Nara awoke nestled between the two Cracian Thumpers; their bodies pressed up tightly to her still naked form. She remembered the cold running waters chilling her to the bones but not much prior as she pushed herself into an upright position. The sky above was littered with the brilliant spectacle of thousands of stars shining down upon her, unfiltered as they were through the Ambrian night. Gaseous nebulae spanning the horizon in deep purples and vivid blues, created distortion for those stars within them to extend their reach to Nara as well. She saw the outline of Mushi lying at her feet, the clothing and items gifted her by Zannah’s spirit neatly set upon the ground at the giant cat’s maw. The memories came trickling back to her as she focused her gaze upon the black cylinder lying atop the clothing, and as such, thrust investigatory hands out over her body to make sure she was still in one piece. She remembered the pain. Scorching searing pain that rocked every centimeter of herself. She found nothing but raised bumpy scars in the place she knew were deep lacerations, horrendous jagged cuts, and spacious contusions. A deep sniff and Mushi firing his head toward the sky in one swift movement grabbed her attention with a start. She looked up trying to follow his gaze but found only the unhindered view of the stars above. Scanning its capaciousness, her attention was drawn to the waviness within the nebulae she had focused on earlier. Squinting her eyes to narrow down a smaller field of view she noticed unnatural movement between the stars within the field. She pushed herself up to her feet, the chilly night air nipping at her skin. She brushed aside the saber hilt and put the clothes back on to seal out the cold, the leather jacket pulling the ensemble together with perfection. Even the cool breeze was thwarted in its efforts as she attached the saber hilt to the clip at her waist and patted down the side pocket to ensure the cube was still in place before looking up yet again.
“It has begun Nara.” Zannah said at her side.
“Who is coming Zannah?” Nara asked, her eyes still locked on the approaching entity.
“Both friend and foe we sense.”
“Ambria, I am afraid, will host a convergence of galactic strength the likes of which she has not seen in eight millennia.” Thon responded in turn.
“How did this happen?” Nara whirled on the twin spirits beside her, “I don’t understand.”
“You have not been the only interested party in Ambria’s secrets young one.” Thon informed her.
“As I’ve told you Nara, your Master has made his own attempts, yet was unable to shred the veil.” Zannah added.
Nara pinched her eyes shut as she let the frustration flow through and out of her, “I’ve already told you; I have no Master.” She said after releasing her initial burst of anger over the statement, a peace and calm taking its place. “His decision to send me in his stead then.”
“Mistress Nara?” Thon turned his translucent head in her direction.
With her eyes clear of the short, fused anger, she turned them again to the stars above, “It is me they will be after. Sidious needs to know.”
“Nara, while we exist in a spiritual form, we do not possess the ability to read minds.” Zannah said, informing Nara that she had revealed nothing of substance.
Nara looked to the ground, surveying the shadowy blackness of the valley’s topography, “He could not shatter your veil Zannah, so he charged someone else the task.” She turned to Zannah fully, “I do not know how he has learned of my success, only that he will come to collect Zannah.”
“You bring war to Ambria Nara?” Thon said, a deep resonating tone that Nara felt more than heard.
“You misunderstand.” Nara blinked through his harsh tone, adopting a peaceful inflection into her words, “the Empire brings war Thon. I am…” she trailed off briefly in thought. Why had she succeeded? And to whose motives? Why, now, would Sidious show any signs of interest in her progress as she had been left to her own whims for years. Having formed a thought, she looked upon the two translucent spirits, “why am I here?”
The question was not expected, at least from Thon’s perspective. Zannah, on the other hand, noticeably cast her gaze toward the northern horizon, as if to ignore the question altogether. “Zannah. Why am I here?” She repeated, her focus intent on the wayward apparition.
“Zannah?” Thon turned toward her, the rumble in his voice evaporating, a melancholy taking its place.
“They need to be destroyed Thon; you know this.” Zannah replied, her gaze still resting on the darkened cliffs far to the North.
“It is not our place to judge what must be done.” He replied, in lament. His voice had become a sorrowful dirge to Nara’s ears, and she began regretting asking the question in the first place. “I have not wandered this beautifully broken world for millennia in an effort to be thwarted by one of our own Zannah.”
“We still retain the freedom and choices to think for ourselves do we not? I know they’re out there Thon, and with that a deep-rooted threat that will always exist.” Zannah said matter-of-factly, turning to face Thon, “perhaps thwarted is overstepping?” Nara felt the uncomfortable palpability between the two, quickly proving Zannah’s statement.
Immediately the tension dissipated as Thon released a hearty sigh onto the air, “I do concede that to you. Perhaps I continue to align my emotion with that of my living self.”
Nara let her own emotions fade as the two seemed to find some sort of common ground, yet on a topic that she had yet to understand. It was then she realized her question was never answered, “I have no idea what you two are discussing.” She felt a different approach may be necessary.
Both spirits turned toward her, Thon beckoning Zannah with a translucent paw.
“There exist gateways, within this galaxy, to a place where time and space do not abide.” Zannah began, “to their own general laws.” She finished with a thoughtful tone.
“Openings that can redefine what is known.” She continued, trying to settle somewhere in between what she knew and what was never known. Zannah paused for a moment, “it is difficult to explain without semblance of perspective Nara. Cognus knew of my increasing interest in the workings of the ancients. What she did not know was how deeply that interest lie.” Zannah knew she would have to dive deeper into her past to relate her message but realized she had never done so, finding herself ill prepared to continue without the emotions involved that had once belonged to her mortal form. “I had discovered the Zeffo Nara. Not them as a race, but the relics they had left behind.”
For the first time in the conversation, Nara could nod her head in the affirmative, “I have heard of them. Sidious has amassed a similar trove.”
“Then you understand the importance of what I am about to tell you.” Zannah’s voice gaining a new level of excitement, “They traveled in many different ways throughout the universe.” Zannah waited patiently for that to sink in. “That is correct, universal travelers.” She clarified, seeing the wide-eyed expression taking over Nara. “Vessels in more primitive times, but gateways toward the zenith of their ascendancy. Gateways that bridge time and space Nara.”
“I fail to see how that is relevant Zannah.” Nara’s confused expression returned.
Zannah composed her gaze directly into Nara’s eyes. “You are here because Sidious knows of these gateways. It is why he has made efforts to shatter my veil in the past. I underestimated Cognus Nara, although brief, her time with Bane was efficient enough to drive the Sith agenda into her very core.” Zannah smiled at Nara. A congenial smile that reminded Nara of Unduli, “You are here because Sidious has underestimated you.”
Nara opened her mouth as Zannah spoke, tying the two tales together into a braid of truth. She wanted to both deny and accept what she was hearing, finding the task impossible as it were. “Did you allow me, at any time, to see through your deception?” Nara needed to know, the truth in the answer would lead her down the path of resolution she sought.
“Not at any point Nara.” Zannah replied, “that will always be your success to own, one that you found through exploring your own truth.”
“Nor did I Nara, the efforts were solely yours.” Thon added.
“The identification of personal truth is very powerful indeed.” Zannah said, “my own led to my demise, yours however, has opened a new path before you.”
Nara sighed her own thoughts into the open, a single breath that exhaled her worries and concerns into the cool Ambrian night air into a quickly dissipating fog of steam. Mushi, to Nara’s surprise had silently padded to her side, pressing his nose against her hip as he plopped his hind quarters down on the cool rocky ground. She extended a hand to scratch at the fur between his ears, then turned again to face the apparitions. “Purpose, it seems, has definition.” She said as the giant cat began a rumbling purr, “in order to secure it I cannot let them take me.”
“On that I think we can all agree.” A new voice added its opinion. Nara looked up to see the same scene had eyes had left. “Mistress Zannah, it has been some time.” T’zar Ek spoke, surprising Nara only.
“Master Ek, well met. It has indeed been ages my old friend.” Thon was the first of the two spirits to acknowledge the new presence.
“Time is short so I will be candid.” T’zar said in a hurried tone. “Allies are forthcoming as the threat to Ambria is made whole.” The disembodied voice adopted caution in proceeding, defying his pledge. “These allies….” he paused, “...I advise an open mind.”
She heard the vessel before she saw it, the whine of massive repulsor banks trading forward momentum with its Ion drives, a distinct enough sound transition for anyone to note. “Northern cliffs.” Nara said, pointing a finger for her own benefit. The shrouding darkness melted away as a bright white aura emerged from the cliff face illuminating the area above the jagged stone.
“Who?” Nara asked, a nervous twinge in her voice ringing clear. “Who is that?”
“You already know that answer Nara of the Bendu. Reach out and confirm as much.” The voice advised.
Nara bristled at the command, but realized within seconds it was anything but. She tightly gripped the fur at the cat’s neck as she closed her eyes, feeling herself stretch out into the Force, letting it consume any building fear she possessed. She gathered the energy within her then released it in a gentle wave toward the approaching vessel. Nara’s mouth flew open in genuine surprise as her efforts were rewarded immediately. The resulting emotions taking effect before her mind could process the information, she felt her heart skip a beat, her lungs constrict their air flow and muscles in her legs tense into a defensive stance. Mushi, unaware of any threats, raised himself to all fours and began padding around Nara in a protective gait. “Ahsoka.” She managed to whisper the name. Her heart beats returned to normal, and she breathed in the night air with a relaxing gulp as her muscles instinctively relaxed on their own. “How?”
“I would say the Force seems to work in inexplicable ways, but the truth is on my suggestion.” The voice called T’zar responded.
Nara was not fully satisfied with the answer, “….why...how...did you know?” She wasn’t sure how to obtain the needed information.
“Your answers will be forthcoming, that is a promise. For now, it was my self-assigned charge to watch over the matrix you possess.” T’zar continued, “It is freely given Mistress?”
“It is.” Zannah replied.
Nara was a cloud of confusion as she had only the voice of an individual she could not see, the acquiescence of the two spirits she knew and the knowledge of an incoming Force user that had tried to kill her in their last encounter to navigate her suddenly active reality. Mushi responded with a low growl as Nara watched the Northern cliffs, waiting for the aura of approaching light to reveal itself. She heard the rustling of scattering stones and swiveled slightly too see both Eerie and Quin padding over to take up residence beside her. Trepidation gave way to an inner calm as the four living beings each added their own energy to the collective they had formed. Nara felt as if the animals already knew the truth of imminent confrontation and were only trying to relax her to a point that she could hear her own contribution to the collective calm. Her instinct was to fight the calm and brace for battle, but she could sense the casual dismissal of that potentiality by simply looking beyond those instincts.
✦
“Ahsoka, this is a big planet, what are we even looking for?” Rex asked, one eye on the Liberators scanner, the other peeled on the view before him, illuminated in the bright spotlights of the ships forward array. Jagged peaks of swirling colors, skewed by the artificial light, stood majestically over dry, cracked ground at their bases. “There are no concentrated life readings in this hemisphere. The ones I do have bearings on are scattered but numerous.”
“It is an ancient world Rex; life has been renewed many times over.” Ahsoka said with a gentle hand on his shoulder, her own view fixated through the transparisteel. She could sense that they were in the right place, however nothing visual was presenting itself. Although she sensed no danger whatsoever, a weak but steady flow of trepidation inexplicably presented itself. “Ani, any ships on your scopes? Something must be here.”
“If there are, they’re powered down completely. No signals or transponder pings at all.” Kowani answered, looking over to the Togruta, “are you sure were in the right place?”
‘No’ Ahsoka thought, “we’ve learned to trust T’zar Ani, we owe him this much.”
In an instant the words rolled through her mind and just as quickly they were gone again, ‘open mind?’ Ahsoka closed her eyes to the distractions they brought with them and focused on the Force exclusively, deciding to let it guide them. A familiar sensation washed through her, one that was genuinely sincere, friendly, but one that she had encountered recently… ‘Where?’ She asked herself, involuntarily tilting her head to the side as she pinched her eyes closed in concentration. ‘Months ago.’ She filtered through her recent travels, marking off Krownest, Lothal and Iskalon in the process. ‘Too fresh.’ She knew this feeling was older. ‘That only leaves.’ She thought through her process, “Mustafar.” She said aloud. Opening her own eyes to the realization, she looked down slightly to see both Rex and Kowani staring back at her.
“...Uhh...you said Ambria.” Rex interjected with a sidelong glance toward Kowani. Ahsoka was aware of the exchange and nodded her head toward Rex in response. The confused look on his face, she determined, was going to require more than a headshake.
“Whom we seek….” She began before a washing Force wave flowed through her entirely, gently, almost nurturing by design.
“What was that?” Kowani asked, Ahsoka noting then that she had felt the same energies.
‘Barriss.’ Ahsoka felt, ‘but not Barriss.’ She pondered T’zar’s words, “Who it is currently is someone completely different.” He had said. ‘Open mind’ taking on new meaning she thought.
“Offee? How is that possible, she was killed on….” Kowani spoke through her own concentrated haze only to be cut off by Ahsoka.
“Mustafar.”
“Wait. Offee...Barriss Offee?” Rex asked whirling around completely.
“Yes….and no.” Ahsoka responded, only then realizing that Kowani had not only felt the same Force energies but had been able to decipher them accurately, prompting another of her prideful smiles. “It is the same individual, but not the same person.”
“Ahsoka….” Kowani began, only to be counseled by a pleading hand gesture from the Togruta, palm downward in a motion of easement.
“We must adopt an open mind; many things have changed since Mustafar….” She smiled inwardly at the thought, “for the better.” She said closing her eyes gently, “Her name.” She paused for a moment to let the Force call to her once again, “her name is Nara.” She finished with a trace of a tear welling at the corner of her left eye. “Things have changed indeed.” She said aloud as she tapped Rex’s shoulder and pointed toward a location due South from their current position.
✦
Nara felt a warmth she did not expect. Despite what she had gone through in the time she had been on Ambria, she surprised herself with the capacity she had retained to afford her emotions a relatable entry to her memories. She recalled the thoughts that formed themselves when she felt the hopelessness ensuing of those that had influenced her in the past. Although not who she was currently, those thoughts were borne from the same memories regardless of vessel. She had called out to her former Master, and she had responded. She had remembered Ahsoka’s determination and drive, and again, she had responded. Both of those thoughts, those memories she now realized, helped to form the version of herself that she had dubbed ‘Nara.’ It was that happiness, that beacon, which determined whether she succeeded. “Open mind will always remain sage advice. This requires no open mind, only my open heart.” Nara said aloud for all to hear, perfectly timed with the source of the illumination cresting the cliff top and quickly heading directly for her. There was time only for fleeting thoughts and a final check of her own appearance and composure as the ship slowed to a crawl and decanted onto its landing pads fifteen meters distant, Nara squinting her eyes from the loose pebbles and dust kicked up by the ships repulsors. The ship recoiled on its struts and shut down all exterior lighting, bathing the valley back into the consuming darkness. Nara could see three forms in the cockpit before the lights went out in the compartment, all three of them exiting prior. Within seconds the boarding ramp lowered with a whine from its hydraulics as blasts of gaseous coolant bathed the area in their suppressants.
✦
As they made to leave the cockpit, Kowani instinctively grabbed for her A-180, “Ani, please trust me. We will leave our weapons on the ship.” She looked to Rex briefly, “All of us.” Ahsoka could hear the inaudible sigh from both as they let hands drop from their respective reaches toward personal firearms and sharpened objects. In a sign of good faith, Ahsoka herself, removed the sabers from their clips at her waist and placed them on the worktable in the rear of the cockpit.
“Ahsoka, I took the Creed remember, leaving my weapons behind is blasphemy.” Kowani began to argue.
“And you are here as my friend Ani, not as a Mandalorian.” Ahsoka interjected without sounding harsh. “Again, just trust me.” She spread a smile across her face to drive the point home.
Rex unholstered both of his blasters and set them, along with his new blade, down upon the table aside Ahsoka’s saber hilts. With a relenting sigh, Kowani did likewise, unclipping the black saber hilt and placing it on the table as well, resting her rifle against the wall. She made to follow them out of the room but halted as she realized they hadn’t moved, both pairs of eyes on her. She let forth another muttering sigh as she reached around her body pulling twin vibroblades from their respective inverted sheaths, the hold out blaster she kept in her rear pant pocket, three thermal detonators she had in the pack slung around her torso then bent down to unholster the mini savage she had firmly concealed around her ankle. Placing them all on the table in order she offered both hands up to them in full acquiescence. “Happy?” She asked mockingly.
Ahsoka only shook her head briefly before turning to leave, letting her emotion guide her for a change toward the boarding ramp actuator. She pressed the button with only mild hesitation. “Remember, open mind.”
✦
The animals, although under sway of Nara’s influence, were prepared to charge forward without hesitation as three figures emerged from the ship and proceeded in their direction. Nara holding firm to her resolve, kept them under her calming presence after she had sensed their collective instincts. That task in hand she reached out in greeting to each newcomer with her mind as she closed her eyes. “Greetings Ahsoka Tano, formerly of the Jedi. Greetings Kowani Y’mmat formerly of Keno. Greetings CT Seven Five Six Seven, Captain Rex formerly of the Grand Army of the Republic.” Each was specific and personal, yet each was simultaneous. Nara could not explain how she had done it, only that she had.
As the three were within five meters Ahsoka spoke, “Greetings Nara of the Bendu.” She added a low bow out of respect and courtesy that was adopted by either at her sides. “I do not know how this is, only that it is.”
Nara could feel the animals revert to a calming peace of their own volition and eased back on her influence.
“It seems we all have our own paths to take when seeking truth Ahsoka.” Nara said with a reverent bow of her own.
“There is much veracity in that statement.” Ahsoka said, crossing her arms before her chest, her facial expression emotionless and almost blank.
“Ahsoka. I will not speak for Barriss Offee. Although of the same blood, we are not the same person. I speak for myself, for Nara, when I say I apologize for Mustafar. Your comments regarding my sisters at the time were taken out of some knowledge I thought I possessed, however, through my trials here, I have found new perspective.” Nara said, speaking from the heart.
“And I will forever repeat my apologies to you Nara. Had I been more open minded when heading Barriss’ pleas years ago, you may have had a different perspective from which to begin.”
An awkward silence ensued as neither party could understand the need for collaborative involvement, only that it was suggested by a lone source. As if on cue T’zar spoke to the group. “I understand the complexity of this reunion in a way few can. I was present on Mustafar as well. My motives may seem driven by ambition but are merely driven by necessity as Mistress Zannah has proffered her gift to Nara. The act, although noble, has stoked the wheels of activity as it were to a critical point.”
“We will not agree on this T’zar.” Thon said, sparking the craning of necks from both Kowani and Rex, trying to find the speaker in the shadowy darkness.
“Thon. Tchuukthai Jedi Master Thon?” Ahsoka was shocked. That Jedi, or even Sith, masters of old retained their spirit forms well after death was of no surprise, however this one was ancient, “of the Great Sith War?”
“The same Mistress Tano, although Jedi is no longer a term applicable. We are of the Bendu, young Togruta.” Thon replied, “and even we do not agree on ALL concepts.” He finished with an upturn in inflection.
Ahsoka let the words sink into her conscience as the reality of it both unnerved parts of her while soothing others. ‘One can walk a different path.’ She thought.
“Of course you can.” Zannah interceded. I feel your hesitation Miss Tano and am relieved there is no accompanying fear or anger. “If Master Thon can walk his own path outside of the constraints of the Jedi, so to can I walk mine outside of the tenets of the Sith. That choice is yours as well.”
Ahsoka had never considered her own internal or personal dilemmas could be satiated, or even more broadly, pondered, here on Ambria. She had felt, as she had always done, that the mission itself held a priority or objective outside her personal space. ‘An open mind’ she reminded herself.
“I am at risk it seems.” Nara turned the conversation down a different path entirely, snapping Ahsoka out of her reverie. “Through the machinations of Sidious, I have been able to uncover what he could not. He will come for me.”
“And you need us to protect you?” Kowani chimed in for the first time. Ahsoka sensing a boiling hostility within the young Mirialan. One that wouldn’t hesitate to throttle the incarnation of Barriss Offee right there on the spot, but also a sadness that sourced from deeper within.
Nara addressed the question with an initial stare. “Was it not KS Two Three Seven that repeatedly advised the use of your given name? Why then do you let the child of Keno simmer? You too have shown capable of change in its deepest form, yet scoff at the notion that others can as well?”
Ahsoka, sensing the tension building in her friend, rested a calming hand upon her back. “Remember that we’ve been searching for a more impactful way of making a difference Ani, you did say to cast the net into the oceans did you not?” She said in a hushed tone meant for the Mirialan. “Opening your mind is, at times, synonymous with opening your heart as well. Remember Nar Shadaa.”
Ahsoka could feel the tension leaving Kowani instantly after mentioning the Nal Hutta moon, the atrocities committed at the hands of the Togruta an instant analogy for her present circumstance.
“I am sorry I tried killing you….Nara.” Kowani said softly.
“Forgive me if I am little behind the group here, but I don’t feel apologetic at all. If there is an opportunity to take it to the Empire I am all in folks.” Rex roused them all with his stamp on reality.
“This is going to be more serious than simply taking it to the Empire I am afraid. It isn’t a search party they will send Captain.” Nara spoke up, to Rex at first then to all as a group. “Sidious will send Vader. Vader will empower his reach with as much force as he can muster.” She continued.
It was Ahsoka’s turn to betray her emotion as a roiling instant rage grappled for her soul at the mention of his name. She could feel an overpowering anger tearing at the fabric of her consciousness, threating to burst through in a killing wave of devastation.
“Ahsoka, what is it?” It was Kowani’s turn to offer the shoulder.
“I can’t save him Ani...I can’t save him. I don’t know that I have the strength to stay my hand if he becomes involved.” Ahsoka was almost panting the words.
On a hunch Rex turned his gaze skyward, the ever-present instincts making themselves known. He reached around his waist to gather the quadnocs he had grabbed on his way out of the ship and brought them to his eyes. “Then prepare an alternative Ahsoka…..because he’s here.”