29

The Path Safehouse Remnant

Location: Mapuzo

Date: 9 BBY

They called it the Hidden Path. After the enforcement of Order 66, Jedi sympathizers and the scattered survivors of the Order built a secret network to evade capture by the Inquisitorius. Force-sensitive beings hid in safehouses, tunnels, and secret rooms. On the walls of a safehouse on Mapuzo, those who had come before left graffiti. Rough-hewn wood became message boards inscribed with codes and inspiration. In the shadows, hope persisted in the form of scrawled symbols and communiqués.

The Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Leia Organa were among the Force-sensitive refugees to pass through that sanctuary on Mapuzo, destined for Jabiim. The maverick Jedi Quinlan Vos, who helped smuggle younglings to freedom, also used this network. He had boldly left his name so that others in a similar situation might recognize it and be comforted. Vos’s act of defiance was a morale-boosting signal to remain hopeful, despite the dangerous times ahead. It was also a defiant recognition that he—like many of those following after—would soon be shedding his old identity and going into hiding.

Other travelers along the Path left enigmatic phrases. “Only when the eyes are closed can you truly see,” read one. Another echoed the sentiment of the Jedi Order in its prime: “For Light and Life.”

This particular shard, ripped from the wall of a safehouse by the Inquisitorius, shows the symbol of the Jedi Order. Behind the starbird is a saber-like shaft of light, a potent symbol of faith and inspiration.

In 9 BBY, the Hidden Path led to the far-flung world of Jabiim, inside an antiquated sanitation depot. This forgotten facility safeguarded all those who traveled there. Thanks to the work of teams of underground operatives, many Force-sensitive beings found safe passage there and were given food, shelter, and new identities. In time the hope was that they could be transferred offworld to somewhere safer. They could then live out their days in peace, provided they did not attract the Empire’s attention by tapping into the Force.

DK