"Where's Hepka!?"
Zekiel frantically paced back and forth beside the operating table. Unable to assist with what Kyriss was doing, he originally tried his best to keep her calm after her medical device had gone missing. Now, Kyriss was calmly working on her patient as Zekiel's patience wore thin.
"What's taking him so long?"
Kyriss, although doing everything she knew to do, ignored Zekiel and she focused intently on Shayla who was on the operating table. Kyriss was—at this point—only delaying what she felt was now the inevitable.
She had done everything she knew how to do. As seconds ticked by, so too did the subtle sound she was monitoring in Shayla.
Zekiel's heavy boots thudding in the background as he paced seemed to be tuned out as Kyriss felt her ears become boxed in. Placing her hand on the neck of the young Shayla, Kyriss suddenly let go of a breath she didn't know she'd been holding onto.
After a moment, she slowly let her head drop.
"Zekiel..."
"He's not one to wander," said Zekiel, more so to himself. "Did he not find the tool?"
"Zekiel..."
"Maybe he can't find Vess. Should I go after him?"
"Zekiel!"
Kyriss' shout caused the Zabrak to stop in his tracks and turn towards her as she whispered.
"She's...gone."
Zekiel felt himself nearly becoming sick as he heard the words from Kyriss but didn't fully comprehend them.
"Did you just say..."
Kyriss let out a sob as she spoke again, this time more clearly.
"Zekiel, Shayla's dead."
* * *
Sharply inhaling as if he'd been held underwater, Jolis breathed rapidly as he found that he was back in the chamber; the Sun'ari at his feet as it seemingly gazed upon his face.
Covered in a cold sweat, a chill rose up through Jolis' spine as memories of the previous vision replayed through his mind. There was so much to comprehend while so much that would also remain a mystery to him.
He saw balance; a galaxy at peace with itself. But he also saw incredible pain; extreme pulls of the Force in faraway lands but there was also something else. A vision which continued to play in his mind over and over of a world shrouded in flames.
As Jolis peered down and looked upon the Sun'ari closer, he was shocked to see that the crystal had somehow split in two equal sized halves. Its power, however, remained intact with each piece.
Reaching for the crystals, Jolis immediately sensed something greater as he grabbed hold of them. It was not just all around him but within him as well. His connection to the Force seemed immensely stronger. What immediately stood out, however, was something much more physical.
Slowly reaching his hands up, Jolis rubbed both of his eyes as they adjusted to the light being projected by the crystals.
He could see. Not just though the Force but also the world around him with his eyes.
Somehow, the connection he'd made between himself and the Sun'ari had healed his vision!
It started small but with each passing second, Jolis' laughter echoed throughout the large chamber as tears of joy fell from his eyes.
"Thank you, Master," Jolis whispered aloud. "The Force has healed me."
From within his consciousness, Jolis heard the voice of the Force.
"We are one, Jolis. You have followed our will and as such, my connection to your life force has intensified. You are balanced, Jolis. The full power of the Force is yours to command. What has been started will never be undone."
Jolis stood to his feet as he breathed deeply.
"Now, reach out and sense the world around you."
As the Master spoke, a strange vision entered Jolis' mind.
Large ships carrying thousands of creatures. They were close to Atophis, hellbent on conquering.
Realizing what he was seeing, the thought of battle entered his mind which he drew a different inspiration from.
"Master, in my old life I wielded the sword of my father and of his father before him. That weapon is gone now. If what I sense is indeed the future, I will need a new weapon."
The words of the master resonated within him.
"With the power of the Force at your command, you are a weapon."
"The Force can be misunderstood by some and interpreted differently by others," Jolis replied. "This weapon must be...something more. It must be a symbol; an unmistakable light to inspire hope to those in need while instilling terror in those who conquer. The oppressed will see this beacon and know that they are never alone. But let those who prey on the weak see this light and know that their doom is upon them."
Holding the two pieces of the Sun'ari in his hands, Jolis clenched his fists tightly around them.
"I see your mind, Jolis. The weapon you seek is before you. You need only to follow your instincts."
From within his mind, the memories of the time when he'd constructed his communication device surfaced. It seemed like another lifetime ago. Now, however, Jolis would use his knowledge in mechanics, power, engineering but also his connection to the Force to build something that would change the galaxy forever.
As his mind began going through the various processes and procedures, he began assembling a list of what he'd need.
Materials, tools, a workshop and...a helper.
"I must return, Master," Jolis said. "I must go to the Opachi village.
"I must return home."
"You may enter the netherworld," replied the Master. "We will guide you through."
Just as Jolis closed his eyes to call upon the Force, however, a different sensation filled his heart. It was sudden but familiar. The action had just happened which had somehow sent an echo through the Force; an echo that felt like it was directed at him.
Pain. Death.
"I sense something else, Master," Jolis shuddered. "Someone else. I..can sense their life force rising."
From within him, the Master spoke somberly.
"She is with us now."
* * *
The dark cloaked figure quietly approached the small Latero creature from behind. The hangar was dark and as far as he could see, there was no one else around.
His steps were quiet. His movements, like that of the shifting shadows.
His final target was just before him. One final task and all would be ready.
As the short four-armed creature went about its business—seemingly buried in a large tool chest as it hummed an unknown tune—the shadow approached.
Placing a steady hand upon a well worn hilt, a small blade was unsheathed from a scabbard.
He was almost within reach.
Just a few more steps before...
"HEY!"
A loud voice shouting from behind caused him to quickly sheath the weapon and close his cloak around it.
"What are you doing here?!" the voice demanded.
From the loading ramp, a heavily breathing Hepka came into view. At the same time, the small Latero pilot turned around to see the figure just behind him.
"Wait...Seth?!" Vess inquired. "What in Huttspit are you doing here?"
As Hepka approached and came to a stop just a few meters from him, Seth flashed a grin as he dropped both of his hands to his sides.
"The village I have setup with those who joined me is simply in need of some tools," he calmly explained. "I thought you would be so kind as to lend them to us."
"Aren't you the one who wanted us to wait for our fearless overlords to return and flip the kitchen light switch on to make us all mindless drones again?" asked Vess. "I'm not giving you anything! And I certainly don't appreciate you sneaking up on me like that either!"
Hepka, who'd partially caught his breath, chimed in as well. "You shouldn't be here, Seth. I think you should leave at once."
For a moment, Seth contemplated an evil thought. Before he could act, however, a small crowd had begun to form at the top of the loading ramp. Not wanting to risk a public incident, Seth relented.
"Very well," he replied with a curt voice as he gave a slight bow. "I shall be on my way."
Marching past the both of them, it was Vess who spoke up first.
"What's with that guy?"
Suddenly realizing he was in fact here for a purpose, Hepka again went on full alert after he noticed that Seth was now gone.
"Vess," he exclaimed. "I need something called a direct ion emitter. Zekiel said you would know where it is."
Vess gave a slight chuckle before he replied.
"A D.I.E tool, huh? You boys planning on slicing a starship in half or something?"
"No," Hepka urgently replied. "It's for Dr. Kyriss. She's having trouble performing the Xirus removal procedure on Shayla and needs this tool."
"To what!? Separate her neck from the rest of her body?"
"I don't know but time is of the essence, Vess."
"Alright, alright," replied Vess. "I just hope you've got some strength in those arms of yours."
Walking towards a large metal closet, Vess opened it and pointed towards a large L-shaped tool which had a large emitter at the end.
"To pick it up, just put your shoulder into the corner section there. To work it, just make sure it's pointed in the right direction or you'll have a very bad day," explained Vess.
As Hepka looked with dismay at the large tool, his mind wondered how he could carry it back to Kyriss and Zekiel.
The dismal attitude, however, quickly exited his mind as the thought of Shayla spurred him to action.
Reaching for the large tool, Hepka groaned aloud as he heaved it over his shoulder.
* * *
White mists of ethereal glow whispered past him as his presence fully entered the Force. Trillions of glowing lights seemed to be hovering around him and as they took note of his presence in this place, began to follow Jolis' spirit.
He didn't belong here. Not yet, anyways. But he was here for a purpose.
There was a natural peace to this place. Jolis' soul felt at rest as he seemed to float through the atmosphere of life itself. The sense of peace called to him, but he refused to give in as these words echoed throughout his mind.
There is no death. There is only the Force.
This Living Force—as Jolis recalled hearing from the Master—was fed into the Cosmic which ultimately created the Force itself; the power that binds this galaxy and all of life together.
The life force of every living being that had ever died lived in this place. Now, however, Jolis was searching for one whose time had come far too soon.
He called out to her, hoping she would answer.
"Shayla?"
His voice echoed into the eternal distances. For a moment, the countless mists of light seemed to orbit around Jolis as they watched on. He could sense their curiosity.
After a moment, a response came as a single white mist shot past Jolis, whirled around his feet and body before stopping in front of him.
"Jolis?" the voice of Shayla spoke. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you."
A small chuckle came from the mist of Shayla.
"Well you found me," she replied. "Are you...dead? Like me?"
"There is no death, Shayla. There is only the Force. That is where we are now."
"But how are you here speaking to me if you're not...you know...dead?"
Jolis approached the mist of Shayla as he observed the number of lights around him multiplying greatly.
"You may not sense it yet, Shayla, but the Force is with you. You're a part of it now. I've been sent here to deliver a message."
Jolis' spirit whirled around to stand at the center of the circle formed by the vast number of glowing mists that now surrounded the both of them.
"You must return," Jolis declared. "You must go back to the world of the living."
A huff came from Shayla as she replied.
"I don't wanna go back. There's nothing but conflict, pain and death there. In here, there's peace. I like it here."
"A time will come when your soul will be one with the Force but it is not now," Jolis insisted. "You must go back, Shayla. There is much for you to do."
"But how?" she asked. "If I'm dead, there's a reason for that. Probably because there's nothing for me to go back to."
Feeling the power of the Force rising within him, the other mists seemed to sense it in Jolis as well. Slowly, they began to back away and spread outwards.
"Trust in the Force, Shayla. Though we are mortals, the Force is eternal and it lives in the hearts and bodies of each and every one of us. When balanced, it has the power to keep those we love from dying and to resurrect those who have not fulfilled their purpose."
Reaching out his hand, Jolis continued.
"If you are willing, Shayla, I will guide you."
For a moment, the mist of Shayla remained still. There were certainly more reasons to stay than to go. Deep inside, however, Shayla could sense the enormity of what was happening.
She didn't know the Force but she knew Jolis. He'd rescued her before so if he said this was important, she would take his word for it.
"This is the second time you've rescued me, you know," she replied.
Jolis smiled with his friend.
"Take my hand, Shayla."
Reaching out his hand, Jolis felt the life force of Shayla rest upon his palm.
The Force began to pulse through him as, with a thundering voice, Jolis declared aloud.
"May the power of the Force give you new life.
"Awaken, Shayla.
"Awaken."
* * *
"Get that thing off of her! Now!"
Kyriss was moments away from pulling her dark hair out as Zekiel barked out the orders again. Placing her hands down on the table in front of her, she let out a deep breath to herself.
Zekiel, however, wasn't ready to give up.
"Get it out of her!"
"Zekiel," pleaded Kyriss. This time, she planted her hands in her face. "She's dead! The neurotoxin has released into her body!"
"Just do what I said!" Zekiel shouted. "Get that cursed thing off of her!"
"Zekiel..."
"Kyriss, please," Zekiel pleaded. "I just...I don't want that thing on her anymore."
Slowly raising her head, Kyriss relented as she gave Zekiel a small nod.
No longer fearing the repercussions of her death, Kyriss used a set of nearby medical devices and quickly pried the Xirus device off of Shayla's body. In doing so, the organic matter within came loose as well.
As she removed the device, the numerous tendrils attached to it came out as well . Kyriss then applied pressure on the open wound—more so out of habit.
A sniffling sound caused her to look up as she noticed Zekiel wiping his eyes.
"It should've been me," he said under teary eyes. "I'd give anything to trade spots with her."
Applying a large bandage on the back of Shayla's neck to stop the flow of fluids, Kyriss exited from behind the operating table and approached Zekiel.
"I'm so sorry, Zekiel," she cried. "I did everything I could. Of all the people to..."
Her words were cut off as Zekiel pulled her in and embraced her.
"It's not your fault," he whispered. "If I find out that someone stole your equipment to sabotage us, I swear to my ancestors that..."
"WHAT?!"
Instantly, Kyriss released herself from Zekiel as she then frantically began backing away from the operating table.
Turning to see what Kyriss was looking at, Zekiel noticed that Shayla's hands was twitching.
"What in the..."
The shaking soon worked its way into her entire body as the two of them witnessed a white mist seemingly forming out of thin air and descending upon the body of Shayla.
Just as quickly as it began, however, it was all over.
Or so they thought.
Kyriss suddenly let out a horrifying scream at the sight of the woman who'd previously been dead now turning to face them.
Zekiel's jaw dropped to the ground as his eyes suddenly locked with Shayla's.
"Ancestors..."
Lifting her head, Shayla uttered a single name.
"Jolis?"
Zekiel and Kyriss exchanged shocked expressions as they both turned back to Shayla.
"Shayla?" asked Kyriss. "How...is this possible?
Sitting up on the table and swinging her feet over the edge, Shayla looked as if she was about to offer some sort of explanation just as a loud battering of sounds came from down the hallway outside the medical room.
Similar to that of a bricks falling down a garage chute, the loud sound eventually worked its way closer to them as the eventual sight of Hepka seemed to answer the riddle. Carrying a large metal device over his shoulders, Hepka was exhausted, covered in sweat and breathing heavily.
As he peered into the room, he locked eyes with Shayla...and let out a heavy sigh.
Shayla, seeing the large D.I.E. tool across his shoulders, could only imagine what was going on.
"Could someone explain..." asked Shayla as she pointed towards the large tool.
Kyriss, Zekiel and even Hepka chuckled before the former spoke up.
"It's kind of a long story."
End of Part II