A New Player in the Force

“I expected something… different,” I muttered as I stepped off the rickety transport that had carried us from Middle Distance to where we were currently. Around us was a forest, and while the trees were massive – the largest being the size of a Redwood from Earth – and have strange green and purple trunks, there was nothing that stood out in the area. Well, aside from the transport that had brought us here. I was still shocked that the cobbled-together flyer had managed to lift off from Middle Distance, never mind bring us here, wherever this was.

I turned back to the transport to see Simvyl step off, his face slightly tense, which was understandable as the transport had been prone to random, sometimes violent shaking. While that would’ve been bad if we’d been above the tree canopy, we’d stayed low to avoid detection from any Vong fighter craft, ducking and dodging in between the trees. On three occasions, I’d been forced to stabilise the vessel with the Force, with one such incident being to avoid us slamming into a tree when we’d been travelling at over a hundred klicks an hour.

“The Jentari are currently inactive, from what I understand.” The reply came from Gann who had stepped off the transport between Simvyl and me. He pointed at the trees even as Bo and Fenrir emerged from the transport. “Clients are normally brought here while the shaping takes place. According to those who work with the Jentari, this helps with the bonding process. However, with the invasion, the shapers were forced to move forward without your presence. Which was why according to the missive I received; your vessel took considerably longer to shape.”

I frowned as my eyes returned to the trees. When we’d been shot down by the Vong, the connection I’d had with the seed-partners had gone, though around a week later, I’d felt something familiar yet different at the very edges of my senses. Over the last half-year, I’d put that feeling to one side, focusing on the war, yet as we’d flown here, the sensation had moved from a vague thing into one that was based around this area. It was still weak, yet there was little doubt the source was coming from the direction Gann insisted we’d have to walk before we’d landed.

“By the… the trees! They’re not trees!”

I glanced at Simvyl after his exclamation to see him staring and pointing at the large trees in front of us. Focusing on them, and using the Force to boost my sight, I blinked at what I saw. At certain parts of the trunks of the strangely coloured trees, I could see metal glinting in the sunlight.

“No, they are the Jentari. They shape the growth of new client vessels, under the watchful eyes of the builders.” Gann explained even as I felt Fay’s presence move. That meant Bo was guiding the hovercart, carrying my comatose but recovering Master, off the transport. The trip, which if we’d hiked would’ve taken four to five months, had taken less than one, mainly because we had to go slower than normal and arrange our travel to ensure we were less likely to be spotted by the Vong. If her rate of improvement continued, I expected her to awaken within the next week or so.

The rest of our supplies, minus the thermal detonators, had been left at the base camp with the Sekotan recruits. Bo had been very reluctant to leave the weaponry and food with them, but I’d gotten promises from the senior Sekotans in the resistance that they’d not attack until we returned. It wasn’t much, but it – along with finding a pleasant way to distract Bo – had been enough to settle the Mandalorian’s discomfort.

“Master Fay would’ve loved to have seen that,” I said, my eyes still on my master.

“Yes, the builders were hoping to see that as well.” Gann offered before he moved past me, moving toward the giant trees, the Jentari, that were still a few klicks away. We’d landed here as the ground between this point and the Jentari as there was insufficient cover to hide the transport and Gann wasn’t willing to risk the Vong discovering the planet’s ship-creating facilities. While I agreed with that, I wished we were already there and I could see my new ship.

The Force was shifting around us as if it was growing excited about something and I had to assume that was to do with the vessel that’d been grown for Fay and me.

… …

… …

“I do hope the ship is to your liking.” The lead engineer, a male named Vidge, stated as he guided us onto a platform. The red-skinned Langhesi had met us at the entrance to a valley where the ships were grown and shaped – his words while detailing the normal process. While neither Fay nor I had been present, the designs I’d gone over with Shappa had seemingly been enough to help guide the process, along with the wishes of the seed-partners and, Vidge claimed, Sekot’s wishes. The way the Sekotans revered the planet reminded me of religion, yet I couldn’t deny that there was something profound about this world. Which made it a shame the Vong had arrived before Fay and I could investigate that matter further.

The platform we stepped onto was, like most of the valley aside from the branch canopy that hid us from aerial view, an open one, allowing the smells of the organic factory – which reminded me of freshly cut grass and roses – to swirl around us. There were no walls for the platform, only a guide rail, and I moved forward; the strange feeling that’d continually grown stronger as we’d landed earlier almost demanded that I hurry up. And yet, it felt weak, faint, as if in some way damaged.

“And here it is.” I barely heard Vidge’s words as I reached the edge of the platform and gasped.

Below, held in place by vines wider than I was tall, rested my new starship. A cornucopia of light emanated from below, bathing the dark green hull in an array of colours that made the ship appear alive. Almost making it look as if it was rocking in the vines, desperate after months of resting to finally slide free and fly.

My eyes wandered over the hull, judging its length to be a little shorter than the Ne’tra Sartr, though, unlike my former ship, the internal structure covered most of the width. Provided the internal structure filled most of the shape, then it should be more spacious even if it lacked some length. The body was angular, but with a natural feel, reminding me of an enlarged jet fighter. While not exactly how I’d helped Shappa with the design, it was still easy to see it was based on those plans.

While there were darker indications over the top surface of the hull that seemed decorative but felt to me to be if it could be wrangled, excellent locations for weapon hardpoints even if Gann assured me no Sekotan vessel was ever armed, the overall shape screamed speed. The lights dancing over the hull only enhanced that feeling, as did the two protrusions at the rear that extended a few metres beyond the body.

Yet, for as beautiful as it was, my focus shifted to the Force, and what ripples the vessel left within. It was weak still, almost reluctant to create a flutter of presence, but the ship was radiant within the Force. As if it was alive in a way similar to Fenrir. There were hints of Fay in this new presence, hints of myself and the planet, showing the ship to be a merging, somehow, of the three of us. And yet, it was timid, restrained. Almost as if it was dying.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, not taking my eyes from the wondrous vessel.

“It is failing.” My head snapped to Vidge and he took a step back. “A newly shaped vessel needs to be with its client. The seed-partners merge to create the living heart of the starship and for that, and the growth, the client should be present. You and your master weren’t. In truth, if you were any other client, the ship would’ve died long ago. We would have all mourned for it.” He gestured to the far end of the valley where I’d seen buildings meaning those that worked with him to create this wonder. “That it hasn’t must be due to your connection with the Force, the number of seed-partners involved, and the will of Sekot. Yet, even so, it grows weak.” He moved toward one side of the platform and ran his fingers over a console.

My head snapped back to my vessel as a faint, odd rumbling filled the area. Slowly the vines seemed to tighten, and the ship slowly rose toward us. I watched in awe as it came closer, showing the hull seemed to be one smooth surface, bar the viewports of the cockpit and two along the starboard side. In the darkened areas at the nose, small flints of metal protruded, likely marking the sensors and similar features. The vines shifted, turning the vessel around to show the rear, where three sunlight engines were mounted – two smaller ones mounted under the protrusions with a larger one resting under and between them – and then confirming the two viewports on the port side. As it finished rising, I saw a ramp lowering near the main engine.

Once the ship was at our level and facing away, Vidge moved next to me and pulled back the railing. “Come.” He walked onto the vines, finding his feet with years of experience. I took a few cautious steps after him, my focus struggling to not stay on the vessel and the faint, hesitant ripple it was generating within the Force.

As I moved under the main engine, feeling an urge in the Force, I lifted my hand and brushed my fingers over the hull. That weak pitiful presence in the Force reacted and I felt something reach out for my mind. it was all at once new and old, familiar and undeniably alien, and I yanked my hand back with a gasp.

“Cam?”

I turned to Bo. “I’m fine. I think.” I licked my lips, trying to put into words what I’d just felt. “The ship’s alive, in a way. I think.” Even without our Force bond, I could tell Bo wasn’t comfortable with my words, though given how uncertain I sounded and felt, that was understandable. It had only lasted for a moment, yet in that time I’d felt as if there was something within the ship that was a part of me, and yet wasn’t. That wanted my help with something.

Not waiting for her response, I moved hastily after Vidge, my feet finding solid ground on the mass of vines with ease. As I reached the ramp, which seemed to be a part of the hull that had simply been cut away, and then walked in, I inhaled sharply. The walls were the same shade of green, though they looked faded almost black in places, as the outer hull, with lights pulsating underneath in an almost hypnotic fashion.

“It knows you’re here.” I reluctantly looked away from the wall toward Vidge. “The lights have grown stronger over the last few weeks. Today they are almost as bright as they were when it was shaped and we added in the components needed to bring it to Republic standards.”

“She’s weak. Hurting.” I muttered as I lifted my hand toward the wall, tracing the movement of the lights within it. When my hand touched the wall, the unusual feeling I’d felt outside returned, though it was more encompassing than before, if still very weak. “Because we weren’t here?”

Vidge smiled after I spoke to him. “Yes. The bond between the client and their ship is weak, but it is there. We feared you would not understand, to know otherwise will make many happy.” He lowered his head. “Sekot has blessed you.” I tried to keep my face neutral, not wanting to insult his beliefs as he raised his head. Even as he offered it, I felt the ship’s presence grow slightly stronger. As if it was a snail emerging from its shell just enough to taste the morning’s light.

“How do I help her?”

Vidge smiled widely and moved into the ship, waving his arm. “This way.” I followed quickly, though not so fast that my fingers slid from the wall. The connection I felt to the ship was tenuous and I didn’t want to break it just yet.

We left the entranceway and emerged into a corridor. The walls were mainly covered in the same dull green of the hull, though there were a few metallic panels that I recognised as power monitors and the like. A few steps in the corridor and I followed Vidge into a new room. This was circular, with couches placed around a central table in a configuration that oddly reminded me of the central area of the Ebon Hawk. Though, given the shine of the table and the feel of a couch as my other hand touched it, with far superior materials.

“The seed-partners you and your master bonded with formed the core of the ship’s heart,” Vidge began, shifting my attention from the luxurious-looking fittings that had been added to the vessel, including a kitchen area that gleamed in the odd light of the ship. “Yet without you, it has begun to weaken, to rot.” He touched a spot on one wall and I winced at seeing parts fall away like leaves falling from a tree in autumn; though without any of the colour.

“She’s alive but dying,” I muttered as I pushed my hand against an array of lights. “She needs help.” Even as I spoke, I reached out through the Force. It was easier to sense the ship now, and while I’d thought it was just weak and scared earlier, I could now sense the pain, the decay. Without us here to help, she’d retreated in on herself; cannibalised her body to keep herself alive while reaching out for us. For me. “I’m sorry,” I whispered to the wall. “I’d have been here sooner if I’d known.”

A hand came to rest on my shoulder. Opening my eyes, I saw it was Bo. While she said nothing, I could sense her concern, though I doubted it was directed at the ship.

“With you here, now we can help her.” I looked over at Vidge to see he was near another passageway which wasn’t there when we’d entered the area. Almost as if the door has merged into the wall while I’d not been looking. “Come.”

I offered Bo a smile as she removed her hand and then followed the Sekotan. The passageway he’d gone down was short, ending at the cockpit. There were two chairs at the fore with two more further back at stations that, from what I saw of their consoles, handled secondary systems. Vidge indicated one chair, which I knew was meant for the pilot, and I slid into it.

“Wow!” I gasped as the chair seemed to shift as I sat, becoming so comfortable that I felt like I was sinking into and merging with it. The seating on the Ne’tra Sartr had been hard, befitting a ship built for combat, but this seat was incredibly comfortable. As one would expect from a ship built for the most exclusive of clientele. And through it, I could sense the ships’ presence slowly growing more pronounced, more confident with each passing second.

Vidge smiled down at me and indicated the consoles in front of me with a tilt of his head. The layout was like the Ne’tra Sartr though only some were marked. Still, I was able to find the switch for the main power core and smiled as the console confirmed the power levels were increasing. That smile widened as I felt the power seeping into the hull, making the ship’s lighting more prominent.

My fingers moved over the controls, lightly touching each to get a feel for them. With each touch I could feel the ship reacting, wanting to further the faint but growing connection between us. As my hand drifted over the thrusters, I swore I felt the ship vibrate, as if wanting to break free of the vines and race into the clouds. As much as that idea filled me with joy, the threat posed by the Vong, and the faint hints of decay within the ship made me pull back.

I chuckled at the way the ship distantly seemed to whine at not getting to be free. “Soon, darling,” I whispered to the console, my fingers running over a display.

“You will spend time here,” Vidge began, reminding me that he was here, as was Fenrir who’d come in and settled against one of the empty secondary chairs, making himself at home. “While your companions can come and go, you will stay onboard for at least several days. The link between you and her is weak and pulling away now, just as it seems to be growing stronger, would likely kill her.”

“Never. I’ll never let that happen.” I shot back with conviction.

Vidge laughed. “Good. You understand. Most clients know their ship is special, but few seem to truly understand the gift Sekot has given them.” He looked down at Fenrir. “Your beast seems to feel this also.”

Fenrir lazily lifted his head and growled, which made me chuckle. “He doesn’t like being called a beast, but yeah. Tuk’ata, that’s his species, are animals with a strong Force connection. Since this ship also has one, though it's faint, and that it’d linked to the seed-partners I bonded with, I guess he’d sense it as well.”

Vidge nodded. “Yes.” He looked down the passageway, toward the common area. “I will speak with your companions. They will have the choice of staying onboard with you, though that isn’t required.”

“Can you also have someone move my Master into a room?” I asked, figuring the weak but surrounding presence of the ship might accelerate her recovery.

“Of course.” With a bow, Vidge left, leaving me alone to soak in the connection I felt from my ship. It was still very faint, but even in the short time I’d been aboard, I’d felt it grow stronger. With time, which I hoped we’d have, it would return to the level it was meant to be, if not more. While uncertain, I did hope my connection to the Force would further enhance the bond I shared with this magnificent almost-living vessel.

… …

… …

“I understand why you fought and killed the Vong that assaulted us,” Fay said slowly, her hand drifting unconsciously to where her wound had been, “but what, if I might ask, drove you to not only keep fighting them but develop an insurgency campaign in which you trained locals to fight?”

I resisted the urge to sneer at that being the first thing Fay asked about. She’d woken up the day before and while she’d wanted answers then and there about what had happened since she’d been wounded, I’d been able to distract her with the ship we were on when she woke and delay this talk a day to give her time to recover a little.

As expected, even after a day to meditate and sleep, after nearly three-quarters of a year in a Force-empowered coma, she was weak on her feet. Her cheeks had thinned slightly, hinting at some malnourishment and her skin had lost some of its ethereal glow, but it seemed her mind was as sharp as ever. How else could you explain the fact that after I’d been reasonably detailed about what had happened while she’d been in her coma – even showing her the Council-prepared recording of us engaging a Vong patrol – that she’d zeroed in on the issue that defined the entirety of her time asleep.

When I’d first mentioned engaging the Vong, I’d sensed her concern, likely due to me engaging in desperate combat when I’d only just been cleared for missions by the Jedi Council after my time with the Bando Gora. Yet for all that concern, the moment I’d mentioned recruiting and training Sekotans, I’d sensed revulsion from her. As if helping the locals defend their home from invaders, just because they were peace lovers before the invasion, was somehow an insult to her. I’d pushed away my anger at sensing that, not wanting to both reveal how close to losing control I often was and because I wanted to wait until I’d finished and heard her opinions on the matter before responding to the repulsion. Yet, even after detailing what had happened while she coalesced, even the Vong taking Sekotans and torturing them for what felt like fun – since none of them could have any useful intelligence – her focus was on my training of the Sekotans.

I looked away, taking a moment to centre myself. I knew this was going to come up, knew she was going to push against it, but that it was the first thing she went for was a little unexpected. I felt for sure it’d be the hints of darkness she could sense within me. Even with Dark Side Masking in the Master range as I’d expected, I felt she should still be able to sense the subtle changes in my Force signature. The moment to centre myself also let me push away the anger I still felt from the debacle of our last ambush where Zarkos and over a dozen Sekotans had lost their lives. The day would come, soon I hoped when we’d strike back against the Vong and make them pay for their actions. However, that wasn’t something I wanted to dwell on while defending my actions in the war.

“When we first encountered them, they attacked us, Master. They left you close to death. There was no effort to speak with us, to find common ground. Only a fact, made clear in the months since, that they weren’t interested in any outcome but the one they desired. With that in mind, and the fact the Sekotans are the ones suffering the most under the Vong’s boot as it presses down on their throats, why shouldn’t I ask them to fight and defend their home?”

Answering a question with one of my own wasn’t polite, but I’d long since decided that I wasn’t going to be passive in this discussion. If I was, then Fay would likely undo everything I’d done over the last three-quarters of a year in the name of peace. While her goal was noble, she didn’t know the Vong and was failing to understand that with beings that used force to get their way, a gentle word – even when backed by the Force – was insufficient to change their path.

Plus, being passive during her interrogation, which is what it was no matter how Fay dressed it up, of my actions, would, I felt hurt my standing in her eyes, at least more so than trying to defend my choices and actions assertively.

“While often a situation does dissolve into conflict, the path of peace must always be attempted first. It can be a challenge to seek the narrower path peace offers, but it is always preferable to one that involves taking a life before its time.”

“They almost killed you when we first met them, Master! Haran, they then tried to kill the rest of us! Two of the Rangers have died fighting against them, one in those initial assaults! I told you what… the Vong have done to Sekotans; taking and torturing them simply to scare the populace into submission! How, by the Force, should we’ve sought peace with such a species?!” I wasn’t sure how I stayed seated, but I did even as my anger at her wanting to push a peaceful solution to the matter flared.

“Be mindful of your emotions, Cameron. A Jedi should be careful about drawing on them.” I leaned back in my chair, slamming a cap on the building rage within and then pinching the bridge of my nose at Fay’s gentle rebuke. Even if she had a point about my anger getting the better of me at this moment in time, the pointless, almost mindless, drivel she was sprouting was fucking stupid. Not least because it was my emotions, my anger, that’d helped the Resistance gain some early successes. Force, the only reason we survived the initial Vong assault was by losing control of that rage. Yet, after all that I’d done, to keep her and others safe, she felt the need to preach about my having emotions!

Feeling a hand rest on my forearm, I opened my eyes – which had closed when I’d pinched my nose – and saw Fay had leant over the table. “Cameron, I’m not saying what you did was wrong. You were faced with a challenging situation that would push even a seasoned Jedi Master. Yet I feel you chose the lightsaber too quickly; a failing of many Jedi over the millennia. However, alone – barring Miss Kryze and Fenrir – you’ve not only managed to survive but help the locals defend their home and secured passage for us off-world. And critically, while your emotions are far more evident within the Force, for all the carnage and destruction you’ve seen, you appear unfazed by it. Something when I first woke and learnt you’d been fighting for months concerned me greatly. To see you not sink into the depths you so easily could’ve after your recent trials,” she smiled warmly and I felt some of the strain on my heart lift, “warms my soul and gives me hope for the future.”

Her words helped me cool down, though only until I caught onto something she’d said in the middle of that. “Master, surely you don’t plan for us to take this ship and leave the Sekotans behind? The Vong on this world aren’t enough to secure it and I fear a larger force is on its way. If we don’t help the Sekotans now, we risk them all dying when the main Vong forces arrive and fully secure the planet.”

“I’m not suggesting that, Cameron. Merely stating that, when the time comes, we have a method to depart given the fate of the Sartr.” I sighed in relief, as that would’ve meant failing the Invaders From the Void quest, and accelerating the Vong’s invasion – which I was beginning to think meant the Republic – by up to fifty years. Since they were never hinted at in the movies or show, that must’ve happened sometime after Return of the Jedi, which had me cursing myself for not browsing Wookieepedia for information on what came after. “That said, the approach you’ve taken while I was recuperating won’t be continuing.” I opened my mouth to argue only for her to keep going. “A Jedi doesn’t use the Force to attack, only to defend. Yes, I understand you feel you’ve done this to defend the Sekotans, but your actions say otherwise. A Jedi doesn’t lay ambushes for enemy forces, doesn’t carry out autopsies on a being’s body after they killed it, nor consider capturing someone for… questioning.” Fay frowned as I felt my anger begin to simmer once more. “These are not the actions of a Jedi, and while the taint of the Dark Side hasn’t encased you, it’s clear you’ve been placed at risk of its influence with the choices made in your conflict.”

I took several hard, deep breaths to calm myself. If I responded to this issue with anger it would, in her mind, only prove her point. Once I felt I had it under control, I responded. “I didn’t mean to lash out like I did, Master. But I saw you fall; felt you scream out in the Force. I feared…” I paused, wiped my eyes, and took another deep breath. I’d had to draw on that memory, and those of my time under Vosa’s tender mercies, to help fuel my rage and empower Force Lightning – which was far more dangerous the more I drew on my rage – yet I knew I was walking a fine line regarding doing so. Yet I’d had little choice but to do so to ensure most of us survived.

Fay sighed and looked away for a moment, clearly thinking about something. “I understand, Cameron, and I’m sorry you’ve had to face this situation essentially by yourself. I felt moments where you drew on that anger you’re struggling with currently while I was… indisposed and used that to help save those around you. Given the situation, I can understand why you did so, but I cannot in good conscience allow this to continue.” While this confirmed Fay had sensed moments when I’d drawn on the Dark Side, it also proved that the training – brief as it was – that I’d gained from King Adas had helped to hide just how heavily I’d bent the Force to my will at times. Without that training and the removal of the cap on Dark Side Masking, I had no doubt Fay would’ve demanded we leave the planet immediately to protect me from the Dark Side ravaging my soul. Or something to that effect.

Amusingly to me, Adas, while not being happy about me having to hide my power from the Jedi, understood why I had to hide it. The Jedi of this time were too numerous that while he felt I could already eliminate many of them, I wasn’t ready to openly challenge them. To him, it would be a waste of a potential successor, even if he did wish to see how the Jedi of this era would’ve fared against him and his axe.

“Yes, master. But the Vong are dangerous. Putting aside how I can only sense them by sensing the blind spots they generate in the Force, they’re a warrior people. They attack first, with brutal force and efficiency and I’ve… no we’ve, lacked the numbers to engage them from an equal footing.” Which, I hoped, she’d see was why I’d gone for the ambush route for engaging the Vong. Not that the Sekotans had been the greatest of help as in four ambushes they’d joined, they’d only directly killed six Vong. The rest, with me being responsible for the majority, had fallen to some combination of Bo, Fenrir, Zarkos, Simvyl, and myself. That had helped me get close to levelling up, but I was still a few thousand XP away. “I… there were moments in combat where I feared losing Fenrir or Bo. When I thought they might die. I couldn’t lose them, not when I was so close to losing you.”

“Death is a natural part of life, Cameron.” As she spoke, I could feel her concern mixed with some despair, which I assumed was for leaving me alone to face the Vong. “Every being dies and, as much as Miss Kryze might dislike the notion, becomes part of the Force. On the day that happens to me, Master Dooku, or any friend you currently have or will gain, you shouldn’t mourn them. Instead, we should celebrate their life and remember that no matter where you go from there, they are one with the Force, and thus, still with you.”

“I… yes, Master.” What she said made sense, even if I wasn’t comfortable about placing such blind faith in the Force.

“Good. Now, while it may hurt to relive them, I want you to detail your actions for every encounter you had with the Vong. Every detail, no matter how minor, might grant us some insight into their goals on the world beyond, as you believe, simply holding it for the rest of their species to arrive. I also want you, while detailing the last several months, to think about how those events affected you: how they altered your emotions and made you take actions you might not have otherwise done.”

I looked away and took a moment to collect my thoughts. I’d already gone over the events since Fay went down, but I’d avoided focusing on any details. Mainly to hide my drawing on the Dark Side. At least now I knew Fay had sensed me drawing on it on occasion, so I could mix truth with lie as I detailed my actions, plus, once this was over, I could let her view the Council-prepared recording Bo had made. I’d avoided using Force Lightning there for exactly this purpose.

“I was angry, Master. Angry at what they’d done to you, at what they’d done to m-our ship,” I hoped she didn’t focus on my slip about ownership of the Ne’tra Sartr, “and what they began subjecting the Sekotans to. That anger hasn’t faded, but I’ve done my best to not focus on it as I’d tried to help the Sekotans however I could.”

She stayed silent for a moment and I swore I saw the gears in her mind turning, trying to place what I’d said with what she’d felt within her coma. “I understand that Cameron. But I wish to hear full details about every battle you fought. Starting with our initial encounter with the Vong. Specifically, how you reacted to my injury.”

I took a breath to prepare myself. I’d held little hope this discussion would be short for months now, and it looked like I was correct. Hopefully, once it was over – though I suspected it would take several sessions over the next few days at least to cover most of it – she’d be willing to return to focusing on the Sekotans and Vong.

Even as I began a fuller recounting, a part of my mind was already working on what to say to make sure she allowed us to stay and fight.

… …

… …

“Sorry, what?!” Bo snarled out as we stood in the central area of the new living ship while discussing our next move against the Vong. It’d been about a week since Fay had awoken and she’d convened this meeting to discuss our next move. Though given Bo’s aggressive response, and the way Simvyl looked to be almost shaking with rage, her suggestion went down about as well as I’d expected.

“We are to seek out the Vong leadership and attempt to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict.” As Fay replied earnestly to Bo, I ran my palm down my face. I didn’t need to see Bo’s face to know her cheeks were turning the same colour as her hair. “I understand that many have lost their lives in this conflict and that finding common ground with these Vong seems ludicrous. However, to seek a way back from the brink, to try and ensure no more Sekotans die protecting their world is a goal worthy of any Jedi.”

“Of all the…” Bo grunted before slamming her hand down hard on the table. the map being projected by the table flickered for a second but otherwise remained, leaving Bo’s hand crushing Middle Distance. “Te’habi jetii'kad gar’shebs!” My brow rose at that curse even as Bo jabbed a finger at Fay. “The only way to save the Sekotans is to kill the Vong! They only care about power and taking what they want, and yet you want to shabyr talk to them?!?”

I might agree with Bo’s opinion, but voicing it with that curse was, perhaps pushing it a touch. Or it would be if she’d said it to me. Fay would, I was sure, brush it off, even if it was odd to see Bo step outside the light command structure that had existed ever since she’d joined us when we’d left Mandalore.

Still, even with Fay having nominal command over all of us, I wasn’t happy at her just grabbing the reins after I’d led what I felt was a generally successful insurrection. However, I was willing to allow it; mainly so I could let Fay see how opposed to a peaceful solution the rest of our team was. Though I hadn’t expected Bo to curse my master out. Nor for Fay to suggest we head to the largest Vong base on the planet – which was near Far Distance – in the hopes their leaders were there and not in orbit, and then calmly ask them to come out and talk. That was, quite possibly, the dumbest decision I’d ever heard of, and I’d dealt with intelligence officers during missions in my former life who’d only gotten their posting due to nepotism.

“Firstly, I lack the required lightsaber to have one trapped in my posterior,” Fay’s initial response made me cough back a laugh even as Bo rolled her eyes. “Secondly, that is what I wish to do. While your actions over the preceding months have generally been successful, they’ve done, I suspect, little more than irritate the Vong. Continuing that approach, or even trying to use this unarmed vessel, to attack the Vong would only result in more death; likely including ours. Therefore, I’m suggesting an alternative approach to the invasion that, if it works, would save more lives on both sides than any other option presently on the table.”

My palm moved upward and began to rub my forehead. I agreed wholeheartedly with Bo’s position, but before the meeting, Fay had asked me to allow the others to voice their opinions first. Possibly she felt Bo and Simvyl would agree with whatever I decided, but I knew that wasn’t the case as free discussions were how most of our strategy sessions had gone.

That said, it was clear that everyone, even Gann and Vidge, was against the idea. Hell, just before the meeting, Vidge had come to Fay and me and mentioned that apart from working on our vessel, and another private project, every engineer here had convinced the Jentari to shape fighter craft. Now, Vidge had implied that none of the vessels had laser cannons, as the Sekotan refused to keep any on-planet, but the simple fact they’d used this time to develop and build fighters was unexpected. And impressive. Plus, I suspected that they’d found a way to have weapons developed in those fighters that didn’t meet Republic expectations.

That, of course, had gotten me thinking about how to arm my new starship. While I’d done little, bar sitting in the cockpit getting acquainted with the controls and helping the bond I shared with it grow stronger, I’d found myself wondering how easy it would be to add weaponry to her. I knew Fay wouldn’t approve, but given the regularity with which I seemed to find myself in tense situations, flying around in an unarmed starship felt like a great way to die. Which was something Bo had commented on during our introduction to the ship. Vidge had explained that the ship was designed to use its speed and manoeuvrability to escape hostile encounters.

A growl from Bo brought my thoughts back to the meeting. “That is…” She shook her head and then forcibly pushed back from the table. that sent her hair flying, making her look as if she was on fire for a moment before she glared at me. “She’s your master! You deal with her!”

I reached for her, wanting to stop her, but my fingers barely touched her before she stormed past me and exited the room. Part of me wanted to head after her, to help calm her. Or failing that, redirect her passion, but I knew I shouldn’t. Not with Fay watching me carefully. Plus, it would also undermine the strength of Bo’s statement, which was the last thing I wanted to do since I agreed entirely with it.

“She’s right!” My head snapped back to the table at hearing Simvyl speak up before I could offer anything. It was odd to hear him agree with Bo when you considered the issues between their peoples, but over the last few months of fighting together, that hatred – mainly from Simvyl’s side – had died away. Replacing it had been a sense of kinship between them, between all of us really, which had only grown stronger after Zarkos’ death. “Those monsters killed my friends! My teachers! They’ve tortured innocents in the streets for kriffing fun! You can’t talk with beasts like that, only put them down. Hard!”

“I understand you’re angry ab…”

Simvyl snarled, baring his teeth as he cut Fay off mid-word. “With respect, Master Jedi, I’m not just angry. I’m furious! Blood demands blood!” Likely in an unintentional mirroring of Bo, he slammed his fist against the table. “They deserve nothing but death!”

The Sekotans present took a few steps back, clearly wary of finding themselves between the brewing conflict. It probably didn’t help that Fenrir was prowling around behind me, his ears back slightly while his remaining spinal spikes seemed to quiver whenever I caught sight of them. I knew he wouldn’t attack, but he was agitated by the rage flowing around the room. As was the ship; the lights around us pulsed brighter in an almost chaotic pattern.

“Master,” I cut in before Fay could respond, or Simvyl could continue, “While I agree with the others that this plan is… foolhardy at best, I understand why you wish to attempt it.” Fay gave me a small nod of thanks for the support, though I doubted it would stay as I continued. “However, it won’t work because the Vong are unlike anything you’ve ever encountered. I’m not going to rehash what I brought up when we talked over the last few days, but if you heard anything I or the others have said, you’d see this plan won’t work.” I paused and took a long breath, settling the rising anger that was always brought on by thinking about the Vong. “Still, it is your choice to attempt this, and mine to accompany you. Though let me be clear when this fails, and it will, and after we’ve fought our way back to safety, I will remind you of the folly of the plan.”

“Do you doubt my abilities, Padawan?” Fay asked with a smile and tone that irked me. It was almost as if she had supreme confidence in her ability to mediate a situation. Or she felt her opinions on the Vong were greater than the three of us who, unlike her, had interacted with the Vong.

“No, Master. I simply feel that such time and effort are wasted on a race with a mindset like the Vong. To them, from what we’ve observed while you have recuperated, the normal galactic civilities aren’t a concern. The only language they speak is one of battle and power, so the only way to speak with them, in my opinion, is while holding a weapon to their throat.”

Fay’s smile, as I’d expected, fell as I explained myself. When I finished, her eyes were locked on me and she seemed almost disappointed by what I’d said. “I see your time with Master Dooku hasn’t been forgotten.” She may have meant it as a subtle slight, but it amused me and I smirked at the comparison. Particularly as, if he were here instead of Fay, there’d be little to no discussion about seeking peace with the Vong. Hell, at this moment, I’d prefer Windu was here as I felt he’d realise the threat the Vong posed. Not just to the Sekotans, but potentially to the entire galaxy. “Though I will endeavour to prove your pessimism unfounded.”

I bit the inside of my mouth to cut off the retort brewing in my throat. There was little point, not after a week of similar discussions, in dragging this conversation out. No, it was better that I allow Fay time in her fallacies while I started planning out how I was going to rescue our arses from the fire after the Vong laughed in our faces and tried to kill us.

Then, once we were back here, I’d try to not enjoy rubbing Fay’s nose in it too much over how wrong she’d been.

… …

… …

“This is a jare’la plan,” Bo muttered through my earpiece. She’d made that observation almost every hour on the hour since I’d agreed to support Fay with this and even though her feelings on the matter were clear, she kept saying it. “If you make it out of this, I’m going to kill you for agreeing to it.”

“You’re welcome to try, but it’ll end the same way it always does,” I shot back with a chuckle. Bo was far more aggressive than anyone I'd been with in my former life, and most sessions between us were a fight of dominance. I always won as I didn’t think she was trying particularly hard to stop me once she knew she’d gotten my full attention, but last night’s session had been far more vigorous than normal, a sign of just how furious she was with this plan. Though as I walked a step behind Fay toward the Vong base, my issues with the plan were returning.

Assaulting the compound near Middle Distance would’ve resulted in high casualties but attacking here would’ve been suicide. Based on the size alone, I’d have had to drop a fucking mountain on it just to be sure to take out the compound. And that was only if the defences I could see on the walls, and whatever was hidden inside, didn’t blast the mountain out of the air.

The base itself looked to be nearly a kilometre wide with walls at least a thirty metres reaching into the sky. Dotted around the walls, no more than a hundred metres apart, were cannons that wouldn’t look out of place on a cruiser; which they sure as shit didn’t on the cruiser that rose from the base as we approached. The area around the base for about a kilometre had been scorched, which ensured that the moment we emerged from the forest, several Vong cannons on the high walls of the base turned our way. Honestly, it was a fucking miracle they hadn’t fired the moment we’d appeared, though I sort of wished they had, because then I’d be able to get the fuck away from the place and consider how in the blue hell I was going to win this war.

“I believe they know we’re here.”

I coughed back laughter at Fay stating the obvious as the wall cannons tracked our approach. Any sudden movement would likely result in them opening fire and while I’d be able to teleport away, I feared Fay would fuck up and use a Force barrier or telekinesis to defend herself. To try to since those powers didn’t work directly against Vong or their technology. And if by some miracle, we survived the cannons, the fact the entire base was one giant null-zone meant I had fuck-all idea how many Vong were inside.

All in all, the feeling that this was a shitshow waiting to happen was only growing stronger; not helped in the least by the way the Force on this planet was almost shivering as we approached the base. I tensed, my hands drifting ever closer to my weapons – Fay hadn’t wanted me to carry the beskad but I’d made it clear I’d only stop carrying it once the Vong were gone – as the wall facing us seemed to vibrate before a large section, perhaps twenty metres by ten, peeled back – like the peel being removed from an orange – revealing the inside of the base.

Through the gap, after boosting my sight with the Force, I saw over a hundred Vong arrayed inside. Some were going about their business, while the majority were glaring at us. I also saw a dozen fighter-analogues and what looked like some kind of giant beetle that, unless I missed my guess, was some sort of ground transport. My temper flared as I saw the Vong with missing claws standing near the front and given the way it barked something, it saw me.

From that mass, three Vong stepped forward, exiting the base. The centre figure was clearly in charge as the other two walked a step behind its shoulders, and all three wore a different armour from any Vong inside the base. It was like the red-shell armour the clawed-Vong wore, but black. From various locations, large, vicious-looking spikes sprang out and I quickly saw how many could be used in close-quarters-combat to inflict an insane amount of fatal damage to an enemy. There were also spikes rising from behind their skulls, which wouldn’t prevent the head from moving but provide extra protection against head strikes, which would explain why none wore anything akin to a helmet. As they came closer, it became obvious that the armour was solid, with no obvious weak spots beyond the hands – though each had an arm that looked to not have been a natural occurrence, much like the clawed-Vong – under the arms and a frontal assault. The fact they, like the clawed-Vong, seemed to have chosen to replace limbs, and I saw others with odd legs inside the base, had several worrying implications about their culture. Though I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions until I had one of these altered bodies on an autopsy table.

“Master,” I whispered as one of the Vong behind their leader snarled and the amphistaff in his hand hissed.

“Stay calm, Cameron. We are here to speak with them in search of peace. Any sign of aggression might result in that failing before we can begin.”

I rolled my eyes at her words. “I won’t strike first, master. But when these talks fail, and after we’ve somehow managed to escape, I’ll remind you of my words when you put this plan forward.” The odds of this succeeding were closer to zero than one per cent, and that was before we’d even arrived here. Now, my only concern was finding a way out of here that didn’t result in our deaths. Hopefully, that wouldn’t need me to draw on the Dark Side, but if push came to shove, I’d take that over losing Fay.

“Normally I’d find your lack of faith in my abilities concerning. However, given your previous encounters with these Vong, it is understandable. That said, try not to speak unless you have something to add that isn’t a threat.” I glared at her back, my barely controlled rage flaring at the dismissal. “I don’t wish for you to upset these negotiations.”

“However short they will be.” I shot back with a bit more venom than I’d have liked as Fay glanced at me. No retort came though came as the trio of Vong came closer.

Before they reached us, I used the Force to boost my eyesight and examined every Vong that I could see inside the base and determine what might be the best place to toss the trio of thermal detonators I had stowed away in my belt to ensure maximum carnage. It wouldn’t likely do much to their overall strength level, but it, I hoped, would give Fay and me the time needed to slip back into the woods. At least provided the cruiser floating ominously overhead didn’t go scorched earth when we entered the forest.

“Why are you here?”

The words that came from the lead Vong’s mouth came as such a surprise, that I almost stumbled at hearing him speak Basic. There was a very bad accent, likely as he’d not used it much before arriving on this planet, but it was clear enough that there was no confusion about what he was saying. Once I got over that shock, I noted that all three Vong had shifted their gaze to me, or more specifically the weapons at my waist, with the one who’d snarled from a distance doing so once again. It seemed the clawed-Vong had reported my existence and weaponry to its leaders, and now they were placing a face to that report. Though if they wanted a closer look, I’d happily give it to them by burying the blades in their skulls.

“We seek a peaceful way to resolve this conflict that has arisen between you and the inhabitants of this world. One that would, ideally, be suitable to both parties.” If the Vong hadn’t been watching us, I’d have facepalmed at Fay’s way of phrasing it, and then done so again at the way the three Vong seemed to be taken aback by her words.

“You speak for the invaders and wish to surrender?”

“I seek a path out of this conflict for all parties, meaning your people and the inhabitants of Zonama Sekot…”

“They are unbelievers on our holy world!” The Vong cutting Fay off was one thing, but the reverence they held for Sekot was concerning and brought back memories of my previous life when dealing with the most ardent religious fanatics. “This world belongs to us!”

“When they settled here, the planet was uninhabited.” The Vong bristled at Fay’s words with the more agitated one needing to be restrained by an arm across the chest of the other standing behind the leader. “They’ve lived here in peace with the galaxy and the planet for over eight standard cycles. Unless you can provide evidence going back further, then by the laws of the Galactic Republic, that grants them control of the world.”

The lead Vong stepped closer, towering over both of us. “This world is a seed of our lost home. This we know in our bones and by our holiest words. Those on this world currently are honourless pests that the gods demand we remove.”

The two Vong behind it tightened their grips on their amphistaffs. Danger Sense flared up, warning me of threats from everywhere in front of me. My finger drifted closer to the control to engage my lightsaber even as my feet slipped around slowly, settling me into a combat stance.

“As a Jedi, I wish to find a way to resolve this dispute peacefully, in the manner all civilised beings should,” The Vong leader’s eyes seemed to widen, as if not believing the words coming from Fay. Oddly, I agreed with it though that didn’t mean I was going to let this thing kill her even as my mind rapidly played over its words looking for another avenue of approach. “Violence and death serve no purpose.”

“Death in the service of our gods, our crusade, is a fate any of us would accept with honour. Many under my command already have.” Its eyes locked onto mine. ”They fell in battle for this cause, a worthy death even if the warrior who killed them worships false gods.”

There was the subtlest shift in the Force coming from Fay. Hopefully, that meant she saw that these talks were failing – not that they ever had a chance to succeed – yet I was seeing a possible way to escape this situation unharmed. Possibly.

“You claim that the Sekotans have no honour by invading this world that you claim,” I shot out as I moved beside Fay. “That those who’ve died by my blade did so with honour, yet what proof do we have that any of you have honour?”

The three Vong bristled at my words and again the snarling one tried to move toward me only to be stopped by the other. It spat strange, twisted sounds at me that was likely nothing more than insults in its tongue, yet Comprehend Speech failed to translate any of it. Likely because they lacked any connection to the Force.

“You question our honour?”

I smirked up at the lead Vong. “I question its existence.”

All around me, I felt the Force react even as the Vong leader snarled down at me. The amphistaff snapped its teeth in barely contained fury, I felt the Force moving. Though I didn’t need that to know I was playing a very dangerous game, yet given our location, it was the only option I could see that wouldn’t result in Fay dying. Not so long as the Vong were focused on me and not her.

“We know of you, Jedi.” The lead Vong confirmed what I’d suspected. “You’ve fought well against my warriors, killed many of them. To prove our honour, I will grant you death by my hands. The gods will surely favour me with glory for your head.”

“And yet, with your lack of honour, you’d be nothing more than a notch on my belt,” I replied with fake disdain. The Vong stepped closer, its amphistaff centimetres from biting me as I ignored the fucking smell of the Vong. “Unless you are willing to prove it.”

“Explain.”

My nose wrinkled at its breath, which gave me another moment to plot out this insane idea I was developing. Yet it seemed I’d gotten the Vong’s undivided attention and led this thing to where this plan wanted it to head. Or so I hoped. “We settle this with a duel. Single combat.”

“Cameron!”

“I accept.” The Vong’s agreement cut off Fay from whatever speech she was about to give me about reckless behaviour. And since the Vong agreed, her trying to force me to back down would mean our deaths. Or I hoped she understood that as I’d rather not have this Hail Mary fail because she couldn’t see what I was trying to do. “What are the terms?”

I kept my focus on the Vong. “If I win, then you and your forces leave this world. If you somehow win, then we will arrange for the Sekotans that don’t wish to remain under your control to do the same.” Fay was glaring at me, or as much as she’d ever glare, but I didn’t care. Her plan had failed so badly that if I’d not risked this, we’d both likely be dead, which wasn’t something I’d like to experience again for a long arse time. And then there was the quest that implied that if I failed here the Vong would invade the galaxy soon, which would cause untold chaos and destruction. This was, at this moment the only path I could find that would end this war without trapping me here for a decade plus leading an insurrection against the Vong. And insurrection that would likely fail once the bulk of their forces arrived.

Behind the lead Vong, the calmer one spoke up. the lead Vong stepped back and turned to speak – though it sounded more like snarling – with its subordinate. As before, I couldn’t understand any of it even with Comprehend Speech active.

“This is a reckless move, Cameron,” Fay stated while doing a fair impression of Dooku with her tone, “with time, I feel a diplomatic solution could’ve been discovered.”

I knew I shouldn’t have, but I openly scoffed into Fay’s face. “If you truly believe that master, then I’ve got a lovely seaside property on Tatooine I’d like to sell you.” Fay frowned, not enjoying my humour, but frankly, I didn’t care. “I know this is reckless, but it’s the only play I can see. The only way I can guarantee gets all of us off this world alive.”

Fay’s expression softened in an instant, and one of her hands came to rest on my shoulder. “Cameron,” she began, her tone far gentler. Yet before she could say anything more, the lead Vong turned back to us.

“Your terms are accepted.” Behind him, the other Vong didn’t look pleased. Though it was hard to tell with how fucked up their faces were. The hot-headed one looked furious while the calmer one – and that term was relative since I think he simply wanted to rip my limbs from their sockets – seemed almost resigned about what was to happen. “Will this one honour the terms when you fall?”

I snarled up at the Vong, letting it know I didn’t think it was going to win even as Fay sighed. “Yes, I will accept my Padawan’s decision and abide by the Force’s will on this matter. No matter how foolish I feel it to be.” She looked at the other Vong. “Will your followers do the same when Cameron defeats you?” Well, at least Fay wasn’t trying to undermine me in front of the Vong.

“We will,” replied the calmer Vong. “Yum-Yammka will be honoured with blood this day.”

I rolled my eyes at hearing that a race that held no connection to the Force and was skilled at warfare would worship gods with blood. Based on the strange limbs I’d consider it a safe bet that they practised ritual sacrifices and mutilations as well. “Are we going to fight or are you going to bore me to death with details about your gods?” I asked, wanting to rattle the Vong. Yes, It being angry when we duelled would make it more aggressive, but it was also something I might be able to exploit. The Vong was likely a better fighter than any Vong I’d encountered before, but as it was single combat, I wouldn’t have to worry about another Vong stepping in to save it before I could land a blow as had often happened during ambushes.

Oddly the Vong laughed as if it was amused by my challenging its religion. “I will teach you about our gods when I offer you life to them. However, before then, they require prayer. Return here in ten hours and I will introduce you to the true gods.”

“Five,” I shot back, not wanting to give it the time he needed as it might place the Vong off-balance. “And I’d rather not fight you in range of the guns of your base and ships. Who’s to say that one of them would place victory by any means above honouring your gods?”

“We all serve the gods as their warriors in this life,” that came from the hot-headed Vong as it took a step forward. “To suggest otherwise is to court death!” it spat out as the calmer one yanked on its shoulder.

“Then go ahead and kill me now,” I snarled back, feeling slightly safe in the fact it wouldn’t as that would break the honour of its superior. “That is, of course, if your talk of honour was nothing but empty words!” From the way all three Vong were trying to burn me to ash with just their glares, it was clear I was planning a very dangerous game. But I was feeling secure in having manipulated the Vong into fighting me for the planet by understanding a tiny fraction of their culture. I needed the Vong off-balance since, with Fay likely to be nearby when the duel took place, I’d not be able to draw on Force Lightning to claim victory.

“Five hours. And we will fight where the pitiful leader of this world died.” The Lead Vong stated, drawing my attention to the two behind it. “Only our seconds will stand witness.”

“Agreed.” It gave me a nod and then took several steps backwards, not wanting to turn its back on me, before it reached its subordinates. As they headed back, but before Fay could speak, I used Observe on the Vong leader to see what I’d be facing.

Feir Kr’Lenah

Race: Yuuzhan Vong

Level: 33

Health: 100% (Replaced right forearm. Replaced left leg)

Age: 40

Force Potential: None

Threat Potential: Very High

Reputation: Hatred

Affiliation: Yuuzhan Vong (100%), Supreme Overlord Zho Krazhmir (100%)

Emotional State: Curious/Insulted

Feir is wondering if you are as competent a fighter as his warriors have reported and looks forward to granting you a quick death.

However, he is furious about your disrespect toward his gods.

...

I was pleased to see it was enraged about my behaviour towards its gods. While it would likely have calmed down by the time we fought, it proved that going after its honour and gods was a valid method to anger it. Still, the fact it was level 33 – which placed it on par with low-end Jedi Masters – was a concern. Doubly so since it didn’t have access to the Force. There was also the issue that it had replaced two limbs, as I’d seen the arm, but the leg was something I’d have to keep an eye on during the duel.

“Cameron,” I raised a hand toward Fay, cutting her off. There was a spike of displeasure in the Force which was mirrored by confusion on her face.

“We have much to talk about, master, I know. But perhaps we do so away from the Vong compound when we’re not under the cannons of the Vong base?”

For a moment, I didn’t think Fay would let the matter wait, but it ended with a sigh and a nod. “Very well. Though I’m more concerned with how you felt threatening the Vong leader and insulting their beliefs was the correct way to achieve what you desired.”

I took a step back, not wanting to turn around when in range of the Vong base, even as Fay showed less concern and faced toward the forest behind us. “Like Mandalorians, they are warriors, Master. As I’ve said several times already. Soft words and kind gestures are unlikely to work, even from a position of strength.”

Fay paused for a minute as if she was going to say something, only to shake her head. As she walked calmly to the treeline, unconcerned with the Vong cannon tracking our movement, I frowned. Her attempts at peace had failed, I’d proven the Vong were warriors, yet she was now willing to blindly trust that they’d keep their word and show them her back. It felt like a mistake to me, even a character flaw that hadn’t been shaken by spending over half a year in a coma.

I kept my eyes on the base until I was inside the trees, feeling that turning and showing my back might be taken the wrong way. Once past the tree line, I slipped from view, and then once sure there were no null-zones within range of my Detection-boosted minimap, turned and moved quickly to reach Fay and the transport to take us back to our ship.

… …

… …

I watched calmly as the Vong cruiser, likely the same one I’d seen over their base several hours ago, came closer. Standing here and waiting did carry the risk the Vong would just attack us here and now, but if honour truly didn’t matter to them, then they’d have taken the opportunity to take us out when we’d approached their base.

Around us was, for the most part, rubble. The Magister’s compound had been reduced to a massive pile of rubble; at least in the places where the ground hadn’t been scarred by whatever the Vong had done here.

“Are you prepared for this?” Fay asked as she stood at my side. While, as I’d expected, she’d been harsh toward me choosing to settle this conflict in single combat – and thus risk my life so brazenly – she’d also accepted that her attempted peace talks had failed. She recognised that if I hadn’t intervened, then we’d have likely been forced to fight our way away from the Vong base. Still, that didn’t make her happy with my choice to engage in combat to settle the matter. Something that likely influenced her making me meditate in solitude for three hours after we arrived back aboard our new starship. Currently, I’d still to give her a name, but a few options were bouncing around my head.

As we’d meditated, I’d initially tried to commune with the Force to see if this was the correct path to take. As expected, it’d been less than forthcoming in that regard, so I’d spent most of the time planning out how to fight the Vong leader. Force Lightning was basically out unless I wanted Fay to drag me over the coals when we returned to the temple. It’d still be there as an emergency asspull, but I’d rather not rely on it to defeat the Vong. Thus, I replayed every engagement I’d had with the Vong, trying to see what’d worked and what hadn’t. Since I knew nothing about this Vong’s combat capabilities, I was working from the worrying position that he was as far beyond the claw-handed Vong as that one was above their regular squad leaders.

When we’d finished our meditation, Bo had been waiting for me outside the room, and much to Fay’s amusement – and possibly some concern – had dragged me right back in before locking the door. Bo was angry that not only was I the one to fight the Vong leader, but that she’d not be my second. Going unsaid there was that she didn’t believe Fay would be of any help if things went sideways, however, I had faith in Fay to stick to the agreed terms. When I’d pushed Bo about her feelings on the matter, she’d grown angry, thinking I was mocking her and that I didn’t consider that she’d be left looking after Fenrir if I fell. To settle her nerves, and distract me for what was to come, I’d all but leapt at her and the next hour had been lost in a symphony of passion, mixed with some violence since Bo wasn’t the most gentle of lovers.

After emerging from my quarters again, and ignoring the looks the others gave us, I’d spoken briefly with Simvyl and Fenrir. The Cathar, like Bo, had wanted to be the one to fight the Vong, but he understood that I had a better chance of making the son of a Hutt – his words – pay. I’d asked him to keep an eye on Bo and Fenrir, and I’d also said something similar to Bo and Fenrir. The tuk’ata had walked at my side as I’d headed to the transport and then whined when I’d told him to stay. Bo gave me a look, making it clear she was relieved that I had returned, but made no move to hold me. While I’d have enjoyed the comfort, such public displays of affection weren’t common in Mandalorian culture, which was an odd counter with how important family was to them.

Our journey, up until this point, had been taken in silence. “I guess we’ll see,” I replied jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. The ripples of concern that emanated from Fay at my blasé response meant I’d failed. “I’ve fought and killed dozens of Vong since they arrived here, master, and while I expect their leader to be the toughest opponent yet, I know I can take him.”

Fay frowned, which was always an odd expression to see on her ageless face. “Again, I see Master Dooku’s influence in you, though be mindful of your confidence, lest it leads you to arrogance.” I smirked at both parts of that as I couldn’t deny that I had adopted many of Dooku’s mannerisms and understood well the concept of pride beyond the deserved. “And while I’d prefer you offer clemency to the Vong once you defeat him,” it was nice to hear her voice confidence in my abilities, “I doubt such a moment will present itself, or that the Vong would accept.”

Overhead, the cruiser stopped, and from the port side, a smaller ship emerged. The way the hull seemed to ripple back to expose the landing bay felt alien and yet oddly familiar. Something that was true for all Vong technology I’d seen as there were similarities to Sekotan technology, but whereas the Sekotans found joy in life and the world they lived on, it felt as if the Vong only cared about their needs and twisted their creations to suit those needs. As I pondered that more while the smaller ship, a troop transport by the looks of things, descended, I realised that while they were mainly different, there were odd angles and lines on the Vong cruiser that mirrored my new starship. Perhaps that was why the Vong felt so strongly that this world belonged to them.

The transport touched down near the remains of the main building of the Magister’s compound and I watched as two Vong exited. A quick usage of Observe confirmed the lead figure was Feir Kr’Lenah and it looked like the one behind it was, thankfully, the calmer of its subordinates.

“Are you prepared?” Feir called out once it was about thirty metres from me, its second having hung back near their transport. Along with other Vong that I could just see staying inside the vehicle.

I took a step forward only for Fay to stop me by placing a hand on the crook of my arm. “The Force is with you. Always.” I smiled at hearing her use that line and place one of my hands on hers before bowing slightly.

I slid from Fay’s grip and walked toward the Feir until I was about twenty metres from it. “I’m ready, though I wish to know the name of the being who will die by my blade today. So that his name might be known by others.”

“I am Feir Kr’Lenah; Subaltern of the Praetorite Vong. This day, I claim this seed of Yuuzhan'tar for my people.” As the Vong spoke, I felt the Force around me shift. Yet it didn’t feel as if it was a general ripple in the Force, but one centred upon the world. As if it somehow understood what was at stake. As for the Vong, its rank meant nothing, though being a member of the Praetorite Vong was interesting as that was similar in name to the Praetorian Guard of ancient Rome. Those had served as the bodyguards, spymasters, and agents of the emperors of Rome, so might these Vong be serving a similar role for their Supreme Overlord? Yuuzhan'tar was a word that came up often and based on its similarity to the species' name, it was likely their homeworld, but how the fuck could a planet be the seed of another? That just sounded like some bullshit reasoning to explain their invasion.

“Well met, Feir Kr’Leanh,” I began as I slipped into a Makashi stance. I wasn’t removing my lightsaber as that might be seen as the start of combat, but I moved my hand in the gesture for an opening salute. “I am Cameron Shan, Chief of Clan Shan, Mtael of the Lokella and Padawan of the Jedi Order,” it seemed to snarl at hearing that, making me wonder if it realised my rank was very low, “and I fight today to protect this world for those who’ve lived here long before you arrived. And will do so long after your death.”

“Today is a good day for you to die.” Feir snarked, his amphistaff twisting around and snapping at me from across the dust-filled ground that separated us.

“And for me, it’s just another day killing your species.” I retorted as I flicked on my lightsaber, enjoying as always the faint roar it generated due to the small krayt dragon pearl. While I’d love to add the Mantle of the Force, it wasn’t quite at the point where the crystal was fully aligned to me, nor was my skill with lightsabers at a point where I could add a fourth crystal to the matrix. My beskad stayed against my hip for now, as I didn’t want to use it too early and have him realise the danger it posed to him and his living weapon.

Feir’s head tilted to one side as if confused or insulted by my comment. A moment later, with no roar of anger nor hint it was coming bar the slight shifting of its feet, the Vong charged. I settled my feet, and waited, wanting to see what this Vong was capable of doing in the opening moments of our duel. My eyes carefully tracked the amphistaff as it hardened.

My rear foot shifted, altering the angle of my body as my lightsaber tapped the staff away. It shifted into its whip form, but I’d already rotated and slid back, so the snapping jaw found nothing but air. Even then, Feir was turning, using the ability of its weapon to swiftly change the attack vector. The snake-head leapt low, aiming for my lead leg. I pulled it back even as my lightsaber twitched down. The snake-head recoiled in pain as my blade slashed one eye, though the movement prevented the plasma from doing any further damage.

A roll of Feir’s shoulders had it shifting direction, the amphistaff coming upward and hardening in a single motion. I slid back, my lightsaber filling the space between me and the Vong. This entire segment of the duel was a feeling-out section. Feir was only attacking as quickly as the Vong squad leaders, while I was keeping my distance, trying to spot holes in his form while making sure neither Vong nor its weapon landed anything more than a glancing blow. I had plans for later in the duel, but I’d only use them if needed.

Feir came at me directly, possibly because I was defending on a linear axis and wanted to test that. A sidestep one way was a feint as he swung his staff from the other side, keeping it in its rigid form, aiming low toward my legs. My lightsaber slid out, pushing the snake-head into the dirt. Feir pulled it back while bringing the tail overhead. I slid back and turned, placing my lightsaber over my head to block the strike.

As I came out of the spin, my lightsaber came around quickly, having picked up speed from my move, and aimed for the Vong’s thigh. Feir blocked with the heft of his spear and then pushed the snake-head, which was down low, toward me. With no choice, my beskad came out and the flat of the blade slapped the snake-head under its jaw as I couldn’t turn my wrist in time to slice the damned living weapon.

With both my weapons now out, the Vong saw an opportunity. One hand slid from its staff and thrust toward me. Seeing the claws extend from the hand, I leapt back and they caught nothing but air. That made me glad I’d left my robes back on the transport. If I’d worn them here, the claws could’ve caught them enough that the Vong knocked me off-balance.

Yet even as I withdrew, my wrist twisted, guiding my lightsaber over its elbow. It struck the black armour yet left only a faint discolouration as it withdrew. That confirmed its armour was on-par, at least, with the red-shell armour of the claw-handed Vong. Still, I’d landed the first hit, and it hissed in annoyance as I re-established a gap between us and saw the mark on his armour.

“My warriors spoke truly.” Feir’s words caught me off-guard as I’d not expected him to speak once the duel had started. “You have some skill. Still, it won’t be enough to defeat me.” Feir finished as he shook his arm almost nonchalantly.

“Yet I landed the first blow. One that only saved you as you hide behind your armour.” It was a weak insult, but I knew I could get under his skin by targeting his beliefs. “I doubt your gods will look favourably upon that.”

Something that was likely a laugh, but sounded more like diamonds scraping over metal, slipped from Feir’s lips. “Being wounded in battle is a mark of respect for our gods, and our cause. Though what they desire most is our victory.”

I smirked, shifting my stance to account for me now holding my beskad. While I hadn’t yet maxed out either Jar’Kai or dual-wielding, I’d grown far better at both over the last few months. “Sadly, you won’t taste victory here, but perhaps your death will suffice for your gods to forgive you in the afterlife.”

Whether the insult bothered him or not, the Vong rushed forward, resuming the duel. It took Feir less time to reach me, indicating he’d been holding back, and three rapid thrusts came at me. None landed as I blocked two and avoided the last by sliding to one side, mainly as the first two had more power behind them, causing me issues with my balance.

Feir pulled back slightly and began to circle, the hardened staff probing for an opening as I turned to match his movements. My lightsaber stayed low, keeping it ready to parry or attack if the situation arose while my beskad stayed closer to my chest as a higher defensive option.

The Vong probed my defence several times, each being parried or pulled back before I had to, until, after what felt like minutes but was likely barely one since the Force was increasing my speed and reaction times, he twirled the staff. For a moment I considered attacking, only to realise the movement of the Vong’s weapon was a ruse, designed to lure me in.

Seeing that his plan hadn’t worked, Feir brought the staff down, snake-head coming in from high. My lightsaber slid upward to guide the attack away from my legs as the alien weapon was too far away for my beskad to reach without upsetting my stance. Yet, as my lightsaber touched the staff, it lost rigidity.

The weapon started coiling around my lightsaber even as the blade slid down the staff’s body. The fangs of the snake-head were dangerously close to my hands and I pulled back. Yet, even as the plasma blade slid out of the rapidly closing coils, the Vong removed one hand from his staff. A twist with the other hand had the whip-staff snap around.

The weapon spun and hardened as it moved around my blade, and before I could even shift my wrist to counter, the Vong weapon hardened; the fangs of the snake-head closing in rapidly on my chest. My beskad came down frantically, hoping to stop the attack before it landed, even as I attempted to shuffle back. The beskad caught a chink in the staff and drove it down, yet I hissed as the fangs gorged my side, some of my blood staining the ground below.

I used the Force to leap back, establishing a good ten metres between us, yet as I landed, I saw Feir hadn’t pushed his attack. Instead, his weapon had coiled around his arm and he’d run a finger over the snake’s fangs. “First blood,” Feir stated before licking my blood from his finger. “I shall enjoy savouring more after you fall this day.”

I snarled as I quickly opened the notice detailing the wound. I offered a silent prayer to the Force that the wound wasn’t poisoned, nor painful. However, not wanting to heal it and risk losing FP when I didn’t know how much I’d need later in the duel, I let it bleed. Control Pain was already active, having auto-engaged the moment I was wounded, and since it was a minor thing, the wound was easy to ignore for now.

Feir charged, his staff shifting into its whip form. The snake-head hissed loudly, barring its fangs, though black ichor seeped from the missing eye. The Vong threw what was all but a punch, though the amphistaff leapt with it, snapping frantically. My beskad moved, seeking a chink in the armour, only for the weapon to harden. Feir lunged forward as it did, getting the snake-head past my beskad, though I was able to get enough contact that the weapon tip sailed past my shoulder.

The Vong shifted his stance, moving the staff toward my skull. I ducked and at the same time, my beskad slid down the weapon and then clipped the guard over the top of the lead hand. That was enough to halt the attack, and also left Feir exposed. My lightsaber came up, though rocks I’d scooped from the ground with the Force struck the Vong in its face.

Feir spluttered as dust gathered around his face, his grip on his weapon slackening for a moment, which was all I needed. My lightsaber followed the rocks, yet instead of going for his hands, which were exposed, the tip was thrust forward. It slid up his chest armour, which caused him to react, trying to pull back. But it was too late. I smiled in satisfaction as the tip sunk into the flesh under his arm, making it fall limp in an instant.

The Vong roared in defiance and twisted. My lightsaber moved around inside before being forced out as it clipped the edge of the armour and was guided away. Then, in a display of impressive speed and resilience, the Vong slammed his shoulder into my chest even as my beskad moved along the amphistaff, looking to cleave the weapon in two.

The staff’s snake-head lunged forward, its fangs missing my heart but digging into my clothing. I pulled back, bringing my lightsaber up closer to my body. The snake-head was forced to let go, though not before it and my lightsaber left me with an exposed chest, the wound from earlier still seeping blood onto my skin.

I moved back, establishing some room even as the amphistaff coiled around the Vong’s now useless arm. I shifted my stance in reply, adopting a modified Makashi stance with my beskad down and to the side, ready to strike if any opportunity arose.

For the briefest of moments, Fay's hope that I’d offer mercy to the Vong floated into my mind. Yet seeing the thing snarl at me as its weapon, blood seeping from its ruined eye, hissed pathetically, I squashed the idea. The Vong deserved no mercy. Only death.

It seemed the Vong agreed as, even with one arm hanging limply, he still attacked. A roar of defiance came from his lungs as he raced toward me, and I felt a smile creep onto my lips. This was a good fight and if he wanted a clean death, I’d give him one.

His good arm surged forward, claws extending. My lightsaber came up, slicing through them, though the hand kept coming and I was forced to backpedal to avoid taking the stumps of the claws in my face. Though as I moved back, I saw strands of hair fall away, the claw stumps still sharp enough to slice them from my head. The snake-head lunged, but my beskad clipped it before it could do any damage.

The working fist went low, the sliced claws tracking for my thigh, though my beskad was able to quickly get down with a rotation of my wrist, removing several of the Vong’s fingers and all but ending the threat the fist posed. However, as if sensing that, the amphistaff leapt from the useless arm, sailing through the air toward me.

My lightsaber moved across my face, catching the amphistaff in its remaining eye though not before the thing slammed into the side of my face, forcing me to close my left eye as the fangs reared back on approach.

With my left eye closed from the wound, and the hissing of the snake-head overwhelming my ear, I knew I needed to generate room quickly, and watched the world turn silver as I teleported away. As the light faded, I found myself a good forty metres from Feir, though given the unstable ground, before I could set my feet, I slipped, dropping to a knee.

The hand holding my beskad came up and my fingers touched around my eye. I winced at the small jolt of pain that came from the wound before I opened the newest notice from the Interface. I breathed deeply in relief when it said that while I had a deep cut over my cheek, eye socket and forehead I hadn’t lost the eye. Even as Force Heal sealed the wound, and I used an undamaged and undirtied section of my robe to clean the wound, I felt the rage inside me surging; demanding to be let out and make this thing pay for daring to injure me as it had. To burn the Vong to a crisp and leave its ashes to scatter in the winds.

That urge was strong, but I was stronger still. Allowing my anger and fury to control me wasn’t the path I wished to take, wasn’t how I wanted to defeat the Vong. Nor did I want Fay to sense me doing so in that way. The darkness inside was a part of me, but it didn’t control me. I controlled it. I wasn’t going to allow it to twist me, the ramifications of doing that were far too great. Thus, with some effort as images of Zarkos and Sekotans that’d died because of the Vong flashed through my thoughts, I pushed the anger aside and brought the storm raging within under control once more.

With the cut healed, though the Interface said I still had to heal the scar as the Vong weaponry interfered with Force-assisted healing, I opened the eye, only to grunt. While the wound was no longer bleeding, and surface blood had mainly been wiped away by my robes, there was still some in my eye and even with Control Pain active, it still itched. I blinked rapidly, ignoring the itch, to clear my eye, even as I saw the Vong moving toward me.

The entire incident, of teleporting away and then discovering and healing the wound and clearing my had only taken a few seconds with the Force accelerating my body. Even after years of using the Force, this always impressed me, as it was still something that amazed me, especially when I saw that Feir had only covered perhaps half the distance between us while I’d dealt with my wound. Hell, the entire duel, even including the short verbal exchange, had barely been going on for under three minutes, even if it felt closer to ten in my mind.

I pushed aside that wonder as the Vong continued to rush me. His face was twisted in rage, having realised, with one arm useless, the claws on the other removed – along with a few fingers – and his amphistaff blinded, that he was going to die. Yet still, he fought on. I could respect that, even as I took pleasure in seeing the damage that I’d done to him was far greater than anything I’d taken.

As my feet slid on the dust-covered ground, I took a deep breath, centring myself. My weapons were held low, ready to move to defend and counter anything the Vong could do while I plotted out possible ways he might try and attack with virtually no offensive weaponry beyond his body and armour left. The Vong had made me taste my own blood, as some had run down my cheek to my lips, and my body sang to return the favour before I ended this fight.

Feir’s working arm pulled back, going for an overpowered but telegraphed attack. My lightsaber flicked up to meet the oncoming hand, sliding between two remaining fingers, then slicing the hand in half until stopping as the armour around the forearm slammed into the blade.

The Vong pushed against my blade, forcing it back, but I used this. With the plasma blade lodged against his armour, I pushed the blade across my body, forcing him to one side, while I pulled my front foot back and pivoted. The Vong rushed past my back even as my lightsaber slid free of the armour, unable to attack since his body had been guided away from me.

My pivot ended with the blade of my beskad swirling around, slamming into the back of the Vong’s neck. While the armour stopped me from beheading the creature with the blow, it forced the Vong to fall face-first into the dirt. The amphistaff hissed pathetically, snapping at nothing as it tried in vain to defend its master, right up until my beskad slammed down, finding a chink in the armour while it was in the whip form, and severed the head from the body.

As the weapon fell limp on my metal blade, my lightsaber slid between the armoured spikes that rose to protect the Vong’s skull, finding no resistance as the plasma burnt a hole through the brain. To be sure, I twisted my wrist, drawing the tip of my lightsaber to each side, and watched in grim satisfaction as the upper section of his skull slipped to the ground, smoke rising from where the flesh had been instantly cauterized.

Sure, the Vong was now dead; I turned, wanting to see how Feir’s second would react. The terms had been agreed and they’d come here for this fight, but I still couldn’t be sure the second would accept the terms. It took one step toward me, and even as I used Observe, I reached out with the Force, taking control of several large boulders nearby that, if it came to it, I’d launch at the Vong cruiser. It’d likely not take it down, but the chaos would allow me to move before it fired on my location.

Of course, as I read the information from Observe, I felt myself relax a fraction.

Sekr Grlaniq

Race: Yuuzhan Vong

Level: 26

Health: 100% (Replaced left hand, replaced lower right leg, replaced left foot)

Age: 40

Force Potential: None

Threat Potential: Very High

Reputation: Hatred

Affiliation: Yuuzhan Vong (100%), Supreme Overlord Zho Krazhmir (100%)

Emotional State: Impressed/Concerned

Sekr is impressed at your combat prowess and accepts Feir Kr’Lenah died a good death in service of the gods.

That said, Sekr is worried about how Prefect Da’Gara will react to them losing the seed of Yuuzhan’tar to a Jedi.

...

As Sekr came closer, its amphistaff hissing as it looked down at its brethren, I slid into a relaxed defensive posture. Though I didn’t release the grip I was keeping on a dozen boulders with the Force. Observe said he accepted Feir’s death, not that he’d acknowledge the terms of the duel.

“The duel has ended,” the Vong all but spat after taking a long look at the partially decapitated body of its former leader. “By the terms agreed upon, we will withdraw from this planet. That will take a planetary cycle to complete.”

Hesitantly, I nodded in acceptance. It lifted a wrist to its mouth and spat out something in the cursed Vong tongue. Behind it, four new Vong emerged from the transport, making me tense.

“They will claim the body.” My eyes stayed on the rapidly approaching Vong even as Sekr spoke. “Today you fought well, proved your honour, and the gods accept your victory. However, your name will now join those of others who’ve defiled our holy mission. When our people are ready, they will hunt you and those around you down, making you suffer eternal agony for this defeat.”

“They are welcome to try,” I shot back as the four Vong reached us. Three gave me evil eyes but did nothing. Much to my annoyance. I still wanted to fight, still wanted to kill more Vong, yet I pushed that desire aside. Doing so would risk the victory I’d achieved here today.

Though since the Invaders From the Void quest wasn’t showing as complete, the desire to keep fighting was kept close. Until all these fuckers had left the world, I’d not relax, nor savour my victory. No matter how much I had enjoyed it.

… …

… …

Only once the transport had reached the treeline, and slunk away from sight, did I relax in my seat. The rush of the fight slowly fell away, giving way to relief that it was over, though there was little exhaustion as while the fight had been intense, my sparring sessions with Dooku were often more taxing. Now, that wasn’t to undersell Feir’s ability, just that without the Force, and with me knowing how to fight Vong – or at least those on or below his standing – it meant the fight had been far easier than I’d expected. Though that hadn’t stopped Fay from fussing over my cuts once we’d reached the transport. She’d used the Force to heal the wounds on my stomach and leg, but the scars remained, as they always did as I had to actively choose to remove them. Or at least move to keep them within a certain amount of time as was the case after spending a week or so in the bacta tank after my rescue from the Bando Gora.

“While I was confident in your ability to defeat the Vong’s leader,” Fay said as she placed a small bacta patch over my eye, hoping to help the scar heal faster, “I still wish you had been able to secure the Vong’s departure without further death. Though the cost of a single life to save thousands is a trade I would reluctantly accept.”

“Yes, Master, and thank you,” I replied, trying not to look too smug - which was hard since I’d been right all along – even as a smile crept onto my face.

Fay laughed softly and shook her head. She then placed a hand on my shoulder, the one away from my now-covered eye. “You have the right to be proud of what you’ve accomplished today. You may be brave, and occasionally foolish in how you approach situations, but you always find a way through. I, along with Master Dooku I’m sure, am eternally grateful to the Force for guiding me to you. The Force has a plan for you, as I’m sure you’re well aware,” I chuckled nervously as it wasn’t just the Force that had plans for me, “and while that path will undoubtedly be a difficult one, it has been my honour to guide you on your first steps, help you stand back up each time you fell, and I look forward to watching what you and the Force shall accomplish together in the future.”

My smile grew. It was a relief to hear she wasn’t letting any feelings about how I’d behaved in the duel, or how I’d forced the Vong into it, to damage our bond. After giving my shoulder a squeeze, she moved back and settled into her chair. A comfortable silence fell over the cabin.

…

A few hours later the transport began descending as we approached the Jentari foundries and my new starship. About halfway through the flight, Fay started speaking again. She’d brought up moments in my duel, focusing on the feelings she’d sensed from me when my emotions had been at their peaks. When she’d first started I’d been concerned she was going to lecture me on the negative emotions she’d sensed, but instead, she praised me for not giving into those desires. For letting them drift into the Force and letting it guide my actions instead.

Now she was slowly removing the bacta patch from my eye, a frown coming to her face. “It appears the scar hasn’t healed.” She paused and stared into my eyes. “Might this be because you wish to keep it as you did those suffered during your verd’goten?”

I nodded. “Aye. Even though I won the fight, I want a reminder that even when it felt like I’d already won, the fight hadn’t finished, and I almost lost the eye because of that mistake.”

Fay shook her head, though there was no sadness behind the gesture. “While I feel there are other ways to learn that lesson, I am glad you have.” She dropped the used bacta patch with the ones from my stomach and leg – those scars I had healed – in a bin. “Though I do wonder if the scar isn’t also to show off for Ms. Kryze?” she smirked as she asked that and I chuckled back as I shrugged.

“Well, that would be a nice bonus.” Again Fay shook her head, though this time it was accompanied by her gentle laughter.

“True enough.” The transport shuddered as it landed, reminding me once again that it was a small miracle that it still flew. “Though I do hope you don’t allow this bonus to consume too much of your time. I, for one, look forward to returning to the temple with this marvellous new vessel to show the Council. And perhaps, speak with others of the trials you’ve endured upon this world.” My brow creased at her odd phrasing, but before I could think on it more, the door hissed open and Fay waved her hand toward it. “I believe there are some friends who would prefer to see you emerge first.”

With a smirk, I stood and moved to the door, putting her words aside as I stepped into the sunlight. Though I only got a few steps before a large black mass slammed into me, and it was only by a small miracle that I didn’t slam my head into the transport as Fenrir started licking my face.

“Fenrir! Get off!” I shouted as I tried to push the massive beast – he’d grown more in our time on the planet and now was about the size of a pony – however, Fenrir wasn’t about to let me go. Even as his tongue covered my face in saliva, I heard laughter from all around.

Eventually, even as I failed to move the giant beast, I felt someone pull him back. “Alright, you’ve had your turn,” I heard Bo say as the light returned to my vision. “Let the rest of us see him.” Fenrir whined loudly but obeyed her – which, even after months on this planet always amused me as Bo was the only other person Fenrir even considered listening to – and slunk away. As I pushed myself to my elbows, I saw him walk over to Fay, who laughed as he gently pushed up against her.

“That thing’s dead, then?” I looked up at Simvyl. His face was hard to read, though the Force let me know he was conflicted. Hope, anger, and relief radiated from him in equal measure.

“Aye, and the rest are leaving in the next day or so. Or so they claim.” That seemed to settle the Cathar, though the fur on his head matted as he frowned.

“Good.” His shoulders suddenly slumped. “While I still want them all dead for what they did, at least if the planet’s saved then Kekda and Irone’s deaths mean something.” He took a step back, but I leapt up and gripped his shoulder, stopping him even as I saw Bo trying to not jump me.

“They, and those who also died, will be remembered by the Sekotans. And us. Their name won’t fade into the blackness of the cosmos.” He got a strange look on his face, which wasn’t a surprise as my words were a little unexpected even to me before he nodded. He then gripped my forearm, and I returned the gesture. After a moment, he nodded again and then broke the grip, before walking away.

“I see you made it back in mostly one piece,” Bo remarked, drawing my attention to her just as I saw Fenrir bound over to Simvyl with the Cathar now comfortable around the massive war hound.

“Aye, more or less,” I replied before coughing as some of Fenrir’s drool slipped into my mouth. As I heaved to get it out and wiped my face with the ruined remains of my robes, Bo laughed.

“And the other guy?” She asked once she’d gotten her laughter under control.

It took me about a minute to reply as I desperately wiped my face clean. Or at least clean enough that no more slobber was going to seep into my mouth or eyes. “Dead, though he did leave me a parting gift,” I remarked, rapping my head near the scar.

Bo leaned closer, examining the mark. She nodded, seemingly pleased about it. “Oof!” I fell back, landing on my arse after she slammed her fist, encased in her crushgaunt, into my gut.

“Next time you’re taking me, you ois’kovid!” she snarked before taking a step forward. As she dropped to a knee in front of me, I rubbed my stomach, glad the Force had healed that wound long before I’d returned. For a moment, I was worried she’d strike me again, and as her hand came toward my head, I rather embarrassingly tensed. She smirked at that, and then after gripping my hair, gave me a big hug. “And that’s for winning.” She leaned close. “And we need to celebrate your victory.”

She pulled back, and her face wrinkled. “But first, go and wash. You stink of Vong and the mutt!”

Somewhere behind her, Fenrir whined, which made me laugh.

… …

… ..

Quest Completed!

Invaders From the Void [֍]

Objectives:

:a: Ensure the survival of all members of your group, including the Antarian Rangers, for the length of the quest. [5/7]

:b: Protect the planet from the Yuuzhan Vong by either driving the invaders from the planet, [YES]

Or eliminating the entire occupation force. [NO]

? :c: Defeat the Commanders of the invasion force. [1/3]

? :d: Discover your Sekotan starship and pilot it at least once. [NO]

Rewards/Penalties:

:a: 5000XP [+500XP]

:b: 8000XP [+800XP]

:c: 2000XP [+200XP]

...

LEVEL UP!

Level: 27 -> 28

FP: +650

PerkP: +1

PP: +2

STAM: + 44

SP: +4

SKP: +40

...

I smirked as I read the notices from the Interface the night after returning to my ship. Gann had just arrived to tell me the Vong had left the planet, and that the Sekotan engineers were having a party to celebrate. I’d said I’d be down later, having wanted to head somewhere to confirm this with these notices.

The bigger increases than at level 27 in terms of SP – Stat Points – and SKP – Skill Points – were due to be spending my reserve of SP on increasing my Intelligence to 40. I’d done so at the start of this mission, fearing that I might fail and wanting to spend them how I could. My physical stats were out as those had reached the combined limit of 65, and while boosting Charisma and Wisdom to 30 was also done, the bulk went into Intelligence for when, I’d hoped, I completed the quest and levelled up.

Now, it was hard to judge how the increases in my Charisma and Wisdom had affected me, but I felt I was seeing possible avenues to use faster with the marked improvement in my Intelligence. Though it was a hard thing to quantify. Plus, with me now being level 28, I could select a new perk, thus I quickly called up the relevant menus to see the choices.

PERKS

These are earned by spending perk points [which you earn at a rate of 1PP per 4 levels].

Perks have requirements in PP, stat. and level values that must be met before they become available for selection.

Currently, you have the following perks:

Ambidextrous

Boosted Growth [1/3]

Eidetic Memory

Empathy

Heart of the Force [1/2]

...

Available Perks:

Bookworm

Boosted Growth Mark 2

Brainiac Mark 1

Cat’s Grace Mark 1

Cult of Personality Mark 1

Dominant Mark 1

Giant’s Strength Mark 1

Iron Skin Mark 1

Luck of the Force Mark 1

Medic Mark 1

One with Beasts

One With Nature

Physical Regeneration Mark 1

Stat Limit Boost Mark 1

Style Mark 1

Wisdom of the Ancients Mark 1

...

I smiled at the list even if it was all but the same as the last time. That meant most perks were ignored or pushed aside for lack of usefulness. Of those I considered, Boosted Growth Mark 2, One with Beasts, Physical Regeneration Mark 1 and Stat Limit Boost Mark 1 made the most sense.

Boosted Growth would make it easier to reach level-ups, which was a growing concern as my rate of level growth had slowed considerably over the last few years. One with Beasts would, I felt, offer some help with Fenrir, though to be honest, things with him felt well established and our bond was already strong and clear. Physical Regeneration would be useful for those moments when the Force wasn’t able to be accessed or struggled to work in healing me. While Stat Limit Boost would lift my physical stats by an overall total of 10.

It was a tough choice, and one I was still considering when my door chimed. A gesture had the door slide open, and Bo sauntered in, a wide smile on her face.

“What’s this I hear about you not celebrating with us?” She asked, her face slightly rosy and as she came closer, I caught hints of fruity alcohol on her breath. “Think you’re too good for us?”

“No. I was just meditating on the matter, wanting to be sure that the Vong were gone and would stay gone.”

At my reply, she shook her head and then slid her legs over mine. “If they’re gone, then good. If not, then we just get to kill more of them. Either way, I don't care."

… …

… …

The sound of something pounding nearby forced my eyes to reluctantly open. The beds the Sekotans had installed on my ship were incredibly soft and lying on them for more than a few minutes resulted in me falling asleep. Once I’d slipped on enough to be decent, I opened the door with the Force. Simvyl stumbled in, having been caught out by the door opening silently. Behind him, I saw Fenrir pacing, clearly agitated by Simvyl’s behaviour.

“The Vong are attacking!” He spat out once he’d regained his footing, his eyes narrowing into slits as anger rolled of him with an intensity that made him burn like a star in the Force. “I knew we couldn’t trust them!”

Even as I pulled my cloak to me – my robes having been placed aside for repairs after the duel with the Vong commander – my mind reached out for Fay’s. [Master?]

[I’m in the cockpit, Cameron. The situation is graver than Simvyl realises.] With those ominous words, Fay closed the link. I stepped forward, moving around Simvyl even as I clipped my dragon skin cloak into place. While I’d lost a few during the insurgency, I still had three more stored onboard. They’d been kept safe in my Inventory until Fay had awoken, at which point I’d placed them in a drawer in my room.

As I walked toward the cockpit, my fingers brushed against the organic sections of the walls. I could feel the combined mind of the ship, formed from the seed-partners of myself and Fay, reacting to my touch. The ship might not understand what something was happening, but she knew she’d soon fly. I could feel her excitement at finally doing what she was born to do: dance among the stars. Vidge, who last I knew had left the ship to join the party with his fellow shapers, had said that touching the ship would accelerate her healing, and restore the weakened bond between her, myself, and Fay. From what I’d felt since we’d arrived, she’d been on point as whereas before the ship had been timid, now she was coming alive at the thought of flying for the first time.

“Master,” I said as I emerged into the cockpit. Fay, as usual, was in the co-pilot’s seat. While she could sit in the main chair, she’d made clear I’d be piloting the ship, and with the majority of the seed-partners coming from me, she understood I’d have a stronger connection to the ship. Though, like me, she marvelled at feeling the ship all around us, even returning to the giddy schoolgirl moment I’d seen when we’d first bonded with our seed-partners.

“The Vong fleet have re-entered orbit several hours ago, however, this time they are choosing a more blunt-force approach to subjugating the planet,” the ship shook, and I heard various vines groan, as if to punctuate her words, and wondered just what the fuck the Vong were up to. “In keeping with the terms of your duel, the Vong aren’t landing, and instead are bombarding the planet from orbit; targeting the various population centres of the planet.”

I slid into the pilot’s chair, it adapting to my body so seamlessly that it felt like a part of me. My fingers quickly found the controls I needed to learn the ship’s status. As they did, it felt as if the console was reaching out for my hand, wanting to merge with me, and I felt the mind of the ship if it could be called that, grow even more impatient and excited. As the displays told me the ship’s status, I felt its mind do so as well, though in more instinctive language.

One hand drifted to a lever and gently eased it forward to push power from the core into the sub-light engines and anti-gravity generators. The lever moved forward so easily that it almost felt as if it was anticipating my touch. As a faint hum passed through the ship for the first time as the engines powered up under my control, the ship’s mind seemed to ready itself for flight. Almost granting me knowledge of how to move the controls to get her airborne faster.

Around the cockpit, the lights seemed to brighten and pulse energetically, and as the ship slowly rose from the massive vines cradling it, I shuddered as the ship’s excitement grew stronger. A glance over at Fay showed her smiling enthusiastically, meaning she was experiencing the same sensations. My fingers danced over the controls, seemingly knowing where they needed to go before I thought about it, and the ship rose and turned with a grace I felt no sentient could match.

The ship rippled with pleasure in the Force, and I could feel her reacting to the lift, adjusting the power to the thrusters lifting us upward before I could. Faint images came to my mind about ways to improve her reaction time as the canopy above us, the one that had hidden her for months from the Vong, slid back; allowing her to bask in starlight for the first time.

Readings came in from the sensors, noting atmospheric conditions, yet as my fingers brushed against other controls, for the briefest of moments, a shiver went up my spine as I felt the air caressing the hull. In my mind’s eye, I saw fleeting images of the trees outside, of the Jentari as they seemed to move to watch their latest, and in my mind greatest, creation rise into the sky.

Further than I seemed to glimpse within my mind, the Vong were moving. The shipboard sensors were tracking two dozen in orbit, volleys of fire emerging from them and raining down on Zonama Sekot. It wasn’t turbolaser fire, but from the gouges being inflicted on the surface, it was just as effective. Provided we found some way to drive off the Vong fleet – and I was still racking my brains for anything that might work, bar a suicide run against their largest vessel – I’d be pouring over the sensor logs to determine just what those starships were firing.

My thoughts were drawn to the readout from the sensors as we lifted high enough that data from beyond the valley housing the shaping pits and the Jentari could be collected. “They’re not aiming directly at Far Distance,” I detailed for Fay, letting her know what I was seeing and faintly sensing. “Though it appears I was incorrect about their target. While some parts of the city appear to have been struck, most of the impacts are beyond the city limits. I’d surmise the same is true for Middle Distance and will be for the shapers here once the Vong realise we’ve taken flight.”

“While I’d normally suggest moving to help those in danger, in this case, I’d advise against it.” I looked at her from the corner of my eye as the ship felt as if she as begging me to take her higher; to let her dance among the stars. “It is only a matter of time until we are detected and approaching a built-up area would increase the rate of fire upon it.”

“We have to fight!” The words came from Bo as she strode into the cockpit. I’d been expecting her to arrive as I could sense her both through the Force and by a general feeling form the ship that indicated where the other beings within her were. I heard Simvyl grunt in agreement which meant that, with Fenrir lying at the rear of my seat, everyone was inside the cockpit, making it a very crowded place.

“As much as I agree, I’m not sure how,” I replied as the ship rose higher and higher. A ripple in the Force came form all around me, as if the ship felt I doubted her. “She’s a remarkable creation, but unless you plan to step outside and bolt yourself to her hull, we’re unarmed.” I didn’t need to see or sense Bo to know her opinions on that matter echoed my own. The first moment I could, I was going over the hull and the power core and seeing where I could attach weaponry.

“Take us into orbit. While there is little we can do directly to stop the Vong, perhaps we might be reach an accord with the new Vong commander.”

I rolled my eyes at Fay’s words, though as my fingers drifted over the relevant controls – the ships seemingly anticipating my commands before I inputted them – I sensed Fay was as doubtful that talking would solve things as I was. There was no feel of acceleration as the ship surged upward, the clouds sliding past as we raced through them. As we neared the ozone layer, I could almost feel the shifting pressure, and the joy the ship felt as she felt the light of a star unobscured by the planet’s atmosphere.

I felt the vessel shift as Fay spoke. “Several Vong ships have broken from the nearest flotilla and are heading our way.” Even as I heard the words, it felt as if the ship was offering me advice on how to move her; which angles would work best to avoid the incoming ships and any fire they might send our way. Yet, as I felt that information, something far more powerful, yet still barely out of infancy, pulled my mind deeper into the mental link I shared with the ship.

…

‘What?’ The word felt as if it slipped from my mouth, yet I knew I was deep inside my mind. Or I thought I did, as the more I looked around and failed to see anything marking this mindscape, the less certain I was about things. ‘Where am I?’

‘We must talk.’ I spun, acting as though standard gravity was still affecting me even though there was not present, and found myself staring at the Magister. However, I knew that couldn’t be the case as the odds that he survived the devastation of his compound was, well closer to zero than one per cent. Plus, the more I focused on the man in front of me, the clearer it became that whatever I was talking to was simply borrowing his visage to communicate with me.

‘About what? And who the hell are you?’ While I didn’t feel threatened in this mindscape, I disliked not knowing whom I was speaking with.

‘About choices, I think.’ The Magister paused and looked off into the distance. ‘This method of… interacting is strange, new.’ I blinked as the Magister’s hand seemed to shift in and out of phase. ‘Yet it is the only way I have found to talk with you. I simply wish we had more time to speak.’ I frowned, my mind slowly putting together just who I was speaking to even if I found it impossible to process even if the presence the Magister was radiating reminded me of only one thing: the planet. ‘As for who I am, to some, I am called Sekot.’

I blinked at having my suspicions confirmed even as I took a step back in disbelief. ‘How?’ The question escaped my lips as the final pieces of the puzzle reading the planet fell into place. The constant, seemingly overwhelming, yet never dominating, ancient yet new-born sensation given off by the Magister in this mindscape made complete sense now. ‘You’re what we’ve been sensing ever since we arrived in orbit? The presence that permeates every native thing on the planet?’

Sekot, smiled. ‘Yes. For a long time, I’ve wished to speak with you and the other. Her mind was easier to sense yet hers was closed not long after a link was formed; before I could attempt to reach her. She was focused on healing. I offered what help I could, though I failed to understand what was happening to her, or how to help.’ Sekot looked down, as if ashamed of this failure, reminding me of a child speaking to an adult.

‘How old are you?’ I knew the answer was going to be slightly confusing as Sekot felt both ancient and young, yet I wanted to hear it from the source to confirm.

‘I awoke, as you would understand it, only a few cycles ago. Until today, the only ones to have ever heard my thoughts have been the Magisters, and even then, I could only speak in images.’ Sekot’s head tilted to one side before it took a step toward me. Part of me was concerned about being near a sentient planet and wanted nothing to do with what was happening. Yet, I could feel the Force so much clearer in this mindscape than I’d ever experienced; could feel it shifting around us, wanting this moment to happen, and I knew I had to stay for now. ‘To speak with words, to meet one who also communes with the Force,” Sekot smiled, though it looked off, likely because it was seemingly wearing an image of the Magister to communicate. “Yet, time has moved against us. The Force cannot hold our connection for long.’

‘Why?’ Even if I failed to fully understand what was happening here, I knew it was monumentally important.

‘While I only awoke a few cycles ago, I have images in here,’ it tapped its head, ‘of a time before the pinwheel in the sky brought heat to my skin. There is more inside that I need to understand, but we lack the time for me to learn what it is.’ Sekot’s face fell, and it shook its head. ‘The Magister taught me what he could about the Force. He felt I was what those who came before him had sought. What they all believed. ‘

I frowned, taking what felt like a few moments to piece together Sekot’s words into something useable. ‘‘Potentium,'' I muttered. “The Magister, and his ancestors, they thought you were the Potentium.”

Sekot nodded, a sad look coming to its face. ‘Yes. The Magister thought I could be everywhere, see everything. Yet, as I understand more of what I am, of what the Force is, I see he was wrong. I cannot see beyond the edges of myself without great effort. He believed there was no evil in the universe, only good. Yet I have felt evil, sensed it upon my surface. I have sensed your anger, your rage when the other Jedi fell. You drew on something dark, evil. I was worried the Magister was wrong about you Jedi. Yet as you worked to help those I protect, I saw you weren’t, you aren’t, evil. You are not what he said a Jedi should be, nor are you the Potentium.’ A hand came toward my face, and as it did, I saw through it in places; reminding me of something ghostly. ‘I wish you and the other Jedi might stay. That we might commune more and guide me to know the Force. Sadly, that cannot happen.’

‘We’re going to fight the Vong.’ While this wasn’t why I’d wanted to come to this galaxy, I knew instinctively that Sekot was special in a way that I couldn’t quite understand. ‘We’ll keep you safe. Keep the Sekotans safe.’

‘The Vong… They are from far outside, from where no one has come before.’ Sekot got a faraway look in its eyes, seemingly forgetting that I was close by, and seemed to get lost in a memory. ‘They come from a place I feel I should know, yet don’t.’ Sekot blinked, though it was slower than it should’ve been. ‘The ones who came before the Magister, they knew I… could create. They helped me learn how to shape children, to shape other things. The first spoke of how others would come, seeking what I could accomplish. What he, in his mistake, believed I was. While he was mistaken about that, he was right about others coming, and the potential of my children.’ The air around us shifted, lights circling in rapid patterns that, after a week aboard, I knew represented my starship. ‘My youngest child is the most different yet, yet they are weak. Those from far outside, stopped them from bonding with you, yet now that you’ve helped them grow stronger, I can use them to speak with you. Thank you for what you’ve shown me over the last partial cycle.’

‘I’m sorry, but don’t understand.’ It annoyed me greatly to admit that, but it was the truth. Sekot’s speech varied from succinct to obtuse in an instant, as if it was still learning Basic as it spoke.

Sekot’s shoulders slumped, mirroring how a Human or near-Human would indicate sadness. ‘You must leave.’

‘The Vong…’

‘I will be safe from those from far outside, those under my protection have readied for this day since I first heard the thoughts of the Magister. My children with me will be safe, I will protect them. Those far away, I cannot say. You must leave while you can. The Force needs this. This, above all things, I know.’

‘The Vong,’ I repeated, not liking the idea of running away even as I felt the gentle pressure of the Force trying to guide me toward doing so.

‘Will trouble you no more. It is me they seek. When I am gone, so shall they be.’ Sekot started taking very slow steps back, though not turning as if trying to burn my face into its memory. ‘The one who came before, he made plans. Taught me to shape new things. Though untested, I know they are what I must use. If you do not leave now, do not use my child to escape, then you and those with you will be trapped with me. I do not wish that for you.’

…

I lurched forward as my mind was forced back into the real world.

“Cameron?” I waved one hand toward Fay, letting her know I was ok to keep piloting even as I quickly reviewed what had just happened.

“I, I’m alright. I think.” With time to spare before the Vong fighters reached us, I glanced at Fay. The concern on her face mirrored what I could sense from her within the Force. Yet before I could explain further, I felt something lean against my mind. Recognizing it as the ship, though far stronger than before, I allowed a connection to form and then gasped at the flood of information that came through it. “Oh, wow!”

Until just now, while growing stronger, the connection I felt to the ship had been remote. As If talking over a radio from half a world away. Yet now, while there was still a disconnect, it was like talking to someone in the same city on a cell phone. A gentle nudge from the ship, directing me to sensor data refocused my thoughts. “We’ve got to get out of here.” I could feel confusion from the rest of the cockpit, along with anger and dismay from Bo and Simvyl. “The… planet, it spoke to me.” I explained to Fay, knowing there was no way the others would understand. “It’s alive, in a sense and used the ship to speak with me. It’s going to do something, and if we don’t leave now, we’ll be stuck on it, or worse.”

While Sekot hadn’t been clear about the plans, the way it spoke, as ludicrous as it sounded, suggested it was going to leave. While every rational part of my mind struggled to even comprehend such a thing, the part of me that’d grown to understand the Force over the last seven years somehow knew this was possible.

“We have to fight!” “Cam!”

The dual shouts of dismay and anger from Bo and Simvyl echoed around in the cockpit as I kept my focus on Fay. I hoped she’d believe me, that she’d trust me, but even if she didn’t, I could already feel power flowing into the hyperdrive as one hand brought up the navigation console to begin plotting a jump.

“You believe this was the planet?” I nodded. “And that it wants us to go?” I nodded again. For a moment, I felt I’d lost Fay’s support before she smiled. “What did it say?”

A smile crept onto my face even as I felt Bo move closer to me. “Enough, but not. It wants, no needs us to leave.”

A faint growl came from Fenrir as Bo stepped closer even as Fay stared at me as if trying to see into my soul. “Then I place my trust in you and the Force.”

Any response of dismay from the others in the cockpit was cut off as the ship screamed out a warning in my head. My fingers danced over the controls, feeling the ship respond to my commands as if I was the vessel. Fire came in from the Vong fighters as my starship danced between the streaks of light, letting them illuminate the hull as they sailed harmlessly past.

I inhaled sharply as I felt the faintest of tendrils reach up from the organic parts of the console and brush against my hand even as we dove between the four Vong fighters. Three broke to avoid colliding, but the last didn’t and I winced as part of the fighter scratched the hull. As we emerged on the other side of the fighters, I felt the pain from the ship even as the hull reacted to the wound.

“Three larger vessels are angling toward us while the fighters are circling around.” I didn’t need Fay’s report as I could already see the ships moving, their flight paths being plotted out in my mind’s eye. While I was a competent pilot, I’d never truly enjoyed it. Now though, as the ship gently angled its path to slip between the three new ships and pushed more power into the impressive sub-light engines, I began to see why Anakin loved it so.

To be this free, this connected to the ship as it moved… Words failed to describe how incredible it was. Though I doubted that even with the connection I had with my new ship I’d ever be as instinctive a pilot as Anakin. He was born for flying, whereas I’d developed a taste of it, relatively speaking, later in life.

Bolts of superheated plasma came toward us from the larger ships even as the four fighters completed their arcs and slid back onto our tail. Seeing a way to shrink the chasing pack, I rolled the ship, letting one bolt sail over the hull close enough that the warmth of the bolt was felt by the ship. That bolt sailed past, forcing two fighters to dodge, though only one succeeded as the second was clipped by the bolt and spun away chaotically.

I sunk into the Force, letting it guide my actions as the ship felt as if it was reacting to my thoughts, and before the Vong gunships could react, we’d slipped through their ranks. Not wanting to continue onto the main fleet – which was comprised of a half dozen cruisers and nearly two dozen smaller ships – I banked us away.

A gentle shudder went through the hull as the hyperdrive engaged for the first time, and a moment later, the stars merged together as we left the system. Faintly I felt relief coming from behind us even as the Force seemed to ripple in anticipation of whatever Sekot had planned.

… …

… …