AN: Hello there! It's been a while since I've posted. Admittedly I got busy with work, life, my puppy, and was sick for a bit and just didn't feel like writing (or doing much else), but it's crazy how time flies. I'm going to try and get back on my two-week posting schedule. Not really going to make any promises, but I'm going to try. Rest assured that I will see this story through to the finish. I'm too invested in it and too stubborn. Even if I don't always hit my two-week schedule. Plus, I do really love writing this story and am quite attached to the characters and plot.
Anyways, here's the next chapter, and as always thanks for all the support, and thanks to my betas, Dragomi125, Tracyn, and FractionalSith for helping me out.
MaySail199 - Thanks! There are always more landmines, seen and unseen, to encounter. Glad you always enjoy the battle scenes. I do enjoy writing them, and I'm happy to see you enjoy the Force Troopers and how Anakin has developed. MTFBWY.
Chapter 69 - Unusual Negotiations
"FRAK!" Colbert Varad cursed.
Finn laughed, the Twi'lek looking around and seeing many of her teammates holding onto their mounts' reins for dear life. They were all on suubatars, which were a six-legged riding animals, and while many had been hesitant to believe it when Kyakhta and Bulgan told them the creatures ran like the wind, they were no longer in disbelief.
With one command from Kyakhta, "Elup!" the creatures had taken a quick leap forward and started running at an impressive pace, soon racing through the street and then out into the plains, swiftly leaving the city behind.
"Didn't your ancestors tame and ride the mythosaur?" Finn called out with a grin, and Colbert Varad's helmeted visage turned to her. In her mind, she could see the glare that he was throwing at her from beneath his helmet.
"Do I look like my ancestors, Ertay?" he retorted back. "I'm still alive, aren't I?!"
Finn laughed again, glancing around seeing the rest of the team mostly in similar circumstances. Ranger Elarel seemed to be fairly comfortable, staying low and keeping balance, while Merna Sy, Vanac, Bracco, and Barriss were all clutching at their mounts, hanging on as if one wrong move would send them flying, some enjoying the thrill of such an experience more than others. Mando Vodth was laughing, looking more at ease, while Luminara was smiling wide. However, the one that surprised her most was Obi-Wan. He sat serenely in his saddle, arms crossed over his chest, and eyes closed, possibly already asleep, looking like he was sitting in the seat of a first-class starliner.
"Are you comfortable, Master Luminara?" The guide shouted to make himself heard. "Master Ertay?"
"It's wonderful!" Finn shouted back.
"Like riding on a cloud made of spun Dramassian silk!" Luminara added.
The two Ansionians moved their mounts around easily to the other teammates to help coach them in how to sit in their saddles and ride more comfortably, something which helped only a little.
"How the hell are you so comfortable, Obi-Wan?" Finn called back to her old friend, and he opened one eye and grinned slyly at her.
"You pick up a thing or two when you travel the galaxy with Qui-Gon Jinn," Obi-Wan responded with a laugh. "I will take a good riding mount over a landspeeder anyday. They tend to be marvelous creatures and even better friends."
Finn shook her head with a grin.
"Kyakhta!" Luminara called out, drawing Finn's attention. "It's good to leave the city behind so swiftly, but aren't you concerned about overexerting our mounts? Won't this pace tire them quickly?"
"Overexerting? Tire?" From his saddle, he eyed her quizzically. Then the realization dawned. "Ou, you do not understand. But that is reasonable. None of you have ever seen a suubatar before, much less ridden one." Pulling his slim legs and feet free of his stirrups, he stood up on the back of his pounding steed and looked back the way they had come. "No one pursues us, but of one thing I'm sure: Bossban Soergg is not snoring this business away." Sitting back down and resuming his former riding posture, he smiled at her anew. "Then there's no need for us to continue dawdling here." Raising his voice and freeing his feet from the stirrups, he leaned forward once again and shouted, "Elup!" At the same time he kicked his mount sharply with his heels, making contact simultaneously on both front shoulders.
"FROTZ"! Colbert swore again, with Barriss, Merna, and Vodth laughing wildly as the creatures accelerated even more.
Where before, the suubatars' speed had been impressive, their gaits had almost seemed like a trot. Now, they were living up to the Ansionians' claims and trying to outrun the wind itself.
They had rode for almost a week, riding through the beautiful, but endless prairie, occasionally crossing rivers, making camp each night, and occasionally having to avoid or battle wildlife.
During the ride, the Jedi admired the endless plains, basking in the Living Force while their teammates found ways to entertain themselves or looked for threats.
In the evenings, the Jedi picked the brains of their Alwari guides, looking for helpful information on how to treat with the Borokii, or other information on various tribes or other areas of the planet.
Their Troopers often drilled or sparred in the evenings, coaxing the Jedi to join them, and often succeeding. To say nothing of the assorted means of finding common ground with the guides as well, be it to the Mando lifestyle or from the other walks of life their Force Troops had come from.
Finally though, they reached a lake, where they saw an encampment had been established. A temporary corral held domesticated sorghum and larger heavy-humped awiquod, and smoke rose from collapsible huts, and yet solar panels layered the top of the huts.
"Borokii?" Luminara asked hopefully, and they all looked to their guides.
"By the style of their camp, I would say they are Yiwa," Kyakhta informed her, "of the Qiemo Adrangar. Not an unimportant clan, such as the Eijin or Gaxun, but not an overclan like the Borokii or the Januul, either."
"If they have power," Obi-Wan wondered as he examined the solar huts, "why the need for campfires?"
"Tradition." Bulgan swiveled his crooked form around to focus his good eye on Obi-Wan. "By now you should know, Jedi, how important that is to the Alwari—and to the success of your mission."
Obi-Wan accepted the mild reminder gracefully, nodding his understanding and a murmured thanks.
Kyakhta pointed. "They come to greet us. The Yiwa are a proud clan. They are constantly on the move, even more so than many of the Alwari. They may have news of the overclan Borokii for us—if they are willing to part with it."
"Why wouldn't they?" Finn asked.
Bulgan blinked his one eye. "The Yiwa are a touchy people, quick to take offense."
"Then we'll be on our best behavior." Obi-Wan turned in his saddle.
The Yiwa came pounding up the slight slope mounted on sadains. Stocky and powerful, the four-legged steeds had round faces with four eyes. In contrast to the suubatar, they boasted long, high ears that flared widely at the top. Unlike the swift suubatar, the sadain was built for pulling and for endurance, not for speed over distance. Those remarkable ears, Obi-Wan reflected as he saw the sunlight shining redly through their blood-rich membranes, would also serve to detect the presence of stalking shanhs and other potential predators of the Yiwa herds.
The welcoming party slowed. There were a dozen of them, decked out in suitably barbaric finery. Homemade bells and polished teeth taken from some of Ansion's less benign fauna alternated with flash colorpans and the latest glowals imported from other worlds of the Republic. The riders had painted their individual manes in a riot of colors and patterns, and the bare skin on either side at the top of each Yiwa head was tattooed in intricate traditional Ansionian patterns. Their appearance was a vivid mélange of the long-established and the contemporary—exactly what one would expect on a world like Ansion.
Two of them held comlinks that doubtless kept them in constant contact with the camp, while several of the riders pointedly displayed weapons that were anything but primitive.
Having the advantage of a much higher seat, Kyakhta nudged his suubatar forward a couple of paces and identified himself and his companions. The Yiwa listened stonily. Then one wearing a cape fashioned from two arc-striped shanh skins kicked his equally well-decorated sadain forward. His bulging red-brown eyes traveled suspiciously between Alwari and offworlders.
"I am Mazong Yiwa," the leader said. "What are clanless ones doing, riding suubatars?"
Kyakhta swallowed, and the group was surprised at how quickly their guide was cowed.
"We beg your understanding, Highborn Mazong. Through no fault of our own, my friend and I," he indicated Bulgan, "have been forced to travel the trail of the outcast. We suffered greatly, and have only recently been restored to health, if not clan, by these wise and generous offworlders. They are representatives of the galactic Republic itself, come to treat with the overclan Borokii."
Leaning to his right, Mazong spit deliberately at the foot of Kyakhta's suubatar.
"The matter of your casting out remains unknown to us. Why should we believe you, or invite you to partake of our hospitality?"
"If not us," Bulgan responded, "then do so for our friends. They are Jedi Knights and their honored comrades in arms from across the galaxy."
There was a stir among the welcoming party, and Mazong's gaze roved among the Jedi-led diplomat group.
"I have heard of the Jedi." The leader of the Yiwa band kept his hands on the circlet of flexible metal that looped through the bump of cartilage above the huge single nostril of his sadain. "They are said to be honorable people. Unlike so many of those they work for."
When none of the Jedi or their support chose to react to this spur-of-the-moment provocation, Mazong grunted approvingly.
"If you seek an overclan, why trouble the Yiwa with your presence?" Behind him, his clanfolk stirred expectantly.
"You know how the Borokii move about, and how they would react to being tracked by machines." Kyakhta held his suubatar steady.
Mazong laughed, and several of his supporters smiled. "They would blow them out of the sky, along with any who came after them."
"Haja," Bulgan agreed. "So we seek them out in the time-honored way." He indicated the community by the lake. "A fine camp, but as usual, a temporary one. It is ever such for the Yiwa, as for all Alwari. In your recent traveling, have you come across any of the overclan?"
Trotting forward, a magnificently bedecked female whispered to Mazong, and then he glanced back at their group.
"This is no place for conversation. Come down to our camp. We will eat, and talk, and consider your needs." Looking past the two guides, he locked eyes with Luminara. "An agreeable color, blue," he commented on her eyes and facial markings. "No indication of whether the individual behind it is likewise." Turning, he urged his sadain to a gallop. Yelling and waving their weapons, his clanfolk followed him.
They were guided to a transitory central square that had been created by placing half a dozen of the self-erecting huts in a semicircle facing the lake. Laughing and squealing children appeared from nowhere to flank the group, while the youthful equivalents of Barriss stared in obvious envy at the Padawan.
Their suubatars were taken away amid mutterings of admiration for such first-class mounts.
They were led to the edge of the lake. A section of reeds had been cleared away to provide a clear view across the tranquil body of water. Small balls of black fluff darted among the reeds, chirping like runaway alarms. Intricately woven mats topped with thickly padded cushions had been set out on the bare ground.
While the adults went about their business and children barely coming into their manes watched silently from a respectful distance, Mazong and two advisers sat cross-legged opposite their guests. Food and drink were provided, and the Jedi and their team were quick to compliment the food and thank their hosts.
One of the advisers, an elderly female whose sweeping arch of a mane had gone entirely gray, leaned forward. "Why should we help you find the overclan?"
This anticipated question allowed Obi-Wan to launch into an explanation of their purpose in coming to Ansion. The Yiwa listened quietly, occasionally bending to eat or drink from the modest meal that had been set out before them.
When the Jedi had finished, the two advisers caucused, then whispered something to Mazong. He indicated agreement and turned back to the guests.
"Like all the Alwari, we dislike and remain ever suspicious of the motives of the city folk, even though we all do business with the Unity. What you ask would change relationships on our world forever." Raising a hand, he forestalled Luminara's comment. "However—that is not necessarily a bad thing. Time changes everything, and even the Alwari must adapt. But before we will ever agree to do so, we must have guarantees that our rights to our traditional way of life will be protected. We know there have been previous visitations by representatives of the Senate. Those we do not, and will never, trust. As for the Jedi, we have heard that they are different. That they are honorable. That they are highbred. If you can prove this to us, to our satisfaction, then we will feel secure enough to at least point you in the direction of the Borokii."
Finn, Obi-Wan, and Luminara exchanged glances, and then Luminara spoke for them.
"Ask of us what you will, noble Mazong, and if it is within our power to comply, we'll certainly do so."
Exclamations of satisfaction came from the chief and his advisers.
Rising, Mazong gestured toward the camp. "Tonight we will have a proper feast. There will be entertainment. Among the Alwari, it is traditional for guests to provide it. We have never heard of representatives of your Senate deigning to do this. To us, this says that they have no souls. If the Jedi can show us that they, like the Yiwa, also have souls, then the Yiwa will believe they possess what their politicians are lacking."
The Jedi all smiled and nodded.
"We will meet your terms, noble Mazong," Luminara spoke again, "but I must warn you: you may find our presentations less polished than those of your usual guests."
All but openly affable now, Mazong stepped forward to place a hand on her head. The long fingers reached to the back of her neck. "Whatever you do, it will have the virtue of novelty."
Time passed with pleasant conversation before Mazong sat down nearby, his two elderly female advisers close behind him. It seemed as if most of the clan had crowded around the open space. Hundreds of bulging Ansionian eyes glistened in the light from the glowrods.
On the far side of the encampment, torpid dorgum and irritable awiquod grunted and hissed as they jostled for space with the more high-strung sadains. A few deeper hisses, like steam escaping from a sauna, indicated the location of the travelers' suubatars.
For the second time since their arrival, food and drink had been laid out in copious quantities. Having already consumed samples of Yiwa fare, they found that the individual components of the lavish banquet had lost some of their exoticism. They were delivered straight from the transportable high-tech kitchen by lines of young Yiwa clad in guest-greeting finery.
Kyakhta and Bulgan sat like regal potentates, still unable to quite believe their good fortune. Thanks to Barriss's healing and Jedi largesse, for two clanless vagabonds they had come a very long way in an exceedingly short time.
There was music, of a sort, produced by a quartet of seated Yiwa. Two played traditional handmade instruments, while their younger colleagues opted for free-form electronics. The result was a cross between the sublime and a porgrak in its final death throes.
At last nearly everyone had eaten their fill. The spiraling squeal from the local band faded away, losing itself in the vastness of the prairie night. Sipping on the needle-thin tube of a bulblike stuicer, Mazong turned expectantly to his company.
"And now, my friends, the time has come for you to prove to us that Jedi have not just ability, but inner essence, unlike the representatives of the great but soulless Senate."
"If I may suggest—," Kyakhta began. The chieftain shut him down with a sharp gesture.
"You may not suggest, clanless vagrant. The Yiwa remain uncertain about you." Looking back to the Jedi, he smiled. "Rest assured no matter how badly you do, we will not eat you. We do not keep every tradition."
"That's nice to know," Obi-Wan murmured.
None of them had been concerned about being eaten. They were concerned about not getting the information they needed and spending further weeks looking for the Borokii.
"I'll go first." Barriss rose abruptly to her feet.
Moving to the center of the open space, which had been carpeted with a fresh flooring of clean quartz sand taken from the beach that fronted the lake, she turned to face her friends. There was a stir among the watching Yiwa.
Luminara gestured encouragingly at her Padawan, and Finn smiled, she herself interested in what the Padawan would come up with. Nodding, Barriss reached down and removed the lightsaber from her belt. Immediately, several of the armed Yiwa went for their own weapons. Seeing that the other visitors remained seated and calm, a confident Mazong waved off his agitated sentries.
In the chill, still air of early night, Barriss's lightsaber blazed. She held it aloft, glowing perpendicularly, its soft hum rising above the approving murmurs of the watching Yiwa.
And then Barriss began to move.
Slowly at first, darting from left to right and back again, then forward and back, her footprints laid out a design in the sand that marked the four points of the compass.
The Yiwa saw right away what she was honoring with her movements. As a nomadic people, they were particularly appreciative. The Padawan moved faster and faster, gradually increasing the speed of her jumps until she was bouncing from point to point as if dancing atop a concealed trampoline. All the while she held her flaring lightsaber aloft, the spear of luminance piercing the night.
Then, just when it seemed she could move no faster, she began to twirl the lightsaber. Spectators gasped softly, and there sounded the first hisses and whistles of genuine admiration.
Spinning rapidly now as she continued to skip between the four points of the compass, the beam of spectral energy fooled the eyes into seeing a solid ring of light above her head. She began to swing the lightsaber, creating a lambent disk first on her right side, then on her left. Leaping from north to south, she brought her knees up to her chest and passed the beam beneath her feet, drawing sharp inhalations of surprise and awe from her audience. Several times she repeated the dangerous jump.
The potential deadliness of the dance added greatly to the suspense, and to the brilliance of the performance. Drawing to a conclusion, Barriss jumped straight toward Mazong, executed a double flip with the lightsaber whirling beneath her, and landed on her knees not an arm-length in front of him. To his considerable credit, the Yiwa chieftain did not flinch. But his eyes never left the spinning lightsaber.
Another bit of Alwari lore was imparted to the visitors as the assembled clan demonstrated their approval not only with hisses and whistles, but with a mass cracking of the knuckles of their lissome, long-fingered hands. Waves of popping swept over the gathering. As for Mazong, he quietly consulted with his advisers.
Breathing hard, her lightsaber deactivated and refastened to her belt, Barriss resumed her seat alongside her companions. Luminara leaned over to whisper to her Padawan.
"A fine exhibition, Barriss. But that last stunt was truly treacherous. It would make me unhappy to have to return to Cuipernam with you in less than one piece."
"I've practiced it before, Master." The Padawan was well pleased with herself. "I know it's a dangerous move, but we do want to make as strong an impression as possible on these people so that they'll help us."
"Striking off your own limb would certainly make an impression." Seeing the younger woman's expression fall, Luminara reached out and gave her an encouraging hug. "I don't mean to be overly critical. You did well. I'm proud of you."
"So am I." Obi-Wan glanced to his right with a small but supportive smile.
"Luminara's just a worrier," Finn said with a wink. "Very well done, Barriss. Well done indeed."
"Thank you, Masters," Barriss said with a bow of her head. She responded in kind as the Force Troops gave their own congratulations in their own way with a touch more liveliness.
The green Twi'lek Jedi moved to go next. "I would say that the master should show the apprentice how it is done, but I suspect this is an area where Luminara will shine, so I think I should go next, if only to ensure we end on a strong performance."
Obi-Wan and Luminara chuckled as Finn stood up, and moved to her bag. She smiled as she pulled out a small wind instrument that was long and metallic with dozens of little holes to cover to produce various sounds. She moved to the center where all could see, put the instrument to her lips and started to play.
She started with a lively tune, getting hisses of approval from the Alwari as they tapped along to the beat of her music before she shifted into a slower, sadder melody, bringing the energy down, and getting impressed murmurs, before she finally culminated with a rousing and more upbeat finale that had the crowd cracking their knuckles and hissing in appreciation.
Finn bowed her thanks before she moved to sit down next to Obi-Wan, who raised an eyebrow at her.
"I didn't know you were musically talented, Finn," he said.
"You weren't the only one with an unorthodox master," Finn responded primly, with a sly grin, and Obi-Wan laughed lightly, rising to his feet, and striding confidently to the center for his own performance.
Finn watched Obi-Wan clearly planning out what he was going to do. Then he smiled before he folded his hands in front of him, cleared his throat, and began to spin a tale, speaking in the Yiwa dialect.
Finn brightened, recognizing the story, and she smiled, along with Luminara and Barriss, as they listened to the Redemption of Revan, the Prodigal Knight, a story that had regained its popularity when Kastor had been found.
Obi-Wan proved to be a very enjoyable storyteller, his voice rising and falling with battles, his voice growing soft and mournful describing the horrific destruction of Taris and the loss of Bastila Shan as she was captured. He continued on, with the Alwari enraptured by the tale and entranced by his voice, and soon he was reaching the culmination of Darth Malak's defeat, and the Alwari made no sounds, ensuring they never missed a word of the tale.
When he ended with the destruction of the Star Forge, Bastila's redemption, and the honoring of the heroes, the Alwari gave shouts of joy and appreciation, followed by intense discussions that broke out in the crowd about the tale.
Finally, it was Luminara's turn, and she rose gracefully, smiling at her fellow Jedi before she took center stage, with the Alwari all eager to see what the last Jedi would do for them.
Luminara closed her eyes for a very long moment. Then she opened them and, kneeling, picked up a handful of sand. Straightening, she let it trickle out from between her fingers. Caught by the wind, the tiny grains formed a glittering whitish arc as they spilled from her hand. When she had emptied her palm, she slapped her hands gently together to brush away any remaining grains.
Some of the Yiwa began to stir, frowning, thinking that there had to be more than this.
Luminara picked up a second handful of sand, letting it trickle from between her fingers. A few muted growls rose from the crowd. Nearby, Mazong frowned in disapproval. If anything, his advisers were even more discomfited.
Finn smiled though, knowing they would soon realize what Luminara was doing . . . that the sand was falling against the wind, and soon they would see far more.
It was just ordinary beach sand, drawn from the shores of the nearby lake, but in the delicate yet strong fingers of the Jedi, it became something magical.
The light from the surrounding glowpoles caught the falling grains, turning mica to mirrors and quartz into polished gems. When the last particles had fallen from Luminara's fingers, they reversed direction. A few hushed cries of "Haja!" rose from the crowd as sand began to rise.
Resembling a fragmented coil of wire, the column of grains began to wind itself around the Jedi, enclosing her in a slowly ascending spiral of sand. Like a serpent being born full grown, another column lifted itself from the ground to entwine her a second time. As the sparkling sand spirals rotated in opposite directions, they splintered into smaller and smaller threads, until Luminara was shrouded in multiple strings composed of shattered, water-worn specks. It was as if she were engulfed by thirty threadlike pillars of dancing diamonds.
She began to twirl, spinning slowly at first, balancing on one foot while the other pushed off and provided thrust. As she pirouetted, the glittering sand spirals responded, half turning with her, the other half rotating in the opposite direction.
Faster and faster Luminara whirled, racing the rising sand. Centrifugal force threw the hem of her robes away from her legs. The spinning sands backed off accordingly. As she accelerated, her robes rose higher and higher.
A collective gasp erupted from the assembly.
A blur of robes and sand, Luminara Unduli rose slightly from the ground. She continued to spin, her feet rising, until she was no more than a hand-length off the ground. Still rotating, she tilted forward, and began to spin and rotate simultaneously, holding her place in the air in a breathtaking show of control of the Force.
Following her movements, the sand spirals rotated with her, until they formed a near-solid globe of shining, sparkling particles around the almost hidden body. There came a soft puff of air; the sound of a cloud exhaling. Luminara landed on her feet, hands outstretched, feet spread shoulder-width apart. The curtaining sphere of sand that had formed around her fell to the ground. Lowering her arms, she bowed her head once before walking back to rejoin her friends.
"I will confess, Luminara, I'm impressed. How do you feel?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Dizzy." Smiling softly, Luminara blinked several times before taking a steadying breath.
"Please, Master, what is the secret of the rotating trick?" Barriss asked eagerly.
Turning her head slightly to face the eager Padawan, Luminara spoke through closely set lips. "The trick, my dear, is not to vomit. At least, not until one is well offstage."
There was no applause. No whistling, no hissing, no celebratory cracking of joints. In ones and twos, alone and in family groups, the clan Yiwa simply rose from their seats and melted away, returning to their collapsible homes and ceremonial fires. A number of armed males headed for their guard posts, to take up the nocturnal watch for shanhs and other predators that might try to prey on the slumbering herds. Sooner than expected, only the visitors were left, together with Mazong and his advisers.
"The clan has hosted many recitals by many guests," the chieftain of the Yiwa began, "but never in living memory have any been so diverse, so unexpected, and so remarkable."
"I didn't get a chance to show off my juggling," Bulgan muttered disappointedly. Kyakhta jabbed him in the ribs.
Mazong ignored the aside, pretending not to have heard it. "You have more than fulfilled your end of the bargain." His gaze fastened on Luminara. "I would give much to know how you did that."
Turning toward their host, Luminara launched into a discussion of the Force: what it was, how the Jedi made use of it, and the nature of its essence—dark as well as light. When she was finished, Mazong and his advisers nodded solemnly.
"You traffic in dangerous matters," he declared somberly.
"As with so much that holds great promise, there is always some danger," she replied. "Such as this proposed agreement between the Unity of the town folk and the Alwari clans. But when it is treated with respect, the Force is ultimately a power for good. The same can be true of this concordance that we hope to achieve."
Mazong conferred with his advisers. The two elders appeared to have lightened up considerably, Barriss decided. As the chieftain finally turned back to his guests, she drew her clothing tighter around her. Though the winds of Ansion tended to diminish along with the daylight, they did not always cease entirely, and she was cold.
"We concur." He gestured magnanimously at Kyakhta and Bulgan. "We will give your guides such directions as will enable you to find the Borokii soonest. Clanless these two may be, but they raise themselves high by their choice of employers."
"How long until we reach their outlying factions?" Obi-Wan inquired.
"That cannot be foretold." As Mazong stood, his guests rose with him. "The Borokii are also Alwari. They may be encamped, as are the Yiwa. But if they are on the move, you will still have some tracking to do. We can only point you in the direction of their last known campsite." He smiled reassuringly. "Do not despair. With our directions you will find them far sooner than if you continued searching on your own."
"We thank you for your kindness, and for your hospitality," Luminara told him.
**The Will of the Force**
"Tatooine…Feels like a lifetime since I've been here," Anakin murmured, looking out on his home planet.
They had landed on the outskirts of Mos Eisley, much like Padmé and Qui-Gon had done so with Mos Espa many years ago. Anakin would have preferred to have gone straight to the Lars homestead, but their contact for their 'Tatooine funding' was meeting them here. They also needed to acquire things to trade with the Sand People, something A'Sharad had been firm about.
"Indeed," A'Sharad agreed. "I too have not returned here since I became a Jedi Padawan."
"A lot happens here, and yet it's outside the Jedi Order's purview," Anakin said thoughtfully. "Jedi do pass here, and yet they rarely show themselves as Jedi when they do so."
"Not often," A'Sharad agreed again. "Most Jedi that travel to this planet are passing through or undercover."
"I've been here many times over the years," Mando Vrang Wren said mildly, "and this world never changes. Just a dust ball controlled by the Hutts."
Anakin snorted. "That's an accurate description."
"The histories of my people tell how this planet was once lush and green," A'Sharad offered up. "However, that was many millennia ago."
"Do the Sand People know why it changed?" Anakin asked, curiously.
He didn't have many opinions on the Sand People, only having really heard the stories growing up. His one interaction with them was them shooting at racers during the Boonta Eve race. Certainly something that didn't endear him to them, but at the same time, not something he held against the whole race. All of his friends had mostly been slaves, so they had never been anywhere that the Tusken Raiders attacked, so he'd never lost anyone to them, like others had.
The stories had certainly painted the Tusken Raiders in a very unflattering light, one that Anakin had kept with him throughout his childhood. Since joining the Jedi, he was doing his best to revise such opinions. He'd just learned so much, and while some stories he'd heard from spacers had proven to be quite true, there had been so many things he realized were absolute bantha poodoo. So, he now did his best to keep a more open mind on things that he'd learned about from before the Jedi.
Meeting A'Sharad Hett had only reinforced that point, with the man being charismatic and friendly, and nothing like the stories of Sand People that Anakin was familiar with.
"Not really," A'Sharad answered. "You can draw conclusions from it, and there is other historical data from other Jedi and other races and worlds that can help corroborate the Tusken history, to an extent, which helps to explain what might have happened. The great Jedi, Revan, theorized that the Rakatan Empire either overmined or bombarded the planet to such a degree that it effectively glassed it, a theory which does fit with my peoples' history. A mixture of both, I believe."
Anakin glanced out toward the desert with a grimace. Kastor and Allara had spoken about what they knew of the ancient Rakata and the Infinite Empire that predated the Republic, and how the relics from their era were very volatile and destructive. He could believe Tatooine was unlucky enough to be targeted by such a race in the past.
"Did Master Fay tell you how we would find our contact?" Ferus asked, mission-focused as ever. Anakin was actually grateful for the break to his thoughts.
The Skywalker youth shrugged. "She told me to head to the market and to stand fast. Our contact would meet us there, and she'd recognize you and me."
"So, someone we've met," Ferus said thoughtfully.
"Traveling with Obi-Wan, Siri, and Kastor over the years, that could be any hundreds of people," Anakin amusedly remarked, and Ferus nodded in agreement, a wan smile tugging at his lips.
"We'll start gathering information," Ranger Shovo interjected. "See what the locals say about the Tuskens and their actions recently. Find out if any notable or infamous names are around, if the Hutts seem to be up to anything, and anything else."
"All right," Anakin nodded.
With Rodrick and Ellale staying with the ship, that left Carn, Latai, Shovo, Vrang, Bawes, Dosiex, and Rialis to explore. The two Mandalorians, Rialis and Vrang, specifically, had Tatooine contacts from their days as bounty hunters that they could get info from. Bawes had been a junker and also had some contacts, while Carn, Latai, Shovo, and Dosiex would act as backup for the three.
The three Jedi moved through the town and finally into the market area, stopping at the main southern entrance. It was the entrance closest to the spaceport, and Anakin figured that their contact would come from the spaceport.
Anakin, Ferus, and A'Sharad waited patiently, glancing around, before a voice from behind surprised them.
"Hello, friends, it's been a while."
Ferus and Anakin spun around and stared in shock at a familiar face who was smirking at them, carrying a satchel on her back.
"Auben?" Anakin asked in surprise, not having seen the woman since after they had returned to Coruscant from Korriban. "You're our contact?"
"Is that all I am?" she asked mildly, with a raised brow, smirk never falling. "A contact? And here I thought the Jedi had gotten more personable these days."
Anakin snorted, and Ferus shook his head.
"You're the one that Fay sent?" Anakin clarified, and Auben tilted her head in response.
"Are you so unhappy to see me?" Auben asked, her eyebrow still raised as she pouted.
"No," Ferus responded, smiling slightly, "but I am wondering what you're going to charge us. You don't do anything for free, if I remember correctly."
Auben grinned. "I do take credit as favors for friends, but blondie already covered the conversion of credits. You just have to settle the cost of delivery."
"There it is," Anakin muttered, amused as he shared a glance with Ferus. "Didn't Fay pay you?"
"She couldn't pay this," Auben said, with a shrug. "She said it's not her tale to tell."
"What's the cost?" A'Sharad asked, curiously.
"I want to know what three Jedi and a squad of Force Troopers are doing on Tatooine," Auben answered simply. "I tend to deal in information these days, and while I have a pretty sweet deal with Kastor to not sell information on the Jedi Coalition, it doesn't mean that knowing can't be useful and lucrative for me. I also tend to come out well with you hero types," she said, winking at them again. "You tell me what I want to know, and I often have information that can help you, which I offer up to sell to you for a different price."
"Well, I guess that isn't terrible," Anakin admitted. "We're here to try and mediate tensions between the Tusken Raiders and the moisture farmers."
"It's gotta be more than that," Auben said flatly. Which was fair, given how Korriban went… "Tensions have existed between both groups since this planet was settled by non-natives. I've familiarized myself with the history, this has been going on for millennia."
"That is our purpose," A'Sharad confirmed. "That and investigate whether the current rising tensions are being stoked by outside influence."
Auben glanced at Anakin and Ferus dubiously before she shrugged. "If you say so, I'll believe you, friends. If you're looking to get close to the Tuskens, I do have some information that might help you."
"And what will it cost us?" Ferus asked.
Auben eyed them for a moment before mildly shrugging. "Kastor will cover your bill if you accept."
"Why are you accepting him covering the bill for this, but not for the delivery?" Anakin demanded in exasperation.
Auben smirked. "Frankly, what I can get from Kastor going forward is of much greater value than any information you might be willing to provide . . . and I know he'll settle the debt."
Anakin and Ferus exchanged a look, wondering what Kastor would give the woman. Still, if she was sure that Kastor would settle the bet, it couldn't be too bad. Auben was an opportunist, but both knew she wasn't a bad person.
"Fine," Ferus said. "We want the information."
Auben nodded, looking pleased.
"Down at the spaceport, wandering at the far end of the freighter section, you'll find a female Tusken currently in town . . . one from the area you are looking to head into. She's trying to find a way off planet, and as you can imagine, is finding it hard to find anyone willing to take her on, both because of what she is, her age, and her inexperience."
"Thank you for this information," A'Sharad interjected, since both Ferus and Anakin were looking a bit put out that the information was simply the whereabouts of another Tusken . . . considering they were traveling with one. Technically. "She will be of much greater use to us as a guide than I would."
Auben smiled. "Glad I could help, friends. Keep me in mind for information and other needs in the future. You know who can get a hold of me."
Auben set the satchel she'd been carrying down, which held the funds they needed, and then she gave a wave before she headed off back in the direction she had come from.
Anakin glanced at his companions and shook his head. "I think we just got ripped off."
"I don't know about that," Ferus said though he looked as fondly exasperated as Anakin felt, "but I do suspect she got the better end of the deal. We'll have to remember to ask Kastor, Fay, or Rhys about what or how they pay her, and then use that to negotiate better in the future."
"This might be of real worth, if the Tusken she spoke of comes from one of the clans that we seek," A'Sharad said. "All we have to do is figure out what she wants in return for her help."
"Hopefully the answer to that was in Auben's information," Ferus said slowly. "If she's looking to get offworld, perhaps we can help her with that."
It didn't take them too long to get on track to find their wayward Tusken.
While Auben's directions had been rather vague, plenty remembered the Tusken, all of them wondering 'when she'd get violent' and having kept their eyes on 'the creature.' Anakin had felt a bit of sadness and irritation roll off of A'Sharad as people kept disparaging the Tusken in front of him, almost all of them staring at him with anger or distrust, but he never said anything.
Finally they found the Tusken using hand and arm signals, with frustrated grunts, to try and negotiate with a few humanoids in front of their ship, but they were having none of it. They looked relieved to see them coming up, clearly looking to end their conversation with her.
The Tusken turned to them as they approached, and by the Tusken's stature and voice as she honked and barked at them, Anakin was confident that it was a female. A'Sharad quickly answered in the Tusken language, and Anakin and Ferus waited patiently as the two Sand People discussed their situations.
Finally, A'Sharad turned to them.
"Her name is Reirin from the Ga'hanoraw Tribe, which is out near where we will be heading," A'Sharad said. "She is looking to leave and find a new tribe offworld that cares not for stopping women from fighting, since the tribes around where she is from all do not condone women being warriors. She claims to be the best warrior of them all, and wants to prove her worth in the stars, where few Tuskens have ever traveled."
"Well, we can give her transport offworld, if that's what she wants," Anakin said easily. "Not sure what good it will do her, since so few speak her language, though."
"I think it's the Force's will that we found her," A'Sharad said after considering the Tusken for a pause. "I think she might be Force sensitive, and she has a crystal that she stole from some Jawas. Apparently it was something she was supposed to steal for someone else, in exchange for transport offworld. However, the crystal called to her . . ."
"You think it is a kyber crystal," Ferus said in surprise.
"I think there's a good chance," A'Sharad confirmed. "I'll have to convince her to show it to us to confirm, but so few of my people are . . . the chances of her being found were next to none."
"She's too old though," Anakin reminded him reluctantly. "The Council didn't even want me at nine years old."
"You'd be surprised how often that rule is ignored," A'Sharad said. "Exceptions have always been made. I was trained by my father, outside of the Order until I was fifteen, and only then became a Padawan. There are others too."
"It is up to the Council to decide, but the Council and the Order are changing" Ferus acknowledged with a sigh. "Besides, if she is looking for someone to fight for . . . well, we know a group that could use able and willing fighters, ones who have some code of honor."
"True enough," Anakin recognized slowly. "So, we're recruiting her?"
"Yes, I think we are," A'Sharad said. "She wants a way offworld and she wants us to teach her Galactic Basic."
"We don't have time to teach," Anakin said, shaking his head, he was anxious enough to get to the Lars Homestead as it is without taking more time away to teach a newcomer.
"We can fit in some lessons," Ferus disagreed, "but upon the mission's completion, we can help her to find better resources in the Coalition to help educate and train her. She certainly isn't the only one in the Force Troopers who needed help with language and even education upon joining up."
"I suppose," Anakin conceded hesitantly. "Does she want to join the Force Troopers? Or are we just pointing her in the direction we'd prefer she goes?"
"She has heard of the Jedi," A'Sharad said. "She had heard of Sharad Hett, my father, which is part of why she is agreeing to work with us. So, she is interested in our 'tribe' and earning honor in combat. I think she can help us . . . and I think we should help her."
Anakin sighed, but then smiled as welcomingly as he could at Rierin. "Welcome to the team then."
**The Will of the Force**
Fay smiled at T'ra Saa as they met at the entrance to the High Council. The former had just returned to Coruscant only an hour earlier.
"Greetings, my old friend," Fay said, and T'ra Saa returned a kind smile.
"Hello, Fay," T'ra Saa greeted.
The two Jedi entered the Council chambers and found the Council in session, awaiting them.
"Master Fay, Master T'ra Saa," Mace Windu greeted, as they reached the center and bowed politely. "We ask for you both to sit in on deliberations with us, in place of our two missing grandmasters."
Fay frowned slightly.
"That's unusual," she observed, and around the room she felt mirth, and witnessed a few smiles from Depa Billaba, Coleman Trebor, Shaak Ti, and even the normally gruff and stoic Even Piell. Plo Koon's own smile was, of course, hidden beneath his mask but could be felt all the same.
"Master Shan expressed her desire to have either yourself or her father sit in on the Council in place of her, should she ever be unavailable," Eeth Koth replied, his own lips twitching upward. "Master Yoda, too, wished for another grandmaster to sit in for his position, should he be unreachable."
Fay sighed in fond exasperation.
T'ra Saa chuckled lightly. "So, why isn't Master Sinube here?" She mildly glanced backward as if the venerable Cosian Jedi Grandmaster would come through the Council Chamber door at any moment before turning back, smile still in place.
"Yoda has done this in the past, and Master Sinube was among those that were chosen to sit in place for him those times," Shaak Ti answered with a wry smile. "Alas, Tera has firmly stated that he did his time on the High Council and he has no desire to sit in on further meetings, save for emergencies."
"As the Council is more than capable of holding a session without Master Yoda's vote, Master Sinube was not requested," Coleman Trebor said with a grin. "Master Rancisis also informed us that Tera was supportive of your own views on these particular topics, and thus we feel you two can well represent what most of the Grandmaster Council believes."
Fay wryly could agree that many of the Grandmaster Council were quite similar in their opinions when certain ideas were presented. Oppo was the most opposite of them, being against or at least hesitant of the larger changes, with Tera and Yoda being more open to most changes, but still fairly traditionally minded in others. Kastor, Allara, and Fay were the most 'radical' in a manner of speaking, with T'ra Saa tending to favor their outlook, but sometimes a bit more conservative. For some things, the whole council was in general agreement, while in others it was a heated debate.
"The topics that are being discussed and possibly deliberated today were also ones that both Yoda and Allara had strong opinions on . . . ones we're told both of you, along with Kastor, also had strong opinions on," Plo Koon added helpfully.
"We wished to get vested parties involved in the deliberations in order to hear all sides of the argument," Ki-Adi Mundi finished.
Fay and T'ra Saa both nodded in understanding. Plo's added words also gave them a good idea of what was going to be brought up. While a great many things had already changed in the Order, in a relatively short time (in the grand scheme of things), there were several more major changes that had been brought up, things that seemed more important with the new Coalition, the Sith threat, and the growing unrest throughout the galaxy.
"I will honor the Council's request," Fay said, and T'ra Saa echoed, as the two moved to take the two empty Council seats, with Fay taking Allara's spot.
"Now that we are all gathered," Mace stated, "we will address our first motion: to allow Jedi younglings and initiates to maintain contact with their birth or blood families, if they so choose, and to allow Jedi Padawans, Knights, and Masters to initiate and develop relationships with their birth and blood families."
"I fear we are opening an avenue that could affect the emotional balance of the youngest members of our Order," Oppo said slowly. "Few Jedi in the past thousand years have knowingly interacted with their families. We start our younglings unattached to their parents for a reason . . . to remove possible stressors and bad influences. While this is a logical next leap from allowing romantic relationships, I worry that we are moving too quickly. While I'm not opposed to this next step, I do believe we should observe how the changes we've already implemented affect our Order. I advise caution."
"Master Rancisis makes a fair point," Fay said softly, "however, I believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Allowing these attachments from an early age will allow us to help observe children to ensure they form the healthy sort of attachments needed to be a Jedi. If they can learn to love selflessly at an early age with their parents, siblings, and other family members while learning everything needed to be a Jedi and having a family in the Order, they can grow up into healthier, more emotionally balanced Jedi Knights. Additionally, this could help us bolster the amount of children that we receive. Many parents are understandably unwilling to give their children to the Jedi, unwilling to effectively lose their child, who they will never know. Nevertheless, if they can still form a bond with their child, even if a somewhat distant relationship, more parents may be willing to let children join our Order. Some will still bemoan sending their child away, of course, but I suspect many more will be willing to let their child develop their talent with the Force and serve our Order when they can still have a relationship and occasionally see their child."
"More parents and more beings in the galaxy will also have more interaction with the Jedi Order, and we'll find more supporters in the galaxy, and less whispers of us stealing children," T'ra Saa added, not quite able to completely hide her distaste regarding the last point before swiftly moving on. "Who we are and what we do will spread further in a more positive manner and that is something that cannot be dismissed easily."
"It would be easy to make scheduled times when children can and are able to contact their families," Plo said evenly. "It is also no trouble to have scheduled days or holidays where children are able to return to their homes or their families are able to visit the Temple that their family member is stationed at. Statistically, we are only given less than slightly half of the children eligible to be Jedi. While I don't know that we'd get all the rest with this change, it isn't unrealistic to receive almost double the amount of children than we currently do."
"On the manner of attachments, this is the next step," Coleman agreed with Oppo. "While I do agree with you, Master Rancisis, that hasty actions must be tempered, I do believe this is a necessary step, and the sooner we make the leap, the sooner we can start ironing out the issues. Even now, we have many babies, initiates, younglings, and Knights that are the children of Jedi or ones that have siblings or cousins in the Order, like Master Gallia and Master Allie or Knight Tiplee and Knight Tiplar, even Master Billaba and Master Labooda. We never forbade physical interactions, and thus have always had children of our own at the Temple. Few, if any, of those members of our Order know their parents as their parents, but I'm sure some of them have gotten to know their child, even if distantly as just another Master in their Order. As Jedi couples become more common, more and more children in our nurseries and crèches will be the children of Jedi, and more and more of them will eventually learn who their parents are, creating an unfair dynamic between the children brought to the Temple, and those born here. It will only be a generation or two before legacies of Jedi are seen as being treated more preferentially by those outside of our Temple, especially by those who willingly gave their children to our Order . . . and that is something that we cannot allow to happen."
"I, too, see the benefit of learning how to manage attachment, and learn to let go from a much earlier age," Depa added. "I must also admit, I find it comforting that those who may decide that being a member of our Order is not for them, for we all know that it is a hard life that not everyone may desire, may have a support network to go to upon leaving. As it is now, those who leave can learn who their families are or were, and we will provide them what we can to assist them in starting their lives . . . but most of them are still completely alone, cutting themselves from the Order, and without the brothers and sisters that they have known their whole lives."
"Master Rancisis makes a good point, and opening our Order to parents and families of our initiates will create more issues than simply problems with emotional balance and maturity," Mace said with a slight frown. "I don't think it's a reach to know that families will attempt to put pressure on the Order for various requests, with the threat of removing their child being the consequence . . . Antinnis Tremayne's family, for example, has been proving particularly combative. And I don't believe I need to remind everyone of Xanatos du Crion." He paused, letting the other Masters absorb those words.
The Masters all shared frowns, grimaces or mildly wary looks as they all recall how Xanatos' situation with his father had spun out of control so horrendously and culminating in the events with the fallen Jedi's son on Korriban. Some on the Council had wondered if it truly even ended there. Xanatos' situation was arguably an object lesson on Master Rancisis' fears and arguably a prime example of his fears being made true, but the Thisspiasian Grandmaster found no vindication, only further wariness.
Mace continued, "However, simply because such a situation happened once, does not mean it will happen again. A parent has always been able to take their child back from us, barring situations where the child's safety is at risk, so those threats and requests can be managed by the Council of First Knowledge. I agree that waiting too long will be detrimental to our Order and how the greater public sees us . . . something which will hinder our abilities to serve the people of the galaxy."
"I lean more towards Master Rancisis's point of view," Saesee Tiin said slowly, still pondering the implications of another Xanatos incident. "but I do not have a counterargument to the points brought up by the other side of the debate. I think both come with risks, and Master Rancisis's point is safer . . . but the other side will produce more quantifiable improvements for our Order in a similar timeframe."
"It seems to me that we are mostly in agreement then," Ki-Adi said calmly. Given his own ponderings and considerations regarding his own family on Cerea, he opted to remain neutral on the subject. "A proper vote is still in order, and it will take further sessions, especially with the Council of First Knowledge to introduce this change, but further debate seems counterproductive."
"Agreed," Mace said with a nod. "All for allowing the members of our Order to develop relationships with their birth or blood families, should they choose to do so, and allowing all younglings and initiates to have contact with their families, barring hostile situations?"
Fay raised her hand, and couldn't help but smile seeing that all except Oppo and Eeth voted for the change, and even Oppo and Eeth both seemed to not be opposed to the change, only the timing. A true testament to the changes instigated what felt like such a short time ago.
"The next one is something that both Master Shans and Yoda have been particularly vocal on," Mace said wryly. "The proposal is to remove the age restrictions on admittance to the Order for candidates to be Jedi and to remove or raise age restrictions for our Initiates to become Padawans."
"I think we should focus on the Padawans first, since this will also heavily influence our previous discussions on changing the age at which you can be accepted as a Padawan," Even Piell said gruffly. "With the rising darkness, the Banite Sith and the New Sith Empire, as well as the high likelihood of war in the next few years, I believe it is imperative that Initiates are not made Padawans earlier than thirteen years of age, or the species equivalent. Eleven and twelve year old Padawans are often restricted to the Temple or restricted to specific types of missions as is, and if conflict breaks out, we don't want masters to fall light years away from their young Padawans, who will feel their deaths and suffer for it. Thirteen should be the minimum. Fourteen is the galactic standard for joining the Judicial Forces, but I do acknowledge and agree that the Force and our Temple upbringing help mature our own faster than their non-Force sensitive peers. Thus, thirteen is the age I present for the minimum age of being a Padawan."
"I agree with Master Piell," Eeth said with a nod. "Something I discussed with Master Slagistrough and Master Cordova also piqued my interest, and would help fit with a new structure on how Initiates develop. It is well known that many of our Initiates seek to be Padawans to become Knights, and those who aren't chosen often feel like they failed and are then relegated to the Service Corps, unless they choose to leave the Order as a whole. While there are many younglings and initiates with interests in going straight to the Service Corps, with no interest in being active Knights, the disparity does still remain. However, many of those sent to the Service Corps often do find enjoyment in their life and service, and many a Jedi has agreed that the service life was a better fit for them than the life of a Jedi Knight."
Eeth paused, and many nods of agreement echoed around the room.
"If we raise the age to become a Padawan, perhaps we fill some of their Initiate time with dedicated time in all the Service Corps, allowing our younglings to experience what life would be like in those branches of our Order. While we may find even less wanting to be Knights," Eeth said with a light chuckle, "I think we'll find a great deal who are more than happy to choose the Service Corps and not feel disappointed at being passed over as a Padawan, or not even put themselves forward for that choice."
"I think that's a marvelous idea," T'ra Saa exclaimed with a wide smile. "While some restrictions will need to be placed on actions with the Exploration Corps, I feel, I do agree that making all of our younglings experience life in all the Service Corps as part of their initial training can help relieve some stress from Initiates and also to help bolster the Service Corps with willing candidates."
There were many nods of agreement and delighted mutters at that proposition.
"I think Master Piell's minimum age requirement is the right decision," Oppo said evenly. "I do think we need to think about a new cutoff age for being chosen as a Padawan though. We don't want Initiates, who are hell bent on becoming Knights, putting off joining a Service Corp or finding some other path in life because they wish to wait for years to be accepted as a Padawan. I do feel that there are many who aged out previously that might have been accepted by other Knights if they had been able to wait just a few more years. Master Kenobi—Obi-Wan that is," Oppo said with a disbelieving chuckle and shake of his head, "is one such example. However, there are those that simply just aren't meant for the life of a Knight, and we don't want to compound disappointment on them by letting them waste years and years on hoping that someone will take them on as a Padawan."
"Perhaps we find a compromise," Plo said thoughtfully. "Currently, most are claimed as Padawans between the ages of eleven and fourteen, a three year window. Perhaps we keep that window and thus make the new range as thirteen to sixteen. However, perhaps we allow any member of the Service Corps to reapply or continue to try to become a Knight at any point, regardless of their age going forward. They will have purpose and direction and can continue their studies. As they mature outside of their initial training, we may find that some of them do become ready to be a Padawan, while others will find they are happy in the life they have found. This will also open up Knights and Masters who are currently in the Service Corps to take Padawans from within the Corps, should they find someone they wish to take as their apprentice, rather than those being exceptions that need deliberation by both the Council of First Knowledge and our own."
"I like that proposal," Coleman said with an approving nod. "We are currently trying to speed up Padawans journey to Knighthood, and this will slow that down to an extent, but our Padawans will have had several years free of their initial structured training to focus on certain abilities that will help them be more developed as older Padawans. If some guidance was in place for how these older Initiates spent their time, it wouldn't be a stretch for Padawans to still be made Knights more quickly than before."
"For those outside of the Order seeking admission . . . well exceptions have already been made in the past," Saesee said slowly. "I think we need to be better at ensuring that even those who come to us later in life still go through the same sort of instruction and training that those who have lived with us their whole lives have done. Perhaps accelerated, to an extent. However, Knight Skywalker probably should have been made an Initiate when he came to us, rather than becoming Padawan Skywalker at the age of nine. Masters Jinn and Kenobi saw it as the only way to ensure he received the proper training, and it was the only choice we gave them at the time, but there are plenty of other exceptions in our Order. It is our job to properly train our members, and while some who come to us later in life may not be up to the task, do we really have the right to stop them from making the attempt? Especially since we know that nearly everyone who would come to us would be coming to try and serve the people of this galaxy. The older children that we find are often accepted with us finding them being attributed to the will of the Force? So, can not those who manage to travel to us not also be accepted under the same reasoning?"
"This puts us right up against the other change that Kastor has been most vocal about," Fay said with a sigh, and T'ra Saa nodded in agreement, with a wry smile. "Whether we should restrict service in our Order to those who have a certain level of Force sensitivity or even those with any Force sensitivity at all."
"Kastor wishes us to have members who cannot feel the Force?" Ki-Adi asked with a frown. "It is very rare that we have done so, and nearly every situation was someone who once had access to the Force and then lost it later in life."
"There's a fair argument for those with low Force sensitivity," Coleman said. "Most of us have met Chirrut Îmwe. He may not feel the Force like we all do, but he would have made a fantastic Jedi. Midichlorians do not make Jedi. They help us determine those who have the best chance of accessing the Force, but even those with low counts have a chance of accessing the Force. Our Order is about following the Force, and the Force directs us all, whether we can sense it or not. One could argue that it takes more faith in the Force to follow it and believe in it when you cannot sense it yourself."
There were murmurs of agreement to that.
"There are plenty of warriors, in our allies especially, who are capable of keeping up with Jedi in combat, and of course combat is a Jedi's last resort," Depa said. "If we open our Order to all who truly want to serve and follow the will of the Force . . . we will find an Order that cannot be judged as being above the common people, and we will have numbers like we have never had. Our ability to help others, both in the Republic and perhaps outside of it, will rise exponentially."
"This takes us back to the debate about formally bringing the Antarian Rangers into the Order," Saesee said. "If they were another branch or service corp of our Order, we would have a place to feed those who cannot work as a normal Jedi, but still wish to be part of our Order. Though, I do agree that I don't see why non-Force sensitives can't work in any capacity of our Order. Team assignments might require further thought, but the Force Troopers are already acting as a testing ground for mission deployment."
"This also wouldn't change our coalition," Fay specified. "This would just open another avenue for people to serve, opening another avenue of recruitment for our Order, and of course another way for the Order to help fund Ranger needs or the Rangers to more easily fund Order needs."
"A lot of changes we'd be introducing to the Order in a short time," Oppo said, no less wary of the potential dangers despite the numerous debates prior. "Not since the Ruusan Reformations have we done so much."
"Too long there was no change, old friend," T'ra Saa said gently. "It was time, and so far everything that has changed has had positive impacts on our Order, our allies, and the people of the Republic. Whatever happens, we are not alone to confront what challenges these changes may bring."
Oppo closed his eyes, listening to the Force and pondering T'ra's words. Before long, he smiled and nodded as he saw the Neti Master's words had truth.
"I think you're right," he finally said. "We can't rush this, and it will take time, but I agree the path forward is where we need to go."
"To sum up the changes to be implemented," Mace said. "Padawans will no longer be accepted until thirteen years of age, or the species equivalent. Initiates will have until sixteen years of age, or the species equivalent to be accepted as Padawans before they are sent to a Service Corp. However they, along with any other Service Jedi may resubmit themselves for interest to be taken as Padawans. Initiates will spend dedicated time in all three Service Corps to help them find the path that is meant for them, whether that be the path of a Knight or the path of a Service Corp Jedi."
"The age restriction on accepting new Initiates will be removed, and the current guidance for acceptance based on midichlorian count or shown Force abilities will be removed, allowing for all beings whether Force sensitive or not to join the Order, though we will still approach parents with Force sensitive children, while those without can approach us. Order members will have access and will be encouraged to develop relationships with their birth families. Lastly, the Antarian Rangers will be approached about being annexed by the Order and officially becoming a division of the Jedi Order."
Mace nodded slowly, seeming positive on the way forward.
"Are there any objections?"
Fay beamed, seeing no one spoke against the changes.
**The Will of the Force**
Kastor eyed Nox with distaste, and he glanced about, dozens and dozens of rakghouls had positioned themselves around the edges of their force, boxing them in and trapping their escape.
From their vantage point at the top of the hill, seeing the hiding places that had concealed the rakghouls before was easy, but hindsight did little to help them now, and trying to run downhill would aid their speed, but hurt their balance and ability to fight back effectively.
"Kill them all!" Nox ordered, and his six acolytes moved forward as the rakghouls surged on all sides.
Kastor moved to charge Nox, but Yoda called out, "Handle the Sith Lord, I will."
"Dad, engage Nox's acolytes with Bant," Allara ordered as she intercepted the talisman bearer.
Kastor changed direction as ordered, his white and purple blades in his hands, and he jumped to intercept a strike directed at Bant, who had started dueling the first two acolytes. He then used the Force to send the man flying while he engaged the remaining three, hoping Bant could hold off the first two on her own.
All around, blaster fire rang out as the rakghouls swarmed their formation, and Gideon Argus shouted out commands for his troops while Koba directed the Rangers and Mandalorians.
Kastor spun, never staying anywhere for a moment, his lightsabers a whirlwind of strikes and parries, the three acolytes struggling to keep up with him. The fourth that Kastor had thrown rushed towards him to re-engage and aid his comrades.
Bant was doing an admirable job of keeping her two at bay, using Form IV, the favored form of her particular group of agemates. Considering lightsaber combat wasn't her speciality, he was happy to see her holding up so well.
Yoda hadn't yet engaged Nox with a lightsaber, instead countering the Sith's efforts to use the Force to crush, drain, electrocute, and wound them all. The Force was swirling around its two powerful users, with Yoda grunting as he absorbed Force lightning with one hand, and created Force barriers to absorb the dark shears that Nox was throwing with his other.
Kastor could freely admit that Nox's style of combat truly was starting to reach the point that he might struggle to fight him, and Yoda, Allara, or Fay if she was here, might be the only three he knew who had the best chance of defeating the powerful Sith Inquisitor without aid. Nox was not known for his skill with a lightsaber, but if you couldn't get close to him, it wouldn't matter.
Allara was alternating between Form V and Form III to counter the rogue Jedi, but Kastor could see the fight was not going in her favor with her having to constantly raise Force barriers to counter the Jedi from both using the Force and trying to corrupt her with the talisman.
Allara was a good duelist, but her skill lay in the Force, and unfortunately, while Kastor was sure she was a good enough duelist to keep up, Kastor suspected that the dueling abilities were truly coming from the Jedi, while the Force abilities were more being directed by the spirit of Karness Murr in the talisman.
Effectively, Allara was fighting two opponents in one body . . . two opponents who were able to use contrasting styles at nearly the same time.
"Break through their flank, men!" Argus roared, and Kastor jumped over two of his opponents, allowing him to see the ORSF making a push to destroy the rear flank of the rakghouls, making a path to escape, while the rest of their defensive line was almost impossible to see, the rakghouls having swarmed and engaged in close combat.
Kastor threw one of his lightsabers into his closest opponent, the man too close to truly dodge in time, and having been surprised by Kastor's move. He then used the Force to bring his blade back, meeting the strikes from the next two Sith, before he spun out of the way from a strike from the third.
'We're mismatched,' Kastor thought grimly, 'and about to get overwhelmed.'
Allara should have gone after Nox. Yoda was more than a match, in Kastor's opinion, and it was probably good for the old grandmaster to see what the ancient Sith were truly capable of, however Yoda's lightsaber skills were going to waste. In contrast, Yoda would have been a better match for the Jedi and the talisman, or Kastor should have been there allowing Yoda's size, skill, and style to overwhelm the Sith acolytes. Bant and Yoda were more familiar with each other's lightsaber styles, so Kastor frankly would have preferred Yoda to fight with Bant while he went for the talisman bearer.
The talisman bearer jumped over Allara, and then to Kastor's horror and dismay, she quickly turned a group of ORSF soldiers into rakghouls, who immediately turned on their former comrades.
"PULL BACK!" Koba ordered, and Kastor could only grimly agree, knowing that once the ORSF retreated, their own group would be overwhelmed and fall swiftly.
Kastor waved his hand, generating a massive Force wave, and his three Sith opponents were blasted away from him.
"Disengage!" Kastor called over to his daughter, Bant, and Yoda.
Bant quickly used the Force to jump away from her opponents, back to the Mandalorians and Rangers. Allara and Yoda raised barriers, absorbing powerful attacks from both Nox and the rogue Jedi.
"TAKE COVER!" Rhys bellowed, and Kastor felt the Force surge with a warning.
Kastor dived to the ground and explosions and fire started raining down on the battlefield. He glanced up to see several rakghouls and ORSF soldiers vaporized by a turbolaser bolt.
"Orbital bombardment! Move! To the rear!"
Kastor jumped to his feet, and heard a scream. He glanced over in horror to see their rookie, Ramac Zog, being smashed into and hurled back into a crowd of rakghouls. Meanwhile, another had taken advantage of Bant being disoriented from the bombardment and had managed to land a large scratch on her right forearm.
Kastor quickly let out with a torrent of emerald lightning, frying the rakghoul and the others nearby as Koba rushed over, and threw Bant over his shoulder. Kastor glanced back at the Sith and rogue Jedi to see Nox using the Force to shield himself and his remaining acolytes from the turbo laser blasts, though Kastor was somewhat happy to see they were down another acolyte.
Kastor joined Rhys and Ania in covering Koba with Bant, while Allara, Yoda, and Coria led the way, following the retreating ORSF personnel.
"Where's Deng?" Kastor called out, not seeing his friend.
"He got caught in one of those orbital blasts," Rhys spat angrily, and Kastor felt his emotions drop.
Deng Haren had been a good friend. He'd been one of the first Antarian Rangers to join up when they acquired the Darasuum and formed the Kandosii. He'd been a stalwart friend over the years and had accompanied Kastor on many missions and had been involved in every major assault for the Kandosii . . . and now he had fallen thanks to the ORSF's orbital bombardment.
Kastor could only mourn his friend and threw himself into the fight. They fought their way back through the lines, and Kastor was honestly not sure they were going to make it when large barrages or heavy fire flew over their heads, decimating the rakghouls that had been closing in.
Kastor glanced towards where the shots had come from and saw the ORSF had deployed AT-PT walkers and TX-130 Saber Tanks to decimate the approaching rakghouls and to provide cover for their retreating personnel.
"I'm heading for the medical center!" Koba called out.
Kastor and the others moved to escort, when Argus and his soldiers, along with new ORSF that ran over to help, all stepped into their path, leveling their weapons on them.
"You're not going anywhere. She's infected," Argus said, eyes firm.
"She's not yet a rakghoul," Kastor retorted, his lightsabers igniting.
"Doesn't matter," Argus returned. "No need to take the risk."
"A danger, she may be," Yoda said, moving forward slowly, using his walking stick once again. "A danger, she may not be. Working a cure, the researchers and healers are. Help them, she may. If turn, she does, remove the threat, we will."
"Forgive me but the word of a Jedi doesn't mean much to me right now," Argus retorted coolly. "When were you going to tell us that it was one of yours that caused this? A Jedi, not a 'Sith,' got taken in by that talisman."
"We didn't know," Allara said, with a shake of her head. "She is not someone we recognize, but we do have theories on who she is. Let us get Knight Bant to the healer, and we will tell you our theories."
"And convince us to help you save her?" Argus responded knowingly. "At the cost of more of our men's lives?"
"Captain, you saw the Sith there," Rhys interjected. "You also saw that even your orbital bombardment is not guaranteed to kill them. Frankly, in the worst case scenario you do manage to kill that talisman wearer. Then the Sith can claim the talisman easily."
"They already have it!" Argus retorted as he glanced at the Ranger incredulously.
"No, not quite," Allara said evenly. "If they truly controlled it, Nox would already have left the planet. If the spirit in the talisman is currently in control of the host, Nox is simply trying to reason with the spirit to leave with him. Now, let us try and save our friend, Captain, please."
"Captain, no," one of his men protested.
Kastor allowed his daughter to take point, she being much better at wordplay than he was.
Argus stared at Allara, frowning, before he glanced at a pale Bant, and finally lowered his weapon, and signaled for his men to do the same.
"We expect answers, Jedi," he said flatly. "If she causes any issues, we will consider you all threats."
"Understood," Koba said with a low growl, and he took off running again, forcing ORSF personnel to move swiftly out of his way.
Yoda hopped onto Allara's back, and they all took off after Koba.
It took them far longer than any of them would have liked to make it to the medical center, but they called ahead and Rig Nema had a bed waiting, where they set her down so she could enter a healing trance, while Rig and the other doctors and researchers started trying to get a timetable on how long they had before she turned.
They knew from records that the longest had been 48 hours.
Kastor hoped that Bant's Force healing trance helped extend that further. Then he had to hope that they could find the cure in time . . . or he'd have to say goodbye to another good friend on this cursed world.