Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the clothes on my back.
Note: Let us get something very clear, as I delve more into the mind of Koj. I am Christian. I am a proud Christian, and I believe in and Love God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I do not believe in 'spirits' as Native Americans did, even though that is much of the approach I take with the Sand people and their perception of spiritual life.
I do not agree in any capacity with Koj's view of the Spirit, outside of the concept of humbleness and obediance, but it is, unfortunately, not my decision as to what Koj believes. He believes what he believes, and that is how I write. I make characters, I give them life in the sandbox of my mind, and I let them roam free based on their own culture, personality, and life. Sometimes they make decisions I cannot agree with.
I cannot agree with Koj, nor support his beliefs, but nor can I change him. Not without shattering the weak shell that protects reality of the galaxy that exists in my mind.
I came to realize his beliefs when I considered how the Ghorfa would react to the Force. The Force is foreign to them, and they distrust Outsiders with reason.
I sat down with Koj in my mind, showed him the Force, and watched as he confused it with Spirits of the world much as Native Americans did. He called it a simple name, Good Spirit, and he took on various 'jewish' traits in his worship because of his humble servitude. He doesn't believe in 'ghosts' as spiritual apperations, but rather puts them as a servant of the Spirit. Almost like angels, but he doesn't comprehend the idea of angels vs mortal servants. He believes himself a 'ghost' in a way, because he acts out the Will of the Spirit. His title as Far Seer was granted to him as a mortal job position by his tribe, because of how he appeared to 'see far' and feel things the rest couldn't understand.
And yes, I actually sat in my mind, sat him down in front of me like a child, gave him a ball called 'The Force' and watched as he studied it, and I observed his reactions, his conclusions, and his beliefs unfold as he and 'The Force' interacted with each other. It's how I do things with all my characters. I don't force things, I don't hold them back. If they cannot be 'born' in my mind, and have a life and personality of their own, then they won't in my writing.
With that said, enjoy exploring the culture and mindset of Koj'Ineh, the Far Seer.
Episode 11 - Builder's Valley Part 1/?
Summary: Starkiller, apprentice to the deceased Darth Nihilus, was tricked by Darth Sidius into becoming a puppet of the Jedi through a force mind-wipe. He was renamed Varus Wynn and assigned to Anakin Skywalker as his second Padawan alongside Ahsoka Tano.
Following a lead from the former Sith, Starkiller, they a Sith Holocron linked to Revan that was implanted into Varus's mind. The following investigation shed light on the fact that the Star Forge was still alive. Anakin Skywalker was assigned to follow the trail of Revan left in Varus's mind to find the Star Forge for the Republic.
Thus far they have landed on Dantooine and entered an ancient tomb of the Infinite Empire. Inside Ahsoka and Varus both encountered illusions. Varus's illusion was a version of himself, twisted and dark by the temple, and he was forced to end the illusion by promising to himself to eventually remember who he was. They recovered the coordinates to five locations that would piece together the coordinates of the Star Forge.
Varus returned home and moved out of the Temple. After a blood scan, he looked into information that was contradictory. He wasn't human. He was a Miraluka. The Jedi had been wrong on his profile information.
Despite the Jedi's hopes, sins of Starkiller's past are catching up to Varus. Maris remembers him after Starkiller murdered her Master, and sees him in the Temple. She has been told it is classified, and to leave it alone. She spent time in mourning, and has improved while Ahsoka was gone, but then someone kidnapped her and took her to a dark place on Coruscant. There, he talked with her, and showed her who her true enemy was.
And an unknown power called 'Manager' is conspiring against the Jedi, and while he died mysteriously, his legacy was taken up by a mysterious woman who also died. Just before death, she confronted Palpatine, and presented the mask of Darth Nihilus.
The second planet to on Revan's path has been Tatooine. There, Anakin is confronted with his personal demons, and his Padawans step up for him after they are captured by the Ghorfa clan: Ineh. Striking a deal with the Ineh, they will be allowed to enter Builders Valley for the Forge's coordinate segment provided Varus ends the Ghost of Ravine. Varus and Koj'Ineh hunt the ghost and Varus turns the ghost to his side after figuring out the ghost was actually HK-47, the personal assassination droid of Darth Revan.
When I said 'freak', I didn't mean jumps up, pull out lightsaber's that had been returned to us, and glare menacingly at our new best friend. The thirty -they seem to have added a few- guards all around where they stuck us have their guns pointed on HK as well. HK responded in kind with his rifle. I am really getting tired of every encounter I have been in ever since I got here being at gunpoint. I just roll my eyes and move past them, and sit down.
"Varus." Tree-Hugger says. "What is with the tinny?"
"Insulted defense: I am not made of tin. I am of a far superior lethal design." The robot says.
"Guys." I motion. "Meet HK-47. Revan's personal assassination droid and now mine because, apparently, I have his password and he think I am 'The Will of Revan' or something. Or at least an ally of his Master. HK, meet Tree-Hugger and Girly."
"Hi?" Ahsoka says with clear uncertainty. She glances between me, Tree-Hugger, and the droid skeptically. I don't blame her for how awkward this whole situation is, it was awkward for me at first. HK, to it's credit, doesn't appear the slightest bit worried. If anything, it is anticipating battle.
It says, "Gleeful threat: Prejudice set to maximum. Please fire now. The unfortunate fact is, I lack a reason to kill you right now, and Master will be displeased if I initiate your purging."
Tree-Hugger this time isn't glaring, he has that mischievous spark in his eye that he always has. So at least its nice for him to be in good spirits again. I don't want to wrestle him and get his head pulled out of his butt a second time.
"If you guys are going to do a second episode of what we had to go through last time we all were at gunpoint, you're on your own." I tell them. And I mean it. The first time was enough. If they all want to glare and be at each other's throats, that's their problem. Of course its everyone against HK, but I think it can handle everything. "And HK, you're not to shoot to kill."
"Oh…." It says with clear disappointment, like a child told he cannot have candy. Even its posture falls into what could resemble depression.
I turn and go to sleep in the shade. We've been on the 'desert road' for hours. I'm hot. I'm sweaty. I don't care anymore. If anyone is still alive when I awake, I'll find out.
Koj entered the curtain and sat down on his knees. Before him was another curtain, and behind him was the one he entered. The guard closed it behind him, and he had the privacy necessary to begin.
The Far Seer slowly lifted his wrapped hands up to his head. His fingers glided over the rough cloth until they reached a tight knot. His fingers brushed a fold, and he grasped it between them. He tugged, and slowly, carefully, undid the knot. With the primary knot undone, he pulled and tugged and loosened his head covering. It loosened, and hot dusty air entered in through the gaps to touch his tough skin. He lowered his head and removed the head coverings.
He placed it aside, and opens his eyes. Unlike most Outsiders, the Ghorfa had a very different physiology. Most Outsiders were classified as sub-human, human, similar to humans, or sub-sub-human, or something else entirely. Even the 'alien' ones resembled humans in at least one area. Ear, nose, eyes, mouth, hair, fingernails. Most 'sentient' dubbed species, they all had one trait similar to humans. The Ghorfa were considered alien even amongst aliens.
Their eyes slit both horizontially and vertically, similar to a star, and had multiple layers of eyelids. The primary layer was always up and protected from the sand. The second layer was compariable to 'modern' technology called sunglasses. It helped protect from the bright light. The sun wasn't the only source of blinding light, it was the sand that reflected it, and just about every shiny object they could find.
Their nose was flat and slit with four holes. He had seen similar characteristics in fish from books of other worlds. Growing up he had wished he could see them. He would lay on the sand and watch the stars, and wonder what was beyond the endless desert. He had gone out and searched for oceans and waters, despite his companions wishes, and he returned barely alive, and his spirit gone. It was some time after that, still in his youth, that he had started to hear the call of the Good Spirit. It was the Good Spirit that lead him back home, of that he had no doubt.
The mouth had teeth that could move inward and outward depending on how he moved his lips, and it wasn't created horizontally as Outsiders. It was a perfect circle. His teeth overlaped his lips and his tongue extended out long enough to scrape the food off his teeth. Not unlike the Hidden Death out in the dunes with its tentacles, layers of teeth, and massive belly under the sand. He smacked his lips together and coughed on sand.
Their ear lacked any flap or outward appearance. It was a simple hole in his head. However the bone around the ear-hole was hollow and resonated with sound. It was through this bone that goes into their skull to the inner-ear, and wrapped around the ear-drum, that allowed hearing. It was strong hearing in comparison to Outsiders, despite its lesser appearance. When he first heard the Good Spirit, he thought it odd no one else heard her. With their exceptional hearing, they should have heard. Then he also felt the Good Spirit even when she was silent, and he came to understand.
He wasn't just in her debt, he was her servant.
He shook his head and extended his hands into a bowl of water. A rare commodity. He scrubbed his wet hands over his face and hands and peeled the layers of dirt and sand off. His head was bald. Lacking any features except a few minor scars. Also despite the great desert sun, he was paler than any Outsider he had ever met. Keeping his skin covered had that effect.
Another trait unlike Outsiders, their fingers were clawed, like an animal. With a lack of prey to use it on, the Ghorfa kept it short and dull.
With his head clean, he took to remove the wet wraps around his hands. Followed by his multiple robes, his body wraps, his weapons, and his gear. With each layer he removed, he inserted a cloth into the water and scrubbed himself. By the end of his hour-long ordeal, the water was black and the cloth was filthy. He removed the bowl and turned to a spare. After he was done scrubbing, he was clean, and for the rarest and most taboo of times, naked.
He was never naked, or showed any skin. The only times it was allowed in the Ghorfa culture to reveal an inch of skin was in private bathing, or the sake of reproduction. Even then, it was with minimal skin revealed. He had never seen his wife truly naked in his life, and neither had she seen him; and she never would. Out of all the Ghorfa, the only one allowed to see the flesh of another, was a doctor, and only in the most dire of circumstances.
He took hold of a robe hanging on the wall. It was a very fashionable, dress-like silk robe taken from a dead Outsider. He kept the robe clean in his work. He stood to his bare feet, threw open the inner curtains, and entered the inner chamber.
All around the room were objects of the Good Spirit, scavenged from all across the planet. Some may have been stolen from Outsiders in the generations past. Cubes, pyramids, and other three-dimensional objects lined the polished gold shelves. They resonated with untold power and knowledge of generations, but most of all, they resonated of the Good Spirit.
All around him he heard voices. The objects spoke to each other, but in each voice, no matter the language, he felt the tender touch of the Good Spirit.
"Good Spirit." Koj spoke. The voices hushed. He felt the powerful objects give him their irritated attention, and he felt the patient, loving attention of the Spirit. "I have taken on the assistance of your ghost, Varus Wynn, and fought the Ghost of Ravine… I failed." He admitted. "I failed to kill the Ghost, as I took the wishes of your ghost. He took a liking to the droid."
Koj stopped, and listened. The arm of the Good Spirit was on his shoulder, and she lifted his burdens. The ghost of her will, Varus, was doing as she intended. "Good Spirit. I wish to understand your intended will for these two ghosts. One is… impulsive, and the other delights in murder."
She touched him, and guided his mind back. He recalled days past when he, and his clan, were lead to the remains of Ekhor. They witnessed the bodies sink into the sand. He touched a child whose head had been taken clean off, and even in that time, he felt the Good Spirit comforting him. The murderer, Ghost of Ekhor, was of her will. The Ghost was her judgement on Ekhor.
Koj blinked and understood. He bowed his face to the ground and humbled himself. It was not only the good the Spirit used, but the impulsive, the evil, the angry. Her ghost, Varus, may be impusilve and insulting, but he was given purpose and watched over by her, and the evil droid had a place by the Outsider's side.
"Far Seer… would you care to explain… this?"
Koj'Ineh leaned against his staff and looked to where the Elder was pointing. The three Outsiders were sleeping. Due to their cooperation, the guards had lessened and the amount of room allowed to them was expanded. Between them, the droid HK-47 stood in full watchfulness. It waited the arrival of day, and work alongside its master, and kept vigil the whole night.
If Koj was going to predict what she was displeased by, it was the droid. "Sparing the ghost was the will of the Spirit. The ghost was subdued and recruited."
"You were supposed to kill it." She snapped. Her body stiffened and it sounded like she was gnashing her teeth.
Koj responded patiently. He bowed his head slightly in submission, but explained, "I am pleased the Outsider came through with recruiting it, because truly, Elder, if he had not, we would not be having this conversation. The ghost's ways were beyond my skill to find, and beyond his power to subdue. Even as victory was granted, we were moments from defeat."
The Elder said nothing and looked at him in thought. Her posture relaxed, if only slightly. She sighed and turned it into an angry groan. "This is too much! The Aandrax pressures us from the east, and the Outsiders are establishing another mining facility in our farming caverns. While here we risk these… Outsiders," she hissed, "killing us without any warning, and their numbers have only increased by one. Our position stands no greater!"
Koj narrowed his eyes in thought, although it was unseen by all with his head covering. If the Outsiders were establishing another mining facility, the farming caverns was the last place they wanted it. The water was not found beneath the sand, it was found in caverns where it collected in pools over time or fell down into containers from stalagmites. The walls literally sweated. In plenty of areas, it was enough for fungus to grow, which was similar to a sponge and could be squeezed for water, or eaten for food.
And the Aandrax… While a weak Ghorfa clan in its own right, it made up for it in desperation. They were starving because the Outsiders had taken almost all of Aandrax's land. Koj felt for them, but the diplomatic relationship was hostile in every capacity. Aandrax intended to take, not necessarily be given. The Ineh were blessed with many farming caverns, most of which the Good Spirit had lead Koj to personally, but it was crucial they hold what they have.
War was on the horizon.
"How soon will we move out?" He asked.
She shook her head sharply. "Not anytime soon. I will take a squad out to show the Outsider's our 'deal' with them will be kept whether they like it or not; but we cannot afford a full engagement, not with them here." She waved in the direction of Varus and his companions.
"The Outsiders here have kept to their end of the deal. The Ghost of Ravine is dealt with."
"Not completely. I want the ghost gone. It leaves with them."
"Certainly."
"But your right. They did keep it, in a sense." She scoffed. "How rare a trait for… people like them. Take them to Builder's Valley. Let them complete their quest, then send them on to the Outsider's territory. They can find a way out from there."
"I shall leave first thing in the morning."
"You shall leave first thing now." She corrected.
He hesitated, but bowed. "As you wish, Elder."
I barely had time to rest my head before we were heading out. Tree-Hugger was displeased about the arrangement, but did nothing against it, Ahsoka worked to keep the peace, my droid threatened to kill, mutilate, and remove bodyparts every few minutes, and I just stayed out of the way. Koj arranged for us to see something called 'Builder's Valley', and because it was near enemy territory, we would need guards. A good twenty of them.
That is what upset Tree-Hugger. He wasn't much into Sand People, understandably, after what a group of them did to his family, and probably from sheer perspective from having lived here.
We were loaded on the oversized donkeys called Bantha and rode out in single file.
It took two days to arrive at the pace we set. We slept in little bag-pouch things along the sides of the Bantha for warmth, and rode all the time. After two days of the bouncing I was about ready to agree with HK about its wishes to turn these oversized rugs into floor mats and wallets.
At some point in the second day, HK suddenly said, "Narrative: We are being hunted. The sand raider's attempt to evade notice have failed."
"Is it other Sand people?" I ask.
"Negative."
"I haven't seen anything… How can you be sure?" Tree-Hugger asked.
The droid looked Tree-Hugger flatly. "Explanation: I am an Assassination droid. I know the ways of assassins. The group leader, is in agreement. He has noticed and is making alterations to evade this undesirable."
The Sand People were talking heavily amongst each other as we rode in their rough language and yells. They did look like they were being riled by something, but how could they know there was another hunter out there when us Jedi didn't? Must be a scent or something.
"Request: Master, shall I go dispose of the undesirable?"
"No." I say quickly. "Scout it out and see how bad the situation is. Don't kill." Perhaps with some intel, the Sand People can figure out what to do from here. In the distance is a ring of cliffs that looks like a circle around a valley. From how the Sand People are readying their weapons, I'm guessing we are nearing our destination.
And the droids gone and disappeared. That was fast. Then again, the thing can turn invisible so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
"You adapted awfully fast to having a psychopath droid under you." Tree-Hugger says.
Ok, is that a good or bad thing? He sounds like he is going to get into another of his preaching spouts, or at the very least be reproachful. "Revan's memories." I tell him. "It just feels… natural. And its being cooperative."
"Perhaps, but be wary. It is in its very nature to kill, murder, and assassinate. We shouldn't be having it as a companion, much less getting attached to it."
I frown. "But-"
"Remember, Varus, our way is about peace and diplomacy whenever possible. We shouldn't resort to outright slaughter at the first sign of trouble. I know it may be hard, and I won't deny it is not my usual approach as well, but I do make the effort. Even with… these people." He says with difficulty.
Ahsoka adds quietly. "That droid is a problem just waiting to happen."
"I know." I respond.
I know what their saying, but… I don't know… Revan was very much attached to the droid. And I… wait, am I assimilating with Revan's memories in some way? Well that's just great.
Still, I like the droid. Its funny and loyal, like a killer dog with a big gun.
Tree-Hugger sees my difficulty and says, "We will figure out what to do with the droid when we return to Coruscant. For now, we have more pressing matters. Find the coordinates, find the Star Forge, then return home. It could prove to be a good protector for you until then."
Thanks Tree-Hugger.
We stopped at a hand signal from Koj, and dismounted. The Sand people lurked across the dune on their hands and knees and looked out with scopes. HK hasn't returned yet, so we lack a translator. Koj signals for us to follow, and we dash across as fast as we can till we reach the out cropping. There is a small gap between the rocks allowing for us to enter single file, and the Sand people enter in first. A yell is heard. While I have no idea what it means, Koj signals for us to follow. Guess it's a good sign.
We enter through the rock pass, a rather short one, and enter into a large valley surrounded in rocks on all sides. The area is perfectly round, and there is nothing here.
"It's just a bunch of sand." Ahsoka picks some sand up and runs it through her fingers. She digs down about a foot, but there is nothing. We look out, and there is nothing here. No buildings, no bunkers or palm trees. Not even another Sand People camp. I was expecting a doorway in the rocks at the very most, but I don't see any doors reflecting light. It would take us all day just to examine the rock outcropping and find a door, if not all week.
Koj makes some yelling sound, and motions for us to come. The twenty-four of us go to the edge of the rocks, and there is a panel built into the rocks. It looks almost like the rocks grew around the panel.
HK laid itself out in the sand and watched. Unlike its weaker counterparts, the droid lacked moving water and sacks of meat sloshing around inside. It laid perfectly motionless. Its insides didn't move. Its outsides didn't either. To be safe, the droid even set its power lower so less electricity ran through its circuits. The droid's color blended in with the sand ontop of its invisibility frame, and to the eyes of its enemy, it didn't exist. He turned the lights off on his eyes and to the world, HK was dead.
Sand blew over it's surface, and covered it in a small layer of sand, but it didn't move. If anything, it found the sand covering it to be an additional point in its favor over its prey. The prey it could hear from a long distance away.
The Sand meatbags, calling themselves Ghorfa, were skilled at desert perception, but even they lacked the sight and hearing of the metal assassin. Anticipation was not a word to describe what it felt, but rather surety. The droid analyzed statistical probabilities and concluded the hunter on its Master's tail was going to pass by.
A probability that would bring a chance for the droid to 'stay in shape' as the Maker called it. HK found the phrasing to be inaccurate, as its shape did not deteriorate or fall 'out of shape'. Yet it did not deny the chance to keep its programming at its peak with constant updates; updates that required live testing.
The Master's undesirable flew into range, and in the instant it existed within HK's distant perception, he analyzed it, understood its strengths and weaknesses, came to the conclusion that the Master could not survive with the existence of the undesirable, cross-referenced this conclusion with the Master's wish for it to not truly remove the undesirable, and came to a final total. The equation was imbalanced and unequal. Action was necessary.
It aimed and fired, clipping a wing and sending the metal construct into the sand. HK executed its escape plan to return to the Master. Equality had been created. The undesirable would not endanger the master. It was many miles away, and they should be gone by the time it reaches them.
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