Hey all!
Cam here I'm new to the forum though have been playing SWTOR (on and off) since launch, so forgive the weird username that my younger self chose! Just over a year ago I got into writing fiction as a hobby - mostly longer projects which are taking me forever to finish - so I thought I'd put together a short(er) story to share with you and hear any feedback you have!
There's no spoilers from any classes; the protagonist is loosely based on a Jedi Shadow but the story is my own using existing and new characters. It primarily looks at morality, the line between light and dark and redemption. If you have any feedback whatsoever I'd love to hear it!
Hope you enjoy!!!
----
Even after the extensive shuttle journey, the whole scenario still felt surreal. Rakav had expected to find reasoning and clarity in her time travelling alone, but the words bouncing around the confines of her mind remained as alien as ever.
I'm going to Tython. I'm going to Tython. I'm going to Tython.
A year ago the thought would have made her feel sick. Just a few weeks ago speaking the words aloud would have gotten her killed. Now she was barreling through the planet’s atmosphere, feeling trepidation like never before. In the next few hours, she would learn if she'd made the greatest decision of her life, or a fatal mistake.
Serving as the ancient home of the Jedi, Tython was a planet just as revered by their Order as Korriban was by the Sith. It was a beacon of all they stood for: peace, justice and serenity.
And so far during her descent, Rakav had witnessed just these traits reflected in the planet.
Patches of luscious greenery appeared in clusters around the surface, interwoven by sparkling streams and sprawling flatlands, and she found her anxiety lessening in the face of the natural beauty. Rakav’s face was glued to the single window in the cramped seating area her entire journey to the surface. The light streamed into her vision and she welcomed it. For too long her life had been dominated by veils of black and red: dark robes, and darker minds. Blood. Death.
The hiss of the landing gear extending below her signalled the long journey was mercifully at an end. The rear of the shuttle lifted as a walkway extended, overwhelming the shuttle with sunlight, the calming hum of nature's cycle and the occasional chirp of wildlife. Rakav felt her features lift stiffly into a smile - her first in months. This was living, she remembered. This was the galaxy as it was meant to be.
Exiting the shuttle and trekking through the woodlands of Tython felt like walking through a dream - one that she was terrified she'd wake up from. Knowing nothing but pain and anguish lately, it felt like she had to cup happiness close to her chest like it was contraband, lest it be snatched away from her.
Yet, with each crunch she made through the forest floor, she felt some pressure ease from her shoulders and neck at the realization that this could be her new reality. Her surroundings teemed with life, a far removal from the barren sands of Korriban she'd come accustomed to, where a tempestuous wind was the closest thing to a companion she had found. Here, things felt different, and she was about to see the reason why.
Rising high above the edge of the forest, the Jedi temple loomed dominantly. Dozens of domed buildings, crested in a golden hue that shone radiantly in the day’s sun, sprouted from a massive cylindrical center. The design was simple, but elegant.
Staring at the temple, Rakav couldn’t help but compare this feeling to how she’d felt approaching the Sith academy on Korriban for the first time many months before. The pyramid’s approach, complete with its choking dusts and dwarfing size, had instilled a similar sense of awe in Rakav, though it had been laced with terror. The Sith had done well to make their academy reflect the practises taught within.
As Rakav exited the wall of the thick pines, she began to reminisce on how much had gone into putting her in this situation. Her perilous desertion from Korriban. The even more treacherous mission of convincing the troopers on the Imperial Fleet that she would be meeting her master on Alderaan. And finally, battling through the cold tundras of Alderaan to cross from the Empire’s territory into the Republic’s without drawing attention from the planet's warring nobles or deadly bestiary.
All of the struggle had been driving her towards this moment: when she could look up at the Jedi temple and feel the thrill of finally being able to influence the galaxy for good.
Her escorts from the flight, two silent Republic troopers, guided her up the set of stairs at the mouth of the Jedi Temple and Rakav took her first step inside.
Despite the lavish architecture twirling around the temple’s atrium, it was second on Rakav’s mind after the Jedi Masters, Knights and Padawans around her. Nearly all of those passing through the room took a full second to stop and stare at her before moving on. Their expressions were peculiar. It wasn’t quite surprise: more a mix between curiosity and puzzlement.
There had been Jedi in the temple grounds of course, but she assumed the hooded robe she was wearing prevented them from seeing her as these did. Now that she was inside and in close proximity, there was no hiding from them.
Rakav was a Sith Pureblood.
Her orange skin, the two tendrils that extended down from her jaw and her bright orange eyes distinguished her as such. The Sith Purebloods were a race heralding from Korriban. Infamously, they filled the ranks of the Sith more than any other species in the galaxy. It was thought that most were born with a natural affinity to the darkness. Destined to be evil, if you would.
And yet - as Rakav knew she would have to prove to the Jedi - she was not evil. At least, not anymore.
Throughout the trials of the Sith, she had never enjoyed the abhorrent tasks she was put through. Conformity had only been born in her out of fear and habit. Faced with the choice of obedience or death, most children born into Sith families did the same.
As she grew, however, her free will grew with her, and she began to put thought into what she did. That was when she began to feel repulsed at everything she'd done to appease the cruel Sith Masters. Refusing to be defined by the malevolent lineage of her race, she had vowed to choose peace and kindness from that moment onwards.
Trying her best to ignore the wide eyes around her, Rakav followed her escort through the atrium. Midway through, something clicked inside her, and she decided not to fear their looks. Fear was a Sith's vice. Reaching up, she grasped her hood and threw it back over her head, removing the shadow shrouding her features. With it fell the shadows of a past life -- one of subterfuge and deception. She was a Pureblood and a just person, and her time of having to hide either one of these qualities was over.
Rakav’s destination was a great set of double doors on the second floor of the atrium. The trooper to her left stepped forward and knocked. After several seconds the doors swung open, though no one stood immediately in front of it. Spread in an even semi-circle at the back of the room was an array of deep, low-down chairs. In each but one sat a Jedi Master, their brown robes flowing over the chairs to make them appear almost molded in.
Rakav took her place in the centre of the room, flanked by Jedi in each corner of her vision like a captured prisoner on a battlefield.
A human female in a trimmed down set of robes was the first to speak.
“Rakav, let us first thank you for the bravery it took to seek us out. We know you have endured much.”
Choosing not to speak, Rakav simply bowed towards the Jedi. She continued.
“In leaving the Sith and rejecting the darkness, you have taken your first step towards redemption. But the path is long, and only those with a strong commitment can stay the course.”
“I will not stray, my masters. I have sacrificed much for this, and I am ready to give my life to the Jedi Order.”
“Being a Jedi means letting go of everything you used to be, giving yourself entirely to the will of the Force. Are you sure you’re ready to banish your emotions in the pursuit of spreading peace?” another Master asked, to the right of the first woman.
“I am ready. What I used to be...that is in the past. I see differently now, and recognize what greed and anger do to the galaxy. I want to stop their influence, which is why I sought you out. Becoming part of their rot was never something I wished for.”
A general nod rippled between the masters.
“We were informed you trained with the Sith for seven months,” A Kel-Dor Master to her left observed.
“Why did you leave them? Why now?”
Rakav swallowed. She had hoped to be given some more time before having to address this particular issue, and preferably not to such a large audience. Nevertheless, she understood their suspicion; the Sith would do anything to strike the Jedi, and extending an olive branch of peace masked as poison fit right into their playbook.
“The ways of the Sith never sat well with me, but in the beginning of my training I learned to ignore my inner protests and obeyed. I stood idle as acolytes were tortured in front of me, and administered more pain than I ever thought possible. I was revolted by what I was doing, but I didn’t have the strength to do anything about it.
"The Sith teach you to use your negative emotions and turn them into strength, so with each act of cruelty I tried to turn my guilt into hate. Hatred at myself...at others...wherever I could find room for it. I thought, if enough time passed, I could kill my dissent by bludgeoning it out of me. The whole process was tearing me apart, but I couldn't admit my confliction to any of the overseers; I'd seen them kill acolytes for far less.
“Eventually things went too far, and I snapped. The overseers sent some of us acolytes into a Sith tomb to recover some dead master or another’s final scriptures, and as I reached the notes an acolyte…”
Rakav stopped. Was he really an acolyte she was friends with?
“An acolyte I’d spoken to a few times reached them as well. We stared at each other before I said I wouldn’t kill him over the scriptures - that we could return to the overseers with half the pages each.”
She shook her head subconsciously. She’d replayed the scene with Alturo many times in the weeks since, but his callousness still filled her with bile.
“He didn’t even wait to hear me out before charging at me with his weapon raised. I fought him off long enough to get clear of the chamber, then turned and ran for it. He barely even chased me; those scriptures were everything to him, but I kept running until I cleared the tomb. Seeing someone I’d have almost called a friend turn on me like I was nothing...it was the selfish realization I needed to acknowledge just how evil the group I was set to join was. I knew then that no matter what I did, I could never feel like one of them."
"After that, I kept on running. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I wanted to leave Korriban. Once I reached the set of landing strips near the Academy I just kept low and waited for a Sith to board their ship. Then I stowed away as the cargo was brought on board and, as the shuttle pulled into its destination and I was able to get out, realized I had made it to the Imperial fleet."
Despite her long monologue, the Masters around her all sat patiently, some leaning in to listen more intently. In their eyes she saw interest, compassion and even empathy: all values she’d not seen once in the Sith.
"From there, my decision was made instantly. I was never going back to Korriban. Or the Sith. Or the Empire. And although I acted out of terror to flee in the first place, I decided to finally do some good with my life. The best place I thought I could accomplish that...was with you."
Her story drew a cloak of silence across the Council for several seconds as they each considered what she'd said. She was strong enough in the Force to be aware of them probing inside her, scrutinizing her words to see if they were spiked with deceit. But Rakav knew they needn't bother; even if she wanted to hoodwink them, a collection of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy was about the hardest target she could go for.
She noticed, even as the Jedi Council silently interrogated her, that telling the truth had more her feel more powerful than she ever had by wielding anger and hatred with the Sith. The revelation filled her with peace, as she knew she had done the right thing by coming here.
The quiet was broken by the same woman who had started speaking, whom Rakav determined to be the Council’s leader.
“It is a core philosophy of ours that no soul is beyond redemption. To be Jedi is to see the good in everyone, and yours is shown in full by your plight to come here. Therefore, we will authorize your training as a Padawan. You will train with Master Kerro Lin, and we shall remember through you that all beings can be brought back into the light, no matter their past transgressions. Seek Master Lin in his office. And may the force be with you, Padawan Rakav.”
Born anew, Rakav took a knee at the feet of the masters. To the one who’d welcomed her into the Order she said.
“To you and the Council, I will forever owe myself, master....”
The older woman picked up on her sentence.
“Shan.”
“Thank you for your trust, Master Shan.”
*
Reporting to Master Kerro Lin’s office later that day, Rakav saw that he was a short Twi’lek male of approximately middle age. He had blue skin like many of his species and caring eyes that she felt soften when she entered, a smile forming on his lips.
“Padawan!” he exclaimed with just the slightest hint of an accent, his voice warm and lively.
“Welcome to Tython and the Jedi order. My name is Master Kerro Lin,” he bowed gracefully, “and it shall be my great honor to oversee your training.”
He came closer to Rakav, placing a hand on her shoulders.
“I can only imagine what you went through to reach us.” he said, in little more than a whisper, as if she was so fragile that even speaking too loudly might undo her.
“Know that your pain will be soothed here - matured until we are able to cast it away entirely. There is no emotion, there is peace. As the Force flows indiscriminately through all things, we Jedi must see that way too. I hope you have felt welcomed in our temple so far.”
“Yes, master. Everyone is very kind.”
Lin breathed deeply.
“Yes. When you allow the force into your soul, you will see a part of yourself in everyone. It is easy, then, to welcome each being you meet.”
“I am glad to be here.” Rakav admitted. Master Lin heard the rawness in her voice; the slight catching in her throat.
The same comforting hand extended back out.
“In the Jedi Order, it is no stain to show weakness or hurt. We encourage this, for coming to know these feelings will help you overcome them. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.”
Rakav felt emotional after such a warm welcome, both from the Jedi Council and her new master. Such feelings still came with a twinge of guilt, as her mind had been conditioned to reject these like a virus, but this was reducing each time she pushed against its boundaries.
“There is work to be done, Padawan. Lessons to learn and, perhaps more importantly, lessons to be unlearned. In the coming months we will train together, forging the best version of yourself possible.
“Kneel,” he said, motioning to the spongy rug in the center of his office, just as he took to the floor himself.
“Close your eyes, open your mind, and hear my words. Let me show you the light.”
**
Three months into her acceptance to the Jedi Order, Rakav was well underway in her spiritual journey. She had found the light Master Lin spoke of, and found its clarity and serenity settle into her mind and act as an undercurrent to her every thought and action. It had turned steady that which she used to carry out with haste: decision-making, judgement and even movement. Made purposeful that which she used to perform out of fear: combat, respectfulness and obedience.
While her former self might have spat at this slow tempo, through her enlightened eyes she had come to see that delivering each action with the insight of thought made it ten times stronger. She felt confident to say there was strength in inaction - at least in moderation.
And yet the slightest part of her - just a sliver - found this life of stillness and balance to be...dull.
Not boring; her thoughts were challenged each day as she learned a little more about herself. But certainly not exciting. Training to be a Sith had been stressful - terrifying at times - but there was never a moment of quiet. Tython sat on the opposite side of this extreme, and Rakav found things to be almost too quiet.
The wind blew gently here, rather than viciously on Korriban. The air was still, interrupted only by the soft trickle of streams or the rustling of trees, a stark contrast to the orchestral howling of Tuk’ata and the whipping wind that filled Korriban. Most critically, ego was completely cast away by the Jedi, leaving only righteousness in its place. A noble sentiment, Rakav acknowledged, yet ego was necessary to provide personality the room to grow. Without this, how could the Jedi protect the citizens of the galaxy? It is not possible to protect that which you do not understand.
Rakav found herself on a dangerous precipice then: morally aligned with Jedi ordeals, but naturally allied with Sith fundamentals.
Under the guiding hand of Master Kerro Lin, she had learned to bring the covenants of the Jedi into her heart.
There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.
But, there was death. Rakav had seen as much on Korriban. How could she fully accept a creed that went against what she had witnessed with her own two eyes? She wanted desperately to commit to the code, but she couldn't abandon reason to make room for its words.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
If this was the case, then she was doing the right thing by retaining her experiences from her time with the Sith. But doing so made her see flaws in what the Code taught.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
Korriban had been many things, but harmonious was never one of them. Did the Code only apply to societies operating within the Light Side of the Force?
Trying to balance her training as a Jedi with staying true to what she'd seen in life left her in perpetual conflict. Examining its words raised more questions than they answered. At least the Sith Code had made sense in it's hateful rhetoric. Passion certainly did fuel the strength of many of the Sith and Acolytes she'd been around.
Wait. According to the Jedi, there was no passion. Add that to the growing list of contradictions, then.
Rakav decided to leave the philosophy for another day; she didn't have time to wrestle with her beliefs right now. The uniqueness of her induction to the Jedi Order had given the Council a clear idea of how they wanted to use Rakav to aid their cause, and they had summoned her to their chambers.
She arrived 5 minutes early, but waited a few minutes outside before knocking out of respect. When she did rap on the door, it swung inwards expectantly. In front of her sat the usual formation of chairs, only the unfilled seat from her last visit was occupied by another Kel-Dor master.
“Padawan Rakav,” Master Shan exclaimed as she walked in, whom she now knew to be Grand Master Satele Shan, “thank you for coming to us.”
The courtesy of even the senior Jedi was still something Rakav was getting used to, and once more she found it elicit a smile from her.
“We wanted to speak with you in person about the trajectory of your training.”
One thing was ubiquitous among the Sith and Jedi: they both cut straight to the matter at hand.
“Master Lin tells us that your progress has been commendable so far. Remember to always act with the Jedi Code guiding your arm, and you will find its tenants healing wounds the galaxy over.
“Its words are what I judge all wisdom against, Grand Master.”
Rakav’s words caused a collective look of satisfaction to pass between the Council members. Maybe they were a touch easier to fool than she’d assumed.
“As they should,” Satele confirmed with a kind smile.
“We believe you’re now ready to be fully initiated into the Jedi Order. To be given a role in our ranks, so that you may understand how to help us end this war with the Sith and return peace to the galaxy.”
“That is all I wish, Grand Master.” Rakav replied, speaking truthfully now.
Satele Shan nodded understandingly.
"It is because of this that we would like to train you in a different way to our other students. We've spoken about how you can best serve the Force, and would ask your permission to lean on the advantages your unique disposition as a Pureblood affords you. That is, absolute trust in the Imperial ranks.
"For only you can impersonate a Sith Lord with absolute realism, and walk among the Imperials like you are one of their leaders."
Grand Master Shan’s words hit Rakav like a vibrosword in her guts. It carried the unwelcome nostalgia of pain and fear - emotions she had started to forget - as Rakav pictured herself returning to the grips of the Empire. It was the exact situation she'd come to Tython to escape, yet now she was being asked to willingly return to the bloodthirsty circus that passed for the Imperial army's front lines.
Her anxiety must have been visible, at least through the Force, to the Council members as Satele was quick to speak again.
“We would only ask this of you if you consent, Padawan. It is entirely your choice. If you agree, you would be serving the Republic and the Jedi to an exceptional level. You will receive additional training from the masters around you, including myself, to equip you with all you’d need to infiltrate Imperial ranks.”
“We understand it is a lot to ask.” she continued, and Rakav genuinely believed the empathy that was clear in her eyes, which lay in a haunting shade between bright green and pale blue.
“But we ask it of you, as it is a chance for us to majorly influence the war with minimal casualties. All it takes is one command from you posing as a Sith Lord to throw a planetary invasion into disarray, saving countless lives and setting the Imperial military back weeks in progress; a single command not to execute prisoners to save thousands of innocent souls. You are uniquely poised to bring this to the Republic."
Though the empathy in Master Shan's eyes appeared real, Rakav couldn’t help but feel this was a more pressured pitch than should come from a Jedi. There was a guilt trip woven into the Grand Master's words, no matter how pure her intention was, and it tasted too similar to something one of the Korriban overseers would have said.
All the same, she recognized the impact she could have on the galaxy in this position. Moreover, that whispering voice in the back of her mind raised the point that this role of intrigue may fill the absence of excitement Rakav found in the life of a Jedi. To deceive and fool for the purpose of good: was that not the perfect fusion of what she wished for? Wasn’t a well-placed lie here and there a much less turbulent route to peace than battle after battle?
Realizing this made it easy for Rakav to utter her response to the Jedi Council.
“I would be honored to accept this training. I journeyed here to make a difference in the galaxy, and I’m grateful that you’re giving me the chance to do that.”
The Jedi Council were as adept at masking their emotions as anybody in the galaxy, yet Rakav was sure a collective sigh of relief unfolded between them as the Grand Master spoke again.
“Very good, Padawan,” she said. “For now, continue training with Master Lin. We will call on you when it is time to begin your specialist training.
“May the Force be with you,” she finished, signalling that all that needed to be said had been.
*
Once ample time had passed for Rakav to be well clear of the door, Grand Master Satele Shan crossed her hands together and let out a deep sigh. She was conflicted on her decision. To lie and deceive was not a value supported by the Jedi, even when it led to victory. The lines of right and wrong became blurred in war. Satele battled this conundrum daily. She knew it was imperative for the Jedi to remain guardians of the light, even as the light was waning. But it felt like each time she tried to push against the darkness, she pushed against the Jedi's morals a little further.
As she often did when burdened with a problem, Satele turned to the Jedi code. Its calming words brought a mental clarity to her.
There is no emotion, there is peace.
Recalling the Jedi mantra, Satele knew she had made the right choice.
Even though it was hard not to feel protective of Rakav, the Pureblood had expressed the wish to become a Jedi. This meant serving the galaxy and its citizens above all else, sacrificing personal passions and emotions for the good of others. The path Satele had in mind for her would do exactly that. The moral issue surrounding Padawan Rakav all fit together, in its own nuanced way.
Some members of the council were unable to see what Satele did, however.
Master Bella Kiwiiks was the first to break the silence.
“This isn’t the Jedi way,” she stated once again, repeating the dissent she’d made clear as the first tracings of this plan had been conceived.
“She will be serving the Republic as effectively as she can.” Satele countered. “A Sith Pureblood in the ranks of the Jedi is a great boon for us. She will be able to accomplish what would otherwise take a whole score of Jedi to achieve. The lives she could save…”
Satele trailed off. Thinking about the war always brought pain to her heart. So many good Jedi, many of whom she had mentored, had been lost already.
There is no emotion, there is peace.
She continued.
“In times of war especially, it is our duty to safeguard the citizens of each world in our protection. Rakav shouldering this risk… she embodies the self-sacrifice intrinsic to the Jedi.”
Satele saw her words had warded off Master Kiwiik’s reserves this time, but she was sure the Togruta master would object again.
However, it was Master Gnost-Dural that spoke up instead.
“But would we sacrifice our ideals? We must not forget our duty, Satele. We preserve peace. Dispatching an infiltrator to planets outside of Republic jurisdiction tests the definition of that mandate.” he said calmly.
To Satele’s right, the rumbling voice of Master Tol Braga rose up to contest Master Dural.
“Our duty to preserve peace extends across the galaxy, Master Gnost-Dural. We cannot abandon a star system to the Empire’s cruelty just because it lies outside our jurisdiction. Nor can we turn away from a solution that could save untold lives because it does not lie directly in accordance with the Code. Padawan Rakav may be set to have more impact on the state of the galaxy than any other Jedi we have in training. Surely such a gift from the Force must be used as frequently as possible.”
“Used?” Master Orgus Din challenged, one eyebrow raised.
“A slip of the tongue”, Master Braga added hastily, before continuing.
“The Grand Master presented this duty to her: it was the Padawan's decision to accept. Rakav came here to help improve the galaxy. The prospect that Satele has presented is the ultimate manifestation of this.”
Master Orgus seemed unsettled, but did not object further.
Satele suspected the masters that weren’t completely in favor of Rakav’s path would need to see her success before warming to the path laid before her. For both the sake of the war and the Council, Satele knew they would need to train Rakav with a rare alacrity for their Order; the galaxy wilted with each day the war waged on, and Satele saw in Rakav a chance to expedite the conflict’s end.
She knew with certainty that the Padawan would play a significant role in the future of the Jedi: the Force told her as much. What she couldn’t see, however, was whether that role would be for good, or for bad.
*
Walking through the halls of the Jedi Temple and back towards her master’s office, Rakav was still trying to make sense of what the Council had offered her. It seemed odd to receive such an assignment from the Jedi Council; it sounded more like something she'd have been given on Korriban. The Jedi usually acted as the galaxy’s shield; becoming their sole offensive arm may have been a bit more action than Rakav had wished for.
She wondered, then, if she was being offered this for her rare status as an intermediate force-user, even though she was new to the Jedi. Certainly she was the most capable of all the Padawans that had joined in the same time period as her, as she had the advantage of having been exposed to the Force on Korriban.
As well as this, she hadn't developed as strong morals as the rest of the Order, as her dissection of the Code very much proved. Was this why the Council were quick to offer this major responsibility to just a Padawan? Because she was capable of acting in the grey area between light and dark?
Rakav shook her head. She was thinking herself into madness. She had no qualms with carrying out the task, and with the Council's blessings she knew that any issues she found she was creating for herself.
Back in Kerro Lin's quarters, Rakav found the Twi'lek meditating on the ground, and slotted back into the familiar rhythm of her training.
*
It only took a week since meeting with the Jedi Council before they had summoned her back. In a secluded training room to the far east wing of the temple, Rakav stood opposite Grand Master Satele, sweat running freely down her face as her chest heaved from strained breaths. Across from her, Master Satele was the image of calm.
“Focus, Padawan. Reach out into the Force. Find the trace you leave on it, and mask it. Only then will you be able to move among the enemy like you are one of them.”
Once more, Rakav tried to do what the Grand Master requested. Her eyes closed and her vision turned black, then shimmered, and then transformed into an intricate matrix displaying the room around her in its every detail: Rakav saw all from the rustle of Master Satele’s robes to the air in front of her turning warm as she breathed.
Rakav focused even deeper, her head pounding as she pushed her mind to the limit. Suddenly, like breaking through the surface of an ocean to take her first clear breath, she found it.
Her signature in the Force.
It hovered in the room’s atmosphere, a veritable “here I am” to other Force-sensitives. Rakav honed in on it, as Master Satele had told her to do, and attempted to blanket it with the strength of her will. It remained steadfast in her first attempt, but when she pooled her remaining stamina Rakav just managed to force it out of her consciousness.
In tandem with this triumph, Rakav was wrenched from her hyper-focused state by the shouting of Master Satele.
"Yes, Rakav! You did it! Well done indeed. Concealing your Force trace is always the hardest the first time. When it comes time for your first mission, you will need to use this skill the entire time you're around Imperials. But take pride from this accomplishment for now; it is an advanced skill to learn."
Rakav nodded, still panting with exertion from her latest voyage into the Force’s depths. It felt wonderful to receive praise from the Grand Master. On Korriban, the only approval she'd ever heard from the overseers was for not dying when she was sent into one of the planet’s critter-infested tombs.
“Catch your breath,” Satele told her. “Collect your thoughts. Then, we go again.”
The next time, Rakav found her signature faster than before. The time after that, faster still. Grand Master Satele kept pushing Rakav until she could remove any trace of her visibility on the Force in a moment’s notice.
Rakav became so adept in the technique that she could bury her trace in the Force while remaining cognizant in its otherworldly plains to feel other’s signatures on the Force. Her exploits stopped, however, when she encountered Master Satele’s signature. The colossal energy of her mentor had catapulted Rakav back into reality, her mind unable to comprehend the enormity of her power.
A knowing smile on her face, Satele had said only three words in response before ending their session.
“Baby steps, Padawan.”
*
Two weeks later, Rakav found herself in the company of Master Bela Kiwiiks. Another member of the Jedi Council, Master Kiwiiks was a reserved woman, whose every word was worth listening to like it was the last you’d ever hear.
They stood in a private training hall in one of the furthermost wings of the temple.
“Breathe, Padawan. Only with a calm interior will you be able to change your exterior. The power of invisibility is a rare skill for a Jedi to master. It requires great concentration and a unique affinity to the Force. Let nothing distract you from reaching it.”
As Kiwiiks had instructed the other day, Rakav delved into the most intricate regions of the Force in an attempt to camouflage herself. Feeling her body shimmer beneath her, she began the most difficult part of the process: willing her surroundings to hug her every inch - dynamically - even as she moved. So far it had been beyond Rakav’s grasp.
Determined as ever though, Rakav closed her eyes and tried again. Instantly she was transported to the hyper-aware layer of consciousness that the Force operated through. In this stage of her training, this felt as seamless as sliding on a pair of comfortable footwear.
She tried to focus on using the Force to hide her body from sight, but her mind was already working in overdrive and she fell out of her mental shell.
“I...can’t do it.” she managed to pant, her head swimming with exhaustion.
From behind, Master Kiwiiks rested a soft hand on her shoulder.
“The strength of a Jedi comes from within,” the Togruta told her.
“When we are struggling, we remember those we serve. We put ourselves through hardship so others might live freely. We shoulder this burden willingly, content to serve a greater purpose than ourselves. Would you help us, Rakav?”
“I would, master.”
“Very good. Then let us try again.”
For the rest of the afternoon Rakav fought a mental battle as she tried to slip into the Force’s carry. It’s favor evaded her for several more hours, before finally she felt it envelop around her like the silken touch of a lavish cloak, and she saw her body vanish before her eyes. Master Kiwiiks had looked gleefully at the thin air Rakav had been standing in a moment before, her eyes conveying the pride of the Togruta Master.
Training sessions with Master Braga, Master Bakaran, and several more with Grand Master Satele all took place in the ensuing months, each adding another notch of infiltration skill to Rakav's belt. Coupled with her regular training under Master Kerro, her progress was considerable. She could now remain invisible even while walking for minutes at a time. She could cover the tracks she left on the force, and even use its influence to persuade certain beings. Her moral issues with the Jedi Code notwithstanding, she was learning.
*
As Rakav approached her one year anniversary since arriving on Tython, she looked back at her progress. Two months ago, she had managed to sneak invisibly into Master Kiwiiks' office and back without the Togruta ever realizing - the ultimate showcase of her proficiency in the more fickle ways of the Force.
Her combat skills had improved tenfold over the months as she practised the many nuances of using a double-bladed lightsaber. Now when she sparred her blue blades cut through the air like lightning, little more than an electric blur.
The Council had recognized her talent, and made her a Jedi Knight last month in response. The memory still overwhelmed Rakav with pride. Knelt in their presence in the Council chambers, she had felt her transformation from dark to light come to an end. Her impact on the galaxy forever set in stone as that of good.
It was in the presence of the Council that Rakav sat currently, as she watched the Grand Master reach down to touch the shoulder of her robes.
“Rise, Rakav.”
Around her, Master Kiwiiks and the other masters looked on at Rakav, admiration visible on their faces.
“It is finally time. We have intel that requires investigation and, very probably, your talents.”
Rakav waited intently to hear the sum of what her training had been for.
“On the planet of Belsavis, the Empire has discovered the existence of an ancient Republic prison. The planet has been kept on a need-to-know basis up to the highest levels of society for centuries, but recently it became public knowledge. The Empire discovered Belsavis with this leak and, alongside it, the opportunity to rescue some of the most dangerous Sith Lords alive.
Rakav stared at Satele with confusion.
“I’m not sure I understand, master”
Master Braga stepped in.
“Belsavis is far in the Outer Rim - remote and difficult to discover. It has been used as a Republic prison for as long as we can trace back.”
“The entire planet?” Rakav gaped.
“The entire planet,” the Kel-Dor confirmed.
“Those members of society that were seen as too dangerous for the confines of regular prisons were sent to Belsavis and forgotten about. Those that still live are great weapons to the enemy. As soon as the Empire discovered Belsavis they assembled a Strike Team to infiltrate the planet. They succeeded.” Master Braga admitted with a shake of his head, as if he had been personally responsible for this.
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