Future Deliberations

Part 14 of my Star Wars short story.

Future Deliberations

“Ah.” Master Yoda hobbled around, exhibiting rare restlessness. He finally settled down.

“Most interesting your story is.”

Wraith sat cross-legged at the very centre of the council chambers. He clasped his hands together, taking extra care not to make any sudden movements. He unrestrained the Force within him, allowing the Master Jedi inside the chambers to fully sense his powers. No secrets or deception: just bare naked truth.

After the altercation at the Temple entrance, Wraith had been escorted to the Council Chambers. He had surrendered his weapon to Master Yoda; “for the sake of civility,” he explained. It now hovered in a magnetic cell. None of the other Council members were happy about this: in fact, hostility lingered like a foul stench. When Yoda bade him to begin, Wraith bowed to each member present. He then sat down, making sure to put his hands in full view and finally settled down cross-legged. His movements were slow and deliberate; not that it mattered. They could sense his power and how vast it was.

Once they settled down, and the conspicuous Temple Guard settled themselves on the outside of the chambers, surrounding it like ants to a farm, Wraith began his tale. He relied to them everything, from his past as a Sith assassin, to the commando mission against Grievous to his prison sentence. He divulged the details of his enlightenment to Yoda, looking the small green creature dead in the eye.

Finally it was Mace Windu who posed the most pending question with very little tact.

“What do you want?”

Wraith took a deep breath. It was now or never.

“Your backing. I will divulge every bit of information I know. But we both know that even with that knowledge, the Republic army is spread too thin to deal with the insurgents I speak of. There are other Sith, still in hiding, and I ask to deal with them.”

A collective look of confusion and perplexity flashed through the collective members.

“You want to ‘deal’ with them?” repeated Windu.

“Yes.” The simple reply seemed to infuriate the Jedi Master even more. His eyes darkened when he replied.

“The Sith are a Jedi matter. We do not entrust our forces to anyone other than the Jedi. Especially not to a former Sith with a very questionable story and training in deceit.”

“Yes, my story is unbelievable,” repaid Wraith. “But I do not seek your forces. I have seen the future. All of them in fact.” He looked every master in the eye. “In some I saw victory; in others, terror. But the Sith I speak of are in none. I must pave the way for the Clone Wars to run their course and let destiny take its due. I seek to restore balance to your universe.”

He spoke directly to Windu. “And I am the only one who can do it.”

“Are you saying that only you are powerful enough?”

“Yes.” Wraith paused. “You have all felt my power. Saw first-hand demonstration of it. That was just a fraction of what I shall unleash on those who seek to upturn balance.”

“Sources to spare, we have not.” Master Yoda’s voice cut through the tension.

“I do not seek your resources, Master,” replied Wraith. “I am merely telling you what to expect from me.” He uncrossed his legs aand placed his feet firmly on the ground. “I will seek out these Sith and eliminate them. With or without your approval.”

Silence rang in the chambers when Wraith finished. He placed both hands on his knees and leaned forward, as in to challenge any Jedi to speak. They all remained silent.

“Very well,” he said. “It seems that coming here was futile after all.” He rose from his seat and half the council members, including Windu, did the same.

“You do not honestly think that we will allow a Sith, even an allegedly reformed one, to leave this place do you?” asked Windu menacingly. Wraith turned his back to him and extended an arm towards the magnetic lock holding his lightsaber. Using the Force, the apparatus short circuited and the weapon zoomed into his awaiting hand.

Chaos erupted as every member, save Yoda who sat calmly on his chair, reached for their own weapon. The door hissed open and Temple Guards flooded the chamber, their pikes unignited, but at the ready.

“Perhaps to an agreement, we can come.” Yoda’s words had power in them. Everyone halted their movements, speaking only with their gazes.

“Wraith,” continued Yoda as his chair unhinged and he hovered about on a circular cushioned disk. “Our resources you do not need, yes?” he asked Wraith as he hovered around him.

“Yes,” replied Wraith as he eyes the Jedi surrounding him and their weapons.

“And no resources we have to give you, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Then we are in agreement,” said Yoda with a laugh.

“It seems your council disagrees, Master Yoda,” replied Wraith. Yoda let out a chuckle.

“Because see what I see, they do not. Master Windu,” said the elderly Jedi as he addressed his partner. “Find no objection to eliminate Sith you do not.”

“That is true, Master Yoda,” replied Windu.

“But not your duty to the Jedi Order it is, yes?”

“That is also correct, Master Yoda.”

“Then no objection to Wraith doing it do you not have?”

“I do not trust Sith. Not to mention the issue of teams. We do not have the manpower for such a task.”

“Trust him I do not. But believe that he can -do it, I do. A team we do not have, but a ship we can spare.”

“How will that be of any help?” asked Windu.

“It will, if his own team he can find.”

The Council fell silent.

“An interesting idea,” said Wraith. “I shall operate like a Jedi Shadow of the Old Republic. But with my own crew members of non-Jedi. Now that I think about it, it is the perfect Shadow tactic. You still employ Shadows do you not?”

“Eliminated the need for them was.” Master Yoda looked away. “Bad decisions, even great minds make.”

“Then allow me the luxury of a ship and some time to meditate on my destination, and I shall come back with results,” said Wraith.

“More than that I shall give, if more than that I wish to receive,” said Yoda. “Like you, I do. Think you are evil, I do not. Misguided in the past you were. But sought redemption on your own you have. A great quality that is, greater than shown by most Jedi it is. More than a ship and time I shall give you. Help you seek balance, I shall. Teach you that way of the Light, I will.”