Crossroads: Prelude

[Nimue]

With a loud gasp, Faoileán started awake and clutched at her throat. She fought for breath for a few long moments until she finally realised that she wasn’t really choking to death. Slowly her surroundings became familiar again, and the last vestiges of the nightmare dissolved in the daylight that filtered through the half closed blinds. Faoileán slowly sat up and passed a weary hand in front of her eyes to dispel the last remnants of the nightmare.

It didn’t surprise her that it had happened again. As before, the details of the dream had already faded, and all she remembered were darkness and a sense of being trapped, unable to breathe.

With a sigh she swung her legs off the bed and staggered to get her robes. Some fresh air would do her good. A glance in the mirror showed her that the sleepless nights were beginning to tell on her - her yellow skin looked pale, a sharp contrast to the black pattern on her lekku and forehead. There were shadows under her eyes, and fine lines had started appearing around her mouth.

Faoileán brushed her hands over her skirt to smoothe out some imagined creases, then took a deep breath to gather calmness around her like a cloak. Then she opened the door and stepped out of the small room she had been allocated in the Senate Tower’s guest wing.

As usual, the tower was astir with activity. Diplomats, aides, officials and servants were bustling about, most of them in a hurry and all of them very much convinced of their own importance. Faoileán folded her hands inside her sleeves and set off at a measured pace.

Being absorbed in her own thoughts she didn't pay too much attention to what was going on about her, but even so it seemed to her that the commotion was slightly noisier than normal. A meeting of the full assembly had just ended, and as she approached the assembly chamber she saw groups of senators and their entourages standing about, heatedly discussing something that probably had just happened during the meeting.

Faoileán shivered suddenly as a slight chill seemed to pass through the hallway. Being overtired was really starting to affect her. Perhaps a walk outside would do her good, some fresh air and daylight. Paying no further heed to the dignitaries milling around her, she made her way to the gardens.

The warm air and bright sunshine outside were a welcome change. Faoileán walked unhurriedly along the promenade leading around the tower until she reached the entrance of the Garden of Justice. A gentle breeze carried with it the scent of blooming shrubs, which instantly helped to calm her mind. Feeling much better already, Faoileán wandered about until she found a seat in a quiet spot, then sat down on it to pass away some time in meditation.

“Intriguing”, a voice said near her ear.

Faoileán’s eyes snapped open. She hadn’t sensed anyone approaching, but now there was a presence right next to her. Looking around she could see no one at first, but then she noticed a slight shimmering in the air. Slowly the outline of a figure became visible, until at last an old man in a simple robe was hovering near her. He was translucent and colourless, a silvery image of an aged Jedi who was looking at her benignly and with mild curiosity in his eyes.

"Apologies for the intrusion", he said pleasantly, "but I admit that curiosity got the better of me. This is most fascinating."

Faoileán blinked. "Who are you?"

He bowed slightly. "Master Wyellett, at your service. As you may have noticed, I am no longer among the living, but don't let that disturb you."

Faoileán regained her composure and politely inclined her head. “Master Faoileán”, she introduced herself. “I am honoured to make your acquaintance, although I’ll admit that this is somewhat unexpected. May I ask exactly what aroused your curiosity?”

Wyellett raised a spectral eyebrow. "Your nightmare, of course. I sensed it, it must have been pretty harrowing. So I thought I'd come over and get a closer look, and etiquette demanded that I don't do so without your knowledge."

"I appreciate the consideration", she said drily, then ran a hand across her forehead. "Forgive me. I'm... not quite myself at the moment. I have indeed been suffering from nightmares lately, and I have no idea what might be causing them. If you could shed some light on this mystery, I would be most grateful."

“Excellent”, he said, rubbing his hands. “I do love a good puzzle. Why don’t you start by telling me all about these nightmares? How long have they been bothering you? Do you have any idea what causes them?” He peered at her expectantly, and Faoileán almost felt like a student again, describing symptoms to her teacher.

“The dreams have been going on for almost a week”, she said wearily. "A few days ago I was in space, making my way back to Tython from an archaeological dig site in the Mid Rim. As my ship exited hyperspace for an orientation stop near the Jurin system, I suddenly felt a massive tremor in the Force, the cries of millions of lives being snuffed out at once. The shock rendered me unconscious for several hours. When I woke up, I knew that I must not continue to Tython, but go to Coruscant instead.”

[Nimue]

She looked at him, half expecting a question, but he only motioned for her to continue. “After I arrived here, I learned that something happened on the planet Cera in the Jurin system, that an entire city of several million people had been wiped out. No one knows exactly what killed these people - there were rumours of the Dark Side, but no one seems to know any details, which is probably not surprising considering that there were no surviving eye witnesses. The only thing that is certain is that the Empire is moving in to occupy the planet, but whether the annihilation of the city was part of their attack plan is anyone’s guess. That is all I have been able to find out in the days since I arrived."

She tilted her head to one side and regarded him thoughtfully. "I believe that the Force has led me here, but so far I have failed to discover for what purpose. But now that you have appeared, I wonder..."

Wyellett paced while he listened to her, which looked rather odd since he was still floating about half a metre above the ground. “This is most interesting”, he murmured. “Please continue. Describe your condition.”

"I haven't had a single night's sleep since the disaster”, Faoileán said obligingly, “and there are headaches, although I put those down to the lack of rest. I can fall asleep easily enough, but then there are... nightmares." Her grey eyes clouded slightly. "When I wake up, I don't remember any details. What I do remember is complete darkness, a sense of being trapped and running out of air. I start awake gasping for breath like I am suffocating. This happens every single time I try to sleep."

She sighed. "I am a healer. I was trained to cure afflictions of the mind and body, but so far I have failed to heal myself. I cannot even get to the bottom of this mysterious condition. All my meditation techniques and healing rituals have proved completely ineffective." For a fleeting moment, the serene composure of the Jedi Master slipped away and revealed simply a troubled young woman, but she pulled herself together almost immediately. Faoileán folded her hands in her lap and looked at him curiously. “Have you encountered anything like this before?”

He pondered for a moment. “I have not”, he said at last. “There are several odd things about your story though, and each of them warrants a closer investigation.” He studied her thoughtfully. “I am inclined to agree with you that your sudden urge to change your course and come to Coruscant was no coincidence. I might even go one step further and suggest that your orientation stop near the Jurin system, of all places, was no coincidence. Something is at work here, and finding out what it is, and to what purpose, should prove a refreshing mental exercise.”

Seeing the expression on her face, he chuckled softly. “Don’t be offended, my dear. I know that your condition is troubling you, and I can assure you that I am not taking this lightly. I may be dead, but that does not mean I no longer care about the living. I wouldn’t be sticking around if that was the case.”

Wyellett resumed his pacing. “I would like a closer look at you”, he said at last. “But we probably shouldn’t conduct this investigation in a public place. I will visit you in your quarters later, if you don’t mind. I would like to be present when you try to sleep, maybe I will be able to see something.”

Faoileán inclined her head. “Thank you, Master. I appreciate any help you can give me.”

“Capital”, he said. “Until tonight, then.” And before she could say anything else, he shimmered and vanished before her eyes.

[Nimue]

Darkness, absolute, all around, clinging, trapping in

Can’t move, can’t breathe

Voices, screaming, babbling

Falling, spinning helplessly

Try to breathe, breathe, but there's no air

Falling, suffocating…

Pain...

Gasping for air, Faoileán sat bolt upright, then drew a shuddering breath and buried her face in her hands. She sat for a few moments, then raised her head to see Wyellett hovering in front of her, eyeing her intently.

“Well?” she said wearily. “Did you gain any insights?”

He shook his head. “Nothing tangible yet, I’m afraid. However, these are clearly not your ordinary nightmares.” His eyes narrowed. “In fact”, he continued slowly, “I am fairly certain that these are not your nightmares at all.”

“You mean I am experiencing someone else’s dreams?” She slowly shook her head. “But then why do they come at all hours, no matter when I try to sleep?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure whether that other person, whoever he or she is, is really dreaming. They may be awake.” He started pacing again, lost in thought for a few minutes. Faoileán sat on her bed and didn’t disturb him.

At last he stopped and looked at her. “Call it a hunch”, he said, “or perhaps a nudge by the Force, but I feel that to solve this mystery you need to head back to the Jurin system. My suggestion, therefore, is that you go and talk to the Jurin ambassador in the morning. With things being what they are, he is your best chance to get there quickly.”

“I don’t think I’ve met him”, Faoileán said. “I don’t move in diplomatic circles a lot these days.”

“Ambassador Cedric Trevelyan”, Wyellett said. “I don’t know a whole lot about him, but he seems to be a reasonable sort. Go look him up first thing in the morning - with the current situation heating up fast, he may not be on Coruscant very much longer.”

Faoileán inclined her head. “I will do that. I imagine the ambassador has a busy schedule, but I am confident he will make time to see a Jedi.”

Wyellett nodded. “Good. And don’t worry, I’ll be around even when you cannot see me. I will accompany you to Jurin, and hopefully things will become clearer once we get there.”

“Thank you”, Faoileán said simply. The old Jedi might be dead, but he seemed genuinely interested in helping her, and that in itself was comforting.

He smiled at her, but his eyes were serious. “No need to thank me”, he said. “Like I said earlier, I think there was a reason why our paths crossed. I feel that I have a job to do, and I intend to do it. Not to mention, “ he added a bit wryly, “that I’m curious to see where this will lead.”

Faoileán smiled weakly. “I will do my best to satisfy your curiosity then”, she said.

“That’s the spirit”, the ghost said approvingly. “I will see you tomorrow then.” He raised a hand in farewell, then he was gone.

[Nimue]

“I am sorry, Master Jedi, but Ambassador Trevelyan is engaged all morning.” The secretary looked at Faoileán with polite disinterest. “He is attending a session of the senate and will not be back before noon.”

“I will make an appointment for this afternoon then”, Faoileán replied, unperturbed.

“That is…”, the secretary began, but Faoileán cut her off.

“I am sure His Excellency will be able to spare me a few minutes, say, around one o’clock. I will not take up much of his time.” A subtle flick of her fingers and a gentle nudge of her mind accompanied the words, and the secretary nodded obligingly.

“Yes, of course. His Excellency always strives to accommodate the Jedi order. One o’clock will be quite convenient.” She put down the appointment and gave Faoileán a businesslike smile.

“Thank you”, the Jedi said. “I will be back later.” She bowed slightly and left the office to find something to do until it was time to see the ambassador.

*****

“Your Excellency.” Faoileán bowed gracefully. “I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice.”

“Master Jedi.” Cedric Trevelyan politely returned the bow. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He gestured towards a sofa and some chairs that were grouped around a low table in the corner. “Please, have a seat and tell me what I can do for you.”

Faoileán sat down and studied him. The ambassador was human, a tall, gaunt man of indeterminable age, possibly anywhere between thirty-five and mid-fifties. His dark brown hair was untouched by grey, but his neatly groomed short beard was shot through with a few silvery threads. He had dark, intelligent eyes over an aquiline nose, and was dressed carefully, yet not ostentatiously. There was a no-nonsense air about him that made Faoileán feel confident that she had come to the right man for help.

“Thank you, Ambassador. I know you are a busy man, so you will forgive me if I get to the point without further preliminaries. I need to travel to the Jurin system, and I would be very grateful if you could help me to bypass the Imperial blockade and get there.”

Trevelyan raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning to involve yourself in the war?”

“I had rather hoped to slip through without being engaged in open hostilities”, Faoileán admitted. “I am a healer, not a warrior. I also have to confess that I am not thoroughly familiar with all the details of the current situation on Jurin and Cera.”

“The current situation”, Trevelyan said matter-of-factly, “is that both worlds are going to hell in a handbasket.” He poured two glasses of water from a decanter on the table and handed one to Faoileán before taking a sip from the other.

“About two weeks ago”, he began, “Imperial ships started arriving in the system and building a blockade around Cera. Officially, the Empire denied any involvement, and for once I am inclined to believe them. Those ships were a rogue force, and they seemed to worry the Imperials as much as they did us. The blockade was tightened over several days, and then an army of droids rained down on the planet. They occupied several cities and in particular took possession of an old temple located in the centre of Devros, a major trade port with roughly three million inhabitants.”

The ambassador’s face was grim. “I’ve heard Jedi talk about a ‘disturbance in the Force’, or whatever it is you people feel, I don’t profess to understand it. They say the ‘disturbance’ had its origin in that temple. According to them someone - or something - did something there which obliterated the entire population of Devros. Three million people, killed in an instant. The Jedi I spoke to had no idea what the exact purpose of this mass murder might have been, but it seems that whatever the goal was, it was not achieved, for shortly afterwards the ships moved away from Cera and started forming a blockade around Jurin.”

Trevelyan leaned back in his chair and gave Faoileán a hard look. “The Imperials may not have started this crisis, but they are certainly ready to profit from it. Imperial troops are moving in to occupy Cera now that the rogue force has moved on, and they are also getting involved on Jurin, fighting both the droid army and our military. The blockade around Jurin is getting tighter by the hour, and if what happened on Cera is any indication, things will heat up very soon. If you insist on travelling to Jurin, Master Jedi, you will be going into a war zone.”

[Nimue]

Faoileán was silent for a while as she digested the information. She had not been paying much attention to the news lately, first because she had been busy at the dig site, then because she had been distracted by her own troubles. What the ambassador had just told her was more than disturbing, but she was still convinced that she needed to go.

“Thank you, Your Excellency”, she said at last. “I appreciate the warning, and I will do my best to heed it. However, I still need to get to Jurin, and given the circumstances it is doubtful that a Jedi vessel could just openly land there.” Why she was suddenly sure that it was Jurin and not Cera that was her destination, Faoileán could not have said. However, the moment she said it she knew it was true - whatever she was looking for, she would not find it on Cera.

Trevelyan nodded. “This morning, I attended a hearing in the senate to ask for the Republic’s help”, he said. “Our army has no chance fighting a two front war against the droids and the Imperial military, even if they are not acting in concert. We need reinforcements, and we need them quickly. The Jurin system has so far been neutral, since it has been our policy to trade with all interested parties and consider their internal politics none of our business. With the invasion, however, neutrality is no longer an option, and we were prepared to offer certain concessions to the Republic in exchange for military aid. Sadly, the senate has decided to decline my request.”

He set down his water glass. “According to the majority of votes, Jurin is of too little importance and the Republic forces are stretched too thin already. Be that as it may, I will leave for Jurin this evening. There is nothing more I can do here on Coruscant, so now my place is with my king and my people.” He looked at Faoileán. “I am still hoping that perhaps your order will choose to send help, although I rather doubt that a handful of Jedi can make a difference against two armies, if you’ll forgive my candour. That said, I can offer you a passage on my personal transport. If diplomatic passcodes are not enough to get us past the blockade, the stealth technology my ship is equipped with should do the job.”

“Thank you, Ambassador”, Faoileán said. “I am grateful for your offer, especially in the light of this morning’s disappointment.” Her respect for Trevelyan rose - it would have been easy for him to remain in safety on Coruscant, claiming to try and find allies after all, but instead he chose to return home, knowing that he was putting his life in danger by doing so. Futile as the gesture might be, it said a lot about his character.

She rose and bowed formally. “I have taken up enough of your time already, Your Excellency. I will meet you at the spaceport in the evening.”

He got to his feet as well. “I will inform the security guards that you are expected”, he said. “Until this evening.”

As Faoileán left, she felt the slight chill of Wyellett’s presence around her. “That went smoothly”, the dead Jedi commented as soon as they arrived at Faoileán’s quarters.

“Almost too smoothly”, she said thoughtfully. “He didn’t even ask why I want to go to Jurin.”

“Would you have told him?” Wyellett inquired.

“Probably not.” Faoileán sighed. “In any case, what could I have told him? That I need to go because the Force tells me to?”

“As good an explanation as any”, the ghost said placidly. “And one that might be expected from a Jedi. But anyway, I agree that he seemed just a little too ready to cooperate. Especially in a situation where it would be perfectly natural for him to hold a grudge against the Republic, diplomat or no.”

Faoileán opened her travelling bag and started packing her few belongings into it. “He is still my best chance to get to Jurin without being shot down or captured, so I’ll take his offer and see what happens. I will be careful though.”

“And you won’t be alone”, Wyellett said.

Faoileán smiled at him. “No, I won’t”, she said.

[Nimue]

Faoileán walked through the crowd milling around the spaceport. As befitted the central traffic hub of the Republic's core world, there were diplomats, businessmen and tourists from every corner of the galaxy and all stations of life. Faoileán observed a Sullustan family clustered around a window, the father holding up the youngest infant so it could get a good look at the huge city sprawling below.

A holoterminal at the wall displayed the latest news from the Mid Rim. Faoileán couldn't hear the sound over the din of voices in the hall, but judging from the anchorwoman's grave face it wasn't good. The Jedi instinctively quickened her steps and headed towards the private hangar bays.

She could feel the thief's presence in the crowd as he carefully wove his way towards her. His emotions were a curious mixture of confidence and nervousness which told her that he, while not completely inexperienced, was not a professional either. Just as his hand was about to touch her belt, she stopped abruptly and turned to face him.

"And what exactly do you think you are doing?" she inquired mildly.

"Nothing, mistress", he assured her hastily, "I... oh, crap." His eyes widened in shock as they fell on the lightsaber at her belt. His green face paled to a sickly hue which made the black tattoos on his cheeks stand out starkly. "Just my luck", he muttered as he partly regained his composure. "Thousands of blasted tourists in this blasted lobby, and I pick a blasted Jedi."

"Is that man bothering you, Master Jedi?" A security guard casually sauntered over, well aware that the situation was under control but feeling obliged to do his job.

Faoileán shrugged noncommittally. "He unsuccessfully tried to steal from me, but no harm was done."

The guard shook his head. "Clumsy", he remarked. "I'll take him into custody."

Faoileán inclined her head. "The law is the law and must be observed", she stated. "Just bear in mind - this was an unsuccessful attempt at petty theft, not an armed robbery. Don't treat him too harshly."

"That is for the magistrate to decide, but I will relay your message. Will you be available as a witness?"

"Unfortunately I have pressing business that calls me away from Coruscant. But you have my statement, I have nothing more to add."

"As you wish", the guard conceded. "Safe travels, Master Jedi."

"Thank you", Faoileán said and continued on her way while the guard marched the unlucky would-be thief off to the holding cells.

True to his word, Trevelyan had cleared her with the security guards. Faoileán had no trouble entering the hangar bay and finding the ambassador’s transport. The vessel turned out to be a sleek shuttle, clearly built for speed, and as she stepped inside she saw that the interior, though comfortable, was outfitted with the sense for practicality she had expected from its owner.

“Welcome aboard, Master Jedi”, the ambassador greeted her as she exited the airlock. “We will be cleared to launch within the next half hour, so we should be on our way soon.”

“Thank you, Ambassador”, she replied. “How long do you expect the trip to take?”

“About thirty hours, if all goes well.” Trevelyan indicated the liveried man who had been hovering at his elbow. “My valet will show you to the guest cabin. I would be honoured if you’d join me for dinner, say in an hour?”

Faoileán bowed. “It will be my pleasure.” She followed the servant to the guest quarters, which turned out to be a small but pleasantly furnished cabin. Faoileán put down her bag and thanked the valet, who bowed and retreated silently. Unsurprisingly, the familiar chill wafted through the room as soon as he had left.

“We may want to be a bit careful here”, Wyellett’s disembodied voice whispered right next to her ear. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if His Excellency was keeping close tabs on what’s going on aboard his ship.”

“You suspect that the room is bugged?” Faoileán asked under her breath.

“Possibly. I’m no expert on technical matters, but I do know people.”

Faoileán nodded. “I’m not sure what he will think if he overhears me talking to ‘myself’, but it can’t hurt to be careful.”

“Right”, Wyellett said. “I’ll keep an eye on him, and he doesn’t know I’m around.”

Faoileán smiled. “Who would have thought this a week ago”, she said. “The Force moves in mysterious ways.”

Wyellett laughed softly. “That it does.” His voice grew faint. “I assume you’ll want to freshen up and change before dinner, and it would be rude to stick around while you do. I’ll float around a bit and see what your host is up to.”

Faoileán nodded. “Maybe I can learn something interesting during dinner. We’ll talk afterwards.”

“That we will”, Wyellett said, then his presence was gone and Faoileán proceeded to the refresher to make herself presentable.

[Nimue]

As expected, Ambassador Trevelyan turned out to be an excellent host. The food was simple, but very well prepared, and Faoileán found herself enjoying it just as much as Trevelyan’s conversation. The ambassador had obviously received a careful education as befitted his rank, and his quick intelligence had made sure it didn’t go to waste. As the meal wound to its close, they were discussing Rakatan history like scholars.

“I must admit that you make a strong point in favour of Lazhare’s theory”, Trevelyan said and laid down his spoon. “Personally, I’ve always been a bit doubtful about it, but it would seem that I wasn’t in possession of all the facts.” He picked up his wine glass and took a sip. “Speaking of facts”, he continued. “May I ask why you are so determined to go to Jurin?”

Faoileán smiled at his attempt to catch her off guard. “Of course you may”, she replied smoothly. “In fact, I am surprised that you didn’t ask sooner.”

He shrugged slightly. “There was no rush, really. I assume that your mission on Jurin is a personal one - if you were on official business of your order, you would already have said so, and they would likely have provided you with a means to get there.”

Faoileán inclined her head. “You are correct. My mission, if you wish to call it that, has nothing to do with the Jedi order.” She took up her glass, pondering what to tell him. “When we spoke on Coruscant, you mentioned a disturbance in the Force that occurred when the inhabitants of Devros were obliterated. I was near Cera when it happened. It… did something to me. I don’t know what exactly, but I haven’t been myself since then.” She set down the glass without drinking from it. “I need to find out what happened to me”, she said quietly. “And I believe I will find the answer on Jurin.”

Trevelyan studied her thoughtfully. “A personal mission indeed”, he murmured. “I take it your order knows nothing about this?”

Faoileán shook her head. “If I had reported this, they would probably have recalled me to Tython to examine me. I won’t find my answers there.”

“Probably not”, the ambassador agreed. “So am I correct in assuming that you have no knowledge of the Republic and Jedi strike force that is currently gathering on Jurin’s second moon?”

Faoileán stared at him. “Didn’t you say that the senate refused your request for help?”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’”, Trevelyan said drily. “And yes, they did. Which is why I was very surprised to receive a report of the aforementioned secret strike force.”

“You are aware of them”, Faoileán pointed out. “They aren’t entirely secret.”

“To the best of my knowledge, neither of the invading armies knows about them yet. It was pure coincidence that my people spotted them. According to the report, the soldiers might be Republic Special Forces, but they aren’t wearing any official insignia. No uniforms on the Jedi, of course. My sources couldn’t divine what they want there, but they seem to be getting ready to move to Jurin.”

Faoileán shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense”, she said. “I’m no strategist, and I don’t have military training, but a unit small enough to hide on a moon in a besieged system can’t possibly hope to take on two armies.”

“Agreed”, Trevelyan said. “So it follows that taking on the armies isn’t their main goal. Are you sure that you don’t know what they might be after?”

“Quite sure”, she said. “However, I could hazard a guess. If the events on Cera are to be repeated on Jurin, as it currently appears, they are probably there to prevent a second disaster like the one in Devros. That would also explain why they have Jedi with them.”

He nodded. “That was my thought as well. Which is why I instructed my people not to do anything about them for the time being. We most certainly don’t need a third front in this war, and if your secret army disposes of a few Imperials along the way, so much the better.”

He leaned back and studied Faoileán over the rim of his glass. “It is clear that there is more going on here than meets the eye”, he said. “Should you, during your mission, find out what it is, I would appreciate if you could pass that information along to me.”

Faoileán returned his gaze evenly. “I will, if I can”, she said. “Beyond that, I can make no promises.”

He nodded. “I’m not asking you to betray your order’s secrets, or to relay classified military information. I simply want to know what’s going on here, and why the Empire is suddenly fighting against itself to take possession of my homeworld.”

“I understand”, she said. “And I owe you that much at least in return for your help.” She neatly folded her napkin and laid it aside. “I thank you for dinner and for the interesting conversation, Ambassador. If you don’t mind, I would like to go and get some rest now. I have a feeling that rest may be scarce once we arrive on Jurin.”

He nodded. “It probably will. Rest well then, and please don’t hesitate to let me or my staff know if you require anything.”

Faoileán rose and bowed. “Thank you, Your Excellency. Good night.”

[Nimue]

“A most courteous host”, Wyellett stated as soon as she had reached her cabin. “And as you may have guessed, he is not quite what he seems.”

Faoileán sat down on her bed and rubbed her temples in a futile attempt to dispel her lingering headache. “What did you learn?”

“When I looked in on the ambassador after I left you, he was just receiving a report from one of his subordinates. The report he mentioned to you, about the Republic strike team gathering on Jurin’s moon. Didn’t you find it curious that a member of the diplomatic service would have access to information like that? Secret military information?”

“The thought crossed my mind”, she admitted.

“I didn’t overhear the whole conversation, but from what I heard Trevelyan didn’t start his career as a diplomat. He’s a spy, probably somewhere near the top of the command chain, and it was hinted that his assignment as an ambassador to Coruscant was really a move by his enemies at the royal court to get him away from Jurin and remove the king from his influence.”

Faoileán nodded thoughtfully. “This means that once we arrive on Jurin, we need to leave Trevelyan as quickly as possible, before we get caught in any political squabbles. It’s probably too much to hope that the arrival of two enemy armies has made everyone forget their differences and work together for a common goal.”

“Probably”, Wyellett agreed. He studied her. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it”, he observed quietly. When she just nodded, he said, “I’d like another look at you, if you don’t mind. Whatever is affecting you must leave a trace somewhere, there must be something to tell me what’s wrong with you.”

“Be my guest”, she said and closed her eyes.

“All right”, he said, his voice sounding slightly hollow as he faded from view. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

Freed from the strain of maintaining visibility, Wyellett focused his concentration on the young woman sitting before him. He could tell she was trying to relax and make things easier for him, although it wasn't working too well. Shifting his perception, he let the Force guide him as he studied her. Her aura was bright and strong, glowing steadily with the light of the Force. Wyellett narrowed his focus and minutely examined her.

There.

Something was there, a tiny spark clinging to her aura, something that stuck to her but was not of her. Gently he reached out with his mind to probe it - and instantly recoiled.

Pain. Confusion. Loss.

Wyellett shook himself, trying to clear away the residue of the unexpected impact. Whatever that spark was, it could feel, and it was suffering unspeakable agony. Pulling himself together he reached out again, even more cautiously this time.

Who are you? he asked silently.

The spark didn't seem to notice him, there was no difference in the jumble of feelings Wyellett sensed from it. Patiently he repeated his question, then again, and again. Finally he got the impression that the spark was becoming aware of his presence. Something new appeared in the chaos, more confusion, but this time directed at him. Encouraged, he tried again.

Don’t be afraid. I want to help you. Who are you?

Then, finally, something like words, carrying with them the immense effort it cost to bring them forth.

Don't... know...

Wyellett realised there would be nothing more, and withdrew his mind. He willed himself to become visible again and appeared before Faoileán who was still patiently sitting on the bed.

"I'm afraid I wasn't able to learn much", he said without preamble and briefly summed up his findings. "It seems to me that you have a... passenger, for lack of a better word. I cannot tell who or what it is, but it appears to be sentient. And whatever it is, it is hurting. Badly."

"Can we help it?" she asked immediately, the natural reaction of a healer.

"I don't know", he confessed. "I will need to find out more about what this being is and what ails it. With your permission, I will continue trying to contact it and to learn more."

"Please do", she told him. "Whoever this creature is, if those nightmares are any indication of what it is going through, we must put an end to it. No one should suffer like that."

"I agree", Wyellett said. "I'll leave you for now and nose around on the ship a bit more, but I’ll keep an eye on you. Maybe the next time I contact it, it will be more responsive.”

"Thank you", she said and bowed gracefully. "Please let me know what you find out."

"Of course", he said and raised a hand in farewell. Then he flickered and was gone, leaving Faoileán to her thoughts.

[Nimue]

“Reporting in, sir.” The holo was breaking up badly, but the man’s voice was still understandable. He stood at attention, but Trevelyan impatiently waved his hand. Unnoticed by him, Wyellett drew closer and listened intently.

“Let’s hear it, Operative.”

“Both Imperial armies are advancing on Avin”, the agent reported. From their previous talk Wyellett knew that Avin was the capital of Jurin, and the seat of its king. “They have reached the outskirts already and are fighting each other there. The Royal Council ordered our forces to fall back to the city centre and focus on defending the palace.”

“Blast it”, Trevelyan muttered. “They’re not even trying to buy the people time to flee?”

“Negative, Commander.” Commander, Wyellett noted. Interesting. The image flickered for a moment, then stabilised again. “It’s total chaos in the streets. The population is trying to flee, and the Imps are gunning down the refugees if they get in their way. However, Avin doesn’t seem to be the Imps’ only target.”

Trevelyan raised an eyebrow. “They’re going after another city?”

“Not a city. A spot in the middle of the forest, about fifteen klicks northwest of Avin. There’s an old ruin in the area. No idea what the Empire would want with that, except that the area's thick with droids and infantry.”

Trevelyan suddenly felt cold. “An old ruin. Like the one in the centre of Devros.”

“You think…? Damn.”

“Yes.” Trevelyan pulled himself together. “Any more good news?”

The operative shrugged. “Not sure if it’s good news, but the Republic strike team has left their staging area and headed for Jurin. They lost a number of ships going down, but most of them made it. We’re trying to keep an eye on them, but it’s getting increasingly hard.”

“Do what you can”, Trevelyan ordered. “We will arrive… Operative?” The visual was breaking up even more, and the agent’s reply was unintelligible. Then the holo went black. “Operative! Blast it.” Frustrated, Trevelyan switched off the holocom and sank back in his seat with a bleak expression. Wyellett floated silently out of the room, leaving him to brood in solitude.

[Nimue]

As the ambassador’s vessel dropped out of hyperspace at last, Faoileán felt the change instantly. Something was here, a disturbance in the Force, something wrong and unnatural. She couldn't sense it very clearly yet, but it was palpable enough to cause her discomfort.

Closing her eyes she reached out with her mind, but there was nothing tangible. For an instant she thought that she had contact with... something, but then it was gone and she couldn't find it again.

Faolieán opened her eyes. "Master Wyellett?" she whispered. "Are you here?" No one answered, and she was beginning to think that the dead Jedi was not in the vicinity when the air before her shimmered briefly and he appeared.

"I think my... passenger, as you called it, is reacting", she said. "I don't know to what, but it feels different. Could you try to speak to it again?"

"Intriguing", he said. "Perhaps it is because we are close to Cera again, where you first noticed it. Let me have a look..." He winked out again.

Now that he knew what to look for, the spark was easy to see. It still clung to Faoileán's aura, and it seemed to pulsate slightly. Wyellett gained the impression that it was upset. Mindful of what had happened the last time he had contacted it, he was very careful reaching out. As he probed the spark, he felt the same mix of confusion and pain as before, but Faoileán was right - there was something else too.

Can you hear me? he asked silently. The only answer he got was a jumble of conflicting emotions, a desire to leave and a need to stay here, a feeling of being torn apart... yes. Wyellett was suddenly very certain that this was exactly what was happening, or had happened, to the spark. He tried again to contact it, but there was no reply. He decided to give up for the moment and became visible again. Faoileán was looking at him expectantly.

"It didn't speak to me", he said. "I don't think it can right now, it’s too agitated. I got the feeling that it is... incomplete, for lack of a better word. Missing something. Something was torn from it by force, and that is why it is suffering and confused."

Faoileán pondered for a moment. "Could that be why it feels different since we left hyperspace? Because the missing part is somewhere nearby?"

Wyellett nodded. "That's what I'm thinking. It might be on Cera, but somehow I don't believe that. I believe that it is exactly where we are going."

"On Jurin", Faoileán said.

"Yes. On Jurin."

“Master Jedi?” A polite knock at the cabin door accompanied the valet’s voice. “His Excellency’s compliments, and he wished me to inform you that we are approaching Jurin. We will land at the royal palace of Avin in half an hour.”

“Thank you”, Faoileán said. “I am packed and ready to disembark.”

“You may want to come over to the bridge and strap in”, the valet advised. “There is heavy fighting over Avin, and we may be in for a bumpy landing.”

“I appreciate the warning”, she said. “Lead the way.”

As she arrived on the bridge, the ambassador was already strapped into one of the seats. He nodded at her and immediately returned his attention to the screens. He looked pale, and Faoileán doubted that he had slept at all during their flight. “Stealth shields”, he ordered tersely. “I’m not going to trust solely in my passcodes under the circumstances.”

“Yes, sir.” The pilot seemed calm and collected, as if he was used to flying into war zones on a daily basis. He worked some controls, and the engine sounds changed slightly.

“Let’s hope this is enough”, Trevelyan said. He watched the screens intently as their ship entered the atmosphere and made straight for the capital. “We’ll use the private landing pad at the palace”, he said. “The spaceport is no longer safe.”

The vessel wove its way towards the palace, deftly evading the incoming fire. The shots didn’t seem to be aimed at them, but nevertheless a hit would have been fatal.

At last the palace of Avin appeared below them. Trevelyan punched in his landing codes, and with a slight bump the ship touched down. Trevelyan looked up. “Welcome to Jurin, Master Jedi”, he said drily. “Whatever it is you want to do here, I suggest you do it quickly.”

“That is my intention”, Faoileán said and extricated herself from her seat. She looked at him. “I thank you for your help, Ambassador”, she said softly. “I wish I could do something to help you in return. I sense your people’s deaths out there in the streets. What is happening here is very wrong.”

Trevelyan nodded curtly. “That’s one way to put it”, he said. He got to his feet and led the way to the airlock.

As they left the ship, a group of people approached them from the docking bay’s doors. “Looks like someone sent a welcoming committee”, Trevelyan muttered.

Faoileán cast a suspicious look at the approaching group. The man who was leading them seemed to be an official of some sorts, with an aide in tow and three soldiers trailing behind them. The official stopped about halfway between the ship and the exit, folded his arms in front of his chest and looked at Trevelyan, who marched determinedly towards the door and returned his stare coldly.

“Ambassador Trevelyan”, the man said, making the title sound like an insult. “Care to explain what you are doing here? I do not remember His Majesty recalling you from Coruscant.”

“Of course you would know, Ventin”, Trevelyan replied tartly. “Since my assignment was your idea in the first place. Now get out of my way. I have more important things to do than to play your little games.”

“You are going nowhere, Ambassador.” Ventin slightly raised his hand and the soldiers moved to block the passage. The official’s eyes turned to Faoileán. “Who is that woman?”

“Master Faoileán, of the Jedi order”, Faoileán said placidly and inclined her head in greeting.

Ventin appeared entirely unimpressed. “A Jedi? One? Oh yes, I’m sure you will make all the difference in this war.” He waved at the soldiers. “Arrest them.”

The aide coughed nervously. “My lord, under the circumstances, are you sure that this is wise?”

Ventin glared at him, and the man fell silent. Faoileán decided that it was time to intervene. “Your aide is right”, she said, briefly flicking her hand. “It would be most unwise to arrest the ambassador under the circumstances.” Ventin’s eyes glazed slightly and he hesitated. The soldiers behind him exchanged glances.

Faoileán gave their leader a level look. “I hope you are not considering doing anything rash, officer.”

“I’d rather not”, the soldier admitted. “But we have our orders.”

“Your dedication is commendable”, she said smoothly. “It would be even more commendable if it were directed towards protecting your people in these trying times, rather than assisting in pointless power games.”

The soldiers looked decidedly uncomfortable. Faoileán turned towards Trevelyan. “Your orders, Ambassador? Or should I say, Commander?”

If Trevelyan was surprised, he didn’t show it. He nodded curtly at the soldiers. “Take Lord Ventin into custody. I’m going to see the king, perhaps there is time yet to save at least part of the city.”

The officer hesitated briefly, then glanced at Faoileán and snapped a salute at Trevelyan. The three soldiers surrounded Ventin, who still appeared somewhat dazed, and his aide, who hovered anxiously at his master’s side and seemed to be trying to make himself invisible. Neither of them offered any resistance as the soldiers marched them off.

Trevelyan looked after them, then turned to Faoileán. “My thanks, Master Jedi. This could have turned ugly without your help.”

She inclined her head. “My pleasure. We were lucky that the soldiers were already very reluctant to follow their orders - if they had been firmly in Lord Ventin’s camp, there would have been little I could have done.”

Trevelyan set off towards the exit at a brisk pace. “I need to hurry, we’re running out of time. I hope you find what you are looking for, whatever it is.”

“Thank you”, Faoileán said. “May the Force guide and protect you in these dark times.”

Trevelyan bowed formally to her, then turned and vanished down a corridor. Faoileán looked after him for a moment, then started looking for a way out of the palace.