This mission was throwing me off more and more. First Palpatine shows up, and now Jorus K'Baoth. And I couldn't say which one was the bigger problem right now. At least the first one wasn't bothering anyone here. But the second one just walked in, used his Gifted abilities, justified himself with the mission — and beat up a non-Gifted man he could have defeated even without the Force. A decisively unhinged sentient. I'm not surprised Thrawn dealt with his problem… Radically. Though it's hard to solve problems any other way when someone starts strangling you over the comm. But I was even grateful to the two Gifted here. At least they brought back some clarity of thought. And Amella brought it back too… It was time to focus on the mission — and as a secondary objective, finish Aldera University, study everything it had to offer, and move on.
Nothing stimulates a canon-knowing self-insert to grind in fanfics quite like the presence of a monster like Palpatine nearby. And even though Sidious wasn't even half as strong now as he was at his peak, I was still terrified. But I didn't provoke him — except maybe for that conversation at the banquet about the advantages and disadvantages of political systems. Only communists thought they'd formulated the ideal society. And under certain conditions, something like that could exist… I'd heard about a couple of sentient races in this galaxy whose social structure was a little similar to communism.
But in principle, you couldn't build such a system… Which was proven by one country that successfully fell apart. Though I had no desire to discuss that now. I understood perfectly that you couldn't build an ideal. Not in politics… And not in interpreting the Force — something I'd been thinking about more and more. It was about time, really — I'd been through a lot. And as things stood, I thought the current Jedi Code decisively didn't suit me. My vision wasn't even in the tradition of those good old Star Wars fanfics where the main characters adopted the Je'daii Code. We returned first to the coast, and then to Aldera itself.
Sitting cross-legged on my bed in a lotus position, I recited the lines of the Jedi Code. No, I wasn't meditating — I was just trying to understand exactly what I saw in each line, its hidden meaning, what guided us. Were there emotions? Yes. Did the Code deny them? Not exactly. The interpretation was to keep your emotions and feelings in check. To understand the difference… to think with a cool head. That was the point… Did I agree with this line of the guide? Yes. I could show different emotions. Anticipation during a fight, joy from the same orgasm or some pleasant event, anger when something didn't work out. And maybe even hatred… Yes… I hated Shilazh, even when I went to fight her — even though it might have seemed like I was acting relatively "coldly." But it wasn't emotions that ruled me — it was reason. That was what "there is no emotion, there is peace" meant. And I agreed with that line completely and utterly… It didn't matter how I felt about what was happening around me. It didn't matter what emotions it stirred in me. I had to try to act with a cool head. Though such a rational approach could sometimes be frightening. That infamous dilemma: who do you save? Your woman, for example, or a dozen strangers? Your best friend, or a dozen strangers? What should we do in that situation? Set aside emotions, remain in peace, and think: is one life worth ten? Any sentient knows the answer. No, it isn't. So that life is sacrificed for a greater good. And studying politics at Alderaan University, I could see this clearly. Especially in history. And in the Jedi Order, the history of certain events was studied meticulously. If you sacrifice nothing, you gain nothing. A selfish desire to act in your own interest could cost many around you dearly. Did I agree with that line? Again, yes.
"There is no ignorance, there is knowledge." You could agree with that principle too. Whatever I encountered on my path, no matter how inexplicable the situation seemed — there was always a variable that would accurately reflect all the parameters of the situation. I just had to find it, not panic because I couldn't understand something. Break the second line, and you'd break the first. And from there, the fall wasn't far. As for the third line — "There is no passion, there is serenity" I thought it was a bit redundant in this Code. Essentially, passion was the same emotion — a pretty base one, in my opinion. And it could be attributed to the first line and partially to the second. Though many saw the main meaning of the Code precisely in this line: give in to passion, and you'd allow ignorance to cloud your mind, stir up emotions of anger and hatred from your powerlessness, and you'd quickly fall to the dark side. Something like that…
"There is no chaos, there is harmony." And here the Jedi were being disingenuous… Chaos was all around us, for the most part. The essence of being a Jedi was to try to order it — not to subjugate it, but to order it, to bring everything to a specific variable. Plus, I'd also thought about this line in the context of the dichotomy of good and evil in the Force… More precisely — about the Light and Dark sides of the Force… Were these sides really that different? Yes, I knew that right now I could ask myself the question of whether I was a Je'daii, find a way to Tython or somewhere else, and go restore the "true Order, the true Gifted"… And also gather a harem of the galaxy's top beauties, crush everyone in a climactic battle, and so on… But in reality, I didn't consider the words of the Jedi's ancestors to be the truth. On the contrary… I questioned it, equating each side to the concepts of good and evil… That's what everyone did so often. What was good in the context of the Force? What was evil in the context of the Force? I didn't know the answer, but I understood that if I figured it out, found it for myself — I'd become much better, much stronger. It was this line of the Code that I'd been constantly trying to find contradictions in, especially since enrolling in the university. Who but a Shadow should try to answer these questions?
"There is no death, there is the Force." It was stupid to argue with that… Because if all the previous parts of the Code were rarely directly confirmed, and mostly indirectly, then this line was one hundred percent true. The Force Ghosts wouldn't let me lie… That was roughly the picture I'd formed by the end of my tour of Alderaan's Blue. And I had things to think about regarding the Force. But there was no rush. I was perfectly aware that in matters of interpreting the Force, it was better not to hurry — otherwise, the risk was high that I'd lose… My mind or my life… I couldn't treat this life like some game. It wasn't a game, and most likely, not even a fanfic. It was — my second life. If I wasn't serious — I'd die.
So, what was on today's agenda? I had to meet Bail Antilles this evening, at his mansion, in my Jedi attire. And for that, I needed to get dressed. It was almost six in the evening… Today, the Antilles were hosting a ball at their estate, jointly with the Organas. Again, on Jorus's initiative. Though his initiative was the least of my concerns. I planned to meet Bail in his room, as a Jedi Shadow, and collect the necessary information. It was damn hard with aristocrats — in most cases, you couldn't interrogate them directly. You always had to contrive ways to achieve your goals… and "not offend anyone." Though, that made it more interesting — it kept your mind sharp.
I put on my classic Jedi robes, pulled the hood over my head, strapped the bracers back on, and secured the lightsabers.
"Time has come," I said, leaving the room. Using the Force, I made sure the sentients didn't pay attention to me, so I was able to reach the Antilles mansion relatively quickly on foot.
The House's wealthy mansion was fully prepared for the ball. I pulled the mask over my face and activated the vocabulator. In my case, this device modified my voice so that Bail himself wouldn't recognize me. Revealing a Shadow wasn't the best thing. First, I climbed onto the roof of the building across the street to get a better look at the current security configuration. And even though I'd studied this mansion inside and out from my visits, they might have come up with something special for the ball… I needed to enter quietly and leave the same way. And they had indeed increased the guards. In the courtyard, I saw double the number of Antilles guardsmen. But the crowd of guests was correspondingly large. Wealthy people and aristocrats filled the mansion's courtyard. One family stood out in particular, drawing most of the attention. Leading it was a stately, tall woman with chestnut hair, dressed in a rich, luxurious white gown. She had refined features, and beside her stood a short boy of about thirteen or fourteen. Also stately and very similar to his mother… They were: Mazicia Organa, the Queen of Alderaan herself, and her son — Bail. To the woman's right stood a man in a white uniform, with a dense, well-developed physique. Prestor Mirtuna, the current Viceroy. The King could be called the elected monarch — for the current term, Mazicia had been elected, which was why she was Queen. And her husband was the Viceroy.
Who actually rules this pair? The King, or the Viceroy? It varies from case to case, really. In practice: the Viceroy is the head of government, essentially a prime minister. He's supposed to report to the King. But as I've observed from this planet's history, after the fall of the Pantirs — those who could confidently be called the "true Kings of Alderaan" real power could be wielded by either the Viceroy or the King. Often they were married, and who ruled depended on their individual characters. In the current situation, with Prestor serving as Viceroy, Queen Mazicia rules Alderaan. This is clear from the fact that Prestor is more about presenting a front, playing a role. In reality, the man does exactly what his wife Mazicia tells him to do in politics.
The crowd parted around Organa; the only ones who didn't step aside were the Antilles. Olaren Antilles approached and greeted Mazicia.
"Observing?" a voice asked behind me. I didn't even flinch — I'd sensed his presence a couple of minutes ago.
"You know, Jorus, I'd recommend you not sneak up on a Shadow like that. If I hadn't memorized your aura back then, on Alderaan's Blue — there'd be a lightsaber sticking out of your torso right now," I sighed heavily, not even turning around. "To answer your question: I'm not observing. I'm studying possibilities."
"Hah, you're too arrogant," he said — and who was he to talk about arrogance? The man came to stand beside me. "So, what do you plan to do now that you're here? Who's your target?"
"She's not here," I shook my head, even a little disappointed. Whoever was opposing us now — Jorus and I could have tried to kill him together. Or maybe tell him about Palpatine and gang up on Sidius right now? No… There's still Plagueis. Besides — I don't think we can touch them yet. Because if the "current Jedi and the current Republic" beat the Sith-Baneites, we'll slide into even worse degradation than we're in now. If even the current Jedi can beat monsters like that, why bother doing anything at all? "But there's someone here who can give me the key schematics to find my target."
"And what's your investigation about?"
"Investigation?" I asked, turning to Jorus. "You know, I'd compare it to unrefined baradium — and your questions to trying to piss on it. In the worlds where they produce it, there's a saying: 'don't piss on baradium, or you'll lose your dick.' As I've told you before, Jorus — a Shadow investigation is not something you want to get involved in."
Taking him against that enemy of ours would be unwise. Jorus is hot-tempered and unlikely to listen, even if Master Jonal himself came to help me.
"Hmph," C'baoth snorted. "You're too cocky for someone who only recently became a Knight."
"And I've already paid for my cockiness — just not to you. Don't worry, I'm heading to the mansion, yes, but my target is neither Mazicia nor Olaren. I just need someone to pass something to me."
"And you have an infiltration plan, of course? One that won't trigger an alarm. I spent too much effort organizing this banquet — too much time and energy convincing both Olaren and Mazicia that my proposal to settle the conflict between their Houses is rational. And if you ruin it…" he trailed off, but the implication was clear enough. "So I hope you have a plan, Light."
"Better than that," I said, smirking. "I have a drawing of a plan."
* * *
Actually getting inside wasn't that simple. I couldn't just walk in and blend into the crowd. The facial recognition at the entrance was brutal — it would have turned me away immediately. So I circled the estate looking for a spot to infiltrate with minimal trouble. Jorus could have gotten me in… Probably. Though I didn't want to ask him. Besides — he'd arrived on the planet practically alone. A second Jedi showing up would look suspicious. In any case, I circled the Antilles estate, found a spot watched by only one camera, and waited until it swung away. Then I jumped the fence, immediately using my wrist comm to veer sideways — because a second, wide-angle camera covered my landing zone. I'd walked this estate so many times that studying its security was child's play.
Why was I infiltrating right now, to reach Bail Organa, disguised as a Shadow? Because this was the most convenient time — with the guards distracted by the guests, distracted by Organa himself, I could slip unnoticed to Bail Antilles. I'd told him a Jedi would come to his room, and it wasn't the one who'd arrived to settle the conflict between the Antilles and Organa. Bail himself was supposed to be pressing the flesh and greeting guests right now, so I had about thirty minutes. After that, it was simple. Using the Force, I shorted the window circuit on the third floor, opened them, and with my wrist comm and the Force, slipped into the right corridor. I closed the window and moved forward, carefully avoiding the cameras.
You'd think there'd be cameras everywhere, right? Well, honestly — there are. Though on the third floor of the Antilles mansion, there are spots with no cameras at all, to avoid intruding on the owners' privacy. I could hear the noise of arriving guests downstairs. Lucky Jorus. He's a diplomat — probably drowning in champagne right now, the center of attention… And here I am, creeping like a thief, analyzing every stray sound. And as I expected, the third floor was patrolled. Two Antilles guards were strolling slowly through the northern wing, which I needed to cross to reach the western wing where Bail's room was. They were moving, frankly, slowly, and following them was excruciating. Eventually I decided to use Force Persuasion on them…
"So we're making a deal with Organa?" one man asked.
"Lord Olaren's position is clear on this," his comrade nodded. "I heard him discussing the House's options with the esteemed Yoluk myself."
"The Organas never respected us," the man snorted. "Those incompetents thought Alderaan was their personal fiefdom. But now a whole Jedi has flown in to settle the conflict."
"And, as I heard," the second continued, "the Jedi reached an agreement that even convinced Lord Olaren."
"What kind of agreement?"
"Haven't the faintest idea, but if even the lord agreed to reconcile with Mazicia, it must benefit our House."
"Ha!" the man said, suddenly stopping. I hit him with the Persuasion technique. "Damn. I need to take a leak."
"Didn't you just go?" the other man noted. "Oops. Gizka! Now that you mention it, I kinda need to go too." They didn't need to go at all — I just convinced their minds that they both needed the bathroom. Right. No need for them to worry about anything yet. Jorus and I certainly weren't going to stand aside from any… incidents. But as far as I remembered correctly, C'baoth's mission turned out incredibly successful without anyone's intervention. He negotiated that Mazicia Organa would be succeeded by Bail Organa, her son, who would marry Breha Antilles. And that was, in principle, a rational solution. Many conflicts had been resolved that way — by a simple marriage between members of warring factions… There was, of course, the Romeo and Juliet case. But for the most part, such marriages resolved conflicts. Using the Force, I pressed the button on the door separating the corridor from Bail's room, and entered.
The room's interior spoke of its occupant's strong financial standing. It was furnished with the latest technology, so to speak. A spacious double bed stood about five meters from the entrance, against the right wall. The desk was positioned so the person sitting at it faced anyone entering. Numerous cabinets lined the walls, and on the walls themselves hung portraits — mostly of wildlife and hunting trophies. I was even flattered that on the desk, among the constantly active holophotos, was one of our group: me, Amella, Bail, Mia, Delon, and Rulana. I thoroughly scanned the room with the Force and every possible sense before settling into a corner, assuming a lotus position, and entering a light meditation. Bail graced his room with his presence about twenty minutes later, after he'd managed to slip away from part of the banquet without offending anyone.
"May I convey my congratulations to your sister on her wedding?" the vocabulator — the device that altered my voice — made it sound quite grim.
"WHAT?!" Bail, who'd walked to the window and hadn't noticed me because I'd sat in the corner to the right of the entrance, drew his vibro-blade as soon as I spoke and aimed it at me. I stood between him and the door. "Who are you? An assassin?"
"Yes," I nodded, "though I don't handle non-Force-sensitives."
"I see," he returned his weapon to its place. "You're the one Tyvi spoke of, right?"
I nodded.
"Then I know what you need, Shadow."
"Tyvi has a mouth like a broom," I said grimly, "even told an outsider about an organizational division. I'll have to have a talk with him… the way I know how."
"Don't touch him!"
"What I do is my decision," I said roughly. "The data Tyvi mentioned. And everything you know about who you were dealing with," I demanded, extending my hand. "And don't worry. Tyvi will survive… Probably. I just want to have a few choice words with him about what he can say about me and to whom."
Bail walked to the desk and pressed a hidden button. A panel slid out. He first pressed his palm to it, then let the system scan his right eye.
"Biometric lock?" I chuckled. That I definitely couldn't crack. So the "thief-style heist" option would have been severely complicated. To the point of "are you even sane?"
Finally, a drawer slid out from the desk itself, and Bail retrieved a couple of info chips.
"These contain the logs of all his orders that went through our company's system — the nature of the tasks. Where assets were acquired and where they were delivered. What the Captain told me: whoever placed the orders usually looked respectable, middle class," he said. "Neither rich nor poor. They paid regularly, but exactly the agreed sum."
"The Captain's clear — unfortunately he won't be telling anyone anything anymore, though it's an interesting case," I said. "What else do you know? Did the client contact you directly?"
"No, not directly, at least. But I knew the person in whose name he signed the contract," Bail said. "Laari Davli. A fairly successful mid-level merchant. Was."
"And what happened to him?" I asked curiously.
"Laari had an incredibly beautiful wife — I remember her at one of the receptions. Brown-haired, with perfect features, a slender figure… And she moved superbly. Laari was old and madly in love with her. Not long ago, she left him for some industrialist. The old man couldn't bear the grief and shot himself…"
"An old man, seasoned by life experience, shoots himself over a failed romance?" I asked in surprise. "Over some woman?"
"If you'd seen her yourself, Jedi, you'd change your mind."
"Ha, I doubt that," I snorted. I think I've passed the point where I'd kill myself over emotions. Yes, they're important — emotions — but you have to remember they're just part of my personality, part of my character. "And what industrialist?" I asked.
"I don't even remember anymore," Bail said. "Something to do with the Hutts, I think. His name is even in the company title."
"The Hutts?" There's big money there. "I see. Do you happen to know when he died? Can anything be found on this matter?"
"Unfortunately, I can't say anything," Bail spread his hands. "Laari was outside our family's sphere of interest. Just a simple partner our House's intelligence didn't pay much attention to, Jedi."
"Not much to go on," I summarized. "Though it depends on what I find on those info chips. Thank you for your participation, Bail Antilles," I smirked. I turned my back to him. "The Jedi Order is grateful… And congratulates you on your sister's engagement to the heir of House Organa." I pocketed the chips and left the room. As it turned out, leaving was much easier than entering.
* * *
Bail Antilles collapsed onto the bed. Poodoo! That was strange…
"Young lord," the door opened and Oderis Yoluk entered. "There you are, hmm." The man stood on the spot where the other Jedi had recently stood. "Strange. I sensed another being's presence in this room. Incredibly strong."
"There was a Jedi here," Bail replied dryly. "A Shadow."
"A Shadow?" the man swallowed. "What business do you have with them, young lord?"
"Business of my family," Bail sat up on the bed and rubbed his temples.
"Try not to have any more dealings with them, young lord," the man said seriously. "Shadows are not the brightest members of my former Order. You know what they say — Jedi bring light. But light, in skilled hands, can wound and even kill. Shadows kill. It's best not to cross them."
"I've gathered that… Ha-ha… My friend has some strange acquaintances, though," Bail stood up.
"So it was a friend of your friend? Please be careful with him."
"But what are you doing here?" Oderis was also an elite guard officer of House Antilles. "Did something happen downstairs?"
"Yes. The ball is in full swing, and the heir of the House hosting it is somehow absent. After all — this ball is in honor of your sister's engagement, and you need to be there. Your father expressed his displeasure…"
"Yes," Bail stood up. "I have to. But still… That Jedi I saw —" as he left the room, Bail glanced once more at the spot where the Jedi from the Shadow Corps had stood. "He gave off a feeling — not even you give off when you're fighting."
"That's why I'm telling you not to get involved with them, young lord. Let's go back — your father is waiting."
Bail sighed and followed Oderis. Still, that Jedi's visit — a Shadow, no less — had lifted a real mountain from his shoulders. He didn't know who it was that the Shadows had taken an interest in. That Jedi had clearly come not just at his friend Tyvi's call, but because he was actually interested in this case. But Bail understood that even all his House's influence might not be enough if this knot got unraveled. And better — let it all stay a behind-the-scenes game than be exposed to public scrutiny.