Ties that Bind

Posted on Thu Aug 23rd, 2018 @ 9:18pm by Bomoor Thort & Thane

1,640 words; about a 8 minute read

Chapter: Chapter V: Unbound
Location: Ossus, Jedi Temple Ruins
Timeline: An unknown period of time after "Vergence"
Tags: Ossus, Nexus, Vergence, Thane, Bomoor, Jedi, Ashla, Force Bond

The Universe swirled and clashed against itself; a distant view of a beautiful watery world was swept away and, in its place there were now familiar scenes: the long ornate hallways of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the crumbling city streets of Iziz, the quiet sanctity of the Irrikut temple and familiar forests of purple and of green. Two pairs of eyes and two minds, but a convergence of thoughts and feelings.

Then there was the dusty stone ground, very real and solid below the bodies of the two former Jedi knights that had come to Ossus that day. The harsh sun had started to wane, casting great long shadows from the crumbling pillars that dotted around the courtyard. One particularly-imposing shadow was being cast by the Jedi Obelisk that still hovered behind them, but it had stopped spinning. It almost seemed to stare out at the pair with silent judgement.

The two troubled Force-users began to shift and scrabble to rise from the ground, both managing to prop themselves up around the same time. For a moment, they both sat, allowing their minds to settle back into seeing the physical world. They were both sweating heavily, having been tense an immobile under the sun for at least an hour, and their throats were dry.

"I... feel..." began Bomoor, finding all of his throats straining with effort, "...like something has changed."

Thane, at first mirroring Bomoor's sitting position, surrendered to the swirling mental morass his beleaguered mind had become, and instead lay prone across the hard surface of the long-forgotten temple of their once-forebears.

His blue and tired eyes tried to track the shapes of the clouds in the skies, and whilst his ailing mind struggled to actively discern anything of worth, being otherwise distracted by glimpses of peculiar crystalline trees in his mind's eye, humming sweet, unheard songs he knew he had never experienced. Thane did notice, however, that both Ossus' primary and secondary suns had shifted, and the light winds were cooler.

"I cannot feel her," the Caanan admitted, although the admission was not as triumphant as he had expected - although he was not sure what he really expected.

Although he had only been linked to Bería for a brief period of time relatively-speaking, it had become a norm for long enough that he struggled envisioning a reality without her persistent, and increasingly intolerable, pervasive presence. Her unwelcome intrusions and infantile whims had become a difficult nuisance as time progressed and his own desires and objectives shifted.

What had at first been a peculiarity that gave Thane a reason to keep the part-Aquar nearby had soon become a blight - a frailty that weakened and exposed him.

Losing that, however - which he undoubtedly had, he could tell - had not left him feeling as he believed he had felt before first being on Nar Shaddaa. Something remained amiss.

Thane pulled himself up once more, and turned his gaze towards his friend. As he watched the familiar Ithorian shift, he was struck with the unshakeable sensation that he had been sat where Bomoor was now, just in the time preceding. He was also sure that Bomoor was experiencing the same dazed confusion he was, but that realisation was not born out of any Force sense, or even a physical assessment.

Something else had changed. Deeply changed.

“I am certain that your connection to Berry has broken,” the Ithorian agreed, “I caught a glimpse of her world before your link to her was closed. She is still out there; a strong beacon in the Force, but you will no longer have to feel what she feels unwillingly.”

Looking down at his large hands, Bomoor felt as though something else was inside him. There was a cold sensation in his right hand, as though there was something new inside it. The sensation made him somewhat angry for reasons he could not fathom.

“It is strange, though, that I saw the connection too,” he continued, “My role was simply to act as a counterweight to activate the vergence and allow you to shift your bond towards that powerful ‘Force magnet’.”

The suspicion in Thane was growing as to what had happened, especially as clarity restored itself to his mind. As if to challenge the idea, he asked, "Do you remember Onderon? The duel with Theon?"

“What? Yes…” Bomoor was caught off guard by the sudden trip down memory lane, “He was fast and powerful with his blade; it was one of the toughest duels of my… your life…”

He looked over at Thane, still on the ground, but now staring at him with firm realisation in his eyes, “Ah…” the Ithorian now fitted together the pieces in his mind, “There are now two memories in my mind. The great exertion you felt at that moment makes your version stand out. I presume you have some recollection of my part too?”

Thane did not answer the question directly. "The Force bond has transferred to us," he observed with finality instead, his expression turning into a glower as he turned away from the Ithorian, considering this change.

This failure.

They had, of course, effectively succeeded in disrupting the bond with Bería - the objective they had set out to achieve when they settled their ageing craft on this long-forgotten tombworld of Jedi past. However, instead of actually ending it, they had, somehow, transferred it to being between themselves, dooming Bomoor to suffer the darkness of Caanus' fallen son. At least, that was how Thane first saw the matter.

Whether it was born out of a sense of self-preservation, or perhaps even remorse for his actions, the nascent Lord Serus harboured a fear for revealing his activities and desires to his closest, and best, friend. He was a man he considered to be of greater moral fibre than any other Jedi he had ever had the pleasure to meet, perhaps even Master Sotah, and it troubled him deeply to think of Bomoor learning of what he had done. Of what he was doing. Of what he might intend to do.

A time would come when he would be prepared to reveal to the Ithorian the truth of who he was becoming. Of all the sentients he knew, Bomoor would understand the best; the former Jedi Consular would treat the matter with civility, approach it with conscience, and then temper his consideration with practised reason. He would possibly even agree with the troubled young Caanan, as they had on so much in the past. Even so, Thane knew such sensibilities had limitations, and he had to be sure himself of his actions and motives, and that he could present it in a manner he felt most suitable, to do both himself and Bomoor justice. He owed his best friend that much - just as he owed him the truth, when the time genuinely came.

The dishonesty sickened Thane and offended his integrity, serving as yet more fuel for his personal hyperdrive of growing self-resentment, compounded as it was by knowing there was yet a new level of discretion he had to employ. If this shift were to be permanent, he knew all too well how carefully he would have to guard his thoughts and feelings, lest a stray consideration betray the truth of his character and mind to the one man he knew he should be transparent with.

In time, Thane promised, feeling the anguish with such verity it humbled him.

"It seems we truly are doomed to suffer one another without end," he quipped with tiredness and a weak smile.

Bomoor gave a dry laugh in response as he himself gave up and lay back down, looking up at that same Ossus sky. He did not know if this was better or worse; for the Ithorian, it was the first time he had experienced such a deep bond. His connection as a student with Master Thurius was personal and could be felt as an echo through the Force, but this was much more, as though his very essence had been laid bare for another being.

It was a frightening concept but perhaps he deserved as such for trying to keep himself hidden from Thane; to betray his trust and spy for the Counsel. His honesty with his dearest friend was more important than ever and perhaps a small part of him had allowed this to happen for this very reason.

“We were always stuck together,” Bomoor suggested, “We have already shared so many thoughts and feelings, together as children and then as adults; even our Masters were close friends. Yes, I think we were always going to end up facing this road together and I think I would be happy to see it through to the end… wherever that takes us.”

Bomoor's words actually gave Thane a measure of comfort, and he visibly and emotionally relaxed as he echoed the Ithorian's position on the ground and once again cast his gaze upwards, content to enjoy the imagery and this newfound, if uninvited, sensation he shared with his friend. In this exact moment, he was able to savour the solace and camaraderie of Bomoor's sentiment, instead of focusing on his fears of exposure or loss.

And so, instead of answering or making any effort to leave their Ossus sanctuary, Thane simply lay on the ancient earth of the forgotten world with his best friend. Instead of dwelling on Sith power-plays, Jedi reprisals, or the threats of megalomaniacal cults, they shared the uncomplicated pleasure of together watching the natural beauty of a sunset of a long-forgotten alien world in perfect silence.

Wherever that takes us, Thane affirmed silently, knowing that whatever trials and rigours awaited them, they would surely have the presence of a steadfast Ithorian.

END

RSS Feed