"Nosche, something came up. I tried to contact you, but I couldn't reach you," said the hologram of a handsome member of the Near-human Miraluka race in his early-thirties with tanned skin; long, light gray hair tied behind his back, and a leather blindfold covering his species' vestigial eyes sockets. "I was waiting for you in Coronet City, but an urgent situation in Kashyyyk forced me to leave. The Empire has the Partisans on retreat. I came to aid with the evacuation, but things are not going well. Something threatened our mission. I need your help. I'm sending my coordinates. I hope this message finds you in time. May the Force be with you."
"This message came in earlier today." Theleema sat at the Talon's controls, as they travelled through hyperspace.
"Is that Jarriss?" Elynn looked at the hologram.
"Yeah. I tried to hail him, but he didn't respond. Something must've happened to him."
"What was he doing in Kashyyyk?" Syrran said.
"As far as I know, he was smuggling weapons to rebel cells in Kashyyyk and Mimban. As to how this would jeopardize our mission, I have no clue. But Jarriss wouldn't leave Corellia if it wasn't serious."
"Imperial News Network says the Partisans were losing ground."
"It has to be propaganda," Elynn said. "I recently uploaded a Shadowfeed in Coruscant announcing them taking control of a refinery."
"Kashyyyk is the planet Quinlan Vos came from before coming to Jedha," Gorin said.
"Coincidence?"
"There's not such a thing, little sister. Only the will of the Force."
"We can't let anything expose our mission." Syrran took a hand to his chin. "Plus, I agree with Gorin, this is too much to be a coincidence."
"You still think this is all connected?" Theleema turned off the hologram.
"Without a doubt... though, I fail to see the bigger picture yet."
"The Force will reveal everything in its proper time," Gorin said.
"Jarriss is our way inside the ceremony." Theleema searched for Kashyyyk on her navigation computer. "Without him, we'll have to find another way in without raising suspicion. And we're also going to be one lightsaber short to face Darth Vader. No offense."
"None taken," Elynn said.
"Who's that?" Gorin lifted his war helmet.
"The Sith Lord who's the Emperor's apprentice."
"The detour would cut into our preparation time in Coruscant, though." Theleema checked the distances between the planets in question.
"My contacts in the capital can help us with that," Elynn said. "And anyway, we have to help the rebels. We can't let the Empire eliminate another resistance cell."
"Our mission is far more important," Syrran said. "If we do this right, there would be no need for any of them."
"And if we don't?" Gorin said.
"What, no more faith in the Force?" Theleema turned her chair to face him.
"Master Rancisis says the future is always in motion. There lies the danger of prophecy. Visions can be clouded, misinterpreted, or the outcome can change if a different path is taken. I put my faith in the will of the Force, but I don't pretend to know its designs. I just do my best to choose the right path."
"You know, for a Padawan, you sound more like a Master," Syrran said.
"Master Rancisis said, 'A Master is just a Padawan who never stopped learning.'"
"See what I mean?"
"So, Kashyyyk?" Theleema typed the coordinates into the nav computer.
"It's not as if we have much of a choice," Syrran said.
"Yes." Elynn was excited to see a new planet and lend a hand to a resistance group.
They adjourned, and Syrran met with Elynn in her cabin to review the information she obtained from the Imperial internal terminal. Elynn read the holoscreen projected by her advance agent interface:
"Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research. From: Special Weapons Group. To: Naval Intelligence Agency. Subject: Project Celestial Power. Reference to: Missing Zeta-class cargo shuttle. Action: Open Investigation. Callsign: Starlight-977. Cargo: kyber crystals. Point of departure: Jedha City, Jedha. Destination: Classified. Status: Overdue.
"There are the TK numbers of the crew and then it says,
"Starlight-977 failed to arrive at destination. It is believed to have been attacked by pirates en route. Last recorded communication was near the Tatooine system. The situation of the shipment had been nominal up to this point. Investigation requested."
"That's it?" Syrran said.
"It's all I found." Elynn looked at her datapad.
"And you know the shipments are going to Geonosis."
"That's what the information I stole for your Master said. Maybe he's looking for the scientists; the crystal experts."
"Too bad you can't remember his name."
"Sorry. I steal information; I don't commit it to memory." Elynn was disappointed at herself.
"A sustainable energy project under the Special Weapons Group that requires massive amounts of kyber crystals is deeply disconcerting."
"Do you think they're building weapons?"
"What else? Imagine a fleet of Star Destroyers armed with cannons powerful enough to lay an entire planet to waste. What would have taken thousands of ships could be achieved by a hundred—or less—if they can find a way to harness kyber crystals to generate that much energy."
Elynn found the thought frightening. "No rebellion could survive that."
"I think that's what Quinlan is trying to find out. That's why it's important we find him."
Elynn punched a few keys on her datapad to project a star map from her headgear. "That's Geonosis... and that's Tatooine right next to it."
"And that's the Old Corellian Run." Syrran pointed at a hyperspace route that split from the original route, all the way to Tatooine. "The planet is run by the Hutts. The have their slimy hands on everything that happens in and around the system—especially if it's illegal—or at the very least they know about it."
"Is that where we're going?"
Syrran studied the aforementioned planets for a moment. "Eventually." He preferred to keep things optimistic in front of Elynn.
Elynn turned off the hologram. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"At the Bendu door in the Mortis Chamber, I experienced both the dark side and the light side of the Force. I chose the light in the end... but my crystals—the sensation of using the dark side... it was... liberating—" Shame tainted her voice.
"It is. Surrendering to the dark side frees you from self-control. You indulge in your passion... that's not necessarily bad."
His words surprised her. "How can you say that? The Jedi Order—"
"Was wrong about many things. Passion, power, strength, victory; those are things any sentient species experience, they're part of us."
"But we were taught to deny them."
"When perhaps it's wiser to have them integrated. The Mortis Chamber hails back to the time of the Je'daii, when there was no separation in the practice of the Force. This could be the lesson we needed to learn; balance. Why else would Master Rancisis helped us, knowing what we're intending to do? Even going as far as entrusting his Padawan to us."
Things began to make sense to Elynn. "I also felt something has changed in both you and Leema."
"Your feelings serve you well." Syrran didn't care to hide his amazement. "The Force is strong in you."
"Her lightsaber changed color; its blade is white now."
"Sith 'bleed' their crystals, pouring the dark side within themselves to make them bend the kyber crystals to their will, rather than being in harmony with them. The process turns the crystals red. When a Jedi uses the Force to purify those crystals, they become white. I've only seen it happen once before."
"Does that mean Theleema was redeemed by the Mortis Chamber?"
"We both had to sacrifice something we treasured to each side of the Force. In her case, I sense she gave up her rage; the source of her strength."
"So, she embraced the light."
"Not quite. But the dark side doesn't have the same hold it once had on her."
"But she can be turned." The idea excited her.
"You can be influenced, tempted, tricked—even loved to embrace a path. But ultimately, the decision has to be made by the individual. Theleema surrendered her anger, but that doesn't mean she has lost the capacity to feel it or fall victim to its lure again."
"You don't trust her."
Syrran sighed. "I don't know..."
"That means no."
"Maul is what worries me."
"Is he that dangerous?"
"As much as the Sith."
Elynn nodded as she processed Syrran's words. "And what about you, what did you surrender to the dark side?"
Syrran didn't answer right away. His gaze fell as he spoke. "The love I had for my Master... the one thing that kept me going at the end of the war; what kept me safe from the dark side."
Elynn became concerned. "What does that mean?"
"That I have to be careful. Using Vaapad until I ground myself again would be dangerous."
"How are you going to do that?"
Syrran got up. "That's for me to worry about. I think you're ready to learn how to project your thoughts and feelings. That's the basis for controlling minds, creating holocrons, telepathy, and other useful skills. I also have a holobook I want you to read—keep an open mind."
Elynn knew she would get nowhere by pressing the issue. "I will."
Syrran smiled. "You did great out there, Padawan. I'm proud of you. It's been a while since someone got my back. I'm glad the Force brought us together."
"This is nothing like I dreamed about... but I wouldn't have it any other way, Master." Elynn winked.
When Syrran came out of the cabin, he sensed Theleema in her room. The thought of talking to her crossed his mind, but he decided he had enough emotions for one day. Gorin's flute came from within the cargo hold. The monk sat among his few possessions across from Syrran's niche with his war helmet resting next to him. Gorin stopped playing when Syrran walked in.
"Please, don't stop on my account." Syrran raised a hand up as an apology. "That was beautiful."
"Thank you, brother." Gorin put his flute down.
"I used to play music too."
"Really? What instrument?"
"The seven-string hallikset."
"Oh, great. That's a beautiful-sounding instrument. Why did you stop?"
"I still do—not a much a I used to, tough. Some of the bounties I captured, I couldn't use my own ship to keep people from tracking me down. So, I had to stash mine. It was a gift from my Master. Greel wood body with an osmiridium neck."
"Nice. Was that the Twi'lek you told me about?"
"No, Vos."
"Oh."
"He used it as a tool to teach me psychometry, once he realized I was a jatz lover. Drix Djan Haltrige is one of my heroes. Sadly, I was nowhere that good—nor do I have six fingers. But I had a ton of enthusiasm, which Quinlan capitalized on."
"How?"
"He purchased a seven-string hallikset from a pretty good musician at a cantina, who played songs by Haltrige, and had me use psychometry to read the hallikset to learn how to play the songs. I was posing as a professional musician in our outings in no time."
"That was pretty ingenious. He sounds like a great teacher."
"He was."
"What happened between you?"
Syrran leaned his head back against the wall and took a deep breath. "A conflict of personalities, I suppose. Our relationship was always contemptuous."
"Why?"
"I'd rather not talk about it." Even though Syrran found Gorin easy to talk to, there were things he would never share.
"That's alright. Hey, maybe you can get a hold of a hallikset and we can play together."
"That would be great."
"So... killing the Emperor, huh?"
"I'm amazed at how well you took it."
"That's what Jedi do, no? Plus, my people love scoundrels. We have many tales about our heroes fighting unjust rulers. I wouldn't mind becoming one of them."
"Do any of them end well?"
"It depends. Well as in, 'They lived happily ever after,' or well as in, 'It was a good death?'"
"Is there a difference?"
"Well said." Gorin bowed his head.
Syrran took out his datapad from his backpack and donned some earphones as he played the album, Out of the Box by Drix Djan Haltrige. He also produced a holobook, Words of Truth by Count Dooku of Serenno—a collection of philosophical essays he wanted Elynn to read. Syrran laid down and read a few chapters to help him fall asleep.
A disturbance in the Force made Syrran get up to the sound of Jakko Mixon's The Source of Chill in his ears. The holobook rested on his chest. Gorin slept on the other side of the room with his war helmet covering his face. Syrran rose but before he could step out of the cargo hold, he saw a dark mist extending in front of him.
The vision, Syrran thought.
A white flash of light came at him. Syrran's lightsabers blocked it before it could touch him. After parrying a quick flurry of strikes, he locked blades with his attacker.
"Theleema?"
"Syrran?" Flummoxed, Theleema lowered her lightsaber. "What's going on? I was meditating in my room, when I felt a disturbance in the Force."
"So did I, but I wasn't meditating; I was sleeping. This is my vision."
A realization shocked Theleema. "Rancisis told us our fates are linked."
"Maybe the presence of the kyber crystal statue is acting as a Force amplifier."
"Sy? Leema?" They heard Elynn's voice through the haze; it came from the light.
"Eels?" Theleema said.
"Your lightsaber." Syrran held her by an arm. "You won't need it."
Theleema turned it off but kept it in her hand. As they got closer to the light, they saw Elynn inside—she looked afraid and confused.
Elynn's eyes lit up when she saw them. "Guys? What's going on?"
"Stay there, Eels. You're safe inside the light." Syrran moved closer.
"Safe from what?" Theleema felt a powerful, dark presence nearby. A black figure created by the void loomed over her.
Theleema fired her lightsaber and attacked.
"Theleema, no!" Syrran said.
The words fell on deaf ears. Theleema swung at the entity with all her might. "Sy, take Elynn and get out!"
"Sy?" Elynn stepped back from the abstract being.
"Stay there! It can't hurt you in the light." Syrran entered the light to prevent Elynn from running to help Theleema.
"We have to help her."
"I know."
Theleema continue fighting without result. The entity grew larger with every swing of her lightsaber.
"Theleema, the only way you can stop it is by getting inside the light."
"There are other ways." Theleema turned her lightsaber off. Her hands began to produce magical ichor. "I am a Nightsister. Why should I fear the dark when I can bend it to my will?"
The spell created energy chains around the void. Theleema struggled to restrain it for its power proved too great for her magick. Free from its chains, the entity consumed the witch. Elynn called for her with Syrran holding her back. The darkness started to fade—something Syrran had never experienced. Soon, the reason for this became apparent.
Theleema appeared floating at the center of the blackness, swallowing it whole. Her green mystic ichor swirled around her. Bolts of Force lightning crackled from her. She had surrendered to the darkness and became one with it. Theleema looked down at her bewildered friends. Her eyes burned yellow with the dark side. Elynn and Syrran tensed up as she approached the light. Considerable power emanated from the Dathomirian.
Theleema stood by the light. She opened her mouth to talk, but instead, she gasped as the Force lightning shocked her from within. Theleema could not contain the power. The energy flashed parts of her skeleton. Her skin withered and wrinkled. Dark veins spread across her body. Rather than scream, Theleema's anguished wail filled the space around them, distorted by the electricity.
"Bring her in!" Syrran anchored himself and holding on to Elynn's arm.
Elynn reached out from the light and grabbed a hold of Theleema. The Force lighting jolted both her and Syrran.
"I got her," said Elynn.
Gathering all his strength, Syrran pulled them both into the light.
Then he awoke with a shudder.
"It's alright, brother. You're safe." Gorin knelt by him in the cargo hold. "You were writhing and floating over your sleeping bag."
"Theleema." Syrran ran to the cabins with a confused Gorin in tow.
"Don't touch me!" They heard Theleema say from her quarters.
Theleema sat on the floor with her back against the wall, hugging her knees. The Dathomirian glowered in the manner a wounded predator would. Elynn stood by her unsure of what to do.
"I just wanted to check on her," Elynn said.
"I know." Syrran put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"
"Just shaken. I thought I was having a nightmare at first. What was that?"
"Syrran's vision," Theleema said.
"We all had it?"
"Just you." Gorin stood at the threshold.
"This is what Master Rancisis warned us about," Syrran said. "I know you're upset, Theleema. But we have to talk about this."
"I'll go make some tea."
Later, the four of them gathered at the common table with steaming cups of tarine tea. Theleema draped herself in a blanket and sat apart from the others. She looked fragile with her head hung over the mug she held with both hands. For her part, Elynn struggled with her feelings regarding the experience, finding comfort sitting by her Master. Syrran told them what he discussed with Master Rancisis.
"So, the premonition has to do with our mission." Gorin stared at the steam rising from his cup.
"Does that mean the entity was the Emperor?" Elynn hugged one kneed against her chest.
"It's the dark side," Theleema said. "The dim glow that protected you is the light side of the Force, struggling to shine forth under the rule of the Sith."
"How do you know that?" Gorin said.
"Reading omens is a big part of my culture."
Syrran felt disappointed in himself. The Cosmic aspect of the Force had always been his blindside. "If the entity represents the dark side, then it can't be defeated. I've learned through trial and error the entity can't be fought. Conflict only makes it stronger."
"Or avoided. It must be faced."
"And the only safe place is within the light," Elynn said. "That seems pretty straight forward."
"But you have to go to it." The tea's vapor rose in front of Theleema. "It's a choice."
"You couldn't control it," Syrran said.
"And failed to assimilate it."
"You tried to absorb it?" Elynn was surprised.
"And the darkness rejected me."
"That's good, no?" Gorin lowered his cup about to take a drink.
Theleema stare hardened. "Do you have any idea what my Master will do to me if he feels this conflict inside me?"
"He'll have to go through us first." Syrran's expression became stern.
"You have no idea what he's capable of."
"And he has no clue what we can do either."
Even though Theleema appreciated the support, she doubted how feasible it would be. For her part, Elynn found her Master's words uplifting. Syrran might look, and even behave like an outlaw sometimes, but he still had the soul of a Jedi, and it comforted her.
"But if we can't win against the darkness, what does that mean?" Elynn said.
"Sometimes you can't win," Syrran said. "That doesn't mean you have to lose."
"You're going to have to explain that."
"You confront a challenge to the best of your ability regardless of the outcome." Gorin drew from his upbringing as a Kyuzo warrior.
"Are you saying we can't defeat the Sith?"
"The vision seems to be an allegory of how we're trying to deal with the dark side, not the outcome of our mission," Theleema said. "Maybe it has nothing to do with it, but it's warning to us of what could follow afterwards if we're not careful."
"Quinlan's mission?" Syrran considered the idea for the first time.
"Why not? As you pointed out, they seem to be deeply connected."
"This is giving me a headache." Elynn rubbed her temples with one hand.
"Whatever the future holds, we'll face it together," Gorin said.
"We should get some rest." Syrran gathered the cups. "I'll clean up."
Theleema dawdled, waiting to be left alone with Syrran. He noticed her thermal patterns dealing with shame and anxiety had warmed up.
"Why are you doing this?" Theleema said. "You must know Maul wanted me to seduce you and turn you to the dark side."
"Or kill me if you failed." Syrran washed the cups. "In a hostile galaxy, the only certainty is your enemies' desire for your ruin."
Theleema found his aloofness irritating. "So, you've been playing me this whole time?"
Syrran turned to face her. "I've been getting to know you, Theleema. Maul may be your Master, but he's not you."
"And yet, you still don't trust me to share what you found out about your Master."
"You're right, I didn't. But I want to."