They let me go from the ceremony pretty quickly. While also giving me a mission to find another Sith Artifact in the backwaters, roughly speaking. Since I intended, or rather blurted out, that once I became a Knight I'd head to the Outer Rim. Damn my tongue... In the end, I'm supposed to head to Rishi. A tropical planet where some pirates have settled, who, according to the information I was given, got their hands on an ancient Sith Artifact. As usual — no one knows what the Jedi Archaeologist dug up on yet another planet in the Galaxy Far, Far Away. But the outcome is this — he was shot... The Artifact was taken from the corpse. And lo and behold — at that very time — a pirate crew, bearing the presumptuous name "Shot," some gloomy genius's latest spawn — showed up on Rishi. And before that — it was reported that the crew was hanging around the archaeologist's sector of operation.
Naturally — the Council wanted to get to the bottom of it. Why did this make me grind my teeth? If only because I intended to fly to the Outer Rim to start setting up my "safe houses, just in case." You have to be ready for anything, especially for Sidious outplaying me. Especially Sidious. And not just him... You can't underestimate the Dathomirian Witches either. And I, once upon a time, thought that with their Magic against the background of the Force, they didn't really matter. But no... There will always be someone who, if not with the Force, then with something else, can kill me. And I'd better be ready for any situation. There's nothing shameful or dishonorable in running...
In the end — better a live coward than a dead hero, in Force Ghost form, brainwashing some avengers to kill my enemies... No... Gifted with a personality like mine don't become Ghosts. Besides, that's not important now... I became a Jedi Knight! What any kid dreams of. I have a lightsaber, the Force, and a ship with a droid. Along with a carte blanche to explore the Galaxy. I'll have to interrupt it for Order missions, though. But the idea is that a Shadow mostly operates independently of the Order, seeking out dark Artifacts, Gifted individuals, dragging the former to the Temple and destroying the latter. Now the room in the Temple, where I used to live with Lorm and later we gave to Kuro and kept for me — was given only to me. Kuro, especially considering her leaving with her modest belongings, which she was levitating with telekinesis in front of her, certainly wasn't planning to stay.
"Mentor," I turned around. The Dark Woman had entered my room, as quietly as ever.
"Leave that address for Master Yoda," the woman chuckled. The hood she usually preferred to use to partly conceal her face, thus creating an aura of mystery, didn't hide her face this time. "Now you're a Knight, which means you are my equal. In rank, if not in skill."
"Definitely not in skill," I snorted.
"I hear reproach in your voice," the woman's lips twisted into a mocking grin. "Could it be that old grudge because I didn't teach you teleportation?" She sat down on the sofa.
"I haven't held that against you for a long time. Besides, who better than you," I sat down opposite her, "would know how to teach it. And whom..."
"Have you really matured?" Kuro said in a disbelieving tone. "Though, considering your whole journey... Maybe something like that has changed in you. But you know," she put on a thoughtful expression, "what was it that connected you to that girl? Mila Karnur..."
"You promised not to ask," I said, slightly coldly, making Kuro's pupils widen in surprise. Was I too harsh in my reply?
"Hmmm," she scratched her chin, "I did promise. But back then you were just a Padawan. Now you're a Knight. And I remember how wistfully you looked at your ship's engine when you were near it. I also noticed you studying her holo-photo..."
"Fine... I had a Force Bond with her. Spontaneous. Does that answer satisfy you?" I said, a bit too loudly.
"Don't shout and don't make a scene," Kuro replied calmly. "I only want to help you. Sort out your feelings. A spontaneous Force Bond, you say. Did you fall in love with her?"
I just gave her a cold stare.
"How formidable you've become since being knighted, Light, it's a real pleasure to see. Pride has come, and confidence too. Very well. I understand the essence of the problem... And it's far from unique in our Order. It happens from time to time. You know, I'd advise you to let it all go. I know, I know, I know..." she raised her hands in a defensive gesture. "It's not my place to say such things. But you know the essence — a Jedi Knight shouldn't spend a long time pining over something like this."
"I thought we weren't supposed to love," I noted.
"Loving isn't forbidden to us," Kuro stood up. "What's forbidden is attachment, sinking to the level of passion. And you had a bond with that girl. Unexpected, beautiful, and so warm... First love. Just like in those cheap romance novels they sell on the HoloNet. The ads keep recommending I buy them..."
"Mentor. Do you know that HoloNet ads always tailor themselves to the most frequent search queries on an account?"
"Meaning?" she looked at me in surprise.
"You didn't know? If a sentient often searches for porn with Twi'leks, the ads offer porn sites. But if it's 'cheap romance novels,' then..." Kuro's face even flushed slightly. "Oops... Did I say something wrong? I never would have thought that my great mentor, An'ya Kuro herself, called almost the best among the new generation of Shadows — searches for that kind of thing..."
"Tell anyone," she growled, "and I'll cut you into ribbons..."
"Yes, yes," I nodded. "Rest assured, mentor. Wherever I die, I won't reveal your secret, even if my spirit is tortured by the vilest Sith torturers in the entire history of their Order. But regarding Mila... I've already dealt with it, mentor. I really... I think it was a miracle to find such a girl for someone like me. Or rather, the miracle was that we found each other. The moments spent with her... Someone might say we spent next to no time together, what love... But for me, every second felt like an eternity. I wish I could relive each moment for ten years... But it didn't happen. And largely because, while my mind was ready for such a relationship, my strength wasn't ready for it. I've learned my lesson. Or I think I have. But regardless..." I looked into her eyes, "don't worry about me, mentor."
"You have beautiful eyes," she said unexpectedly, standing up. "I wouldn't want to see them dim, Knight Light Flyingstar. I'm leaving right now. I suspect you'll wait until tomorrow," I nodded, "so. May the Force be with you. Despite everything, I've also learned something from you."
"And with you, Knight An'ya. May the Force be with you."
She smiled, nodded to me, and headed for the exit.
"Terry," her voice came from the corridor. "I'll make the Order fire you if my fighter isn't ready to fly right now!"
Hmph. There she goes again. Well, that's An'ya Kuro for you. According to the canon, she's always traveling to the farthest reaches as a Shadow. In fact, all Shadows do. As my mentor told me:
"Maximum austerity."
"Eliminate any threats to the Jedi Order, almost at any cost."
Two main rules of the corps I joined. Generally — the Sentinels, which include the Shadows, are a mixed bag of the whole Order. As is known from the simplified classification, Guardians focus on the sword. Consulars — on the Force. And Sentinels... On anything, really. Though it's believed they are the ones who can "maintain a balance between the sword and the Force." And they're partly right. Many might say I'm more of a fencer than a Consular who uses the Force. And those sentients would be completely wrong. Because I actively use the Force in battle. True, mostly on myself, enhancing myself during jumps, movements, strikes, and spins. I also use the Force for sensory perception during combat. That is — my fencing and the Force complement each other, essentially being in balance. And that's not even mentioning that I'm strong in telekinesis and can use pyrokinesis.
Anyway. That's not the main thing now. I looked at the datapad, or rather the dossier specified in the mission. So, the leader... Lothar, a Rodian. A long list of crimes. Theft, murder, slavery, rape... Mother of... How is trash like this still alive? With his track record, they should have sent a Guardian after his crew long ago, with some support from the Judicial Forces. The current state of the Corps — various kinds of frigates and escort ships, ideally supposed to protect trade routes and chase pirates. The DP20 frigate, also known as the Corellian gunship, or the Carrack-class, a gunship, though some call it a cruiser. No... For a very long time, the Republic, regarding the Outer Rim and even in rare cases — closer planets — has utterly failed to perform its duties. And the existence of this pirate group led by Lothar is a perfect example. Most likely, he's also greasing the right palms so they leave him alone.
Maybe take him out first? Though no.
Preferably, retrieve the Sith Artifacts. Still... One doesn't preclude the other — take out the trash, then retrieve the artifacts. The main thing is to attack correctly. Not necessarily charging head-on. I can just strike from the shadows. After all, I've learned to conceal myself. The main problem is that the planet Rishi isn't just another tropical paradise. It's a paradise for smugglers and pirates of all stripes. A paradise the Republic has absolutely no intention of destroying. Although... I suspect, if I found a competent Admiral from the Judicial Forces... I could hear plenty of unpleasant things from him, since, as I saw on the net, "with the current tubs, fighting truly large organizations is useless. They'll grind us to dust!" Though that was clearly written by another "armchair analyst" who, as always — never having smelled gunpowder — knows better than any Senator, even the most correct and competent ones — how to govern the Galaxy. And on top of that... Don't show sentients what's in the Kuat Sector. Now that would definitely cause epileptic fits, even in the healthiest individuals. Because there lies the first of the series, as I've heard, the "Procurator," a ship — two and a half thousand meters long, effectively a precursor to the Venators and ISDs. A big toy for big boys, meant to make anyone who opens their mouth against Kuat think twice. I've heard the Jedi Consulars, in full force, flew to Kuat to ask them not to produce these ships. All they achieved was that the Kuati would use the ship only for their own defense. Well, we know... How corporations can "defend" their interests. But back to the pirate...
Most likely, someone simply benefits from his existence. On the other hand... I could study this planet as a potential hideout. Hiding among the dregs of society is so-so. But on the other hand — if you want to survive, you'll resort to worse. After sending the BB-7 coordinates, I decided to take a walk around Coruscant. After all, I still have a whole day to rest. And getting to this ecumenopolis is the dream of any self-respecting Star Wars fan. Or do I think so? In any case, I ordered the speeder I needed and headed to the shopping districts. The streets of Coruscant were exactly as I'd seen in many works set in the universe. Speeders raced at enormous speeds. The shopping district, one of many, located not far from the Senate building and the Jedi Temple — was quite elite and expensive.
The streets were filled with residents in rather rich clothes, by Galaxy Far, Far Away standards. My eyes widened in surprise at the prices. However, with income from the license for the production of the BB-series droids, which were in use at the court of the King of the Sephi themselves, I could afford not to deny myself some things. So... What to look at first? The technicians in the hangar were talking about the release of a new processor for datapads. Datapads can be disassembled, their components changed. Specifically — their processors can be replaced. Generally, most models aren't serviceable... But mine has that useful feature, "possibility of being disassembled with component replacement."
"Can I help you with something?" a question came. The seller turned out to be a human male. He even tried to peek slightly under my hood. His lack of manners didn't help him, though. What kind of manners are those, trying to see who's under the hood?
"I heard a new processor for datapads recently hit the market," I said calmly. "So, I'm interested."
I held out my left hand and activated mine.
"Ha," the man nodded. "You've come to the wrong place. You've got a more powerful piece of equipment there. I mean, I'd say — you're clearly a Jedi. Because the series installed in your build is, frankly... Not for everyone. And what came out," he pointed to the stands, "is the civilian version of this processor. Weaker. Good enough for games, surfing the HoloNet. But yours is still way better. However, if you want to trade..."
"Uh-huh, you expect me to trade mine for yours, after everything you just said?" I said with a slight smirk.
"My hardware is straight from the factory. Your datapad, Master Jedi, has clearly seen better days. I think something newer would be better than something used..."
"You're contradicting yourself again," I interrupted the man. "If something newer is better than used, why do you want to take this used one from me?"
"I want to see what they've cooked up for the Judicial Forces order. I've heard they're embezzling money there, Master Jedi, on their orders."
Hmmm... Well, the abundant existence of smugglers and pirates sort of hints that embezzlement exists. Because if the police weren't skimming... crime would be kept somewhat in check. Although — there are some things in the Republic that the Order itself controls. And it's very hard to embezzle there... It might end with them sending a Jedi Investigator, also part of the Sentinels, to bring all the corruption data to light. And if that's not enough, they could send a Shadow, just to eliminate the insolent one outright. Though we're usually sent after the Gifted. But... As they say: why not? Especially if the corrupt official really pisses off someone like Ezar. According to Kuro, he always keeps his finger "on the pulse" of such matters and, every now and then, a Shadow puts an end to some of the most egregious embezzlers of state property.
"No," I shook my head. "That's not going to happen."
"As you wish," the man said indifferently, returning behind the counter.
Don't feign world-weariness. No sooner had I left the shop and walked just a couple of meters away, than I nearly collided nose-to-nose with a green-skinned Twi'lek.
"You need to be more careful!" the girl snorted.
"You should practice your sensory perception yourself, Rela," I muttered.
And I should be ready for situations like this. Otherwise, next time it won't be Rela flying into me, but someone with a vibro-knife. And that's it... Goodbye, Light.
"Light!" the girl exclaimed. It pierced my ears. How unpleasant and a bit unexpected. This time Rela was dressed in standard Jedi robes.
"Well, hello," I nodded to the girl.
"Light," came the voice of another sentient. A woman, around forty years old, dressed in brown-toned Jedi robes. So this is Rela's master? The woman's face was moderately pretty, with what I'd call "Asian features." The hilt of a standard lightsaber was on her right hip. "I am Knight Mira Adari," the woman introduced herself. "Your friend, Rela?"
"Yes," I nodded slightly to the woman. "As of this morning: Jedi Knight Light Flyingstar."
"Hmmm," the woman looked at me curiously. "So you're a Knight too, it seems."
"What? Light, you became a Knight?" Rela's tone didn't lose its loudness. For which she received a cuff on the head from her mentor.
"If you keep shouting at every sentient like that, you'll never become a Knight."
"Ow," Rela rubbed the back of her head under her lekku.
She's still the same. Although... I glanced over Rela's figure again; even in Jedi robes, she'd make an excellent diplomat. At least — she'll be able to learn to negotiate with men just fine.
"Out for a walk?" I asked the teacher-student pair.
"Working," the woman replied matter-of-factly. "Rela decided to prepare some things for an upcoming mission. And it will be serious, requiring all your abilities," she looked sternly at the girl. "And it seems someone has problems with sensory perception."
Right. I have problems, since, even in a crowd, I nearly collided nose-to-nose with a sentient. Or is it because I don't use techniques outside of combat much? Bad, Light! No pass! A Jedi must always be vigilant!
"Sensory perception is Light's specialty," Rela tried to justify herself.
"So what? Is that a reason not to train it?" Under the serious mentor's gaze, Rela faltered. "However — maybe your friend can help you train, since my instructions don't seem to help."
I feel like I messed up a bit myself. Though the issue here isn't about mastering the Technique perfectly, but about using it. At least keep a weakened version running to be ready for anything. Though Jedi are naturally sensitive to their surroundings anyway... But why not train myself in this area to develop better?
"Hmm," I mused, scratching my chin. "I'm leaving tomorrow. But..." I looked at Rela. "I agree to help her a little. I have an interesting method—how I developed my sensory perception."
"That's all well and good, but first—Rela will buy what she wanted for her mission. The man we're going to see values jewelry. And since we need to negotiate with him for the Republic's maximum benefit—my student figured the proper thing would be to offer him a gift befitting our interests. Right, Rela?"
"Yes," the girl nodded.
"And the Order approved this?" I asked the Knight. "They'd have to allocate funds for that."
Instead of answering, the woman pulled a credit chip from her pocket with a faint, barely visible Jedi Order marking.
"And that's how it works in our Order. The funds are there. Rela knows this man's preferred materials and tastes," she nodded at her apprentice. "Diplomacy is compromise, sometimes concessions, sometimes gifts... The worst part is the... incredible sacrifices that sometimes have to be made. Although—the more talented the negotiator, the fewer sacrifices, concessions, compromises, and gifts they need to offer. I suspect you're listening with interest," the woman looked at me.
"Alas, I've been underestimating diplomacy," I sighed. Me, of all people, trying to build a Republic founded on a new social contract. Yeah, right. Like I'll actually build it without understanding the basics of diplomacy. "I'll need to brush up on it."
"I see. It seems we've found what Rela can pay for her training sessions today," the woman said with satisfaction. "You'll help train my apprentice in sensory perception. And she'll send you her notes—the ones she's been keeping since she became my Padawan."
The girl just nodded at her master's suggestion.
* * *
Sitting and meditating in the training hall, I waited for my friend. I hadn't found anything interesting in the shopping district afterward anyway. Except for a couple of games, which I bought plenty of. I also got interested in a promotional brochure for the Carida Military Academy. And not just that one. They were running ads for Alderaan University... And I understood. The gaps in knowledge that I, in my foolishness, had been ignoring—dreaming only of becoming stronger—could be filled not just through self-education. Self-education can be unsystematic. But also through studying the structured programs of the Galaxy's universities. After all—the fact that I'm a Jedi Knight doesn't forbid me from enrolling in those universities. It seems I've got another interesting item on my plan... I honestly didn't know what to do after setting up sanctuaries on the planets.
Although, I suspect studying at universities might be easier. The sanctuaries don't just need to be created—they need to be built up. For that, I'd have to buy a lot of industrial goods, preferably in secret. And only then fly to the chosen planets. The doors opened... Among many Jedi, Rela's master finally entered, accompanied by the girl herself.
"Let's start the training," I stood up slightly, raising my hand. Sure enough, in the Twi'lek's palm was the helmet we'd been using to train for deflecting blaster shots.
"I'm going to learn to reflect shots?" Rela's pupils widened in surprise.
"No," I shook my head and raised my hand.
Before coming here, I'd found a bunch of small rubber balls.
"I'm going to launch all these balls at you with my telekinesis. And I'll control them with one main goal—to beat you with them. Your goal, using sensory perception, will be to dodge them."
"Can I use a sword?"
"Yes," I nodded, "but use a training one so you don't destroy the balls. Your objective will be to reach me while taking minimal damage. Using sensory perception—analyze the path, obstacles, dodge attacks, deflect them with your sword. I'm admittedly a beginner at training other sentients. But I think it'll work."
"It will work," the woman nodded. "I wasn't wrong when I guessed you'd come up with something interesting. This training will test not just sensory perception, but the body's physical condition as well. Unlike recently, when Rela's gotten addicted to pastries..."
"I haven't gotten addicted to anything! And anyway! Let's start the training!" She pulled a training sword toward herself, putting on the helmet.
"Let's start," I nodded. "With thirty," I lifted thirty balls into the air at once.
Rela rushed into the attack... And... Honestly, her situation wasn't the worst. At least she reacted confidently to the attacks... Not counting the blind spots, like her legs. She usually used her sword above waist level. As a result, her legs were left uncovered, though she tried to dodge—but not against my telekinesis. I mercilessly punished the girl with balls that flew pretty fast. In the end, despite all my cruelty during her training—she managed.
"Well," her teacher summed up. "That was an interesting method. Rela will send you the materials, hopefully," she smiled. "In her notes, you'll understand at least something..."
Her Padawan lay at my feet, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily. Some exposed patches of skin bore the evidence of my hits.
"Solid training," I agreed.
"So I'll start using it too," the woman scooped up Rela with telekinesis.
"WHAT?! NO! Not that," the Twi'lek wailed.
"Yes. Otherwise we've been neglecting the combat aspect too much. Diplomacy is good, but sometimes a Jedi simply has no other choice. Take care, Knight Light. May the Force be with you."
"May the Force be with you," I nodded back, returning the balls to the bag I'd brought them in with telekinesis. Well then... Tomorrow I'll head to Rishi—take out the trash and get acquainted with Shadow work. And after the mission... I'll have plenty to do.