape out a life on unknown worlds while trying to duck Jedi and Sith alike who would want her dead. Alone and friendless and abandoned, definitely not the life she would want.
Vestara rolled to her side and flexed her hand. She'd gotten a new lease on life, while Ben lost his future. Ben should resent her for that, she knew, but he didn't. It just wasn't the kind of person he was. She closed her eyes, slightly wet with tears, and waited for morning.
Author's Note: I threw in quite a bit here, which isn't really explained until the next chapter. As you probably guessed with the last one, I kind of let if off with them going to the Pool of Knowledge, but never went into detail. The short answer is Ben didn't elaborate when he told his father about it. The clinginess and unusual behavior should be more explained in the next chapter when we go into what happened on the way to, and at, the Pool of Knowledge.