Rishi seemed like a beautiful paradise. After destroying the pirate crew, the pilot of the transport ship simply detached the pirate Gozanti from his ship and headed for the planet. I did the same, detaching from the transport ship. It was currently night in the area where my target's team was located, so I had to land the ship not exactly where I originally planned. Otherwise, I'd have an extra six hundred kilometers to travel to the target. Rishi had no central administration. Well, it existed, but it didn't decide anything. A pirate haven, what can you expect? It doesn't really matter how you steer a ship with a hundred or so souls on board. If those faces are armed with blasters and very angry, you shut up and don't tell them where to land. They'll figure it out themselves; there are plenty of places, and the crews usually know their spots.
I landed the ship in a backwater "town" where morning was approaching. The spaceport in this area existed only for show, consisting of an old hangar with landing pads. No one was running it. Come as you please, land as you please… And before I start acting, I needed to recon the local situation. But even before that, I decided to get a good night's sleep. After all, it was night by local time. I'd sleep, rest, and then head out for initial reconnaissance. I had no intention of rushing Lothar's base right away. Who knows what surprises await… Even if they are just the dregs of society, they managed to kill an entire Jedi Knight. Yes, not a Guardian, just an Archaeologist, whose combat aspect is often overshadowed by "theoretical knowledge in the field."
And yet—Archaeologists can be surprising too, since they're always digging through the remains of past civilizations, especially those of the Gifted, searching for something every now and then. Sometimes Archaeologists can use Force Techniques that even the best Consuls of the Order, who are more focused on the Force, can't. For instance, my first Mentor, Lorm Decer, mastered pyrokinesis and even Force lightning. However, archaeologists are often mostly theorists who delve into history rather than being able to actually put up a fight. Of course, it's possible that the archaeologist was killed by Lothar's employer. But then things get much more complicated. The Order managed to track the pirate gang, but couldn't track down the Jedi's killer, likely also Gifted and pretty decent at it, judging by everything…
And that's the knot I have to untangle… Not only find the artifact, but also get to the truth—who managed to kill a Jedi. Damn… Either way, after a good sleep, I'll be able to think about the mission better than I can while my head is clogged with this now. I went to my quarters, which were the best furnished on the ship, more resembling the cabin of a yacht owner close to the definition of "luxury" than the ascetic quarters of some Jedi. At least somewhere I can truly live for myself… For someone from the twenty-first century, even not as wealthy as me, the true asceticism of some Jedi was something like horror. Especially for someone transported from a much less technologically developed world. I saw no point in restricting myself when it came to decorating my quarters. Undressing, I fell into bed without much hesitation and fell asleep… Waking up about five hours later, when it was about nine in the morning local time. After showering and doing my morning meditation, along with my usual assembly, checking, and cleaning of my weapons, I got dressed. By ten, I was already leaving the ship, having previously instructed BB-7 that "no one is to enter except me," putting the ship's security systems on high alert.
The droid took the order seriously and connected to the ship's systems, so the moment I stepped onto the ground via the ramp, the exit closed immediately. The air had a specific smell of ozone; had there been a rainstorm just before morning while I was sleeping? The old spaceport building where I landed had clearly seen better days. The steel beams holding it up were starting to rust. I headed into the town itself. Big ships can't land here… And Lothar's ship, which could hold two hundred souls, was big. I didn't know exactly where the captain had put down yet. From the Bothans, I only managed to buy a rough area on Rishi where this ship had landed. I could scout the area further, but I had to be careful… Pulling up my hood, I walked out of the spaceport building.
Life in this area was already bustling, there were sentients everywhere… Not of the most pleasant appearance. I could see blasters, vibro-swords, and other means of killing on many of them. First things first—I needed to find out something about Lothar from sources in the town. I could grab a couple of sentients and interrogate them. But that could, in theory, attract attention. I could also try to eavesdrop on conversations in the cantinas. Sentients under the influence of alcohol can blabber a lot. And if you listen carefully, you can hear what you need. Even theoretically, I didn't particularly want to draw attention… It was still too early to spook the prey. News that a Jedi is looking for you can make someone quickly change their location, heading strictly in the opposite direction from the seeker. And then you'd have to search for him across the entire Galaxy. Even though I trained to face the Gifted, under Kuro's supervision, dealing with the non-Gifted is the same as dealing with the Gifted. Why is that? The only difference between the Gifted and the non-Gifted is the former's possession of the Force. In everything else—both are prone to the same actions. Both logical and illogical.
Alright… So I need to avoid drawing attention, even theoretically. That means I'll start with some cantina. Maybe I'll even get lucky and find someone from Lothar's crew. The cantina I chose was more or less decent. Simple music was playing, which I'd classify more as jazz. Some tables were empty, others were occupied by sentients of various kinds and professions. Some were enthusiastically gambling. Occasional cursing came from those tables. But the patrons generally preferred to behave civilly. As soon as I entered, several sentients, including some definitely mercenaries, scanned me with their eyes. After looking me over, they spotted the blaster from BlasTech Industries on my belt, which I had prudently brought along, since everyone here carries weapons. Putting lightsabers on your belt is like shouting, "Hey there, you scumbags! I'm probably a Jedi!" But putting an ordinary blaster pistol on your belt just makes people think you're a smuggler, or someone like that. I chose a DH-17 blaster pistol, quite common in these times. Naturally—not a prop, since an experienced eye would immediately spot the fakery. Plenty of sentients wear blasters on their belts.
I sat down at a table, and a waitress from the human race approached me, placing a simple menu in front of me. The woman wasn't young, about forty in my opinion. She had black hair and traces of former beauty.
"Are you ready to order, esteemed guest? Or should I come back later?" she asked.
"Hmm," I glanced at the menu. "Get me something to drink. Say. This," I pointed to the wine selection. I hadn't heard of the name. By local standards, it was in the "mid-price segment."
"Will you be alone, esteemed guest? Or will someone be joining you?" the waitress asked.
"I have something important to celebrate," I nodded. "Alone."
"Will you be having anything to eat? I recommend item number twenty-six. Cutlet with a side dish."
I just nodded. I didn't care what they served me anymore. My real desire was to get the necessary information. After receiving my order, I started eating. The food turned out quite good, as did the wine, even though I was never a big connoisseur of alcohol… But that wasn't the main thing. Concentrating on my surroundings, I began to listen. Carefully listening, enhancing my hearing with the Force. Lothar was located west of the town, having landed his ship not far from the local farms. Two of the ship's crew members, definitely present here, casually blurted out that they had hit the "big score." Saying their employer would be very pleased. Sentients from other crews congratulated them, or were already boasting about their own successes. I had just finished my meal and was starting to ask myself—had I heard enough, or should I sit a little longer—when the cantina door opened…
I glanced briefly at the newcomer; in thirty minutes, he was the eleventh such visitor. The problem was the visitor himself… Why him of all people? Sheygen Joyrit stood in the doorway with his glaive. The Matukai swept his gaze across the cantina, found me with surprise, but just snorted contemptuously. He strode over to the bar with long steps.
"Bartender," he said, even too loudly. "I need information about the Rodian pirate Lothar!" Damn it. I'm not the only one looking for him. This pair is looking for him too. And I definitely don't like that fact. The cantina was even slightly stunned by Sheygen's obvious recklessness. But two of Lothar's crew members, clearly assessing the Matukai's imposing appearance and his weapon, decided to get the hell out while the getting was good. Well, thanks for nothing, you dog… Still. I could follow those two. Or catch them on the quiet.
"And can you pay for the information, Matukai?" asked one of the beat musicians, who had been playing some decent jazz on the saxophone until now.
"Why should I pay for information?" the teenager asked. "Just tell me everything you know. Or," he aimed his glaive at the musician, "I'll run you through."
What an idiot. What kind of hellish vagina produces degenerates like this? Or is it the higher powers' quota for filling the Galaxy with morons?
"Sure you want to try your luck, Matukai?" asked a calm voice from right behind me. A woman in Mandalorian armor was speaking. "You're clearly outnumbered here. And you won't be fighting weaklings."
"Speaking of which," noted a pirate from a sabbacc table, "members of Captain Lothar's crew just left. You scared them off. Clumsy as a Hutt in a china shop."
"What?" Sheygen asked. "You'll pay for that insolence…"
"Sheygen!" came the voice of the hot-headed Matukai's teacher. The man was standing at the entrance. He crossed the cantina quite quickly and, with a slight swing, smacked his student on the back of the head with the blunt side of his glaive. "How many times do I have to tell you? Be quieter. Don't you see, you're disturbing the esteemed sentients' rest after their hard work."
"I…"
"You," the Mandalorian woman interrupted, cutting off the Matukai student. "You obviously think too highly of yourself. You almost started a fight with the whole cantina. Please show some diligence in his training before granting him the tattoo, Teacher," she addressed Teydor. Teydor's eyes widened in surprise… Right, surprised that someone knows about the internal customs of his Order. "A Jedi behaves better than a Matukai. I never thought I'd see the day."
"What?!" asked one of the pirates. "There's a Jedi here?!"
"There is, you blockhead," how did she know? "But I won't tell you. Find him yourself…"
"But Lora!" exclaimed the Twi'lek who had been arguing with her. "Why?!"
"Because you should have paid in full, not with 'Sorry, but your group didn't fulfill the contract completely!' You half-wit. And why do you need a Jedi? Want to go to the next life?"
The Twi'lek shut up, and I glanced briefly at the Mandalorian's armor. It was painted predominantly in blue. On the girl's back was clearly a vibro-sword. Blaster pistols hung on her belt. This woman managed to find out that a Jedi had come through here. Did she guess who the Jedi was?
"Once again, I apologize for my student's behavior," Teydor said. "We will leave you immediately."
"But Teacher…"
"Don't argue!" Teydor snapped. As they passed by me, the man threw me a barely audible phrase. "Young Knight. Care to talk?"
Well, considering they also want to meet Lothar—now I do. Earlier, I didn't want any dealings with this pair at all. And I want to find out something about this Lora, who managed to expose me. But that can wait for now. There's a chance, of course, that she might also be working for Lothar. But it's a slim one. As soon as I stepped out of the cantina, I noticed the Matukai pair, who had turned into an alleyway. The Teacher nodded to me, so I understood it was best to follow him. The alleyway was filled with the foul stench of garbage. Dark, gloomy, nestled between two buildings—the cantina and a weapon shop located literally next door.
"Once again, I apologize, Young Knight," Teydor Loy bowed slightly. "Did my student cause you any inconvenience?"
Sheygen was literally boring a hole through me with his glare.
"Well," I said, glancing at the youth. "I suspect he caused you more harm. The moment he walked in, he announced to the whole cantina who you were looking for on Rishi. And started threatening people. I thought I might have to step in and calm him down."
"As if you could…"
"Sheygen!" the Teacher exclaimed, interrupting his student. "Don't forget yourself. You are facing a Jedi Knight. And this young knight is little inferior to me. Or have you forgotten how your last encounter almost ended?"
"Yes, Teacher," the teenager hissed, "I remember."
"Hmm," I put my hand to my chin. "You assessed my level of ability?"
"Live as long as I have, Young Knight, and you'll learn to gauge how strong any sentient is, especially a Gifted one, without any fighting. You managed to become a Jedi Knight. Height is below average, judging by your build—you prefer a mobile fencing style. Ataru? Makashi at most. For a preferred Shien style—your build isn't sufficient. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about."
"I readily believe you, esteemed Teydor. But I suppose that's not important right now. Your student mentioned that you're looking for a certain Lothar. And I'd like to know what you want from him. I'm looking for him too."
"Hmm," Teydor said meaningfully. "I suspect I know the reason why the Jedi became interested in him… Just as I know which specific division of the Jedi you belong to, Young Knight," the man gripped his glaive tighter.
"Let's leave my division out of it, esteemed Matukai," I raised my hands. "My mission is to find what Lothar stole from us. Not the deliberate destruction of two Matukai."
"Especially since you wouldn't have managed the latter, Jedi," came Sheygen's contemptuous voice.
Damn. He's starting to get on my nerves. On the other hand, if I don't react too strongly to his jabs, sooner or later he'll get tired of coming at me. Or I could just totally crush him in a direct fight, beat him up, maybe cut off his arms. That would shut him up.
"I suspect we're talking about certain artifacts found by a recently slain Jedi Archaeologist," the senior Matukai noted.
"You know about them?" I asked. The man nodded. "And what are they?"
"Well, I suppose, given the fact that you don't intend to attack us—I can tell you. They aren't exactly artifacts, but the training methodology of our teaching's Foundress. You do know how the Matukai came to be, don't you?"
"Well, in general terms," I confirmed. "Though no one has known the Foundress's name for a long time. I can admit that your teaching is quite interesting. And the training methodology," I licked my lips, "sounds very interesting. As a Jedi more focused on the combat aspect, I must admit I've just developed an interest in this mission."
"That's the point. I propose the following deal to you," Teydor said with a smile. "I'm flattered that a Jedi has taken an interest in our teaching. Especially after hearing what exactly he is supposed to find for the Order. The Jedi who was killed was an archaeologist. Rikan Erez was my friend. He understood what he had found and invited me to help decipher the methodology. It contains not only training kata, but also detailed descriptions of Force manipulation. Rikan proposed the following deal to me: each of us would get a copy, and he would bring the original to the Order. I would help him decipher the information, thereby allowing him to become a little more acquainted with our teaching. But before we could fly to him, he was killed."
"And you're not afraid that the Jedi would have revealed your secrets?" I asked the senior Matukai.
"Not at all. I would have trusted Rikan with my life. He was… like a brother to me."
"And you're not afraid that I will send the deciphered data to the Temple?" I asked another question.
"I stopped being afraid when I heard that, despite belonging to your Corps, you wouldn't attack us. Usually, your brothers in the Corps do attack us," now I understand where Sheygen's reaction to me came from. I looked at the guy, who snorted and looked away. "I like to take risks sometimes. What's life without risk, Young Knight? So—how does this deal sound to you? You get the encrypted original. I decipher the methodology's contents for you and hand it over personally. You will send only the original to the Order, but you won't provide the decrypted information…"
"Do you realize how much you're risking?" I asked the senior Matukai. "I'm not Rikan. What makes you think you can trust me?"
"I trust only my instincts, Young Knight. And for now, they trust you."
"Very well… You know how to convince…"
"But Teacher!" Sheygen started to exclaim.
"Calm down, student," his teacher stopped him. "We must learn to coexist with everyone. Of course—we will also get a copy. And you," he nodded to me, "will be able to become acquainted with our teaching. Maybe you'll pick up something new."
"I won't hide it, I'm interested in other teachings," I crossed my arms over my chest. "My mentor included a Matukai's principles in my training that he encountered once."
"Oh, I noticed that immediately," Teydor clapped his hands. "I can see it, even though he only included the initial stage. But it turned out quite well. With your Force talent and Matukai training, you will become an incredibly strong warrior. And that's no joke, Young Knight. Your mentor built a good foundation in you."
"Yes," I said, with a hint of sadness. "I did. In any case — since we've come to an agreement, where do we start? Sheygen scared off those two from Lothar's crew. They might be getting ready for takeoff, but they won't lift off quickly. Pre-flight checks can take hours. Loading everything up, calling the crew together, checking the ship's systems... And they might have to notify the captain, who could also be away."
"You haven't left us any choice, my eternal student," Sheygen snorted, earning another cuff from his mentor. "We'll attack right now. I think together we can handle them."
* * *
The pirate camp met us with a hive of activity. They'd clearly gotten word that two Gifted had come for them. But they weren't rushing to pack up and take off. On the contrary — the pirates were preparing to defend themselves. That's one thing I honestly never expected... According to my original plan, I was supposed to sneak quietly into the camp, find the Captain. Interrogate him, kill him, take the artifacts. But then Sheygen happened... About fifteen years ago, apparently. And he'd have been better off not happening, honest to god. Now I have to fight this whole mob. The ship really did look terrible. An elongated pleasure yacht, plastered with leftover freighter armor and weapons. Lothar would have been better off buying a Gozanti. But... We've got what we've got.
"Hutt," I cursed. We were standing on a small hill, watching the "battlefield." I'd inspected the positions through electrobinoculars. The device could magnify any image. With it I could see at a distance of about three kilometers, give or take. "They've set up a defense. At least five firing positions, pretty well fortified, with stationary rapid-fire blasters." I zoomed in on the weapons, which looked like heavy machine guns. The only difference was that they shot plasma. "I don't see any mines. But those stationary guns are a problem. If we attack from the front, head-on... we're looking at fiasco."
"Us, definitely," Theodor said, asking for the observation device. I handed the electrobinoculars to the Matukai. "You could definitely deflect all the shots and close in on the position, then take out the defenders."
"Hmm... I could. But we also need to understand that they'll try to surround me from all sides. I wouldn't be able to escape from such dense fire... Well, all I could do is just withdraw from the fight, leaving you." Until then, my mentor and I had mostly relied on not being detected before entering battle. Or we'd prevented the enemy from surrounding us. But... The Matukai aren't Jedi. No matter how much they know about us, they can't stop me from being surrounded. A direct fight could end with me wounded or dead. "Three firing points are concentrated in our current direction. And two on the sides, clearly meant to prevent flanking. So one on each side."
"If we think about it, we could each attack from the flanks," Theodor said. "And you..."
"And I go down the middle, is that it?" I asked.
"They expect two Matukai to charge down the center, young Knight. But not a Jedi."
"I could try to go around from the rear," I said, "circle the camp. Create a diversion. They expect Matukai. Matukai are warriors used to fighting head-on, right?" I asked Theodor.
"We are the best warriors in the Galaxy!" Sheygen exclaimed. "Sith, Jedi, Zeison Sha... You're all pathetic in a direct confrontation with us!"
"I'm sure," I said. Yeah, right, I'm sure. I'll tell that to Vitiate, or Revan, face to face, if you've got the guts. The first is a Sith, the second a Jedi — they could wipe out the entire Matukai Order without breaking a sweat. Well, most of them, anyway. On the other hand, he'd never played Knights of the Old Republic or the MMO "The Old Republic," unlike me, who'd finished both games. And what am I trying to prove to him? We're not on a forum arguing about Star Wars. I'd better focus on the present.
"So what kind of diversion can you organize?" the senior Matukai asked me curiously. "Are you going to play with their ship using telekinesis?"
I looked at the man in surprise, then turned my gaze to the yacht. No... I'm definitely not capable of pulling that off yet. But sneaking to the very rear of their position and tossing grenades into the ship's engines — that's a nice piece of work.
"Well... I've got a couple of ideas." I patted my pockets. Wanting to match the look of an extravagant but still Outer Rim mercenary-smuggler, I'd brought not only a blaster, but also a couple of grenades. I pulled the grenades out of my pocket.
"And don't even think about it. We don't know where the relic we're looking for is, young Knight," the Matukai shook his head. "And take a look at this junk. It might look relatively sturdy, but who knows what condition that ship is in."
"Fine, then we'll manage with something else," I shrugged. "I'll just levitate these toys," I tossed the grenades into the air, "onto their positions. They definitely won't expect a trick like that. But first, we need to identify Lothar, so I don't hit him."
"He's standing right at the ship's ramp," the senior Matukai said. I heard a note of anger in his voice. "You won't miss him."
He handed me the electrobinoculars. I brought the device back to my eyes and zoomed in. Sure enough, a Rodian was standing right in the middle of their positions. He looked frail, from the outside. He was dressed in standard trousers and a short-sleeved shirt. A pair of modified blaster pistols hung at his belt... So that's Lothar. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest. I have five grenades... Should I use them to take out the firing points, or just blow them up in different parts of the camp to cause a panic?
"I think," Sheygen said thoughtfully, "we need to destroy the three firing points facing the front... What? Why are you staring at me like that, Jedi?"
"You're actually thinking?" I asked in surprise. "Are you sick?"
"Shut up! I'm trying to reason logically!"
"Ah, I see... You are sick," I stated.
"Young Knight, please refrain from such explanations of my student's mental faculties. Sheygen may look... a certain way in your eyes... But he is the son of a successful being who was a military commander on his home planet. Quite successful. He has the makings. He's just a little hot-headed."
"I can't tell if you're praising me or insulting me, Master?"
"Those are two extremes of the same peggat," I sighed. "Alright. Let's say I take out those positions with precise telekinesis. What then? Attack head-on?"
"Of the three of us, only you, young Knight, can deflect blaster shots. We attack head-on. You are our breakthrough unit. Sheygen and I won't let them surround you while you reach the leader. Don't kill him right away..."
"I won't," I smiled, "but cutting off an arm or leg with a lightsaber won't kill him. I have questions for him too."
* * *
The pirates were ready for a direct, frontal assault, in the Matukai style. Their Captain clearly knew who was after him. But even revealing the Mandalorian wouldn't prepare him for the fact that a Jedi Knight was also looking for him. Simply because no message had been sent to him. Otherwise, my datapad would have given me that information. But I hadn't received any intercepted messages... So they don't know. The tall grass lining the road to the camp was excellent cover for me. I looked through the electrobinoculars one more time, precisely calculating the force of the throw and the degree of wind and telekinetic influence on the grenades. Then, taking a swing, after first activating the explosive device, I used telekinesis to hurl three grenades into the air at once. Five seconds until detonation... Watching the circles in the blue sky, I caught them with telekinesis and guided them exactly where they needed to go. Two seconds... Now... The detonators exploded right where they were supposed to; groans and explosions came from the base. Ammunition was detonating too, judging by the popping sounds. Grabbing the two remaining grenades, I lobbed them into the camp again, this time without aiming much.
And while the pirates were still reeling, I charged into attack...
"STOP!" The first line of defense looked pretty flimsy. I just jumped over it, drawing my lightsabers in mid-air. Landing after the jump, I ignited both lightsabers.
"Oh, son of a bitch," came from the crowd of pirates. "A Jedi!"
"We already killed one! We'll kill this one too!" came from behind me. And a moment later, groans and cries of the wounded came from there too. I felt life auras extinguishing behind me. The Matukai had entered the fray.
"There are three of them! Fire! Fire!"
Positioning my sabers in front of me, I started spinning them. The Force guided me, showing me the trajectories of the bolts. And I managed to put my sabers in their path. The pace kept increasing, and my sabers became real propellers. Bolts ricocheted off them, and I managed to close the distance between the pirate lines and myself. Just a little more and I could cover the remaining distance with a Force-enhanced jump. I could cause a real massacre in the pirate ranks. I hadn't doubted that for a long time, roughly since that jungle training session my mentor Lorm had arranged. No matter how naive I'd been, I always knew — an enemy is an enemy. Finally, I made another jump to land in the middle of the enemy ranks. Spinning in place, I immediately killed four beings standing nearby with a single decapitating strike. I rushed to the next one... Dodging a shot, I cleaved him from belly to head... Telekinesis... The body of the just-killed pirate shielded me from his comrades' fire. What a Hutt... Grenade launchers... Three pirates with grenade launchers fired projectiles at me at once. I pointed my left hand, holding the saber, toward them, raising my fingers. A barely visible film-like barrier formed before me. And it held against the explosions with dignity. A moment later, I knocked down the grenadiers and those standing next to them with telekinesis. Turning right, I pulled three enemies toward me, spinning and hacking their bodies to pieces. Then I lunged again, closing in on the pirates I'd knocked down, who were barely getting back to their feet. Auras winked out to my right and left. The Matukai were working...
"No! Hutt! Get the hell away from us!" one of the pirates screamed, but I couldn't be stopped. I cut off his head, then jumped on his comrade, pinning him to the ground with my sabers. Springing up, I spun in the air, moving sideways toward the pirates. It created a kind of tornado parallel to the planet's surface, rotating using the Force. Jumping over five more pirates this way, I noted they were dead. Twenty more ahead... All armed with blasters and ready to send me to the next world... Well then... I spun my lightsabers in front of me, licked my lips, and attacked... The pleasure the battle gave my body was intoxicating, though I tried to keep it somewhat in check. No need for me to "fall" to the other side here. After finishing the twenty, I looked ahead... The last pair of pirates appeared before me when there were about fifteen meters left to Lothar. And there he was, already reaching for his blasters. A Gamorrean and a human. First, the massive Gamorrean swung a vibro-axe at me. I looked into his eyes and immediately activated a Force suggestion, also crushing him with telekinesis. The alien froze, paralyzed... I spun again, cutting off his head. And finally, from the left, the last one attacked me, the one who'd stood against me together with the Gamorrean. He didn't have an outstanding physique, but he wielded a vibro-sword and was pretty good at it... For an ordinary being. But for me, a Gifted, all his actions were visible, like text in a book. Putting one saber away in its hilt, I parried his simple thrust and grabbed him by the neck with my now-free left hand.
"You want to play with me too?" I asked the man.
"Hutt! Damn you! Ha..."
A shot rang out. Lothar fired at me from both his pistols. I was open to his attack, and he was on my right side. I could have deflected the shots with my saber... But that's the trouble. This smartass was using kinetic weapons. Their shots can't always be burned away by the saber's energy. So I acted fast, putting the man in the path of the bullets, and he, taking fatal damage, died, coughing up blood. Devil... I'll have to wash my suit again.
"Not very polite to interrupt," I said, pointing my saber at Lothar.
"Foolish Jedi!" Lothar said, firing at me, but this time I dodged. "Do you think you'll survive?! I'll kill you..."
"Enough." I dodged his next shot, and, catching his pistols with telekinesis, I ripped them from the captain's hands. "I don't have time to play with you." I pulled the Rodian toward me with telekinesis. He tried to stab me with a knife, but all he got was a severed hand. I stepped on his stump, pinning him to the ground. "Where is the thing you killed a Jedi for? And who hired you?"
"I'm not afraid of you, Jedi!" he shouted. "Don't kid yourself that I, Lothar of the Shot gang, will rat out my client! I'm too honest..."
"Pirate and the word 'honest' are antonyms, Lothar," I smirked. "I'm less amused by fake social media users with five friends and 'right political views.' Talk now!" I demanded of the Rodian. "Who hired you, and where is what you stole? Or you'll be looking at a burial, not a prison."
"Jedi don't kill unarmed people..."
"I'm not exactly an ordinary Jedi." I smiled unpleasantly, looking into the Captain's eyes. "Have you ever heard of Jedi Shadows?"
His eyes widened... Though for Rodians, they're already pretty big anyway.
"I see you have," I laughed. "So? Do you know the rumors about our methods?"
"Will you let me go?" the being asked.
"I'll hand you over to the Judicial Forces. They'll put you away for killing a Jedi, according to the law. Most likely for life. That way you at least have a chance to survive. But that's only if you start telling me everything you know right now. Otherwise, I'll just start using everything my mentors in the Corps taught me. And you'll live a very short and very... loud life. Well? Deal?"
"Deal..." the man said. "You want to know who hired me? Well, I don't know!" And he wasn't lying. "I'll tell you honestly! I got jobs through messages. The messages were automatically deleted. That bastard hacked my datapad. But he paid well too. And yes — he ordered me to off that Jedi and take those scrolls..."
"Scrolls?" I asked him.
"That's right. Kha... They're... Paper scrolls. In my cabin," the Rodian said. "There are some drawings and writing in a strange language, not like the one we use. I've never seen anything like it before. I was supposed to... Supposed to give him all the information on Nar Shaddaa, or to his subordinate... I don't know. He hadn't told me how to give him the scrolls yet. But there's another detail, Jedi. He's powerful! And he'll get me even in prison! I don't know who he is. But living like that doesn't appeal to me, so... Kha..." He started coughing. He began to shake, clearly in a fit. Shit. I missed that... Deactivating my lightsabers, I put my hand on his neck. Dead... Did he have a poison capsule in his teeth?
"You killed him?" came Sheygen's angry voice. I turned around... The younger Matukai was covered in blood. Blood was also dripping from his glaive onto the ground.
"No. He swallowed poison and died from it. I didn't notice..."
"It's not your fault, young Knight. Not everyone can prevent that sort of thing." Theodor appeared behind Sheygen, also covered in blood. "Did he say where the things we need are?"
"The paper scrolls are in the Captain's cabin." I crouched down by the Rodian's body and started patting his pockets. "Aha... A key card."
"That's good," the senior Matukai nodded.
"Not entirely," I shook my head. "Rikan was killed on the orders of some being. Most likely a Gifted. He's the one who needed your relics, respected Theodor. Do you have any idea who it could be?"
"The Galaxy is full of various Gifted, many of whom rule entire planets or possess similar power," Theodor observed philosophically. "Unfortunately, we can't even begin to guess who the client was. He could have shed some light on it." The man nodded at the corpse lying on the ground.
"And even that I doubt," I sighed. "This specimen ran into not just a powerful Gifted, but one who follows security measures to the point of madness. He hacked Lothar's datapad and that's how he sent him his job orders. He paid him, most likely with anonymized credit chips, delivered in some clever way. In any case, I'll report this mystery to the Council; of course, I won't mention you."
"Good," Theodor nodded. "Then we'll go get what we're interested in right away, and you..."
"And I'll go with you," I said. "Don't get me wrong, but I've only known you for a couple of hours. Not even a full day."
"Matukai never break their word!" Sheygen growled.
"Calm down, my student. The young Knight has a right to be suspicious." Theodor smiled slightly.
"Light. My name is Light," I said.
The man just nodded. The inside of the ship was quite clean. Outside it was a pervert's ship, but inside it was polished, almost spotless. And the Captain's cabin greeted us with a strange sight. Lothar turned out to be a real neat freak in his own room. Everything was neatly arranged. Several sets of clothes for different weather hung in the closets... And in the safe, which I'd cut open with my lightsaber, lay all the ship's documents, a lot of anonymized credit chips, and the scrolls themselves, on yellowed paper...
"Your Order has existed for the first thousand years, hasn't it?" I admired, twirling the scrolls in my hand. They were small, at first glance. "And the paper has been preserved so well."
"Of course, the Foundress used paper preservation methods." The senior Matukai took a scroll from me. He was trembling so much I thought he might have a heart attack... or an orgasm. "Ooooh!" he exclaimed. "Excellent. This is exactly what Rikan was talking about. A combat arts manual, and by the Foundress herself... Oh, she was a woman..." No way... "Some katas require incredible flexibility and stretching."
Well, yes, women are naturally more flexible in terms of their physical bodies. Though that doesn't stop us men from doing rhythmic gymnastics programs. Even if it looks a little... a little not normal.
"In any case, I'm counting on a translation and interpretation." Each picture had an explanation in a strange language. "And it's better for you not to deceive me."
"Or else Master Jonal Ezar himself will come for us?" Theodor said seriously. "This wreck has long since passed its prime."
"Then he'd come with his subordinates, and I wouldn't say... that he's lost his form now." I remembered the Jar'Kai training session... He hadn't left a single spot on me unharmed.
"Don't worry. The Matukai are warriors. Deception is alien to us in any battle and in life. That is our creed. If you have to deceive, you are no longer Matukai."
Yeah, I totally believe that...
* * *
"So Lothar was just a link," Master Jonal Ezar said when I contacted him by voice com. The Master, who also oversaw the Shadows, was clearly in his room at the Temple. "He killed Rikan Ezer, the archaeologist, just to carry out his master's orders."
"Yes, Master," I said. "Knight Rikan found scrolls, apparently belonging to the Matukai. They're written in a strange language that's not in our databases. I suspect only the Matukai can decipher it."
"They can," the man agreed, "but the Matukai are stubborn banthas. Arrogant and haughty, hiding behind their 'ideals' of honor, loyalty, and so on. A Matukai won't reveal an entrusted secret even under torture. Our decoders without them would pick at this for about fifty years, but in any case — since all this once belonged to an Order of the Gifted, you must deliver it to Coruscant." I winced slightly. I'd just gotten out of there and set myself the goal of creating safehouses in the Outer Rim, and then thinking about getting a couple of interesting specialties at local universities, and now I have to fly to Coruscant again.
"What about the client?" I asked the man. "Should I look into him when I deliver the scrolls?"
"No," Jonal shook his head. "You lack experience, and besides, he didn't leave any leads. In the current situation, we need to wait. You, first and foremost."
"Me?"
"You," the man nodded. "You're the one who smashed Lothar and stole what that client wanted. And naturally, he'll probably try to get revenge, or find out from you where everything you stole from his tame mongrel is."
"So I'm playing the role of bait," I guessed.
"Correct," Jonal confirmed. "You are bait. But a Shadow and bait aren't really compatible things. If my assumptions are correct, he'll try to take revenge."
"He... Do you have any idea who I've accidentally stumbled across..."
"A string of murders of Jedi Archaeologists and Shadows has swept through the Outer Rim. Many artifacts have also been stolen. Someone has been digging through ancient ruins for a long time, methodically cleaning them out. Naturally, I became interested in this and started looking for this being. But he hides too well... No one has managed to bring him into the light yet... And he has a remarkably vengeful nature, killing everyone who has somehow wronged him. He's tried to reach me five times already. So you'll be playing the role of bait, one of many, to lure him or his subordinates out."
Great... What a mess I've gotten myself into. Though no. It's Jonal who's gotten me into this.
"And what am I supposed to do after I return the artifacts? Will you give me another mission?"
"Yes... And your mission will be to settle on Alderaan." The man nodded. "You will need to closely monitor the members of one of Alderaan's houses — Antilles. One of that house's subordinates was recently caught by a Jedi Guardian with smuggled Sith artifacts. And most likely, the being we're looking for was involved in this. The subordinate didn't survive the interrogation, dying in his cell. It almost caused a scandal. Now do you understand the danger?" he asked me. "Even a being in the service of a Noble House of Alderaan, a very influential House in the Core Worlds, was involved. Someone has woven a very tight web, not only in the Outer Rim. Our enemy has influence in all sectors of the Galaxy."
"A Sith?" I simply asked. Could Jonal have accidentally stumbled onto the trail of Plagueis and Sidious? They could easily have done all this.
"Too early to say. A lot needs to be figured out. And you will be my agent on Alderaan. Find out everything you can about the slain man, his connections, his actions before his death, before he was caught. I understand that you're more of a combat operative and warrior than a secret agent. But there are no other options. Besides, in the Core Worlds, I can send you help quickly. But in the Outer Rim... More skilled Jedi than you have fallen investigating this matter. So get ready, Light. And prepare yourself. The mission promises to be difficult..."
Great... If we're onto Plagueis and Sidious, who knows how history will turn... And whether I'll have to clean up after them? Though that's nonsense... More likely, one of them will bury me somewhere. What a mess I've gotten myself into... On the other hand... Alderaan opens up interesting prospects. I should check the list of subjects for university admission. And the requirements for taking exams externally. After all, it's never too late to learn. And a Jedi who decides to get an education at a university would arouse much less suspicion. Plus, House Antilles is a noble House, and its scions can study at the University... I've got an interesting mission ahead. Dangerous, but interesting...