The Weaving Force: Chapter 86 (Patreon)

Chapter 86:

Halis Vushan

The life of a Jedi was about sacrifice. About giving to others; helping others. 

This was true, it had always been true.

But it was there that one could find the deepest of rewards as well.

Halis did believe this to be true, even if these dark times sometimes obfuscated that reality.

He’d devoted the better part of his Padawanship and even his knighthood to the service of the agri corps and the medical corps. The work had been fulfilling in many ways and it prepared him well for his work when he joined the Jedi Healers.

His services these days, along with those of his contemporaries, were in need far too often now that they were facing the realities of war.

But still; he did not shy away from this task. He wanted and perhaps even needed to do his part. He was not out in the field, wielding a lightsaber, watching as good Jedi and men died every day. If he could do his own, small part to help he was more than willing. 

But even so, when the Council assigned him one particular patient, Halis couldn’t help but feel his brows hike up to his hairline.

Taylor Anne Hebert.

The Infernal as the Separatists had come to know her.

Oh certainly she had other names too  within the order, far too many of them rather… unflattering. Radical being the kindest. 

And he was assigned to her case.

Well, her and her Padawan.

Halis had to admit; to himself at least that he’d never given much thought to the Jedi Master beyond the rumors that moved through the temple.

They made for good gossip certainly.

But he’d always tried to work with facts, not with beliefs. The Jedi fostered knowledge and the pursuit of it within the code as well and one could not be knowledgeable if they simply allowed rumor and gossip to dictate truth. 

So- he would approach this with an open mind.

It still didn’t change the fact that when Master Hebert requested to meet him that he was very very nervous indeed.

He’d never met her after all

And the woman had… an intimidating reputation. 

He didn’t have an “office” so to speak, no Jedi really did;

So instead he invited her to a meditation chamber for the meeting. 

It was private, but not so personal as his room, and Meditation was, in a way part of the process they would undertake alongside her Padawan. 

He would meet her an hour before mid day. Humans he knew, liked to sleep. 

He made certain to arrive a bit early, first impressions mattered and as their assigned healer, they mattered particularly highly this time.

Surprisingly; he did not have to wait very long.

She arrived early too.

Just a minute after him.

As she approached, he sensed her… oddness in the force.

It was cold- like the winter’s first breath as you opened the door.

He’d heard about this in the rumors too, some said they felt ‘unnatural’ but he wouldn’t go that far. There was life behind the feeling but it was unlike anything he’d ever felt before; it was very… alien to forgive the phrase. 

He delved deeper into his senses, feeling suddenly the truth of that cold as it spread out from her, millions, perhaps billions of gossamer thin threads that glimmered like starlight, suffused with this thing, this presence reaching out out towards everything around them like a great living, writhing web.

And then, just there, as she drew closer he could sense it her force presence, nearly swallowed up in that vast otherness burning like fire. A candle flame surrounded in ice.

“Master Halis.”

Her voice startled him out of his examination, and he realized suddenly that he’d been staring. 

He felt heat in his cheeks, embarrassed at his slip. “Forgive me Master Taylor I was… lost in thought.” He extended his hand, smiling, trying to hide his nervousness.

She reached forward, grasping his hand in hers. Her features were unmoving as granite, it was quite disconcerting and he could see just by the unnatural stillness of hers how she put others ill at ease. 

 “Not many can sense it so quickly.”

Again, his eyebrows rose up. “You… could tell?”

“I’ve made sure to learn how to sense when someone’s examining me.” She answered. “It comes in handy.”

“I see-” He didn’t really. Perhaps she was referring to combat? 

“Hmm.” Perhaps the sound was meaningless, perhaps she’d reached a decision of some kind. He couldn’t tell through her expression or body language. She offered little in the way of either.

“Never been one for small talk- so do you mind if I cut to the chase?”

He shook his head, there were many who were similarly inclined; though he wasn’t one of them. He enjoyed chatting, it was a fine way to form connections with others across the galaxy and learn new things. “No, please do.” He said.

“I’m just here to make sure my…” She paused. “Standing, in the order won’t affect your objectivity.”

He tried very hard not to take insult.

Jedi were not supposed to be proud but… he did value his ethics and his work.

“I assure you, Master Hebert, you are my patient.” He answered. “As such I will endeavor to aid you to the best of my abili-”

“Not for me.” She shook her head, hastilly correcting him with an interruption. “My Padawan. Karla.”

His features softened. “Oh… I… I see.” He faltered, the wind taken out of his proverbial sails. “I… I did read the reports on what happened to the poor girl.”

A child, made to kill at the tender age of ten.

It was… It was not right.

Still-

“You believe there are Jedi who would treat her poorly because she is your Padawan?” He asked. He tried not to sound very judgemental but… well… that was quite the concern.

“Jedi have biases like everyone else.” She answered. “If they were perfect; someone like you wouldn’t be needed.”

He tried to smile again. “I suppose you make a point. Though all beings need help from time to time. Or just a kind ear to listen.” He affirmed. 

She shrugged. “That’s all I wanted to make sure of. Far as I can tell, you’re being honest. So, I suppose we’ll see you tomorrow for the first session.

She turned, ready to march away-

“W-wait!” He called, holding out his hand as if to pull her back, stopping shy of actually touching her.

She turned her head, looking at him with a green eye that glinted like a knife over her shoulder. “Hmmm?”

By the force the woman was quite intimidating. Was she trying to be?

He offered another nervous smile. 

“Well… to be frank Master Hebert, part of our role as healers is to establish a connection with our patients.” He said, “I understand your concern for Padawan Karla but you are my patient as well.” He gestured towards the two meditation cushions. “Perhaps we might converse, just for a short while. It could help the process later, or make clear if you don’t feel I’m the proper ‘fit’ for you.” That was always a possibility, one that should always be accounted for. 

“I want your focus to be on Karla.” She shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“You would be one of the few that are.” He admitted sadly his hands clasping behind his back as he looked to the ground. “Very few Jedi were ever prepared for such bloodshed.” 

She offered a sound, something like a scoff as she exhaled through her nostrils. “That your way of saying you don’t believe me?”

“No no.” he promised quickly sending another hasty smile her way. “Just… admitting some difficulties of my own.”

It elicited another sound from her. Perhaps a kind of laugh? He wasn’t sure. Her expressionlessness was so… odd.

“I have things that need to get done today. So I can’t stay and chat.” She finally answered. “But if you’re fine with walking and talking; lets do that.”

“We can do that. I imagine your responsibilities as a front line commander are extensive.”

“Something like that.” She answered, turning and beginning to leave. He followed after; her long legs swallowing a surprising bit of distance with each stride. 

 “By the way;” She said suddenly. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen your particular species.”

He turned, blinking at her profile “Oh-that’s normal actually. My species rarely leave our homeworld of Quartzite.” He assured. “We are the Kage.”

“Hmmm. Shadow. Not sure if that’s ironic.”

Had he misheard? “Pardon?”

“A word from a language on my homeworld.” She clarified with a shrug. “Kage means ‘Shadow’

“Oh…” He wasn’t really sure what to say to that.

Hmmm… actually; was there a place where the word human meant something completely different?

—

Aras:

Dallon stared at him, blinking… rather stupidly.

“Wait- hol up!” She said, balking as she looked back down at the papers he’d given her. “You’re under my command?! Since when is that a thing!?”

Aras knew her, he’d known her for years. “You are not foolish.” He chastised her no different than he would his own children if they feigned ignorance as she often tried; feigning a lack of intellect.

He held out the documents, towards her the papers for his transfer, and two letters. One from Alexandria, the other from his Riduur.

She pursed her lips almost pouting at him before she reached over, pulling them from his grasp and beginning to read. 

He cast his eyes across the courtyard.

He’d never been within the Jedi temple before. He didn’t know of any Mandalorians who had.

Strange that its vast gardens, courtyards and plaza’s could double so well as military fortifications. 

There were clones everywhere, a sea of white armored bodies, and beyond the gilded halls and peaceful greenery even more of them, marching and loading up the various venator class ships that would carry them to the fronts.

The sun was still rising. It was not quite mid day yet, he noted the lack of heat from this sun compared to Mandalore. 

He missed home already.

“Other Mandalorians that will serve as command staff were set to arrive in about two more weeks.” She noted. “You’ve come early.”

“I know my commanding officer.” He answered easily. “We thought it better to make certain everything is running smoothly before the next deployment.”

She made a sound, one half amused half exasperated. “Most men would have taken the two weeks off. Something tells me you’re gonna be like Tay. The measure twice cut once type.”

His voice was as dry as the Mandalorian wastes. “Only twice? You are lazy.”

She offered him an annoyed look. “... I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.”

He was. But her uncertainty rendered more amusing results.

She grumbled under her breath. Something about being surrounded by too many stoics. 

Then she sighed. “Well; if we’re getting the ball rolling on this whole command staff thing early what part would you like to get started with first.”

“The ship.” He answered simply. Hannah is unfamiliar even with simple ship technology. Given your origins I imagine you and Hebert are little better.”

She nodded but gave him a rather strange look. “You’re gonna be a ground pounder though. Field command right next to me.”

“If your ship blows up- it will be a short fight.” He deadpanned. 

Again, she offered him an annoyed look.  “You and Tay get along way too well.”

He didn’t comment on that. “You know how to fight.” He said. “But you do not know war- You must teach your tasks and responsibilities to the man below you in rank and you must learn the tasks and responsibilities of those above and beside you in the chain of command. In this case, your shipmaster.”

“I’ve been on war fronts for the last six months.” She protested.

He offered her a quiet, unimpressed look. 

She muttered another annoyed curse under her breath. Again, something about how she and Militia just had to be dating the same person.

“Come on ya big jarhead, lets get started.” She sighed, turning and marching away. 

“Hn.” He followed after her.

—

He was right.

She did downplay her competence.

By no means was Dallon an expert on ships but she’d  familiarized herself with each of the deck officer clones. Knowing each of them by name already, only confusing a handful who were out of armor and thus, harder to tell apart.

She knew what job each clone had; who manned what station, what difficulties they had at those stations, the creative solutions and shortcuts they utilized.

All masked behind idle chatter and friendly inquiries.

She might not know how to fix the ship, how to properly manage a void battle or read void based tactics and stratagems.

But she was making an effort to learn and learn quickly… in her own way.

It was not what he was accustomed to. It was not the way he was taught or the way he in turn, would approach his work here. 

But he could see it.

She joked and smiled at each of them, and the men of the 707th, in turn, greeted and spoke with her warmly.

No. Not just that.

They respected her.

And respect could, and would, very easily turn to love.

And love made men willing to charge into the mouth of hell itself.

“And here we are at the bridge!” She declared proudly arms spread wide

There were a handful of maintenance droids and engineering specialist clones on the deck- each of the latter greeted Dallon with a respectful nod and a call of her name, which she returned where she could.

“Done giving the tour?”

There was a startled sound of surprise from Dallon, and Aras caught the immediate smile lighting up her features as she turned. 

“Tay! Oh- who’s this?” The surprise didn’t dim her smile as she turned and found her Riduur accompanied by a pale, humanoid alien male. “Hi there.” She waved.

“This is Master Vushan.” Hebert answered. “A Kage. He will be my and Karla’s therapist starting tomorrow.”

The humanoid, Master Vushan blinked. “Therapist? Is that what the act is called on your world?” He questioned, features scrunching up in thought. “I suppose it makes a certain sense etymologically speaking. Although the specifics would be lost.”

“Therapy?” Aras questioned. “Were you injured.” She didn’t seem injured. 

“My point exactly.” The man smiled just a bit, as though enjoying a joke. 

Hebert shook her head; looking at Aras. “Not injured exactly…” She hesitated just a bit. “Karla killed someone in the last battle.”

Karla. Lethan Twi’lek girl. Hebert’s Padawan.

“She is ten years old.” He remembered, thinking aloud, mind clicking with what exactly that meant.

Hebert nodded her features expressionless, but still somehow, so very very grave. 

He understood. 

Sometimes priests and Forge Masters would serve to aid Mandalorians that… suffered from acts done in combat. This must be the Jedi equivalent.

The silence that fell over them was tense as far as such things went.

Dallon swooped in; her observant nature picking up on it and trying to counter such. “So, Kage? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of your species.”

He hadn’t either.

The man chuckled. “Master Hebert said the same thing. My kind isn't common outside my homeworld. Actually; most of us who leave, leave to become Jedi.”

“Huh really-”

“Dallon.” He interrupted. Her chit-chat could be useful, but he doubted this would be one of those instances. “Before I leave to finish familiarizing myself with my duties as your officer and finding my quarters; I would ask which of you will be leaving to assist Cook in his task on Nar-Shadaa.”

“Hmm? Oh. I am.” Victoria answered. “Tay has… something to do with the other Masters here. Bit of a priority.” She turned towards Taylor. “By the way- any word on when you’ll be heading towards Kashyyyk?”

“Five days.” Hebert nodded. “Yoda told the other masters that will be attending that they should prepare themselves… and I can’t say I blame them.”

More of their Force wizardry at play. Of course…

“And I’m heading out for Nar-Shadaa in two days once the ship is done getting restocked and refueled.” Dallon sighed. “No way am I gonna be able to make it back in time.”

“I don’t want you thinking about that and making stupid mistakes because you’re in a rush. I’ll be here afterwards. So you just make sure you get back here period. Not how fast you get back.”

Dallon grinned. “Oh? So does that mean I can go on a vacation and orgy binge while on the top vacation spot in Hutt space.”

The Jedi priest choked on his own spit

Hebert didn’t bat an eye. “As long as you make sure Iskt eats his vegetables and is in bed by ten.”

She was likely joking. But her face revealed none of it.

Amusing.

“Blech. Being an adult is boring.” Victoria pouted much like his own daughter. Then she grinned and winked with overexaggerated ‘suggestiveness’ “Cept for the orgies. Those are nice.”

More amusing; the Kage’s pale skin made his embarrassed flush stand out rather obviously. Dallon laughed at his expression more than her own jest.

Still- they were done here.

“Very well.” He rumbled, taking a deep breath- and donning the face of a soldier.

“General.” He nodded. “By your leave.”

She was surprised, but to her credit, only for a moment. “Granted.”

He turned and began marching out. First to find what would be his assigned quarters- second- to see how much work needed to be done to get this 707th battle group up to standard.

They would not be found wanting.

—

Alexandria:

“I see. Thank you.”

She hung up the call with the press of a button. 

Dennis had made it to Corruscant then. That was good.

Knowing him, he’d pick a random port with a random mechanic and a random restocking service.

The boy had grown paranoid with the maintenance and service of his ship.

She couldn’t blame him. 

And his precautions weren’t unwarranted either.

Coruscant was filled with spies, informants and people who’d do anything to get their pockets lined. 

Keeping his choice eternally unpredictable was certainly one way to mitigate that.

The other was to have a snarling attack dog with pale skin, hair and two lightsabers on hand. 

As she moved to shut down her computer, ready to begin heading home for the day- the phone, rather unexpectedly rang again.

Alexandria blinked and looking at the caller ID felt a stutter in her chest at the surprise. 

She answered, and the holo image of Uthgard Wren came up.

“Senator.” He greeted. The man’s armor was scuffed, there was a scratch over his forehead, still bleeding.

He must’ve just come from a fight.

He was the second in command of the Clan on Ryloth.

He and his boys had been having a grand old time and very rarely over the last few years had they ever directly called her or Satine.

“Wren.” She nodded. “What’s happened?”

The man spat out what might have been a mouthful of blood. “Capn’s callin the Duchess. So I’m callin you too-”

Not… ideal depending on the situation. But something Satine had insisted on ever since the issue with Merrik. 

“If you’re calling the both of us it must be an emergency.” She took a breath.

“Something like that- not with us mind you. The twi’leks. They went and probably poked a bigger Zakkeg than they should’ve-”

He explained.

Her response was short… and summed up the situation perfectly in her opinion.

“Fuck..”

The man nodded. “That’s what we thought.” He spat again. “Orders.”

She thought for a second, an eternity for her faster than normal processing capacity.  “Keep it under wraps for now; as much as you can anyway. I need to make some calls. You’ll have a more comprehensive plan by tomorrow.”

“Got it. Standard post fuckup job.”

She snorted. “Indeed.” She hung up, all thoughts of heading home for the night gone from her mind.

She hesitated for five entire seconds before she made the next call. Predicting and factoring in everything she could.

A much much longer eternity than even her previous hesitation. 

She pressed the button. 

The call rang for a few seconds and she almost considered hanging up before the call was answered.

“Senator- to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”

Palpatine was indeed surprised. But he smiled bright and wide, genuinely pleased by the serendipity in and of itself in a way. Or it seemed like it to her eyes.

Well… either way. Too late to hang up now. 

She leaned back in her seat, fingers lacing together. “One of my problems is about to explode and become our problem in a way I doubt you want.”

He raised a slender eyebrow. “Oh… and how is that?” He asked.

She told him.

The smile died on his lips.

For a moment a brief instant she saw the traces of actual genuine panic in his expression, gone so fast but being so complete she doubted even he could be such a good actor.

He’d not been ready for this.

He couldn’t afford not to address it either.

His silence was long. Long enough that even she began to wonder what was going through his mind before he answered her.

His voice carried no malicious amusement. No smug sense of triumph.

It was curt, business like and flat; with a simple one word proposal.

“Truce?”

She nodded. “Truce.”

For now, their game was on pause.

(X)(X)(X)

Yes; the Kage are a real species in Star Wars. I did not just make that name up for expedience :p

Second; I wonder how many of you can guess what beehive was just kicked over that has Alexandria low key shitting political bricks that she called Palpatine for the frenemy cop movie we all needed in our lives :3