I destroyed the shield generator quite quickly. It was located on the fifth floor and many guards protected it. However, the prisoners' revolt played a role. I, in fact, took advantage of them. But did I feel bad about this circumstance? No, not at all. They have their job, I have mine. I could have, like a dashing warrior, joined them and led them in attack. But then I would have been quickly discovered and slowed down. This way, I can use the diversion to infiltrate the shield generator and destroy it. Yes, a too pragmatic and slightly un-Jedi plan. But who said everything has to be perfect? We shouldn't sacrifice too much efficiency for the sake of saving lives.
So I climbed into the ventilation and began to make my way to the generator I needed so badly. The ventilation system is a vulnerable zone, running through all the rooms of the residence. And Jarko protected it perfectly. There were classic laser detectors, which were also invisible to the naked eye. However, if you use the Force correctly, they can be detected. So I bypassed them. Mines and even explosive tripwires were a surprise. It's amazing how the air circulating through the ventilation didn't trigger the former. Apparently, they are designed for much greater pressure. However, I didn't study sensory perception and everything related to it for so long for nothing. Hidden traps and detection systems were bypassed by me, the guards were self-forgettingly rushing to suppress the prisoners' revolt, ignoring my existence.
And here is the room with the shield generator... A huge, cylindrical device, literally radiating energy... Jarko intended to torment us and then escape using those tunnels? Well... We will torment her. It is worth destroying this structure and my people will be able to open fire on the palace. However, she will also be able to attack, using the Planetary Defense Complexes and stationary weapons. But the guards are already distracted by the prisoners' revolt... Suddenly my sense tingled, I rushed to the left, leaning against the wall and letting a figure with a vibroblade pass in front of me. My lightsaber slipped into my right hand... In one hand, the attacker held a vibroblade, and in the other, a blaster? By the way, quite stupid, he could have tried to shoot me, not rush with a sword... However, even so, the attacker would have achieved nothing. The blaster was aimed at me.
"Die," I heard. A shot... The blaster shot disappeared into my left hand. Tutaminis... Absorbing the energy of a blaster shot is not particularly difficult for me. Immediately, the lightsaber activated. A flash of green light cut through the darkness and the attacker. I deactivated my weapon. There was no more need to fight. The attacker died instantly, his heart pierced by the sword.
"What kind of pretentious nonsense is this?" I asked, sighing heavily and removing the mask, revealing a short man. His gaze was glassy. "It's well past the three-thousandth year. And you don't understand that if you have a blaster, it's better to use a blaster than a vibrosword. After all, what is a vibroblade duelist against someone who trains and learns to use a lightsaber?"
"WHO'S THERE?!" Oops, our scuffle attracted those four who were standing next to the generator.
"Good day, I'm from the Jedi Company," I jumped into the room, immediately using ionization to burn out the comlinks and cameras. "Do you want to check out our products? The 'Jedi justice, with a bit of Sith style' option is quite popular."
"Hutt! Our comlinks!" It dawns on them quickly. The shield generator has a strong circuit, so my ionization couldn't destabilize it. Then I can destroy it manually, but first – I'll introduce my clients to new products. Pulling them towards me with telekinesis, I activated my lightsaber. They couldn't resist. A moment later, four heads fell to the floor.
"We don't need shooting," I returned the saber to its holder in my sleeve. "And we don't need you either," I aimed my hand at the shield generator. "So... Let's try something."
I concentrated and summoned the Force. It began to gather in my right hand, gradually. Since I haven't perfectly mastered the technique yet, I have to spend time concentrating. But, on the other hand, the more I use it, the better I understand it. Practice determines a lot, if not everything. After a couple of seconds, a crackling sound, like lightning, echoed... It disappeared... Damn it, work, come on! In an instant, emerald lightning shot from my right hand, tracing the distance between me and the generator. It couldn't withstand the overload. The lightning pierced the defense circuit, and then burned out the power supply and almost all the blocks.
"That turned out powerful," Lorm said. "But, perhaps, you're still better at joking than using it. If you abandon the Jedi path, maybe you should become a comedian?"
"Too bad I didn't see you when you retired," I turned to Lorm. The generator began to explode behind me. Tough guys don't look at explosions. And I am the "king of the palace" and tough, aren't I?
"You're as far from me as crawling from here to Lehon," Lorm grumbled.
"You're quite gloomy, don't Twi'leks give you any attention?"
"Don't joke yourself into a state where you'll also consider Jarko Itari your goddess."
"Her appearance is undoubtedly divine," I jumped into the ventilation, starting to feel intelligent beings approaching. Closing the hatch behind me, I continued. "But she's a dangerous woman. And my brain is dear to me. It does tend to be slow, but it's still dear. And now it's time to go to her... To Jarko Itari."
"Don't lose."
"I'm confident in my abilities. I'll kill her immediately. If it doesn't work out – she's no match for me even in open combat."
I planned to get into Jarko's chambers through the ventilation. Even though the traps weren't deactivated, meaning I still had to be resourceful, I concealed my presence as much as possible. Plus, I bypassed the traps easily, well, relatively. So Jarko could have guessed that someone destroyed the shield generator and even sent a squad of her thugs there. But they wouldn't have encountered me. Besides, Twi'lekka and Plo Koon had already begun storming the base, she wouldn't be concerned with me now. So I spent about ten minutes choosing the right ventilation shaft and jumping into the required one. The problem was that Jarko's chambers were ventilated separately. So I had to find a separate channel, jump outside, fly a bit with my grappling hook device, and then cut through it with my lightsaber, simultaneously disabling the alarm with ionization. And now I had reached Jarko Itari's chambers.
They were spacious... Right in the middle stood a huge... Sofa, I'd call that piece of furniture. Jarko was semi-reclining, peering into a holoprojector.
"Is there any information from the tunnel of liberation guards?" she asked the man kneeling before her.
"My lady, the tunnel guards were under some strange influence. Lieutenant Lutseg, as you were informed, found his subordinate's voice strange, as well as the absence of relieved guards, and he sent a squad to check. It turned out that part of the squad was killed, some were rendered unconscious, and only one of them, in a state of drug intoxication, kept repeating that everything was fine."
"Drug intoxication? Republicans... No, are the Jedi now injecting their enemies with drugs?" one of the present asked.
"No," Jarko shook her head. "He probably did it to break the victim's will," she clasped her hands in front of her. "Though the timing he chose wasn't exactly ideal. It was shift change." No, they would have understood that something happened anyway. The combination of drugs plus Force suggestion stands out too much.
"And then, my lady," the report continued, "he stumbled upon the chambers of the future free – mda, what names they have – he kidnapped them and convinced them to fight against us."
How does she brainwash her subordinates to call a cage "chambers of the future free," and the liberation of prisoners "kidnapping"?
"And finally," Jarko said maliciously, by the way, from here, through the ventilation grate located directly above her, there's a good view of her chest. A beautiful woman, no matter how you look at it. It'll be a shame to chop her to pieces... To some extent. "He destroyed the shield generator. The Judicial Corps is already breaking into the base," she stood up. "I think we should retreat now. We'll give them this battlefield."
I thought they would talk about something important, but she just listened to the reports... Alright, she can't run. I carefully lifted the ventilation grate and jumped down, right onto the woman. On the move, I prepared my lightsaber, which I was supposed to activate at the last moment to avoid giving myself away as much as possible... However, she was ready. Jarko turned sharply, literally a moment before the strike, and immediately tried to jump away. As if I would just let her go. A sweep of the lightsaber and the woman's right arm was separated from her body...
"JEDI!" she roared. And her sofa is soft. I saw something similar in a picture of a Hutt, only there his body occupied almost the entire space on it, and here she and a few slaves. And so much free space... You can't forbid living beautifully. I made a lightning-fast Shiak, a quick and precise lunge aimed at her heart. "WALL!" A man appeared before me, who had been reporting to her until then. He blocked Jarko, and I pierced him instead of her. Damn it... Her only hand reached into a pouch attached to her right side of her belt. She pulled out... A grenade? Activating it, she threw it at me. But it didn't reach, I simply intercepted it with telekinesis and threw it aside – nearby an explosion sounded, taking the lives of three of Jarko's subordinates, and then I threw her own dead subordinate at her, whom I had pierced with my lightsaber.
"Weakling," I noted as her subordinate's body knocked her off her feet. "Surrender," pulling her to me with telekinesis, I prepared to deliver the finishing blow, intending to chop off her head.
"GRAAAAA!" she tried with all her might to break free, until finally she simply directed the holoprojector, which was in front of her during the report, at me with the Force. I dodged, jumping aside and ceasing to suppress her with telekinesis. "Forward! Kill him!" she gave the order. Her subordinates, noticing that she was no longer near me, opened fire on me. Damn it, my stealth kills always falter. Although, perhaps, it's because she expected an attack, and judging by the sensations – she's not a weak Force-sensitive. Everyone present opened fire, including Jarko herself with a blaster pistol, with her only intact hand. I rushed forward, deflecting shots on the go. The intelligent beings shot simply at my figure, like most ordinary soldiers with long-range weapons, except for Jarko herself. Her shots always landed in the most inconvenient part. And no wonder – she's Force-sensitive. In parallel, she retreated, apparently wanting to escape. This won't do...
With telekinesis, I pulled a smoke bomb from the pouch. It was supposed to completely obscure the view of everyone present. Only I, using my senses, could scatter everyone. Jumping off the sofa, I launched the bomb. The smoke spread very quickly, obscuring the view of those present, including me. But... Using the Force, I nullified the adverse effects of inhaling the smoke, and using my senses, I navigated perfectly in the smoke. I wasn't going to kill, considering that now I didn't have to worry about Jarko because of the smoke, she didn't know where to run, so... One, two... Three... Ten... All fifteen? I counted everyone present and, stopping, pointed my hand forward. In an instant, everyone except me was lifted by the Force and thrown to the floor. I noted with satisfaction that many lost consciousness.
The one I remembered as Nella Kitar also passed out. Excellent. I didn't start cutting everyone, partly because of her presence. However, three auras were now near the fourth, the one I remembered as Jarko Itari. They held on despite everything. An explosion sounded... They blew down the doors? The blast wave began to disperse the smoke. Around me lay Jarko's unconscious subordinates, and they were trying to get her away, to help her escape.
"What are you doing?" I asked the group that was trying to escape. "Do you really think," a celestial palm, I placed a mark on the unconscious sentient lying in front of the escape group, "that I will let you escape?"
One of the intelligent beings aimed a blaster at me and fired. However, an exchange occurred, and I appeared in front of Jarko's group. Quickly channeling the Force through my body, negating the use of teleportation. A trickle of blood rolled down my left eye. Damn it... When will this end? It doesn't matter... Recovering from using the technique, I rushed forward, closing the distance and intending to behead them all together. A man who had stopped helping Jarko blocked my path.
"I won't let you touch my lady with a finger!"
I swung my left hand, and he was thrown back, dragged across the room.
"You bastard!" the remaining two guards started shooting at me. I deflected shot after shot, calmly closing the distance until I finally destroyed their weapons and scattered the men in different directions.
Jarko was breathing heavily, looking at me with fury. Her left hand was empty of a weapon.
"What, Jedi, satisfied with your justice?" she asked. "I'm an unarmed woman, whose domain you invaded. You maimed and killed my subordinates to get to me!"
"Shut up," I rudely interrupted her, "you never cared about your subordinates, Jarko Itari! And you maimed and killed far more than I did, just for profit. You have no idea, no goal. You just want to live in paradise. But we will fix this. We will free the Galaxy from you. You understand perfectly well that even Jedi have enemies they won't spare. Alas, you have become such an enemy. An enemy to the Jedi, an enemy to the people of the Galaxy. Oh yes... I saw your 'candidates for liberation.' Including women and children... And after that, you still think the measures are excessive?"
"I would have given them a purpose in this life..."
"Shut up! The purpose is to live in slavery, under your rule? What kind of purpose is that? What simple life would they have lived, worse than your selfish goal? You are a pathetic carrion, Jarko Itari. You've gotten arrogant, thinking you've become a great lady and a goddess. But all you've become is a pathetic woman, albeit endowed with power and strength. There is nothing wrong with us coming for your soul. That I came for your soul."
"Oh yes, I know perfectly well who you are, who the Jedi Order Shadows are! Pathetic bastards," she spat, "who roam the Galaxy and kill anyone they don't like. They won't stop at anything. You are the worst of Jedi. More hypocritical than the rest."
"More hypocritical than the rest?" I chuckled, approaching her. "Are you talking about Otale Rigne, who a hundred years ago, as a shadow knight, was sent by the Order to eliminate a gang of Anzati? He almost completed his mission, but died in the final battle in its context. Judging by his records, which he kept – he fell in love with one of his targets. That was you, wasn't it, Jarko Itari? His feelings were mutual," I guessed. "But in the end, he probably chose duty. And you had to kill him. And what do you want to say with this? To point out the error of my Order's views? Its postulated goals? That," I got almost close, "I am wrong? Or is the Jedi Order wrong? Do you think that matters?"
"It matters to me!" she pulled out a blaster, which I immediately cut with my lightsaber. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" she tried to knock me down with a wave of telekinesis, pouring emotions into the Force. Directing the Force to my feet, I remained in place. She pulled out a vibroblade and tried to pierce me with it. I carefully watched her attacks. Physically, she is stronger than an ordinary sentient, so there's no room for games. I blocked her attack and aimed my left hand at her... Concentration, and Jarko was thrown back, followed by a fireball of pyrokinesis. First, her clothes ignited, and then, a little later, her flesh. "Aaaaaah!" she writhed, tormented by fire. I calmly closed the distance to her, carefully observing the surroundings. I didn't want to be interrupted... I didn't want any surprises that would allow her to escape... Finally, she managed to extinguish the flames. She figured out how to use the Force.
"What a disgusting sight," I noted, watching her skin covered in burns. "Yes, I know what you want to say," I looked into her eyes, which were filled with blood. "It's my fault that I turned you, such a beautiful woman, not ashamed to show yourself off, to boast of your beauty, into such an ugly creature," I lifted her with the Force and made her kneel. "But think about this. If you had just lived an ordinary life, not tried to do what you did, like the Vigo of the 'Black Sun' – no one would have come for your soul. Didn't the death of your beloved teach you anything? Why, in your opinion, can a Jedi attack an Anzati? Because your species itself is dangerous? No... Why then can thousands of your kin live a relatively peaceful life on their planet and no one destroys them? It's because, Jarko, they agree to live a normal life. Without soup, the lifespan of an Anzati is no different from that of a human. All you had to do was start living a simple life. But you chose another path. How many fates... How many lives have you broken? And what have you achieved? A logical outcome... Here it is. The future you always strived for. Goodbye, Jarko Itari. Perhaps at least in the afterlife you will understand your mistakes," I raised my sword over her head. She tried to use her tendrils, aiming at my nostrils. I pulled her vibrosword and with a swing cut off her tendrils. Blood spurted...
She's still resisting. But it's useless. The criminal from the 'Black Sun' is to blame for her fate. She's to blame for what happened in the end. With a swing of the sword, the burnt head of a once beautiful woman rolled across the floor.
"At some point, I even doubted who was the villain and who was the knight of justice," Lorm Decer appeared next to the woman's corpse. "And was it necessary to burn her like that?" he grimaced.
"I wanted to break her will to resist. After all, it was easier than fighting her when she was super-motivated. If you can't kill an enemy immediately and it comes to a fight – demoralize them as much as possible, demotivate them to fight. Dun Moch is never superfluous."
"And she bought it," Lorm giggled. "At first, I thought studying her biography was a stupid idea. How did you even connect her to a long-dead Jedi?"
"Not at all, it was intuition, however – Otal died on Pakuuni at the hands of an Anzati. No one in the Order bothered with special investigations. They thought they killed each other in battle. Otal's story was known to me only because his diary ended up in the archives, although it was immediately classified. Back then, she was a naive girl, believing in love and so on. And then, when Otal tried to fulfill his duty, including killing her, she apparently broke. However, Otal, by all accounts, loved her. Because she was no match for the Shadows even then. Just like now. Her strength was in her subordinates. She didn't like to fight."
"The gamble paid off, Light," Lorm nodded. "What now?"
"Well," I looked at the broken doors to Jarko's chambers, "we need to help our guys get rid of this shitty party. However, now many of her soldiers should surrender. Based on what I felt – she used telepathy on a constant basis. She even tried to attack me in the middle of the fight with it... In her own style, promising sexual satisfaction.
"Ah-ha-ha," Lorm laughed. "Even I wouldn't do that with her."
I looked at the man skeptically.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm telling you honestly!"
"As you say," I shrugged. "As you say."
"Your skepticism wounds me to the core," my mentor muttered. "It's sad that you assess me so lowly."
"No," I shook my head. "I value you, mentor. You opened my eyes to many things... Or maybe I knew from the beginning what the essence of many things was, but I just didn't want to see it myself and ran from reality?"
"Just don't start another self-analysis session," the mentor turned away, "after so long, it's gotten on my nerves. The fight with Jarko showed you in the best light. You just did your job and did everything that was required. Except... You should have thrown the smoke bomb along with the jump at Jarko."
"Hmm... She could have felt it and jumped away. And the situation would have repeated itself," I approached Nella Kitar and began to infuse the girl with the Force. Of course, this won't fix her dislocated right arm, which she fell on when I decided to deal with Jarko's bandits quickly and effectively, but it will help her recover faster. The girl slowly opened her eyes and groaned in pain. I overdid it a bit. During the fight with the bandits, I barely held back the Force. And I was indeed radiating like a nuclear reactor to those who could feel it. At least that's the association Kuro always had when I completely removed my Concealment. She even asked me to do it less often. According to her, my Force felt more Light to her. But not a warm, kind light, like some healers could feel. And not a restless light, which, according to her, radiated from many experienced Jedi. Although she also reported that from many Jedi, due to the surrounding Galaxy – darkness could be felt. No... According to An'ya Kuro, my light was cruel, cold, approaching the point beyond which lay the Dark Side of the Force. However, it's not surprising. I've been there and back because of my schizophrenia. My Force, when fully unleashed, can, in theory, suppress weaker Force-sensitives. The mere display of power... Can I train in this aspect too? Intimidation is a good weapon. And I like to use anything that helps me win.
"Well, what's done is done," Lorm Decer remarked philosophically. "Mentor Taim always praised only the result."
His mentor was quite a significant character and even trained Dooku in his time.
"You have to be careful with this. Such statements can lead to the Dark Side," I parodied Yoda. "And he's right. There's nothing worse than a fallen Force-sensitive."
"Although you don't hesitate to respect Sith. I recall you spoke well of a certain Marr and Lana Beniko."
"Lana Beniko is top-notch, mentor. Have you seen her holo-arts?" I asked him.
"Are those the ones for which Sith-Lana would destroy the city that created her in that interpretation?" he asked sarcastically. "I don't even want to know where you dug them up. But generally, Light, there's something I want to tell you. Something serious."
"Is it related to your statement that you've taught me everything you could, even in the form of a ghost, and now you don't want to waste time on your student, which you could spend on Twi'leks and Jedi women in the Force?"
"Oh," Lorm Decer looked at me with surprise. "I didn't know you were so smart."
"Hey, I'm actually here," we left Jarko's chambers, and I walked calmly down the corridor, descending. There was almost no guard, judging by the sounds, they were fighting in the courtyard, even after Jarko's defeat. Or they couldn't feel her death in the heat of battle.
"Well, I'm not good at putting thoughts into words," the man sighed. "But I won't hide it. At first, it was interesting and cool, as you would say. But now... This existence weighs on me, Light. It's like every time I'm here, something is draining from me."
"Then why are you hesitating, mentor?" I asked Lorm, not slowing my pace. "You want to leave, right?"
"I was just afraid you'd start crying. Again..."
"But I still haven't completely broken after everything that happened... So – I understand perfectly. I perfectly knew that your so-called arc in my life had long since come to an end. And to forcibly pull you out of the beyond, to weave you in – would be too cruel."
"And this fills me with pride," he said importantly. "Either you've matured, gained insight, or opened your eyes. Whoever you become, you now clearly see the path. A mentor, like me, who would develop your character traits, is no longer needed."
His ghost began to dissolve as if. Gradually, he disappeared before me. Our last meeting...
"Mentor, allow me to give you some advice. Twi'leks are good, of course. But there are also Zeltrons."
"Hmm," Lorm said thoughtfully, "I'll meditate on this question," he stroked his beard with a thoughtful look. "Yes, I must meditate."
As I descended, I cleared the building of its occupants. I tried to push people away with the Force, occasionally using my lightsaber. Perhaps I felt pity. They were still slaves, even after the death of Jarko, whose corpse I had also roasted to ash. So, to some extent, I felt sorry for them… And I tried, as much as I could, to hold back with them. But with the droids that I encountered on my way, I held back nothing. They were ruthlessly destroyed. Finally, I descended into the hall. Here, the prisoners I had freed were fighting. They fought too desperately, almost sacrificing themselves.
"DO NOT RETREAT! The Justice Corps is there!" I heard the shout of a powerful man, the one who had taken command of the prisoners. Goth Corden, I think. "Let's unite with them, and victory will be ours."
I watched the battle from about the second floor. A staircase led down. It was surprising that there was no elevator. The main hall itself resembled a slightly different interior. If the place I had infiltrated was purely modern, then here again I saw lush, aristocratic Europe. I jumped down in front of the fighters.
"You'll be breaking through for a hundred years at this rate."
"Jedi!" Goth exclaimed in surprise. "You're in time. Some of my people almost got to the droid control center." To my surprise, it wasn't in Jarko's chambers. More precisely, the droids had two shutdown circuits. I disabled the first by tinkering with Jarko's computer a bit and breaking its hard drives for the VV. The second had to be disabled in the security room. Unfortunately, the authority had been transferred to the security room, where I didn't have time to go. More precisely, I felt a fight there, but the exit was closer. And it was more important to help the Justice Corps.
"Wonderful…" I said, concentrating on the Force.
I aimed both my hands at the gates leading outside…
***
Blue and yellow lightsabers wielded with astonishing speed for many. The battle was taking place in the inner courtyard. Tivokka managed not only to fight but also to lead the units storming the building. It seemed like a suicidal idea, but they had no other options. Light Flaingstar, the shadow Jedi praised by the Grand Master, had disabled the shield. And freed the prisoners, who had been brought in by Jarko Itari. They couldn't ignore a good opportunity to attack. The mighty Wookiee used not only his lightsaber but also powerful, brutal strikes. His Padawan, Plo Koon, used Soresu, trying to kill as little as possible. All the sentient beings shooting at them now were just slaves. They felt sorry for them to a certain extent. Therefore, they tried to incapacitate them. Later, investigators would determine who had been enslaved and who had come willingly.
Suddenly, on the fifth floor of the main building, Tivokka and Plo Koon felt an incredible power. They sensed Jarko Itari; her Force was palpable. Although they had a rough idea that her abilities were more focused on subjugation. Tivokka even had a thought that this woman, without specific training, had learned Battle Meditation on her own. Then their battle, even with the use of artillery and technology, would have been problematic. But at some point in the battle, they felt as if someone had removed a stopper that was holding back a huge amount of Force. Plo even froze…
"Master, this is…"
"Probably a Knight-Light," the Wookiee growled. "The Grand Master mentioned that he has extraordinary talent for the Force. And just now he stopped holding back his Force with concealment. My student, now you understand how dangerous this technique is? You considered the knight 'the most ordinary, average'… However, power from talent is not everything. How does he use it? That's the question."
The answer came about ten minutes later. They had advanced. Tivokka and Plo Koon felt the death of the gifted Jarko Itari, apparently. The warriors of the "Black Sun" – some stopped resisting, while others began to shout curses and promises of revenge. Suddenly, the massive gates, seven meters high and ten meters wide, leading into the residence itself, simply flew off their hinges. They flew out of the building and could have crashed onto the fighters in the courtyard, but it so happened that the sentient beings reacted quickly. Many fled from under the collapsing gates.
"Good day to you, respected sentient beings… And not so respected warriors of the 'Black Sun'," Tivokka grinned. Yes, such a display of power could impress even fanatics. "I am the Jedi Knight who killed your mistress, Jarko Itari. She is dead… During our battle, alas for her, she was hit by my pyrokinesis technique, this one," he pointed at a B1 series droid. A fireball hit the droid, and it began to burn. Of course, B1 series droids serve everywhere, even in hot climate zones, but this was Force ignition, cast by a not-so-weak gifted being. "Her ashes were scattered in her own chambers. Your mistress is dead," he put Force into his words. A not uncommon skill, but one often used by masters to train younglings. However, here his voice became louder, more resonant. "And now you have no reason to fight. Neither for her, nor for the 'Black Sun'. Surrender! And we will deal with you justly. None of you will be sent to prison just like that. Because this matter is under the supervision of the Jedi Order. I am sure Master Tivokka," he looked at the Wookiee, "will agree to guarantee my words."
Tivokka growled in agreement.
"Scoundrel!" came a voice. "You killed our mistress and think we won't avenge her?"
Suddenly, the B1 droids began to shut down. Did someone reach the bandits' console? Well done.
***
"Well," I said with a smile, using Tutaminis, drawing the energy of the shot into myself. "I foresaw this." With a wave of my hand, my favorite technique, I telekinetically lifted the bandits into the air, and then threw them forcefully to the ground. Some were incapacitated, some conscious, those who were tougher were stunned. "Hah…" yes, I overdid it. Wiping away a drop of sweat, I headed towards Master Tivokka. "Master Tivokka. Mission accomplished. Padawan Plo Koon," I drew attention to the Kel Dor. "Wonderful news that you are all alive and well," closing my eyes, I activated Force concealment.
"You are far more talented than many your age," the Wookiee noted.
"Talent is not everything. Don't forget about training. The 'Black Sun' is crushed," I looked around, finding Lora's eyes. She and her people also participated in the assault. "It's time to count the losses. Provide assistance to the wounded," I demanded. "Organize conditions for the former prisoners, as well as for the former subordinates of Jarko Itari," I looked at the Justice Corps officer.
"Yes, sir!" The man saluted me and turned to his subordinates, starting to give orders.
"Master Tivokka, I was happy to work with you. Will you tell me about what happened to your group? I would like to hear your account of the ground battle."
"And I wouldn't mind hearing your account of the mission, Light," the Wookiee looked at Plo Koon, "and my Padawan would also be interested in hearing you."
"Knight Light," Plo Koon drew attention to himself, "I would like to ask you for training."
"Training?" I asked in surprise. "And what can I teach you? Keep in mind that I cannot fully teach you anything, only show you something. I, you know, need to forge my own path in the Galaxy. And you have your own mentor… However, considering your characteristics, I have an idea. Calm Jedi, aiming to be defenders, like you, desperately need to master Force foresight, Padawan Plo. I'm sure my training in this technique will be useful for you."
There's no point in teaching him anything more significant now. That would require a full course. And I really don't have time. My ass wants new adventures in every sense… Almost. Foresight is a path where you can teach the basics in two or three training sessions, and then the gifted being can only improve. I remember Plo could use the Jedi iteration of Force lightning. I can also use it, although I need to concentrate for a long time. But to show it… However, I will have to tell the Council later…
"But first, Master Tivokka and Padawan Plo – let's clean out the rat," I grinned. "Let's go. There's a sentient being we should talk to. Preferably now."
***
"You figured it out," Admiral Graves said absently, when we arrived on his ship and demanded he surrender his weapons.
"Yes," I nodded. "To avoid suspicion, I left you, Admiral, in charge. But now that Jarko and the 'Black Sun' cell are finished – it's time to cut off all the tails." The Admiral stood surrounded by confused officers. "I have only one question. These sentient beings, many believe you, respect you, Admiral Graves. So why? Why did you decide to work for the 'Black Sun'?"
The man grinned, removing his blaster holster.
"Why. The answer won't satisfy you, will it, Jedi Knight?"
"You don't give the impression of such a sentient being," Tivokka growled.
"And you are right… I don't…"
"Old man!" Lora also arrived with us.
"Why did I betray the Republic? You can guess the answer even those who are not Jedi capable of looking into the future," he held my gaze.
"Admiral Graves," I said coldly, "surrender your weapons, as well as your access codes."
"You are interested in my motives, Jedi," the officer said. "I will tell you about them. I was not the first to betray the Republic. It betrayed me first. I worked in the Central regions. A long time ago. And once I captured pirates who were transporting slave girls to some aristocrat in the Tapani sector. I fell in love with one of them, like a boy… Although I was a boy then too. But the Justice Corps found out about her, and about the other 'contracted workers' who 'failed to fulfill their obligations to the customer.' What would you do, Jedi, if you were asked to give your wife to some scumbag who saw her as a slave? I didn't give her up. I couldn't… The Republic is rotten, Jedi," he said loudly. "Because of you. Because of everyone else. So why should I be loyal to it, huh? Duty? Officer's honor? I gave the state the best years of my life, and what did I get in return? A demand to hand over a 'contracted worker to the employer'? This is partly your fault. The fault of your rotten system. I saw enough here. I introduced a virus into this bastard's ship. And it jumped out of hyperspace right into a star. And my wife drank poison just to avoid falling into his hands. And then I decided… Go to hell! I thought I would become the new Vigo of the 'Black Sun', to eliminate Jarko with your hands. And to take revenge… Oh, using the resources of the 'Black Sun', I could do much more than an ordinary Justice Corps Admiral. But you exposed me… So be it," he sighed. "I don't blame you, but… Since it didn't work out. I will leave as an officer," he aimed the blaster at his head and immediately fired. I didn't stop him. To some extent, it was an escape from responsibility. But also a peculiar departure. Graves' body fell on the cold floor of the Dreadnought.
"Illustrative," I noted. "Record in the ship's log. Admiral Graves was shot by a rebel prisoner from the 'Black Sun'," fortunately, there were only twenty sentient beings on the bridge, including me, Lora, and Tivokka with Plo Koon – twenty-three.
"Do you think that's right?" Tivokka asked.
"Not right, but proper," I replied. "To some extent, he suffered because of us and our shortcomings, Master Tivokka," I looked into the Wookiee's eyes, "we cannot bring him back to life, nor bring his lady love back to life. But we can at least not tarnish his reputation. He was loved and valued," I glanced at the present crew members. "Let it remain so. Our Galaxy has already… broken many lives. We can't help everyone, not even a fraction. But we can at least show some respect for their stories. Even if not all of them," I turned and left the deck. "I feel so bad," I sighed, watching the VV land in front of the Dreadnought on the 'Star Path'. "I want to get drunk, but first I need to set new coordinates," I went up the ramp, and then into the cockpit. "Take off, VV, next stop – Mustafar. I feel… I feel success in the future. I feel ready to join one of Revan's legacies and not die in the process." No matter how bad I feel – I have to keep going. The ship took off… I also sent a report on the mission accomplished, focusing on the 'Luna' group, in which Lora participated. She worries me, or rather, my intuition. Not everything is so simple. Gaven Hornly, the leader of the organization, according to the information I obtained from Jarko's hard drives, was a prominent officer of the 'Black Sun'… It's interesting how the gears turn in the Galaxy… The Force tells me that this is not the last encounter with the PMC 'Luna'. Although it's not my specialty, I'm sure a defender or a guardian-investigator will be sent to investigate their activities – to find out all their background. Their leader's origin is too suspicious, as is the means they possess. To crush the 'Black Sun'? To bring justice and righteousness to the Outer Rim? Perhaps the old me would have believed all this… There will be noble, purposeful, and quite kind sentient beings in the Galaxy. There will also be those who will truly make the lives of others better. Even in the Outer Rim. But specifically Gaven Hornly and his organization, my intuition told me not to trust.
But, as I have already noted – Gaven Hornly is not my problem for now. The main thing here is not to rush around cutting everyone down. And it's not for me to investigate the necessity of his elimination. Let those who should do it.
"So, HK-47," I grinned, summoning the droid's holophoto and uncorking a bottle of my favorite liqueur. On the table was also a version of pepperoni pizza, only in the Far, Far Away Galaxy variation. What could I do – I was in love with this particular pizza even before my death. And then I found an opportunity to eat it here. "An assassin droid designed and built by Revan himself… Savior, conqueror, hero, villain. The greatest of the Jedi and simultaneously the greatest of the Sith… Although, the latter is dangerous to assert… If you don't want to provoke a flame war. After all, we have Vitiate, Sidious, Sadow, and others… Hmm… Just as among the Jedi, there will be someone who will dispute this title. But is it so important now? Flame wars in the community are left there. What's important now is only what I see.