Part 2: The Truth
They drove for what seemed like hours. After looking at nothing for so long, it was hard to mark distance or time. The speeder swept over the landscape as Nicodemus thought about what was happening. Getting into the vehicle with the old man was against his nature. Yet, at the same time, it had felt so natural. As Nico struggled with the difficulty of the situation, the speeder finally pulled to a stop outside of a small town. Taking a quick look around, Nico realized that he could literally be anywhere on the planet. If it were severe enough, he could be as far as several days walking in any direction until he reached another settlement. If it came down to fleeing from his host, he would be in a lot of trouble.
The town, as it was, was only several buildings standing in the middle of nowhere. The highest structure was two stories with a domed roof, while the others rested low to the ground. Probably so that if a dust storm whipped up, the strain the buildings would have to stand would be minimal. They were all disguised as much as could be expected, using earth tones to match the surrounding landscape. The structure itself would be somewhat difficult to pick up from far distances. He also presumed that the roofs were covered with sand to help them blend in with the ground if a craft were to fly overhead. The small size and lack of descriptive traits made the little settlement inconspicuous if not invisible to imperial patrols.
As Nicodemus was looking around at the meager buildings, the old man casually unpacked the crate he had strapped into the cargo compartment. Without saying a word to Nico, he turned and began walking toward the larger building. Normally Nico would have waited for an invitation, but he also rationalized that normally he wouldn’t even be in a situation like this. He hopped out of the passenger seat after unbuckling himself and jogged to catch up with the old man. He was beginning to have a more difficult time with the robes he was wearing. The heat was sweltering and it was not a good idea to wear heavy fabrics in such extreme temperatures. Before he had time to shed his cloak, however, they were standing in front of the building, apparently awaiting admission. It wasn’t long before the door swung outward and the old man sauntered inside with Nico close behind.
Inside, several sentients were working on all sorts of projects. Some were at larger work benches fiddling with machinery, while others were at the far end of the building trying to fix a speeder. On first inspection, Nicodemus would guess there were a total of 20 beings, all of varying race and gender. The old man didn’t break stride as he walked the crate over to one particular bothan at a smaller workbench. As the crystals were set down on the edge of the table, the old man appeared to lean over and whisper something to the bothan. Both turned around to glance at Nico before turning back to the workbench. The casual glance made Nico nervous and mindful of where he was and what was going on.
It wasn’t unheard of for smugglers or pirates to set up camps exactly like this. Heck, they might even have several on every planet in the section of the rim they operated from. It was small and slipped beyond notice, as well as being expendable if word ever got to the wrong people. Nico could picture people folding up shop and throwing their equipment into a ship the moment the imperial guard caught wind of this place. They could be totally ready to move out and never return in a matter of minutes.
It wasn’t long before the bothan was beside Nicodemus, looking up into his eyes.
“Alright, well, you better follow me,” he remarked casually. With that, he began to turn and walk to the other end of the building. Nicodemus stopped him short with a tap on the shoulder.
“Listen, do you want to see what we can do to help or not?” The bothan sighed, appearing somewhat irritated from being taken away from his work.
“Help with what?” Nicodemus began, “I have no idea what this place is! I don’t even know what’s going on here!”
“Well, then what are you doing here?” The bothan asked, looking somewhat smug and amused.
“I... really don’t know,” Nico stammered, “I guess I just came along for the ride.”
The bothan did his best to contain his amusement at that statement and instead just studied his tall visitor for a while. After a good looking over, the bothan simply shook his head. “Well, look, we really don’t have time for free loaders or anything like that. If you need some help, then I think we can get you pointed in the right direction. Follow me.”
At this point, Nico was so throughly confused, it wouldn’t have done him any good to stay where he was. The bothan lead him to a door in the back of the workshop which he tapped on several times. Without waiting for an answer, he opened the door and motioned Nicodemus inside. Nico took several steps in and started as the door closed behind him. On the other side of the small room, a figure was hunched over a small workstation. Though it could not be seen what the sentient was working on, it was clearly something small. A large light hung directly over the bench to shine as much on the project as possible, but the rest of the room was dark. Though he was facing away from Nico, a set of thick magnifying lenses could be seen strapped around the back of the worker’s head. Nico took several steps toward the form.
At this point, it occurred to Nicodemus that he was no longer living in the present. It had happened to him twice before now, where he would suddenly realize that he had seen this all before. Sometimes through meditation he was able to gain insight into the future. When this happened Nico would find himself simply acting his part in what he had previously foreseen. He still had control over his own actions, but the sense of deja vou was so overwhelming that he felt he was in a dream. One of the previous times this had happened he had been incorrect in his vision of how the events would transpire. This did not change the fact that what was currently happening in this building sitting in the middle of the Tatooine desert had already happened once in his mind.
Just as he had pictured it in his vision, the figure leaned back slightly from the work station and Nico saw a sudden brilliant flash appear in front of the figure. The beam of concentrated light shone through dark room and cast a glow around the figure’s form. Nico could tell the worker was scrutinizing the light sword. Just as suddenly as it had flashed to life, the beam retracted back into the hilt, which was now being held out to the side in one hand. The figured turned to look Nico full in the eye.
“You’re right on time,” said the old woman who had been working on the lightsaber. She pulled the magnifying glasses off of her face and tossed them onto the tabletop so she could get a better look at her visitor. Nico stood there mutely as they both studied each other. She looked like she had lived in the desert her whole life. Her skin was rough as paper and her hair tangled and dry. Her hair was dirty white in color and looked as though it had simply lost its blackness over time. Her face was creased by numerous wrinkles that added depth and character to her warm continence. The stool that she sat on was deceivingly high, and made her look taller than she actually was. It wasn’t long until she set the hilt down on the workbench and stood up, rubbing her lower back with both hands. “I’ll go put on the stim tea. We have a lot to talk about.” Although it would be natural for Nicodemus to protest and demand an explanation, he just nodded. He knew exactly what she was talking about, as for some reason things all began to make sense to him. He could feel that the situation was under control and was spinning toward a conclusion without any of his own permission.
Without another word being spoken, the two adjourned to a small break room that would be found in any mechanic’s shack. She made the tea and they both sat down at a small four person table with drinks in hand. Silence was maintained as they both began to drink their respective beverages. It was the old woman who spoke first.
“I don’t suppose you really care, but I had honestly pictured you younger.” She had a soft smile gracing the edges of her lips as she brought the tea up to her mouth, apparently trying to conceal her own amusement. “Not that I don’t mind older gentlemen callers.” Nico looked back down at his tea to prevent himself from blushing. She was easily his elder by a lifetime, but it appeared that she hadn’t lost some of her spunk. Then again, to operate in a place like this for any amount of time, he guessed that she would have to have personality compensate for lack of luxury. She took another long pull from her glass of tea and set it back down on the table, patting his hand in the process. “Not that it would ever work between us, mind you, I would probably break you in one good, long night sonny.” Nico nearly spit his tea all over the table in surprise. She wasn’t so much a spunky elder as a flippant tart! Nico quickly set down his tea and began to stammer out something between an excuse and apology before she cut him off.
“There we are! Finally got a reaction out of you! Good, that’s good. Hasn’t happened in a while I suppose. Probably too tired, poor thing. Well, don’t you worry dearie. It is alright now. Yes, we’ll get you onto track this very moment. Don’t know why it happened like this.”
Nico scarcely heard what she said. Her last comment left him flustered and it took him a moment before he started the conversation again. “Why what happened like this?” Nico interjected curiously. He had been good about keeping his manners in this situation, but already he could feel himself begin to grow tired again. He knew that it would only be another hour or so until he would need to either meditate to make it to nightfall or sleep until daybreak. He wasn’t feeling rushed, just pressured into gaining the resolve that he knew was at hand.
The old woman sighed deeply and took another slow drink from her glass. “Sometimes it happens this way is all. Don’t know why really. You see, we all have to walk paths. Some walk several in one life time. Others are born on one road and stay there till the end. You, dearie, were caught in limbo for a while. You were finished with one road, but the other was nowhere to be seen. Can’t say I’ve been in that predicament before, but I imagine it must have been awful.” She set down her empty glass and continued talking as she refilled it. “But, luckily, the cogs kept turning and finally got around to snagging you again. So here you are.”
Nico took this all in as he finished his drink in turn. He offered his glass out and she refilled it as well. “So, what exactly is this the beginning of?” he asked somewhat hesitantly.
The old woman, with a soft, cheerful look in her eyes replied, “Probably the last path you will ever walk.”
Over the next several hours, Nicodemus and the old woman talked long and hard about several subjects. For some reason, introduction wasn’t necessary, nor was acclimation to each other’s company. They talked as if they had known each other their whole lives. Nico caught her up to speed as to what was happening with the empire and the old woman listened with interest. She told Nico all about this outpost on Tatooine. Apparently it was only one of a supposed multitude of hiding places for those with powers like Nico’s. After the empire took an interest in eliminating all those with “force powers,” the remainder of those with limited abilities banded together for protection. Protection not only from the empire, but also from daily life and society at large. This remote installation was the norm for such gatherings. If they were to exist, then they needed to be far removed and preferably in some sort of wilderness. She explained to Nico how people like him could not function in a normal setting. His lack of energy and general scatter brained lifestyle was proof enough. Instead, close communities were set up with the idea to help all who joined.
“So, are you saying that if I want to feel normal again, I need to sign up for a place like this?” asked Nico, feeling a bit like a hostage.
“No, Nicodemus. I can safely say that you are never going to feel ‘normal’ again. Not that I am getting off track, but in each of these little enclaves, there is a definite leader. Some take the form of a village leader so to speak, and others are just more like grandparents who stick around to give advice when needed. I like to think of myself as the latter.” She took another sip of tea and wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. “What makes the leader different than the norm is usually their ability to control what powers they have. Or other times, they have a particular ability that is more useful. My ability to see a bit more clearly and farther into the future is a great asset when taking part in a venture like this. You know what I’m talking about when I speak of seeing into the future.”
It was not phrased as a question, but Nico nodded his agreement. They discussed how difficult most found it, and the fact that if Nico could handle this ability now, it would grow overtime into a powerful ally. The common ground that Nico found himself on with the old woman was comforting to say the least. They talked longer about some of the other members of this settlement and the powers they offered. Finally, she brought the conversation back full circle.
“So no, Nicodemus, I’m not going to tell you to stay here. As much as I wouldn’t mind looking at you on a daily basis, it isn’t your place to be here for very long. As you can see, your abilities are already a bit over the head of everyone here. Over time, we would be able to help you keep your powers in check. You would never learn how to use them, just suppress them so you can get through the day. No, you need training of a different sort.”
For once, Nico relied on his feelings and insight to move the conversation along. “You want me to be a jedi.”
The old woman didn’t appear surprised, and instead let out a friendly and lighthearted cackle. When she was done she remarked, “My boy, what I want from you has nothing to do with what we are talking about! I don’t want you to be a jedi, I want you to get on the right path. That’s why you were brought here. You have known what you were to become for a while now, you just needed this place as a stop-over and me as a tour guide, to confirm that your destination was correct and to give you the right coordinates for your next stop-over. I do mean that literally by the way.”
She took a piece of flimsy from her pocket, wrote on it for a moment, then laid in front of Nico. On it was written several coordinants for some location that Nico didn’t recognize. “What’s this?” He asked, picking up the flimsy and looking it over more closely.
“That, my boy, is the reason you are hear. That is where you are going to really begin this life of yours. Just think of everything else as a warm up.” She got up and began to rinse out her glass in the small sink.
Nico was close to ecstatic. If what she said was true, then his life would have some direction again. He would be able to move on from the slump of listlessness that he had fallen into lately, as well as not having to feel tired all the time. He rose from his seat, his glass in one hand and the flimsy in the other. “This is great! I have to go tell Saede!”
The old woman nodded her head knowingly and turned to face Nico, slowly drying her hands with a towel. “Yes, of course there would be a girl involved. I’m afraid not, sport.” Before Nico could stage a protest, she cut him short. “You see, this is all the best for you because it is what you were meant to do. You’re girlfriend on the other hand was not meant to walk the same path. This is your path after all, not hers. See, you have the gift. You have it as much as anyone I have seen. From what I have seen, which granted is not a whole lot, this Saede has another path all lined up for her. I can’t say what exactly. I can’t see everything you know. I have only seen enough to know that you were coming and what was to become of you. Even with that, what happens to you and those close to you is a mystery to everyone but you because you can change it as you go along. Now, I know what you are thinking, but if Saede were to come here, assuming she could find ‘here’ to begin with, we would have to turn her away. She belongs at this place less than you do. Now, those directions I gave you are going to take you to a trainer. From there, I would imagine he would get you in contact with the Jedi. Their whereabouts have become so secret, that I don’t even know how to send you right to them. Besides, that trainer’s recommendation might weigh heavily on the order accepting you.”
“Well, if they’re so secret, how do you know anything about them?”
The old woman laughed again and nodded knowingly at Nico. “Because, my dear boy, a while ago, I was going to be one of them. Sure, believe me or not, it’s no bother to me, but I had friends in the order. They are very serious about their work you see. I would also say not to tell your girlfriend about them either. They are more hunted than any other creature ever has been, and any slip up could bring the downfall of what is left of the council. Besides, they apparently have their reasons for not getting in touch with her, so I wouldn’t push the issue.”
Nico became quiet for a time, tumbling the ramifications of this over in his mind. “So, you’re saying that I can’t take her along on this... journey. That she doesn’t fit?”
“Hun, you could try to take her, but you’re forgetting one thing. If you did that, you would just be denying and delaying the path that she is supposed to be on. From what I have seen regarding her, her transition will be much more smooth than yours. She is going to go right from one path to another to another after that. She probably won’t have to contend with ‘limbo’ like you. She probably won’t have to feel worthless and lost the same way you did. She has another problem.” She paused for a moment and only continued when motioned to by Nico. “Well, and mind you, you were my major concern when getting these visions. In fact the only reason I know anything about her is because it relates to you. She is like a ghost. She is walking one road now, but her feelings and part of herself are still back in the past. Now, don’t you worry about that now. I’m sure she will get it all straightened out. Besides, once you get trained, you will be able to see just what I have, if not more. Then you can make of it what you want.”
Nico looked at the flimsy again. So this is it. This is where I am to go to get trained, he though idly. His strength was waning again and he sat down slowly. What was being said was not easy to accept. What it amounted to is that they had to part ways, he and Saede. Probably forever. The only person he had known his entire life would have to go away. No, he would have to go away from her.
“Listen sonny,” the old woman interjected into his thoughts, “if you really do care for her, you would let her go. You can’t remain in this state forever, and you can’t hold her back from her own destiny. In fact, if you wanted me to check, I could try to confirm that eventually she would be the one leaving you. That is, if you really wanted to stall this for that long.”
Nicodemus shook his head. It wouldn’t be necessary for her to check. Deep down, Nico knew it to be true. If he really wanted to feel this way forever and never have a destiny or accomplish anything more, Saede would grow tired of his constant lack of self. She would need to move on. Sure, she might go through the motions for a while, but eventually she would grow tired of it all. This was his destiny, and he needed to seize it.
The old woman had moved over and rested an aged hand on his shoulder. “If you want my opinion, you should leave as soon as you can. No need to make it hurt any more than it has to. Make the break clean, and let her know not to wait for you. That kind of hope very well may kill someone. It’s going to hurt, kiddo. It’s really going to sting. But you can at least be happy knowing that she has the option to move onto greener pastures. You, well, you are going to be moving on... but the pasture isn’t going to be so green.” With that, she gave his shoulder a squeeze, and Nico closed his eyes as he could feel energy flow into him from her hand. When he opened his eyes again, he felt great. His weariness had subsided and he felt more refreshed than he had in a long time. He looked up to her and she was smiling down at him. “That should get you home, dear. Like I said, don’t dally around. You need to move on. When you get there, you are going to meet Mottikazzuk, and you will know you are at the right place. May The Force be with you, cause nobody else will.”
Nico cast her another glance before he rose from his seat and made his way to the door. When he looked back at her, she was muttering to himself. He couldn’t catch what it was she said, but he had a feeling she wasn’t really talking to him. After checking one more time to make sure he still had the flimsy with him before making his way out of the garage. He nodded to the bothan who cast him a smug, all-knowing nod in return. When he emerged into the open desert again, the old man was waiting with his speeder all ready to go. Nico pulled his hood up over his eyes to block the rays of the orange setting suns. Without a word, he got into the passenger seat again and strapped himself in. He left the encampment without so much as a glance over his shoulder.
The old man dropped him off at his ship. Nico didn’t mind, and presumed that his shopping was done anyway. He nodded to the old man and was a bit surprised when he was caught in a big hug. “We sure miss you.” the old man said to Nico, who was left more than a little confused. He simply patted the old man on the back several times before he was released. Nico nodded one more time and boarded The Star Stealer. Within several moments, he had entered hyperspace and was confronted with a long trip home.
For once, he wasn’t exhausted. The old woman had seen to that. It was just another bandage, however. Before long, he would be tired again. He didn’t feel so directionless, but probably felt worse overall. While he knew what needed to be done, it would be one of the hardest things he would face. Over the long trip back to Dantooine, Nico contemplated many different ways on how to tell Saede he needed to go, and she couldn’t come with him. Nothing he came up with made it any easier, especially considering he needed to guard exactly where he would be going. If she knew that he was going to train in the jedi arts, then not only could the empire track Nico down to strike at what remained of the order, but they would kill Saede to do so.
While he was aimlessly roaming the ship, deep in thought, he made note to enter the coordinates on the flimsy into the computer. Once they were plugged in, he crumpled the flimsy up and trashed it, bringing up the location he was to go to. His heart sank when he saw his destination. As he studied the location in more detail, his heart sank further. For a moment, he actually believed that his journey was going to be more difficult than having to live without Saede. There was no way he could take her with him, and he got the serious impression that the next leg of his destiny would be harder than saying goodbye.
It didn’t, however, make it any easier to deal with.
Continue onto Part 3
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