Private Of What's To Come (Sargon)

[Jend-Ro Quill]

(source)


THE OUTER RIM
A WORLD WHICH EXISTS ON NO CHART​

He couldn't quite call the temple a ruin. Overgrown, yes, but cultivated in its way. Tended, that was the word. Ancient trees burst between pillars and up through arches. The last of his trepidation bled away. He took down his hood and breathed in the scent of a new world's forest, a place that had never seen industrialization or strip-mining or crowded cityscapes. His unique condition, his Odion Syndrome, made life in densely-populated places impossible. Here he was at ease.

He turned as a trio of bald near-humans came up the stairs behind him. The first carried a staff and wore a brown cloak; the latter two wore a dusty green that blended in with the foliage. Their gender expression was androgynous and ambiguous, and not in a neutered way. He knew immediately that these were people with full lives, and they had chosen those lives. The Force sang in them, a deep resonance. He bowed.

"You sent the message, I take it," he said.

"We sent the call," said the Master in green. Their voice carried focus, interest, determination. "Jend-Ro Quill. Sargon Vynea ."

Quill did a double take. Somehow, between the pillars and the trees, he'd missed a fellow visitor: a scarred, middle-aged Zabrak man. "Master Vynea," Quill said with another bow. "I've read some of your work. The current state of the Force - an incredible insight."

The Master in green smiled faintly. "Thank you both for coming here. We represent the Order of the Selab, and the Order would like to sound you both out as friends."

The Selabites were known to Quill, though they kept a low profile by design. He'd once been a member of the Raskava Order, the so-called Holocron Eaters, who considered the Selabites rivals. Both secretive orders - one light-oriented, one dark, and divergent in principles and methods - had taken it as their mission to preserve knowledge during the dark age. And from what Quill knew, neither order was all that optimistic about the state of the galaxy since the dark age ended. Three decades of war, the Omni and Akala Crises, the Bryn'adul genocides, repeated and intractable Jedi schisms...

...Quill definitely saw their point.

 

[Sargon Vynea]

He'd come to love the color green, but as much as he cultivated it on his ship he'd never come to get the air filters to feel like a warm breath of wind on his face. Even with the plants it was just a bit to sterilized. This place though was in harmony in the force, and as Sargon stood among the trees admiring the way they rose so naturally among the walls he realized he'd been so inattentive he'd missed another guest.

Still before he could say hello they were introduced by their hosts, and just as quickly he was surprised at the kind words from the man. With a look that could only be interrupted as embarrassment Sargon bowed in return. "Your far too kind, Master Quill. I must be honest I didn't think my work traveled that far. You honor me truly."

Listening he realized quickly he was behind on the moment, too many years in meditation on his own ship had hardly kept him aware of all the movements in the galaxy. Perhaps it had been too long, or perhaps he'd waited just long enough. "It's quite lovely here, even the air feels alive in truth. I would be remis though if I didn't ask what your order is? Forgive my ignorance. I've spent most of the last decades being a bit of hermit in truth."

Jend-Ro Quill

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

"Yes, Master Vynea, you're both longtime hermits," said the androgynous Master in Green. They gestured farther into the overgrown temple. "Many of our friends are. The Order of the Selab is private. Secretive. I spent, oh, five years in a hut on Ilum before my predecessors contacted me. And you, Master Quill? Do you know who we are?"

"Archivists, I've heard." Quill walked the way the Master in Green indicated, and the whole party began to move along through lushly-gardened halls. "Your goal was to preserve civilization during the Dark Age, after the Gulag Virus."

"Close, but two points of clarity. Civilization wasn't our immediate concern: we preserve knowledge. The civilization, Force willing, comes later. And what makes you think the Dark Age has ended, Master Quill?"

A chilling thought, but not a surprising one. Quill had pondered similar things for a long, long time.

 

[Sargon Vynea]

Sargon gave a small smile at the notion of an order of hermits. The secretive part wasn't as much a surprise as it should have been. Not that he'd heard of them to be quite honest but there were many private groups like this out there, although most didn't share such altruistic ends. He couldn't argue much on it though, knowledge was a dangerous thing when one lacked the wisdom to use it properly. It also left him with more then a bit of curiosity.

Archivists from before the Gulag Virus. There was no telling what hidden knowledge they still held stored in secret places. Quill's seriousness leant the order some credence as well. Still it was the question that they had left hanging in the air afterwards that had his mind working the most. He'd considered it himself many a times. The galaxy was being churned more powerful then possibly ever in it's history, and given the depth of even known history that wasn't something he thought lightly.

"Interesting question, but I think there's more to it simply then has it ended. On a civilization scale? One could say yes, the movement and communication throughout the galaxy is nearly restored. As to the force, well that my new friends is another matter entirely. The true question though is it being directed that way. The Dark Age was a time of true stagnation, and I think we can all agree life on every scale abhors stagnation. I think the same is true of the force. It drives us forward always, revitalizing the galaxy anew when it reaches such stillness. The living force does not desire pain and war. It will however stir the pot, and there are always some who seek to rise during those times. The natural balance doesn't lean in the center, but rather like the waves of an ocean coming and going. Yet this time I worry something interferes with the natural flow. For decades there has been suffering with no sign or true peace. The galaxy's pain grows so great we've become blind to it."

Pausing for a moment he gave a bit of a sheepish smile towards Master Quill. "I apologize, I get a bit excitable. It's a joy to meditate on this and think, but to discuss these theories with others. Well it seems I've forgotten my manners and jumped in on your question. Forgive an excitable well meaning fool?"

Jend-Ro Quill

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

As Sargon spoke, the three Selabites came to a natural halt at the gate of a courtyard, and Quill did too.

"No need to apologize, Master Vynea," said one of the Selabites in brown. "Questions and observations like that brought many of us to the Order. Our mission is to preserve what can be preserved until the galaxy begins to heal together." They put emphasis on the curious phrase. "This is why my friend asked the rhetorical question he did. To answer it: the Dark Age is not over. The Force is still in a state of tragedy. How to address that...some call it a problem beyond any of us."

The Master in Green offered a wistful smile. "My fear is that the Force won't heal for a long time. Every wave of needless death sends souls into the Cosmic Force. Perhaps the echoes of their pain will be one more delaying factor. Or maybe some critical mass of them will bend the will of the Force toward a need for healing. Catastrophe is a catalyst."

For his part, Quill just listened.

 

[Sargon Vynea]

Nodding he followed pleased at the conversation he'd so often with himself. He considered it all as they came to a stop as he slowly churned over their words and considered them. They missed one vital point he felt though, or least he feared in truth. It was true the cycle could simply continue with this being a longer bend after so much isolation to mix together a galaxy that had spent so much time apart that perhaps they needed to be forced to blend back together as one.

He did however hold one more theory he'd never discussed in the open. "I think you are correct in that catastrophe is a catalyst, but I think there is a possibility we've not spoken of yet. The movements and rebalancing of the force is natural I believe, stagnation leads to chaos to force movement back to life. Eventually peace returns and a time of light, a time of rebuilding and unity. It's happened again and again without fail. This all speaks to the natural order, but if we refuse to at least consider the unnatural order then we turn a blind eye to it and it's danger."

Taking a small sigh as he stepped into the abyss of the unknown and philosophy which frankly most would consider near heresy. "The living force has never before been in danger of corruption. Not even during the reign of the Empire, I believe that was just another turn of the cycle in truth. The stagnation caused by the Gulag Virus was something never seen before though. Not since the days before the Rakata and the Kwa was there an age of such isolation and silence among the stars. Yet look how powerful they were, how strong they grew in the force. Look today at the amount of Jedi and Sith masters who do things only one or two in a lifetime before could do. We stand on the brink of possibilities. A new Infinite Empire is creating itself as we speak. Not one solid Empire, but the continual rebirth of the Sith and new tragedies. Look at the Jedi, our peacekeepers. I've seen more defense of righteous fury then I'd ever imagined possible. Something stirs in the dark side of the force. Something is attempting to corrupt the balance and keep the correction from occurring I believe."

Well it was out now, let them judge him mad if they wish, but he believed it true. He could feel it, and his recent trip to the Netherworld had secured his belief that it was there waiting even more. Trapping so many of the souls that should have moved into the Force within it's own grasp, and it was hungry.

Jend-Ro Quill

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

"Terrifying thought," Quill mumbled. "And if those periods of silence really do enhance strength in the Force, perhaps someone or something intervened to extend and deepen the Dark Age to create conditions just like this. Chaos championed by lawful evil. Power on top of power, coupled with a tilt toward the Dark. Any number of beings would want to live in that galaxy. I'm no scientist, but I'm an experimenter of sorts - which is probably what brought me here, as I've always been focused on the how, not the deeper why like you. So how do we test these suppositions? How do we go from speculation to truth so we can find a way forward without stumbling around?"

The three Selabite Masters held their peace for the moment.

 

[Sargon Vynea]

How indeed was a potent problem. He did have one singular idea he'd been playing with for some time. "We find concentrations of the force. Some worlds have been virtually unchanged, even during this new era. These planets also have notably smaller force presence in my senses, but I believe we will find that they also have notably less force sensitive individuals. On the other hands planets like Alderaan have notably high numbers of force sensitives, and with highly concentrated powers. It's also seen more chaos and destruction then most."

Turning to Master Quill he smiled a bit as he thought it all over. "Think about the Jedi, how odd is it that their numbers seem to build so much from such limited planets, and yet others have but a handful. We find the smaller variables in the equation we can create numbers too. Where are the mass of Siths coming from? Do they come from certain worlds by upraising or for some reason does a world just produce more dark siders? Is this a sign of forming dark nexuses?"

Jend-Ro Quill

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

"It's innovative, maybe even replicable. My concern is that I have no idea how to tell whether statistics support face value judgments. If point-zero-zero-one percent of a world's population have Force potential, that's two people on Tatooine and...give or take a zero...ten thousand people on Coruscant. So validating what you're proposing is important, and it would take...what? A Jedi census? Heh - a Sith one?" He frowned in thought. "But numbers aren't the only way to tell whether worlds in turmoil affect the Force, affect how many Force-sensitives come from their populations and how strong they are. We need something - bah. We need to think this through at length."

He turned back to the Selabites. "And we need reading material. Your order is known for its libraries - do you have one here? May we see it?"

The three shaven-headed masters shared a smile. One of those in brown handed the other a coin. The Master in Green laughed. "Don't mind us - there's always a wager on how long it'll take new recruits to ask to see the libraries. Yes, we have an archive on this world. A broad-ranging one, though much of its collection is about botany. You're standing far above a seed bank that ought to last five thousand years if necessary."

 

[Sargon Vynea]

He was impressed, his return was through and well thought out. More pointedly he was right, even getting the exact frame and structure of such a research project would take time. He was right though they needed information, and archives of the sort this group had might carry quite a bit of information.

Sargon grinned as they mentioned the majority of their books were botany. It had become a hobby for him, or perhaps a comfort but that wasn't all of it. "You know, there is a possibility here. Certain species of plants such as murakami orchid are force sensitive, and many show signs of being effected by the force. Now if records were gathered before, which we have here and we compare them to current numbers in strengths on various worlds we at least have a test we can start without making anyone curious. It won't pan out anything solidly as a fact, but it may lead us at least to starting a proper hypothesis based on concrete facts rather then feelings."

Jend-Ro Quill

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

"That's...yes. That's extremely doable. I'm aware of one site where the Murakami Orchid is common: a valley on the moon called Orsonian, in the Shri-tal system. The Sith Empire controls it, I believe - but negligently. Loosely.

"And there are safer options. It's a tactic we could conceivably use anywhere Force-sensitive plants grow in numbers. I'm not up to speed on Force-related botany myself, but between you, this library, and my Padawan Tilon, I'm sure we could find all kinds of possible sites for an experiment like this."

 

[Sargon Vynea]

Orsonian would be about as unaffected as a planet could be since it was still under quarantine after so many years. The question was had the resulting quarantine and ensuing death and chaos in fact make it a higher concentration planet. Perhaps Master Quill was right there was more to this experiment then the simple idea he'd come up with. "So first perhaps we create a criteria for what planets are considered chaotic and which are more passive in their history? I haven't done proper science in years, this could be quite interesting."

There was the other way of course, but it was all about feelings and if they were going pure fact the force tended to be nonchalant about that. Pausing though he still considered it a moment before deciding it was best to at least throw it out there. "Master Quill, I don't know much about your abilities, but I believe I have one that may help in this instance. I am unable to lift a single stone from a field, or throw energies. I don't heal fast, or even get that nice jump that seems like it be useful in so many occasions. I do however sense through the force well, and that may aid us. With a bit of meditation I can manage to get what I call a force image of the galaxy at large. It doesn't show details, but it does show color and feelings. While it's not exactly scientific we might be able to use it to map out sections that seem a bit more dense in force sensations?"

Jend-Ro Quill