Fingers steepled before him, Sidious’ gaze rested upon something well outside the mortal realm, yellow eyes penetrating the veils of the Force yet incapable of determining the focus of his visions. Despite his mastery of it, it seemed it was shrouding certain aspects of itself that had normally been clear channels for him. Constant thoughts of riotous confusion were assailing him, bits of unfinished thought congealing into the chaotic mess his mind was becoming. “Too many questions left with no conclusions gathered” he thought aloud. His astute visionary practices yielding no shred of confirmation one way or the other as to what was on the horizon, his anger began to brew anew. The Force itself seemed to be repelling the answers he sought, or more to the point, warring within itself over his ability to negotiate it. The Dark side, ever willing to guide its property, seemed to be clouded by the balance of the Force. This further confounded his already delicate thoughts regarding his apprentice and the reemergence of the Togrutan padawan. He blew out the breath he was unaware he was holding and slowly stood before the desk in the dimly lit chamber, the deep violet folds of his outer robes falling from his knees to shroud him completely. The confines of the Sith temple underneath the towering construct the Jedi had erected centuries ago on Coruscant was still proprietarily his alone. The irony of the Jedi’s folly would forever add a bit of sardonic humor to any of his thoughts while carrying out any number of the tasks he beset himself to. He was avoiding the biggest questions however, as they were the ones that if answered truthfully, would expose his own weaknesses. Operating as he had been with no misgivings of consequence, things had panned out precisely as he had forseen, but at the fractured cost of becoming the sole proprietor of the vision of the Sith. His apprentice, although loyal and obedient, was in the throes of operating under a differing agenda from his own. Bowing his head slowly he realized he was to blame for the divergence. The questions assailed him immediately at that point, was it not, after all, encouraged to seek new paths once the Sith agenda had been established? He thought to himself. “Yes, of course” he surmised, answering his own question. “But not at the cost of all we have accomplished,” he said to himself. Slowly, ebbing from the depths of subconscious, regret began to surface. Perhaps Plagueis was correct in his estimation that a co-chancellor was needed to maintain order. His mind focused intently on the night he stamped the life out of his former master, bringing the myriad of details from the ornate state room into brilliant clarity. “With my guidance and your charisma, we will soon be in a position to initiate the final act of the Grand Plan” Plagueis had said, and Palpatine knew he meant it. “We have achieved that and so much more, m-a-s-t-e-r” he countered with slow annunciation of the final word upon returning his thoughts to the present. What that did not accommodate however was the divide between himself and Vader, the very reason this line of questioning was initiated. The Grand Plan would have been satisfied in a scenario where he was still the apprentice, he knew, but the totality of the power he had immediately granted himself the very next day after the apprentice became the master would have been years to come. Palpatine would not wait, could not wait, he had always been an opportunist and seized the chance to ascend both thrones within a matter of hours. He was performing his usual diligence in eliminating doubt, but this thought would not abate. Palpatine was losing his focus, the anger within taking complete hold of his senses. He lowered his head again and turned around slowly, an effort to slow the aggressive emotions that would counter his resolve. He sat at the desk again and folded his hands before him. Palpatine returned an intense focus to that of Plagueis, to the night he recited his prepared commencement speech for his ascendancy to chancellorship. He had no interest in the words he remembered so clearly, his only interest, the form of Plagueis. Once established, he let his mind slip into meditation…
“The enormity of the task at hand is something of a revelation, Sidious, ambition has always been your strongest characteristic, however we will still need the Senate and regional bureaucracies to maintain order. The beings in the galaxy will still need to ‘feel’ they are a part, or it will all crumble around us” Plagueis advised.
“The authoritative dictates of our Empire will be embraced, or they will not Master” Sidious interjected. “Many in the galaxy would gladly accept absolute rule in exchange for peace and safety in their systems. Those that do not will be dealt with in short order.”
“Ahh, Sidious, and it is to that I ask you; how do you propose to deal with dissident systems? You would require more than an army in my estimation.”
The corners of Sidious’ lips curled upward in a toothless smile “Already being planned Master, the mobile battle station will be our anchor in establishing order throughout the galaxy.” Sidious replied.
“So, I ask you then, will a mobile battle station guaranty that insurrections across the whole of the galaxy will be abated before any form of rebellion can commence?” Plagueis asked.
The smile across Sidious’ visage only grew larger “In fact no, accounting for distances across the mid rim, the seclusion of several thousand outer rim systems and the expansion regions we will in fact require three.”
Plagueis erupted into raucous laughter. Through the transpirator mask, the sound was incomparable. “Sidious, you have established new heights for your ambition as well as established new lows for your insolence.”
Sidious was not expecting the latter portion of that reply. “Master?”
“You didn’t really believe that I would allow you to follow through with this travesty that you propose, did you? Plagueis asked with sincerity.
The color flushed from Sidious’ complexion. That was the last thing he thought he would hear.
Plagueis continued “Sidious, although your ambitions in the conquest of power are to be commended, you don’t seem to have considered the consequences of subjugation. Peace through fear is not the issue at hand, Sidious, because fear is not enough to ensure cooperation. As I’ve already mentioned, the people need to feel a sense of inclusion or there will be uprising. One being with a sense of purpose has the power to bring all you propose to create crashing down around you. As you had intended, the droid fills my glass to the brim with a sweet Sullustan wine of incomparable vintage. It fills my senses with pleasure to see the glass full, the smells sweet, the liquid inviting, and my mouth salivates in anticipation, regardless, the glass will empty, the bottle will empty, the case will empty. What satisfies your appetite is an intoxicant of a different sort, Sidious, but that too will empty. What you’re left with, then, there is no return from, and even the Dark side will balk in your attempts to return to favor.
The furrow that had formed upon Sidious’ forehead deepened as his eyebrows dropped slightly and the smile vanished completely from his lips. “It seems then, Master, that we are at odds. You clearly lack the vision necessary for the grand plan to proceed to the heights I have foreseen.”
“Then it seems, apprentice, that you have a job to do.” Plagueis responded.
Sidious snapped his right wrist exposing his light saber as it slid into the palm of his hand. Without hesitation he twisted his body to the right and spun, decapitating the Muun in one swift stroke. “Done” he said to himself.
Assured his actions would have the same results in either scenario, Palpatine scoffed at the echo’s reverberating in his head. The old Muun was short sighted and aligned to closely with anonymity. Something Sheev Palpatine had spent his entire life avoiding.
His mind would not disconnect from its meditative state despite his willingness to do so, instilling a sudden sense of dread, however fleeting. He understood within seconds that the Dark side was clearly not done with him. He was still standing in the state room of Hego DeMask although he was now the room’s only occupant. He looked down to see himself in the same garb he had adorned the night he took his master’s life but at once snapped his head up to see the remainder of the room disappearing into a mass of swirling black and deep violet smoke? Mist? He could not be sure, but quickly became a moot point when a form took shape before him. A hooded figure stood before him accumulating the black and violet vapor under the hem of its floor length robe. “Ahh” it announced as the last of the vapors were pulled into the form. The voice was stoically deep and resounding in the room. The figure removed its hands from the folds of the robes, drab olive skin, slack over rail thin bony fingers rode up to the hood and pushed it back slowly revealing a similarly complected face and bald head. Black spike tattoos stemming from mid cheek to forehead bisected empty eye sockets vertically over his bony features. His lips pulled tight to appear nonexistent, they began to move before any sound was made.
“Do you know who I am, Darth Sidious?” The voice again inhuman, its depth felt in Sidious’ chest and echoing in his mind.
Sidious of course knew but was internally struggling with why this vision was before him. “Bane, Darth Bane.” he all but stammered.
“Very astute of you.” The words again reverberating from everything it seemed as Sidious’ ears registered their measure with an almost metallic echo. “Have you ever heard the tale of Darth Sidious the cunning?” ……
Ahsoka entered the cockpit access doorway with her left hand on her temple, her right arm cradling her chest. Her mind was intergalactic however, as far away from body as could be possible, reeling from the ‘eventful’ meditation. Actions that should not have been possible, now were, with no explanations.
“Ahsoka?” Kowani said for the third time.
“Sorry Kowani, for everything…” She trailed off quietly wrapping her mind around what ‘everything’ means.
“We’ve been through that already, we can come back to it, again, later if your so inclined, but were here.” Kowani flatly stated never taking her eyes from the view before them both.
Ahsoka looked up to see the hovering green mass of Dagobah before her encompassing the expanse of the transparisteel canopy. Every shade of green was represented in the view from their lofty perch, a chaotic mass of teaming life. Active storms were clearly visible in the northern hemisphere, flashes of bright yellow and white illuminating the atmospheric layers of mist and cloud.
“Uhh, scans are negative on just about all forms of civilizations and or tech, massive life form readings though” Kowani remarked. “No active transmission frequencies, holonet access or significant trace power signatures. There are several low band communications active, however on frequency scales I can’t seem to access. Ahsoka, are you sure this is the right place?”
‘Yes,’ a voice exclaimed in Ahsoka’s mind. “The force will guide you.” She recognized it immediately as being Qui gon’s from her meditation, his was a voice one didn’t forget.
“Ahsoka?” Kowani asked again.
“Uh...yes, Kowani, this is the place.” Ahsoka replied. Closing her eyes.
“Call me Ani, you’ve earned that right.” Kowani said, with a slight turn toward Ahsoka.
Ahsoka, her mind already ostensibly distracted, was taken aback at Kowani’s statement. Her past came rushing into the forefront with a deluge of emotion. The last time she had heard that name, albeit with a differing inflection and pronunciation, Padme had been conversing with Anakin. For fear of losing complete control of what little faculties she had remaining, she repressed the thought and associated emotion. Bringing her focus into the here and now she envisioned their path and began giving Kowani corresponding directions and flight commands. “Southern hemisphere, 1500 clicks north northwest of the pole region, reduce speed to one quarter after atmosphere breach and shut down all non-essential systems.” Her eyes still closed, she envisioned their final decent she heard corresponding signals that Kowani was executing her directives as the hyper drive, holo and comm systems were issuing descending tones. “Shielding and weapons systems as well…. Ani.” She said softly with a nondescript wince.
There was a moment of hesitation but they, too, issued audio proof of being powered down. “I know Ani, but we won’t need them.” She felt the questions Kowani was about to ask but smiled slightly in knowing that she didn’t need to vocalize them. It came as no surprise to Ahsoka that Qui’gon was indeed correct. She could sense the ribbons of energy solely intent on guiding them to their location.
“I will assume you’ve been here before?” Kowani offered mildly, hoping she was correct.
“Ani, I don’t think so, but at the same time this all feels familiar to me. Like I’ve dreamt this before.” She could not help but emit a slight laugh. “Or maybe I’m just making this all up and leading us into the side of a mountain range.” She laughed a little louder at her own comment. At first Kowani didn’t laugh, her own mind a jumble of questions that never seem to get answered but couldn’t help herself from giggling along with Ahsoka.
“The first 15 years of my life I was trained to let go of emotion, the last twenty to train myself how to survive in the galaxy constantly on the run. Here, in this place, I sense nothing but solace and peace, so forgive me for quite possibly overreacting but, honestly, this is the first time since leaving the order I’ve felt…. home.” Ahsoka admitted once the laughter allowed. There was a fleeting sense of loss when mentioning the Jedi order, but it left her thoughts as fast as it had entered them.
“Ahsoka, I can’t say I understand how that would feel but I can certainly understand the feeling of home. Embrace it.” Kowani commented.
The D5 broke through the final layer of atmosphere with no reprieve from the thick, clogged, cloud cover they had encountered upon initial atmospheric breach, almost as if it were alive.
“I’m going to kill the ions and finish approach with repulsors, this stuff is near impenetrable on scanners, and I don’t have visual on anything more than a meter ahead of us.” Kowani relayed.
A hand on Kowani’s shoulder, Ahsoka gave it a little squeeze in acknowledgement. The repulsors engaged, the interior of the ship was beginning to drone into a relative silence as the whine from the ion engines faded away. She immediately drew into herself as the emotional high from her outburst of laughter subdued into melancholy. It was then that the gravity of the situation manifested itself in her conscious thought. ‘I haven’t seen you since the day of my tribunal,’ she said to herself. Her mind reeling from the events that day, but also smiling internally knowing she had made the best decision for herself. Sudden waves of various emotion assailed her in that moment. Fear, nervousness, anger, betrayal, guilt, and a certain measure of regret. She focused on the guilt but didn’t need to search at all for the cause. Anakin. All these years later she was still clinging to it, despite enormous efforts to grow beyond it. What he had become, once she learned the absolute truth of it, had also brought that guilt back to the forefront. She knew better. Knew better than to accept any blame whatsoever for what he now was, but she couldn’t elude the feeling. Closing her eyes yet again as her sense of proximity was coming into direct alignment with the path the force had laid before her, she knew they were close to their destination. And with that she compartmentalized each singular thought and associated emotion into her subconscious, she would need a clear, focused, mind she knew.
“Ani, two-degree negative approach, engage landing gear, zero forward and increase repulsors to 80 percent.” Again, the cacophony of audio feedback from each relative system engaging on Kowani’s keystrokes and switch flips assured her that a definite trust had been built with the Mirialan. The gravitic chugging hum of the repulsors finding solid purchase gave her reason to also trust herself. Within a few short moments they finally broke through the thick mass of swirling vapors to a wide canopy view of the densest swamp either of them had ever laid eyes on. Momentum carrying them to a clearing Ahsoka wasn’t positive was large enough to accommodate the Morai, her eyes snapped from wide open shock to narrowed and calculating in a flash. Low mist hovering over stagnant water was being jettisoned in every direction as the repulsors maintained the vessels altitude, the water itself stirring in eddies, exposing solid ground just under its surface. Massive, vine choked trees blocked any view beyond the small clearing they were quickly approaching. Kowani took note of the proximity screen that was flashing a pale yellow, but Ahsoka was already prepared for the question she was forming on her tongue.
“We’ll fit” Ahsoka said with a thin smile. As a pilot, she knew the question would have been extremely valid but, again, felt a very real bond with Kowani in knowing she had already answered that which wasn’t even asked.
The ship coming to a full forward stop, Kowani toggled the repulsor yoke to enact a full 180-degree swing to decant the exit ramp toward the tree line and brought the craft down with a graceful lurch.
“Honey, were home.” Kowani remarked and began running through cycles to power down the remainder of the ships systems, leaving primary systems on standby. Ahsoka was already making her way to the rear of the ship as Kowani spun and finally got out of the pilot’s seat. Having no idea what to expect, she let out a muted sigh, shook her head slowly and followed Ahsoka to the aft of the vessel.
Depressing the large ramp switch, Ahsoka had an inexplicable and sudden urge to run away, far away, leaving everything and everyone behind her. She suppressed the thought as a depressurizing hiss issued forth from the ramps mechanism relating the sound to her need for those particular thoughts to stay suppressed. The simple meditative practice worked as her mind quickly shifted gears to heightened senses. She felt more than heard Kowani’s approach, “Ani, I have no idea what to expect here but know that I will always be there for you.” She turned her head slightly in Kowani’s direction. “I know you can sense it, this place….is very strong in the Force.” She, herself, was taken aback immediately by its strength. Kowani placed her hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder as the ramp fully extended with a slushy thud.
“And know that I will always be there for you as well.” Kowani returned the sentiment. The mutual sentiment steadfast between them without the need for further words.
The heat and humidity hit them well before they took their first steps down the ramp, both thinking of Nar Shaddaa at once. Kowani let a slight giggle erupt and Ahsoka couldn’t hold one back either. “At least it doesn’t SMELL like Nar Shaddaa.”
“Thank heavens for that.” Ahsoka replied. As their footfalls brought them to the end of the ramp, her tone reflected the more curious side of observation. “This smells more like…. life.” Settling on the only word she could think of to describe it. “Decay and new growth, the cycle.” Turning her head to the right she took in the sight of the water returning to settle over the repulsor exposed bed of muddy ground. “And the water, although brackish, doesn’t smell stagnant. It all just smells…alive.” She finished.
“I don’t think I could have phrased that any better.” Kowani returned, completing her own scan of their immediate surroundings.
An eerie silence hung in the thickly humid air, one they were both sure, was born from the disturbances of their craft. Lofty wing beats could be heard assuring them then that the silence would only be temporary, as their arrival would only be a footnote to the flora and fauna of the area in short order.
“These remind me of the Wroshyr on Kashyyyk, although quite a bit different too.” Ahsoka said, with a finger pointed directly at one of the massive trees interwoven into the organic barrier before them. “It also reminds me of Wasskah.” She finished with a slight shudder.
“The Trandoshan moon? I am sure there is a story there.” Kowani both asked and stated.
“Yeah, a long story.” Replied Ahsoka with a look of disgust in her eyes.
Picking up on her sentiment, Kowani let it go and returned her focus to the formidable line of trees before them. “Any thoughts on our next move?” Not hearing a reply, she turned to face her. Ahsoka’s eyes were narrowing, and her head was pivoting from peripheral point to point. ‘This woman has seen things I could only imagine’ she thought, knowing full well Ahsoka was simply employing strategy in assessing any danger that might be present to answer her question with logic.
“I don’t sense anything out of the ordinary although there are dangers surrounding us, more in the form of predators both large and small. I get the feeling it will only be as dangerous as we are if you follow.” Ahsoka stated, breaking the silent pause, her eyes relaxing from the calculating gaze. Kowani never looking away watched as Ahsoka closed her eyes and physically slowed her breathing, a moment later, her cheeks puffed out somewhat, the biggest smile was forming on her face. “Home” she almost whispered as she slowly opened her eyes.
“I feel it too.” Kowani admitted. A calming warmth was spreading through her, likening to that of her mother’s warm embrace. She was poised to say as much but rescinded the thought knowing the path of a Jedi started with the removal of one from that embrace.
‘Welcome Kowani Y’mmat.’ The words took her by surprise as she quickly turned her head in all directions in a vain attempt to find their source. The sound, almost inaudible, was pleasing as opposed to mysterious, instilling a comfort rather than fear. She felt Ahsoka’s hand on her shoulder again affirming in her mind that, yes, she had heard it too. Kowani could not tell if the voice was directly audible or simply something she was hearing in her mind. That being her only concern, in the moment, was something she had never experienced before. “This happens to you a lot, doesn’t it?”
“Every damned day.” Ahsoka almost laughed through the words. “Let me know when you start losing arguments with your subconscious over hypothetical nonsense, because then…. then we can both check ourselves into the med center at Obroa-skai.”
Kowani could not help but join in the laughter as well.
“Good to know.” She added playfully.
‘Follow the lights, they will be your guide.’ They both heard the command as they, in unison, focused on four small dancing balls of soft white light tossing, turning, and swirling among the tangle of vegetation before them.
“And now we’re following lights.” Kowani said with a good helping of lighthearted sarcasm.
“Ani, I’ve got a very good feeling this will be the closest thing to normal that happens today.” Ahsoka couldn’t help but respond.
The lights led them through the densest curtain of choking vines, underbrush, scrub, fallen tree limbs and massive entanglements of impossibly large root clusters either of them could remember encountering and into a verdant maze of massive tree trunks, strewn boulders, patches of damp and soggy mosses and pools of the same brackish water, the foggy mist layering everything as solitude returned to these wilds. Each footfall temporarily cast the mist aside only to have it fill that void again the moment their feet left purchase. Sounds started to make their way back into an audio landscape. A splash of water, interrupted by the croak of an amphibian. The cascading chirps and buzzes of various insects, both large and small, both near and far were eclipsed only by the squawking of large avians well above the ever-dense fog line. The telltale sound of movement came from every direction. A slither. A patter. Small swirls traced the paths the creatures were taking as the mist fought hard to re-congeal itself behind them.
“You know the voice don’t you.” Kowani said unexpectedly, taking Ahsoka by surprise.
“I do in fact.” Taking a moment to form her next statement carefully, more for her own benefit, she knew, to minimize her own confusion. “A Jedi master who had passed on to the force more than 30 years ago.” She finished, feeling a certain satisfaction in leaving it at that. “Why?”
“No reason, other than it sounded…. familiar.” Kowani struggled with the last. She was certain she had heard it before but had neither the inclination of when it might have been nor the context of what it may have said to her. “Aside from that though, we’re trekking through an alien swamp, following glowing lights on the word of a dead Jedi.”
A facetious attempt of course to settle her own nerves given the situation.
“I’ve seen you hold your own in a duel with a, for lack of a better term, possessed bounty hunter, fight your way into and out of trouble with Imperial troopers, head into skirmishes with naval cruisers on top of the life you had been living even before I came into the picture, this situation can’t possibly be that high on your personal threat meter.” Ahsoka remarked incredulously.
“Don’t forget the Weequay on Tatooine or the asinine escape from Nar Shaddaa.” Kowani returned with levity.
They had covered a kilometer of ground with only slight changes to their surroundings. The trees just seemed to get bigger, the vegetation thicker and the inhabitants around them audibly louder.
“Ani, what does your heart tell you.” Ahsoka asked, changing tactic.
“That I am home. It’s what my mind keeps telling me that frightens me.”
Ahsoka stopped abruptly and turned to face her. “Acknowledge the fear, give it a form so you can visualize it, then let it go. Tap your mind simply for its wisdom but decide with your heart.” She took Kowani’s right hand onto her own. “Ani, close your eyes, then tell me what you feel.”
After a few moments of what Ahsoka took to be Kowani letting the memory of her sight in the last five minutes fade so as not to affect her answer to the question. “Warmth. Compassion. Trust.” Kowani said, pausing between each description.
“Which one of those feelings relates to fear?” Ahsoka challenged.
“None of them.”
Without waiting for her answer, Ahsoka brought their hands down, closer to the ground, Kowani getting to her knees in response, eyes remaining closed. A large serpent had emerged from the mist at Ahsoka’s feet, scales almost translucent in a dulled white hue, a perfect camouflage for the persistent fog and mist of the bog. Its form elongated and curious, opposed to coiled and agitated. A solid black forked tongue was periodically darting in and out of its mouth and its eyes, a rich amber, where focused entirely on their hands. Ahsoka reached out their conjoined hands and placed Kowani’s fingertips on the scaly surface behind the serpent’s head. “And now?” Kowani’s hand jerked away ever so slightly but re-engaged the smooth scales in the blink of an eye.
“Honestly, I feel the same things. The surface was cool, but the warmth is there, underneath. Compassion, but centered differently. Trust. An absolute trust.” She replied in a thoughtful tone.
“Exactly.” Ashoka said. “Now open your eyes.”
Ani did and recoiled her hand immediately. The serpent’s head shot back just as quickly and began to coil itself. She had known it was some form of serpentine wildlife but was startled to see how large it was, its head more than twice the size of her hand. Ahsoka simply flattened her palm in its direction and the tension in the animal released. It flicked its tongue once more, blinked and casually slithered back into the mists.
“Your sight can deceive you, if you trust in sight alone your mind has already lost its battle with reason.” Ahsoka said. Kowani cast a glance over Ahsoka’s shoulder at the hovering lights floating gently, making casual circles. “They aren’t going anywhere Ani.” Ahsoka said, still looking into Kowani’s eyes. “This is part of the journey.”
“You said to tap my mind for its wisdom.” Kowani said questioningly, refocusing on the conversation.
“Yes, absolutely, but I also said to decide with your heart. Ani, you didn’t sense or express any fear until you physically saw the serpent. What changed?”
Kowani was silent for a long moment, glancing between her hands and Ahsoka. “I understand what you’re saying, the lesson.” She paused. “It will take time to put into practice.” She finished.
Ahsoka flashed Kowani a warm smile. “The lesson is simply a measure of trust, learn to trust yourself the way you’ve come to trust me.” She cast her eyes down somewhat, her face suddenly downtrodden. “A lesson even some Jedi couldn’t piece together.”
‘Indeed’ interjected Qui gon’s voice again.
Ahsoka let go of the pain her own comment brought upon her and blew out her breath. Her heart heavy from the path the conversation had taken, she slowly turned around and began to follow the lights again, Kowani in step right behind her.