The captain's bridge of the Dreadnaught wasn't particularly spacious. And considering it was filled with droids and sentient thugs from the "Black Sun," it was downright cramped in there. But that didn't bother me much. Seeing no further point in exchanging pleasantries, I launched into the attack. Shots from the syndicate's soldiers flew toward me, but halfway there I simply jumped, enhancing my physical abilities. The cocktail of physical enhancement techniques was still active. Sometimes, on the way to the captain's bridge, I would weaken or switch off a technique "to restore stamina," which Force-sensibles had here. In particular, physical ability enhancement techniques — even those I applied with adjustments from Matukai knowledge — deplete physical stamina.
But the logic here is extremely simple. I don't fight at one hundred percent of my current full power. It's necessary to go all out, and that's a fact, only in incredibly important battles. That's when all characteristics are cranked to "maximum." The so-called "boss fights." In my case — these are landmark duels against strong enemies. As now, I was moving at peak speed. And at that pace, I'm capable of fighting long enough to take down everyone present, including allies. Droids, like ordinary sentients, were slow on the uptake when I simply jumped over them, landing right in front of Garyn's chair. A swing of the lightsaber should have deprived him of his hand, but I noticed the gleam of a vibroblade. It was flying straight at my head.
"Protecting your boss, Mighella." I blocked the attack. She swung her other hand, creating something like ropes. It seemed like a rather primitive ability, but my precognition advised me not to even touch those ropes. Jumping back, I would have collided with the sentients and droids of the criminal syndicate that remained behind me… Or I should have. Lora and HK, judging by the noise and commotion, had begun dealing with the enemies. I only had to kill four before I turned my attention back to Alexi and Mighella. The man stood up, drawing a blaster in his left hand and a sword in his right.
"Fucking Hornly," Garyn expressed. "Setting a Jedi on me."
"Set?" I tilted my head. "Oh no, I'm here of my own accord. You can tell me a lot." I pointed my lightsaber at the man. "Nothing else matters."
"That only doesn't matter to you," the crime lord said. Aiming the hand with the blaster at me, he fired. And I must say, a Force-sensitive with a blaster is quite a dangerous phenomenon. Using the Force, you can foresee where the target will be, attack the most exposed spot. And he was far more talented in this area than Jarko Itari, even though Jarko was older… Although that was related to style — Jarko herself preferred to stay out of direct fights, unlike Garyn, who had participated directly in battles many times. I was already using two lightsabers against them. Spinning the blades, I began deflecting shots to the sides. Though it was pointless… One of the shots I not only deflected but directed toward Mighella. The witch dodged it. Because of this action, Garyn was forced to get distracted and stop shooting, which I took advantage of, accelerating to the limit and closing the distance. A moment later — Garyn's pupils dilated in surprise when he found me right in front of him. I struck without the intention to kill…
But cutting off an arm or a leg — that wouldn't stop him. The main thing was not the head. I didn't want to waste the medallion's power on him. At the same time, my strikes were far too fast for Garyn's perception. Having deflected the first two strikes — aimed at his wrist and leg — and only just barely, he began backing up, quickly hitting his own chair.
"Huh?" He was distracted by this fact, then performed a backflip, leaping over the chair and dropping down toward the ship's control panels, behind which B1 droids were positioned. I followed him. Landing in front of him, I felt Mighella's strike at my back. The girl made a direct thrust, but I sharply turned and deflected the blow. Garyn was going to shoot again… Throwing Mighella back with telekinesis, I turned back to the man, and spinning my lightsabers, deflected a couple of shots. I needed to get rid of that blaster. I tried to tear the weapon from his hands with telekinesis, but as a Force-sensitive, he could resist it, albeit weakly. But the fact that Mighella attacked me again forced me to get distracted and dodge sideways. The girl, carried by the inertia of her thrusting strike, ended up in front of me. I was about to kill her when she suddenly ducked, and a blaster bolt flew straight at my face. I ducked myself, executing a "dragon tail" move in the form of a sweep. The spinning leg kick was one of my favorite moves in hand-to-hand combat. And one of those I used even when armed with lightsabers and fighting with weapons.
The sweep threw Mighella off balance. The blaster shot flew over my head. However, credit where it's due — the witch avoided the lethal strike I was aiming at her head. Literally rolling away, she began to warp the ship, causing spikes to grow straight out of the floor.
"Mighella! I asked you not to use that attack on my ship!" Garyn's loud exclamation came.
"Circumstances force me," the girl said. "Look, even this is useless against him." She nodded toward me as I, spinning, sliced through the spikes from the Dreadnaught's steel floor with my lightsabers, and then even bent them with telekinesis. "This Jedi is incredibly dangerous."
"I can feel that myself, but he's too arrogant — that'll be his downfall…"
"Allow me to ask, Alexi — what exactly is my arrogance?" I inquired.
"You decided to fight the two of us alone. Those two: the droid and Lora have already finished destroying my guards and are now just watching our fight, not interfering. That's not efficient — you could have ended the fight with me and Mighella quickly if you had accepted their help. You surely have much better sensory perception and couldn't have failed to sense their victory."
"Hah," I chuckled. "It's true, I felt their victory. But I'm not refusing their help because I'm arrogant. No... HK and Lora eliminate their targets just fine, and they might not have held back. Especially Lora. Whereas I wield a weapon far more civilized, from a more civilized age. Besides — I use allied help when I realize an enemy is too strong for me alone. But tell me: do you truly consider yourself and Mighella too strong to overcome me? You're mistaken to even entertain the thought that a completely ordinary Jedi has come out against you."
"Then, — Mighella stepped forward, — you're also mistaken to think a simple Dathomirian witch and a simple self-taught fighter have come out against you! — She pointed her hand at me, and from her fingers, jets of Force Lightning erupted. Fear came from Lora... Indeed — they looked terrifying, but... I had a few tricks of my own.
Deactivating the lightsaber in my left hand, I pointed my hand toward the witch's attack... A moment, and from it too burst forth Force Lightning, this one an emerald color. The girl's eyes widened in surprise as the lightning collided. In a clash like this — the Light Side's lightning should lose, at least according to Revan; the lightning technique belonged more to the Dark Side of the Force, and through emotions of fury, anger, and hatred, which the Sith used, lightning could be made very powerful. However, my abilities were enough to neutralize Mighella's attack.
"A Jedi wielding Force Lightning? — the witch asked in surprise. — Who taught you that?
"None of your concern, — I said calmly. — All your tricks, Dathomirian witch Mighella, are visible to me, — I sent a wave of telekinesis, breaking her next entangling technique. She used matter transformation again, trying to impale me on stakes, but the stakes too were knocked aside by the telekinetic wave.
Garyn started firing again, but I deflected his shots too. I could have kept pressuring them, but I decided I'd had enough playing around. Besides, the fight outside was getting too intense, and it was time to end everything at once. And they were standing in that exact configuration — perfect for my teleportation attack. Heavenly Hand... Right behind Garyn stood a B1 battle droid; blaster bolts and another Force Lightning bolt were flying at me. A moment and I swapped places with the droid... At first I felt joy from them — their attacks had finally hit their target...
"Tell me, what have you got to be so happy about? — I asked.
"What the... — Garyn turned around and immediately lost his left arm along with the blaster. He tried to attack me with his vibroblade, but I lifted him into the air with the Force and slammed him into the floor. Pinning Alexi to the ground with my foot, I attacked Mighella. A bolt of Force Lightning struck the Dathomirian, and she didn't have time to defend. Then I hurled her with telekinesis into the bridge's viewport. The girl wasn't ready for that either, coughing up blood from the pain. It ended with me teleporting her to me and hitting her with Force Lightning again. The fight was turning out to be a bit exhausting. Still, I gave no hint of fatigue. I'd catch my breath later.
"Well? — I asked the pair. My right foot was planted on Alexi's chest, and the green blade extending from the hilt of my right-hand lightsaber hovered near the Dathomirian witch's neck. — Are you satisfied with the result?
"Rancor shit, — the Dathomirian hissed. — He's on a completely different level.
"Glad you admit it, — I grinned, keeping the blade in place. — Now, let's talk about your fate. It's not as bleak as it might seem. Lora certainly wants your head off, — I looked at the Mandalorian. — But as it happens, I'm the one who defeated you, and what to do with you, Lora can only advise. And whether I take her advice... Or not... Depends only on you, Alexi Garyn.
"Hutt, — he said. — What do you want? Going to try and recruit me as an agent of influence inside the Syndicate?
An interesting thought, certainly. If you think about it — crime can never be defeated. You can only try to control it. And Alexi would suit perfectly as a leader of one of those "controlled criminal factions." But... The Black Sun Syndicate is too sprawling and developed. It has a couple of layers of protection against leaders like him. It can't be fully subjugated... Only influenced... Ideally, the Syndicate should be completely destroyed, or reduced to a weak state and replaced with a faction of my own. But that's a matter for the future. Right now, I don't even have my own team, no one to whom I could entrust such actions. Alexi doesn't fit... Too powerful an organization, and too many of its members could cause trouble, even if Garyn commanded them top to bottom. He could only be useful as a spy... Though even that isn't worth counting on too much... They might figure out I recruited him and that's why I let him go. And that could end his career very quickly.
"I probably won't recruit you as "future head of Black Sun," your organization is too large to recruit you under these circumstances, though the prospects of such an agreement exist, but I doubt you'd agree with how I'd transform the Syndicate. Your subordinates certainly wouldn't agree, and neither would the Vigo Council. And running around the Galaxy destroying Vigos to promote loyal ones in their place, and whether it would even work... I have far more important things to do, — no, no matter how I feel about criminals, the fact remains undeniable — I'll have to deal with them. I'll even have to create a structure that works in the underworld, because — if you can't beat them, lead them. Simplest logic. — But as a spy, you are most valuable.
"You expect me to betray my organization? — Garyn asked.
"No. I need you to spy not on the organization, but to gather evidence on your current boss. Kabra.
"You want to take him down...
"Don't you? — I stepped away from Garyn, and he was finally able to sit up. Sitting cross-legged, the man bored into me with his gaze. — I've heard a lot about you. Even those who have nothing to do with your Syndicate have heard of you — "the Executioner." That's what your own people call you? You're building a reputation, first and foremost among your own, to take over the Syndicate.
"Everyone inside Black Sun does that, — said Mighella.
"And I don't judge, — I shrugged. The battle was still ongoing and hadn't reached any tangible result yet. — Even this war is a means to boost your reputation...
"Oh no, — Garyn shook his head. His tone of voice changed, and I felt fury coming off him. — This war is the result of betrayal, — he looked at Lora. — Gaven Hornly betrayed me and didn't stick to the plan.
"Plan? — Lora asked loudly.
"So there was a plan after all, — I smirked.
"Correct, — Alexi confirmed. — Gaven joined the organization with me, I've known him a long time. And it so happened that we both ended up serving different Vigos — Dalridn and Kabra. Not long ago, those two Vigos were feuding over the title of Grand Boss of Black Sun. I intended to become the new Boss, but I simply didn't have enough weight. If not this time, then the next. Gaven was my "friend," if you could call it that. He suggested a plan, quite simple in my view. It was that Dalridn would die — he would die by his hand, not on Kabra's orders, as many thought. Gaven intended to become a Vigo; he had quite solid chances. And then, once he was on the Vigo Council, when Kabra stepped down, he'd put me forward for the position of new Grand Boss of the organization. But from the very start, everything went wrong. Dalridn was an asshole, but not a fool. He realized what Hornly was planning for him and covered his tracks. Hornly managed to kill him, yes, but a holo-recording of who killed the Vigo spread through our organization's network. Gaven had no choice but to flee, and the council sent me to pursue him.
"So that's how it was, — Lora said.
"Comment: stupid organics.
"And what happened next? — I asked him.
"What happened next was pretty simple. Not long ago, I managed to find him on Ambria; we fought, and afterward, he proposed a new plan. And it seemed very promising to me, and it still seems very promising... I needed scale! — Garyn said loudly. — An act that would make me a pole of power, and the Vigos would have to reckon with me. Gaven was to assemble a faction that would start demolishing our bases, destroying our smuggler ships, pirating our routes, ruining production... In short — he was to create a tangible threat. And with my help — he really did manage a lot...
"So that was the "source" inside the organization! — Lora said in surprise. — You were the one leaking Black Sun's data to us!
"Correct, — Garyn confirmed. — But Hornly turned out to be quite the asshole, — he put it. — I spared him, for his life, twice! The first time, when it became known who killed Dalridn. We can set each other up, play in the shadows, but there's one rule — you can't kill your own. Gaven killed Dalridn...
"I find it hard to believe you guys don't kill each other, — I snorted, folding my arms across my chest. — You're criminals, Alexi, — I reminded him. — Among scum like you, there's probably ninety percent more bastards than among ordinary sentients.
"I understand your skepticism, — said Garyn. — The goal is not to get caught if you want to deal with a competitor inside the organization. But that wasn't enough for him. He acted too broadly and attracted the attention of the Jedi. Including you. And here's my question... Was that his natural carelessness, or sabotage?
"You're both something else, — I said, closing my eyes. What to do? If I killed Garyn now, I could declare PMC Luna the winner. It's clear they'd defeat Black Sun without a leader. However... What are Gaven Hornly's further plans? Everything had become a bit more complicated. — And what did he have in mind? — I asked Alexi. — Any ideas? If I were in his shoes, after the Dalridn fiasco, I'd have fled to the Unknown Regions and kept a low profile. But instead, he proposed this plan to you... What are his true motives? Hmm... On the other hand — does that even matter to me personally? Both they and you are criminals. Both factions under the knife, and that's that.
"Wait, — said Lora. — Maybe we should talk to Gaven?
"Well, at the very least I need to demand a ceasefire from him, — I should have done that at the very beginning of this conversation. But I got too carried away. — HK, call Hornly's flagship.
The droid moved to the computer and extended a connector to the terminal. Hornly's figure appeared almost instantly. It seemed he hadn't hesitated even to take the call.
"Alexi... — he looked at Garyn. — No... Jedi, — he turned his attention to me. — I see you haven't been wasting time and even managed to capture Garyn. Bring him to my flagship and have him stop the battle.
"Not until your subordinates do, — said Garyn.
"You lost and you dare speak like that...
"I didn't lose to you, but to the Jedi, which I acknowledge. And by right of the strong, he has the right to demand anything from me he wants.
"And what I want, as an ally, is to inform my ally Gaven that there's no more need for battle. Black Sun will cease fire, along with Luna, Gaven.
"Very well, — the man hissed. — Zelmen, — he called the Lasat. — Have our forces stop the fighting and return to positions.
The Lasat appeared in frame for a moment, turned, and disappeared. Luna indeed ceased fire. Meanwhile, I looked at Garyn, and he informed his people via datapad about the ceasefire.
"Will you take him to my flagship now? — the man asked.
"Not until you answer some questions. I'm interested in your motivation...
"I'm not your subordinate, just an ally, and I'm not obliged to answer your questions! — Gaven said angrily.
"Well, in an ordinary situation, yes, but I've just had a chat with Alexi Garyn... And I didn't feel he was lying. He's not telling the whole truth, but he's not lying, that's for sure. Questions have arisen... About your motivation, Gaven. And depending on your answers — depends the future of your organization.
"Gaven! — Lora got his attention. — Did you really conspire with Garyn to "give him a reputation"?
"I was seriously wounded by him on Ambria, — the man said, pursing his lips. — And I offered Garyn exactly the deal he was interested in, to escape.
"Interesting interpretation, — I noted. — If you wanted to escape, Hornly, you'd have simply escaped, not started "fulfilling" the terms of the agreement. But you assembled an entire faction. And what's interesting, you even got your hands on some Dreadnoughts somewhere... All those resources for a fugitive who killed his own boss. From where? The Pyke Syndicate? The Hutts? Who supplied you with all this? Will you answer?
"I'm not obliged...
"Oh no, — I interrupted him. — You are obliged. Because everything depends on it. Including your life. Though... I have my suspicions. Not long ago, Alexi told me a story where he said you joined the organization together. It's logical to assume you spent some time building your reputation together... And then the Vigos noticed you — Dalridn and Kabra, longtime rivals. Description of Kabra's personality: suspicious, distrustful, paranoid. It's just a guess, but it's entirely possible that you never actually served Dalridn. Instead, you were Kabra's spy with Dalridn, and later killed the latter on Kabra's orders. But you were careless and got exposed. Fleeing the syndicate, you lay low, but Alexi Garyn and Mighella tracked you down. Trying to survive — you made a deal with him about a "reputation war." Except, when you started acting, Kabra contacted you again. What did he offer you? That he'd take you back if you eliminated Alexi Garyn, who was gaining the reputation to potentially unseat Kabra in the next five to ten years?
"Do you realize you're talking nonsense? — Hornly asked calmly. — Why would I do something like that?
"Oh, so you know it's not nonsense? — I asked. — If you know the truth, then maybe you'll share it with me, your ally, and Lora too... Your subordinate. Because, you know, I feel her doubt. And I'm, like, a battle-oriented Jedi, not an empath.
"I don't work for Kabra, — said Gaven Hornly.
"Then for whom? Jabba? The Pyke Syndicate? — Lora asked. — You know, boss, your actions are getting pretty strange. We successfully avoided countermeasures from Black Sun for several years. I even helped eliminate a Vigo — Jarko Itari... We avoided direct confrontation, in part because the forces were too unequal. And then suddenly something strange happens. We get dragged into almost a full-scale war! Which we had successfully avoided. It's like you deliberately wanted to put us on a collision course with Garyn. So what's your goal, Gaven? What are you trying to achieve? Do you work for Kabra? For Jabba? The Pykes? Or are you still in cahoots with Garyn?
"My plan doesn't concern you, Lora, nor you, Jedi. I will do everything to ensure my PMC prospers.
"So... We won't get answers, — I concluded.
"You will. As soon as you join the Force! All of you! Continue the attack on Black Sun. And... Commander Lora's forces have betrayed me and the interests of PMC Luna. According to our organization's code — they are to be destroyed.
The PMC ships opened fire, simultaneously beginning to close in.
"That's it, — said Gaven, and his hologram vanished.
"What the bantha poodoo! — Lora exclaimed.
"Will you join forces with us now? — Alexi asked.
"No, that won't be necessary, — I activated my datapad. — Feemor, — I called my friend. — The configuration has changed. Get as far away from Luna's ships as possible.
"You don't mean to... Understood.
So I hadn't uploaded that virus into their systems for nothing. A useful development. The reactor overload — most of their ships either became non-operational or simply exploded. Incidentally, I focused on the flagship dreadnought, which I ordered destroyed. Tens of thousands of sentients died in an instant.
"A background like that could make someone fall, — noted Feemor, whose fighter was heading toward Lora's dreadnought. Her subordinates were currently talking with the Mandalorian.
"If you can fall from the death of your enemies, then I feel sorry for you, — I replied to Feemor. — Damn that Gaven Hornly to a Hutt. The Council will flay me alive, — deactivating the connection with Feemor, I turned to Garyn. — It's quite likely that the scenario of Gaven working for Kabra is the most plausible. In that case — I'd advise you to get rid of Kabra quickly, but you'd better not make a mistake. I'm not going to kill you, Garyn, I won't even imprison you, because you can be useful. I've come across some interesting information that Kabra might be subordinate to very powerful Dark Side adepts, who might be involved in high-level financial and political manipulations within the Republic. Get me proof, and consider your debt for your life paid. I need identities, holo-recordings, and evidence.
"Is this your intuition, or are you absolutely sure? — Garyn asked.
"Sure.
* * *
"Without authorization from the High Council, you went off to participate in a war between criminal factions! — Even Piell fumed when I contacted the Jedi from my ship. Feemor stood beside me, also taking a verbal lashing from the masters. Piell and Kress were the most furious. — And then: you destroyed an entire fleet using a computer virus that was a secret development from our slicers, let a man go who's wanted in two dozen sectors as a criminal, and released the remnants of PMC Luna along with one of its former commanders.
Yes, I did all that. Garyn had gone to spy for me inside Black Sun. He's in contact with Kabra and, in theory, can give me a few threads leading to Plagueis and Sidious. Pulling on those, when the time came, I could drag that pair into the light. And Lora... I saw no point in killing her. She seemed broken after everything that had happened. So I just let her go. She has enough conscience not to start causing all sorts of trouble. Besides, she was a criminal only by a very broad stretch. A mercenary... The Galaxy's laws tolerate their existence. Her battered ships went with her.
"Master Even, — I sighed. — I understand your indignation. But I didn't see any other options. If Gaven Hornly had succeeded — it's quite likely the Hutts could have used his victories. They would have struck the PMC, absorbed it, and only grown stronger. Besides, Hornly's motivation wasn't entirely clear. He was quite possibly also working for Kabra, but very carelessly. Everything could have led to a war between the Hutts and Black Sun. And those are the two largest criminal organizations in the Galaxy.
"I agree with Lait, — said Tera Sinube. He is a Guardian and a specialist in the criminal underworld, especially of Coruscant. The Quermian looked at Even. — There are too many strange things we haven't uncovered. However, the fact is that Gaven's actions could well have posed a threat not just to his opposite numbers in Black Sun.
"The fact that he didn't inform the Council is the problem, — said Piell.
"With all due respect, the Council would have taken too long to decide how to intervene. There was no time left. I eliminated Hornly and his plans, regardless of who he was working with... As for Alexi... After the battle, I was too exhausted, and he took advantage of that. By wounding Lora, he distracted me. His subordinate is a strong Dathomirian who can use Force Lightning, — the masters exchanged glances. — So I didn't let him go; he simply managed to escape. Why did you suddenly decide that I released him? It's more logical to say "lost."
"How dangerous is this Dathomirian, Mighella? — Piell asked, glaring at me.
"For ordinary Jedi — deadly dangerous, — I closed my eyes. — Force Lightning, environmental control, which Dathomirians use. And you have to consider that she clearly didn't use some of her magic, afraid of causing too serious damage to the flagship. As for Garyn... He uses the Force as a self-taught. With it, he has enhanced reflexes. Shoots better, can fence. Of the pair, Mighella is the more dangerous. I assume they've already returned to Kabra, reporting that Hornly is dead. His death was confirmed.
"Still, the question of your suitability for your position could certainly be raised, Lait, — Kress spoke up. — You acted not like a Jedi, but almost like a criminal.
"You can't accuse me of anything, Master Kress, — I said, turning my attention to him. — I acted within the law. Yes, on the edge, but within the law. The criminal entity is dead. We prevented a large-scale war between the Hutts and Black Sun. With the death of Hornly and his organization, we've scrambled the players on the holographic board for his patrons, whoever they were. Of course, it can't be called a hundred-percent victory, but it's not a defeat either.
"I agree, — said the Grand Master. — And the Council, I believe.
"I don't, — replied Piell. — You have almost no discipline, Lait, — the Lannik gave me a stern look. — They made you a knight too early, and clearly didn't finish your training. In combat ability — there's talent, I won't deny it. But in everything else, you're too impulsive and impatient.
"And I agree with your criticisms, Master, — I said coldly. — For which, the Force knows, I apologize. I apologize to the High Council, — some looked at me in surprise. — For resolving the situation quickly and radically, preventing it from escalating into a war between the Galaxy's largest criminal organizations. I ask forgiveness for that, in the context of my impatience, Master Piell.
"Don't try to wriggle out of it, Knight Lait, — Yarael Poof joined the conversation. — The Master made a remark to you. Accept it as a Jedi should. If you want to crack jokes — crack them anywhere, but not during a report.
The Quermian is a temporary member of the High Council — he's essentially being re-elected. Though I remember that afterward he definitely became a permanent member, I think after the Stark Hyperspace War. Yarael usually tries to pacify the arguers.
"And you, Master Piell, — the Quermian continued. — Are too harsh on Lait. He did everything he could and achieved far more than many others would have in his circumstances.
"I've already apologized, Masters, — I bowed slightly.
"Perhaps I was too harsh on you too, Lait, — said Piell. — But... There's one more matter that requires your explanation, — he pressed a few buttons on his datapad. Before us was displayed an image of HK-47. — The HK-47 droid, once belonging to Revan, that very one. You appropriated him.
"I found him myself, — I shrugged. — Reprogrammed, reflashed, and repaired him. Now he's my protocol droid.
"HK-47, apparently, has some solutions not typical for droid construction from Revan's era, — noted Yan Dooku. — The effectiveness of this droid, if archive records are to be believed for its time, was off the charts.
"And he hasn't lost his skills, — I noted. — I just needed to oil him, replace a couple of parts, and now he's my HK-47. The reason his functionality was preserved, most likely, is that Revan stumbled upon Iokath during his wanderings. That's a highly advanced race from the Manderon period, known for droid construction. The archives say that Iokath and its technologies were destroyed by the Hero of Tython.
"High clearance information this is, — said Yoda. — Dangerous the study of Revan's persona and all connected to him.
"I agree with that, but finding traces of HK-47 — I took the risk, and it paid off. The ship that crashed on Mustafar was heading for Coruscant, though the coordinates were entered at the very last moment. It seems they were different originally, and HK changed them — he doesn't... really like organics without a master.
"Then he is all the more dangerous, — noted Piell.
"However, I reprogrammed him, even bypassing the highest security Revan installed. I vouch for this droid; he recognizes me as his true master, — and yes, that test was a real pain in the ass.
"Under your responsibility, you believe we should let him stay? — Yoda asked.
"Yes, I don't intend to let you down on this matter.
"I hope so, — Piell snorted. — And you, Knight Feemor, do you have anything to add?
"No, — my comrade shook his head. — I have nothing to add to what I've written and submitted to the Council. I can only note that Lait acted correctly. Maybe not like a Jedi, but like a sentient inhabitant of the Galaxy who can influence something.
"That's exactly what causes controversy, — noted Dooku.
"In such a case, we should end the reports, — said Yoda. — Thank you, Lait, Feemor... Feemor, a task awaits you on Corellia. Go there you must.
"Is there a mission in my field? — I asked the Council.
"Check the forum, — said Piell. — There's no specialized assignment for you yet. We'll count the situation near the planet Roon as a completed mission for you, by the way. However, it will be classified.
I just shrugged and bowed slightly.
"May the Force be with you, Masters, — Feemor and I said simultaneously, saying farewell.
"May the Force be with you, young knights, — said Yoda. I cut the connection.
"Phew, — Feemor exhaled. — That was quite the scolding they gave you. Though you asked for it.
"Piell knows how to eat your brain out... But he's partly right, — Feemor looked at me in surprise. — I mean that without oversight from above, young Jedi can cause trouble. Although sometimes, literally, there's no other option but to act... Well, anyway. Want a lift to Corellia?
"Ah, work again," he sighed sadly. "No, I'll get there in my fighter. It's high time I picked it up, or else your Laura will toss it into space and blast it with the cannons."
"I don't think she's that emotional..."
"I'd rather not take the risk," my former clan mate noted. "Goodbye, Light. And don't linger here. I know which women you can piss off and which ones are better left alone."
"Hah, and when did you ever manage to understand women, my friend? I have more experience in that."
"What a thing to brag about. Only stupid teenagers boast about their experience with women."
"You brought it up first, not me," I grinned back at Feemor. "Anyway," I shook his hand. "May the Force be with you."
"And with you," he said, then left my ship.
Well then... This wasn't a victory. I still hadn't figured out who Gaven Hornly had been working with, or how much support he could have had. I'd just killed so many sentient beings... But at least I'd gotten myself a promising spy in the ranks of the Black Sun. Who would call everything that had happened a "victory"? It was neither here nor there...
"Curiosity: where are we headed, master — how I hate that word."
"BB," I addressed the astromech droid. "Input the coordinates. Coordinates N-7, sector Odgoster, system Jebble." The ghost of Revan appeared beside me.
"You want to complete your training," the legendary jedi said.
"Yes," I agreed. "I want to test everything you've trained me in. Not on weak gifted beings, but on someone who can put up a proper fight."
"Your wish will be granted. Pray to the Force for luck..."
"Luck is a myth, master."
"We'll see about that," he vanished, leaving me alone in the cockpit.