Two shadows sit at the eastern edge of the canyons that make up the wasteland poxed by craters from rogue force storms.
"Does he know the truth yet," the first asks with a rasp.
"No, but he will, it's a matter of time," the second voice whispered.
"Soon, there is much that needs to be accomplished, if he completes his trial he will be the only Ranger, let alone the only living," the raspy voice was cut off.
"Don't say it, he might hear, his trials will reveal the truth, such is the way of the great pilgrimage."
The shadows vanished within the crackle of neon green light, as the next force storm began to appear.
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Corso saw the flash of green light. Force storms were something that was beautiful yet incredibly deadly. Thankfully he learned to weather them during his Padawan training. Adjusting his screech lizard cloak he fashioned about a weak ago, the emerald scales helped repel the lavender-smelling rain. Again such oddities were common with force storms as he continued forward, another green flash and shriek of the storm revealed the engineering marvel which was Anil Kesh. The tower with three legs, the tips in a different jutting side of a cliffside, one to the south, one to the east, and one to the southwest. Beneath was an infinitely swarming force storm which was a marvel of science and to be honest an underappreciated galactic wonder.
Something was off, the leg on the southwest end began to slip, it upset the balance of the temple. Corso's heart raced as he jumped back, the force storm beneath was now unstable and sent a blast of lightning in front of him. Covering his eyes the familiar shriek happened again with another bright green flash. He had to see if anyone needed help, he had a feeling in his gut that this may be the last night Anil Kesh will stand. Ignoring the aches and pains he sprinted, the emerald cloak billowing behind him as he leaped from rock to rock. He was near the northern leg and he landed with trained precision running up he made up an entrance hatch, what would have been a graceful entrance turned into a near disaster as he slipped and partially fell off the edge of the building. Holding onto a crevice he reached with the force and launched himself back up. Stumbling forward he dove into the entrance, with another slide due to the rain he landed on his backside of what seemed to be a side entrance.
He blinked, the inside of the temple was pitch black, he had a really bad feeling that something was wrong other than the temple on the verge of destruction. Closing his eyes he reached out with the force, everything living was connected by the force, they pulsed and if you knew where to look you could make out people's connection.
"Nothing......"
Corso sighed, a sense of dread overcame him, what happened to the scientists and engineers of legend. The dust and bugwebs made it look like that no one has been here in decades. Maybe there was a spirit that was connected with the force. That's when he felt not just it, but many it's.... This place was riddled with echoes and force ghosts of those left behind. Thankfully, he was capable of communing with such things. "Brothers, sisters, beings that don't apply to standard descriptors I am Corso, a Journeyer, I invoke you to come forward, what happened to Anil Kesh," his voice echoed and he released the force, sometimes things just needed a small push to appear.
There was a voice behind Corso, a man with a purple silhouette, he cleared his throat.
"Burgram Stauss, I am the temple master, I see you've come unannounced and missing orientation. Hardly worthy of Ranger Candidacy if you can't follow instructions, who is your master Journeyer," the stranger asked.
The thing about force ghosts is their features at times were hard to make out, Corso knew exactly what he was dealing with, he needed to snap Master Strauss to make him lucid. Gathering the force he began to channel it into his voice. "Master Strauss, my master is of no importance, your temple is suffering a critical failure and is on the brink of collapse. The southwest arch is slipping, we need to move and save this place from total annihilation," his voice echoed and for a moment the silhouette froze in place.
"My... My god, what happened, how long has it been?"
"Master Burgram let me be of assistance do you know what we need to do to reset the arch to regain stability, I am a skilled Slicer and can help with how your systems communicated," the spirit listened and then nodded.
"I know what must be done Journeyer but we need at least a full engineering team to make this right," he said bringing in the fact that he had no clue of the whereabouts of the other spirits.
Corso took in a deep breath and exhaled, as he exhaled he let loose a blast of the force, fueling the other spirits, allowing them to take form. "Fortunately, I think we have some friend here," he said as more spirits of different Je'daii researchers appeared.
Burgram grinned at the young Journeyer and straightened his robes. "Khelesh, Yarin, Ingrod, Thulaz, and Vicero we need you to calibrate the southern cogitators, Journeyer," the master turned to Corso. "What do you feel about an applied research project, the command console for the arm units has not been functional for two centuries, someone of your skillset will be able to bring it back to life, come with me," the shadow said, he sounded amused.
Corso smiled "As you say, Temple Master," he said as the other ghosts vanished to their tasks and he follows Burgram to the command and control center. This temple very much was a marvel, Corso knew this tech was advanced and ancient, he hoped his slicing skills were up to the challenge. After a few minutes, they entered a room with what looked like a terminal made up of obsidian. Corso was taken aback, was this a computer powered by the force, maybe he was over his head.
"Look if you're not up to the Challenge Journeyor, we will just fall and you will not pass the trial here," Burgram said crossing his arms.
Corso caressed the terminal, he could feel that it was a device sensitive to the force. "It's like slicing with the force," he murmured as he closed his eyes. "Instead of tools, I need to feel, oh.... I think I know what this is," the terminal began to slowly respond but it was not fully functional. Channeling the force he began to subtly push against what seemed to be force-sensitive switches. "This must be a keypad of sorts," he murmured as the temple began to shift.
"You're supposed to extend the arch NOT COLLAPSE THE TEMPLE," the ghost screamed, the force sent Corso flying and he blacked out.
"It's all on you, you need to get up," the voice interrupted the void which was his sub-conscience, stirring, the temple looked angle. Corso's heart skipped as he wiped the blood from the small cut on his brow. The temple was about to fall and he had to get back to the console. Climbing a steep incline he was halfway to make it to the console. "So close, KARK," he cried out as he nearly dodged a piece of stone. After several minutes of strenuous movement, he touched the obsidian console.
Calling to the force he was able to feel what the different switches were. The first activated the power that was harnessed by the force storm beneath, It began to activate the light and various devices inside of the dead temple. The second was the command which controlled the arches, there was a loud groan as the temple moved back in place. Falling back Corso panted, he did it, he repositioned the temple but there was more time he must spend here to do considerable research in the force. Maybe he could devise something to give the ghosts some more physical permanence.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Two months passed as he finished the device, powered by the raw chaotic force energy that appeared beneath the temple. Taking in a deep breath he pushed the force into the device, placed it directly in the centermost location within the temple. Not necessarily light or dark the force channeled something in the middle of the spectrum, something to give the ghosts more permanence and make them aware of the now instead of being stuck in the past. There was a shudder and a yellow hue that engulfed the whole time as the Ghosts were brought back from being out of phase. Corso's direct contribution wasn't saving the temple from falling but bringing permanence to the temple and scientists who were long abandoned, now they could continue to drive their research forward, and maintain a temple that deserves to be a galactic bastion of science.
"Does he know the truth yet," the first asks with a rasp.
"No, but he will, it's a matter of time," the second voice whispered.
"Soon, there is much that needs to be accomplished, if he completes his trial he will be the only Ranger, let alone the only living," the raspy voice was cut off.
"Don't say it, he might hear, his trials will reveal the truth, such is the way of the great pilgrimage."
The shadows vanished within the crackle of neon green light, as the next force storm began to appear.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Corso saw the flash of green light. Force storms were something that was beautiful yet incredibly deadly. Thankfully he learned to weather them during his Padawan training. Adjusting his screech lizard cloak he fashioned about a weak ago, the emerald scales helped repel the lavender-smelling rain. Again such oddities were common with force storms as he continued forward, another green flash and shriek of the storm revealed the engineering marvel which was Anil Kesh. The tower with three legs, the tips in a different jutting side of a cliffside, one to the south, one to the east, and one to the southwest. Beneath was an infinitely swarming force storm which was a marvel of science and to be honest an underappreciated galactic wonder.
Something was off, the leg on the southwest end began to slip, it upset the balance of the temple. Corso's heart raced as he jumped back, the force storm beneath was now unstable and sent a blast of lightning in front of him. Covering his eyes the familiar shriek happened again with another bright green flash. He had to see if anyone needed help, he had a feeling in his gut that this may be the last night Anil Kesh will stand. Ignoring the aches and pains he sprinted, the emerald cloak billowing behind him as he leaped from rock to rock. He was near the northern leg and he landed with trained precision running up he made up an entrance hatch, what would have been a graceful entrance turned into a near disaster as he slipped and partially fell off the edge of the building. Holding onto a crevice he reached with the force and launched himself back up. Stumbling forward he dove into the entrance, with another slide due to the rain he landed on his backside of what seemed to be a side entrance.
He blinked, the inside of the temple was pitch black, he had a really bad feeling that something was wrong other than the temple on the verge of destruction. Closing his eyes he reached out with the force, everything living was connected by the force, they pulsed and if you knew where to look you could make out people's connection.
"Nothing......"
Corso sighed, a sense of dread overcame him, what happened to the scientists and engineers of legend. The dust and bugwebs made it look like that no one has been here in decades. Maybe there was a spirit that was connected with the force. That's when he felt not just it, but many it's.... This place was riddled with echoes and force ghosts of those left behind. Thankfully, he was capable of communing with such things. "Brothers, sisters, beings that don't apply to standard descriptors I am Corso, a Journeyer, I invoke you to come forward, what happened to Anil Kesh," his voice echoed and he released the force, sometimes things just needed a small push to appear.
There was a voice behind Corso, a man with a purple silhouette, he cleared his throat.
"Burgram Stauss, I am the temple master, I see you've come unannounced and missing orientation. Hardly worthy of Ranger Candidacy if you can't follow instructions, who is your master Journeyer," the stranger asked.
The thing about force ghosts is their features at times were hard to make out, Corso knew exactly what he was dealing with, he needed to snap Master Strauss to make him lucid. Gathering the force he began to channel it into his voice. "Master Strauss, my master is of no importance, your temple is suffering a critical failure and is on the brink of collapse. The southwest arch is slipping, we need to move and save this place from total annihilation," his voice echoed and for a moment the silhouette froze in place.
"My... My god, what happened, how long has it been?"
"Master Burgram let me be of assistance do you know what we need to do to reset the arch to regain stability, I am a skilled Slicer and can help with how your systems communicated," the spirit listened and then nodded.
"I know what must be done Journeyer but we need at least a full engineering team to make this right," he said bringing in the fact that he had no clue of the whereabouts of the other spirits.
Corso took in a deep breath and exhaled, as he exhaled he let loose a blast of the force, fueling the other spirits, allowing them to take form. "Fortunately, I think we have some friend here," he said as more spirits of different Je'daii researchers appeared.
Burgram grinned at the young Journeyer and straightened his robes. "Khelesh, Yarin, Ingrod, Thulaz, and Vicero we need you to calibrate the southern cogitators, Journeyer," the master turned to Corso. "What do you feel about an applied research project, the command console for the arm units has not been functional for two centuries, someone of your skillset will be able to bring it back to life, come with me," the shadow said, he sounded amused.
Corso smiled "As you say, Temple Master," he said as the other ghosts vanished to their tasks and he follows Burgram to the command and control center. This temple very much was a marvel, Corso knew this tech was advanced and ancient, he hoped his slicing skills were up to the challenge. After a few minutes, they entered a room with what looked like a terminal made up of obsidian. Corso was taken aback, was this a computer powered by the force, maybe he was over his head.
"Look if you're not up to the Challenge Journeyor, we will just fall and you will not pass the trial here," Burgram said crossing his arms.
Corso caressed the terminal, he could feel that it was a device sensitive to the force. "It's like slicing with the force," he murmured as he closed his eyes. "Instead of tools, I need to feel, oh.... I think I know what this is," the terminal began to slowly respond but it was not fully functional. Channeling the force he began to subtly push against what seemed to be force-sensitive switches. "This must be a keypad of sorts," he murmured as the temple began to shift.
"You're supposed to extend the arch NOT COLLAPSE THE TEMPLE," the ghost screamed, the force sent Corso flying and he blacked out.
"It's all on you, you need to get up," the voice interrupted the void which was his sub-conscience, stirring, the temple looked angle. Corso's heart skipped as he wiped the blood from the small cut on his brow. The temple was about to fall and he had to get back to the console. Climbing a steep incline he was halfway to make it to the console. "So close, KARK," he cried out as he nearly dodged a piece of stone. After several minutes of strenuous movement, he touched the obsidian console.
Calling to the force he was able to feel what the different switches were. The first activated the power that was harnessed by the force storm beneath, It began to activate the light and various devices inside of the dead temple. The second was the command which controlled the arches, there was a loud groan as the temple moved back in place. Falling back Corso panted, he did it, he repositioned the temple but there was more time he must spend here to do considerable research in the force. Maybe he could devise something to give the ghosts some more physical permanence.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Two months passed as he finished the device, powered by the raw chaotic force energy that appeared beneath the temple. Taking in a deep breath he pushed the force into the device, placed it directly in the centermost location within the temple. Not necessarily light or dark the force channeled something in the middle of the spectrum, something to give the ghosts more permanence and make them aware of the now instead of being stuck in the past. There was a shudder and a yellow hue that engulfed the whole time as the Ghosts were brought back from being out of phase. Corso's direct contribution wasn't saving the temple from falling but bringing permanence to the temple and scientists who were long abandoned, now they could continue to drive their research forward, and maintain a temple that deserves to be a galactic bastion of science.
