Star Wars: The Ancient Force

C H A P T E R . 1 0 -- Past The Void

SCATTERED ANCIENT RUINS peek out from the dark shroud of a dust storm as the sun rises behind it. From the rooftop, Luke and Terigo silently watch this ever-present danger in the grey morning light. Even though they knew that answers must be out there in the ruins, they decide to stay safe within the calm void of the base. At least here they couldn't be torn apart by the dark storm.

They were both calm, void of emotion. They sit on the edge of the roof, two feet apart, with the last bits of breakfast beside them. After watching the storm for quite some time, Luke closes his eyes to meditate.

He takes a long breath through the nose and says, "I apologize if you feel the need to watch over me, but I don't wish to keep you here. I may need to continue to stay up here for some time. I will not be leaving this Middle... Side..." Saying 'Mid' was too unfamiliar, but saying just 'Middle' didn't feel right either. So Luke felt he had to add 'Side', but now he was certain Terigo would retort with a correction... But she doesn't. So now it only felt right to be polite by using her term, as if it was rewarding her for her politeness. And her term didn't sound as strange, just unfamiliar. "I will not be leaving the Middle until I'm sure I'm clear of the Dark Side."

Luckily he didn't see her almost roll her eyes, or sense her think 'That's unreasonable. It could take years.'

He takes another long breath and continues, "I can see why you like to use the Middle to the depth that you do. It's safe here, in this state... There's nothing here but logic. No emotions, no ego, no sense of self, no attachment to memories, no attachments period... Just... nothing... It's a perfect Jedi state."

Terigo looks away from the storm to look further away from Luke. She says, "I don't like it. And it's not perfect, at least we—I—don't consider it to be. It's just a last resort, a temporary fix."

"Well," Luke says, "Yoda was perfect, or at least he was the best of the Jedi."

"Was he happy?" Terigo says. "Are you happy? In the Mid."

Luke knew his answer was 'I'm not happy regardless,' but answers, "I can't risk—"

Terigo interrupts gently, "Do, you feel any emotion? Or just a droid-like servitude; an empty will to protect people that you have to clear your mind of."

Maybe that's what it takes, Luke thinks. Pure devotion to the galaxy. Detachment from yourself; sacrifice your needs entirely, to fulfill the needs of others.

"Well," Terigo says, and straightens her cowl, "it seems contradictory to me: wanting to stay in the Mid to protect friends, but friendships don't exist in that state." She stands up, and cheers up a little with a new thought. "I'm going to see if the guys have decided on their plans for today. They may want more information pulled from the General, and I'd like to explore the ruins. Would you like me to bring you up anything? I can see if Chewie found any decent snacks for later."

Luke was caught up with her previous words about contradiction, "...I don't know."

So she heads inside.

.

Luke was wandering through the base's metal forest of ancient ruins when Terigo found him again. He was still in the void of the Mid, so he was as much of a statue as the stones around him.

He turns his ear to her to acknowledge he heard her arrive, but he continues to study a decayed stone sign without facing her.

"Catch," she says, tossing something to his back.

He turns and catches a small brick with one hand with his eyes closed, then he looks at what he caught. He happens to see her content smile before turning back around.