Tag:
Millu Lee
Beric opened his eyes to another austere hallway, though the decor and architecture were slightly different from the one previous. Judging by the lighting, it was a different time of day, too; whereas the previous hall had been sunken in the golden amber of twilight, a brighter noonday lightness illuminated the hallway. And a starker contrast: there were
people here.
They were all numerous species, too numerous to count, but they all wore similar pastel-colored flowing robes. Looking over to a window, he saw a bustling cityscape. Skyscrapers extended as far as the horizon with traffic lanes of speeder cars that seemed to be neverending, flitting between the towers of transparisteel and duracrete with a rhythmic consistency. Breathing in sharply with surprise, Beric realized that he was on Coruscant: the Coruscant Jedi Temple.
"Master Layne."
Beric turned, startled by someone knowing his name when he saw that the crested Vurk Jedi was not addressing him. Next to him stood a man of similar stature and facial structure, though this man's mane of hair was black streaked with light-grey. But the blue eyes were startling similar to his own, and that of his father's. Neither the Jedi nor the man he had called Layne seemed to notice Beric; and when he looked down at his own hands, he saw that there was a noncorporeal translucence to them as if he weren't really there.
"Master Kelbor," the man they called Layne spoke, his voice both haughty and warm as he turned from the window Beric had been looking at to face the Jedi, taking several paces to greet him. They embraced briefly, then bowed, a sign of mutual respect between the two.
"I see your journey to the Mid Rim has left you worse for wear, Berr," the Master Kelbor observed with all the detached melechony of a Jedi.
Beric's jaw dropped slightly open.
Berr Layne. . . the progenitor of House Layne, Beric's ancestor. He suddenly realized that this was not the Jedi Temple of today, but as it was hundreds of years ago. But was he seeing a conjured vision, or was this an actual lense into the past? Berr responded to Kelbor with a hearty laugh, tucking his thumbs within the loop of his belt.
"I take my task of surveying potential sites for reconstruction very seriously, Kelbor. Nevermind if some sleepless nights give me a few more grey hairs. This New Galaxy Rebuilding Plan is an unprecedented opportunity to restore sites sacred to the Force. Imagine the discoveries we can find!"
A wan smile passed over Kelbor's face.
"Of course," Kelbor cautioned,
"your archeological digs are low in terms of priority, you know that. The Vong terraformers are at hard work recreating Alderaan, Byss, Carida, and countless other planets down to the exact atomical consistency. As much as I too would like to see ancient temples restored, it may be a while before that dream is realized, old friend."
"Yes, yes," Berr said impatiently.
"But you will not believe the site I found, on the world of Vandor."
Kelbor, lacking eyebrows, raised his eyelids ever so slightly incredulously.
"Vandor? I do not believe I am familiar with the system."
"I wouldn't be surprised," Beric acknowledged, waving Kelbor's doubts aside.
"From the records I accessed, it used to be host to an old starfuel refinery before that was decommissioned centuries ago. Now it's merely a backwater trade world for the local sector. Its natives etch out meager existence herding animals for sustenance, while spacers will go there to sell cheap cargo or lie low from the authorities for a month or two. But the call of the Force I felt there was potent, more potent than the crystal caves of Ilum. And there was a cave there, too, and inside. . ."
His voice dropped as he cast a furtive glance about, before leaning in closer and whispering to Kelbor.
"I was able to see visions. Visions of the past, the present, the future. It was if time was no longer a linear plane but. . .something else. It was as if I passed through a veil."
Kelbor seemed alarmed by Berr's words.
"Layne -- these things are dangerous. They could be old Sith tricks. Manipulations of the Dark Side. I would not trust these visions, no matter how real they seem to you."
Berr shook his head vehemently.
"No. I could feel the presence of the Light, it was as bright as a roaring flame. There is no chance that this is the Dark's doing."
Kelbor did not seem convinced by Berr's testimony.
"I will let the council know what you learned there. If we can, we will dispatch a team to seal the site. It is better it kept closed than someone being allowed to exploit a gate through time if that truly is what it is."
He turned and made to leave, but Berr reached out and grabbed Kelbor by the sleeve.
"No," Berr's eyebrows were furrowed with determination.
"Allow me to study the site more. I will personally report to the council my findings when I am complete. There are so many mysteries here to solve that it would be a crime to just let it be."
Kelbor seemed to be wavering on the point of indecisiveness but finally breathed out in acquiesence.
"Fine. You will have one month before you are expected to report to the council. But I warn you, Layne, that you are toying with powers far greater than you or I can comprehend. Be careful."
Beric wanted to shout, wanted to say something, anything, but when he opened his mouth he had no voice. And suddenly his vision spun, distorted, darkened, and he was thrust out of time once more.
