Excellent." I deactivated the training blade. "Now it's time for a break."
"Master," the Togruta said as she sat down on the warm stones of the platform, "maybe we should meditate less? It's boring…"
"Just so you know," I replied calmly, "meditation brings peace, harmony, and serenity—thus fulfilling three of the five precepts of the Code."
"Then tell me something, Master. You're good at that."
"Hm. All right. What would you like to know?"
"Tell me about the old wars… the ones where the Jedi fought the Sith."
"All right."
I began to recall a suitable episode…
Yesterday had ended with us collecting our belongings from the Akagi and returning to the Temple. There, using the nearest information terminal, we found vacant rooms located next to each other. After a quick meal in the closest dining hall—without any delicacies, but filling nonetheless (and the food was very fresh, especially the vegetables and fruit)—we went to rest, agreeing to meet early in the morning to begin our training.
With Ahsoka's silent consent, the Room of a Thousand Fountains became our chosen venue. The hall lay at the base of the northwestern sector of the Temple, near the Quarter of First Knowledge. Its area spanned nearly a full square kilometer. The main entrance was concealed behind enormous trees, and winding paths threaded through plantings gathered from all corners of the galaxy. Small bridges crossed streams that cut through the room, and benches for meditation and contemplation were placed at intervals along the paths. Fountains were everywhere—some hidden among the greenery, others set directly along the walkways. At the very center stood a magnificent waterfall.
We selected one of the more secluded corners: a circular platform surrounded by tall bushes, their branches heavy with flowers.
Most often, the room was used for meditation. On our way in, we saw several dozen Jedi seated in the familiar poses, though some had come to practice lightsaber forms. The hall also served as a place where tokens of gratitude and appreciation—gifts presented by the governments of various worlds—were displayed. Rare plants were among these offerings. My memory occasionally supplied their names, but most remained unfamiliar to me: Hylaian marsh bamboo, asaari trees, bhansgrek bushes—the last of which, to my surprise, were native to Naboo.
It was strange, of course, to see such a garden deep within a building, but there was ample light, and the plants flourished. Advanced lighting systems created the illusion of an open sky overhead, and the interplay of light and projected imagery evoked the sense of a distant, tranquil world. A network of narrow paths and ramps allowed movement through the room without disturbing the plantings or the carefully maintained ground.
A separate, wide corridor led toward the Temple's center, where true gardens surrounded the central spire and spread across the slopes of the "mountain," supplying food for the Jedi who lived within the Temple. As far as I knew, a Jedi named Yoland Fi tended those gardens.
All in all, it was a peaceful and quiet place. What more could one ask for?..
"So, Ahsoka," I began, "I'll tell you about what may be the most significant conflict of the Old Wars—the Great Sith War. This conflict marked the rise of the Sith, once again in opposition to the Jedi. Its roots can be traced back to the fall of Freedon Nadd, who turned away from the Jedi path and rose as a Dark Lord of the Sith."
"And what was it about the Dark side that attracted them all so much?" she asked. "This isn't the first example you've mentioned, Master."
"It's easy to feel powerful and important through it. Eventually, Nadd's dark influence was uncovered on the planet Onderon, and the resulting battle allowed the Jedi to temporarily break his grip on that remote world. This struggle against the reborn power of the Sith served as a warning to all Jedi—something sinister was stirring."
"Well, yes," Ahsoka muttered. "They're always plotting something."
"However, the Sith's influence grew strong again during the rebellion led by Freedon Nadd, who succeeded in consolidating his power and exert influence over the Krath. If you don't know, the Krath were an ancient Sith cult, but they worshipped not only the Dark Side of the Force, but also the god Krath."
"Master," she said hesitantly, "what do you mean worshipping the Force? It's… the Force, isn't it?"
"How can I explain this…" I paused. "At different times, there have been many interpretations of what 'the Force' truly is. I can't say offhand how many orders and organizations have studied it, or how many teachings have arisen—but certainly more than a hundred. Some, like the ancient Je'daii, believed in Balance, acknowledging both aspects of the Force. The Jedi and the Sith, however, gave—and still give—preference to the Light and Dark sides respectively, while denying the other."
"The ancient Order of Dai Bendu considered the Force simply another form of energy permeating the entire galaxy. Others—for example, Qui-Gon Jinn, the Master of Obi-Wan Kenobi—believed the Force to be truly Alive. And some claim that the Force is singular, with neither a Light nor a Dark side at all. Some will generally vi..." the Jedi choked "Hm, there are even those who view the Force as something akin to a hidden deity. They believe that the countless wars fought by Force-users prove that, so long as Balance exists, the Force itself is indifferent to the lives that fade into it. This philosophical concept attaches particular importance to the fact that neither the Light nor the Dark side prevails over the other in the full sense of the word—and for sentient beings to be genuinely free, the Force itself must one day be removed from the galaxy."
"Wow," Ahsoka said after a moment. "That's… complicated. I don't think I really understand—but that last part sounds especially strange."
"That's putting it mildly," I agreed. "Let's continue, or we'll stray too far from the topic. So… using the Sith knowledge they received from Nadd and his followers on Onderon, the Krath staged a bloody coup in the Empress Teta system and launched a series of campaigns against the Republic. After suffering several defeats at the hands of the Krath, Jedi Knight Ulic Qel-Droma informed the Order that he intended to infiltrate them and destroy the cult from within."
"During his covert mission, Ulic fell to the Dark side and joined forces with another fallen Jedi who had embraced the Sith—Exar Kun. Eventually, Kun was proclaimed the new Dark Lord of the Sith, with Qel-Droma as his apprentice, and together they announced the dawn of a new Sith era to the galaxy."
"Somehow they turned to the dark side rather quickly," the Togruta said doubtfully. "Master, do you think it was because they were bad Jedi?"
"Not at all. Both Exar and Ulic were truly exceptional Jedi, and the fate of each was as fascinating as it was tragic. The first was given a choice: to die with dignity or to embrace the Dark side, which promised him escape from death. He chose the latter. He did not become a great Jedi—but he certainly became a great Sith Lord."
At that point, the Jedi covered his eyes and smiled faintly at some private thought.
"He did great things— terrible, yes, but great. The second—Ulic—was no role model either. Due to his overconfidence, he fell into Darkness. Later, when he repented, he lost his connection to the Force entirely. Even after many years, it never returned to him."
"But how did they manage to defeat the Jedi?" she asked. "There were only two of them."
"Never underestimate your enemy," I repeated for what must have been the hundredth time, and continued story.
"They commanded armies and warships. Together with their allies, Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma launched a series of devastating campaigns against the Republic, eventually pushing all the way to the heart of the galaxy—Coruscant. After this battle, Kun and Qel-Droma attacked Ossus, attempting to raid the Jedi world. However, the Battle of Ossus ended in the defeat of the Sith forces, the capture of Ulic Qel-Droma, and Kun's retreat to his stronghold on Yavin 4."
"Broken and humiliated, Qel-Droma agreed to lead a combined Republic and Jedi assault on Yavin 4 to stop Exar Kun once and for all. Through the united efforts of the Jedi, Kun was defeated, and the Great Sith War finally came to an end. That war had far-reaching consequences—among them, the decision to begin construction of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant… Greetings, Master Secura."
I had sensed the presence of newcomers for quite some time, but I was simply too lazy to interrupt myself. The Jedi Master was now seated beside Ahsoka.
Hutt, she looks even hotter than she did in the movie.
One small detail, however, stood out—her left arm rested in a sling.
Ahsoka, who had just woken up, hurried to greet her.
"Good morning, Master Secura! I didn't hear you approaching."
"I didn't want to disturb you," the blue-skinned Twi'lek smiled. "Am I correct in assuming you are Mikore Vikt and Ahsoka Tano?"
"Yes."
"You're teaching your Padawan?" Aayla continued. "To be honest, you're a far better storyteller than most of our instructors. When they recount these events, they make them sound rather dull—and some of what I heard just now was new even to me."
"Well, I had a couple of free days," I replied, "so why not put them to good use? And it never hurts to refresh my own memory."
Secura nodded in agreement. A brief silence followed.
"I heard about the tragedy on Jabiim," Aayla said quietly. "I'm very sorry. I knew Dara Leska—we trained at the Temple at the same time."
"Oh. I see. She and I… didn't get along very well."
"Dara always was…" Aayla hesitated. "Quick-tempered. And not very sociable."
"How's your arm?" Ahsoka asked.
"Oh, this?" The Twi'lek wiggled her fingers. "Almost healed. I should be leaving for a new assignment any day now…"
At that moment, a clone trooper with numerous scars across his face approached us. He seemed devilishly familiar to me. Touching the Force, I realized I was right. Meanwhile, he saluted and handed Secura a datapad.
"Hello, Lieutenant. I see you're a Major now?"
"You've been through plenty yourself, sir."
"You know each other?" Aayla asked in surprise.
"Oh yes," I replied. "We flew on the same gunship when we evacuated the Petranaki Arena on Geonosis."
"Really?"
"That's right, ma'am."
Aayla focused on the datapad. A minute later, she rose gracefully.
"Please excuse me—my break is over."
"Good luck, Master Secura!"
"May the Force be with you," I added.
Ahsoka and I were alone once more.
"Well," I said, "it looks like it's time for our procedures."
"Yes, Master. Let's go—or we'll be late."