Contrary to the Council's order, I didn't head straight to Coruscant... I had one more thing to finish. What exactly? Bury Mila Karnur. She wasn't a Jedi, so I decided to bury her as an ordinary sentient. I considered two options for solving this problem... Either go back to Chandrila, officially register her death, and buy a plot in a cemetery. Or... After thinking for a few more minutes, I decided to head to the first planet my teacher had taken me to. That very sanctuary... Even if it sounded wrong from a certain perspective. So I didn't leave the Unknown Regions for nearly another week, while my ship found a secondary hyperroute and followed it to that planet.
The sanctuary planet greeted me with a real downpour. Landing on the platform, I ran into the rinds from my pack, who had surrounded my ship. The wolves literally encircled me, ignoring the rain, many looking at me with sad eyes, as if they understood everything, understood the pain I had endured... Though I was the one to blame for everything. I had let this happen, I had been stupid... I hadn't wanted to become better, and this was where it led. Mila — dead, Master Lorm — also dead. In an instant, I had lost both love and a teacher... And this loss finally forced me to wake up from my dream.
Drunk on the Force, on my own abilities — I had decided that everything in this world was simple. That I would change history, and everyone would be happy, including me. But no. You can't change anything without sacrificing something. I hadn't wanted to sacrifice, hadn't wanted to change. And this was where it led. To my complete defeat. And ironically, the longer you put off learning, the more painfully it hits you.
"I need to bury her," I said. Behind me floated Mila Karnur's body, held aloft by the Force. I had kept her in a special capsule all this time, preserving her from decay. Just like my master's body.
One of the wolves touched my shoulder with its nose. I could literally feel its warm nose warming my shoulder... At the same time, I was already soaked to the bone from the rain... It was quite chilly, given the weather and, I suppose, the season at this location on the planet. But that didn't bother me much... A Force-user's body, even as worthless and pathetic as mine, is far more resilient than an ordinary human's. A common cold from the cold wouldn't get to me. The wolf touched my shoulder again, turned, and walked away from the ship toward the forest. The others followed...
"Follow you, huh?" I asked, covering Mila's body with a blanket and setting off after the rinds.
Recognizable trees and locations... my training grounds here. It felt like it was only yesterday. And now I no longer had the strict but wise master who could teach me anything. Lorm Decer hadn't become one with the Force. His body remained, and his spirit wouldn't appear to me like Kenobi's did to Luke. Left alone, you always start to appreciate those you've lost, even more so... Mila, though... Many would think we only knew each other for a couple of weeks. So what? We loved each other... Yes, the feelings came suddenly, but that was enough.
And now she was dead too. And I was carrying her to be buried... The enormous trees went on and on. At some point, their mighty branches formed an impenetrable barrier against the raindrops, which simply stopped touching my body. And the rinds kept walking and walking... Until finally I heard... The distant sound of surf.
"Water? No... There was a sea in that direction..."
Dragons live in the center of the continent. So-called... I nearly died from one of them. If not for my master. But we had reached the edge... Gradually, the trees thinned, the canopies grew smaller, as did the flora themselves. The fauna didn't concern me much; the rinds formed a tight ring around me and kept overly aggressive predators at bay. I could clearly feel several auras, living auras, go out along the way. Finally, the trees disappeared, revealing something majestic before me. It was a rocky shore, covered in green grass. The gray sky brought sadness, and cold raindrops fell from it... But that wasn't what impressed me. From the shore itself, a bridge seemed to extend — a thin path — to a rocky islet that could hold a decent-sized building. Below, the sea crashed and foamed against the gray cliffs. The dark water roared, spraying everywhere...
"You said you wanted to admire a view like this, Mila," I said. "This is a beautiful landscape. Too bad you can't see it... But you'll be buried in the middle of it."
I looked at the ground... The soil was hard, rocky.
"You'd need a pickaxe for this, not a shovel," I said angrily. "Wait... Am I a Force-user, or just out for a walk? Though that's a stupid question — judging by my actions, definitely out for a walk... And I'm talking to myself, too. At this rate I'll go crazy, though I think Geralt from the last game talked to himself when he was investigating, yeah... I'm not crazy, I've just become a Witcher, out in the Unknown Regions..." I joked and laughed at my own tasteless joke. "Alright... Time for you to rest in peace, Mila."
I focused on a certain part of the soil and suddenly released the Force into it... My plan was to separate that part and lift it, but it didn't work. Since I couldn't separate a layer of soil that way, I had to do it differently. Taking my lightsaber from my belt, I ignited the blade. The green blade shot out of the hilt, and I spun it. The hilt was cold, repulsive, and I had the feeling the rain wasn't to blame for that. Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut? I decided to just burn through the soil with the lightsaber... Even though the blade quickly burned through the rock, I had to work up a serious sweat before I not only burned the chosen spot to the necessary depth but also made it the right width and length.
"Well, Mila, my love..." I looked at the woman's body. It was pale, dressed in the new sundress I had bought for her on Coruscant. I had decided to change her clothes... I wanted to remember her in it. Not in that mechanic's outfit, but in the sundress that gave her such lightness and beauty. I shuddered, shrugging off my Jedi cloak with a movement. I had one. A light brown one. I took one last look at her peaceful face, pale... "I'm sorry I couldn't understand some truths sooner. It was because of me that you died... I was worthless and stupid. Maybe I'm still the same fool, or maybe not? Time will tell. I'll have time to prove it, or to prove the opposite. A part of me will always be with you, forever." I wrapped her in my cloak. "Rest in peace, Mila Karnur, and forgive me." Lifting her body with telekinesis, I placed it in the freshly dug grave. And now... I found a spot where the soil was softer. Directing the Force toward the ground, I scooped up enough soil, with some effort, and lowered it onto Mila Karnur's body. "And a stone," that was no problem. There were plenty of stones here. One of them became a new gravestone. Using my lightsaber, I left an epitaph in a language now so distant — Russian. "Rest in peace, Mila Karnur." With a heavy sigh, I put the saber back on my belt.
"Woof," the rinds appeared beside me again.
"Guard this place," I commanded the rinds, reinforcing it with a Force push.
"Woof," came from several rinds at once.
"Well, it's time for me to go..."
As I said before, maybe I'm being foolish by returning to the Order. Nothing good awaits either the Jedi or the Republic. Both will fall... But even despite my fall. I was still a Jedi... No longer the one I had been until now. But a Jedi... I moved through the forest. Some of the rinds stayed by Mila's grave, while the rest accompanied me to the ship.
"Where to now, master?" asked BB-7 when I reached the ship, back on the platform.
"To Coruscant, this time for real, BB," I sighed, returning to my ship and starting the engines, then walking into the cockpit.
The engines of the Star Trek roared, lifting the starship into the air. Taking the controls, I pointed it upward. The stars, distant and hot, appeared before my eyes. I entered the course into the navigation computer and pulled the lever to jump into hyperspace.
* * *
The ship landed at the Jedi Temple closer to evening. As soon as I stepped off the ramp, three Temple Guards stood before me. All in identical robes.
"Padawan Light Flyingstar?" one of them inquired. The hangar was alive with activity. Ships were landing and taking off. Technicians scurried about their business.
"We've come for your master's body, Knight Lorm Decer," announced what seemed to be their leader. Three men, dressed in identical colored robes, stepped closer. "We will prepare it for the burial rite. You will be invited to his funeral, Padawan."
"Well, then," I said, turning and waving my hand. "Come with me, Masters." I invited them, and they followed. Together we went to the storage area where a special capsule stood, holding my master's body.
The Guards lifted the Knight's body with telekinesis, quite efficiently, and left my ship.
"May the Force be with you, Padawan," one of them said. "We will inform you about the burial ceremony. By the way, they're expecting you at the High Council Tower for a detailed report."
"Thank you," I said, bowing slightly to the Guards. "May the Force be with you, Masters."
From the standpoint of protocol — any Knight is a Master to me. So that form of address is entirely justified. Time to head to the Council. But first... I grabbed one of the technicians by the arm.
"Wait," I stopped a fairly young guy.
"Yes?" he turned to me. He was a dark-haired human, short in stature. I could sense the Force from him... Service Corps?
"There was a virus implanted in my ship. I got it after... a certain incident. And no one could detect the virus until now," I said sadly, "until my master and an innocent woman died because of a failed mission..."
"That's impossible," said a voice from behind. "I personally checked your ship, Padawan." I turned around. A Rodian was standing near the ramp. I recognized him. He was also part of the Service Corps, but he'd been working here much longer than the one I'd grabbed. "I am Ruun Nikr," he bowed slightly. "And I've worked here for a good thirty years. I can vouch that there were no viruses on your ship..."
"But then how did someone gain access to it?" I asked sharply, walking right up to the Rodian.
"Perhaps because the ship once belonged to some organization. And a member of that organization, who gained access to your ship, had a universal key. The key could have been written into the very root of the system," Ruun said thoughtfully. "That's how they accessed it. We didn't check your ship for that."
"But I changed the access codes..."
"The codes have nothing to do with it," Ruun objected. "The key could have been written into the very root of the system, or... The ship's own system could be the key. In that case, you'd have to completely replace the software. Or I could try to find the problem and replace it individually."
"Hmm," I scratched my chin thoughtfully. "Here's what! Replace the entire ship's system. I don't want any more surprises with it. And BB, come here," I called the droid over. "Check him too. If the key was embedded in the ship's system, it could have copied itself onto my droid."
"Check the droid?" asked Ruun. "Logical," he nodded. "I'll have it done in a week," he said. "Until then, neither your ship nor your droid will be with you."
"Master... Don't you trust me?" BB-7 beeped.
"I do. But you don't want to harm me, do you, BB? Better to know that even subconsciously, you can't become a threat to me. And after the check — give him an oil bath," I ordered the Rodian.
"Yay! Yay!" BB spun around me like a dog.
"Hmph, it will be done," Ruun Nikr nodded.
* * *
The doors to the Main Jedi Council opened, and I could see those present. The tower offered stunning views of Coruscant. Directly opposite the entrance sat Grand Master Yoda. Yoda sat with his brows furrowed, frowning, I'd say. In 56 BBY, the High Council held the traditional number of Masters: twelve.
To Yoda's right sat Master Jonal, who came from the Shadow division. I knew nothing about his existence in canon. He was a non-canon character, but Lorm had spoken of him as a Jedi with his own principles, somewhat softened, though he believed his principles were worthy of being spread throughout the Order, which he advocated in the Council. Unsuccessfully... Next to Jonal sat the still-young, in the prime of her strength and beauty, Jedi Jocasta Nu. She had black hair, regular features, and a slender body hidden in a cloak. Moving on... To Jocasta's right sat Tera Sinube. Another Jedi Sentinel, an investigator. No one knows the Coruscant underworld better than him. To the right of the Cosian sat a native of the planet Iktotchi: Saesee Tiin. I remembered him; he had been the most lenient toward my master among the entire Council. And finally, Even Piell fixed a threatening gaze on my figure. Short, with peculiar ears, in black clothes. He belonged to the Lannik people.
To Yoda's left sat the following individuals: the Quermian Yarael Poof, very much resembling a native of the planet Kamino, with a long neck... As I recall, he was in the first episode, but removed in the second so that an unprepared viewer wouldn't ask: "Why didn't anyone know about this planet Kamino if you have a Kaminoan on the Council?" No — Kamino and Quermia are completely different, two unique planets. Then, from Yarael: Yula Braylon, a slightly unpleasant-looking human female; Oppo Rancisis, a Thisspiasian specialist in battle meditation; Poli Dapaten, an elderly man... To the left sat Elksa Kreiss, belonging to the Anomid race. And the last Council member on Yoda's left side: Dooku, recently elevated to the Council.
"Masters," I said, bowing slightly. Before them also stood a slender female figure, whom I could only see from behind.
The woman turned around, and I easily recognized An'ya Kuro... I had seen her much earlier, during meditations in the Hall of a Thousand Fountains.
"Master," I greeted her.
"We've been waiting for you," came from Even Piell. "Tell us, Padawan. In detail now."
I took a deep breath. They were probably going to tear me a new one.
"When Mila Karnur came aboard my ship," I began my story, "we gained access to the locations of all the hidden caches belonging to her brother, Joyran Karnur, who had stolen the medallion — a Sith artifact from the time of Zakuul."
"Why did Joyran Karnur steal this artifact from the Crimson Kraken organization?" came from Dooku. "To resell it?"
"No," I turned to the young Master. "The Crimson Kraken, as my Master and I had previously reported, had decided to sell the artifact to Shilazh, a Dathomirian Witch and Dark Sider, but Joyran, who was supposed to deliver the artifact, fled with it. The problem was Darth Arrogant."
"I've studied the data," Jocasta Nu interrupted me. "Darth Arrogant was the warden of the prison complex on the planet Gizelum and served Darth Vitiate."
"Correct," I nodded. "Darth Arrogant bound his spirit to the medallion and managed to possess Joyran Karnur's body, then flew to Gizelum. Later, he tried to take over my body..."
"Is that so," said Jonal. "And what about Arrogant's spirit now?"
"Dead," I reported. "He couldn't destroy my spirit; detached from Joyran's body — he didn't survive." I wasn't going to say that I had actually absorbed him myself. They might brand me a Sith. That's probably why I feel the strange reaction from my lightsaber crystal. I had taken in some darkness. Crystals are individual and react very sharply to the user's personality. Basically — did I need a new crystal after my adventures, especially after such a drastic revision of my views?
"I see," Jonal nodded. "I'll take your word for it, Padawan."
"What happened to that pair?" asked Even Piell. "You let them get away."
"Teyron Jarps is dead," I replied. "Only Shilazh survived. She still has the Sith medallion."
"I see," Jonal's voice came again. "I'll order the Shadows to track her down. Or would you like to track her yourself?"
Oh, every cell in my body demanded it. Track down that Dathomirian whore and turn her into kabobs. But on the other hand: vengeance is vengeance, but would it bring Mila back? Or my master? I was to blame for their deaths.
"No," I shook my head. "If I wanted to track her down, I would have gone after her myself. But I understand that mere revenge is a path to nowhere. I was ordered to return here, to Coruscant. That's what I did."
"Admirable diligence," Even Piell remarked.
"Your reasoning commands respect, young Padawan," Yoda broke his silence. "Trained you well your master did, if things like these you say." This was one of those lessons I would have preferred to learn without paying the price I had to pay under the universe's indifferent gaze. "And though pain of loss in your soul I feel, wisely you act. A new master the Council gives you. Knight Kuro has expressed a desire to finish your training."
"As the Council commands," I bowed slightly.
"Your master reported that nearly ready for the Trials you were. Your teacher will test this and report to the Council," Yoda said. "If ready you are, a Knight you will become. That is all, Padawan. Knight Kuro, stay. Speak with you the Council must."
I left the Council chamber while my new master stayed behind. My room... Or rather, Lorm's room. I was supposed to move my things from there to Knight Kuro's quarters. However, as I found out later, that wasn't necessary. Kuro was a lone wolf, rarely returned to the Temple, and didn't have a specific apartment. So I was informed that not only did my things not need to be moved, but I could move into those quarters and they would be solely mine. My new master was gone for a long time... So I just sat down in a meditation pose and gave myself over to relaxation. After everything I had lost... It was time to learn my lessons.
What is the Republic? What is the Order? I was planning to change something in both of these structures. But would I succeed by following the chosen path? I had to consider the circumstances, the environment... What did I want, what had I always wanted in terms of politics? A state built on the principles of meritocracy, in fact. Where the most capable hold the positions. But how could I, as a Jedi, demand that leaders be capable and intelligent if I myself was not? There were huge gaps in my knowledge. Empty words about universal justice, freedom, equality — that would get me nowhere. Those were just words, empty talk. I didn't like autocracies, countries with an "iron fist." They were weak, constrained by their own elite, dependent on their own leader. And not all leaders were Lee Kuan Yews; most autocrats could hinder development simply because of their own prejudices. But again — there was much to learn from them. From Palpatine's Empire, from the Zakuul Empire, from various Sith Empires. What did they know how to do? They knew how to act... A country needed people endowed with authority who wouldn't be afraid to act. Not the same as dictators, just those who, if something happened, would help their country...
But then the question arose about the nature of sentients. How to build such a thing? After all, everyone understood things in their own way. Many wanted power, and many were simply short-sighted. Who would be the one who could act without regard for empty talk, while maintaining a clear mind? Would sentients get tired of such individuals? I had to find answers to these questions and many others. Because I myself didn't understand what I wanted to build. But before demanding anything from anyone, I had to become an expert in these fields myself. And perhaps I should start with the military sphere. The galaxy would face conflicts in the future. I couldn't prevent them, no matter how much I wanted to. I wasn't even sure if I should. After all, without sacrifice, nothing could be built. Many sentients needed to understand the importance of their loved ones in order to learn to appreciate the present and build the future. Yes, that was probably it... What would I do? Perhaps I should study officer courses. That would come in handy in the future... Brush up on diplomacy, politics, management. I had missed a lot; I had relied only on my knowledge and thought, could have thought in the future, of this galaxy as practically my own playground. Where everything would be beautiful and wonderful... Was I wrong? Definitely.
"Wake up," a demanding voice came. I emerged from meditation with some difficulty. "So, you know my name. I am An'ya Kuro, but you may call me 'Dark Woman.'"
"I am Padawan Light Flyingstar," I bowed slightly, getting to my feet.
"Lorm's funeral will be tomorrow at dawn, Padawan," she said sharply. "Tomorrow afternoon we leave."
"My ship is under repair, Master, forgive me..."
"Ship under repair?" she asked. "Not good."
"The enemy easily hacked it," I said bitterly. "So I asked the technicians to study it and rework it a bit. They say they'll be done in a week... We can train..."
"Only in the Force," my master interrupted, dropping her black cloak, which was worn over equally dark clothes. "In lightsaber combat, you'd be useless right now."
"Master! I know Soresu and Ataru, and also..."
"Quiet your pride," the Dark Woman said sharply. "It doesn't suit you! You are incapable of a worthy fight right now. Not because your knowledge of combat forms is zero. Lorm boasted about your successes, rest assured. It's simply that you don't sense the problem that has arisen in you. Even I, not having formed a Force Bond with you, felt it..."
"Problem?"
"You fell, didn't you?" she asked.
Silence hung in the air. She stood right in front of me, calmly burning through me with her icy gaze.
"Yes," I said dryly. "But I managed..."
"To return. But you took a walk on the Dark Side, that's a fact. They could have easily locked you away if you had disclosed that information. Though many guessed it. You weren't taken down only because you managed to return and you're holding on. The Dark Side of the Force isn't felt from you. That's good. But you will never be exactly the same as you were before the fall. The Dark Side changed even the best Jedi in the galaxy. Let alone you," she sneered mockingly. "But the lightsaber crystal is what you need to consider. It no longer suits you. You've changed too much... You knew, didn't you?"
"Yes," I nodded.
"It needs to be replaced. For a Jedi, it's important that his saber corresponds to him. That's what we'll deal with. First thing."
"Are we going to Ilum?" I asked.
"Where we go depends on you. You have a week. We'll train in Force abilities, learn something new... And you'll meditate on your problem, trying to figure out where you need to go to get a new crystal for your lightsaber. We start tomorrow, after your master's funeral. May the Force be with you, my new student."