Star Wars - The Old Republic: Close To Home (Book 1: The Beginning)

Term of Judgment

The world was only darkness. There was nothing. And space and time never meant a thing... Distant echoes however were heard and only a single voice was out there. It was familiar... Satele Shan, the Grand Master of the Jedi Order of Tython.

And she repeated her phrase: "Wake up, I know you can hear me. Wake up."

Lereana's eyes opened and she was in an unfamiliar place. It was peaceful as she saw the blue sky and the less amount of white clouds that signaled a good weather around her. There were a few butterflies that flying on the grass. There were distant trees, and there were hills. Lastly, she examined herself. She wasn't in her usual military clothing but white robes like what a Force-sensitive Padawan would wear, which was also her size. She looked around, and she finally saw that familiar figure... the one who was telling her to wake up.

The trooper then started with a simple question. "Where am I?"

Satele looked around and looked back to Lereana. "Your mind. It's exactly how I describe it and how it's actually connected to you. With the help of the other masters, I was able to see what your Force-sensitivity was, and I can conclude. You were brought towards the light side and you weren't aware of it, at all."

"Wait, what?" Lereana couldn't believe it. She herself was a Force-sensitive? And by then, she was confused. "Wait... Slow down. This... place was created... by me?"

"Completely abstract, but this is the perfect representation of your sanctuary. Normally, a Padawan doesn't completely make something like this, and you aren't a Jedi yourself." Satele explained just before she held Lereana's hands. "I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me: What exactly have you known about yourself?"

Lereana decided to sit down and calm herself. She felt the grass she sat on and it even felt real to her. Satele sat down next to her to observe the woman.

"I don't know where to start," Lereana said. "This thing that's happening to me... I really don't know."

Satele then looked around and just afar, she saw a group of storm clouds forming up. They were dark and were emitting lightning bolts. She then looked back at Lereana. "You have to calm yourself. You don't need to rush. Just... breathe. Feel that you're able to use all the time in the world. It is... your friend.

"Start by closing your eyes, Major." And Satele's instruction is what Lereana would follow. As she had hoped, Lereana was then seen closing her eyes. Slowly and surely, the storm clouds from afar were dissipating. "Take me there... Calmly."

Nar Shaddaa wasn't too peaceful, at least only partially. A day after the incursion happened in the Lower Industrial Sector, Imperials started to move their patrols more strictly in their areas of operation. By then, Agent Arden had actually finished the investigation. And... he had bad news to bring.

Arden then went to the nearest terminal when he got to a Cantina that's favored by a mix of mercenaries and Imperial troopers and officers. He went to a private terminal and immediately inputs a set of encrypted frequencies to bounce around so the call wouldn't easily be trace. He smirks, as he finally gets to his final frequency... the recipient of the call. The holo-terminal then shows the holographic image of a Sith Lord.

And Arden recognized the image as he stood in attention looking at the Blonde-haired Sith Lord, also aware that no one was around there to bother in the conversation. "Lord Beniko. Agent Arden at your service."

Lana Beniko nods at the agent who finally made contact. "We have good contact here. It's nice to hear from you, Agent. I assume you have news?"

"Indeed, M'Lord. I'm a bearer of bad news as it's of utmost importance. Besides the culprit being a Jedi, it would seem the traces of the artifacts have indeed ended. It was heading towards a Republic-controlled spaceport, but that is all we could trace. One thing that was used was a cart, and all trace ended when the trail ran cold on us after the cart passed the trade center.