Ketu Tuaggu: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 18

Versé couldn't sleep that night, knowing full well that she would be flying in a fighter yet again, something she did not enjoy very much at all. But she knew why Padmé had chosen her to lead the attack on the ship, she was after all the best pilot on Naboo.

She also noticed that neither of the Jedi were sleeping either, but she suspected it was for different reasons.

The fog was thick, almost as thick as the tension in the camp, coating everything in a haze. But Versé could see through it easily. Unlike some.

Though most of the people were asleep the surrounding jungle was full of life and Versé couldn't help but watch in wonder as the little critters scurried around. Being a palace guard she didn't get much time to explore the jungles and forests of Naboo, only the cities.

"You should relax."

Versé jumped at the sudden voice behind her and she turned to see Obi-Wan standing beside her. Shaking her head she turned back to watch the perimeter.

"I can't relax. Not now." She whispered, almost so quietly that she was sure the Jedi hadn't heard her. But he had, as always.

"If you go into a battle with tension and nerves then you will surely fail. Your focus will not be on the task at hand." He spoke, Versé would've scoffed, he sounded like a true Jedi. Preaching about being calm when entering a war zone, almost as if every soldier had been trained since infancy to be calm and collected in every situation. Which they weren't. She had only received her training when she joined the Academy at the age of 16.

"I haven't flown a fighter in an actual battle in over 10 years, only ever simulators. And with those I knew it wasn't real." Versé spoke, Obi-Wan nodded as he sat down beside her.

"I'm sure it will come to you, you seem to be quite capable in that field." He said, she shook her head with a small smile and said, "I appreciate your faith Obi-Wan but I'm not too sure."

"Of course you will be able to lead the mission." A voice said behind them and they both turned to find Qui-Gon, "My young Padawan is very wise and you should trust his judgement."

At the sudden appearance of Qui-Gon Versé was reminded of the icy feeling she had received the night before Qui-Gon returned with Anakin and also the vision she had after merely touching the young boy's shoulder.
With all the mess going on in Coruscant and then heading back to Naboo, she hadn't found the time to speak to either him or Obi-Wan about it.

"Master Qui-Gon, may I speak to you?" She asked, her voice giving away nothing of the fear she secretly felt. Though the wise Jedi Master could sense the tension within the Lieutenant.

"Of course. Get some sleep Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said before stepping away from the camp slightly, already knowing that whatever Versé wanted to say would be better said in private. He already had a vague idea of what she wished to speak about and was more than willing to help the young woman.

"You felt it again?" Qui-Gon asked once they were a good distance from the camp, even from here Versé could still make out the sitting form of Obi-Wan where they had left him.

She nodded and said, "I felt it the night before you returned...before you were attacked." Her voice no longer held the serene calm tone as it shook slightly with every word. "I know that there is a light and a dark side of the force," She said, looking up at the Jedi who nodded for her to continue. "Is it possible that I have a stronger connection to the dark than the light?"

This question took the Jedi by surprise as he had not expected her to ask such a question. From the moment he first saw Versé, Qui-Gon knew that she was full of light, but it wasn't a white light like most Jedi, it was more grey, almost as if it had been slightly tainted with the darkness.

"As I have mentioned before, you do not share the same connection to the Force as most Jedi. Your connection resembles Master Yoda's in a sense, which is why I wished for him to speak to you and possibly council you to further your knowledge of your connection." Qui-Gon spoke, his words did little to reassure Versé, though if her connection to the Force resembled one of the members of the Jedi Council then she would be happy with that. "I do not sense any darkness in you, Versé. Do not worry about that."

Qui-Gon offered the young Lieutenant a kind smile, which she returned. "Thank you Qui-Gon, though there is one more thing."

At her words Qui-Gon felt a slight disturbance in the Force, as if her next words would change everything.

"When I felt...it," She wasn't quite sure what to call the feeling, "A voice called out to me, but it didn't use the name Versé...it used-."

"The name you chose for yourself on Tatooine. Ketu." Qui-Gon said and Versé should've been alarmed that he knew, but she quickly realised that Obi-Wan must have told him about her past. She couldn't bring herself to be angry with the young man though as she understood where he was coming from.

"Yes, the voice called to me by that name and said that They were coming into the light." Even now Versé could not understand who 'they' was. She had spent hours thinking about it but nothing came up.

Qui-Gon seemed to be in deep thought for a moment before turning back to the camp, his eyes roaming over the clearing before landing on his apprentice. His eyes seemed to turn sad for a moment before he spoke again.

"I believe that the Force is trying to tell us something through your visions and feelings, but even I have not discovered what that would be." He had decided to leave out the part where he believed that his attacker was a Sith Lord. But it would make sense why the voice that had called out to Versé would say that they were coming into the light. It had been well over a thousand years since the Sith had threatened the galaxy and it was certainly no coincidence that Versé had heard a warning and felt the presence of the Sith the day they showed themselves. But then why would the Sith reach out to her? What connection could the two possibly have?

He reminded himself to inform Master Yoda and the Jedi Council of this new information at the earliest convenience.

"We will speak of this matter after the fight is done. But for now go and rest, you will need your strength for tomorrow." Qui-Gon said, resting a reassuring hand on Versé's shoulder, she smiled but it didn't reach her eyes before she made her way back to where Obi-Wan was seated and silently laid on the ground.

Tomorrow was a new day, and could very easily be the end of Naboo as they knew it or it would return Naboo to it's full glory.

Either way Versé felt her eyes droop and soon close, feeling reassured for the oddest of reasons that Obi-Wan was seated not three feet away from her.

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