Even with the hyperdrive, we reached Kashyyyk in three days. It was known as the land of the Wookies, a species considered non-sentien by the Empire. Of course, that's just an excuse to enslave them. The species is rebellious against the Empire, often hiding Jedi or hiding info of them. It is not clear whether the rebellious attitude was caused by the slaver or if it was the other way around.

We had landed in a forest with dry ground, which was a relief considering I heard the ground was often wet or even flooded. Although I had no way of knowing whether those are just rumors or not.

When we landed, a Wookie was waiting for us. He was armed, of course. For all he knew we would be soilders from the Empire. I didn't blame him when I approached him.

"Greetings, friend. Can you show the way to the client?"

"Gwwrrgh."

Oh, right. There would be a language barrier. Of course there'd be a language barrier, they can't speak my language. Although I suspected they could understand me, but their tongue was unable to pronounce the more complex sounds other species produced.

Well, this was a conundrum. We might as well have a one way communication line. I looked back at Master, hoping he somehow knew their language, but he simply shook his head.

The Wookie suddenly turn, and with a snap of his head let us know we should follow. We passed through forests of green as well as large lakes. The Wookies, unlike most other species, seemed to live side by side with nature. For some odd reason, I found a deep respect towards them for that behaviour.

Then, the Wookie stopped us at front of a residence. Well, it was more of a treetop. Mainly because it was one, one we had to scale up to reach. It was likely done to keep outsiders out, and in easy sight if they trespassed so they could be shot. If it wasn't for the training me and Master did daily, I think I would be wheezing by the time I reached the top. I worked up a sweat, that's for sure.

I felt a slap on my back from Master. "Come on, you can't be tired after just a bit of climbing! Back in the Clone Wars we did marches that were more tiring than this."

"Well, I apologise for not being a genetically enchanced version of the greatest bounty hunter to have walked the Galaxy. It seems as if that fact aided you."

Then, I looked at him and realized something obvious for the first time. He was getting old, and fast. When I met him, he seemed as if he was twenty. Now he looked as if he was in his mid-thirties. The only thing keeping him nimble was teras kasi. The accelerated ageing of a clone made him age twice as fast. In three years, he would seem probably seem as if he was forty. All of a sudden it seemed cruel to me, that the Empire took full use of his skills and then threw him away like a broken tool without anything to support himself.

I looked away, no need to pity the clone. That would just anger him. I turned my attention to the room. There was a bed covered in veil, and few other furnitures that weren't essential. A table for eating, some chairs, and other than that the room was very empty.

I looked at the Wookie, and his gesture and gurgle gave me permission to approach the bed. The veil was purple, and of a very smooth texture. It was expensive, and probably important to whoever owned it. I quickly noted how Master backed off and was silent. So, he'd want me to handle the negotiations alone?

I pushed the curtain back, and saw a Togruta women meditating on the bed. I noticed the lightsaber by her side. Another Jedi? She looked up at me and smiled. "Ah, the Pebble."

Well, I haven't even begun speaking to my client and she already insulted me. Just great.

She suddenly seemed flustered. "I didn't mean to insult you. It's just that... it's the best name I can come up for you."

"And that was was an even worst insult."

She suddenly seemed to compose herself in that instant. Then she briefed me as if I was a soilder. "There is a Darkside-user seeking for me. Thanks to the Wookies, I have managed to evade the so far, but I want you to deal with them before they call the attention of the one known as Vader. I suspect even I can't defeat him. And if I kill the person, Vader would be able to sense that."

"Well, what do they look like? I would need information first."

A voice suddenly sounded from above. "Why don't you find out?"

Suddenly, a red blade of light pierced the roof, only inches from my face. And I had the wisdom to duck before the Darkside-user moved the lightsaber in a circle to make a hole in to enter.

"Ahsoka Tano. A pleasure to meet you." And she lunged.

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I suspect this is the first time the Force actually made me do anything. Before this point, it always gave my thoughts nudges in a direction. Nudges I was unaware of and passed of as my own thoughts. Yet, now, I felt the something made me grab my mandolarian sword and jump in front of the Darkside-user. I parried the blow, thanks to the fact the mandolarian steel made the sword lightsaber-resistant, but was soon backed to a corner by the Darkside-user. Until Master approached from behind in an attempt to deliver a punch, only for her to swiftly dodge.

Master looked at me and I blinked. The practitioners of teras kasi don't wield swords, and attacked together. I quickly sheathed the weapon and charged with my Master.

I considered firing my slugthrower and decided not to. The poison from the bullet might be inhaled by others in this cramped space. Besides, I still had tricks up my sleeve.

The Darkside-user pushed us with a gesture of her hand. I had gambled on this, quickly took out my sword and dove it into the floor for grip. Master wasn't so lucky and went smashing against the wall.

So, Ahsoka would probably help me if she deemed it needed. I realized the Wookie wasn't helping. I think he was measuring up my abilities. And the Darkside-user was solely focused on getting me of my sword.

I abruptly decided Ahsoka would have enough time to react, and Wookies probably were resistant to this kind of poison. I shot a round of my slugthrower, which the Darkside-user blocked. This caused the liquid calming-poison inside the bullet to vaporise alongside the bullet itself. Which she would  have inhaled and then find her connection to the Darkside weaken severly. Not being able to call on her anger and whatever left of her power would be focused on driving the poison out of her system.

It all went exactly as planned. One moment she is smiling triumphantly as she blocked my shots. The next she is gasping for air. I simply walked up to her, took my blaster and shot her head. Such that a spray of read covered the wall.

I felt something shift in me. As if a part of me I never knew stirred. I looked down. Oh. She had thrown the her lightsaber through my stomach. My entrails spilt out. Blood gushed alongside it and I collapsed into a blackness that was deeper than sleep.

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I had dreamt. And I knew that I did. Learning to lucid dream had been part of my training in learning to resist mind tricks. So I was always checking if my environment was a part of reality.

Yet, I couldn't control this dream. That was strange. Dreams usually collapsed when I became aware or they shaped into my fancy. Yet this dream was sturdy, and one I couldn't do anything to change.

I was a chess piece. Force-sensetive rrnough to be affected by the Force, but not the other way around. And there were two players, who were actually the different sides of the same being. They both moved me, to do some seemingly minor things that would cause major changes.

I suddenly perceived what these changes were. Saving young Luke meant he would cause Darth Vader to turn to the light. Hiding Ahsoka Tano would lead to the rise of the second rebellion, which would merge with the first one created by Starkiller. Even taking Master home prevented him from meeting Janus, a Jedi, and killing that important piece. An ever important piece indeed, the light assented.

I saw how every action and every thought I had influenced the future in ways I couldn't imagine. A mutter from me about the stupidity of the Empire drove a young man who overheard to consider joining the rebellion, which he did, and becoming a great commander. A bump from me on the streets of Lothal whilst I was looking for the trader who promised me my mandolorian sword led to two souls marrying and having a child named Ezra who would influence the rebellion.

I realized why Ahsoka called me the Pebble. Just like how a drop of a pebble could cause an avalanche, each of my actions were deliberated to gear the Galaxy towards a specific change. Regardless of how small they seemed.

But the Darkside also had plans of its own. It had fostered my hatred of Vader, so I would go to him to fight and die to his hands before I could finish my actions. Such that the Chosen One doesn't complete his destiny yet. I was suppossed to take Luke with me, but the Darkside kept me from doing so. I should have also met princess Leila, confronted Master on his ageing and payed closer attention to Caretaker. All of these actions, in unknowing ways, would lead to the new republic and a better future.

I realized, at that moment, my mind wasn't just connected to the Force as the Jedi or Sith described it. I was immersed in it. I felt there was only a small layer, a small barrier seperating myself and the Force. I picked at it. I could tell I had attracted the attention of every trained Force-sensetive. All swiveled their senses towards me, wondering what I was and what I was about to do.

I removed the barrier bit by bit, and my individuality leaked through it. I was starting to become the Force itself. Sentient in a way one couldn't comprehend without experience, knowledge and power withing my grasp. I felt a certain Darth Vader closing himself in sudden fear as he felt my hatred turn on him. I felt the Force itself confused at what I was doing as the Force, as strange as it sounds. I reached for Vader, in a way that ignored distance. I held him by the throat as he held me so many years ago. I didn't see what he was doing and frankly didn't care. I would kill him for the harm he did to me.

Suddenly, I was awakened with a splash of water. I gasped at the sudden sensation, and that seperated me and the Force. My fury at being interrupted and regret at not killing Vader instantly washed over me.

"What are you doing?! I almost had him!" I shouted at Ahsoka, who had a bucket in her hand. 

"What are you doing?! You're the Pebble, you... somehow suffused yourself with the Force, all of it. Dark and light and all in between. It was as if... you were the embodiment of the Force itself."

"I... I... what did I do?"

What did I do?  I don't remember. It... started out with a chess piece and then...

"... you really don't remember?"

"No, I don't. I know I did something, but the details elude me."

"We thought you dead. There were no droids to heal you, and I couldn't fully heal you myself. Then, slowly, the Force begun to hang around you like a scent. And you're wounds healed steadily, you're own entrails floated back into your stomach! Do you truly remember nothing?"

I shook my head.

She sighed in response. "Get into the ship. You likely alerted every single Force-user in the Galaxy of our location. I still have no idea how you did that, with how weak your Force-sensetivity is."

"Yes ma'am." Was all I could say in response.