Chapter 19 – Secret talk

When they saw Ood Barn, their old tree with a face and a more vibrant appearance, the situation became more peaceful. They revered him for generations, seeing him being alive and sentient was a shock for them.

Ood Barn, was a bit lost he understood ever since his awakening that these tribesmen were the descendant of the jedis he knew once in a distant past. Now, all of them were revering him and were enthusiastic to learn about the force.

The night has fallen as they finally reached him and the two moons of Ossus, Mim, and Nerit were high in the sky.

Master Ood was lost and didn't know what to do about these tribesmen, so he dismissed them. They listened to him religiously and established an encampment at the entrance of the canyon leading to master Ood.

T3 returned to the Phoenix using his two small reactors to fly in the sky. When the night fell, Lyn and Layan accepted the hospitality of these two Ysannas tribe, they were invited to share a meal with them and slept in a tent they made for them.

The meal was pretty tasty, made of small creatures Layan didn't pay attention to previously and a few sparse herbs that grow on Ossus. Then, the natives started to dance and sing; the mood was really festive, and even Lyn enjoyed herself.

When everyone was sleeping, Layan raised up from the bed discreetly, avoided the few men keeping watch over the camp and headed toward master Ood Barn.

"What bring you here at this time of night, my young friend?"

"A conversation I couldn't have in front of everyone."

"I know. You were holding back something during our previous conversation. Go on, I'm listening to you."

Layan took a deep inspiration and looked at Master Ood and finally took the biggest gamble of his two lives.

"I come from the future. A future where Jedis are almost extinct and the few jedis still alive are hiding from the Sith Empire."

The silence was made in the canyon. The old master was hesitating between stunned and afraid. If what Layan said was true, then he was a genius in the force who succeeded in something deemed as impossible.

"Share your memories with me."

"Mind probe?!"

Layan was on his guard when he heard the suggestion when fighting Vader in his past life. He stole his memories during a lightsaber fight using the Mind Probe skill.

"No, something different. Mind Probe is forceful, it strips you of your memory. What I'm talking about is for you to share your memories with me through a bond."

Master Ood Barn started to explain the process. When he learned what it was about, he put it in application to establish a bond toward Master Ood.

When the link was created, he poured all his memories through the bond. Absolutely everything from his first memories in his childhood to his awakening after being reborn as a slave.

He didn't put anything else, otherwise, he would have learnt that the Phoenix was in orbit, T3 was waiting for Layan signal to start an orbital bombarding. It was just a security measure in case the Neti Jedi Master recovered more than Layan thought.

It took some time for the Neti to digest all the information that just popped up in his mind.

"This time, the Siths got us good. They pushed us to the brink of extinction. They put an end to their internal conflicts in a ruthless way. Ruthless, but efficient."

"It is not the first time. If Meetra Surik wasn't here during the first Great Jedi Purge, the Sith Triumvirate would have annihilated the Jedis. She was a major actor to put an end to their rules and rebuild the Jedi Order."

"Mmm."

Accessing to Layan history lessons, he started to learn what happened in the galaxy during his long, long slumber.

"Nothing change, the wars opposing Siths and Jedis were already repeating themselves during my era, and they continued after. This may be why your master wanted to train you in a way of balance."

"Now, let's get started."

"Yes, let's. What do you want from me? You told me about your most important secret. It must not be without any idea."

He knew it perfectly, no one would show his card while he could have stayed hidden in the shadows to manipulate the flow of events.

"I want advice and support in my actions. You are one of the wisest Jedis to ever live and your link to this planet made of you the best helper I could ask for if I want to use this planet as my base of operations."

"Why would I do that? Tell me your goal and then I may choose to help you."

The old master said as he was looking at Layan with an immense interest in his eyes.

"In truth, I don't know.

I envisaged to watch from the sidelines, watch as the Jedi Order crumble, watch as the Republic disappear, watch as the Empire rise and deliver a lethal blow to Darth Sidious when he was at his weakest, but it goes against my moral.

The Jedis became arrogant and sometimes derogate to their own code, but not all of them are. Most of the senators and politicians of the Republics are greedy and used the Clone Wars to help their own agenda, but not all of them are.

The separatists, if we except their core are just a group that saw the corruption in the Republic and wanted something new but were tricked and became tools for the Siths.

The only idea that I find viable in my opinion is to cleanse the Republic of his filth and use Sidious plans to cleanse the Jedi to start anew.

Now that I found the Ysannas and you, an old revered Jedi Master from an era where Jedi still wasn't corrupted or afraid of the dark side. I want you to help me build a new Jedi Order and help me revive this planet to make it a beautiful world once again."

Layan said his plan he crafted during his 2 weeks he had free on Corellia while waiting for the Phoenix completion. He was ready to use his comlink and order T3 to shoot Ood Bnar down if he refused, but the answer was astonishing.

"The alternative plan you asked for, I have one. You could use the legitimacy of my name to meet the Jedi Council and explain the future events, thus using them to cleanse the Republic and destroying the Siths.

You could, but the current Jedi Order is far too anchored in his traditions, became so paranoid that they accuse their own members without proofs. During the Clone Wars, the numbers of betrayals and members who chose to abandon will skyrocket. I think if things are let that way, then a schism may happen in the long run."

Everything that Ood said, Layan already thought to it as he returned this problem in every possible way to find a good plan. But he was never satisfied as his main plan was to destroy the Empire and make sure that Shaak Ti survived at those events.

"So, will you help me?"

"Yes, I will help you but under two conditions. First, you will travel to Nerit, one of the moons of Ossus, and try to find if other members of my race survived the cataclysm. Second, the New Jedi Order will stay secret and serve as a security measure if you fell to the dark side while searching your own way."

When he heard the first condition, Layan was surprised and even happy to learn that he could meet other members of this almost mythological species. On the other hand, the second condition was harsher to agree with, but when thinking to it was true that was walking at the edge of the two sides. If legendary characters like Revan or Traya fell, then why wouldn't he? it would be arrogance to think the opposite. He hated the Siths, that's one of the reasons he was more reluctant to learn dark side abilities.

"I accept. The first condition, it was your favor?"

"Yes."

The old master simply while sighing, thinking that maybe he was the last remaining member of his species.

"Why do I have the sentiment that you would have complied to help me anyway?"

This time, Master Ood was surprised by Layan intuition and finally told what he was thinking deep down.

"The force allowed you a chance to change the fate, otherwise with your average talent in the force, you would never have succeeded. The choice is yours to make, I am just a relic of the past, I'll look over the aspiring Jedis under my charge to honor my past friends and watch as you carve a new destiny."

When Layan headed back to the campsite, the two suns of Ossus, Adega prime, and Adega Besh started their ascension in the sky and illuminated the desolate world.