THE HEART OF THE JEDI

 

HAND AND SHADOW

by Martina

 Disclaimer: The people and situations used in this fic are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd. 

This chapter NC-13

   

 

The powerful door closed behind him. Luke did not move until he heard the

lock fall into place again. Many sacred things were kept under tight

protection and security at the Jedi Academy. But none of them was as sacred

as the Jedi Holocron.

The lighting inside was faint. Very few ever came here. Only a handful of

people aside from himself had access to the Holocron Chamber. The Holocron

was a rare treasure of both knowledge and history, a treasure that Leia had

fortunately managed to bring back into Jedi hands, to snatch it away from

Palpatine himself nine years ago. Many with not so much honesty in their

soul would like to get their hands on the Holocron, like Dark Jedi that

would exploit its knowledge for personal gain or others that could sell it

for large amounts of credits on the black market to just about anybody.

Throughout history, many Jedi Holocrons had existed. But this one was the

only remaining one they knew of that had not been destroyed. Even if only a

Jedi could truly get something out of the ancient device, in the wrong hands

it could cause a lot of damage by revealing Jedi secrets. And Luke did not

take any chances. They had been fortunate enough to retrieve it in the first

place. Since it had been in the hands of Palpatine before, it maybe wasn’t

so strange that he had once managed to destroy most of the Jedi at the birth

of the Empire.

The Holocron must be protected.

Therefore, it had its resting place in one of the most secure chambers of

the entire Academy, located in a smaller temple on the outskirts that easily

could fool the unaware and persuade them that it contained nothing of

importance.

Luke walked through a corridor, the only corridor that led into the Holocron

Chamber. The light was even dimmer here. In fact, there were no lights at

all. Yet he had no problem seeing where he was going with his regular

vision.

The greenish light of the Holocron itself was so powerful that it easily

guided the Jedi Master through the darkness, like a beacon. At the centre of

the rather small chamber, the Holocron rested on a meter high pedestal.

Luke stepped up to the pedestal and observed the strange device for a

second. Every time he laid his eyes on it, it captured his admiration. The

Holocron was no more than a small cube with smooth edges that easily fitted

into the palm of his hand. Yet, within, it contained thousands of years of

history and knowledge about the Force and the Jedi that had come before.

Obtaining all its knowledge, though, was a challenge worthy of any Force

user. You could ask the Holocron any question you liked and it would provide

you with an answer. But were you able to understand the answer?

Luke knew that even if he lived ten lifetimes, he would not learn half of

what the Holocron contained. So many answers rested inside this luminous

cube. The trick was to know where to look. To ask the right questions. Vast

knowledge was not meant to be gained so easily.

All the way back from Coruscant, Luke had thought of how to proceed exactly

in this matter. How should he present his questions so that he would obtain

the easiest answers containing most information?

Looking at the Holocron in this very moment, he still wasn’t really sure how

to ask. But the light from the ancient device seemed to sooth him. And

despite the emergency that Palpatine’s return presented, Luke was looking

forward to speaking with Bodo Baas again. It had been a long time since he

had last done so.

Carefully, he picked up the cube with both hands. Immediately, the Holocron

responded to the touch of the Jedi Master and the holographic image of its

Keeper, an alien Jedi Master of unknown origin from the past, emerged from

the luminous cube. The projection was not higher than a few decimetres.

- “Greetings, Master Skywalker.”

The rumbling, powerful voice of Bodo Baas echoed between the stone walls of

the chamber. Luke bowed slightly to the holographic projection.

- “Good evening, Master Baas,” he said. Even if just a hologram, the wisdom

and personality of the late Master Baas was what controlled the image and

all the knowledge stored within the Holocron itself. A mere hologram,

especially of such an ancient technology, was a crude means to learn of the

past. But nonetheless, Luke was speaking directly to the knowledge of a Jedi

Master of old. It might have been crude but it was still efficient.

Slowly, with the Holocron secure in his right hand, Luke sat down

comfortably on the floor. He had a feeling that the two of them would be

talking for a while.

- “I have come to seek your council,”

- “I know why you have come,” Baas stated. - “The Sith Lord from your past

has finally caught up with you.”

Master Baas spoke with a surprising accuracy. His wisdom was generated from

the past in which the real Bodo Baas had lived. Unlike living Jedi, this

holographic projection had no means to see into the future. It could only

tell what it already knew; it could not learn anything new. Still, Baas knew

why he had come. He knew of Palpatine’s return.

This could only mean one thing.

The last weeks’ events had been foreseen a long time ago, probably even

during the last days of the Old Republic. Palpatine’s assumed destruction on

Onderon had not meant anything else than what it ultimately had been.

Despite what they first had believed, Brand’s sacrifice had in reality only

meant to stop the Sith Lord, not to kill him.

What was happening now was, for a reason as of yet unkown, meant to be.

- “Yes,” Luke confirmed and nodded slightly. Even so, and despite how

fascinating this revelation was, it brought little comfort to him. And it

was comfort he was looking for within Master Baas’ wisdom. But it was a

wisdom that shared its knowledge only in riddles, symbolism and through

prophecies. It rarely ever told straight answers. Luke felt his heartbeat

quicken. No matter how strange or complicated, he must find the answers.

He must find them!

- “Do you know if there is a way to stop him, Master?”

The holographic image merely looked at him for a second until it began to

speak with its rumbling voice.

- “Clouded the future is. So many choices to make. So much Darkness. But

also Light, brighter than ever before.”

Baas made a short pause, as if trying to visualize something. Then he

continued.

- “I see a great Hand reaching out towards the stars. A Hand luminous in the

colours of red and green. In its path, millions of voices will cry out her

name. In liberation. Or in terror.”

‘Her name?’

The alien Jedi Master was speaking of an old foresight, this much Luke

realized. An individual of importance that Baas referred to as the Hand.

With the colours red and green involved. And it seemed to be a female.

Luke also realized that he had to listen some more. This was far from enough

information.

- “The end will be decided by the choices made by the Hand. However,

regardless of the Hand’s decisions, Darkness will arise. A great Shadow from

the past will return and cast the shroud of the Dark Side over the galaxy

once more. It has already begun.”

Luke nodded.

‘Palpatine!’

For once, it was not difficult to understand Master Baas’ riddled

descriptions. The identity of the Shadow was obvious.

With great interest, Luke continued to listen to what Master Baas had to

say.

- “Pain and great loss are coming. Death and suffering will follow in the

Shadow’s path, for it seeks the control of the Hand that once was his. As

well was her creator.”

‘Her creator?’

Luke wrinkled his forehead in puzzlement. What did Baas mean? Who was this

female that Palpatine wished to retake control over? And how did the word

‘creator’ fit into all this? It could really mean anything.

As puzzled as he was, he did not wish to interrupt his fellow Master. Luke

continued to listen.

- “But there is still hope. The Dark Side is deceitful. But the Force can

never die! Wisdom is the heart of the elders. But the heart of a child is

pure. The Force is strong with her, she who knows the mind of the Shadow.

The Hand is embraced in the Light but is haunted by the Shadow of her past.”

Luke’s eyes widened.

Suddenly, he just knew who Master Baas was talking about. He could not tell

if it was the Force that had helped clear his mind or if it was himself. It

just came to him, precisely the same way as when the truth about Leia’s

identity had reached him when he had talked to Obi-Wan just after Master

Yoda’s death. It just came from out of nowhere.

He gasped as the vision became clear to him. And Luke knew he was not wrong.

The clues could not be questioned.

A Hand.

Colours of red and green.

A female that Palpatine once more wanted to claim.

There existed only one person that fitted such a description.

The Hand that Baas was referring to was the Emperor’s Hand.

- “Mara!? By the Force, you are talking about Mara Jade!”

The alien face of Bodo Baas never revealed any emotions or reactions. It

didn’t this time either. But, for once, his dark voice revealed some slight

sign of admiration.

- “Your insight serves you well, Master Skywalker.”

Luke shook his head. He knew he had to expect everything by asking Baas if

there was any way to stop Palpatine. But he had never imagined that Mara was

part of the solution.

He quickly came back to his senses.

- “But why is she so important?” Luke inquired, not denying that he actually

felt some worry on Mara’s behalf. - “Mara has not fulfilled her training.”

- “No more training in the ways of the Force the Hand requires. Already she

knows everything she needs,” Master Baas stated calmly. - “Yet, she must

come to this place to remember. To learn the means of trust. And to teach

others the same trust in return. Fear must be overcome. Because fear is the

way of the Dark Side.”

Luke quickly gathered his thoughts, summoning up all the facts given to him

so far. It was imperative that he didn’t misunderstand anything that his

late fellow Master was telling him.

‘Mara must come here to the Academy,’ he thought to himself. ‘Of course!

Mara already knows all the basic abilities being a Jedi requires, but it’s

her trust in the Force and in herself that she must learn to master. That is

what has always kept her from becoming a Jedi in her own right.’

The Holocron had confirmed to him what Luke had known about Mara all along.

He simply had not seen the importance of this knowledge. And he still didn’t

fully.

- “But why her, Master Baas?” he insisted. Luke could not help it. His deep

emotions for Mara were driving him. The same urgency to protect her he had

felt on Anargosa returned to him. He must ask the Holocron as direct

questions as possible. He would not gamble with Mara’s life!

- “Is Mara the only one who is capable to destroy Palpatine?”

The question could not be any more direct than that. And he had to know the

answer!

- “The Hand will not be able to destroy the Shadow on her own,” Baas

explained. - “She knows the means but does not possess the power. She needs

a power other than the Force itself, a power generated from within. But also

from another.”

- “Who?”

The rumbling voice of the hologram suddenly grew in strength, becoming very

loud.

- “Be warned, Master Skywalker!”

The high, unexpected volume of the voice made Luke jerk. What Master Baas

had to say rarely addressed the listener so directly.

The powerful voice calmed down to its usual rumble once more.

- “The path of the Hand is difficult. Her decisions will be painful. The

Hand must never be left alone. She must never feel abandoned, or the Dark

Side will embrace her. And the Shadow will claim her once more. If it does,

it will wield through her a power too great and terrible to imagine!”

Luke nodded. He was pretty sure he understood. He had not forgotten Mara’s

reaction when he had told her of Palpatine’s return. She had been absolutely

terrified, fearing for her life. She had stated that Palpatine would surely

either claim her or kill her. Master Baas was confirming what Mara already

had told him. And there was no way that Luke would go against the warnings

of Master Baas.

Or ignore Mara’s fear.

- “What must I do?” Luke asked with absolute seriousness. He did not care

what the reply would be. He would do whatever Baas would tell him to do. For

Mara and for the galaxy, he would do whatever it took to make sure that

Palpatine would never harm either of them.

Especially Mara.

- “Remind the Hand of her true self,” Baas instructed. - “Do not

underestimate the bond you already share with her, Master Skywalker. Do not

be intimidated by the secrets of her heart. Help her believe in trust once

more. And never leave her side. The blood of the Chosen One must become one

with her, or the Light will perish. Only then, as one, will the Force

prevail and the Shadow will fall.”

Luke’s forehead wrinkled once again. Now he felt even more puzzled than ever

before.

- “The Chosen One? Who is the Chosen One, Master Baas?”

There was a pause. A pause much longer than the ones that Baas usually made.

Since the holographic projection never revealed any emotional expressions,

there was no such thing as hesitation generating from the Holocron. Its

answers were always delivered right away.

But now, the transparent image of Bodo Baas behaved almost like Obi-Wan had

done twenty years ago when Luke had asked him about the death of his father.

And to witness the same reaction once more gave Luke the creeps. He did not

want to be fooled like that again!

Certainly not when it concerned Mara.

A reply eventually came, presented in the usual calm tone.

- “The Chosen One is the one who brought balance back to the Force.”

An answer that was no answer. Not to Luke anyway. He had never heard of this

before. But still he sensed the uncomfortable feeling that he should know

very well what Baas was talking about. But he had no idea what all this

meant.

- “And where can I find him?” Luke asked.

- “The Chosen One is no longer in the life as you know it. One with the

Force he is now.”

Luke sighed. All his hopes to find this person with the almost divined

description that could perhaps provide clearer answers fell. Whoever the

Chosen One was, he was no longer alive. But Master Baas was not finished. He

had more to tell.

- “The Hand, torn between the Dark and the Light, needs the guidance of the

descendant of the Chosen One, as well as his love. Above all else, the Hand

must have his love! Or the Jedi will fall.”

The more Baas was telling him, the more confused Luke found himself to be.

There was a descendant, too? And it was imperative that Mara received this

one’s love!?

His confusion also fuelled his pain. Wasn’t it enough that Calrissian was

going to propose to Mara this very evening? It was foreseen that another man

somewhere out there was meant to love the woman that he, too, loved!?

Luke forced back his small outburst of jealousy. It would not serve him. He

was very certain that whoever this descendant was, it could hardly be Lando.

It had to be another, someone with greater importance and influence. And he

still knew too little to draw any conclusions yet.

Or to have reason enough for his jealousy at all.

- “This descendant, is he still alive, then?” Luke asked.

- “Yes.”

- “Where will I find him?”

Yet another pause, almost as long as the last one. Luke was beginning to

have bad feelings about this.

- “Strong in the Force he is, even more powerful than all Jedi who went

before. And wiser than the Chosen One himself.”

As puzzled and confused as Luke felt by what Baas was telling him, he also

felt more and more intrigued as well. Wiser than the Chosen One himself?

This descendant that he was looking for seemed to be a very powerful person

indeed.

- “Trust in the Hand, Master Jedi,” Baas said in an even slower pace than

usual. - “Search within her heart and you will find the descendant of the

Chosen One, the man you seek.”

- “Within Mara’s heart…”

Luke frowned. He did not dismiss a single word he had heard this night,

Master Baas was never wrong. But this sounded as if all his answers were

resting on the edge of a blade, almost tipping over into madness. The answer

was to be found within Mara Jade’s heart? Terrific! And just how was he

supposed to get a hold of any answers now? Mara rarely was the confiding

type.

- “That’s easier said than done,” he stated out loud. There was no reply.

The Holocron somehow had the spooky ability to tell the difference between a

real statement or question and a mere speaking of the mind.

Silence fell over the two Masters for a moment. This was usually the time

when Baas withdrew back into the Holocron, when no more questions were

presented. But he was staying. As if he knew that the human Jedi still had

more questions to ask.

This was true.

Much had already been revealed. But there were still many things Luke did

not fully understand.

- “Master Baas, you spoke of a power,” he reminded. - “A power other than

the Force itself. The power that will give Mara the strength she needs to

defeat Palpatine.”

- “The power of love, Master Jedi,” Baas stated very clearly. - “All Jedi

must be encouraged to love, or they will never understand the Force. Only

through love will the Shadow find its final rest. Only through love will the

Jedi survive. Only through love will there be final balance restored to the

Force.”

The rumbling voice grew stronger once more, almost to the point of

desperation.

- “The blood of the Chosen One must survive!”

With those final words, the holographic projection of Master Bodo Baas

withdrew back into the Jedi Holocron once more. There was nothing more he

could tell the human Jedi Master.

Feeling somewhat stunned by the unusual emotional outburst and then

disappearance of the alien Jedi Master, Luke almost felt dizzy at all that

he had been told. He rose to his feet. Carefully, he put the Holocron back

into place on the pedestal.

Of all the things he had learned this night, nothing had made a larger

impression on him than the final words of Master Baas.

- “Must survive…”

Luke had no idea what that meant. He had no idea who the Chosen One was, or

his descendant. Nor did he really understand Mara’s involvement in how to

stop Palpatine either. But whatever was going on, the blood of the Chosen

One must survive what lay ahead at all costs. It was a person of outmost

significance. It could be a child of the Chosen One or a grandchild or

farther down in the generations. Somehow, the future of the Jedi depended on

this.

It all depended on this one person that carried the blood of the Chosen One.

Could it be the descendant that Baas had mentioned?

Luke could not explain to himself why, but somehow he did not feel that the

descendant was the same that had to survive. Not the one that would give

Mara the ultimate power to destroy Palpatine. The descendant had a large

role to play. And he carried the blood of the Chosen One as well. But he was

not the most important one.

Nonetheless, the descendant must be found! He was the one that could provide

the next set of clues. And there was only one way to find him, as Master

Baas had informed him.

Luke must search within Mara’s heart.

Baas had also told him to bring Mara to the Academy. To make her remember.

To help her trust in the Force again. Just as had been Luke’s intention

throughout all these years anyway. And this confirmed what Luke had always

believed.

It also answered why Palpatine had not developed her Force abilities to the

maximum. To do so would have brought about his fall. Palpatine must have

always known of the danger that Mara represented to him.

Just like Luke himself and his father before him.

All three of them had become Palpatine’s slaves because he had feared them

so much.

Mara was meant to be a Jedi Knight. It had been foreseen years ago. Perhaps

even before she was born.

Luke quickly exited the Holocron Chamber. Once it was properly sealed, he

quickly hurried over to the nearest communication station inside the temple.

This was no longer only about his own desire to complete her training. The

fate of the whole galaxy depended on it.

There was not a minute to lose!

He had to call Mara!

*************************

The light breeze of the night embraced him as Luke stepped out of the

temple. It made him shiver slightly and he pulled his grey robe tighter

around himself. He felt so tired.

Although he had not suffered from a single nightmare or dark vision for

several days, not since he and Mara had shared the same bunk on their

journey back to Coruscant, the fatigue that had plagued him these last few

weeks was more profound than ever this night. Luke had tried to catch some

rest while on Coruscant but, as so often, his duty and the weight of the

constant threat of the Dark Side hadn’t given him enough peace to rest as

much as he needed.

The lack of proper sleep wasn’t the only reason for his fatigue.

The Holocron had given him plenty of new things to be concerned about.

Close to exhaustion, Luke sat down on the step-shaped temple wall just

outside the entrance. The walk back to the Great Temple and his personal

quarters was short but even that seemed like an endless journey in his

current state. His body felt so heavy and to keep his eyes open felt like a

great task itself.

Still, Luke’s mind was full of activity. His newly realized love for Mara

Jade was blending with the revelations he had just been told, revelations

about her and her future.

He had called her but had not managed to reach her. She was not at home or

on the Jade’s Fire. She was probably with Lando.

The very thought of their dinner together made him tremble. The fact that he

did made him feel even more uncomfortable. This was so unlike him.

His love for Mara complicated everything!

Why did he feel this way for her? And why now? What could possibly be the

purpose of his feelings for this woman, especially after all these years? It

didn’t make any sense…

Unable to reach her, Luke had finally left her a message. Hopefully, Mara

would return home to find it. But, considering the offer she would be

presented with tonight, would she still be interested in his offer?

Would she feel interested in him?

Once again, Luke went back to his conversation with Master Baas. He had to

make sure he didn’t miss any vital detail.

‘Mara is the key to all of this, somehow,’ he thought. ‘She’s the only one

who can stop Palpatine. She must come here. She must learn how to trust, in

herself and in her hidden abilities. She must never be allowed to be left

alone. She must be loved. Loved by the descendant of the Chosen One. But who

is this Chosen One? And further more, who is the Chosen One’s descendant?

And why is he destined to love Mara!?’

Against his growing jealousy and yearning for intimate companionship, Luke’s

resistance had no chance. He gazed up towards the night sky, yelling out his

protest.

- “I’m the one who loves her!”

The beauty of the stars above gave him no answer, but it soothed him, as it

always did. He was being irrational, he knew that. He had no idea who this

descendant of the late Chosen One was. There was no justification for his

emotional outburst.

Serenity embraced his soul and Luke immediately felt more at peace. It also

allowed him to think clearer. Instead of developing unjustified hostility

towards this descendant, all his energy should be focused on finding out as

much as he could about him instead.

‘Strong in the Force he must be,’ Luke concluded to himself. ‘The descendant

must be a Jedi. Or a Force wielder at least. His love means something, it’s

important. But how?’

His thinking moved from being merely the voice of his mind to the vocal

voice of his mouth. Sometimes it was easier to think out loud.

- “What was it Baas said?” he asked himself as he tried to remember. - “The

blood of the Chosen One must become one with her, or the Light will perish.

Only then, as one, will the Force prevail and the Shadow will fall. The Hand

and the blood of the Chosen One, as one. As one.”

That was the last thing this night that Luke could conclude or remember from

his conversation with Bodo Baas. His focus to find his much needed answers

made him forget how exhausted he truly was. Luke never even noticed how his

eyes fell closed as they no longer had any strength left to remain open. He

would not remember how he had slowly laid down on the very step he had

already been sitting on.

The Force embraced him softly. The hard and uncomfortable stone he rested

upon was not enough to wake him up. Nor would the Force let him. Nothing

should disturb the Jedi Master this night. There was so much he needed to

do. Full rest was needed. And deserved.

This night, Luke Skywalker was allowed to sleep.

Without fear.

Without concern.

 

To be continued in: "Proposal"

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