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Chapter Text

Abeloth's Planet; 44 ABY

The assault pinnace Rude Awakening sat at the far end of the courtyard, hissing and popping as the heat of its fiery descent dissipated into the humid jungle air. Its hull was carbon-scorched and dented, and several deep pits went down through the thick battle armor all the way to the orange circle of an emergency hull patch. A dark rectangle separated from the pinnace’s battered hull and began to descend, slowly folding out into a boarding ramp. A slender female figure appeared in the opening at the top. Her brown hair was pulled into a tight bun, her eyes were sunken with exhaustion, and she had furrow lines as deep as canyons in her brow. She was dressed in a combat vac suit and holding her deactivated lightsaber in one hand, and the entire front panel of her suit was smeared in red, frothy blood.

Jaina Solo, newly appointed Jedi Master, scanned the beach for her cousin and the Sith traitor, but it was barren and empty. What little plant matter on it seemed to be already decaying, a good sign, given the link to Abeloth. Luke had been seriously wounded in his time Beyond Shadows, but she needed to complete the mission they came here for, rescuing Ben. Reaching out though the Force, she felt a swell of power inland, somewhere off to the right. It was a strange mixture of light and dark, intertwine, but distinctly separate.

Drawing her lightsaber, though keeping it unlit, Jaina made her way closer to the source of the disturbance. As she made her way through the forest, plants she'd been told were lethal seemed to be turning a waxy yellow. A pale green liquid bled from within. They all appeared to be dying.

The forest receded as she made her way to the stone courtyard. Her uncle had described many of the places he and Ben had visited, both on the planet itself and from Beyond Shadows. The crumbling expanse housed a tall onyx basin in the center, crowning an ascension of steps. Jaina recognized it as the Font of Power. By all accounts a fight had transpired here, debris had been disturbed and scorch marks marred the marble columns. The remains of severed tentacles scattered the landscape, pale lavender in color implied that Abeloth had continue to utilize the Keshiri host, Korelei, instead of taking a new one. The remnant of a fresh coating of sulfurous dust outlined footprints away from the recess. Dried blood, bluish in color spattered the ground.

Jaina stretched out again, still feeling the vortex of energy still further along, in the direction the markings indicated. Unlike the journey from the beach, the part of the jungle was devastated. Vines were severed and burnt. Trees toppled and upturned. Whatever had happened, it left a trail of destruction that anyone could follow. At the center of it all lay Abeloth.

The ground had been depressed into a concave circle, as if a massive amount of force had been brought to bear on the point. Singed edges belied a Force Lightning assault. In the center of it all lay the huddled mass of flesh and bone. Tentacles curled around the corpse as if in defense. The face, once housing a grin of needle-sharp teeth had been cracked in two, leaving the lower jaw at a precarious angle. The eyes were completely black, with no trace of the pinpricks of light that Jaina knew to be the eyes of Abeloth. Whatever had happened, another of her avatars had been slain.

She continued to follow the trail through the underbrush, this area lacked the slash and burn feel of the battle zone, but Jaina could find no carnivorous plant lining the path. She stumbled upon a cavern, this one quite similar to the Font of Power, paved in similar stonework, but far larger. With enough open area to house a small space yacht, it was a sight to behold. The far end of the cavern held a white marble pool. Twice as long in length as width, filled with crystal clear water. As she got closer to the threshold, she saw them.

Ben and Vestara lay at the edge of the pool. Their cloths appeared dry, but they seemed to be laying as if they crawled out of the body of liquid. Jaina ran up to them, checking as she went for any signs of an ambush. Sensing none, she knelt beside Ben and checked his pulse. It was rapid, but steady. Doing the same to Vestara and getting the same result, Jaina focused on seeing them through the Force. The swirl of energy came from them. Ben radiated light, while Vestara the dark. It mixed and twisted like cream poured into caf. A kaleidoscope of energy, but each separate, nothing neutral.

Deciding that Jaina needed to bring them both back, but unable to take both at once, she gathered foliage from the forest to hide Ben while she took Vestara. Something inside Jaina resisted and longed to take her cousin first, to make sure he got medical attention as soon as possible, but the pragmatic side argued that Vestara was the flight risk and needed to be confined immediately. Jaina fastened stun cuffs on the girl's wrists and slung the body over her shoulder. Before making her trek back to the Rude Awakening, Jaina unclipped a spare comlink and set it beside Ben, if he awoke before she got back.

She made record time back to the pinnace. Luke was still secured in the ten-bunk medical bay along the cabin's back wall. The breathing tube, half a dozen IV tubes, and bandages made him a sorry sight. As soon as she entered, the Emdee droid lurched forward and blocked her entrance.

"Mask yourself," it said in a brisk, no-nonsense manner before noticing that Jaina was carrying a body with her and motioned to an empty bunk near the front of the cabin.

"This one is a prisoner," Jaina said, it would be best to avoid any misunderstandings, "believe nothing she says and don't remove the cuffs."

Without waiting for the military-esque acknowledgement she knew would come, Jaina jogged out of the ship after her cousin.

A short time later, she returned with a still unconscious Ben Skywalker. The Emdee put him in another empty bunk and began a preliminary  triage that was no doubt what comprised it's time with Vestara before she had gotten back. Finding only minor injuries and a few bruised ribs, the medical droid announced that they were both stable and ready to depart.

After checking the hull integrity, just to be sure that Ship hadn't stranded them in the Maw, the assault ship rose from the prison planet swiftly into the atmosphere. Still on the lookout for the Meditation Sphere, Jaina piloted a course out of the Maw. Practically second nature to her, she needed little conscious thought to steer the ship or sense an attack, Jaina turned her thoughts to the medical bay. Not only was Luke Skywalker in grave condition, somehow taking physical injuries from his battle in Beyond Shadows, but Ben seemed to be in a coma. Unsure how to react to Vestara, given the recent light of her true loyalties and leading an attack on her parents and Allana, she just hoped everyone would get through this. She had already lost so many family members to crises that she wasn't sure if she could bear the loss of Luke and Ben, too.

Jedi Temple, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

Luke had spent weeks recovering from his duel with Abeloth and the Sith Stranger in Beyond Shadows. His injuries had been severe, there had been some talk about him not making it through. Still, despite the prognosis, he had woken up to the faces of Han, Leia, Allana, and Jaina. The simultaneous attack on Abeloth had apparently been successful. Saba had destroyed the manifestation that had taken over the Temple computer core, he and the Stranger had taken care of the form in Beyond Shadows, and apparently Ben ad Vestara had destroyed the one that had taken them captive. Unfortunately, something had happened to Vestara and his son on that planet. They were found unconscious by the Pool of Knowledge. Though Luke had healed from his fight, neither had awoken from their own ordeal.

Standing silently beside his son's hospital bed, Luke could feel the pulses of energy radiating from his son. Like Jaina, Luke had immediately sense the change in the auras of Ben and Vestara. Ben's had always been a subdued presence, not one that exuded his true abilities, but now it seemed to shine, a strength that seemed multiplied from before.

Vestara's change had be just as vast, but not nearly as comforting. She had always hidden her own presence before, a vestige of her Sith upbringing, but now dripped with dark power. The Council had been unsure as to what they should do about her. Jysella had seen her running from the Tribe before she led the assault on the Millennium Falcon, some of the masters had been loath to jump to conclusions until they could question her. What shred of doubt regarding her loyalties, however, was gone when they sensed the strength of the dark side around her.

When she had been brought back, the masters had imprisoned her in a ysalamiri-lined cell, shackled to her own hospital bed. Luke had visited her after he had seen his son and had asked for the Force-repellant creatures be removed so he could sense the change for himself. Once they had, Luke had sensed a darkness of such strength that he had not encountered anything like it since Palpatine. It was so concentrated that it seemed to leech his own strength, not as a willful effort, but a side-effect of the malignant power.

Things were changing on Coruscant, not all for the better. Hundreds of Sith had escaped the Temple and were wreaking havoc on galactic capital. Abeloth's last vengeful act on the planet had razed the Justice Center and risen an obsidian volcano in its place. Lava had flowed from the crest and melted hundreds of meters into the under-city, killing an untold number of beings unlucky enough to be beneath the molten rock. Clouds of toxic vapor slipped into populated areas, killing even more. The death toll was estimated to be in the billions.

The most devastating news, however, had come from the Senate. The Jedi were being blamed for the damage. BAMR claimed that it was the Jedi who had caused the seismic activity though arcane rituals based around their spice trade. As ludicrous as the allegations were, there was little they could do to sway public opinion. On one level, Luke had been almost glad for the turn of tide, it had made his own decision to have the Order leave Coruscant all the easier.

So it was here, on Shedu Maad, that the Jedi had moved after withdrawing from the Galactic Alliance, the Academy becoming the new Temple for the Order. Luke stared out into the dais of the exercise arena, watching over the initiates as they trained to become a new generation of Jedi Knights and Masters. He had spent most of his free time at Ben's side, but the responsibilities of a Grand Master were numerous and he could not escape them forever. Glancing back down to the official documents strewn about his desk, Luke was surprised to sense Cilghal's apprentice, Tekli, running to his office in such a flurry of excitement.

"Master Skywalker," the furry Jedi healer called, "It's Ben, he's waking up!"

Luke had dropped his paperwork and ran far faster than would probably have been proper for a Grand Master to have, probably physically faster than Yoda had ever been capable, to the Temple medcenter. Cilghal, the Mon Calamari Jedi Master, stood beside the bed, checking various monitors and leads to ensure the activity was normal. When Luke burst through the door, she turned. "Master Skywalker, it would appear you're just in time."

After ensuring that all the readings were within normal parameters, Cilghal and Tekli withdrew, leaving Master Skywalker to have some personal time with his son. Ben's eyes were moving beneath his lids rapidly, as if in a dream. Luke knelt down and grasped his son's hand. "It's okay, Ben, you're safe, you're among friends."

"Dad?" the word was weak, but clear enough to everyone in the room. Ben's eyes stayed closed but he gripped back to Luke.

Grinning, Luke nodded. "Yes, it's me, Ben. How are you feeling?"

"Like I just went up against a rancor in a free for all," Ben croaked, but the slight smile undercut the sentiment. "Just haven't figured out which of us won, yet."

At least his sense of humor is fine, Luke thought. With everything appearing normal, the two Jedi healers withdrew from the room to give father and son a chance to talk.

"Did you have any doubts? It's been though a lot more than this," Ben chuckled.

Luke felt a shiver run up his spine. Though the thought hadn't been shielded, he rarely did so with his son, Ben had been able to understand and respond to it as if Luke had spoken out loud. As in tune with each other as they had been in recent year, Ben had never demonstrated the level of ability to actually pick up on specific words, only the feeling behind them. For that matter, why were his eyes still closed, there was no reason they should be. Cilghal had never said anything about injury to them.

"Ben," Luke said tentatively, "can you open your eyes for me?"

In a fluid motion, they opened to reveal solid black orbs, shiny and slick. The oily color seemed to soak in to the iris, leaving an alabaster white sclera behind lacking any veins to mar it. The shadow receded into the pupil, leaving behind the familiar sky-blue coloring. Watching carefully, Luke could just make out the faintest pinprick of light in the very center of Ben's pupil, the kind all too familiar to Luke in his crusade against Abeloth. Jerking away from his son, he summoned the lightsaber to his hand on instinct, though he stopped short of activating it.

"What have you done with my son?" Luke demanded, the pain audible in his voice. Abeloth had taken so much from him, past loves, but this hurt the most.

Ben turned his head slightly, raised up by pillows. The gleam in the center of his eyes shone brighter as he fully woke up. "I am your son," he said, far too calm given the situation, "but a little more now." He neither smiled nor gave any indication as to the pleasure Abeloth would take from doing this to Luke.

"I ask you again, what have you done with my son?" Luke bellowed, taking a step closer to the bed with the lightsaber emitter pointed at Ben.

"I told you, Dad, I'm still the same person, I'm not Abeloth in disguise." Ben said, the conviction easy to sense in the Force, "but some things have . . . changed."

The stars in Ben's eyes shifted away from the silvery glow Luke had seen in so many avatars to a bluish corona. "I'll explain everything, Dad, I just need to get my bearings a bit," Ben said, sounding tired despite the month-long coma. He looked around wearily, "Where's Ves?"

Luke didn't know what he should do, it certainly looked and sounded like Ben, it even felt like Ben, nothing like the shells he'd fought with before, but he couldn't ignore the eyes, it was unnatural. Seeing he'd lose nothing in admitting the truth, Luke explained, "She's being held in the detention area, she's still unconscious. She was giving off a dark aura in the Force."

"She's awake now," Ben said simply, "I have to go to her."

Luke eyed him suspiciously, knowing that no one could sense anything through a ysalamiri bubble, "What makes you say that?"

"Because I'm awake," Ben answered, as if it explained everything.

Luke gently lowered the lightsaber hilt, but kept it in hand. He nudged Cilghal and Tekli to not come in just yet, but guard the room. He needed to know what was happening to his son, but was unwilling to risk anyone else in this quest. "What happened to you, Ben?"

"I need to see Ves, Dad," Ben said, insistent.

"Not now, first you need to tell me what happened on Abeloth's planet." Luke put the authority that came with years as the Jedi Order's Grand Master into the words.

But Ben seemed undaunted, resigned even as his shoulders slumped down, "After I tell you, you'll let me see her?"

"Yes, once I understand everything."

A half-grin tugged at the edges of Ben's mouth, but his voice was melancholy, "Understanding everything may be a bit of a stretch, but I'll tell you what happened. It started when Ves and I woke up after Abeloth had just landed on her world . . . "

Chapter Text

Abeloth's Planet; 44 ABY

They had been given nothing to drink since departing Coruscant, and the dark waters of the Font of Power were starting to tempt even Ben. The journey had taken days, and Abeloth had refused to allow her captives either water or food, urging them instead to throw off the shackles of mortality and claim their destiny. Ben, she insisted, was to become the eternal Prince of Light, and he would keep burning the twin flames of justice and forgiveness. Vestara was to become the irresistible Daughter of the Night. She would guard the forbidden mysteries of the Force—and she would bring life to the galaxy by filling dreams with images of beauty and desire. Together, the three of them would become the Ones, and they would live forever and remake the galaxy however it suited them.

Ben and Vestara had made the mistake of telling Abeloth they would rather die than become part of her insanity, and now they were standing back-to-back in the yellow fog that surrounded the Font of Power. Their noses and throats were raw from its caustic steam, and their eyes were burning, but they were so dehydrated that their bodies were imploring them to drink—and it did not matter that the water was so tainted with dark side energy that it made them shudder inside. Their heads were pounding and their vision was blurring, and their thoughts were coming slow and muddled. They had to drink or die—and when faced with those choices, the body always chose to drink.

Vestara's shoulder shifted against Ben's, and he could tell that she was looking toward the Font . . . no doubt wondering the same thing he was, what would happen if they drank, whether there was any way they could risk even a sip.

"Don’t do it, Ves." Ben's throat was so dry and swollen that words came out as a croak. "That has to be what she wants, why she didn't let us drink on the trip. So we'd drink from the Font."

Vestara's shoulder did not shift back. "That might be better than dying, Ben."

"Think so?" Ben asked. "You remember what happened to Taalon, right?"

"That was the Pool of Knowledge," Vestara pointed out. "And he fell in."

"And this is the Font of Power," Ben replied. "I can feel the dark side gushing out. Do you really think you can touch that and not turn into the kind of freak he became?"

"That might be better than dying," Vestara repeated.

A swirl appeared in the fog a few meters ahead, and Abeloth spoke in her multiple voices. "You see, Ben? She cannot be trusted to resist temptation." The swirl approached closer and resolved into a ghostly face. The face had tiny silver eyes and a too-wide mouth, full of pointed fangs. "That is why I brought you here—so that you would learn whom you can truly trust."

Vestara pivoted around to stand at Ben's side. "And that would be you?"

"I am not the one hiding my betrayal from him," Abeloth replied.

"If you're talking about the attack on the Falcon," Ben said, "I know all about it. Vestara told me what happened."

"Yes, but did she tell you everything?" Abeloth asked. "Did she tell you about—"

"Of course I did." Vestara looked over and caught Ben's eye. "You can't listen to her, Ben. She's just trying to drive a wedge between us."

"No worries, Ves, it's not going to work," Ben said. "All we've got is each other—and no way am I letting that go on her word."

"Good, Ben," Vestara said. "We just have to remember who's holding us captive."

"You are holding yourself captive, Vestara," Abeloth said. She raised an arm, and four fluttering tentacles pointed toward the churning fountain next to them. "The power you crave is there. It is Ben holding you back—not I."

Vestara glanced past Ben toward the pillar of dark waters, then shook her head. "No, Ben's right," she said. "Drinking from the Font would destroy us, not save us."

Abeloth lowered her arm. "The choice is yours to live with." She withdrew into the fog. "Or to die from."

Ben waited until even the swirl of her retreat had vanished, then said, "Good job, Ves. We can get through this as long as we stand firm—and stand together."

"Don’t take this the wrong way, Ben, but that’s a load of poodoo." Vestara pivoted to stand back-to-back again. "In case you didn't notice the last hundred times we tried to leave the courtyard, we’re kind of outclassed here. No way are we getting past Abeloth to safe water."

"Probably not.” Ben tipped his head as far as he could toward Vestara, then whispered, "But we just have to hold on. Dad's on his way—I can feel him reaching out to me in the Force."

Vestara whispered, "Are you sure?"

"Would I lie about something like that?" Ben asked. "Trust me. He'll be here."

"When?"

"As soon as he can," Ben said. "I tried to let him know we're desperate."

"Well, that's something, I guess."

"It's hope," Ben replied quickly. "And hope is enough to get us through this . . . as long as we stick together."

Vestara fell silent for a moment, then said, "I'm with you, Ben. That's not going to chaaa . . . aaaigh!"

Vestara screamed as she stumbled back into Ben. He spun around instantly and found Abeloth already on Vestara, tentacles probing for her mouth and nose. Lacking a lightsaber or any other sort of weapon, Ben stepped into the melee and slammed a palm-heel into the center of Abeloth’s chest, at the same time hitting her with a panic-fueled blast of Force energy.

Abeloth went flying, doubled over, trailing a spray of bloody bile. Vestara recovered her footing and stepped forward into a fighting crouch, her arms raised and ready to attack, either hand-to-hand or with the Force. Ben found himself staring in amazement at the cone of red mist that Abeloth had left behind, surprised by the power of the Force blast he had just unleashed. He felt cold and queasy from the effects of so much dark-side energy, and had he not been so thoroughly dehydrated already, he probably would have vomited.

"Ben?" Vestara grabbed his arm and stepped in close, propping him up. "Are you okay?"

"I will be, as soon as I get rid of this rot inside," he said.

"Rot?"

Ben jerked a thumb toward the Font of Power. "The Force is corrupt this close to the fountain," he said. "All dark side."

Vestara turned toward the pillar of dark water. "We may have to use it anyway, Ben. The Force is all we have to protect ourselves with."

"No—it's like poison," Ben said. "We can’t use the Force until we get out of this fog."

Vestara shook her head. "You know that isn’t going to happen," she said. "That's why Abeloth is keeping us here. She's trying to corrupt us."

"We won't let her," Ben said. "We won't use the Force."

"Ben, we’re going to have to," Vestara said. "It's the only way to hold her off until your father arrives."

Ben fell silent. Just a small taste of the Font's dark side energies had convinced him that it would be better to die than to let himself be corrupted by its power. But of course, they wouldn't die. Abeloth would take them as her avatars, just as she had done with Callista and Akanah and countless others, and they would learn the literal meaning of a fate worse than death.

"Then we’re going to have to make a run for it," Ben said. "She can’t be in two places at once, so at least one of us should be able to get clear."

"And then what?" Vestara asked.

"And then we make sure that she doesn't make an avatar out of the one who falls behind," Ben said. "We've used the Force here before, so we know that the fountain's corruption doesn't extend for more than a few meters. Once we're both clear, we can fight with the Force again."

"So one of us is almost sure to die?" Vestara asked. "And the other one is going to have to do the killing?"

"Probably," Ben said. "But it has to be better than the alternative."

Vestara turned toward the Font. "That’s one way to look at it, I guess."

Ben frowned, unsure of what Vestara was suggesting. "If you have another way, I'm all ears."

"Maybe dying isn't the best thing." Vestara turned back to Ben and touched her hand to his chest. "Maybe there's a reason we're here . . . a reason that we were brought together in the first place."

Ben's frown grew deeper. "Like what?"

Vestara stepped back, as though his stern tone had pushed her away. "We need to follow the will of the Force, Ben."

"And you know what that will is?"

Vestara nodded, turned toward the Font of Power. “I think I do, Ben."

"I don't like where this is headed," Ben said, following her gaze. "Ves, you can't be serious."

Vestara continued to gaze into the Font's dark waters. "But I am, Ben. If we both drank, together we would be stronger than Abeloth—probably strong enough to destroy her." She reached out and took Ben’s hand. "And wouldn't that be the best thing for the galaxy?"

If anything, the steam had grown thicker. Ben was only five meters from the Font of Power, and he could tell its location only by the sound of its gurgling waters. Even Vestara, standing halfway between him and the fountain, looked more like a gray Force shadow than the woman he loved.

"Ves, we're not drinking," Ben said. "You saw what happened to Taalon after he fell into the pool. The same thing—or something even worse—will happen to us if we drink from the Font. You know that!"

"Maybe we're meant to change," Vestara said. "Abeloth is the Destroyer of Keshiri legend, and we're the Protectors, Ben—you and me. That's why the Force brought us together in the first place. We're the only ones who can stop her."

Ben shook his head. "Not by drinking from the Font." He stepped closer to Vestara and pointed toward the fountain behind her. "That thing is a dark side nexus—probably the most potent one in the entire galaxy. You don't use something that powerful. It uses you."

"So instead we let Abeloth just take us?" Vestara countered. "Use our bodies to raze the galaxy?"

"No, Ves—we fight back," Ben said. "But we do it without drawing on the font—without touching the dark side at all. That's the only way we don’t become the thing we're trying to destroy."

Vestara studied Ben with a look that was equal parts pity and admiration, then finally said, "You’re a noble fool, Ben." She turned away and started toward the fountain. "But I'm through discussing this. We can't beat Abeloth without the Font's power."

Ben remained where he was. “And you can't beat her alone, Ves."

He waited for her to glance back, or at least to hesitate. When she didn't, he turned away . . . straight into Abeloth.

Her tentacles were on him before he could cry out, entwining his body and pulling him close, slithering over his eyes and probing at his ears, sliding past his lips and into his mouth.

Ben bit down hard and felt a gristly tip about the size of his small finger come off. Immediately, his mouth was filled with a thin, foul-tasting oil. He exhaled fiercely, spewing both the tentacle tip and the rancid blood into Abeloth's bottomless eye sockets.

She only pulled him closer. A tentacle curled around the back of his neck, then slithered into his nose and started to ascend. He punched and kicked, slamming fists and elbows into her body and stomping at her legs, driving knees into her thighs and abdomen. But he was still too close to the Font to use the Force, and without the Force his blows were nothing to her. Abeloth took them all without flinching or groaning—with no reaction save a smile. The tentacle wormed its way up Ben's nose into his sinuses, and his face flared with unbearable pressure and pain.

"You will drink, young Skywalker, or you will serve me another way," Abeloth said, speaking in her multitude of voices. "That choice is the only—"

The threat came to a crashing end, and Abeloth's tentacle tore free as she went flying backward on a bolt of Force lightning as thick as Ben's leg. He dropped to his knees, his agony fading quickly. Blood poured from his nose.

Abeloth dropped to the ground about three meters ahead, limned in blue and still pinned against the cobblestones by the Force lightning. As she writhed, her tentacles were twining around themselves, coalescing back into arms. Her long golden hair grew silky and dark, her eyes became oblong and normal, and her skin darkened into the lavender tones of a Keshiri Sith.

Vestara came up beside Ben. Her hands were still extended toward Abeloth, pouring Force lightning into the fallen Keshiri.

"Ben?" Vestara asked. "Are you hurt?"

Instead of replying, Ben continued to kneel on the cobblestones, looking up at Vestara. Her hair and clothes remained relatively dry, and he saw no redness in her face or hands to suggest she had actually put them into the steaming waters and drunk. But as she continued to pour Force lightning into the Keshiri, he could feel the font’s dark energy flowing across the courtyard, swirling over him and through him, filling him with the cold queasy ache of its corrupting power.

"Ben?" Vestara asked again. "Answer me!"

"I’m fine," he said.

"Then get up!" Vestara said. There was a glow in her face, and Ben kept telling himself that it was not joy, that it had to reflect something other than the usual Sith thirst for power. "Together, we can kill Abeloth."

Ben spun on his knees and wrapped one arm around Vestara's legs. He rose to his feet, throwing her over his shoulders and using his free hand to catch her far arm and hold her in place.

"No." He started across the courtyard, away from the Font of Power. "Not like this, we can’t."

The Keshiri was trembling in agony. Greasy dark smoke was rising from a shoulder that had been so badly scorched it looked like a burned nerf roast. Her cheeks were hollow, her complexion was so wan it was pale blue, and her sunken eyes were rimmed in red.

But she was still standing, coming at them across the courtyard’s mossy cobblestones.

Even knowing what the woman was, Ben could barely believe his eyes. Vestara had hit her with a bolt of Force lightning powerful enough to take out a Canderous-class hovertank. Still, the avatar had returned to her feet the instant Vestara had been carried too far away from the Font of Power to continue drawing on its power. And now Vestara was standing at his side, shaking even worse than the Keshiri, her complexion still shadowed by its dark energy, her eyes dulled by Force overload.

When the Keshiri snatched her lightsaber off its belt hook and ignited its crimson blade, Ben was almost relieved. It was such a mundane threat that it made him think perhaps Vestara’s attack had driven out Abeloth after all—perhaps all they had to fight now was a simple Sith Lord.

Then the Keshiri spoke, and his hope evaporated. "We are done with patience," she said in a thousand voices. "Drink together—or die together."

Ben opened himself to the Force completely, shielding himself from the Font of Power’s darkness by drawing its energies through the power of all he loved in the galaxy, through his faith in the Jedi purpose and the promise of the future—through his confidence in Vestara and the sure knowledge that she would soon join him in the ranks of the Jedi Knights. The Force came pouring into Ben from all sides, irresistible and pure, a flood of light and purpose that no being in the galaxy could deny. He felt himself become the Force, a swirl of power and energy, and he focused all that he was on the approaching Keshiri, hitting her with a Force blast that would have knocked a frigate out of orbit.

The blast caught the avatar square in the chest and rocked her shoulders back at least a couple of centimeters. She paused almost noticeably before she took her next step.

Ben staggered back, exhausted, and nearly fell before Vestara's hand clamped around his biceps. She pulled him to his feet and began to retreat, pulling him toward the cloud of steam still enveloping the Font of Power.

"So, Ben, what was that supposed to be?" she asked. "The power of the light side?"

"You didn't do much better," Ben replied. He pulled his arm free and stopped a few meters outside the steam. "And you were drawing on the font."

"Yeah … because I'd kind of like to survive this," Vestara replied, reluctantly stopping with him. "What’s your point?"

"That we don’t have to surrender to her," Ben whispered. He glanced across the courtyard toward the ruined arcade, then used the Force to lift a section of broken pillar and bring it spinning toward the back of the avatar’s head. "We just have to work together."

There was no time for Vestara to waste with a witty reply. She simply raised her hands and unleashed another fork of Force lightning, this one far less powerful than when she had been drawing on the font’s power. The Keshiri's hand rose so fast that Ben barely even saw it move, and he realized their ploy could actually work—that even an avatar could fall prey to a tactical diversion.

The Keshiri caught the lightning bolt in the palm of her hand, and its white-hot energy dwindled to a spark. But the pillar kept coming, striking the back of her head with a sickening thud and sending a bloody spray of skull and brain all the way across the courtyard to splatter Ben and Vestara's legs.

The avatar did not instantly drop dead. She staggered a few steps forward, carried by the momentum of the impact, then raised her smashed head to reveal that one eye had been knocked free of the socket and was now dangling on her cheek.

The other eye fixed its gaze on Ben.

"Sheeka, Ben!" Vestara took a step away from him—not because she was abandoning him, Ben felt sure, but because it was the smart tactical move. "I think you really made her mad."

"Let’s make her even madder," Ben said, reaching out for another section of pillar. "Hit her agai … rrgh!"

The order came to a strangled end as he felt himself flying back into the arcade. His shoulders hit a pillar dead-center, folding so far backward that both shoulder blades touched stone. Then a tremendous crack sounded inside his skull, and his head exploded into dark pain. He felt himself sliding down the pillar toward the cobblestones below, and the last thing he saw was Vestara retreating toward the Font of Power, disappearing into the yellow steam with the avatar close behind.

Chapter Text

Abeloth's Planet; 44 ABY

Vestara spat a rather colorful Keshiri curse as she bounded into the sulfurous fog Abeloth had been using to tempt them to drink. Ben had been knocked out, and they were having little success together when they attacked Abeloth. Alone, she had to retreat to the Font to draw on its power.

As she entered its sphere of influence, Vestara could feel the flow of power from the Font. What Ben had said echoed in her mind about what it would do to them, but at this point it was a straightforward choice. Vestara simply didn't have the power to stop Abeloth and she would never allow herself to be taken as a host. She concentrated a virulent blast of violet energy into the Keshiri mass following her, hearing a pitched scream, as if coming from three voices simultaneously, before sprinting up to the Font.

An onyx basin crowned the plateau at the top and two crystalline goblets sat on the floor beneath the Font. Glancing behind her to make sure she wasn't going to be surprised from behind, she saw Abeloth's swirling mass of tendrils still writhing in pain. She grabbed the closest chalice and dipped it below the waters of the Font. The steaming water cooled immediately. Shadowy murk seeped from the bottom, giving the water in her cup a grayish tinge that looked rancid. Without stopping to ponder the change in the water, she drank deeply.

It started with a warmth, contrasting with the coolness of the water itself, filling her toes and fingers. It spread up her limbs and into her core. The warmth heated to a burning, a searing fire that forced her to cry out in agony and drop to one knee. Her cells felt like they were being separated by microscopic razors. The flame seemed to blaze for an eternity until she realized the fire had gone cold, and icy burn that was not unlike that which she felt on Dromund Kaas; fringed with the power of darkness. The cells were frozen back in place, her body seemingly retaking physical form.

She rose onto shaky legs to see Abeloth grinning madly up at her. "Daughter," The swollen mass of lavender tendrils hummed, "You have chosen."

Abeloth didn't even have a chance to react in shock as Vestara curled her hands into claws and hurled an angular chunk of stone from the rubble at her. As it rushed past, the former Sith apprentice supercharged the projectile with electric rage. It stuck like a battering ram, cracking bone and exploding in electric arcs.

Vestara had never before done anything so complicated. She'd heard of Sith Masters doing similar things, but she was so young. Yet, it had just come to her, the power to do it as she'd been told. With Abeloth writhing again at the base of the steps, Vestara moved back to the Font and was shocked at what she felt. It no longer was steeped in dark side energy, it sang with a luminosity that was pure. Summoning the second goblet from the ground, she dipped it into the water, just as she had done before. This time, a shimmering light flowed through the water into the cup, gleaming like a beacon. Holding the cup aloft, she ran down the steps to where she last saw Ben.

Ben was just coming around when he felt it approach, the power of the Font, dark and pulsing. He first thought he was being dragged back, but realized that he wasn't moving toward it, it was moving toward him.

"Ben!" He heard someone call, not seeing over the rocks that had fallen before him. He felt the darkness close in and prepared for the worst. When he saw her, he understood what she had done and it broke his heart.

"Ben," she called in a more quiet voice when she knew he saw her, and drew closer with a chalice filled with a glowing liquid. "Drink, it's okay, it's safe."

Ben focused on the cup and couldn't feel anything but light from within. He couldn't understand how it had lost the rot the dark side had imparted on the Font before. Now, the liquid was far more tempting. It was shadowed by the darkness radiating off Vestara, but the liquid itself wasn't corrupted.

Coughing from lack of water, Ben felt himself on the precipice, his decision would have far reaching consequences, he knew, just not what they would be. Vestara knelt down and brought the cup to his lips, "Drink, and we will stop her. Together."

He chose. Raising his own hand to tilt the chalice back, he felt the strength flow into him. Tepid in heat, the tingly sensation spread over his arms and skin, burning off impurities that had tainted him for years, his anger towards Caedus, the pain and despair from losing his mother, they all cleansed and refortified his stamina. It lacked Vestara's painful sheer from inferno to tundra, how the light could be used to temper the fiery rage and cold fury of the darkness.

Watching through the profane and mystical realms, Vestara could feel the change, it was beautiful. She'd gotten the powers inherent to her, the dark side, while Ben had gained the opposite. Together, they were both Sith and Jedi, arrayed against the upheaval of Abeloth.

Ben nodded, understanding her sentiment, though not realizing that it was not spoken aloud. The sudden change from Jedi to Sith on Vestara's part entirely lost on Ben as his focus was more on the amplification in his own strength. They still had a job to do and now it wasn't such a daunting one. Vestara smiled and lightly brushed her lips against his and hauled him to his feet.

Abeloth was pleased, it had taken a lot more work than she had envisioned, but she could feel it. Both children had drunk, she had them back, her children at last, her family at last. All the machinations and pain and suffering was worth it. They would join her and together they would wreak vengeance on the heretics who dare violate her avatars. True, her Daughter had struck her after the ascension, the change, but it was the nature of children to challenge their parents. The new Son would temper her outbursts.

Pulling back together a corpse was, perhaps, the most painful task Abeloth had underwent since the cursed Luke Skywalker had ripped out part of her essence on Nam Chorios. It wasn't so much the part where she had to stitch back muscle sinew or re-grow shattered bone though force of will, it was doing that while fighting on multiple planes of existence. Her bodies were under siege and this was the only safe one now. Her children would protect her, would become her instruments against the aggressors, sword and shield. She could feel them coming, awash in newfound power, coming to their Mother.

They strode over the crest of the hill together. Vestara, fists clenched, electric arcs of blue channeling up her arms, on the left. Ben, his own arms glowing a blinding white, on the right. Abeloth realized, belatedly, that she had indeed re-created the Son and Daughter, but only too perfectly. Like the ones of old, they united against her and suddenly her one safe avatar seemed to be the one in most danger.

The first attack had been one they'd spent the minutes it took to walk back charging. Vestara's attack, though backwashing up her arm, was a bolt that stuck from underneath Abeloth, tearing chunks of flesh off and searing the stumps. Ben's assault was secondary, and only after Abeloth's howl of rage. The throng of snake-like tentacles lunged for them—and subsequently crashed into a wall of Force energy.

Abeloth's injuries seemed to be leaking a black tar, but it reversed direction, flowing into her wounds. The ball of tendrils unfurled to show the upper body of the former Sith High Lady, Korelei, skull still split, but shimmering with pent up Force energy. The resulting pulse wave sent a ripple through the air as it compressed. It hit Ben and Vestara like a plasma charge, leaving them collapsed and smoking from the heat.

"You take the gifts I give you and use them against me?" Abeloth spat, voices echoing like a choir of the damned. "You'll both suffer for such insolence. I gave them to you, and I can rip them away."

The Keshiri arm lifted, obviously broken in multiple points, often at contrary angles, but the fingers hooked. The thumb, already broken, sliced through the lavender flesh. The flora of the jungle swelled and flowed at a rapid rate. Vines lashed out and stuck like whips while fungi belched sparkling green mist.

Ben and Vestara stood back to back as the plants closed in, raising a hybrid shield of lightning and light as they fought the voracious jungle attack. Lightning of violet and blue hues burned away the plant matter. Kinetic walls deflected spears of vines. Still, despite the steady defense, the forest grew faster than they could kill it. Their shield soon fell under the shadow of writhing vines with almond thorns ready to rip them apart.

From the courtyard, Abeloth was about to revel in victory over her traitorous children when she felt it. The avatar on Coruscant was slaughtered and ripped to pieces, leaving a gaping hole in her remaining two. Screeching in torment, Abeloth did the only thing she could do, she fled. The facsimile in Beyond Shadows was trapped, unable to run from Skywalker and the man of darkness. If she was to stay potent enough to return within a millennia, she needed to survive here. A duel was too risky, even if she had the upper hand. The lizard woman on Coruscant showed her that reading the future was no longer a sure thing.

Huddled in the shadow of the plants, Ben and Vestara noticed a significant slow in the growth and began to make headway in their attacks. Concentrating together, they blasted a pathway towards the Font of Power, only to emerge and see their target had fled.

They looked at one another briefly, and then ran in the direction the thick Keshiri blood led. The yellow fog had settled on the ground, leaving a thin layer of dust. They could feel Abeloth's trail through the underbrush and made haste to follow. They toppled trees left and right to prevent a repeat of the last time.

Abeloth moved like a snake, slithering through the jungle to flee her pursuers. She just saw the entrance to the Pool of Knowledge up ahead when the blast hit. It sang with darkness and wafted off shadow. It slammed into the Keshiri's upper torso, buckling her ribs inward to where her heart would be, if it hadn't been already taken out in a previous bout. It pinned her to the ground as she felt their approach.

The twisted and broken arms lifted and sent blinding arcs of white lightning at the pair. Ben stepped forward and caught the energy with his hands, channeling it though to Vestara, who sent it careening back into Abeloth with a noticeable amethyst tinge. Abeloth raged and fed her own stream with the pain she was receiving. The three of them were burning though Force energy, the likes of which few vessels could handle, unless they'd drunk from the Font of Power. Still, everything has limits. Ben could feel the effort starting to burn though his cells, feeding his redirection with himself. Vestara caught some of the incoming lightning with her other hand to alleviate Ben's burden.

Abeloth's chorus of screams cracked as she was forced to give up on her attack and focus on defense. Under normal circumstances, she could have outlasted them both in a direct fight, but today was not normal. Korelei's body was broken and maimed to the point where it couldn't fully count as a body any longer. With her avatar lost on Coruscant and the other being ripped and drained Beyond Shadows, her strength couldn't sustain everything at once.

As soon as Abeloth let up, Ben put his full focus on a downward push. Vestara kept up the lightning assault to occupy the Force entity. With a sharp thrust, a column of kinetic energy slammed from the sky like a hammer, indenting into the ground and issuing loud and wet cracks from Abeloth's form. Stunned by the attack, she could do nothing to block, redirect, or in any way lessen Vestara's next attack. Indigo energy grounded itself into the body, sizzling and burning its way though, severing nerve endings and scorching off muscle mass. With that final tether severed, Abeloth's intended scream came out as a gurgle, her consciousness being whiplashed back to Beyond Shadows for her last stand.

Ben and Vestara collapsed where they stood, their strength cut as they were no longer feeding their bodies on Force energy. Breathing deeply, they lay there for a few minutes until they could rise to their haunches. Vestara's yellow rimmed eyes faded as she gave a fleeting look to the cavern up ahead. They both knew what it was: the Pool of Knowledge. They had been here before, but from a different direction. Now it seemed to pull them both, drawing them in. Looking into one another's eyes, they helped each other up to their feet and started picking their way to the cave.

Chapter Text

Jedi Temple Medcenter, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

Ben finished his story in a monotone, his shining eyes glancing off to the side as if seeing what he'd just describe happen in real time. Given the unknown properties of the water in the Font of Power and Pool of Knowledge, Luke supposed that he could very well be seeing it.

"So now you know, Dad." Ben's eyes darted back to his father, locking in on his own normal ones. "Things have changed a bit since then, obviously," he said as he gestured to his shimmering blue eyes.

Luke wasn't sure what to say, he'd closely read Ben throughout the story for any signs of deception, but sensed only simple truth and it tore his heart, "Why did you do it, Ben?"

Ben shrugged slightly, barely disturbing the sheets that covered his lower form. "Not everyone thinks clearly in the heat of the battle, and we decided that Abeloth's destruction meant more than we did individually. Now we must see Ves, I told you what you wanted to know."

Luke still had reservations, but his son had fulfilled his part of the bargain. "Come with me."

They emerged from the hospital room to find Cilghal, Tekli, and four other Jedi healers standing in semi-circle around the room's hatchway. Luke raised his hand for pause and gestured for them to lower their weapons. "I know what you felt, but everything is okay. Cilghal, will you accompany us to the detention center? I have reason to believe that Vestara Khai is awake."

Glancing uneasily at Ben, most likely noticing his eyes, Cilghal gave the Mon Calamari equivalent of a frown, "Are you sure that's wise, Master Skywalker?"

"I know what it looks like, Master Cilghal, but it's not. We just need to see Ves." Ben said, "Please."

"He's explained part of the story to me, we just need to see Vestara to finish it. On the way down, Ben can fill you in on the first half." Luke said, easing some of the fears.

Cilghal nodded, another ersatz human motion, and motioned for Tekli to follow them.

Jedi Temple Detention Center Medical Wing, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

The turbolift was spacious enough to fit a dozen beings, so the four riders had ample space on the way down. The two healers listened in rapt attention as Ben gave a summary, as that was all the time they had, of what he'd already relayed to his father.

"This is fascinating, but I was given to understand that those two places were vortexes of dark side power," Cilghal said after Ben had finished.

"Yes and no," Ben said, tilting his head as he spoke, "They are both, but the dark must be consumed first."

"Can you explain that?" Luke finally asked, he'd listened in silence to the second retelling. He'd understood what had happened, but not yet why. He had a theory, somewhat alluded to by what Ben had just said.

"That's partially why we're here, Dad, we will explain."

"And the other part?"

"Because I must come."

The turbolift opened to the Temple's medical wing of the Detention Center, currently holding a single prisoner. They moved quickly to the cell holding Vestara Khai and paused when they noticed the lights had been shut off, normal for this time of day. Pale greens and blues shone from medical instruments around where the bed was, but within that void was nothing but solid black. As if they were turned on by the arrival of visitors, twin pinpoints of light flashed from where the headboard was supposed to be. Iridescent glows that burned a shade of red at the edges where Ben's eyes held blue.

"Let me out of here," snarled a vaguely female voice, though she could not possibly see past the one way mirror.

Cilghal touched an external control and the cells lighting flashed to hospital white, a burning fluorescent white to made everything seem colorless. Vestara Khai lay cuffed to her bed at both the wrists and ankles, hair hanging slightly over her face. Her pupils had dilated in the darkness leaving a thin ring of brown around the tiny stars at the dead center of her eyes. She hissed as the bright light burned her eyes and flinched away from the pain.

"Open the door," Ben said, "and please remove the ysalamir, you won't need them."

"Release me," Vestara spat from the cell, unable to know who was outside. The brown irises burned away to a radiation yellow. The red stars of light smoldered an oversaturated red.

Raising his eyebrows in disbelief, Luke shook his head. "You know I can't do that, Ben, she's dangerous, just look at her."

"Then at least open the door for now," Ben let out a frustrate sigh, "we'll get to the other part later."

The two Jedi Masters glanced at one another, a silent conversation possible only between close friends, before Cilghal depressed the cell lock, popping the door open. Ben was the first through the door and raced to the bed.

As soon as she saw him, Vestara's rage seemed to evaporate. The citrine coloring left her iris and the stars took on a more neutral red shine. The false smile her scar created surrendered to a genuine one as Ben sat on the edge of the bed and pressed his hand to hers.

Luke and the other Jedi entered more slowly and eyed the young pair warily, there was far too much familiarity there, especially with what they knew about Vestara's last acts on Coruscant. Clearing his throat politely, Luke took one of the visitor seats lined across from the bed. Cilghal and Tekli joined him, the former holding an emergency comlink should they need assistance.

"I think it's time for some explanations," Luke said after Ben and Vestara looked up at him.

"Yes, Master Skywalker," Vestara's voice had lost its anger, "We will explain what we can."

"I already told them what we did, Ves." Ben said, and she nodded in understanding.

"But not how you were able to derive such different effects from the waters," Luke said.

"The first thing you must understand, Master Skywalker," Vestara began, after glancing at Ben and receiving a confirming dip, "is neither the Font of Power—"

"—Nor the Pool of Knowledge are inherently light or dark. They are both, shelled upon one another," Ben finished.

Luke had the unsettling sensation that they were finishing each other's sentences, which was quite impossible, more so without being able to access the Force. He shook his head, "You forget that I've been to both and they're steeped in dark power."

Both Ben and Vestara nodded judiciously, and Luke was somewhat dismayed to see them holding hands. Ben answered, "Yes, and it would be if one alone used either."

"But that world and its sites are created on the concept of balance, Master Skywalker. One is not balance, one is corruption, one is chaos." Vestara said, so calm despite the earlier outburst. Her voice had taken on a lecturing tone similar to Ben's own.

"Ben said something about that before we came in here, what did you mean?"

Ben and Vestara turned toward one another and seemed to converse silently for a few seconds. "They are both light and dark—" Ben started.

"—But cannot coexist in one person—"

"—Balance requires one light and one dark—"

"—Or the warring sides within create chaos."

Cilghal glanced nervously over to the Grand Master. Having two beings complete multiple parts of the same sentence was never a good sign, no matter the circumstance. Luke had his brow set in consideration, as if trying to phrase the next question properly.

"And you took the dark power?" Luke asked, indicating the former Sith apprentice.

"Yes, so Ben would have the light." Vestara smiled slightly "Together we are balance. Together we will keep balance."

Luke rose and indicated for Tekli and Cilghal to follow him. Ben quirked an eyebrow in question before turning back to Vestara.

Outside Medical Detention Cell #3, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

The cell door slid shut, cutting off Ben and Vestara from overhearing the three Jedi outside. For the first time the worry Luke had been feeling finally broke the surface. "What do you think?"

Cilghal paused to collect her thoughts, "I have no real basis to draw any conclusions. We clearly didn't detect any physical changes before they woke up."

Tekli lifted a hand in question, "Perhaps we must see the change in the Force?"

"Is that safe?" Luke asked, "We already know the obvious changes, but perhaps we should run tests with Ben first, he would be the safer of the two to take outside, especially as he was before we came down here."

Cilghal locked eyes with the Grand Master, "Will he leave? From what I've seen he worked very hard to get into the same room with her."

Not liking the implication, Luke thinned his lips. "Let's find out, shall we?"

Inside Medical Detention Cell #3, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

"They're talking about running tests on you," Vestara said, intertwining her fingers with Ben's, "so they won't have to let me out."

Feeling relaxed for the first time since awakening, Ben shifted his eyes to her own, crimson and cerulean stars meeting, "Yes, but they don't understand."

"How could they? They didn't see what we saw."

"They didn't feel what we felt."

"Or know what we must do."

The doorway slid open, and Luke was dismayed to see Ben and Vestara whispering to one another, with Ben turned away from the wall-length one-way mirror and Vestara staring intently into it. He had the strangest sensation that they knew what he and Cilghal had just talked about, but just as the other things that had disquieted him, it was clearly impossible while they were all still within the ysalamiri bubble.

"I think it's been a long day, why don't we all call it a night and start again tomorrow?" Luke asked after they both looked to him.

"Dad, we need to let Ves out," Ben stated forcefully.

"You know why we can't do that, Ben, we still don't understand what's happening to the two of you," Cilghal stepped in smoothly, "But if it would make you feel better, I think we can remove the restraints for tonight."

"You can't hold us prisoner." Ben said.

The Chada-Fan tilted her head in question. "We aren't holding you, Ben, but we must take precautions with Ms. Khai."

Ben took Vestara's hand in his own and spoke vehemently. "What is done to one, it done to the other."

Cilghal gave a sidelong look to Luke, there wasn't much they seemed to be able to do short of forcibly removing Ben from the cell. Vestara gave a small squeeze to Ben's hand. "It's okay, I'll still be here in the morning," she said softly. "Just don't keep a girl waiting."

Luke firmed his lips, something else must have happened on that planet. Ben's story, while indicating that they worked together well, gave nothing to show why they seemed even more inseparable now. He would need to tell Ben about what Vestara had done, her attack on the Falcon and revelation of Allana's true identity. Han had been furious when he found out she was captured, he'd wanted her shipped off for Hapan justice.

"You heard her, Ben," Luke said. He may not like how the situation had been resolved, but wasn't going to force the issue at this point. "We should get going."

With one last look, Ben followed his father and the two healers out solemnly. Cilghal had paused to remove the restraints, so by the time they were all outside the cell, Vestara was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking toward the mirror. Luke was surprised to note the aurulent coloring had returned to her eyes, though she wasn't nearly as angry as she had been before seeing his son.

The turbolift let off Cilghal and Tekli at the Medcenter, Ben and Luke stayed to continue on to the general sleeping quarters. A silence had fallen on the group. Luke and the healers unwilling to discuss the situation with Ben there and Ben so obviously wishing to have stayed in the Detention Center. Now they were alone, Luke decided now was as good a time as any to break the news to Ben. It would hurt no matter when he heard it, and he was almost certainly going to find it out on his own soon enough. Han wasn't very reserved in his opinion about it all.

"We need to talk about Vestara, Ben."

Sparkling azure eyes shifted slightly, but stayed rooted to the floor. "You want to tell me what you think will change things between her and I, but they won't."

"How can you be so sure?" Luke asked, Ben was rarely so blatantly sure of himself.

"Because she already told me, and because I already know what you're going to say." He sounded tired again, as if he'd already had this conversation before.

Luke's steps faltered and he came to a stop next to his son. "How do you know what I am going to say?"

Ben seemed to struggle to put the thought into words. "There are . . . points in time, fixed points that will happen in one form or another no matter what we do. This is more obvious than others, as I'd undoubtedly learn somewhere what Ves did, her attack on the Falcon and Allana. The Pool of Knowledge shows those points, we saw them coming. Or see them coming, depending on your point of view."

"And you don't have a problem with what she did?" Luke asked, it would be best to leave the part about fixed time points till later, yet another issue to bring up to the Masters.

"Of course I do," Ben said, but there was no fire behind the words, "but I also understand why she did it. Furthermore, it's somewhat of a moot point. Allana's identity would have come out eventually, far sooner than we'd hoped."

"A 'moot point?' Bazel Warv died in that attack," Luke couldn't understand the acceptance Ben was showing, he'd gotten angry for less before, at the minor betrayals, but not this?

They reached Ben's room and he keyed in his pass-code. "Yes, but he would have regardless if Ves had led it or not. The Sith would have gone through the hatch and attacked anyway."

Luke shook his head. "What else happened on that planet, Ben? I can't help but feel you've left something out concerning why you're suddenly so trusting with Vestara Khai."

"Of course I'm leaving something out, Dad." Ben gave a sad smile, "But not because of anything sinister. You're not supposed to know, or it will change things, things that must happen for there to be stability."

Ben entered his room, leaving Luke to stare at the closed door for a few seconds. He definitely had things to discuss with the Masters.

Inside Medical Detention Cell #3, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

Vestara paced the sparse cell. It was one thing to understand what would happen, but so different to be forced to experience it in real time. Some things she hadn't expected to happen. When she was alone, cut off from Ben by the accursed ysalamiri bubble, her anger raged. Seeing him had seemed enough, but now she was alone. It was hard to not lash out at something, knowing that it would do nothing to help her cause, and go a long way to hurting it. Her eyes burned a yellow she knew would make any Jedi pause, but she couldn't help it.

It seemed Ben had been right about the rot from the Font, and she'd gotten it all. Taken in the poison and now it simmered under her surface. But it wasn't always like that, she was normal when she was with him. His light to temper the dark. She didn't fully understand the connection, despite their glimpses of the future and past. On one level, she hoped she wouldn't need to be tethered to Ben for the rest of her life to stay sane now. She certainly wouldn't be handling herself nearly as well as he undoubtedly was, if it had been him trapped here and she had access to the Force. On another level, she didn't want to be separated again.

Things had changed, perhaps for the better. She no longer longed to rejoin the Sith, the desire had died at the Pool, what she'd seen, what they'd seen, had been so much more. Could they do it? Could they be what it showed?

She laid back in the bed and dialed down the light. In the darkness, her star-like eyes illuminated her hands in a blood-shine red, nearly identical to the color her lightsaber had given off. Her lightsaber; what had happened to it? Ah, it had been taken at the Temple. She very much hoped to get it back, but that brought on a small pang of guilt: Ben.

He had been destined to be a great Jedi, probably to succeed Luke one day as Grand Master. But he lost that when they drank, his life altered irreparably. She'd gotten a life so much better than what she would have otherwise. Had they not drunk, what would she have had left? Her life with Ben would have been over, no doubt she'd be imprisoned for what she had done, what she'd been, not unlike how she was now, only more permanent. Either that, or live life on the run, trying to scrape out a life on unknown worlds while trying to duck Jedi and Sith alike who would want her dead. Alone and friendless and abandoned, definitely not the life she would want.

Vestara rolled to her side and flexed her hand. She'd gotten a new lease on life, while Ben lost his future. Ben should resent her for that, she knew, but he didn't. It just wasn't the kind of person he was. She closed her eyes, slightly wet with tears, and waited for morning.

Chapter Text

Nearby The Pool of Knowledge, Abeloth's Planet; 44 ABY

"What are we going to do, Ves?" Ben asked as they trekked through the treacherous undergrowth. They were both being drawn to the Pool, for reasons unknown to them. They had just fought the most draining battle they'd ever participated in and still had the vigor to keep walking. The powers from the Font were even more potent than they'd thought.

"We're going to do whatever it is we have to," Vestara huffed. They might still be walking, but each step left her winded, "If there's another Abeloth up there, we need to finish it off while we can."

Nodding his agreement, Ben looked sidelong at his companion. "How do you feel, Ves?"

"Like I just went toe to toe with a Force Goddess and mopped the floor with her," she quipped, "You?"

Ben chuckled, but it subsided after only a few beats. "You feel dark, Ves, really dark."

She slowed and stopped. Sighing softly, she turned to him. "It's who I am, Ben. I wanted to be different. Different for you, different because of you, but I can't change it. I always go back to the darkness, to the Sith way of doing things."

"You don't have to."

"But I always do. Just look at what the Font gave us. It gave you what you already had within you, and it gave me what I had." Vestara twisted away to look back where they came from, where they knew the Font of Power rested. "I want to be with you, but I can't join you like you want to. I don't think I'm evil, I actually rather like what the Jedi do, I just can't do it like them."

"You've made good choices so far," Ben said after a pause, "You were fighting with the Jedi to retake our Temple. That's not a Sith thing to do, to put yourself at risk for others."

Vestara gave a short and self-loathing laugh, "You think anything I did was selfless? I did horrible things, selfish things, because I'm not what you want me to be."

"Things like?"

"You'll hate me for them, and maybe you should. Maybe I don't deserve love."

"Maybe you should let me decide that. You don't get to choose if someone loves you or not."

Vestara went over to the nearest outcropping of rock and sat, holding her arms out before her, head down. "I killed Natua Wan."

"What?"

Playing with a twig she'd plucked from the ground, Vestara refused to meet his eyes. "You'd lost your mask in the caves when the Rhak-skuri attacked. It was going to take you, but I wouldn't let it." She said in an emotionless tone, as if she were talking about it happening to someone else, "I didn't think Natua and I could defeat it and save you . . . so I cut off her mask and let the creature take her instead."

She could feel his sorrow, especially knowing he'd blamed himself for not being able to protect her, only to find that was all too true, but from the wrong thing. "You know what you did was wrong, Ves, otherwise you wouldn't feel like you do about it."

"Was it? Given the same situation, I would do it again, because you're more important to me than she was, you always were." She sent an electric charge through the branch, cracking it asunder with a pop.

"What else?"

Looking sharply up, she knotted her brow in confusion. "What do you mean 'what else?'"

"You said horrible 'things,' not thing."

A small tug at the edge of her lip. "I could have meant what I did and lying about it, that would qualify as 'things,' you know."

"But that's not what you really meant."

"No."

"Then why not tell me all of it now, it won't get any better in time."

She have a heavy sigh, she really didn't want to admit this. "I never intended to be a Jedi, Ben. In the beginning, I did, I wanted it, but when what happened at Upekzar . . . happened, I knew I couldn't be." Vestara said softly, "I stayed with the Jedi so I could be sure all the High Lords were dead, they would have come after me for killing Taalon and, well, to spend as much time with you as I could before my actions came to light."

"About pretending to be a Jedi?"

"Initially, yes, but I could have kept up that charade for some time. What I did during the assault on the Temple, not so much. I doubt I'll make it off this planet if it isn't in stun cuffs because of that."

Ben had taken everything so far standing, but he had a feeling that what was coming next would be the worst of all, and that was saying something when the other choices included 'murder.' Ben found his own rock-seat, "It's about the Millennium Falcon, isn't it? That's what Abeloth was talking about."

"Yes, I was trying to escape the Temple when we'd gotten separated. I thought I wouldn't be a priority, I didn't know Abeloth especially wanted me." Vestara said, as she nudged a small pebble in the dirt. "I was trapped just at the exit hatch when they caught me. I needed to save my own skin, so I claimed that I was still working on the mission Taalon assigned me, to find the Jedi Queen."

"No, you didn't, Ves."

"I told them that it was Allana Solo, Tenel Ka's daughter, masquerading as Amelia Solo." Vestara gave a melancholy sigh, "They were pleased and it just so happened that when the escape hatch opened, the Falcon was there. They had me lead the charge, but I was still brought to Abeloth in the end."

That one had hurt more than the others, she'd given important information to not only the Sith but ultimately the rest of the galaxy. Allana would never again be just the 'daughter' of Han and Leia, she'd be forever defined as the Chume'da of Hapes. Ben was surprised he wasn't more angry, the Font's cleansing power seemed to be continuous, not letting anger at the betrayal get in to darken his purity. Or maybe it wasn't so simple, he'd always had an unusual amount of forgiveness for her. "Do you regret it? Any of it?" He asked, hoping to hear the answer he wanted.

"I suppose lying at this juncture would be counterproductive, Ben." Vestara gave a sad smile, "I wish none of it had happened, I wish the situations hadn't come up, but I can't say I regret what I did because at the time I did what I thought I had to, whether it was to save you or myself."

"I wish I could understand why, because I can't." Ben rose and resumed their walk to the Pool.

For a moment her eyes swam with regret, she knew he'd reject her for what she was. She'd done so much for him, and not all of it good, but love just wasn't enough. Maybe it was just one more thing to feed her new power. Emotion was the fuel, it didn't really matter if it was love or pain, did it?

"I don't hate you, Ves, but some of your choices do bring me pain." Ben called from up ahead, as if he'd known her thoughts, "And you do regret it, you just said it yourself. You just need to act knowing that you may not like what you've done later. If you think about that, you'll do a lot less bad and more good."

Just as quickly as the pain had welled, Vestara felt a ray of hope. It was small, a pinprick, but there nonetheless. She'd bared her soul of the wrongs she'd done, but he'd not abandoned her. Maybe things could work out after all, she just needed to figure out a way to stay in Ben's life without ever encountering his Aunt, Uncle, Father, Cousin, basically any relatives, and she'd be fine.

"As if that's going to happen," Ben called from further ahead, "Are you coming or  not?"

Vestara couldn't help ut grin and sped up to catch Ben.

She knew she shouldn't ask, that it didn't really matter why he forgave her, only that he did, but she had to know. She just couldn't fathom how he could be so . . . good in the face of her constant betrayals. How he could see a light when no one else had seen anything but darkness. "Why?" She asked simply, trusting him to understand the full impact of the question, something uniquely Ben.

He shrugged easily, "I've seen a lot in my time, done things I wish I shouldn't have. I was apprenticed to one of the most destructive Sith Lords in the galaxy for a time and saw how easy it is to fall to rationalizations, till they're all you have left and nothing that meant anything means anything any longer. But that's not an answer, really it's just who I am, Ves."

They moved swiftly though what was left between them and the Pool of Knowledge. The plant life seemed to be dying, at least anything directly associated with Abeloth. It grew a pale waxy yellow and leaked viscous liquid. The normal fauna seemed to welcome the change, as they had been struggling to survive in the hostile landscape for untold generations. The creatures skirted through the underbrush without the lashings of carnivorous flora snapping after them.

Ben and Vestara could feel the fatigue in their bones as they reached the mouth of the cave. They'd, of course, been here before, but something was different. The white marble of the Pool glistened in the darkness, calm water was like a layer of glass over the bottom. Clear and crisp as the most expensive crystal, with nothing to disturb it. That was the problem.

They'd both felt the calling to come, it was powerful, but there was no one here, just the Pool.

"What do you think it means?" Ben asked.

"I don't know, could it be something to do with the Pool itself?" Vestara was uneasy, she remembered Ben's words about the Pool when they were tempted by the Font. Still, that had turned out well, all things considered, didn't it?

"I hope not, we don't exactly have fond memories of this place, you and I." Ben mumbled, but walked closer to the edge.

He peered over the edge into the still waters. The image rippled, though the water didn't. He saw himself, much as he had before, older and more experienced. Vestara walked up beside him and looked down, too. She had joined Ben in the vision, hands intertwine. Their other hands held scales, the kind used to crudely measure weight. Ben's glowed white and gold as Vestara's was silver and shadowed. They looked closer and the Vision-Ben and Vision-Vestara smiled wide grins, too wide for human faces. Their eyes were dark and held small sparks of light they both recognized all too well. At the feet of the vision pair lay a sickly snake with the same mouth, though this one in grimace, and eyes, though they looked to be in pain. tangled yellow hair framed the worm's head and it struggled to get out from beneath their feet. Behind them, war raged, but nothing tipped the scales, there was balance in the universe. Order risen from the chaos, but an order that demanded struggle.

On the Vision-Ben's side, the Jedi raised monuments and Temples to house the future. Luke Skywalker reigned from a high tower, pulling up beings in Council chairs to govern, sharing power to strengthen the Jedi. Vision-Vestara's side were ruins and tombs, but yellow eyes looked out from the darkness. A man in Vonduun crab armor, tainted with corruption, sat on a throne of skulls as tattooed Chagrians, Twi'leks, and other species prostrated themselves to their master. Neither the of their vision duplicates seemed to care, they looked at one another and kept the scales level. Their clasped hands were gripping a sword, whose handle materialized when their hands touched it. They both plunged the dagger into the Abeloth snake. The maggot screamed and curled up around the blade. In death, it posed no more threat to the balance. A white throne rose from Abeloth's corpse and a little girl cuddled a nexu on it, as beings of all kinds clustered around.

Ben and Vestara, the present ones, stumbled back, surprised to find they had been holding hands much like the ones in the vision, though lacking the ornate blade. "What do you think it means? What does all that have to do with us?" Ben asked.

"I'm not sure, but I certainly liked the part where we end Abeloth for good." Vestara snorted, "Why do you think our eyes were like that?" Both moved at the same time to look at the other's, only to find nothing different about them.

"Well, we know that Taalon had those lights when he fell into the Pool here, could it mean we're supposed to do that?"

"Minus the falling in part, I'd hope."

"I don't know, I could push you in and run for my life."

They were smiling again, as if the talk they'd had before entering didn't matter. Now that Ben thought about it, it really didn't. He'd always feel what he did regardless of what she did, just as she'd always do what she thought needed to be done, despite what he'd feel. The pull from the Pool was increasing.

"If we do it, we do it together," Vestara said firmly.

"Yes, together and always," Ben gave a shy smile, "so we can stop the other from doing something too stupid."

Vestara gave him a playful swat through the Force before offering the crook of her arm. "We can't change our destiny, but maybe we don't have to. I didn't not like what we saw, we were together."

Ben moved to take it, but faltered. "What about Dad? He was lonely without me."

Vestara's gaze softened. "I didn't see anything in there saying you couldn't be close to him, Ben, and even if it did, you always say we have a choice."

Looking out over the still waters, Ben seemed to come to a decision. "Okay, Ves, let's see what destiny has in store for us."

With their arms intertwine, they took a tentative step into the Pool. Ripples expanded out, disturbing waters that had not been broken since Taalon's fall. They were ankle deep and felt nothing special. Knee-deep they could feel a slight tingle. When they were in up to their waist, the pulse of the Pool timed with their own blood pulse, which had synchronized. They went to take another step, but the stair dropped off, a sheer fall to the bottom. Both Ben and Vestara were well under the water, the Pool had to be at least three meters deep.

Their eyes had closed as soon as they felt the drop, but now opened them as one. The water didn't sting, but they saw things move about in the liquid, as if the aquatic environment was a three-dimensional holodrama. Governments rose and fell, people were born and slain in a blink of an eye. They watched the fall of the Jedi Order before the Empire, the Shadow that had pulled the strings. The Shadow's fall was far, it was banished far beyond 'normal' evil. They saw their fathers both take their places as Force masters. Before that, they witnessed the first Jedi fall to the Dark, how it sparked a 5,000 year war that culminated to them here and now. Everything. They could see how it all fit together, they could see how they fit together.

As one, the past and future blurred, but they experienced their own lives, though one another's eyes. Ben using a glass blade to slaughter First, a helpless girl, and praised for his actions. Vestara going with her cousin to stop Centerpoint Station. He, knuckling under his father's drive to be the best, to make his family name proud. She, protected by a loving mother and father who came from such different backgrounds. Ben striking down his father after it was clear he'd abandoned the Tribe. Vestara losing her mother, killed by her cousin in cold blood. His love for her, her love for him, the two of them together bound by Fate in a silver and gold tether.

Knowing each other in the most intimate way possible, but neither judging nor scorning, they turned to the future. What would be done, needed to be done, had been done already. Ten Jedi searching for an artificial planet, their mission one of grave importance. The rise of a new Sith, at the same time many, but only one. A descendent, blade glowing, opposing the Yuuzhan Vong-like Sith. And there, rising from fragments, with yellow hair and wide lips a tentacle reaching to strangle the galaxy. Reach forward, out through time to them.

The lavender appendage lashed out from the vision and took corporeal form, wrapping itself around Ben's neck. Vestara felt as if it were on her, too, both struggled frantically to get it off. Vestara grabbed it tightly and sent an electric surge through the water. She, Ben, and the attacking limb tensed as the Pool took the power and amplified it. For the first time since entering the Pool, neither of them could breathe. The ringlet let go and they swam to the surface. Braking the surface of the water, the crawled up the steps and lay there.

What little might they had mustered to come this far has been sapped. They stayed motionless as their auras pulsed with light and dark, mixing to balance, but neither seeking the upper hand as the water dried.

Chapter Text

Lake of Apparitions, Beyond Shadows; 44 ABY

She was so very weak, her bodies destroyed, avatars lost to insects that didn't deserve to worship at the feet of the Beloved Queen of the Stars. She slithered along the surface of the Lake, barely visible, nearly transparent, leaking oily smoke and trailing soot in her wake. She needed an advocate, someone to spread the pain and fear that she needed to recover. She was trapped here, on this realm, unable to interact and influence the other directly. A prisoner of her own creation.

She glided her silvery eyes over the faces before her, some aware, others not, all dark in nature. Her gait took her to the edges of the Lake, where those who'd suffer the worst were kept. Alchemists who'd crafted monsters that violated the very laws of nature, Sorcerers who used arcane rituals to do things from destroying entire solar systems to draining the life out of worlds. No one was spared here, and they all resided in their cells for eternity. That is, unless someone freed them.

Abeloth stopped before an especially decayed cell, inside the furrowed face sneered up at her. ochre eyes glowing from beneath lids. He'd not only defeated Skywalker in the past, but his name was still spoken in whispers in the halls of government for what he'd done. This one could do, but was volatile. She needed someone more controllable, but just as dedicated to the destruction of enemies, her enemies. She turned away, not noticing that the eyes opened behind her, watching. Chains of pot metal rolled beneath his face, the prison ropes of Jedi he'd killed at the end of the Clone Wars and beyond.

And then she came upon her knight, or perhaps 'Prophet' would be more apt given his former life. Weak as she was, violating a prison here was still within her reach. She lowered herself to the water's surface, needle teeth stretched in a grin. The face was unknown to practically everyone, aged and withered from the decay brought about by heavy use of the dark side. "Open your eyes, for me."

The face squirmed, as if it had trouble breathing for a moment, and rose to the surface. As it broke, a layer of smoke formed about it, crowning the now faceless head in crescent mantle. Stars sparkled in the haze, silver and tiny like her own eyes. Slits formed for the shade's own vision and he spoke in a synthesized voice.

"Why have you disturbed my slumber?"

Abeloth suppressed a frown, was that any way to treat a goddess, much less one who would be giving him the honor of serving her? A pale feeler lashed out and wrapped around his neck, the rest of his body faded beneath the waters. "To serve me." She hissed.

"I serve none but the Dark, nothing but eternal destruction." The voice seemed to come from both the bass amalgamation and a frail old man.

"Destruction works for me, and revenge against an old friend of yours: Luke Skywalker." Abeloth loosened her tendril's grip, it was draining to exert her will here.

The slits widened and the bass tone took over completely. "Skywalker?" It hissed.

"And his son."

From under the smoky shell, the cracked lips spread into a sinister smirk and she knew she had him. "What is it you wish me to do?" The Shadow rumbled.

"Spread chaos, misery, despair in your wake." The needle grin spread, "Make those who rejected me pay for their transgression."

"As you wish."

She resumed her full height and her ringlet arms pumped a thick black tar into the water. It boiled and steamed. There were six loud cracks, gates being pried open through absolute will. When it was all over, the cell was empty, drained of water and its detainee. Abeloth collapsed from the effort, she'd just extended her exile for another decade, if her knight wasn't successful.

Over in the far corner, the sulfurous eyes continued to watch, gathering information like a spider at the center of a web. Escape was possible. He just need the right incentive to do it.

Jedi Temple Sleeping Quarters, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

The light had barely broken the horizon when Ben was at his door. Luke was always an early riser, but his son tended to follow the typical teenage template of sleeping well into noon. Today, however, he arrived just as Luke was finishing his morning meditation, a wild fervent look in his eyes. Eyes, Luke was sorry to see, that still held tiny specks of light.

"She has done something," Ben said as soon as his father opened the door to his quarters.

Unable to fathom just what his son could be referring to, it may have been early but his mind wasn't groggy, Luke quirked an eyebrow. "She?"

"Abeloth," Ben said, and Luke couldn't help but feel a whisper of despair skirting the edges of his mind. She was more durable than anything he'd ever fought before, and just kept coming back.

Waiting for a few seconds, as if he expected his father to say or do something further, Ben jerked his head back to the exit. "Come on, Dad, we need to go see Ves."

Luke suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, "We've been over this, Son, we can't let her out, she's too dangerous."

"I know you're not ready to do that yet, but the sooner you run your tests on me, the sooner she will be. I just need to see her first."

Luke walked over to his dataport and looked back over his shoulder. "Why don't you go ahead, I'll send word down for them to expect you. I need to have a word with the Masters." By the time Luke looked back, Ben was already gone.

Council Chambers, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

Luke looked around the make-shift chamber, they hadn't really gotten much time to convert Shedu Maad's Academy into a full-fledged base of operations. All the Masters were present, though most only though hologram. Jaina, newly appointed master and currently on her honeymoon, was the first to speak up. "I'm really glad to hear Ben's finally woken up, how's he doing?"

Luke and Cilghal shared a quick look, which spoke volumes to everyone else. Only the two of them knew, but it was time to change that. "Ben . . . " Luke paused, trying to phrase it properly, "isn't quite himself, Jaina. Actually that's why I called this meeting, we need to decide what we're going to do."

Saba Sebatyne's tail twitched, but Corran Horn spoke up first. "Master?"

"What Master Skywalker is trying to say is there seem to be some alterations," Cilghal spoke up, the Council's resident healer, "as a result from drinking and bathing in the Font of Power and Pool of Knowledge respectively."

The shock radiated through the other Masters, and was clearly visible on the faces of those who attended via projection. Jaina's shock had more of a poignant vein. "I was afraid something like that might have happened," she said. "I explained that I found them by the Pool, but they appeared dry. I had hoped it was just a coincidence."

Octa Ramis turned to Luke. "What kind of changes?"

"His eyes now appear to be similar to Abeloth's and Taalon, after he fell into the Pool." Luke shifted uneasily. "He's also been able to know what I'm thinking to an unusual degree. We haven't had time to conduct further tests."

"He also had developed a rather strong attraction to Vestara Khai, who also seems to be sharing the changes Ben is undergoing." Cilghal said, "Though we have yet to remove the ysalamiri since she awakened, so we have no way of knowing if she shares Ben's telepathic prowess."

After the Mon Calamari healer mentioned Vestara, Jaina's frown swiftly morphed into a scowl. "Has anyone told him what she did? The damage she's caused?"

"He seems to already know," Luke said quietly, "And still wants the ysalamiri removed from her cell."

Now other Masters were frowning. Tionne Solusar looked at her husband and back. "What exactly are you asking us to do, Master Skywalker."

Luke looked tired, as if he hadn't gotten much sleep last night, in fact he hadn't. "I don't know. I fear I'm too close to the situation to be able to make a completely objective decision."

With that, he described the events already relayed to he and Cilghal the other day by Ben as to what happened on Abeloth's planet. By the end of the meeting, they'd reached a decision, one they couldn't be sure was the right one, but saw no practical alternative that didn't involve drastic measures.

Somewhere in the Mindor Asteroid Field; 44 ABY

He found himself afloat in deep space. Had he flesh and blood, it would be a most unpleasant death sentence, one he'd passed on subordinates in the past. Now it was a mere inconvenience. Why he returned here was a mystery, but it was unfortunate. At one time, this location had been the base of a carefully laid trap to gain life anew, a failed attempt. But now, this entire system was a ruin. Asteroids all that was left from his Gravity Bombs.

Still, there was life scattered in and among those rocks of ice and metal. No doubt pirates hiding from whatever law enforcement the New Republic sent to patrol this desolate wasteland. Reaching out, he slowly began to drift to the largest concentration of life, a command ship of some kind.

Being the leader of a pirate organization was actually a rather stressful endeavor. Control had been more or less in charge of the Cavrilhu pirates long before he'd officially taken over, but it did serve as a useful test bed for stepping into the limelight. What Zorthip had never understood, what few pirate leaders did, was that successful piracy required a technical mind, and Control had one.

After the falling out they had with the Imperial Remnant and Disra, coinciding with Captain Zorthip's murder at the hands of a Mistrl Shadow Guard, the Cavrilhu pirates needed to relocate. For too long they'd been based in the Amorris system. Control had his eye on the Mindor asteroid belt for years, as a safe back-up, should they ever need it. The residual spectral jamming of the area, due to large deposits of Meltmassif, and tie that in with the horror stories of the system's former occupant, a warlord by the name of Shadowspawn, and it was perfect for a base.

Control had big plans for his reemergence from exile. He'd spent the past year stockpiling ships and weapons. It was in his office aboard the command dreadnaught cruiser, Pugilist, that Control sat hunched over a holographic representation of his armada. A coordinated effort against the nearby shipping lanes would net a hefty profit.

When his office door slid aside, Control was somewhat surprised to see his guards escorting junior communications officer, Cordy Herf, inside. Control looked to the guard on the left. "Rav? What's going on?"

Instead of answering, the muscled sarkan rippled its scales in agitation and glanced at the small human he and the other guard flanked.

"I'm afraid, it's my fault," Herf shrugged nonchalantly and took the seat opposite Control's desk, "I just needed some of your time."

Control scowled, he wasn't nearly as obsessed with protocol as Zorthip had been, but this bordered on insolence, and one couldn't let such things go unpunished. "You have it now, what is it, boy?" Control would have gone further, but something in the back of his mind made him pause, like a primal fear instinct, at what he couldn't fathom. Cordy Herf was just a kid, nothing particularly impressive, though he had a knack for communications, hence his position.

"He is rather spineless, isn't he?" Herf continued as if he saw Control's thoughts written on his face, "I admit not my first choice, but one must work with what one has."

The hair on the back of Control's neck seemed to stand on end and the shiver he'd felt earlier made its way to his stomach. "What are you talking about? What is the meaning of this?"

"I'm having something of a coming out party, funny when looking back my life in this realm both ended and will begin here." Herf sounded wistful, far too much for the inexperienced tech Control knew him to be. "But enough nostalgia, I need information and, as you so inelegantly pointed out, this child doesn't have much in his head besides transistors and nodes."

Herf rose and snapped his fingers. The two guards that had entered with him jumped as if struck with a live wire. They grabbed Control's arms and held him fast. Control could feel a slight pressure in his head, which he attributed to the incomprehensible dream he must be having.

Herf walked over to the edge of the desk and lightly touched his index finger to the pirate leader's forehead. Control suddenly felt disoriented, as if the pressure in his head increased to painful levels. The pressure continued to increase until he buckled under it. There was a soft pop as the pressure subsided and he opened his eyes. The room and everything in it was exactly as it had been before, the same youthful hand outstretched, lightly touching his temple. The air rippled, as if an intense heat had taken over the room. The flesh on the communication officer's hand peeled and singed, being burned away one microscopic layer at a time. Control stared, unable to avert his eyes, until the first blood dripped to the ground.

It wasn't red or bluish, as human blood would appear, but black and oily. It splattered on the synthwood desk and floor, but seemed to double in volume on the journey down. It was soon joined by others as a cascade poured out from the arm, for there was no hand left from the intense heat. The room warped in the heat, the guards melted in their makeshift armor adding to the growing pool of black tar on the floor. The figure on the other side of the desk had burned away to a pearly white skeleton and crumpled into the oil, which had now risen to knee level.

Control found himself rooted in place, unable to make sense of what he saw around him as the black oil began to swirl. The current moved swiftly, rushing past in serpentine coils, and making the level of the oil to raise to waist level; still, he couldn't move. A skeletal hand lunged from beneath the surface and the black tar followed it to create a skin-like covering. The hand was joined by the arm and eventually the entire skeleton rose from the depths. The oil drew up over every bone, coating the figure, filling out the frame. It formed a crescent shape over the skull and dripped down like molten molasses. A pair of jeweled eyes were revealed as more oil dripped away, white and glowing like twin diamonds. The area where the skull's mouth had been opened up. Razor sharp teeth guided the flowing liquid giving the creature a demonic appearance. The waist down was like a great flowing cloak of oil. It reached out, oddly with the same had that had first melted away, and the tar surged forward, covering Control in it's warm, sticky embrace. He tried to scream, but the tar flowed into his mouth and coated his lungs in a burning viscous muck. Panic hyperventilation was all he could do as the lack of oxygen burned away his vision with black splotches. His last conscious thought was that he was drowning and nothing could save him.

The young communications officer withdrew his hand, perfectly unharmed by the fearful illusions he'd inflicted on the poor pirate as he extracted the information he wanted. Eyes closed, the shadow within the boy's body let out a shuddering breath. So much has changed. The New Republic, no, now it was the Galactic Alliance, was secured as the primary galactic government, the Jedi Order rebuilt, the Empire a shell of its former glory. Such a waste!

The boy's eyes snapped open. milky white covered his irises and cornea, pure pearl orbs that gave nothing away. The guards he'd been controlling were still holding the unconscious pirate leader. "Take him to the brig," Herf said, his voice taking on an unnatural bass tone. They left as quickly as physically possible.

Alone now, the ghost contemplated the situation. His only directive was destruction, which was all he would do anyway. What he truly wanted, though, was revenge. Luke Skywalker was now famous as the Jedi Order's Grand Master, even scum pirates knew that. He'd faced the Jedi here all those years ago when he'd tried to take Skywalker's body for his own. Now, he could have any he wished. He'd chosen this particular one because of his latent connection to the Dark, what lesser minds would call Force sensitivity.

What he needed know was information. Knowledge was power, and if he was to gain his vengeance on the Jedi Master, there was a legion of Jedi Knights in the galaxy he could take it from. Walking to the viewport, a shimmering shape overshadowed Herf. The crescent-shaped head, seething eyes, and clawed hands flexed. It had been too long since the galaxy truly felt the embrace of oblivion, but that would change soon. The hammer fall would start with the Jedi, with their vaulted Grand Master, and the mindless denizens would look on in horror as the edifices of protection crumbled around them. It was good to be back.

Jedi Temple Detention Center Medical Wing, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

Ben could tell that the previous night would have been difficult for Vestara, he hadn't gotten much sleep, as if a part of himself was missing. Still, he was surprised to see the stress in her body before he opened the cell door. Her muscles were tensed as she sat on the edge of the bed, clad in a thin hospital-like gown.

"Ves?" He called as the cell do slid open.

She turned quickly and took him in quickly, noting the detached worry that resided at the edge of his thoughts. "Ben, what's wrong? What happened?" She asked, her gaze softening as her golden irises dulled to auburn and then to brown.

"She's done something," Ben said without preamble.

"What? When?"

"I felt the change when I woke, she's done something in Beyond Shadows. I'm not sure what." Ben plopped down beside her on the bed.

Vestara curled her hands into fists and let out a irritated groan. "I can't feel anything in here, Ben. It's not natural; I'm having a hard time controlling myself." She looked away, "I need to get out of here."

"You've just got to stay strong, Ves, give them time and they'll do what they need to." Ben said before he smirked, "I guess this would be a bad time to bring up the 'I told you so' about the Font, isn't it?"

Vestara turned back and gave a rueful scowl. "It was never like this before," she said, then got a glint of mischief in her eyes, "and asking about brining something up is bringing it up."

"How crass of me."

Almost apologetic, she lowered her head. "It's too late to change it, Ben. I don't have much of a choice left, your father is right about that."

"Perhaps," he admitted, "but no matter what you can do, it's how you use it that matters."

"Always the optimist."

"I try, isn't that why you keep me around—"

The cell door glided open and both his father and Cilghal were outside. They both looked calm and normal, but both Ben and Vestara saw the edge in their posture. "Ben," Luke said, "it's time to go for those tests we talked about."

Somewhat reluctant to leave the cell, Ben gave a little wave goodbye and joined the two Jedi outside. The ride up to the main medical wing was a short one, and Luke decided that it would be better to get the bombshell out of the way earlier rather than later. "I spoke with the Council while you were down here and we've decided it would be best if you and Vestara didn't interact while we're trying to figure out what is happening to you two."

Well outside the Ysalamiri sphere of influence, the shock and dismay was clear coming from his son. "That's a bad idea, Dad." Ben warned, "You need to listen to what I've been saying. Keeping her caged isn't the answer."

"If you can't accept this, it may be best if you were placed under observation," Luke tried to say it as diplomatically as possible, but it was an ultimatum no matter how you looked at it. The Council just couldn't let Vestara out and risk her escaping to cause untold damage, a budding Abeloth in the making.

"I think that would be best, too." Ben voice cracked as he said it. As much as he wanted to convince his father, he wouldn't lie.

"Ben," Cilghal said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder, "we're going to start with an electroencephaloscan."

Chapter Text

Inside Medical Detention Cell #3, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

It. Had. Been. Four. Days. Vestara had trouble being alone for a single night, but never expected to have to go longer. Cilghal had visited her a few hours after Ben had left and explained the Council's decision to confine Ben. Because of her. The Mon Calamari hadn't said it explicitly, but Vestara had lived nearly her entire life in a culture that was built as much on what wasn't said as what was.

After the first twenty-four hours, she'd surrendered to the impulse to abuse the furniture. A particularly well landed kick had actually dented the side of a table. The healer hadn't been happy about that. But what could she do? She needed to get out, get him out, and leave. Things weren't going like they were supposed to. Whatever Abeloth had done, changed the future, changed it after they had seen it in the Pool.

The cell door opened, but Vestara knew that it wouldn't be Ben. It was Tekli with her midday meal. Josat had originally brought them, but he didn't feel comfortable around the former Sith apprentice and her wrath. Thus, the little Chadra-Fan had taken it upon herself to fulfill her apprentice's burden. It was her furry form that entered.

Knowing the first thing Vestara would ask, what she would always asked whenever someone opened the door, Tekli preempted her. "I don't know how much longer until you can see Ben, Ms. Khai."

The petite girl shot a particularly nasty glare at the diminutive healer. "I can't stay here forever, you must tell Master Skywalker that this is only making things worse."

"The Grand Master is aware of your sentiments, Ms. Khai, but you must know what we cannot accede to your request."

She wasn't sure what about it had caused her to snap. Tekli had said it as gently as possible, while still giving a genuine answer, but Vestara lunged at the Jedi Knight. Her hand wrapped around the thick furred neck, melted and warped into a pale tentacle. Ruby jeweled eyes blazed and narrowed. Her cheeks cracked and split, one side along her scar, giving her a menacing harlequin sneer that was unnatural and far too wide for any human. Jagged teeth lined the upper and lower jaw, drenched in saliva. Tekli, well trained under pressure, hit the emergency call button without hesitation. The whole wing switched over to red warning lights and a siren could be heard through the mostly-soundproofed cell.

"What have you done?" Vestara roared, snake-like tongue darting out past the razor canines. Her other, normally shaped hand, fisted in anger as the grip on the healer's neck tightened.

"Distress switch," Tekli squeaked.

Oh how she wanted to snap the Jedi's neck, how easy for this betrayal. The feeler tensed momentarily and then slackened. Ben would not want that. Vestara hissed before tossing Tekli into one of the chairs in the corner.

The analytical part of her mind took in the changes, increased physical strength would be useful. Perhaps this cell hadn't been intended to hold anything but normally proportioned humanoids. The other half of her cried out upon seeing the horror she'd become. The Abeloth-like features truly made her look monstrous. Had she still been with the Lost Tribe, not even her strength in the Force and family name would get her to any position of power.

That feeling of depression morphed into fury. Rearing back, the whip-like appendage smashed against the mirror. A thin crack ran from the center down to the lower right corner. Apparently these cells were better designed than she'd wished. It didn't matter, enough force would get through anything. That was when the Chadra-Fan spoke up.

"You can't break it, Ms. Khai, it's designed to take a full-grown Ramoan."

It was probably not the best time to draw attention to oneself. Vestara rounded on the Knight, seemingly gaining height in the process. "You have a way to open the door," she ground out, "if a patient trapped you in here."

Tekli bobbed her head. "I already did, the distress switch locks everything down and notifies the medcenter and masters."

Even without the Force, Vestara could tell the Jedi was telling the truth. She howled in anger, a multi-pitched scream, and hit the mirror a second time. The fracture was bigger this time.

"Vestara, can you hear me?" A voice called through the intercom, "You need to stop."

Vestara tried to look through the ruined mirror, but could only see her splintered face reflected back to her. "I'm tired of listening, you all just ignore me!" She snarled.

"If you don't calm down, we're going to have to knock you out. You don't want us to do that, do you?"

Vestara strode over to Tekli and could hear it starting before she'd made it halfway across the room. Coma gas was being pumped in through the air vents. Knowing that time was now of the essence, Vestara jumped atop her bed and launched herself bodily at the mirror. It buckled and broke with a snap that sent shards exploding outward. Past the sill, she hurled into Cilghal, who had been standing directly behind it.

Reacting  with split-second timing, despite the Force-free environment, The Mon Calamari rolled and had her lightsaber out in a flash. Emerald saber in hand, she rose to a guard position. "Don't do anything foolish, Vestara."

"Where's Ben, Master Cilghal?" Vestara asked in a sing-song voice and took a step forward.

"You need to calm down, child."

Vestara's tentacle arm wrapped around one of the larger chunks of reflective glass and sent it flying at the Jedi Master. Cilghal twisted away from the projectile, turning back just in time to see Vestara's retreating shape turn the corner.

Grand Master's Office, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

The alarm came in just as he was finishing a call to Leia and Han. They were both concerned for Ben, the later still holding a hefty grudge against the Sith girl. The siren had been a suggestion by Tekli if they expected to capture any of the remnants of the Lost Tribe scattered across the galaxy, just in case one escaped. As he knew they had only one detainee, the alarm gave him a pretty good idea what was going on. Somehow, the girl had gotten out, most likely subduing Tekli in the process, as someone needed to have sounded the alert.  It was, after all, time for her food. Luke had known that the girl's temper had gotten worse since they'd separated her and Ben, but to get the drop on the Jedi's adjunct healer would have taken skill. He sincerely hoped that Tekli hadn't been hurt.

He got to the upper seating pod in the main convocation chamber in time to see the end of the fight. A half dozen Knights and Padawans had surrounded Vestara. Somehow the girl, though 'girl' didn't quite fit the appearance anymore, had gotten a hold of a lightsaber. It's gilded shaft reflected the emerald blade brilliantly as it dipped and weaved in between the others. Vestara pin-wheeled backwards catching one of the Jedi around the ankle with her rope-like arm. Pulling sharply, the Twi'lek Knight fell back, knocked unconscious on the ground. The others fell back to protect her, but that gave Vestara a chance to bring her Force powers to bear. Lavender lightning crackled to life.

Luke hadn't seen Force Lightning of such concentration since his last fight with the Emperor. It pushed the Jedi defenders back. The assault broke off and a repulse wave knock them all off their feet.

Lightsaber now deactivated, Vestara ran past the stunned Jedi and slipped through the east entrance. Having been too high to be any help, Luke realized where she was heading and it was not good news. He only hoped he'd get there first.

Ben Skywalker's Quarters, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

He was feeling drained, they'd run near-constant tests on him over the past four days. The tests themselves weren't that bad, none were invasive, but they all had failed to uncover anything substantive about his change. The problem, and he'd brought it on himself by agreeing to it, was his confinement. They had prevented him from seeing Vestara. Knowing how poorly she'd taken that first night alone, he could only imagine what state she was in now.

Ben, leaning over his wash basin, looked up into his own eyes. He still hadn't gotten used to them. They still made the others uncomfortable, too reminiscent of Abeloth. He wondered what the siren was for, as he couldn't sense anything. His room had been surrounded by Ysalamiri to forestall anything rash on his part. Drying his face with a plush towel, he went back to his dataport.

The sound had startled him, his door was knocked inward off its hinges. He spun quickly and immediately thought he was hallucinating. Standing in his doorway over his unconscious guard, looked to be an Abeloth-Vestara hybrid. Jerking back, Ben fell to the ground.

"It's me, Ben," she cooed, "I've come to get you out."

"Ves? Is that you?" Ben couldn't believe his eyes. He'd known the Pool showed them taking on Abeloth's traits, but he hadn't expected to see it so soon.

"Of course it's me," as much as a ear-to-ear grin could look hurt, hers did, "I don't know why I changed, I kind of expected to see you different when I came, actually."

The voice echoed, as if more than one being had spoken the words. Taking her outstretched tentacle, he pulled himself to his feet and looked around the wreckage that had formerly been his entranceway. "You couldn't knock?" He asked with a lopsided smile, levity his only way to ease the tension, "I might not have been decent, you know."

Vestara's eyes, now dark and hooded, rolled. "Ben. Abeloth. Future."

"My Dad once said he didn't like it when I could win an argument without verbs." Ben sniggered and he grabbed his lightsaber and cloak.

"Still don't."

They both turned, knowing the voice well. Standing just beyond the threshold to Ben's room was Luke. His lightsaber humming  in his hand, the alarm had droned out his approach. Vestara twisted around, barring her needle-teeth, and coiled her tendril-arm protectively around Ben.

"Dad, please . . . "

"Ben, back away from her. Stand down, Vestara, and no one gets hurt." Luke said, lifting his blade. Even without the Force, a lightsaber was a potent weapon.

"No." It was firm, and Ben stepped directly between his father and girlfriend. "We've tried to get you to understand, but it's obviously not working."

"You know I can't do what you've asked of me, Ben."

Ben sighed and as one he and Vestara turned and ran to the window. "Then, I am sorry," he said, wrapping one arm around Vestara's waist, they angled their lightsabers to shatter the transparasteel. They dived headfirst out the newly created escape route. Vestara's tentacle curled and licked parapets and outcroppings as they fell along the sloped wall, helping to further slow the descent they were already using the Force to abridge now they were outside the Ysalamiri field.

Luke was at the window opening in a flash, but could do nothing in time to stop his son and Vestara. He watched them glide down. Unable to feel it, he knew the Force power to slow a fall from this height  enough to survive was massive. He wasn't sure he could do it on his best day. All he could hope for now would be for one of the Masters to intercept them. Anyone less and they wouldn't stand a chance.

Jedi Temple Courtyard, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

Octa Ramis and Seha Dorvald paced the perimeter of the Temple. Knowing what the warning siren meant, they were the Order's last defense should the Vestara girl make it past the others. The shattering window drew both their eyes, and they could see two distant figured falling out of one of the dormitory windows. What made them both pause, however was what the sensed in the Force. Like vortexes of energy, the two seemed to drawn in an unimaginable amount to slow their drop.

Octa didn't understand who the second person was until they were closer to the ground. She and Seha raced to their landing point. The Sith must have taken Ben hostage. "Hurry, we must stop them," she called, igniting her blade on the run.

The impact split the granite causeway with a multitude of spider-web cracks. The two teenagers winced in pain, and Ben faltered as if his ankle had been sprained. Octa and Seha came to a stop a few meters away and raised their sabers in a guard position. "Release Ben, and you won't get hurt."

"Stand aside, and you won't get hurt," Vestara said, raising her stolen blade. "We're leaving."

"I'm afraid," Ben grimaced in pain as he hesitantly put pressure on his ankle, "that she's right, Master Ramis, we are leaving."

"You leave us no choice," Seha said. "We must stop you."

All four moved at once, sabers of blue and green weaving baskets of light and death. Seha took the high attack, while Master Ramis hit low. Vestara pirouetted under Seha's soaring slash and met Octa's blade with vigor. Tentacle trailing behind, it hooked around the Jedi Knight's calf and forced her to tumble away from Ben's lightsaber upswing.

Octa used a targeted Force thrust to unbalance Ben, making him choose between a follow-up attack on Seha and risk putting pressure on his injured ankle or to backpedal, he chose the latter. She was prevented from a follow-up of her own when Vestara broke the lightsaber lock and sent a bolt of Force Lightning toward her. Catching the electricity on her blade, Octa called over to Seha. "You okay?"

Coming up from a summersault, Seha launched herself at Ben, still getting his balance back from the Force push. "Fine. Fast, aren't they?"

Ben blocked the vertical strike. "Right here, you know," he huffed.

"Indeed," Octa said. Vestara abandoned the lightning for a saber attack, and the Jedi Master flipped over her, robe just barely singed by Vestara's roundhouse as she sailed over and landed beside Seha. Together, they quickly forced Ben back. With another puff that sounded suspiciously like 'women,' he went into full defense.

Vestara launched another barrage of lightning at Master Ramis' back, only to have her side-step it and let Ben take the full brunt. She knew immediately what the trap had been, but couldn't undo what she'd done, only hope Ben could defend himself. He barely was able to force his and Seha's locked lightsabers in the path before the energy struck home, and ducked Ramis' next thrust. "Not nice," he murmured. She was about to jump back in the fight when she felt what Ben was about to do and instead chose to distract Ramis with a Force shove.

At the same time, Ben had focused on his own repulse, through this one more of a wave than a specific drive. Both Jedi were knocked back, Seha landed at Vestara's feet. The stolen lightsaber flicked and was at the Knight's throat before she could recover. Seha closed her eyes and prepared for the end. Instead, she felt Ben run up to them and grab Vestara's sword hand, pushing it back down. "No, we're not killing," he said in a firm undertone, "Besides, we need to get out of here before the others get out here."

Seha could see the conflict in Vestara's crimson eyes, as if she genuinely wanted to flick her wrist further in a decapitating arc, but Ben's words seemed to get through and she thumbed the deactivation switch. She titled her head towards him. "You're just lucky you're cute," She said and kicked Seha's lightsaber away.

As the two fugitive Force users fled, Seha slumped to the gravel walkway. Master Ramis had been knocked unconscious by Ben's last attack, so she alone didn't stand a chance against those two. Still, she thought, won't be heard to track them with Force signatures that strong. As if on cue, the dark and light pulses that marked Vestara and Ben winked out.

Chapter Text

Forests Surrounding the Jedi Temple, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

It felt like they were back on Abeloth's planet, though it was not quite as humid. The Jedi Academy on Shedu Maad, now turned full-fledged Temple, had been erected in an isolated location to prevent unwanted attention towards the students. For many kilometers around the sanctuary, a dense coniferous forest had been cultivated as a natural shield. It was in that forest that Ben and Vestara now found themselves an hour after leaving the Temple. They had purposely deviated their course after hiding themselves to prevent the Jedi from tracking them. They had several things in their favor. The Masters wouldn't send out anyone less than a knight, and only those in groups, no doubt as a result of their bout with Octa Ramis and Seha Dorvald. That limited the resources the Temple could muster at the moment. They could only hope to have made it to the spaceport before too long.

Arm slung over Vestara's shoulder for balance, Ben felt a shock of pain race up his leg when he accidentally put too much pressure on his sprained ankle. "You know, we could have gotten a speeder before we left," he said it knowing she'd have a snappy comeback. At least repartee made the journey go more quickly.

"Yeah, and I'm sure the rest of the Jedi would have patiently waited while we took our pick of the motor pool."

He couldn't help it, the response had left his lips as soon and it popped into his mind and he knew it was the wrong thing to say. "I don't know, you could have always smiled and said please. It is the magic word."

Her outer bravado seemed to slip, her mouth couldn't really do anything other than smile, but it thinned. The tip of her tentacle, which had been holding him up, bowed in agitation. "I suppose I could have," her choir voice took on a dull edge.

"Hey," he said, slowing them down to a more leisurely gait by taking smaller hops. "You know I didn't mean it that way. Why don't we take a rest, no sense burning ourselves out before we get to the port."

They'd arrived in a small clearing. Gingerly setting Ben down on a fallen log, Vestara started looking around the ground for something. "Ves?" He asked, she was apparently taking the transformation harder than he'd thought. "What are you doing?"

"As long as we're stopping, we may as well take the time to make you a splint."

Other than a few rotten chunks of bark, there was nothing. Deciding that 'make' would be the operative word here, Vestara drew her stolen lightsaber and took a chunk out of the fallen tree. She made short work of the newly cut stump and sliced two thin boards out of it for either side of his ankle. Ben watched silently, she didn't look like she wanted to talk, and such a person wielding a laser-sword was a pretty good deterrent.

She ripped a strip of homespun fabric off of Ben's cloak to tie the splint to his ankle and found the flaw in her plan. Try as she might, she couldn't manage to tie a knot with one hand and a worm-like appendage. She'd tried and failed a couple times, growing increasingly frustrated each time and spurning Ben's help, before roaring in rage and taking her anger out on one of the still-standing pines. A rain of needles fell over them and Ben decided silence wasn't doing any good.

"Ves," he said it softly, she reluctantly turned. If her eyes had still held irises, he knew they'd be yellow. "Come here, please."

He patted the spot next to him on the log, and after a pause she joined him. "Is this what she went through?" She asked, they both knew who they were talking about.

"Perhaps," Ben admitted, though they had no real way of knowing, "but there's a lot of differences, differences that I think mean that you won't become her."

"Such as?"

"She was alone, she had to live by herself for who knows how long. You've got me." He said the last part on a lighter note, with an overly smug smile to try an add an air of levity to the conversation.

Her body stayed completely still, but her eyes found his. "How could you still want that, look at me!" Her palp arched in revulsion. "I'm a monster."

"You think I fell for a pretty face?" Ben asked, "You're more than that, Ves. Always have been."

He reached over and cupped her cheek, though it was split with her enlarged maw. She wasn't sure what to say, so she didn't.

"Now, why don't you hold the sides while I tie it?" Ben invited. In no time at all, the splint had been tightened and tied in place. "You don't have to do everything alone, you know. I'll be there, to do the things together that we couldn't apart."

She still wasn't quite used to hearing that. In the Tribe, no one else would help you, usually they'd try to undermine for their own gain. "I—thanks, Ben."

"Now that we've gotten a chance to rest, I think we'd better get going. There's a few things we need to do before we get off this planet." Ben used the Force to break off a branch of medium thickness and a split at the end to use as a make-shift crutch. He shrugged off his cloak and stood. "Wrap this around yourself. Until we find a way to undo it, we need to be as inconspicuous as possible."

Vestara donned the dark brown robe and raised the hood over her head. "I think 'inconspicuous' is a relative term here, it's not like the son of Grand Master Skywalker can go slumming without someone noticing. Especially with your own distinct look."

They both knew she meant the eyes, they were quite unique now, and a real problem with it would come to interacting with other people. Something like that would really stick in someone's memory and they couldn't stop people from noticing forever, they still needed to hide their presence. "That's the first thing we need to do. We need clothing. And glareshades, that'll at least let us fit in. They we can get a transport off planet."

"And we pay for all that how?" Vestara asked. She let him put his arm over her shoulder again and they started walking more easily now that Ben didn't need to focus so much on not moving his ankle.

"Um, make that the second thing we do, number one is now 'get money.'"

"And food?"

Ben groaned. "Are you enjoying this?"

"Just a bit."

Council Chambers, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

It had been a disaster. No one had been killed, a miracle considering how easily Vestara had fought her way through to Ben once she'd gotten out of the Ysalamiri influence of the holding cells. Octa Ramis had taken the worst damage of anyone, but that was limited to a concussion. When she had woken up, she was quite dismayed to find out that if she and Seha had been able to hold Ben and Vestara a few additional minutes, more Knights had been headed their way.

"We must find them." Saba said, after the Council had convened. Knights had been sent out into the forest surrounding the Temple, but had thus far been unable to locate either of them. "Hunterz catch prey by knowing where they will be, so where are they headed?"

"Assuming what they were telling us before they escaped is true, then some way to stop Abeloth." Cilghal said, "but that is somewhat vague, not an actual destination."

"Could they know about the Ten Knights?" Kyp Durron asked. After the assault on the Abeloth avatars had been successful and Luke had recovered, the Council had tasked ten Jedi Knights to scour the galaxy for the Mortis Monolith, a gateway they could use to recover a dagger reputed to be able to kill powerful Force entities.

"I never told them," Luke said, "I felt it wouldn't be a good idea given the situation."

The Yuzzem Master, Barratk'l furrowed her furred brow. "But if they had truly entered the Pool of Knowledge, we can't really know what they do or do not."

There it was, the uneasiness that had prompted the Council to separate and confine the pair. To have seen the future was dangerous, to act on that knowledge was even worse. Luke folded his hands and looked around. Both his son and the girl had expressed their intent to do just that and it could only bring trouble.

"What we need to do is prevent them from getting off Shedu Maad," Jaina said, once again in holographic form from her honeymoon, which at this point probably wasn't much of one. Luke had a feeling Jag would be asking for a second one once this whole business was over, and he couldn't really blame the newlywed.

"I've already contacted Tenel Ka," Luke said, "and she's set up stricter enforcement in customs, but we all know that will only slow them down."

"Perhaps we can exploit that," Cilghal looked thoughtful. "If we know they're trying to get off planet, we just need to have Jedi sentinels stationed around the spaceport."

"We can't cover them all," Kyle Katarn said, "we simply don't have the Jedi to do it."

"We don't have to. The extra security will slow them down, just as Master Skywalker said," Cilghal explained. "So if you're in a hurry and the transports take too long, where do you go to procure a ship?"

Katarn nodded, "The private berthing hanger, they could steal a ship. All we need to do is set an ambush up there."

"Exactly."

Corran Horn shook his head. "Except they could take countermeasures against that. What if they went on to another spaceport. They have to know we're going to guard Feshr, it's too obvious."

"Under normal circumstances," Cilghal acknowledged, "but they're in a hurry. To travel to another port would take time. They need to get off planet before we could have the Hapans blockade the system, which we can set in motion if they do decide to take the safe route and head to another port anyway."

Horn considered it, "I think you're right. We need to move now."

Feshr Spaceport, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

Acquiring the necessary funding for what they needed had proved rather easy, at least as far as obtaining the credits. Ben was still uncomfortable to resort to stealing, but desperate times and all. They now donned new clothing, the kind one would expect to find on tourists, and reflective glareshades. The young couple sat in a small cantina on the very edge of the spaceport, the kind that often catered to the less savory of clientele, in a darkened corner.

"I feel them, Ben," Vestara said. She'd kept the Jedi over-cloak, as such an item was common across the galaxy, and more simply she needed a way to hide her arms. Her eyes covered and with a scarf wrapped around the lower half of her face, she could easily pass for an eccentric recluse. The only line between 'eccentric recluse' and 'crazy' lay in the fact they still had money to spend.

"I know, but we knew they would be here." Ben whispered. He'd traded out his Jedi linen for a silken shirt and caplet with a hood, the latter now raised to hide the color of his hair. A matching pair to Vestara's own glareshades created a infinite series of reflections when they met. "We just need to use the crowds to board one of the commercial transports. In them, we'll blend in."

"We need a back-up plan, they could have Jedi inspectors in place by now."

Ben thought about it, there really wasn't all that much choice. "We've got to get off this rock as soon as we can," he said, to which Vestara gave a confirming nod, "so we can't afford to hike to the next spaceport. Stealing a speeder would be too high profile."

"You're just a blinding ray of optimism today, aren't you, Ben?" Vestara was smiling beneath her mask. Whether it was real or just an effect of her mouth, Ben couldn't tell without reaching out in the Force, a bad idea this close to Jedi hunters. "So if we have to, we'll just commandeer a private ship."

"You mean steal."

"No, I mean 'commandeer,' we'll bring it back . . . eventually." Vestara said the last part, knowing full well they'd probably never see Shedu Maad again now they were on the run.

"Semantics." Ben said.

"You didn't have all that many qualms about getting the money," she pointed out, "And by the way, you look rather dashing in that shirt, I'm sure Calrissian approves."

Ben couldn't help but feel a bit smug, despite the back-handed compliment. "That was an emergency, we had no choice."

"And so is this, we don't have a choice here, either." Vestara reached out her hand, normally shaped, to Ben. "I know this goes against your grain, but please don't fight me on this one. The longer we're here, the more likely they'll get us, and I can't lose you again."

Ben intertwine their fingers. "I know—I know that things have to change, but I'm still having a hard time adjusting."

"I don't want you to change, Ben, I want you to fight me for every lapse in ethics."

"Why?" Ben asked, confused, "I'd think it would make your life easier if I agreed with you."

"I wished more than once that you'd been born like me, so we could have started out our relationship more smoothly," she admitted, "but that's not really what I want. If you weren't so sickeningly moral, you wouldn't be Ben Skywalker and if you weren't, then you wouldn't be the man I love."

The words had left her mouth before they were fully processed by her brain. They'd flowed effortlessly and from the heart, but it was, she realized, the first time either of them had said that aloud. They'd both felt how the other did in the Pool, but they'd never gotten a chance to actually talk about it. Things had moved too quickly for them. But now she had said it, did it change anything? Everything?

Ben stopped, stock still, when she said it. He knew what he felt for her and how much she cared about him, but this was a first. He felt a warm glow flow outward from his center, not unlike the feeling he'd gotten from the Font's pure waters. He couldn't stop himself from smiling, it just felt so right. That was when the first itching started. Ben's smile vanished and reached up to his cheek. He could feel the thin line running from the corner of his mouth up to his ear. It felt like a fresh scar, but he knew what it was, and that was a problem. They needed to get out of here, preferably to a different planet, all the sooner if he was undergoing the changes Vestara already had.

Vestara had been elated when she'd seen the smile, he looked so happy. The thought that she could give that feeling to him was empowering. And just like that, it all collapsed in on itself. She saw the thin lines along his cheek and the reality of their situation came back. They were definitely made for one another now, that couldn't be denied, but what kind of lives would they have? No matter what Ben said about seeing past the grotesque exterior, the galaxy at large wasn't known to be so forgiving. Was that their future, to be ostracized and alone because of what they were becoming? They certainly weren't human anymore, but what they were becoming, Vestara didn't know.

"We need to go." Ben said carefully, so not to break the seams of his newly expanded jaw in public view.

Chapter Text

Feshr Spaceport, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

The plan had been organized quickly and with the thoroughness that one could expect from Jedi Masters. Jedi had been arrayed around the port to give the impression they were in a general search, but those were the apprentices. The Knights and Masters were deployed into the multi-level docking compound. Corran Horn, with his CorSec training, had selected the most obvious target vessels and a Knight had been stationed nearby each.

As Corran was frustrated to discover, the main private docks at Feshr were actually run by a private company, not of Hapan origin. As such, it had taken them far too much time to be granted access to the hanger, as they had been initially refused. It was only after the facility's director, a particularly intractable Nautolan, had gotten a personal call from the Queen Mother's palace, and a not-so-subtle threat of pulling their licensing, that the Jedi were given free reign.

Once inside, the situation had only gotten worse. Deep in Hapan territory, Shedu Maad often catered to the wealthy, and more often than not, those same people didn't know the first thing about securing a ship. Glancing around the cordoned off slots, Corran could count a dozen ships, all luxury liners, that were just begging to be stolen. Ordering his group of knights to fan out, Corran started running through the list of ships, giving them a ranking of how likely they were to catch Ben or Vestara's attention.

The obvious problem with this came down to Ben. Corran knew the kid had served in the GAG, and that meant he had similar training, though lacked the older Jedi's experience. Ben's training, and the knowledge that the Jedi knew him, would inevitably affect his decisions. Not only that, but if Ben were determined to avoid being tracked, he could use a few of the in-system yachts, like that scarred Jemlaat in the corner to hop over to a different planet, one where the Jedi presence was practically nil to steal yet another ship to escape on. The Sith girl no doubt knew ship models, but Ben's knowledge of the Jedi and law enforcement would dictate the ship they'd target.

There were a few Baudo-class yachts scattered among the haulers and more elite ships. They were common out here, and that level of anonymity would be attractive. There really wasn't any reason why they wouldn't be well-suited for an escape, they did have good atmosphere speeds. After thinking about the practicality, Corran assigned a couple Knights to watch the four ships in shifts. Ben most likely would know how obvious the choice would be and therefore expect the Jedi to anticipate him

The next down the line was an antique 1550-LEX, and Corran immediately placed it high on the list. It had one of the better hyperdrives on the floor, and would mean a quick getaway. At just over thirty meters in length, it was also small, a plus for a run. He decided that this would be his station. Ben may expect it, but the usefulness of a ship like this may outweigh his caution.

So on and so forth, the Jedi Master noted the model of the ship and decided if it was worth guarding. It had all been finished in less than an hour. Taking his place beside the 1550-LEX, there was only one more thing to do: wait. And hope his experience could trump whatever Ben and the girl tried.

Getting Ben a mask of his own was simple enough, and they now looked even more alike in their matching face coverings. By then, night had fallen on the tiny port and they came up against an unexpected problem. The commercial transports were requiring more strenuous identification checks than they would normally, a good sign the Jedi were on to them. Neither of them had anything they could use to get by the checks. Ben certainly couldn't use his own, Vestara didn't even have one, and they wouldn't be able to get forgeries fast enough to pass the confirmation check. It seemed Vestara's contingency would be their only hope to get off the planet before the Jedi could bring in the Hapan military to ground everything. At that point, it would take far too long to get anywhere, Abeloth could have done any number of things in that extra time.

So, with larceny on their minds, they snuck into the private docking bay of Feshr, and immediately knew something was wrong. Vestara could feel them, tiny lights in the Force, scattered in and amongst the ships, waiting for them. There were other pilots and mechanics, but they were dull bulbs next to neon signs of intent. "Ben," she whispered, "What are we going to do?"

Ben pressed his lips together in thought. It wasn't good. He was still wounded and there was at least one Master out there along with a dozen Jedi Knights, Vestara couldn't take them all down alone. At least not, if they were to do as he wanted, and avoid killing anyone. "We need a plan," he said at last. "Let's pick a ship first and then see what we need to do to get it."

They, much in the same way Corran Horn had done, went through the basic properties of all the ships they could see from their perch near the hanger ceiling rails. "What about that one?" Vestara asked, pointing at a Personal Luxury Yacht 3000.

"A good ship, but my Mom flew one a long time ago, they might think I'd pick one of those for sentimental reasons. Just be happy there isn't one like the Jade Shadow in here, that one would be crawling with Jedi." Ben stopped after he said that, it had just donned on him that he was now talking about the Jedi as if they were some other, not as one of their own. When did that happen?

"Coruscant to Ben, you there?"

"What did you say?"

"I just asked if you were serious about the Shadow thing, is something wrong?"

Shaking out his thought train, Ben waved it off. "It's nothing." But I'll need to come back to that once this is all over, he added silently. As they were both hiding themselves from the Jedi, Vestara didn't pick up on the words or sentiment, which was probably best.

"Then what about that one?" Vestara pointed to a Luxury 5000 in the back. One of the larger ships in the bay, it wasn't practical for a couple of reasons, size being one of them, as they were only two. It did, however, have some draws, it wouldn't be one the Jedi would consider, Ben wouldn't have himself if Vestara had not pointed it out, he had been looking at the 1550-LEX near the hanger exit.

"Nice taste," Ben mumbled.

"I've got standards, you know."

"Don't I know it. Come on, we have work to do."

Waiting, Corran knew, was the hardest part of a chase. It didn't matter if they were criminals, convicts, or escapees, having to sit around and do nothing, hoping that the targets came to you, was the pinnacle of good police work. He and his Jedi team had been in place for a solid three hours, with no end in sight. There was every possibility that those two had decided to take the safe route and make for another spaceport, but Corran trusted Cilghal's intuition here. She and Master Skywalker had spent the most time with Ben and the girl once they'd woken, so would know what their mindset was.

"Hey! What the haja are you doing on my ship? Someone get me security!"

Corran instantly looked over in the direction the yell had come from. It was over where some of the larger, more expensive yachts were berthed. Ben had apparently decided that early stealth was worth more than speed on the escape. He pulled out his comlink and called out to the other Jedi. "We have them, converge on the west side of the hanger."

They moved quickly and quietly, shadows over the grease-stained floor and arrived at the H-type Nubian in seconds. Corran looked on, confused, as he took in the scene. A younger man, presumably the owner, was standing on the ramp and pointing at a group of fuzzy tree sloths, commonly found in the forests in this region. The events clicked and Corran wished he could slam his head against a hard surface. He'd been so stupid, it was a diversion! "Fan out, they're here somewhere and wanted us here. Look for any ship powering up and stop it at all costs."

The Jedi Master unclipped his saber and made his way to the upper levels. He needed to be able to move fast when they struck. They obviously knew the Jedi were here, so revealing himself was a calculated risk. He needed to trust the Jedi Knights below to sound the alarm when they found the pair.

As plans went, it was simple and effective. No one could really hope for any better than that. Once all the Jedi had converged, Ben and Vestara observed from their ceiling view and counted how many they would need to go up against to get out. All were good Jedi Knights, but none of them would be a match for either he or Ves. The problem was the Master. Corran Horn was going to be a tough opponent, and perfectly suited to the mission.

Vestara nudged Ben's shoulder and pointed to a lone figure climbing to an observation point a few meters below them, it was Corran Horn. No doubt deciding to play reinforcement for the Knights, this offered a unique chance to take out the real threat before any of the other Jedi could come in and tip the scales out of their favor. "How do you propose we do this?" Ben asked.

Vestara considered it. "I'll distract him, you need get in and power up the ship so we can get out as fast as we can."

Seeing the logic, he was, after all, still injured, Ben gave a confirmation gesture and started to make his way down. Before he left the platform, he turned back and placed a hand on her arm. She would be alone in this, he wouldn't be there to curb her like he had with Seha. "Don't kill him, Ves, you're better than that."

She looked away and nodded. "Fine, but I can't promise he won't get hurt."

Ben had his fair share of experience sneaking around places. The GAG and time as a Jedi gave him enough stealth training to get by very well. Getting to the Luxury 5000 yacht, apparently named Rook, had been a piece of cake. The hard part was the timing.

Vestara needed to distract everyone for a few seconds, just long enough so that no one would see or hear the ship start to power up. Once that was done, an elite ship like this was ready to go. He'd already checked everything he could without powering it up. When he was ready to begin, he'd briefly reached out to Ves and she started.

She struck with precise speed and accuracy. Corran had barely felt a flicker before seeing the flash of green and bringing his silver saber up to block. He'd not expected an attack, but a Jedi was never unprepared. He caught the strike and spun out a roundhouse kick. He'd heard from Octa Ramis how powerful Ben and Vestara had become and took no chances. Flicking his saber to its second phase, the blade shot out and burned purple. The Sith girl hadn't known about the properties of his lightsaber. It lanced at her shoulder, and only a fast combination of turning and ducking spared her a severed arm and decapitated head.

Her shades and mask had been removed beforehand, though the Jedi Master couldn't have known that. He did wonder how they had gotten so far without drawing more attention. Such thoughts didn't affect his technique, so he pushed the offensive. Vestara stumbled back, unused to dealing with an opponent who had such a range. She decided to use her own range attack and conjured an electric wave of lightning. Corran, having an affinity for energy manipulation turned the Sith's attack to a wave of heat to ripple the grate flooring, something he couldn't do without an infusion of power, lacking in basic telekinetic abilities.

The Jedi Knights were coming now, though the battle had lasted only seconds up until this point. They sped through the ships to aid the Jedi Master. Corran suspected he knew what the reason for this attack was, but had no way of telling the other Jedi without leaving himself open.

Upon seeing the Jedi Master not only negate her attack with ease, but use it to power one of his own, Vestara knew she needed to switch tactics. He had better range, was even a better swordsman, though she would never admit that out loud, but she had raw power on her side. Conversion was well and good, but it required a medium to change it. She flicked her tentacle like a whip and hit the Jedi with a telekinetic blast.

The girl was smart. She'd adapted quickly to his abilities and somehow guessed his weakness. Having no way to defend himself from such a powerful kinetic barrage, he went with it and flipped over the railing and slid down to a lower level. He looked up in time to see Vestara launch herself out into the main hanger bay and knew he was right. Corran pulled out his comlink. "It's another distraction, she's headed to their ship!"

Jumping down to the next level, though Corran had to do that without the kind of buffering most Jedi would employ, he knew he wouldn't make it in time. If she was making a break for it, they were ready to go. He could have gotten out there in time for any of the ships being powered up, but the distraction of the attack drew all their focus. Everything was now on the Knights out there.

Vestara sailed over a small hauler and landed atop one of the smaller yachts they'd decided against. She bounded from hull to hull, making her way to the ship they'd selected. The Jedi Knights were closing in, so she needed to clear the way. As she went along, she started drawing massive amounts of kinetic energy to her and did something she would never have been able to manage before the Font: she started toppling ships.

They all had landing struts, but with enough forces, those bent and buckled and the ships fell. Chaos ensured. The Jedi Knights were forced to choose between protecting the people from being injured or killed by the falling ships and going after Vestara. It really wasn't a fair choice, there really wasn't a right answer, she knew, and that was why it was so effective. Some Jedi stayed on her, but most went for the civilians.

She saw the yacht take off, boarding ramp still lowered for her and put some more speed into her run. Just before the last chasm, Vestara sent another blast of energy at the Jedi still after her, knocking them back in mid-run. Her feet touched the hard plasteel ramp and sent a mental ping to Ben in the pilot seat. Go.

Corran watched as the ship shot out of the bay, already dialing in the Temple's code. "I need a StealthX patrol here now. Ben and Vestara just escaped in a Luxury 5000 starship."

"Acknowledged, Master Horn, squadron is on its way."

Chapter Text

Luxury 5000 Yacht Rook, Shedu Maad Airspace 44 ABY

Vestara walked up into the main entrance of the ship and whistled, it was the most elegant ship she'd ever been in. The floor was intricately carved and textured to give better traction when walking, quite aesthetically pleasing. She made her way to the cockpit and Ben.

"Boy can I pick'em or what?" She hummed as she entered.

"Now we just need to get out of here in one piece so we can revel in your fine taste."

"Spoilsport."

Ben took them in a steep climb to the atmosphere. They didn't have much time to lose, the Jedi would call in StealthXs as soon as they could, now they knew where they were. There. Just over the tree line, a trio of pitch black fighters were skirting over the tips of the pines.

"They know we're here." Ben grunted as he fought to keep the steering yoke steady in the climb, this couldn't be good for their engines.

They were there, beacons of Force energy weaving their way to the Rook. Vestara took the co-pilot seat and started to look for the armaments controls. When she found them, she couldn't help but voice her frustration. "Who spends Force-knows how much on a luxury ship and skimps on the weapons systems?"

"You picked it, not my fault they didn't realize we'd need to borrow it." Ben jerked the horseshoe-shaped craft to the left as laser fire erupted from the StealthX pursuers. "Start plotting a jump. As soon as we've cleared the gravity well, we're gone."

Ben opened himself fully to the Force, feeling for the first time the full extent of his awareness. He hadn't done so at the Temple, it just hadn't felt right at the time, but now he knew he needed all the forewarning he could get.

Vestara was bathed in a glowing warmness as she felt Ben reaching out. She briefly considered joining him, but now wasn't the time to distract him with her presence. He had enough to worry about already. Punching in the coordinates to a nearby planet, Vestara let it start to run through the calculations while she turned her head to the pair of heavy lasers on either side of the bridge. Swiveling them around, she sent a line of fire at the following StealthXs, showing up as black smears between them and Shedu Maad.

Ben could feel Vestara firing on the Jedi fighters, could feel the Jedi inside altering their course to adjust for it. He knew he could make a sharp veer to the right and they would take direct hits. StealthX fighters were designed for covert missions, so armor was not a priority. As basic as the Rook's  weapons were, a heavy laser blast would tear through the ship before the pilot could eject. He could do it, but would never. He was doing things he never thought he would, the Jedi were his family, but no matter what, he wouldn't purposely kill someone ever again.

Try as they might, the StealthXs couldn't land a direct hit on the engines, and using a plasma torpedo on the Grand Master's son was unacceptable. A payload that large could very well destroy the yacht, if they could hit it. As it was, laser blasts were faster, but the ship darted in and out of them with a level of precognition that was troubling.

The Rook passed that invisible line, the gravity well penumbra edge that meant that a ship could freely enter hyperspace. The StealthX squadron watched helplessly as the Luxury 5000 flickered in pseudo-motion and sped away to a tiny pinprick. They'd failed the Grand Master. With a slight hesitation, they rounded in formation and headed back to the Temple to report the turn of events.

Luxury 5000 Yacht Rook, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

Ben visibly relaxed, leaning back in his chair and shut his stinging eyes, the tension his body had gained during the chase bled out. He was soaked with sweat, but they were finally free. He didn't even know where they were headed, and he couldn't bring himself to move to find out. He was drained, the last few days were some of the most stressful he'd had since Jacen had been alive.

A sudden weight settled on his lap and he jerked up in surprise. He opened his eyes to see Vestara straddling him and smiling, a genuine grin he could feel radiating off her in waves of joy. It was infectious. In no time, he was beaming, too. She leaned down to him and their lips met. It felt . . . odd, but not unpleasant. The kiss broke after a few seconds and they looked at one another. For the first time since before they'd fought Abeloth they were alone and able to do whatever they wanted, at least until they exited hyperspace and needed to pick another destination.

He hesitantly opened himself up to her, letting her in, if she wanted. A flash of uncertainty flickered in her glowing eyes, she'd never been that open with anyone, that intimate. They'd shared their lives in the Pool, but that was the past, not who they were right now. Conflicting emotions battled on her face, though he saw them only because he knew her so well. At last, one side had won and she gently let down the barriers. She'd done something similar when Ben's father had asked, when he was making sure she was being honest about wanting to join the Jedi, but that was very different. This wasn't about someone asking, but Ben giving her the chance to choose, and not pushing himself on her.

One by one, her shields lowered. Vestara idly noted that they hadn't said a word since entering hyperspace. She felt vulnerable, but wasn't really afraid. Ben would not hurt her. Once they were all gone, she was the first to reach out her inner self to Ben's and they met.

"If I knew we'd end up like this, I'd have us escape more often" Ben spoke it in a dreamy tone, and neither knew exactly how long it had taken him to speak from when they first touched the other's mind.

Vestara jolted back, the words bringing back her insecurities. Her fears about what this meant for her, for them. What possible future they could have, being what they now were. She could feel Ben's tight grip on her thighs, or else she would have fallen out of the chair in her sudden movement.

She had broken the connection, but Ben felt her mind whirl through her fears. Instead of bringing them up now, he shared them to some extent, too, Ben decided he needed to get her mind off of it. "We can talk about it later, when we've had a chance to rest a bit. For now, how about we take a look around? We've got a spare," Ben checked the computer panel, "hour or so to kill."

She knew what he was doing, just as easily as he knew what she had been thinking, but it was just easier to go along with it, pretending to not know.

Grand Master's Chambers, Jedi Temple; 44 ABY

Luke stared out over the Temple grounds. With the emergency over, Jedi knights and Padawans resumed their normal duties. The Council hadn't been pleased. Despite all their best efforts, Ben and Vestara had managed to escape. He knew Ben hadn't wanted that originally, he'd hoped to convince his father to help them, but Luke just couldn't take the chance. He normally would have trusted Ben, but knew he couldn't do the same for Vestara, she'd managed to trick so many, Luke  most of all, of her desire to join the Jedi. Worse yet, she now seemed to have an unhealthy control over Ben. The fact that it seemed to flow the other way didn't mean nearly as much to Luke. Ben's judgment had been compromised.

In hindsight, would it have been better to let her out here? At least she would have been under more direct observation. Now she was free, potentially to turn into the next Abeloth, only this time with his son trailing behind. Luke shook his head to clear his thoughts. It wouldn't due to dwell on 'ifs,' he'd told the Jedi that often enough he should know.

Luke went back to his desk. The Jedi had already sent out an alert to their allies to report any sightings, so there wasn't much they could proactively do until they had a location. Until then, the life of the Grand Master wouldn't wait forever. GA Chief of State Wynn Dorvan was requesting Jedi involvement in some boarder dispute, where neither side trusted the Galactic Alliance's impartiality, Imperial Head of State Vitor Reige was making inquiries of potential Jedi satellite academies in the Remnant, and there was a short memo regarding a pirate gang that had started to attack ships along Jedi-used hyperspace routes. Luke rubbed his tired eyes and started addressing the issues.

Luxury 5000 Yacht Rook, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

The yacht turned out to be even nicer than Vestara had initially thought. It was clearly the ship of someone with means, an unabashed sense of grandeur, and no compunction with spending credits lavishly. It was larger than the Shadow by over ten meters. The Rook contained two separate hanger bays, with room to easily fit three ships in each. They were both empty, and Ben suspected that the owner had been using them when he and Vestara had stolen their ship.

Eighteen cabins in total, even the ones designated for the pilot and copilot were plush and luxuriant, silken sheets and matt carpet the standard. Ben and Vestara came across the refreshers and were delighted to find that they all were tied in to an onboard water supply, definitely an expensive upgrade. Clothing of various kinds, lined the open closets. After taking a change of clothes, the pair split up to their own refresher to get cleaned, it had been a strenuous few days. By the time they were both done, the yacht was just signaling the eminent emergence from hyperspace.

"So where are we?" Ben asked, having completely forgotten to look after the earlier incident in the cockpit.

"Terephon," Vestara said, reading the name off of the computer screen.

"Huh," it was actually one of the few Hapan planets Ben knew by name, though that was only because his father had killed Lumiya here, under the false conclusion that the Dark Lady of the Sith had killed his mother. Ben had poured over every detail of the whole situation, burning it forever into his memory.

"What is it?" Vestara asked, sensing something vaguely like nostalgia wafting off Ben.

"What? Oh, it's nothing important, just a little history here."

"Want to talk about it?" She could sense that it would be quite a story, though it wasn't tied to the here and now, whatever had happened was long past.

"Not really, no." Ben brought his mind back to their main problem now. "What we need to do is figure out where we're going."

She considered it, "I don't know about you, but I have no idea. What we knew before is no longer accurate. I can't even tell what she did, much less how to undo it."

"Neither do I," Ben admitted, "But I did find something out about the dagger we saw in our vision. Apparently, my father's master, Yoda, told him of the Son and Daughter, the ones Abeloth was trying to replace us with. The weapon we saw can kill beings like those, beings like Abeloth—"

"—and like us," Vestara finished. "You father told you all this?"

Ben shifted slightly in the pilot's seat. "Not exactly, when he took me to run tests and I'd bring up Abeloth, I saw what he thought about, the things he knew. The Jedi are searching for it right now."

That brought Vestara's head up sharply, eyes narrowed. "For us?"

"No," Ben waved her anger down, "they did it before we even woke up, to stop Abeloth once and for all. They sent ten Jedi Knights after a gateway to the land where the dagger is kept."

"You know who the Knights are?"

Yes, but I've never met any of them personally," Ben's shoulders dropped a bit. " I have no idea where they are now or how close they are, my father didn't know or never thought about it in my presence."

They looked around the mostly empty expanse before them, Terephon was a pretty world from afar. The expanses of moorlands made large portions of the surface look like soupy green smears over the land. The more dry and stable portions of land supported opulent cities, a norm in the Transitory Mists. After a couple minutes of consideration, Vestara perked up. "What about the Pool?"

Ben gave a confused arch of his eyebrow. "What about it, what we saw has changed."

"Yes, but the Pool is still there. If something was changed, can't we just visit it again and see the future again?"

We have already done it once, Ben thought. "But it's a long way from here to the Maw. We're at least on the same side of the galaxy, but it's definitely not close."

"That's the beauty of it, we don't have to go there physically."

"What do you mean—oh." Ben understood, they could visit all the sites on that world in Beyond Shadows. All from the safety of their own ship. "If we do that, we need to get some things prepared first, because neither of us are going alone. We should take a short jump to open space, so we don't need to worry about someone stumbling on our ship. Then we need to find IVs from the medical cabin."

"Then let's do this."

Chapter Text

Luxury 5000 Yacht Rook, Unknown Location Transitory Mists; 44 ABY

The preparation was short and uneventful. In no time, Ben and Vestara were lying on the overstuffed beds in the medical facilities onboard and talking to the resident Emdee droid. "Now, make sure you replace the IV bags as needed," Ben was saying as he rolled up his sleeve. By some miraculous stroke of luck, his cheeks had not yet split, though the itching had forced him to apply a numbing cream. One good thing about going to Beyond Shadows would be not having to deal with that. Vestara was already lying down, the IV inserted into her normal arm. They were ready.

A few chants of the key phrase, and they felt their feet lift from the table. Time ceased, their awareness of it at least. Minutes or hours, days or years, it didn't matter. Having both been here before, they knew they had landed in the Lake of Apparitions. Everything was connected here, so they were not unduly upset. Travel to the Pool was a short one, or was it long? Without a basis of time reference, it was so easy to get confused.

Vestara was disheartened to find that she looked much the same here as she had in the 'real world,' as she liked to think of it. There was something in her that had prayed that when they'd gotten to this realm of spirits that she'd look like she was supposed to. Such thoughts, of course, were carefully hidden from Ben, she didn't need his pity. She knew he didn't see it that way, but she had no other way to imagine anyone seeing her as she was now. If she was to look like this forever, then she may as well try to get used to it.

Oblivious to the internal thoughts of his companion, Ben slowly floated in the direction he knew the Pool of Knowledge, at least on this plane, was located. "Come on, Ves, we need to make this quick."

When they reached the Pool, they were shocked. The white marble lining, so similar to what they'd actually touched in person, was splintered and cracked. The water was missing, drained through the split in the bottom. The transparent cavern walls wavered, clearly dying. Something bad had happened here, something powerful.

"Could this be what she did?" Vestara asked.

"Maybe," Ben paused, "or she did this to hide what she changed, so we wouldn't be able to see."

They looked back to the Lake, it seemed unharmed. "What else could she have done? We need to see the extent of the damage."

Ben had a sallow wave wash over him at that thought, but pushed it aside. Vestara was right. "Yes, I think we should. Why don't we split up to cover everything faster. The sooner we find out what we need to, the sooner we can get out of here."

They decided to take the two sites they knew about, as they would be the only ones they could determine whether or not they had been damaged. Ben opted to visit the Font of Power, no doubt not completely trusting Vestara to resist another drink, as she had gotten them to drink the first time. Who knew what a second time would do? So, without too much reluctance, Vestara got to investigate the Lake of Apparitions. It was here, that she strode along the thin safe path through the faces. Most of the ones she saw were vaguely familiar. She saw the lavender face of Ahri Raas and felt a pang of regret. Unwilling to give the ghostly face a chance to see her, she hurried away, only to stop short when she heard a cold voice call out.

"So, the harlot returns." The voice was much older than Raas had been, dripping with loathing and hate.

Following the sound, Vestara found herself looking down upon the malevolent face of Sarasu Taalon, eyes blazing an orange glow. "High Lord Taalon," she said, her voice dead and emotionless. She had never thought she'd have to face him, her fall because of his failure, her loyalty to the Tribe. Yet now, she was just like he had been, wasn't she? Changed into something new. She'd killed him for that, but she neither had the inclination nor the resolved to do the same to herself or Ben.

"How things change," Taalon sneered, "the shell now shows the traitorous charlatan within."

She tried and failed to repress the cringe she felt at the words. "I did what I had to, you were no longer loyal to the Tribe."

"And you are? Siding with the Jedi, betraying your own kind, you are a disgrace Vestara Khai! A common whore to Skywalker's spawn," Taalon spat. "And now you become the same thing you murdered me for? How ironic!"

Knowing she would only get more abuse, Vestara turned away, she certainly didn't have a good answer to any of the High Lord's allegations. The Keshiri Sith shouted at her retreating form, unable to follow. When Taalon's voice was a distant murmur, Vestara heard another voice, this one far from the melodious scorn in the distance. This voice was silken and smooth, but grating at the same time.

"Vestara Khai, come to me."

She found herself wandering over into a darkened area of the Lake. These pools of liquid held the faces she knew from her history lessons and the past the Tribe uncovered after Ship found them. All these cells were degraded and rancid, as if the being within poisoned the water. She passed a balding muscled man covered in orbalisks, a woman with her face wrapped in a triangular headdress, a tattooed Zabrak in red and black. They were Sith Lords, ones from the past, trapped forever in torment for what they did in life. Perdition for the damned.

She came upon the one that had called out to her and faltered. The water was a murky black, the edges cracked and crumbling. She knew before she saw the face that someone truly evil resided within. Yellow orbs shone through the black. The face that faded into visual existence was horribly disfigured, melted and furrowed. Vestara knew who it was, even the most uninformed being knew the face of the Galactic Emperor, Palpatine.

"Come closer, child," he rasped, golden eyes taking on a compassionate twist. "You have come a long way, young one, and can go so far. If you let me help you."

Vestara narrowed her eyes, did this fool really think he could talk her into anything? She was raised a Sith. "And why would you do that? The goodness of your heart? You seem to keep strange company if that's the case."

"Did I say my reasons were altruistic?" Palpatine said it as if he'd known exactly what she'd say, not a moment or pause to collect his response. "I have many reasons behind my intent, not the least of which what you will do for me, child."

Vestara snorted. "And what would that be?"

"You'll set me free."

"Any particular reason?"

"Because of the other reasons, because I will help you."

Vestara had enough, she moved to walk away. Palpatine may have been powerful in his time, but senility had obviously set in—

"You know Skywalker will abandon you." That made her stop. She'd underestimated the Sith. Far more than Taalon ever could, Palpatine had laid a bony finger on the most tender spot in her soul and twisted. "How could it end any other way, my child? You already foresee this."

"That's not true," she hissed, unconsciously turning back.

"Isn't it? You don't need me to tell you what you already suspect. Beauty is such a fickle thing, so fleeting, but power is lasting."

Now it was Vestara's turn to sneer, to jab her own swipe at the Dark Lord. "What would you know about sacrificing your looks?"

"Do you think I always looked like this?" The hood fell away and the wrinkles smoothed and flattened. A doughy grandfather-like face smiled up at her. "The great always sacrifice themselves for their destiny, as you already have. All that remains is to embrace what you have gained from your loss."

"You're wrong about Ben," Vestara insisted, she hadn't even realized she was kneeling at the edge of the water.

"Do you not think he could hide his thoughts from you? Are your own thoughts so open to his mind?"

Vestara hadn't thought about that. She'd hidden some of her more recent thoughts from him, could he be doing the same? What if he really did find her hideous, but bound by honor to stay with her? All the while despising her, wishing that she was the same beautiful girl he'd fallen for.

"But it doesn't have the be that way," Palpatine continued, having paused just long enough to start the train of thought, but not allowing it to reach any real destination. "You can make up for it in power, you can have his affections though that, you just need a guide."

"And . . . that would be you?" Vestara couldn't believe she was even considering it, told herself she really wasn't, that she shouldn't even be here. His voice was just so understanding, so sincere.

"Of course, I've trained so very many, the boy's mother among them."

"Mara Jade . . . "

"And look at the life she had with his father, I could give you that, if you only let me out." A soft, pale hand reached from below the water's  level, out to Vestara. "Take my hand and claim your love for your own."

After a moment of hesitation, Vestara lightly reached out to him. She was just centimeters away when she heard the call.

"Ves? Ves!" Ben shouted when he saw her leaning over the small pool with the hand coming out. "What are you doing?"

The words snapped the spell, Vestara looked down at Palpatine's face and couldn't understand how she'd come so close to actually listening to him. She started to move her hand back. "No."

The grandfatherly face contorted in rage and melted to the Emperor's visage. "I will not be denied," he growled, somehow more restrained than Taalon had been, but far more malevolent. His hand, now skeletal and emaciated, lunged and grabbed her wrist in a flash. Iron chains broke the water surface and needle-like hooks latched onto what little flesh he had, pulling him back, with Vestara in tow. "Release me, or you shall join me, child."

Ben had just made it to Vestara in the time it took for the hand to snatch her. When he saw who was in the water, he couldn't help but recoil.

"Free me, Son of Skywalker, or your love will share my fate." Palpatine said it, as if the hooks meant nothing to him, maybe they didn't. Nothing bled from the holes, but it made the Embrace of Pain look childish by comparison.

Ben scrambled to Vestara's hand. With no anchor to grip, they were leaning in. He tried to pry the Emperor's fingers off his girlfriend, but they were in a death-grip. With no other option, with the chains pulling them in, both Vestara and Ben tugged backwards, pulling the grinning Sith Lord up with them. Six loud cracks echoed in the expanse, the second time in recent history of the gates to Chaos being violated.

Breathing heavily, chunks of tissue ripped away by the chains, Palpatine was huddled over in a wet mass of flowing robes. Having fallen the other direction, Ben and Vestara watched as he slowly rose to his feet. Eyes closed, the Sith flexed his fingers. "I have waited years for this, freedom. Free to wrought vengeance on those who sentenced me to this prison," Palpatine's eyes flashed open, ochre halos burning within, and his hands clawed into talons. "I think I'll start with his son."

Bluish-purple electricity cackled, not unlike that summoned by Vestara herself, to life. Ben reacted first and telekinetically shoved them back before the lightning struck. The solid ground gave a crumbling sound and fell away into the Depths of Eternity.

Jumping to their feet, Ben and Vestara looked at one another and then back to Palpatine, practically glowing in his newfound freedom. Another bolt cackled and another crack in the path though the Lake fell away. "I told your father my curse would be upon your bloodline forever," the Emperor sneered at Ben, "Do you honestly think you could defeat me where he failed?"

Ben sent a telekinetic shove out to the Emperor, who deflected it instead of directly countering it. Vestara sent her own barrage of lightning at him, only to see him bend it to cage of electricity around him. Crooked teeth and withered grin flashed in the electric sphere. He blasted it away in a pulse of pent up Force power. "Silly girl, are you really naive enough to think you can best me here?" Another wave of lightning struck one of the open ponds, the occupant crying out in anguish as the water amplified the attack. "Unwanted, unloved, unimportant," he punctuated each word with another crack of electricity.

Vestara was shocked to see them so on the defensive. With Abeloth, they'd been able to hold their own, but Palaptine kept them apart, off balance with the taunts. She had a nightmarish thought of what would happen if this demon ever found the Font or the waters from the Pool, he'd make Abeloth look like a jilted prom date demanding everyone know how pretty she was. She opened herself to the Force, to Ben, and could feel the leering Shadow before them.

Ben felt Vestara reach out to him, it had been the first time since what had happened in the cockpit, though this was far from the intent to share, they needed to stop the Sith Lord now. He looked back to the putrefied fissure Palpatine had been trapped in, the dulled shackles writhing beneath the surface. Ben and Vestara's eyes met and they knew what they had to do.

Leaping over the voids, Ben sent blasts of Force power at the Emperor. Palpatine swatted each one away and hurled more lightning back. Vestara had never known any of the High Lords or even the Grand Lord to be so proficient in the art, practically every attack from him was wreathed in violet energy. With Ben distracting, a strategy that had worked on Abeloth, Vestara's tentacle lashed out for Palpatine's neck, only to be intercepted by his gaunt wrist. She'd known the old man had strength amplified by dark power, but his arm reminded her of durasteel cable, strong and ropy. Ben caught a bolt on his arm and the Sith Lord pulled Vestara in close, holding fast to her feeler. "I've been a master of these arts longer than you've lived." He pumped electricity directly into her arm, bones lighting up as it arced to her torso. She dropped to her knees with his towering form hovering over her.

Seeing Vestara in trouble, Ben sent out an acute burst of kinetic energy at Palpatine, catching him unaware as he'd been focused on Vestara. Billowing smoke trailed his flowing cloak, the Sith let go of Vestara and landed near where his cell had been. Rising to his feet, Palpatine's clawed hands sparked perfect orbs of energy.

Ben and Vestara worked in tandem a massive wave of kinetic push and crackling electricity forced Palpatine to step back, closer to his cell. They kept up the assault until he was within range of his snake-like chains. Catching the Emperor's leg, he fell back to them. The hooked manacles lunged from the depths and wrapped around his torso, holding him down, biting into him, but unable to pull him all the way back in.

The pain he hadn't felt before was clearly visible on his deformed face now, eyes glowing in hate as the pair of teenagers approached. "A splendid effort," he twitched as another flesh hook caught his neck, stretching the loose skin, "but if you let me go back, you'll never know what the entity did."

Vestara's crimson eyes flared and her tentacle arm wrapped itself around the Emperor's bony neck. "Tell us, or you die."

Despite the constricted airway, Palpatine actually laughed at them, ruined teeth on full display. "I live an existence worse than death, mongrel, do you think you can threaten me with a lesser sentence? I want freedom."

Vestara looked to Ben and back. "Deal. Tell us and we'll let you go, but no more attacks."

"Ves, no—" Ben started.

"—Free me first." Palpatine cut him off.

"Not a chance, you tell us, or we leave you here. We'll come back in a few weeks to see just how strong those chains really are."

As if on cue, another catch found his back and dug in. Sooty smoke started leaking out of the wound. For the first time, a flicker of uncertainty slithered in the Emperor's eyes. "She freed someone here, sent them back to the physical realm."

"Who?" Vestara tightened her grip as the hooks pulled a little harder.

The chain in his back wrenched itself out, pulling a large chunk with it. Palpatine winced in pain as more smoke poured out of him. "One of my old students, a Hand from the Empire."

"The name," Ben said, his earlier reservation gone so close to the answer they needed, how Abeloth had changed the future, with whom.

"Cronal," Palpatine hissed, "but you'll need me to stop him. Let me go, and we will destroy the entity you seek."

Before Palpatine could start to weave another web to entice them, Ben stepped in to cut him off. "I think not."

"You promised to set me free if I told you. If you leave me here, you betray your Jedi heritage, Skywalker."

That got a reaction, Ben still was struggling to balance what he was supposed to be with the Jedi ideals he'd wanted to live up to. He hadn't promised it himself, but he'd gotten the information out of that deal. Wasn't he duty bound to honor it?

"Perhaps," Vestara said, clearly enjoying herself now, "but I have no such reservations."

She raised her normal hand and sent an electric pulse at the ground, collapsing it from under the Sith Lord. The chains yanked down and pulled the Emperor under. He snarled an incoherent expression of rage and reached up to pull Vestara with him, as he'd tried before. With Ben there this time, he sent another hammer of Force energy down at Palpatine, knocking him back. He fell forever, or perhaps it only seemed that way. All along the way, he fought against the bloody chains, demonic smoke-like wings sprouted from his wounds and he worked against the shackles, lost in an endless struggle to gain ground on them.

Ben and Vestara fell back, exhausted from the battle they hadn't expected. They drew ragged breaths.  Ben turned his head to her. "What happened?"

Vestara looked ashamed. "I made a mistake, listened when I shouldn't have."

"What could he possibly have said that would do that?"

Vestara squirmed for a second. "I'll tell you, if you want, but not here, not now. We need to get out of here, we don't know how long it's been."

Ben tapered his eyes, not quite ready to cede the issue, though he was the immediate discussion of it. "I still have one thing I still want to do. Someone I need see."

"Who?" Vestara asked as she got to her shaky feet, pulling Ben behind her.

He'd stated walking away already.

"Mom."

The voice was clear and strong, but there was emotion under it. Mara Jade Skywalker opened her eyes to see her son kneeling over her spot in the Lake.

"You know you shouldn't be here," she said, but she couldn't help but smile as she looked up to her boy. He'd grown since last she saw him, so very long since she'd been able to touch him. Mara was, as always, observant, and saw not only Ben's blue sparkled eyes, but the red ones of his companion and her arm. "What happened, Ben? Why are you here?"

"Long story, Mom, but we're here to kill Abeloth."

"You can't kill her, she's one of the Old Ones." Mara said, she seemed to constantly have to remind her husband about it, but now their son, too.

Ben gave a sad little smile. "There's a way, we've seen it."

"We?"

Vestara, who'd politely stayed back while Ben talked with his mother, stepped forward when Ben beckoned her. "This is Vestara, Mom."

Mara gave a shrewd once over of the brunette, the perpetual grin of her mouth, the tensed tendril of an arm. "Your . . . girlfriend?" Mara asked, though she suspected the answer already by the way they seemed so comfortable next to one another.

Vestara gave a shy smile, at least as much as she was able to. She hadn't really thought Ben would take her to see his mother. It was most certainly not a pleasant experienced, to be judged.

"I—yes, Mom." Ben said, "I thought you should meet her."

Mara sent her gaze back to Ben. "Where's your father?"

"He's," Ben paused, as if to find the right words, "not here. We had a disagreement about what we have to do."

"It's been a long time since either of us could tell you what to do, Ben," Mara's eyes seemed to tear beneath the water. "Just follow your heart and you'll do what needs to be done, but never forget your father and I love you. Even if we might not agree, we always do."

"Thanks Mom," Ben's voice hitched.

"Vestara," Mara called, "take care of Ben for me."

Not really sure what to say, she nodded.

"Now go," Mara said "you've both been here too long."

"Where do we go?" Ben asked, "The Pool is ruined."

Mara's hand reached out from the water and stroked Ben's. "Your father said everything here is tied to a physical location. If something is wrong here, maybe you can find what you need there," Mara smiled. "Now go. Remember, you're stronger together."

Ben and Vestara looked at one another, Mara looking on from beneath the water, and pulled themselves back to their bodies onboard the Rook.

Chapter Text

Brayl-class Bulk Freighter, Yoke; 44 ABY

Jec Tamish had always wanted to be a Jedi, it had been an ambition of his from his youngest days, swinging a makeshift sword cobbled together from a couple twigs and a stick. The first time he felt the Force had been when he was five. He and a group of younglings were trapped in a tornado. He'd drawn on a power he'd never felt before to save one of his friends from a falling rafter. That day had changed his life, for the better.

Twenty years later, he found himself not only one of the younger Knights of his generation, but assigned by Grand Master Skywalker to investigate the reports of pirates preying on Jedi-protected trade routes. With their exile from Coruscant, most security had been transferred over to local law enforcement and the military, except in special cases. Jedi Academies or satellites stayed under direct Jedi protection and authority. That was why these attacks were unusual.

Pirates, as a group, were not particularly brave, yet this one had apparently decided to engage the Jedi in a private war. Thus, he found himself along for the ride of one of the larger transports headed to a small hub out in the Outter Rim. Jec didn't actually remember the name, he was more of an action man than researcher.

"We're right on schedule, Master Jedi." The transports Twi'lek captain, one Dama Farfella, said as she walked up behind him.

Turning to regard the ship's commanding officer, Jec gave an embarrassed grin. "I'm only a Knight, actually."

Farfella flashed him a coy smirk and gave an exaggerated shrug. "Forgive me, you just hold yourself with such maturity."

It had been like this the whole trip, and truth be told Jec did find the Captain to be quite fetching. It wasn't all too common to see a female Twi'lek in such a high position of authority. Despite leaps and bounds, a disproportionately large number of Twi'leks still played in the slave trade. There was still a near-universal bias against them. Jec wasn't here for pleasure, though he was considering just how much he was allowed to relax on this mission. They were nearly to their drop point and there hadn't been any problems. Maybe the pirates had taken the day off. He inclined his head slightly. "You're too kind, Captain. I'm flattered."

"Nothing I said was flattery, it was the truth—" Farfella was cut off as the transport lurched forward, the blaze of streaked stars resolving into pinpoints of light as they were pulled out of hyperspace.

Arrayed before the relatively defenseless transport was a small armada of eclectic ships, some derelict and others markedly shiny, as if they'd been produced only yesterday. At the center of it all sat a Dreadnaught-class cruiser that seethed in dark power. Jec suddenly had a bad feeling about this. He'd read reports about the Sith Tribe masquerading as pirates. If that malevolent power in the dreadnaught was one of them, this cargo ship could be in trouble. A studious swordsman he may be, but Jec couldn't hope to stop a ship full of Sith.

"Send out a distress signal," Jec commanded while the helm crew scrambled to battle stations, "And make sure to include in it the attackers may be from the Lost Tribe."

Farfella shot him a confused look, all business now. "Lost Tribe?"

"Yes, just make sure you send it." Jec started to the exit, "If these pirates follow the methodology they have in the past, I need to be in the hanger for the boarding party."

They breached in haphazard waves, lacking the precision of genuine military commandos. They probably didn't expect the lightly armed and armored transport to put up all that much of a fight. They were wrong. Jec gathered what security he could on his way to the hanger, and arrayed them behind various covers. The first group was struck down as soon as they boarded, not even getting a shot off. That made the second set pause for thought.

When they came, they paved their way with grenades, bright strobes and shrapnel rocked the battlefield. The pirates that emerged from behind the smoke fought with a ferocity that Jec associated with the desperate and deranged, as if they were running as much from something at fighting them. They poured in, taking heavy losses along the way.

Jec's plasma-blue blade sizzled and streaked through the air, weaving baskets of deflecting light, sending blaster bolts back to their sources. He was surprised at the lack of planning on the brigands' part. They seemed to be hurling themselves onto the fire with an abandon that was unlike anything Jec had seen before. That was when the shuttle landed.

It was nondescript, but Jec could feel the vortex of power inside. Whatever had been on the command ship was here now. Twirling his lightsaber to a guard position, he watched the ramp lower. Instead of a Sith, another wave of half-mad pirates surged out. Jec slashed and swung his saber though them, they made minimal efforts to actually defend themselves. As the last one fell, a boy walked out to the ramp.

He wasn't all that much older than Jec was himself, but something was wrong. Flesh had melted and sagged, as if the muscle was wasted away. Dark varicose veins crawled up his neck and down his exposed limbs, like an infection. The eyes were naught but ivory spheres. Jec's mind inevitably flashed to zombie holos he'd seen as a kid.

"Finally, a more worthy vessel." The boy's words came out as a bass distortion, unlike anything one would expect him to sound like. He raised a clawed hand and sent out a Force pulse. Security and pirates alike fell before it, and Jec had to steady himself to avoid being knocked over.

"Surrender, Sith!" Jec called over the chaos, he angled his blade to the boy.

"Sith? Foolish Jedi, the Sith are no better than you. Feeble and cowering instead of serving the true nature of the Dark." He lunged.

Jec reflexively raised his saber to block whatever attack was coming, and was startled to see the boy's arm fall away, he'd ran right into the blade. That shock prevented him from doing anything further when the boy grabbed a hold of Jec's tunic and pulled him close.

Just before Jec lost consciousness, he gave a wordless scream as a shadow of starlight and shade shimmered over the boy's crippled body, dominating his vision.

Farfella was in damage control. All over her ship, pirates looted and, more disturbingly, killed everyone, even those who'd surrendered. She shouted to the comm station. "Did you get the message out?"

"No ma'am," the Sullustan comm chief shouted back over the screeching alarms. "They're jamming us."

She was about to utter a particularly racy curse when she saw the Jedi Knight stumble back onto the bridge. "Jedi Tamish, is something wrong?" She hurried toward him.

Not seeming to have heard her, he only looked from side to side, scanning the crew. She came to a stop in front of him and took his shoulders. "Are you hurt? The pirates are slaughtering us."

"Of course they are," his voice was wrong, like two people spoke at the same time, "I told them to."

"Told them—"

She didn't get a chance to finish her question as a fiery lance of pain shot through her stomach. She looked down to see Tamish's lightsaber plunged into her gut.

"He liked you, you know." Jec said this as if commenting on the unimportant, but he looked deep into her shocked eyes. "That's what makes this so much more . . . satisfying."

Farfella dropped, the blade extinguishing before it cut her asunder. She dimly noting the screaming of her crew as pirates burst through the door and started shooting, all but ignoring her and Tamish. He crouched down to his haunches and gave a cold smirk.

"He was the first," the Not-Tamish gloated. "Soon, he will be joined by all the rest, their ivory towers drenched in the blood of the those they 'protect.' Nightfall on the galaxy has begun."

Farfella clenched her stomach in pain, he'd sliced through one of her kidneys. "Chaos take you," she spat.

"Too late." he said and happily fed her a meter of azure flame.

Luxury 5000 Yacht Rook, Unknown Location Transitory Mists; 44 ABY

They awoke with a start, their bodies weak from the lack of movement for however long they were out. The Emdee droid, Ben was happy to find, had done its job well. A number of empty IV bags were discarded in the waste receptacle at the edges of their beds. Cracking his neck, Ben slid off the table and stretched. Joints cracked and popped from the sedentary position. He looked over to see Vestara going through a similar routine. Once they were done, and made sure the medical droid was back to standby, they headed to the cockpit to start their journey.

Traveling from here to Kessel wouldn't be a short trip. Ben was glad for that, as he had a feeling they'd need it to talk about what had happened. Pulling the leaver to enter hyperspace, they watched the familiar streak of stars zoom by as they started their journey. Ben rotated the pilot's seat to face Vestara. "So."

She knew he wouldn't forget what she'd said, or what had happened on the Lake. Her shoulders dropped in resignation and shame for her weakness. "So . . . " She drew it out in sibilant sigh, "You probably want to know what happened."

"That would be a safe assumption," Ben said. His voice was firm, not willing to be deflected, but not nearly as harsh as it would have been earlier in their relationship.

"Palpatine—he said things," Vestara's voice gave out midway, she didn't really understand why it was so hard for her to talk about. She couldn't figure out if it was just talking about her weakness, or talking about it with Ben. All her life, she'd always strived for others' respect as a peer, especially those of a higher tier, but never truly wanted them to be anything more than that. With Ben, she wanted him to be so much more, but afraid to put it to the test and find it lacking. "Things that I was thinking, even though I shouldn't."

"He used it?" Ben prompted, "Used it to try and make a deal?"

"Yes." She shifted, body physically squirming to keep it in.

"What could he possibly have said  to make you try to help him?"

"He told me you'd leave me," She hung her head, it actually hurt to admit it. On one level it bothered her that she actually thought she needed him, that she wasn't as independent as she should have been, "That I needed his help to keep you."

Ben reached out his hand to her own. "Ves, I thought we already talked about this."

She pulled it away just as he was about to touch, folding it in her other coiling appendage. "I don't—I don't understand how you could want to be with me," She gestured broadly to herself, "like this."

Ben shook his head. He'd said everything he could, but she just didn't seem to want to accept that he wasn't obsessed with looks, that his feelings ran deeper than the surface. His face lit in epiphany and he reached up to his jaw. With a diagonal jerk, he split the seam along his cheeks, opening his altered mouth to its full length. He moved so fast, Vestara gaped in shock, made more pronounced by her own jaw line. Ben looked at her. "Do you think I'm a monster?" His voice had lost its normal tone, taking on the sing-song tone Vestara had gained before.

Whatever she'd expected, it wasn't that. She actually paused to consider his question, did she? He was, after all, like her. If she'd been asked before she ever met him, when she was completely obsessed with appearances, her answer would have been an unabashed 'yes.' But now? Now she looked on his face, twinkling blue stars, toothy grin and she found him . . . gorgeous. She was always focused on what he saw when he looked at her, but never thought about it the other way around. She was never repulsed by him, felt better with him around, was that how he saw her? "No, no I don't. I think you're striking."

"Then you see what I do when I see you," he said simply

"I never realized."

"You do now," Ben said. "But I can still show you."

Like he had before their astral trip, he opened his walls again, inviting her in. She was less hesitant than before, more secure in her own self after what she'd realized. They twine, but she didn't experience the moment of panic, just the feeling of oneness that only Ben Skywalker could give her. Their minds melded and touched, becoming two occupying the same space. Conscious thoughts drifted and the last thing she felt before drifting off to sleep was the plush silk of a bed.

Vestara woke several hours later to an experience she'd had only once in her young life before. She was swathed in pliable covers and pillows, her hand cackling as she generated static moving beneath. The main difference between the last time she's slept in the captain's cabin and now was the warm body, arms wrapped protectively around her. Much to Vestara's relief, they were both clothed. She may want to someday, a line of thought that she'd never imagined crossing her mind before, but for now did not want to find herself with child because she'd been too stupid to think beforehand.

Her responsiveness roused Ben. He rubbed his hands along her arms, the friction producing a warmth. "Good morning," his voice a soft choir.

Not really sure what to say in light of what they'd shared before they fell asleep, she reverted back to their repartee. "It is? I must have missed the memo."

She could feel him smile into the back of her neck, more pronounced now. "I'll make sure to forward that one next time." The response time was there, but he sounded much more rested than she'd heard before. "How did you sleep?"

"Wonderful. It feels . . . nice not to wake alone." Vestara started to roll over to face him, but decided against it midway. Ben hummed in agreement. After she felt herself wake a little more she asked, "how'd we get here? The last thing I remember was in the cockpit."

"I'm not sure, but I'm not really complaining."

"No, I suppose you wouldn't." She smiled, it was too good to pass up.

"Hey, I'll have you know—"

Before he could finish, she turned and covered his mouth with her own. The protest died a quick and happy death as he pushed back. When they finally needed to break for air, she smirked. "I'm not complaining, either, but we can't stay in bed until we get to the Maw."

"Are you sure? It'd be nice to just vegetate after all we've been through."

"Maybe, but you know I never want to stay still."

Ben wiggled his eyebrows and gave her an amorous leer. "Just because we're in bed doesn't mean we have to stay still."

Vestara rolled her eyes and gave him a pinch. Ben yelped and fell backwards off of the side. "Oh look, you're out of bed," she said in mock surprise, "I guess that means we can get going."

Ben absently rubbed the back of his head, which had, moments ago, become uncomfortably acquainted with the synthwood flooring. He mumbled something about being abused as Vestara, now quite awake, hopped out of bed to give him a hand up.

"Now what exactly did you want to get out of bed so much to do?" Ben asked, still slightly put out from earlier.

"What do you mean?" She gave him an innocent look.

"Come on, Ves, I know you too well." They were walking down one of the entranceways to the starboard hanger bay, "You wanted to do something."

She gave a little pout, but it was obviously forced. "Fine, I thought we could . . . practice a little."

"Practice?"

"You know," Vestara rolled her neck, "ever since we woke up on Shedu Maad we never really got a chance to see what we could do. It's all been reactions and staying alive."

Ben gave her an exasperated look. "You pulled me of a nice warm bed to train?"

"Don't be like that. Besides, if you're good," She flashed him an affectionate look, "we might wake up like that again."

Ben actually missed a step there and landed flat on his face, his hands just outstretched enough to avoid breaking his nose. Vestara doubled over in laughter, mirth sharking her shoulders and glistening tears rolling down her cheeks. Ben felt a pattern emerging and sent her a mock scowl. "You're evil."

Wiping a tear from her eye, Vestara could only nod. She bent over and helped Ben up, making sure he hadn't actually hurt himself. "Only as much as you'll let me be," she said, "Now, come on."

The hanger bays on both sides of the ship had been empty when they'd taken it, so it did make them an ideal location to actually train. They took opposite corners and Ben was the first to ask."What exactly do you want to practice at doing?"

"Not really sure, I guess we wing it." She drew her gilded saber and thumbed the ignition switch. Crouching low, she leapt at Ben, green blade sizzling over her head.

Ben parried her attack in a blue flash of energy. Angling it down, he slid her blade off to the side and came back in a diagonal stroke. Vestara spun away and carried her saber in a roundhouse on Ben's unprotected flank. Dropping to his haunches, Ben spun with his leg outstretched, hoping to knock Vestara off her feet. She leapt back in a summersault, ending up on one of the hanger walls and pushed herself off.

The Force pulsed with both of them, Ben's one of luminous energy and Vestara's one of darkness. Ben hadn't really thought about it since they'd last been on Abeloth's planet, how she'd taken in all of it from the Font of Power. She hadn't actually done anything that Ben would consider genuinely bad since they'd drunk, nothing like what he'd seen Jacen doing. He seemed to have a moderating influence over her now—

"A little less on the philosophical musings, more action."

Ben ducked another jab, this one stopped midway and turned into a slash. He caught the blow and locked the blades together. "Not nice listening in," he grunted. She definitely had gained a lot more strength. Before, he'd had more physical inertia in his blows, while she had agility. Now, they were more matched.

Vestara leaned in over the two blades, something that would be suicide against a real opponent, and pecked his nose with a kiss. "I never said I was nice." She dropped to the ground and rolled behind him. Ben threw his saber over his head without turning and intercepted her rear attack. He was about to follow up on his block when he felt a snake-like coil around his leg and pulled.

Ben fell, though that was more from a sudden realization that hadn't hit him until now more than Vestara's attack. She felt his shock through the Force and dropped to his side. "Ben, are you okay?"

"My ankle . . ." he trailed off looking down at it.

"Oh gods, Ben, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking." His words had reminded her of what had happened not a week before.

"That's not it," he assured her, "It's just . . . healed."

Ben pulled up his pant leg and examined the smooth skin there. He'd known the Emdee droid had put Bacta on it when they'd gone to Beyond Shadows, but there was no way it would be healed already. Even a healing trance would take longer for something as non-life threatening as that.

They looked at one another and had a pretty good idea of the other's thoughts without using their connection. Abeloth had possessed a rapid healing ability, unnatural in most humanoids. They'd taken on a few of her traits already, but there seemed to be more to come.

Brayl-class Bulk Freighter, Yoke; 44 ABY

Cronal flexed his new hands experimentally. This body would do much more nicely than that pirate scum. He'd nearly burned the previous one up, forcing power through it that it had never been acclimated to. Of course, Cronal had spared the boy's life, he was still doubled over in the hanger clutching his stump. Destruction had its place, the ultimate goal, but there were some things that just felt so good.

He closed his eyes, accessing the deep-rooted powers of the Dark, finally with a body that could handle the strain. He'd been among heretics for so long, he actually felt nostalgic for his early family, the Sorcerers of the Rhand. Hidden in the Nihil Retreat, they understood like no one else, that there was only one Truth in this otherwise meaningless life. Only power is real, and the only real power is the power to destroy. Existence is fleeting. Destruction is eternal. His new hand curled into a fist, he now had a chance to regain that power that Skywalker had robbed him of all those years past.

The bridge fell away to vague reflections and shadows. Cronal had been gifted with the greatest of the Dark's gifts: Darksight. With it, he could see the futures, the possible outcomes and force his design on their unfolding. He followed the strand that led him from here. He was surrounded by a rainbow of colors, jewels hidden away, protected for what they offered. The landscape changed again. This time, he stood in a stone castle, familiar in its design, and watch Luke Skywalker fall to the ground, by his hand. Cronal knew he would never see the troublesome Jedi again after that. The future was fractured, but those common points remained the same throughout. This was his time, time to sow the seeds of entropy and watch the galaxy cry out as the life was cut out scores at a time. The visions faded, leaving him alone on the bridge.

The Twi'lek's corpse laid where he'd left it, his servants having secured the ship. The smell of ozone and death curled through the doomed ship. He had what he'd truly wanted, a new body, a new host. He would be able to do so much more now, his knowledge of the Jedi grown by what the Knight he inhabited knew, pried from his mind with razor will.

What to do with the ship? It was a secondary concern now, but still one worth considering. Cronal strolled up the charred walkway admiring the gore splashed on the consoles. He'd just reached the forward viewport when he felt the twist in his essence. The witch had done that, sent a part of her along with him.

My children are seeking the Pool of Knowledge.

Cronal hadn't any inclination as to who exactly these 'children' were, or what this 'Pool of Knowledge' was, so he said as much. "And this should hold some meaning to me?"

Do not patronize me, you will do as I command. Find them. Stop them.

The twist became painful, like a constrictor around his heart. Had the pirates had any notion of free thought, they probably would have thought him insane, to be talking to himself. "How do you wish me to do that?" The sooner he'd satisfied this wretch, the sooner he could go back to his true mission: the systematic destruction of, well, everything.

They travel to the land of black holes, the prison. Go there.

"As you wish." Turning, Cronal summoned his pirates with a mental tug. It was time to go, and he'd decided on a fate for the transport. After all, it was only polite to make that final delivery.

Chapter Text

Jedi Temple, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

The Temple was on edge. Reports about the disaster on Ossus. The Academy had been emptied during the conflict with the Lost Tribe, but a number of Jedi were using it as a remote hub to coordinate local action. From what reports they could gather, a bulk freighter of supplies that had been bound for the Ossus base had instead crashed headlong into the sanctuary there. A disaster was the perfect term. Dozens of Jedi confirmed or presumed dead, all Jedi Knights.

Luke could feel it, a fog of despair had fallen on Shedu Maad. No one said it aloud, but many suspected the Lost Tribe, they had attacked the evacuating ships there before. Personally, he didn't know what to think. It was too damaging an event to be purely happenstance, but there was no machinations behind it, just random destruction.

Walking through the twilight-lit halls of the meditation copse, Luke sought clarity under a gnarled tree. Most everyone was asleep, but the Grand Master couldn't find rest on his own. Things weren't right. Truth be told, he was still worried about Ben. Upon reflection, Luke realized he'd made mistakes in dealing with Ben after he came back from Abeloth's world. He'd allowed his own connection to his son to give him too much reign. When Vestara escaped, it had been easy for her and Ben to get out off the Temple grounds.

Crossing his legs into a meditative posture, Luke turned his thoughts to just that. Had he been too emotionally involved? Of course, Ben was his son. But did that make him right? Ben and Vestara were adamant about what they needed to do, to stop Abeloth, whatever that had entailed. Should he have supported his son? On one hand, Luke knew the dangers of following visions as if they were dictations, the damage that could be done. But Ben knew that too. It was just so difficult to understand what had happened to his son—and Vestara.

That was another sore issue. Where exactly did Vestara stand? She had been adamant about her desire to join the Jedi, he'd been sure. There weren't many beings who could actually trick him, and he doubted she'd had the experience to do so. Yet, when the time came on Coruscant, she'd betrayed them all to the Sith, to Abeloth. She later helped Ben kill Abeloth's avatar, so what exactly did that mean? For that matter, could Ben have lied about his story? No, Luke was sure about that. He knew his son better than anyone, and Ben had been honest about what he'd said.

The truth was Luke was also afraid for Ben. He'd known what it had been like to fall in love with someone on the dark side. Shira Brie, later known as Lumiya, had done it to him. What would Vestara do to Ben? For that matter, Luke tried to consider the possibility of it working the other way. Luke had turned around the life of another Imperial assassin, had loved her, and married her. Mara was always the stronger of the two of them, she'd kept an edge from her old life even as a Jedi Master. Vestara was much darker than Mara had ever been, even under Palpatine, but could she put it aside for her feelings?

Luke shook his head, this endless series of questions would do him no good. For better or worse, Ben and Vestara were on the run. Luke needed to find them. He calmed his mind, letting the worries of seconds before flow like water off a roof. He opened himself to the Force, the interwoven lined of rainbow color that connected everything. Feeling the unease of the Temple, the resolve of the Masters, and something . . . murky. That last one was new, not exactly clear, but somehow familiar, like the face of an old friend after decades apart.

His eyebrows rutted, the Jedi patriarch sent a more insistent probe to the murk. Ben had said something, before the last time he'd gone to see Vestara. Had said that Abeloth did something, changed something. Could this be it? He reached out to it, but found himself adrift in a void. Vortexes of gravity surrounded him, black holes of power draining the life of the galaxy. At the center of the largest on, opalescent slits watched him from the singularity, waiting for revenge for his actions.

Luke's eyes shot open as he left the vision, unsure of what it meant. He ran his hand through his hair and found it mopped with sweat. The Maw, that's where he'd been. His mind still as nimble as always, it didn't take long to connect Abeloth, Ben, and Vestara to the Maw, the prison planet where they'd first faced her. He felt it pull to him.

He left the alcove and went to his quarters. He'd just been wondering about his son acting on visions and he found himself compelled to do so. He left a message for the Masters and then called Leia. Han answered first. "Kid? Is everything alright?" He sounded groggy, it was the middle of the night on Coruscant.

"Everything's fine, Han, I just needed to speak with Leia." Luke wasn't entirely sure it would be a good idea to bring up the fact he thought he knew where Ben and Vestara had gone with Han still holding a hefty grudge against her. Leia was more moderate in her opinion.

"Luke?" Leia's voice took over the comm call, she sounded just as tired as Han had. "What is it?"

"I've seen a vision, Leia," he said, not entirely sure how to pass on the feeling he needed to go to the Maw, but wanting to assure his sister and brother-in-law that he wasn't losing it. "I'm going to be heading to the Maw."

"The—the Maw?" Leia was certain she'd misunderstood in her tired state, why in the galaxy would he need to go there.

"Yes, I think that's where I'll find Ben."

"And Vestara?" She asked, Luke heard a Corellian curse in the background and Han demanding to know where 'that witch' had gone to now.

"I think so, but I needed to let you know you'd be going." Luke was already starting to gather what little he needed to take with him, most of his personal effects still remained on the Shadow. "I left a message for the Masters, but I just needed to talk to you about it, to hear your voice."

"You know we'll support you, Luke."

He stopped his gathering and sat by the comlink. "Am I doing the right thing?"

Leia paused. "If you think you have to, then you should. Do you think you do?"

"Yes."

"Then you have your answer."

"Thank you, Leia." He sighed, she'd at least gave him as much of an unbiased perspective as he could get right now.

"Luke, do you think you should bring other Jedi with you?" Leia asked before he could start the parting goodbyes, "Maybe some of the Masters?"

He'd thought of that before he called. "No one else had the vision, so it must have been meant for me alone," he reached for the comlink connection. "Sorry for waking you up."

There was another pause, like Leia reaching out to him, too distant to touch. "Be careful, Luke"

"I will." He ended the transmission. He'd gotten the clarity he needed. Within the hour, the Jade Shadow was rising through Shedu Maad's atmosphere and began its journey to the Maw.

Luxury 5000 Yacht Rook, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

After the incident in the hanger, Ben and Vestara decided that they really needed to eat something. The IV bags they'd used until the other day kept them nourished, but it did nothing for an empty stomach. Besides, it would help them get their mind off of thoughts of them actually becoming more and more like Abeloth. The dining hall was large enough to hold over a dozen diners, but they ignored it for the table inside the galley. Ben was delighted to see that the stores included a variety of foodstuffs not generally found in starships, at least not the kind he'd normally been on. In no time, two nerf steak meals were steaming before them.

They ate quickly enough, and in silence. Neither really wanted to bring up what had happened, but unable to think of much else despite the food. Not all that long after, however, they found themselves doubled over in pain, their stomachs twisting violently inside them. Finding the wash basin simultaneously, they both expelled what they'd just consumed, unable to keep it down.

"What's happening to us?" Vestara asked, wiping her mouth with a towel.

Ben copied her movement with another rag. It seemed that they couldn't ignore it, that no matter what they did, it was creeping its way in. "I don't know, Ves," he was drawing in deep breaths. "Not exactly what I signed up for, though."

"He said he couldn't eat, either." Vestara said, eyes off to the side as she sifted through her memory.

"Who?"

"High Lord Taalon." Vestara hadn't told Ben about her encounter with the Keshiri Sith in the Lake of Apparitions, or of his accusations. She and Ben seemed to be on the same path, but the idea of suckling from Abeloth was even more nauseating than her reaction to the food had been. "I'd rather die than rely on that creature for food."

"We'll figure something out, Ves," Ben could feel the sickening wave come off of her when she'd thought about how Taalon had finally begun to sate his hunger. "We can use the IVs until then."

They found themselves in one of the forward lounges, unwilling to go to the medbay just yet, their bodies still shaking from the food. Vestara sat rigidly in one of the high-back chairs, lest she upset her volatile disposition even more. "Do you regret it?"

Ben looked up. "Regret what?"

"Drinking with me," Vestara's melancholy eyes sought his. "You could have had a much better life without this."

"It doesn't do to dwell of 'what ifs,'" Ben said. "It doesn't lead anywhere good."

"Yet I can't not think about it, Ben," She glanced down. "I did it out of weakness and then went on to tempt you."

"You didn't force me."

"But if you hadn't, you'd be with your father right now instead of being here."

"I'd probably be hunting you down if I wasn't here." Ben admitted, it was strange how one's priorities changed so quickly. "But what about you? All alone?"

"I could take care of myself." She sounded more like she was defending herself than stating anything factual.

"Do you remember how you were in the Temple?"

Ah, that brought back something she'd pushed down. Since escaping, Vestara hadn't really thought all that much about her incarceration, the way her anger overpowered her. Since then, there hadn't been a relapse. "I hadn't thought about that." Vestara said, "I never did figure out what happened."

"I have a theory," Ben raised a slender finger.

"Do tell." She winced as another wave of pain shot through her. She wouldn't be able to look at a nerf after this without retching.

"We know that everything there is based around balance," Ben started. "But what if Abeloth had been the only one to use the Font and Pool?" He seemed to be recovering much faster than Vestara was, he hadn't cringed in the past for minutes, at least. "We know that the first person takes in the Dark Side, but what if there was no one to take the Light?"

"So, I'd have become Abeloth," Vestara wasn't too pleased with where this was going, "without you."

"I did seem to be able to calm you in the Temple," Ben pointed out. "What do you think would have happened if you were isolated for thousands of years like that?"

She shuddered, though this wasn't from the nausea. "I'd be in pretty bad shape." A massive understatement.

"But that's also why you don't need to fear becoming her," Ben said, "because you'll always have me."

Vestara smiled slightly, it did make her feel a little better, at least if Ben's theory was right. Something else he'd said also struck her, something that neither had brought up before. "Do you really think we'll live that long?"

"Huh?"

"We know Abeloth has been around for thousands of years," Vestara gestured to the two of them. "Do you think we'll be around that long?"

Ben hadn't really thought about it, either. He'd known that Abeloth had lived that long, but they'd done what she had, so would they now, too? "I have no idea," he confessed, "but that's a long way off."

"Would we be together for that long?"

"Getting tired of my company already?"

"You know, people keep telling us that we argue like an old married couple." Vestara pointed out, "I'm starting to understand why."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

Vestara felt her heart leap to her throat, was he actually suggesting that? She loved him, yes, even agonized about their future together how they were now, but she hadn't really thought all that much about their relationship changing over time. On Kesh, marriages weren't particularly common or rare, but many of them did start with the couple being rather young. It was something of a necessity, as it was difficult to establish trust with a peer in rivalry for a position of power. Her parents had married when they were in their mid-twenties, Vestara knew. Of course, that was on the outside, as Lahka wasn't Force Sensitive, and thus wasn't a rival to Gavar in any form. Vestara felt a pang in her chest when she thought about them, the father that tried to kill her and her mother lost to Abeloth's rage. That had ended badly, to be sure, but what of she and Ben?

"Ves?" Ben's soft voice cut through her thoughts.

"Is that . . . something you want?" She wasn't really sure how to respond, was that something she wanted? Yes. The answer was simple enough. She may not have thought about it much before, but it was something she found herself longing for instantly. To be tied to Ben by more than a need to stay sane or to keep balance, but to be together because they wanted to.

Ben had said it before he'd filtered it though his mind, is that such a bad thing? He couldn't believe he'd been so blatant. So much for being suave or subtle. Then again, she'd responded much better than he'd expected, a sharp Force slap for presumption. He could feel her, slightly hopeful as she asked him if it was something he wanted, it gave him the confidence to give a genuine answer, one he probably wouldn't have otherwise."Very much so."

The pain from the meal forgotten, her spark of hope flamed a bit, fanned into a warmth radiating inside. "I'd like that, too."

Chapter Text

Luxury 5000 Yacht Rook, Maw Cluster; 44 ABY

The Rook emerged from hyperspace in a flicker of pseudo-motion, poised past the edge of the Kessel system. Before them, the incandescent swirls of altered light gave the only real indication of the locations of the centers of each black hole. Having piloted into the Maw more than once, Ben took the helm as Vestara took the copilot's chair. A thought struck him as they entered the Maw. "Whatever happened to Ship?"

Vestara, who'd been watching the passive scans be distorted by the super gravity fields, looked thoughtful. "I'm not really sure. Last I saw was when Abeloth used him to bring us here." She shrugged, "I suppose he left when we killed her, probably returned to Kesh."

"Do you think you'll ever see it again?" Ben asked.

"Ship?"

"Kesh," Ben tore his eyes away from the expanse before them. "I'd like to see it one day, where you grew up."

"I'm not sure if I should ever go back," Vestara said in a low tone, "I've done so many things against the Tribe."

"But you would like to pay respects to your mother." Ben brought his attention back as the yoke started to strain against the pull on either side of the safe passage, he did remember what her father had told her on Dromund Kaas.

"Maybe when this is all over," her tone was pretty clear he should drop it.

Truth be told, Ben wasn't entirely sure what he'd do if she told him where her homeworld was. He knew the Order was undoubtedly searching for it even now, but Ben really wasn't part of the Jedi any longer, was he? He'd seen himself apart from the Order in the Pool, an arbiter of alignment instead of a Jedi Knight. Yet, he didn't think he could turn his back on his father and family. But, Vestara would be a part of his family now, she was essentially his fiancé. The word rolled in his mind. The change hadn't happened in a flowery display of affection, he knew she wasn't that kind of person, but it did resound deeply in both of them.

Vestara found herself conflicted, it seemed she couldn't get one day to just feel good about her situation. How much of her old life would she share with Ben? Their future was to be together, but she knew how much the Jedi wanted the location of Kesh. If they ever found out, it would mean the end of her people. Ben was still very much a Jedi in spirit, and Vestara couldn't be sure he'd keep her secrets when they affected the Jedi thusly. Besides, wasn't she supposed to side with the Sith?

The idea of balance was one she hadn't quite figured out. She was supposed to embody the Dark Side, but what did that entail? Was she to travel to Kesh and rouse those left behind to create a new Sith order? Then again, nothing they had seen indicated they'd take a direct hand in either the Sith or Jedi. They just needed to stop another Abeloth from being created after they finished with the current one. She could do that, she had little love left for her Tribe now, but Ben's ties to the Jedi were strong He wouldn't just sit by while Sith attacked his family, her family, too, she realized. Ironic, her father had wanted her to seduce him over to the Sith, but she found herself more closely tied to the Jedi than ever. She suppressed a grimace, Master Skywalker probably wouldn't be too happy about his son marrying a Sith.

Both of them were brought out of their reflections when Abeloth's planet came into view. It sat like a lonely green pebble aloft in space and time. They took the yacht in to the same beach that had become their common landing spot, as close as could pass for 'familiar ground' on the mysterious planet. They secured the ship, more out of habit than a fear of someone stealing it, and found themselves on the sandy ground.

Things had changed since they'd last been here. Abeloth's plants had been dying when they'd gone to the Pool, but now they were completely gone. What was left were the benign trees that towered over the smooth land, casting shadows that small furry creatures darted through. It looked, for lack of a better word, healthy with Abeloth's influence gone. The path to the Pool of Knowledge still carried much of the damage they'd inflicted on the land during their duel. Chunks of stone still littered the courtyard before the Font of Power, though they didn't linger. Downed trees gave testament to their strengthened powers.

The found the cavern much like it was before, concealing the Pool from the light, the white marble lining glistening in the gloom. Unlike before, and quite accurately copied when they saw it Beyond Shadows, a deep crack split the stonework in two. The water was completely gone, drained into the ground under the Pool's edifice.

Vestara was noticeably downtrodden upon seeing this. "Now how will few find the weapon?" She asked, "spend the rest of our near-immortal lives checking every square inch of the galaxy?"

Not quite as disheartened as she, Ben hopped down to the bottom of the Pool, now bone-dry. He crouched and ran his hand along the fissure. "It might not be quite that desperate, Ves."

"The water is gone, Ben!" Her voice raised an octave in frustration, there wasn't anything more they could do here.

"Yes," Ben answered calmly, "But just because it's not here, doesn't mean it no longer exists."

"You mean underneath?"

Ben gave a judicious nod and leapt back up to her. "I don't see any reason why not. Someone had to build all this," he gestured to the cavern, "The Pool itself couldn't fit through the cavern opening. If they created the cave, then why not something below? It's not like we have anything to lose."

Vestara looked weary, but gave her concurrence nonetheless. "On three?"

"Three," Ben said and pushed. Momentarily caught off guard, Vestara joined him and they focused their power on prying apart the two halves of the Pool's stone lining. Marble fractured and cracked, leaving a dusting on the bottom. Once enough of the flooring had been broken up, they took turns lifting out whole sections of it.

By the time they were done, they'd uncovered, buried beneath the Pool, what appeared to be tubes of ice. The solidified liquid formed hollow linings that led deeper beneath the earth. Suddenly looking much more upbeat, Vestara sent Ben a mischievous grin. "Looks like you were right, for once." She crawled down the side of the Pool to the uneven ground below.

Sticking his tongue out behind her, he took the faster route down and jumped again. "It looks like the water definitely went somewhere," he said, running a finger along one of the crystal-like tubes.

"Ben?" She called from sure footing on some of the marble left being. "Are you sure it's a good idea to be that close? We might have weakened the ground."

As if on cue, the dirt beneath Ben's feet shifted and the glass-ice cracked. Ben recalled, removed from his predicament, something Lon Shevu had told him in his early days at the GAG. If something might go wrong, it will. He scrambled for a holding, but the soil below his feet flowed too quickly.

Vestara realized what was happening when she saw the look on his face. The ground was giving way. She ran to the edge and reached out her long tentacle for him, but by then he was already falling. "You are not leaving me like this," she muttered, and dove in after him.

The fall was remarkably short-lived. Both Ben and Vestara were deposited rather awkwardly on top of a heap of dirt. Vestara spit out a mouthful of the stuff and gave Ben her best withering look. "Next time I ask if something is a bad idea, we'll just assume it is."

"No argument from me," he said, muffled under the debris. "Next time, you can go first."

"Ha ha, you're just a barrel of laughs—Ben, look at this," Vestara cut off her sarcasm when she'd looked around the room they'd fallen in.

Calling it a 'room' wasn't quite accurate. It was an underground expanse that could easily fit their ship and have room left over. There was one source of outside light in the far corner, illuminating a crude staircase, but the rest of the grotto wasn't dark. Scattered about it were meter-tall crystal-like towers. They glowed a wide range of colors from scarlet and magenta to viridian and teal. The rainbow of colors pulsed and lit the subterranean cavern.

"Wow," Ben breathed as he got up to look around. He dusted off his cloths and joined Vestara at the foot of the mound. They were bathed in a kaleidoscope of color, there had to be dozens of towers in here, all a unique shapes and hues.

Vestara walked up to the nearest one, a yellowish green shard. She tentatively reached out her hand to it, her fingertips just brushing the polished side. She gasped and flinched back as she felt a static shock from the beryl gem. Ben was at her side as soon as he'd heard the sound. He'd just gotten there as a thin vine sprouted from the cavern floor. "Ves?" He asked. "Are you okay?"

"It's knowledge," she murmured more to herself than him.

"What?"

"The stones, they're repositories of knowledge," she repeated. "Watch this."

The small vine that had sprouted curled upward, as if reaching for the nonexistent sun. Broad leafs uncoiled from the stem. Ben watched as she manipulated the plant, not unlike Abeloth had done to them. He reached out his own hand and touched the tower. The same shock, and he knew. It was odd, to know exactly how to do something without ever having practiced. A small shrub of his own joined Vestara's on the ground.

"Fascinating," he spoke in the same hush as she'd done moments before. "They must be ancestors of holocron crystals, a way to pass on information."

As one they looked around them, all the other shapes and colors waiting to be embraced. "Wait," Ben held up his hand, "We need to find the water first."

Vestara's crimson eyes were alight in anticipation of what was kept here, such power hidden. But she reluctantly understood their mission needed to come first. "Spoilsport."

They investigated the ground around where they'd fallen in. Weaving its way out from under the dirt mound was a small ice-like flow. From what he'd seen so far, Ben suspected that the waters from the Pool had solidified when they touched anything that wasn't the marble base. The strange thing, though, was the 'ice' more resembled hardened quartz than anything frozen. He called Vestara over and they followed the trail.

At the very end, they found a rounded tail of the flow. Cupped at the tip was the barest amount of liquid that there could be. Somehow, they knew that the little that remained wouldn't give them the far-reaching knowledge they'd had before. There simply wasn't enough left, it would give them just what they needed, but nothing more. They could see the changed future, what would happen to the galaxy, or seek the location of the dagger they needed to kill Abeloth. To make matters worse, there was only enough for one.

"You take it," Vestara said, "You'd have the best hope of knowing where it is when you see it."

Seeing her logic, he leaned over and ran his tongue over the last of the water. He focused his mind on finding the dagger. He was hurling through Wild Space, coordinates floating in his head. He saw a gigantic structure, like twin pyramids placed base-to-base. A gateway to the land where the blade was kept. He was just about to peer onto the planet itself, but the properties of the water failed him. He opened his eyes to Vestara's perpetually grinning face, his head cupped in her arms. "Ben, can you hear me?"

Taking one hand to squeeze her shoulder he nodded. "I'm good, I saw where we have to travel to. It's somewhere in Wild Space, but I've got the coordinates." He did his best to project what he'd seen into her mind, their connection made it easier, but it was no substitute for seeing it firsthand.

Sitting up, Ben could tell Vestara wanted to do something. Like a child eager to do something they probably shouldn't, but unable not to, she fidgeted. "What is it?" He asked.

"Well," she used the verbal pause to figure out how to phrase it to get what she wanted, "since we know where we have to go, maybe we could investigate this cave more?"

Cutting through her undoubtedly convoluted reasoning, Ben just came out with it. "You want to 'investigate' the rest of the knowledge-crystals, don't you?"

"Yes," she admitted, apparently not much sense in being coy when your partner could read you as well as he could. "I want to see what is down here."

It went against what he'd been taught, this knowledge came without a price, without the training that made someone worthy to wield it, but he understood her desire. There was so much here they could see. They didn't actually have to use all they learned, he had, after all, learned how to Flow-Walk from the Aing-Tii monks but decided he'd never use it again. Just how much of that was rationalization, he couldn't be sure. Vestara wanted to quite badly, and she was half of his being now, so he agreed.

They started from the one where they'd gained control over plant-life and spiraled outward. They quickly found that the abilities stored weren't limited to alignment. Indigo Orthorhombic imparted the intricacies of Force Lightning, something Vestara was conversant with, but Ben had never known. A rough acid-yellow  rock gave the basic understanding of telekinesis. Not all were common abilities. A vibrant sapphire shrouded in a cool mist and a steaming lava-like red-orange offered the secrecy of ice and fire respectively, manipulating heat to affect those extremes.

Near the end of their systematic collection of knowledge, they came upon an obsidian pyramid that contained the capacity to drain energy from others. Looking at her pale hand, Vestara found this one of the more disturbing powers, though they'd already taken in a number of potent Dark Side abilities, abilities she knew Ben would never let either of them use. "Is this how she feeds?" Vestara asked.

Ben was lost in his own world at that moment. True, he understood such a power was inherently aligned with darkness, he could feel such life blistering off of this world. There was another side, though healing facilitated through that surfeit life energy. He drew in some of the excess and for the first time felt some of the hunger they'd had to live with subside.

"Ben, what are you doing?" She shook him after he didn't answer her the first time.

"Can't you feel it?" He asked.

"Feel what?"

Ben raised his hands. "The life around us. We don't need to take too much from one thing."

She reached out, like she had felt Ben doing, but couldn't figure out what he was talking about. "I don't feel anything different, Ben."

"I'll show you," He too both her arms, fingers intertwine with hers and her tendril wrapped around his other. He forced the life energy he'd taken in down his arms to her. "Take it."

She drew on what she'd just gained from the crystal, focusing intently on just draining what Ben was giving. Vestara could feel it filling the gap she had inside, the void that IV bags hadn't been able to fill. "How are you doing that?" She asked, slightly awed and relieved that this didn't seem to be hurting Ben.

"You can't feel the excess energy?"

"No, I can't," she considered it. Reaching out she tried to draw on the energy field Ben seemed to perceive, but her malignant powers corrupted her attempt, forcefully draining energy in a way that left the planet and its inhabitants weakened. If she truly force it, she felt like she could kill the world. She turned to Ben. "Why can't I do it like you?"

"I don't know," he admitted, "but as long as this works, you can feed though me."

Vestara was getting more of a complete picture of what Abeloth must have gone through alone here. She wouldn't have had anyone to soothe the Dark Side's call or sate her hunger. Vestara could see how closely she and Ben were tied together, how much she now relied on him, and what she would have become without him. "I—thank you."

He didn't need to say anything more, so he didn't. Once he replenished what she'd taken, they move on to the last gem in the cave they've yet to touch. This one was somewhat different from the others. The main body was an oblong opal, sheared through with a rainbow of colors, always shifting and changing. "What do you think it is?" He asked.

Vestara ruby pinpricks of light danced in anticipation, she had high hopes for this one. None of the others had what she was looking for down here, but this could be it. "Let's find out," she said, pressing her palm to the side, Ben followed suit.

A second after touching it, her hand morphed and melted like her other had at the Jedi Temple, and coiled around the crystal like a constrictor. Tears welled up in her eyes, it was what she was wishing for, the opal had given them what they needed to control their shape. She raised her arms up to her face and concentrated. After an initial twinge of hesitation, both coils resolved back into her hands. "It worked, Ben!"

Ben had been experimenting on his own, his left arm morphing at will to a tentacle much like the one Vestara had wielded. He was broken out of his revere by a joyous Vestara. While she still had the dark aura to her being, it was undercut by the sheer happiness she felt. It was infectious, Ben ready to meet her kiss as soon as she moved to do so.

Still embraced, but lips no longer together, they rested their foreheads on one another. Ben had to admit that many of the abilities they'd seen were ones he'd never wanted, nor would ever use, but the last two made up for the rest. They were no longer relegated to a life of intravenous nourishment and could at least look normal again. He knew Vestara had lost much of her hatred for their 'true' forms now, but they both knew that this made interacting with the rest of the galaxy much easier. "Do you want to do the rest of it now?" He asked, though he had a pretty good guess what she'd say.

"Yes, please," she took them both to the ground, taking cross-legged positions when they were down.

Looking at one another, they closed their eyes and brought the focus of their minds to their faces, their ear-to-ear grins and star-like eyes. They gave a mental push, willing it to take the form they'd had before. It felt strange, far more that their arms did. They didn't really want to watch the other, it was strange enough feeling their cheeks stitching themselves together.

When it was done, they opened their eyes and saw the other. Ben raked his eyes, now lacking the sparking blue gleam, over Vestara's face. Her dark brown eyes, fair skin, small mouth—

"Ves."

"What?"

He reached out his hand and gently rubbed her lip, the spot he knew there should have been a scar. He didn't actually voice his thoughts, but she knew what he meant. Like one picture bleeding though another, a small scratch mark, curved upward, came through, giving her the appearance of a smirk. Ben leaned over and put his lips to it. With his face next to hers, he whispered. "Don't ever be ashamed to be who you are with me, Ves."

Her russet eyes, now lacking her scarlet spark within, met his. "You're going to spoil me, you know."

"Not if I'm telling the truth."

They sat there in the cavern for a full minute, reveling in what they'd learned. The glows from the gems cast intricate patterns over them. Feeling they'd done all they could, Ben rose. "We should get back to the ship, we have what we came for and more," he said. "Now we need to get that dagger."

Feeling much more like her old self, it was amazing what gaining her hand back had done psychologically, Vestara joined Ben and pulled him close. "I like a man with a plan."

"And if said plan only went as far as the stairs?"

"I never said it had to be a good plan," she jeered, "plus you get points for keeping good company, Dear."

Ben craned his neck. "Did you just call me 'dear?'"

"Maybe," she said as seriously as possible.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about that?"

"Maybe."

"That wasn't even a coherent answer to my question."

She couldn't keep a straight face any longer and burst out a gleeful grin. "Maybe."

"Evil!"

Her mirth echoed off the subterranean walls as they ascended the stairs into the light. They emerged to a hidden alcove in the hill that housed the Pool of Knowledge before it had been destroyed. The overgrowth in this area was extensive, but they found their way to the mouth of the cave they'd entered from fairly quickly. Vestara took great delight in freezing the trunks of trees that had fallen in their path and cracking them in two.

When they reached the cavern's threshold, the ruined marble edifice within, they paused. "Should we just leave it open?" Ben asked.

"What do you mean?"

Ben titled his head toward the entrance. "That crystal cave underneath, it could be dangerous if the wrong person finds it."

"Who would find it? This is an abandoned planet in the middle of a bunch of black holes," Vestara chuckled. "Not that high on most tourists' itineraries."

"Still, we aren't the only ones who know about the Pool's existence."

Vestara shrugged, not particularly feeling one way or the other on the subject. She gestured with her right hand. a wall of vines and trees sprouted and grew like weeds. The ivy ropes tied a tight web of plant matter to seal the opening. "Better?"

Ben looked on with approval, there was no way to tell this was a cave any longer, the trees blended in quite well with the surrounding forest. Only someone who'd been here before would know that something was different, and the only three left alive who had been were the pair of them and his father. He was also pleased she hadn't just collapsed the cave, it wouldn't have felt right destroying the place. "Thanks."

They cut a short path through the underbrush back to the ocean and felt the salty spray cool them as they stepped onto the rocky dune. When they got out into the open, they saw it sitting right next to the Rook. The non-reflective grey hull of the Horizon-class Star Yacht was one neither could easily forget. They immediately reached out through the Force and heard a light thump as someone landed behind them. They turned in synch to the man standing at the precipice of the forest.

A slight tug to the corner of his lips have Ben a slight smile, though this one wasn't quite full of the happiness it normally would be when he saw the man. "Hello, Dad."

Chapter Text

Abeloth's Planet, Maw Cluster; 44 ABY

Luke Skywalker brought the Jade Shadow in for a landing. Ever since he'd had the vision, he was drawn here. As he approached the same spot they'd landed on before, a small stretch of ocean-front sand, he spied the other ship. It was curved like a horseshoe, and matched the description Corran Horn had given of the ship Ben and Vestara had stolen on Shedu Maad. The Shadow touched down and Luke emerged, followed closely by R2.

He reached out with the Force, searching for his son, but sensed nothing. This didn't particularly worry the Grand Master, as he knew Ben could hide himself if he wanted to. After a cursory search of the surrounding area, he and the astromech moved on to the stolen yacht. He didn't normally condone using the Force like this, but a small mental twist and the boarding ramp dropped like a rock.

"Find an outlet and search the ship for life signs," Luke told the little droid.

With an electronic beep of acknowledgement, R2 rolled up the ramp and got to work. A minute later, he came back with a negative on life signs apart from Luke himself.

Luke considered his options. He didn't know why they'd come here, but no matter where they went, they'd have to return here to get off the planet. He sent R2 back to the Shadow and took up residence in the canopy over the edge of the forest. He didn't have to wait long, not twenty minutes had passed before he heard voices coming closer.

From the jungle shade, Luke watched his son and Vestara Khai trot out to the beach. They stopped when they saw the Shadow. He felt them reaching out, searching, so he hopped down to ground level. The soft thud he made when he landed caused them to turn as one. Luke was surprised to see both of them look normal, their eyes no longer the well-like portals with a light at the bottom. Vestara now had two human hands and no oversized simper. Ben gave a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Hello, Dad."

"Hello, Son," Luke couldn't tell what either of them were thinking, their minds shielded in a way that they hadn't been before.

"Nice entrance," Vestara muttered.

It was a standoff, neither side wanting to draw a lightsaber and escalate it to a fight. Ben broke it first and raised his hands up in the air. "Can we talk?" Vestara rolled her eyes but followed suit.

A pair of stun-cuffs landed at their feet. Luke point to them. "Put them on and we can."

Ben reached down, and motioned for Vestara to do the same. She couldn't keep the sneer off her face. "I'm only doing this because you're going to be my—"

Her retort was cut short by Ben elbowing her in the ribs. "My choice when," he said, and left it at that. She gave a subdued frown, but nodded.

Luke looked on confused at the exchange, but they put on the restraints so he led them to the main cabin hold of the Shadow. They took seats around the small circular table that doubled as a Dejarik board, much like the one on the Falcon, but far cleaner. "Now," Luke said, "I think I deserve an explanation."

Vestara looked expectantly at Ben. "Your side, you explain."

"You could be a little more accommodating, you know." Ben mumbled.

"Not when I'm wearing bracelets like this." She raised her hands in punctuation.

"So much for moral support."

Luke, who didn't like the ease at which they bantered, cleared his throat. That brought both their attention back to him.

"We didn't think you'd let us go before it was too late," Ben started, "Abeloth had done something to change the future we saw, so we needed to fix it."

"You," Luke pointed to Ben, "weren't the one who fought her way out of the detention center."

Vestara wasn't all that amused. "Let's see how you'd like to be locked up for a week—"

Ben elbowed her again. "Ves, my side, my explanation, remember?"

"Fine." She tried her best to fold her arms, but the restraints wouldn't let her do it.

Turning back to his father, Ben shrugged. "No, but Vestara and I are in this together. You were hurting us by keeping us apart. I'm afraid I can't really explain to you why, but it's something that we know to be true."

Luke was closely reading Ben's body language and watching for any signs of dishonesty in the Force, but didn't find anything. That, of course, didn't mean all that much with the new mental barriers they now had. "And did you?"

Ben wrinkled his brow in confusion. "What?"

"You said you needed to 'fix' something, did you?"

"Not yet, but we know what she did," Ben said judiciously. "She let out one of the dark side spirits, someone named Cronal—"

"Blackhole?" Luke couldn't help interrupting, parts of his vision suddenly making sense, why he'd seen the Maw instead of Abeloth's planet. Cronal had been one of Palpatine's pseudo-apprentices and had waged war on the New Republic after the Empire fell. Under the guise of 'Shadowspawn' he'd tried and take over Luke's body.

"Do you know who he is?" Vestara leaned in, now quite interested in the conversation.

Luke broke out of his memories and shook his head. "You two are explaining right now."

Ben didn't want to drop it, but decided it would be best to come back to it later. "Abeloth destroyed the Pool of Knowledge, but we were able to find enough left to see where the weapon is."

"Weapon?"

"The dagger that can kill Abeloth," Ben elucidated, "we know where it is."

Luke narrowed his eyes. "How do you know about that?"

Ben gave a small shrug. "We saw it in the Pool, saw us using it to kill Abeloth for good."

"So you can let us go, yes?" Vestara leaned in. "We're on the same side."

"Just because you say that's what you're going to do, doesn't make it true." Luke pointed out.

Vestara, thoroughly fed up with the Jedi Grand Master's caution, tapped into her newly acquired cryokinesis abilities and froze the stun cuffs to a brittle hardness and snapped them in half.

Luke moved faster than either Ben or Vestara thought possible. He was on his feet and his ignited lightsaber was out in the blink of an eye, pointed at Vestara. Ben hadn't made a move to free himself, instead put his still-joined hands over Vestara's free ones. "Stop." He told her.

"Kriff, Ben," her voice raised in frustration. "This is the same thing that happened in the Temple all over again." She shook him off and raised her hands, the fractured binders fell away, and showed them to the Jedi. "Master Skywalker, we don't want to hurt you. You know Ben wouldn't, and it would be bad form for me to do anything to my future father-in-law."

Ben gave a groan, which came out like a mix of a dying animal and irritation. His eyes bore into Vestara. "What part of 'my choice when' wasn't clear?"

"When nothing we were saying was getting to him," she shot back.

Luke looked from one to the other, a bewildered expression on his face. His line of questioning derailed. At least this explained the closeness between them more, but when had that happened? "You're engaged?"

"Um, surprise?" Ben gave an exaggerated smile and waved his still-bound hands.

Vestara didn't lighten up. "Now you know, so put the lightsaber away and listen to what we have to say, Dad."

Ben looked stricken, pale enough to be dead, and clearly wishing he were at this point. He muttered something about hating his life under his breath and slipped out of the binders. Luke could have sworn he'd seen Ben's hands shrink when the cuffs slid off. Luke, unsure of what to do, waited for a beat before sitting down and shutting down his saber. They'd already escaped, but were still waiting around, so they apparently decided not to run.

Vestara thought that the more direct approach would be better than Ben trying to explain everything. "We can show you what we saw in the Pool, why we're doing what we need to."

"Ves, you know we're not supposed to—" Ben started.

She cut him off mid-protest. "That was the old future, Ben, we don't know what the new one holds, so what does it matter?" She turned back to Luke and repeated her offer. "We can show you."

Luke considered the proposal, they seemed adamant about what they had always said, but should he risk it? He felt something inside urge him on, to accept the offer. "That doesn't mean I'll help you if I do."

Vestara nodded and took Ben's hand. With their free ones, they took Luke's, creating a triangle. Luke felt like he was falling, the image rippled and had a blurry haze. He was standing over a body of water, it looked like it was lined with an alabaster granite, the Pool of Knowledge. In the water, he saw his son and Vestara. They both had the Abeloth-like mouth and eyes that he'd known Vestara had exhibited when she escaped. They carried scales and held hands. Luke saw himself on Ben's side, on a tower that looked much like the Jedi Temple. Vestara's side was blackened, yellow eyes peered out from the darkness. Abeloth's body lay at their feet and the Throne of Balance sat behind it, Allana perched on it with Anji curled up on her lap, younger than he'd seen when he looked into the Pool in Beyond Shadows. He felt himself being pulled back, yanked as if on an elastic cord, to the Shadow.

"Now you know what we are supposed to be." Vestara said matter-of-factly.

"You think you're supposed to keep balance?" Luke wanted to make sure he fully understood the implication, "How exactly do you intend on doing that?"

"We are going to locate the dagger to stop Abeloth and the one she freed." Ben said.

"So information on the latter would come in handy." Vestara concluded.

Luke found himself starting to believe what they have been saying, this would be a long way to go just to trick him, after all. "You think you're doing the right thing? Acting on this?"

"If we aren't," Ben shrugged, "then we'll fail."

"But we are, so we won't." Vestara added.

Thinking about what he'd seen, Luke turned to Vestara. "Why was your side shadowed? I could see the Jedi, but not the Sith."

"Because I hid it from you," Vestara said. "Balance requires that we either fight against one another, or step back. I won't fight Ben, so I won't show you where the Sith are hiding and have you exterminate them."

Ben lifted his shoulders again, nonchalantly. "Her side, her choice."

"If you want to find the Sith," she pointed at Luke, "you have to do it on your own."

"So why are you helping to kill Abeloth, why ask for my help at all?" Luke asked, she was certainly no longer pretending to want to be a Jedi any longer.

"Abeloth is neither Jedi, nor Sith. As for you," Vestara explained, "I'm willing to work with Ben's father, not the Grand Master of the Jedi."

"And when this is over?"

"I'm supposed to be the avatar of the Dark Side, but there's no rule that I can't be friendly with the Jedi," she said. "I just won't help you fight the Sith, and I won't help the Sith fight you."

"And I won't help you fight the Sith, either," Ben piped up, watching his fiancé and father talk back and forth. "But Abeloth must be stopped."

Holding his son's gaze for a moment, Luke rose. "If I come with you," he said, "then we travel on one ship. Do you need anything from the other one?"

They gave their agreement, it was fine with them. "No, we've taken everything we needed with us into the jungle."

"I need the coordinates to the Monolith, then."

"Monolith?" Vestara raised an eyebrow.

"The weapon you saw in your vision looked much like the one Master Yoda described during my training," Luke explained. "It's housed in orthorhombic gateway, called Mortis."

"I've seen it, when I sought the coordinates," Ben said, stepping forward to input the coordinates he'd memorized from his vision.

The Shadow lifted off smoothly and rose through the humid air. "You'd better take your seats," Luke said to the two of them as he steered them out off of the planet. They took two of the passenger seats, Ben had opted out of his usual place in the co-pilot's seat he'd occupied for the better part of the last year, Luke noted.

He saw reflections of them in the viewport, superimposed over the black nebula of the Maw stretched out before them. Luke had agreed to go with them, but he still wasn't completely convinced that they weren't making a mistake. History was filled with atrocities committed by people with the best of intentions. At least traveling with them, he could keep an eye on them.

Once they'd left the turbulence-filled atmosphere, Luke took them through the small safe passage through the stable zone. "You two should get changed, you look like you've been through a mud race on Dathomir." The truth was, Luke wanted to be able to leave a message to the Jedi about finding Ben and Vestara, that he would be traveling with them, and the location of Mortis if they should fail. Under normal circumstances, he'd just send it in real-time, but the Maw would prevent a long-range message. Instead, he'd need to leave a message pod behind, so if the Masters follow him here, they will know what to do.

He found Ben looking oddly at him, and wondered just how much of his plan was already known by his son. Vestara just gave a brisk nod. "We will. Come on, Ben."

As soon as they'd left the bridge, and Luke could feel them making their way back to Ben's room, Luke started on the message.

"You know he's going to send a message to the Jedi," Ben pointed out as soon as they were out of earshot of the bridge.

"Yes, I know," Vestara sighed, "but it would be better to have the Jedi know where the dagger is, just in case we fail."

Ben keyed his code to his room, the door slid open with a whoosh. "We could have just told him to do it, then."

"Your father still doesn't completely trust us," she chuckled. "Do you think our reading his mind would help move him in the right direction on that?"

Ben's cabin was exactly as he'd left it. He went over to closet and took out two sets of robes, tossing the second to Vestara. She caught it with one hand. "Got anything in black?"

"Beggars can't be choosers," he countered succinctly and made his way to the refresher to change.

"I'd better not have to beg for clothes in this relationship, Ben Skywalker. I have standards, you know."

Just outside the door, Ben turned back and kissed her on her cheek. "Brown brings out your eyes," he smirked and walked down the corridor to the refresher. Vestara watched him leave with a slight smirk on her face.

Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruiser, Pugilist, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

Cronal stood on the bridge of his flagship, clothed in a rough brown tunic. As much as he despised the creature that had ordered him here, the chance for revenge against Skywalker was too tempting to resist. He chose to ignore her ability to cause him pain for the moment, that was irrelevant. They were set to exist hyperspace in a few minutes.

He'd stayed here, on the bridge, for every trip through hyperspace. His 'crew' barely able to function with him standing there didn't deter him. This was one of the many things he'd missed in his prison. He knew lesser minds could succumb to so-called hyper-rapture from staring into the void for too long. Cronal found it soothing. This was the future, the emptiness outside the universe, what all would become. An endless expanse of entropy, unending, and beautiful.

He'd grown his armada considerably since taking command of these worthless pirates, conscripting captured ships and crews to his cause. Most of them lacked everything but the bare essentials. He needed bodies, not soldiers. The few who kept their faculties experienced a near-constant state of panic, Cronal relishing in his own personal amusement at the expense of the only minds left stable. The lines of stars resolved to individual points and he felt a loss, there was still so much out there to destroy. His ideal universe would be a long time in coming.

It lies at the center of this.

Speak of the wretch. "I live to serve."

Chapter Text

Jade Shadow, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

"Will you tell us now?" Vestara asked. They were, once again, seated at the Dejarik table while the Shadow made its way to the coordinates where Mortis was supposed to be located. She and Ben had asked as soon as they could for more information about the being Abeloth enlisted to her cause.

"I'll trade you information," Luke bargained. "You still haven't told me everything."

"Deal," Ben said. "You go first."

Luke looked tied, older than his age, as he thought back to the last time he'd encountered Palpatine's pseudo-apprentice, that was the incident that caused him to resign his military commission. "Cronal was many things, honestly I don't know all that much about his early days in the Empire. He moved around often and to new positions. He was the head of Intelligence for the Imperial war machine when I destroyed the first Death Star. He bridged the short gap between Armand and Ysanne Isard, though no one knew it at the time."

Both Ben and Vestara looked on intently, knowing that anything they learned about the enemy would be useful later on. Luke knew he had them, so stopped his recollection. "Tell me how you undid the changes that you'd undergone, you look like you did before."

Wanting him to continue his story, Vestara decided to just answer as short and quick as possible. "We didn't."

"You didn't?"

Ben and Vestara looked at one another briefly before relaxing their forms. They underwent a rapid change. Their eyes sparkled red and blue, ear-to-ear grins concealed needle-like teeth. They didn't extend the change past their faces. After a beat for it to sink in, they forced themselves to retake their human forms. Ben was the first to break the silence. "We can look different, if we want to."

Luke's heart had sunk when they changed. He'd naively hoped that they somehow undid what the Font of Power and Pool of Knowledge had done to them. What he'd seen was merely a front. "How?" He asked.

Vestara shook her head. "You continue first."

Conceding that it was going to just become a back and forth until one side told all they could, Luke continued. "I told you Cronal had served as the Intelligence Director, but he was also an Emperor's Hand."

"Like Mom?" Ben asked, unable to stop himself. "I thought all the Hands were girls."

"The Emperor used many people, Son," Luke noted Vestara giving off a strange feeling at the mention of Palpatine. "Cronal didn't do the same things Mara did, he did things remotely and generally those things revolved around his experiments. He used Sith sorcery to corrupt and warp creatures into monsters." He saw Vestara frown at the mention of Sith sorcery and decided it was time to send the ball back to them. "How can you change shape?"

"Underneath the Pool of Knowledge—"

"Ves, I know we shouldn't be talking about that, it's not safe." Ben interrupted.

She looked at him. "I think your father can resist the temptation even though we didn't," she turned back to Luke. "But you must not tell anyone of this."

"I cannot promise, if I don't know what you're talking about." Luke answered honestly.

Vestara considered it and continued anyway. "There's a room under the Pool, filled with crystals of all shapes and colors," she brought her hand up, palm upwards. "When you touch them, they impart knowledge on different Force techniques."

"But not all of them are good," Ben spoke up. "There are light and dark abilities there, it's not something anyone should access."

"But you two did." Luke already knew the answer.

"Yes."

"And one of these gave you the ability to change your appearance."

Vestara gave Luke a hard look. "Believe us when we say that it shouldn't be utilized. There are some things in there that I never want to see used on others."

"Yet, by your accounts, you both know them now." Luke wondered if they understood their double standard, how slippery a slope they were on. That was to a dangerous place.

"We understand," Ben said, responding to Luke's thoughts. He felt that it would be better to end the conversation here instead of risk it dissolving into an argument. "Why don't call it a day? I think Ves and I really should get some sleep."

Luke thinned his lips, he knew what Ben was doing. There was a part of him, however, that knew it would be better than getting into an argument. "Fine."

Abeloth's Planet, Maw Cluster; 44 ABY

Cronal brushed a fallen leaf off his shoulder. This planet hummed with life, pulsed with the plants and animals that made it their home. He longed to burn it down. Abeloth's voice had led his ships through the cluttered expanse of black holes to her prison world. He'd taken a number of his pirate drones down to the planet with him. After all, one must sacrifice pawns to protect those of genuine value.

You must be strong to defeat my children.

As annoying as it was, Cronal was slowly beginning to understand her mad ramblings. Near as he could tell, she considered Skywalker's offspring and some girl her 'children;' how depraved. She ordered them through an overgrown path, trees and vines cast shadows over the small group.

The Font of Power will give you what you need. To stop them and take your place as my own.

He carefully kept it off his host's face, but the revulsion he felt made his puppets cringe. "And what is it you wish me to do?"

They walked out onto a clearing of paved stonework. Steps and a half destroyed ruin of a tower sprang up in the center.

Drink. Drink and become strong.

He felt it, like a pulse of longing from the top of the steps. Leaving the pirates at the bottom, he ascended to the top. Perfect in its black sheen, the marble vessel dominated the plateau. The power within was tempting, but Cronal was no fool. All power came with a corresponding price, and following this Abeloth did not mean he'd waste a perfectly good host. "You," he pointed to one of the pirates. "Drink."

Blank look on the grizzly man's face, he lumbered up after his master. Cronal picked up one of the twin goblets beside the Font and dipped it beneath the waters. Shadowy muck convalesced within. He shoved the cup to the pirate who gulped it down.

He screamed, not out of natural reaction to stimulus, but one that belied a mind he should no longer have. He fell to the ground and contorted in agony. Cronal stooped down and watched passively as the man thrashed before him. The pain was academic, but Cronal did find something particularly interesting. He could feel the man instinctually reaching out with the Force, an ability he lacked not thirty seconds before. More interesting that that, the power of the water vessel morphed into what the Jedi would foolishly call Light energy. "You," he pointed to another pirate. "Drink."

Much like before, the drone climbed and fell away after drinking. He, too, gained a connection to a power he'd not had before. Most curious. Cronal felt the waters darken in power again, seemingly creating pairs. Roughly grabbing the first one to fall, Cronal picked him up. A flash of vibrant blue, and the pirate's head fell aside. The second one howled in anguish on the ground before he joined the former in decapitation.

Over the next hour, much to Abeloth's displeasure, Cronal tested the water on all twelve of his drones, poking and prodding them to see the extent of the connection. In the end, and a dozen summary executions later, Cronal was finally ready to try it on himself. The water level in the Font never dropped, but its dark power was what Cronal wanted. Like the others before him, he drank the murky water.

The Jedi he inhabited cried out inside his own mind, but Cronal kept him on his feet. It was pure ambrosia, the power, the strength. He reached out a single hand and sent a bolt of lightning into a headless corpse. Flesh fried and limbs jerked as nerves were lit up.

He almost turned his power on the Font, to destroy it and keep the power for him alone. Tempting, but what if he should need a new body? The power resided in the flesh, not his spirit. How disappointing, he so longed to crack the stone pillar in two . . .

Now you must go to the Pool of Knowledge and confront them, that is where they will be.

The journey was quick, now that he didn't have a group of ambling servants behind him. He stopped where she indicated, but there was nothing here. "Where is this pool?"

There is a cavern here, concealed by them, hidden so they will remain so.

Cronal eyed the surrounding forest and came upon the wall. It looked much like the rest, but this area had an air of artificialness to it. The vines woven too carefully, not letting anything get past them. He reached out with his newfound power and ripped it down. Trunks snapped and creepers broke, revealing a cave opening hidden behind them.

Carefully making his way inside, he found the Pool of Knowledge. It was ruined, white stone split and the bottom missing large chunks. More importantly, there was no one here.

They are gone.

Inclined to agree, Cronal still wanted to explore the area. The Font had been far more useful than he'd initially thought, who knows what things he could find here. The cavern was remarkably sparse, so he moved to the bottom of the Pool quickly. Peering over the edge, he could see a rainbow of light from below. With a moment's consideration, he jumped down.

Below he found himself in a room of colors and shapes, crystals scattered about. Fascinating. The mound of dirt on the ground led him to believe the two he hunted had fallen in. Cronal could feel the shining stones sing with power. He ran his hand over a blue one that had a light mist cascading off of it. Before he knew it, the stone had been frozen solid, he'd done that. Touched it and knew. Intriguing. He sent a shard of marble that had fallen in from above at the crystal. Made brittle by the ice, it shattered. Slivers of the ruined column scattered. The glow from within faded.

Cronal looked around at the other crystal, all this knowledge waiting for him. Unlike the Font of Power, however, he need not save them after he took what they offered. With a gleeful abandon that he'd not felt since his time with the Sorcerers of the Rhand, he consumed it all. By the time he left the hidden recess, the cave was in darkness, every since gem shattered and ruined and oh how good it felt.

Jade Shadow, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

Luke was sitting in the galley, hunched over a small meal. It had been several hours since they'd ended their conversation, the way it ended looped through Luke's mind. He just didn't know how to handle the situation. No matter what he wanted to happen, their choices troubled him.

"Morning, Dad."

The voice cut through his thoughts, which had kept him from getting much sleep, hence his presence now. Luke glanced up to see Vestara, alone, in the doorway. "You're up early."

"Ben's still asleep, I thought you'd want to talk alone," Vestara took the seat across from the Jedi Master. "To say the things you want without him here."

"You're pretty sure of yourself," Luke commented, though he did actually want to do just as she'd said. "Do you want some breakfast?"

A look of vague disgust washed over her face. "I can't."

"Can't?"

"It's part of our . . . metamorphosis," Vestara answered uneasily before her resolve hardened. "That's not what you want to talk about now, though."

Luke really wanted to ask. Since they'd been in the Temple, they clearly learned more about what was happening to them. But such questions could be asked just as easily with Ben present. He had other things he wanted, he needed, to know from her. "Not now, no," he admitted.

"You want to know about Ben," she prompted.

"You're relationship seems to have evolved." Luke said in an exacting tone.

"By my feeling haven't changed," Vestara reassured, "I've always loved him."

"Yet that didn't stop you from betraying the Jedi on Coruscant," Luke pushed away his food tray. "How can I trust what you say, you've tricked me before."

"You should trust Ben. Whatever I was before, my priorities have changed," she toyed with one of her nails idly.

"And how can I trust him? You said your priorities changed, then why not his?" Luke folded his hands before him, looking intently at the young woman.

"We only ever change as much as we want to, Master Skywalker." Vestara's face didn't betray anything, but Luke felt her thinking about what he'd said. "I did what I did out of self-preservation, and that's not a issue any longer. The life I thought I needed to have before is no longer possible. Ben is still who he always was."

"He's helping you," Luke pointed out. "Fled the Jedi with you."

"You're helping me, helping us," she countered.

"That may be true," Luke gave a resigned sigh, "but I don't trust you."

"I understand," she looked sad to have to say it, "but please believe me when I say I truly care for him."

Luke was curious, Vestara seemed more insistent than she had when she was acting as a double agent. "Why do you concern yourself so much of what I think?"

She rose and moved to the door. "Because Ben does."

Turning and moving to her room, Luke was left alone with his cold meal.

"Hello, Dad."

The feeling if déjà vu was unsettling to say the least, but it wasn't exactly what Vestara had said. Meal long gone, Luke hadn't the will to leave his spot, maybe he was waiting for this? It was hard to tell, the Force was muddied. The mixture of Light and Dark energy was distracting. "Good morning, Ben," Luke straightened. "I'd off you some food, but I'm given to think that you'd decline."

"I see your talk with Ves went well," he said, taking a seat.

"Talk?" Luke asked, Vestara had said she didn't want to include Ben in that, another lie?

"She didn't lie," Ben picked up on his father's thoughts again an d answered them. "She thinks she kept it secret, I'm just a little too good at reading her now."

"The two of you are certainly closer." Luke commented lightly.

"I—I didn't want you to find out like that," Ben lifted his hung head slightly. "But it is true."

"Why, Ben?"

"She already told you, I feel the same way," Ben tensed slightly. "You don't approve."

"It's not my place," Luke said carefully, his thoughts on what Vestara had said right before she left.

"You're concerned because of what she was?"

"She's still Sith, Ben, I can feel it in the Force."

"She's more than that now." Ben's eyes look off to the side in thought. "Just like I'm not really a Jedi anymore."

Luke had heard this before, but he wouldn't let it go unchallenged again. This was his son, he would not lose him. "How can you say that?"

"A Jedi wouldn't have done what I have."

"Everyone makes mistakes, Ben."

"They aren't mistakes, that's what I know now," Ben insisted. "With the Son and Daughter gone, Ves and I have to take their place."

"How do you—"

"I can see your thoughts, Dad, just like reading a book." Ben looked stricken. "A Jedi shouldn't look, but I can't help it."

"What do you want me to say, Ben?" Luke didn't know, all the answers he'd had didn't seem to work anymore.

"I don't know, I wish I did." With that, he left.

Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruiser, Pugilist, Maw Cluster; 44 ABY

Cronal basked in his power and knowledge, the thrill of it all. How much easier it would be to spread his gospel of destruction now. Like an annoying gnat, however, his benefactor wouldn't leave him alone.

You must find them and stop them.

Cronal suppressed the urge to kill something, or someone. "Where are they going?"

To the world my family fled to. To find the weapon.

"The coordinates?"

I know not where they hid it.

Cronal rolled his white eyes, though it appeared nothing happened. She was useless, sending him on errands and then unable to provide even a semblance of a plan. He was enslaved to a neophyte. He walked along the bridge walkway, command crew hiding as best they could in his wake. "Are the two you seek alone?" Even if she was useless, she might be able to at least give him some information.

No, they travel with Luke Skywalker.

His frowning visage lit with an idea and he walked over to the communication's console, Cordy Herf noticeably absent. "Scan for a passive relay pod."

"Y-yes, my lord." The technician hastily hit the necessary keys, "There's an encrypted module broadcasting on a rolling frequency. We can't decode it."

"Nonsense, my friend," Cronal gently laid his hands on the trembling technician's shoulders. "Use this cipher."

Cronal rattled off a long string of letters and numbers his Jedi host knew to be the private Jedi security code.

"It worked, sir—ahhh!" His scream cut through his words. Cronal stood over the unfortunate man, youthful fingers cackling and spitting azure lightning. He fell off his chair and curled up in a fetal position, body blackened and smoking.

Cronal looked down on his victim with scorn. "Don't doubt me again." He leaned over the now empty chair and read the beacon's message.

Jedi,

If you receive this message relay it to the Temple. I have made contact with Ben and Vestara Khai. We are journeying to the Mortis Monolith. If we should fail, send all available Jedi to the coordinates included in this message. May the Force be with you.

~Luke Skywalker

A feral leer dominated the Jedi's face as Cronal turned back to the rest of the bridge. "Weapons: destroy the pod. I want nothing left of it. Navigation: I have a new destination for us."

Jade Shadow, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

Luke didn't see either of them for the rest of the day. Despite what they wanted, he just couldn't bring himself to put trust in a Sith, and that's what Vestara Khai was. When he did come upon them, they were hunched over the Dejarik table in the middle of a game.

"We're just about to the coordinates." Luke called  as he entered. "I think it's time to finish my side of our agreement."

Vestara perked up, despite losing her Ghhhk and the game. Ben looked conflicted, his mind clearly on the last talk he'd had with his father. Luke took his seat and began. "The last time I encountered Cronal was on Mindor." Upon seeing neither of them recognize the name, he elaborated. "Mindor was a world that hosted hive-minded life forms called Melters. They could communicate and control the local meltmassif, make it flow and harden like lava."

"Cronal had found a way to control them, to use their control of the meltmassif to transfer consciousness from one body to another. He wanted to do it to me." Luke looked off to the past, harsh memories of regret for all the lives lost, lives he was responsible for. "I killed him there."

Vestara found this to be something of an anti-climax. "That's it?"

"He was an evil being, Vestara."

"Fine, but that's all you know about him?" Vestara demanded.

Luke nodded. "That's more than most, he was secretive by nature."

Ben spoke up for the first time. "And how is that supposed to help us fight him—"

The helm sounded a warning and they all moved to the bridge immediately, the conversation dropped. Luke took the pilot's chair as they jerked out of hyperspace. Before the Shadow, like an ancient space citadel was the Mortis Monolith. It was angular and rotated on its axis. Bronze and golden inlays created a web over the slanted faces.

"Pretty, but I don't see a landing platform," Vestara commented.

"Nor do I," Luke added. The spinning upper portion slowed, splitting the structure into two pyramid-like halves. Brilliant like shone from inside, burning their eyes. "Looks like we found our entrance."

The Shadow flew straight into the brightness. Luke submerged himself into the Force to react to whatever obstacles he couldn't see. When it finally faded to a high noon sky, they'd arrived at Mortis.

Chapter Text

Jade Shadow, Mortis; 44 ABY

The planet they found themselves flying over was one of unique sights. A robust landscape of trees littered the ground. Massive pillars of stone were rising from craters in the ground. It looked surprisingly like Abeloth's planet had after her influence had been purged.

"Looks familiar," Ben mumbled. "Why doesn't that fill me with joy?"

Vestara closed her eyes and reached out. "It's . . . strong in the Force, I haven't felt anything like it before."

Luke looked down at the outer sensor reading. "The atmosphere is breathable, at least. But readings indicate this 'planet' isn't all that much bigger than an asteroid."

"That does lead one to think it was created artificially instead of being a natural formation," Ben noted. "Where should we land?"

The Shadow flew above a valley of floating columns, fog hid the ground from them. It almost looked like the sunlight didn't make it that far down to burn away the mist. For that matter, Luke couldn't figure out how there was any sun at all, there was certainly not one in-system. The further forward they flew, the darker the day became. Rolling clouds cast the horizon in shadow.

"That looks like a good starting point," Vestara indicated to a towering building before them. Like a spear rising from the land, it jutted upward. A jade orb crowned the apex. Around the base lay a coliseum wall, four smaller orbs crowded inside the walls.

Not seeing a better place, and the building giving them their best chance at finding inhabitants, Luke brought the Shadow down to an opening just outside the walls. They strode down the ramp in a group. Looking around, Luke reached out and felt the slither of a chill run through him. "This place is corrupted," he warned.

"Strong in the dark side," Vestara concurred. "But that doesn't mean we can turn back, that's why you have me."

Luke was about to suggest they start elsewhere, but Ben preempted him. "We'll have to search here eventually, might as well get it over with now."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Vestara practically hummed, this was her element. She sent out a mental probe, and the ebony defensive wall cracked open like a gate.

With serious misgivings, Luke followed the pair into the monastery. Inside, stained glass windows cast the same glow as the summit globes. Triangles and sharp lines were the dominant style. Diseased trees lined the inner courtyard of flagstone.

"Cheery place," Ben couldn't resist saying.

"Just needs a woman's touch," Vestara quipped. "And a new color scheme. Green is definitely not my color."

Luke couldn't help but feel nostalgic, he and Mara had once been able to do that. Never on something so divisive a subject, but at least in spirit. Another part of him, the one that let him slay Sith in legion heard only the part of Vestara's propensity toward darkness. He still hadn't decided which voice was the right one.

The entrance into the tower itself was even more simple than the gates, there wasn't even a door. It just twisted and turned into what could only be called a throne room. The glass itself was giving off the same glow as it had from the outside, as if you were always looking out to the light no matter where you stood. Shadows cast diagonal lines and diamonds on the stone floor. A stone eerily similar to that which paved the courtyard of the Font of Power. A single chair dominated the room, set atop a stair. Behind it, the glass what shattered on either side, letting in the ambient light from outside.

"Now that won't do at all," Vestara frowned and turned to Ben. "Where would you sit?"

"I'd stand," Ben said seriously, but his eyes took on an amorous leer a moment later. "We could always share."

Luke rolled his eyes. Banter was all well and good if you were involved in it, but there was a time and place. "Searching, remember?"

Vestara was chagrined. "Then why don't we split up to cover ground faster?"

"Sounds fine with me," Ben shrugged.

There was no way he'd leave Vestara alone in a dark side nexus. "Why doesn't Vestara come with me?"

A brief scowl crossed her face, but there really wasn't any malice in it. "As you wish, Master Skywalker."

"I'll take up, you two take down." Ben started up the spiral stairs that lined the inner walls of the tower, disappearing to the higher levels. He pointed down, where the stairs led under the base of this landing, hinting to sublevels.

"Still keeping tabs on me?" Vestara asked as they descended below ground.

Luke was unabashed. "It'll take a lot more than speeches to get me to really trust you, and I have no intention of pretending otherwise."

"I suppose the honesty is admirable," she scoffed.

The further they went down, the warmer it became. The level right under the throne room could only be described as a dungeon. Restraints lined the walls. Light here was more subdued, but equally as mystic as above, nothing here could possibly be from the outside. From there, they found themselves traveling at a much steeper pace, moving well outside the walls of the tower above.

"Guess someone couldn't afford to keep up their cooler," Vestara said as they walked deeper. Ripples of heat made the whole hallway dance.

When they reached an opening, it opened to the heart of a volcano. Molten rock poured off the sides like water. Hardened platforms floated freely in the river of magma, a puzzle of flooring that shifted beneath their feet.

"This place could give Mustafar a run for its money." Luke jumped to the largest floating landmass, a glowing symbol carved into the surface was something he'd seen on the most ancient of Jedi sites, where the Sith first broke away.

Vestara jumped after Luke, but instead of looking down, she looked around. Bobbing in the magma were obsidian stones. Obelisks of black glass. She reached out and pulled one in. "These seem familiar."

Without thinking, she ran her hand over the mirror-like side and gasped. Luke was at her side a moment later. "What is it?"

"They're like the stones on Abeloth's planet. Knowledge kept within." She raised one hand and a black smoke convalesced in her hand, forging a arrow-tipped spear of darkness. "I'd venture a guess that all these," she pointed to the numerous floating stones, all uniform obsidian columns, "are Dark Side powers." She tossed the shaft into the molten river.

"You are correct, young one."

Luke and Vestara turned to a tall figure donned in armored black on top of the glowing symbol. The red-yellow glow of the magma reflected off the splayed helmet. Luke couldn't believe his eyes, as solid as the obelisk had been, there stood Darth Vader, a blood-shine blade in his gloved hand.

Ben regretted taking the high road almost immediately. The landings above the throne room were filled with what could only be trophies. Crystal balls glinted in the lime light, skin-bound manuscripts lined the walls. It looked for all the world to be a library, but one of dark side knowledge. Instructions on torture were left open, making Ben wince in sympathy for whomever served as a test subject for those.

A far wall was lined with lightsabers. Their hilts were ancient and caked with dust. Lifting one off the wall, its handle carved out of a bone, Ben wasn't all that surprised to see it's crimson blade when he turned it on. Still, he had a feeling Vestara might like it. He looked over the wall and picked up one cast from silver and gold, more 'mainstream' than the others.

"Stealing. Quite apropos given intended recipient, Ben."

Ben dropped the saber he'd been holding and spun to see his cousin stepping from behind a shelf of books, his own lightsaber drawn and ignited. "How are you here?"

"Here? Do you mean how am I in this specific room or how am I not in my eternal damnation in a more general sense?"

"I don't suppose I could say 'both,' could I?"

Caedus shrugged, his floor-length cape jumping with his shoulders. "This is a nexus of the Force, Ben, I was drawn here because of you."

"Me?"

"Yes," Caedus' eyes danced in intensity. "When you leave, I'll go back there, probably not even remembering ever seeing you."

"And why are you here?" Ben circled him, not letting him get too close.

Caedus picked up a small ruby orb and tossed it in the air. "To warn you of something, isn't that always the case with apparitions?"

"One of these days I'd like to see someone show up for no other reason than to say 'hi."'

"Hi."

"Very funny."

Caedus squeezed the glass sphere and it cracked in two. "If you're going to keep this so-called 'balance,' then you need to be the one to do it. The girl is a slave to her own whims, her self-indulgence will be your downfall."

"So says the man who tried to turn me when he was alive."

"Now I'm dead," Caedus stated bluntly, "and you're not the same person you were then. You're not even human anymore, Ben."

"I don't see why I should listen to you." Ben started for the stairs.

"Fine," Caedus shook off the broken glass from his gloved hand and inside was a faceted ruby, perfectly cut. "You might want to check up on your father and girlfriend, though, the basement is where you always keep the monsters."

Caedus tossed the gem to Ben, who caught it in mid-air. When he looked back to where his cousin had been, there was nothing left. Looking down, he saw flashes of lightsaber blades from within the crystal, a battle. He might not trust Jacen's words or visions, but it never hurt to play it safe. Dropping the stone, he ran to the stairs without looking back.

"Father?" Luke asked, he hadn't seen his father in more years than he could remember, but it was never like this. This was like the vision on Dagobah.

Vader ignored Luke and eyed Vestara. "You have a destiny, one you were born to fulfill, and it doesn't involve foolish notions of balance."

Without warning, Vader spun and swung his saber at Luke. The Jedi Master caught it on instinct. "Help me, child," Vader rumbled, "and you will take your place as Grand Lady of the Sith."

Luke fell back, Vader falling forward with his weight behind the blade. The Jedi Master remember Vader's style and proficiency, his father would never have fallen for that in either a literal or figurative sense. He flipped over the armored Sith and slashed at Vader's mask on his way over. The splintered and cracked duraplast mask smoked.

Vestara lit her own lightsaber and lunged at the Dark Lord's knees. Vader v-stepped and swung his blade in a steep arc, locking them together. The smoke obscured the face beneath, but was quickly clearing. "You betray your own kind?" His voice no longer had the bass filter, and actually reminded Luke of someone, he just couldn't place who.

Luke landed next to Vestara, heartened that she hadn't lunged after him. He sprang up and jabbed his saber into Vader's center of mass, his bulky thoracic plate. The Sith forced the pair of locked blade over to block and knocked Luke back with a pulse of Force energy.

"You would deny me this, Vestara?" the Sith demanded, the smoke fading from the split mask. The face inside was not the sallow one Luke knew to have resided in Vader's helmet, or his own, as it had on the planet of Yoda's exile, but instead black hair and dark brown eyes, much like Vestara's own glared out from the mask. "Your own father?"

Vader's armor dissolved away to the traditional robes of a Sith Saber. Gavar Khai raised his own scarlet saber, Vader's ballast one gone. "Kill the Jedi and redeem yourself for my death," he shouted over the buffeting winds generated by the rising heat. "It is your destiny, take your rightful place as ruler the Sith!"

Luke saw the temptation in her eyes, a chance to be forgiven by one's parent would be alluring to anyone. Would she do it? Luke shifted into a defense guard slightly angled at her in case she turned.

When Vestara moved, it was faster than Luke had ever seen, a blur of the brown robes Ben had given her. Her blade of emerald fire met crimson flame and she attacked with a rage that drew heavily on the powers of the crater.

Ben reached the volcanic cavernin time to see Gavar Khai offer Vestara the chance to rule the Sith. He trusted her, more than he probably should, but there was a tiny voice that feared she'd do it. Instead, and much to Ben's elation, she didn't turn on his father, but attacked her own.

She was a beacon of power, slashing and parrying with her saber. The Sith Saber fell back under the assault, sliding along the rocky floor and scratching his shiny armorplast shoulder plate. Vestara held her blade at his neck.

Gavar Khai looked at his daughter with a look of panic. "Don't kill me, please. I love you."

Instead of plunging the saber home, Vestara hesitated. In that instant, Gavar kicked her away and jumped to his feet. As she was reeling back, he nearly sliced her pilfered blade in two. By that point, Ben and his father had reached the dueling pair. Luke blocked Gavar's next killing stroke as Vestara recovered.

With three fighters on him, the Sith Saber was disarmed quickly and found himself with Ben's sapphire sword at his throat. "Do it, young Skywalker." Gavar urged. "Take your journey through the darkness with my blood on your—"

He was cut short as Vestara thrust her own blade into his chest. "Doesn't really bother me," she hissed to her father. With the lethal blow delivered, his body faded like the ghost he was.

They all looked down to where the specter had fallen before Luke turned to Vestara. "Thank you."

"What for?" She knotted her brow in confusion and panted from the exertion of the last few minutes.

"You could have listened to him, probably killed me," Luke put a hand on her shoulder. "I know how tempting a father's words can be."

"Um, you're welcome," she looked somewhat shell-shocked, but looked down at the blade in her hand, what she used to cut down her father for a second time.

The ground rumbled and rocked, lumps of hardened rock dropped into the magma. On the opposite side of the one the stairs had entered, slabs of stone fell away, creating a new bridge and revealing an opening behind the rock wall. They looked at one another. Ben cocked an eyebrow and started for the new pathway. "Anyone up for more?"

Chapter Text

Mortis; 44 ABY

The tunnel that led out of the lake of fire cooled rapidly. The pulse of the dark side slowed and subsided with every step that carried them away from it. Veins of ivory and gold lined the cavern pathway, veins of mineral wealth in the walls. It wasn't a particularly long walk, but the rapidly shifting atmosphere made them feel as though they'd walked further than they truly had,

"Is that water?" Ben asked, it echoed slightly.

Luke craned his neck to the side, to face one ear to the mouth ahead of them. "Sounds like it."

Much like the way the volcano opened drastically from their entrance, they emerged in a room quite the polar opposite. Soaring sculptures of carved ice sparkled in the light. The entire room was covered, white snow sprinkled down from the iced-over ceiling, only to melt to a soft mist before touching the ground. Vibrant viridian grass stood in stark contrast to the blue water, pouring down from on high, through orifices in the ice-carved mouths.

"Someone won the landscaping contest," Vestara crouched next to one of the free-standing marble columns, in the same white as the Pool of Knowledge had been. Spider-web cracks only served to give it an aged look.

Luke and Ben took in the lay of their little island. A small bridge of clear ice bridged the gap to a stair leading upwards, most likely to a building much like the one they'd first landed at. Around them, on the island itself were a number of ice-sculpted warriors, Jedi-like in garb and sabers of opaque frost made them look for all the world to be frozen in battle.

"As much as the volcano was soaked in darkness, I feel light here, life." Luke observed, making his way to one of the ice-men Jedi.

"Oh goody," Vestara did her best to sound downtrodden, in truth she didn't not like it. She came up behind Luke in his study of the sculptures. "Anything interesting?"

When she came within reach of it, the ice-Jedi moved. shaved frost falling off the joints, the Jedi attacked, utterly ignoring Luke.

Vestara back flipped before the speared tip could find its target, only to see the rest of the ice-Jedi moving after her, actually walking past a astonished Ben in the process. She drew her emerald saber and slashed at the closest glacier-man. She'd expected it to carve right through, but the ice-Jedi's saber blocked it. The melting frost revealing a pale silver lance underneath. She ducked another attack. "Little help, boys."

Luke and Ben were already moving, the initial surprise gone. The ice-Jedi made no move to stop them, falling without resistance to the pair of sapphire sabers. When they all lay in melting slivers on the ground, Vestara took a seat on a granite bench beside the water. "Any idea what that was?"

"If I had to venture a guess," Luke looked thoughtful, "a security system."

"But why attack only me?" Vestara wiped her forehead with the sleeve of her robe.

Ben joined her on the bench. "Maybe because this is a light side nexus?"

"Great," Vestara groaned.

"It might be best to move on before more of them show up," Luke suggested.

"More?" Ben frowned, they'd taken out all the ones they saw. To that, his father pointed to a floating iceberg coming towards their island, laden with a dozen more ice-Jedi. They hurried along the bridge and up the stairs without delay.

"We're not heading back that way, are we?" Vestara asked, eyeing the platoon of guardians floating in.

Luke gave a noncommittal shrug. "I suppose not. Why, what are you suggesting?"

Once they'd reached the first landing above the chamber below, Vestara telekinetically cracked the frozen steps mid-way. Nothing short of a Force-enhance jump could get up to the lowest rung of steps. "Just that. I'd rather not be running for my life while trying to search."

"Uh, Ves?" Ben trailed off the question in a way that made her heart sink, that was not a good tone.

She looked up sharply and found that this entire level was filled with more ice sculptures. Instead of Jedi, these were of various animals. The vaulted ceiling barely fit the mammoth ice-rancor that turned to face them. "I really hate this place."

Instead of trying to fight them all, the group continued up the stairs to the next floor, cracking the steps as they'd done before to prevent any of the statues from following them. They looked around to see crystal-clear walls of what appeared to be a maze. Luke ran his hand along the glass-like divider. "I suppose we can just cut through it."

He drew his lightsaber and cut a neat hole in the wall, which promptly collapsed, the frozen ceiling coming down with it. Ben and Vestara pulled him back in time to avoid being buried beneath the avalanche. Luke nodded his thanks. "They must be load bearing."

They wound their way through the maze slowly, the pathway was barely wide enough to compensate one person at a time. Luke took the lead with Vestara behind him and Ben taking up the rear. They wandered like that for some time, not making any progress, the clarity of the see-through walls mocking their progress with glimpses of things beyond.

It was difficult to judge the distance they'd actually traveled with all the turns and doubling back, but Luke was certain they were no longer above the entrance chamber that connected to the volcano. He was about to mention it with the flooring gave way. Luke fell off to one side, while Ben and Vestara went the other way. They dropped parallel on either side of the same clear-cut wall that had made up the maze.

Vestara and Ben landed in a heap, one that Ben might have appreciated if they weren't lying in a mound of snow. Vestara brushed off the white powder from her hair and turned to Ben. "What is it with you and falling?"

Ben rubbed the back of his head, he'd managed to take the bottom of the drop and landed on a rather hard section of flooring. "You fell too, you know."

"Just this once," she insisted.

"What about at the Pool?"

"I jumped in to save you."

"Sure, sure, you keep telling yourself—ouch!" Ben's snarky comment was cut off by a snowball finding its target: his nose.

They heard a soft tap from their left and saw Luke standing on the other side of the wall of ice knocking on it. "If you two are quite finished, it seems we're going to have to split up," he said, voice muffled by the partition. He definitely wasn't happy about leaving those two alone, but Vestara had gotten credit for her actions against the specter of her father. Besides, it's not like they had much of a choice now, cutting through the walls were not a good idea. "Let's try to meet on the surface."

Both Ben and Vestara agreed. The group broke and Luke turned to see his path ahead. It led further in the direction they'd been headed before. Sensing a power ahead, Luke drew his lightsaber and strode forward. Ice-like walls gave way to slate-grey stone. his path spilled out onto a cave much like the ones he knew to be on Ilum. Sprouts of Adegan crystals of size and splendor that Luke had not seen in all his travels made him pause.

A burnt-out campfire site was centered in a clearing, someone had used this area as a camp, the isolation of the cavern keeping it intact for untold years. Luke studied the ground around the site, for any clues to the people who'd stayed here, but time had worn away what little traces there had been.

The ash from the fire sparked, embers relit themselves. A flash of flame brought it roaring to life. Luke rounded on it with his saber lit. "Who's there?" He demanded.

Hovering over the flames was a man clad in Jedi robes of the old Order. Faintly translucent and glowing, he smiled to Luke. "Hello, Son."

"Do you have the feeling we're going in circles?" Ben asked, as he looked at a familiar crack in one of the ice walls.

"Figuratively or literally?" Vestara inquired from behind. The sooner they got out of this winter wonderland, the better.

"I could have sworn I've seen this wall before."

"They're all made of ice, Ben, they all look alike."

Their path took them perpendicular to the one they'd been on in the above maze, but it didn't seem to have a destination so much as endless hallways. They rounded a last corner and ran into a dead end. "Great," Vestara bemoaned, "We're trapped."

"We could try cutting it," Ben suggested, tapping the white wall with the pommel of his saber. "Looks solid."

"Or melt through it," she snapped her fingers and a little spark shimmered heat in the frozen alcove.

"I'm guessing it'd probably a better idea to not risk melting down this place with use in it—huh?"

While the two of them debated what they should do, the dead end had slowly dissolved away on its own accord. Ben poked his head around the new path and waved Vestara through. "Looks like we found another throne room.

The was far more expansive than the tower's had been. It was wide and low, scroll work lined the sides, a writing so archaic that it's calligraphy was like nothing they'd seen before. At the far end was an ice-carved settee atop three wide steps. Icicles jutted up from the ground, like spears through the floor. Atop each one was a teardrop-shaped diamond that hummed with a silvery light.

Ben and Vestara looked at one another before walking out to the cones of ice. Vestara suspected what the diamonds were, after all the obelisks suggested that whoever created the knowledge stones on Abeloth's planet hadn't stopped. She went up to one and tapped it lightly. "Ben?" She turned to see he'd already done it on his own, there seemed to be a calling for them to know, to unconsciously seek out the knowledge.

"Father?" Luke was much more wary after what he'd seen in the volcano, but this apparition merely nodded and smiled.

"You've come a long way, done what was asked of you." Anakin walked out of the fire. "I am so proud."

"Why are you here?" Luke asked, this world seemed to be a magnet for spirits.

"Because you are here, the site of another of my many failings," Anakin looked wistful. "How things may have been different if I'd stayed."

"Master Yoda told me."

"A second-hand account," Anakin shook his head. "I was here and it was because of me they all died."

"The Ones?"

Anakin strode around the fire, circling it. "But perhaps that failure is no longer eternal."

"What do you mean?" Luke frowned.

"You travel with two who can undo much of the damage I did here," Anakin turned to him, a hard look in his eyes. "Or they could cause more destruction than anyone could think possible."

"They think they have a destiny." Luke was unsure what to make of his father's hints, was he actually suggesting that Luke should let them go, let Ben go?

"We all have a destiny, Luke. Your son is the scion of a line of destiny-driven beings," Anakin gave a half-grin. "You, your sister, even I have shaped the galaxy for better or worse in our lives. Did you not think he would follow this path too?"

"And Vestara Khai?"

"The girl is . . . more complicated," Anakin rocked his head on his shoulders. "Chosen by chaos, but seeing order. Born to the Dark, but wanting to live with the Light. It's not always lineage that defines those who will do important things."

"She's a Sith."

"So was I, once. So, too, did the woman you married, serve the Sith," Anakin gave a sidelong glance. "That didn't change your feelings for her, or her you, in the end."

"Mara was never like that, she became a Jedi." Luke pointed out. "How can I trust Vestara when I know what she is?"

"I can't give you all the answers, Son. Sometimes, you just have to take fate on faith and do the best you can." Anakin started back toward the fire. "If it is their destiny, then nothing you do will stop them. Just remember how powerful love can be, how a single flame can light the darkest room."

Now standing in the flames he'd originally came from, Anakin stated to fade. "Father, wait!" Luke called, but the fire died and he was left alone in the crystal cave.

Looking around the now-empty cavern, Luke found himself wondering at his father's words, now able to think on what they'd said. It was harder to trust now, far harder than it had been when he was fresh off Tatooine. He'd seen the depths of darkness, and how corrupt it could be, but he knew that not all were without a spark of goodness. Was that what Vestara had, was Ben her spark? Still pondering what he would do when this was all over, Luke found the mouth of the cave.

He found himself in the bright of a high noon sun, had it really been an entire day? They'd seen the same thing when they'd entered the Monolith, but it had to have been several hours later at least.

Climbing a strong oak, Luke spied the distant palace of ice that Ben and Vestara would probably come out at. Even if they didn't, and emerged in a cave as he had, they'd go there first. After a short rest, Luke started making his way over the lush landscape and hopefully back to his son . . . and future daughter-in-law. It still felt strange to think that.

They'd made fast work of the room, taking in all they could. Vestara felt like an addict, moving from one fix to the next, even regretting not having the chance to find out what the obelisks held, even if she didn't want to actually use what dark abilities she would have learned from them.

"Curiosity can be a dangerous thing, young ones."

Ben and Vestara rounded to see a towering elderly man walking down from the plateau. He had to have been two-and-a-half meters tall, his conical headdress gave him the look of a holy man. White beard woven to a point and turquoise eyes glittering in the light, he approached the adolescent pair.

"Who are you?" Vestara asked, her had held over her lightsaber. Ben mimicked her stance.

"You should be asking who I was, Vestara Khai," the old man intoned, "for I am no longer among the living. My time in this realm long over."

"Fine. Who were you?" Vestara asked again.

"I was the Balance, that which kept my family together. I was also the cause of its destruction, by my own failings," he said. "You may call me Father."

"You were part of the Ones," Ben said. "You should be dead."

"I am, Ben Skywalker, hence the past tense of my existence and identity," the Father said. "I am here because of the two of you, because of what you hope to become."

"And that is?"

"Pale replacements for what my children were, what I was," the Father said bluntly. "You will never be Force Wielders, only ever striving to live up to an ideal you cannot reach."

Vestara felt her heckles rise at the patronizing tone of the Force ghost, but Ben laid a hand on her arm to stop her from saying something insulting.

"But perhaps that will be enough," the Father continued, blithely ignoring Vestara's reaction. "It has to be enough to stem the chaos that threatens your realm."

Ben, hand still on Vestara, decided to speak up. "We're looking for a—"

"—You seek the Dagger of Mortis," the Father finished. "To end the monster that was once my wife, I know."

"Where is it?" Vestara couldn't hold her tongue any longer. Why couldn't these Force ghosts just answer the question an leave, did they all have to give these riddle-filled diatribes first?

"It lies where last it was used, in my monastery."

"And where is that?"

"You will find it between this, my Daughter's stronghold, and that of my Son."

Ben cocked an eyebrow. "Why are you telling us this?"

The Father's eyes glazed over. "I saw the end of Balance, when I brought your grandfather here," he said, his eyes sharpening again. "I wanted to see the beginning of a new one, what I failed to do."

Towering above them, the Father walked back to the stair. "Take care, for anarchy comes in many forms, some more virulent than others." He started walking up, fading as he went.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vestara called after him, but he'd vanished before the third step.

"Ben? Vestara?" They heard a voice calling from the icicle gates to the outside. Luke peered between the spires.

"We're here," Ben answered, pulling Vestara along. "We think we know where the Dagger is."

Chapter Text

Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruiser, Pugilist, Chrelythiumn System; 44 ABY

Abeloth could feel herself growing in strength. The fear and destruction her servant had sown was nourishing, she had chosen well. The tiny part of herself that she'd sent along with the malevolent Prophet longed to take a new host, she was nearly ready. Once she did, it would not be a strong avatar, but one to regain her foothold in this realm. That was why she needed a body that could channel the Force like no other, and they were headed to a world where three such bodies may still exist. It may have been morbid seeking to inhabit the corpse of one of her children or husband, but necessity demanded adherence to a higher standard than mere ethics. She would unite this galaxy with their love of her, their worshipful cries of adulation.

"How do we enter it?" Her advocate asked, now perhaps more. Could he begin to replace the family she desired? A new Son to her service?

The drifting structure was like the architecture of old, the beautiful works her Family had built on their world, her future prison. She couldn't reach out with his powers, but she still knew the caliber of what could be built. Fly to it and it will open for you.

Her new Son was restless, straining under the firm grip she kept on him. But what else could a mother do to a wild child? In time he would grow to appreciate her, as she was certain her original family would have, if they hadn't abandoned her. Take a shuttle, there need not be anyone but us.

Mortis; 44 ABY

They traveled over the surface, electing to avoid the underground passageway that led back to their ship. As they walked along the path, suspiciously free of the lush plant life that framed either side, they saw it react to Ben and Vestara's presence. Ben's side blossomed and swelled, like life pouring into them. Vestara's withered and shriveled, flaking off to reveal white-veined roots beneath. Luke was forced to think back to his conversation with his father. He hadn't told them what had transpired in the cave, and he suspected they had a vision of their own. It was the only explanation of how they knew where the Dagger would be, but they weren't any more inclined to talk of it than he was of his own, so he left it at that.

Time was no longer standing still, darkness descended on the land, a storm front rolling in at unusual speed. The pitter patter of raindrops roared from under the clouds. They had barely enough time to raise their hoods before the wall of water drenched them. Ben hid under his cloak and turned to the other two. "Not that I don't like hiking in a monsoon, but maybe we should find shelter?"

Vestara gave a rueful smirk. "At least it's not—"

Crack.

The bolt of lightning struck a tree not then yards from them, lighting it up in all its white-veined glory and splitting it in two.

"You had to say it, didn't you?" Ben demanded. Another bolt hit the side of the towering mountain they'd been walking beside and debris rained down on them with the water.

Luke looked around and didn't see anything that could possibly give them shelter from the storm, not with the strength and frequency of those strikes. Leading them to a clearing, Luke dropped into a cross-legged position.

"You want to meditate now?" Vestara asked, incredulous, as another tree split.

"Hassat-durr," Luke responded.

"Has-a-what?" Vestara was starting to think the Jedi Master had lost his mind.

Ben, on the other hand, knew what his father was talking about. He pulled Vestara down and took the same position as Luke. He hadn't learned the technique, but he and Vestara could funnel their power to his father. Vestara gave him a skeptical look, but did as he wanted, trusted him when  she wouldn't for anyone else.

Luke could feel what Ben was doing. Keeping his concentration was difficult under ideal circumstances, but stamina would have been a grave issue if the storm lasted too long. Ben and Vestara's power flowed in like a rushing river, each with their own alignment flavor. Vestara's strong and forceful, Ben's supple and soothing. Luke suffused his body with electromagnetism. If an unskilled user did this, they would be repeatedly struck by lightning, but a proficient one could draw the bolts away. He settled himself in for a long, and wet, night.

Cronal had ignored Abeloth's dictate that he travel alone to the gate, he had no intention of piloting himself anywhere. The old Republic-era Eta-class shuttle was an anachronism, but still functioned well enough to enter the superstructure before them. The blinding light was harsh, burning even, but Cronal forced his host's eyes to look. When the light faded, they were in trouble. The shuttle was thrown and buffeted about by a massive storm. Rolling clouds and forks of lightning split the sky. "Land the ship," he barked to the pilot, who was wrestling with the yoke for his life.

Aiming for a mass of small hills, the only open area in the vicinity, the pilot activated the landing procedures. On its way down, the shuttle was rocked as a small bolt found purchase on the topside fin. The damage was more aesthetic than functional, but the ship dropped, ruining the landing gear in the process.

Cronal was thrown to the ground and clamored back to his feet. The shuttle was not a suitable shelter in a storm of this magnitude. Deciding that he wanted to keep the pilot around to ferry him off world when this was over, he dragged the drone out to the rain. There, atop one hill with a litany of steps to the summit was a small building. With a speed he'd not had been physically capable of when he was alive before, Cronal raced up the steps in the pouring rain, pilot ambling behind. At the top, he found a stone slab blocking what he assumed to be the door. Using the Force to slide it aside, they hurried inside, slab rolling back behind them.

Looking around the empty room, Cronal found himself curious. "What is this place?"

A tomb

She sounded . . . abnormally excited about that. Not that Cronal held any unfounded squeamishness for the dead, but neither did he care for bodies. It was only the act that caused such a state that interested him, the more violent the better.

The sarcophagus. Open it!

The storm raged outside, but Cronal could see a raised slab on the ground. From his study of history, he knew carved into the face was an ancient symbol of Jedi and Sith when the groups had first broken apart. With a minor push, it slid aside, uncovering a tall woman lain in rest. Cronal felt the tentacle in him curl, twitching in excitement. She was ecstatic, this world was a conduit of Force power. Here, more than anywhere else, she could interact with it in her weakened form. He dropped to his knees in pain and felt it worm its way out of his spirit. Like a snake, it slithered down into the crypt and into the corpse's mouth. Green eyes flashed open and the body began to spasm, trying to rid itself of the violation. It turned and thrashed about before a calmness settled upon it.

She opened her eyes, she was risen from the ashes again. Lithely sitting up, she felt her body acclimate itself to her control. Fitting that her child should serve even after death. She rose and looked at the two being inside the tomb with her. Her servant still crouched in pain from her leaving him, but that was only a minor thing. Now they would never be apart. The pilot looked on dumbly at the woman, she opened her arms. "Come to me."

As if waking from a trance, the pilot rushed to the beautiful creature that beckoned to him. She place her hands on his cheeks and kissed deeply. His mind filled with lust, the unfortunate man realized only too late that the woman's tongue forced its way further than was physically possible into his throat. He felt like he was aging a lifetime in mere seconds.

Once the woman had drained all the life force from the expendable pilot, she turned her ear-to-ear grin and silver-stared eyes to her servant, only to see the revulsion on his host's face. It was then she knew he could only ever be a tool. Spirits could not undergo the change she needed for her family. He may possess the body, but would never have the mentality. He would still be useful, though, a knight to sow destruction on her enemies.

"Rise and bask in the glow of your Beloved Queen of the Stars."

Abeloth had returned.

The storm subsided as quickly as it had come. The destroyed trees re-growing to their former glory moments after the last drop of water fell. Things changed here more rapidly than they could imagine. Luke felt drained, he'd channeled the power to deflect the lightning, but it was a tasking affair. Ben and Vestara looked similarly tired. "Should we take a rest?"

They agreed, Vestara adding, "and eat."

That piqued Luke's interest, as they'd both said they couldn't eat on the Shadow. He felt Ben drawing in power from the life of the world. "What are you doing?"

Ben looked slightly guilty, embarrassed with what they had to do to survive, but his father would understand, eventually. "Eating," he mumbled.

Luke understood when Vestara took his hands and started to drain the life energy away, like a leech drawing blood. He'd seen their changed appearances and their new level of power they wielded, but this felt dangerously close to what Abeloth did.

"No, it's different," Vestara said after breaking off contact with Ben, looking more healthy, but tone contrite. "We need to do it, it's the only way other than Abeloth's we know of to survive."

"We aren't hurting anything," Ben added. "It's just excess energy."

It was true, the surrounding plants appeared unharmed. Luke couldn't believe how easily they'd taken to this to survive, then again they had more time to get used to the idea than he did. What would he do in their place? That was something that he really hadn't thought of until now.

"I feel something," Ben said, voice detached. "There's other people here."

Ruby sparks in Vestara's eyes flickered. "She's here, with him."

"Abeloth and Cronal are here?" Luke couldn't keep the strain from his voice, this wasn't good. Abeloth shouldn't have been able to reform so quickly. "We need to move."

They were able to transverse the distance to the Father's Monastery before another storm could blow in. Unlike the other two homes, this one was in ruins. The walls were cracked and crumbling. Shards of what had once been a mammoth crystal littered the surrounding land. Once they reached the top of the steps, they entered the building itself.

A long bridge, held aloft over grey mists, led to this version of a throne. a stone gryphon and gargoyle guarding a small plateau that looked more suited to a meditation mat than a throne. Circular pedestals lined the walkway to the stone centerpiece. The path bifurcated to either side.

"Time to split up?" Vestara asked.

"No," Ben insisted, "not with Abeloth here. We need to stay together."

They took the path to the left, walls lined with interlocking stone masonry. There were tangent rooms, but the main path led them to an arena. It had eight entrances from all around. The main area a swirl of black and white marble, arrayed in an interlocking mesh of symmetry. None of this was what stopped them short, though. At the center of the stadium, reaching down to pick up the very weapon they sought from a pair of withered bodies, one eerily similar to the one they'd encountered before, were two figures. They turned to Vestara's shocked cry.

The smaller one held the Dagger, and Luke was startled to find he recognized the man. "Tamish?" The Jedi Knight was thought to be dead.

The Jedi gave a malicious grin. "Skywalker, we meet again."

Luke narrowed his eyes. "Cronal."

Chapter Text

Father's Monastery, Mortis; 44 ABY

"Children," the tall woman called, Cheshire cat grin and twinkling eyes showing who she really was. "Join me and we will live forever in bliss."

She extended one small hand to them, only to see a look similar to the one her servant had displayed when she consumed his pilot. She would not be denied again, she gave them everything and they still spurned her?

"I think not."

Abeloth had the time to wonder what that was supposed to be mean before her servant plunged the Dagger into her chest. A soft pulse of light rocked her body, so newly won and already taken by betrayal. Her hand clawed and plunged into her servant's chest, nonetheless nothing bled out. It was a spiritual assault, though one she couldn't carry though fully. She fell to her knees as the power of the Dagger blazed through her.

Cronal stood over her, the others forgotten as he looked into her shining eyes. "You did not honestly believe a sentimental wretch like you would be allowed to rule, did you?" He spat, "there is only one divine in this life, and that is the eternal embrace of oblivion."

Her face scrunched up in a combination of rage and pain. He twisted sharply and the pain dominated. The light in her eyes faded and body went slack, hand falling to the stone ground beside her.

Throughout all this, Luke, Ben, and Vestara looked on in shock as Cronal effectively did their job. Their lightsabers drawn, they leapt down to the possessed Jedi still holding the Dagger. Luke lifted his blade. "Surrender."

"Surrender?" Cronal turned, wincing slightly from the injury Abeloth had dealt him as her final act of retribution, feeling the extent of the damage she'd done. "Never."

Lightning spat from his fingers, as powerful as Vestara had been able to summon. "You've drunk from the Font of Power," she accused, catching the electricity on her blade.

Instead of replying, he just ramped up the energy. Bolts as thick as cables shot out. Vestara rolled by the one intended for her and landed on her feet before Luke and block the one intended for him. "Get back," she called. The attack would have overpowered his defense. He fell back, saber still held in a defensive position.

Vestara gestured with her other hand and lightning of her own arced toward Cronal. He abandoned his own attack and drew his saber. All three were on him at once. The Jedi Knight's body had known how to duel well enough, but not against three of such proficiency at once, certainly not wounded. Skywalker was not the inexperienced Jedi they'd grappled with last.

With the battle now reduced to lightsabers, Luke took point and hit Cronal with a barrage of slashes that forced him to fall back. Reaching out in the Force, he saw the tar-lined ropes that tethered Cronal to his host. Utilizing the same techniques that underlined Mnemotherapy, Luke ripped at the dark side spirit.

Cronal's howl of agony echoed throughout the arena. Vestara took the distraction to stab her blade into his stomach. Time seemed to still. Cronal's milky eyes swam, whirlpools drawing lines of darkness into the centers. With considerable effort, he reasserted himself and blasted away his attackers with a repulse that cracked the walls. As they flew away, Cronal brought up the Dagger and cut a gash along Ben's chest. Had he not been flying away at the time, it probably would have cut him asunder.

Seeing he wasn't a match for the three in direct combat, Cronal fled. Clutching his pierced stomach, he dropped the Dagger and ran. Time was of the essence. With any luck, the other two would tend to Skywalker's son in lieu of pursuit. He didn't stay around to see how much damage he'd done, so it would be best to get to his ship sooner rather than later. He would recover and hunt them down in his own time.

"Ben!" Vestara screamed when she saw him, she felt like her own chest had been sliced open and ran to his side. Luke wasn't far behind, but had the presence of mind to check for a follow-up attack. Instead of the possessed Knight, he only saw the Dagger's handle lying on the ground. He telekinetically summoned it to him as he ran to his son.

The gash wasn't particularly deep, but it appeared to do far more damage than a simple knife should have been able to. Vestara's eyes welled with tears. "Ben, can you hear me?" She clutched the torn front of his robes.

His eyes fluttered, and tried to say something, but it came out in a gargle. Luke placed his hand on Ben forehead and sent pulses of healing energy to his son. The response was minimal, Ben was bleeding off life energy, unable to muster enough to heal while it hemorrhaged out. His normal appearance faded as he no longer could sustain it. Vestara reached out, as she hadn't fully done on Abeloth's planet, and drained all she could. She drew in the world's life force in one of the most destructive ways possible. Though there were no plants in the arena, Luke knew they would be dying all over this world, the world itself would be a wasteland because of this.

She took it in and washed it over Ben, not caring for whatever damage she was doing to the planet. It was painfully slow, but he was able to direct the healing with enough clarity to seal the wound. When she was done, all that was left was a scar running the length of where the cut had been, healing only able to do so much in the face of the mystical blade. Vestara collapsed next to Ben, skin flaking and cracked from the exertion. Her control over her appearance slackened and her face split in two. The barest gleam of red light shone from her eyes before they closed.

Luke had been forced to brace himself from the torrent Vestara had channeled, only to find the pair of them unconscious when it was all over. Luke examined them both, and they were alive, if not particularly healthy at this point. He traced the scar along Ben's chest. Making sure they were laid out under an overhang, he went over to examine Abeloth.

Dagger in hand, having materialized the blade when he held it, Luke looked down on the Force entity that had proven so hard to kill. Slack-jawed, it lay there with a look of profound shock on its face. Luke didn't recognize the body, but he suspected that it had once belonged to the Daughter. The gaping chest would hadn't bled like Ben's had, it was dry inside, as if the blood had dried in her veins. Luke couldn't see much point in doing anything else here, and going after Cronal at this point would be foolish. Instead, he took Ben and Vestara to one of the rooms they'd passed on their way to the arena and slid the door shut. He would head to the Shadow and bring it back here. The quicker the pair got medical treatment, the better.

Cronal was in pain. That, of course, was a tremendous understatement. He'd experienced firsthand what it was like for a human body to be accelerated through hyperspace without a vessel, and this beat it, hands down. Whatever Skywalker had done, his very fabric felt shredded. The lightsaber wound to his gut didn't help, either. He stumbled over the path he and Abeloth had taken to the monastery.

That, at least, was one good thing accomplished. He finally rid himself of that incessant fool and her naive dreams of ruling the galaxy like a fairy tale princess. There was no room for rule in a galaxy destined to being torn asunder.

He took his ship up and out of the Monolith only to see his pirates were gone. They had . . . abandoned him. He must have lost his hold over them and they fled. Traitors. He would deal with them all in time, and devise a redefining of pain for their weak minds to grasp. Until then, he needed a place to recover, to heal. In a galaxy so far removed from his own time, he decided it would be best to try the world that had introduced him to the galaxy at large, where he became a Prophet of the Dark Side. Inputting the coordinates to the world, his shuttle jumped to hyperspace.

As Luke made his way back to the Shadow, Vestara's actions were on full effect. All the trees and plants were shriveled, not even the ones exhibiting the white veins he associated with the dark side were spared. The first distant rumble took him by surprise as he neared the Son's former home. Fissures were cracking the landscape. As he brought the Shadow into the atmosphere, the ground swallowed the entire tower. Luke had a sinking feeling and rushed back to where Ben and Vestara were. There was no longer any castle of ice in the distance, presumably lost in the same manner as the citadel.

Once he'd gotten them onboard, Luke made for the section of the sky though which they'd originally entered. The white-hot light seared the Shadow's screens as they exited the Monolith. Turning back, Luke watched as the pyramid-like hemispheres collapsed on one another, destroying what little could have survived the earthquakes. Before the jump to hyperspace was fully calculated, Mortis was dead.

When Vestara opened her eyes, she was relieved to see the antiseptic ceiling of the Jade Shadow's medical bay. She was still very weak, barely able to lift her arm, which she noted had an IV line into it. She still felt like someone had slit open her chest. With that realization clicking she jerked up to look for Ben. Luke's hand gently halted her. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"How—how's Ben?" She winced slightly at the way even talking hurt.

"He's recovering, how are you feeling?" Luke made sure to put the right emphasis to get her attention.

"I'm hurt, but it's not fatal," her strength was returning, as if what she experienced upon waking was a lingering effect of what she'd felt on Mortis. She pushed past Luke's hand to sit all the way up. "Where are we going?"

"Cronal escaped and Mortis is gone," Luke explained, "so I'm taking you two to Shedu Maad to recover."

"No," she started, "I won't go back to that cage."

"Relax," Luke soothed, he'd decided that it wouldn't hurt to extend a little trust. She had already been given ample opportunity to kill him already and instead defended him. "You're not going to be locked up."

"I—thank you," she managed, somewhat skeptical, but willing to take the risk. Thinking back to the events leading up to her blackout, she let out a breath of relief. "Abeloth is gone."

"So it would seem," Luke said. "Cronal left the Dagger behind when he fled."

Vestara felt her blood boil at that creature's name. She wanted to plaster his innards across the galaxy, wanted to peel open—she looked over at Ben. This was the same rage she'd had before, when she couldn't feel him, as she couldn't now. He'd withdrawn completely into a healing trance, withdrawn from her.

Luke was going to give her some time to fully waken, but was stopped when she grasped his hand. "What is it?" He turned back.

"If I can't—if something ever happens to Ben," she pleaded, her voice sounding genuine fear.

"It's okay, Vestara, he's going to recover." Luke assured her.

"But if it does, in the future," she begged. "You need to use the Dagger."

Luke was confused. "Use it?"

"On me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not—I'm dangerous, without him," her eyes bore into his. "I don't want to be alone, I won't become like Her. I'd rather it be over."

Luke felt a wash of sympathy run through him. He knew those thoughts well, not wanting to live because he was alone. He'd spent too many nights wanting to just die because he wouldn't see Mara or hear her voice ever again. He grasped her shoulders and crouched down to eye-level. "Get some sleep, we'll be there soon," Luke prodded. "He's going to be fine."

Vestara doubted he truly understood what she was saying, it was a part of her new self that only Ben knew, only Ben could genuinely control. If she lost him, she'd have to do it herself. She refused to become the needy thing they'd released from the Maw. But that time wasn't now, she prayed it would never happen. For now, Ben would recover. For now, she just had to hold on to her anger until he woke. Those were her last thoughts before falling into a healing trance of her own, her adrenaline-fueled strength failing her.

Chapter Text

Council Chambers, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

They'd arrived at the Temple early in the morning. Vestara appeared to have slid into a healing trance of her own, though Luke hadn't thought her injuries were so severe. He'd sent them to the medcenter and asked to convene the Council of Masters. There, Luke had outlined what had happened since he'd left Shedu Maad in the middle of the night. The Masters had been quite taken aback when he'd said that Vestara shouldn't be imprisoned.

"And it is your position that she shouldn't be put in the detention center?" Master Cilghal asked.

"It is," Luke nodded. "Since we last spoke, I believe the Force has shown me that she has a destiny."

"A destiny doesn't necessarily equate to a good thing," Octa Ramis pointed out, the last fight she had with the pair fresh in her mind.

"I believe this one can be, under the right circumstances." Luke said. "Regardless, we will need her against Cronal. He has the potential to be more dangerous than Abeloth. He desires nothing for the control she was after, so the damage he could cause is something we can't predict."

"What of this daggerz power?" Saba asked. "Could it be used against him?"

"Perhaps," Luke conceded, "but we have no way of finding him until he strikes. By then, he will have recovered."

"Then let's start a search for him," Jaina Solo-Fel suggested. She was here in person, most likely along with her husband, after word of Luke's disappearance had reached her. "But I want a guard on the Vestara girl, I still don't trust her."

Knowing that his reputation was largely what prompted the other Masters to agree to not locking Vestara up, he agreed to the guard. It would be better to be safe than sorry. "Why don't you do it, Master Solo?" He asked.

"Me?"

"Vestara already escaped once, if you think she may do it again, then it would be best to have you there to stop her early on."

Jaina agreed, not looking forward to spending time in the same room as the Sith girl. "Fine."

Jedi Temple Medcenter, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

Time went quickly, the healing trance Ben had been under abated on the third day, much sooner than it had taken him to recover the last time he'd been in this room. This time, however, he was glad to see Vestara in the bed next to his own. He still ached. Looking down, Ben lifted his medical gown to see the scar he knew to be there. It was a good two feet long, but looked completely healed over. Vestara had pushed her limits in helping him. Had she not been there, Ben knew he would have died on Mortis.

"Good morning, Ben." Jaina's voice called from a plasticast chair at the head of the room by the door. "How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic," he said in mock enthusiasm. "I only mostly died that time."

"You'd better be 'fantastic,'" a now-awake Vestara chided. "I didn't burn through my reserves for just 'good' or 'fine.'"

Jaina didn't comment, but narrowed her eyes at the waking Sith.

"Not polite to stare," Vestara muttered without looking over at the Jedi Master.

"You don't get polite," Jaina countered. "You lost that courtesy after Coruscant."

"Jaina," Ben scolded, "play nice."

Her eyes softened as she looked over at Ben. "Don't take this the wrong way, Ben, but until you snap out of it and start thinking clearly again, I don't give a damn what you have to say."

Ben sighed. "Could you go get Dad? I need to talk to him."

"He's already on his way."

The drawn-out silence lasted until the door slid aside for Luke. He'd tried to spend as much time as possible at their side, but the search for Cronal had become a top priority. The Ten Knights were recalled, and they, as so many others, had begun a search for the former Emperor's Hand. As he walked in, he felt the chill in the room, Jaina certainly hadn't lightened up after her vigil over the pair. He laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I'll take it from here," he said. "Why don't you  go visit Jag?"

Clearly not wanting to leave her charge, Jaina reluctantly slipped out the door, but not before sending one last glare at Vestara.

"Nice to see the welcoming committee for our glorious return," Vestara muttered after the Jedi Master left.

"Your actions on Coruscant are still fresh in her mind," Luke said. "Did you really expect her to react any differently?"

"What ever happened to Jedi serenity?"

Luke ignored the retort in favor of kneeling beside Ben's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Ben sat up a little straighter, "but what happened? The last thing I remember was the arena."

"Cronal escaped after wounding you."

"Then we have to go after him."

"You're in no position to be going after anyone just now," Luke shook his head. "Besides, we don't know where he fled to. There are any number of places he could be hiding."

"Perhaps I could find him . . . " Vestara thought out loud.

Ben arched an eyebrow in question and Luke looked over to her. "What do you mean?"

Vestara thought about it for a few more seconds before answering. "Ship was able to find those strong in the Force, especially those in tune with the dark side."

"Like he found your Tribe?" Luke immediately berated himself for calling it 'he.' The Meditation Sphere was not a sentient being. "We don't know where it went after Abeloth lost control."

"It would most likely return home."

"Kesh?"

"Yes." She looked slightly worried at the prospect. She'd worked so hard to keep the location of the planet secret, but now it seemed like it would be impossible to keep. They needed to stop this Cronal before he could supplant Abeloth as the 'Bringer of Chaos.' She pursed her lips. "Ben and I need to go alone."

"Absolutely not."

"Dad—" Ben started.

"—I'm not going to let the two of you go off on your own again," Luke insisted, shaking his head in conviction. "If you leave, I'm going with you."

"I won't lead the Jedi to my homeworld so you can slaughter them." Vestara protested.

Ben could see this would only lead to one end, which would serve no one but the being they wanted to hunt down. "What about a compromise?"

They both looked at him skeptically, neither side willing to cede their points. Vestara was the first to give voice to her doubts. "And how exactly do you propose that?"

Ben looked to his father. "If we all took the Shadow, would you let us put in the coordinates and erase the computer log afterwards?"

"You expect me to just ignore a world full of Sith?" Luke asked, they knew he didn't want to deceitfully agree to anything now and have tension later.

Vestara narrowed her eyes. "There are innocents there who would be caught in the purge the Jedi would bring."

"There's a bigger threat than Sith, Dad," Ben ignored Vestara for the moment, they needed to work something out soon. All this arguing could be done later, en route.

Luke thought about it. Even without knowing the exact coordinates, the travel time would give the Jedi a good idea of where the planet was located. "Very well, we'll do it your way."

"When do we leave?" The door had opened again for the last part of the conversation, this time to a petite Jedi Master. "You're not leaving me behind," Jaina said, it came out as more of a statement of fact than a demand.

Vestara rolled her eyes, but Ben shrugged. "If you agree to what Dad did, then you can come."

"Agree to what, exactly?" Jaina asked, looking over at the Grand Master.

Luke explained the deal, to which she was understandably loath to agree to. "We're not allowed to find out where this planet full of Sith is?" Her voice took on an incredulous note, "Look at the damage they've done already."

"The leadership is gone," Vestara pointed out. "If you don't agree, they we won't take you."

"Try and stop me."

Ben wedged himself between the two women. "This is wasting time. Jaina, yes or no?"

Jaina looked over to Luke, who'd elected to not get involved with the argument. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "Fine," she huffed. "You've got a deal."

Preparing the Shadow took little time, loading Jaina's StealthX took more time than anything else. Vestara had gotten back her original lightsaber and some properly fitted robes. Ben's recovery had been miraculous. In a few hours after waking, he felt like his old self again, well his old new self. It was one thing he was beginning to appreciate, he'd never liked medcenters. It was practically a Pavlovian response with him at this point.

Leaving Luke and Jaina in the main cabin, Ben and Vestara went to the cockpit. Once they'd left, Jaina rounded on her Uncle. "Why did you agree to this?"

Luke waved her to be seated. "Cronal is the bigger threat at this point," he explained. "Ben and Vestara were able to find Mortis, so they may be able to pull off another miracle."

"But a planet of Sith—"

"—Will be dealt with in time. Vestara was right about that, they've lost their leadership." Luke's mind drifted back to the last time he'd gone to Beyond Shadows. "I'm not even sure they're the real threat anymore. I'm more concerned with the one that helped me against Abeloth before."

"What if he's part of the Tribe?"

"He's not," Luke sighed. "What we know of the Tribe would never let someone like that join them."

Jaina frowned. "The Tribe is still a threat."

"But not now, and we gave Vestara our word."

"She wouldn't keep a promise to us, why should we with her?"

Luke leaned back in his chair, it was a good question, one he'd have asked himself a week before. Somehow, events on Mortis had begun to change his mind. What exactly had done it was unclear. His vision of his father, Ben's support, or Vestara's own actions? "I don't know," he admitted.

Jade Shadow, Hyperspace; 44 ABY

On the third day, Jaina found her sitting alone in the galley. It was still early, so Luke and Ben were probably still asleep. She silently cooked herself a meal and sat across from the former Sith apprentice, who looked somewhat tired. Jaina had barely left her alone the days before.

"Why do you hate me?" Vestara asked quietly, but it came out quite loud in comparison to the silence they'd been under moments before.

Jaina looked up at her. "You tried to kill my parents, niece, and betrayed the Jedi. You're a Sith."

"Did you hate your brother?" Vestara's voice was oddly detached, not the confrontational attitude she normally had.

Jaina ignored the question and went back to eating. After a few beats, Vestara tried again. "I take it you don't believe in redemption, Master Solo."

"You can't redeem someone who doesn't want to be," she said without looking up.

"I wanted to be."

"Not enough, apparently." Jaina retorted bluntly.

"No, I suppose you're right," Vestara agreed. "I'm not that person anymore."

Giving a short barking laugh, Jaina shot her a disbelieving glance. "You might want to try that on someone who can't see you with the Force."

"Alignment isn't the only gauge of a person."

"The dark side corrupts everything and everyone it touches," she jabbed a finger. "If you think you control it, then you're only fooling yourself."

"Alone, you'd be right," Vestara really wasn't sure why she was talking to the Jedi Master, Jaina Solo-Fel had made her feelings abundantly clear. Still, something drove her to ask and start this conversation so she continued it.

"Alone?" Jaina asked in spite of herself. She definitely didn't like the Sith girl, wouldn't trust her further than she could toss a Hutt without the Force.

"Ben . . . helps." Vestara admitted. "He makes sure I don't become like the thing we fought against."

"And you're telling me this because?"

Vestara shrugged slightly. "You're Ben's family. I don't want him to have to choose sides."

Jaina appraised the girl before her. She sounded sincere, but Jaina had already been tricked once already. Luke may be willing to give her more leeway, but she was not to be trusted. "How very generous of you."

"Selfish, as well," Vestara admitted. "You're going to have a great role in the future of your Order, Jaina. The future hasn't been changed so much as to prevent that."

Jaina wasn't exactly sure what the Sith girl was implying, but she was starting to listen and that was a bad thing. When one listened to Sith, they wormed their way in to control you. She abruptly set her food aside and walked out, a resigned Vestara in her wake. Jaina hadn't planned on a destination, but looked up to see herself at Ben's door. She hadn't gotten a good chance to talk with her cousin alone since he'd returned. She keyed in an override code and slipped through the portal. Inside, still quite asleep, her cousin was covered in a light sheet. She took a chair across from him and gave him a nudge with the Force.

He jerked up with a start, hand reaching for his lightsaber and eyes scanning the room for threats. When he saw his cousin, his assessing expression gave way to a confused one. " . . . Jaina? What . . . what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk, Ben," she said, "about you, about the girl, about your so-called 'destiny.'"

Still waking up, and now ornery because of it, Ben gave her an annoyed look. "This couldn't have waited for me to get up on my own?"

Jaina shook her head. "I need to talk to you alone, and when you wake up on you own, you're always with the girl."

"She has a name, you know."

"Why do you trust her?" Jain ignored his jab with ease.

"Why do you care? Do you really think anything I could say would convince you?" Ben put his lightsaber back on the nightstand and rubbed his eyes. "You've already made up your mind."

"Why do I care? You're family, Ben," Jaina let out an exasperated hiss. "She's just using you."

"Maybe she will be yours, too," Ben ventured, wondering if his father had told anyone of just how far along his relationship with Vestara was.

"Do you even hear yourself, Ben?"

"You once thought she could be redeemed through love," Ben pointed out.

Jaina have a sharp nod. "Then she betrayed us and nearly killed my parents."

Ben slid to the edge of the bed, his legs dangled off. "She's not the same person she was then."

"That's what she said, and I see no reason to believe her."

A faint smile played over his features, more wistful than joyous. "Ah, she's trying to mend fences for me, though I think she may have said more to you than she should have. It wouldn't have gotten to you otherwise."

"What does that even mean? Talk to me Ben." Jain could hear her voice rising higher than it should have, but Ben's calm composure set her on edge for no apparent reason.

"Fine," Ben conceded. "I'll tell you as much as I can, but it won't mean anything if you're unwilling to listen."

She gave him a hard look, but dropped her head in agreement. He talked about the duality of the Force, how balance required both light and dark. The way they were changed by the waters, made different by the power. Jaina didn't comment throughout, listened to what he had to say, forcing herself to not immediately judge it on her own terms. He left out mention of the vision, he still felt that it shouldn't be kept secret unless necessary. When he finished, she still had another question. "None of that explains why you trust her."

"For the same reason you trust Jag, I love her."

"Sith will use their emotions to get what they want." Jaina pointed out.

"Then it depends on what she wants," Ben countered, "and what I want."

Jaina was still skeptical of what they viewed as 'destiny,' but was she so different? She  was the Sword of the Jedi, a title that had shaped her decisions more than once. Could she give them another chance? Uncle Luke seemed to be. That did bring up something Vestara had mentioned earlier. "She talked about my future with the Jedi, what did she mean?"

Ben shifted uncomfortably. "That was something she shouldn't have said, but surely you've guessed the implication?"

Her silence and stare gave him enough of an answer. "Dad won't be around forever," Ben began sadly. "You'll take up the reigns as Grand Master when he passes it along."

"Why would she tell me that?"

"You'd have to ask her, though I think you know," Ben gave her a knowing look. The room rocked gently, a signal that they'd existed hyperspace. "It would seem we've arrived at Kesh."

Chapter Text

Jade Shadow, Kesh; 44 ABY

Kesh was a world far removed from the galaxy. Buried deep in Wild Space, the mountainous planet offered sanctuary to the Sith that crashed there five millennia ago. As the Jade Shadow hung like a raptor over the vast ocean that separated Keshtah Minor and Major, Luke was somewhat surprised to see the world so peaceful. The planets that he'd visited that had hosted Sith were normally diseased and dying. From Korriban to Ziost, nothing escaped the effects of the dark side forever. Even Palpatine's private retreat, Byss, had suffered during his relatively short reign. Had it not fallen victim to the Galaxy Gun, Luke would have suspected it, too, would end up like the other Sith worlds. Kesh, on the other hand, was a mosaic of green and blue, brown and grey. lush forests and tall mountains.

Giving a sidelong glance to Vestara, Luke could see the conflict on her face, a rare thing for the reserved girl. This was the first time she'd seen her world in well over a standard year, but she would no longer be welcomed on it. He found himself mentally asking if that was a good thing on not. "It's a beautiful planet," he said instead.

"Yes, it is." Her eyes watered at the sight, but forced herself to suppress the feeling. As much as she longed to see the Temple again, the people, her home, she had a job to do. She could feel Ship down there, no doubt in the courtyard it had arrived to the planet at. Getting to the Takara Mountains would require them to travel by foot or perhaps her Uvak, Tikk, could transport them. Regardless, it wasn't something she wanted the Jedi tagging along for. "Ben and I should go alone."

Jaina, predictably, was the first to give voice to her thoughts. "Not a chance."

Luke, however, looked more thoughtful and gave Vestara an appraising glance. "Why?"

Ignoring the short Jedi Master, Vestara directed her answer to Luke. "We're more likely to succeed quickly without you two."

Ben looked from his father to his cousin and waited. At last, Luke nodded. "I agree."

"What?" The shock from Jaina's voice was palpable.

Turning to his niece, Luke laid both hands on her shoulders. "This would go much easier without the Sith overreacting to two Jedi Masters." He looked back to Vestara and Ben. "You'll need to stay in contact with us at all times."

Despite some heavy reservations, Jaina reluctantly agreed. "Fine, but how are they getting down there? None of the ships onboard can carry more than one person."

"You'll have to drop us off," Vestara said. "I'll direct you where to land. The Khai estate should be safe enough."

Tahv was, at one point, the capital of Kesh. Vestara had assumed it was still, until the Shadow made its first pass over the 'City of Glass.' Instead of the ornate spires that she knew so well, the entire city looked like a great shattered mirror. Once-beautiful towers were laid low. Vestara could feel her resentment well up. "She did this." Her voice laden with fury.

They landed on the outskirts, where Vestara had indicated. The manor that once held sway over the rolling hills was splintered and broken. The four walked down the boarding ramp to survey the damage. Luke swept the ruins quickly. "Perhaps we could take you closer to where you need to go?"

Vestara considered it, but declined. "The Temple will be under an even tighter defense with Tahv gone. They'd fire on the ship before we got close enough to do anything."

Silently fuming, Jaina said nothing. Luke looked around at his three companions. "Very well, keep in contact every few hours, or we'll come and find you two."

The Shadow lifted off, leaving Ben and Vestara behind. Ben eyed the ruins they stood in. "This was your home?"

Vestara spared her home a nostalgic glance. "It was, once." She considered searching the rubble for anything that might have survived Abeloth's wrath, but decided against it. Reaching out for her Uvak, Vestara found nothing. It must have fallen with the rest of Tahv. "Come on, we've got a long journey ahead."

They made their way into the city, the mountain range they sought was just on the other side. It would take them a day or two, at the most, to reach the Temple where Ship was. They'd initially thought of calling it to them, but Vestara doubted she could control it at such a distance if what was left of the Sith ruling class tried to force the Meditation Sphere to stay. In the end, it would be safer to go there in person. The city itself was abandoned. They saw small animals and vermin scurry among the rubble, but none of the people were to be found.

"It must have been quite a city," Ben tried to start up a conversation now that Vestara had withdrawn into memories of her planet.

"It was," she said wistfully. "I never thought it would be like this when I saw it again."

"I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be, you didn't do it."

"All the same," Ben wrapped an arm over her shoulder, "I am."

"I lived here for most of my life—" She broke off midway when she heard a soft whistling noise. She shoved Ben forward and lashed out with her arm at the tiny glass blades flying toward them. It elongated into a tentacle and hit the first two at the point where the blade met the hilt, snapping them in two. The third, she wrapped her tendril around and brought it back, hand reforming as she clipped the miniature Shikkar on her belt.

The three Sith Sabers darted out from behind opaque glass walls, their lightsabers drawn. "Surrender," a muscular Keshiri female demanded.

Ben was getting to his feet and shot Vestara a mock-hurt look. "I could have blocked them." A mental tug wrenched the sabers out of the hand of the Sith.

Reacting more on instinct than experience, their hand spat Force Lightning at Ben. They seemed to lack the skill level of Sabers Ben had encountered before. He grounded the electricity in his hand while Vestara went on the attack. A clutched hand and all three Sith were gasping for breath. She brought the leader forward, a few inches from her. Letting the illusion hiding her true form dissipate, Vestara had the pleasure of seeing the Keshiri woman flinch. Definitely not of the same caliber as her father. Seriously considering the level of punishment attacking her and Ben warranted, Vestara squeezed harder, only to be stopped by Ben calling her name in reproach.

She dropped all three Sabers and telekinetically summoned their lost lightsabers. Keeping her twinkling red eyes visible, she knelt beside the Keshiri woman and gently stroked her cheek with a pale hand. "You'll behave, won't you? Tell us, who sent you." The second was more a statement than question, offering no room for denial.

The Sith Saber seemed about to resist, so Vestara sent a little spark of electricity up her spine, tensing it in rigid, painful spasms. "Now, now, Saber . . . " she paused for the Keshiri to mentally supply her own name, "Yavzon. We want an answer."

Gritting her teeth, Yavzon ground out a succinct answer. "No one, we were on patrol."

Ben was not unaccustomed to such interrogation, and knew Vestara was in control. He knelt beside her to play the kinder interrogator. "Are there other patrols nearby?"

"No."

Sensing the truthfulness, Vestara smiled. "In that case, you're usefulness has ended." She raised the pommel of her hilt and smashed it down on each of them, knocking them out. "They'll have already contacted the Temple before engaging us."

Ben, who removing the power supplies from their lightsabers, turned to her. "Then why knock them out?"

"I assumed you'd prefer that to killing them." She said it in an airy one that made Ben wonder if she was being serious or not.

"Ah," Ben tossed the disabled hilts to the unconscious trio. "So we should expect a welcoming party?"

"Probably," she started toward the mountains.

Their journey to the Temple was, remarkably, uneventful. They were expecting some kind of show of force, but the rocky path was all but abandoned. Carved statues of Sith and Keshiri ancients that lined the path were largely left intact after Abeloth's wrath. The distance from the city must have saved them the worst of the impact. Still, a number showed fresh cracks and splinters.

The Temple summit was set in a hollowed-out quarter of the tallest mountain. Underneath lay the Omen, though it was hidden under years of intricate building. A stone-version replica of the Lords' Circle that had resided in Tahv's capital building awaited them. At the far end of the balcony lay the outcropping Vestara suspected Ship to reside.

They walked out into the empty reception area, Ben glanced around. "Shouldn't someone be here?"

"The Sith are everywhere, Jedi," a cowled Keshiri called from the shadows. His lavender skin an unblemished porcelain sheen.

Vestara gaped in shock, the newcomer wore the trappings of a High Lord, but the man was anything but. "Fsha Raas?"

"So the traitor speaks," Raas sneered. "Come to prostrate yourself before the Tribe?"

Vestara couldn't help but gape. Fsha Raas had been the father of Ahri Raas, and a mere Saber when she'd left the planet naught a standard year ago, there was no way he'd have achieved such a high position in so little time. "You're no High Lord, Raas, and I'm beyond the Tribe now."

Oblivious to the undercurrent, Ben had laid his hand gently on his saber. "We're not here to fight you," he warned.

Raas ignored the Jedi and closed in on the former Sith. "With your betrayal and the loss of our leaders, a new Circle was convened." He pointed a gunmetal lightsaber at them. "Bow or fall."

Vestara could barely keep herself from shaking her head in exasperation. That explained the inexperienced Sabers in Tahv, the power vacuum promoted many beyond their station. "And who will make us, Raas? You, yourself, or your imaginary friend?"

Ben rolled his eyes at her baiting, they could now sense more Sith lurking nearby. On cue, and melodramatically at that, the over a dozen Sith joined Raas. His orange irises danced in expectation. "Kill them."

In perfect synchronization, the Sith leap at the pair, crimson sabers buzzing a monotone drawl. Ben and Vestara stood back-to-back and sent out Force pulses in opposite directions. The Sith Lords struck the waves head on and toppled back. Vestara took the opportunity to press the attack, she wrenched a lightsaber from one of their attackers and sent both of her sabers into a twirling flourish. The Sith had numerical advantage, but none of them had the experience to pose a genuine threat on their own. Had any of the High Lords survived, the battle may have been weighted the other way.

With two Sith fallen to her blades, and one to Ben, Raas lunged at Vestara. She parried and deflected his blade into another 'Lord.' "Such anger, High Lord," she taunted. He responded with a broad swing, powered by the Force. She ducked and kicked him back, following through with a back flip that had her other two opponents fighting one another instead of her.

Ben was more systematic, lacking her athletic grace. He was surprised to find that the prospect of winning wasn't such a long shot. Had they been attacked by this many before, they would have been forced to flee. It struck him that he'd begun to think of his life as divided by the Font, as things before or after it. A spiral kick and spinning blade brought another Sith down.

Raas scrambled to his feet and launched himself back at the traitor. She'd taken so much the Tribe had given her and left it for the Jedi. She survived, where his son had not. He sent a cackling arc of lightning at her in his rage. Vestara threw another Sith in the path instead of countering it herself and plunged her blade through his chest. By the time Raas relented his attack, he saw he was the last one standing. All his Sith brethren laid slain or unconscious at the hands of the traitors. "No matter, I'll kill you myself," he hissed, lavender skin darkened in hate.

Ben and Vestara glance at one another, not quite believing that the Keshiri Sith could realistically hope to win after they'd just take out the rest of his allies. Vestara waved Ben off and moved to center herself in front of the last Sith standing. Raas charged, only to meet a web of red streaks. Vestara neatly sidestepped him after a moment and sliced his hand off below the wrist. It, and his lightsaber, fell to the ground. A Force blast sent him careening back into one of the council chairs.

"Your anger serves you well," Vestara loomed over the fallen Sith, "but it is no substitute for experience."

Ben tactfully tried to ignore the conversation. As unsettling as it was to hear Vestara lecturing someone on use of the dark side, he knew it was her position as matron that he needed to respect. This was her realm, so he'd accede to her, as she had for him and the Jedi.

Vestara waited for a response, but got none. "It's your choice, but if you choose to act before you're ready, then you'll only fail." She shrugged and knocked him out with her pommel. Something inside he rebelled at letting him live, but she'd already taken his son, it felt wrong to take his life casually when he was no longer a threat. Clearly some of Ben's morals had ingrained themselves in her. Dropping her stolen saber and turning back to Ben, she jerked her thumb off to the left. "We still have a Meditation Sphere to find."

The Sith Lord returns, Ships mental communication hummed through her mind before she saw the eye-like sphere.

"Sith Lord?" Vestara asked, unsure of what Ship meant.

You are a Sith Lord, if I deem you one, Lady Khai, Ship responded, and I say so now.

Ben was looking at her with a visible question on his face, Ship must only be talking to her. A Sith Lord, she'd longed for that, her only desire was to be raised to such a pinnacle of achievement. Now, she found it strangely hollow, to have gotten the title after it really didn't mean anything to her any longer. "I am no longer a Sith, Ship," she purposely added 'Ship' to let Ben know who she was talking to.

You cannot deny destiny.

"I have a larger one, now," she said. They rounded the corner to see the red-orange sphere nestled atop a stone pillar. "Now, you're going to help us find someone."

If you are no longer Sith, then I have no obligation to you, Ship sounded dismissive. Ben quirked an eyebrow, and Vestara guessed the last part was broadcasted to him, too. Vestara reached out in the Force, much like she'd done to claim her Uvak, only this time to claim something far more difficult to tame. Ship gave a metallic rumble, but didn't speak. She poured her strength against the wall of willpower, she'd never tried to force the Meditation Sphere to do anything before, but she felt the barrier fragment. The creaking subsided.

"Open up," Vestara commanded, testing to see how much control she held over the Meditation Sphere. The spiral hatch opened and spat a slender ramp down to the stone flooring. Pleased with the speed of compliance, she flashed Ben a grin. "Looks like we have a ship."

"Should we really take it with us?" Ben asked with a skeptical look to the orange-finned eye.

"We have to," Vestara said, "It knows the way back to Abeloth's world, and we can't let that information get out."

They ascended the ramp to the small cabin inside. Once they'd entered Ship, the hatched sealed and anesthetic gas seeped in from the vents. Unlike before, however, Ben could now purge the poison faster than it could take root. He raised his hand and sent the whole ship crashing into the temple wall. Vestara asserted her will more forcefully this time, keeping her feet rooted to the cabin floor even with the ship on its side. "Don't do that again," she commanded.

As you wish, Lady Khai. Righting itself, Ship lowered tripod spindles to the ground. What do you command?

"We need you to find someone strong in the dark side," Ben said.

I don't obey the Jedi, Ben, Ship admonished, you haven't conquered me.

Vestara sent a bolt of lightning into the inner wall of Ship, sparks rained down. "What Ben says, I say."

There are many strong in the Force, it seemed Ship was going to be as unhelpful as possible. Vestara was starting to regret not playing along as a Sith, if it would have made their job easier.

"We're seeking someone like us, like Abeloth was." Vestara said, knowing a name would be meaningless to the artificial construct.

I have sensed this one, powerful as you have become. Ship said. It went to a lost world, strong in the Force.

"You're going to take us there," Vestara commanded, "and lead another ship with us."

There was a pause, as if Ship was debating trying to ignore the order. At last, it answered. As you command, Lady Khai.

The communication came in while Jaina was on watch. She flicked the transmission acceptance with a slender finger. Ben and Vestara filled the panel, they appeared to be in a bronze room. "We have Ship," Ben said without preamble. "Are you guys ready?"

"What are your coordinates?" Jaina asked. "We'll come pick you up."

"Ah, we're . . . taking Ship with us," Ben said with a glance at Vestara, who seemed to be concentrating on something off screen.

"What?"

"We need to take it with us, we don't know the exact coordinates, but Ship will lead you." He chose to leave out the part of it knowing the path to Abeloth's world, that could come later.

Luke entered the cockpit behind Jaina. "Done already?"

"They want to take the Meditation Sphere with us." Jaina whispered so the audio pickup wouldn't catch it. "They said it would lead us."

"That's . . . unfortunate," Luke stroked his chin, "but it appears we have no choice."

Turning back to the screen, Jaina started to navigate the Shadow over to the Meditation Sphere's location. "We're on our way."

The trip was rather short, they had to still be in the Outer Rim when they'd exited hyperspace. Hanging like a watery sphere in the lifeless system was their destination: Dromund Kaas

"Great," Jaina scowled, "I hadn't had my fill of that place the first time."

Chapter Text

Sith Meditation Sphere, Ship, Dromund Kaas; 44 ABY

Ben and Vestara stared at the familiar planet through the now-transparent walls of the Meditation Sphere. It was a small galaxy, after all. She didn't think she'd ever have to ever see it again, much less set foot on this wretched planet. Memories of their last trip here, it was almost poetic to have the same group of beings return here as before. Her control slipped and ship started to wobble as it tried to retake control.

"Ves?" Ben laid a hand on her shoulder. He thought of their time here, too, but more of the aftermath spent on the Shadow. "It's going to be okay."

Luke's face filled the wall. "Well, we won't need Ship to pinpoint Cronal," he looked positively glum.

"Why is that?"

"He was one of the Prophets that made the Dark Temple what it is today."

"Déjà vu, anyone?" Ben muttered as they brought the two ships into the humid swamps. They landed where they had before, the same smell of fetid water and decay greeted them as the four met on the marshy ground.

Vestara gestured to the Meditation Sphere and spoke in a demanding tone. "Stay."

"Next, you'll be telling it to roll over," Jaina couldn't resist the jeer.

"It's not as easy as it looks," Vestara said. "Ship doesn't want to be here with us."

Using the Force to keep himself from getting sick, Ben looked up to the towering temple in the distance. Angular and sharp, the citadel's somber radiance now pulsed with something that it had lacked before. Unlike the Sith of the Tribe had when they were here last, Cronal wasn't hiding his presence, more announcing it to them.

"Someone's eager to see us." Jaina quipped.

Luke sent an admonishing look her way. "Don't underestimate him, this will be more difficult than before."

They'd remembered much of their path from their previous visit, but the occasional ysalamiri bubble would slow them down, sinking them into the muddy marsh. Scorpion-like insects fluttered in the distance, but avoided the group. This time around, they noticed a number of stone slabs situated throughout the swamp. The hooded humanoids grasped ornate swords, but were nearly invisible in the grey wetland. They vaguely resembled worn versions of the golden sentinels at the Temple itself. What made them stand out this time, what made the quartet notice, were their glowing eyes.

"Watchers," Luke commented, "The eyes of the Prophets."

Vestara looked thoughtful. "Why didn't they use them before?" She didn't want to actually say 'my father,' but they all knew to whom she referred.

"Dromund Kaas wasn't their home, so they wouldn't know its secrets" Luke shrugged, "and it would have announced their presence, regardless, and ruined their element of surprise."

Ben looked back to the closest statue and noticed something . . . off. "It that one closer than it was before?"

The other three turned to the Watcher, it did look like it was closer, but the muck hid any trail it might have left. They glanced at the other slabs to see they, too, were nearer. "I don't like this," Jaina's hand rested on her lightsaber hilt.

"They can't attack directly," Luke said, having heard of Mara's mission here firsthand, "but they can obstruct us."

"That seems pretty benign," Vestara misstepped into a thigh-deep mud pit. "Yuck."

They were within a stone's throw of the Temple when they heard the growls. Five lightsabers were humming instantly. Three bluish-grey hulks splashed down in the marsh between them and the Temple. Vestigial wings flexed to show shredded skin between them, they'd never take flight on them. The creatures easily stood two meters tall and bulged with muscles. Ben squinted his eyes. "Are—are those Noghri?"

"Sithspawn," Luke corrected.

Vestara found herself disgusted with the three creatures. She'd seen Noghri with the Solos, how they should appear normally. Something truly horrible must have been done to these things to make them as they are. She took a step back to prepare herself for the attack, only to bump into one of the stone-faced Watchers. Her ignited blade grazed the slab, but failed to cut it. While she was off balance, the Sithspawn struck. Their webbed feet let them bound over the mud with an ease that belied their size.

Luke and Jaina dodged their attackers, but Ben took his head-on. A Force Barrier to pause the monster and a quick upper cut split the Noghri in two. Bluish blood splattered Ben's robes, unusual since the blade should have cauterized the flesh. Seconds later, the reason became clear as Ben's outer robes started smoking. He shrugged them off in time to see the viscous substance burn its way through. "Their blood is acidic," he called to his father and cousin.

The two remaining Noghri leapt to the surrounding trees, wings opening in an ineffective attempt to gain altitude. Ben joined his father as they chased their quarry up. Vestara sliced the other trunk in half, forcing the Sithspawn to jump from its perch. Jaina was on it in half a second. Its razor claws no match for her speed and a lightsaber. She looked up in time to see the other Noghri fall to Luke's blade.

"I can't believe I'm saying it, but I liked this place the first time around." Jaina said, avoiding the cobalt liquid leaking from the Sithspawn's wounds.

More Watchers had moved between them and the temple, but their wall was not a solid one. They either slipped through the gaps or just leapt over the stone plates until they reached the Temple steps. Vestara looked around the entrance. "There aren't any bodies . . . "

Luke confirmed this with an inspection of his own. It wasn't impossible for a swamp to consume something that quickly, but the fallen Sith didn't leave any trace behind. It gave him a feeling of disquiet. His past with Cronal taught him that few depravities were below the Prophet's purview. Desecration of the dead was a definite possibility, but he decided to not say it aloud. It would be bad enough if they do encounter such things without anticipating them for however long first. "Be on your guard."

Ben flashed him a look that resembled vague disgust and comprehension, apparently it wasn't much of a secret anymore. "There are ways to reanimate the dead," Luke admitted.

Vestara's pale skin drained of what little blood there was, the possibility of encountering her father's corpse now a nightmarish possibility in the Temple halls. They walked up the stairs, further than they'd gotten on their previous trip here. Luke had wanted them together when they entered before, so they pushed open the carved doors as a group. The golden Watchers on either side flashed emerald and ruby eyes on them as they passed.

Inside, the foyer was of the same colorless stone as the building, but lacked the humid air as the outside. It was only cold here, dry like a tomb. More Watchers, this time sterling silver, lined the inside of the reception chamber, opal eyes casting weak light on them as they entered. Ben shuddered. "Those guys are starting to creep me out."

"There are worse things in these halls," Luke warned.

"Such as?" Vestara asked, mildly annoyed. It got tiring hearing about vague dangers, it helped to have concrete details. The power of this place drowned out any one presence within. Only the pulse of occupancy told them they were not alone. Vestara felt dwarfed by the dark side here, even with her newfound strength.

"Apart from whatever Sithspawn Cronal may be controlling," Luke said. "Some statues can attack if we get too close."

"Like the ice-Jedi on Mortis?"

Jaina looked over to Luke in question. "From what I've been told, yes," he described the frozen sculptures on Mortis and how they had attacked them for Jaina's benefit.

Vestara rolled her eyes. "Fantastic, I wanted an encore with those guys."

They followed the hall deeper into the Temple. There were no windows to let in what little light the outside offered, just an endless maze of miasma. The Watchers and their own lightsabers were their only light source. They heard scuffling ahead, and prepared for the worst.

A pair of stone figures wielding blazing red sabers stepped into the narrow hall. Their face were worn smooth, voids where their features should be. With fluid movements that could only be achieved through alchemy, they lunged at the group.

Jaina's violet blade slashed a swath of light to meet the statues. Blocking the attack with ease, it used its free hand to knock her aside. The stone hand felt like just what it was, solid and uncompromising. Ben stepped over her to engage the guardians himself. The corridor only large enough for one of the to fight at a time, Luke and Vestara helped Jaina to her feet.

Forcing them back, Ben lopped off one of their heads, only to see the body continue just as effectively as before, spinning its saber in an arc of fire, it met aquamarine blue. Amplifying his attack with the Force, Ben smashed his palm into the stone chest. A crack splintered diagonally as it crumbled to rubble. The second one stabbed though the chest of its partner, the blade stopping an inch from Ben's chest. He stumbled back as Luke took the lead. His emerald saber neatly sliced through the second statue's lightsaber and quartered the granite body in two swift strokes.

Panting, Ben indicated to the debris strewn ahead of them. "You're right, the Watchers are looking a lot nicer now."

The hallway spilled out to an open courtyard, the surrounding Temple rose like prison walls, slate-grey and uncompromising. Rolling clouds had darkened the evening light to a twilight. A light drizzle, just enough to slick the ground, fell. Flashes of lightning lit the sickly green moss that claimed the open area. Vestara looked around, there were more than a dozen ways into the surrounding walls, but none looked more promising than the others. "Any ideas where next?"

The moss-covered ground behind them, for lack of a better word, exploded. A dull grey orb lay in the crater. The bat-winged sphere made another pass and shot a second projectile at them. Vestara gaped when she saw it lit up by a flash of lightning. "Ship? What are you doing?"

If you are no longer Sith, then you are a threat. A third ball bearing projectile smashed into one of the toppled pillars, spraying rocks about. They were about to make a break for the closest entrance, only to be stopped by more mutated Noghri lumbering out, brandishing sharp stone-knives.

"I thought you were controlling it," Jaina shouted over the rain, it was coming down more steadily now.

Vestara reached out, as she had on Kesh, to Ship. This time, however, she couldn't get a mental grip on the Meditation Sphere. It was like its mind had been coated in slick oil. "Something is blocking me," she called back. "Any ideas?"

Ben sent a kinetic blast at Ship, forcing it to weave around the attack. "Run?"

She sent him a scowl. "We can't let it escape with knowledge of the Font."

Luke knocked the charging Noghri back, blade carving carnage in its wake. He tilted his head to Jaina. "Think you can cover these guys? I might have an idea with Ship."

In answer, Jaina pirouetted under a high slash, cutting the Sithspawn off at the thighs in the process. Taking the cue, Luke leapt over to Ben and Vestara, still dodging the projectiles in the center of the open expanse. "How insulated is Ship?" He asked Vestara.

"I don't know, why do you ask?" She deflected one of the slower spheres off to the side. She glanced over to Luke in time to see him pointing up to the sky just as a spear of lightning split the darkened sky.

"Could work," Ben panted. avoiding Ship's eerily accurate attacks were tiring enough, but the rain weighed their cloths down, even if it did clean off the residual mud from the trek in the swamp. "How much time do you need?"

"It'll be harder in this nexus, but I think I can manage it."

Jaina was just taking down the last blue-grey mutant, only to see three of the stone guardians dance into the rain. The drops of water sizzled as they struck the ignited blades. There had to be a small army crammed into this Temple. Rolling under their attacks, she kicked out, only managing to wobble the rock-like leg. A small repulse sent one falling back on the blade of another. With two left, she executed a lightning-fast series of ripostes to cut them down.

In the open expanse, Ben and Vestara weaved up and down the obstacle course of vines and fallen columns. Ship seemed particularly interested in them, all but ignoring the two Jedi Masters. Laser cannons lit up the courtyard, splintering stone artifices and encroaching trees. They could feel Luke drawing on his mastery of the Hassat-durr technique to direct the natural lightning at the rogue Meditation Sphere. Bringing their telekinetic prowess to bear, Ship slowed down to an easier target. This, unfortunately, left them vulnerable to the very thing they were hindering.

The orange globe circled around for another pass, only to be lit up by a number of successive lightning strikes. Grey smoke, black in the darkness, poured from seams in the hull. Vestara sent indigo bolts of her own into the wounded ship as Ben knocked it down out of the sky. It fell onto one of the shattered columns and wrapped around it, the superheated metal molding to the debris.

The four walked up to the ruined Meditation Sphere. Smoke rose from the panels that had been peeled back in the crash. The wings were ripped off and the eye split into eighths. Luke turned to Vestara. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea, something was blocking me from controlling it."

Luke considered it. "Or someone."

"Cronal?"

"Probably, this place would only feed him, more so that he knows it so well."

"We need to keep moving," Jaina nodded to the darkened doorway to the right.

They left the Sith ship and ventured further into the Temple. Mazes of carved bas reliefs adored the walls and swirls of obsidian flooring made them feel like they were walking over a river of black glass. They encountered more stone guardians and mutations, but these halls were larger and could accommodate them all engaging at once, leaving the Temple defenses lacking. After a quarter of an hour of wandering, they walked on to another opening to the sky, now truly night in fact as well as appearance. At the center of the clearing lay a pit that descended down to the heart of the Temple. Floating above it was a stone disk, carved much like the flooring had been.

Atop the disk stood a flowing vortex of cloud. Crescent head and sliver eyes reminded Luke of the projection Cronal had used during his time as the Imperial Intelligence Director. Instead of a star-lit body, however, the smoke was lit from within by flashing of electricity. "So, you've come to make this your tomb," the apparition rumbled. It raised a hand and shot an arc of lightning at them. Vestara responded in kind and Jaina leapt to the dais, lancing the smoke-covered body in a single stroke. The moment her foot touched the surface, it dropped like a rock, straight down and shattering in the pit floor.

Jaina reached out to the pit's edge and caught Ben's hand. Pulling her up, they all looked down to see, not the body of Jec Tamish, but of a rotted corpse clad in Sith robes, one of the Sith Abeloth had left behind as a trap on their previous trip. Body broken, the undead creature vainly tried to move over the splintered disk. Vestara looked at her companions. "I guess we're going down."

The jump was a short one, four meters at most, not beyond the scope of an initiate. The tunnel down here was lit from overhead, a triangular projection that ran the length of the ceiling. It bore the same carvings as the floor, but these swirls gave off pale light, just enough to make out the dimensions of the hall itself. The path was convoluted, aquariums of crystal blue water and the pale light the only things to differentiate one vestibule from another.

At last they started to started to see the dank and wet corridors give way to more regal décor. The blue of the waters surrendered to the rusted red of old blood. The end of the long corridor dropped off into blackness, but they could feel the heart of the power here centered before them. A grey dais was set below them connected to a stone bridge. On the far end, an identical dais ended the path. They all seemed to be suspended in a void with nowhere left to go. Before anyone could take a step off the disk, Luke raised his arms to stop them. "It's a trap, the path before us is an illusion."

He no sooner finished the warning before the void around them lit up in violet glory. A mass of rotting corpses illuminated the blackness with lightning and four lightsabers were catching the electricity in an instant. They were so intent on the obvious attack that the dropping statues nearly forced them to step onto the bridge before them. The guardians plummeted down onto their platform. Jaina and Luke turned toward the lightsaber-wielding sentinels, but all four knew they needed more room to survive. As they were, they wouldn't last a few minutes. With a couple of Force blasts, Ben and Vestara opened up a foothold in the undead mass below.

As they leapt off the platform, it fell to the ground below, now visible as the calligraphy-lined walls glowed a fiery crimson. The room was a rectangular one, cast in a hellish red that matched well with the cadaverous enemies they were fighting. Jaina threw a glance at the end of the room, the elevated throne that held a rolling thunder cloud atop it. As if sensing her scrutiny, the cloud spat a tendril of swelling smoke at them, a bar of blue plasma the only thing they could see within it.

With Ben and Vestara cutting down zombies in groups and Jaina engaged with the stone guardians, Luke sprang up to intercept the cloud. Impacting bodily with the head, they tumbled onto the far dais. From within the rapidly dissipating cloud, Luke could see the former-Jedi wrenching himself to his feet. "Are you in there, Jec? I don't want to fight you."

"There's only one mind here, Skywalker," Cronal rumbled back, stretching his mouth into a grin. blood dripped down and in-between his teeth contrasting with their whiteness. "This moment has been a long time in coming."

Cronal lunged with blinding speed. Luke had never known just how adept the Emperor's Hand had been with a blade before his death, but raw power was a potent substitute for form. His emerald saber blocking on instinct, Luke drew back and landed a kick in Cronal's chest, knocking him forward onto the bridge. Just as Mara had included in her report, there was nothing there and he fell through. Instead of diminishing into the pit, however, Cronal's form was obscured as his body bled the same oily soot as before, gliding up like a winged demon. Luke didn't have a chance to follow, as the undead swarmed his position, forcing him to weave a defense against the electrical attacks.

Jaina was pulling her blade out of one of the guardian's chests when she turned to find her world covered in smog. Her training had taught her early on, however, not to be taken aback by much, so she met the assault head-on. She slashed low, only to met Cronal's azure saber. Vestara sent a handful of undead back and launched a barrage of lightning at Cronal's back. Ben carried on his assailment, keeping the resilient minions back while Vestara and Jaina worked against the real enemy.

Cronal caught the lightning behind his back with his free hand, only to see in his peripheral the Mortis Dagger flying towards him in Jaina's hand. With a growl of irritation, he shot up into the air like a missile. Vestara's lightning arced towards Jaina, and the Jedi Master had to raise her lightsaber to block it.

Ready for the retreating exhaust form, Luke forced the fleeing Prophet down and executed a series of alternating high and low attacks to keep Cronal off the offensive. Ascending the steps to the throne, Luke scored a slice along Cronal's shoulder that elicited an inhuman roar and a massive wall of energy that knocked the Jedi Grand Master into the far wall at a velocity that human bodies were not meant to reach on their own. There was a dull thud and Luke slumped to the ground.

Her anger at their elusive enemy empowering her attacks, Vestara gestured to the half dozen zombies converging on Luke, crushing them into pulpy masses. The handful of remaining animated bodies fell to the three blades in seconds. All that was left was Cronal, hiding behind the opaque smog around the plateau on the far side. Ben crouched to check his father's vitals. "He's alive," Ben called, rising to join the other two. "We need to end this."

The soot congealed around Cronal, forming the same apparition that had been a trap before. Tiny white eyes set in a crescent head leered at them. The clawed hand held his blade aloft in a beckoning gesture. From the waist down, the smoke poured out like a living cloak. Jaina, Ben, and Vestara launched themselves at it.

Cronal's blade caught Jaina's, locking them in a contest of strength. This left Vestara and Ben free to attack. Their blades drawn to stab the cloud, they didn't even have a chance to react as gritty tendrils wrapped around their necks, living appendages of smoke that hurled them back. "Sword of the Jedi, that's what you think you are, child?" The bass voice rumbled over the whipping tornado surrounding them louder than it should have been, almost as if it was inside her head. The pressure on his saber vanished, lurching Jaina forward into the clawed hand waiting. "But a sword is only as effective as the swordsman. Who wields you?"

Vestara rose to her feet to see Jaina's body sail over the masses of undead carnage, straight for the pit in the room's center. Reaching out, she averted the Jedi's path to solid ground. Jaina landed in a crouch and launched herself back at the Prophet. Ben and Vestara copied her tactic, coming at Cronal in a triangle attack, only to have their blades meet one another as he ducked their assault. A whirlwind spin, azure flame at the apex forced them to leap in order to avoid being cut off at the ankles.

As soon as they were in the air, a wall of energy forced them all to fall backwards. Ben angled himself so he could spring off of the wall. Leaping back, Cronal was forced into a close quarters fight, unwilling to force Ben back while the other two were out of range, ready to fill any void he created. Jaina and Vestara came in more carefully, guarding themselves from another Force-powered assault. Ducking and weaving between the three fighters, Cronal seemed to know what they would do just before they actually acted. Jaina used every opportunity she had to drive the Dagger home, but he would always turn slightly at the last second.

They were at an impasse. Ben knew what he would have to do, and it was something he'd vowed never to do again. Cronal's premonitions made him nearly invincible. Though that would burn out his host all the faster, it would be enough to outlast the three of them, or at least until they made a mistake and he cut them down. He sent his mind forward in time by seconds, the techniques the Aing-Tii had taught him that were necessary to flow through time. This time, however, he didn't go backwards, but forwards. He saw exactly where Jaina would attack, where Vestara would lunge, and how Cronal would move to survive. Ben saw it all, reached out, and pushed. Cronal's slit eyes widened fractionally as he was shoved onto the Dagger's blade and was impaled.

Imbedded in his chest up to the hilt, Cronal's shrouded cloud writhed in agony. Smallish faces screamed in the moving canvass for a second before it imploded. Soot no longer held up, it piled on the ground like obsidian sand. All that was left in the center was Jec Tamish. Cronal's rage slowly gave way to a more peaceful expression, Jec's expression, eyes tearing in thanks for being freed from a living nightmare. As he died, the blade slid out, it's power having no hold over the dead. The three of them looked down at the fallen Jedi, Cronal was dead.

Taking a steadying breath, Jaina's hand shot up, the Dagger flying to her grip. With the blade barely pressing on the skin above the collar bone, it was pointed directly at Vestara.

Chapter Text

Dark Temple Throne Room, Dromund Kaas; 44 ABY

"Are you going to kill me?" The question was calm, almost conversational in its tone, that belied the circumstance.

"Why shouldn't I?" Jaina asked bluntly, "You're Sith."

"You might think I'm evil, but I'm a necessary one." Vestara said, reaching up to run her fingers along the broad edge of the blade. With her other hand, she motioned for Ben to stand down, as he was tensed to intercede. "If you kill me, you also destroy the balance."

"And me," Ben moved forward. "You wanted to know why Dad changed his mind, we can show you, too."

Without waiting for agreement, sensing how close Jaina was to using the weapon, Ben reached out and tapped her temple. The familiar images flashed through his mind as Jaina saw them for the first time. When it was over, she took an involuntary step back and stared at the pair of them.

"Obviously, some of that has already happened," he continued after a beat, "but both of us are needed, Jaina."

Jaina considered it, she really did. The desire to push it forward was strong, but she now understood what had shifted Luke's perspective. Her thoughts drifted to him, now unconscious, being held up from getting medical attention by this stand-off. "Fine," she ground out as she lowered the blade, "for now."

With Cronal gone, the journey out of the Dark Temple was made infinitely easier than entering it had been. There were neither animals, nor stone sentinels left to hinder their exit. They carried Luke and Tamish's body out with them. The Watchers' eyes were empty orbs, black in appearance without a mind controlling them. It had taken an hour to fight their way to the Temple heart, but barely a quarter of that to leave it behind. The Jade Shadow, with Luke Skywalker recovering in the medical bay, rose into the thick atmosphere and headed home.

Jedi Temple Medcenter, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

Luke had spent his share of time recovering. He'd spent far more time in bacta tanks than he would have liked over the course of his life. With that in mind, waking up in a soft bed of the Jedi Temple Medcenter was a nice change.

"How the tables have turned." Still groggy from the sedatives, Luke cracked his eyes open to see his son hovering over him. "How are you feeling?"

"I think I may have had a run-in with that rancor of yours," Luke croaked, IVs may keep one hydrated, but it did nothing to stave off a dry mouth.

"He's a tough one," Ben smiled, laying a hand on his father's shoulder. "Get some rest."

Ben slipped out of the ward to see Vestara and her Jedi shadow, Jaina, waiting for him. "How is he?" She asked.

"Recovering, but it will take a little time."

The following few days passed quickly. Luke had suffered a concussion and several broken bones, but nothing too serious. He'd been able to cushion most of the impact before he'd been knocked out. He was up and about quickly, and seeing just how fast the responsibilities of his position could back up without constant attention. A week had gone by in no time at all, but he knew that Ben and Vestara were restless. They had done what they sought out to do, but this was no longer the place for them. It didn't surprise Luke when Ben and Vestara entered his office the following day.

"It's time for us to go, Dad." He said without preamble.

Luke sighed. He may have been expecting it, but it did still hurt him on some level that his son wouldn't stay with the Jedi, that his path now lay on a different road. "Where are you going to go?"

"The Maw," Vestara answered. "We need to make sure that no one else finds the Font of Power and uses it."

"And how do you plan on doing that? I hope you don't plan on staying there forever."

"No, but for some time we will," Ben said. "Until we can put in protections like there were on Mortis, so we don't have to stay."

"This isn't what I wanted for you, Ben," Luke sighed.

"I'm doing what you trained me to do, protect the galaxy, just in a different way now." Ben shrugged.

"Vestara," at the mention of her name, her eyes darted up to the Grand Master's own. "Take care of Ben for me."

She understood the unspoken sentiment. Did he approve of their decision to be together? On paper, he wouldn't, but seeing them work together, he did. "I will. I—thank you." A slight smile lit her features.

For one of the first times, he smiled back before continuing. "I do have something for you two, though." At their confused expressions, he reached under his desk and pulled out a data pad and crystal. "I contacted the owner of the ship you two stole," Ben's face flushed at that, "and it turns out he's a supporter of the Jedi. He agreed to let me buy the ship, said something about it being time for an upgrade anyway."

Vestara quirked an eyebrow. "You're giving us a ship?"

"It would be difficult for you to leave the planet otherwise," Luke reasoned.

"Thanks, Dad—" Ben started.

"—And I expect the two of you to visit, when you can."

"We will, Master Skywalker." Vestara paused, "but how are we going to get there now? The ship is already on the planet."

"You can call me Luke, you know."

Vestara paused, as if to consider it, then shook her head. "Doesn't sound right to me."

Luke couldn't keep the smirk off his face when he told them. "I thought Jaina could take you, it would give you three the chance to part on better terms."

She met them at the foot of Rude Awakening. Jaina hadn't originally intended to hold on to the ship, but it was sturdy and reliable. After being repaired, it was in as good condition as it had ever been. With some work, she could have it as customized as the Falcon. Jag hadn't been entirely enthusiastic about it until she impressed upon him the advantages of a private ship, and the promise of turning the Void Jumper barracks into a suite. Jaina was putting the final touches of an enhanced antenna array on the infiltrator when she heard them approach. Turning, she couldn't help but sound slightly shocked when she saw them. "Luke just told me," she wiped a smudge of grease off her hand. "I suppose congratulations are in order."

Figuring out what she was talking about, Ben blushed slightly and shook her hand. "Um, thanks Jaina."

"You remembered everything?" At his nod, she inclined her head to the boarding ramp. "Go grab a bunk, we'll be ready to leave in a few minutes."

After Ben was out of ear-shot, she turned to Vestara, who may have been smirking, but Jaina couldn't tell with the scar. "I guess I should say welcome to the family."

"You sound so enthusiastic, Master Solo."

Jaina moved in closer. "If you hurt him, I will end you."

For the first time Vestara thought she saw the making of what had brought her brother to the dark side, Jaina could be intimidating for someone as short as she was. "I never wanted to hurt him, though I have in the past," Vestara said, "but I think we have a chance now to move forward together."

Family had been important on Kesh, loyalty to them was highly regarded, so long as it was in tandem with the goals of the Tribe. Maybe it was that feeling of belonging she missed, but before Jaina could react, Vestara pulled her in and hugged her. After a short pause she let go, a slightly stunned Jaina before her. "I won't hurt him."

Picking up her bag, filled with clothing and other things she thought she'd need, all generously donated by the Jedi, she walked up the ramp.

Jaina watched her go. Did she trust the girl? No, she didn't. There were some things that were too ingrained to forever be purged. Caedus' mark on her would always have her questioning, but she knew that what she thought didn't really matter. She'd told Luke that he shouldn't underestimate love, maybe that was all Ben and Vestara needed, it wasn't her place to judge, lest it become a problem for the galaxy. If it did, become a problem that is, Jaina would deal with that when the time came. For now, she had a ship to fly.

Abeloth's Planet; 44 ABY

By now this approach was becoming familiar. The pinnace set down beside the Rook. Ben still was wrapping his head around the fact that they now owned a ship, and a rather nice one at that.

"I suppose we're home," Vestara said from beside the viewport. It sounded odd, having a place to stay, even if all it amounted to was an abandoned planet and a ship.

"For now," Ben agreed, "Our guardianship of Abeloth's world begins."

"We shouldn't call it that," Vestara snapped, more harshly than she meant to. She still nursed a healthy hatred for the deceased Force entity. "It doesn't belong to Abeloth, not anymore."

Jaina couldn't help but listen in as she checked the controls to make sure everything was in order.

"Any names in mind?"

"Vestara's Retreat?"

Ben just rolled his eyes at the grandiose response. Vestara managed to keep a straight face when she'd said it, but cracked under his look. "Mortis was supposedly modeled after this place, right?" She asked. "So how about Mortis Prime?"

"At least it'll keep your ego from getting too big." Ben thought about it, "I like it, actually."

Jaina refrained from commenting, though she kind of liked it, too. She'd make sure to mention it to Luke when she got back, not that they could really tell anyone such. She wholeheartedly agreed that no one should come here. Who knew what other things lay here, waiting for someone to corrupt? The planet was a large one, the Font and Pool couldn't be the only things on it. As it was, she still felt uneasy leaving Ben and the girl, Jaina reminded herself that she should probably start using Vestara's name, at least to keep things genial in the future.

Unloading what they'd brought only took a few minutes. They actually suspected that their ship would have pretty much anything they'd need, at least for enough time until they felt they could safely leave the planet, with the sites secured.

"This is it," Jaina said, goodbyes were always awkward, so she tried to keep it as short as possible.

"I'm sure we'll see you again, soon," Ben smiled. Vestara made a point of looking anywhere but at Jaina for a moment, which instantly made her suspicious.

"What does that mean?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ben said, "but the Force does seem to have a habit of bringing us together, you don't really think that this will have been the last crisis in the galaxy, do you?"

Jaina couldn't help but think of the fractured governments, thus far unknown location of Kesh, and of the hidden Sith Luke had encountered Beyond Shadows. No, there were definitely going to be other crises, and as the Sword of the Jedi, she would be on the forefront. "No, I suppose not, but aren't the two of you staying out of it all?"

"I never said we'd help, only that we'd see one another again. I can't tell you the future, at least not anymore, but not everything that happens boils down to Sith versus Jedi."

"Seems that way sometimes," Jaina murmured, looking back to her ship.

Vestara finally looked up. "Goodbye, Master Solo." She shook Jaina's hand before stepping back to Ben.

"Bye, Jaina." Ben embraced his cousin briefly.

She might not agree that they should stay here, but she couldn't linger forever. After all, Jag was already on her about their abridged honeymoon. Jaina thought she'd suggest Sakuub, it was a beautiful world, and she could do a little exploring in the process. "Goodbye, Ben, Vestara."

With nothing more to say, Jaina ascended her ship and the Rude Awakening rose into the atmosphere, fading behind the clouds as it reached higher. Ben and Vestara watched until they felt her Force presence wink out as her ship jumped to hyperspace.

As much as they knew what they wanted to do, actually starting was the hardest part. They found, much to their dismay, that the only site that survived was the Font of Power. The cavern beneath the Pool of Knowledge was buried, ruined and destroyed by Cronal in an act of wonton destruction. It was there that the Mortis Dagger was entombed, should it ever be needed again. Surprisingly, no one really argued against the Dagger being brought here, such a dangerous weapon could fall into the wrong hands, otherwise, and what better place to hide something than on a planet only a handful know exist?

In the Daughter's Palace on Mortis, one of the crystals had shown them how to fashion crude golems, guardians for sacred sites. Creating them would take time, and experimentation to make sure they wouldn't attack either of them, as the ice-Jedi or stone guardians had done, but they could do it. After all, time really wasn't much of an issue now. Neither really could grasp the idea that they could live as long as Abeloth had. Ben, especially, didn't want to consider that he'd see everyone he knew die, see his father and cousin submit to time.

At the end of the third day after they'd arrived here, Vestara dragged Ben to a cliff overlooking the ocean. They'd already begun building a tomb to seal the Font, laying stone slabs with the Force. The golems would come later. The view from here was spectacular, the light glinted off the water as the sun was setting in the distance. Ben couldn't help but think it beautiful, and he saw a similar expression mirrored in Vestara's eyes. They watched the star sink lower in the sky, steaks of red and orange dominated.

"Did you mean it?" Vestara asked, breaking the silence.

"Mean what?"

"Us. Being together." She sounded nervous

Ben let some of his happiness of being here wash over her, easing her nerves. "Yes."

"There's a ceremony on Kesh, it was around before the Sith came, but it's still practiced," she explained, but it felt to her like she was rambling. "At least it was when I was younger."

Looking down at her, he furrowed his brow. "Ceremony?"

Vestara reached down to her belt, to the Shikkar he hadn't noticed she brought with them. It was the same one she'd taken on Kesh during the ambush. Black and white swirled in the glass dagger. She held it up, grabbed one side of the blade and motioned for Ben to do the same. He mimicked her, their hand clasped around the dagger. "I love you, Ben Skywalker."

He leaned over and kissed her before responding. "I love you, too, Vestara Khai."

Twisting the blade sharply and jerking it down, the glass sliced two parallel cuts into the palms of their hands. Ben winced in pain, but Vestara held his hand flush to her own, their blood dripping down their wrists. In a much shorter time than humanly possible, they pulled their hands apart to see them fully healed, only the remnant of blood remaining. Ben understood that in more primitive cultures, the mixing of blood was a binding act, no doubt the lineage of the ceremony.

Looking slightly embarrassed, Vestara brought up the blood-stained blade. "Normally the Shikkar would be melted down in a forge, but I think I have something a little better." She waved her hand over the Shikkar, the air rippling in heat as she utilized what they'd learn in the cavern beneath the Pool to melt the glass. Keeping it floating with the Force in a molten mass, two globs of the opaque material out. Keeping her focus on levitating everything, she shaped it into a tube, connecting the ends to form a loop. Understanding, Ben did the same with the second bead, taking control of it from her, shaping it as she had done. With the two bands still malleable enough to form-fit, they moved them onto one another's fingers. Even shielding themselves from the worst of it, the heat burned, but it would be healed soon enough, leaving a permanent reminder of their commitment behind should the rings be removed.

The sun had dropped below the water line, twilight fallen on this part of the planet. They may not have access to the future anymore, but neither of them really cared. They came though their trials together, and neither of them was going anywhere. The galaxy, at least for now, was in balance.

Chapter Text

Dark Temple Throne Room, Dromund Kaas; 44 ABY

"Are you going to kill me?" The question was calm, almost conversational in its tone, that belied the circumstance.

"Why shouldn't I?" Jaina asked bluntly, "You're Sith."

"You might think I'm evil, but I'm a necessary one." Vestara said, reaching up to run her fingers along the broad edge of the blade. With her other hand, she motioned for Ben to stand down, as he was tensed to intercede. "If you kill me, you also destroy the balance."

"And me," Ben moved forward. "You wanted to know why Dad changed his mind, we can show you, too."

Jaina could feel the blood pounding in her ears, the heady rush of adrenaline that was probably the only thing keeping her on her feet at this point. When Ben reached out, she saw Vestara's fingers twitch. It was all it took, that slight, innocent, movement that sealed her fate. Jaina lunged, blade leading the charge and felt the momentary resistance as it pierced flesh.

Ben saw what was happening, what would happen, thanks to the residual precognition his Flow Walking bestowed upon him. He didn't think twice, instinct more than anything else, shoved Vestara back and intercepted the razor edge with the only thing he could: himself.

Vestara could only stare, her previously mindset shattered by a blur of motion as a sharp, intense pain. Not her own, but from the person in front of her. Ben's eyes were wide, more shocked than anything else, the barest flicker of azure in their depths was dim and faded. She caught him before he could fall limp to the ground, clutching him close to her chest, unwilling to let him go. Not after all they'd gone through, to die like this. She ignored Jaina, surprise evident on her face, as she dropped with Ben to the floor of the throne's dais. "Don't leave me, don't you dare." Some part of her mind idly noted that she barely sounded like herself. Her voice was hoarse and raw.

Jaina loosened her grip on the instrument as soon as she realized what she'd done, but it was too late. The Dagger had done its damage. In shock, she watched the Sith girl cradle Ben's sallow body on its way to the ground, careful to lay him down so as not to push it in any further. Her quiet words raw with emotion, the first time Jaina could remember Vestara not in control of herself.

Ben looked up, Vestara's head was wreathed in long brown hair. The soft lighting gave her the appearance of a halo. He would have thought her the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, if it weren't for the tears. Swallowing some of the pain, it was already starting to fade as a numbness started to take over, he reached up to brush an errant tear off its intended track. His voice, when he managed to speak, was a whisper. "Don't cry, you know I never liked it when you were sad."

Huffing out a sob, Vestara tried for a smile, but it only made her feel worse. "I—I know." She couldn't force herself to say anything more, her throat felt tight, constricting. It made her breathing come out in ragged gasps.

The numbness was spreading, it'd reached his chest. Arms, now unwilling to move, lay flaccid against the rough floor. He wasn't scared, of all the things he thought he'd feel at this time, peacefulness was not one that had ever been considered. True, Ben had imagined all the scenarios in the past where he could have fallen, but it would have always been going down fighting to the last breath. It felt odd, to lie here waiting for it, simultaneously accepting it was over while rebelling at the pain his passing would cause. His last conscious thought was to feel warm lips, wet with tears, pressed to his own. All in all, not a bad way to go out.

Vestara felt his light go out, a candle flicked away by a breeze, and what little control she'd mustered to show him before he died, cracked. She cradled him and rocked back and forth, as if he were a child, her hunched form racked with sobs.

She stayed that way for as long as she could, focused entirely on Ben. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to have gone away together, they'd won, hadn't they? It wasn't fair. She could have been happy, she had been happy during the time they'd been together, but fate was cruel and sadistic, dangling a future and ripping it away in seconds. She gradually came back to herself and stilled. Her grief morphing into anger. No, it wasn't random fate that did this to her. Her head swiveled sharply. She hadn't even realized she'd dropped her illusion until she spoke in a cracked, choir-like voice that was acidic in tone. "Are you happy? You took everything from me!"

Jaina hadn't moved a muscle, frozen where she'd stood. The words ripped her out of her vigil. She didn't even know what to say. She tried to kill this woman, but now couldn't bring herself to look her in her sparking ruby eyes, accusing her of horrible crimes. When she did manage to start to say something, it was cut off. "I—"

Vestara had never hated someone so much in her life. She thought she'd hated Abeloth, was certain she'd hated Cronal, but they paled to now. When Jaina started to speak, the sound sickened her. How dare she speak after what she did? Not even using her hands, Vestara wrapped a vice-grip around the Jedi Master's neck, raising her two feet off the ground. She watched in sadistic pleasure as Jaina struggled to breathe, wanted to watch her die just as she'd watch—her eyes darted down, her hands had squeezed tighter on Ben as she'd attacked Jaina. A look of fear flashed behind her eyes and the Jedi Master dropped to the ground, landed on her knees gasping for air.

Jaina, much to her own surprise, didn't blame the girl for reacting as she had. The emotions coming off of her were being broadcasted with a strength than even a novice could perceive. Anger, grief, and fear comingled. All powerful to those ingrained with the dark side. But Vestara wasn't using them, they were just there, being experienced in every excruciating detail.

"You took everything from me," Vestara's voice was softer when she repeated the words, not looking at Jaina this time. The fire in her eyes died when she'd looked at Ben. She realized that killing Jaina wasn't what Ben would have wanted, and he deserved to have his wishes followed. She pulled his body closer. The tears were back, trailing slick paths down her face. She didn't even bother wiping them away. They didn't matter. Nothing did at this point.

"I'm . . . sorry," Jaina could think of anything else to say. It sounded hollow, especially to her. No matter what she'd thought personally about the Sith girl, she recognized the pain she saw there. Her words didn't appear to have registered. Vestara carefully reached around and picked up the dagger that had fallen out, the other hand never parting from Ben, as if she'd lose him if she let go.

"Should have been me," Vestara muttered to herself, voice low and insistent, speaking to herself. She gazed intently at the lack-luster blade she held. Face contorting with rage, she hurled the blade at Jaina's feet.

Jaina looked dumbly at the weapon at her feet, unsure what she should do. Vestara, however, didn't feel like waiting for her to figure it out. "Do it," she hissed. "It's what you wanted, wasn't it?"

Didn't she? Jaina had done this, hadn't she? Her fingers twitched over the blade. She could, the girl wanted it, right? She was a Sith, she didn't deserve anything better. Jaina looked up from the dagger and saw Vestara, still kneeling with Ben in her arms. The tears in her eyes made them glisten in the light. Jaina's resolve faltered, she couldn't do this. No matter who Vestara was, Jaina couldn't let it to be like this. Why couldn't she have fought, betrayed them again, anything to have validated attacking her? "I—I can't."

Vestara's reaction was visceral. "You can't? You stand there after what you did and have the gall to tell me you can't?" She practically spat the words, her free hand curled into a fist. Her nails cut tiny groves into her palm, trickling blood down her wrist. She waited until Jaina averted her eyes and snapped. "Fine. If you won't, I'll do it myself."

The dagger dragged itself back across the stone floor, scraping a white line behind it. Vestara clutched it's handle in her hand, the now-healed cuts pressed flush to the handle. She wasn't going to be like Abeloth, alone and angry. She refused. Death wasn't a foreign concept to her during her training, but it was always a failure, the ultimate failure of a Sith. Suicide wasn't even an option, no true Sith would take that way out. No, they used their emotions to give themselves power. A part of Vestara knew that, but it was overpowered with the part of her that had been growing over the past year. This part had done all the things she wasn't supposed to do. This part had loved, been loved, and was now bereft of its partner.

It was more than not wanting to be like Abeloth. True, that was a factor, but it was a secondary one, one thought up to give a rational explanation for what she wanted to do. No, the truth was much more simple: she didn't want to live, not without Ben. Shifting her hold on him, she tilted his head against her own, their foreheads pressing. "Together forever," she murmured before kissing him one last time.

Jaina felt foolish for not moving. The soldier inside her railed against not neutralizing the threat the Sith girl posed herself. Another part, one that she really didn't want to acknowledge, cried out, demanding to know why she wasn't stopping the girl. The kiss was brief, there's not all that much that can be done when only one party involved was breathing.

Vestara never looked back at Jaina, all but ignored her as she flipped the dagger, pointing the tip to her chest, slightly off center, just between two ribs. Vestara didn't plunge it in, it was, instead, sickeningly slow. Her face twitched in pain as the knife's edge sliced into her. When it reached her heart, she honestly expected it to be over right then, but their metamorphosis apparently wasn't going to offer an easy end. When the tip came out the other side, she started feeling it take effect, the deadened feeling coming from her limbs. She'd felt Ben experiencing it, so it wasn't unexpected. The tears had stopped, though they hadn't dried yet. The gasping breaths were back, but now for an entirely different reason. She felt tired, oh so tired, and leaned over Ben. Once her eyes found his face, they never left, she didn't have the heart to blink. She died with her eyes open, staring endlessly into the face of the last person she loved.

Jedi Temple, Shedu Maad; 44 ABY

As funerals go, it was a small one. The Masters and a handful of friends attended, among them a distraught Shula Shevu. That itself, wasn't what made this unique, though. For the first time in the memory of any of the Jedi present, these rites were being afforded to a Sith as well as a Jedi. The pyres were erected at the base of the Shedu Maad Temple, a courtyards cordoned off to the outside and most of the students. Not because they didn't want to come, but that the Council was unsure as to what they should do, whether the students should come. In the end, they decided they shouldn't.

Jaina felt like she was trespassing here. She shouldn't have been given a seat next to the other Masters. She couldn't tell what she felt more uncomfortable looking at, the pair of bodies being eaten away by flames or the kneeling Grand Master.

Luke hadn't woken up until a week after the incidents on Dromund Kaas. He'd suffered a severe concussion, though he'd been able to buffer his impact at the last second. When he opened his eyes, hoping to see the familiar face of his son grinning down at him, he instead saw a withdrawn Jaina, staring blankly at the wall opposite her in the room. He didn't even have a chance to ask, she saw he'd woken up and told him, words flowing in an unstoppable torrent.

He never judged her, Jaina was perversely resentful of that. He'd just took it in, shattering his heart in the process, but never blamed her. He should have, it was her fault. She killed him, killed them both, even if the latter was murder by proxy. It all felt similar to when Mara had died, the same emptiness took over the Grand Master. When he'd been well enough to walk, he went to where the pair had been laid out. Jaina had insisted they remain together, to the surprise of the other Masters. Luke stayed there for another week, only eating when food was brought in by Cilghal.

There was rumor among the Knights that the Masters were afraid that the Grand Master might not recover from this, and he wasn't doing anything to dispel it. Try as he might, knowing that Ben wouldn't want this anymore than Mara would have back then, he was burdened by weights of his own guilt. He could have avoided all of this if he'd only listened to them the first time. They wanted his support and he left them to fend for themselves, made them proved their sincerity. It just hurt too much to stay. He'd given his life to the Jedi, and suffered loss after loss here. This was the end, Luke decided.

True to his vow, the following day he'd informed the Council of his diminished capacity to perform his duties. He didn't exactly phrase it like that, though, it was more along the lines of 'I'm leaving.' His final words, much to Jaina's shock, was his support of her taking over for him. There were always things Jaina failed to understand about some of Luke's decisions, but putting her up for such a position while she was still coming to grips with her own moral responsibility topped the list.

"Why me?" She asked outside the Council Chambers, she'd followed him out after his abrupt departure.

He didn't turn around, shoulders sloped downward. "Because it's your destiny."

She hated that word, it left a metallic taste in her mouth. Instead she said what she had been thinking for weeks. "I killed them, I'm not fit for the responsibility."

Luke neither acknowledged nor rejected what she said, only pointed out. "I've killed a lot of people over the years, some directly and others I never even intended. You have to take your experience and grow with it, learn from it."

It was the longest thing he said since Ben had died. He waited a moment for her to say something, anything, but she couldn't form the words. Receiving no response, he resumed his walk. He strode out of the Temple and flew off the planet in the Shadow. It was the last time anyone would ever see the former Grand Master alive. Years later, he would be found in a small moisture farm on the remote desert planet of Tatooine.

Jaina took over as Grand Master that day, much to her own conflicted feelings. Over time, the pain of what happened on Dromund Kaas faded to a dull ache. She never forgot, and never forgave herself, but she put on a face for the others. Jag was the only one who ever knew the extent to which it ate at her, but his support and comfort let Jaina make a part of her veneer a little more real.

Over the years, a number of apprentices would come to her chambers and ask about the ornate handle attached to the barren wall behind her, why it was there. The Masters knew, at least they each thought they did. They were wrong, for Jaina didn't quite know herself. She knew some of it, what it reminded her of, why she could never make that mistake again. There were days when she wouldn't spare it a glance, and others where she'd lose hours staring at it.

Jag was probably the closest in verbalizing why the dagger was there, at least in his own mind. He was a soldier, so survivor's guilt wasn't something alien to him. He saw her looking sadly at the handle, lost to the past, always wanting to take back one mistake that caused so much pain. He never told anyone, most of all Jaina, but he knew it was there for one reason and one reason only: regret.