Chapter 4

The Heist/The Voice of the Loyal

NASA Headquarters, D.C. One month later

Robin and Ben were chatting energetically yet quietly as they approached the military-controlled facility, each dressed in a suit. The plan was very simple: pose as theFBI on a routine inspection while toting very well-made fake IDs to gain entrance without relying on other means. The two young men finished their quick review of the plan as they approached from the front of the building. Once they were close enough for the guards to notice them, the pair got in the 'zone', having practiced numerous times over the past month, amidst training and travel.

The guards at the entrance commanded them to halt, and they complied. "Who are you? Why are you here?" asked one of the guards. "There is no entry without an appointment." The other guard added, laughing and just enjoying his authority. "Obnoxious little bastard," Robin thought as he fought to keep his face perfectly neutral. Robin smiled disarmingly at the first guard. "I think we have clearance to enter," Robin said, quickly flashing his badge with Ben following suit. "I'm Special Agent Marley. The young man with me is Trainee Dylan, my protégé." The guard didn't notice the aliases they used, a good thing, but a little disappointing, Robin thought to himself. The first guard paled a little; nobody liked Feds visiting unannounced. When that happened, 90% of the odds said somebody would be fired. "Shit, sorry sirs. What's the problem?" Robin smiled a warm, winning, reassuring smile before replying, relaxing the guard. "No problem, just a routine inspection for POTUS and our pencil-pushing bastard of a boss," Robin said, earning a chuckle from the first guard. "Isn't your partner a little young to be a Fed?" The obnoxious guard asked, earning a quick, subtle death glare from Ben, who answered, "It's called in-field training. Had you been listening, you'd have known I'm still a trainee. Stow the attitude and work better or you might not keep your job." Ben growled, and the guard muttered an apology, and on that parting note, they were escorted in.

The poor guard who had been unfortunate enough to get on Ben's bad side looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole. Robin almost felt bad for him, but he knew that Ben was just sticking to his character. The lobby and reception area were what you'd expect from a military installation. Everything they saw was on the website, (All hail Google). "We need to inspect the hard drives for malware and virus traps. Where are they? Robin asked politely. "Sub-Level C-3" the polite guard replied. "Do you know where the elevator is that leads to that level?" Ben asked. The guard Ben had embarrassed was more than willing to redeem himself, so he told them where to go and printed passes for security purposes, then they parted ways. But not before Robin had nudged some light-side energy at the guard; the darkness over the guard had dissipated and would be gone very soon. "That'll help his attitude and hopefully his career," Robin thought.

As the duo walked to the secure server room's elevator, they discussed the mission in a code that sounded like bureaucratic jargon. Once they arrived downstairs, they would obtain the hard drives that held the collective knowledge of everything space related. Upon arriving, Ben had begun to set the EMP charges to take out security so they could leave with relative ease.

Ben gave Robin a new toy to play with; now seemed like a good time to wear it, as he had to stand guard for Ben. Robin put on the gadget called a distortion mask, which worked by bending light around the face and head of the wearer, now even if he were recorded, it wouldn't show any facial features. Unfortunately, it was far less effective at close range, and they only had the one. In addition to the EMPs, Ben had also programmed a virus to wipe the hard drives after they stole all the information they needed if anyone tried to restore things before a countdown reached a specific time, allowing them ample time to get out of Dodge.

"Ben's a scary smart kid", Robin thought as he kept watch. Good thing Robin was wearing his new toy. "We have incoming hostiles." Ben told Robin after having hacked the NASA CC-TV (closed circuit security feed, on and recording 24/7, providing the two with a view of the whole complex simultaneously.) "How many? Armed?" Robin asked. "Three people, armed with batons drawn and guns holstered. Remember the mask doesn't work at close range, so they'll see you." Robin grinned. Finally, he had a good excuse to use that awesome technique.

It didn't take long for the three soldiers Ben had warned him of to arrive. One stepped forward, the senior officer, based on his garb and medals. "Hello, I'm Commander Reinard; these two are my subordinates. I've been told your IDs had an error in the coding, so you have to leave immediately." Reinard said, scowling. "Gentlemen, take him into custody," Renaird commanded his subordinates. Robin drew on the Force and poured the energy out with his will, creating a very powerful hypnotic suggestion. "We aren't here; you will forget this entire interaction. Go to the cantina with your men and have a few drinks. Then go home to your loved ones." He added a second later, "Take cabs. Don't drink and drive." The men left in a dazed stupor after repeating and rationalizing the suggestions left in their minds. "I love that!" Robin said wistfully, silently thankful that so many Earthlings were weak-minded since it made the Jedi mind trick stronger. Ben grinned at him over his shoulder as he finished up. "It's useful, for sure. Remember how you used to have so little control and you'd whammy whole groups instead of just the target? You've improved on your skill without a doubt." Ben grinned while Robin chuckled at the memory of his formerly dismal control.

"Ok, we're done. Now to get the hell out of here." Ben said, after he had stolen the information and uploaded his virus. Once in the elevator back to the surface, Ben gave Robin a flash drive. "A copy in case I get caught, unlikely as it is. Better safe than sorry." Ben explained upon seeing Robin's puzzled expression. Ben checked the security system's closed-circuit live feed again. "Damn, a half dozen soldiers with a shoot-first-ask-questions-later type of demeanour. No time for a mind trick." Ben said. Robin grinned and replied, "Then I'll spin illusions to scare them so we can get out." With that, Robin opened the door and put words to action, creating very powerful illusions that would look and feel very real, as in real pain, though there was no actual damage. Luke had warned him that his illusion conjuring technique should only be used as a last resort; if they were outnumbered and outgunned, Robin surmised that this situation qualified.

What Robin did was very simple but difficult; he sent raw fear at his targets. That drew out people's individual and specific nightmares, which meant the target was essentially building the illusions themselves. He reasoned that illusions were a better choice than combat and violence; this was supposed to be low profile after all.

Once they had reached the parking lot, Robin and Ben got in their '67 Chevy Impala and sped away to the temporary base. "So what info did we steal?" Robin asked Ben as he drove down the highway. "It'll take some time to sift through everything; we stole so many files. I'll know more once we get back to base." Ben replied. Over the past month, Robin had learned much under the guidance of Master Skywalker, though Luke had taken his sweet time to teach him the advanced techniques, demanding that Robin hone his existing abilities until he was satisfied.

For a while, Robin had been annoyed by the snails-pace they were using in his training. But after the first week, he understood why Luke had him practice fundamental abilities so much. Luke beat Ben in a spar/demo with only the fundamentals, while Ben had no need to hold back, demonstrating how simple abilities could outperform the more complex ones with enough control and skill. Now Robin had incredibly fine control of the energy of the Force unlike before. Even if his repertoire of Force abilities was minimal, he could still hold his own with Ben, who had far more training and knew advanced techniques, sometimes doing even better than his fellow disciple.

Robin turned on the stereo, which was currently set to classic rock; (his choice.) The only rule Robin had was that the driver picks the music, occasionally taking requests, while shotgun shuts his cakehole. This rule was for Ben to learn more about music and culture from Earth, and Robin was a bit of a control freak from time to time, a flaw that he had been getting better at understanding and therefore trying to work on. "Too bad weed isn't legal in all states; luckily it is here", Robin mused silently. Ben was a step ahead; having lit the spliff, they rolled to reward themselves on a job well done. Ben took a toke and then offered it to Robin, who relaxed immediately after taking a puff. They passed it back and forth until just before entering the state of Nevada, stopping only to switch seats with Ben. (Robin taught Ben and Luke how to drive a car), Robin put out and ditched the world's-smallest roach in the desert.

"Back to the grind," Robin thought, though he did love how his lessons constantly pushed him to seek ever greater heights; he once literally jumped the grand-canyon, "jumped" as in using his legs and the Force only, nothing else. That was fun, terrifying, but fun. Once they had returned to the hotel, they swapped out the current license plates on Robin's car with new ones.

He and Ben were running on fumes, and as much as they both wanted to get their work finished, they were both too exhausted and crashed on the floor, too fatigued to reach the hotel beds. Luke had sensed the two young men and alerted Cindy of their status; both parents happily supported their respective kids' weight, while aided by the semi-asleep boys wobbling steps, they managed to get them to bed.

That night, everyone seemed to be in a very deep, peaceful sleep, especially Robin. In light of appearances, Robin was having a strange dream, strange in that those connected to the Force rarely dream, making the ones they do have all the more meaningful. The young man had been having a recurring dream, though vision might be a more accurate term. Each time it happened, the visuals and audio got clearer and sharper. The first time was just a smudge that he knew had been trying to reach out. That night, however, there was a huge difference, as this time he found himself in a place that felt similar to his inner world, where Shadow stood vigil.

Robin knew that, however similar this place felt, it wasn't his inner world. It was a forest clearing, beautiful and tranquil. Birdsong came from everywhere, and you could hear a stream nearby. As far as Robin could see, he was alone. How had he been summoned here? "Hello, Robin." Spoke a deep, warm, disembodied voice, (think James Earl Jones as Mufasa), causing Robin to look for the source of the voice. The voice chuckled with mirth and said, "Down here." Robin looked down and was greeted by the sight of a four-legged creature covered seemingly everywhere with what looked like seamless obsidian, shot through everywhere with silvery-white strips, and a strange symbol on its chest. "It looked a little like a crown," Robin thought. Its only uncovered parts were its eyes and mouth.

Even before meeting the Skywalkers and connecting to the Force, Robin was always open-minded and easygoing. Under Luke's tutelage, his open-minded nature had grown and was growing still. The vision he was experiencing, or whatever it was, was pretty tame compared with some of Luke's told experiences. (Luke occasionally told stories of his adventures when he'd been younger). "You summoned me here?" He politely asked the being before him. "Yes Robin, I apologize for the abruptness, but might I say how joyous I am that we can finally talk! It's been so long; I've dreamt of this moment where I can finally reach out to you." Robin was shocked by this revelation.

"But this is only my first dream with you in it; clearly anyway, it was always blurry before. So why have I only heard from you recently if you've been trying to contact me for such a long time?" Robin asked, slightly confused. The quadruped sighed before attempting to answer the young man before him: "Robin, you live on a planet that harbours people who are as good as disconnected from the Force. Your connection was blocked since infancy for reasons unknown, and you've only just reestablished a connection. I could only call on you like this because of your newfound connection to the Force, but it's tenuous, so my time to talk with you is limited. My energy is great, though I'm bound to only use it under certain circumstances, such as contacting you tonight, and I thought it disrespectful to you, my king, (FYI this is a recurring title used to address Robin mostly in mindscapes. Why? Keep reading to find out! I know, evil, right? hehe,) to break into your greatest sanctum (the mind and soul). Not that I would have even if I could, except in emergencies, as I am loyal to you. Regretfully, I can't tell you everything you want to know. However, at least now you understand me, just like Dr. Dolittle." The canine-like creature said with merriment dancing in his eyes, an expression Robin's seen many times on… "Einstein! Is that you?!" Robin asked incredulously.

"Yes, it's me. This form is but one of three I can take. You know Einstein, the dog, Einstein, your brother. This is my Guardian form. My job is much like Shadow's; you could even call us colleagues of a sort. While Shadow guards you against spiritual attack, I'm tasked with protecting your body, and of course, we can both feed you power should yours ever become inaccessible or inadequate. We're going to run out of time, so let me tell you something you must remember: Your destiny, and the answers you will invariably seek lie with Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Order. I'll use the Force to help you convince Mom too, though she's perceptive, so I doubt you or I need to do much to convince her; she knows on some level that we must go with them." With these parting words, Einstein barked, and Robin awoke, his resolve greater than ever, and certain unanswered questions had been clarified.

Now Robin had an objective after they fixed up the Jade Shadow. "Things keep getting weird," Robin thought, hearing Shadow snicker lightly at the same moment Einstein sneezed, which caused Robin to smile despite his sleep deprivation. "I'm enjoying the weird," he thought with a final light chuckle as he drifted back to sleep; this time it was blissfully dreamless.

It took Ben a mere three days to sort through the millions of terabytes from the NASA heist. A couple of days later, Ben found what they'd been looking for: the schematics for a working Matter Fabricator; capable of making the material they'd need for repairing the Shadow. Ben also found what appeared to be a very old journal he'd snagged when at NASA while Robin had dealt with the officers; his Jedi reflexes were faster than the camera. (Ben was using the digital copy to preserve the integrity of the original, which was now where it belonged). The journal belonged to what appeared to be a Jedi. The owner of the journal had exhibited strange and amazing powers, and the man had been armed with a lightsaber. Out of idle curiosity, Ben compared the genetics in the file to both Robin and Cindy. Enough markers indicated that the crash victim was indeed a forebearer of the Stace bloodline. Once they got back to the Academy, he would look up how far back the Stace family tree went and how connected they were to the Order.

Ben had watched Robin closely over the last five days. He had sensed conflict in Robin, so he broached the subject and asked him if he could help somehow. Robin simply smiled a quick but genuine smile, telling Ben he appreciated the offer of help, but just needed to think a little about whatever it was that was bothering him. The next day after training, Ben saw Robin speaking with his mom, who looked pensive before nodding at Robin with a smile. He'd also seen Robin look at Einstein with a funny look, like the dog would talk or provide some unknown wisdom, (if only Ben knew).

Ben wondered what was going on. Even Luke was curious about the young man's new, more thoughtful side. While nobody could call Robin loud, he was never quite this quiet. He'd been thinking deeply, borderline brooding over weighty thoughts and feelings. When Ben realized how close he and his father were to having the Shadow repaired, he understood, at least in part, why Robin and Cindy had been acting differently; they were considering whether to come on this journey and leave Earth behind. "That's some heavy thinking," Ben thought. "They'll be ok though," he smiled; he wondered if he could get his father to procrastinate a little more and buy some time for the Staces.

The next day found Robin and Cindy back to their usual selves. Robin's usual training fervour had returned, and both he and his mother smiled more, and Robin had stopped acting like he was bipolar. This was the Robin Ben and his father had come to know. "Have they come to a decision?" Ben wondered with a little anxiety. When Ben and his father returned to continue repairing the ship, Robin tagged along. As though sensing the silent question, Robin said, "I want to learn about all this stuff if you don't mind teaching. Ships, repairs, modifications, it is so amazing!" After a few hours of learning the basics of alien technology with Ben's help. (Ben helped make the Impala electric without reducing performance; it could even hover. Ben called it a 'retro-fitted speeder', a gift to the man who helped him and his father).

A few days later, while helping the Skywalkers apply the final touches to the now-repaired Shadow, Robin surprised Luke during a comfortable silence that had engulfed the three. "My mum and I talked it over, and we could make arrangements so that we could leave with you, and not worry about anything back here. So what do you think? Can we come with you? I feel the pull of destiny… and feel that I would do well in the Jedi Order. No rush; think and talk it over." Robin finished nervously, choosing to leave as he suddenly felt strangely awkward.

Robin had barely turned to face the hatch when he heard Luke speak in a low, serious tone. "Are you sure? Joining the Jedi Order isn't a job or a hobby. It's a calling. It's a lifestyle." Luke met the young man's eyes and saw great resolve burning within; then Robin replied, his tone resolute with conviction. " As I said, destiny calls me to you and the Order. Perhaps the two are one." Kneeling before Luke in respect with his head bowed, there was no denying as an objective observer that he looked good; knightly, humble, and yet more charismatic and intelligent than most, (not that Robin saw himself as such. Oblivious dummy).

Such qualities reminded Ben of his genealogical project on the Stace family and its interesting history; he had previously been lamenting that it would be incomplete as he and Luke had only partial access to the Jedi Archives information, but if the mother and son were coming, it changed the circumstances considerably for the better, for it was no longer going to be a parting. Ben also wanted to present a complete workup of Cindy and Robin's family tree, with just a little emphasis on those who were Force-sensitive. "Such answers must surely reside in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant; the capital of the Galactic Alliance." Ben thought excitedly.

After a brief moment, Luke spoke: "Rise, as my equal, as we are all equal in the eyes of the Force. Were we at the Academy back home, you would most likely be granted the title Child of the Force, a title bestowed on those with incredibly great potential and raw power. Know this: If such a title were conferred upon you, you should know about the title and its checkered past. My father was the last to bear that particular title, he was a great man and did many good things for many people. A hero, and champion for justice." Luke smiled sadly. "Then he fell and became a shell of his true self, bearing the moniker Darth Vader destroyer of the old Jedi Order. If you join the Order many will see you as we do, natural Jedi material. Many may also see you as a potential threat, like my father. Still, others might see you as a tool for their selfish designs. You joining the Order would, to a lesser extent, affect your mother as well. You will be seen and watched by many, with many different motivations to look your way. My father was subject to great scrutiny, and this was a part of his fall to the Dark Side. I will only take you if you swear to never let others' opinions, good or bad, lure you down the wrong path".

Luke's face held a serious expression Robin hadn't seen before, though it had a touch more gentleness as he continued, "I will protect you as much as I can; nevertheless, my reach only goes so far. I can't overrule the Jedi Council, for example, though I can vouch for you or argue a case for you until you better understand Jedi politics. I'll sponsor you both until you get strong and savvy enough to stand on your own. Understood?" Luke held out his hand. "Only shake my hand if you and your mum are sure you want to come with us, and if you swear to stay true to yourself." Robin turned to smile at his mother, followed by Einstein, who'd just boarded. The woman and dog had been approaching the Jade Shadow at a comfortable pace for the last twenty minutes. Robin turned back to Luke and said, with a smile, "I swear to stay true to myself and the Will of the Force.'' Shaking Luke's hand while simultaneously using the Force to help load their luggage. "Welcome to the Order, my now-official Apprentice. You'll be a Padawan in no time!" Luke said, grinning happily. Shadow and Einstein both whooped and cheered for him. The duo went on to explain the ranking system of the Jedi. To be a Padawan was the rank given to students under the personal guidance of a Master, and was the equivalent of being a Journeyman, which is higher than an Apprentice. They strapped in and, a moment later, blasted off with now-updated star charts and a newly fixed engine. The ship was bound for Coruscant, and for the Skywalkers, that meant home. (Coruscant is the Capital of the majority of the galaxy, nestled at the centre of the Core Worlds. It was home to the Jedi Order's main Temple and the Galactic Senate. More to come!)

Meanwhile… somewhere among the Core Worlds, (the planetary systems that were generally protected from crime. Think similarly to gated communities.) Grand Lord Vol of the Sith awoke slick with sweat, momentarily terror-stricken to his core. He had thought himself cured of such weaknesses long ago. The Force trembled, and he could tell the game of power had changed drastically. Whatever the cause was, it made Vol remember fear. The last time he felt fear was when he fought and ran from a Jedi Paladin, a rank created especially for those blessed both physically and with high Force Power levels and great intelligence. Little concrete information had existed when it came to Paladins; mostly rumours and speculation, the odd story if you were lucky. They were said to be related to The Founders of the Order itself, before the ideological shift that caused the split between Jedi and Sith. Still, others whispered that they had the full power of the Force, light and dark sides, both; and true or not, they were terrors on the battlefield.

That had been several lifetimes ago. Now it felt as fresh as the first and only time Grand Lord Vol had engaged such a foe. Vol had survived by running and hiding from the Paladins that day, and it seemed his terror did too. For a long time, he fueled his growth with fear at the core, with his hatred of his fear spurring him on. He had vowed to become more powerful than his Master, stronger than them all, and to destroy anything that hindered him in his quest for ever greater power. It was the Sith way.

Then one day the Paladins were gone, vanished; said to have gone to the edge of the galaxy into uncharted space. On that day, hearing that news, he thought his terror had died. He had thought himself the strongest for thousands of years, staying alive through ancient and forbidden Sith teachings. Until tonight, when he felt the Force itself tremble, and his fear returned greater than he had felt it before. After thousands of years, were the Paladins making a resurgence? Vol hoped not, and once again, his fear became fuel for his hate and strength. Whatever this new power was, he would have it as his own, turn it to his self-interested ends, or destroy it. Vol found himself smiling as he returned to his chambers, confident once again that no matter what, he'd always come out on top.

"One way or another, I will not be denied!" Vol thought with a dark chuckle and an evil smirk. Skywalker was gone to places unknown; the Jedi were without their vaunted Grandmaster. Soon he would make his move, and the Sith would rule once more, with him leading the way.