Epilogue — Between Fates
Part 3
Reeda Kwn
What now?
That was the question that assailed her waking and sleeping.
They had thrown off their oppressors, taken the Ro'ik chuun m'arh
Eversight, found the Avatars of the Gods themselves in this foreign galaxy…
But now what?
“…so how long before they get here?” The Avatar of Yun Shuno asked poking at a villip
“The dark space travel in the void is…difficult to predict…at the very least decades, possibly millennia…most likely centuries,”
“Unless something gets to them first…” the Avatar called Lyaea mused in her sing song rapid voice.
“Avatar…”
“Do you think you could…communicate with them…instigate an uprising in the main fleet, or use the
Eversight unique Dovin basal to travel back to it?”
“The villips on this vessel were intended to transmit only very specific genetic data regarding the viruses and bacteria in this galaxy to develop vaccines…it was never intended to transmit mere…conversation…as it is it was difficult enough to produce these villips,”
“You can’t grow more?”
“It’s possible…”
“And provide
Us with the details and specifications of your biotechnology…”
“That would take some effort…”
but it would give us a purpose for a time…to spread the word to the fleet…“…and we would need a planet with an eco-system conducive to growth…”
“I’m sure the Chiss can find something small nearby…”
“Avatar we are of course willing to teach however…what precisely do you wish to do with the knowledge of our biots?”
“Oh…” Lyaea breezed “Just perfecting things a little…”
<<<<>>>>
Tnbu
Tnbu closed the old manual door quietly as the Jedi stood in quiet readiness before him – eleven including himself – all veterans of Myrkr and Ord Mirit. All believed in the Code, the Republic and were determined to help Yoda renew the Order.
Yet none believed the official line that the last Aetharians had been destroyed on Ord Mirit.
“Brethren,” He began
“We have all seen the horrors the Aetharians are capable of…the cunning and bestial ferocity” His dark eyes surveyed the affirmative gestures of all of them.
“We may have destroyed Valens, Milaea, Jarys Beast of Myrkr, Bane of Jedi on Ord Mirit, but it is clear such a culture would not risk all its warriors in one place…there
must be more…”
He lifted his sabre gently the weight of the Oath he would soon make heavy upon his arm and heart.
“I Swear by the Force that I shall not cease in my
Vigilance I shall ensure I am ready when they arise anew,
I will not hesitate to destroy them by whatever means, at whatever
cost necessary
I affirm that the Aetharians represent and existential threat to the Jedi Order and the Republic such that our Oaths to said Jedi Order and Republic may need to be set aside in order to save them”
His sabre lit the darkened room a dull green.
Beside him another knight repeated the Oath…
then another…
and another…
Eleven sabres now filled the room with blazing light.
The Order of the Oath of Vigilance was born.
<<<<>>>>
Anson
It looked ill to rush out of a meeting on the drafting of Security Measures he was pushing so hard to pass, but this was a call Anson D'Aklay needed to take in person.
The image of Jorl'Taf appeared across the secure link.
"You're report," Anson's voice was half snapping in eagerness, Jorl'Taf did not mind well knowing the Arbiters eagerness was not unfounded.
"After some weeks of confusion the Jedi have settled on Yoda as Grand Master as anticipated, and also as expected one of his first acts was to have a large number of files from Kimars time personally sealed." Jorl'Taf could see the impatience in Ansons eyes even from across the galaxy
"...The crisis commencing with the Night of Madness has been declared ended, the instigators including the Traitor Valens and the Sith of Cygrat Jarys, as well as their confederates were all killed in a Jedi action on Ord Mirit - however all debriefings have been classified under the Grandmasters hand..."
Anson did not conceal the sneer from his trusted agent
"And our contacts what have they provided,"
"Our most reliable contact...maintains Yoda's line - he is convinced the crisis is finished the perpetrators executed"
That took Anson back, their best contact for many years had been High Sentinel Yshrrk, a better example of Wookie nobility and pragmatism one could not find, as Anson recalled he was kin to a rising member of the Vhal Dan, Ryshhk Khemri who followed in his mould...regardless it was near inconceivable Yshrrk would be party to any kind of cover up...
For a brief moment the pall of darkness that had haunted Ansons meditations seemed to lift, if Yshrrk said the crisis was over there was no Jedi's word he would more readily accept...
But then it struck him
"He was quite convinced...." Anson said slowly understanding clicking in, Jorl’Taf slowly nodded as the Arbiter came to same conclusion Jorl’Taf had after the rendezvous with the Wookie.
"
Completely convinced the crisis is passed and not to be discussed under any circumstances Arbiter...."
"I see..." In that moment the Anson understood the two possibilities in play.
The first - whatever happened on Ord Mirit was of such shocking and horrendous terror that even a wookie as honourable as Yshrrk felt the need to conceal it in perpetuity - that was extremely sobering.
The second - which was even worse to contemplate...some one - or some
thing had performed some kind of...manipulation...upon the Grand Master Yoda and High Sentinel Yshrrk and...Every...Other...Jedi...on Ord Mirit - convincing them the crisis was over and to never speak of it. His spine chilled at the thought of what kind of being could be capable of such a feat...and froze stiff in horror at what it was
now doing
free of the Jedi's attention.
"Arbiter...." Jorl'Taf broke him from his reflections
"...shall I attempt to investigate further...the sages and sentinels you sent after the prior incident remain with me..."
Only a week before he had been faced with a similar dilemma after Jo'Set Mack contacted him then vanished...with the Forcesages he had sent Jorl'Taf could interrogate a Jedi present at Ord Mirit more closely, the Sentinel squad could investigate the planet itself....yet once more he feared the attention that would bring upon the Vhal'Dan – Anson simply did no know enough about this situation, and to try and discover more risked drawing the attention of enemieis the likes of which even a warrior the calibre of Yshrrk was, at the very least, unwilling to speak of - upon the Vhal’Dan.
"No...we fortify Galtea...and hope that our Contacts story was true, and those...
things...died on Ord Mirit...."
Hope for the best - plan for the worst. Jorl'Taf nodded and disconnected, Anson returned to the legistlative drafting session twice as determined to ensure the Shadows that had assailed the Jedi NEVER set foot on Galtea, and if they did...
….the Vhal'Dan would be more than ready to send them back to Hell from which they came.
<<<<>>>>
Yhum
For the first time he could remember he felt…
AfraidNo, a Warror does not feel such
initimdated Yet why should he fear the Avatars of the Gods themselves that had brought him such enlightenment and joy?
TrediationNo he knew what to do and how to do it, he had done such before.
Perhaps it was all three at once in small doses.
His amphistaff curled around his arm as before him four Avatars of the Gods waited for him to begin – his task clear – to teach them
Everything – how to think, plan, fight and wage war as Yuzzhan Vong.
They stood unarmoured, unafraid, the Avatar of Yun-Yammaka foremost among them, wounds from destroying Lucovis still pink on their flesh, but seeming to diminish every second.
“To understand how we fight…how we defeat our enemies…” Yhum began
“You must understand this…Life is Pain – only in embracing pain do we know we are alive,”
Valens nodded grimly at the self mutilated warrior who would be his next teacher, Jarys, Melron and Maeson beside him confirming in the aether what he already knew to be true.
“This we understand fully – what is next?”
Yhum struck without warning and the lessons began.
<<<<>>>>
Milaea
They stood in a loose semi-circle before the memorial, surrounded by nine perfectly carved stones.
Kiraea blazing with fiery hate for the outsiders still, eclipsed only by her protectiveness of her own people.
Sofa, once a Jedi now something more true to herself, eternally young and beautiful as she could ever wish to be, and able to indulge herself free of Jedi morality.
Selaena, the fierce mother who would slaughter world after world to avenge the slightest insult to her children…and
every Aethan was her child so far as she was concerned, in her Milaea saw the extremes of the beauty and the terror of their culture most vividly.
Lyaea, the fun loving young woman who could move effortlessly between People and Outsiders, more sure of herself and confident in her leadership.
Adaea, ingenious, gentle, kind, her knack for sewing and designing clothes turned to building starships and armour effortlessly by their super human genehanced mind.
Further back the men stood, four solid shadows, unmoving as the mountains in the distance, and just as strong.
Jarys, her biological father, a man whose deep love for his own could be shown in both patient kindness, and beastly fury to those who would threaten them.
Maeson, the simple farmer turned stoic defender of all the others, still waters of grief running deep into reserves of endurance possibly greater than any of the others imagined.
Melron, the old Guardian finally renewed in mind and body after so long wishing he had joined his people in death, now dedicated to learning all he could, taking back his role as lore master, but this time with the express purpose of learning how to emulate then improve upon Outsider methods of war.
And Valens, the Slayer of Masters, victor over two Jedi Grand Masters, a Mak’Tor Master Singer, Sith Goddess and Yuuzhan Vong Prefect, that beside hundreds of Jedi, Darksiders, Sith Alchemy Creations and bounty hunters – notches few if any since Revan could match, yet he couldn’t care less – he was still merely the Goddess Brother, the emergency resource to save the People in their greatest peril by annihilating their enemies and reforging their armies. Milaea might be greater in raw power, but he was the
almost perfect strategist and consummate warrior.
They all looked to her to set the first scone alight…an implicit desire for her to light their way forward.
Stretching out her hand she sent a flow of blazing red to set the torch alight with ethereal red flames. The Torch base enchanted to keep the aetheric fire blazing indeinfitely as the other women stepped up to light the rest following her lead.
And yet she couldn’t be their leader, the matriarch they wanted, would not be responsible for the Fate of everyone, only another voice among many.
Valens would remain first among equals until either she, or another woman, possibly Lyaea, by subtle unspoken consent took the reins.
As the last of the torches blazed the red light cast the sculptures faces into strong contrast, the flickers of the flames seeming to flow luminous tears down the Goddess face. Beneath her cradled in her arms were three figures, two women and a male, fallen and broken, representing all those who had been lost, their faces carved in likeness of her mother Cilina, aunt Shilea and grandfather Old Andis. Made of Ultradense blood and blackstone the memorial would endure as long as any mountain...and as long as the People themselves, a indestructible reminder of their pain.
They would not, could not forget the Devastation, it would always mark them, always haunt them.
Milaea looked to the shimmering stars of the Deep core high above, recalling a moment from her vision of one of the alternate futures, a woman, an Aethan finding a family among Outsiders, the Vhal’Dan…had this still happened? Or had the tides of possibility churned away that reality?
Eyes lit by the stars above and the fires of remembrance below Milaea was determined to find that woman, and any other survivors – recover every
Remnant of the Aethans they could - and bring them all Home.
<<<<>>>>