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(5.12) Another Time, Another Place (Part Two)
(5.12) Another Time, Another Place (Part Two)
Another Place
Darken Tunnels of the Inner Light
The Colony
Core World of Mearisa
October 1st, 1936
“Master, you wished to speak to me?” Knight Murl said softly as she walked back in to the chamber once more. Her hood still pulled down over her face, her hands still hidden from sight. Her shoulders slightly rolled forward allowing her head to become bowed in a show of reverence. She stood just within the chamber motionless and silent as she watched her former Master. There was a time before where she was unable to even hold still for a moment much less the time it took for others to recognize her. She didn't look up till she was spoken too. It was their way of ensuring order in their society. It was a hard habit for her to learn and master.
“Yes, yes my friend” he said as he walked forward from the shadows while carrying a tray. On top of the tray rested five rectangle wooden boxes. Each were decorated with symbols, colors, carvings and small metal bands. “I have watched you grow from a baby in to the woman you have become” he explained while sitting in the dirt by the small fire. “Come” he said softly, “join me by the fire” he added as he motioned the place next to him.
“Yes Master” she said softly as she moved to join him by the fire. Her moves were deliberate to continue to hide herself under her robes. The act was more from habit than in any attempt to deceive her former Master. He had already learned who and what she was. Unlike most he had looked passed her appearance to see her heart. For that simple thing she respected him. For everything else he did for her, she loved him like her own father. Knight Murl couldn't help but notice the boxes. The markings on them seemed familiar, as if she should know them. But she couldn't place their meanings of the top of her head. Once more, it was another puzzle that she would have to wait as it unfolded.
He smiled as he watched her sit down while he placed the tray between them. “Do you remember the Polas Flowers that I love so much” he asked softly and calmly. His eyes rose up to greet her own as the question sank in.
She nodded to the question, “how can I forget that day Master. It was the day that you told me, I passed my trails and proven my self to become a padawan.” She paused as if to remember the details of that day in her history, “you asked me, why the Polas Flowers were your favorite. I told you that I didn't know the answer to your question. When I asked you for the answer, you only said that a day would come when I would understand and would not need to seek the answer. I recall you saying that this day would not come till I was ready.”
He smiled and nodded once more, “and did that satisfy your curiosity?”
She looked down in shame, “no Master. I tried to get the answer from you anyway.”
“And? Did you get any closer to the understanding you were seeking?”
She sighed heavily, “No Master. When that failed I tried to spy on you, and get the answer in other ways.”
“Did you find your answer” he asked her softly as if allowing her to relive the situation that occurred years ago.
Looking up, “no Master, I still do not know why they are your favorite. After a while I gave up and just figured you liked them. I accepted that when the time was right you would tell me.”
He nodded, “how long did it take you to figure this out?”
“Too long Master. I should have trusted you from the beginning and waited for the answer when the time is right” she explained. Her head was lowered, this time, out of the understanding of the mistake so long ago.
Once more he nodded, “the reason why I am asking about this, is because your greatest weakness is your inability to wait, listen, feel, and sense the moment. That was, until recently. I have noticed a great change in you my former Padawan. As you grew, you had to face great hardships. The abandonment by your mother and being ostracized from your own people within our colony” he said while motioning to her hood, “for only the reasons of your birth. Your father, a wise man unto his own, was the only one of your people who accepted you and raised you. Forced to live as an outsider deep within these tunnels has given you a greater opportunity to grow and learn.”
He paused because of the nature of the next few thoughts to which he had to speak about, “that was till the murder of your father just after I accepted you as a Padawan. I recall how his death affected you. Some worried that the conflict within your heart over who you are and what others saw in you would lead you down the wrong path. The look in your eyes as you found the man who murdered your father gave even me reason to fear your future. Within your future there is such great potential for darkness through the pain you have suffered. However, you had managed to not only stay true to the light but turned your hardships in to another strength. I watched you yield to that man and forgive him for what he did. You had his life in your hands and could have easily took your revenge on him. Instead you lowered your weapon and uttered those words which filled me with such pride. Under this and so much more adversity you thrived and grew beyond all expectations.” He paused as he noticed the sparkle of understanding in her expression. “I see, you are starting to have a better understanding of what I am saying right here and now.”
She nodded slowly, “adversity, Master” she paused as she pulled her gloved hand from her sleeve and placed it upon her chin hidden in the shadows of her hood. “The Polas Flower grows only in the most toxic tunnels deep within the Colony. Yet despite this, it grows in to a glowing colorful thing of beauty.” He nodded as she continued, “you said back then that the flower and I shared something in common. At the time, I thought that it was that we share violence and death. The fact that it was an ambushing carnivore and my skills as a warrior. Now I don't,” she paused just for a moment to correct herself, “I know its not that at all. Its the adversity of our growth is what we share in common. Not violence and death.”
He smiled, “Knight Murl, you have cast aside all adversities and become something that few in the colony thought possible of you. Many only saw what darkness you could become while you had other intentions for yourself. You have become a Jedi Knight, Protector of the Light. Now you stand on the eve of becoming a Jedi Master in to your own right. You have come all this way through so much hardship, you never once looked back at other paths. By taking what hardships had been forced upon you and reshaping it in to your strengths, you carved out your own future. Even now, you are being guided by the Force through one of its spirits. This is just another sign that you are on the right path.” She nodded, “what does this spirit tell you.”
She paused for a moment before answering, “She has told me allot of my family, those who came long before the Great Betrayal. She told me of who they were and how they affected our Order's history. She told me that if the colony is to survive, it must not become involved in what is unfolding here on this world. I was told that the last part of my training to become a Master will be at the hands of a past Master. She said when I find this Master that he will choose me to complete my training. She also said that I should never loss sight of the moment and trust in my senses.”
“Much wisdom are in these things” he stated as he nodded. “Knowing who we are and who our ancestors are, is as important as knowing where we are going. If a course is to be correctly plotted in your life you must know where you are, where you have been and than plot your course accordingly. Learning from the mistakes and success of the past will help plot this course. I feel that your training is rapidly approaching. Your training will come much like your life has been. Through your strengths turned from your weaknesses. Trust in the Force and you will learn all that you need. Like my question of the flower, this answer will come when you are ready to fully understand it. As for the safety of the colony and the visions of our future, do you remember the poems of Michone?” He looked at her with a great sense of pride in what she had become. There was so much she could have done, but choose to remain within the path of the light.
She nodded, “yes, I remember the poems. Written about two children of a Grand Master. One was foretold to become the savor of the Order while the other was foretold to be the destroyer of it.”
“Yes, very good. Each became what they were foretold they would be. Now let me ask you this question, did they have a choice in becoming these things?”
“Master? It was seen in visions by the greatest of our seers. Their future was foretold, this is what they would be. The fact that they did became what they were foretold to be, shows that their future was correctly seen." She looked a bit confused and shocked at the way the conversation was going. However there was something he was getting at and she knew to bide her time and she would learn more.
He shook his head, “many feel that the future as seen through the Force is set in stone. This is not the truth of the future or the vision. The future is fluid like the waters of a great ocean. The Force shows us glimpses of the possible future if actions are not taken to avoid it. Or actions taken to ensure that this vision does does become the future. We hold the ability to do with what we have been shown. In the Force we have a great ally to help us become who we wish to become. No single person is locked in to the future that is seen in a vision. This is what many fail to understand about seeing the future through the Force. It is clouded and hard to clearly make out details because so much can still affect it” he explained softly. He leaned back in to a better position as he paused for a moment before continuing.
“Long ago, there was a great and disastrous war within our Order. This war happened because many saw it unfolding through visions and many others refused to understand that the actions that we take can change what could happen tomorrow.” He paused a moment again, “This war didn't have to happen, but it was brought in to being because too few people tried to stop it. Like this war, your future was seen and it was a dark future. Unlike this war, many fought hard to save you from this future. None had as much impact on your future as your own actions. The siblings spoken of in the Michone poems did not have to become what was shown in their visions. They each focused hard on avoiding the darker future of the vision. This became a driving goal of both. In the end, one became frustrate and gave in to fear. In that moment, both fulfilled the vision and each suffered greatly for it. In the final act, one betrayed the other and the Order. The poems talk about the finest hours of many and the sad losses suffered by the Order. The last of the poems ask the reader, would you become the savor or the destroyer if you have the choice? The final lines of these poems speak heavily on the moment. When given the choice, if we loss sight of who we are in the moment and fail to heed the warnings of the future then we are doomed to become the destroyer. Always be mindful of the moment, Knight Murl. Follow your heart and trust in the Force and listen to its teachings, heed its warnings as seen through the visions. Do these things and you will always remain on the light side of the Force. However my friend, remember that the Dark Side will always tempt you to the wrong path.”
He paused once more and picked up the tray and looked down at the small boxes. “Long ago, these items were once known through out the Galaxy as a symbol of peace and order. Those who welded them commanded great respect and honor. Like most things, these too became another form of attachments.” He opened up the boxes to expose five lightsabers. It was clear that each was special in its own right. “These are all that remains of the original Founding Masters of our Order. Each one was crafted by one of them. Through the same traditions that you have learned, part of their life force has been imbued within the crystals that is the heart of these items. During the Jedi War, weapons like these brought much suffering on both sides and became symbols unto themselves. During the Great Betrayal, these symbols along with others became a driving attachment that led so many young Jedi down the wrong path. With the coming of our Order, the Founding Masters decided to cast aside the tradition of crafting these weapons of war. Instead the focus on understanding the Force and strict non-attachment philosophies were followed. However with your mission at hand, I as well as the Council feel, that you will need assistance in the dangerous tasks before you.”
“Master, they look a lot like the training sticks. Why” she asked carefully.
He nodded, “We cast aside the tradition of keeping and making these symbols. However these devices are as much part of who we are as they are part of our history. And while we may not follow the path of war like the Order before us, we do understand that the light must be ready to stop the darkness when the time comes” he explained as he examined the lightsabers, “It is what we do with things like these that defines who we are. Not what we have or use. The tools that we use to follow the Force should never become symbols of what we are” he explained while he set the tray down before her. “Now, do not seek the future. I want you to meditate on each one of these lightsabers. Feel them, sense the life within them. Which one of these calls upon your heart, Knight Murl” he said as he waved his hand over the five lightsabers.
She nodded as she pulled her legs in and took up a more relaxed position to meditate. She closed her mind to all thoughts and focused her heart and mind on the five lightsabers before her. Each one had their own History. It was almost as if each one had its own personality. She could hear the echoes of the past in each one. Still her mind remained clear, her emotions calm as she felt the Force washing over her. After hours of taking her time to feel the life force around her and within the five lightsabers she finally opened her eyes slowly. Her gaze fell upon her former Master, “That one” she said pointing to the one at the left end. “I am sure of that one. Can you tell me more about it” she asked almost confused. She was unsure of why it had to be that one but she just sensed it was the one meant for her.
He nodded, “a curious choice that you have made” he said softly as he picked it up and rolled it over in his hands. “I can tell much about this item, but something tells me that too will come to you in time.” He handed over the lightsaber to her. “Take care and guard it well” he said softly as he put the others away.
She nodded her understanding, “Master can I ask you something?”
“Yes my friend”
She looked at the lightsaber as she examined it, “Does the Force have a conscious?”
He looked up at her as his head tilted at the question, “I believe it does. However on the level that we may not be able to understand completely. I have felt the Force move in ways that could only truly be explained if it had a conscious. I also believe that the Dark side of the Force has its own conscious as well. This is why I have taught you to always be mindful of the moment and never loss yourself in what you desire or see in the future. The Force will guide you as long as you are preceptive to it.”
She once more nodded, “Thank you Master” she said as she smiled.
“I have done nothing. It was your effort that made everything possible.”
Shaking her head, “yes Master. Still, thank you.” She knew all too well that he along with a few others that had faith in her. When her father was murdered, he saved her from her self. He had done more than she ever dreamed.
“You are welcome. Now, you know what has to be done. May the Force be with you, my friend.”
“Thank you Master, and may the Force be with you as well” she said as she slowly stood up. There was a metallic clicking sound as she put the lightsaber on her belt. She looked around the chamber once more before turning and walking out without saying another word.
Another Time
City of Disperes
Core World of Mearisa
September 24th, 1936
The crowds cheered loudly as she turned and looked away. Her chains made a slight sound that hid her whimper. She could feel the loss in her heart as well as within the force. She promised herself that she wouldn't turn away, that she would give honor to his death. However the pain in her heart was too much for her to bare. The horrible sight was nothing short of barbaric to her. The fact that others cheered so loudly at the death of another being made the whole situation that much more painful. The tug on her collar and chain brought her eyes forward once more. She looked down to the man who held the chain as he waved his glass at her and yelled for a refill. She looked down and took the glass trying to hold back the tears and grief in her heart. She walked over to the table to refill the drink as her chains jingled with each of her steps. Just over a week ago, she had been the happiest person in her village. So much back then seemed so wonderful and her future seemed so bright.
They had set out on a trip of a life time to visit their ancestral homeworld. There were so many firsts for her. She had never seen a Generation Ship before. The Captain and its crew were so very nice to them. They even were allowed to stay up with the rest of the crew as no one else spoke their language. It was so big and there were so many passengers on board. It was the first time both of them had left their homeworld. But now she just prayed that one day she would be able to return home someday. The vile things these horrible creatures did to her gave her nightmares. The first week of being in their control, she thought that they would have simply killed her like they did the others. For some reason she was kept alive and given to the creature that held her chain now. Not all was dark for her. She had a secret worth keeping. What they didn't know was that through the power of the force she was able to understand their languages. They laughed at her culture and appearance as they called her 'Their Sweet Little Savage'. They didn't know she could understand every word they said. She didn't yet know how this would help her, but she knew it would. Her eyes may have been looking at the ground, but their little savage was preparing to strike at the right time.
The lift doors hissed open and a large NeDor flanked by four other creatures walked on to the observation platform. The others turned as the sound of the doors caught their attention. They seemed happy to see the NeDor as each rose from their chairs to greet him. She watched and listened carefully to their conversation while keeping her eyes down. 'Let them think me a savage. Soon enough, this savage will strike and cut your heart out.' She thought as she looked at the man that controlled her chain while she prepared his next drink.
“Grand Master! Welcome home.” Master Creel said as he leaped up from his chair. Took the chain of his new slave and set it inside a hook then walked over to great their leader. It didn't take him long to see the missing limb. “My god, Master, what happened?”
The Grand Master nodded at the greeting and lifted his arm, “the prophecy happened.”
“Master Nur'Ang? What do you mean?” One of the other Masters said confused.
Master Creel watched the other Masters as they gathered around. To everyone else, their Grand Master was known as Master Nur'Ang, to him, he was Smad Murl, Grand Master and trusted friend. He knew about the prophecy all too well. But he hadn't put much stock in it before. He didn't like the idea of some vision seen hundreds of years ago dictating his life today. He just remained silent and for the time being listened.
The Grand Master nodded, “with a house divided, ancient enemies will ally. When blades cross only one leader of the house shall be left standing. And blah blah blah” He explained looking around as if checking for someone. He knew the rest of the prophecy and felt the others didn't need to know the rest at the moment. Till today, he never spoke of the prophecy in such company. As he looked around, he remembered why that was.
“I am a bit confused, can you explain Grand Master” another Master of their twisted Order said.
Anger filled Nur'Ang as he lunged his stump at the confused Master. Through the force the Grand Master lifted the man off the ground as he choked him “where is Salaft” he shouted. He simply didn't have time to explain all the little details of the prophecy and he surely wasn't about to give any of them ammo to use against him later.
“Grand Master PLEASE” cried on one of the other Masters while a second one tried to hold the suspended master who was choking.
“Master Salaft is off world Grand Master. She left two days ago with the Coobe Clan. They are raiding a Reich colony and won't return for two more days.” Master Creel said as he stepped forward and placed his hand on Nur'Ang's arm, “Please Grand Master explain what has happened.” Master Salaft was Master Murl's lover and the mother of their child. A secret that no one else in the Order knew. One that Master Creel was in trusted with.
The Grand Master dropped the man then turned to walk over to the large bar. He shoved the small slave girl out of the way and sending her tripping over a nearby chair, “The Guardians have returned to the Galaxy. It would appear that I have a distant relative still alive. I had thought that my grand father, father and I had killed the last of the Murls” he said as he reached for a crystal bottle and started to open it. “For hundreds of years, we had set out to cleans the galaxy of any Murl blood. If they wouldn't serve us, they were put to death. It would appear that I missed one.” He poured himself a glass full of the gold liquid as he thought of the next steps that had to be taken.
Master Creel followed the Grand Master to the bar and allowed him to speak. Once he saw an opening he spoke up, “Guardians?” He said in alarm. “That's not possible, their race died out two thousand years ago. There is nothing left of them.”
“WHO DO YOU THINK DID THIS!” The Grand Master yelled spinning and thrusting his stump at Master Creel who stepped back from the limb. “Two thousand years ago, one of my ancestors looked in to our future. He saw how our house was divided. He saw that we would build a Jedi Order that would not be challenged till the Guardians returned. He saw that the Guardians return would come under the leadership of Murl Blood! Our house divided would clash once more. Only one would survive. It was foretold that Murl Blood will bring our Order down.” He walked forward finishing his drink and tossing the glass at the slave girl behind him, “And I mean to ensure that this doesn't happen.”
“Okay, let say you are correct Grand Master. What do we do” Master Creel questioned. He glanced at the others. The Guardians have been nothing more than bed time stories told to kids. Still even as a bed time story, they held a dark place in the hearts of the galaxy. They commanded fear on a level that no Jedi could hope to achieve. Personally he actually doubted that they had ever existed at all. The thought of a single entire world providing the ruthless and heartless military of the Great Republic was almost laughable. Still, if Smad believed it, than so would he.
The Grand Master turned and looked at the Master on his knees. He had just fully recovered from being choked, “You, go from this world. Contact the bounty hunter guilds. Tell them all that the Jedi Order will pay twenty thousand slaves for the head of this NeDor" he said coldly while holding up a photo image of Swip. “I believe her name is Swip Murl and she WILL die!” He tossed the photo to the man as he got up. He looked at the photo and then nodded before he rushed for the lift. The Grand Master turned back towards Master Creel as he waved the others forward to the Bar. “Sibling rivalry is about to get bloody once more.” he said as he walked to the bar once more. He shoved the slave girl further out of the way as she was attempting to move on her own. “I swear it, she will be dead long before she can fulfill her own destiny” he said coldly as he filled another glass with gold liquid. He looked at the other Masters with a determined look on his face, “Tell me about the evacuation plan.”
Master Creel nodded as he motioned for a glass to fill his own drink. As Master Creel started to explain what was going on, the Grand Master pulled out some paper and started to write. “The last of those selected will be leaving tonight. The Reich has given us their assurances that we will be notified when they are one hour from launching their attack. Currently, we have some two hundred expendable Jedi working the streets and keeping order here. The Planetary leadership asked me last week of the rumors of a pending attack. As you have instructed, I told him that we have heard no such rumors. But if it does come, the Jedi would not allow it and would help defend the world at all costs. The later statement pretty much dismissed any fears they had before. I am sure that the planetary leadership is completely unaware of our withdraw from the world. The Reich is still pushing us to get the Code Matrix.”
The Grand Master nodded, “Yeah, its not bad enough that they will have an assured victory served up to them on a silver plater. They want the access codes to shut down the planetary defense gird to ensure a completely one sided victory” he said coldly as he wrote his note. “Tell our Reich contacts that once we get the code we will hand it over to them. We need two or three more days to get our hands on it. No more than three days. Tell them they have my word on it.” He finished writing his letter, “Notify all Masters, They must be ready to withdrew at a moments notice.” He turned to one of his Masters, “take our fastest ship and head to the Dorin Empire. Go to the Sages on Dorin and give them this letter.”
The Grand Master handed the note over as the Master took it and placed it in his pack without looking at it. “Master won't it be faster to send it via code?”
The Grand Master shook his head, “No, something of this nature is too sensitive to be sent through the church. Deliver it by hand to the Sages personally. You can expect some resistance to your request. But trust me, they will see you. No one else is to see that letter but them. Is this clear?”
He checked the pack to ensure it was closed and locked then nodded, “Yes Grand Master. I shall leave at once.”
The Master took off for the lifts as the man before him. It was clear that the mood of the meeting was changing. The Grand Master looked around to the rest of his leadership council. He nodded, “The Galaxy has reached crossroads once more. If we fail, than we allow the corruption of the weak to come back in to power. For centuries my family has worked and slaved to ensure that the Galaxy is a place where the weak serve the strong and the strong rule as they wish! IF we do not stop our dear little Swip Murl, our Galaxy shall come to an end. We must stop her at all costs.” He explained and ended with a pounding of the bar top. He looked over his leaders with a nod. “Return to your units and prepare to leave this doomed world. Make no hint to the planetary leadership of our actions. Let them think that we are ready to stand by and die with them. They dug their own graves. Time for them to rest in them. Everyone, leave us.” he said then raised his hand, “Master Creel, stay here.”
They waited for the rest to leave before the Grand Master began speaking once more. Neither creature took notice to the slave girl cleaning behind the bar. She meant nothing to them and they treated her as such. “Master Creel I have a special mission for you.” he said pulling out a scroll, and passed it over to his friend, “Something that no one knows. My father told me of a legend about the fall of the Great Republic.” Master Creel examined the very old scroll. It was clearly something of great value. “Just as all things were falling apart. The Church sent out thousands of missions to recover as much information as they could. They wanted to hoard this information for themselves. I need you to head for the world of Baklid VI. The Church has a vast database there.” he pulled out a small vile with some blood at the bottom of it from his pack, “That scroll will lead you to the database. I need this sample tested against that database. I have to know who this Guardian really is” he explained as he handed over the vile to his friend.
“Master? How could she be in this database” Master Creel asked.
“I heard a rumor that that can't possible be true. Just trust me on this” the Grand Master said as he leaned in and rested his only hand on the forearm of Master Creel.
He nodded, “I must tend to some things here before I leave, but I shall head out first thing in the morning Master Murl.”
The Grand Master nodded and leaned back against the Bar and took another drink. There was a smile on his face as he focused on the flow of the Force around him. He could feel his future unfolding around him. He knew in his heart that they will stop Swip from undoing all that he and his family had built. 'She must be stopped' he thought coldly as he took another sip of his drink. He could not allow the prophecy to come true. He could not allow her to survive. It was clear she wouldn't serve. That much was true when she sent that assassin after him. He nodded as he thought, 'if you will not serve, you shall die!'
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