"As if," Dagan spat. "Like I'd tell you anything, Jedi!"
"You're in no position to be arrogant," I replied. "I don't usually give second chances to people like you. To be honest, I'm used to eliminating Jedi who have clearly fallen and lost touch with reality. You're only alive because you have valuable information about Tanalorr. We know about a certain 'beacon' that, once installed on a ship, allows a safe jump through the Koboh Nebula. And you need to tell me if there are any other beacons. The ones found here were destroyed, or at least damaged."
"Then let me go," the man hissed. "Let me go..."
I stopped using telekinesis.
"Ugh..." His body crashed to the floor with a pained cry. I walked over to him and crouched down.
"I let you go. Now will you tell me everything you know?" I asked.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of a door opening. A whole group of beings entered the room. First, there were the usual 'Roger-roger' clanker units, B1s, twenty of them. Also among those present was the Neimoidian I'd seen earlier, Zed, who was leading the expedition. Beside him stood a Mon Calamari named Bent Eyrin. Master Tal's very young Padawan. The Nurian was there too. Zed swept his gaze around the room, looked at me, and then at Jaro.
"Jedi Master," he addressed me, "a pleasure to meet you in person." His accent was the same as all Neimoidians. I could see two blasters on his belt. A Neimoidian who doesn't shy away from leading with weapons? A unique specimen.
"Esteemed Zed Zorenei," I said, standing up. "Good day. Master Tal, young Padawan," I nodded to the Jedi present.
"Knight Light," she nodded. "Knight Celeste, Padawan Jaro," she greeted us. "And who is this? A Force-sensitive?"
"This is... well, let's call it a relic," I replied. "Remnants of the conflict with the Nihil. Allow me to introduce you: this is Dagan Gera, a Jedi Master from the so-called High Republic era. He was connected to Tanalorr."
"Dagan Gera?" the Nurian asked in surprise. "But according to Santari Kri's reports, he disappeared."
"Santari Kri," I snorted. "Was a foolish woman. When Dagan fell to the Dark Side, she cut off his hand and put him in bacta..."
"Hmm," Zed said thoughtfully. "Bacta isn't really suitable for that kind of... preservation. Is this possible because he's Force-sensitive? Such a lifespan."
"While inside the bacta tank, he wasn't subjected to the body's metabolic processes," I noted. "So he didn't age naturally... Or if he did, it was many times slower. If you want to preserve yourself even after thousands of years, try finding Dreypa's Ark. Or recreate it. Though... the technology for its construction has long been lost," I looked at Celeste. She just grinned. Well yes, she was lucky in a way. And unlucky in another. "But we need to get back to our subject," I cut off my musings on the survivability of living organisms over thousands of years.
"Indeed," said Zed. "A part of our expedition, without the beacon device, attempted to jump through the Koboh Nebula... And I believe they no longer exist in the Material Plane."
"So that's what you meant when you said the expedition had disappeared," I realized. "Or rather, part of it. And all because of Kirajji, the Dathomirian."
"Yes," Zed agreed.
"The Trade Federation's leadership didn't want to involve our Order and hired Kirajji instead," Tal said.
What? They hired a Dathomirian when there's a whole Order of relatively selfless 'Senate dogs'?
"And she's the one responsible for the disaster that befell part of our expedition," Zed said angrily. "She stole the beacon and left them a fake. They realized it too late."
"Well, let this be a lesson to you," I shrugged.
"I doubt it," Zed chuckled. "I hate to say it, but our leadership is obsessed with economy and power. Hence our problems."
A reasonable Neimoidian. Now all I need is to find a Sith Emperor who hasn't gone mad with power and the Dark Side, and I can die in peace, knowing I've seen everything in this galaxy.
"Well, since you hate to say it, then let's not say it," I remarked. "Alright, we need to question this cripple from the High Republic."
"I'm not telling you anything!" Dagan said loudly. His voice echoed off the walls. "Tanalorr is mine! If I hadn't just come out of bacta, you'd all be lying headless! You pathetic Jedi won't resort to torture."
"The Jedi won't," Zed replied. "But we, the Trade Federation, aren't burdened by excessive morality. If you won't talk willingly," he walked over to the cripple, "we'll beat it out of you."
"But is there another way?" Tal asked.
"There is," I replied. "We'll summon the High Council. Some of them have been Jedi for two hundred years. I'm sure they can make him talk."
"And you said that the Order that betrayed me and the current one are two different Orders," Dagan's lips twisted into a mocking grin. "I bet that green dwarf Yoda is there now, speaking in inversions and acting like some great sage."
"He's insulting Grand Master Yoda," Bent Eyrin hissed.
"Easy, he's just an idiot," I noted. Though Yoda himself isn't without flaws. Not that he's weak or too stupid. More like ossified. The Order must change to meet the challenges of the times, not remain in preservation. That's Yoda's main mistake. But that's not what we're talking about now. "Let's drag him onto my ship, and we can contact the Grand Master and the High Council. They'll be able to loosen his tongue."
"Bastards, you won't succeed... You've degraded so much that you let the Dathomirian get away with the beacon leading to Tanalorr..."
"And you're so pathetic that you couldn't defend your precious Tanalorr from the Nihil horde, and then you started killing your own comrades, most likely," I snorted. "You're not one to talk about worthlessness. You put on so much show at the start of the fight, but what did you accomplish? Just making excuses — that you're missing a hand, that you just came out of bacta. And what can you do now, limbless and defeated? You know I'm stronger than you. And that realization makes you weak, because you're a coward."
"Shut up!" he barked.
"Or what?" I asked him. "You'll attack me? Wasn't the last time enough for you? Enough," I waved dismissively, lifting him with telekinesis. "I'm done torturing you. BB," I called the droid through the comlink. "Bring my ship here. And I invite you all inside," I called to Zed, Tal, and Bent Eyrin. "Though I can't guarantee the droids will fit."
"Return to base," Zed ordered his droids. "Call the research team, we're done here."
"Roger-roger," came from the B1. "Follow me."
"Roger-roger, roger-roger," came from the other droids. We moved to the Star Trek. I led my allies to the holoprojector and dialed the High Council. The call was answered about two minutes later.
"Knight Light," said Yoda. "I see you have met with Master Tal and her Padawan," he nodded to Tal and Bent Eyrin. "Captain Zed, a pleasure that you have decided to contact us as well. But the reason..." then he noticed the armless and legless Dagan Gera. "That is..."
Yarael Poof even half-rose from his seat.
"It cannot be," Poof said. "Dagan Gera."
"Yes, it's him," I confirmed. "This individual was somewhat inhospitable when I arrived at the High Republic complex. And he later explained why. Santari Kri, a Jedi Master, cut off his hand when Dagan went mad because of the decision to abandon Tanalorr due to the Nihil attacks."
"I remember that decision," Yoda said. "It was a difficult one for us."
"Stop lying, you green dwarf," Gera said. "You always envied me and held me back. 'You should be more humble'... I strained every sinew for the Jedi Order! And what did I see? You took it for granted, but never rewarded me..."
"And what did you want?" I asked him. "Did you expect wreaths of flowers and spotlights for every achievement? Applause is for artists and singers; you're a Jedi."
"Pfft, pathetic creature..." he snorted. "Keep being the Council's attack dog, Shadow. No one will ever appreciate your efforts. All you can do is run from planet to planet and cut down whoever the Council points at."
"And you can cry after one failure and, like a little child, blame everyone around you. Too bad I cut off your only hand, so you can't even wipe your own nose now."
"Enough, Knight Light," Yaddle interrupted me. "Enough mocking him."
"Oh, another one," Dagan snorted. "What do you want from me?"
"You were put in contact with us for a reason," Dooku said. "The compass that guides through the Koboh Nebula clearly didn't exist in a single copy. And you, as the Jedi involved in discovering the path, certainly know where to find another one. So you can understand what we want."
"But I'm not interested in cooperating with you," Dagan said roughly. "You're just pathetic bastards."
"Don't think this is a request," Dooku noted. "You'll get a chance at redemption if you help us."
"Yeah, redemption, while your pet killer is tagging along with me? As if I don't know why the Council sends a Shadow somewhere. How many have you killed without giving them a chance, 'Knight Light'?"
"Far fewer than you can imagine," I grinned.
"In that case, Dagan Gera will not be accompanied by Light," Yoda noted. "Master Tal will work with you," the Nurian stepped forward slightly. "Light, meanwhile, will follow the trail of the witch Kirajji."
"Understood," said Zed. "We'll assist Master Tal. Also, I'll give you all the information regarding Kirajji. She left the planet, yes, but her hyperdrive was damaged. And we have approximate coordinates for where she might have exited hyperspace. Although she initially wanted to jump into the Koboh Nebula, she jumped in a completely different direction."
"Good," I agreed.
"Deal with her as you see fit," Zed noted. "However, remember that our leadership would like to judge her for breach of contract. It's better not to fool the Trade Federation."
"I'll act according to the circumstances," I informed the Council and Zed. "Is that all?"
"Yes," Yoda agreed. "That is all. May the Force be with you."
"May the Force also be with you, Masters," I nodded, ending the call. The Trade Federation's data arrived on my datapad.
"I have top-level access," Zed said. "In the context of this expedition. I've just sent you everything related to Kirajji. Can you take us back to the camp? It's—"
I cut Zed off.
"One second, BB. Here are the coordinates for the expedition's main camp on this planet. Let's head there," I ordered the droid. The ship headed toward the camp. Tal walked up to Dagan.
"Will you cooperate with us?" she asked the man. "I swear I will protect you from the Shadow."
"Pfft, clowns," he snorted. "I'm a Jedi, unlike you. You won't break me that easily!"
"You're a naive fool," I said. "But you're lucky. Master Tal is much kinder than I am."
"And what would you have done to me?" he asked. "How would you have forced me to submit?"
"Force Persuasion..."
"You idiot!" he declared. "I'm Force-sensitive; what Force Persuasion? My mind can resist it."
"Khm, he's right," Zed noted. "I've heard that persuasion only works on the weak-willed. Force-sensitives, especially trained ones, are not that."
"Will can be worn down," I took a box of substances from the pouch on my belt and handed it to Master Tal.
"What's this?"
"Mild drugs for an addict, but for someone who doesn't use drugs — enough to relax the mind completely. Even the strong-willed," I looked at Dagan, "can't resist euphoria and relaxation. After the interrogation, since the pleasure is granted by mild substances, the memory of the addiction can be erased. So we use Force Persuasion, but we don't break the mind, just loosen the tongue. And no torture needed."
"This is disgusting," Tal commented. "Repulsive."
"It's far more humane than torture and far more effective than spending dozens of hours trying to persuade a person. I'd recommend using my method once you're sure his words about redemption don't work on him. And I've seen plenty of Dark Siders. This one can't be redeemed," I nodded at Dagan.
We parted ways at the camp spread out in the lowlands of the planet Koboh. After delivering the people, I took the ship into orbit and began to think about what to do with Kirajji.
"Nothing went according to plan," noted Celeste, sitting next to me in the cockpit. "If Dagan helps them find the beacon, the Trade Federation will reach Tanalorr."
"You think so?" I asked. "Yeah, he might help," I started examining the moon orbiting Koboh. "However, given his personality, he'll screw them over."
"You've learned to understand people?" Celeste asked. "I always thought you, my love, knew a lot more than most. But that's regarding some pretty famous people. You definitely didn't know Dagan."
"True," I agreed. "It's a calculation. I believe Dagan Gera is too proud and will constantly put a spoke in their wheels... But I can't deny the possibility that he might start helping them completely. Therefore," I grabbed the ship's controls, "we'll handle this in a special way. We'll destroy the place where the beacon might be."
"The place where the beacon might be?" Morne asked in surprise. "And where is that?"
"In the High Republic complex on Koboh's moon," I nodded. "My sensors picked up a faint signal from the moon's surface. Judging by the information the Trade Federation sent, they haven't checked the moon yet, since they found the beacon on Koboh and created a prototype. If we blow up the complex, the beacon will be damaged."
"But it would be better if we took the beacon."
"True, but we don't know what security systems are there," I noted. "They might be able to trace... " I sighed, connecting to the Force and trying to calculate the paths. "Hmm... The right move is to destroy it," I said. "We can find a beacon with Kirajji. The traders' Lucrehulk-class is hanging around here. They'll notice something strange if we start digging around there. But if we just plant a bomb on the main energy core of the station — the shatter-moon —" the planetoid, which was once a moon, was naturally ripping apart into fragments, "it will completely disintegrate. And they won't find anything else."
"And how do we set off an explosion where 'they won't find anything'? And we won't be suspected?"
"Hmph," I smiled. "Yes, my love, we won't be suspected. Jaro," I called the Padawan over the ship's intercom. "Come up here."
The Lasat quickly climbed into the cockpit.
"Master?"
"Remember your experiments with explosives. That concoction you made using hyperfuel and baradium. Do you have any left?"
"You want to blow something up?" Jaro asked. "But Master, the resulting compound would cause an incredible explosion. Umm... Well... I was planning to use it to take down a dragon."
"Yes, I remember... A third of our planet remembers too," I looked into Jaro's eyes, making him flinch. The explosion was quite something back then. Jaro swore off playing with explosives after that, and I was saddened that he didn't just kill the dragons, but literally burned away the useful animals, making them completely unsuitable for Force Forging. "But don't worry. No one has lived in that area for a long time. So?"
"Well... there's a tiny bit left..."
"That'll be enough," I said, beginning to prepare for a hyperspace jump. The trick I intended to pull would create the impression that my ship was going into hyperspace, when in reality the ship would switch to cloaking mode. That way, the Trade Federation's sensors would see the hyperspace transition and assume we were gone. But in reality, we would just head where we needed to go. Namely, toward the energy signature of the base on the shattered moon. Which is exactly what we did. The landscape there was absolutely apocalyptic. And unfortunately, I had underestimated the Trade Federation. Their droids were already there. But thankfully, only droids. We scanned the area and the base itself when we emerged from cloaking near a technical zone. There was no one there except droids. Which meant there was no ethical issue. All that was required was to get into the technical zone, the reactor compartment. The reactor here powered the entire complex, which meant that with the right placement of the device, the whole complex would detonate.
"Corporal," came a B1's voice as I reached a huge room through a shaft where the reactor stood. "A sensor platoon reported an unidentified flying object nearby."
"Impossible," said the lead droid. "There can't be any objects here."
"But they—"
"They're from the thirty-two series... Their software is glitching," said the droid. "Continue work."
Yeah, their software is glitching. Soon it won't be the only thing glitching. It's useful to have a cloaking ship. Of course, it deactivated for a moment when I climbed out and jumped into a ventilation shaft, but nothing serious. Their scanners won't detect me or my ship. Next, I had to act fast. Timing it right, I distracted the droids with an extraneous sound. Why didn't I destroy them? Destroying them, right before the explosion, would raise suspicion. They're controlled from the main station, built into the Lucrehulk-class hovering in Koboh's orbit. So I didn't destroy all the droids here, because that would immediately raise questions. I didn't even hit them with ionization, since electrical effects could also be a suspicious coincidence. Better to make everyone think that the fuel in the reactor started reacting too violently and the control rods couldn't handle it. At least a directed explosion, created by the concoction Jaro had mixed, using a spacesuit, by the way, powerful enough to reach the main reactor zone and blow that up.
The fire would spread throughout the complex. Given BB's calculated blast yield, nothing in the complex would survive. I feel like some kind of evil genius... But I can't let the Trade Federation get any way to reach Tanalorr. It's too unique a place, one that could become a problem in the wrong hands. So after placing the bomb next to the reactor, I hurried to leave the room. Returning to the ship, I set a timer, and twenty minutes later, the moon's surface was illuminated by a flash. So powerful and bright that you could go blind... The planetoid began to completely disintegrate from a series of subsequent explosions at the High Republic station. They bloomed instantly. As one literary hero once said... 'Art is an explosion.' Momentarily blossoming and deadly. Trade Federation droids flew past, nearly hitting the ship... But they were wasting their effort. Virtually nothing remained of the moon.
"And why did we do that?" Jaro asked, standing next to me in the cockpit. I was preparing the ship for a hyperspace jump, but first I had to get out of their sensor range.
"The Trade Federation hasn't been an organization that protects the Outer Rim's trade routes for a long time, Jaro. And the planet Tanalorr is saturated with the Force and probably more than just that. I don't want it to fall into the hands of such a corporation. This won't be mentioned in any report," I said sternly, looking at Jaro. "You understand, sometimes we must compromise our principles to do the right thing. I don't think it's right to hand that planet over to that company."
"But the mission..."
"The mission isn't a failure," I replied. "We'll still find the beacon with Kirajji. We're jumping. And Jaro, we need to talk. Wait for me in the storage room."
Right now, it was important to find the right words, otherwise my own Padawan would turn me in. Still, I'd manage to convince him. I'd have to reveal some future possibilities to him, but I could paint the Trade Federation as the villain.