Chapter 79 – Back home 

"I lived on my home world of Ossus until its destruction. Homeless at an early age, I wandered galaxy before being taken in the care of Jedi Master Krynda Draay, the founder of the covenant. My identity was erased from the Jedi archives, and I became a show, always fulfilling her mission. I recovered a good number of dangerous Sith artifacts, but my last assignment took a turn for the worse. Your turn."

"...…Layan Vaherg. Male. Mirialan. Mid-twenties."

Layan and Celeste were in the lounge, looking at each other eyes and talking with gritted teeth, still unsure of whether they did the right choice in not killing each other's. Lyn on the other hand was looking with a smile at these two readies to kill each other's at the first sign of deception.

"Thanks, Mr. obvious. I told you my story, now tell me yours."

"Don't take offense, he has some trust issues. When I met him the first time, the first thing he thought to was how to kill me."

"No, first how to take you in. Then I thought to kill you."

"And you're following him?"

In her voice was echoing deep concern and doubt.

"A lot happened."

"Sure, it explains everything."

"What happened to the covenant? At first, you said you didn't remember, but after this, you told about something about a Sith."

This time, the topic was safe, so he chose to tell her what he knows about it.

"Yeah, the whole story is a mess, and a lot of intel was lost during the following wars. The member of the covenant apparently staged up the killing of a handful of padawans."

"Yes, Zayn was among them."

"Good to know. One of the padawan exposed the truth to the council, and an offensive was launched on the covenant, and it was discovered that a Sith lord, or a dark Jedi posing as a servant, was the leader and had a lot of Sith artifacts at his disposal. Don't ask where they came from."

"From me and the others like me, we were fueling the power of a Sith."

Anger was vibrating in her voice, pretty normal when your whole life was a lie. The metal glass in her hand was squashed as she unconsciously clenched her fist.

"You'll have to repay the glass."

While they were talking, Jane Doe stepped into the room, she came back from the cockpit as she wanted to give them some time together to talk about their Jedi things.

"The droid said we will arrive at your secret hideout in a moment."

"It's not a secret hideout. Okay, no one about its existence. We have devices to hide and live cut from the outside world. Listen, I have secrets hideouts, and this isn't one."

"Sure. I believe you."

Layan's messy explanation only got a chuckle from the future senator, which sat down at the table after taking a glass for herself.

"So. Is it true that you came from more than three thousand years in the past?"

"Apparently."

To Jane Doe's question, Celeste answered shortly with a dark tone as she was still thinking to the fact that her whole life and everything she knew is now part of history.

"You never told me your story. Give and take. At least tell me what you really are. A new faction?"

"Stop trying to put me into some pre-established categories, I'm neither a Jedi, a Sith a Dark Jedi or a new ideology. I am none of these, just an asshole with force-sensitivity, only searching to reach apex of the two sides while neither losing myself to my emotions or becoming entangled by a restrictive code making of me something no different from a droid."

The future senator only had a laconic knowledge of the force and its meaning and was slightly lost was listening to their conversation.

The force always was a mystery for of the galaxy but the mysticism on the topic wasn't, it passionate people to comprehend how it could shape so much the history of the galaxy. It is a mysterious energy which can give people's powers, but it was more than that. Surrounding it was several ideologies, most of the time conflicting with each other and then leading to wars.

Easily more than half of the big names in galactic history were force-sensitive individuals, and easily more than half of the wars on galactic scales started mostly due to conflicting ideologies.

"Most of those who searched too deep in the force lost themselves. Are you sure you won't be like all the others?"

"Pretty sure I'm special in my own ways."

Snicker.

"What is it Lyn?"

"Nothing, I just thought about the meaning of special."

This made Jane Doe smile, she hides her smile with her glass.

"She isn't wrong, from our small encounter, I must say you're special."

"Kriff, even the brooding granny is picking on me now? Not sure if I will help you anymore, maybe throw you in a volcano would be better."

Celeste's mood was still low, but she did not want to be the one left out brooding about her feelings in a corner while the others were talking.

"I'm not much older than you."

"Purposely forget the four thousand years gap, but yeah, you look young for a granny."

As the mood was becoming better a few laughs escaped the lips of the few persons at the table.

"What is the jewel at your neck? It's really beautiful."

"A deadly Sith artifact able to bring a dangerous plague."

"I was going to say I wanted one, but forget it."

The future senator's interest was piqued by the talisman, but knowing exactly what was the item at her neck now gave her cold sweat.

"Statement: We will soon come back in real space and land on the planet. Keep our guests away from the cockpit."

Through the intercom, HK-47 announced to the group of meatbags seated in the lounge. As Layan wanted no one to know about Ossus, but was forced to bring Celeste on site, he chooses to keep them away from the cockpit where they could see the coordinates.

Ossus was surely the safest place for her as almost everyone was force-sensitive except for Lyn's friends. The talisman could infect only normal beings, and at the condition that Celeste unleashed its power willingly or not.

At least she was able to keep herself in check during all the duration of the travel and shown no signs of losing control. Otherwise the future senator would have turned into a Rakghoul long ago.

They didn't ask too much questions, and finally the Phoenix landed on the planet.

"You told you weren't a new faction but the number of force-sensitive individuals are at least in the hundred."

"Look more deeply, none of them use the dark side like Lyn or I. Now, come with me, you have to meet the plank of wood."

After checking a second time, she realized what Layan said was true. They were the only two to use the dark side, or at least on the surface, maybe they were using some techniques to change their signatures.

"It looks a lot like Naboo."

"Yes, it was one of our inspirations while building the town, but we have better military forces."

Walking through the beautiful paved roads and the beautiful fountains and greeneries, their two guests were looking around and sighing at the natural beauty of the place.

While she didn��t say it, Celeste had the feeling to know the place even though she never stepped into this town of her whole life.

"A temple? You brought me to the Jedi Order of this era?"

"Not really, it's a separate order, still Jedi but with no ties to the Order on Coruscant. Come, you have to meet someone. Lyn show a tour of the city to Jane Doe while we discuss."

"Sure thing. Want to drink after that, we have like a lot of alcohol."

Lyn dragged the reluctant future senator through the streets and started to think about the sweet alcohol recovered on Pre Vizsla warehouse, it's been months since she couldn't drink a drop of it.

If these bottles were put on the market, they could make some crazy over it, but she was simply enjoying with her friends drinking one bottle after another which almost gave this money grubber of Layan a heart attack.

Walking up the long stairs, they arrived at the courtyard of the temple, were a lot of peoples in Jedis robes were walking around while discussing philosophy, history, martial arts and everything related to their studies.

"Look around, some of these peoples could be somehow related to you. I didn't want to say it in front of someone who may become senator of the Galactic Republic, but we are on Ossus. Your home world, and all of them are descendants of the Jedi which couldn't escape in time."

"Are you kidding me? It's impossible!"

The simple idea appeared crazy. How could no one remark these survivors when they come to check the planet after the incident?

"Yes, it is. They hide in the crystal cave of the planet and were trapped inside for who know how long. Generations after generations gone by but they never forgotten their roots. They are all learning to be like their ancestors, Jedis."

Walking through the tall corridors, she was impressed, the shiny white floor, the fine engravings of the pillars, the beautiful carpets, the statues of the past heroes, among some she recognized. It was a Jedi Temple, here on Ossus, after the destruction, everything was coming back as it was in the past.

Finally, they arrived in front of a small room, opening the door. Inside a Neti was waiting for the two of them in meditation, seated on a cushion.

They wanted to speak to welcome them, but Celeste talked first, her voice filled with surprise.

"Ood Bnar?!"

"Hello. Layan, who is your friend who can recognize me at a glance?"

"Someone from the past, like you and apparently she lived on Ossus during her younger days. Somehow, I hope I'll stop bringing peoples back from the past, but I have the feelings this isn't the end of it."

"I'm Celeste Morne, it's an honor to meet you master Ood. I was trained as a Jedi Consular in the Jedi Order before becoming an agent of the Covenant, a secret Jedi organization."

Celeste didn't have her previous stubbornness anymore, she now appeared like an extremely respectful girl in front a senior.

"I see, and Layan brought you here because of the Sith artifact around your neck. It seems extremely insidious. I saw my fair share of Sith artifacts and this one strike me as extremely dangerous."

Layan was looking at the dimly lit room with minimum decorations while they were discussing.

"You have a way to destroy it?"

"It's not what you're here for, you want to ask me if it is possible to alter its nature using the cube and thus making it a weapon harmless for its users, but your hope is vain, Muur spirit is too strong and won't succumb without the destruction of the amulet."

"You really wanted it after all, you liar!"

"As if you didn't have any doubts! But I wouldn't have used it like any other morons, I wanted to alter it but it's useless. Now, give me your neck"

Extending his hand, Layan wanted to touch the talisman, Celeste was on her guards, but Ood's presence, one of the most famous existence on Ossus reassured her and let him touch it while Muur's ghost was laughing at Layan's attempt, sure that his creation was perfect and indestructible.

Layan's eyes were showing him every weakness in everything, an extremely rare and powerful ability of the force, Shatterpoint. Filling every weakness with the force and in a second a blinding light as emitted from the artifact that shattered and fell on the floor.

"So easily. The talisman. Destroyed."

She was muttering with incredulity as she watched the last piece fall from her neck. This cursed that forced her to sleep for thousands of years was lifted.

"I'll let you talk to her. I have a wine cellar to protect."