The numbers on the holographic display were inexorably approaching zero. Beside him, in the second seat, Verena closed her eyes, entering a meditative state. Her breathing slowed, becoming deep and even.
"Ready?" Alex asked quietly, though he already knew the answer.
"Ready," she replied just as quietly, without opening her eyes.
They spent the four-day journey to the Jedha system in constant training. They meditated together, learned to feel the flows of the Force, synchronized their perception. It was like learning a dance—awkward at first, with constant rhythm failures, but gradually their movements in the Force became more coordinated.
Verena possessed an amazing ability to see the immediate probabilities with crystal clarity. When they meditated together, Alex watched as she perceived the world—thousands of tiny threads, stretched into the next seconds and minutes, each pulsating with its own brightness. Danger in three seconds—a bright red flash. A safe maneuver—a calm green glow. She saw details that eluded him.
Alex, on the other hand, looked further. His perception encompassed hours, days, sometimes weeks ahead. He saw the broad currents of events, places where the threads of fate intertwined into knots of critical decisions. But the details eluded him—too many variables, too many options. Together, they became something more.
The countdown reached zero.
Alex didn't disengage the hyperdrive—instead, he immersed himself in the Force, feeling his consciousness expand, touching the Force.
Alex felt the data stream from the engine—an endless cascade of quantum probabilities, shimmering on the edge of existence. Each wormhole was a possibility, but not all possibilities were equal.
He felt the resonance.
Some wormholes pulsed brighter in the Force than others. They led not just in the right direction—they led along the right path. Paths where the probability of success was higher, where dangers were minimal, where the very fabric of reality was more... benevolent.
The nearest jump was safe. No gravitational anomalies within sensor range. But... wait.
Alex felt Verena's attention focus on something specific. He followed her perception and saw—a slight instability in one of the wormholes. Very small, but enough to create turbulence during the transition.
He gently directed his attention to another wormhole — a little further, a little less energy-efficient, but stable. The hyperdrive responded to his intention as if it were a living creature sensing a touch. It wasn't reprogramming or direct control — rather, a gentle nudge.
Space folded, stretched, and the "Chiming Blade" glided through the wormholes.
The next few hours turned into a meditative dance. Alex and Verena sat motionless, but their minds worked in perfect synchronization. He saw distant routes, she — the immediate dangers. He chose the direction, she adjusted the details. Their perceptions intertwined into a single stream where there was no clear boundary between "his" vision and "her" feelings. Wormhole after wormhole.
It was like flying through a labyrinth that constantly rebuilt itself. The Unknown Regions were exactly like that — space where navigational data was absent, with numerous gravitational anomalies, where every jump was a step into the unknown. But with the Force, they saw a path where computers saw only chaos.
Thousands of transitions. Each one took them deeper into the Unknown Regions, further from any known civilization. Hyperspace navigation, even through the Force, was much more difficult here than in the rest of the galaxy.
But Alex and Verena saw the path.
On the last jump, Alex felt the destination. It was like a distant light in the fog — faint, but steady. A planet resonating in the Force with a special frequency. Ahch-To.
"I see it," he whispered.
"Me too," Verena replied. "It's... strange. Do you feel it?"
Alex felt it. The planet was saturated with the Force, but it was neither light nor dark. Rather, an ancient balance, a place where the Force existed in its primordial state.
The last jump.
The "Chiming Blade" emerged from hyperspace near a water world.
Alex looked at the holographic projection of the planet, slowly rotating before him. The world was almost entirely covered by ocean — an endless blue, interrupted only by rare archipelagos of rocky islands. Clouds enveloped the planet in a dense shroud, but the scanners penetrated them, revealing surface details.
"No polar ice caps," he noted, zooming in on the poles. "None at all. Even in winter, the temperature doesn't drop below zero."
"Global warming?" Verena suggested, studying the atmospheric analysis data.
"Possibly." Alex switched to geological data. "Interesting. The crust is very old, but there's practically no sign of tectonic activity. It's a geologically dead world. The ocean has absorbed everything."
He launched the mini-satellite deployment program. From the belly of the "Chiming Blade," thousands of small probes, each the size of a fist, flew out one after another. They dispersed into orbit, forming an observation network, and began a detailed scan of the surface.
Data flowed into the ship's computational cluster. Alex watched as increasingly detailed maps appeared on the screens — ocean currents, temperature zones, atmospheric flows. And islands. Hundreds of small rocky islands scattered across the planet's surface.
"Launching anomaly search," he said, activating a special program. "Looking for signs of structures, caves, any unnatural formations."
The cluster worked quickly, processing terabytes of data per second. Alex added parameters — geometric regularity, materials different from natural ones.
Ten minutes later, the computer produced a result.
"Got it," Alex zoomed in on one of the larger islands in the northern hemisphere. "Look."
An island appeared on the screen — a massive rock rising a good hundred meters from the ocean. Its slopes were eroded, covered with sparse vegetation. But at the top and base, scanners detected anomalies — structures too regular in shape to be natural. Caves leading deep into the rock. And he himself felt a faint but discernible resonance in the Force.
"That's it," Verena said, confidence in her voice. "I feel the crystals. They're there."
Alex nodded and began planning the descent. The planet's atmosphere was breathable — high oxygen content, slightly higher than on standard habitable worlds, but not critical. Gravity was slightly lower than standard. The weather...
"Oh," he looked at the meteorological data. "This is going to be interesting."
"What?" Verena leaned towards the screen.
"Storms. Constant storms." Alex pointed to the atmospheric flow map. "See these vortices? The planet is practically always covered in cyclones. The ocean generates a huge amount of moisture, temperature differences create winds, and all this turns into an endless series of storms."
"Can we land?"
"We can. But it'll be bumpy." He smiled. "Good thing I'm an excellent pilot."
Verena rolled her eyes but smiled back. It was a reference to a movie they had watched together once. A mentally challenged character said a similar phrase when he took the controls of a ship before crashing it.
Alex directed the ship towards the planet. The atmospheric entry was surprisingly smooth — dense clouds enveloped the "Chiming Blade," but the turbulence was moderate. He guided the ship down, guided by satellite data and his own sense of the Force.
When they broke through the clouds, the ocean opened up before them.
The ocean of Ahch-To was alive. Waves tens of meters high rolled across its surface, colliding, creating giant splashes of foam. The water was dark blue, almost black in the depths, but where sunlight broke through the clouds, it flashed with emerald and sapphire hues. The wind drove the water spray, creating rainbows that appeared and disappeared in seconds.
And islands. Rocks rising from the ocean like the teeth of an ancient monster. Waves crashed against them with such force that spray shot up dozens of meters. Some rocks were covered with strange vegetation — low-lying trees with thick trunks and broad leaves, grass that grew directly on the bare stones.
"A fierce planet," Verena whispered, pressing herself against the viewport. "Beautiful..."
Alex guided the ship to the target island, flying around it in a wide arc. The island was massive — several dozen kilometers long and five wide, with steep slopes and a relatively flat summit. It seemed to be the peak of an underwater mountain range. Low-lying trees grew on the summit, and cave entrances gaped there — dark abysses in the rock.
He noticed movement near the water and zoomed in on the screen. Creatures — streamlined bodies covered with scales, but with fins. They leaped out of the water, slid on the waves, emitting piercing cries.
He chose a relatively flat area on the island's summit and began the landing. The wind buffeted the ship, forcing the stabilizers to work at their limit, but Alex compensated for every gust, using both his piloting skills and his foresight in the Force. Verena silently helped him, pointing out sudden changes in air currents seconds before the sensors registered them.
The "Chiming Blade" touched down with a slight jolt. The landing gear locked onto the rocks, and Alex shut down the engines.
Silence. Only the howl of the wind outside and the distant roar of the waves.
"We're here," Alex said, leaning back in his chair. He felt tired — days of navigating through the Force had exhausted him. "I suggest we rest for a day before continuing."
Verena turned to him, mischievous sparks dancing in her eyes.
"Agreed," she said, slowly getting up from her chair. "And I have plans for you."
Alex raised an eyebrow, feeling the fatigue begin to recede, replaced by a completely different sensation.
"I have plans for you," he countered, also standing up. "Charming Twi'lek."
Verena laughed — loud and joyful. She walked up to him, placing her hands on his shoulders.
Alex lifted her into his arms, and Verena wrapped her legs around him, not breaking the kiss. He carried her towards the cabins, and the door closed behind them, leaving them alone.
Outside, the wind continued to howl, the waves beat against the rocks, and the ancient planet kept its secrets. But inside the ship, there was warmth, closeness, and that rare happiness that can only be found with someone who understands you completely.
The morning on Ahch-To was foggy.
Alex woke up to the sound of rain drumming on the ship's hull. He lay there, holding Verena, feeling her steady breathing, the warmth of her skin. She was still asleep, and he didn't want to wake her. Instead, he just lay there, enjoying the moment of peace.
A dozen minutes later, Verena stirred, and her eyes opened.
"Good morning," she whispered.
"Good morning," he kissed her forehead. "Did you sleep well?"
"Excellent." She stretched, and Alex couldn't help but admire the grace of her movements. "What's the weather like?"
"Rain. But not heavy." He glanced at the chronometer. "We slept for fifteen hours."
"We needed it," Verena sat up, pushing her lekku back. "Ready to explore the caves?"
"After breakfast and meditation," Alex replied, also sitting up. "I want to see what awaits us first."
They had a quick breakfast — nutritious bars and synthetic juice, standard rations for long space journeys. Then they went to the meditation room — a small chamber in the center of the ship that Alex had specially equipped for Force practices.
They sat opposite each other, cross-legged, and closed their eyes.
The immersion into the Force was instantaneous — after two years of constant training, it had become second nature. Alex felt his consciousness expand, extending beyond his body, touching the currents of probability that permeated reality.
He directed his attention to the island. The caves. What was there?
The vision didn't come immediately. At first, there were only vague sensations — antiquity, depth, resonance. Then the images began to clarify. He saw dark tunnels leading into the rock's depths. He saw chambers carved into the stone with incredible precision. He saw crystals — transparent, pure, pulsing in the Force.
But there was something else.
Emotions. Ancient emotions imprinted into the very fabric of this place.
The first was boredom. Divine, all-consuming boredom. Weariness of existence, of the endless repetition of the same cycles. Indifference to everything — to life, to death, to the Force itself. It was the feeling of a being that had lived too long, seen too much, and nothing could surprise or interest it anymore.
Then came the second emotion. The complete opposite of the first.
Greed. The desire to possess everything, to become everything, to absorb all existence. An insatiable hunger that could not be satisfied. A striving for absolute power, absolute control, absolute knowledge. It was darkness — ambitious, seeking to surpass any boundaries.
Alex recoiled from this too. He felt where such a path led.
He focused on what they had come for. The crystals. Only the crystals.
The vision changed. He saw a chamber deep underground. Walls covered with ancient symbols. And in the center — crystal formations growing directly from the rock. Transparent, pure, untainted by either light or darkness.
The path to them was clear.
Alex opened his eyes and saw that Verena had also come out of meditation. She looked thoughtful.
"Did you feel it?" he asked.
"Yes," she nodded. "It was... strange."
"What did you see?"
Verena paused, choosing her words.
"I saw that I'm very cool," she finally said, a humorous note in her voice. "But I already know that."
Alex laughed, and the tension he felt after the vision began to dissipate.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," she smiled. "I saw myself wielding two lightsabers, fighting... I don't know, someone big and scary. And I won. It was cool."
"You are cool," Alex said softly. "And I felt the thoughts of an ancient, bored god. Not very interesting, to be honest."
"A god?" Verena frowned.
"Or someone who considered himself a god." Alex shrugged. "Someone very ancient and very tired. He left an imprint in the Force. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that the crystals are there, and the path to them is clear."
They dressed in practical clothing — durable fabrics resistant to moisture and wind. Alex took an assault rifle. Verena armed herself with a blaster and a vibro-blade. They weren't sure what they would encounter in the caves yet, and caution was necessary. Alex activated the droids to scout ahead.
Exiting the ship, they were met by a gust of cold wind and splashes of rain. Alex activated a force field around himself and Verena — a small manipulation of the Force that deflected water and wind. They walked to the edge of the plateau, where the descent to the caves began.
The island was wild and beautiful. Low-lying trees bent in the wind, their leaves rustling, creating a strange melody. The grass underfoot was slippery with moisture, but tenacious — it grew directly in the cracks of the rocks, finding nourishment where there seemed to be none.
They descended along a narrow path — perhaps natural, perhaps carved long ago. Below, at the base of the cliff, waves crashed with a deafening roar, sending fountains of foam upwards. The cave entrance yawned before them — a dark abyss from which cold and antiquity emanated.
Alex activated his shoulder-mounted flashlight, and a soft blue light dispelled the darkness. They entered. The droids were somewhere ahead.
The cave was vast. The walls were smooth — too smooth to be natural. Someone had worked them, perhaps millennia ago. Symbols were visible on the walls — not Rakatan, not Jedi, not Sith. Something more ancient.
"This place is old," Verena whispered. "Very old."
Alex nodded. He felt the weight of centuries pressing down on this place. The tunnel led down, going into the depths of the island. They walked slowly, cautiously, listening to the Force.
The emotions Alex felt during meditation grew stronger. Boredom. Weariness. Indifference. They pressed on his mind, trying to penetrate his thoughts, to make him accept them.
Why all this? It's all meaningless. It all repeats. You'll see it in time. Better just stop...
Alex rejected these thoughts. He focused on the goal. On the crystals. On why they had come here.
Then came the second wave of emotions. Greed. Desire.
Take everything. Become everything. You can. You are worthy. The Force belongs to you. The galaxy belongs to you. It's all yours...
Alex rejected this too. He didn't want to own the galaxy. He wanted to be free.
He glanced at Verena. She walked beside him, her face focused but calm. She also felt the temptations, but did not succumb to them.
The tunnel ended in a large chamber. It was round, with a high domed ceiling. The walls were covered with the same ancient symbols, glowing with a faint phosphorescent light. And in the center...
Crystals.
They grew from the floor, from the walls, from the ceiling — transparent formations, some the size of a finger, others the size of a hand. They pulsed in the Force, pure and untainted. These were perfect focusing crystals, exactly what they needed.
Alex approached, extending his hand. When his fingers touched one of the crystals, he felt a resonance — the crystal responded to his touch, to his presence in the Force.
"They're alive," he whispered. "Not in a biological sense, but... they are aware. They feel."
Verena approached another cluster of crystals. She chose two — both half the size of her palm, perfectly symmetrical. When she took them, the crystals flashed with a soft light, as if greeting their new owner.
Alex also chose a crystal. It was slightly larger than Verena's, transparent. When he held it up to the light, rainbow glints played within it.
"Perfect," he said.
They collected a few more crystals — just in case, for future needs. Then they turned to leave.
But before they left the chamber, Alex stopped. He turned to the walls, to the ancient symbols, to this place that held the memory of those who had been here before them.
Alex felt the ancient presence in this place... calm down.
They emerged from the cave into the rain and wind. The climb back to the ship was harder than the descent, the wind had intensified, spray flew from all sides, and the rocks were slippery.
When they returned to the "Chiming Blade," Alex closed the airlock and took off his wet jacket. Verena also shook the water from her clothes, her lekku glistening with moisture.
"Everything alright?" Alex asked, looking at her.
Verena nodded.
"Yes. It's just... this place was strange. Those emotions. They tried to get into my head."
"I know." Alex walked up to her and hugged her. "But we managed. We got what we came for."
Verena smiled back, but there was still thoughtfulness in her eyes.
"I saw power," she said. "I saw myself incredibly powerful. Capable of defeating any enemy, protecting everyone I love. It was tempting."
"But you are already strong," Alex said. "And you will become even stronger."
She nodded.
"Yes. Exactly. That's me."
They stood embracing, listening to the rain drumming on the ship's hull. Outside, the oceanic planet continued its eternal storm, but inside, it was warm and safe.
"Let's go inside," Alex finally said. "Let's rest a bit more. We've earned it, haven't we?"
"We have," Verena agreed. "We can afford it."
They went into the living quarters, where soft chairs and warm lighting created a cozy atmosphere. Alex made hot tea — real, from leaves. They sat next to each other, enjoying the moment of peace.
The crystals lay on the table before them, quietly pulsing in the Force.