Star Wars: Fate Of The Jedi: Omen Part 21

And here was where Tadar'Ro had taught Jacen Solo.

For a long moment, Ben stood, his heart beating too rapidly in his chest, his arms folded. Part of him wanted to just walk away. But another part of him knew he had to do this, or else he would forever wonder if he could have learned something, anything, that might make a difference.

He sat down, but not on one of the stones upon which the students sat. He was still several strides away from the teaching site, close enough to observe and hear, far enough away so that hopefully his presence would not be noticed. That was one of the things Tadar'Ro had cautioned him about. One who traveled into the past could be seen and heard-even change things. But according to the Aing-Tii, the Force would resume its natural flow. One couldn't change things in any significant way; the Force would bring things back to the way they should be.

Except ... and Ben's heart spasmed in his chest.

The Aing-Tii said this because they believed that the Force guided them in their everyday lives. And now, they had this dreadful schism. What if they were wrong? What if both sides were wrong? What if beings weren't guided, or if things weren't preordained?

What if he could really change the future?

He began to tremble at the awesome nature of the thought. There was only one thing to do-flow-walk, and see what happened. Since his legs were threatening to buckle underneath him anyway, Ben sat down cross-legged on the rocky ground.

He began to calm his breathing, as if he were prepared to simply meditate, but he kept his eyes open. "Soft eyes with which to see," Tadar'Ro said. "Hard eyes will not see what they need to see. Closed eyes will see nothing."

Soft eyes. Unfocused, but watching. Ben understood.

His heart rate dropped and his body relaxed. With his slightly out-of-focus gaze, he regarded the flat stones upon which he and his father had sat.

"I don't understand," came a familiar voice. Ben's head whipped toward the sound, but he kept his gaze soft. Tadar'Ro was approaching the teaching area, and with him, striding briskly, wearing the brown and tan robes of a Jedi Knight, was- "Jacen," Ben whispered.

His cousin looked younger than Ben remembered. That was to be expected, of course; this was the past after all. But there was more to it than that. Ben hadn't realized while it was all unfolding how much the war had aged Jacen. His cousin's forehead was smooth, his eyes clear and bright and warm. His movements lacked the gravitas they had a.s.sumed later, when Jacen wore all black, a shimmersilk cape swirling ominously about him. Before Ben was no Sith, no colonel. Before him was a Jedi Knight, his cousin, a man curious and determined to learn.

Jacen sat down in front of Tadar'Ro and looked at the Aing-Tii expectantly. "How can you go into the future at all, if it hasn't happened yet? Yoda once told my uncle it was always in motion."

"Yoda was correct. And yet one can still travel into it."

Jacen shook his dark head. "How can you travel into something that is not there?"

"When you flow-walk, things become solid beneath you. Your presence brings them into being. And yet, once you depart, they return to what they were. What you see is a future, but not necessarily the future. It is real, and it is not, and it is."

Jacen shook his head, laughing with genuine warmth. "That explains everything," he said wryly.

He was so ... open. So unguarded. Ben tried to remember seeing Jacen that way and found he couldn't. Was it because he was here, learning with someone like Tadar'Ro? Or had the final sh.e.l.l of hardness, of implacability, simply not folded around him yet?

"I'm glad you're willing to teach me. I want to learn everything I can. This galaxy ..." Jacen looked off, his expression detached, but not with the iciness that Ben remembered. "It needs order. Healing. Help. Jedi have abilities that other people don't have. We need to do everything we can to help that process."

Help. This man had killed innocents. Had tortured a woman to death. All in the name of helping the galaxy. How had he justified it, this man who sat there with concern obviously filling his whole being?

Jacen ... oh Jacen ...

Ben couldn't take it anymore. With a roar he jumped to his feet, and the images disappeared as if they had never been. The stones were empty.

Like the paradox of traveling into the future, Ben realized that Jacen had been at once firmly set on the path to the dark side, and yet not walking it. He had not become Sith, had not really even considered the option seriously. The man Ben had just seen was a Jedi, and an uncorrupted one. He was no wide-eyed innocent-too much had been done to Jacen Solo for that. But for all the pain he had endured, he was not dark. And yet the shadow was already upon him, in his questions, in his att.i.tude; not in the seeking of knowledge, nor even in the way he would use that knowledge, but in the drive to seek it.

Ben wanted to leap up, grab his cousin by the front of his robes, and shake him, screaming, Don't do this! Please don't do this!

But he knew that even if he had done so, even if he had been able to tell Jacen about all the atrocities he would eventually commit, it wouldn't have made a difference. The brokenness was already in Jacen. The progression from Jacen Solo to Darth Caedus was inevitable and unstoppable, and that knowing broke Ben Skywalker's heart.

He stumbled away several steps before leaning against one of the standing stones. He let it support him, clutching it like a lifeline. Luke had been right. There was no healing here, no closure. No chance of "saving Jacen." Just a horrible racking inevitability, a feeling of helplessness, and the sensation of picking at a wound that should have healed long ago.

Ben rested his head against the stone and sobbed.

BOTH TADAR'RO AND LUKE WERE WAITING OUTSIDE FOR HIM WHEN HE returned. He knew they knew he'd been crying and he didn't care, didn't attempt to hide his feelings in the Force. Luke looked at him compa.s.sionately as he approached.

"You were right, Dad," Ben said without preamble. "It was a horrible feeling. I don't think I've ever felt as helpless in my life. The only thing I can do now is move forward, and ... and try to be more aware next time of the warning signs." He met his father's gaze evenly. "I couldn't save Jacen. But maybe ... maybe there are others I can help."

He squared his shoulders and turned to Tadar'Ro. "I thank you for teaching me this technique. And I hope you won't be offended, but ... I have to tell you, I don't intend to do it again. Ever. I-I think for me, it's better to just live in the present."

Luke remained silent, but Ben felt his father's pride wash over him like a warm, comforting wave. He blinked hard, not wanting to cry again.

"There is no offense," Tadar'Ro rea.s.sured him. "The ways of the Aing-Tii are not for all. You wished to learn; we teach those who ask. It was the same with Jorj Car'das. In answer to his questions, we only asked him to learn about us, not become like us."

Briefly Ben wondered what the ways of the Aing-Tii were, now that they had to decide such things for themselves. But it was not his concern, nor should it be.

"While you were ... gone," Luke said, "Tadar'Ro and I had a very interesting conversation. It turns out that you and I were not the only humans to have handled the Codex."

Ben felt a jolt, then gently pushed it down. Despite what he had witnessed through flow-walking, he knew that sooner or later he'd have to learn to not wince when someone talked about Jacen. "Jacen did, too?"

Luke nodded. "I told Tadar'Ro what we experienced, and apparently Jacen felt the same thing happen when he touched the Codex."

"The whole augmenting-your-powers thing?"

"Well, yes, that. But more importantly, he had the sensation of something wrong in the Maw that I did. He told Tadar'Ro that when he left, he was going to investigate the Maw and find out what it is."

About forty million questions crowded Ben's mind. He opened his mouth to try to articulate at least sixty-three of them, but Tadar'Ro interrupted.

"I told Jacen Solo not to go. And I give the same message to Luke Skywalker and Ben Skywalker."

"Why not? If there's something wrong there-" Ben began.

"There the Mind Drinkers dwell," Tadar'Ro said. "It is a dangerous place for those who use the Force."

Ben looked at his father. Luke nodded slightly.

"We embarked on this journey to find out what happened to Jacen Solo to turn him into Darth Caedus," Luke said, "and also to see if we can find out anything about the strange mental illness that is crippling the Jedi Order one by one. Tadar'Ro ... we have to go investigate this."

Despite the intensity with which he had warned them, Tadar'Ro did not seem surprised at their decision. Perhaps, after knowing four humans, he was starting to figure out how stubborn they could be.

"So said Jacen Solo. And I will give you the same parting gift I gave him: a riddle. The Path of Enlightenment runs through the chasm of Perfect Darkness. The way is narrow and treacherous, but if you can follow it, you will find what you seek."

Ben and Luke exchanged glances. "No other clues?"

"As you told my people earlier ... you must figure it out for yourselves."

Despite everything, Ben found himself grinning. He had no idea that the Aing-Tii had such a sense of humor.

"And for Ben Skywalker, I have another gift. One that is not quite so difficult to understand."

He had been carrying one of the Vor'cha stun sticks attached to a belt around his waist. Now he reached to unfasten it, offering it to Ben.

"You and your father were attacked with such a weapon. I deeply regret that attack. Now the weapon is yours. I know you will wield it carefully. It can render your enemy unconscious, even through armor."

"Lubed!" Ben said, grinning, as he accepted the stick. He bowed to Tadar'Ro. "Thank you, Tadar'Ro. Thank you for everything."

Luke caught Tadar'Ro's eye and smiled a little. Then, before Ben knew what was happening, there was a sharp pop of displaced air. The Vor'cha stick simply vanished from his hands to reappear in his father's. He gaped for a second, and then realized that while he had been studying so hard to learn flow-walking, Luke had readily mastered the other known Aing-Tii Force technique. He laughed a little as Luke tossed the stick back to his son.

Tadar'Ro bowed to both Skywalkers. "Travel safely. May you learn what you must."

"May the Force be with you," Luke said.

Amus.e.m.e.nt bathed them. "It is always with everyone," Tadar'Ro said, nodded to them, and turned to go.

Less than an hour later, they were ready to depart. Ben had even had a chance to grab a sanisteam and a nerf steak. He slipped into the chair beside his father, moving quietly as Luke was recording a message.

" ... and based on all this, we've decided to head to the Maw," Luke was saying. "I'm not sure when we'll be out of the Rift and you'll be able to receive this, but I thought you should know as soon as possible. Ben and I will get to work on the riddle, but if any of the Masters figures it out before we do, I promise I won't be insulted. I hope to talk to you soon, and I hope all is well back home."

He punched a b.u.t.ton and sent the message, then turned to Ben. "Ready to talk to these Mind Drinkers who supposedly dwell in the Maw?"

"Sure," Ben said, lifting the Vor'cha stick. "I think we can handle them."

KESH.

LADY RHEA HAD SPOKEN WITH LORD VOL, AND THE ETERNAL CRUSADER had been summoned back to Kesh. As they entered orbit, Vestara realized that the whole armada had been recalled. Currently in orbit around a world that, two years earlier, had never even seen an operational s.p.a.ce-faring craft were more than two dozen star ships.

Vestara, Lady Rhea, and a few other crew took a small transport to Tahv. The sharp delight Vestara took in the fact that she was no longer on the outside, wistfully looking in, but almost always brought in on every major decision and planning session had not faded over the last two years. She was aware of the responsibilities of such an honor, and never took it for granted.

She recalled the first time she had stood in these Council Chambers, frightened but resolute. How nave she had been then. She smiled a little and shifted position, then stilled as Lord Vol began speaking.

"A short time ago, many of us felt a very strong rippling in the Force. We sensed a presence that we immediately realized would be a threat to us. Ship was able to identify that presence as the current Grand Master of the Jedi-Luke Skywalker."

A soft murmur went through the room. Lord Vol held up his hand for silence. "The information Ship has given us on this Skywalker is sobering. He is, however, far from his home base. We do not know to what end. Still, I am not about to overlook an opportunity when one drops as perfectly into our hands as ripe fruit. Skywalker is several light-years away, but still within our ability to reach. Over the last day, I have been in contact with Lady Rhea." He nodded to Vestara's Master, who stepped forward.

"When Ship came to us with the news of the near extinction of the Sith," she said, her voice clear and strong, "we did not fall victim to despair. We acted. Vessel by vessel, we are a.s.sembling a fleet with which we will eventually take back the galaxy from the Jedi, who spread like vermin throughout system after system. Such is our goal.

"Some will say, one man cannot hold a whole galaxy together. True. But one man can lead and inspire. If the head is cut off, the body will follow. Luke Skywalker has done much to fight the Sith, the dark side. He was at one point the last Jedi, and now he has re-created the Order with hundreds of them." She was so disgusted by this she was almost spitting the words. "And now, somehow, he has broadcast his presence into the Force. And we can take him down.

"Lord Vol and I have handpicked a single strike team to bring against this Skywalker. He-"

"A moment," said Yuvar Xal, Ahri's Master. "The Grand Master of the Jedi cannot possibly be simply wandering off alone. He must be on a mission of great importance, and it is logical to believe that he has many vessels under his command. A single strike force would do nothing against that."

"There was something about his presence-I do not think so. For whatever reason, my instincts are telling me that he is, if not alone, at least unaccompanied by any sort of fleet," Lady Rhea said. Vestara understood what she meant. There had been a sense of isolation in Sky-walker's presence.

"Regardless, if such does turn out to be the case, we will be able to make that determination and call for reinforcements. A huge fleet will announce our presence. One or two smaller vessels will be able to glean information much more readily," Lady Rhea continued.

Xal looked unhappy, but fell silent.

"Now," Lady Rhea continued. "We-"

It rocked through them like a wave. Vestara actually stumbled. It was at once almost overpowering and nourishing. Pure dark side energy crackled through the room, piercing their hearts, like an embrace that was welcomed but too tight to be truly comfortable. Vestara extended a hand, as if she could physically reach out and touch whatever it was that was permeating her entire being. She wanted it, ached for it, felt tears suddenly stinging her eyes- And then a rush of joy flooded her.

Ship. He was all but singing, a devoted pet racing to his beloved master, following that call of the dark side energy.

"No!" cried Vestara. "Ship!"

She blinked, recovering as the strange pull suddenly ended. Lady Rhea was staring at her.

"Vestara, what is it doing?"

Vestara licked lips suddenly gone dry. She felt intensely, terribly bereft. Abandoned, left behind, empty. Her connection with Ship had always been acknowledged as the strongest among any of the Sith. He had contacted her first, and had maintained that level of-intimacy, almost-through the last two years. Now he had left them, left her, without even a twinge of regret or a farewell.

"He-he's gone," she said in a voice that trembled. "He's following that-that-call."

For a dreadful moment, everyone was still. Horror, anger, and anguish flooded into the Force. And then Lord Vol rose. His body was frail, but his power was not, and he gut-punched them with his determination.

"We had planned to send a strike force after Luke Skywalker," he said. "Now we have a more important mission-follow Ship and recover it."

Him, Vestara thought. Ship's male.

"The strike force will prepare to launch after Ship as soon as you are prepared under the command of Lady Rhea."

Lady Rhea turned her eyes to Vestara and nodded. Excitement and fear both clutched at Vestara, but she forced them back. If she was to be of any use on this mission, she would need to be calm, be in control of her emotions, not let them dominate her.

They would find Ship, and find out what had been so compelling that he had felt it necessary to abandon those he had once come to.

LEIA AND HAN SAT ON ALLANA'S BED, TUCKING THE COVERS GENTLY IN around her. The little girl was proving to have a backbone of durasteel, given how well she bounced back from things. She seemed to have recovered fully from the incident at the Livestock Exchange and Exhibition, except she seemed unusually thoughtful. Whenever Han or Leia tried to gently coax her into talking, she said she was fine and smiled at them.

But tonight, she looked up at them just before they each leaned in turn to kiss her forehead. "I have been thinking," she said.

The pair exchanged glances and sat down on either side of her bed. "About what, honey?" Leia asked.

"About ... what happened at the show."

Leia reached and stroked the girl's soft, round cheek. "Go on."

"You ... you had to kill some of the animals to save people."

Leia nodded. "That's right."

"But they were just animals. They had been bred to be mean."

"It wasn't their intention, not like with sentient beings," Leia said, wondering where this was going. "That much is true. But a threat to a being is the same, whether it's done with intention or not."

"But ... the nexu. She had cubs."

Ah, now Leia understood. "Yes, she did."

"And you killed her. Because she was hurting people. So now the cubs have no mother, no one to look after them." She lifted her calm gaze to theirs. "I think we should take responsibility."