Ahsoka was suspended in some kind of white fog. It enveloped her on all sides, cutting her off from the outside world, cutting off sounds and sensations.
Am I… dead? So that's what it is… Too bad. I let my Master down. He must be very sad… And I never did…
Suddenly, the fog began to shimmer with the entire color spectrum, and the noise around her grew louder. The white mist was abruptly replaced by the blackness of space—only there were no stars here. Ahsoka didn't have time to besurprised before something incomprehensibleappeared before her eyes. Flashes... visions? Again? But those didn't come true…
…The sand of huge dunes spread out under her feet, hindering her from running. A quick glance over her shoulder. In the distance, two lightsabers danced against the backdrop of the setting sun—one barely noticeable white, the other bright red…
"...!"
...Two fleets clashed in a desperate battle above the planet's asteroid field. She spun around in her fighter, performing desperate maneuvers…
"...A…!"
...Icy gusts of wind threw snowflakes into her face. The hum of a lightsaber. Streams of hot blood spread across the ice…
"...A…ka!"
…A feeling of loneliness and a dim light through a barred window. Heavy shackles lay on her…
"...s…ka!"
...She climbed the steps, and behind her she could hear the measured, staccato footsteps of thousands of boots…
"Ahsoka!"
"Master?" Ahsoka asked uncertainly.
"Yes, it's me. Whew, I managed to reach you somehow."
"What happened to me?"
"You were… wounded. Nothing serious—you've already had surgery."
"I remember. Hurts. My stomach. But justbefore I lost consciousness, I heard your voice, and it made me feel better."
"Yes, you caught some shrapnel. But it's okay. Nothing serious. In a couple of days you'll be running around like new."
"The battle! How… What happened?!"
"Don't worry. We… didn't lose."
"Um, Master, but how are we talking? I'm not conscious, am I?" Only then did she realize she was still in the fog.
"I don't really understand it myself. I was meditating, you see… Anyway, Ahsoka, rest. Gather your strength."
"Okay."
Finally, warmth enveloped her. Ahsoka smiled. Everything was fine—her Master was nearby.
***
I was lying on my bunk. The darkness in the cabin helped me focus.
"So, what do we have…" First, let's figure out what happened after Ahsoka was wounded. No, everything is clear up to a certain point. At the sight of the wounded Ahsoka, I lost my concentration, and the wave of pain that came to me from her—by the way, how?—shook my calm and focus… but then… the dark side of the Force. Insidious and merciless, I almost succumbed to it. I was very close to breaking down. It's scary to imagine what that could have led to. But one injury shouldn't have caused that… unless I unconsciously took her pain upon myself. Though I've never heard of such a thing.
More to come. After overcoming the temptation, I somehow regained my sanity. But what the fuck was that wave? Droids are one thing, but people… they were just exploding from the inside. Not a sight for the faint of heart. I need to figure this out. This time, I miraculously didn't hurt my own people, but next time I might not be so lucky.
I had already meditated, but remembering the sensations I had when I saw myself from within, I tried to see it again…
Again, it was shapeless nothingness. Only now the Light was brighter. The Darkness hadn't gone anywhere, but it no longer resembled an octopus—it was a small spot with an extension reachingdeep into the Light.
Sliding back out, I thought to myself, "What does this mean? Did I pull out the excess Darkness and spill it out of myself—and it formed that wave in reality? Plus, Sumeragi said something about confusion in the enemy's organic ranks… Wait. What was that about Battle Meditation? Did the Sith use aspects of this technique to instill fear in the enemy's ranks? Something like that. It's a useful thing, but I'm not going to repeat it, not even for an encore."
Is it possible to influence the remnants of Darkness, to uproot it completely? I tried to do that, but it was a complete fiasco. I couldn't even grasp it.
It seems like I'll have to accept it—now it's part of me. And I can hardly imagine myself as brighty and exemplary. The former Vikt wasalmost a model, but the real me fell a little short. Morals are not what they used to be, and in such circumstances, it's unrealistic to keep your hands clean.
By the way, what did Saruman say? "White! It serves as a beginning. White cloth may be dyed. The white page can be overwritten; and the white light can be broken." To which Gandalf replied, "In which case it is no longer white." It seems theyunderstood something about their business after all.
And then there was that conversation with Ahsoka. The act itself was inexplicable, and then there were those words about the missing pain. How could that have happened? I began diggingthrough my memory, searching for a possible answer. As expected, there were several.
The answer about the disappearance of pain was more specific but no less unpleasant. What I did was most similar to Force Drain, only instead of life, I took away pain. Brr. Something trulyincomprehensible.
But there were two options explaining our conversation. The first was the so-called Battle meld. Or Force Meld—as far as I, as Jedi, couldremember, there were two sources Mikore read, and both had different names—a technique of the Light Side that allowed several Force-gifted beings to unite their minds. This ability also allowed them to draw energy from each other. That couldexplain why I took Ahsoka's pain upon myself. In fact, this technique was quite rarely practiced because it was dangerous. Although C'baoth himself used it repeatedly. But those who used it practically took control of the minds—and often the bodies—of other gifted beings. That wasn't the case here.
The second option was a Force-bond, also known as a Force Chain or Jedi Kinship—an innate ability of the Force to form connections between individuals through the Force itself. The extent to which this was possible depended on the degree of sensitivity to the Force of the beings being bound. This meant that the more powerful they were, the stronger their bond would be. Althoughmost beings, including many Force-adepts, had an extremely low capacity for this ability, some were said to have a particular predisposition for it.
This seemed more likely. Did we communicate? Yes. Did I feel her pain? Yes. But… how could this bond have formed? Ahsoka is outstanding, sure, but I'm not…
Although… wait! Blood transfusion! Could it have triggered this "kinship" between us? It's possible. One thing is certain: there was no sadness…
Although all these options are vague, and the facts are unclear. This isn't a game where everything is written down to the smallest detail. The Force has no characteristics, no specific parameters; its power is practically limitless. So we can guess until the cows come home.
Okay, no time for sad thoughts—let's count the bonuses. What does this connection give us? Remember what mentor Derek said?
"…Through this connection, two adepts of theForce could influence each other, exchanging feelings, thoughts, and images over long distancesand achieving greater coordination in battle. Through such connections, the Force flowedeasily, sometimes allowing one's will to support others or, conversely, to rely on their strengths."
Hmm. It seems I can use this for training, and it will help me control Ahsoka—she sometimes gets carried away in battle, and with this, I could cool her head. Not bad. I'll have to experiment to see how far this thing works.
In the end, it's all a mystery. But in the future, I should pay more attention to such things and look deeper into myself more often. An excess of Darkness in the body is harmful to health. The Ministry of Health warns, damn it.
"General." My thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the second lieutenant. "Everything is ready, sir. The machines are loaded."
"I'll be right there."
Jumping down onto the cabin floor, I picked up my helmet and put it on my head. It would be… easier that way.