https://youtu.be/MJrEkTEkE4Q

3rd person

Life is diverse in its expression.

And yet, all life is bound together, united as one... through one commonality.

The force, yes, but through something else as well.

The instinctive desire to survive.

That desire keeps us going, keeps us breathing, but it also births a variety of strange behaviors amongst living creatures.

Tradition, heirlooms, legacy. Terrified of being forgotten, the dead pass down their possessions, their wealth, even their memory...

In the hopes that part of them may live on.

Even though it's futile.

Eternity always wins.

Rituals, funerals, religions. The fear of a void of nothingness is so overwhelming for so many.

Even though that nothingness is merely the force.

Regardless, the idea of maintaining one's consciousness after the end is appealing to many.

Perhaps it gives them comfort, lends them the strength to keep moving forward.

Finally, the deepest, darkest desire of all, conceived when all the previous behaviors coalesce into their purest form.

The desire for immortality.

To defy nature, to defy the force...

To transcend everything that is temporary...

Anakin POV

Fall.

One of the great many seasons the galaxy had to offer.

Flowers disappeared into the ground, leaves shriveled and cracked...

Naboo's autumn was amazing. Watching the forests gradually turn brown after every visit... for Padme and I, that was one of our favorite pastimes.

On Coruscant, autumn was localized within one tree.

The Great Tree.

Standing before the ancient uneti, my mind started to wander.

The environment melded with my experience.

I sensed the fall breeze tugging at my robes...

The lone tree rocked back and forth, its limbs swaying through gusts of wind...

And every so often, the air currents plucked a leaf from the uneti's branches.

As I watched a single leaf fall to the courtyard, my brow furrowed...

My lip curled...

'Luminara... Qui-gon...'

It seemed that every time a Jedi turned over a new leaf, or tried to go against the flow...

Sooner or later, they too fell.

(y/n) POV

"I'm assigning you to the distress code inquiry. I've already discussed the matter with Master Kenobi, as well as the council, so there's no need to worry about that."

After briefing me on that information, Master Gallia had hurried away with haste.

'It's like I'm being sent off to boarding school.' I thought to myself, miffed. 'Well, I guess I'm technically already at a boarding school.'

I wasn't ready to go out on another assignment.

I needed more time to prepare, to train.

But, apparently, my presence was just that distracting for my master.

Flinging the doors open to Durasteel Strength, I was promptly graced with a pitiful sight.

A tall, gangly man, on his hands and knees.

"Please sir, spare a poor man a few credits...! My sister is terribly sick, and we can't pay for treatment!" he begged, squashing his forehead into the cold metal floor.

"Luca, you know I don't have any credits, and I know you don't have a sister." I berated, walking right past the shabby-looking conman.

I'd been seeing Luca for some time now, at the door, constantly denying his requests for large sums of credits.

Over the past few months, he'd set out to scam as many members of Durasteel Strength as he could.

Whatever he actually needed the money for, it wasn't my business.

Not like I could've done anything about it anyway.

"Ah, it's the crinking little Jedi." Luca grumbled, cursing.

"You should take up acting, oh, and don't let HK see you." I advised, calling back to him as I entered the weight room.

"WEAKLING!" a booming, computerized voice roared.

If you spoke of the massive machine, it seems he would appear.

"It's gonna be a quick workout today." I told the four-armed droid as he lumbered over.

"Where's Master Weakling? Frail-body-Adi, where is that meatbag?" HK-74 inquired, rotating his head three hundred and sixty degrees as he looked around.

"Not here. I assume she'll be here later." I muttered.

Even while she was avoiding me, I knew she wouldn't dare skip a workout.

"Oh hey, by the way weakling, you can get rid of that brace. Your leg should be healed by now." HK-74 noted, pointing to the chromatic brace in question.

Funny, I hadn't been conscious of it for a while.

"Right." I affirmed, disengaging the device.

"That reminds me..." the hulking droid trailed off. "I have a little something for you, come to the back."

"It better not be another one of your stupid promotional shirts." I complained, begrudgingly tailing the android gym owner to one of the back rooms.

"Are you still walking the path of cybernetic enhancement?" the roid-droid inquired, his metal feet clanging against the floor.

Having expected that question eventually, I took a moment to ponder it further than I already had.

Grievous immediately came to mind.

He'd certainly proven the effectiveness of cybernetics, even if he seemed more like the shell of a man than anything.

Although, it's not like Grievous would be the looming threat that he was without his strategy.

Additionally...

There was no force without living flesh, meaning that with each limb I gave up, my connection to the force faded further into nothing.

Sacrificing the sliver of force-sensitivity I had? With my newfound speed, that didn't make as much sense as it used to.

And... that didn't even account for the extrasensory awareness I'd developed over the months. My range was limited, sure, with my radius of clarity, but it was useful even now.

A full cybernetic reconstruction might also mean sacrificing my place within the order.

Finally, my last thought was a vivid recollection of a certain young girl working in a factory.

I'd spent so long cursing my weakness, but ultimately...

I had a healthy body, working legs.

Some would be happy with just that.

"I haven't ruled it out." I answered finally, still conflicted.

"I thought you'd say that. Check these out." HK-74 stated, dangling two devices in front of me.

A pair of industrial, savage-looking metal gauntlets.

"Cybernetic arms?" I asked, graciously receiving the gadgets.

"Not exactly." HK-74 chuckled robotically, pointing to the hollow part that my hands were supposed to fit in. "You know me, I believe muscle to be greater than any metal... more advanced than any warship."

"Is it though? I've never seen someone outlift you here." I laughed, calling HK-74 out on his usual ramblings.

"Greater, not stronger." HK-74 clarified. "The way muscle fibers tear, only to regrow at twice the strength. The way biochemicals rush through the veins, demanding that you push harder. The way a body adapts to stress, instead of fracturing like metal. Just once, I'd like to know what that's like." the massive machine lamented regretfully.

"But eventually, muscle will die." I debated further.

"And?" HK-74 rebutted. "I've been around this galaxy for a long, long time, weakling. It's not all it's cracked up to be, I can tell you that."

"That's easy for you to say, though, not all of us have that much time." I argued stubbornly.

"Let's get back on topic." HK-74 suggested, lightly chopping the top of my head with one of his massive metal hands. "Regardless, you really mutilated your hand a while back, wailing on one of those skinny commando droids. Instead of cybernetics, I figured this would be a decent compromise. As powerful as muscle can be, a little reinforcement doesn't hurt."

"Comfort wasn't really on your mind when you made these, was it?" I accused, awkwardly fitting the paneled gauntlets onto my forearms.

As I moved the fingers around, it got a bit easier.

"Made them myself. Titanium-chromium alloy, tough enough to withstand the wear and tear of hyperspace travel, as well as the repeated bludgeoning of fists on blunt surfaces. They're impact resistant as well, so you can punch to your heart's content." HK-74 boasted, seemingly pleased with himself.

"Thanks! Can't wait." I stated with gratitude, putting my guard up as I assumed a boxer's stance.

"Feel free to practice on me." the hulking droid offered, displaying his four palms to me.

I immediately obliged.

Jab.

"Clang!"

Jab.

"Bam!"

Jab.

"Clang!"

Double jab, cross!

"Bam! Bam! CLANG!"

I'd been sparring the four-armed mechanical menace for years.

Four arms...

Hopefully, that experience would serve me against Grievous.

Jab.

"Clang!"

Cross, jab, cross.

"CLANG! Bam! BAM!"

As I kept up my barrage of reinforced straight punches and jabs, I was reminded of the commando droid I'd unceremoniously beaten beyond repair on Jedha.

"It's hard, you know, fighting them. Those droids... so hollow and lifeless." I droned without much thought, focusing on my punches... then, I remembered who I was facing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

It was hard to read the droid, but HK-74 seemed taken aback by my unexpected prejudice.

I peered down in shame.

"You might think of those battle droids as lifeless, a hivemind, but that's by design." HK-74 finally spoke, his electronic voice monotone. "They're fitted with technology that forces them to obey orders."

"Seriously?" I questioned, my shame overcome by curiosity.

The roid-droid nodded.

"It wouldn't surprise me if your clone buddies had something like that as well."

Now that I thought about it, it wasn't as like droids were devoid of personality.

Droids like R2-D2, HK-74, Huyang the lightsaber architect... they all had their own thoughts and opinions.

Why had I suddenly decided that they had no spirit?

The war.

The war had tainted my view of so many things, hadn't it?

Later

"I'm telling you, take whatever you want." Burst insisted, gesturing to his vast arsenal.

"I think I'm good." I declined politely.

"You wanted a way to fight smarter, right? There are about a thousand ways right in front of you." Burst argued, shaking his head.

"Yeah, but... I think all that weaponry would just weigh me down." I admitted. "I'd prefer to use my wits instead."

"Fine then, I get it." Burst conceded finally.

"I'm heading out on an assignment, so we might see each other for a while."

"Where to?" Burst asked, intrigued.

"I have no idea, but it's out in wild space." I informed him honestly.

"Beyond the outer rim? Really?" Burst scoffed, flabbergasted.

"Yeah, I mean what are you really gonna find out there?" I snorted, agreeding.

"Well, good luck to you... commander. Put her there." Burst insisted gruffly, extending his hand.

I shook it with great enthusiasm, the two of us exchanging friendly nods.

"Yeesh kid, you been training your grip strength lately?" the seasoned veteran complained, massaging his hand.

"No, the same as normal." I stated.

"Well, then maybe I'm slacking." Burst laughed, slightly dejected.

An awkward silence spread out between us.

"Well, I should head out now." I declared, patting down my robes.

Before I exited his quarters, Burst piped up.

"Wait just a minute, there's one more thing." he requested.

I flipped around, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" I invited, crossing my arms.

"Always remember... when faced with danger, a soldier's got two options. Either outrun it, or outgun it." Burst advised, his expression as still as stone.

Up on the highest temple landing pad, Ahsoka and Master Kenobi were loading their shuttle, running trips back and forth to ferry supplies aboard.

When I confirmed I'd be joining her on the mission, Ahsoka immediately blindsided me with a hug.

I accepted awkwardly, not completely sure of how to feel about it.

"Huh... where's Anakin?" I inquired, sweeping the landing pad with my vision.

The legendary knight was nowhere to be seen.

"Probably dodging all the boring stuff." Ahsoka responded, shooting me an exasperated look. "Hey, help me with this."

"He did say he might be late." Master Kenobi stated, adjusting an armored piece on his shoulder as he took inventory of the rations.

"Did he say where he was going?" I grunted, moving to lift a heavy box of spare parts.

"What do you think?" Master Kenobi chuckled, wearily shaking his head. "It's Anakin."

After packing the Jedi shuttle for a grueling thirty minutes, the preparations were complete.

"Should've just borrowed a loader droid." Ahsoka grumbled, wiping a droplet of sweat off her brow.

Having only suffered minor muscle pain, I performed a series of arm stretches.

The fabled 'Chosen One' was still missing in action.

"I'd like to discuss a few more things with the council." Master Kenobi announced abruptly, though I suspected he just wanted to avoid the incoming wild bantha chase. "Perhaps you both could... go fetch our lost comrade? I'm sure you have a hunch or two, Ahsoka."

As it turned out, Ahsoka did have a hunch, and soon she was marching hastily through the Federal District, hauling me close behind her.

"Spill it already." I blurted out, matching her blistering pace. "This area is reserved for senators, so why are you so sure he's out here?"

We were surrounded in luxury, fenced in by skyscrapers sculpted from transparisteel as glossy as freshly-forged Mandalorian armor. Needless to say, the security was tighter than a Houk's iron grip.

Most senators refused to even travel by land, coming and going via sky-high parking bays. Most of them had probably never gagged down a single breath of lower-level air.

What business could a Jedi have here that couldn't be conducted at the Senate Building?

"Haven't I told you about Senator Amidala?" Ahsoka answered, blocking the sun out of her eyes as she pinpointed a slightly more modest-looking apartment complex.

"Oh...? She's the one from-?" I faltered, straining to remember the planet's name. "Naboo, right? Pretty outspoken from what you've told me."

"Yep, Padme Amidala. She and Master Skywalker are good friends." Ahsoka returned, smirking. "So we cross paths pretty often."

A lengthy elevator ride later, and we rang the doorbell to the senator's penthouse.

"Ding!"

"Crrrrrkkkkkk..."

Someone pried open the door cautiously.

A woman with flowing, dark brown hair peeked out between the cracks, assessing us as her eyelashes fluttered with nervous energy.

"Senator Amidala...?" Ahsoka piped up cautiously.

As Padme's gaze met Ahsoka's, her expression relaxed.

"Good afternoon, Ahsoka...!" the Nabooian senator exclaimed. She then turned to me, curious.

"Pleased to meet you, Senator." I bowed lightly.

"Yes, yes, you must be Ahsoka's friend... what was it, again?"

"(y/n) (l/n), Senator. Pleased to meet you." I mumbled, unused to the formality of the interaction.

With an eager wave of her hand, Padme funneled us into her spacious apartment.

At first glance, the penthouse appeared infinitely expensive... complete with silky, cream-colored sofas and stretching, crystal-clear windows... perfect conduits for natural light.

If I hadn't known better, I might've thought I'd entered a queen's throne room.

But having seen the chancellor's scarlet, velvety quarters... I knew better. Senator Amidala could've easily acquired a place hundreds of times more extravagant.

Though a down-on-his-luck ruffian born of the lower levels wouldn't be able to tell. It was still Coruscant high society, after all.

"I assume you're searching for Ani-" Padme halted abruptly, catching herself. "For General Skywalker, correct?"

"I take it he was here, then?" Ahsoka cursed, crossing her arms in frustration. "That laserbrain, what a pain."

"He ran off to the chancellor's office." Padme confirmed, sighing apologetically. "I'd drag him back, but he's probably already headed to the Senate building by now."

"I'd wager that's where you're going as well, Senator?" I guessed, taking notice of her long, indigo gown.

"She always dresses like that." Ahsoka whispered over to me.

"You're quite astute, (y/n)." Padme chuckled. "Yes, my presence is required there as well."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes at me, undetected by our host.

"Lucky guess." she muttered.

"It's a very important meeting. Actually, it might interest you two..." Padme continued, a nebula of doubt engulfing her brow. "Over the last few months, we've been legislating, or at least trying to legislate a bill regarding the aftermath of your trip to Irisella."

Irisella.

Suddenly, I was back there, sailing the vast ocean with my ship's bow pointed toward the rainbows weaved around the horizon.

In an instant, I was transported back to Padme's penthouse, left with a lake of unease pooling in my stomach.

'Why?' I questioned, upset with the reaction. 'Do I just not want to know?'

"Would you both like to join me?" Padme finished.

I hardly had time to sort out my thoughts before Ahsoka and I joined Padme in her hoverpod.

https://youtu.be/1CGMk_roNaE

The Galactic Senate Chamber was a vast, spherical space, its planetary curvature a reminder of the scale of governance.

Round hoverpods floated against the walls, each pod housing a different representative group.

The architecture reminded me of a passage from the historical text Into the Applause, wherein a grand theater was described.

A curved chamber for proper sound design, invisible cables suspending the pods in midair for dramatic effect...

And the chancellor's podium in the center, perhaps the director's seat.

Sure enough, Anakin stood there next to Chancellor Palpatine.

When the Irisella discussion finally initiated, a lone hoverpod drifted out into the middle of the chamber.

We were too far away for me to identify the man standing on the suspended platform, but when he spoke, I instantly recognized his voice. He was the representative of Rothana Heavy Engineering, the one who'd briefed us before that mission.

"Irisella's high ambient temperature was the primary motivator for the factory's construction, along with a lucrative method of power generation in the planet's marine chemistry. It eased the implementation of our superconductors, as opposed to the cold climates we usually operate in. Additionally, we discovered a lucrative method of power generation in harnessing the planet's marine chemistry." the representative explained. "Though, as has been explained before, we experienced significant supply chain issues as time went on... owing to the atmosphere's poor compatibility with our manufacturing processes."

"'Atmosphere's poor compatibility.'" I mouthed, stifling an appalled laugh. 'That's a roundabout way of saying it.'

When I'd first glimpsed the factory on the water, the contrasting colors created an unforgettable memory.

A portrait, once covered with only oily brushstrokes of blue, red, and pink, had been ultimately sullied with smears of soot and tar.

Under RHE, Irisella's skies suffocated, its ocean thickened with sludge, and its towering coral forests withered away.

Yet somehow that wasn't a point of discussion.

Suddenly, I recalled a statement made by the representative during the briefing so long ago. Analyzed under hindsight, the fleeting remark took on a new, sinister meaning.

'The planet only supports semi-intelligent life, they possess no advanced technology.'

"As we at RHE have made clear, we were initially unsure of how to move forward. However, over the last few days... after finishing our assessment of the catastrophic damage the facility sustained, the complete analysis has ended any hope of future profitability." the faceless representative continued. "Thus, we have officially decided to move our plant elsewhere."

Padme promptly rose to her feet, slamming her fist onto a button on her repulsor pod.

"If I may speak...?" she posed rather forcefully, earning a sarcastic nod from the representative. "Respectfully, whether RHE leaves the planet or not, there cannot be any discussion without mention of the Umidori."

Provoked by Padme's stark demand, irritated mutters slowly trickled down the curved walls of clumped pods.

I frowned.

It wasn't that I expected the Senate Chamber to act as one mind, or function as a fine-tuned, efficient lightsaber.

It was that I never expected the blatant indifference, the offended sighs at simple requests.

"Senator Amidala... seeing as you, historically speaking, were always very critical of RHE's presence on Irisella, I expected you to rejoice at this news." a Neimoidian senator scoffed. "Is that no longer enough for you?"

"Leaving is a step in the right direction, obviously, but I won't ignore or forget what's already been done, Senator." Padme persisted, maintaining her composure. "It's simple dignity. After dirtying your floors, you have to wash them. Especially if they were never your floors to begin with."

"We cannot possibly meet those demands, Senator Amidala." the RHE rep protested, flustered. "What you're proposing can simply be achieved through government aid."

"Seeing as the Umidori acted as your main labor force," Padme denied, outflanking the agent's objections. "It is your responsibility to leave them in a good place to adjust."

The term 'labor force' was used loosely in this case, and Padme's disgusted emphasis on the three syllables reflected that.

Turning her attention back to the chamber, Padme laid out her proposal.

"My fellow senators of the Galactic Republic, it is my belief that Rothana Heavy Engineering must not be allowed to leave without providing the people of Irisella with basic provisions and other amenities!" she called out, begging the chamber's sympathy. "Therefore, I propose a bill to ensure that."

The response was far less passionate than her appeal.

"Is this really necessary?"

"That could cripple the war effort..."

"My world has close proximity to Rothana."

Apathetic whispers bombarded our hoverpod, and the unease in my gut slowly fermented into resentment.

Beside me, Ahsoka shook with similar resentment.

Sitting behind Padme, she and I quietly condemned the grand chamber, our gazes narrowing nearly as much as the senators' minds.

"I guess I just thought..." I breathed quietly, exhaling the last vestiges of my blind faith. "That they'd be trying a little harder."

"You'd think the chancellor would step in." Ahsoka muttered, peering up at the man elevated atop the chamber's fulcrum. "Or at least, you'd hope."

From that day forward, I could never look at the Republic's military vehicles the same. Even boarding a gunship sparked hesitation in me, because by now I'd seen past the flashy laser cannons and the troopers' funny, suggestive paint jobs.

I couldn't ignore the shoddy, frugal construction of the seating, or the thinness of the armored panels...

Or the subtle scratches from the small hands that made them.

At the meeting's conclusion, no agreement had been made.

To nobody's surprise.

Ahsoka and I then rushed after Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine, only reaching them after they'd already entered the chancellor's skyward scarlet suite.

The two were playing a game of holochess.

"I can't ever seem to beat him." Anakin laughed casually, the chancellor smiling cheerfully as he plundered another one of his opponent's pieces, stealing a knight for himself.

"I'm going to beat you if you don't hurry this up." Ahsoka growled, dropping her manners in front of the Palpatine... something even I wouldn't do.

Before departing, Anakin, Ahsoka, Master Kenobi, and I made our way to the council chamber for a quick confluence.

During which, Master Gallia made quite the effort to avoid eye contact with me.

'Why, Master?'

Then, after a quick farewell from Master Yoda at the landing pad, we were airborne.

And soon after that, we entered hyperspace.

...

To pass the time, I opted to study the numerous holocrons Master Gallia had gifted me.

"What... why are you watching that?" Ahsoka gasped, noticing the tall, dignified man perform one-handed lightsaber strokes.

"What do you mean? It's just Makashi." I defended, confused.

"No... him." Ahsoka hissed, glaring at the phantom figure. "That's Count Dooku."

"Oh." I sputtered, so shocked by the revelation that I was unable to formulate a better response.

"Well, Count Dooku is certainly one of the best at Makashi." Master Kenobi shouted back, evidently eavesdropping. "They say to defeat your enemy, you must know your enemy."

"I guess. Sorry, (y/n), it just caught me off guard." Ahsoka apologized, coming back to her senses.

"The thing about Makashi, it's got one glaring flaw." Anakin called back cheerfully, a sly grin forming on his face.

"Well, let's hear it." I acknowledged, excited.

"It's not as effective against multiple opponents." Anakin revealed, looking pleased with himself.

"Which is what I tried to tell you, but then you had to go and let Dooku lop off your arm." Master Kenobi grumbled.

"You got diced up first." Anakin grumbled in return, his grin gone.

"That may be true, but if we'd worked together we might have stood a chance." Master Kenobi shot back.

As the shuttle streaked through space-time, I found myself getting sleepy.

A few short naps later, I woke up to the sound of Anakin's voice.

"Should be almost there, then we'll meet with Rex." Anakin called, making sure that we could hear from the back of the shuttle.

"What are you doing?" Ahsoka prodded, looking at the manual I was reading.

"Reading up on the Venator's schematics." I replied, engrossed in the holographic lines of the Star Destroyer's mechanical design.

"Why? We're not actually entering the Venator... plus, haven't you been in one already?" Ahsoka questioned.

"Could still be useful." I shot back, slightly annoyed.

Suddenly, we each experienced a jolt, lurching forward slightly...

The shuttle had exited hyperspace.

Immediately after, I heard a familiar electronic melody, indicating that Anakin had turned on the holoprojector.

"Rex... Rex, do you read me? We're at the rendezvous point, awaiting your arrival. Where are you?" Anakin notified, speaking to Captain Rex's hologram.

"Sir, we are at the rendezvous point... and there's no sign of you on our scanners..." Rex informed, visibly perplexed by the situation.

"Oh, come on... that's impossible." Anakin exclaimed in disbelief, turning to Master Kenobi. "Something's wrong, we're at the exact coordinates where the distress signal originated, but there's nothing here! Rex is at the exact same coordinates, and he's not here!"

"This is getting interesting." Master Kenobi stated, stroking his beard.

"Un-able to fi-nd y-ou... wh-er-e ar-e yo-u si-r?" Rex asked, his voice breaking up.

"Something's blocking the signal." Ahsoka muttered.

'I think we can see that.' I thought privately, watching the clone captain's ghostly image flicker into oblivion.

Without warning, and with a low-pitched mechanical whimper, the entire shuttle's power shut down, dimming my vision.

"Not good." Master Kenobi complained, cautious yet calm.

I then watched Ahsoka crouch down, frantically checking some of the ship system panels. Eventually, she stood up, bearing bad news.

"Everything's dead, even the life support!" she informed, distressed.

"What's going on?!" I questioned, having no idea of what to do.

"This is really strange." Anakin declared, as perplexed as I was.

...

I heard an electronic whistling noise.

The ship's power sputtered.

Then, it flared to life once more, the ship's control panels lighting up again.

"There, see. Nothing to be concerned about after all." Master Kenobi gloated, sounding relieved.

"Then what's... that?!" Ahsoka uttered in disbelief, pointing directly ahead of the shuttle.

Anakin, Master Kenobi, and I simultaneously looked out of the cockpit, spotting...

An immense, bygone monolith... drifting in seclusion out in uncharted space.

"Huh?" I grunted, overwhelmed by the weirdness of everything.

Slowly, I felt myself being pushed backward into my seat...

It seemed like the shuttle was lurching forward.

"It's pulling us towards it!" Ahsoka announced, concerned.

As we grew closer to it, the ancient-looking, diamond-shaped structure cracked open in the middle, white light flooding out from whatever was inside.

"Everyone, strap yourselves in! Looks as though we're going for a ride." Master Kenobi ordered, maintaining calm.

The light came closer.

In time, the light intensified into a blinding white void.

Then, everything went black.

https://youtu.be/VmTQxJjvCps

Again, I awoke to the sound of Anakin's voice.

"I must've... blacked out." Anakin mumbled, groggy.

"Well then, who landed the shuttle?" Master Kenobi posed, quickly coming to his senses.

A valid question.

"Not me." Ahsoka responded, her head swiveling in my direction.

"You know I couldn't have landed it awake." I reminded her, raising an eyebrow.

"Where are we?" Anakin questioned, moving on.

"Some... kind of organic mass... all of our readings indicate that it's bigger than an asteroid. But, at least the atmosphere is breathable. Ahsoka rambled, reading off the readings.

"Well this is getting more unusual by the minute. I can't even lock down where in the galaxy we are. Or... if we're even in our own galaxy." Master Kenobi sputtered, flabberghasted.

"Well, the ship systems seem fine but for whatever reason nothing's working." Anakin complained gruffly.

It wasn't long before we descended the shuttle's landing ramp to survey our surroundings.

"Hey! I saw something, a reflection... up on the hill." Ahsoka barked, pointing ahead of her.

"I don't see anything." Master Kenobi stated, peering through his binocs.

I strained my eyes, focusing on the hill Ahsoka had pointed to, but my efforts were also in vain.

Regardless, the four of us continued surveying the bizarre environment.

With each new, unusual detail I laid eyes on, the planet felt that much more alien.

A bright sky, bathing the lush terrain in warm light...

Yet no sun.

A tapestry of twinkling stars, visible in the cloudy sky...

Yet, it wasn't night.

Great, huge chunks of stone, mountains that cast long shadows over the landscape...

Levitating in the sky, without the slightest hint of suspension.

Life everywhere.

The planet... no, the place we'd stumbled upon...

It was truly otherworldly, more so than any other location I'd been to.

And yet...

As I sensed the force wrapping around me, like a metaphysical blanket...

I felt like I belonged.

"What's up?" Ahsoka prodded, nudging my shoulder.

Evidently, my fixation with the locale was obvious to her.

"I can't explain it, but for some reason..." I muttered, still beholding the uncanny valleys. "There's something familiar about this place."