Chapter 4

“There it is,” Malik said, pointing at the star map. “I’ll program our route to the Dagobah system.”

“Excellent,” Serra replied. “Oh, incoming transmission from Alderaan, encoded.”

“I’d bet that it’s Bail Organa. Put it on screen.” As his face appeared on the monitor, Malik said, “Senator, I apologize for our abrupt departure.”

“Think nothing of it, Malik. I had anticipated something like this might happen. I’m just glad you two made it out without issue.”

“Thank you for everything. Your hospitality was so gracious,” Serra said.

“It was our pleasure. And, I hope you don’t mind but ... last night I had a crew of my men board your ship. They restocked your supplies and filled up your fuel tanks. That should last you for a month or two, with any luck.”

“Wow ... that’s very generous of you, Senator,” Malik said in surprise.

“It is the least we could do for you. Again, you will always be welcomed as friends on Alderaan.”

“Thank you, sir. We’re breaking contact now.”

“Very good. Oh Malik, one last thing. Have you considered what to name that ship of yours? It’s frightful bad luck to be flying a ship without a name, you know.”

“Well, in my experience, there’s no such thing as luck. Still, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. Thank you again.”

“You are quite welcome. Organa out.”

“We will have to find a way to repay his kindness,” Serra mused.

“Yeah ... I’ll think on that.”

They continued on for a few minutes in silence, until Serra asked a question that had been bothering her.

“I know Master Yoda said he was not angry, but ... do you think he’d expel us for what we’ve done?”

Malik smiled. “I doubt it. What could he expel us from? He himself said that the Jedi Order is finished. No, I think he just wants to be sure that we have thought this through and that we proceed in our relationship in a healthy way. One that will not lead to the Dark Side.” Rubbing Serra’s arm, he continued, “No matter what disagreements we may have with him, Master Yoda will always be a friend to us. I have no doubt of that.”

“I hope you’re right...” Serra sighed.

The ship lurched as it exited hyperspace, arriving at the Dagobah system in the Outer Rim. The large, green planet loomed ahead of them, and both Jedi got the same feeling: this place was strong with the Force.

“Wow ... so much life down there. I’m not finding any civilizations or urban areas, though. Master Yoda could literally be anywhere on the planet,” Serra said.

“I imagine that’s why he decided to hide here. Nobody would come look for an old Jedi Master out here,” Malik grinned. “Still, we’ve felt his presence in the past. If we channel the Force together, I bet we could pinpoint his location.”

Serra placed the ship back on autopilot for their approach and turned to face Malik in the chair beside her. The two joined hands, closed their eyes, and sunk into a deep meditation together, reaching out with the Force. It was quite difficult, but after almost ten minutes, they finally picked up a faint sign of familiarity on the surface. Malik concentrated with his all while Serra resumed control of the ship, following his directions. After tracking Yoda’s presence across the planet, they landed on the surface beside a large, swampy lake.

“Nice landing,” Malik commented.

“Thanks. This fog doesn’t make it easy. Can you imagine how lost we’d be if we had just decided to land and look for Yoda once we got here?!”

“I know. At that rate, we’d only find him if he found us.”

Grabbing their packs of supplies, the pair exited the ship into the murky world stretching out before them. Malik saw a pair of Jubba birds flying through the trees overhead, and could have sworn he caught sight of a Dragonsnake just beneath the surface of the nearby lake. As the couple began their explorations, a group of glowing fireflies swarmed near them. They at first paid them no mind, but an ethereal voice soon caught their attentions.

Young Jedi ... traveled far you have. Come.

“Yoda...” Malik breathed.

They spoke not a word, simply following the glowing bugs as they illuminated the path before them. Soon, they came upon a strange yet welcome sight: an E3-standard starship lifeboat. Both knew that Yoda had to be nearby.

“Welcome, my friends,” came a gravelly voice from the ship.

“Master...” Overcome with relief at seeing their Grand Master again, Serra dropped her bags and dashed forward, wrapping the old Jedi in a warm hug. “Master Yoda, you’re alive!”

“Heheh, yes yes Serra, alive I am. Pleased I am that survived the attack on the Jedi Temple you did.”

“Well ... I almost didn’t. I have Malik to thank for that.”

“Of course. Malik, how wonderful it is to see you again. Ah, but most rude I am being. Please, come into my home. Sit down, relax you must.”

“Thank you, Master,” Malik replied, stepping into the makeshift hut with Serra. Though it was cramped for the two adult Jedi, neither of them cared as they sat on the floor of the vessel.

“Master, I feel you’ve chosen a great place to hide,” Serra said as Yoda joined them. “None of the Empire’s agents would ever think to find you here.”

“Indeed, Serra. Full of life, this place is. And it also possesses other ... unique qualities that enable my exile.” Taking a seat on the small cushion along the wall, Yoda continued, “Now then, Malik tells me that fallen in love you two have. Tell me of how this happened.”

Though she at first hesitated, Serra could sense no hostility or anger in Yoda’s voice, helping her to be more at ease. “Well, we’ve had strong feelings for each other for some time now. We’ve always been a good influence on each other, after all. Malik provides that logic and reason when I become brash and emotional, and I remind him never to back down on something he believes in with his all.”

“Yes, noticed this the Council did. Please continue.”

“I guess everything came to a head when Anakin attacked the Jedi Temple. We knew he was trying to get to the beacon to set a trap for all the Jedi off world, so I moved to intercept him. But Master Drallig was right ... he was too much for me. He would have killed me after crushing my body under a pillar, had Malik not come along and resuscitated me.”

“I see. And how did you manage this, Malik?”

“Serra’s heartbeat was slowing by the second. She needed a jump-start. I didn’t know what to do at first, but a reflex appeared to happen in those moments, and I saved her by using ... Force Lightning.”

“Hmm ... and what then?” Yoda asked, seemingly unfazed by the revelation.

Serra said, “As you could imagine, being brought back from the edge of death by the man I harbored a secret love for was too much. The moment I saw Malik’s face, I lunged forward and kissed him. I ... couldn’t have stopped myself if I had tried, Master. After that, we escaped Coruscant and went on the run together. She took a deep breath and continued, “Since then, we have become ... intimate. We have made love on several occasions. Master, we are certain that we want to spend the rest of our lives with each other, no matter how long we may have left.”

Yoda paused for a few moments before replying, “A dangerous path you could be walking.”

Malik answered, “Yes, but in truth, no path is safe anymore. Not with the rise of the Empire.”

“Ah, quite right you are.”

“We believe this to be the will of the Force, Master.”

“Mean that do you, Malik? Or merely an excuse do you make?”

“We do mean that. Before we joined our bodies for the first time, we reached out with the Force. We were desperate for any sign that we were doing the right thing. At that time, we both felt a tremor in the Force, pushing us together, rather than apart. That is no coincidence, Master,” Malik said.

“Perhaps ... right you may be. Yet great care you must take. A powerful emotion love is, capable of both good and evil. If your love leads to jealousy and fear, down the path to the Dark Side you may stray. Tell me, afraid to lose each other are you?”

The couple peered into each other’s eyes for a few moments, holding hands tightly. Serra replied, “We do not wish to lose each other ... but we accept that we will at some point. The fact is that we do not know how long we have left, be it decades, years, or mere days. What we do know is that, no matter how long we have left, we want to spend that time together.”

Malik continued, “At some point, our lives will end. As you’ve always said, death is a natural part of life. When that happens, we will cease to be anything at all, except one with the Force. Until then, we will do as much good as possible, which I believe we can do together.”

“Hmm ... genuine I now know your love to be. Pleased to see this I am.”

As am I.

Serra and Malik looked around startled by the disembodied voice they had just heard.

“Master ... is someone else here?” Malik asked.

“Ah, good of you to join us, my Master,” Yoda said with a smile.

I felt a particular desire to. I believe my experiences in life could be of some help to our young friends. Malik ... Serra ... how wonderful it has been to see you grow into such accomplished Jedi. When last I saw you two, you were but Padawan learners.

Serra was lost beyond belief, but something about the voice felt familiar to Malik, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

“Could it be? Master Qui-Gon?” he finally breathed.

I am indeed.

“But ... how? You died almost fifteen years ago!”

In time I will explain. But regarding your conversation with Master Yoda, I believe my life experiences are quite relevant.

“Does that mean ... the rumors about you are true?” Serra asked.

“But are you actually saying we shouldn’t be doing this?” Malik asked.

There was silence for a moment before Yoda gave a jovial laugh. “Perceptive he always has been, Master Qui-Gon.”

Indeed. I am not suggesting that you avoid your feelings for each other, but I wish to impart my experiences upon you so that you will be able to avoid my mistakes. That is, after all, the goal of a teacher, is it not? I do not regret my relationship with Tahl, only my actions in the aftermath of her death. I remain very lucky to have known her. That you both accept your eventual demise and separation bodes well for your future, in my humble opinion.

“I agree,” Yoda said. “And a greater mastery of the Force, helpful it would be, I think. Oh yes...”

You believe them ready for the trial?

“I do.”

“Excuse me, but I’m confused, Master. What trial? Malik and I have already been knighted; we’ve passed our trials,” Serra inquired.

“Indeed, and splendidly at that,” Yoda replied. “The trial of which I speak is one that will test your true mastery of the Force. Pass, and Jedi Masters you will be.”

“And fail?” Malik asked.

No physical harm will come to you. However, like the Trial of Spirit from your knighting, we can make no guarantees about your mental state afterwards.

“Decide now, you should not. Train with each other. Test your connection to the Force. When ready you are, the trial will await.”

The next day, Malik and Serra found themselves in a large clearing, ready to begin their training session. Though they could have slept in their ship’s quarters, both felt that it would be counterproductive to their regimen. With lightsabers in hand, the pair eyed each other in silence before Serra spoke.

“I think I can help you with your combat prowess,” she said. “You’re brilliant at defending against multiple enemies with blasters, but even you admit that one-on-one duels give you difficulty.”

“That’s wise, I suppose,” Malik replied. “We’ve got to figure Vader will find us sooner or later.”

“Ok, setting lightsabers to training mode.” Serra raised her weapons in the typical opening of her Jar’Kai form, one high and one low. “Prepare yourself!”

Malik replied with his Soresu opening, his lightsaber high and pulled back at the side of his face, pointing at his opponent. Waiting for Serra to make the first move, he tried to imagine this bout as far more than a sparring match. Someday, their lives would depend on their abilities to survive against Vader and his agents; they had to be ready for that. Soon, Serra rushed forward, swinging both of her swords in an overhead slash.

“HAH!”

Malik parried her blows and gave a bit of ground, attempting to use the Force to anticipate her next move. She gave him little breathing room, assuming a relentless assault on him with both of her weapons. All the while, Malik tried utilizing the brilliant defenses of his Soresu form to redirect her blows and dodge in the subtlest ways. Though he had some success, Serra was far from an amateur, and soon began varying the pace of her strikes to try and throw him off.

Eye of the storm ... be the eye of the storm, Malik thought to himself.

His efforts to remain calm and collected amidst the flurry of green lightsabers around him were only somewhat successful. Serra continued to try and penetrate his defenses, now incorporating her signature acrobatic maneuvers into her offensive. It was all Malik could do just to keep up with her aggressive Jar’Kai form. Seeing now that he would have to make use of all his capabilities, Malik began constantly drawing on the Force and keeping himself in constant motion, his blade ever spinning to provide maximum defensive coverage. The couple dueled for several minutes, now on equal footing, each managing to counter the best moves the other could throw at them. At last, Serra thought she had found an opening she could exploit. She tried to lock Malik’s blade up with one of hers before striking at him with the other before he could react. But Malik was too good for that, pushing her off hand back with the Force, rendering her helpless for a split second. In any normal duel, Serra Keto would have lost her hand in that moment, but to her bewilderment, Malik simply disengaged and leapt backwards, assuming a defensive stance once more.

“What’s wrong with you, Malik?!” Serra shouted in frustration. “You had a prime opportunity to disarm me and end the duel, but you chose not to! Why?!”

“I, um, didn’t want to hurt you, Serra.”

“Bantha fodder! You know damn well our lightsabers were on training mode and would have only stung. You gotta give me a better excuse than that!”

Sighing, Malik replied, “I’m trying to stay true to my training, Serra. Soresu is the ultimate form of Jedi nonaggression. There was another path without theoretically cutting off your hand. There is always another path, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t try to find it.”

Serra shook her head. “And what if I had been Skywalker or one of his agents?”

“I would have done what was necessary.”

“Would you really? Because I don’t know that I believe you, Malik. These are dark times, and we can’t afford to be so stubborn that it gets us killed. That stubbornness is exactly what got the Jedi into this mess in the first place.”

“Agree with Serra, I do,” came Yoda’s voice from the edge of the clearing. “Hold firm to our ideals, we should. But if such ideals make us blind to the danger around us, inhibiting us from serving the greater good and the will of the Force, reassess our ideals we must. As Serra said, our stubborn nature nearly destroyed us, made us blind to the rise of the Sith it did.”