Gray Jedi Ch. 06

"Morning, Rex!" she said.

"Oh, uh, morning Serra." He stammered a bit, continuing, "I w-wasn't snooping or anything, I just..."

"Rex, Malik and I are married, and we aren't ashamed of it. It's taken a lot of work, but we're very comfortable with our relationship now. More public displays of affection are becoming a part of our norm. Of course, if that makes you uncomfortable, we can always tone it down."

"Um... nah doesn't bother me. But I didn't want you to think I was watching ya or anything."

"Not at all. Come on in, we're nearing Atollon."

Following Serra into the cockpit, Rex now saw that Malik was seated in his usual copilot's chair.

"Morning, Rex. Sleep well?"

"Very," he replied with a grin, taking the seat behind Serra.

"Ok, coming up on Atollon," Serra said.

"Planetary readings are coming in," said Malik. "Barren planet, very hot and dry, few signs of life. Pretty much the opposite of our last stop."

"Where was your last stop?" Rex asked casually.

"Sorry, but it's kinda classified, Rex," Malik replied.

"No worries. I get it."

"Any sign of where we should set down?" Serra asked.

"Let me see..." Malik stretched out with his feelings, trying to sense any creature strong with the Force. "Think I've got something... yeah, near the equator in the western hemisphere."

"You sure?"

"Positive. I just felt a massive spike in the Force coming from that area."

"Alright, bringing us in for landing."

Serra maneuvered the Middle Way through the dry atmosphere of the planet, scanning the desert below for a safe spot to land. Seeing a clearing in the middle of the rocky outcroppings, she decided that was as good a spot as any, bringing them gently to the ground. By the time they landed, the pair noticed that the sun was beginning to set, causing the temperature to plummet.

"Looks like we'll need our cold weather gear," Serra mused.

"Agreed. Rex, you good with keeping watch over the ship?"

"No problem. I have no clue what you two are up to on this forsaken rock, but good luck out there."

The two Jedi bundled up in their heavy jackets before venturing out into the crisp twilight of Atollon. With great concentration, Malik was able to sense the presence of a being strong with the Force nearby.

"That way... through that canyon."

"Let's go, then," Serra replied, taking his hand in hers.

As they made their way through the rocky outcroppings, the Jedi began to sense a presence following them.

"You feel that?" Malik asked.

"Yeah... it's almost like... we're being hunted."

"Wait! I thought... I saw something up top."

Serra looked up to the lip of the canyon. "I don't see anything, Malik."

"Yeah... it's probably nothing. Come on, let's keep moving."

As soon as he finished speaking, they were startled by a strange hissing sound coming from behind them. The Jedi spun around, Serra drawing her lightsabers from her back. Though they saw nothing at first, there soon came a hoard of human-sized spiders approaching them on the canyon walls.

"LET'S MOVE!" Serra shouted, taking off down the pathway.

"Right behind you!"

Realizing they'd be sitting ducks out in the open, the pair sprinted for a nearby cave, the creatures nipping on their heels the whole time. Malik kept them at bay with a few well-timed Force Pushes, and they had soon reached the cave. They concentrated together, collapsing the rocks around the entrance to block the spiders from chasing them any further... for the time being.

"Whew... that was close..."

"I'll say," Malik agreed. "This is a dangerous place. Still, no more dangerous than Coruscant would be by now."

"True."

They soon found that the cave was actually a short tunnel leading to an exit from the canyon. Now back out in the open, the Jedi emerged in a large clearing of sand with rock formations scattered throughout. In the center, the sand dipped down to form a large bowl, complete with a massive pile of boulders in the center. In spite of all the formations being natural, the whole place felt very much like a temple.

"The Force is strong here... we're close," Malik whispered.

Serra nodded and stepped forward beside Malik. They strolled through the clearing, inspecting each of the rock formations as they went, each as unmoving and unremarkable as the last. After fifteen minutes of quiet inspection, they moved towards the bowl in the center, jogging down the hill towards the pile of boulders. Serra approached first, brushing her hand along one of the rocks while reaching out with the Force. Still, nothing happened.

"You sure this is the right place?" she asked.

"Oh yes... I can feel it," Malik replied. "There is something here. Something of... immense power."

"Indeed there is," came a deep, ominous voice.

Malik and Serra jumped back as the boulders seemed to spring to life, a gigantic creature rising from beneath them. The rocks did not fall off of the creature as they had expected, rather clinging to it like armor or thick hide. As it continued to stand, the Jedi finally got a good look at the owner of the deep voice. The creature appeared somewhat humanoid, standing on its hind legs and hunching over to balance with its arms. Its chest was covered with reddish-brown fur, which extended up to the creature's face in a thick beard. Upon gazing into its eyes for the first time, Malik noticed that the creature had a cattle-like appearance, like that of a full-grown male nerf.

"Welcome, wielders of the Ashla."

"Wow... Are you... the one known as Bendu?" Malik asked.

"I am."

"Our apologies for awakening you, but we were instructed to seek you out. My name is Malik Ran, and this is Serra Keto, my wife. We are Jedi Masters."

"So... not all the Jedi have passed on. Interesting," Bendu replied.

"No, though our numbers are teetering on extinction as is," Serra said.

"Yes, I have felt it. The Bogan has grown strong..."

"Bogan?" Malik inquired.

"Of course, I shall explain. All living creatures are one with the Force, as you well know. The Jedi and the Sith are opposites, devoted to the Ashla and the Bogan, or what you refer to as the Light and the Dark. I am the one in the middle. I am the Bendu." He gazed at the two of them before continuing, "Tell me, why were you instructed to seek me out? Who would know of my existence?"

"Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn," Serra replied.

"Hmm... I do not know him, but his name is legend among the Living Force. But I am given to understand that he has been dead for quite some time."

"He is, but before his death, he discovered a secret allowing him to retain his consciousness after death. This has how he has been able to council us from beyond the grave," Malik explained.

"Fascinating... so it is possible." Bendu hunched over further, lowering his face closer to the Jedi. "And why would he send two Jedi Masters to me? Surely as Jedi Masters, there is nothing left to learn, yes?"

Malik grinned, detecting the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "We are always learning, Bendu. Learning is not an event; it's a process. A journey."

"Ah... you are quite in balance with the Force, young man," Bendu said with a smile.

"Thank you. As to why Qui-Gon would send us here, it's a bit complicated."

"Most things are," Bendu agreed.

Taking a deep breath, Malik continued, "With the fall of the Jedi order, we survivors have taken pause to consider all the reasons for our failure. Our delusions of joining the Clone War as a noble crusade, the stubbornness of the Jedi Council, and disillusionment amongst the ranks of Jedi Knights, all these things contributed to our downfall."

"Master Yoda blames himself more than anything," Serra chimed in. "He knows that our actions and stubbornness made us blind to the rise of the Sith. He feels responsible, that he should have been able to stop them in time. In his meditations, he has now come to believe that stopping the Sith and the Empire will require Jedi who are willing to do what is necessary when the time comes. Violence is not the Jedi way, but should be used when it is for the protection of the innocent. And in these dark times, the innocent are more vulnerable than ever, as you can imagine."

Malik nodded. "Master Qui-Gon believes that Serra and I have the ability to walk the path of the Gray Jedi. As we began to research their beliefs, he suggested to us that we seek you out, that you might be able to guide us."

"Hmm... I see. You wish to discover the middle way," Bendu surmised.

"That's correct. We still hold true to many Jedi principles, but we have already broken others for what we believe to be the greater good," Serra answered.

"Such as your union into marriage?" Bendu asked.

"Exactly," said Malik. "I personally believe that, in their stubbornness, the Jedi Order became disconnected from the will of the Force. We held firm to our traditions for so long that we often lost sight of the bigger picture. Serra and I are together because we believe it to be the will of the Force. It does go against Jedi teachings, but..."

"Singular love is not always a weakness," Bendu finished. "Yes, I understand quite well your newfound beliefs. By surrendering yourselves to the will of the Force, and thus to each other, you two have become stronger and more complete than you ever would have on your own. The Force permeates everything."

"Even singular love," Serra realized.

"Especially love, in all forms!" Bendu said with a booming laugh. "While the Jedi may have been stubborn traditionalists in the Force, their teachings are still rooted in love and commitment, even if they restrict singular love. But the Sith will always be doomed to failure, for they fail to grasp that the way they call upon the Force is unnatural. Yes, Jedi have become Sith supposedly in the name of singular love, but their descent into the Bogan always stems from a thirst for power and a focus on the passion of their love, rather than the commitment it symbolizes."

"Whereas our relationship is built on trust, compassion, and a desire to help as many people as we can, together," Serra finished.

"Precisely. I like you two. To receive my teachings best, my students must be in perfect balance with the Force... and with themselves," Bendu said, lowering his head in meditation. "Malik... I sense that you still doubt yourself, yes? It seems... you have tapped into a power so great that you fear what you are capable of with it. Is this true?"

"It is. I've discovered the power of Force Lightning, and have perfected using it without drawing on the Dark Side."

"An incredible feat. Young man, you must trust yourself. You are more in balance with the Force than any I have ever met. Conquer your inner fears, and there will be no limit to what you can do." Bendu then turned to Serra. "Serra... I sense no fear in you whatsoever. You are strong and courageous, and would gladly give your life for those that you care about. Yet a greater balance with the Force can be achieved, with the right motivation of course."

"I... realize that, as strong a warrior as I am, my knowledge of the Force pales in comparison to Malik's."

Bendu chuckled. "Perhaps, but I believe the distance between the two of you is not as great as you may fear, young lady. If you wish, I can help you gain perfect balance with the Force."

"Of course!" Serra replied, her eyes lighting up. "What do I need to do?"

Bendu said nothing, but hunched back over, pounding the ground once with his massive fists. This caused a shift in the sands, opening up the entrance to a tunnel off to the side of the area. Before either of the Jedi could comprehend what was happening, a group of the spiders from the canyon emerged and began to surround the pair.

"Where did they come from?!" Serra exclaimed as they drew their lightsabers.

"You will not need those," Bendu said, pulling their weapons from their hands with the Force. "This puzzle is one you must solve without violence."

"What?" Malik said, seeming to detect something in his statement.

Before anything more could be said, the giant spiders swarmed in and surrounded Malik. Distracted as he was by Bendu's wording, the creatures swooped in and placed him on their backs, dragging him into the tunnel with them. Serra gave chase as best she could, but he was gone from sight before she could even get close to him. Enraged at this turn of events, she turned back to Bendu.

"What is the matter with you?! Why would you do that to my husband?!"

"Calm yourself, Serra. Malik is in no immediate danger. The krykna spiders are terribly misunderstood creatures. Venture into their home and find your husband. In doing this, you will find balance with the Force."

Realizing that she had no other choice, Serra turned and peered into the tunnel entrance. She saw nothing but pitch black, yet heard the now familiar hissing of the krykna spiders. One last time, she turned back to Bendu.

"If anything happens to Malik-"

"I have no doubt the repercussions that would befall me," Bendu interrupted with a grin.

Sighing in frustration, Serra collected her courage and stepped into the darkness.

*****

"What do you think, Lord Vader? You have been observing these potentials for the better part of a week. Would one of them fulfill our needs?"

"They are intriguing, my Master. She seems to be far more susceptible to the Dark Side... turning her would not be difficult. He, on the other hand, posses far greater potential, I believe."

"Yes... if he could be turned, he may well be an excellent apprentice for you, Lord Vader. But in the end, we need one of them to rise above the other. Which one would suit our purposes best, I wonder?"

"Perhaps we should allow them to decide, Master."

"You propose pitting them against each other?"

"No, that would be far too simplistic. Rather, they should each be given the same task to accomplish, one of great danger that will test their resolve to abandon the ways of the Jedi for good. In the course of such a test, surely the superior individual will be revealed."

"Ah, a wise plan, my apprentice. While I have no doubt that she would accept these terms, he may be more difficult to persuade. Can you manage this?"

"I will not fail, Master. He will agree to the task... I will make certain of that."

"Very well... I leave this assignment in your capable hands."