AN: May the Fourth be with you! For this week, I'm posting twice in honor of Star Wars day. You get a post today, and I will still make my normal post tomorrow. I hope you all enjoy it.
Asharzal - That's a fun idea. Sith were once part of the Je'daii in legends, so finding some pureblood Sith out there could be fun to add to the story. It was definitely the Meditation Sphere you are thinking of, but what it's doing will be revealed later!
Morgriff - You and I are of similar opinions. Aubrie was extremely wasted. The comics were often very good, but a lot of those writers developed a lot of characters just to kill them off to make the Clone Wars more gritty, and I just felt like it meant a lot of wasted characters.
Chapter 40 - Visions, Theories, and Treachery
Anakin was spending his time swimming when he should have been training, but he just wanted to swim. He found it deeply calming, which helped him think on the strained distance between him and his master, a distance that had been created with his mistake on Andara.
Anakin had never really felt true disappointment from his Master until that mission. Obi-Wan had faulted him for acting without regard to his instructions, and had disagreed with his actions. Never before had Anakin seen Obi-Wan so angry. Never before had Obi-Wan accused him of violating an essential core of trust between them.
Even Kastor had indirectly scolded him. He'd heard the disguised lesson when Kastor helped his former squadmates, but he just didn't really understand. He knew he'd been wrong about the squad, but he'd also been right about them. Everything had worked out. He had followed his instincts and had been right.
His Master didn't care though. It made no difference to the Jedi Council, either. Anakin had been asked to appear before the full Council and accept a reprimand, a serious failing for a Padawan.
He and Obi-Wan had been on several missions since, but things between them weren't the same. They had lost a rhythm Anakin had not been sure was there, until he had lost it. Part of him wondered if it was because it had been Siri's Padawan, Ferus. Would Obi-Wan still hold a grudge with him if he'd done the same thing with another Padawan? Or was it because it was Siri Tachi? He didn't know, but he was worried.
Now, he even missed Obi-Wan's corrections, which had once annoyed him, but now that they were absent, he could see they were his master's dedication to making him the best Jedi that he could be.
He was worried that Obi-Wan might not want him anymore. It was not unheard of for a Master to step away. Unusual, yes, but not every pairing was the right one. It was considered no shame on the Padawan if a more appropriate Master was needed, but Anakin would feel the shame.
As he broke the surface of the water and then started swimming towards the bank, it happened. The vision came, and the peaceful scene before him fell away. The rushing water became a rush of air so intense that it hurt his ears. Images came and went so quickly they were like pulses of light: a massive fleet at his command; a revolt of hundreds of slaves as they shouted his name; striding through the dusty streets of Mos Espa and reaching the door of his old home. The images stopped and froze only once. His mother's face as he clasped her against him. He touched the slave cuffs at her wrists and they fell to the floor. He heard the clang.
And then there was an explosion of light and sorrow, and he knew he had lost Shmi, had lost, in fact, everyone he loved, including Obi-Wan.
The One Below remains below.
Suddenly Anakin felt the grass underneath his fingers, springy and soft. He heard the sound of the waterfall. The explosion of blinding light fractured and mellowed into the cool greens of the water.
It was the third time that he'd had that vision, and he still had no idea what it could mean.
Why did the vision of liberating slaves come to him?
He hadn't had that thought since he was a young boy on Tatooine. He often dwelled on his mother, of course, dreamed of freeing her from her harsh life. Yet this vision was so real. It felt as though he really had the power to do it. He saw now the difference between a dream and a vision.
Who was The One Below?
Anakin shook his head, watching as water droplets hit the skin of his forearm. He felt troubled and weary. Swimming every day wasn't enough to clear his mind, calm his heart.
It was time to tell Obi-Wan about it.
It didn't take long for Anakin to get ahold of Obi-Wan, who was unsurprisingly, meditating in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, sitting on his favorite bench. From there, Anakin outlined his vision, which was so clear in his head that he had no trouble remembering the little details.
"The One Below remains below," Obi-Wan murmured.
"Do you know what that means?"
Obi-Wan didn't answer. "Yoda should hear about this."
"Hear about what, I wonder," Yoda called, heading toward them and leaning on his gimer stick. "To find you, I come, Obi-Wan. Expecting a problem, I was not."
Obi-Wan smiled as he rose. "Not a problem. A vision has been troubling Anakin."
"A vision, you say?" Yoda swiveled to fix Anakin with a curious look.
He settled himself on a rock and rested his hands on top of his stick, his posture for listening.
Once again, Anakin related the vision, leaving out his feelings about it. He knew that Yoda would want to know only the details.
Strangely, Yoda repeated the same thing that Obi-Wan had. "The One Below remains below," he murmured.
"Do you know who that is, Master Yoda?" Anakin asked.
Yoda nodded slowly. "Know her well, I do. Master Yaddle, it is."
"Master Yaddle was imprisoned for centuries on the world of Koda," Obi-Wan explained. "The Kodans gave her that name, The One Below."
Anakin nodded. He had known about Yaddle's long imprisonment, but he had never heard that name. She was a revered Jedi Master. He was surprised that she'd been a part of his vision.
"About to leave on a mission to Mawan, she is," Yoda said. "A troubling one, I fear. Debated, we have, which Jedi team to send with her. Debated whether to request assistance from our new allies, the Mandalorians. The answer, perhaps your vision is."
Anakin felt a rush of disappointment. He realized at that moment that he had been hoping that the vision meant he needed to travel to Tatooine. He had imagined that he would be able to step out of his dreams and free his mother in reality.
"I thought perhaps the vision meant I could somehow help the slaves on Tatooine," he said hesitantly.
Yoda and Obi-Wan both shook their heads.
"Careful you must be. Difficult to interpret, visions are," Yoda said. "A map, a vision is not."
Anakin hid his impatience. Wasn't Yoda interpreting his vision for him, and telling him where he needed to go?
Obi-Wan sensed his confusion. "Visions of freeing slaves are not surprising," he told Anakin. "That desire rests deep within you. It is natural that it would rise up in some form. To follow a vision literally is often a mistake."
"But isn't following Yaddle also literal?" Anakin asked.
Yoda made a slight gesture with his gimer stick, an acknowledgment of Anakin's point. "A warning, the vision is." He turned to Obi-Wan. "Grave, the situation on Mawan has become."
Obi-Wan nodded. "It is a sad situation. I knew the planet when it was thriving."
"Open now, this world is," Yoda said.
"Open?" Anakin asked.
"Mawan was torn apart by a civil war ten years ago," Obi-Wan explained. "The planet was decimated by the conflict and was never able to set up a government afterward. The capital city completely lost its infrastructure — its roads deteriorated, its space lanes went unmonitored, and finally its power grid went down completely. Much of the housing was destroyed, too. A majority of the citizens were left jobless and homeless. Many moved to the country, but a famine devastated the population there. The absence of government, security, and hope left a void that criminal elements rushed in to fill. It's now an open world, where anything can happen without fear of the law. Criminals from throughout the galaxy have set up operations there. There is no safety for the citizens."
"Too busy, the Senate has been," Yoda said. "But ignore Mawan, they can no longer. Ripples of evil, open worlds have. Affect the galaxy, they do. Asked, the Senate has, for a Jedi presence to help establish a provisional government committee. To have the trust of the Mawans, a diplomat we need."
"A diplomat, yes, but also a warrior," Obi-Wan remarked. "Someone who can convince the criminal gangs that it is in their best interest to leave the planet. I can see why you chose Yaddle."
Yoda inclined his head. "Our most able diplomat, she is. Accomplished in the ways of the Force. But assistance she needs. Help her, you and your Padawan must, for important this mission is. As goes Mawan, so go other worlds. Growing in the galaxy, the dark side is."
"We are ready, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin nodded. But he felt a dread he did not understand. Even hearing the name of the planet had created a sour feeling in his stomach. Usually a mission excited him, no matter how difficult or dangerous. Yet he knew that he did not want to go to Mawan.
**The Will of the Force**
"You should be taking it easy," Siri said with concern to the greenish-blue haired woman who landed on the ground next to her, using the Force to lighten the impact from her fall.
"You are starting to sound like Obi-Wan," Taria retorted with a grin. "I'm fine, Siri. I'm terminally dying, not dead."
"Sorry that I'd like you to stay not dead," Siri responded blandly, and Taria laughed.
"You and Obi-Wan really are cut from the same cloth," Taria said with a chuckle. "No wonder you two are always hot and bothered for each other."
Siri rolled her eyes, and Taria laughed again.
"I take back what I said," Siri said dryly.
"Now, you're really sounding like Obi-Wan," Taria responded with a mischievous smirk.
Siri sighed.
"Can't we be concerned for one of our good friends?" she asked.
"Of course," Taria said a bit softer. "I really do appreciate it, but I can't let it stop me from being a Jedi. I enjoy teaching back at the Temple, but I'm still a Jedi, just one with a shorter lifespan than the rest."
"Until someone finds a cure," Siri said confidently, but then sighed. "Though, I hear you loud and clear. Still, we're going to worry."
"I know," Taria said brightly, as the two Jedi turned their attention back to the mission at hand.
"Master, this place is completely empty," Ferus said, as he came back in from one of the side tunnels of the large compound.
"Kastor's intel was correct," Siri muttered as she gazed around the old Sith Temple/fortress on Malrev IV.
"This place used to be inaccessible to Jedi, with how many cultists lived here," Taria agreed. "Shavit. Where did they all go?"
"Did Master Shan say where his intelligence came from?" Ferus asked, looking uneasy, but Siri didn't blame him.
The dark side was strong where they were. This was . . . or had been one of the greatest bastions of dark side users left in the galaxy. A cult known as the Black Knights, who had been in existence since the end of the New Sith Wars almost a thousand years ago. Master Yoda had fought them as a Padawan, and they'd been repelled and had eventually faded into the background, existing, but causing no issues, and were thus left alone.
"Kastor probably has the best working knowledge of Sith cults in the galaxy," Siri said. "He asked some Mandalorians to watch several of the major ones that he felt were the biggest threats."
"Well, this is the third one we've visited that the cultists are gone . . . just gone. First Cularin, then Manaan, and now here," Taria said. "Certainly no sign of battle. It just seems they moved on . . . but where?"
"That's what has Kastor alarmed," Siri said with a frown. "He's found nothing about the Sith other than what he learned from Omega's ships, but now cultists are disappearing, and it seems they're doing so willingly. He's worried they're gathering into a new army, which only increases his worry that another Sith Lord is active in the galaxy."
"Yet, we still have no actual intel about if that's the case, who might be gathering, where they might be gathering, or even how they are leaving these places without anyone seeing," Taria said in frustration. "Something is clearly up, but we still don't know if there's a Sith Lord ring leader or it's just Omega or some other unknown player. I don't like this."
"Me neither," Siri agreed. "They took . . . everything that had to do with the Sith. All the history of this place. This place is probably cleaner than it was the day it was made."
"Do we have anyone staking out all the old Sith worlds?" Talia asked thoughtfully. "I mean this is arguably one, but this doesn't have the history of Korriban, Ziost, or Dromand Kaas. This fort was all that existed of the Sith here. Those other worlds were entirely Sith. If cultists are disappearing, and possibly forming a full Sith civilization again . . . then I would think it would be on one of the worlds with a history of the dark side."
"I'm not sure," Siri admitted, "but I would bet that Kas and the Council do have people looking into most of the major worlds, but there are a lot of worlds from back then that have become forgotten . . . it's possible we're missing some, and even if they are on many of those worlds, they are likely hidden."
"I don't know what's going on, but I've got a bad feeling about this. A really bad feeling," Taria said. "It might be time to get back into the Shadow game and explore some leads myself."
"Talk to Kastor if you want to do that," Siri advised. "He probably could recommend where to check, and I bet he gets you some backup."
"Mandalorian backup," Taria said with a chuckle. "Still, you're right. I guess we should head back to the ship and report back to the Temple, and maybe Kas will be there."
"Perhaps, but it's only a slight detour to where that strike team of his is," Siri said, thinking of Rhys's last communication. "We can go there to refuel and get some guidance. Even if Kastor isn't there, I'm sure Rhys and Asuna will have some fresher information. From there we can return to the Temple to report back to the Council, and perhaps see Kastor if he isn't on the Darasuum."
"That sounds like a good idea," Taria agreed.
"I'll get the ship ready, Master," Ferus said, and Siri and Taria nodded as the Padawan left.
"He's a good kid," Talia said, looking where Ferus disappeared to.
"Yes, he is," Siri agreed, proudly. "He's going to make a fine Jedi Knight, and probably sooner than I think."
Taria glanced at her in surprise.
"Is he being considered for the Padawan acceleration program?" she asked.
Siri nodded slowly.
"Impressive," Taria said, and Siri nodded again.
"Well, I suspect that soon we'll need all the Knights we can get," Taria said somberly, and Siri nodded one last sad time.
**The Will of the Force**
The Republic cruiser flew low over Mawan's capital city of Naatan.
Obi-Wan leaned closer to look out the cockpit window. The power grid was being fought over by the crimelords, and had been repeatedly damaged in successive raids and takeovers. Tonight the grid was down and the city was black. It rose out of the night like a dark shadow.
He had flown into Naatan at night before. Years ago, before the war. The city had glowed from kilometers above in space. The Mawans were fond of soft colors, which they used to filter the harsh light of their world. They used delicate rose lights to illuminate their streets and plazas at night, and from the air the city had glowed like a rare pink jewel.
He had always enjoyed his visits to Naatan. The city had been a thriving cosmopolitan center. It had been an important stop on the primary Core trade route, and the wealth of the city had spread to its parks, libraries, and schools.
As they flew lower, dipping down into an unused space lane, he could see that those parks were now black holes in the landscape, as painful as wounds. The schools were now in ruins, the libraries leveled. Obi-Wan saw broken windows, twisted gates, half-demolished cafes. Abandoned speeders left on the street. Everywhere he looked, Obi-Wan saw desolation. It wasn't just the property, it was what the property represented — the ruin of so many lives, busy lives that had been lived in pleasant surroundings. Now those lives had been driven underground, and evil had moved into the vacuum.
"Gone underground," Euraana Fall said. "The only ones who remain are part of the criminal gangs."
A native of Naatan, Euraana had the delicate, pale skin and blue veins that were prized by the Mawan. Mawans had two hearts and their blue veins lay close to their skin, a mark of beauty on the planet. Euraana's grief showed in her shimmering gray eyes, but her voice was steady.
"Most of the citizens live in the infrastructure tunnels. Before the Great Purge — what Mawans call the civil war — all of our goods were transported below the city, in tunnels, and airlifted to the surface. Our computer centers and control links are there, too. It's what made the city so pleasant. For a busy city, we had very little traffic."
"Yes, it was a wonderful city to stroll in," Obi-Wan said as the craft neared landing. "Your cafes and restaurants were always full of talk and music."
"And our parks held the laughter of our children," Euraana agreed, her gaze quietly sweeping over the city. "All gone." She pointed in the distance. "There is the quarter where the crimelord Striker rules. He is known by that name because of the projectile pistols his gang used for their first raid. Strikers are not sophisticated weapons, but they won the battle. Now they are better armed, of course. He is reputed to have the most extensive weapons cache of all the crimelords."
Obi-Wan leaned over to look at the quarter of the city that Euraana had indicated. Garish blue and green glowlights were hung from poles to cast their eerie light on the streets. Half-destroyed buildings were rebuilt with inexpensive, brightly colored plastoid materials. The replacements were slapped onto old buildings built of polished stone, making a tawdry contrast. This quarter did have a few beings in its streets, with state-of-the-art speeders sporting shiny paint and flashing lights moving through the streets and cafes full of beings. It was obvious that there was trading going on. The progress of their transport was watched with calculating eyes.
"What are they buying and selling?" Anakin asked.
Euraana shrugged. "Weapons. Spice. Illegal medicines they will sell to the unfortunates in the galaxy. Fortunes are being made down there. And those fortunes are built on the ashes of our civilization."
"No longer," Yaddle said softly.
She had talked little on the journey and had spent much of it meditating. Now the sharp gaze from her green-brown eyes seemed to give strength to Euraana, who nodded. Although Yaddle was small in size, her presence loomed large.
Without air traffic guidelines, the Senate pilot didn't need clearance or coordinates. The landing platforms for the city had all been destroyed. He set the cruiser down in a large courtyard of a formerly impressive living complex, carefully avoiding the rubble.
Obi-Wan watched Anakin as his Padawan grabbed his survival pack and waited with the others for the ramp to lower. Usually at the start of a new mission Anakin's eyes were alive with curiosity. Obi-Wan had always appreciated how his Padawan threw himself into a new situation, using all of his senses to gather information. This time, however, Anakin's expression looked shuttered.
He walked beside him as they exited the craft. "Any impressions?"
He was always interested to hear what Anakin had picked up. The Force spoke to Anakin in a different way than anyone Obi-Wan had ever known.
Anakin shook his head. "Nothing to speak of. I feel the dark side of the Force, of course. That's clear."
"And to be expected," Obi-Wan said. "What about your vision? Any connections?"
Anakin shook his head. "Nothing."
There were shadows between them now. He could see them in the way Anakin held his shoulders, the way his eyes spoke. It wasn't as though Anakin didn't meet his gaze directly, but his gaze was like glass.
He knew he was partly responsible. Ever since Andara he had held himself back from his Padawan. His anger had gone, but it had been replaced with caution. He had wanted to give Anakin room, time to reflect without the pressure of his own opinions and interpretations. He knew he could be heavy-handed at times. He remembered Qui-Gon, how his own Master had sometimes withdrawn his focus on him and gone to a place Obi-Wan could not reach. It had sometimes left Obi-Wan feeling stranded, but it had forced him to come to terms with his own feelings. He wanted to do the same for Anakin. His Padawan was sixteen now. It was time for him to achieve a deeper connection to his core.
Anakin had been wrong on Andara. The fact that he had not reported the disappearance of a Jedi still astonished Obi-Wan. His actions did not take away from the fact that Anakin was special. When he made mistakes, they were big ones. His need to be perfect, to be powerful, was a flaw. Try as he might, Obi-Wan could not show Anakin that if he held himself back, everything would come to him. Anakin just kept pushing.
He resolved to work out some of their differences on this mission.
They were on a journey together, and for each phase they would develop different rhythms, different paces. Anakin needed to understand that. A little distance between them didn't mean that the core was threatened.
"Our contacts are meeting us nearby," Euraana Fall said. "This way."
The Jedi picked their way through the rubble of the courtyard and followed Euraana down the dark street, leaving the pilot and cruiser behind. "Better not use a glow rod," she said. "No need to attract attention. This part of the city isn't used much. It will be a good place for us to set up operations."
She led them to a building that seemed miraculously untouched by the signs of war, until they entered and saw that part of the rear portion had been blown out. The domed ceiling was half destroyed. Stars littered the sky above, thrown like mineral dust on shimmersilk.
"This was once a meeting hall." Euraana's voice echoed in the space. "I attended lectures here, and concerts. There are still offices and even a cafe here. We can make it work."
Two forms separated from the shadows. Obi-Wan tensed, but he saw almost immediately that they were friendly. They were most likely the Mawan contacts. They were both short, muscular men with pale complexions and long hair that was tied back with metal clasps. One of the men had gleaming dark hair, the other snowy white.
The shorter one with the white hair and youthful face gave a short nod to Euraana and held out his hand, palm out, in the Mawan gesture of friendship and welcome. "Glad to see you made it." His voice rumbled like a balky sublight engine.
"Greetings to you, Swanny," Euraana said to the white-haired man. Then she faced the dark-haired Mawan and said, "Hello, Rorq." Euraana turned and introduced the two to the Jedi party. The two men nodded greetings. "Swanny and Rorq were tunnel workers before the war," Euraana explained. "They live below. The tunnel workers have agreed to help us, and they are their representatives."
"I'm afraid I haven't been thoroughly briefed," Obi-Wan said politely. "Tunnel workers?"
Swanny bristled. "What's wrong with that?"
Euraana said quickly, "Let me explain. Before the war, the tunnel workers were . . . well, near the bottom of the social structure — "
"Meaning the high-and-mighties looked down on us," Rorq said, crossing his thick arms. "Called us subrats."
"Even though we kept everything running for them," Swanny added with a cynical twist to his mouth.
"So the order of things," Euraana said, holding her hand up and flipping it over, "is now reversed."
"Subrats on top," Swanny said. "It's a sweet thing."
"The citizens below depend on the tunnel workers to bring provisions and keep their generators going," Euraana continued. "They have practically fashioned a city down below."
"We saved their hides," Rorq growled.
"We've gotten a taste of power, and we like it," Swanny said. "Not only that, we're good at it. So we'd like to be involved in the rebuilding of Naatan. Not from the bottom, though. Things have changed."
"Everything has changed," Euraana said quietly.
"Before the Purge, Euraana here wouldn't have given me the time of day," Swanny said. "Now she has to deal with me."
"Oh?" Euraana said, cocking an eyebrow. "Do you know me so well, Swanny Mull? Enough to call me a snob and an opportunist in one breath?"
Swanny grinned and held up his hands. "Maybe I spoke too soon."
"Maybe you should stick to things you know about," Euraana snapped in a tart tone. "The crimelords, for example." She turned to the others. "The tunnel workers serve as go-betweens. The citizens are forced to buy their food and goods from the crimelords in temporary markets set up below in the tunnels. The tunnel workers set it up." She gave Swanny an icy glance. "They are paid by the crimelords for their services, as well as by the citizens."
"Why shouldn't we be paid?" Swanny asked mildly. "We take the risks."
"Tell us about the crimelords," Obi-Wan said. If he didn't step in, he had a feeling Euraana and Swanny would trade taunts for hours. "Who is the most dangerous? Who is the most powerful? Sometimes they aren't one and the same."
Swanny frowned. "Most of the criminals in Naatan are low-level types working for bosses. I'd say your three biggest problems are Striker, Feeana Tala, and Decca."
"Let's start with Decca," Obi-Wan said.
"She's a Hutt," Rorq said with a shudder. "The daughter of Gardulla. Decca took over Gardulla's organization here when she moved on to bigger things. Her center of operations used to be on C-Foroon, near Tatooine, but she got chased off. She came here and brought her goons with her. She's mainly in the spice trade."
"But she has a personal grudge against Striker," Swanny said. "He hit her operation within days of arriving on Mawan. Grabbed control of the power grid and a warehouse full of weapons. Decca's got the edge in transport though. She controls most of the main tunnels. She stole most of Naatan's transports when she arrived and she's managed to hold on to them."
"The only trouble is, she doesn't have fuel for them," Rorq said.
"Striker keeps raiding her fuel supplies, just to make her angry. He doesn't need that much fuel. He doesn't have as many transports."
"Nobody knows who Striker is?" Anakin asked.
Swanny shook his head. "Not many have even seen him. His operators were in control for years, and he only dropped in from time to time. Lately, he's been spending all of his time here." He nodded at Obi-Wan. "I'd say he was the most powerful, and also the most dangerous."
"And Feeana Tala?" Yaddle asked. "A native of Mawan, she is."
Rorq nodded. "She controls most of the goods and services that are sold to the citizens below. Small potatoes for the other crimelords."
"Still, they raid her when they feel like it," Swanny said. "They want to control as much of what happens on Mawan as they can. Decca wants Striker off-planet, and he wants the same for her. Feeana's edge is that she knows the tunnels below almost as well as we do."
Euraana looked at Yaddle. "So what is our first step?"
"Return and take back the city, the citizens must," Yaddle said. "So control of the power grid we must have."
"You'll have to guarantee their safety," Euraana said.
Yaddle turned to her and blinked in a gesture that was very much like Yoda's. "Guarantee, you say? Guarantees, there never are." She spread her hands. "Help them we will. Courage must they find themselves."
Euraana nodded. "If we can get the power grid back, we might be able to persuade them to leave the tunnels. And if there was at least some progress with the crimelords — "
"That is our job," Obi-Wan said, indicating himself and Anakin. "They must be told that if they don't voluntarily leave the planet, Senate security forces will make them go."
"If the Senate will send them," Euraana said worriedly. "They still have not agreed."
"Agree they will, if take back the city we can," Yaddle said.
"What if the crimelords don't listen to talk?" Swanny asked. "In my experience, they seldom do."
"We have to find a reason to make them listen," Obi-Wan said.
"Everyone is vulnerable somewhere. For now we just need to learn more about their operations."
"Swanny and Rorq can help you there," Euraana said. "Aboveground has been so destroyed that even the crimelords have bunkers belowground."
"Safer down there in case something bad happens," Swanny said. He grinned at Obi-Wan and Anakin. "We know just about everything that goes on down there."
"Take us below," Obi-Wan said. "We'll be in touch while you take care of the power grid," he said to Yaddle. Yaddle nodded good-bye.
"If you'll follow me." Swanny gave a bow to the Jedi that held a hint of mockery.
Obi-Wan and Anakin strode after the two. Obi-Wan's instincts were on alert. He had his doubts about the value of Swanny and Rorq's assistance. They were scruffy, rude, and probably untrustworthy.
Qui-Gon would have befriended them instantly.
**The Will of the Force**
"When not out navigating the stars, here is where I can find you," Yoda said with a light laugh and Kastor glanced over at the aged Jedi Master. "Not so scholarly did I think you were."
Kastor grinned ruefully.
"I wasn't a slouch, but I'm not sure anyone accused me of being scholarly when I was younger," Kastor admitted.
"And yet, the library, the only place in the Temple you've been seen, these past months, it has been," Yoda said. "Missed you, the younglings have, teaching their saber classes. Indeed, wish you would choose them for a Padawan, many did. Very serious crime, disappointing a child," Yoda said with a light laugh. "Serious research you must be doing. Yes, very serious indeed. Yet, no aid, have you requested from other Jedi or Madam Jocasta."
"Well, she does say that Masters and Knights should do their own research," Kastor pointed out with a smile, and Yoda laughed.
"And yet, does research for others, including our young friend, Obi-Wan, she does," Yoda said, and Kastor chuckled.
"Yes, well, Obi-Wan has those pretty gray-blue eyes," Kastor said and Yoda chuckled.
"Still, is there something you wish to tell me?" Yoda asked, one of his ears twitched up in interest.
Kastor grimaced.
"Yes . . . but not here."
Yoda's face frowned slightly in concern, but then nodded, and Kastor copied the files he had been studying and then followed Yoda back to the grandmaster's quarters. Kastor took a seat opposite from Yoda and took a breath, Yoda's room helping him to find some sense of calm. He was one of the few Jedi in this modern Order that could help him feel peace just with his presence. The others were Yaddle, who he'd forged a good friendship with during his months as a saber instructor and who could put the most unnerved being at ease, Fay, of course, and then Plo, Adi, Obi-Wan, Siri, and Taria Damsin, who he had befriended easily over the years, with how close she was to Siri and Obi-Wan. He certainly made more friends than that, but not ones that could put his mind at ease just with their presence.
"When ready you are to talk, ready I am to listen," Yoda said kindly.
"I've discovered something . . . terrible," Kastor admitted. "I'm trying to get a full picture with a quiet investigation before I bring it to the Council . . . and maybe not even to the full Council."
Yoda leaned forward, his aged face showing concern.
"Discovered what terrible thing, have you?"
Kastor paused thoughtfully, thinking about whether to just get to the point or whether to provide the background that led to his discovery.
"It's no secret that I've been . . . . obsessed with trying to root out the Sith since I was awakened," Kastor said, and Yoda nodded. "Even before the Sith revealed themselves, I was sure they were still out there. The question was, where? That question could have many answers, logically, but really, it can be broken down to three options if the Sith thought process could be reasonably predicted."
"Think you do, that you understand how these modern Sith think?" Yoda asked curiously.
"Yes . . . and no," Kastor said slowly. "Predicting what a Sith will do is very hard . . . depending on the type of Sith we are dealing with. For others, it's . . . far more manageable."
"Types of Sith?" Yoda asked.
"It generally comes down to how they became a Sith," Kastor said thoughtfully. "People who join the Sith have reasons for doing so, and those reasons can help to generate a psychological profile to predict actions. There are Sith who joined for good reasons, seeing it as the way to save those they loved or protect the innocent with greater powers. The darkness corrupts them so that they cannot see that their actions harm those they mean to protect . . . but at their core, they still believe they will one day protect those they profess to love. Those are the ones you have the greatest chance of appealing to and convincing to change their ways, as long as what they fought for still exists. Others . . . others think they have good ideals and are prideful. They believe only they have the strength to bring order or security or peace. Then you have those who love violence and those who simply crave power for power's sake. Natural born Sith are different, and as a whole, much harder to predict. These Banite Sith, as I'm calling them, aren't natural-born. Each apprentice is buying into the Sith doctrine that their Master is advocating, at least to an extent. However, they also are different from Sith from the past, which is what colored my way forward on how I went about trying to combat and search for these hidden Sith."
"Hm," Yoda said. "Back to the three options, we are."
"Yes, Master," Kastor said with a half smile. "When Sith go to ground, or should I say, when they go into hiding after losing to Jedi, they generally do one of two things. They disappear into their old controlled territories, fortify, and then rebuild and plot, like what happened during the Cold War between the two galactic wars during my original time. The other option is they try to find some place that nobody knows about, a place they can grow without fear, but also a place that may someday even forget the Republic exists, until the Force wills an interaction. This is what happened with the Great Hyperspace War and with Revan after the Mandalorian War. The Sith had disappeared to worlds the Republic did not know about."
"Now . . . I do fear that there is a Sith Empire or civilization at least out in the galaxy, probably in the Expansion Regions or Wild Space that fits that criteria. I worry that any of the missing Sith or possibly even unknown ones over the centuries fled into worlds they either had discovered and not revealed or worlds they stumbled upon while fleeing the Republic, and settled, forming a new society. Now, searching for these possible Sith seems counterproductive to me," Kastor admitted. "If nobody has discovered them in the past several thousand years, one must assume that the records of whatever planet they discovered has disappeared or that they likely stumbled upon a planet. In addition, as millenia pass, it seems more and more likely that these Sith, if they exist, likely only know legends of the Republic, if even that. History fades to myth and legend afterall, and depending on the world and society built, history is easily destroyed."
"So, not a concern, at the moment, you believe these possible Sith be, perhaps never a risk until the Force wills it so, you do," Yoda summed up. "So, search for these possible Sith, you do not."
"Exactly," Kastor agreed. "It seems highly unlikely I would find them, and finding them may not be the best idea either, since they are currently not a threat. We'll find them when the Force wants us to, and not before, so why search since the Force will reveal them if it chooses to do so? Now, option two is the fortification of old Sith worlds and redoubts, in order to grow a new army from which to start a new conquest years and possibly even centuries later. The Sith have done this many times."
Yoda nodded in agreement.
"However, as far as I could tell, when I first was awakened, the Jedi Order were aware of all the old Sith redoubts, and knew of no Sith in the galaxy, and these new Banite Sith, I don't believe would do this anyway," Kastor said, and Yoda's head tilted. "They obviously have adopted this Rule of Two, which means they aren't going to be growing acolytes, warriors, and other possible Sith Lords that might supplant them, at least not until they are ready for open warfare, and perhaps not ever, depending on how they've evolved over the past thousand years. It's hard to know until they act more openly, if they ever will."
"In addition, due to Bane and Zannah being declared dead, they were free to thrive in this galaxy, as long as they stayed off the Jedi's radar as Sith. Indeed, Bane's death was supposedly ten years after the end of the Brotherhood of Darkness, and they had clearly been living in the Republic under disguise. With their presumed deaths or at least one of their presumed deaths, it seems unlikely they would change their strategy. I assume, especially since they have not been seen, that they have thrived in the open, as businessmen, bankers, possibly even senators or warriors . . . people of power and wealth. As each new generation of apprentices becomes the master, they grow the accumulated knowledge and wealth, and pass it on, furthering whatever goals they have, which I assume eventually is control of the galaxy and destruction of the Jedi, especially based on their actions on Naboo. I'ver already voiced my concerns about the Chancellor, especially with his change in fortune due to the Naboo Crisis."
Yoda nodded in agreement.
"Now, while I don't doubt that these Sith have probably visited many of the old Sith worlds, I doubt they set up bases and attempted to set up civilizations. You would have found them or heard about them if that was the case. No, I believe it's only been in the last several decades that they've started growing their allies and possible warriors to prepare for a war with the Jedi and the Republic."
"Which is why, fight the Council, you did not, when ask you to not go to Sith worlds, we did," Yoda said, and Kastor nodded, grinning that Yoda saw him so clearly.
"Indeed," Kastor agreed. "While there are Sith artifacts, I'm sure, worth recovering on those worlds, as we found with the Meditation Sphere, I doubted there would be any real chance of running into the Sith Lord and his or her possible new apprentice. Clearly if these Banite Sith ever visited Ziost, they never found the Temple we found. I instead focused on trying to figure out where the Banite Sith had hidden themselves in the known galaxy. Now though, with the possible resurgence of ancient foes . . . ones who clearly would seek refuge in their old fortresses, I wanted to refocus my studies into all of the worlds of the Sith in any of the wars we've fought with them."
"Nearly, the whole galaxy, that is," Yoda murmured.
"Indeed," Kastor said with grim humor. "However, from there, I filtered down to worlds that the Sith built temples, academies, or fortresses on . . . and that is still a large list, but much, much more manageable. I wanted to figure all these worlds out and then task Mandalorians to investigate some of them, ask the Council to send Jedi to others, and maybe even ask the Antarian Rangers to dedicate forces to our aid. I was hoping to close the net on where these Sith cultists and possibly alive Ancient Sith might be."
"A terrible secret you found, while going down this path?" Yoda said, and Kastor nodded.
"Of the great Sith worlds, fortresses, and academies, I can name most if not all from all the ancient wars during and before my original time. The Jedi Order documented the rest . . . however, when searching for coordinates on all of them, I found that many had been . . . many had been deleted from the Archives. Possibly other worlds too . . . and I don't know how many."
"Deleted from the archives, you are sure, these worlds have been?" Yoda asked, now looking grave, clearly understanding Kastor's worry.
"Yes," Kastor said. "Some of the worlds are those I know the locations of, and thus could fix. Others though . . . others were worlds I'd heard of, but did not know exactly where they were or worlds I had only vague ideas of locations, enough to help search star charts to look for patterns that could reveal the missing systems, but still a process that would take a lot of work, and might still not yield results. I am completely confident that somebody has worked to delete many famous and even lesser known Sith worlds and planets hosting Sith fortresses from our Archives in an attempt to conceal them, but there are many other reasons they could have deleted worlds from our archives, and I can't even confirm at the moment that they are all Sith worlds. Of the Sith worlds that were deleted, some of them were probably deleted simply to help hide the ones that were deleted for a real purpose."
"Reasons beyond hiding and building," Yoda said.
Kastor nodded.
"This CIS, whatever it is, is preparing for war, it seems. It seems to me the Sith cultists are gathering as well. I wouldn't be surprised if lesser known production worlds were hidden, or newly discovered, but remote worlds were hidden from which to build hidden bases. In the past months, I've identified twelve worlds that were deleted that I know the locations of, but I also know of five more that were deleted that I had only heard whispers of."
"Seventeen planets, you have already identified," Yoda said with a frown. "Widespread, the problem seems to be. Which planets, identified have you?"
"All five in the Dromund System: Kalakari, Tyne, Kaas, Fels, and Ixin," Kastor said. "Along with Dromund Kaas, the other four sacred Sith worlds were hidden: Rhelg, Ziost, Korriban, and Kraysis II. The Eternal Empire's capital world, Zakuul was erased as was Darth Vitiate's homeworld, Nathema, though I don't know Nathema's location. The last of the ones deleted, that I know the locations of, are Lehon also known as Rakata Prime, where the Star Forge once was, and where Darth Revan ruled his empire from, and Malachor, where the Mandalorian War and Dark War ended."
"Identify what other worlds, have you?"
"Naga Sadow's seats of power on Khar Delba and Khar Shian, and the hidden Sith redoubts of Exegol and Ziggola," Kastor said. "Those are just what I've identified so far."
"Hmm, troubling this is," Yoda agreed. "Only a Jedi could have deleted those files, but who, and why?"
"The other question is when," Kastor said grimly. "I fear that a former Jedi has betrayed the Order and joined the Sith, but how soon? The last time Jedi were on Korriban was just before I was awoken," Kastor said. "To me, that suggests Korriban must have been deleted after that."
"A more current Jedi, yes," Yoda said, troubled. "Your diligence, revealed it is. Still, perhaps, trust in your fellow Jedi, you should have. Help you solve this mystery, we could."
"I know," Kastor admitted, "but only a Master could have deleted those records, and Masters . . . well Masters tend to be capable of seducing students. If whoever deleted those records is still on active duty, we might have more Jedi that have been seduced than we realize."
"And yet, innocent they all may be as well," Yoda said. "Talk to Madam Jocasta, we must. Help us narrow down when and who deleted the records, she may be able to. Perhaps narrow down how many records were deleted, she can."
"Very well," Kastor said with a bow of his head. "I have friends and allies seeking star charts from the Republic, the San Tekka Clan, and several of the major space exploration companies throughout the galaxy. Hopefully, even if they deleted them from our records, they weren't able to get them from everyone else . . . that is assuming some of these worlds were ever documented to groups outside the Jedi."
"Hmm, fear I do, that discover all the hidden worlds in time, we will not," Yoda said, and Kastor glanced at him, seeing his eyes closed, clearly feeling for answers in the Force.
"The dark side is growing so fast," Kastor agreed softly. "War is coming. I can feel it."
"Yes," Yoda said softly. "Feel it, most of the Council does now. Know how to prevent it, we do not."
**The Will of the Force**
"This is outrageous!" Jocasta nearly snarled. "What's worse, is that there is no way to trace what exactly was removed!"
"What can you tell us?" Kastor asked.
"I can tell you who, I can tell you when, and I can tell you how many items were removed," Jocasta said. "Beyond that, we are in the dark."
"That's better than I'd hoped," Kastor admitted. "Let's start with who and when."
"Only members of the Jedi Council or myself can delete items from the Archives," Jocasta explained sternly. "Items are rarely deleted, usually to protect a system from those who would do it harm, or those that are sacred to us, like Illum. However, those worlds have dedicated Jedi who know the locations and serve as the guardians of the location. Because removal is so rare, it is quite easy to trace exactly back to when a set of files were deleted. It was on the same day, a little over seven years ago, by Jedi Master Sifo Dyas."
Yoda and Kastor both exchanged startled glances.
"Killed around that time, he was," Yoda said. "Concerned with the future, he was. Visions of darkness, he had."
"Could this have been his attempt to protect the galaxy from what might be found on some of those worlds?" Kastor asked, only having met the deceased Jedi Master a few times.
"Hmm, believe this, I do not," Yoda said with a thoughtful frown, his clawed hand on his chin. "Sense darkness he did. Believe a war was coming, as you did and do, he did. Believe it was the Sith, he did not. Think, I do not, that he would have deleted Sith worlds to protect the galaxy. Do so without telling others, he would not."
"Then we have to assume that either nobody really knew him and he fell, or that whoever killed him managed to obtain his codes and then used them themselves," Kastor said grimly. "The questions are still who and why?"
"Indeed," Yoda said lowly. "Troubling, this is. Only a fellow Jedi, done this, could have."
Kastor nodded slowly.
"Someone has chosen the dark side . . . and they are probably the Sith Lord's new Padawan. The question is whether they have convinced others to fall."
"I can't tell you who," Jocasta said grimly, "but I can at least tell you how many items were removed from the archives. According to the records, Sifo Dyas or an imposter deleted thirty six planets from the archives."
"Thirty-six," Kastor murmured, "and I only identified seventeen. What other worlds were hidden . . . and why?"
"Discover this, we must," Yoda said firmly, and Kastor nodded in agreement, feeling the threads of the Force telling him it was of vital importance that they figure it out.