Location: Jedi Temple, Chandrila

Date: 5 ABY

The Next Rotation…

On the New Jedi Temple on Chandrila, sunlight streamed into the sparring room, casting long shadows across the polished floors. It was late morning, and the air felt heavy from the energy of training. Luke Skywalker, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, circled Shin Hati in the sparring ring. The two had been going at it for over an hour, trading blows and tests of skill. Shin was relentless, fast, and sharp, her eyes locked in concentration, but Luke had the upper hand.

With a swift strike, Luke knocked her to the ground, his lightsaber coming to a halt just inches from her chest. Shin lay flat on her back, breathing heavily.

"You're getting better," Luke offered, reaching down to help her up.

Shin took his hand, a frown on her face. "Not good enough to beat you."

Luke grinned, taking a long drink from the flask at his side. "Give it time."

Ezra and Sabine were lounging against the far wall, watching the sparring with easy smiles. Ezra clapped his hands together. "Shin, you almost had him at that last turn. You just gotta be quicker on the pivot."

Sabine laughed, crossing her arms. "Luke's not an easy opponent, don't beat yourself up."

Luke wiped his brow, and as he did, a soft ping alerted him from his wrist. Glancing at his holowatch, he saw a message from Kata Akuna. His heart lifted immediately. He tapped the screen to read:

"Hi Luke! Hope all is well. It's been a while since I've done any sort of mission with Cal, so it's been fun. I learned how fortunate we are as Jedi to have a temple in the Core, quality food provided to us, and transportation to travel the Galaxy."

The message continued, and Luke's grin widened.

"I've seen people in unfortunate circumstances. We've agreed to a deal that will result in wealthy families being exiled from the system. So I'm not sure if that will negatively affect the rich's perception of us, especially being in the Core."

"I love you and look forward to seeing you soon :)"

He chuckled, feeling a flutter of warmth in his chest. The thought of Kata always seemed to light him up inside. He stared at the screen for a moment longer before Sabine nudged him.

"What's got you smiling like that?"

Luke shook his head with a playful smile, lowering the holowatch. "Nothing you need to know about."

Before Sabine could press him further, the doors to the training room slid open, and in walked Baylan Skoll. His large frame seemed to fill the room, and his presence commanded attention. Even now, there was a force about him, almost as if something ancient was lingering in his eyes.

"Master Skywalker," Baylan greeted, his voice a deep rumble that carried a quiet power.

Luke straightened. "Master Skoll."

Baylan crossed his arms. "Your father would like to see you on the lower levels. He's interested in hosting one of the spirits."

Luke's eyebrows raised in curiosity. "I see. I'll join him shortly."

"Let's go now," Baylan said, his gaze firm, but with a glimmer of understanding in it.

Luke nodded. He turned to Shin, who was still catching her breath from their sparring. "We'll continue another time."

Baylan glanced at his apprentice. "Shin, I'll be back this evening for your gymnastics."

"Yes, Master," Shin replied, her voice even as she glanced at him.

Ezra stepped forward, tapping Shin gently on the shoulder. "Hey, Shin, if you need help with agility, my partner Yalara can train with you. She helped Luke improve his agility, and trust me, you'll be flying circles around us in no time."

Luke smiled at the compliment, and Shin gave Ezra a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Very well."

With that settled, Luke and Baylan exited the room, leaving Ezra, Sabine, and Shin behind. The two Jedi made their way down the corridors of the temple, the atmosphere shifting as they descended to the lower levels.

The deeper they went, the more the halls felt cold, almost hollow. Luke's thoughts wandered back to the message from Kata, and a part of him longed to see her again. But for now, there were other matters to attend to. If his father wanted to commune with one of the spirits, it was something Luke couldn't take lightly.

Baylan and Luke stepped into the elevator, the metallic hum of its descent filling the silence between them. The further down they went, the colder the air felt—like the weight of the temple itself was pressing in from all sides.

"So you've been down here often?" Luke asked, his tone casual, but with a hint of curiosity.

Baylan nodded his head, the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips. "Yes, Lord Vader and I have been studying these entities for quite some time."

"Oh," Luke replied. "Well, it's different down here."

The elevator came to a slow stop, the doors hissing open. Before them was a long, light-gray hallway, stretching toward the archives where the Force spirits were held. The walls were smooth and metallic, giving the entire place a sterile, almost eerie feeling.

They walked down the hallway in silence, their boots echoing softly off the floor. At the end, the door slid open with a soft hum, revealing the chamber where the entities were kept.

Inside were five large clear containers, each one holding a swirling mass of gas—each one a distinct color: purple, yellow, orange, red, and green. Next to each container was a matching holocron, their faint glow casting eerie shadows across the room. The air was thick with power, and Luke could feel the Force pulsing through every inch of the space.

Mill Alibeth and Vivert Stag, both former Jedi turned bounty hunters, were standing by the containers, datapads in hand. Their eyes flicked up as Baylan and Luke entered. Merrin, with her dark Nightsister robes, and Spectre Seven—formerly known as the Seventh Sister—stood quietly near them, observing the scene.

Lord Vader stood near the purple entity, his arms crossed in front of it, his presence a looming shadow over the room. On the ground before him was a purple holocron, glowing faintly as though it was waiting for something.

Luke's eyes scanned the room before they landed on his master. He smiled. "Hi, Master," he said, offering a small bow to Spectre Seven.

Spectre Seven returned the smile, though it was more subtle. "Hello, my apprentice."

Luke felt a warm sense of belonging, even in this cold, foreboding room. But his attention was quickly drawn to his father, whose deep, mechanical breathing was the only sound breaking the silence.

"Hi, Father," Luke greeted, stepping toward him. "Why did you want to bring me here?"

Vader turned to face his son, his voice as imposing as ever. "During my meditations, my son, a former Jedi spirit warned me of an impending conflict. It is close. And to defeat this enemy, I foresee us needing to use tactics beyond the traditional."

Luke nodded slowly, his curiosity piqued. "I know, Father. We've discussed this before. But what tactics have you and the Grand Admiral thought of so far?"

Vader's mask shifted slightly, as though contemplating how much to reveal. "Ah, my son, I've hidden some of them from you… But we have our methods. A biological weapon that will target our enemy when they finally attack."

"A biological weapon?" Luke repeated, his brow furrowing. "That's… intense. What else?"

Vader's tone remained even. "Another weapon comes from the Chiss. Thrawn's people. It has the power of a sun, contained within a ship. It is called the Star Flash."

Luke's eyes widened at the mention of such a weapon. "And… these gas entities? What's your plan with them?"

Vader gestured to the purple gas swirling in the container before him. "I have an inkling to connect with this one. A balance between dark and light. It thinks I am an adequate host."

Luke's gaze shifted to the purple entity, watching as it churned within the confines of the container. "And what kind of powers do these entities have? What have you discovered so far?"

Vader's voice was measured, thoughtful. "From the holocrons, we've learned that these entities can easily disintegrate beings and buildings alike. But the full extent of their power remains unclear."

Luke glanced over at Baylan, curiosity sparking. "Baylan is already hosting one of them, isn't he? Couldn't we try testing its power on something—garbage, maybe? Junk?"

Baylan's deep voice cut through the room, answering before Luke could finish the thought. "Interesting you say that, Skywalker. We've already tried. And within seconds, the objects were completely obliterated."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Obliterated, huh? So it's strong."

"At first," Baylan continued, "it was hard to control. The range, the capacity—it's overwhelming. But after some practice, I've managed to narrow its effect to specific things. The precision improves with time."

Luke crossed his arms, studying Baylan. "Can you see the future with it?"

Baylan's response was calm, almost contemplative. "Surprisingly, not the same as your father. The entity grants other abilities… but seeing the future isn't one of them. At least, not yet."

Luke shifted his gaze back to the gas entities. The power contained within those containers—it was unnerving, but also fascinating. If they could harness it, control it, maybe it could be the key to stopping the looming threat Vader had spoken of. But the question remained—how far would they go to achieve that control?

"So," Luke said after a moment, breaking the silence, "what's the next step? Are we… releasing these things, or is there more we need to do first?"

Vader's mask tilted slightly toward the purple entity again. "I will test my connection with this one first. Once we are sure it can be controlled, we'll proceed with the others. But be cautious, my son. These entities are ancient, and their loyalty lies only with themselves. They are not allies. They are tools."

Luke nodded, his mind buzzing with the implications of what his father had said. Tools or not, the idea of wielding such power—it was dangerous. And yet, the threat they were preparing for was even greater.

Baylan took a step forward, his eyes still on the containers. "The power we're dealing with here is unlike anything we've encountered before. It's raw, untamed. But if we can master it, the advantage it gives us could be unmatched."

Luke remained silent for a moment, considering the weight of Baylan's words. The balance between power and control—between the light and the dark. It was a line they would all have to walk carefully.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough," Luke said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Indeed," Vader replied, his deep voice carrying that familiar weight, but with a subtle change. There was something softer, less rigid about it since Endor, ever since his body had been repaired and his suit remodeled. His skin had begun returning to its original color, and the once-mangled body beneath the armor was healing. He no longer needed his helmet to survive, but the habit of wearing it still lingered.

Now, he reached up, slowly removing the removable, redesigned helmet. Luke watched, eyes widening slightly as his father revealed his face—his real face. It had been a long time since Luke had seen him like this. Vader's features were no longer scarred beyond recognition; his skin, though still pale, had regained some semblance of normality. His head, buzzed short, gave him a stark, almost warrior-like appearance. Luke smiled, quietly amazed by how much his father had changed.

"Alibeth," Vader's voice interrupted the moment, "open the container to the purple entity. I am ready."

"Yes, Lord Vader," Alibeth replied, fingers dancing over her datapad as she complied. The clear container hissed, slowly releasing the purple Force entity. The gaseous form swirled for a moment, hovering ominously in the air before making its way toward Vader.

Luke instinctively stepped closer to his father as the gas moved with eerie precision, slipping into Vader's neck. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Vader spasmed, violently jerking as if he were being electrocuted. A loud yell escaped him, followed by more spasms that shook his entire body. Luke's heart pounded in his chest, but he held his ground, ready to intervene if needed.

After what felt like an eternity—but was probably only twenty seconds—Vader's body stilled. His breathing returned to normal, the heavy, controlled pattern Luke was used to hearing.

"Father?" Luke asked, his voice a mix of concern and hope.

"I am okay, my son," Vader assured him. He bent down, picking up his helmet from where it had fallen during the struggle. After a brief pause, he placed it back on his head, securing it in place. The faint hiss as it sealed was oddly comforting to Luke—it was a sound he associated with his father's presence, even now.

Luke took a deep breath, relieved. "I have an idea."

Vader turned slightly, the faintest tilt of his head showing his curiosity. "Yes?"

"Once Cal and Kata return from their mission, let's go to the other Jedi Temple on Devaron. To test its powers. It's been a while since I've checked in over there."

Vader nodded slowly, as if considering it. "Then I assume Master Skoll will come with us?"

Luke grinned, a bit of his old mischief shining through. "Yes."

The two shared a rare, silent understanding, nodding in sync. They had found clarity in this chaotic new world they were building.

"Alibeth, Stag," Skoll said, his deep voice breaking the quiet, "keep studying these entities in the meantime. And if any of you or the others feel a calling to be a host, let us know."

Vivert Stag gave a slight bow of his head. "We will keep you posted, Master Skoll."

Spectre Seven, standing just behind Luke, placed a hand on his back—a gesture both comforting and motherly. Luke looked up at her, smiling at the familiar warmth in her eyes. She had been a constant for him, guiding him through his trials.

"Maybe I can practice on your circuit course once I'm back on Devaron," Luke said, glancing up at his master.

Spectre Seven smirked, her signature expression that always seemed to have just a hint of mischief. "You need to keep up with daily cardio, Skywalker."

Luke chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "I know, I know."

Her smirk widened just slightly. "I'll believe it when I see it."

There was a lightness in the room now, a brief moment of reprieve from the gravity of their situation. But even as they smiled and exchanged casual words, the weight of what was coming loomed over them all. The gas entities, the biological weapons, the Star Flash—these were not tools of peace.