I destroyed the shield generator fairly quickly. It was located on the fifth floor, and many guards were protecting it. However, the prisoner riot factor played in my favor. I essentially used them. Did I feel bad about that circumstance? No, not at all. They had their job, I had mine. I could have, like a dashing warrior, joined them and led their attack. But then I would have been quickly discovered and slowed down. This way, using the diversion, I could get to the shield generator and destroy it. Yes, too pragmatic and a somewhat un-Jedi-like plan. But who said everything had to be perfect? We shouldn't sacrifice too much effectiveness for the sake of preserving lives.
So I climbed into the ventilation and began making my way toward the generator I so needed. The ventilation system — a vulnerable zone running through all the rooms of the residence. And Jarko had protected it well. There were classic laser detectors, invisible to the naked eye. However, if you used the Force properly, you could detect them. So I slipped past them. The pressure-triggered mines and even fragmentation tripwires came as a surprise. It was amazing that the air circulating through the ventilation hadn't set off the first ones. Apparently they were calibrated for much higher pressure. But I hadn't spent all that time studying sensorics and everything tied to it for nothing. Hidden traps and detection systems were bypassed, the guards selflessly ran to suppress the prisoner riot, paying no attention to my existence.
And there was the shield generator room... A massive cylindrical device, practically radiating energy... Jarko intended to mock us and then escape using those tunnels? Well then... We would mock her. Destroy this structure and my people could open fire on the palace. Though she could also attack using the Planetary Defense and stationary emplacements. But the guards were already distracted by the prisoner riot... Suddenly my senses pricked, I threw myself left, pressing against the wall and letting a figure with a vibroblade pass in front of me. A lightsaber slid into my right hand... The attacker held a vibroblade in one hand and a blaster in the other? Rather stupid, honestly — could have tried to shoot me instead of charging with a sword... Though even so, the attacker wouldn't have succeeded. The blaster was aimed at me.
"Die," came the voice. A shot... The blaster shot disappeared into my left hand. Tutaminis... Absorbing the energy of a blaster bolt wasn't particularly difficult for me. The lightsaber activated at the same time. A flash of green light cut through the darkness and the attacker. I deactivated my weapon. No more fighting was needed. The attacker died instantly, his heart pierced by the blade.
"What a pompous stupidity," I said, sighing heavily and removing the mask, behind which turned out to be a short man. His gaze had glazed over. "It's already well past the three-thousandth century out there. And you don't understand that if you have a blaster — it's better to use the blaster than a vibroblade. After all, what is a vibroblade fencer against someone who trains and learns to use a lightsaber?"
"WHO'S THERE?!" Oops, our scuffle had attracted the four standing by the generator.
"Good day, I'm from the Jedi Company," I jumped down into the room, immediately using ionization, burning out the comlinks and cameras. "Would you like to see our product line? The 'justice Jedi-style, a little Sith-style' option is quite popular."
"Hutt! Our comlinks!" Quick to catch on. The shield generator had a strong circuit, so my ionization couldn't destabilize it. I could destroy it manually, but first — let me introduce my clients to the new product. Pulling them toward me with telekinesis, I activated my lightsaber. They couldn't resist. A moment later, four heads fell to the floor.
"We don't need gunfire," I returned the saber to its holder in my sleeve. "And we don't need you either," I aimed my hand at the shield generator. "So... Let's try something."
I concentrated and called upon the Force. It began gathering in my right hand, gradually. Since I hadn't perfectly mastered the technique yet, I had to spend time on concentration. But on the other hand — the more often I used it, the better I understood it. Practice determined much, if not everything. A couple of seconds later, a crackling sound like lightning rang out... Then it faded... Damn it, work, come on! An instant later, an emerald lightning bolt shot from the fingers of my right hand, crossing the distance between me and the generator. It couldn't withstand the overload. The lightning pierced the protective circuit, then burned out the power supply and almost all the blocks.
"That was powerful," Lorm remarked. "But I'd say your jokes are still better than your use of that. If you ever abandon the Jedi path, maybe you'll become a comedian?"
"Too bad I didn't see you when you retired," I turned to Lorm. Behind me, the generator began to explode. Cool guys don't look at explosions. And I am the 'king of the palace' and cool, aren't I?
"You've got a long crawl to reach my level," Lorm grumbled.
"You're gloomy — the twi'leks aren't putting out?"
"Don't joke your way into a state where you also start considering Jarko Itari your goddess."
"Her appearance is undoubtedly divine," I jumped into the ventilation, beginning to sense sentients approaching the area. Closing the hatch behind me, I continued. "But she's a dangerous woman. And I value my brain. It likes to stall out, sure, but it's still precious. And now it's time to go to her... To Jarko Itari."
"Don't lose."
"I'm confident in my abilities. I'll cut her down immediately. If it somehow doesn't work out — even in an open fight she's no match for me."
* * *
I planned to get into Jarko's chambers through the ventilation. Even though the traps hadn't been deactivated — meaning I still had to be clever — I concealed my presence as much as possible. Plus, the traps were easily — well, relatively — navigated. So Jarko could have definitely guessed that someone had destroyed the shield generator and even sent a squad of her headhunters there. But they wouldn't run into me. Plus, Tivokka and Plo Koon were starting the assault on the base now, so she wouldn't be focused on me. So I spent about ten minutes choosing the right ventilation branch and jumping where I needed to be. The problem was that Jarko's chambers were ventilated separately. So I had to find a separate channel, jumping outside and flying a bit using my device-cat, then cut through it with my lightsaber, disabling the alarm with ionization along the way. And now I had reached Jarko Itari's chambers.
They were spacious... Right in the middle stood a huge... Sofa, I'd call that piece of furniture. Jarko was half-sitting, staring at the holoprojector.
"Any word from the liberation tunnel guards?" she asked the man kneeling before her.
"My lady, the tunnel guards were under some strange influence. Lieutenant Lutseg, as reported to you, found his subordinate's voice strange, along with the absence of the relieved guards, and sent a squad to investigate. It turned out that part of the squad had been killed, some were knocked unconscious, and only one of them, in a drug-induced stupor, kept repeating that everything was fine."
"Drug-induced stupor? Republicans... No, are the Jedi now drugging their enemies?" one of those present asked.
"No," Jarko shook her head. "He did it, no doubt, to break the victim's will," she clasped her hands before her. "Though the timing wasn't exactly fortunate. It was just shift change," no, they would have figured out something was wrong either way. The combination of drugs plus Force suggestion was too distinctive.
"And then, my lady," the report continued, "he stumbled upon the future free chambers," hmm, quite the names they had, "and abducted them, convincing them to fight against us."
How thorough was her brainwashing that her sentients called a cell "future free chambers" and freeing prisoners "abducting them"?
"And finally," Jarko said angrily — and, from here, through the ventilation grille positioned directly above her, there was quite a good view of her chest. A beautiful woman, no denying it. It would be a shame to cut her to pieces... To some extent. "He destroyed the shield generator. The Judicial Forces are already breaking into the base," she stood up. "I think it's time for us to withdraw. Let them have this battlefield."
I thought they'd discuss something important, but she just listened to reports... Fine, she couldn't be allowed to escape. I carefully lifted the ventilation grille and jumped down, right onto the woman. On the way down, I readied my lightsaber, planning to activate it at the very last moment to avoid revealing myself as long as possible... However, she was ready. Jarko spun around literally a moment before the strike and tried to jump back. As if I would just let her go. The lightsaber's arc, and the woman's right arm was severed from her body...
"JEDI!" she roared. Her sofa was soft. I'd seen something similar in a picture of a Hutt, except there almost the entire space was taken up by its body, while here it was her and a few slaves. And so much free space... They can't forbid you from living beautifully. I made a lightning-fast Shiak, a quick and precise thrust aimed at her heart. "WALL!" A man appeared before me — the one who had been reporting to her earlier. He shielded Jarko, and I pierced him instead of her. What a bitch... Her remaining hand reached for a pouch secured on the right side of her belt. She pulled out... A grenade? Activating it, she threw it at me. But it didn't reach — I simply intercepted it with telekinesis and tossed it aside — an explosion not far away claimed the lives of three of Jarko's subordinates, then I hurled her own dead subordinate, the one I had pierced with my lightsaber, at her.
"Weak," I noted, as her own subordinate's body knocked her off her feet. "Surrender," pulling her toward me with telekinesis, I prepared to deliver the finishing blow, intending to cut off her head.
"GRAAAA!" she struggled with all her might to break free, until finally she just hurled the holoprojector at me with the Force — the one that had stood before her during the report. I dodged, jumping aside and releasing my telekinetic hold on her. "Forward! Kill him!" she ordered. Her subordinates, noticing that she was no longer next to me, opened fire. Damn it, my stealth kills always fall short in execution. Though that was probably because she'd been expecting an attack, and judging by my senses — she was no weak Force-user. Everyone present opened fire, including Jarko herself with a blaster pistol, using her one remaining hand. I rushed forward, deflecting shots on the move. The sentients fired simply at my silhouette, like most ordinary soldiers with ranged weapons — except Jarko herself. Her shots always came at the most inconvenient spots. And no wonder — she was a Force-user. She was retreating at the same time, apparently trying to escape. That couldn't be allowed...
Using telekinesis, I pulled a smoke bomb from my pouch. It would completely block the view for everyone present. Only I, using sensorics, would be able to scatter them all. Jumping off the sofa, I deployed the bomb. The smoke spread very quickly, blocking the view of everyone present, including me. But... using the Force, I negated the adverse effects of inhaling the smoke, and with sensorics, I oriented myself perfectly in the haze. I didn't intend to kill, since I no longer had to worry about Jarko — she didn't know where to run in the smoke — I began stunning the opponents one after another. You could say they were much luckier than the previous ones. Because I had been killing while chasing Jarko, trying to reach her as quickly as possible, but now I wasn't constrained by the knowledge that she might escape, so... One, two... Three... Ten... All fifteen? I counted everyone present and, stopping, aimed my hand in front of me. A moment and everyone except me was lifted by the Force and slammed to the floor. I noted with satisfaction that many had lost consciousness.
The one I remembered as Nella Kitar was also knocked out. Perfect. The fact that she was there was another reason I hadn't started cutting everyone down. However, three auras were now near a fourth one — the one I recognized as Jarko Itari. They had held out despite everything. An explosion rang out... They'd blown through the doors? The shockwave began to disperse the smoke. Jarko's unconscious subordinates lay around me, and they were trying to lead her away, help her escape.
"What's this?" I asked the group trying to flee. "Do you really think," Heavenly Hand — I placed a mark on the unconscious sentient lying before the escape group, "that I'll let you run?"
One of the sentients aimed a blaster at me and fired. But the exchange happened, and I appeared before Jarko's group. I quickly pushed the Force through my body, neutralizing the effects of using teleportation. A trickle of blood rolled down from my left eye. Damn it... When would this end? Never mind... Recovering from the technique, I rushed forward, closing the distance, intending to decapitate them all together. The man who had stopped helping Jarko blocked my path.
"I won't let you lay a finger on the lady!"
I swept my left hand, and he was thrown back, skidding across the room.
"You bastard!" The two remaining guards opened fire on me. I deflected shot after shot, calmly closing the distance, until I finally destroyed their weapons and flung the men in opposite directions.
Jarko was breathing heavily, glaring at me with fury. There was no weapon in her left hand.
"Well, Jedi, happy with your justice?!" she asked. "I'm unarmed, a woman whose domain you've invaded. You've maimed and killed my subordinates to get to me!"
"Shut up," I cut her off roughly, "you never cared about your subordinates, Jarko Itari! And you've maimed and killed far more than I have. Just for profit. There's no idea behind you, no goal. You just want to live like you're in paradise. But we'll fix that. We'll free the Galaxy from you. You understand perfectly well that even the Jedi have enemies they won't spare. Unfortunately, you've become such an enemy. An enemy of the Jedi, an enemy of the Galaxy's people. Oh yes... I saw your 'candidates for liberation.' Including women and children... And after that, you still think the measures are excessive?"
"I would have given them a purpose in this life..."
"Shut up! A purpose — to live in slavery under your rule? What kind of purpose is that? What about the simple life they could have lived — is that worse than your selfish purpose? You're pathetic carrion, Jarko Itari. You got arrogant, decided you'd become a great lady and goddess. But all you've become is a pathetic woman, even if vested with power and strength. There's nothing wrong with us coming for your soul. With me coming for your soul."
"Oh yes, I know perfectly well who you are, what the Shadows of the Jedi Order are! Pathetic bastards," she spat, "who cut across the Galaxy and kill everyone they don't like. They stop at nothing. You're the most horrible of the Jedi. More hypocritical than the rest."
"More hypocritical than the rest?" I smirked, approaching her. "You mean Otal Rign, who a hundred years ago, as a Shadow knight, was sent by the Order to eliminate an Anzati gang? He almost completed his mission, but died in the last battle in that context. Judging by the records he kept — he fell in love with one of his targets. That was you, wasn't it, Jarko Itari? His feelings were mutual," I guessed. "But in the end, he no doubt chose his duty. And you had to kill him. And what were you trying to say by that? Point out the error of my Order's views? Its stated goals? That," I approached almost point-blank, "I'm wrong? Or that the Jedi Order is wrong? Do you think that matters?"
"It matters to me!" She pulled out a blaster, which I immediately cut in half with my lightsaber. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" She tried to knock me down with a telekinetic wave, pouring emotion into the Force. Channeling the Force to my legs, I stayed in place. She drew a vibroblade and tried to stab me with it. I watched her attacks carefully. Physically she was stronger than an ordinary sentient, so there was definitely no room for games. I blocked her attack and aimed my left hand at her... Concentration, and Jarko was thrown backward, followed by a fireball of pyrokinesis. First her clothes ignited, and then, a moment later, her flesh. "Aaaaa!" She writhed, tormented by the flames. I closed the distance at a calm pace, carefully studying the surroundings. I didn't want anyone to interfere... I didn't want surprises that would let her escape... Finally she managed to put out the flames. She'd figured out to use the Force.
"What a disgusting sight," I noted, observing her burn-covered skin. "Yes, I know what you want to say," I looked into her bloodshot eyes. "I'm the one to blame for turning you, such a beautiful woman, unashamed of showing yourself off, flaunting your beauty, into such an ugly creature," I lifted her with the Force and set her on her knees. "But think about this. If you had just lived an ordinary life, hadn't tried to do what you did as a Vigo of the Black Sun — no one would have come for your soul. Didn't the death of your loved one teach you anything? Why, in your opinion, would a Jedi attack an Anzati? Because your species itself is dangerous? No... Then why can thousands of your kind live relatively peaceful lives on their home planet without anyone exterminating them? It's because, Jarko, they agree to live a normal life. Without soul-soup, an Anzati's lifespan is no different from a human's. All you had to do was start living a simple life. But you chose a different path. How many fates... How many lives have you broken? And where has it led you? To an inevitable ending... Here it is. The future you've always been heading toward. Farewell, Jarko Itari. Maybe in death you'll understand your mistakes," I raised my blade over her head. She tried to use her tentacles, aiming for my nostrils. I pulled her vibroblade toward me and sliced off her tentacles in one swing. Blood sprayed...
She was still resisting. But it was useless. The Black Sun criminal was to blame for her own fate. She was to blame for what had happened. A swing of the blade, and the burned head of the once-beautiful woman rolled across the floor.
"For a moment, I even doubted who was the villain here and who was the knight of justice," Lorm Decer appeared beside the woman's corpse. "Was it necessary to burn her like that?" He winced.
"I wanted to break her will to resist. It was easier than fighting her when she was super-motivated. If you can't kill an enemy immediately and it comes to a fight — demoralize them as much as possible, demotivate them from fighting. Dun Moch is never superfluous."
"And she fell for it," Lorm chuckled. "At first I thought studying her biography was a stupid idea. How did you even connect her to a Jedi who died long ago?"
"I didn't — it was intuition. Though Otal died on Pakuuni at the hands of an Anzati. No one in the Order launched any special investigations. They figured they'd killed each other in battle. Otal's story was known to me only because his diary ended up in the archives, though it was immediately classified. Back then she was a naive girl, believing in love and all that. And then, when Otal tried to fulfill his duty, including killing her, she apparently broke. Though Otal, from what I can tell, loved her. Because she was even less of a match for a Shadow back then. Just like now. Her strength was in her subordinates. She didn't like to fight."
"The gambit paid off, Light," Lorm nodded. "What now?"
"Well," I looked at the shattered doors to Jarko's chambers, "we need to help our people clean up this shitty gathering. Though right now, many of her soldiers should surrender. Based on what I sensed — she was using telepathy constantly. She even tried to attack me with it in the middle of the fight... In her style, promising to satisfy me in the carnal sense."
"Aha-ha," Lorm laughed. "I wouldn't have done that with her even myself."
I looked at the man skeptically.
"What are you staring at me like that for? I'm telling you honestly!"
"As you say," I shrugged. "As you say."
"Your skepticism wounds me to the heart," the mentor muttered. "It's sad that you rate me so lowly."
"No," I shook my head. "I value you, mentor. You opened my eyes to many things... Or maybe I always knew the essence of many things, I just didn't want to see it myself and was running from reality?"
"Don't start another session of self-analysis," the mentor turned away, "after this much time, I'm pretty fed up with it. The fight with Jarko showed you in your best light. You just did your job and did everything that was required. Except... You should have thrown the smoke grenade while jumping at Jarko."
"Hmm... She might have sensed it and jumped back. And the situation would have repeated itself," I approached Nella Kitar and began infusing the girl with the Force. It wouldn't fix the dislocation of her right arm, on which she'd landed when I decided to deal with Jarko's thugs quickly and efficiently, but it would help her regain consciousness faster. The girl slowly opened her eyes and groaned in pain. I had overdone it a bit. During the fight with the thugs, I had barely held back the Force. And I was radiating it to those who could sense it like a nuclear reactor. At least, that was the association Kuro always got when I fully dropped my Cloaking. She even asked me to do it less often. According to her, my Force felt more Light to her. But not the warm, kind light you could feel from some healers. And not the restless light that, according to her, emanated from many experienced Jedi. Though she also said that from many Jedi, because of the surrounding Galaxy, darkness could also be felt. No... According to An'ya Kuro, my light was cruel, cold, approaching the mark beyond which lay the Dark Side of the Force. Not surprising, really. I had taken a walk there and back because of my schizophrenia. My Force, when fully unleashed, could theoretically suppress weaker Force-users. The mere show of power... Maybe I should train in that aspect too? Intimidation was a good weapon. And I liked using everything that would help me win.
"Well, what's done is done," Lorm Decer remarked philosophically. "Master Thame always praised only the result."
His mentor had been a rather significant figure, even training Dooku in his time.
"You have to be more careful with that. Statements like that can lead to the Dark Side," I said, parodying Yoda. "And he's right. There's nothing worse than a fully fallen Gifted."
"Though that doesn't stop you from respecting the Sith. I recall you spoke highly of a certain Marr and Lana Beniko."
"Lana Beniko is top tier, Master. Have you seen her holoarts?" I asked him.
"Are those the ones for which, in that interpretation, Sith-Lana would have destroyed the city of whoever created them?" he asked insinuatingly. "I don't even want to know where you dug those up. But generally speaking, Light, there's something I want to tell you. Something serious."
"Is this related to your statement that you've taught me everything you could, even in ghost form, and that you don't want to waste time on your student that you could spend on Twi'leks and Jedi women in the Force?"
"Oh," Lorm Decer said, looking at me in surprise. "I didn't know you were that smart."
"Hey, I'm right here," I said as we left Jarko's quarters. I walked calmly down the corridor, descending. There was almost no Guard around; from the sounds of it, they were still fighting in the courtyard, even after Jarko's defeat. Either that, or they hadn't sensed her death in the heat of battle.
"Well, I'm not exactly a master of putting thoughts into words," the man sighed. "But I won't hide it. At first it was interesting and cool, as you'd say. But now… This kind of existence weighs on me, Light. It's like every moment I stay here, something gets drained out of me."
"So what are you waiting for, Master?" I asked Lorm without slowing down. "You want to leave, don't you?"
"I was just afraid you'd start crying. Again…"
"But I didn't completely break down after everything that happened… So—I understand perfectly. I knew full well that your so-called arc in my life ended long ago. To forcibly drag you back from beyond the grave, to weave you back in—that would be too cruel."
"And that makes me proud," he said, looking important. "Whether you've matured, seen the light, or opened your eyes. Whoever you become, you now clearly see the path. A mentor like me, who would develop your character traits, is no longer needed."
His ghost began to dissipate. Slowly, he vanished before me. Our final meeting…
"Master, allow me to offer some advice. Twi'leks are good, of course. But there are also Zeltron."
"Hmm," Lorm said thoughtfully, "I will meditate on this matter." He stroked his beard with a contemplative look. "Yes, I must meditate."
As I descended, I cleared the building of occupants. With people, I tried to use the Force to shove them aside, occasionally using my lightsaber. Maybe pity was playing a role. They were still slaves, even after Jarko's death—I'd roasted her corpse to ash myself. So to some extent, I felt sorry for them… And I tried as much as I could to hold back with them. But with the droids I encountered along the way, I didn't hold back at all. They were mercilessly destroyed. Finally, I reached the main hall. The prisoners I'd freed were fighting here. Fighting too desperately, almost sacrificing themselves.
"DON'T FALL BACK! The Judicial Forces are out there!" I heard a burly man shout—he was the one who'd taken command of the prisoners. Got Corden, I think. "We join up with them and victory is ours."
I watched the battle from about the second-floor level. A staircase led down. Amazingly, there was no elevator. The entrance hall's interior felt a bit different. Where I had entered was pure modern design, but here I saw that thick, aristocratic Europe again. I jumped down in front of the fighters.
"You'll be breaking through here for a hundred years."
"A Jedi!" Got said in surprise. "Just in time. Some of my men almost reached the droid control point." To my surprise, he wasn't in Jarko's quarters. It turned out the droids had two shutdown circuits. The first one I'd disabled by digging around in Jarko's computer and breaking out her hard drives for BB. The second needed to be shut down in the security room. Unfortunately, the authorization had been forwarded to the security room, and I didn't have time to go there. I could sense the fighting there, but the exit was closer. And helping the Judicial Forces was more important.
"Excellent…" I said, concentrating on the Force.
I aimed both hands at the gate that led outside…
* * *
The blue and yellow lightsabers moved at a speed that many found astonishing. The battle raged in the inner courtyard. Tivokka managed not only to fight but also to command the units advancing on the assault. It seemed like a doomed idea, but they had no other options. Light Flyingstar, a Jedi Shadow praised by the Grand Master, had disabled the shield. And freed the prisoners that Jarko Itari had brought in from everywhere. They couldn't ignore such a perfect opportunity to attack. The mighty Wookiee didn't just rely on his lightsaber; he also used powerful, brutal strikes. His Padawan, Plo Koon, used Soresu, trying to kill as little as possible. Everyone shooting at them now was nothing but a slave. They pitied them to a certain degree. So they tried to incapacitate them. The investigators would later figure out who had been enslaved and who had come willingly.
Suddenly, from the fifth floor of the main building, Tivokka and Plo Koon felt an incredible power. They could sense Jarko Itari; her Force presence was palpable. Though they suspected her abilities were more focused on domination. Tivokka even had the thought that this woman, without any specialized training, had taught herself Battle Meditation. In that case, their battle, even with artillery and equipment, would have been a problem. But at some point in the fight, they felt as if someone had removed a damper that had been holding back a massive amount of Force power. Plo even froze…
"Master, that's…"
"Probably Knight-Light," the Wookiee growled. "The Grand Master mentioned he has an exceptional talent for the Force. And he just stopped suppressing his power with Concealment. My student—now you understand how dangerous that technique is? You thought the Knight was 'the most ordinary, average' … However, power from talent isn't everything. How does he use it? That is the question."
The answer came about ten minutes later. They had advanced. Tivokka and Plo Koon felt the death of the Gifted one—Jarko Itari, apparently. The warriors of the Black Sun—some stopped resisting, while others began screaming curses and promises of revenge. Suddenly, the massive gates, about seven meters high and ten meters wide, leading into the residence itself, simply flew off their hinges. They sailed out of the building and could have crashed down on those fighting in the courtyard, but it so happened that the sentients reacted quickly. Many fled from under the collapsing gates.
"Good day to you, respected beings… And not-so-respected warriors of the Black Sun." Tivokka grinned. Yes, such a display of power could get through even to fanatics. "I am the Jedi Knight who killed your mistress, Jarko Itari. She is dead… In the process of our battle, unfortunately for her, she fell victim to my pyrokinesis technique, this one," he pointed a hand at a B1-series droid. A fireball struck the droid, and it began to burn. Of course, B1-series droids served everywhere, even in hot climate zones, but this was Force-generated ignition, applied by no weak Gifted. "Her ashes were scattered in her own chambers. Your mistress is dead." He infused the Force into his words. It wasn't a rare skill, but it was often used by youngling instructors. Here, though, his voice became louder, clearer. "And now you have no reason to fight. Not for her, not for the Black Sun. Surrender! And we will treat you fairly. None of you will be sent to prison without reason. This matter is under the jurisdiction of the Jedi Order. I am certain Master Tivokka," he looked at the Wookiee, "will agree to guarantee my words."
Tivokka growled in agreement.
"Scoundrel!" a voice rang out. "You killed our mistress and think we won't avenge her?"
Suddenly, the B1 droids began deactivating. Someone had reached the bandits' console? Good job.
* * *
"Well then," I said with a smile, using Tutaminis to absorb the energy of a shot. "I foresaw this." A wave of my hand—my favorite move—I lifted the bandits into the air with telekinesis, then slammed them forcefully to the ground. Some were knocked out; the ones still conscious, the tougher ones, were stunned. "Hah…" Yeah, I overdid it. Wiping away a bead of sweat, I walked over to Master Tivokka. "Master Tivokka. Mission complete. Padawan Plo Koon," I addressed the Kel Dor. "It's wonderful to see you all alive and in good health." Closing my eyes, I activated my Force Concealment.
"You are far more talented than many your age," the Wookiee noted.
"Talent isn't everything. Don't forget about training. The Black Sun is crushed." I looked around, finding Lora with my eyes. She and her people had also taken part in the assault. "Time to tally the losses. Provide aid to the wounded," I demanded. "Arrange conditions for the former prisoners, and also for the former subordinates of Jarko Itari," I said, looking at a Judicial Forces officer.
"Yes, sir!" The man saluted me and turned to his subordinates, starting to issue orders.
"Master Tivokka, it was a pleasure working with you. Tell me about what happened with your group? I'd like to hear your account of the ground battle."
"And I wouldn't mind hearing your story of the mission, Light." The Wookiee looked at Plo Koon. "And my Padawan would be interested in listening to you too."
"Knight Light," Plo Koon drew attention to himself, "I would like to ask you for a training session."
"A training session?" I asked in surprise. "And what should I teach you? Keep in mind, I can't give you full-scale instruction in anything; I can only show you a thing or two. I need to find my own path in the Galaxy, you know. And you have your own Master… However, considering your profile—I do have an idea. Calm Jedi aiming to be Guardians, like you, are in dire need of mastering Force Precognition, Padawan Plo. I'm sure my training in this technique won't be wasted on you."
Teaching him anything more significant right now would be pointless. That would require a full course. And I really don't have the time. My ass wants new adventures in every sense… Well, almost. Precognition is a path where you can teach the basics in two or three sessions, and after that the Gifted one can only improve. I recall Plo was good at the Jedi iteration of Force Lightning. I can use it too, though I need to concentrate for a long time. But showing it to him… Well, I'll have to tell the Council later…
"But first, Master Tivokka and Padawan Plo—let's flush out the rat," I smirked. "Come on. There's a sentient I need to have a word with. Preferably right now."
* * *
"You figured it out," Admiral Graves said distantly when we showed up on his ship and demanded he surrender his weapon.
"Yes," I nodded. "To avoid raising suspicion, I left you, Admiral, in charge. But now that Jarko and the Black Sun cell are finished—it's time to cut all the loose ends." The Admiral stood surrounded by bewildered officers. "I have only one question. These sentients—many of them trust you, respect you, Admiral Graves. So why? Why did you decide to work for the Black Sun?"
The man chuckled, removing his blaster holster.
"Why. The answer 'profit' wouldn't satisfy you, would it, Jedi Knight?"
"You don't strike me as that kind of being," Tivokka growled.
"And you're right… I don't…"
"Old man!" Lora had also arrived with us.
"Why did I betray the Republic? Even those who aren't Jedi who can see the future can imagine the answer." He held my gaze for a moment.
"Admiral Graves," I said coldly, "surrender your weapon, as well as your access codes."
"You're interested in my motives, Jedi," the officer said. "I'll tell you about them. I wasn't the first to betray the Republic. It betrayed me first. I worked in the Core Regions. A long, long time ago. And once I captured pirates who were transporting slave women to some aristocrat in the Tapani sector. I fell in love with one of them, like a boy… Though I was just a boy back then. But the Judicial Forces found out about her, about the other 'contracted workers' who 'hadn't fulfilled their obligations to the client.' Tell me, Jedi, what would you have done if they demanded you hand over your wife to some monster who saw her as a slave? I didn't hand her over. I couldn't… The Republic is rotten, Jedi," he said loudly. "Because of you. Because of everyone else. So why should I be loyal to it, huh? Duty? An officer's honor? I gave the state the best years of my life, and what did I get in return? A demand to hand over a 'contracted worker to the employer'? That's partly your fault too. The fault of your rotten system. I've seen plenty of it. I uploaded a virus onto that bastard's ship. It dropped out of hyperspace straight into a star. And my wife took poison, just so she wouldn't fall into his hands. And then I decided… Screw you all! I planned to become the new Vigo of the Black Sun, to get rid of Jarko with your help. And to take revenge… Oh, using the Black Sun's resources, I could have done far more than an ordinary Admiral of the Judicial Forces. But you uncovered me… So be it." He sighed. "I don't blame you, but… Since it didn't work out. I'll go out like an officer." He aimed his blaster at his head and immediately fired. I didn't stop him. To some extent, this was an escape from responsibility. But also a specific kind of departure. Graves's body fell to the cold floor of the Dreadnaught.
"Illustrative," I noted. "Enter it in the log. Admiral Graves was shot by a rioting prisoner from the Black Sun." Fortunately, there were only twenty sentients on the bridge; together with me, Lora, Tivokka, and Plo Koon, that made twenty-three.
"You think that's correct?" Tivokka asked.
"Not correct, but right," I answered. "To some extent, he suffered because of us and our shortcomings, Master Tivokka." I looked the Wookiee in the eyes. "We can't bring him back to life, just as we can't bring his beloved back. But we can at least avoid tarnishing his reputation. He was loved and respected." I cast a glance at the crew members present. "Let it remain that way. Our Galaxy has already… broken so many destinies. We can't help everyone, not even a fraction of a percent. But we can at least show some respect for their stories. Even if not for all of them." I turned and left the deck. "How rotten I feel," I sighed, watching BB land the Star Trek in front of the Dreadnaught. "I want to get drunk, but first I need to set new coordinates." I climbed up the ramp and then into the cockpit. "Taking off, BB. Next stop—Mustafar. I sense… I sense success ahead. I feel ready to tap into one of Revan's legacies and not die in the process." As rotten as I felt, I had to keep moving. The ship lifted off… I also sent my mission report, emphasizing the 'Luna' group, from which Lora had participated. It bothered me—or rather, my intuition did. It wasn't that simple. Gaven Hornly, the organization's leader, according to the intel I'd pulled from Jarko's hard drives, had been a prominent officer of the Black Sun… It's interesting how the gears turn in the Galaxy… The Force suggests this won't be the last time I encounter PMC Luna. Although it's not my line of work, I'm sure they'll send a Guardian, or a Watcher-Investigator, to look into their activities—to uncover all their secrets. It's all too suspicious: the origin of their leader, the resources they have. Crush the Black Sun? Bring justice and righteousness to the Far Reaches? Maybe the old me would have believed in all that… There are noble, driven, and quite kind sentients in the Galaxy. There are those who really do make life better for others. Even on the Outer Rim. But my intuition told me not to trust Gaven Hornly and his organization specifically.
But, as I've noted before—Gaven Hornly isn't my problem right now. The main thing is not to go charging in with a saber, cutting everyone down. Besides, it's not my job to investigate whether he needs to be eliminated. Let those who are supposed to handle it do so.
"So, HK-47," I smirked, pulling up a holographic image of the droid and uncorking a bottle of my favorite liqueur. On the table also lay a version of pepperoni pizza, but in a Galaxy Far, Far Away variation. What can I say—I was in love with this particular pizza before my death. And afterward, I found a way to eat it here. "An assassin droid designed and built by Revan himself… Savior, conqueror, hero, villain. The greatest of the Jedi and simultaneously the greatest of the Sith… Though, claiming the latter is risky… If you don't want to start a flame war. After all, we have Vitiate, Sidious, Sadow, and others… Hmm… And among the Jedi, someone could challenge that title too. But does it really matter right now? The community flame wars stayed behind. What matters now is only what I see.