Strange World • New World by TruView

FanFiction Author's Note: With the unforeseen death of Ahsoka Tano, one chapter ends where another begins. However, what you read here isn't necessarily another chapter, but more of an interlude between such things. When Ahsoka died, it had a tremendous effect throughout the cosmos. The totality of her contributions as a freedom-fighter will no doubt be lauded across the long stretch of the RWT alliance member–worlds of the outlaying systems, but the fallout of her demise will devastate no one more so than the human female clone, Omega. The only lasting remedy for that searing pain in the pit of her stomach would come in the form of a small child, Ahsoka's legacy; a little girl whose stubborn demands for attention fortuitously distracted her long enough for the agony of heartache to subside until Omega acquired the resources to process through it in a way that was not self-destructive. Thrust into the limelight of new responsibilities, she will help guide their emerging confederation into a new understanding with the failing Republic-Empire that is now desperate and vengeful with the Force as her ally. But how did it become an ally to one with no force sensitivity and more importantly, why?

Star Wars_ Ahsoka/Omega Birthright of the Force

[On the extragalactic world of Kamino] Some Two Decades Ago

There was nothing save the intermittent buzzing of the floating med-droid as it went about executing an endless string of assigned tasks –some more tedious and repetitive than others. Besides the robot, the only organic life present was the newly appointed chief medical scientist, Nala Se, whose introspective meanderings could produce no more insight against another heavy bout of fatigue. She was finding it difficult to dive any more deeply into the why's and how's of her present conundrum regarding human genetics. And that buzzing sound wasn't helping any. So the gray-eyed Kaminoan puckered her thin lips in agitation.

"AZI," she called out unreservedly sounding bushed, "that will be all for tonight."

"...but I have not yet completed the sum total of my duties Chief Scientist Nala Sss…" It began.

"That's fine," She broke in, "You can do so tomorrow. I will need the entire room please."

"Very well." It added before zipping through a hatch up in the ceiling. It was one through which only robots with similar flying capability could pass and it led from the private lab all the way back to the main public facility that was at least twenty minutes away. The small droid would eventually have to travel through a tubular gangway, a long underwater passage that was essentially a transparent shaft serving as the only viable conduit in either direction.

Once it was gone, Nala Se sighed in relief but could only regard the contents of the test-tube with nothing more than abject bewilderment as her mind was already spent. Soon, she too would have to retire for the night. As usual, there were torrential thundershowers outside but she could not see them from this location. Three kilometers beneath the noisy surface and safe behind two feet of transparisteel, her secret lab offered ever more scintillating vistas of the multi-colored deep sea life. Sometimes it was simply enough to be here amidst all of the marine activity in order to kick-start the creative process. She caught the passing of a school of bush-tailed clown predator fish with their yellow-green neon color pulsating in a wave form back along each and every single one of their number as they moved in concert. The wondrous display of their bioluminescence made her blush.

"Such uniform precision." She whispered absently afraid she'd scare them away as they regarded her for a brief moment before moving on at a leisurely pace. And then she gave the order that implied she would again be sleeping down below as opposed to back in her own assigned living quarters topside.

"Computer, dim lights to fifteen percent please." It complied in silence. And that act alone had vivified the entire ambiance as even more creatures from below seemed to come to life drifting up along side to where she was careful not to touch the shielded exterior lest they suffer a painful –if not, deadly– overcharge of alternating currents. In the distance, she caught sight of a humongous jelly fish about twice the size of your typical sea-going Kamino transport vessel as it quickly ascended to meet another one of its kind high above, probably its mate. Where is the rest of the bloom? She wondered. Eventually, she saw a hint of the rest of that collective charging up after their king and queen. She smiled at the notion and took a seat with her face firmly pressed against the window. She couldn't help feeling like a child again. 'Not so hard to imagine that we too originated from the deep blue so many millennia ago' Her mom would say every time she spied her only child's face glued to the window. Still looking after the pair of jelly fish whose departing ascent was now a fading image, she lamented over her desire for a daughter of her own.

While Kaminoans no longer procreated in the natural sense as evolution had ordained –choosing instead to pass along that responsibility to automated birthing farms– the regular citizenry were still allowed to transact life in manageable small-sized family units. For the (un)lucky few however, high office by law had precluded such private ambitions as they could imperil the impartiality of sound judgment -even lovers were not permitted erasing any hope of children; Just the same, she and Prime Minister Lama Su had enjoyed more than a few nightcaps which occasionally found them waking up in the same bed. It was therefore no surprise when he had approved of a human clone project apart from the Jango Fett arrangement whereby one such clone would assist in her personal retinue of attendees. It was an ingenious way of skirting the law. She could never submit one of her ovaries to be impregnated but the decantation of a human clone was the next best thing. Quid pro Quo: Minister Su gets an unofficial life partner of comparable intellect while the chief scientist gains an adoptive daughter. Though in reality, it was more of a win-win for her considering how much intercourse stimulated creativity in certain areas of the brain; not to mention, the Minister's fondness for her was joyfully returned in kind.

Laying on her back staring up at the ceiling, she contemplated a future where the child would be at her side. Instantly, a single embryo suspended in its own crystal hearth located near the center of the room attended by hundreds of tiny nanobots seeing to its every need and well-being became more visible against a steadily increasing orange-yellow glow. The mechanism which saw to its well-being had apparently been attuned to Nala Se's thought waves prompting it to respond. From her favored position, the Kaminoan looked obliquely at the fetus with curious fascination and simply wanted to cry. But closing her eyelids was like shutting the mouth of an eager dam. Even while there was no one present, a firm control over her emotions was still preferable. And so she spoke softly and lovingly to it in hushed tones.

"You know, I have no idea what to call you. But I do know you will be the last of the Jango Fett stock as there is no more raw material from which to create another specimen. The few others that came before you have all proven to be inviable, save one. She however was assigned to part-take in some other project on some distant world far from here –I know not where, or under whose command. All my efforts to reacquire her did not bear fruit. I don't know what became of her. Perhaps you will find out someday. Never the less, the minister has assured me that you will be under my direct care and supervision so not to worry. Even though we are not of the same species, it is my sincere hope that you might learn to look upon me with the kind of favor a child might have for its own biological mother. In turn, I will watch over you with the paternal affection of a… a… Jedi." Her eyelids were getting heavier now but she continued against the heavy weight of drowsiness.

"How… did you do it? How… have you made it this...fffa"

She paused vaguely aware of an ocular protrusion of tangerine pigmentation starring back at her just on the other side of the see-thru metal. Its reflective black iris refracted what little light it could. When the chief medical scientist turned more fully to measure the size of this perturbation, her heart skipped a few beats. It was indeed, the biggest eye she'd ever seen at this distance as she had only suddenly become aware of how dark the room had gotten. Apparently, the arrival of this creature was so menacing that other marine life had vacated the area. She arose slowly and backed away in a non-threatening manner. Because of the paucity of light however, it was difficult to ascertain just how big the creature was. There was an electrical grid that was suppose to insulate this private facility from all possible underwater attacks of course but it was on its own power supply and was therefore no where near the lethal voltage of the main compound. Nala Se sincerely doubted how effective-if at all- it would hold up against something of this enormity. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing counting down from twenty. When she opened them again, the creature was gone. A steady return of some of the outside bioluminescence that had previously illuminated the interior aided the calming effect of her countdown-breathing technique. Yet, she rushed to the window and searched everywhere for the gargantuan eye that had taken up so much space on the other side. Relieved that it was no where in sight, she laid down again but this time, she made sure that the hearth was light at a frequency that did not recall the phantom leviathan. Backlit with an aqua blue, the embryo in its held Nala Se's attention once again. It was so beautiful she thought with against the soft sky glow emanating from behind. Then she did something… very maternal. She spoke quietly to it as if a pregnant woman would to her unborn child.

"I understand that the Jedi often raise their progeny with little to no regard for what species their young originate. And so the only true bond isn't by blood but by the quality of their connection to the Force and each other. Some among them have a greater affinity for it and so can wield it more skillfully than others, so I am told. But virtually, they all have it to a degree that they can sense it in each other and those outside the order; which is how they can find the next generation of knights. No one knows how or why some are chosen to possess it or be possessed by it. To be honest, the order seems a bit more like some religious cult. I don't mean to sound crude or impolite but we Kaminoans are fundamentally areligious by nature. We have always trusted in the physical laws of the universe and… this… Force… is… This… Force… iss"

For a long time Nala Se had not spoken. She did not speak because she had fallen asleep. And then suddenly, she started up again.

"I guess… what I mean is… what I want to say… is… I'm open to anything… right now… So long as it will keep you viable to be b… bor… n." While her mouth stopped moving, her mind ran on a little while longer like a hover car running on fumes before totally succumbing to sleep. Her last thoughts were of the various examples of Jedi Knights utilizing the Force constantly expanding the realm of possibility. It challenged her fixed way of thinking which was both an irritation that was also a psychological boost.

Long minutes after she was sound asleep, a faint ghostly impression appeared before the embryo as if from another dimension. Two figures conversed privately over its future. The younger of the two glanced at Nala Se for a lingering moment and then commented to its companion.

"I do believe this is the first time I've ever heard the pleas of a Kaminoan. What about you?"

"Yes, I have but it was so very long ago before you came into existence."

"I see. Tell me elder, can anything be done for this unborn soul that we might still imbue it's cells with Force sensitivity?"

"Much too late for that I'm afraid. But we can make the Force itself aware of this one; which is still just as good as a natural kind of birthright of the Force, if either of us chooses."

"You do not choose?"

"I do not choose."

"Then I will choose!" The rising level of its voice matched its indignation.

"Why?" The elder curiously asked in a tone that was almost supplicant. For while it was the older, all were equal. The birth or arrival of the younger was an expression of the growing-living Force.

"Can't you see it's needed impact on the galaxy?" It asked not bothering to address the elder directly. Taking on a pedantic posture, it continued on with more patience by first lowering its voice. "A true balance between light and dark might seem ideal, but is it always desirable? And does it make sense? While there is equal parts light and dark in many celestial relationships of the moons, planets, and other heavenly bodies, plants and animals usually require more light than the day will afford, hence fire light and other forms of artificial light. Even after the sun sets and darkness has blanketed the Terran surface, plants will use a substance called chlorophyll to convert the sun's stored light rays into usable energy in such hours. Thus, a necessity of imbalance of light to dark. Even so, all life is entropic tending to destabilize after a while."

"So, life is ultimately evil then?" The elder almost sounded mischievous but the younger knew it was sincere. While the elder could perceive of nuance it had problems getting the context right; which was this one's forte. Where the elder did excel, was in the firmness of conviction in right action. This notion however, was a knife that cut both ways, because for both Jedi and Sith, 'right action' is largely a subjective truth based on the tenets of their chosen sect.

"Isn't Good and Evil relative?" The younger began, "Life is usually sweeter at its outset where it is full of vigor and thought to be invincible. Nearing its inevitable conclusion or dusk, its usually more bitter and that is a kind of evil. But, it can also be a kind of good too!"

"I suppose." The elder sounded unconvinced. "All sentient life can reason that to kill lower lifeforms for the sake of sustenance is acceptable but to willy-nilly destroy for the sake of destruction itself is antithetical to meaningful evolution. The Sith don't see it that way I'm afraid." The elder insisted reaching the limits of his understanding.

"The Sith are a convenient way to fortify the erroneous belief that 'might makes right' or 'survival of the fittest.' In any case, this particular clone one will play a pivotal role in the shape of things to come. After Ahsoka, she will care for the next iteration of that lineage."

"It has to be her?" Asked the elder.

"Yes, and no one else. NOT even Ahsoka will have raised her adequately raised her."

"I see."

"You are beginning too. It is not the first of its kind, but it will be the last of its kind. This, Omega."

Just then, the Kaminoan stirred from its slumber but was still very much unconscious.

"Omega." Nala Se said with eyes closed. "That's what I'll call you. Your name… you… your name is... is Omega. What a clever name."

The Good Student clasped a hand over its mouth securing it with a second while turning toward the elder. The two Whills of the Force regarded each other in disbelief. And then the younger one spoke in a whisper.

"I thought we couldn't be seen, much less heard."

"We generally aren't but apparently, those whose minds are either desperate for answers or help can some how perceive of us, if only unconsciously."

"What should we do elder?" Asked the younger.

"We should leave and let this one rest."

And then, they were gone.

Author's Note: Stay Tuned for the last Chapter finishing out this Arc: Visions of the Force