Saga - OT Raised in Darkness (OT AU; Canon/EU; Vader versus Sidious; Luke, Leia)

Chapter Sixteen

11-4D


Orson Krennic turned off the holoscreen after watching the Emperor’s announcement for the fifth time. Placing his face in his hands, he allowed himself a shuddering sigh of despair. How had he ended up in such a mess? He’d simply been standing in the palace, killing a few minutes before his next meeting, observing the crowd, when Darth Vader whisks through, three droids in tow, and demands Orson to join him. Now, he’d discovered Darth Vader to not only be excommunicated, but also behind the recent attack on Palpatine. Certainly he, Krennic, so recently fallen from grace, would be considered an accomplice, now the only companion of Lord Vader himself.

Well, not the only companion. An astromech droid tweedled down the corridors, checking systems, while a heavily modified medical droid sat humming in a corner in the main living space. The golden protocol droid busied himself in the galley. Add Vader and Krennic, they were quite the motely bunch.

Of course this would happen, Orson mused, standing up from the edge of the bed in the cabin Vader pointed to during their first hyper jump, when he’d disappeared into his own room down the hall of the luxury yacht. He’d been the shining star of the Empire, the lead of the Death Star project, before Grand Moff Tarkin, who somehow had great favor with the Emperor, made sure Orson got pushed out of the spotlight. Soon, Orson found himself once again in middle management, his ambitions shattered.

Well, he was here now, and he needed to figure out his role because he knew exactly what would happen if he angered Lord Vader. Pausing in his pacing around the cabin, he considered the space. Simple décor suggested guest quarters, but when Orson opened the closet of the suite, he found several elegant women’s gowns. The clothing reminded him he did not have anything to change into, and he’d already been wearing his uniform for longer than normal, beginning to feel uncomfortable. Perhaps he could persuade Vader to stop somewhere to shop…

Orson almost laughed at the thought of Darth Vader shopping. Still, what could Orson do for clothing, toiletries, and personal affects? He thought longingly of his comfortable flat on Coruscant, complete with his shimmersilk house jacket and plush carpets. Glancing around the guest quarters, he realized this to be his life now.

Stepping outside the room, he glanced down the corridor to the closed door of the cabin belonging to Vader.

“May I help you, sir?” asked the protocol droid, working his way down the hall.

“Um…well, yes. I was wondering if you had any clothing I could change into. Perhaps be more comfortable.”

“Let me check with Master Vader,” the droid said, sauntering down the hall.

“Wait!” Orson said, moving to stop the droid, but he’d already knocked on the door.

The door flew open, and Vader stood glaring down at the droid. Vader’s torso and feet bare, Orson could see lines of scars along the man’s chest, one area across his abdomen looking to be burn marks. The room beyond Vader was dark except for a few candles burning. Orson realized he’d been staring, and he quickly looked away.

However, the droid seemed un-phased. “Master Krennic was wondering if you possessed any extra clothing aboard so he could be more comfortable.”

Darth Vader’s eyes met Orson’s, the orange-yellow shining in the low light of the ship’s interior. Orson felt compelled to look away, but found himself unable to do so. A grin suddenly spread across Vader’s face, making Orson feel even more uneasy.

“More comfortable?” he said, his deep voice harboring a tone of amusement.

“No…I mean…I…” Orson stammered, damning the droid.

Vader disappeared into his cabin and returned a moment later, throwing a pair of black trousers and a shirt at Orson before slamming the door again. Orson simply stared at the clothing.

“There you go, Master Krennic,” the droid said. “Would you…”

The door at the end of the hall once again flew open, Vader appearing, obviously angry, his previous amusement from less than half a minute ago gone. Orson felt both startled and terrified by the sudden change in mood.

“Threepio!” the man bellowed. “Caf. Now.” Then he was gone again behind a closed door.

“Very good, Master Vader,” the droid said, again calm and proper, the opposite of Orson, who was now shaking from the frightening scene. “Come to the galley, Master Krennic, once you have changed, and I will make sure you are fed.”

Orson could only nod, clutching the clothing to his chest, once again wondering how he got into this predicament, now realizing that not only was Vader ruthless, as he’d seen himself, in person, but perhaps insane as well.

Darth Vader emerged from his quarters two standard hours later. The meditation he’d engaged in calmed his mind yet did not reveal a path to him. He had no resources other than what existed on the ship. The droids…yes…and his own powers and knowledge of the Dark Side.

And Orson Krennic, Vader was reminded as he stepped into the large living space, the man sitting on one of the sofas, reading something from a datapad. Krennic wore Vader’s own black trousers and tunic, the Sith puzzled for a moment before remembering he’d thrown them at the man after being interrupted hours back.

Scowling at Krennic, who jumped up and saluted, Vader swept into the galley, grabbing a few of the biscuits Threepio prepared earlier. Why had he chosen Orson Krennic as his assistant? Sure, he’d been available, just standing around. But what compelled Vader to choose him above the others in the palace foyer? He turned around to see the man still standing at attention, fear wafting off of him like a stench. The fear saturated Vader’s senses, feeding the Dark Side and clearing Vader’s mind further.

“Sit,” he commanded. Krennic did so, and Vader took up a seat across from him. “By now, I’m guessing you know the situation.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I made a mistake. My master was right. The Rule of Two requires me to engage the Sith Master, not hire others,” Vader mused to no one but himself. He noticed the confused look on Krennic’s face but did not care. “This is just another test, and if I am worthy, I will destroy Sidious myself.”

He stood up and began to pace, noticing Krennic’s eyes followed his every move, the fearful tension still bleeding from him into the Force. Good.

“First, I need to locate my children. Since Darth Sidious so kindly placed bounties on their heads as well, I will assume they went into hiding. I would know through the Force if they were dead,” Vader said. “I planned to train them as my apprentices. This needs to be one of our priorities.”

“Of course, sir,” Krennic agreed.

Vader stopped and stared at the man in disgust. The pandering fool. But he needed him, someone who could run errands, if the chance arose. A good Sith knew better than to kill his resources before they’ve outlived their usefulness.

“We also need supplies and…” Vader began, but stopped, his eyes drawn to the medical droid he’d taken from his master’s floor of the Imperial Palace. The droid sat in the corner, awake, but made no sound.

“You…droid…your calling again?” Vader demanded.

“11-4D, sir,” the masculine voice answered.

“Yes, 11-4D, come here,” Vader said, and the droid moved smoothly over to sit in front of Vader.

The Sith Lord studied the droid, wondering what compelled him to take the machine with him into his exile. Yes, the droid showed heavy modifications, even weaponry unusual for a medical assistant. But there was something else…

“What do you do at the palace?” Vader asked.

“I handle minor repairs of other droids as well as research requests from Emperor Palpatine,” 11-4D answered.

“What sort of requests?” Vader asked.

“I can only respond to that question with the permission of Master Palpatine,” the droid responded without emotion.

Vader scrunched up his face in frustration. Then, a slight push from the Force prompted him to ask the next question: “Who did you serve before Emperor Palpatine?”

“Magister Hego Demask of the InterGalactic Banking Clan,” 11-4D responded.

Vader’s heart quickened. Hego Demask, the birth name of Darth Sidious’ master, Plagueis.

“In what capacity did you serve Magister Demask?” Vader asked.

11-4D made a soft whirring sound. “I’m afraid I do not know, sir. That portion of my memory has been erased and…”

The droid did not finish. Vader flipped the machine off and turned 11-4D around, opening up a panel on his side. He would need to slice the droid, that much was clear.

“May I be of assistance, Lord Vader?” Krennic asked, coming to kneel beside Vader and the droid. “I took basic droid tech at the university and excelled at…”

Vader let out a laugh, pointing to Threepio. “Basic droid tech, huh? Well, I built that from scratch as a child with no formal training.” He turned his attention back to 11-4D’s open panel, seeing a more complex mechanism then he anticipated. Modified indeed. “Quit trying to impress me, Administrator Krennic, and go grab the tool kit from the supply hold.”

Working intently on 11-4D’s inner hardware for nearly an hour in silence, Krennic watching from the sofa, Vader felt himself move into the Force, allowing it to guide his actions. A small chip became his focus, and he finally grabbed his own data pad from a nearby end table, haphazardly attaching it to the droid. After a series of complicated coding, he switched back on 11-4D.

“In what capacity did you serve Magister Demask?” Vader asked again.

“I’m afraid I do not know, sir. That portion…” the droid began.

“Damn,” Vader hissed through his teeth, trying to control his anger so he would not destroy the droid.

“Sojourn,” 11-4D said matter-of-factly.

“Sojourn?” Vader asked. “What does that mean?”

“I…I do not know, Master Vader. I…the location suddenly came up in my memory.”

“Sojourn is a place?”

“Yes.”

“Where is it?” Vader asked, feeling Sojourn to be of extreme importance. Yet, he never heard of the place. A planet? A city? What could Sojourn be?

11-4D made several mechanical clanking sounds. “The…Outer…Rim.”

Krennic laughed nervously. “Well, that narrows it down.”

Vader glared up at him, irritated by the man’s ill-timed sarcasm. Krennic immediately frowned, the familiar fear returning to the Force.

“So you know the coordinates, 11-4D?” Vader asked patiently, remembering one of the Sith tenants of the Rule of Two: patience and cunning. He needed these skills now.

“No…I apologize, Master Vader…the Gathering…Hunter’s Moon,” 11-4D said.

“The Gathering!” Krennic shouted.

Vader stood swiftly, pinching his thumb and forefinger together, using the Force to close Krennic’s wind pipe. The man gasped, falling from the sofa to the floor.

“I…know…the…Gathering…” he wheezed.

Vader let go, yanking the man to his feet. “What?!”

Krennic stared at Vader, eyes wide in panic. “I had…a friend. When I was a teenager…wealthy…they had dealings in pharmaceuticals for various species. Worked with the IBC a lot. I remember Muuns often at their estate.”

Muuns. Vader let go of the man. Muuns…yes. Plagueis was a Muun. And they ran the InterGalactic Banking Clan. Perhaps this fool knew something…

“What else? What about this Gathering?”

“Yes…um, my friend’s father mentioned his father taking him to the Gathering…hosted by the IBC. They talked about hunting exotic beasts. I remember because the stories were always fantastic, unbelievable…you know, like hunting stories are…usually…”

“The Hunter’s Moon. The IBC. Muuns,” Vader mused. He had pieces, but he didn’t know how they fit together. “Do you know where this Gathering was located?”

Krennic shook his head nervously.

“Then let’s pay a visit to your childhood friend and his family…”


“He lives…well, he lived and operated the family business off Ryloth, which…”

I just blew up with the Death Star, Vader mused. Ironic.

The Muuns…but they always flocked around Emperor Palpatine. And he couldn’t just access Imperial archives…No, they needed to get information another way. He’d have to go through illegal channels, and he knew just where to go.

“We’re heading to Nar Shaddaa. We need an information broker as well as supplies, and that is a good place to begin.”

“Nar Shaddaa,” Krennic said with a hint of disgust in his voice.

“Yes. Set in a course for the Smuggler’s Moon,” Vader ordered, then addressed his astromech. “Artoo, reprogram the ship’s identification codes so we are not recognized.” He turned back to Krennic. “Fetch me when we are one jump away from Hutt space.”

With that final command, Vader turned back toward his quarters, needing to meditate. Sojourn. The Gathering. Muuns. Plagueis. The Hunter’s Moon. The IBC. Could this be the key to his master’s downfall?

Patience and cunning, he reminded himself. The Dark Side will reveal the path. Trust in the Force.

Author’s Note: Next time we check in with Uncle Sheev, Luke and Mara arrive at their destination, and Leia makes plans for escape from the medical station.

My apologies for not updating this story as frequently as my past endeavors. I am currently finishing up my doctoral dissertation, and that dominates most of my writing time. However, my heart is always in a Galaxy Far, Far Away.


Thank you for reading!

 

DarthMarly -- excellent Crenic POV and nice trail of clues. Vader continues to plot and exudes confidence in ultimate victory over Sidious. Looking forward to how Leia's escape goes, as well as L/M's continuing adventures together.

Congratulations and best of luck with the dissertation.

 

I think that I now like Krennic a tiny bit more than I did before. Because you made him a little bit less annoying.

 

Chapter Seventeen

Essence Transfer



Darth Sidious hummed along softly with the music playing over the turbolift speakers. He plummeted deep underground, nearly two kilometers beneath the final level of the Imperial Palace, to a place few others than himself visited. He chuckled at the thought. Yes, they visited, but he was the only one who actually left.

The doors opened with a soft hiss to his private laboratories, and he sighed in content. In this place, filled with his experiments, his combat training room, and his private Dark Side artifacts collection, he could truly be himself. Since destroying his own master, ascending to galactic dominance, annihilating the Jedi, and fulfilling the Sith Imperative, he’d been in the public eye, keeping up appearances as the benevolent old man. Only here could he let himself go and become the true and powerful Sith he was, embracing the Dark Side in a way that led those of the Banian line to slowly, over their thousand year development, become the most powerful Force users ever. A line ending with him, if he had anything to say about it. Or perhaps not ending, but staying with him for a very, very long time. And being the most powerful Sith of all time, he could make it happen.

Walking amongst the tanks holding different lifeforms, computers buzzing next to them constantly keeping track of vitals, Sidious pondered his work. Since the banishing of Vader, the entire galaxy seemed to be atwitter with gossip, the bounty catching the attention of sentients even on the edge of known space. The Dark Side users within Sidious’ ranks, those rather obnoxious Inquisitors who seemed to fancy themselves true Sith, seemed to pop up more frequently in his presence. One middle-aged human female, powerful in the Force with a strong physical presence, even had the audacity to come to his office, a bottle of Naboo’s best wine in tow. As if this could buy an apprenticeship to a Sith master!

He paused at the tank in which her body now floated, her long hair hovering in the preservation fluid, her vitals registered on the nearby screen. Her consciousness gone, she still registered enough Force energy for his purposes. Perhaps he would gather more of the Inquisitors down here, deplete the ranks for his own purposes, maybe discovering an apprentice during this work. He’d shown a bit of weakness anyway, allowing these minions to consider themselves Sith, wielding haphazard lightsaber-esque blades. He followed the Rule of Two and like Darth Bane a millennium before, he needed to trim the fat. Sidious would not fail his predecessors by becoming lax in his triumph.

In fact, Sidious felt he failed in only one respect…finding a suitable apprentice. Perhaps Vader would surprise him in this latest challenge. The Emperor actually hoped so, since he always enjoyed a surprise, especially as of late, when the workings of the Empire had become rather mundane.

And then there was his back-up, Mara Jade. She’d disobeyed him, he knew this. And he could also feel her attempts to block him out. He wondered at this, since she’d been such a loyal servant in the past. But he knew she failed to kill Luke Skywalker. Maybe she had other plans, perhaps even bringing the young man to Sidious. Hmmm…now that would be interesting.

Walking into his private library, he retrieved the holocron of Darth Andeddu, then moved into his meditation chamber to access the device. He’d found the ancient Sith artifact in the personal effects of Count Dooku after his death. How Tyranus came to possess the incredibly valuable Sith holocron Sidious did not guess, but the knowledge contained within assisted with Sidious’ newest project.

Andeddu, known amongst Sith scholars as immortal, existed for centuries through the power of Essence Transfer, moving his consciousness from one suitable being to the next. Sidious, being highly skilled in Force combat and matters of state and political manipulation, was also a gifted Sith sorcerer, as the Rule of Two line called for one to be well-rounded. He’d studied the Andeddu holocron, devising a new way to use such knowledge. He liked his own physical body, knew the muscles, the bones, the veins. Yes, he could use the power of Essence Transfer if he needed, but why not use his current body as long as possible? Basically, use Andeddu’s teachings to develop his own new power, one of regeneration, seeping away the biological processes of another instead of inhabiting them. Through hard work, trial and error, and many lives of mostly unwilling participants, he’d begun seeing progress. No, Sidious was not going anywhere anytime soon.

Just before calling up the holocron gatekeeper, Sidious thought again of Mara Jade. Perhaps he’d give her a little nudge through the Force, encourage her to do the right thing and kill the Skywalker boy. Sidious did just that, then turned his attention to Andeddu’s holographic image.

In orbit around Dagobah, Luke sat on the floor of the small living space on his and Mara’s transport, regarding Mara with deep concern. She lay curled up beside him, moaning in pain. They’d been studying a topographical map of the swamp world at the small dining table when she’d suddenly let out a scream, grabbing her head with both hands. Ten minutes later, she’d calmed down but still seemed immobile due to pain.

Her eyes tightly shut, she finally managed to speak, saying in a small voice, “We need to get down to the planet. Bring us in, Skywalker.”

“But Mara…you…I’m worried and…” Luke stammered.

Mara’s eyes flew open, the emerald green flashing in anger. “Don’t get all overprotective on me, city boy,” she hissed, Luke at once knowing she was returning to her old self. Her harshness actually made him feel relieved.

“What happened?” Luke asked, helping Mara into a sitting position, still on the floor.

She looked away from him, biting her lip. “Just a sudden…something in the Force,” she said softly, then turned to him. “You wouldn’t understand. But I’m feeling better, and we need to…whoa.” She stumbled as she rose to her feet, grabbing her forehead and falling into the nearby chair.

“Stay seated, Mara,” Luke said. “You just need some fresh air. I’ll get us on the planet.”

Moving back to the cockpit, Luke considered Mara’s sudden attack and the recent turn of events in his life. He wondered why Mara didn’t bring him back to Coruscant, with the bounty and the banishment and everything. Could this be connected somehow?

Maneuvering carefully, Luke brought the transport into the atmosphere. This landing provided quite a different experience than his previous piloting ventures. No other ships hovered in system, no civilization or even an outpost awaited them. And as he got closer to the ground, he could see the foliage become increasingly unpleasant.

Paying no attention at the moment to where the previous researchers found the Dark Side presence on Dagobah, he simply tried to find a place to land to get Mara outside, on solid ground. A small hill rose from the swamps in a clearing, and Luke expertly landed the transport, then secured all the systems. Racing to the back, he opened the doors.

“Here Mara, fresh air and solid grou…yuck!”

The stench of the swamp, of rot, decay, mold, and mildew wafted in as Mara rose and walked shakily up to stand beside him.

“Yeah…the air here is real fresh,” she said sarcastically, giving Luke a friendly smack on the back. “And that smell…hmmm…just like the lower levels of Corsucant. One should make a candle to preserve such a fragrance.” She stepped outside on the surface. “But it is good to finally be out of the ship. Nice landing, Skywalker.”

Mara’s praise made Luke blush, but the moment was forgotten once he joined her on the hill. His boots sank almost to his ankles. He turned to see the transport slowly sinking into the muck.

“Mara! Inside!” he shouted, running back into the transport.

“Kriff!” he heard Mara say behind him as she dashed back inside. “Well, this complicates things.”

Luke raised the transport off the ground, and they flew low over the trees, looking for something more solid. Mara brought the map back up.

“According to these maps, the planet is mostly swamp. But…wait, near where the Dark Side presence was found…some rocky outcroppings,” she said.

Luke shrugged. “We’ve gotta go there anyway. Worth a try.”

Minutes passed, and soon they found a small hilltop of rock, barely big enough to support the transport. Luke bit his lip as he concentrated, bringing the ship down carefully, using the Force for extra sensory perception. The ramp would open over a twenty foot drop, but they could slide carefully down, maybe use some rope…or the Force, as Mara had on Yavin 4.

Finally landing the ship, Luke turned off the engines, leaning back in his seat with an exhausted sigh.

“There,” he said, glancing over at Mara beside him, surprised to find her studying him intently. She quickly looked away.

“Let’s go,” she said, rising and heading toward the back.

After grabbing their packs and carefully moving their way down the rocky hill to the swampy surface, the duo studied their surroundings. The swamp was thick with trees, the occasional bird swooping by. Although they calculated the time to be midday, little light reached the surface, creating a dark and depressing atmosphere. The ground mostly muck, the walking was slow and difficult, Luke calculating they had twenty kilometers to go to the Dark Side site.

Mara walked a little ahead and suddenly slipped on the sludge, her arms flying out and waving frantically to catch balance. Sliding a couple of feet, her comical performance saved her from falling in the mud.

Suddenly, a rumbling, light-hearted laugh sounded from off to their left.

Mara spun around. “Hey, you don’t have to laugh at me,” she hissed, her face red with embarrassment. “It could just as easily happen to you and…”

“That wasn’t me,” Luke said, looking toward the sound.

Mara froze, her gaze following Luke’s.

“Someone is here,” she whispered, then she shouted. “Show yourself!”

Her voice echoed through the swamp. Both her and Luke fell silent, listening. Only the sounds of the swamp, the trees, the water, the small water creatures, prevailed.

“Let’s keep going,” Mara said, continuing their slow, muddy march.

Over the next hour, Luke kept an eye out, the sense of being followed growing.

Back on the medical station Paean, Leia studied the ceiling of her quarters, securing her small bag of possessions on her back. She needed to leave. Now.

Two standard days passed since she discovered her father’s banishment and the bounty on the Skywalker family’s heads. She spent the entire time in her room. Epione visited, offering Leia sanctuary, and Leia graciously accepted…for the moment. She knew remaining here would put everyone at risk. She needed to find a way off the ship, find her father, find Luke, and figure out why Uncle Sheev was doing all this.

Other than the kitchen employee who brought her meals, after Epione’s initial visit she’d seen no one. Han came to the door several times, Ben twice, but she hadn’t admitted them, didn’t even answer. She needed to cut ties, escape. And now was the time.

She’d accessed a layout of the medical base from her room’s computer, discovering that she could make her way to the where the various ships and transports parked through the ventilation system. Downloading the layout onto her personal data pad, she planned to crawl through the vents to the shuttle bay, commandeer a small transport, and escape into space. She was small, so she could fit, and she had a good working knowledge of several types of ships. She’d steal the Falcon if she had too, although from Han’s last visit, as he sat outside her door talking as she sat in agony inside, trying to ignore him, she learned he still waited on delivery of one more part. No, any ship would do. She would send money back later. She needed to leave now.

Tightening the bun she’d put her hair up in to keep it out of the way on, she stood on a chair and slid a ceiling panel over, then pulled herself up into the crawl space. Securing her bag once again, she began crawling in the direction she planned, knowing this would be a long and claustrophobic journey.

Twisting and turning through the ship’s ducts, she finally came to an intersection of metal conduit she couldn’t remember from the computer layout. Pulling her data pad from the pocket of her cargo pants, she was about to turn it on when a sudden feeling hit her from the Force.

Take the path to the right.

Leia froze. The inclination to go right overpowered her. Was the Force guiding her, as her father indicated it did him many times?

Take the path to the right.

The feeling shot through her again, almost like someone spoke to her directly. Sliding the data pad back into her pocket, she began crawling down the right passage.

After ten minutes of crawling through a series of tubes going up and down, but never reaching a fork, she arrived at a dead end. By now, Leia was completely turned around from her original plan, but this didn’t matter. She knew to trust the Force. Her father and Uncle Sheev both said this often.

Peeking through the small opening between panels to see the room below, she could tell that this wasn’t the hanger bay. Still, no one looked to be in the room, so she slowly slid the panel aside and ducked her head in. The space looked to be a converted crew quarters, about as large as the room she left, but converted. No bed in the corner nor living space with comfortable seating in the middle. Display cases and shelving lined the room. Items, mostly ancient looking art, hung on the walls.

Needing a closer look, Leia dropped to the floor, walking over to the nearest case. Several pieces of jewelry, ancient and priceless, gleamed. She reached for a golden chain, a large-jeweled amulet in an alien style she did not recognize dangling from the end. She dropped it immediately as it burned her hands.

The Dark Side. The item was drenched in the Dark Side.

Spinning around, she gasped, seeing several lightsabers of various styles hanging on the wall. Walking over, she pulled the nearest from its perch, igniting it. A purple blade blazed into existence. Deactivating it, she grabbed the next one. Double-bladed red beams. The next, a short golden lightsaber. She counted at least fifteen carefully mounted.

Leia then turned her attention to the shelves, noticing data cards and books…real books made from real paper, ancient, looking to crumble at a mere touch. And holocrons, dozens of holocrons of various sizes, shapes, and colors. This collection rivaled the one she’d seen in Uncle Sheev’s palace library.

“What in the worlds?” Leia whispered. What were these items doing in a crew cabin aboard a medical ship?

A hissing sound made Leia’s heart skip a beat, and she turned toward the door, which slid open. She clutched the holocron she’d taken from the shelf tightly as Ben entered the room. He wore the typical blue scrubs, the uniform of the medical base, with comfortable slippers.

But when Leia locked eyes with the man, her blood turned to ice. His smile radiated the warmth she’d known since she met him, but the blue of his eyes shined in an almost ethereal quality. Perhaps just the blue of the scrubs bringing them out, she thought. But she knew better. She could feel a darkness coming from behind the look, not like her father or Uncle Sheev, but something new, something sinister, something…dangerous.

But Ben smiled back at her as the door closed behind him, and he said in his usual calming voice, “Hello there, Leia Skywalker. I see you have discovered my collection.”


Author’s Note: In the next chapter, Luke and Mara feel unwelcome on Dagobah, and Leia must make a decision.

Comments welcome. Hoping to post more regularly on this story as I wrap up my dissertation and defense. Cheers to a happy 2018 for everyone. Thank you for reading!

 

Fascinating developments. I think Luke and Mara are about to meet someone pivotal and Ben's collection. Very interesting artifacts he has there.

 

Chapter Eighteen

The Swamps of Dagobah



Leia stared at Ben, her brain spinning on how to respond. There was definitely a whole lot more to this mysterious old man then she originally thought. Sure, she knew he could use the Force, quite well actually. But to be standing in a room of Jedi and Sith holocrons, lightsabers, and ancient artifacts, items Ben just claimed to be part of his collection…well, this was something unexpected. And that look, that intense stare he gave her now, something sinister behind the smile.

Leia took a deep breath, trying to collect herself quickly. Was Ben a Sith, unknown to her father and Uncle Sheev? Some other self-trained Force user, who harbored an obsession for the dark and the archaic? A Jedi? No, she thought as she reached out subtly with the Force. There was darkness there, too much for the fabled Jedi.

Whoever Ben was, Leia needed to play things calm and collected, use her diplomatic training now more than ever. She straightened and replaced the holocron she held back on the shelf.

“You have quite a collection,” she said, smiling. “Who are you, Ben? A Sith?”

Ben chuckled, gesturing Leia toward two plush chairs in the corner of the room, seating that looked comfortable enough to lounge in for hours, reading and studying about the Force.

“A Sith? No, I’m afraid not,” he said as they sat.

“A Jedi?” Leia ventured.

Ben’s eyes darted away from hers for a brief moment, an amount of time those untrained in the diplomatic arts may not have noticed. Of course Leia did notice, taking note of this as he responded with a good-natured “no.”

“But you have a lot of knowledge in the Force,” she said pleasantly. “Both the Dark and the Light from the look and feel of these artifacts.”

And then it hit her, a plan. Ben could help her! He’d obviously guided her here for a reason, and she knew he meant her no harm…although that sinister look in his eyes when he entered…

“I’ve been gifted with Force sensitivity since birth,” he said.

“And you were never snatched up by the Jedi,” Leia said coyly, now wondering how much of the story Ben told her was true.

“No,” Ben said firmly. “My family never reported me.”

“I can imagine. The Jedi broke up families, converted children to their dangerous ways,” Leia said, eyeing Ben carefully. He simply nodded.

“Yes. There was great error in this. The attachment aspect of the Jedi Code worked against them in the end.”

“I’m guessing you didn’t guide me here to talk about the fallacy of the Jedi,” Leia said.

Ben laughed, and the familiar sound made Leia feel more comfortable.

“No. I felt you leaving, which would be a mistake. And I want you to know you are not alone,” Ben said. “Han cares for you deeply. Epione is willing to take the risks to protect you. I am willing to…”

“Train me,” Leia blurted out, not sounding as professional as she would have liked. Too eager. Tone it down. “I mean, you obviously have more skill than myself. Train me in the ways of the Force so I can find my father, join him as a true Sith, and take out Uncle Sheev.”

Ben studied her, his brow furrowed, face showing deep consideration. “Yes,” he said finally, almost as if speaking to himself. “Yes. That is what is meant to happen.” He rose swiftly. “Come back following breakfast tomorrow. We will begin.”

Leia rose, facing him. She marveled at how mere minutes before she planned to steal a ship and escape into the galaxy. But now this…this was a plan that made sense. She would not be running but learning to help her father. Such a wonderful resource she found in Ben that day on Cloud City!

“Alright, Master,” she said, smiling and shouldering her bag. She moved toward the door, glad not to have to crawl through the ceiling again.

“And talk to Han,” Ben said as she moved into the hallway. “He can become rather obnoxious when moody.”

Leia nodded and walked back to her quarters. Her heart felt a bit lighter, her thoughts not so heavy. Yes, maybe dinner with Han. And now a plan to save her family.

Obi-Wan watched the door slide closed behind Leia, and he stood still for quite some time, allowing his mind to wonder. He wasn’t sure as to what he would say when he found Leia in his study; he simply used the Force to guide her there when he felt her begin her inevitable escape of the medical station. But he’d followed his heart, and the Force, and a plan emerged, one that would allow him to confront Vader again. And with this new rift between the two leading Lords of the Sith…well, things seemed to be shifting in the power of the galaxy, in the Force itself.

Obi-Wan, who began his padawan years worried he’d never find a master due to perceived weakness in the Force, now held great power. His years as a Jedi sharpened his relationship with the Force, but now he understood even more about the universe, about the Living Force, thanks to his studies in the entire spectrum of the Force, not just the Light.

Moving to the wall featuring his collection of lightsabers, he removed one, igniting the blade with the familiar snap-hiss. The red beam filled with space with an ethereal light. This particular saber, which Obi-Wan purchased through an antiques dealer a few years before, when he’d only begun his collection, came from some unnamed Sith from the time of the Sith Empire, thousands of years before. He preferred knowing more about the items he collected, which ultimately led to him becoming a tomb robber. Of course, he’d learned more this way, gathering the histories and skills of those gone before. No, he was no longer a Jedi, but also not a Sith.

Yes, he would train Leia. She was strong in the Force, and he’d trained a Skywalker before. Not well enough, he mused, but he knew the possible personality pitfalls.

More importantly he now had a bargaining chip, some leverage over Vader. Bait. Leia would lead him to Anakin again, and this waiting for…something…would be over.

Powering down the lightsaber and replacing it on the wall, he adjusted his robe and emerged from his room, making sure the door to his collection locked tight behind him. He needed to ponder how to begin Leia’s studies. First, however, he had to inform Epione about this change of events. He expected chastisement, but Obi-Wan knew this came from her love for him and a desire for his safety.

Unfortunately, Obi-Wan knew the risks of re-entering this game of high and mighty Force-users. Destiny thrust him into this years ago, and he now realized, through the Force putting Leia in his path, he still had a role to play.

Luke and Mara trudged through the swamps of Dagobah, headed to the Dark Side presence, Luke becoming increasingly aware of another sentient life force in their midst. Since hearing the laughter from the brush earlier, both he and Mara remained quiet, except for the sloshing of their boots through the sludge.

With Mara walking ahead, Luke’s mind drifted, enjoying the view. Her fit body, her bright red hair, tied back, swishing back and forth as she moved, her firm…

Splash!

Luke slid on a rock and fell face first into a rather deep puddle. Getting to his feet, blushing heavily, he saw Mara glaring at him wearily. Rolling her eyes, she turned and continued through the dense foliage.

Pay attention, Skywalker, Luke thought, trying the shove off the embarrassment. He wanted to impress Mara, and not just because she could kill him at any moment or take him back to Coruscant, where Uncle Sheev put a price on his family’s heads.

Luke almost ran into Mara as she stopped abruptly.

“This one’s tall,” she said, gesturing to the large tree on their left. “I’m climbing to the top to see if we get a break from this mess.” She lowered her voice and leaned into Luke. “Maybe try to spot our friend.”

Luke nodded.

“Watch the packs,” Mara said, putting her bag aside and beginning to scale the tree, quickly disappearing above. Luke barely heard her movement and looked forward to receiving instruction from Mara on how to have such stealth.

Walking over to a nearby rock, Luke sat and pulled off a boot, turning it over to allow mud to slide out. The smell of the swampy muck almost made him retch. He thought longingly of the Skywalker suites on Coruscant, the comfort, the cleanliness…being dry.

A quiet shuffling snapped Luke out of his reverie, and he turned to see his and Mara’s packs, resting only a few yards behind him, wide open, contents spilling everywhere. Dashing over, he found all their food rations missing.

“What in the…ouch!” Luke grabbed the back of his head as something struck him. Looking at the ground, he found an empty tin that once held one of their food rations.

Bubbling laughter again filled the swamp.

“Come out, thief!” Luke called, beginning to run around, looking for the troublemaker.

“Find me, you will not!” the voice said jovially, causing Luke to pause. It spoke! Definitely a sentient creature.

“Who are you?” Luke said, now frozen in place.

“The one who stole your food, I am,” the voice said, then broke into peals of laughter.

“Well, I’ll find you, you rotten little…”

“Luke?”

Luke turned to see Mara standing over their opened packs, her clothing and hair disheveled from her climb.

“What the kriff?” she said, her green eyes filled with anger.

“The person…creature…whatever…stole our food and…”

“Ate it!” the voice chimed through the swamp. More laughter. “Good it was.”

“Ahhhh!” screamed Mara, and reaching out her arms, sent a blast of Force energy at the tree she just climbed. Luke watched in awe as the roots pulled up from the mud, and the tree crashed into the swamp.

Luke and Mara stood silently as their surroundings once again returned to their normal sound quality. Mara took a deep breath, seeming to cleanse her being, and turned to Luke.

“Nothing from the top. Just more of this,” she said. “And now we have no food.” A kerplop sounded from water nearby. “Or no good food.” She gave Luke another glare, shouldered her now lighter pack, and trudged on ahead.

Gathering his things, Luke followed.

Hours later, night fell, and the duo made camp. After sharing a rather slimy meal of something with eight legs and gills, Luke and Mara spread out their bedrolls side by side, Luke noting the woman said nothing other than a brief complaint about the meal since the incident with the stolen food earlier.

The light of their rather meager fire dying, Luke lie on his back, staring at the trees above, wondering if that strange looking slime hanging from a branch over him conspired to slide off and onto his face during the night. He turned to face Mara, who was awake and staring upward, probably wondering the same thing.

“Mara,” Luke said softly.

“Hmmm?” Mara grunted, frowning, obviously still angry with him about earlier.

“Remember a few days back… Karrde’s ship?” Luke began. “You didn’t turn me in. We didn’t go back to Coruscant…to Uncle Sheev? You work for him.”

Mara turned to face him, glaring. Yet, something else on her face. Confusion?

“Yeah. So what?” she said sharply.

“Well…um…why?” Luke finished.

Mara returned her gaze above. “We’re in the middle of a mission. I don’t leave a job undone.”

“But my father… the whole galaxy wants us dead. That’s more important than a tomb robber,” Luke argued, wondering why he did. Shouldn’t he be grateful she didn’t kill him right then and there? Still, he had to know, had a strange feeling about the whole situation, about Mara herself.

“I…I don’t know,” she whispered.

“Perhaps not as dedicated to the Dark Side as you thought, were you, hmmm?” came the voice Luke heard earlier.

Both he and Mara sat up abruptly to see a small, wizened green creature at the foot of their bedrolls, a pleasant smile gracing his face. His tattered brown robes were covered in crumbs, and he took a bite of something crunchy. Another of their food rations.

To Luke’s shock, Mara spoke calmly, seeming transfixed on the newcomer.

“I know you,” she said.

“Taught you, your master did,” the creature replied.

Mara nodded. “Yoda.”


Author’s Note: Thanks for your patience for this update. I finished my dissertation (and thus, my doctorate), and I should have a bit more time and creative energy to work on my prose. I appreciate your continued support of my work.

Next time, we rejoin Vader and Krennic as they search for clues about Sojourn. Also, Sidious notices something is missing.

May the Force be with you!

 

Just finished reading Kenobi last month and I thought of this gem of a fic so very happy this is updated.

Cool twisty with Ben training Leia and each with their own end-goals Yummy L/M with her giving the reason for not turning him in as totally for the sake of the mission .... yeah. And mischievous pranking Yoda!

 

Excellent update! I'm looking forward to a lot more!

 

It's alive!

And Yoda is in da house!

 

Please tag me when you update, even when I am away for my holidays. I will return to this "gem of a story" as Ny calls it. I missed it! I missed you.