Evening meditation… I sat across from the master, surrendering to the Force. More precisely, I was doing his idiotic control test, assembling a starship with a Lego set. By telekinesis… As my master told me: "Relax. If you knew the assignments Teym gave me." As if I care what that headstrong Corellian did with him. Anyway, even for me — someone who'd practiced telekinesis for quite a while and was one of the best younglings at it — this exercise made me strain. Force control is primarily important for combat.
According to Lorm himself, when you enter a fight, no matter who against, you barely notice the Force drain. And though we're not in some damn cultivation novel, and there's no defined Force pool or ranks attached to that pool, using the Force does exhaust you. There are even energy-costly techniques that leave you feeling like a wrung-out lemon. So what does control teach? Endurance. Roughly speaking, these small actions level it up, allowing you to use techniques during battle while draining slower, and consequently, use more powerful techniques.
Lorm wanted to teach me those very techniques. As an archaeologist, he'd visited a huge number of ruins and studied various Force-using Orders. According to him, he even knew a weak version of pyrokinesis, fire control, but most importantly, he'd studied the Matukai physical enhancement method. Though studying it from archaeological finds sounded stupid. The Matukai are a well-established Order that still exists today. Plus — he said he only knew part of their method. Lorm had probably met a Matukai during his travels, and they'd arranged an "experience exchange."
Either way, their body control method had interested me even during my training at the Temple. My body wasn't the most physically developed. Compared to any other beings at all, and some younglings at the Temple, I'd developed myself decently, but physical enhancement still made the difference for me… So I'd also looked for the Matukai method in the Temple itself, but our fellow Force-users had, in their time, decided to preserve their uniqueness and shared… only a small part of their knowledge. It formed the basis of our hand-to-hand combat. And the Jedi enhancement is definitely inferior to the Matukai one. Maybe I should find them myself later and ask to be trained? Naturally, nothing is given that easily, but perhaps a new knowledge exchange…
Sighing, I finished assembling the set.
"Well, well, well," Lorm's voice came. "This is harder than building a lightsaber, isn't it? Plus, you carry your weapon around like the most beautiful woman in the Galaxy, taking it apart and putting it back together every morning, cleaning it, checking individual parts. Commendable. You managed this time, well done. But this is just the beginning," Lorm cut off. "I'll give you time limits, other tasks, and, naturally, we'll practice other Force techniques too. You're my first student, but I think I need to teach you everything I know myself. I just hope you don't do to me what those savage Sith did — killing their own masters after completing their training."
"That's why they're savages," I snorted, adjusting my padawan braid. It really was annoying. I can't wait until they cut it off. Just hope it's not like Zayne Carrick's group — cut off with the head. "But you're studying one of them. Tulak Hord, I think."
"Tulak Hord," the Zabrak smiled. "The Lord of Hatred, known as the strongest duelist among the Sith. I've been researching him for only a couple of years. We Jedi hate the Sith and always oppose them, but the Sith can't stand the Jedi either. A representative of each school can say many flattering things about their counterpart, but denying it is foolish… You know what?"
"No," I shook my head.
"It's foolish to deny that part of what the Jedi have is a Sith legacy, and vice versa. Over thousands of years of Galactic history, we've torn each other apart, killed, tortured, and done who knows what else. But you can't deny that we've learned from each other. Tulak Hord was a Sith combat master, a brilliant duelist. He also knew that very style — Juyo, an original Sith style, of which only Yoda has any idea. Tulak Hord understood lightsaber combat like no one before or after him. Just imagine what knowledge he can provide us. Forget the Sith indoctrination — only the one who wields the weapon decides in whose name it's used. Your dream of merging Soresu and Ataru is naive without that knowledge, and that's not all. With his help, the entire Order could rise to a new level."
"Yeah, that sounds impressive," I agreed.
"And then," Lorm continued, "We'll stop being just a pathetic appendage to the Senate."
"I don't think it'll work out that way, Master," I cut in. "If you think about it, the Jedi have the power to become better right now, without Tulak Hord, without Sith knowledge."
"Explain," Lorm demanded sharply.
"Think about it," I said. "We're an appendage to the Senate because we decided it ourselves, we trapped ourselves, but even now we're capable of changing the Order's policy, of carrying out appropriate reforms. And then we'll develop, not stagnate. The knowledge of the greatness and power of the ancient Sith and Jedi, knowing their abilities, won't help us much if we don't use it. You yourself said something similar: talent without training is nothing. Power without use is also nothing."
"Hmm," Lorm scratched his chin thoughtfully. "That's quite possible. I haven't thought much about that lately. I've just been gathering knowledge, thinking that it alone could solve all our problems. I need to…"
"Think about it?" I inserted.
"Meditate," Lorm Decer corrected me. "Yes. I need to meditate. Because from that perspective, it turns out I was looking at the problem one-sidedly! I, Lorm Decer, always thought I had seen much, if not everything, and now it turns out I was only looking at one side of the coin? Foolishness or not… Hmm. Alright, that's my problem for now. As for you… Lich… No, my student, don't fill your head with nonsense yet. For now, you only need to learn and grow stronger. Tell your parents that I won't be having dinner. I need to put my body in order. And yes, tomorrow, towards evening, we'll most likely pick up your ship and leave. I'll give you the coordinates. Before we head to my research sites, I need to give you some real training, and I know a couple of spots where no one will bother us."
"Just don't let me put you at the helm of my ship," I noted. "You'd wreck it in the nearest asteroid field! And it cost that much!"
"As if I would!" Lorm scoffed. "And what's with this distrust of your teacher, huh, student?"
"My ship, so I'm flying it."
After all, I was pretty good on the simulator, and it should be the same in reality. Plus, I really did need to get used to controlling the Star Trek. It was a beautiful ship: fast, stealthy, and in case of trouble, it could shoot back at pirates. What with the seismic charges and medium blaster cannons.
"Good," the teacher smiled unexpectedly. "You, at least partially, are already showing evolution. Well done!" He left the room so fast that I didn't even have time to ask what exactly I was showing.
* * *
Mother's dinner, when I found out I might be leaving tomorrow, was a hundred times tastier. Even Rivi, Grandmother, and Gadji were invited.
"And your master," Mayla began, "isn't coming to dinner? Really, Light?"
"Well… How should I put this…" I looked at Ziri and Rivi. I could say it in front of the latter, maybe, but in front of a child? Mother nodded understandingly and moved closer. Yeah… "He went to rest his body, along with representatives of the oldest profession."
"I see," Mother nodded. "It's not for me to judge him."
"What?" Father asked.
"I'll tell you later," Mayla said. "And besides, if the guy doesn't want my food, well, no big deal, I'll survive."
"Indeed," Grandmother nodded. "Our family has always passed down recipes for certain dishes. From generation to generation. So it's his problem if he doesn't try it." I think he couldn't care less from the highest tower of His Majesty Alaric's Palace.
"Anyway, tomorrow we'll go to the palace and pick up the Star Trek from the hangar," I said, putting a piece of steak in my mouth. Chewing, I continued, "I'll also need an astromech droid."
"Don't worry about that," Father smiled. "I made an astromech droid from your design and submitted it as my own original idea to the patent office. It's even going into limited production. The Palace has already ordered a trial batch for His Majesty's fleet. It's much faster than current droid versions, plus modern internals. I made an improved model for you."
There was a dull thud. It sounded like Mother's foot had collided with Father's.
"And yes, Light, I almost forgot. Since you designed that droid, I'll give you something else. A bank account at the Central Bank of Tustra. Monthly royalties from the patent for the BB-series droid will be automatically deposited into it."
"Huh," was all I could say.
I wanted a personal astromech, and Father could easily have built and programmed one for me himself. But instead, he patented the design and made a deal with a droid factory? Plus, he managed to push through an order to the Palace for BB-series droids? The only ones other than Din Djarin and Ahsoka Tano who carried the new canon were this very droid, BB-8. BB-8's personality was far more developed than the entire so-called "new generation." Rey — a worthless protagonist with only the name of a character. Finn — had decent potential, but in the end, his character development was just thrown aside. Poe Dameron — something alright, but still not right. As one reviewer said: "Some droids in Star Wars have better-developed personalities than the sentient beings."
"As for your request for an HK-47 unit," my ears perked up, even though that sounds funny — a Seph's ears perking. How is that possible when they're already pointed? "Unfortunately, I couldn't find the materials to build one." What materials? It's a combat droid. It needs durasteel. "And I couldn't find the schematics either," Father admitted. "Though I read its history, the known part, and I was a bit shocked. Light, where did you learn about that metal monster?"
"You can find anything on the HoloNet, Father," I excused myself. Whatever.
HK-47 even killed its own masters until it fell into the hands of Meetra Surik. Though I know where it is. Mustafar… Should I go poking around there? HK could easily put some holes in me that nature hadn't planned, and no Soresu would help. Plus, I didn't want to involve my teacher with it. Of course, it once served Revan himself, one of the greatest Jedi in the history of the Galaxy Far, Far Away. He stood alongside the Skywalker clan, the so-called Arca Jeth, Yoda, Meetra Surik, and the Hero of Tython. The Hero's real name hasn't been preserved, but it's known he was a male human, and all those events from the MMO — that's the canon, plain and simple.
"Looking up information about an assassin droid at your age?" Father asked.
"I was looking for information about a protocol droid, and then — it was the Will of the Force," I said. And why was I making excuses? Yes, I did. Tweak HK's motivator a bit, and you'd get an excellent guardian. Though I think the Separatists found it back in the day, and they couldn't change its behavior.
"All right," Gadji interrupted the discussion. "Besides, the help of that NK would be useful in your travels with your teacher. Though I wouldn't go looking for him unprepared."
"And Teacher Light is looking for some Hord guy," Ziri butted in. Someone ought to cut her tongue out! And her ears!
"Hord?" Mom asked. "Who's that?"
"Tulak Hord," Gadji explained. "He was a great Sith warrior of antiquity. For the glory of his Empire, he bent hundreds of planets to his will. The greatest warrior, the greatest warlord. What?" he asked, catching my look. "The Royal Guard's training includes studying great warriors — Sith, Jedi, Mandalorians, and others. And I always got top marks in history."
"I get it, I get it," I replied, emptying my glass.
"Isn't it dangerous?" Mom asked.
"Very," I answered honestly. "Tulak's holocron is broken into a thousand pieces, and his legacy, aside from the Holocron, has also scattered through the ages. But my teacher is an Archaeologist. So the whole point is that we'll be flying to different little planets and studying all sorts of ruins."
"Ruins?" Ziri asked.
"The remains of various civilizations," Rivi explained. "Archaeologists study history."
"History?" Ziri asked. "That boring thing they teach us? Where they tell us how everything was before?"
"What?" Grandma asked, boring a hole through Ziri with her gaze. "You don't understand the importance of history?"
"What's it even for?" the girl asked. "It happened ages ago! I'm right, aren't I? What matters is now, right?"
"No," everyone present shook their heads sharply.
"History is needed so we don't repeat our ancestors' mistakes," I said importantly. "That's the point of it. By understanding how they lived, by finding their legacy, we'll understand what mistakes they made."
"And not just that," Dad cut in. "Comparing our ancestors' technologies with present-day ones lets us find the pros and cons of each tech. To understand which direction to move in and which not to."
"And that's only part of the importance of history, young lady," Grandma said sternly. "I cannot allow my granddaughter to know history poorly — of our great people, and not only ours, but of the entire Galaxy. His Majesty's Perfect Maid is not just some cleaner in a cafe or restaurant. She's a woman who is well-versed in many disciplines. Such are the traditions, the legacy." Ziri was in for it now. I know firsthand how Grandma can knock the sense out of you even with basic etiquette. "And I will not allow you to disgrace us! Starting tomorrow, young lady, I will be overseeing your upbringing much more closely."
"Whatever..."
"Dare you object?" Grandma asked. Even without the Force, she was intimidating the girl. "I'm not interested in your objections. And if you get smart, you'll experience all the delights of my father's upbringing firsthand. Remember, Gadji?"
"How could I forget," Uncle literally turned grey. "I remember it, remember every strike of his belt on my backside. Sometimes I think someone could use a dose of that," he said, glancing at the crestfallen Ziri.
"You have Light, hit him!" my sister exclaimed.
"I'll resist," I answered seriously. "Because I don't mess up."
"A serious situation," Uncle said. "He'd knock out a couple of guards in a few seconds. Besides, he really is decently raised. But for you, Ziri, we don't even need an excuse."
"Heh-heh-heh," Rivi's laughter rang out. Everyone looked at her, making her cough and mutter something by way of apology. "Sorry, my imagination just ran a little wild."
"Don't daydream," Mayla said instructively.
"All right," Dad got up from the table. "Darling, thanks for dinner. As always, the best of the best. Now, Light, let's go downstairs. I'll show you your BB model."
I, who had also finished my portion and even my dessert, immediately stood up from the table. Ziri tried to come with us but was stopped by Grandma, who was slightly annoyed. Rivi said goodbye to all of us, refusing to wait until I was free, and went home on her own this time. On the other hand, it was still light out. Among other things, Dad gave me a named credit chip with an account linked to it that receives the money for the droid model.
"So." My father's workshop, where we had descended, had changed a bit. The equipment was fresher, newer. And right at the workbench, which was also connected to a computer, sat a deactivated BB droid painted green. Dad walked over to the droid and activated it. A cheerful trill rang out in Binary. "This specimen is called BB-7. It's the seventh model; it not only started up successfully but also works perfectly. The internals are state-of-the-art, plus I added a few things of my own. A shocker," the droid extended a stun probe. "Improved thrusters — those are in every production model, but I put something 'cooler' into this one. And the most important thing I think you, as a Jedi, might one day find useful: an improved program for hacking computer systems." So he could successfully cosplay as R2-D2, who'd hacked just about everything in his long, great life. "Naturally, in about ten years, it can be updated. So drop by, Light, even for such a trivial reason. And I'll give you a manual so you can fix it yourself if need be. Hear that, BB-7?" he asked the droid. "This is your new master, Light Flyingstar. My son. He's the very creator I told you about, because he sketched the first draft of your model."
"Bee-bip?" the astromech said something in Binary.
"Yes. And, Light, learn Binary so you can understand what he says," Dad smiled. "And he does love to talk."
"Beeweep! Bip-deep, vrip!" the droid let out a joyful trill and started circling around me.
"Right now, he's happy to see you, how to put it. BB-7 has the personality manifest of a loyal dog — in other words, having learned that you're his primary creator and destined master, he's genuinely happy to see you. I also took him to your ship, so he's perfectly synced up with it," Dad noted.
"I'd better learn Mechu-deru," I said. "It's a Force technique that grants technopathy, allowing me to understand technology on a new level."
"You can do that?" Dad asked in an amazed voice.
"That's right, Force techniques come easily to me, so I'll soon be able to understand this little guy," I said, patting the droid on the 'head,' making it let out another, clearly joyful, trill.
"Well then," Dad gestured invitingly toward the sofa, "that's good. But for now: let's talk, father to son, right? Come on, tell me about your life. I'm a man, I know there are things you definitely won't tell your mother. Have you already found a girl in that Temple of yours? You can tell me."
"Jedi are forbidden from having such attachments," I answered my father.
"No kidding?" Dad asked. "I know about that, but look, your teacher didn't hesitate to ask me about the Houses of Pleasure. I went there often, before I married your mother. So don't put this off, son, don't keep it bottled up. Long-term relationships are indeed forbidden for you, but you need to be able to relieve the tension. And it's better if you do it the good old-fashioned way."
"I'll think about it..."
"Don't pout, I only wish you well." Yeah, sure he does. I have a pretty face; every woman looks at me strangely. But do I need it? Now? In the future? No, even a casual fling means nothing but trouble.
"Alright. Let's continue our conversation..."
An exhausting experience, honestly.
* * *
"Would you like to sell me this ship?" Alaric himself asked me.
Lorm Decer, standing behind him, tensed up, and through weak echoes of the Force Bond, I felt something like "say something stupid and I'll bury you." We were in a massive hangar where the Royal Ships were kept. Yachts, fighters, and even one cruiser, under the Anaksian system, was gathering dust off to the side.
"A hundred million credits," the King smiled. "Think it over carefully. The ship is beautiful."
"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but you yourself gave me this ship as a gift..."
"And it was the right decision," the King smiled. "For everything has its price, but there are truly priceless things that it would be a shame to sell. You may be barely acquainted with this ship, but you received it as a gift, consider it deserved, and it suits you perfectly. Take care of it. I came to see such a beautiful ship off on its journey, and you too, Light. I remember you as a very small boy, so serious, leaving for Coruscant. I want to assure you, I have always valued the Jedi, especially Grand Master Yoda. And the fact that Gifted individuals appear among the Sephi, who later become Jedi, fills my heart with great joy."
"Your words are appreciated, Your Majesty," came the Zabrak's voice. Strange thing — one of the King's guard officers was looking at him oddly. And that bruise under his right eye, which he'd been trying to cover up today... Wait, don't tell me he didn't make it to the brothel and tried to hit on an officer? "However, no matter how excellent the hospitality of your beautiful planet may be, it's time for us to leave. Jedi affairs brook no delay."
"You will always be welcome on our planet, Light, Lorm," the King smiled at him. "Especially Officer Dizzy," he said barely audibly to the teacher as he passed by the King.
"For the sake of your God of the Wind, Your Majesty, do not mention that... beautiful woman... in my presence anymore. Ahem," he glanced at the brunette standing with her arms crossed. The teacher took me by the hand and led me inside the Star Trek. "Start up your starship and let's get the hell away from this planet. Especially from that woman!" Lorm demanded. "Where has it ever been seen that I, Lorm Decer, student of Teym Cerullian, one of the greatest Jedi archaeologists, would 'take responsibility'!"
"Teacher?" I looked at him questioningly. At least this time they let my friend Rivi see me off. She'd also brought a couple of the others from our group who had already grown up. A few minutes, but we reminisced... about youth.
"What nerve!" Lorm was indignant. "What are you doing here?" he asked me. "Why haven't you started the engines? The ramp is already closed!"
"Well, the bridge is on the second floor here. You said you read the ship's documentation," I noted.
"Eeeeh, I guess I did. Fine, let's go!" He led me to the elevator, which brought us to the control panel. I sat down in the first pilot's seat, which was quite comfortable. Dad had said they'd swapped out some of the furniture a bit; the mercenary who came for me back then was a bit ascetic. Now the furniture looked more presentable.
I pressed the buttons one by one to start up the power, engines, and other ship systems.
"BB-7, I need a status report..."
"Beeu-beweep," the droid replied. "Beweep, wiu, bip."
"Put it on the screen," I asked.
"It said everything's ready. Fuel, arsenal, ship systems — all ready for flight. The next technique we'll learn is Mechu-deru," the teacher answered, having stopped complaining.
"Good," I pressed the last switch, starting up the ship.
It shuddered slightly, then lifted off from the palace's landing platform. I engaged the autopilot; the ship received a flight path from the Flight Control Center. They had arranged a corridor for us. The ship flew smoothly along the route. Once we were out in space, I allowed myself a moment to admire the stars before entering Lorm's coordinates into the navigation computer.
"Four days to get there, Teacher," I reported.
"Fast, though it's got a decent hyperdrive," Lorm grunted. "Good, make the jump to hyperspace. You have four days; we'll be training."
"Yes, sir, Teacher," I reported, glancing at the system data. Unknown Regions. The planet had been discovered by Lorm Decer himself a couple of years ago. Jungles. Probably for training. I pulled the lever and activated the hyperspace system... Well, now life was going to get... more interesting? Back then, I didn't even know how much worse it would get...