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Star Maps (Part 6): Korriban V
🕑 Added 2025-03-16 12:02:48 +0000 UTCOnce the spectral figure of the former Sith Lord from ancient times finished her explanation, there was only one expression on my face.
Concern.
Coming to this planet, I would never have imagined that I would end up running into a Sith and the presence of one from ancient times, let alone expected them to warn me and Maul about a possible invasion of the Galaxy at the hands of a species unknown to most of the world. The worst part of the matter was that I didn't even know when this one would happen, so if there was anything to describe our current situation it would be: dangerously in trouble.
“So, do you now understand my motives child?” the spectral figure asked to snap me out of my trance, which he succeeded in doing. When something of this magnitude is revealed to me, it is impossible for me to avoid to zone out. After all, my mind does that as a way of thinking of solutions to such an extent that I am totally cut off from the world, locked in my thoughts.
“I understand...Lord XoXaan.” I said slowly. “But I still find it hard to believe, even if I know deep down that what you're telling me is true, you have to admit it sounds surreal.”
The spectral figure surprisingly formed a half smile.
“Yes, I understand what you mean, but both the Galaxy and the Force were never predictable. So it shouldn't come as a surprise, least of all to someone like you, or am I wrong?”
I smiled back. “No I suppose not.”
“In that case, what do you plan to do now with this information?”
It was a good question, what do I do now? Well, for starters, I should find Sabine who must still be wandering the endless corridors of the tomb and tell her. But once I do that, what can I do?
Suddenly, an idea popped into my head.
“I...maybe I have an idea.”
This seemed to catch the attention of not only the wraith and Krayt, but also Maul, who turned to look at me with a curious expression.
“The Mass Shadow Generator, we can use it to take them out, at least their fleet.”
Maul was the first to break the silence, letting out a low, mocking laugh.
“Interesting,” he muttered, crossing his arms. “A weapon that consumes everything around it with the same brutality with which a Sith devours power... I must admit, I didn't expect that response from you.”
I ignored him and looked at XoXaan. “Would it work?”
The former Sith tilted her head slightly, evaluating the idea. “The Mass Shadow Generator is a tool of absolute destruction, capable of obliterating anything within its radius of effect... but I doubt it's as simple as you put it.”
“Why?”
“Because you're not dealing with a simple fleet. They're not the Empire. They're not the Republic. They're an entire civilization. And their biological technology defies everything you know. Are you sure a superweapon built by your people will be able to destroy something you don't even fully understand?”
I frowned. I knew he was right. There was no guarantee that the Mass Shadow Generator could work against beings that had evolved completely alien to our galaxy. But still, it was the only weapon of mass destruction I could think of that didn't rely on the Force, and since the Yuuzhan Vong were immune to it, we couldn't rely on traditional methods.
“It may not be a definitive solution,” I admitted, ”but it's a start. A way to buy time if we need it.”
Krayt, who had remained silent up to that point, finally spoke up.
“You have no idea what you're talking about.”
His tone was grave, without the slightest hint of mockery or contempt. When our gazes met, I noticed something in his eyes...it wasn't anger, or disdain. It was something deeper. Something I rarely saw in the Sith.
Fear.
“The Mass Shadow Generator was designed to destroy fleets and armies, yes. But the Yuuzhan Vong don't just fight with ships or soldiers. They fight with their very existence. They are fanatical to the core. If you destroy a part of their fleet, you will only make them stronger. They don't run away. They do not surrender. For them, war is a sacred act. And you, Galen Marek, would be little more than just another enemy on their list of conquests.”
I gritted my teeth. “Then tell me, Krayt, what is the solution?”
The Sith didn't answer right away. He merely watched me with that calculating intensity, as if debating between sharing more information or letting me figure it out on my own.
It was XoXaan who spoke again. “There is a way... but it won't be easy.”
Maul narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“If you truly wish to take on the Yuuzhan Vong... there is knowledge you must acquire. The Force is powerful, yes, but if the Yuuzhan Vong have been able to challenge it, then it is because there is something we do not fully understand. Something we have not yet discovered. If you wish a real chance against them...” he paused, letting his words settle in our minds before continuing, ”then you must seek answers beyond what you know so far, to understand perhaps you must go to the origin of it all.”
A shiver ran down my back.
“The Origin?”
The figure of XoXaan seemed to understand what his apprentice was talking about as he joined in.
“There are legends about a place in the center of the Galaxy, a planet that is believed to have been the origin of the Midichlorians and thus the Force and the Galaxy as we know it, perhaps if you find this place you will find a way to stop the Yuuzhan Vong.”
“The center of the Galaxy? But getting there is impossible, if I get too close, the black hole at the center of the Galaxy would engulf me.”
“Nothing is impossible with the Force.” Replied the spectral figure simply.
“You say that only because you're not the one who has to go.” I replied irritably.
“No, you misunderstand me, it is possible to get to that world if you let the Force guide you.” Said the Sith Lord surprising me.
“A Sith saying I should let the Force guide me, now I've seen it all.”
“Don't get me wrong child, letting the Force guide you in this case is the only way you have to find the world, otherwise you will end up lost and wandering until the center of the Galaxy draws you in and swallows you in its maw.”
“Since we're back on topic, I'd like to ask you a question, what are you?”
I looked at her with confusion. “I'm sorry, what do you mean?”
“What I mean, is that you called me a Sith in a derogatory way but I see that you possess a lightsaber with a synthetic crystal and in addition to that, you are able to use Force lightning, an ability exclusive to the dark side, so my question is, who are you?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not necessarily. But do you really think you'll be able to defeat the Yuuzhan Vong with the level of power you have now? Please don't make me laugh. You will never reach the peak of your abilities unless you use all the power the dark side of the Force has to offer.”
“That's not true.”
“Oh no? Did it ever happen to you that you got so far away from the dark side, to the point that your abilities lost a lot of power or you just stopped having them?”
To this last I remained silent, I knew that on that point she was right.
“It's a dangerous game, the one you play child. The Force is like a seesaw, it doesn't work for those who seek the balance between the dark side and the light side, not because they don't want to, but because it's impossible to find, sooner or later you'll weaken again if you keep moving away from the dark side and if that happens, you'll never be able to defeat them.”
I wanted to protest, I tried to think of ways to express that what I was saying was wrong until I remembered a lesson Kreia taught me one day.
---
The image of the holocron flickered with a dim reddish light in the darkness of the room. Its projected figure stood unchanging, arms folded and expression inscrutable, watching me with those blind eyes that somehow always seemed to be able to see.
“Tell me, child...what is Light without Darkness, what is Darkness without Light?”
I frowned. I knew it was a test, another one of their riddles. I had been taught that they were complementary opposites, two forces coexisting in an eternal cycle. So I answered with the assurance of one who believes he knows the truth.
“They are opposites that balance each other. They cannot exist without each other.”
Kreia bowed her head slightly, and though her expression did not change, I sensed the shadow of a smirk in her voice when she spoke.
“Balance? Do you really think the Force balances itself?” His tone was almost amused, like that of a teacher listening to her student repeat a poorly learned lesson. “Tell me, then... why has the galaxy always been at war? Why has the Dark Side never been eradicated, nor has the Bright Side managed to bring lasting peace?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but found no immediate words.
“Because... there are always those who seek power, and others who oppose them.”
Kreia nodded slowly, but her tone was still infused with irony.
“Yes, that's how fools justify it. But tell me, Galen, have you ever felt your power fade when you turn away from the Dark Side? Have you noticed how your mastery over the Force fluctuates when you try to hold both sides at once?”
I remembered the times when, in my attempt to fend off the Darkness, I had felt my strength waning, my abilities becoming clumsy, weak. And, on the other hand, how as I let myself be driven by rage, the power flowed with an intensity that almost consumed me.
“I felt it.” I admitted quietly.
“Of course you've felt it,” she replied impatiently. “Because the Force is not a state of harmony. It is not a calm river where you can navigate between both banks. It's a storm, a constant conflict. If you stray too far from the Dark Side, you will lose power. If you dive too far into it, you will lose control.”
I clenched my fists.
“So... no middle path, no way to use the Force without getting pulled into one or the other?”
Kreia let out a slight mirthless laugh.
“Oh, of course there is a middle path... if you're willing to accept that it will be unstable, that you'll always be on the verge of collapse. But a true master of the Force does not seek balance. He seeks mastery. And to master something, you must first submit to its nature, understand it in its entirety.”
I remained silent, feeling a knot form in my stomach.
“I thought you would teach me to see beyond Jedi and Sith dogma.”
“And I have,” she replied without hesitation. “What you wanted was for me to show you a safe path, a middle ground where you could exist without making hard choices. But that is a deception. In the Force there is no safety, only choice.”
The holocron projection flickered, as if the device knew the knowledge had already been transmitted.
“The question is not whether you can find balance, Galen. The question is... how much longer will you continue to pretend you can run from choice?”
The memory faded, but his words stuck in my mind.
And, to my chagrin, a part of me knew he was right.
---
I came back to the present. XoXaan was still watching me with his spectral eyes. Krayt, at his side, maintained his posture with his arms crossed over his armored chest. Maul was scowling at me impatiently.
“You got lost in thought, child.”
His voice snapped me out of my trance, but I didn't respond immediately. My mind was still processing Kreia's lesson, contrasting it with what XoXaan and Krayt were telling me. The Force didn't allow for balance... but if that was true, what did it mean for me?
“I was just... remembering something.”
XoXaan nodded slowly, as if he understood more of what I had said.
“Tell me then... do you still think you can find a way to defeat the Yuuzhan Vong without accepting the truth of the Force?”
I clenched my jaw.
“If the Force does not allow balance... then what do you suggest I do... plunge completely into the Darkness... become a Sith?”
XoXaan let out a low, almost amused laugh.
“Oh, no. Make no mistake. I'm not here to turn you into a Sith, nor to force you into anything. But the Force is conflict, and conflict is growth. You won't get stronger by clinging to the illusion of a middle ground. The Force is not something you can mold to your convenience... it is something that molds you.”
I felt a pang of frustration.
“So, according to your logic, sooner or later I'll have to choose a path... or I'll be stuck.”
“No. According to the logic of the Force, that is inevitable.” XoXaan leaned forward slightly. “The question is... how much longer will you continue to fight the inevitable?”
I remained silent. Not because I didn't have an answer, but because I didn't want to face it.
Maul, hitherto silent, intervened.
“Enough philosophizing. This gets us no closer to the Star Map.”
XoXaan averted his gaze to him, his expression stern again.
“Maybe it doesn't. But it does bring you closer to your full potential.”
Krayt, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up.
“No matter how much you analyze it. In the end, the only truth that matters is power. If you are not strong enough when the Yuuzhan Vong arrive... you will die.”
His words held no mockery or threat. They were simply fact.
I took a deep breath and straightened my back.
“I guess we'll see about that.”
XoXaan watched me a moment longer and then nodded.
“Yes. I guess we will.”
Silence stretched across the chamber, laden with meaning. But in the end, it didn't matter how many answers I had found here. There was still one mission left to complete.
“Take me to the Star Map.”
Krayt said nothing. He simply turned and began walking down the hallway XoXaan had pointed out earlier. Maul and I followed him silently, our footsteps echoing in the ancient tomb.
The air was thick, charged with Dark Side energy and the weight of countless years. The walls were marked with inscriptions and reliefs that spoke of forgotten times, of ancient wars and the glory of the Sith. But at that moment, none of that occupied my mind.
I was thinking about the conversation with XoXaan. In her words. About the inevitable choice she said I had to make.
I was thinking about the Yuuzhan Vong.
I clenched my fists.
It was not just a threat. It was a death sentence for the Galaxy and for anyone who wasn't prepared if they started a full-scale invasion.
It was then that I thought back to my earlier idea.
The Mass Shadow Generator.
Perhaps it was the only solution.
But... was I willing to go that far? After all, the whole point of this trip was to find it and destroy it, but...if I destroy it, what will I have left to keep us all from being enslaved?
My thoughts were interrupted when Krayt stopped. We had arrived.
In front of us, a huge door loomed, covered in Sith symbols. Beyond it was the Star Map.
(A few minutes later...)
Once we left the room with the next part of the Star Map, my thoughts were still wrapped up in all that we had discovered. My mind went over XoXaan's every word, every revelation about the Yuuzhan Vong, every warning implied in his words.
I was so immersed in my thoughts that I almost didn't notice when I bumped into someone.
“Galen, there you are! I've been looking all over the tomb for you, this place is like a bloody maze,” Sabine exclaimed, relieved.
I barely registered her words. I simply nodded, not quite processing them.
Sabine frowned.
“Hey... are you okay?” she asked, her tone laden with concern.
I nodded again, this time a little more aware of her unease.
“I am,” I replied, though I wasn't sure if it was true. “Let's get out of here.”
She watched me for a second longer, as if she wanted to question me, but in the end she didn't. Instead, she simply nodded and began walking alongside Maul.
Without another word, they followed me back to the ship.
