"Isn't it a bit late to realize this, Master Yoda?" Lorm asked slightly angrily, settling into a chair opposite the ancient master.
"To demand that I hand over my student to someone else."
Circumstances for Lorm Decer were changing with incredible speed. A few years ago, he would have simply laughed at any smart aleck who claimed that he, Lorm Decer, would take a Padawan. Then came the summons from Yoda and the end of his free life. Yoda "would very much like him, Lorm, to take a look at one young man." Whom Lorm could truly respect was Yoda. The other Council masters were somehow not impressive. Although Yoda himself has been declining lately. Be that as it may, he perceived Light as a burden. A heavy and unnecessary one... Although the guy turned out to be smart and skilled, it's a pity he's too kind, which got him into trouble. Lorm even feared that Light wouldn't be able to take a life when necessary. Although he worried in vain. In combat, Light transformed from a naive good guy into a selfish bastard, trying to put in minimal effort to get maximum results, using Soresu, Force techniques – to the fullest, to quickly finish off his opponent.
This transformation of Lorm amused him. Later, the Jedi Knight himself didn't notice how his student began to change him. The Force connection, questions, answers, training… Light was changing under his influence, but Lorm himself was also re-examining old beliefs, changing them to new ones… For example, he wouldn't have worried before, but now he found himself thinking more and more about his promiscuous sexual relationships. With all sorts of women… After all, there were among them those who didn't use contraceptives, and there were serious relationships. What if there's no biological protection for the race? Perhaps he already had children… And the previous Lorm wouldn't have cared about his student, or his children, or anything at all. He would have run around the galaxy and restored the legacy of the gifted ones of the past. But the current Lorm began to ask questions not only to the gifted ones of antiquity, but also to himself.
"Your abilities are no longer enough to unlock Light's potential," Yoda said importantly. "You have taught him all you were meant to. Another should have taken over his training…"
"Hell no!" Lorm exclaimed, perhaps a bit too loudly, as Yoda, sitting opposite him, winced slightly. "Not everything…"
"And what else will you teach him?" Yoda asked. "The Council is concerned about young Light's abilities. Pyrokinesis is not a skill a Padawan should learn. Or do you not remember? The abilities of Alteration are studied by Knights. But Light is a Padawan, not a Knight."
"I will not tolerate such instructions, Master," Lorm gritted out, feeling his attitude towards the wise Jedi, who had always indulged and helped him, Padawan Teyma Cerullian, begin to plummet. "My student is ready for such a technique."
In reality, Light, despite his overly kind nature, possesses incredible mental resilience, which was directly indicated in his file. The boy did not hesitate, taking other people's lives and witnessing the cruelty of the galaxy. So Lorm considered Light worthy of learning such a difficult Technique, just as he intended to teach him the Emerald Lightning, an analog of Force Lightning, but from the Jedi. If only he had the brains not to use pyrokinesis, this conversation wouldn't have happened.
"The Council considers Light's abilities exceptional, but you are training him incorrectly," Yoda sighed.
"My student is capable of fighting and defeating an average Jedi Knight. Am I training him incorrectly?"
"You judge narrowly. A Jedi is not known by battle."
"Ah, dozens of diplomat deaths can argue with you, Master. I've said all I have to say. I'm used to doing my job perfectly! Any job! But I'm not ready to declare my student's training complete. If you take him, the Order will lose one competent archaeologist," In reality, Lorm wasn't held back by much here. Was he disappointed in the Jedi teachings? No. In his imagination, Jedi were still an ideal. It was just that the current beings who called themselves "Jedi" were not. Only Light somehow kept him here. Light and the potential resources of the Order, which helped him find what he was willing to spend his entire life on. What Teym introduced him to and what he hoped to introduce his student to. If Lorm had a son anywhere, he was ready to declare that his son, whenever he was born, would always be his second son, not his first. And the first would be Light Flaingstar.
"Stubborn in your judgments. It suits you," Yoda nodded. "To tell the truth, the Council's opinion is divided on this matter. Each case must be considered individually, and Light is a most unique case. Therefore, despite the negative rhetoric, half of the Council has nevertheless leaned towards allowing you to complete his training."
"Then why did you start our conversation by suggesting I hand the student over to another Jedi? To whom, by the way?"
"An old acquaintance of yours," Yoda replied without unnecessary games. "The Council is clear on Light's prospects. He will become a Consul or a Guardian. He has attracted interest in one of the Guardian corps."
"Temple Guardians?" Lorm asked mockingly.
"Shadow Guardians," Yoda shook his head, sending a chill down Lorm's spine. He had repeatedly encountered them as an archaeologist, sometimes unearthing dark artifacts, descriptions of Dark Side Force techniques, Holocrons of Sith Lords, and much more.
"Why do they want him?" Lorm asked. "I always thought, and I was told, that they only take average individuals who don't stand out. The student is incredibly strong in the Force; according to the classification from some amusing game, he would be called a shock trooper. The Shadows are assassins. I don't see such abilities in him. When he stops hiding in the Force, he shines like a star in the sky."
"You answered your own question," Yoda pointed a finger at him. "Your student is so talented that he can even hide such Force. What distinguishes him is not the knowledge of a large number of Force techniques, but the ability to apply them at the right moment. What use is an assassin who knows a lot of techniques but cannot apply them?"
"My answer remains unchanged. The student will become an archaeologist, but until then, he will complete his training with me…"
"Are you deciding for him?" Yoda asked Lorm. "And have you asked Light what he wants, hmm?"
"Something that would allow him to kill and fight less," Lorm answered. "Despite all his abilities, the student is still too kind. He once said that in an ancient dialect, without specifying the source, his name means light. He is worthy of this name, although one wouldn't say so in battle."
"Light can burn, especially the light of a star…" Yoda remarked reasonably. "In any case, you both need to be careful. The witch Shilajj and this mercenary are strong. I am concerned that despite your and Light's strength, you will not be able to resist them."
"You worry in vain, Master. Both of us, in case of a confrontation with them, will be able to stand up for ourselves. And besides, you've unleashed one of the best Shadows on their tail; if anyone can bury them in the dustbin of history, it's An'ya," Lorm grinned maliciously.
"Nevertheless," Yoda objected, "the greatest chances of encountering them are with you and your student. As long as that girl is with you, as long as you haven't found her brother, Joyran, you are in danger. I have a bad premonition about this whole endeavor. I did not agree with the Council regarding the transfer of Light to another master. Although they brought it up for discussion," if you don't agree with it, why did you suggest it? Lorm looked at Yoda skeptically. Who was this Master? He was almost a thousand years old! He had honed his combat, Force, and negotiation skills for so many years… And intrigue. It would be naive to think that Yoda hadn't engaged in the dark side of politics – active intrigue. The problem was with him, with his young student. Exceptional abilities, incredible perseverance, although that Xanatos, whom Qui-Gon Jinn is chasing, with similar abilities, is incredibly arrogant, while the student is not, humble in the world, and calculating in battle. In perspective, he is a Master of the Jedi Council. The only drawback is his kindness… Is that why Yoda is against changing a "Knight disliked by the Council," because Lorm hasn't finished his mission yet? Yoda's true goal regarding his student is not to make him a great archaeologist, or a Master of the Force, or a great swordsman. No… The real goal is to harden the young student's character. To then mold him into a perfect Jedi. Strong, unwavering. Such a Jedi would be a significant trump card for the Order. That's Yoda's trick. He, Lorm, will most likely be written off as the student's master when Yoda realizes he has developed his character enough… The galaxy is not a fairy tale, and to possess such power but the character that his young student has in the world is like first capturing the Star Forge and then handing it over to the worst enemy. "And most importantly, many doubt that you should be looking for Joyran and that artifact."
"I am the best archaeologist of the Jedi Order," Lorm snorted. "If anyone can understand how to study and pass on the medallion to the Order, it's me. And the Council knows this perfectly well, Master."
"Yes," Yoda stretched. "I have outlined all your problems."
"Again, I see no problems, Master," Lorm grinned.
"Problems?" Yoda arched the equivalent of an eyebrow for his race. "You see no problems? What about your visions, hmm?" He pointed his stick at Lorm. Lorm turned pale. Lately, they had been appearing more and more often. A rapidly changing environment… A dull thud… Darkness… Two eyes the color of molten gold, a sign of falling to the Dark Side of the Force… Flashes of a green Lightsaber… A strange pop and darkness… "You must save your student," Yoda distracted him, "as well as complete your mission. But the visions trouble you, don't they?"
"I don't believe in mirages," Lorm Decer gritted out, waving his hand dismissively. "All these visions of the future are conditional. You can see your death as much as you want… The death of the galaxy, a future threat, so what? Everything is decided here and now."
"You are foolish, Lorm Decer," Yoda sighed heavily, and Lorm suddenly felt like he was in a classroom. "Visions of the future of the Force cannot simply arise. Is it the will of the Force? Or is it the real future? Can it be avoided? Or is fate predetermined? The Force sends us signs so that we may be prepared. Let go of what must be. Prepare for the inevitable when it is unavoidable. Do what must be done. Think about this, Knight Decer," Yoda said importantly. "Our conversation is over… For now," Yoda indicated his desire to see him again. "We will see each other quite soon. If you are not careful, then not as we should be…"
The ship emerged from hyperspace, not far from a green planet. Selvaris… It took mere seconds for the ship to almost literally disappear from all possible detection spectra… One nudge from the Master was enough for me to realize that something was wrong with me. I was an idiot. Every time I appeared somewhere, I would activate the cloaking mode on my ship. Of course, the "Star Path," covered in stygium crystals, suffers from cloaking. The sensor range drops to ridiculously low values. That is, we are almost blind. But it's better than turning into stardust.
"Master?" I called out to Knight Decer, who was sitting in the chair next to me with a rather thoughtful expression. "We've almost arrived. Master?"
"Ah… Yes," Lorm suddenly perked up, adjusting the sleeves of his clothes. "Selvaris. Call Mila…"
"I'm already here, Master Lorm," announced the girl sitting behind him.
"Are you alright, mentor?" I asked Lorm. "After all, you didn't sense Mila sitting behind you…"
"I was just thinking, my student. A lot has piled up lately, yes," Lorm nodded. "What about the scan?"
"In stealth mode, our sensors are weaker, but the scan gave negative results," I noted.
"Turn off the cloaking and scan properly. Selvaris is a poor planet, once inhabited by smugglers and pirates, but later it became part of the Republic. It's a real haven for all sorts of scum, and the conditions haven't changed since it was settled and discovered. The sentient beings live on special platforms built in the middle of swamps."
"Joyran gave me all the data about his hideouts in due time," the girl, dressed in her usual mechanic's jumpsuit, remarked. On our date, Mila had taken the chance to change into a white, light sundress that suited her very well. But on the ship, she immediately put on the jumpsuit and appeared in it. And she preferred to sleep in the storage room where she had initially been given a bed. Lorm had offered her his cabin, but she had only grimaced… It seemed she didn't like Lorm's "debauchery" very much. She had told me directly that she didn't want to sleep in the room of a debauched Zabrak who only knew how to hit on every woman. But my mentor didn't care about such insults. She refused my cabin because "the captain's cabin is for the captain." "His hideout was located on a once-abandoned platform. It was half submerged. But Joyran still considered that damp place, overgrown with moss, as he described it, his main hideout…"
"Hmm," Lorm grunted, Mila loaded a holophoto onto the projector. "Obviously, none of you kids know what a real hideout is."
"Mentor, but I was with you then…"
"Ah, you know. But to use a rusty platform, overgrown with moss, and half submerged," the mentor zoomed in on the hideout. "Stupid. Although what can you expect from him."
"My brother is much more foresighted than you," Mila said importantly. "And I told you why," she twirled a cylinder in her hands that could be connected to a computer terminal. "Connect it to the computer in any of his hideouts on the list, and I'll be able to get data on where his ship flew. This is so I can find him at any moment!"
"Yeah, or Shilajj and Teyron," Lorm grinned maliciously. "In my opinion, the less you can be found, the greater the chances of success. Alright. This will help us," he agreed with Mila. "Wait, did you deviate from the course?" Lorm asked when we entered the atmosphere.
"I'm not going to sink my ship, mentor," I replied to the knight. "I'll land nearby as soon as I find a suitable spot."
On Selvaris, being a rather poor planet, there was no equivalent of a spaceport. Land wherever you want; there were places on the residential platforms themselves, and they were cleverly designed. Occupied spots sent a signal indicating they were taken, and free spots sent the opposite. An interesting system…
"Here," I found a wooden hut five kilometers away. The scan showed no signs of life. The ship, brushing against vines at speed, damn it, I'll have to clean it later, landed in the courtyard of the hut, enclosed by a fence.
"Why were you looking for a house?" Lorm asked. "We can sleep on the ship. I personally prefer the ship," he looked through the windshield at the hut.
"Me too," Mila agreed with him.
"Um… Well, I wasn't looking for a house, but a stable landing spot… It's five kilometers to the hideout from here."
"Ah, I see," Mila said, slightly admiringly.
"Although the house is worth inspecting. Maybe someone lives here," I said thoughtfully.
On Selvaris, where we were now, it was night. Only tomorrow morning will we inspect the house and walk to the hideout. Until then, everyone went to their sleeping quarters. The night on the ship passed normally, I would say. In the morning, we gathered for a hike… Although what morning? The dense thickets around the swamps didn't let the light of the star around which Selvaris revolved pass through; the house turned out to be abandoned, Mila looked at it with horror, with the remains of a couple of sentient beings. According to Lorm's analysis, they died about a hundred years ago. However, it wasn't the remains of the unfortunate that concerned us, but something else entirely. Joyran Karnur's hideout…
And I regretted at the time that I hadn't thought of buying a speeder. Because traveling through the swamp thickets on foot was very difficult. No, not difficult – incredibly difficult. On the first day, we barely ventured two kilometers towards our goal. The quagmires that followed turned out to be incredibly impassable… And the midges, which were always trying to bite any exposed part of the body, annoyed Mila herself. They didn't annoy me and Lorm only because we maintained a Force Barrier around our bodies. And I couldn't maintain this technique around Mila's body for long, and Lorm, who sincerely advocated for Mila to wait on the ship while we dealt with things, didn't want to. The result of our debates, arguments, and so on was the following. Mila gives us the cylinder and all the passwords she knows, and she waits on the ship with BB-7. To avoid accidents, the master asked me to block the ship, otherwise Mila might just go into the swamps.
It was much easier to cross the swamps of Selvaris without a weak Force-sensitive who couldn't use her Force. This time, we not only passed all the difficult sections but also found the platform itself. The dense thickets of the rotten swamp didn't let sunlight reach us… The putrid smell was disgusting, unpleasant, squeezing our lungs… And the worst part was that along the way, we encountered not only midges but also other fauna whose intentions were to satisfy their nutritional needs at our expense. Walking towards the platform, my mentor and I literally turned all our Force sensing techniques to full. Who knows, maybe a local leech would attack again. But no, everything was calm.
The platform was half submerged…
"I hope something works on it," Lorm Decer grumbled. "Otherwise, we'll have to fly a very long way. I'm already sick of this planet."
The swamp water had already managed to wet our clothes and boots. After all, maintaining a Force barrier against ordinary water is too much.
"Everything happens for the best, mentor," I said, and in my thoughts, I cursed Joyran.
"Your emotions say otherwise," the man remarked. "Or do you enjoy wading through the muddy bottom of rotten swamps?"
"Here, it would be more like flying somewhere fresher… Naboo or Alderaan?" I asked my mentor.
"Zeltron," the Knight smiled broadly. "Lately, I've been tormented by the thought that many women might have already spawned many little Lorms," even someone like him can come to his senses? "But Zeltronks are not compatible with me. And they have everything so wonderful, without obligations."
"Yes, it's easier to avoid responsibility than to bear it," I sighed mournfully. We walked half the way to the platform through the muddy bottom, supporting ourselves and each other with the Force, and the other half we swam. Finally, the iron contraption, which was submerged underwater at a thirty-degree angle, was within arm's reach.
Clasping our fingers on the cold steel, we pushed ourselves out of the swamp, propelling ourselves with the Force… I'll have to come up with a Force equivalent of Geppo. Otherwise, I'll definitely drown in some swamp. Although there was no mire around, the cold water is definitely not good for the body. Especially considering that this water is putrid. On the platform, only a few buildings were barely preserved.
"Terrible place," I said. "Let's go, mentor."
"Uh-huh," Lorm grunted. As soon as we stepped forward, I felt movement on the flanks. "Student," Lorm sighed heavily. "Ready to have some fun?"
"Hutt," I said, looking at the mercenaries who had taken up positions in front of us. Thirty sentient beings, a whole squad. And they were positioned intelligently: behind cover, aiming their rifles at us. "I wouldn't say I particularly wanted to have fun right now."
"Well, yes, yes. You'd rather have fun with Mila than with a bunch of guys who are just asking for a Lightsaber in the gut."
"No comment, mentor…"
"Jedi!" exclaimed a future mortal from behind one of the buildings. "We know you have something that Mila Karnur could have given you! Something concerning her brother! Give it to us and you will live. We won't even destroy your ship."
A funny joke… VV-7 can definitely get the ship out; it has a fairly high access level. We weren't worried about the ship… But we should be worried about the data on the mercenaries, because my teacher was radiating… Anticipation…