A Venomous Galaxy (Crossover) Chapter 11 (Patreon)

Chapter 11: A Confederacy of Dunces

At that point, Ahsoka was in the Jedi High Council chamber along with Anakin and the other members of the high council. Not all of them were physically present, Obi-Wan and Yoda among others being two of them who were actually there on Coruscant at the time. Mace Windu had been recalled to the capital homeworld of the Republic last night to deliberate with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, yet as soon as he heard of the current situation, he immediately made his way to the Jedi Temple. But after it became clear that this matter was not merely a physical condition afflicting Tano but an alien creature they had no idea how to remove from her flesh, the whole council was summoned to witness and deliberate on their next course of action.

Given the gravity of the current situation, there were other masters there besides the high council. Future members who would sit on it's seats, and those other masters who were called for backup. Agen Kolar, Luminara Unduli and Pong Krell amongst them. There were also a handful of the Jedi Temple Guard present too.

“Thank you for agreeing to do this masters,” Anakin said bowing. He was feeling unusually humble. But when it came to those he cared about, he was willing to bend the knee. Especially when it came to his apprentice.

“Of course young Skywalker,” said Mace Windu. It was rare for that Jedi Master to be so cordial with Anakin or anyone lesser than him in rank period. Even at his most placid, you didn't have to be adept in the force to know that his tone was more severe than most other people. Such was the moment that it was hard for Anakin to discern if the emotion was genuine. The same sentiment went for the rest of the council too. But his next words would clear up any doubt. “However I ask that you leave us alone with Miss Tano. We do not need any distractions.”

Anakin’s scarred eye twitched just a little bit hearing that. He got that mark the first time he set eyes on Ventress when she baited him into chasing him for a duel on Yavin IV long ago when he was still a padawan on the cusp of knighthood. Years later even as a knight he wore it as a mark of pride. But now with the way Windu was smiling at him, he felt as if the aloof Jedi Master was staring right into it. He breathed hard.

“Master, Ahsoka is my padawan and my disciple. It would be best if I was here.”

“I understand and appreciate your concern for your padawan. However, we are in rough waters. Things may escalate. If that becomes the case, I will need cooler heads to prevail. I think you know my meaning. I hope for that much at least.”

Obi-Wan looked up. Right now Windu had only just returned from a nominal job at best, and spent most of his time sipping with the nobles of Alderaan, while Anakin struggled to walk after barely escaping death’s embrace. The tension was high between the both of them. His apprentice was in no position to use a sword, but his command over the force was uncontested in all the order. He never thought he'd be worrying about such things but with things being the way they were, he found himself very much relating to Anakin's situation.

“I understand,” Anakin said, holding back what he really wanted to say. He regarded the additional masters summoned for backup, and the presence of the Jedi Temple Guard too. Still on crutches, he slowly turned around and awkwardly hobbled out of the Jedi Council chamber. Obi-Wan actually blinked, he couldn't believe that potential confrontation was over so quickly.

But before he left, he turned around again. “Be mindful of how it speaks to you.”

“What?” Shaaki Ti said. “Do you really mean that Skywalker?”

“It tried taking me first. It whispered to me of power. It’s voice was so alluring and seductive, that I very nearly did give into it. The way I am now, that chance tempts me again. To break free of these weaknesses that leave me struggling to stand. And to have the power to kill Dooku and Grievous by myself. You may be right in asking me to leave you alone with it, masters. But I would still urge you to take caution. It’s words are slippery, and it can make it’s temptations look like sweetest ambrosia anyone would be a fool not to take.”

Anakin’s gotten rather verbose, Obi-Wan said. His pupil was no fool despite always opting for a fight over negotiations, but nobody would think that anyone speaking like that would have such a history of clashing with the ruling heads of the order. Clearly Senator Amidala has been touching him in more ways than one.

Windu nodded his head for a few seconds with the ghost of a smile on his face then said, “I understand. I will remember that advice.”

Anakin turned back around and left the council chambers. The door shut behind him. Obi-Wan sighed, knowing that one could have gone a lot worse. He had stood up for Anakin before, was glad to have him back alive. But the decision to be left alone was a unanimous one from the council. He didn’t need Anakin clashing with all of them.

Now that they were alone, Mace Windu looked up at it. “So then creature. Tell me. What is it you desire?”

“Venom.”

“Pardon?” Plo Koon said.

“I do not care much for names! The ones who made me did not give me a proper name, and even then they still called me all sorts of things. As did my enemies. So I gave myself a name, so that no matter how many times they commanded me, I would never feel the sting of their words in my heart. Venom. That is what you will call me.”

“Very well Venom,” Obi-Wan said dryly.

“Since you've been gracious enough to tell us your name, allow me to also tell you something,” said Mace Windu. “We Jedi are known for our abilities in the force. We interpret it, understand it. But we are also warriors.” With one quick flick of his arm he summoned his lightsaber hilt to his hand and ignited the purple blade. Ahsoka felt a surge of fear rush through her before she knew it and then she felt Venom's psychic voice screeching in her brain. It was so intense that she stumbled a bit and almost fell to her knees. The other masters were a little bothered too, and they all drew their weapons in turn, and then the Jedi Temple Guard flipped open their double-bladed lightsaber pikes. The effects of that scream were still lingering in the room, as if it's sonic impact threatened to bring the walls themselves to ruin.

Yet Ahsoka did not fear Windu cutting her down. She feared the lightsabers specifically, as if had cut her deeply in the past, taken something from her and put her to the point of near death. She had seen conflict in the Clone Wars, but none as terrible as her master.

My master. My master cut this thing. That's why... She realized to some dismay how much Venom's nature was becoming intertwined with her own. Looking at Windu again, that realization did nothing to curb the cold fear in her heart. There was a long silence and it sounded like something crashed outside.

“We are thankful for you saving our knight, Anakin Skywalker,” Mace Windu said sternly. “I still don't believe that you brought him back from the dead. But if it is true, then clearly you know the force in a way that we do not. However...” Still sitting down, he waved his arm fast in a signature move of Vaapad. It was fast and vicious and no less impressive despite him being firmly seated, and she shivered at the sight of it. Was tempted to strike back at him with her own force power and even reached at her waist for her weapon, only to realize she was totally unarmed. “If you try anything, we will show you our full knowledge of the force.” Then he turned off his weapon. The rest of the masters and the Temple Guard followed suit.

Ahsoka was tempted to speak, to show them her gratitude before it hissed at them again. But it's volume was nowhere near as vicious as before. Nobody diverted their attention from the thing. Ahsoka herself felt the pressure along with Venom, not as if she was observing it with the masters rather as if she was another thing being observed. Finally, the council realized that grunt was the closest thing to a surrender they would get from it.

Plo Koon could sense Ahsoka's discomfort. He was about to say something. “You mentioned those who created you,” Shaak Ti said suddenly. “Tell me more.”

The rest of the council was surprised when Venom spoke with no great pause.“I was a weapon of the Sith. There were many like me. I know a few who gave themselves names as well. We were made to bond with warriors and augment their powers. As I did for this one. Her master would have died without me boosting her talents. And I can be of aid to you as well.”

“The ancient Sith…” Yoda mused.

“You’ll have to be more specific than that,” Shaak Ti said. “The last known Sith before Dooku and this Lord Sidious were the Brotherhood of Darkness led by Kaan and their order was destroyed millennia ago. And there were many more before them.”

“He did not have a name. But they did call him something. Not a name he gave himself either. The Revanchist.”

All of the masters there knew their history. None of them were as learned as Shaak Ti, but that word alone sounded familiar to a certain other infamous Sith Lord. One who was redeemed and would later go on to fight the Sith Empire of that time which hid itself well beyond the reaches of Wild Space. Where the sovereign lived for centuries and died many times, only to come back stronger everytime he rose from the grave.

“Darth Revan…” Shaak Ti said. “That planet then was just another storage house for his weapons to use against the Republic.”

The creature did not answer. Yoda sensed it was being dishonest. Yoda looked up. “Why then did he not use these weapons on the Republic? Kept sealed away you were. All the histories tell of Darth Revan being an effective strategist. Seen one of you amongst his legions of apprentices surely one would have. In our legends you would have been written about. Feared in so many ways Revan was, and many of these tales were no doubt false indeed like children’s nursery rhymes. If telling the truth you are,” he said leaning forward, “many of our ancient predecessors would have known about you.”

“We left no survivors, fool!” Venom hissed. “That was our power. If our vessels were ever greatly injured, we would tear apart the killers and eat them from within. The only thing that people would ever speak of was our legacy and the Sith are always feared. But then again, you always speak of the dark side, don’t you? Never of the things that hide within it. And that…” it said, making a low guttural laugh, “is why your republic is currently at it’s wit’s end, isn’t it?”

“That sets my heart at ease,” Obi-Wan said. “I hope you don’t mind me saying this Venom, but we are Jedi, and our enemies are the Sith. Naturally that would put us at odds, wouldn’t it?” He looked into Ahsoka’s eyes. He could sense the fear. “I think you should thank Master Windu right now. If my austere and calm apprentice was still present, no doubt he would be aching to tear you from his precious padawan by any means necessary.”

“That was ages ago, child. And these Sith are not my Sith. I could have left a trail of bodies in this city if I chose to. Yet I did not. You should be apologizing to me for daring to think I would do such a thing. Remember how I saved your apprentice when he was on the verge of death. If I wanted to consume this one I would have done so long ago.”

“Child huh,” Obi-Wan said. “My late Master Qui-Gon spoke to me that way once and while I’m happy to sit here, it does make me nostalgic for the good old days.” He threw his head back and let out a loud whoop. “Goodness, I haven’t had a good laugh like that in a long time!”

“You are all children to me, and you have no idea what you are up against. I have only begun to awaken and yet I see so much while you waste your time as if you were still dreaming, chasing flights of fancy. I already know your names. Plo Koon. Eeth Koth. Shaak Ti. Ki Adi Mundi. Obi-Wan Kenobi. Mace Windu. Yoda. What more will I discover in the future?”

“Master,” Ki Adi Mundi said. “We are all masters here and you will call us such. Do not forget your place.”

“You are Jedi and no masters of me. I would not give the Revanchist the honor of calling him master, and a single word of his legend is more important than years of your lives will ever be. But I do intend to live in this new era. And I know these new Sith would cast me aside as soon as they have seen their use for me. Not stored me away. Destroyed me. You are more allies to me than they ever will be.”

“Then you would call us friends,” Plo Koon said.

“Allies, and that is the best you will have from me,” Venom said. “Make your choice Jedi.”

He remained silent for a considerable time in length and gravity. The idea was unsettling to him, and it was taking all his restraint and patience cultivated from living so many years as a Jedi not to try and wrest this creature from Ahsoka's body. “We will need all the allies we can get,” Ki-Adi Mundi said.

“I saw Anakin, someone I once considered my only disciple and now a brother die, and then be brought back, not from the brink of death but death itself,” Obi-Wan said. “And everyday I wonder if we will see the end of our Republic.”

“We will tolerate you for now Venom,” Ki Adi Mundi said.

“But…” Ahsoka started. She felt the creature stirring on on her naked flesh, and as much as she felt it bonded so intimately with her as if it were her soul, she felt something was already wrong with the direction this conversation was headed.

Nobody paid her any heed. Either they did not hear her voice or they chose not to.

“A question must be asked of you,” Yoda said. The council began to pay attention again.

“A question. You have asked so many questions of me already. I pray it will only be one question. If you Jedi had any wisdom in your prattle and chatter, so many of you wouldn't be dead now, would they?”

“A servant of Darth Revan you say you were? But how that came to be, you have not said.”

“That's right!” Ahsoka said.

“You are the grandmaster for a reason aren't you,” it said. It growled at him and Yoda felt the malice in that sound as if were in a pen with a wild animal. But he was surprised when he saw the other Jedi showed no alarm. Some of them were still conferring with each other, oblivious to the current conversation.

He was still undaunted. “A creation of Sith alchemy you are not. All the great Sith alchemists knew better than to create something with intelligence and the ability to ensnare another. We have it in their words, we have seen it play out. Either they would create something of power with no intelligence to speak of, or they would make something great and wise, with no power that would unseat them. Someone as powerful as Revan, whether he was Darth or the Prodigal Knight who saved the Republic, would never let something like that happen. Were you such a thing, we would have confirmed it by now. Infamous as the Star Forge you would be! Know you are a symbiote, we do. But what kind, we do not. So I ask you again, how did you come to be?” The entire council seemed to hush itself as they waited for an answer.

Then it spoke again calmly, like it had not bared it's fangs at the grandmaster. It's tone was svelte and smooth. “Yes, there is a tale to be told. Then let me tell that story for the curiosity of all those present.” Yoda looked around him again at the other masters. By now he could see they were all rapt with attention, staring in the direction of Venom. He began to pity Tano, who must be feeling very uncomfortable, feeling much like a crucible for the demon burning inside of her. Could see it in her eyes.

“Release yourself from Tano first,” Yoda said.

“So you can contain me in a jar, something for you to contain once more as the Revanchist did? I was sealed in that temple for millennia. I will not be sealed up again!”

“And endanger our own we will not.”

“Endanger. Your Skywalker would be dead without my help. Or are you saying you don't care for him?”

It had only learned the names of the high council masters from prying into the minds of the Jedi Temple Guard, shocked to see Ahsoka Tano flailing about a pervert. It had no idea of Skywalker's history of butting heads with the ruling class of the temple save how easily his warning about it seemed to be cast aside. The masters looked about uneasily at those words and in her current position, Ahsoka herself was ambivalent about how she knew her master was treated and Yoda's concern for her.

“I'll allow it for the moment,” Mace Windu said. “If it tries anything, we will take care of it, won't we?” His smiled and spun his electrum lightsaber hilt in his fingers as though it was a toy, something a child would flaunt around in front of the other kids to make them jealous before he set it back at his belt.

“Yes, I too am curious to hear this tale,” said Ki Adi Mundi.

“Thank you Jedi. So reasonable. For a moment I thought you were all ridden with some illness of the head like your grandmaster seems to be.”

“What?” Yoda snapped.

“I pray that he is grooming a successor at least.”

“That would be me,” Mace Windu said.

“A man of reason.”

“And strength to back it up. If you try and bond with any of us, I will cut you in two,” he said, drawing his lightsaber and igniting the purple blade once again. Plo Koon glared at him. He disliked the idea of Ahsoka being in any danger, let alone from one of her fellows. This time, Venom did not scream. But Ahsoka's heart still beat with terror, felt it's fear along with hers. She couldn't be sure who it belonged to.

“Worry not Master Jedi. I will be on my best behavior.”

“I hope so,” Windu said. He spun his hilt around in a single circular motion, a perfect demonstration of pure technique only a true master of the blade could perform, something that not even the other masters here save Yoda or even Anakin with his warlike prowess and brutal personality could manage. Then he turned off the hilt and set it back at his belt.

Those words worried Ahsoka. She wasn't just closer to Venom than anyone else there, she was bound to it. If push came to shove, she couldn't be sure if Windu wouldn't take drastic measures. Especially since this thing might take control of her against her will. This Jedi Master in particular was known for favoring a fight over negotiations. Many times she only thought the one thing separating him from her own master was that she had seen Anakin smile and laugh, she had seen him be gentle. This one on the other hand was all business.

But it seemed things would not go that way. Venom spoke once more. “That world you found me on was not our home world. It was the prison planet the Jedi and the Sith forced us to live upon. They forced us there because they were unable to kill us.”

“The Jedi and the Sith both did this?” said Shaak Ti. “Are you implying that...”

“They worked together to seal us away? Yes. That is indeed how it is. And that is the end of that tale.”

“This is not news to us,” she continued. “The Jedi and Sith worked together to contain the ancient Sith Emperor. So...you that's how it is. After you passed from Revan's service, you worked in service of the Eternal Empire. Valkorion.”

“That is a name I have not heard in some time. A true Sith. The Revanchist found us and would have used us as weapons of war to finish what he started. And yet even with us at his side, the emperor was still victorious. He would have broken you stodgy unflinching Jedi a thousand times over.”

“Are you telling me we set foot upon Zakuul?” Obi-Wan said.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“As helpful as ever, I see.”

“Enough,” Yoda said. “The end of it's tale, we know.”

“But it is not the beginning. Revan found us, you know. Our planet was far away, uncharted on any of your maps. It was unlike the one you found me. It was not like this one either. It was alive. It gave birth to us.”

“Alive?” Eeth Koth said. “That's impossible.

“No it's not impossible,” said Shaak Ti. “We have some records of sentient living planets.”

“It was our mother. It gave birth to us. And it was nothing like this thing of metal you call a world. Or that prison that I was sealed in. You are all of varying species, yet you all think the same. You could never begin to imagine our homeworld. We hatched from it. It gave us life.”

“And then I take it Darth Revan happened,” said Obi-Wan.

“Yes the Revanchist. He arrived to us and his servants called him Darth Revan, but that other one with the fake jaw would still call him the Revanchist. He couldn't seem to decide whether he loved it or hated it. More than a few times I thought he would take something else from that one. But it never happened.

“He arrived on our home with his servants. The first of us sensed them, knew they were food. We consumed them, took control of them. Became them. The Revanchist did not like that. Even then we sensed his dark presence. They lit up their wretched swords of light. Red ones, blue ones, it doesn't matter. We hate them! He and his people did not care that they were killing their own. They burned us alive, and their friends.”

“That's the Sith for you!” Kit Fisto said. He was smiling as he was always was, but right now it seemed a bit out of place.

Then again, maybe not. Obi-Wan thought to himself that his trademark grin was far more bearable than this Venom's toothy smirk. It had only been for a brief instant during the intense showdown on that planet, but he saw it. Now it was playing at only being a suit, hiding it's brutal nature.

“I hope you'll find us more bearable than our predecessor,” Obi-Wan said. “Revan was one of ours once, wasn't he?”

“And after too,” Yoda said. He looked at Venom again. “Proceed.”

“But we took too many of theirs as our own. We forced them back, forced them to regroup. Forced them to think of coming onto our surface. They retreated back to their steep ships. Saw them rise up back into the skies.

“But then they razed us from the skies. We watched as flames rained down upon us. We didn't all understand what it was at first, but we saw our friends burning. Saw our mother screaming in pain. We didn't know what to do. They did it all over her surface, killing indiscriminately. And then they landed again.

“By that point, our mother hatched more of us, ready to fight. Her thoughts were our thoughts, her will our will. We would swallow up these invaders and consume them. But they did not use their light swords. Instead we felt their power tear into us. We felt their darkness separate our minds from our mother. We were as strong as we ever were. But we never felt more powerless.

“Then they were upon us. They trapped us, one by one in their crucibles. And then they took us away from our home, from our mother.

“They experimented upon us. Attacked us with their power, poured it into us. Many of us died. Until finally we struck back with their power.”

“Bogan?” said Eeth Koth.

“A strange tongue,” Coleman Kcaj said.

“Not so strange,” said Stass Allie. She nodded to Shaak Ti.

“The dark side of the force,” said the elder Togrutan.

Yoda himself chuckled. “Learned something I expected to today. But to reminisce on ancient lore was not a thing I planned on doing.” He smiled at Ahsoka. “If not keeping up on your lessons you have, then I'm sure you will remember this way, young Tano."

“The Bogan fused with us and we struck back at them. They called it the dark side, but we were so strong with it, they could only call it Bogan. We killed a good many of them. But then the Revanchist and his friend with the steel jaw arrived, forced us to heel. Showed us how weak we still were. And then the first of us were bound to one of them. We saw his strength grow even greater, knew that we would not be able to escape. One by one we were forced to bind with them. We hated it at first. But when we set upon other worlds and used the Bogan on others, we realized our power. We were strong in a way that we weren't when we were with our mother. And we killed and we killed. Nothing could stand in our way.

“Then we realized that we had changed too much to go back. If we went back to our mother, she would not have us. No, how would our brethren look upon us? For good or ill, we were changed. We hated the Revanchist, I hate him even though I know now that he is dead. I hate the Sith. All I wish for is my freedom.” Pong Krell smiled darkly. He could feel dishonesty oozing from it's words, and appreciated that. He was concealing much as well.

“And just as we learned to strengthen those we chose, we could break those around us. You Jedi Masters think yourself so strong and proud. But I could easily tear your power from you, make you helpless and only able to play with your lightsabers. I know you use your power for your own health as well as mastery,” it hissed at Yoda. “I could just as easily rip it from you and show the whole galaxy what you really are. A small green old man. I could do it for the rest of you too.”

“Really...” Windu said dryly. “Well if that is true, I promise you that there is something we have beyond the force.”

“Enough!” Agen Kolar said, rising and drawing his saber. “For all we know this thing's story could be a lie! It was found on a Sith world, and it admits to using the dark side. Why are we listening to it? It says it saved one of our own. But here it is in the heart of our temple and it has grafted itself to one of our own. So why? Why are we letting it speak? Why do we not tear it from her?”

Yoda looked at him. An aggressive display, but no less what he was feeling. He looked at Plo Koon who shared the look, and the both of them nodded silently at each other. He was about to speak his own concerns.

“Be patient Master Kolar,” Mace Windu said, turning to regard him. “We should all be suspicious of this...Venom,” he said, looking back at it. “But we are also in a bit of a bind. There were a good many of us who objected to becoming involved in the Clone Wars, and now even the most stalwart can admit the Republic would have fallen without our intervention. I am not so quick as to be grateful for it for saving Skywalker's life. But it has power. And we cannot simply allow it to slip through out fingers. Let alone fall into the hands of the Sith.”

“And we do have a storehouse of ancient Sith artifacts,” Shaak Ti said. “We will use this one as we must. The times demand it.”

The conversation continued in that direction. Yoda thought to ask why it was sealed on that ancient world to start with, how the Jedi would work with the Sith to contain this Venom. He was not convinced that planet was Zakuul, that world was in Wild Space while the one this thing had been discovered upon was in the Outer Rim. The Jedi of the Old Republic would never cooperate with Darth Revan, let alone Darth Malak either. There were a few select darksiders in Vitiate's empire that defied the typical behavior of a Sith. But he could not trust it to answer honestly, and he knew no matter what it said that his fellows were already bent in a certain direction.

For once he felt out of his depths. In any other room of the temple, his word would have carried the day, even over other masters as if they were still learners. But in the company of the high council, as grandmaster he knew if he spoke now that his word and reputation would be treated as if it were a buzzing in the air.

It was no secret that Anakin and the rest of the high council did not get along. Some meetings were more cordial than others but there was always a seething line of resentment between them. The knight’s relations with the grandmaster himself were no exception, but Yoda himself often found the council’s rejection of Skywalker to more hot blooded than his reputation afforded him. He found himself remembering the warning he gave about the creature’s voice before he left the chamber.

A warning all too easily discarded it seems, he mused to himself.

He cursed himself for even making the choice to study and spare the creature at all. His Jedi sense of mercy had coiled around him like a snake and bitten him. Outside, the sun was still shining brightly over Coruscant and the heavens were a bright blue that would lift any heart out of misery. But that blazing celestial roof felt like a paper decoration of the real sky used by itinerant carnivals and performers all over the galaxy putting on their shows at night and it’s shining luster merely an illusion of flames cast on the other end.

The dark side beckoned.