After leaving Odessen, I had to return to a known part of the Galaxy to carry out another, fairly standard mission from the Jedi Order. What was the essence of the mission? While conducting excavations near the infamous Wild Space, another group of archaeologists ran into a problem. In the form of one of the padawans stumbling upon a Sith holocron, as the mission data informed me. In the good old tradition of not-the-smartest padawans, Renak Albin didn't tell his master about the incredible find. The master and his comrades, who were also present at the dig, learned about this event too late. Driven mad by the "true potential of the Force," Renak wounded one of the knights, killed another, and forced the third to flee.
The padawan disappeared... Only to later show up on Corellia. And that was a problem, because both CorSec and the Green Jedi — the Corellian Jedi — could take care of him. The High Council was not opposed to the Green Jedi's involvement in eliminating the rebellious padawan. It was categorically opposed to the Sith holocron falling into the hands of the Green Jedi. So they sent a Shadow, one who was capable not only of stealth infiltration but also of thrashing many gifted individuals.
My journey from Wild Space to Corellia took almost a week. That wasn't great, considering I had accepted the mission before my trip to Odessen. Yes, I spent that week productively, mostly engaging in philosophical reflections on the concept of a new style. I also got hit sideways by the fact that I had refused to learn Juyo under Revan's mentorship. Although Revan had significantly modified it, I still had to learn the basics. But still, if I had started learning that style with him even a little, everything would have been easier. The only problem was that Juyo, despite its ferocity, efficiency, and speed, immersed the gifted too deeply into the depths of battle. I intended to make my style calmer, though not completely exclude the factor of joy in a life-and-death battle... And I was even starting to get somewhere.
With one lightsaber, I held my hand in front of me. The hilt with the blade was in one hand, the right. The left was pulled back a little, ready to prepare a Force technique. In battle, I would stand slightly sideways, pushing the right side of my body forward. I had even started practicing strikes from this position, which allowed both entering an attacking form and sharply blocking, then counterattacking. In the two-handed version, the right hand repeated its position from the one-handed version, while the lightsaber in the left was slightly raised, the hilt pointing exactly at the opponent. The very first movement I had ready for the two-handed fencing form, I dubbed "Scorpion Sting.".. The right and left hands moved simultaneously, but while the lightsaber in the right hand blocked an attack, the left instantly delivered a thrust to the torso. If the enemy blocked it, a sharp and quick pirouette followed, in which the hands switched. The left pulled the weapon away, and the right delivered a powerful, slashing strike to the neck.
In fact, regarding Jar'Kai, I had made a kind of synthesis of "Blade Whirl" and "Double Strike." Only, one way or another, the philosophy was that one lightsaber always tried to block the enemy's weapon, while with the second I intended to finish the enemy. Moreover, the development required ambidexterity, even though I was naturally right-handed but had trained in ambidexterity (Author's note: a situation where the right and left limbs are equally strong). That is, I could deliver a fatal strike at any moment, deflecting the enemy's weapon, with either hand. So far, the two-handed version of the style had received the most techniques and transitions from me. "Scorpion Sting," "Dragon Tail" a strike with a sharp pirouette that followed the sting, "Snake Bite" a sharp strike delivered to the legs, "Vonskra Rip" a variation of Mou Kei — the same move that Kenobi used against Anakin when he "overestimated his power" that is, severing all limbs with a series of rotating movements. Vonskr paralyze their victims with their venom... The purpose of the Rip is to deprive the victim of all limbs... Also a form of paralysis. And finally, the last strike — "Dragon Rush." The second dragon technique, or rather movement, pursued only one goal — to quickly decapitate the enemy.
Of course, I would later adapt all these movements for a one-handed grip as well, though there I would have to focus on evasion rather than simultaneous block and attack. Or on speed itself... All these movements were inspired by the texts that described Juyo. You can't learn to fence from texts and pictures, nor can you invent something new. Therefore, everything I had come up with during training and meditations, I could only begin to implement in real battles. And there will be many more... And I am heading to one of them right now. I hope this Renak, an adept of the Soresu form, will be at least somewhat useful. I'd like to try my inventions on him.
Corellia looked inviting from space. The planet, located close to the capital, had always been an important trade artery of the Galaxy. Its smugglers were known throughout the Galaxy, capable of selling anyone anything... Well, that's according to local beliefs. As soon as I exited hyperspace near the beacon, I received a call... Were these CorSec forces? Too early — they usually contacted me as I approached orbit. Looking at the number, I recognized that Celeste was calling.
"Celeste, Jaro," I said, looking at the holograms that appeared. "Good time of day. What do you have there? Evening? Morning?"
"Day, Master," the Lasat said.
"Good, good day. How is your mission?" I asked both of them.
"Not counting the fact that we had to wade through almost literal crap, everything ended well," Morne said in a slightly dramatic tone. "We arrived, found traces of the smugglers. Organized a raid."
"And how did you end up in a river of crap?"
"Well, one smuggler tried to escape through the planet's sewer system," the girl shrugged. "Nevertheless, Jaro performed well and waited for him at another exit." The Lasat even puffed out his chest with pride.
"But what about you and this Scourge? I got the impression, and not just me, that you know him. Piell at the briefing — he was almost extracting everything under suggestion."
"Master Piell has always been skeptical of me," I sighed heavily. "But regarding Scourge, I left with him to make sure he wasn't dangerous. Even though officially I was supposed to be on Corellia."
"That's exactly the problem, Master," Jaro interjected.
"What's the problem?"
"Master Piell decided to personally oversee your assignment. And he's been on Corellia for three days already." Damn Lannik. Getting in my way. Though I'm to blame myself. I acted defiantly and showed "disregard for authority.".. "And he's very worried," Celeste continued, "that you still aren't there, even though 'considering the hyperdrive parameters of the Star Trek'... You should have been there two days ago. And he also pushed for a detailed report regarding Scourge. How did you verify that he's not dangerous? Kill him?"
"Ha, funny joke," I chuckled. "I won't be killing him for at least a decade. No, I just talked to him. He doesn't meddle in Galactic affairs, only searches for artifacts that belonged to his sworn enemy and destroys them."
"I said the same thing, almost, to the Council, but Piell doesn't believe either you or me."
I just shrugged. To the list of problems — CorSec, Green Jedi — I could quite add the Lannik. However, if I play the classic Shadow, he won't find anything... But it's good they called. I can hide my Juyo book on the ship. I have a couple of hiding spots that were completely shielded from any scanning. That's how I wasn't afraid to bring the Medallion of Arrogant into the Temple.
"Thanks for the info," I nodded. "Send me the mission reports. You, Jaro, send me your essay on the topic I gave you a week ago." The Lasat's face changed, a few extra wrinkles seeming to appear. "After this mission, we'll reunite and I'll start your full training. We'll find a secluded planet and devote time to your instruction. We'll take missions periodically. We'll meet... Well, let's say on Corellia. Should I transfer you credits, or is your ticket to this planet enough?"
"Send them," Celeste nodded. "I want to visit a certain shop."
Jaro just put his hand to his forehead. But Celeste noticed this gesture and tried to give him a cuff on the back of the head, but due to the height difference, she only managed to hit him on the back.
"Okay," I agreed. Thanks to the droid design I'd created and its popularity on my Homeworld, I rarely needed money, so with a clear conscience I transferred them five thousand credits and ended the call.
I moved the ship closer to the planet and received a signal. The face of an ordinary man in uniform appeared before me.
"Good morning, visitor to Corellia. Identify yourself, state the purpose of your visit, and transmit your ship's registration number to us. I am Captain Nirkan Kratoni of the spaceport defense forces," he nodded.
"Certainly," I said, transmitting the necessary data.
His expression changed when he read the information.
"So you... Ahem," he cleared his throat. "Please proceed to Hangar 47 at the central spaceport of Coronet. I've sent you the vector. Have a pleasant stay on our hospitable planet."
"BB," I said, calling the droid when Nirkan's hologram disappeared. "Got the vector? Navigate the ship along it."
The droid beeped in agreement. HK-47 was also nearby.
"Question: Master, how I hate that word, are there many meatbags on this planet?"
"Enough," I sighed, looking for Even Piell's number. "But you can only kill one, as we agreed. I've sent you his data. Although, most likely, I'll deal with him myself." There it was! The Lannik's number. I started the call.
"Light!" Even's hologram appeared after a couple of seconds. "Finally you deigned to show up."
"Master Piell," I nodded, greeting the Master of the High Council. "Apologies for the delay. Some... urgent matters came up."
"Is this related to that Sith, Scourge?"
As Celeste and Jaro had warned, I couldn't hide Scourge's involvement. We couldn't fully reveal him to the Order and especially go against Abeloth now. That entity was too... it could turn everything upside down. Better to prepare. In the situation on Veynae, Scourge not only interfered, destroying Vitiate's sword. He also wiped out all of Seth's clones that he found, thus preventing Seth's reincarnation. So that bastard will definitely go through the Order's interrogation chambers. I suppose he'll be executed in the end.
"No," I lied, adding the Force to my voice and trying to sound more convincing. "I had to stop by somewhere for a minor matter. Besides, this Renak Albin hasn't gone anywhere, and even if he had left Coronet, I would have tracked him down."
"Are you really that smart, or does your vanity simply exceed your recklessness?" Piell asked coldly.
"I am a Shadow, Master. Such missions are right up my alley. I would have found him regardless, especially if I knew what to look for. Have you managed to find out what holocron Renak unearthed?"
"Master Tal reported that this holocron is damaged and most likely may not function properly," Piell said thoughtfully. "Most likely the holocron's guardian directed Renak here, for the missing piece. Why else, do you think, would he come here from practically the Outer Rim, a fallen, dark-sided gifted who killed one of the Jedi?"
"It would be good if Master Tal at least named the Sith author," I said. "All Sith who made holocrons are odious and unconventional in themselves. As are Jedi, for that matter. So, by the name of the being responsible for the holocron, it would be possible to determine the possible abilities the finder might learn."
"Unfortunately, she couldn't provide that. Everything happened too quickly. She herself barely survived."
"For a padawan, even one guided by a Sith holocron, to be able to harm a Jedi Knight?" I asked in surprise. "And escape from three knights?"
"He attacked from behind..."
"That doesn't excuse the knights," I sighed heavily. "Alright, let's not dwell on it. Do you intend to watch over my work? Did our temporary alliance with Scourge scare you that much? I recall that to defeat Set Harth, I had already made unexpected alliances."
"With your alliance with Sheygen the Matukai, you could only scare the late Ezar," Piell retorted. "Now you're consorting with a Sith. A full-fledged Lord."
"This Lord simply can't let go of the fact that his enemy is dead. He goes around finishing off everything that remains of him."
"And now you're even defending him..."
"It's not defense. I remind you, Master, we are enemies of Sith who try to seize the Republic and plunge the Galaxy into Despotism, because of their immense ambitions, greed, avarice, and thirst for eternal power. Such Sith pose a threat not only to Jedi but also to those we must protect," I looked the Master in the eyes. "Scourge, on the other hand, showed indifference to everything except the artifact, which, by the way, your Protégé let slip! Wasn't it you who lobbied for the appointment of Knight Pehd Zholt to that auction? As a result, part of the artifacts went astray. And who knows where they'll surface next?"
"I will not comment on that," the Lannik replied. "I was informed that you would be in Hangar 47. I won't be alone; Knight Lara Leniko will be with me. She is a Green Jedi. And also her padawan."
"And you're bringing them in too? Maybe you'll also call in the CorSec guard with flashing lights and a pack of dancing gizkas led by a rancor roaring across the whole city, with fireworks and fanfares?"
"Your jokes are inappropriate..."
"I'll just remind you — I am a Shadow. My task is to eliminate Renak Albin and retrieve the dark artifact. Not to shout all over Coronet that another important Jedi has arrived. The more cautious the target, the harder it is to deal with. Are they at least Shadows?" I asked hopefully.
"No," the Lannik shook his head.
"Then it won't be quiet," I sighed heavily. The ship was just landing, and I cut the connection. Walking down the ramp into the spacious hangar, listening to the dying hum of the engine, I and HK encountered the Lannik and two Jedi. Even Piell looked as always — stern and imposing. Next to him stood a tall, beautiful woman around thirty years old. She was dressed in traditional Jedi robes. Golden hair fell to her shoulders.
33
To Lara's left stood a girl of about fourteen with short white hair and a distinctive padawan braid.
34
"So we meet, Knight Light," Even nodded to me. I, having already spoken with Piell, carefully examined the Green Jedi present. They seemed to use green elements in their clothing to distinguish themselves from us. Or was that just my misconception? In any case, the girls didn't impress me much. Unnecessary ballast?
"Greetings, Knight," Lara said. "My name is Lara Leniko, I am a Knight of the Green Jedi. And this is Sheila, my padawan." The white-haired girl gave a slight bow, though her face twisted into a grimace. It seemed someone didn't know how to control themselves, since Lara kept her face composed.
"Light Flyingstar," I nodded to the girls. "And I have little time, so let's get straight to business. You've managed to gather information on Renak?" I addressed the Green Jedi. "To prevent him from slipping away, we need to start his elimination immediately. And why didn't your branch of the Order eliminate him right away?"
"We tried," Lara answered. "The problem was that he managed to eliminate those sent after him."
"And who did you send?" I asked, moving toward the hangar exit.
"A knight and a padawan," the woman replied. "Unfortunately, Renak proved too strong."
"Based on the data I received, Renak uses Soresu and isn't particularly strong in Force techniques. The padawan is understandable, but what did Renak use against the knight?" I asked. "And he also put our knights to flight," I said, looking at the Lannik.
"Master Tal reported that he used Force Lightning and Force Choke," the Lannik replied. "If you hadn't been gallivanting Force knows where, you would have had time to listen to her report."
"That's irrelevant now," I waved it off. "Better tell me — have you found out where Renak is currently? I could try my method, infiltrating organizations of 'special elements.' They usually know a lot about such individuals. But I'd like to deal with this as quickly as possible."
"Don't you consider us useless ballast?" Lara asked in surprise. "I heard your conversation with the esteemed Master Piell."
"I do," I nodded. "That's why I want you to prove otherwise. You might surprise me if you help with Renak. Isn't that worthwhile? To convince someone who doesn't believe in you, to prove your strength..."
"As if you're someone worth proving anything to," the padawan snorted.
"That's not for you to decide, girl," I said calmly.
"Observation: Master, how oh how I hate that word, this female meatbag is being impertinent. Question: Should I perform personnel optimization of the organization 'Green Jedi'?"
"Denied, I don't want to be responsible for murder," I answered the droid. "A knight's task is to discipline her padawan," I looked at Lara. "And she behaves too intemperately, even in the presence of a Master of the High Council. You're not fulfilling your duties. Maybe I should spank her with a belt? Maybe she'll wise up."
"Why you..."
"Sheila, stop provoking the Knight," Lara said sternly. "And as for you, Knight Light. Didn't your attitude cause such a reaction in my padawan?"
Possibly. But I myself was irritated by the fact that a Master had come to my mission... I should probably be more restrained.
"Forgive me, but I'm not used to so many beings arriving on my mission at once. And now, will you allow me to finally review the necessary information?"
"Alright." We entered one of the spaceport guard rooms, where a large holoprojector stood. Lara approached it and activated it. "Renak arrived on Corellia about three weeks ago and immediately launched intensive activity in the tunnels under Coronet. He began literally subjugating criminal gangs. Some of them were under our control, through intermediaries. Those gangs were aggressively eliminated. Their rivals, which we had been holding back, are now under Renak's rule."
"Sometimes you can achieve much more with Force Lightning and Force Choke than with mere diplomacy," I summarized. "However, even for a gifted, such a timeframe is too fast. He acted with reckless speed. Isn't anyone putting up any resistance?"
"Resistance is almost gone," the woman noted. "Renak has holed up in the citadel of one of the former underworld bosses and doesn't stick his head out."
"Hmm, infiltration into a guarded citadel," I said thoughtfully. "Do you have plans of this citadel? Even approximate ones."
"Better," Lara answered. "We have an event that will make Renak appear outside of it. We know how to lure him out."
"Now that's interesting," I said. "Spill it."
"Don't you consider us useless anymore?" Lara smiled slyly.
"Still, I don't yet see any benefit from you. Everything depends on the plan and execution," I answered. "So what's the event?"
"The thing is," Piell interjected, "the holocron that Renak got is damaged. He was able to activate it, but it won't provide him full knowledge until he finds a way to repair it... The missing part, as it happens, is in the Jedi Temple near Coronet."
"Repairing a holocron is dubious in itself," I noted. "It's a very valuable artifact. Breaking its integrity can greatly affect functionality. Apparently, the holocron's guardian knows a way to repair it. But who is the guardian? Couldn't you find out?"
"No," Lara shook her head negatively. "But word that we would be transporting a part of the holocron has reached Renak."
"You intend to lure him out?" I asked. "And then set up an ambush."
"Correct," the knight nodded. "He understands that his simple thugs can't do anything to a Jedi. So he'll come out himself."
"And given that he's already defeated Jedi... He won't be afraid. Excellent," I clapped my hands. "I must admit, this plan is no worse than my initial ideas. Though not without risk. How will you transport the part?"
"We'll use a public flying platform. It will go to the central office of the Green Jedi via public routes."
"You want to show him your carelessness? Think he'll buy it?" Even though he's under the influence of a dark artifact. "Alright. I understand — I'll be near the artifact part. Shall we proceed?"
"Yes," Lara nodded. "Everyone was just waiting for you, as the primary Jedi assigned to the mission."
Well... This idea of theirs was quite viable. But I had to remember that the plan had its risks. Since we would be using public routes, there was a risk that such transportation could harm beings. Yes, the transport would fly, as I correctly remembered, a few dozen meters above the ground; the city here was similar to Coruscant, except it didn't pierce the planet entirely.
When the Green Jedi left us, I was left alone with the Lannik.
"I thought you were a bit rude with them," the man noted.
"Not without reason," I crossed my arms. "Think about it yourself. Yes, my methods may seem strange, but they work. Then I'm informed that a full Master comes to check on me. Plus these Green Jedi. Naturally, I'm displeased."
"A foolish excuse," Piell snorted. "A Jedi must be able to work in the most varied conditions, not get angry because they change. The questions are not about your skills, but about your character and the actions stemming from it. The Green Jedi were brought in only because the action takes place here, on Corellia, their homeworld. They don't want something out of the ordinary to happen here."
"If they didn't want that, they wouldn't have waited for me; they could have destroyed Renak themselves. But what do I see? They sent two and no one returned, then they gave up and waited for us, Master. And if we hadn't come? Would they have tried to make peace with him? Alright, let's leave these questions to the Green Jedi. I need to inspect the transport that will be used. I assume they will deliberately weaken security and leak the information so Renak has fewer doubts?"
"Yes," Piell nodded. "Renak is under the influence of the dark side of the Force. It's not uncommon for the recently fallen to lose control. As if you wouldn't know?"
"Indeed, thanks for the reminder," I chuckled, leaving the CorSec office.