Before the Saga The Tiger

The Tiger

The Tiger
He destroyed his cage
Yes
YES
The Tiger is out!

“Would you kindly sit here?” a soft voiced man with gentle eyes said to Jatu Besh.
The man in a loose fitting beige robe pointed a hand at the simple wooden chair and a table upon which sat a glass and a carafe of water. There was a second wooden chair on the other side of the table. A simple, functional room but a calm room. A room that felt as if it was meant for a sit and a ponder.

“Uh. Thank you.” said Jatu, a little nervously. He scratched his nose and his ear and then sat, wriggling his backbone into correct posture. A bare metal box, about half his height floated beside him. His toolbox.

With a final gentle smile, the Jedi said “Brother Aldus will be with you shortly. Don’t be worried.”
He placed his hand softly on Jatu’s shoulder for a moment. He felt a wash of peace flow through his body, and he relaxed into the chair a little. And the Jedi was gone.

Jatu sat there alone for a while, letting his fingers slide over the wood grain of the tabletop, naturally pondering the tools and techniques used to construct it.

“Mister Besh! So glad you could come visit us!”
Another brown robed Jedi came walking in, with rather more serious energy. He sat in the chair opposite Jatu, facing directly at him, and neatly put both hands palms down on the table.

“I am Brother Aldus. I have to ask you a few security questions, if you don’t mind.”

“Hi. How are you? Umm. Sure. Ask away.” Jatu rambled.

“Good, good. You are here to repair a containment field around the prisoner, I believe.”

“Yes. I don’t know the specifics of the job. Perhaps you could tell me? I don’t know if I brought the right tools.”

“That is not for me to discuss. Brother Alastair will fill you in, I am sure.” Brother Aldus held out the palms of both his hands towards Jatu. “So Mister Besh, do you remember your mother?”

“My mother? She’s umm… she’s… she passed away.”

“I understand. Please indulge me. Think about your mother.”

Jatu took a breath and rubbed his cheek. “My mother. Well, she died a few years ago. And she was a school teacher at…”

“No no. Stop talking. Just think of her. Close your eyes if it helps.”

“But…”

“Shhh.” Brother Aldus placed a finger to his lips.

Jatu closed his eyes.

His mother. He loved his mother. He could say that without reservation. He remembered the warmth of her hug the day when he graduated from College. She was so proud that she cried through the ceremony. She put quite a bit of importance on a good education. He remembered the smell of her cooking. On a cold day, there’d be a roast in the oven for them all to sit down to. The smell and the feeling of comfort amongst his family at that dinner table filled him. But then his mind jumped to the frustration of some teenage fight with her over things that were trivial in hindsight. Then his thoughts jumped to laughing as a toddler playing blocks with mummy. Jump to ohh... The memory of weeping gut aching tears as she lay wasting away in that hospital bed. And then to the reverse situation with her full of concern sitting by her little man lying in bed when he had a fever, wiping his face with a cool moist cloth. These memories and emotions flooded his head faster and faster. Joyful highs and crashing sorrows. Hugs and fights. So much jumbling in his head. The safe comfort of a baby suckling at his mother’s breast. How did he even remember that? And oh! The flat exhaustion at her funeral. He’d tried to push that unbearable pain down hidden forever. Love. Despair. Comfort. Anger. A life. His life, her life. Enough!

“Please. Stop it. Please”

And with that it all evaporated. His mind cleared and he opened his eyes.
Deep breaths. Tears welling in his eyes. Confusion, then anger.

“You, you can’t do that to people! It’s such an invasion.” Jatu stood up, anger on his face.

“Mister Besh, I apologize for your distress. She was a good woman. But we are a high security facility. We have to understand our employees. It was necessary.”

“What? No! How dare you!”

But Brother Aldus simply stood up, “I am sorry.” and walked out without another word.

Jatu stood there, shaking a little. Unsure quite what he should do next.
He wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

Another door opened, revealing a lovely green garden and blue skies.
The Jedi with gentle eyes was back.

“Well, it seems you passed security. A little intense, isn’t it. Oh, I’m Brother Alastair by the way. Anyway, come on. You and your toolbox there.” He smiled the kindest, most genuine, smile Jatu had ever seen. Floppy brown curly hair tumbled around his face that Jatu had a strong urge to touch.

So Brother Alastair held the door open and Jatu stepped out into a lovely warm garden on a bright sunny day.

---

The garden was absolutely the most beautiful thing Jatu had ever seen.
So green, so fertile and healthy. Flower beds of exquisite blossoms of red and pink and purple. Arching translucent blue flowers reaching higher than two men. And artistically bent slender trees that a soft wind blew through, gently rustling the leaves.

Above, the sky was just the right blue with a few little fluffy white clouds drifting along.
It was perfect.

“Yes it is”, smiled Brother Alastair. He walked on down the path of cobblestones and Jatu and his floating toolbox followed, looking all around.

“Oh.” gasped Jatu as a flock of about two dozen small hypercolored birds flew past in front of them, peeping away.

“We built this place to enhance our connection to the Light. Beauty, Joy, Love. Peace. All of that kooky stuff.”

Jatu wanted to just sit on the grass and let it all sink in.

“You have a job to do first, dear technician. When you are done, perhaps you can stop here for a while. I’ll introduce you to our tumble of baby Fliffers. They are so fluffy. You’ll love them. And you might need it. Being near the Prisoner can be rather stressful for some.”

That snapped Jatu out of it.
“The Prisoner. He’s… I’ve heard that he’s, well it’s just a rumour, but someone told me… “ Just say it, he thought. “That he is a Sith Lord?”

Brother Alastair gave a soft little chuckle.
“Well, he’s not that. They were wiped out hundreds of years ago. Oh no-no no.” Brother Alastair was distracted by the patter of feet off to the left. “Oh hello there you sweeties!” Alastair stopped for a moment as a pack of orange balls of fluff pounced across their path.

“Fliffers!”

The tiny creatures emitted tiny yips and squeeps and they adorably bounced past. One stopped at Jatu’s feet and blinked it’s huge brown eyes up at him. The urge to bend down and give it a scritch was it was irresistible, so that’s exactly what he did. The adorable ball purred.

“They naturally radiate positive Force energy so we acquired a few for a breeding program here.” Alastair regained his original train of thought and looked at Jatu. “He’s not a Sith Lord. But that’s the rumour going around, is it? And the Sith interest you, I think.”

That last sentence was a statement, not a question.
Onwards they walked as the fuzzy beasts bounded off into a hedge.

“I’ve read a little. I like history, I guess.” said Jatu with a little reluctance. He sensed that this was probably not the place to be admitting this little hobby of his, but on the other hand this Jedi was probably not a person he could hide it from. But collecting little old Sith trinkets such as badges and temple statues wasn’t such an evil thing to do. Was it?

“Not at all. The Sith were so dramatic. So aesthetic. They had an impressive sense of design, I suppose. All quite beautiful, if you don’t look too deeply at what was behind it.”

Ahead the path lead towards an old stone wall, with a simple arched wooden door. On a stool beside it sat a serious looking Republic Guard.

“So. Time for serious words. Whoever our prisoner is does not need to concern you. You have a straightforward task. The containment shield around his cell is fluctuating. It flares up now and again, and so we need a smart fellow such as yourself to have a look at it. Fix it if you can, but there is no shame if you cannot. Just come back to me, and give us whatever wisdom you are able.”

Jatu nodded. This kind of work was his bread and butter. He pondered that maybe an energy dampener tube needed replacement. He had several in his toolbox.

They arrived at the door. The guard jumped up to attention.

“Sir!” the guard saluted.

“Sergeant Maximian! My good man!” Alastair stepped up with wide open arms and gave the guard a wholehearted hug. Sergeant Max remained standing to stiff attention, obviously uncomfortable with this familiarity.

Alastair stepped back. “Max, I would like to introduce you to Mister Jatu Besh. He is the repairman you have probably been told was coming today. Please offer him every kindness.”

“Yes Sir. Mister Besh. Follow me.”

The guard took a large iron key from his pocket, and with a twist and a clunk he unlocked the door.

“This is where I leave you Shield Technician. Max will take you the rest of the way. He’s a good man, our Maxie.” and Alastair slapped the guard on the back. There was a look of barely contained anger on the guard’s face.

Jatu looked at the guard. He wanted to stay with Alastair. He was so nice.
“You aren’t coming? I thought you could help…”

“Oh no. I can’t go in there. The Force gets, well, it gets complicated in there. Not good for a Force Sensitive soul. But Max here, not a trace of sensitivity to The Force in him. Not one bit. So he can come and go as he pleases.”

Alastair gave Jatu a momentarily serious look in the eyes. “And you... you’ll be fine too.”
The serious look went just a tad sad. “Yes. Nothing there.”

“Mister Besh!” called the guard.

“Off you go then.” said the Jedi and reluctantly Jatu walked to the gate.

“One last thing!” called Alastair. “The Prisoner is a very dangerous individual, even if he isn’t a Sith Lord. Don’t be tempted to go near him. Don’t listen to his nonsense if he talks to you. Please? And when you come back, we’ll play with those Fliffers and cleanse your heart and soul.”

A distinct image of the gorgeous big brown eyes of a Fliffer flooded into Jatu’s mind. He closed his eyes for a moment and felt the cuteness.

“Thank you Alastair. They are lovely little things. See you soon.” and with lifted spirits, Jatu walked through the gate.

---

The climate on the other side of the door was quite a contrast to the lush garden Jatu had just walked through. It was warm, but a dryer, harsher heat. The healthy lawn was replaced by semi-arid tufts of brown grasses scattered about the sand and red stone. And instead of flowers grew the occasional bent and lean tree with sparse heavy leaves.

Jatu wanted to ask about the prisoner, but the Sargeant did not look open to friendly discussion. Their feet scrunched on the red gravel as they walked towards a distant stone building.

“And you’ll be fine too.”

Jatu thought of the Jedi’s words. He was safe in here, because there was no Force within him to be upset. He had always hoped that perhaps he had something. A little of that mystic power. To be told that he was empty by someone who was so obviously brimming with Force energy. To be told that he had no magic. That left him feeling rather deflated. Yes, it hurt.

From one tree came a strange “gwwrrawwp” sound.

“What is that?” asked Jatu.

Onto a thick branch of a tree clung a heavy lizard. It’s length from nose to tail was a little less than the height of a person. Long nose, long tail, and legs with long claws that dug into the branch. Four beady black eyes. It flicked out a long tongue and let out another “growp”.

“Ysalamir.” Jatu muttered, and stopped to look at it.

The lizard was native to the planet Mrykr, and living in an environment where predators used The Force to lure and entrap their prey, the Ysalamiri had countered this threat by evolving the ability to deaden the Force. He could understand why that would distress Alastair, but did he feel any different standing near one? No. Nothing. He reached out to touch it.

“Utt! Stop! It’ll bite your finger off.” called Sargeant Max.

As they walked on, Jatu noticed more lizards in trees. He realized that they were all here, dozens of them, to suppress the Force of one man.

They finally reached a low bare concrete bunker, with half a dozen stairs down into the ground to a door.

The trees around it seemed to bend away from the bunker, as if they were trying to escape. The Ysalamiri in their branches groaned and yarped and wiggled about as if they were struggling. Perhaps they were in pain. The harsh rays of the sun here seemed especially burning on Jatu’s skin.

They walked down the steps and the Sergeant thumped on the door hard.

“Sergeant-At-Arms with accompanying repair contractor reporting!” he yelled.

A video screen on the wall crackled to life.

“What? Hrrrm. Who’s that?” an irritated face on the screen grizzled.

“Technician Jatu Besh to examine the Prisoner’s containment shield.”

“Yeah yeah I know. Hrrm.”
He yelled back behind him, “Hey! You! Macovey! Go open the door!”

Someone we can assume was Macovey yelled back something angry and whiny.
“Jus’ do it ya lazy bastard!”
Then the man in the video turned back to them. “Hang on.”
And the screen went blank.

After a few moments there was a rattle of locks and levers, and the door swung open inwards to a dark corridor. A mess of a Republic Trooper stood there. Unshaven, his shirt unbuttoned, one hand on a wall to keep balance.

“Come on. Don’t just stand there.” he grumbled and turned to walk back down the corridor without any further invitation.

---

Jatu stepped into the dim corridor, his trusty toolbox floating behind him, to follow the trooper. He looked back to see if Sergeant Max was following, but the man was already walking briskly back along the path. He had delivered his parcel, and his job was done. He was getting out of here.

The corridor smelled of dust, and to be completely frank, urine. With the beep of the troopers hand on a security pad, a door slid open at the end of the corridor.

“Hurry up.” the trooper grumbled impatiently. “Bloody ‘ell”

Jatu entered the trooper mess room. Inside were a couple of dozen troopers in varying states of dress in their uniforms. Varying degrees of caring about their personal appearance. Some managed to assemble their full dress and armor, some in just stained trousers and undershirt.
They sat around, playing cards or just slumped with a bottle. Not a smile amongst them.

“Twenty Two! Haha!” a man wearing some parts of a captain’s uniform yelled with a cruel laugh. He slapped the table scattering his cards, and swiped up credits. “Gotta put this game on hold for a second lads. Hang on.”

“So. You…” The Captain eyed Jatu with an amused attitude. “You’re here to fix the shields, eh?” The captain got up from his cards. He was a tall man. He stepped up to Jatu and leaned forwards into his personal space.

“Uhh yes. Uh. It sounds like a faulty damper tube.” Jatu took a step back nervously.

“Sure. Just a little widget. Pull out the old one. Stick in a new one. Easy.”
The captain turned to the card players. “EASY! EH BOYS?”

“Got any lizards in that box, lad?” a trooper called out. “That’s what we need. More of them Yalsathingies.”

The Captain sneered. “Hey well, you get the honor of taking our repairman to meet our Prisoner, Private Rix.”

“Ha! I ain't goin’ anywhere near ‘im. He makes my skin crawl.” the Private whined.

The captain stepped over to the seated Private Rix, leaned over him and without warning gave him a powerful open handed slap, knocking Rix to the ground and his chair clattering.

The other card players quickly pushed out of their chairs and got out of the way as everyone else stopped and looked at the confrontation. Jatu just looked on wide-eyed, with no idea how to react in the moment.

Private Rix looked up at his Captain, with a moment of fury that he somehow suppressed.
“Come on Cap. Don’ make me go in there.”
He clambered back to his feet, stepping back out of his Captain’s range.

But with a sigh, he turned to Jatu.
“Hey. Repairman. Let’s go. But you’re not going to do any good. There’s nothing wrong with the shields. I’m telling ya. We need more lizards. These ones keep on dyin’.” The Private lifted up a heavy cage that sat on the floor. Inside a Ysalamir sat, munching on a bit of greenery. He lifted it up high to look the beast in the face. It gave a hiss and snapped it’s jaws.

Rix swiped his palm on security, and an elevator door opened. He lugged the lizard cage in and dropped it in a corner. The elevator, with Jatu and his toolbox, Private Rix and his lizard began to rattle downwards.

Rix didn’t look good. He took deep breaths, and hugged himself.
“Can’t you feel it?” Rix muttered to Jatu. “The lizard helps, I think. But look at it. It’s hurtin’. It can’t fight him.”

The lizard let out a “grawp”.

Could he feel it? The power of the Dark Force emanating from below? Jatu wasn’t sure. He was probably just anxious. After the whole unhealthy scene he had just witnessed, that wasn’t surprising.

“We should just kill him. Zap him. Gas him. Just blast this whole place. We can’t keep on doing this.” Rix was muttering to himself.

The elevated jolted to a stop.
“Just look at the fuse box. Be real quick and we can get outa here. You’ll see. Nothing wrong with the shields. Tell ‘em. Tell them Jedi. It’s him. Tell them this is all a bad bad idea.”

The door slid open.
Another dark corridor.
At the end there was a shimmering blue containment shield.

Jatu stepped out. “Are you coming? I need someone to show me where the maintenance station is.”

“Heh. I’m just fine here.” said Rix.
“That’s the fuse box there” He pointed at a raised panel in the wall halfway down the hallway.
Private Rix slumped down to sit on the floor of the elevator, an arm around the cage. Hugging the Ysalamir for protection.

“Be quick! You’ll see! Nothing’s wrong.” he yelled.
Then muttered to himself. “Everything’s wrong.”

So what was Jatu to do? He walked down the corridor towards the glow.

---

Jatu stopped at the fuse box momentarily. If he was sensible, he’d just do his job and get out of this creepy dark place. But down there at the end, the shield flared up for a second, flooding the corridor with light, and in the cell beyond flashed the image of a figure seated on the floor.

“Don’t look at him.” Jatu remembered Brother Alastair’s warning. A shiver of nervousness shook through his body. He flipped open the lid of his toolbox and picked out the right screwdriver to open the fuse box. The shield flashed again. He looked at the figure. Eyes glinted and stared back.

“Hello.” a deep voice said softly. “So who do we have here?”

Jatu breathed deeply and tried not to…

“What are you doing over there?” the figure asked. “Come here. Just for a moment”

He shouldn’t look. He should just walk back to the elevator and get out. Just get out now.
He looked at the figure. He was standing up. He was so tall and broad shouldered. So powerful. So… oh. He should get out.

But Jatu stammered. “I’m just fixing the.. uhh… wwwwh… what is your name?”
Jatu stared at the prisoner and scratched at his arm with his screwdriver.

“Perhaps I’ll tell you later, if we become friends. Now don’t be afraid. I am safely behind this lovely containment shield. You know I can’t touch you, technician. Come here. I haven’t talked to anyone for so long.”

Jatu looked back at the elevator and the soldier within, still hugging his cage.

“Oh don’t worry about him. He’s in a world of his own with that lizard. I’ll make sure his mind is elsewhere. Come.” The containment shield buzzed again, this time for a few seconds and the prisoner was finally clearly visible and his imposing stature. Suddenly much closer. Standing right at the shield. Looking so muscular that he could surely kill Jatu with his bare hands, Force or no Force. But the thing that shocked Jatu in that moment were the pipes.

Two glowing red-orange pipes, each about the width of a thumb, came out from under each cheekbone, and curved down over his leather breastplate and into his chest.

“Rage Pipes. Just like Darth Giger…” said Jatu. He had read about that ancient Darth Lord. Jatu liked his history books. The pipes transferred the precious black fury between Darth Giger’s mind, and his heart and muscles. A circular feedback loop that...

“That massively amplified the Power of his connection to the Dark Side. Yes. You know your history. Darth Giger, the Biomechanist. A great innovator.” the prisoner’s deep voice said softly.

“This is insane.” Jatu muttered to himself. He was talking to someone who at least believed that he was a Sith Lord. Someone who seemed to have some sort of hold over his guards. Corrupting them somehow. The Jedi needed to know what was happening here. He should just walk to the elevator and get out of here. Get to the Jedi and tell them.

“I have to go.”

“Of course you do.” said the monster.

But still holding his screwdriver, Jatu walked down the corridor towards the containment shield.
“So are you real?” he asked.

“Darth Giger was a great scientist, you know. He attempted to instill the mechanical with The Force. Quite interesting reading. All very gruesome and dramatic”

The shield flared bright again. Jatu gave it a technician’s eye, looking for faulty emitters and pondering what might cause fluctuating voltages.

“What do you think? Do you know what is doing this yet? I bet you do.” Just a few feet away, on the other side of the shield stood the prisoner with hands held out to his sides. He was full head taller than Jatu, dressed in black leather and those pipes of glowing, pulsating, metal. He was recycling his anger, if those stories of Darth Giger were correct. Building up his powers.

“Giger. You know his story. What made him so feared by the Jedi? Tell me.” said the Prisoner.

“He would capture Jedi and strip their nervous systems…” began Jatu.

“... from their living bodies and then weave them into the electrical nerves of droids. Of course the Jedi didn’t have to be living when he cut them up. It must have been agony.” The Monster smiled. “But that’s half the fun, isn’t it?”

Jatu froze. He had to get out of here. Tell the Jedi. Run.

“Oh relax. I’m not going to do that to you. Not today anyway.” The Prisoner let out a cold laugh.

“Stay here with me. I’m just lonely and rambling. Why talk to the Jedi anyway? You are a nothing to them. Just a technician with a toolbox. Wouldn’t you rather be here, learning my secrets?”

“Yes.” Jatu didn’t even realize the word had come out of his mouth.

“A little closer. Come on.” Without thinking Jatu took a step closer to the shield wall. Close enough to hear it’s quiet hum.

“There. Can you feel it? Those damn lizards. You have to come closer.” The prisoner’s face was right there at the shield. A big humorless grin, purple iris eyes, and those pulsating pipes that stabbed into his face. “Can you feel The Force now?”

Jatu felt energized. Felt a self confidence filling him. An arrogance, perhaps.

“Yes.” he said.

“Closer.” said the prisoner. “The Jedi hide this power from you. They want you to remain nothing. They tell you that the Force doesn’t belong to you.”

The shield flared bright. Sparks crackled from the emitters.

“Hey!” a voice yelled from back down the corridor. It was the Trooper. “What are you doing? Are you mad? Get away from him!” Footsteps coming closer.

“Ignore him. Listen to me. Feel that power. Feel that strength. Listen to me.”
The prisoner’s deep voice demanded Jatu’s attention.

“Get back you monster!” the Trooper yelled. “Get away from him now!”
“Captain! The prisoner’s got the technician! Yeah, I know. I shoulda… send down some troops! Hurry!”
And with that an alarm started blaring. Emergency! Action stations!

“Stay here! Do what I say.” said the monster to Jatu, their faces just inches away. The shield between them was so close that it might burn their flesh. Jatu was unable to look away, and perhaps he didn’t want to.

The trooper put his hand on Jatu’s shoulder.

“Stab him in the neck”, said the prisoner.

And Jatu, without thought, swung around and struck his screwdriver into the Trooper's neck. The man’s mouth gaped open in shock, blood spurting from the wound, and fell.

As if waking from a dream, Jatu looked down in horror at the man writhing on the floor.

“Shut down the shield now! Hurry!” yelled the monster.

Jatu still stared, in shock.

“RUN!”

The shield glowed bright, it’s emitters sparking and spitting.
Jatu looked up at the prisoner, and then turned and ran to the Fuse Box. He looked in at the circuitry and switches. The rumble of the elevator descending told him more troops would be here in a moment. Which switch to flip? Which fuse to pull? Quick! Quick!

The elevator clunked into place, and the door swiped up. Six troopers, all with blasters in hand, poured out.
“Hey! Get away from that!” the Captain roared.

“Pull the wires!” yelled the Prisoner.

Jatu reached in and grabbed a handful of cables and gave them a solid rip. The Fuse Box exploded with sparks and smoke, throwing Jatu back against the opposite wall, hitting his head. He lay there, dazed, twitching from the jolt of power, and vaguely noticing that the corridor was much darker. The Containment Shield was off.

Deep, mad, laughter.
Blaster shots.
Screams of pain.
The thumps of bodies colliding with stone.
And more laughter.

The body of a trooper flew past Jatu to land on the ground, broken and limp.
Heavy steps clacked on the stone floor, and the imposing dark figure of the prisoner stood over Jatu.

“Thank you technician! Oh this is going to be a most enjoyable day. Listen to me. Learn the ways of the Sith. The Jedi will give you nothing. Learn the secrets of the Dark Side. Read those books of yours. And one day, when my Master is dead by my hands, I will go looking for an Apprentice. Maybe it will be you. Who knows?”

Jatu tried to push himself up off the floor. His head ached with concussion.

“My Master gave me the name Darth Suspirian. One day I might give you a name too. If you are worthy.”

The sirens blared. Darth Suspirian got up and walked towards the elevator.
And he was gone.

 

Hi Findswoman. Thankyou. I'm not expecting you to write essays whenever I post something. I'm grateful you do, but it's okay. I've just been a bit wordless lately.

This thing. I'm not sure it even makes sense. It's more about messing around with moods than anything. It's a terrible way to confine a Sith Lord.