An old slug, a young slug

by riayi

On his 12th birthday, Beldorion awakes from a troubled sleep. He recalls fragmented scenes of a human striking a burning slash under a muscular Hutt, the lightsaber spilling his organs. He died, he thinks, confused, before his eyes shut again, and he begins forgetting. Beldorion dies, but hundreds of cycles earlier, young Bel begins dreaming of the future.

15. Chapter Yminus1

Chapter Y-1: Disaster strikes, opportunity calls

By the year 768 after the Ruusan reformation, Jedi Master Yoda had become well acquainted with Master Beldorion, having collaborated on a number of missions. The long years together in the Order meant they had outlived most other Jedi, and Yoda didn't think of Beldorion as that prophetic Hutt youngling anymore, as the Visions had seemed to become more sparse and then disappeared. And so, he didn't think it strange that there was no clear warning before the Great Disaster struck, causing chaos across the Galaxy. As the Order most senior Masters, it was also expected they'd be sent to assist in the recovery, as well as investigating the incident itself. In short order, Beldorion reported that the Legacy Run's destruction could be traced to a secret group of conspirators, the Nihil.

That rogue group was also a familiar foe, descended from the Path of the Open Hand, a defunct anti-Jedi group. Not so defunct after all, Yoda considered, this was a powerful gesture if they meant to become prominent in the Galaxy again. And at the cheap cost of thousands of innocent lives, he grumbled, 150 years are nothing, forever they should have gone. Their method, this time, shied away from the use of the Nameless and took advantage of the properties of hyperspace itself, causing untold, unpredictable destruction. Though the rescue at the Hetzal system had been succesful, to a point, what had come to be called "Emergences" remained a looming threat, and the Chancellor had declared a moratorium on travel in nearby systems. A death toll in the hundreds of thousands was small considering those that had been at risk, but it was heart-wrenching considering it was no natural disaster, but a malicious attack.

After weeks of investigation, Beldorion's efforts had allowed them to find and capture the culprits before they could escape to wreak havoc with another demonstration, their plans to destroy Starlight Beacon (which hadn't even been inaugurated yet) foiled with no victims. Just like in Jedha, stopped before their poison allowed to spread was. Could it be, Yoda wondered, that the Visions were not gone but kept to the Seer instead? Little difference, it makes, as long as the Force it serves. His colleague's studious nature had seen him captured by the possibilities of the "Path engines" the Nihil employed, though Yoda saw little point in an alternative to traditional engines. Like Fold Space, it was a niche trick, unnecessary when technology allowed non-Force sensitives to achieve the same feats with relatively little training.

Beldorion, evidently, thought different, and embraced obscure techniques and technologies, claiming change and growth were the future, with an almost un-Jedi passion. It was, of course, just one of his foibles, like claiming the Sith were in hiding somewhere, planning to overthrow the Order. It was fortunate, then, that his scholarly pursuits provided an outlet for his runaway imagination. And a mean sparring partner, he makes as well. Hopefully, Master Fay would drop by in the next few decades, and they could all have a reunion to complain about the young ones. Shame that the healer project had been dropped, few Jedi interested when Bacta tanks were almost as effective and less Jedi-intensive. Yoda himself had learned the basics, and was always up to healing a scrape after lightsaber sessions, but it seemed like some paths were just unpopular choices for Padawans to pursue.

Oblivious to Yoda's plan, back in the Hetzal system, Beldorion studied a Path engine. An incredible creation, bypassing hyper lanes completely, it was limited only by the need for an space sensitive to provide the Paths. That was, of course, more of an advantage than a limitation. It would be relatively easy to train new adepts into Path finding, and with the help of the Forge, space would change forever. An unsung villain, he mused, or perhaps an anti-hero. He smiled. But I should let Yoda know at the very least. I'm sure he'll love the idea. His smile faded. But it must be done, however, even if none else will understand it. Alone in the darkness, he continued his work. It would soon be time to contact the Banites.

Author's note:

A snippet of a prelude to chapter Y. It was a plan long in coming, Yoda, and you were never very good at catching those.