Star Wars: Starkiller

After what happened on Empire Day, we stayed in hiding for a while until things calmed down on Lothal. Once we returned, the routine aboard the ship seemed to resume, everyone finding their own space and their own way of dealing with what had happened. I, for my part, preferred to stay away from the others, dedicating my free time to train my Force skills in my quarters. That training kept me focused, controlled, like an anchor in an ocean of chaos. Each exercise, each breath, moved me further away from self-doubt and closer to the only purpose that truly mattered to me: my revenge against Vader.

That's what I was doing when a noise interrupted my concentration.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

I opened my eyes slowly, letting my Force perception reveal to me who was on the other side of the door before I spoke.

"Come in," I said in a neutral tone, without rising or moving from my meditative position.

The door opened, and Kanan appeared in the doorway, his silhouette cast against the dim light of the hallway. His posture denoted discomfort, something that was not difficult to perceive even without the Force.

"Hello, Galen." He finally said, trying to sound casual, though there was a certain stiffness in his tone.

My eyes remained closed as I continued to sit in a meditative position, but I could sense why he was here. Since I had used mind control on that mission, our interactions had been reduced to almost zero. I knew that, sooner or later, someone would try to bridge the gap.

"Listen, I know that lately you and I haven't been very connected, so to speak," he began, leaning against the doorframe. "But I think if you come with Ezra and me, we might be able to reestablish that connection."

I opened my eyes and stared at him, though showing no emotion on my face.

"The captain asked you to talk to me, didn't she?" I asked calmly.

Kanan hesitated, but finally let out a slight sigh.

"It's that obvious?" he replied with a slight smile, though his discomfort was palpable.

"Enough for me to notice, at least," I said as I left my meditative position and stood up. We crossed glances for a moment before I continued. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

The Jedi smiled a little wider, as if my willingness to listen was already a small triumph.

"I'm taking Ezra to the Jedi temple there on Lothal, and I was wondering if you'd like to join us. I think it would do you good to reconnect with the roots of the Order by going to the temple."

His words echoed in my mind for a moment as I assessed his intentions. On the one hand, I had no interest in participating in an excursion with the Jedi and his apprentice. The Jedi Order had long since died for me. But on the other hand, a temple might contain secrets and knowledge that could be useful to me, something I could use in my fight against Vader. After considering the pros and cons, I finally agreed with a slight nod.

---

Now Kanan, Ezra and I were aboard the Phantom, flying toward what Kanan claimed was a Jedi temple. Although I sat quietly, I could sense the doubt and uncertainty in Ezra, something that was beginning to irritate me.

"Where is this temple?" finally asked Ezra, breaking the silence.

"I don't know. You'll have to take us there," Kanan replied with a calmness that seemed to contradict the logic of his plan.

"What? How am I supposed to take you to a place I don't know?" said Ezra, clearly frustrated.

I let out a slight sigh, crossing my arms as he spoke.

"Use the Force, kid. Find him with it, and you'll know."

My tone was direct, almost irritated. I detested wasting time with unnecessary arguments, and this exchange was only prolonging the inevitable.

"Okay," Ezra replied, closing his eyes and focusing.

I could feel his connection to the Force slowly growing, like a river finding its channel. Though he was still inexperienced, his potential was evident, something even I couldn't ignore.

"There's a huge stone... with a tunnel, I think. And a bright star inside it," he finally said, still with his eyes closed. "And it's here, in Lothal."

He opened his eyes with an expression of determination he rarely showed.

"Are you sure?" asked Kanan, assessing his apprentice's words.

"I can't give you exact coordinates, but I know how to get us there," Ezra replied with renewed confidence.

With no further questions, we flew on over the wastelands of Lothal until we came upon a megalithic structure: huge stones arranged in the shape of a cone, forming a place that looked as old as the planet itself.

"That's the stone from my vision!" exclaimed Ezra excitedly.

We landed next to the structure, and as we stepped out of the Phantom, I sensed an ancient, almost overwhelming presence coming from the formation. Although I wouldn't show it, something about that place managed to capture my attention, a feeling that even I couldn't ignore.

As we walked toward the entrance, Kanan stopped beside me, with that attitude that was beginning to irritate me: calm mixed with the air of a patient teacher.

"You feel it, don't you?" he asked, though his tone was not inquisitive, but rather understanding, as if he already knew the answer.

"I feel a lot of things," I replied coldly, not bothering to look at him. "But not all of them are relevant."

Kanan didn't answer right away, but I felt his gaze on me. He was looking for something in my words, some indication that his question had resonated with me. But I had no time or interest in entertaining his expectations.

"Kanan, I think I know how to open it," Ezra interrupted, his voice somewhat hurried, as if he had just discovered a puzzle. "I think both master and apprentice have to use the Force to open it. At least, I think so."

"Good thinking, kid." Kanan said, nodding.

They both positioned themselves in front of the rock, extending their hands towards it. I could feel them concentrating their energy in the Force, their connections working in sync. Although it wasn't particularly complicated, I noticed the effort in both of them: Kanan maintaining the calm of a seasoned master and Ezra trying to match it. The rock moved slowly, leaving an echo that reverberated through the air until, finally, it revealed the hidden entrance to the temple.

"Look, the entrance to the temple!" said Ezra pointing at it excitedly.

Kanan and I followed him, but as we moved forward, Kanan threw him a warning.

"Slow down, Ezra. Remember, you don't have to lose your concentration."

"Easy, Kanan. I've got it all under control..." said Ezra confidently, though we had barely entered the temple when he ran into something that made him abruptly pull back. In front of us lay the dusty skeleton of a former Jedi master, still wrapped in the remnants of his robes.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!" cried Ezra, jumping back, his startle enough to break his connection to the Force. Immediately, the temple mechanism reacted: the stones began to move and the entrance they had just opened slammed shut, leaving us trapped.

The interior of the temple was gloomy, dimly lit by rays of light filtering through cracks in the rock. We were in what appeared to be a small meditation room with a single door leading to a deeper part of the place.

"Whoops," Ezra said with a nervous smile, as Kanan looked at him disapprovingly and I let out a sigh, clearly irritated by his awkwardness.

"You lost focus." Kanan said, his tone firm but not raising his voice.

"Well, dead guys are distracting," Ezra replied, trying to justify himself as he looked at the skeleton out of the corner of his eye.

"Kid, if this scared you, how do you expect to face the worst the temple has to offer?" I asked, my tone laden with sarcasm.

"I have plenty of faith. Faith you'll keep me on track," Ezra replied, turning to me with a confident smile that only exasperated me more.

"I'm not going with you." Kanan interrupted, his voice calm but firm.

"What? Where are you gonna be?" asked Ezra, confused.

"Right here, with them. Masters whose Padawans never returned." Kanan said, pointing to the remains of the Jedi masters lying motionless in the corners of the room. His words, though spoken with serenity, carried a weight that Ezra clearly did not fully understand.

"You're putting your life and mine in the hands of this child?" I asked, frowning as I stared at him in disbelief.

"Yes." Kanan replied without hesitation, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.

"Wait, what?" I quickly replied, surprised by Kanan's apparent nonchalance.

"Good luck," was all Kanan said, ignoring my objections as the door closed behind him, sealing us inside the temple.

"Wait. What exactly am I looking for?" asked Ezra, beginning to feel the pressure of the situation.

"Nothing and everything," Kanan replied from the other side of the door.

"That doesn't help." Replied Ezra, his tone more nervous now.

"I know," Kanan said, his voice becoming more distant. "But that's what my Master told me."

For a few seconds, I was silent, assessing the situation. I couldn't understand how Kanan had left the boy alone with such an important task and, to make matters worse, he was now stuck here with me.

"So, what, we're just going to stay locked in here until the boy comes back?" I asked, my tone low but firm as I approached the sealed door.

"Yes." Kanan replied with a calmness that was beginning to irritate me.

"Do you always trust him like this?" I asked, giving him a cold stare.

"Ezra isn't perfect," Kanan said, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "But I trust his instincts. He's learning to listen to the Force."

Those words rang hollow to me. "Trusting someone who isn't in control enough to hold a door open doesn't sound like much of a plan to me." I replied, turning my attention back to the stone walls, looking for a way out.

"It's not all about control, Galen," Kanan commented with that annoying calmness of his. "Sometimes, it's about allowing things to take their course."

I turned to him, watching him in disbelief. "Leaving things to chance is not a strategy. It's an excuse for inaction."

Kanan held my gaze for a moment before speaking. "It's not inaction. It's confidence. And that seems to be something you don't practice much."

"Trust is a weakness," I replied, turning my attention back to my surroundings. "Blind trust only leads to failure."

Kanan frowned, his eyes fixed on me as if trying to unravel something I didn't understand. "You speak as if you've never had anyone to trust."

I didn't respond. His words didn't merit a retort, but I felt him continue to watch me, sizing me up.

"It's curious," he said after a few seconds. "You have skills that even many Jedi don't master, but you don't act like one. Not even like someone who wants to be one."

That remark caused me to pause for a moment, though I didn't look at him. "I'm not here to live up to your expectations," I finally said, keeping my tone neutral.

"No, you're not," Kanan admitted, his voice calm but with a tinge of suspicion. "But there's something about you...something that doesn't fit. Like you're carrying a burden you're not willing to share."

"Maybe it's because it's none of your business," I replied, this time facing him.

"It's none of my business? We're stuck here, and Ezra is out there trying to open this door. If there's something we should know about you, now would be a good time to say it."

"There's nothing for you to know," I said, cutting the subject off sharply.

"Are you sure? Because someone with your skills doesn't develop them alone. You've had training...but from whom?"

My gaze hardened, and my tone dropped even lower. "All you need to know is that I'm useful. More than your apprentice can be, at least at this point."

Kanan let out a slight sigh and turned away from the wall, walking a few steps toward me. "The Force isn't just power, Galen. It doesn't matter how strong you are or how much you think you can control. If you don't understand its purpose, you'll only end up lost."

"Maybe to you it has a purpose. For me, it's a tool. And a tool is used," I replied without hesitation, turning my attention back to the walls, looking for any sign of weakness I could exploit.

Kanan was silent for a moment, but I knew he wasn't finished. "You may not want to admit it, but there's something you're avoiding. Something holding you back."

I looked over my shoulder at him, my expression unchanging. "The only thing I'm interested in right now is getting out of this place. I don't have time for your assumptions."

"Maybe you don't want to hear it," Kanan said, his tone now firmer. "But I've met people who use the Force like you. Who see it only as a means to an end."

"So what, you're going to give me a lecture on the morality of the Force?"

"No," Kanan replied, his voice calm but serious. "I'm going to tell you that if you keep using it that way, you'll end up facing yourself... and you won't like what you find."

I didn't respond. Not because his words affected me, but because it was a waste of time arguing with him. All that mattered now was finding a way out.