Chapter 360: Midi-Chlorians! Retroviruses! The Secrets of the Force!
Tatooine.
Thanks to Obi-Wan's painstaking work over the years, the underground bunker he built was exceptionally sturdy. This hidden archive not only preserved the knowledge of the Jedi Order, but also saved Paul and the others from certain death.
After the surface of Tatooine was vitrified, this basement may very well be the planet's only remaining safehouse.
Now hiding inside this refuge, Paul and his group felt like a lone raft tossed about in a raging ocean, seemingly on the brink of being capsized by storm and wave at any moment.
But what surrounded this subterranean shelter wasn't rock—it was slowly flowing molten magma and liquid glass. The entire archive was like a submarine buried beneath a sea of lava.
The constant tremors from the surface left everyone on edge. No one knew how long the bombardment would last. Paul waited anxiously for new orders from headquarters.
No one could tell how much time had passed before the shaking finally stopped, and the deafening blasts began to fade. The man-made cataclysm was at last over.
Luke Skywalker had already collapsed to the floor in fright. He'd spent more than a decade as a carefree moisture farmer—he'd never seen anything remotely like this. His face was ashen, and his chest heaved with panicked breaths.
"Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru... Did your people really get them out?"
Still reeling, Luke looked toward Paul. If his aunt and uncle hadn't escaped, he would truly break down.
"Don't worry,". "They left just before the Empire's fleet arrived. Among the lucky few who managed to escape Tatooine, I'm certain they were included."
Only then did Luke let out a shaky breath of relief.
The Rebel Alliance members, in contrast, remained composed in the face of such terrifying orbital bombardment. Most had already experienced similar horrors.
They were lucky to have survived this round.
The bad news was that the surface of Tatooine had been bombed into oblivion—and Paul's group was now completely trapped underground.
"We were fortunate," Obi-Wan said, his voice calm and detached. "The Empire's orbital lasers didn't strike directly above us. Otherwise, this shelter wouldn't have lasted a second."
"The Force was with us."
"If those Imperial lunatics find out we're down here, no amount of Force will save us," said Captain Cassian, glancing nervously at the cracked ceiling. He couldn't help but tremble at the thought of magma suddenly pouring in to consume them all.
The Empire had resorted to indiscriminate bombardment precisely because they couldn't pinpoint Paul's location. If they had, the archive would've already been reduced to ash.
"Enough," Jyn Erso said with a sigh. "Right now, we need to figure out how to get out of this hellhole."
"We'll have to wait," Cassian replied. "There's a literal inferno above our heads. Going topside now would be suicide."
"What about the rest of the Alliance?" Luke asked. "Aren't they coming to rescue us?"
"They can't,". "The Empire's fleet is still in orbit. If we send out a signal now, it could be intercepted, and our position exposed."
Though blind, Chirrut Imwe saw more clearly than most. Based on his understanding of the Empire, they'd likely follow up the bombardment with another wave—or send ground troops to search and destroy.
When the Empire acts, it leaves nothing behind.
"You mean... we're stuck here forever?!" Luke finally grasped the severity of the situation.
They had narrowly survived the initial onslaught, only to be told a second wave was imminent. It was more than he could bear. He nearly passed out from shock.
Seeing everyone's morale plummet, Paul remained calm—he had already received orders from headquarters.
With the vast Universal Megacorp backing him, he knew it was just a matter of time before a rescue team arrived.
"We just need to wait. Right now, the Empire's got rebellions flaring up everywhere. They might withdraw sooner than expected."
Paul's words were meant to reassure. They had the time to wait it out. And honestly, if a handful of them could tie down an entire Imperial fleet, that in itself was a great service to the cause.
The Megacorp's branches were already on the move across the galaxy. Paul had no doubt they'd soon receive a lifeline. No need to act hastily.
As for Princess Leia, rescuing her would have to be left to another team for now.
But just as Paul was preparing to sit tight and calmly wait for the Megacorp's extraction, Luke grew increasingly restless.
Especially after learning the truth about being the Chosen One, an overwhelming sense of purpose had begun to stir deep within him.
"We have to find a ship and get out of here—we can't just wait around to die!"
As the prophesied Chosen One of the Star Wars universe, Luke Skywalker had an extraordinary gift for piloting.
In the original story, he managed to destroy the Death Star on his very first X-Wing mission—there weren't many pilots who could rival him.
But Cassian immediately poured cold water on his plan: "The entire planet's been bombed flat. Where exactly are you gonna find a ship?"
"And you think the Empire's just sitting around? Their fleet's probably got every inch of orbit locked down. Poking your head out now is asking to die."
His sharp rebuke left Luke speechless. Even he realized how naïve his earlier outburst had been.
Seeing Luke's disheartened face, Obi-Wan stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder.
"Luke, your potential is extraordinary, but it's still dormant."
"You must learn patience. You must gradually awaken and control the power that lies within you."
Obi-Wan's words warmed Luke's heart. He looked up earnestly. "Master... what should I do now?"
"You need to learn how to use the Force. This archive contains more than enough Jedi knowledge for you to begin."
"Only once you've become a true Jedi can you make a difference."
Obi-Wan had poured years of effort into building this archive. It held the sum of his life's teachings. If Luke committed to the path, he could absolutely become a great Jedi Knight.
Since everyone was stuck here anyway, it made sense to use the time to master the Force.
Paul, of course, was thrilled by this. As Obi-Wan instructed Luke, maybe he could eavesdrop and glean some insights of his own.
Soon, Obi-Wan led Luke and the others deep into the archive.
Paul shamelessly tagged along. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact with the Force—no way he was missing it.
Normally, Jedi knowledge wasn't something to be casually shared with outsiders. But in times like these, such rules lost their weight.
The Jedi Order was gone. If this knowledge wasn't passed down now, it might vanish forever.
So when Paul and the others followed him in, Obi-Wan merely turned a blind eye.
But what surprised everyone was that Obi-Wan didn't begin by teaching ancient techniques or secret arts.
Instead, he drew a blood sample from Luke and analyzed it with a nearby machine—like a medical checkup before school enrollment.
"As I thought… your midi-chlorian count is incredibly high. Even Master Yoda didn't have such numbers. Luke, you truly are the Chosen One."
Obi-Wan was visibly astonished by Luke's innate potential.
"Midi-chlorians? What are those?" Luke asked, confused.
He'd expected Obi-Wan to guide him in meditation or spiritual exercises to sense the Force—not conduct a lab test. The scientific approach felt a bit out of step with the Jedi's mystique.
Obi-Wan chuckled softly. "We're not primitive mystics. On the contrary, the Jedi Order has always pursued the scientific understanding of the Force."
Paul chimed in: "So what exactly are midi-chlorians? What do they signify?"
He had come across the term in the Megacorp's classified archives, where top executives speculated about the connection between midi-chlorians and the Force. But those were theories. Obi-Wan, as a Jedi Master, could give him the real answer.
"They're microscopic organisms found within the cells of all living things. They help the host perceive and interact with the Force around them."
"Every living being has some midi-chlorians—but only those with a high concentration are sensitive enough to wield the Force."
"With proper training, such individuals can become Jedi."
Obi-Wan's explanation matched the definitions Paul had seen in the corporate database—further confirming that his boss Li Ang was no ordinary man.
In other words, a person's midi-chlorian count effectively determined their sensitivity to the Force—and thus their potential as a Force-user.
And Luke's count was so high even Obi-Wan was in awe. He really was the one foretold by prophecy.
Considering the implications, Paul pressed on:
"If midi-chlorians directly affect Force sensitivity, couldn't we use biotechnology to replicate or transplant them?"
"That way, even normal people might gain strong Force potential—or enhance the potential of existing Force-users."
In the Megacorp's world, improving one's abilities through artificial means wasn't taboo.
From cybernetic implants to Astartes genetic enhancements, from Spartan warrior augmentations to spice-induced powers—and even viral mutations via the Blacklight Virus—these were all commonplace methods of leveling up.
So Paul naturally thought: why not artificially increase midi-chlorians to mass-produce Jedi?
But Obi-Wan's face darkened. He cut Paul off coldly.
"No. That is forbidden among the Jedi."
"We believe a person's midi-chlorian count is a gift of birth. It should never be altered artificially."
And Obi-Wan had a point. Not everyone could survive a surge in midi-chlorian density.
Power always comes at a price.
Even with the Megacorp's advanced science, cybernetic implants often led to cyber-psychosis. Spartan enhancements sometimes caused death or paralysis. Spice users could mutate into monsters or addicts.
Only Astartes gene therapy was somewhat reliable. The rest were fraught with risk.
But Paul still felt Obi-Wan's thinking was too outdated.
In the Megacorp, biotechnical enhancement had been evolving for decades. By their standards, midi-chlorian manipulation should be basic.
Yet to Obi-Wan, tampering with midi-chlorians was a desecration of the Force—an absolute line that must not be crossed.
"No one's ever tried it?" Paul asked again, unwilling to give up. This might be his only shot at wielding the Force.
Obi-Wan gave him a long, heavy look, then finally spoke with a sigh:
"A hundred years ago, the Sith Lord Darth Tenebrous discovered that midi-chlorians perished with their host."
"But a small number could be transferred to a living recipient. These transferable strains became known as 'crude forms.'"
Paul's eyes lit up—but Obi-Wan wasn't finished.
"Eventually, those crude forms were engineered into retroviruses capable of infecting and altering midi-chlorian counts. While they could enhance some abilities, they also robbed the host of others."
"That kind of uncontrollable experimentation was quickly abandoned."
Retroviruses are RNA-based viruses characterized by the enzyme reverse transcriptase. This enzyme allows them to convert viral RNA into DNA and integrate it into the host's genome—effectively hijacking the host cell.
This process reverses the normal flow of genetic information (DNA → RNA), hence the name "retrovirus."
The most notorious example is HIV, which targets the immune system's CD4+ T cells. Once infected, the cell becomes a factory for new viral particles, eventually leading to AIDS.
Simply put, retroviruses forcibly graft harmful elements onto healthy parts, resulting in a classic "one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel" scenario.
This offers no real benefit to human enhancement—on the contrary, it could destabilize the body's original condition.
Naturally, then, no one has ever seriously considered using Mydiorg worms for self-modification or to gain greater Force abilities.
"Retrovirus—!"
Suddenly, Paul realized that the biotech division of the Universal Megacorp might be capable of transforming this virus into a stable enhancement virus, like the Blacklight Virus.
After all, the Megacorp had none other than Quintessa—the Goddess Nuwa of the Transformers universe, a Life Archon in her own right—overseeing its efforts.
If they could engineer a controllable Mydiorg-based retrovirus, then Universal Megacorp soldiers could wield the Force as well.
Even if it wasn't the "official" or original version, as long as they could master the Force, that was good enough!
The thought alone made Paul almost tremble with excitement, though he forced himself to stay calm as he asked Obi-Wan casually, "Would you mind if I browsed through some of the related texts?"
Paul planned to use his own eyes to capture and transmit everything he saw straight back to headquarters.
That way, the biotech division could start working on an improved version of the Mydiorg retrovirus as soon as possible.
At that moment, Obi-Wan, still focused on analyzing Luke's blood sample, looked up at Paul. He didn't reply immediately, but after scrutinizing Paul carefully, his brow furrowed slightly.
"The energy in your body… it's not the Force. Where did it come from?"
Only now did Obi-Wan begin to realize something was off. This entirely unfamiliar energy signature made him uneasy.
He didn't believe that the Rebel Alliance—or the Trade Federation, for that matter—could've suddenly discovered a new form of energy completely unknown to the galaxy.
"My power doesn't come from the Force," Paul answered honestly. "It comes from a different, extraordinary substance we call 'spice.'"
As he spoke, Paul handed Obi-Wan a small sample vial of the spice.
Obi-Wan accepted it with great caution, extracting a portion for study under his instruments. However, he found nothing particularly out of the ordinary.
"Interesting. I've never seen a substance like this before. It'll take time to analyze thoroughly."
Obi-Wan turned to look at Paul. "You're able to extract energy from this substance and convert it for personal use—that's certainly a novel approach."
When Paul didn't respond, Obi-Wan dropped the subject and returned to studying Luke's blood sample. Without looking up, he added:
"Everything you want to know is stored in this archive. Search through it as you like."
Obi-Wan wasn't concerned that Paul might try to further the Mydiorg implantation experiments—not without extensive knowledge of both the Force and advanced biotechnology.
As far as he was concerned, Paul was just a brawler. Even if given all the information, he'd be no closer to personally engineering a Force-enhancing virus.
"Yes, sir."
With Obi-Wan's permission secured, Paul immediately began combing through the knowledge archive for all available research on the Mydiorg worms—
Especially the retrovirus experiments conducted by the Sith Lord Darth Tenebrous.
Soon, Paul successfully located the relevant files and transmitted all the contents back to Universal Megacorp headquarters from his first-person perspective.
It was an unexpected windfall. Neither Alt Cunningham nor Dr. Halsey had imagined they were just one virus away from harnessing the Force.
For the Megacorp, this meant the future potential to mass-produce a new generation of Force-wielding warriors.
In the days that followed, Obi-Wan began teaching Luke how to use the Force, while Paul and Chani busied themselves "browsing" through various pieces of data.
After all, with nothing better to do, they might as well upload the entire archive's worth of Force knowledge to the Megacorp's database for future research.
Obi-Wan remained completely indifferent throughout the process, treating it as little more than indulging Paul's curiosity.
To him, these profound Force teachings were incomprehensible to the untrained. Without a master to interpret and explain them, a layperson wouldn't understand any of it.
And Obi-Wan certainly didn't believe that Paul, an outsider, could possibly grasp the full depth of the archive's content in such a short time.
Before long, while awaiting their opportunity to leave the underground shelter, everyone found something to keep themselves occupied.
K-2SO and C-3PO, the ever-bickering droid duo, hit it off immediately—two chatterboxes constantly exchanging quips, their banter never-ending.
Listening to those two go back and forth often brought a smile to everyone's face, easing the otherwise tense atmosphere in the underground hideout.
R2-D2, ever the diligent utility droid, stayed hard at work. It repaired broken sections of the archive, repainted the peeling ceiling, and even sealed off a breach where lava had begun seeping in.
Fortunately, their time trapped underground didn't last long. On the third day, just as expected, Paul finally received a transmission from HQ:
The Imperial Star Destroyers were retreating!
It turned out that after Cassio Tagge had laid waste to Tatooine, both the Trade Federation and the Hutt Cartel simultaneously applied political pressure on the Galactic Empire.
The Trade Federation had already been suffering under forced nationalization by the Empire, and now their smuggling hubs and black market exchanges had been bombed by Star Destroyers too. How were they supposed to run their business?
To appease the major corporate factions, Palpatine had no choice but to order Tagge to withdraw and instead help Thrawn suppress the uprising on Mandalore.
But Tagge was reluctant to give up Tatooine so easily. He left behind a single Star Destroyer to continue sweeping the surface for surviving Jedi while leading the bulk of his forces elsewhere.
Now, Obi-Wan and Paul could both sense that the tremors above them were no longer from orbital bombardment—
But from the heavy footfalls of Imperial walkers!
"Looks like the main force has pulled out," Paul said with a sigh of relief. "They only left behind a few troops to sweep the area."
If the Empire had launched just one more round of orbital strikes, this archive probably wouldn't have held up much longer.
"I'll go up and scout the situation."
Paul volunteered. His lightweight powered exo-suit was equipped with the latest optical camouflage. As long as he didn't make too much noise, he'd be nearly impossible to detect.
"I'll go with you."
Obi-Wan then donned his weathered, earth-toned cloak, picked up his lightsaber, and despite his aged features, radiated the sharp aura of his younger self.
After so many years in hiding, Obi-Wan had become highly skilled at using the Force to conceal his presence.
Even if he were discovered, he could still use his mastery of the Force to influence his enemies' minds and slip past undetected.
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