Waking up in a beautiful woman's arms is always pleasant. Especially if you had sex with her the night before. Ah... As one character from a game once said: when I went to a masquerade ball wearing a mask — I'd never had such success with women in my life... Before I died, I'd never had such success with women either... Even though I was always told — women love the soul, maybe character, deeds... Well, maybe such women exist... But the absolute majority of them wouldn't mind if their man was handsome, reasonably fit, and had money. My past life experience helped me achieve what I didn't have back then... Though what experience? Knowledge of this universe...
Although that didn't shield me from certain surprises. What if Rivi had been with me and seen my original body from the first world? I don't even know... And I'm not in the mood to check. New life, new body... Even character... Well, maybe new. Carefully sliding the beauty's leg off me — she'd thrown it over me possessively — I quietly slipped out of the room... To take a shower, freshen up. And then, like a true gentleman, or a pathetic parody of one — to make the lady some coffee, or rather — caf, and thank her for the wonderful night. Even though Rivi had been a girl, a virgin, she'd behaved relatively confidently. The warm streams of water gave me a pleasant feeling. Finishing my wash, I returned to the room, ran The Force through my body to dry off — not about to use someone else's towel — and dressed quickly.
Then I went to take charge of the kitchen, humming a tune I'd heard somewhere. The caf was ready in a couple of minutes, and I took it to the girl, who was already waking up, lazily opening her eyes.
"Good morning," I levitated the caf without spilling a drop, right into her hands, then sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Light, thank you," she took a sip of the warm liquid. "Mmmm."
"So, how did you sleep?" I asked the woman.
"You know, I've never slept so well before," she stretched. "It's almost a shame you're leaving."
"A shame?" I looked at her questioningly.
"I can see it in your eyes... We didn't spend much time together as children, but I understand you perfectly, and I remember what you told me. It's not that you can't stay with me — more like you don't want to. I don't know what you went through becoming a Jedi Knight, what you went through with your mentor, but you're definitely not planning to stay... And I understand that, even if it's hard to accept."
"But you would have liked it otherwise," I guessed.
"Yes," she nodded. "I would have liked to seduce you completely, marry you, and live with you for our entire allotted time. Have children — two, maybe three. But alas — you're a Gifted One, a Force user. And you, from what I've heard, don't belong to yourselves, but belong to everyone."
"I don't even know where you heard that," I sighed heavily. "But you need to understand something. No matter what abilities we possess, you know what I've found out? We're the same — living, sentient beings, just like you. And don't think that just because we have some strict restrictions, everyone likes them... I'll come visit you..."
"You have no idea how that sounds," Rivi said sharply. "'Come visit you'? Drop it, Light. Any woman would hear that not as good news, but as an insult. To me, it literally sounded like: 'I'll fly in to have sex with you'..."
"That's not what I meant," I hurried to justify myself.
"But that's exactly what would happen, Light," Rivi looked into my eyes. I almost thought I saw tears starting to form in hers. "You can't give me what I would want from you... What you, maybe, would want from me someday. It would hurt, not just me, but you too... Honestly, I don't want to feel that kind of pain. We could say we'll part as friends... I'm sorry it worked out this way, but it's better than being a handy friend for occasional visits. And I don't want to distract you from your duties."
"Brutally honest," I noted.
"I don't like evasiveness," Rivi put the empty caf glass on the nightstand and stood up. "Speaking of which. Officer Dizzy is looking for your deceased mentor."
"She's looking for him?" I asked in surprise.
"She wants to meet him... You know, he didn't treat her very well... It's even hard for me to imagine her reaction..."
"Doesn't it seem to you that I'm doing the same thing to you?"
"No," the girl noted, getting up from the bed and going to dress. "I knew where this was heading and I was ready for it. But Dizzy — wasn't."
"In that case — I'll have to disappoint her greatly."
"This is all terrible," Rivi said sadly. "And it's not just Dizzy who'll be upset by that news. There's also Lily."
"What? So he was doing it with two at once?" I asked the woman in surprise.
"No," she replied, taking a comb and walking to the mirror. "Lily isn't a second woman your mentor had a relationship with. Lily is his daughter from Dizzy..."
I watched Rivi comb her beautiful, black hair... Then I quickly moved to her.
"What, excuse me? Lily is my mentor's daughter? How..."
"You don't know how?" she asked in surprise. "You were doing the same thing to me all night..."
"No, I don't mean that," I shook my head. Okay, calm down. A Jedi is always calm and rational, no matter what happens. Closing my eyes, I normalized my slightly quickened breathing. "I'm just surprised... She managed to get pregnant by a Zabrak. Do you remember the compatibility tables for our race? The highest are humans, Chiss, Zeltron. But for Zabrak..."
"The lowest probability, yes," Rivi nodded. "Lily's birth is akin to a miracle. It's rare for a Zabrak-Sephi couple to have a child. Nevertheless — I've seen her with my own eyes. Pointed ears, like all of us, but from her forehead to the top of her head she has no hair, only horns, and from the crown the hair begins. She's definitely the product of a union between a Zabrak and a Sephi."
"Is she Gifted?" I asked Rivi.
"How should I know?" Rivi shrugged, finishing combing her hair. "I just told you what I know."
"I see. A unique child, whose chance of conception was extremely slim... I think I'll go see the officer. If she's Gifted — I'll have to call a recruiter. If even one parent is Gifted — the chance of having a Gifted child increases slightly. Not to a hundred percent, but it does increase," I explained to Rivi in response to her questioning look. "In the old days — there were entire Jedi dynasties. Now the Order has moved away from that practice, practically forbidding starting families altogether."
As a result, Jedi numbers took a severe hit. It was justified by... "the supposed probability of falling to the Dark Side when it comes to close relatives and a whole host of other dogmatic reasons.".. But it also deprived us of so many incredible Gifted Ones... After all, children of two Gifted Ones almost always possess decent potential in The Force, and considering their parents — they can be raised from birth without any major issues. Cases like mine, where a sentient is born with such Force potential in a family that had no strong Gifted Ones in its lineage — are quite unique. But let's not talk about that for now...
"Could you remind me where Officer Dizzy lives?" I asked my friend.
"Hm? Let me think... the families of the Royal Quarter guards live on the main street adjacent to Central Square. She had her daughter out of wedlock... And I recently heard that she faced criticism, including from her colleagues. There was a rumor she wanted to quit and leave. I hope she hasn't managed to yet."
"Thank you," I approached Rivi and kissed her. The girl's arms wrapped around me and pulled me close to her body. She clearly didn't want to let go. "Well... I have to go," I looked into her dark eyes.
"I know," she suddenly sniffled. "I've known for a long time, but I can't do anything about it."
A sad situation, but she had a surprisingly sober view of things for a sentient her age... Although that's the downside of the education and upbringing that Sephi society always approached with considerable responsibility.
"The way you want it — we won't become anything more to each other, we'll only hurt each other," I said sadly. "But you know, Rivi, don't refuse my friendship. If you ever need anything from a Jedi Knight — call."
"Okay," she nodded. I stroked her beautiful hair and, after giving her one last peck on the lips, left the room, then went downstairs to the first floor, where I immediately ran into Rivi's parents. Her mother — Ivi, was a fair-haired, somewhat short woman and didn't resemble her daughter much, who was tall with dark hair. Except she had the same eyes as her daughter. Rivi's father — Rovi, on the other hand, had pitch-black hair and impressive physical build. He was dressed to match his wife, in beige clothes. A bag was visible over his shoulder.
"Light," the girl's mother said in surprise.
"Hello, Aunt Ivi," I nodded, looking at the woman who was dressed in a beige dress. "Uncle Rovi," I extended my hand to the man and he shook it. "I was flying past Tustra and decided to drop in on an old friend."
"Rivi must be happy," the woman smiled. "But you're leaving already? Would you like to have breakfast with us?"
"I apologize," good thing I'd cleaned up all traces of making the caf. Otherwise, intelligent sentients might have gotten suspicious. "I'd be happy to stay. But Rivi told me some quite interesting information, so I'm in a hurry."
"Well, that's a shame," Rovi rumbled. "I heard — you're a Jedi now. I'd like to talk with you."
"Maybe another time, uncle," I smiled. "Yes, another time. Goodbye," I walked past the couple.
"You smell of my daughter's perfume," the mother suddenly said.
"Uh... Well, Rivi is my friend, she got a little emotional and hugged me," yeah, hugged me in a way that many would envy.
"Mom, Dad, good morning," Rivi came down to the first floor. "So how's Grandma?"
"You know her," her mother sighed.
"I must take my leave, Rivi, Aunt Ivi, Uncle Rovi," I bowed slightly and left the house.
* * *
"Rivi," her mother called her when she was sitting on the house's balcony, dressed in her favorite purple sundress, looking at the street.
"What is it, Mom?"
"Did you touch those pills in my nightstand?" the woman appeared on the balcony. The mother was dressed in home clothes — dark pants and a matching tank top.
"What pills?" she asked her mom.
"The ones in the package labeled 'contraceptives'..." A shiver ran through Rivi and she began frantically running through options in her head.
"Umm... no," she said in a strained voice. "Why?"
"Well, you're a grown girl now, I wanted to warn you — they're not contraceptives, they're the opposite — fertility stimulants. You know we don't have very high birth rates. And I wanted to give you a little brother or sister, like your friend Light has. So we used fertility pills," the mother replied. "You do remember that I don't like having extra packages of anything lying around in our house..."
"What do you mean, fertility stimulants?"
"Did you even study at the Royal School, or somewhere in the sticks?" the mother asked in surprise. "I'll explain — fertility stimulants accelerate the life cycle in the reproductive organs of a Sephi woman. Ha... All grown up, and you don't know so many things..."
It can't be... Rivi's heart skipped a beat... How? No, the fact that her mother was obsessive about optimizing packages around the house was understandable... But what idiot would put pills that stimulate conception for a Sephi into a package labeled "Contraceptives"? She'd taken them not only after sex with Light, but before! As far as she remembered correctly... They needed to be taken a couple of days before intercourse...
"Mom," Rivi stood up abruptly and glared angrily into her mother's eyes. "Do you have any idea how badly you just set me up?!"
* * *
On Tustra, having a child out of wedlock doesn't particularly invite public criticism. Well, not particularly? It just means such a woman gets looked at askance, there might be misunderstandings with her superiors at work — it's considered unseemly and all that. In some families, they might not take it very well. But no extreme sanctions are provided... In ancient times, for my people, such women were branded. A woman was considered promiscuous and loose. However, nothing dreadful. In our modern times, she might only face condemnation from particularly crazed fanatics. But such types didn't hang around here — the Royal Quarter wasn't a place for any "supposedly hyper-moral rabble." Although the Royal Quarter itself didn't protect against individual cases. With Officer Dizzy... It was much more difficult than it seemed on the surface. This woman... She was bisexual, I think that's the term, and according to the persistent rumors circulating through the palace — she was having an affair with another such woman — Reyra, the captain of her unit, her direct superior. That's why those words about Dizzy possibly leaving weren't empty. Any boss, even the kindest, can make a subordinate's life very difficult.
Yeah... In the relationships of sentients, it's never simple. All these strange, hidden pitfalls, seemingly unimportant circumstances one might overlook. I found Dizzy's house quickly, just by entering her name into the database. She hadn't moved anywhere; she lived in an ordinary, single-story house not far from Central Square. I walked up to the gate and pressed the button.
"Who is it?" a female voice came through.
"Ahem, this is Light Flyingstar," I replied calmly. "Sorry to bother you, but I'm bothering you on business of the Jedi Order, being a Knight myself."
"Flyingstar?" the voice came from the speaker. "Come in."
The gate opened and I entered the yard, which was set up more for playing with a child. A swing, a slide, a sandbox... The front door to the house opened as soon as I stepped into the hallway, and I was met by a tall, beautiful Sephi woman. She was slender, with high cheekbones and a straight nose. Black hair fell in a waterfall down her back. Brown eyes studied me with curiosity and interest. She was wearing tight pants and a matching top. Interestingly, a blaster hung at her belt. Well, she was a Royal Quarter guard.
"Good morning, Officer Dizzy," I bowed slightly.
"You're Light, aren't you?" she asked me. "I remember the boy Light, supposedly the son of someone from the Hangar and a maid, the one the Jedi took. And then you came to Tustra with your mentor..." her left hand moved toward her blaster. "That... arrogant bastard... Lorm Decer. Are you going to tell me where that scumbag is?"
"Mom?" A little girl, about four years old, peeked out from one of the rooms further down the hall. And she really was just as Rivi had described — with little horns, like Zabrak have, on the front of her head, and black hair starting from the crown. The girl was wearing a light blue sundress.
"Lily," Dizzy turned to her, "I told you to wait for me in the room. I'll come back to you and we'll continue."
"But I'm curious who this is," her eyes... She had the same eyes and almost the same look as my mentor. It made me shiver a little.
"Don't argue," Dizzy said firmly, and the girl, puffing out her cheeks amusingly, went back into her room. "Now you. Where is Lorm Decer? Do you see what he left me the last time we met?"
"Yeah, I noticed," I analyzed the girl with The Force. She wasn't Gifted. Still, better to take a blood sample; some Gifted Ones are subconsciously able to suppress The Force to hide themselves. "But I heard you'd been looking for a partner for a while, wanting to... settle down, start a family..."
"You understand perfectly well what a family is!" she said a little loudly. "A family is a voluntary union of a man and a woman."
"Not always voluntary," I shook my head. "Either way, that's not the point. You want to see Mentor Lorm... I'm afraid... There might be some difficulties with that."
"What? Did that horned coward crawl into such a hole that even his own people can't make him take responsibility?"
"No," my voice grew heavy and I sighed sadly. "Lorm Decer is dead," I said, looking the woman in the eyes.
"What?" She even stepped back. "He's... dead?"
"Yes," I confirmed with a nod. "He's dead."
Her eyes filled with tears... But she quickly pulled herself together.
"How... how did it happen?"
"Mmm... He was shot in the back with a kinetic weapon. Have you heard of a Mandalorian named Teyron Jarps?"
"Yes," Dizzy paled. "I've heard. I've seen him. But I also heard he's dead."
"Yes, I killed him, after he killed Mentor Lorm," I shrugged. "But I didn't come to visit you just to sadden you with this news, I'm sorry. It would have been better for you to remain unaware of the teacher's fate. But..." I sighed again, "he left 'someone' for you. A daughter."
"You want to take her away?" the woman flinched. "But from birth — she's never shown any signs of your Force! And the midi-chlorian test showed they're at normal levels for a non-Gifted!"
"Excellent, but I don't put much trust in what I can't see with my own eyes. Every Jedi carries a blood tester. I'll take her blood," I said in a tone that brooked no delay. I think Jacob said that to make sentients listen to you, you always have to do two things. First — say what you intend to do. Second — go do it. Then sentients will see that you're not just speaking for the sake of speaking, and your words actually mean something. "Should I take off my shoes?"
"Come in as you are," Dizzy pursed her lips. I walked further down the hall, past Dizzy, and headed into the room. The room looked like a child's bedroom. The little girl Lily looked at me in surprise.
"Sir, who are you?"
"I'm a doctor," I said, kneeling down in front of the girl. "I want to take a little of your blood to make sure you're healthy."
"Bl-bl-bl-blood?" she asked. "But I'm scared. It was unpleasant last time."
"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt, just a prick and it's done," the girl's mother entered the room. "See, your mommy is here too. Look at her. What a tall, beautiful, and strong woman. For her, these tests are nothing. You want to grow up to be just as beautiful and strong, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Then you have to show her, show yourself, that these blood tests are nothing to you, right, Lily? Show that nasty needle that it doesn't scare you."
"Uh... I'll show it!" The girl held out her right hand to me. I drew her blood.
"BB," I brought my left hand with the datapad to my face. "I'm sending you the blood data. Have the program analyze the midi-chlorian count."
Three minutes later, I received the report. Midi-chlorians... Within normal limits for a non-Gifted. So — the mentor's daughter has no predisposition to The Force. Having a Gifted parent increases the chances of a Gifted child... But it doesn't make it absolute; it's worth remembering that. Maybe someday I too will have a non-Gifted child.
"Well, you did great," I patted the girl on the part of her head with hair. "See, that's the first step on your way to becoming as strong and beautiful as your mother."
"Hehe... Thank you, doctor-sir... But... I heard you and Mom talking about my daddy... Is he going to come see me?"
Dizzy looked me in the eyes. Yes... Telling a four-year-old girl about the concept of death would be quite cruel. I wasn't exactly a paragon of angelic virtue. But I wasn't that cruel a sentient.
"Your father — he's very, very far away, beyond many stars... Unfortunately," I said in a sad tone, "he can't come to Tustra right now." The girl's face fell. "But, I bet you've never even seen your dad."
"No," she said sadly. "At kindergarten they say I don't have a dad, but that can't be!" she exclaimed. "Everyone has a mom and a dad." Yeah, except if you're Anakin Skywalker — he didn't have a dad either.
"You're right," I replied. "You do have a dad, and I know him. I'll show you his holograph right now." I held the datapad up to the girl and brought up an image of Lorm. He was standing against a backdrop of trees, right here on Tustra, in one of the parks.
"So that's what he looks like. He had those little horns too." The girl seemed to study every millimeter. Dizzy herself leaned in too. But she leaned toward my ear and whispered:
"Any holographs of Lorm that you have... Send them to me, please. And... Thank you."
* * *
I was done with everything on Tustra... The ship had a new first-class hyperdrive installed, which cost me a pretty penny. But now I'll fly faster. What other results? I saw my family, met my childhood friend — whom I bedded that very evening — and saw my late mentor's daughter. My stay on Tustra was more of a rest before training. Serious and brutal training... The time had come to go get the medallion. Who to test it on? First of all, on a relatively reasonable sentient who certainly won't try to pull anything right off the bat... On Lorm Decer. And only then — I'd summon someone more questionable...