Star Wars: Libria Nexus

Zachary Furr

 

Part 1 – The Dead allow the Living to rise

 

    For years I have lain dormant. Shut away in a hospital, in a coma they say. I fear that the events that have unfolded during my nap remain a mystery too. An Empire, a rebellion, a first order, a resistance, a last order; these were the ideas of a man called Palpatine. The machinations of a narcissistic madman. He was not Sith, but more of a mirror reflection of what a Sith is to strive for. 

    To hold the power of the galaxy in the palm of your hand. To hold worlds in your grip, not through fear but through loyalty. For fear is but the first step into darkness, the next step is to take that fear and turn it into strength. For most worlds in the galaxy hold a balance of light and dark, a balance. 

That was Palpatine’s mistake, he thought that ruling through fear that people would eventually give in, but a balance is always struck. For with great fear, great courage rises. An empire will always have a rebellion, an order will be met with resistance. 

A true manipulator would have sought to incorporate himself in both places as sort of an even soul that the wicked would seek out to gain more power, and that the good would look for to find freedom. Information, knowledge and wisdom would be sought and collected and expanded upon. A librarian of sorts, a broker, a collector, for such knowledge of the darkness as well as the light could be tainted and allowed to fester as a sort of worm.

All this was revealed to this story’s hero as he lay in his hospital bed. The goodwill of the staff revived him and brought him to be aware of the events of the galaxy. Such kindness was met with patience and a quick end.

Fifty years I have slept.

Fifty years I have waited.

Fifty years I have honed my power.

Fifty years for the usurper to die.

Fifty years have passed and the galaxy is ready to listen.

The hospital clothes are warm and kept me from the harm of the elements. What I did not like about them was the color white. The purity of it kept me from enjoying the air that I was breathing.  The stuffiness of starship exhaust was not a smell that I missed.

The hospital was the cleanest building in this starport, it was a shame that I crushed it. I saw a drunk getting thrown out of a local pub, as I walked by him I siphoned two years of his youth and transferred it to myself. 

I walked into the bar and saw that it was mostly empty, except for a few patrons. I walked up to the barkeep and asked for a drink. Something sweet, as the taking of youth demands that a sweetness be swallowed for youth to be enjoyed. No matter how sweet it was, it was never enough. The Force was as determined as ever to make my path seem like the wrong way. But ever have I lived and ever I shall go. Sleeping when I need to and waking when the Nexus needs to be opened again.

2

“Forgive me, I have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Raavik Yaan.” The elderly gentleman said to the young lady as he took a bow and her hand. 

Raavik had been out of the hospital for a little over a week. He had been seeking a way to return to the Nexus, for his master was calling him. He had somehow impressed a wealthy merchant and been invited to a party for his progeny, a daughter to be exact.

Within the week Raavik had acquired gray clothes that seemed to both be tight and loose at the same time. His gray rat-eaten cloak covered his aura of elegance that no man had exudued in decades. The cloak covered this only so much that he was seen as little more than that of the wealthy merchant. 

The daughter was a bit awestruck by Raavik. For when she looked into his cool blue eyes, she saw a prince that could command legions to die and they would do so. But she also saw the wrinkled face that the eyes sat in, the face that looked as if it had seen a thousand lifetimes, seen the rise and fall of empires and even assisted in the building and reckoning of a few. She saw that he had the wisdom and power of stars . His grip was well worn, gentle, but strength and power was still emittinating through the touch of his skin. 

She felt her knees weaken and she nearly falter, but his grasp was still gripping her and she felt his strength push into her and her resolve grew beyond what she had known. What power it was. The power of ages.

She felt the need for something sweet to eat.

Raavik released his grip. Though it felt like she had spent a year with the strange man, she looked around and resumed the party after only a few seconds. She went and found a drink and sat down for a few minutes before a servant came and found her for her father’s introduction for the feast.

“Mistress, Mistress Mia? Your father is asking for you.” The servant said, shaking her by the right arm. 

Mia awoke from her trance and composed herself and walked into the light of the center of the room to take her place next to her father. 

To everyone in the crowd, save one, it appeared that stars shone all around her and that the heavens themselves had taken notice of her and blessed her with exceptional youth on this night. 

Raavik Yaan stood at the back of the crowd and siphoned off one or two years off of everyone in the crowd except for the princess at the front. His elderly appearance shrank away. Now, a middle aged man stood at the back of the crowd and slipped away into the shadows of the city lights.

3 

Raavik had spent his first month awake in fifty years draining the youth from the population of a planet that had not been involved in any major wars that had taken place within that time period. The planet was named Vos Talas. A pleasantly perfect world that the galaxy had deemed unnecessary. A time of peace that stretched from horizon to horizon. 

For every good deed, an evil one of equal measure was done. The planet remained in a perfect balance. Minor scuffles were talked about and forgotten. Raavik Yaan was completely and utterly protected while he slept. Protected by an entity unlike any other in the galaxy. Raavik found this being while he was exploring the far reaches of the unknown regions. 

When Raavik was a young man, a chronologically young man, he was a man that explored deep space searching for new worlds and hyperspace routes. He would then sell his hard work to the Republic. Always new places to be found. He was trained by his father to be an exceptional pilot. Trained by his mother to understand politics and how to work a room. Agility and charisma. He was not exactly trained in the Force, he didn’t have a great connection to it to begin with. Perhaps that is what caught his master’s attention in the first place. 

Raavik stumbled upon a star station on one of his journeys to the unknown regions. He saw the stations and went to explore it in hopes that he would find some unique salvage. But that didn’t even begin to describe what it was that he found. 

The station was two quad pyramids one on top of the other. Eight rings surrounded it, from the tip top to the tip bottom. A strange station indeed. There were many ships docked with it, some appeared more ancient than others. Hundreds of ships, all of different varieties and species.

Raavik docked with the station and carried himself forward. He carried two lanterns on his belt and one more in his hand. He had a small blaster holstered on his back. He entered the station unknowing of what he was seeking. There were books piled high in every direction, some scattered on the floor most in book cases. Not only books but also datapads and holocrons. Knowledge from throughout the millenniums was all gathered here for the taking. 

A strange feeling passed through him and it seemed that a presence ran through the station. As he delved deeper, he saw strange people in the dim light. For the light in the station was dark, but not blindingly so. A gray source was far above and provided enough light that one could see around within a twilight. 

As Raavik’s eyes adjusted he could see pale shapes moving throughout the library. Their eyes were empty and hollow, for some of them would read a book cover to cover, put it down, walk over to a dim pad of light, seem to be disappointed with the result then return to their reading of another book.

For there were many of these wraiths and each one was less aware of Raavik than they were of each other. They did not seem to notice anything other than the pads of light and the books that surrounded them. But perhaps that was for the best. As Raavik recalled, all of them looked pale and starved as if they had forgotten what time even was. An abstract concept that drew many into its terrible game.

 Raavik never reported the space station to the Republic as an odd find. Even though the library’s knowledge and books would have set him up for the rest of his life very easily, a feeling stopped him from writing his latest report. He instead mentioned the planets with tantalum within their core, spice in the rings, topsoil ripe for colonization. 

Everything that would have netted a huge profit with the Republic, he instead took what he needed for fuel and food and placed the rest into a trust. But on his current return flight, he made sure to paint the coordinates across the hull of the ship so that he would never forget where to go to find the station that he discovered. 

He felt drawn back to the station, but he knew not why. He found himself wandering aimlessly. Not toward any star in particular. His flights got longer and longer. He caught himself always staring in one certain direction. As if he could hear a voice calling his name. The voice was as sweet as honey, or as gritty as coal. Always it called for him to come back. No matter how far he ran, the voice found him. At times it was just a whisper, other times it was as if a cymbal crashed above his head. Never did it leave him alone.

Raavik ship was a B34a21-6 Hawthorne Class light transport, named Father’s Yacht. It had been outfitted with a 32AA fixed turbolaser for ship defense. But that was only for the last straw. For the ship’s true defense was the three hyper drives that took up passenger space. The ship was fast. Super fast. Hyper fast. Very little room was left for any extra cargo that was not expected. The ship had a small complement of J6 astromech droids: J6-A1, J6-A2, J6-A3. The first and last of their line. A special order that was given to Raavik by a senator for giving him a new colony to exploit. A1 was red, A2 was yellow, and A3 was green. Each one was in charge of a different hyperdrive, maintaining it and bringing up any issues that may arise with it. 

But all this pales to helping him get away from the voices that followed Raavik across the galaxy. Into the depths of nebulas he descended, the voice followed. Across the infinite plains of the verdant atmospheric gas that float in the empty void, the voices could still be heard. With all the systems of the Yacht turned off, the voice could still be heard. 

Raavik had never been one to believe in the Force. The Jedi and Sith had embroiled civilizations into wars. Each was a cult of different values. Each collided with the other based upon their values that the other is wrong about. One seeking power, the other seeking wisdom. Neither saying that the other was correct in some ways and seeking peace with their enemies. 

Lost in the depths of space he had gone too far that none of his maps even knew where he was. That not even the astro tracking could find the galactic center. He was completely lost. 

“Raavik… Raavik…”

The voice spoke to him once again. This was the sweet voice; it was soothing and calming.

“You must come back. I have a purpose for you. A calling that is perfect for you, an exact fit.”

Raavik hung his head in defeat and let the voice tell him where to go. He put in the coordinates from the side of the Yacht. He sped away and let the voice take over.

“Fear me not.” The voice said. It was now both gritty and soothing at the same time. Acceptingly terrifying. “For your presence in the galaxy has been known to me for some time. You are an anomaly in the Force of life. You can be  around people, however, you chose isolation. You keep the company of the lifeless, but seek new life in the galaxy.”

Raavik felt like he could see two arms reaching across the void and grabbing his ship and embracing it and pulling it.

“For you are needed to procure and curate the Waypoint. For my knowledge, depth, power, and wisdom can only grow while I have a curator to maintain new incoming knowledge. For though I exist through the Force. Many can still shut themselves off to me. Physical forms of willing participants allow me to spread through the stars more effectively.”

Raavik felt the grip of the force relax a bit, he found the strength to speak once again. “Why me though? I was not good enough to be found by the Force before. Why now?”

Silence once again filled the space, but the presence of the Other did not fade. It seemed to be waiting until the quiet once again took over. It finally spoke again in the honey sweet voice.

“You possess a different strand of the Force. The strand is overlooked or looked down upon by most Force users. Completely neutral. Neither Light nor Dark. Leaning to either side.”

The tone changed to be more harsh and gritty, but no less helpful.

“The light side would claim that you have not enough Force power to survive the training, while the dark would see potential for heinous deeds but would see you as nothing more than a thorn of medocracity for their ever expanding quest for power.”

Quiet once again took over. Raavik got up from the cockpit console and moved to the kitchen. He needed some water, while he was drinking he figured that he should go ahead and make a sandwich that was proportional to the liquid that he drank. He looked around at his surroundings. He really began to notice that his ship was messy and slightly disorganized, but not so much that he couldn’t find what he was looking for. A balance could be found. 

Though three droids he had, only two were on and one in standby. a balance was struck even there. J6-A1 was more hazardous with its repairs yet its hyperdrive stayed functional longer. J6-A3 was more careful with its repairs, but did them more often. J6-A2 was on standby, but it’s hyperdrive was not in use at the moment. Balance was struck.

Raavik returned to the cockpit feeling satisfied, not overly full nor underwhelmed. Balance was struck once again.

He was quiet for a time, he focused on listening, waiting for the Voice to come back to him.

The hyperdrive hummed with a slight intensity as it powered down. Raavik drifted to sleep as the ship powered down. Within his dreams the Voice came back to speak more.

Raavik’s dreamscape was that of a bland grey. He was dressed in his everyday wear, but there was the presence of another nearby.

“Did you see the Balance of your own life?” The Voice was spoken honey sweetly through a monstrous form, and a gritty tough through a beautiful maiden. “Balance is what those that use the Force strive to become. For within the Balance peace and chaos is achieved.  A perfection between two natures. You saw the imperfection at least once before, at the Libria Nexus? Those that studied the books? They were both Jedi and Sith, users of the Light and Dark side of the Force. They are unaware of the others being there and they have lost all sense of self while trying to maintain Balance. Since they were not born with a sense of Balance they succumb to teetering off the edge and onto the Light or Dark side of the Force. You are indeed an anomaly. You hold true to yourself and neither side has a pull on you. That is very unique. Perhaps one in a billion. When you see suffering you shrug it off, when you give to charity and care little for the joy it should bring. You unknowingly balance yourself to remain within a perfect balance.”

“You are not part of the Jedi are you?” Raavik asked.

“Those that practice the Force, whether it is bending it to their will or allowing it to move through themselves, know little of my ways. Force users that I choose, work alongside me. I offer advice, I offer my power to the powerless, such as yourself. It is true that you have no strong connection to the Force, barely a weak one. With me you shall create new worlds, connect to new contacts we will work to regain the Balance of the Force.”

“Do you not have the Balance already?” Raavik interjected.

“The Nexus has been quiet for far too long. My power has waned. I can feel the Force moving ahead without me. It says that beings search for truth in Light, or power in Dark. It works with others, but it does not let others influence. Those that are under the influence of the Nexus can never be worked with, for they still only seek to gain their own power. That is why I reach out to you. I can work with you, but you will never be under me.”

With the last word spoken, Raavik woke up. Through half open eyes he looked through the cockpit window. He had returned to the Station that he had found earlier.

The Station had not changed except for one new ship that had made dock to the junkyard of derelict ships. Father’s Yacht was directed to another dock point, a hidden docking area. Far below beneath what would have been considered a safe docking space the Yacht was directed to the Apostle’s landing pad.

The lights on the pad were that of a dim gray, bright enough to see but not so much that one would not have to squint. 

Raavik exited his ship. He toted a small bag that had an extra set of clothes. The Voice guided him through the maze of corridors, turns of left and right, up inverts, down lifts. The deeper he went the more it seemed that a spectre appeared in front of him.

“Where are we going?” Raavik asked.

The spectre seemed to turn its head and answered, “We must get to the core of the Nexus. There the contract must be formed and fulfilled. The center is down deep at the absolute center of the Nexus.”

The deeper we were when we passed by several libraries. Each contained at least three different people. All unaware, all reading or viewing holocrons. 

“What do these beings search for?” Raavik asked as he passed the beings. He tapped one on the shoulder and its eyes were empty and hollow. It looked up slowly for a moment, blinked, then went back to what it was doing.

“They are not beings anymore.” The spectre answered guiding him away from that not-being. “That one was a man, strong and pure. Jedi you might say. He came here seeking wisdom from ages past. The Nexus does not give its knowledge without sacrifice. A Balance must be struck. So he was giving what he sought so long as he stayed and fed the Nexus with his own life force.”

4

Raavik was led to the very center of the Nexus. To the very center of the Undead Graveyard. To the center of a point of concentration within the Force. There was an apartment of sorts. Bedding, kitchen, training area, a living space.

“Is it to your liking?” The Voice asked. 

“Very sparse.” Raavik answered.

“It is meant to be more of a retreat than that of an actual living area. You are to come back here when the Nexus goes quiet again and maintain the flocks.”

Raavik wandered around the space for a time and he felt more and more strength pass through and around him the longer he stayed. He made his way around to a pedestal that was in front of a double door entrance. There sat, underneath a layer of dust, was a lightsaber. 

Raavik was drawn to the item. The smooth handle had a deceptively rough grip. The weight was light, he clicked it on, the tell-tell sound wooshed out, and the weight increased. 

“The Lightsaber of the Apostle.” The Voice said. “Protection is required from those Jedi that follow the Light or the Dark. They fear that the Apostle may follow the opposing creed.”

Raavik turned off the saber and placed it back where he found it. “How many have come before me?

“There have been many gray Jedi. Although there have only been thirteen Apostles of the Nexus. And though they have all died in time, they lived a long, long time. For the Nexus follows them wherever they go.”

“So what do I have to do to sign my pledge of service to you?” Raavik asked. His fingers played over the Lightsaber once again. 

“You must spend some time here, to begin with. The Nexus will imbue you with power and make you strong with the Force.” 

A wall opened on the farside of the training area, revealing three unique holocrons. The one on the right was red, the one on the left was blue, and the one on the top shelf in the middle was gray. 

“Those are the three holocrons of the Force that can teach you about the different ways of the Force.”

Another panel opened up beneath the three to reveal thirteen gray holocrons. 

“And these are the records and lives of the thirteen that came before you. Once you use all sixteen of these holocrons you will have a greater understanding of what the Force is and know how to correctly use and manifest it.”

Raavik walked over to the wall and reached out and plucked the top most gray holocron and began his training.

Raavik returned to civilization aboard Father’s Yacht. He had been out of the Nexus after six months of training, reading and getting more in touch with the Voice of the Nexus. 

Raavik had gotten pretty good at moving objects with his mind, as well as dedicating force behind them. He was well enough that he could get by, But these few things were trounced by the knowledge that he had gleaned from the three holocrons as well as the wisdom from his predecessors. 

    Raavik thought that it would have been a good idea to return to his friend the senator and sell off his new routes to the unknown regions. The senator had died though, from natural causes. His estate still active, offered Raavik the same price for that safe path that he had found.

There was something to be said about wandering around on the streets of Coruscant. He gained attention from different beings that seemed to need something for nothing. However, with this new life route he was pursuing, a Balance must be struck.

Raavik was eating lunch in a street market when he was approached by a pair of unique humans.

“These are Jedi.” The Voice said. “They permeate with the Light side of the Force. They may sense my presence near you.”

The Jedi were both human. One led the other. A master and his disciple, both clad in brown robes, both had a lightsaber attached to their belts.

“Greeting Traveler,” The master began as he waved his hand in greetings to Raavik. In this wave that Raavik felt the Force try to play over his mind, as if he was trying to gain information of who he was. The presence of the Nexus denied his use from gaining anything. As he noticed that his use of the Force failed, he seemed to try talking.

“Can I ask for your name?”

“Why would you ask for my name?”

“Because in a conversation I find that knowing a name would be easier than to address them by a moniker.”

“Raavik Yaan. And you are?”

“Haha Benthor, I am a Jedi  knight, this is my Padawan, Keely Aros.” Haas was middle aged, perhaps in his forties. He felt content enough to sit across from Raavik. Keely was a different matter, she was a young girl, late teens, she had an aura of distrust about her where she seemed to distrust anyone.

“Tell me, Raavik, have you ever been beyond the outer rim?”

“What an odd thing to ask upon our first meeting.”

“Is it? I only ask because I sense that you are strong in the Force. I could sense you as you approached the planet. I waited until you came into a public place to approach you. And when I tried to sense you an opposing denied me that, so that is why I ask.”

“Yes, I have been beyond the outer rim. I am a hyperspace explorer by trade. I seek new routes that people can safely go down. It is extremely hazardous and one never knows the danger that one can find. I suppose you know something about being a Jedi.”

    Haas looked back at Keely and she went off in search of a street vendor selling drinks.

    “There are dangerous properties beyond the veil of the known, and plenty of dangers within the Republic. Would your life not be better if you were to stay within easy reach of rescue?”

    “Master Jedi, you are trying to figure out who I am, I have told you my name and profession, is that not enough?”

    “Haha, please. I am just trying to keep the people safe from the dangers of beyond what they do not understand.”

    “So do you seek understanding?”

    “I suppose I do. As should we all.”

    Keely came back with three cups of a hot drink. and passed one to each of the people, such as Haas and Raavik and kept one for herself.

    “Most appreciated.” Raavik said. As he drank, Haas continued on.

    “If understanding the universe is achievable then I think that the Jedi council would have some notion of attaining it.”

    “And yet they don’t, do they? They sit high and lofty in the council chambers believing that they are above everyone else. Do you notice them ever leave that place to dwell with those that they seek to protect? Or do they just go out from their hill and seek to maintain stability throughout the galaxy?” 

    “What’s wrong with stability? With peace?” 

    “Peace cannot be achieved without knowing what chaos is. Light and dark both sides of the Force condemn the other thinking that their path is the right way. All the while those that are not as strong with the Force are supposed to tolerate those with power. The arrogance that you all show is demeaning to the rest of the galaxy.”

    “So then, Master Raavik, what do you suggest that we do about it? Should we sell the temple and use the proceeds to heal the sick and feed destitute?” 

    “Would that be too far of a stretch? I mean you claim to be warriors for light, why would you deny your own cause to make yourselves higher than those you claim to protect?”

    Haas fell silent. Raavik had outwitted the Jedi Knight by turning his own philosophy and all that he had been taught right around on its head.

“This fool knows nothing of wisdom, send him back to the Nexus and I shall teach him.” The Voice said telepathically.

“And what of his apprentice?”   

“Keep her for yourself. For you need not go to the vast reasons of the galaxy by yourself, and a different matter of perspective may do the galaxy a massive amount of good. Apprentice Padawan calls her a disciple of the Nexus. Invite them both to the Nexus and then I will have a new place for you to go. He’s about to ask to go with you anyway.”

“Raavik, where did you learn such wisdom?” Haas asked, unaware that he was being watched by the Voice of the Nexus.

“Would you like to see my library? It’s just a quick jaunt to the outside of the system. We can take my ship, and I can have you back here tomorrow.”

“Is there a library on the edge of the system? I was unaware of such a thing.” 

“It is a space station. The Libria Nexus, the greatest library in known space. full of books and holocrons wisdom and power are but a flight away.”

“Master,” Keely spoke up. “This doesn’t feel right. Something is wrong here.”

Haas looked to Keely and broke eye contact with Raavik. She appeared to have tears welling up in her eyes, her pristine jade green eyes. 

“Relax, young one.” Raavik said in a calming voice. “There is nothing to fear. And Haas does not have to come if he does not want to.”

“No, wait!” Haas interjected. “Do not toss away your invitation so lightly.”

“I am not. But if she has misgivings about me then shouldn’t you listen to her?”

Haas thought about that for a second. He really wanted to know more about Raavik, who he was and where he came from.

“Tell you what,” Raavik started again. “I will be leaving from landing pad 24578. If you would like to join me then meet me there at sundown.” He stood and offered his hand at their parting and left.

Raavik left the courtyard and made his way down a dark alley. He could feel the presence of another that was strong in the force, but this one was dark. With so many life forms on Coruscant, the conflicting powers probably felt his true neutrality as an invading force. 

The darkness of the group felt like nothing more than that of angsting teenagers that couldn’t get the ice cream flavour that they wanted. I mean, seriously, what is so wrong with vanilla? Put hot fudge on it and it turns to chocolate. 

*Ahem* Sorry about that. Where was I? Oh yes, dark Jedi.

It was a group of five that were led by a sixth. The leader approached Raavik and stopped him in the alley.

“Pardon us for a moment of your time, wise one.” His voice was slick with poison. “We saw you talking with the Jedi, and you offered him the chance for great wisdom, and it seemed that might take you up on that. But he seemed less interested in the power that you also offered. Might you make that same offer to us?”

Raavik was silent for a moment as he listened for the Voice of the Nexus. “Bring them along,” It whispered. “The dark side is more susceptible to the power that I offer. Wisdom for the Light, Power for the Dark; We offer both.”

“Then meet me at the landing platform 24578 at sundown and travel with me. Do not pick a fight with any others that come or I promise you that none of you will see the Nexus.” 

The Dark Jedi allowed him to pass and go about his business. He could hear them preparing to go off.

5

Father’s Yacht was originally built to ferry people across the stars. However, thanks to the ingenious attitude of past Raavik, it was now outfitted with more lightspeed drives than most capital ships. It had barely enough room for Raavik and his three droids. Let alone the Jedi Master, five Jedi knights, three padawans, and six dark Jedi. 

The two groups sat across from each other. Raavik Yaan sat on a crate in the middle of the two groups. The sun let loose its last rays before it had set. 

“Okay, all aboard. Let’s go.” Raavik said as he stood and walked toward the Yacht. The two groups just continued to stare at each other. Raavik sighed. 

“You guys…”

“Why did you invite those ingrates?” Haas asked. “They seek nothing but power.”

“They wanted to come so I invited them. However, I did request that they start no fights.” 

“And you believed them?!” Another knight put in.

“I only invited two Jedis.” Raavik retorted. “Since he invited more, it would be rude of them to try and tarnish my hospitality before they were to receive any.”

The Jedi grumbled at that, while the Dark Jedi smirked and followed their leader onto the Yacht. Raavik motioned his arms and invited them on. “Last call.” He made his way on and the Jedi, begrudgingly, followed.

Raavik made his way past the Dark Jedi that had made themselves as comfortable as they could in the kitchen. He entered the cockpit and started the startup sequence.

The flight was mostly uneventful. The Jedi Master eventually made his way to the cockpit. 

“Forgive me and my fellows behavior from earlier.  I am Glork Ornok, Jedi Master. I hope that the current hostilities will not last inside your library?”

“It’s not mine.” Raavik answered as he adjusted his control of the ship.

Omok tilted his head slightly. “Did you not file the claim for salvager rights with the Republic? It is your claim, and thereby your property.” 

“I file claims for hyperspace routes, I do not salvage if I do not need to. Besides, the Nexus still has a viable population on board. Such a claim would be wrong for me to do.”

Omok leaned against the doorway, he could hear the groups chatting down the hall. “So the station has people living on it. Why did you not get food or water to sustain them?”

“Master Jedi, it seems that you are trying to grasp what the Nexus is by talking to me. The people on board are sustained by the Force. Does that surprise you? Of course it does, don’t even try to deny it. The powerful Jedi can only see the Force two ways, Light and Dark. But there is another way, Twilight, gray, or neutral. The true balance of the Force is what you seek, but I can feel your overwhelming power of the Light radiating off of you. Perhaps the Nexus terrifies you more than you first believed. An essence of unknown energy that has proven to be the undoing of one of your trusted students. The Light or Dark have very little to do with the power of the Nexus. Just wait and find out.”

The Nexus Libria sat on the outside of the system. Out against the dark of the void, the dark library sat. Father’s Yacht made its approach and docked with the rest of the ships that were there. The groups disembarked and followed Raavik Yaan into the Nexus. 

“This is just the outer layer of the Nexus. There are millions of books and devices of information. Powers and wisdoms and knowledge are here for all to seek and learn. You may go wherever you want to in the Nexus and if you do not find what you are looking for within a day you may come back here and leave with no fault.” Raavik said this as he opened the doors just has he had when he first opened them when he first arrived. 

He motioned for them to spread out and go and learn. The dark Jedi immediately went forth and spread among the bookshelves and went deep into the gray and were never seen again.

Omok and his Jedi knights stayed within close proximity of each other and close to Raavik. 

“What are your plans, Apostle? Where is your master so that we may greet him properly?” Omok asked. 

“My intentions are to merely act as the custodian for the Libria Nexus. I do not offer guidance nor do I offer a direction. The choice for infinite wisdom is yours. For the Nexus’ doors have been opened and its power has been unleashed. Would you deny a kindness that is offered freely?”

“Everything has a cost in the galaxy.” Haas put in. 

“Of course you would think that. You that have grown up in the Republic can only think in matters of give and take. What is wrong with the gifts that are freely given?”

Two of the young Padawans had drifted away from the group and made their way to a stand alone table that had several books scattered around it. They both reached down and picked one up and began to read. The language may have been known to them, or they may not have. The Nexus made the text decenable to their minds and they read on.

 They were words of poetry and wisdom. Eye catching, emotions ran rampant in the fiery eyes, pages flipped and they put one down and went to pick up another. The Knights placed their hands on their padawans and tried to remind them to focus on the living Force. The influence of the Nexus was too great and the Knights were unable to coax their students out of the trance. 

“If the gifts are so free, why can’t they be denied?” Omok asked. 

Raavik looked very nonchantal in his response. “Is the will power of your followers so weak that they cannot even follow simple instructions? Look behind yourself two more have wandered off and a third is close behind.”

Omok did as instructed and saw that he was now alone with Raavik Yaan.

“Where did they go?” Omok asked, and it was in that instant that his eyes went wide for he was scared. “What is this place?”

“There are places in the galaxy that are strong in the powers of the Force, this place is no different.” The voice that answered was little more than a whisper and eerily calm. 

Omok glanced around the seemingly empty entrance hall. Even Raavik had left him. Now, all that was left to him was the door and the shelving with the wisdom of ages laid out in front of him.

6

Omok ran down along the bookcases. All the books and holocrons and never a map to be found. He first tried looking for his students, but he found no one. The deeper into the Nexus he went the more and more lost he became. He tried to return to the front but was completely stumped about his direction. Any time he tried to communicate with the Force the same whispering voice came back to haunt him.

“Why do you deny what is given?” The whispers asked.

“I would deny that he wishes to corrupt!” Omok retorted.

Omok finally came across another being. A man about his height and a lightsaber was attached to his waist. 

“You there, Jedi, can you assist me?” Omok asked. When the man didn’t answer, Omok grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him from the book he was reading.

The unnamed Jedi’s eyes were gray and empty. His face was gaunt and malnourished. The former being looked haggard and only a shadow of its former self. He looked at Omok for exactly seven seconds and then went back to its reading.

“It is a bit sad looking isn’t it?” The whispers came back. “This one came looking for wisdom and strength to learn armies, but he never feels quite satisfied. So he stays and learns more.”

“Do you ever tell them that they have learned enough?” Omok asked, his mood was a bit somber.

“Why would I tell a thirsty man not to drink? Those that are here are free to leave, but none of them want to leave. They want to be here.”

“Their eyes are empty and hollow. They don’t show any signs of free will.”

“Their freedom is not compromised at all. They live and read and learn. Raavik is a prime example of this. He comes and goes as he pleases. He gathers supplies and gains new followers for the Nexus.”

The Voice seemed to go silent for a while, but Omok could continue to feel the undeniable presence. Omok continued to wander through the Nexus. He tried his best not to rely on the Force for he felt the presence of the Voice. 

He figured that he might be able to work his way out of the Nexus and find a suitable ship and leave this place. He found many others in his wanderings, many more of the broken and wretched beings. Most of them had weapons of some sort, attached to their belts, blasters and lightsabers, even vibroblades. Some of them looked ancient, others looked like they just found the Nexus. Regardless, all were hopeless now.

“Tell me, Voice, can you show me the way out?” Omok asked.

This time the Voice materialized a wraithly figure appeared before Omok. Just a torso, two arms and a head, no legs, no face. 

“All this time you spent looking for a way out, and you forgot the easiest way to do so. Simply by asking.” The Voice waved his arms to the side and bookcases opened up and a pathway was revealed through to the ships that were docked outside. 

Omok started his on the path toward the outside. He felt his connection to the Light become reestablished.

“Can you really leave so easily?” The wraith asked, floating behind. “Knowing that you are abandoning all of your students to a place that you have deemed unsuitable.” 

“There is no hope for them; they have all become mindless.” Omok responded, taking his first steps toward the exit. He had to leave and warn the republic about the dangers of this place.

“Have you always been so cynical? Are not the Jedi supposed to find the good in everything? Perhaps your lack of hope denies you to see another philosophy. Can you feel the Light filtering in here? Am I a threat to you? Does it say I am a threat?”

Omok closed his eyes and meditated, he felt the Light side of the Force enveloped him and in a single instant the words, “GET OUT NOW!” flashed in his mind. He opened his eyes and now saw the mindless crowd surrounding him. The exit was still open, but the path was now crowded with beings of all kinds and all holding their weapons.

“THE KNOWLEDGE IS OURS” The crowd all said in unison. They cocked and readied their weapons. All the different colors of the lightsaber reminded Omok of a rainbow.

“Voice, stop them.” Omok demanded.

The Voice was barely audible. “I cannot stop their thirst for knowledge and all have some connection to the Force. Your feelings have betrayed you.” The Voice turned to ice, the exit closed, and the gray light lit the dark eyes of the horde. “Jedi, your fate is sealed.”

The horde rushed forward in a blood rage. The lightsabers and blasters filled the halls. Omok sped away knowing that he was vastly overwhelmed. The Voice followed and spoke more as Omok ran away on top of some of the bookcases.

“You cannot hide. You are only delaying the inevitable. This place is filled with everyone knowing where everything is. Think of it as a hive mind, while you accept the privilege of the Nexus.”

Five lightsabers appeared in front of Omok’s path. Yellow Sentinels. Five former Jedi. Two threw their sabers, two followed through by running, and one stayed in reserve. 

Omok dropped down in between the cases to further avoid a fight. He made a mental note of where the exit was and he made his way there. He avoided the relentless horde however he could.

He knew not how long he stayed at the Nexus, constantly on the run. Dodging and weaving. He never engaged in combat for fear of being quickly overrun. 

When he began to feel exhausted. He faltered and stumbled. He fell down at the exit and the boots of Raavik Yaan.

7

Keely had gotten separated from the Jedi knights almost immediately upon entering the Nexus. It seemed as if a dark cloud had enshrouded her and transported her to a different place entirely. It was not a library like she had seen in the Jedi archives. There were no books, no texts, no data screens displaying all sorts of information. 

There were, however, thirteen holocrons on the far wall. One red and one blue, and eleven gray with one featured prominently on top of all the others. 

The place was that of an apartment. It had a kitchen for preparing and eating meals, a living room for relaxing, and two bed rooms: a master and what appeared to be a small room for a guest. Everything was very sparse, but nothing was left out.

Keely took her time exploring the area. She felt calm and at peace, unlike the busy never-sleeping, metropolis of Coruscant. She reclined on the nearby sofa and felt at peace. She closed her eyes and napped.

A few minutes passed by. Keely her footsteps approaching from down the hallway. Boot steps that could command the attention from allies and enemies. The Master of the Nexus. 

Raavik Yaan entered the apartment and he looked directly at Keely and moved into the kitchen.

“Are you hungry, young one? Maybe you would like something to drink?” Raavik’s tone was casual and familiar. “I have some stores of food that may keep you alive and full.”

Keely stood up and came up to the counter. She could see him more clearly in the soft light. His expression was kind, and yet there was a fire in his eyes.

“Just whatever you feel like giving me, I will accept.” 

“That is not an answer.” Raavik felt slightly annoyed at the Jedi teachings in her voice. “Well whatever we can work on answers later. For now, let me make you a meal. Then, perhaps, you would like to join me on an errand?”

“Wouldn’t my master not need me here?” Keely asked. “I need to protect him.”

“From the sound of it, shouldn’t your master be the one protecting you?

Keely glanced away from Raavik’s eyes and stared at the couch. “Master Haas is a good mentor, but he has very little sense of the people around him. I joined the order as an older student under the direct supervision of Master Haas. He recruited me after I picked his pocket using the force. I grew up an orphan in the slums of Coruscant. An outcast and always looked down upon and forgotten. Even Master Haas forgets about me sometimes.” She patted her stomach and heard it groan.

Raavik pushed a bowl, a plate and a glass toward her. “Maybe not five stars, but you may have as much as you like.”

The bowl was steamy and smelled so good. Meat and veggies stewed. The plate had two slices of bread with butter spread over them and a glass of water. (Yes I know probably not what Lucus would have said, but I am not he)

Keely had three servings of each then she felt relaxed enough that she felt that Raavik Yaan might as well have been her master.

Keely had sprawled herself across the couch. Her stomach was full like it had not been in many years.  When Raavik had first met her she did seem to be slightly malnourished. Skinny and boney, not at all what a young woman should look like, even for a Jedi.

“Do you feel better?” Raavik asked from the kitchen. He was washing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. Raavik had been by himself since he was a young man and knew how to take care of himself and clean up after others. Household chores were nothing for him.

“I haven’t eaten that well in some time. That was no droid made meal.”

“No, it wasn’t.The Nexus has a few treasures beyond the knowledge in its halls, one such treasure is a tended garden. Not all that live here are husks of their former selves, there is a certain faction of others that tend the air facilities. For the beings that live here cannot live by words alone. Balance must be struck.” Raavik finished cleaning up and went and sat next to Keely. “That being said, are you ready to repay me for the meal?”

Keely felt slightly uncomfortable but she felt no threat emanating from Raavik. “What did you have in  mind?”

“I have an errand to run to Coruscant, and I could use your help. I am looking for a seller of books and knowledge. I need to know if you know of a man that can procure me such a thing.”

“Rare or common?” Keely asked and she noticed that Raavik’s attention perked up. She also sensed a change in the atmosphere that surrounded the two of them. She thought that she heard a whisper float around Raavik, but she couldn’t be sure. “Either way, Tommy Grunx is a solid purveyor of books and antiques.” 

“Then let’s go. The Yacht is ready to go. The sooner we gain the knowledge the sooner we can leave this accursed system.” Raavik headed out the door, grabbed his cloak and at the entrance of the hall, he turned back and invited Keely to join him. She stood and stretched, and joined him.

The pair made their way to the shipyard and took The Yacht and returned to the planet. Keely directed Raavik to a landing area close to Tommy’s shop. Close was a fifteen minute walk, and in the most unassuming neighborhood, sat Grunx Boox.

“Tommy! are you in here?” Keely entered the shop with a familiar pace. She looked around the stacks of books, discs and data pads. Unorganized to those that knew not the system.

“Keely?” A voice of an eldery man could be heard from the back behind a desk. “I haven’t seen you in some time, girl.” 

Tommy was an older Yinchorri. He was hunched over with age with a thick pair of spectacles on his weary eyes. Keely hugged his neck and he embraced her back, chuckling while he did so.

“What can this old lizard help you with today?”

“My associate here needs some help acquiring some books of all natures.”

Tommy took a long look at Raavik Yaan. His old eyes focus on the cloak. To him it seemed to change color and shifted from white to gray to black, then back to white, The cycle repeated. 

“An unusual friend, your Jedi friend.” Tommy said. “His cloak shimmers gray and silver. I have heard stories of balancers, I feel honored to actually meet one before I die. Do you need books?” 

“My name is Raavik Yaan, I need your help to feed the Nexus, The Library among libraries.”

“I am here to serve.” Tommy coughed, “Although, I fear, not for much longer.”

Raavik knew that he could use the Force to influence the answer to the question he was about to ask, but he knew that he had to ask anyway.

Father’s Yacht approached the Nexus once again, this time it was followed by a small fleet of civilian craft. each one was loaded to capacity full of scholars and learned beings. All who were enticed to come to the Nexus to learn everything that the known universe had to offer. The Library of the Nexus caters to all who are willing, especially those that bring more knowledge to increase the ever expanding stock.

Raavik Yaan felt an uneasy stillness outside in the shipyard, the Voice of the Nexus had been quiet for some time. A few days, in fact. He knew that the Nexus had a tendency to overreact when presented with new forms to harness life from. If anything of the past experiences of the other apostles was of nte then the Nexus was doing something stupid with its visitors.

Raavik followed by Keely and Tommy entered the Nexus through the great doors. Almost immediately  upon entering they were greeted by the slumped over figure of Jedi Master Omok, worn out and exhausted.

The Apostle looked down at the Jedi with an almost pitible look upon his face. Raavik felt Keely’s disdain for the old man and turned her gaze away from him. 

In the light that filtered in through the door, Raavik could see the mob, as well as a wraith of the Nexus. The mob was not unexpected, after all the Jedi probably had some thoughts about destroying the Nexus. The mob was the inner sanctuary’s defense, but not the most dangerous. That honor was left to the ghostly wraith. The actual spirit of the Nexus, a being that was the perfect balance of the Force. However, like everything else the balance achieved, self preservation maintained above all else. For the Nexus would not allow itself to be harmed. That was the purpose of the Apostle, to keep the Nexus from harm and to keep it from doing harm. To maintain the balance.

“Cease this foolish behavior!” Raavik commanded. His voice echoed all over the library. “Omok has made his choice, and he wishes not to be here.” 

The mob blinked once, then twice, then as if on cue the wraith dissipated and the mob dispersed. The Voice returned to Raavik’s side and it felt pleased to do so.

Raavik bent down and lifted Omok up by his arms. 

“What did you do to disturb the relative peace on board the Nexus? I mean, seriously, the Nexus would only defend itself if placed under threat.”

Omok straightened himself. “This whole place is a threat. The Republic should know of the evil in this place.”

“There is no evil here.” Raavik retorted. “There is only a sense of self protection. The mob that you saw only reacted out of a need to protect the status quo of the Nexus. If you threaten the sanctuary of the station, this place will respond in kind.”

“You call coordinated attacks for days, self-defense?” Omok was shocked with disbelief.

“I have told you before, these people are here of their own volition. The defense was that of several different groups that attacked you in such a way that may have seemed coordinated, that is because the groups are all some sort of combat veteran. They responded to your threat.” The Voice of the Nexus whispered into Raavik’s ear. “Frankly, I am impressed that you lasted as long as you did.”

“I must leave and warn the rest of the Jedi about this place. You teach Sith teachings. This place is dangerous to everything that we teach.” Omok’s voice was cracking with a sort of panic.

“Then you leave me with little choice…” Raavik said with a sigh. He unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. He felt the Voice join his consciousness. “You must never return to the Republic.” 

8

Omok withdrew his lightsaber and turned it on. The green light pierced the dull gray light. A counselor. The last to draw his lightsaber but his connection with the Force was not to be doubted.

“Will you not turn your saber on?” Omok asked as he approached a manageable fighting distance.

“The saber of the Apostle is not something that is easily wielded.” The synthesis of Raavik Nexus answered. “This saber has the deaths of hundreds of Jedi within its light. The balance is perfected within the sword.”

Omok swung head to toe in a vertical direction and missed. But it was as if the blade was pushed to the side, deflected by the Force itself.

Omok tried again, this time horizontally but, again, the blow was deflected. It was as if Omak had struck a mighty tree with a tiny log. It simply bounced off. 

“C’mon and fight me!” Omok roared. He unleashed a torrent of energy trying to push Raavik out of his position. Raavik Nexus batted away the attempt with a flourish of his hand. Four yellow sabers lit up around the battle area. The four sentinels had remained behind.

“Do you want Raavik to fight you alone, without the assistance of the Force? If so we must sever your connection as well.” Raavik Nexus moved forward toward Omok. For the first time, in this battle, he ignited the Apostles Blade. The Silverlight pierced the dark gray, for what light was produced by the library seemed to be soaked into the blade. Balance was struck at all times within the Nexus. 

The Apostle moved with an inhuman speed and struck quickly and sharply at the Jedi master. Omok deftly moved aside and parried with the utmost skill. The two clashed and traded blows with each other. Each one countering the other, each one moving through the dark and the light of the Library poured more into the saber. The blows of the Apostle became more savage as the blade was absorbing more light. 

The blade was becoming an incarnation of the Lightside of the Force, while Raavik Nexus was becoming more akin to the Darkside. The Force really began to show, for each strike with the white blde lightning strikes would flow out of Raavik. Each blow would tear away at Raavik’s flesh, each hit landed on Omok’s saber began to pierce and shred Omok himself.

After several minutes, all that could be seen in the Library were the four ignited yellow sabers standing at the four corners of the battleground, the singular blade of the Jedi, and then the blinding white hot light of the Apostle’s Blade, all the gray light that had once been in the Library was now focused into the blade. 

“This battle is over.” Nexus Yaan said, his voice was now other worldly, deep, dark and without empathy. Nothing of the man that Omok had met just a few days before was left. “Surrender and remain in the Nexus forever.”

Omok felt his will falter, but nevertheless he rushed forward with one final cry. “My will belongs to the Force.”

Then just as a whisper aside, Nexus Yaan stated, “I am the Force!” And with one final upward stroke an explosion of light and lightning enveloped Jedi Master Glork Omok, and he ceased to be.