-3-
As Jhanopellis held a blaster trained on a former associate and his family, terrified and cowering against the wall of their luxury apartment, he questioned the path he had taken that had brought him to this.
He had killed in cold blood before - rival gang members who'd crossed him, questionable characters who owed his organization credits, and so on - but never anything like this. This execution had been deemed necessary; a retaliation for a suspected informant leading to the last big bust, which had ended up costing the organization millions of credits in addition to the incarceration of some of their top associates.
When Jhan had fallen in with the Tekdaemons, he'd worked hard to move up quickly among the ranks, keeping his hands as clean as possible. Formerly a successful bounty hunter, he had cut a deal with a suspect he'd apprehended, who had said that with his talents Jhan could do very well in the organization, and had offered him a job on the spot. Jhan had sensed no deception in the individual, and had actually thought it over.
He'd seen it as a way to infiltrate the Tekdaemon organization, learning their secrets and causing its collapse from the inside. It had been a tough decision, but after weighing his options, he decided he could in the end make more of an impact going this route than simply picking them off one by one as a bounty hunter.
He had not been prepared for this eventuality, though, even knowing that some day he would be faced with such a situation. As he looked into the faces of the four individuals who he had the power to end right then and there, he thought back to his short-lived reunion with Edala. She had not been happy about the path he had chosen - and with good reason.
But what would she think of him now? And could he live with that? Did all the secrets he had learned, much more than he'd shared with Edala in that moment - locations of top members, underground operations and the like - with all the potential magnitude of this information if used correctly, did it outweigh all the bits and pieces of himself that he'd lost along the way?
The answer to his question came in the form of blaster fire, as he quickly spun around, taking out one, then another, and then a third of his unsuspecting Tekdaemon associates before they could even react. Motioning to the family, practically shoving them into an adjacent hallway, he quickly leapt and ducked behind a large durasteel table, tipping it on its side before the inevitable flurry of responding blaster fire came his way, cutting the contents of the apartment to shambles, kicking up dust and debris everywhere.
With the help of his Jedi senses, which he still practiced with every free moment, he had a clear picture of where each of the remaining six Tekdaemons were in the room. Timing each bolt and its given trajectory, he was able to capitalize on a split-second window that allowed him to peek out from behind the table just long enough to deal a killing shot to a fourth gunman.
The others, now wise to his lethal potential, began spreading out and closing in on him, taking cover wherever available. One had a miniature nanote bomb, which he tossed past the table in Jhan's direction. Drawing a sharp breath as soon as he heard the clink of the bomb on the hard floor, the powerful gas now slowly flowing out of the tiny container, he gave the table a hard kick, sending it careening into two of the Tekdaemons, and quickly slid into the next room.
Doing a quick scan of the room, he was relieved to find a large window, and without hesitation rushed to it, working it open. The others right on his tail, he blindly leapt out just as several more blaster bolts whizzed past him.
Now in freefall, he eased his descent toward a single incoming speeder, managing to latch on to the rear bumper as it roared by. Pulling himself up and crawling in the back seat of the open-top speeder, he realized he'd landed in a speeder taxi, and was greeted by a friendly robotic voice.
"Hello, sir. Where to?" asked the driver, paying no mind to how Jhan had gotten there in the first place.
"Uh, anywhere away from here," he concluded. "And step on it!"
Too late, though, as a wave of Tekdaemons on speeder bikes had already arrived on the scene - the same that would have been his backup had things gone awry back at the apartment. One thing about the Tekdaemons - they were always quick to respond.
Blaster bolts pounded the cab, and the droid driver, having already opened up the throttle on the vehicle, continued guiding it with one hand while taking out a blaster of its own and firing back at the group. Whoever owned this particular service had apparently taken a few extra security measures.
Even so, the droid's aim was less than accurate at range, probably not programmed to deal with high speed chases of this sort. It served as supplementary fire for Jhan, though, who already had his own weapon drawn and active, met with much more success.
Managing to take out two of the riders, he cursed to himself when three successive shots pelted his droid chauffer, ending its career in a burst of smoke and spare parts. The cab lurched forward, beginning its gradual descent toward the city hundreds of feet below, and Jhan quickly climbed into the front seat, hefting the droid over the side with a grunt of exertion, then took the controls.
But the Tekdaemons were already re-focusing their fire on to the speeder, pummeling it with bolt after bolt and ripping through its almost non-existent armor. Plumes of smoke rose from all around the cab, and Jhan knew it wouldn't stand up long to this onslaught. Looking to all sides, he discovered to his dismay that they'd entered a different sector, high-rise buildings no more and traffic sparse. With nothing but air surrounding him, if he went down, he would be in a very bad spot.
Performing a few evasive maneuvers, he managed to avoid some of the fire, but not all of it, and soon the smoke thickened, now black, flames crawling up the sides of the speeder. A couple more shots and that was it. Resigned to his fate, he gave himself over to the Force, an ally who had never let him down before. If he were to survive this, it would be the will of the Force, and if not, it would be his own failure.
Leaping from the speeder just before it went up in a burst of fire, he let his arms fall to his sides, closed his eyes and embraced his surroundings. His body pivoted and swayed from the current rushing up at him, but he remained calm and focused. The Tekdaemons, seeing him plummeting to certain death, relented in their pursuit and headed back to regroup.
As Jhan's concentration grew, the surrounding blackness in his mind slowly gave way to the faint glows of the landscape below and its contours. Finding his position within the Force among the blackness, he turned all his energy toward directing the midichlorians to envelop him, gathering into an expanding pillow below, gently pushing upward in sync with the opposing gravity of his fall. The once-intense gravitational pull he'd felt only seconds before slowly began to give way, and he could feel his body riding the supporting midichlorians in a slow decent, floating toward the surface of the planet at a comfortable pace.
When he saw his position in the Force converging with that of the ground below, he opened his eyes to see if he'd only imagined it. And as quickly as he did, his body, now laying parallel to the ground only a few feet below him, was released from the grip of the midichlorians, sending him falling the remainder of the way and landing with a hard thud on his backside.
"Ow!" he uttered in annoyance, but was relieved to be alive.
Karta, never one for large, formal ceremonies, and Vhinh, having already obtained the blessing of the Order in his desired engagement to her, both decided not to wait to make their union official. There was still a war going on around them, which they both played instrumental roles in, so they would be joined at the temple under the Jedi code, have a quick celebration, followed by their first night as a married couple, and then first thing the next morning it would be off to return to the battlefront.
So they had gone to bed, barely getting any sleep, and awoken before the crack of dawn, too excited to care how tired they were. Master Ytalha, now the most senior master at the temple in Fi'ar'la following Master Herrod's passing, agreed to marry the two.
As Karta prepared herself, despite Vhinh's protests that it would be impossible for anyone to look more beautiful than she already did, a wave of sadness hit her when she realized Nars wouldn't be there to witness her wedding like she had always expected - like she had been for his wedding. Reminding herself that her father, who she was still overjoyed at being reunited with, would indeed bear witness, she was able to quickly bring herself out of the slump, though the sad undertone remained, and probably would for awhile.
Her father had been surprised by the sudden decision, but elated that he would be able to attend the ceremony. They had shared a quick breakfast together, during which he informed her that his stay at the temple would only be temporary. Upon his request, the Jedi would be helping him relocate to another dwelling, on Fi'ar'la, of course, so he could remain close to his daughter. He didn't like being a transient, as he put it, preferring to provide his own room and board.
When the time came for their official binding, Karta, arm in arm with her father, scanned the faces of Jedi and padawan gathered at the temple's main hall for the last-minute occasion as they made their way down the corridor. Klaxen was there, Edala was there, as well as a few of the others she'd come to know over the years. Only one face was missing, but she wouldn't think about that right now.
Vhinh, emerging from an opposite corridor, made his way to meet her in the center of the main hall in front of Master Ytalha. Neither wore any special apparel, only the normal clothes they had on-hand, but each was immaculately groomed, Karta wearing her hair up in a tightly braided bun, a few flowing strands falling at the sides, and Vhinh with his hair tied back and beard neatly trimmed.
Master Ytalha then instructed them to face the group. They did, and he began the proceedings. "Let all who witness this event - "
He paused as the sound of starship thrusters could be heard from the outside, steadily growing louder, before finally stabilizing, apparently having descended upon the temple's landing pad. After a minute, the thrusters died out, leaving only silence. Master Ytalha waited another moment, then continued.
"Let all who witness this event - "
Just then, the main door of the temple opened, and in walked a familiar face.
"Sorry I'm late," said Nars Free'ta, timidly strolling in to join the crowd. Karta's face lit up, and she flashed a knowing smile at Vhinh, who responded in kind.
Master Ytalha calmly waited as Nars made his way in, cleared his throat, then continued. "Let all who witness this event grant their blessing, for this is an all-encompassing union, a union under the Force itself, which is part of each and every one of us. If any present today feel this union to be misrepresenting of that in any way, let them speak now."
He searched the faces in the room, then went on. "The bonds of matrimony have not always been recognized under the Jedi code. We, today, however, believe that if one is to love, one will love. It is instead our objective to allow and seek to help those who love to share this connection in its true form, the way we are shown by listening to the Force around us. These two individuals, I myself have known for eleven years, and much longer - still only an eyeblink in the life of the galaxy, but long enough to be confident in my belief that they know and understand love in this way.
"May I have you face each other, please?" The two turned to face each other, gazing into each other's eyes as if in awe.
Master Ytalha turned to Vhinh. "Jedi Master Vhinh Skywalker, I ask you, do you promise to always honor the Jedi Order and its beliefs, living by those beliefs and continually seeking to enhance your own life as well as the lives of those around you through those beliefs?"
"I do," Vhinh replied.
He then turned to Karta. "Ms. Karta Oblith, I now ask you, do you promise to always honor the Jedi Order and its beliefs, living by those beliefs and continually seeking to enhance your own life as well as the lives of those around you through those beliefs?"
"I do," Karta replied. Having thought about it during Vhinh's confirmation, she decided that from as much as she understood, she was in compliance with those beliefs.
Master Ytalha continued, "May I have you now join hands?" They did. "These two individuals have pledged their recognition of the Order, and the Order will therefore recognize their binding under its code. In order to solidify this union, I will need you both to respond to my next questions.
"Jedi Master Vhinh Skywalker and Ms. Karta Oblith, you are about to enter into a union under the Jedi code, recognized by the Order and a vessel of the Force itself. It is through this union that each of you has come to believe you will reach your full potential within this physical existence. However, you must be aware that this alone will not complete you; only the continued practice and upholding of the beliefs you share, and the love you share for each other, will take you to this higher plane, to eventually become one with each other as well as the Force."
Though they didn't see it, a tear fell from each of Nars's eyes.
"Now, I ask you both, do you pledge to put love above passion, passion above apathy, and truth above all else, in each other as well as yourselves?"
"I do," they said simultaneously.
"And do you pledge to always lead each other away from darkness and into light, to fight every battle together and not against each other, and to lay down your arms in times of peace?"
"I do," they replied.
"And do you pledge to continually learn about and further your understanding of each other, as well as yourselves, to nurture and respond to that understanding, and to seek unity of mind in every venture either of you shall embark upon?"
"I do."
"Then by the standards and beliefs laid before us within the Jedi code and recognized by the Order, I pronounce you husband and wife. May the Force always be with you, in this life and beyond."
They stared gleefully into each other's eyes, then looked again to Master Ytalha.
"I believe a kiss would be appropriate," he urged, an amused smile on his face.
And so they did, sharing a long, exuberant kiss, and the room erupted in cheers.
In moments, the celebration was in full swing, with Karta and Vhinh sharing a dance. Next she danced with her father, then Nars, finally everyone gathering into a large circle and dancing together. They sang old folk songs, laughed and drank fine champagne from Naboo to commemorate the occasion.
When the festivities had peaked, though, another unexpected guest appeared, which caused half the party to stop in their tracks. Edala, hiding a half smile, slunk away into the crowd, glad he had at least made the right decision.
"Who is that?" Karta asked, seeing Vhinh's reaction, as if he'd seen a ghost.
"That's my old padawan," he said, almost in disbelief. Then he turned to her. "Will you give me a moment?"
"Well, I suppose, since I have you for the rest of my life, now," she half-heartedly jested.
He gave her a quick peck on the lips, placing his hand softly on her cheek, then started toward his former pupil.
"Jhanopellis Udo," he said, shaking his head. "This is certainly a surprise. I feared I would never lay eyes on you again."
"Master, I mean, uh, Master Skywalker," he stammered, giving a rigid bow, too formal for those once so close.
"There's no need for that, Jhan," Vhinh said, taking a step toward him. He gathered the boy's head with one hand and drew him into a tight embrace. "It's good to see you again."
"Likewise, Master."
Then, facing him again, Vhinh said, "We have a lot to catch up on." He motioned for Jhan to follow him. "Come on."
He led Jhan to a stone bench outside the temple surrounded by foliage. "Have a seat," he instructed, and Jhan complied.
"Before you say anything, Master, I just want to tell you how sorry I am for everything - the way I left, just..." he paused, not knowing how to finish. "Everything," he said, lowering his head.
"I knew you were in a bad place then, Jhan. Had I known just how bad, I would have been more vigilant. I often blame myself for your departure."
Jhan shook his head. "No, you weren't the one to blame. You never failed me, Master. It was my own failure, my own shortsightedness. I thought I could make more of a difference somewhere else."
Vhinh studied him. "So, what have you been doing all this time?"
Jhan told him about his years as a bounty hunter, then his falling in with the Tekdaemons, which Vhinh seemed none too pleased about, and didn't try to hide that fact.
"I've done things, Master. Bad things - things no Jedi should do. I thought I was doing it for the right reasons, thought the end would justify the means, but - I'm not so sure anymore." He still couldn't look his former Master in the eye.
"Oh, Jhan," Vhinh said, disappointment filling his voice. They were both silent for a long moment, then Vhinh spoke again.
"You know, it's sadly ironic. You left something which you felt failed the very ideals it was trying to uphold, then became part of something against those very ideals, hoping to preserve them. I do believe your intentions were pure, Jhan. I have to ask, though - did you accomplish what you set out to?"
Jhan told him of the information he'd obtained during his time spent in close proximity with the Tekdaemons' elite members. "I planned on taking it further, Master, but I couldn't go through with it."
"I'm glad you didn't, Jhan. Though the information will be of great use to us, I'm not sure if I can condone your methods."
"I know."
It seemed neither knew what to say next, until Jhan, as if somewhere else, added, "I still have it." He took out the lightsaber he'd crafted as a padawan. "I've tried to keep up with my training, whenever I can. I've improved - but I'm nowhere near where I would have been under your guidance."
"When we try to walk a path alone, it's much easier to become lost," Vhinh said with a mindful look. His words clearly epitomized Jhan's life away from the temple. The boy nodded knowingly.
"So what do you plan to do now?" Vhinh asked him.
"I don't know. I realize it's too late for me with the Order, but I still want to help in any way I can."
Vhinh looked thoughtful. "You know, it would be hypocritical of me if I didn't believe in second chances, Jhan. I could talk to the council about allowing you to return - as a padawan, of course. You were our best student before you left, and I am on the council, so my opinion would be heard. You would, of course, need to answer some very hard questions about your time away. Is that something you would be prepared to do?"
Jhan looked at him with conviction. "I'll do anything you ask of me, Master. I won't let you down again."
Vhinh put a hand on his shoulder. "That's the boy I remember." He then rose to his feet. "Right now, though, there's someone I'd really like you to meet - and I'm sure there's someone else you're dying to see." He raised an eyebrow, and Jhan gave a weak smile.
Not even realizing that he'd walked into Vhinh's wedding reception, Jhan congratulated him. He was introduced to Karta, who Vhinh promised Jhan would grow to love as much as he did himself. Vhinh then suggested he'd better catch up with Edala, as he knew she would be expecting to see him. Jhan hadn't mentioned their chance meeting a few days prior.
He found her alone, under an old Kibuii tree, looking as if lost in thought. Her back to him, she spoke when he approached. "So, did you tell him about the other day?"
"No, I figured I'd leave that up to you."
She exhaled. "Wish I could say I was realieved. Now I have to be the one to bring it up with him."
Jhan waved his hand dismissively. "He'll get over it. He always liked you, you know." Edala didn't say anything, so Jhan tried to open the dialogue.
"Remember when we used to play under this tree as younglings?"
"That was a long time ago," she said, her words offering little reciprocation.
"Hey - ," he began, gently pulling her shoulder to him, urging her to look his direction, which she reluctantly did. "Dal, I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am for leaving you like that. There were so many nights when I lay awake racked with guilt over it. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, and after everything I've learned, after everything I've been through, I now think it was the biggest mistake I've ever made."
She looked at him coldly. "I could've told you that, Jhan - eleven years ago, if you'd bothered to ask." She then turned away from him. "I know the history; I'm aware of what was going on at that time, and Master Skywalker told me about your deployment."
He didn't say anything, knowing she had much more to say. She turned again to face him. "It was a really tough break, Jhan, I get that. But why couldn't you just suck it up? That's what Jedi are supposed to do, when faced with adversity. You of all people should know that - I thought you were better than that!"
"I was a stupid kid! And I'd spent all my life training to fight for our cause, only to find that it had been lost! I thought I could make more of a difference somewhere else..." he stopped, knowing now how shallow and meaningless his words sounded.
"Well, I hope it was worth it, Jhan, because you haven't been a kid for a long time, and you still never came back, until now."
He hung his head. "I know, and I regret that." Then he met her eyes again. "But I accomplished things, you know. I got information - privileged information, that we can use. I had big plans, I - " He shook his head, at an impasse. Yes, he had gotten results, but at what cost? This very question he'd been struggling with himself. Then, he admitted something that he'd only recently come to terms with.
"I was scared. When that stuff happened, before I left the temple, for the first time in my life I didn't know what to do. Things didn't make sense, and all my training didn't provide me with an answer - so I ran. And then, when I realized what I'd done, I was scared to come back - scared to face the Order - scared to face you. So I immersed myself in this other world, and at times I even felt like part of it. I did it to forget, to try to trick myself. That only made it worse."
He bowed his head shamefully. "I've done things, Dal. Things I'm not proud of."
She didn't flinch. "You know what, Jhan? I really don't care what you did all those years. Do you want to know what I care about? The way you left."
He nodded his understanding. They both just stood there for awhile, going over how things had taken a wrong turn, how everything had changed that day, and how they could have been different.
He then looked at her deeply. "There's something else I have to tell you. I know, given the circumstances, it's probably not what you want to hear, but I need to say it."
"What?" she said, looking impatient.
"I don't know exactly when it happened - maybe it was always there. But sometime before I left, I started feeling differently about you; more intensely. After I had left, these feelings kept growing stronger, when I would think of you. I missed you so much. I eventually began telling myself it was just my guilt projecting this feeling, making me think it was something it wasn't. But when I saw you again, it all came back, and it hit me like a ton of durasteel. I'm in love with you, Dal."
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, a hint of anger in her voice.
"Because no matter what happens, I want you to know how much you mean to me - exactly what you mean to me."
She shook her head. "You know, when we were growing up, I thought things would change between us one day. It wasn't something I feared, and it wasn't something I looked forward to - it was just something I knew and accepted. I probably always had those feelings, too. But that boy I knew left, and this man standing before me is someone I don't know."
He shook his head. He wanted to grab her, shake her, saying 'It's me, Jhan - it's always been me!'. But he couldn't - because her words rang true - he was someone else. He'd betrayed himself that day, and every day since; what else could he expect?
"Why couldn't you have at least told me?" Her voice cracked, and she began trembling, as if all the feelings she'd held in for all those years could no longer be contained. Tears began streaming down her face. "Didn't I deserve that much, Jhan? We told each other everything, but the one time when it mattered most, you just tossed me aside, no good-bye, no anything! Do you have any idea what that did to me?"
He only stared at her, his eyes now glassy, his face remorseful. He wanted to hurt right now. If he could take all she was feeling upon himself, somehow ease her pain, he'd have done in it in a heartbeat. But even the Force couldn't help him now.
"If I lived a thousand lifetimes, I would still regret that. The biggest mistake I ever made wasn't leaving the temple - it was leaving you." This, coming from a student once so dedicated, spoke volumes. "Everything else would have fallen in to place, but you were the one thing that held me together. I'll never live that down."
Wiping away a tear, she righted herself. "Well, I guess there's no use dwelling on it now - what's done is done." She took in a deep breath, then exhaled, as if letting go of a previous life. After a long silence, she concluded with, "I suppose I'll see you around."
With that, she turned back toward the temple, leaving him there to himself after his big confession; leaving him with nothing.
Just like I did to her, he thought.
Entering the atmosphere of Coruscant, bound for the Jedi temple with her returning fleet, Raha Dima saw one lone ship headed in the same general direction. One of Tratzel's Guard, she thought. No doubt to join up with the rest of his friends. They probably found another Hutt installation somewhere, and they're about to take it down.
While the Jedi and the Chrome Guard fought for similar causes, Raha didn't approve of the Guard's methods. Where the Jedi were passive, killing sparingly, and only when left with no other options, taking prisoners whenever possible, the Guard were ruthless, tearing through entire armies and leaving no survivors. The Jedi were once heavily criticized for similar actions, yet the Republic supported Tratzel nonetheless. Tratzel's army was definitely effective - there was no arguing that point. And obviously the Republic was more concerned with results at this point, after a long period of decline at the hands of the cartels.
Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the Chrome Guard's ship erupted in a ball of flame. Looking on in shock, she could barely make out the shape of a figure careening from where the cockpit had been, plummeting to the city below. What had struck him? There were no other craft anywhere in the vicinity. A stray piece of debris? At the speed it was going, it would take more than that to explode a small ship like one of the Chrome fighters.
"Hey, guys, we got a downed ship over the city, possible survivor - though highly unlikely. I'm going down to check it out. I'll meet up with you at the temple," she said over her ship's com channel.
"Roger that, Dima. Be careful," was the response.
Swooping down in the general direction of where the figure had fallen, she carefully scanned the area. It would be a shot in the dark, finding this fallen chrome guard. Had he fallen all the way down to the dark underbelly of the city, he'd be as good as dead, and any remains would be quickly picked away before she could reach him, by the many descendants of the no longer human inhabitants that had dwelled within for many millennia.
Locating the area where she'd last seen him before he disappeared into the jungle of buildings, she began making ever-larger circles around the perimeter, dropping altitude with each lap.
Then, as if by some act of the Force, her eyes fell upon a lone figure, splayed over the edge of one of upper Coruscant's many walkways. The figure was not moving. As she brought her ship down, she kicked on the repulsors, guiding the craft to hover next to the walkway. The ship's hatch opened, and she jumped out, hurrying to the downed guard.
His body was twisted and contorted into an unnatural position and part of him lay hanging over the edge of the walkway. Even if he survived, he would have a mess of broken bones and internal bleeding - the best med droids may not even be able to save him.
She heard faint sounds coming from behind his mask; he was still alive! Quickly, she got on her com and sent for a med unit to come to the scene. Then, careful not to jar his mangled body, she slowly removed his mask. As soon as she did, his shallow breathing intensified, coming out as gasps, and he became frantic.
"No... can't breathe... need... mask..." came his gasping plea. The face of the man, though bloodied, looked strangely familiar. Judging from the sights and sounds of his chest slowly rising and falling, though labored, his breathing seemed fine. He was humanoid, after all. But, as his protests grew more insistent, she decided it best not to upset him further, so she put the mask back on.
"Can you hear me?" she asked the guard.
He gave a wheezing "Yes." He was very likely paralyzed from the fall, unable to even nod his head.
"What happened? Was your ship shot down?"
"Mal...function..."
This was actually the closest she had been to one of Tratzel's Chrome Guard. Only a Jedi Knight herself, not having the attuned senses of her masters, she could still sense the Force emmanating from this man. And there was something else, as well... something that she couldn't decipher.
Raha was not eager to say what she had to next, but she knew she must.
"Listen, there is a very big chance that you may not make it. I need you to tell me the names of your next of kin so that I may notify them. The med droids will be here shortly, and they will do all they can, but we must prepare for the worst."
After a few shallow breaths, the guard struggled to push out more syllables between his wheezing. "Jel... and... Ila... Katak... of... Tantos."
"What's your name?" she asked, knowing it was very likely classified, but sensing that the guard himself realized he was dying and no longer cared. She found herself feeling overwhelming compassion for this man, after seeing a hint of the humanity behind the cruel facade of the mask.
"Ri..." he strained. "Ri..." He wheezed again, trying to choke out another syllable. Then the wheezing stopped, and he was silent.
The med unit arrived, too late to even attempt to save him. Removing his mask, Raha slid her fingers over his eyelids to close his eyes one last time.
"Get him cleaned up," she ordered one of the droids as they emerged from their shuttle. "Then I need a full body scan - and check him for any kind of identification."
Once she received the data from the scan, she would run it through the archive database. Though she disliked breaking official protocol, especially when a death was involved, she knew the Order had uneasy relations with Tratzel, and any information they might be able to obtain about his operations would be valuable.
Watching the guard's lifeless body being hauled into the med shuttle by the droids, she saw him off, hoping that his spirit would rest at ease. Whoever this man was, she would find out. Even if he did serve a questionable greater power, she had seen humanity in those eyes. She would make sure his death was not in vain.
"And now the house recognizes our next speaker, Supreme Commander of the Army of the Republic, Eulian Tratzel," Chief of State Felderai announced at the most recent session of the Galactic Senate.
"Thank you, Chief of State Felderai," Tratzel acknowledged. "The matter I come to address today is one concerning the Jedi Order. I have no doubt that many of you share in my growing skepticism of their methods and purpose with the Republic. Recognized as guardians of the Republic for a over a thousand generations, it has long been taken for granted that this was their place in the galaxy. But when viewed from a completely objective point of view, their entire history is dotted with uncertainty.
"Have not countless renegade Jedi done unspeakable damage to our systems, over the course of their existence? It seems to be an ongoing pattern, yet we do nothing. Each time another of these Jedi is brought to justice, they once again become our heroes and protectors. Yet we pay no mind to the fact that it is this very order that is the root of this evil in the first place.
"Now, I call attention to our current state of affairs. After a solid record of years of failure, mindless slaughter, and innocent lives lost, the Jedi seem to have now removed themselves from Republic jurisdiction, taking it upon themselves to declare a long and brutal war against the Tekdaemon cartel. While on the surface, the progress of this campaign would seem to bring favor back to the Jedi, we must not overlook the much larger issue.
"I, myself, as Supreme Commander of the Army of the Republic, have been tasked with ensuring galactic security. No small task, but I think you will agree that my successes indeed speak for themselves. However, the Jedi Order's self-governing ways are costing my army, and the Republic, much wasted time, energy, credits, and casualties with their blatant refusal to aid in our greater cause. I seek to end this war, yet they refuse to cooperate, spreading our forces thinly across the galaxy, rather than joining mine in one unified front.
"The more dire issue, though, is their indifference to my objectives, and, in fact, the Republic itself. We have seen what this leads to, and for our own safety and security I feel we must take immediate action before this problem becomes too large to control. I regret that I feel it is our only choice to declare the Jedi an enemy of the Republic."
An awed stir could be heard across the House of the Senate.
Tratzel continued. "Only then can I bring absolute security and peace to the Republic once and for all, ushering it into a new age of stability and prosperity, without the ever-present threat of the Jedi Order looming at every horizon."
The stir quieted, and Chief of State Felderai spoke. "Commander Tratzel, I think I speak for everyone here when I say we have only the greatest appreciation for what you've accomplished in the way of galactic security, and indeed recognize your achievements leading the Army of the Republic. But to declare the Order an enemy of the Republic? This is absurd, to say the least.
"Yes, we have seen the damage a few fallen Jedi have done throughout the ages, but it is the Sith who are the enemy, and the Order has always risen up to defend us from their devastation. It is my belief, among others, I'm sure, that without the Order, this evil would still exist - and without the Order's protection, the Republic would quickly fall to their advances."
He paused, then put in, almost confrontationally, "Even if there were any truth to your words, Commander Tratzel, the Jedi are far too powerful to declare war against!"
"My army is growing every day, Chief of State Felderai. Once I have taken down the Hutt cartel, more of my men will be freed up to pursue larger matters. I suggest cutting funding for the Order, asking the Jedi to step aside voluntarily. If they refuse, we prepare for the next step."
"For one thing, Commander Tratzel, the Order is largely self-sufficient, working with minimal resources as it is. We supply them with ships, and their temples have been funded by a combination of tax credits and private donations. Not to mention, they are a huge assett to the Republic. I don't understand why you refuse to see this. In fact, I won't even entertain such ideas any longer. Perhaps you should be focusing on the task at hand, rather than making war where there is no need. I have nothing else to say on the matter," he concluded, now obviously heated.
"Then perhaps we should put it to a vote, Chief of State," Tratzel retorted defiantly.
Chief of State Felderai looked at him incredulously for a long moment, then finally cleared his throat. "Very well, then, if it will bring this dialogue to a close, let us put it to a vote. The House will be voting on Commander Tratzel's proposition to declare the Jedi Order an enemy of the Republic," he said with an aloof tone. It was obvious that at this point he was only going through the motions, bound by protocol and his duty to the Senate.
"A fifty-plus-one percent vote in favor will lend validity to the issue and open it up to further talks and legislation. Let the voting proceed."
The members of the house brought out their datapads, each entering their vote. When every vote had been received, the results appeared on the large holo in the center of the room.
Twenty-seven percent in favor. Much more than any would have expected - but democracy could not be bought that easily.
Chief of State Felderai was actually taken aback at the results, then straightened. "I thank the House for their votes, and let that put this matter to a close. Now, on to further business...,"
"Just a moment, Chief of State," Tratzel cut in. "I didn't get my vote."
Chief of State Felderai was now visibly fuming. "What are you talking about - "
Just then, thousands of Chrome Guard began pouring into the House of the Senate, climbing, leaping, infiltrating every podium, amid gasps of shock and fear, until a vibro-sword was trained on each and every member of the House, including the Chief of State.
"What is this, Tratzel," the Chief of State began, "some kind of sick joke?!"
Tratzel beamed. "No joke, Felderai. More like a regime change."
"A regime change? Have you gone mad, Tratzel?!"
"I'll ask the questions from now on, Felderai." He then turned to address the rest of the House. "You are all about to bear witness to a momentous occasion." His booming voice now echoed throughout the House.
"It seems that many of you are not yet ready to do what is necessary to revitalize this dying system and bring about a new Golden Age. But throughout history there has always been resistance, and in the end it only serves to strengthen us and our resolve.
"What this government needs is a leader, one with the fortitude to carry out these necessary steps, the intelligence to recognize what needs to be done, and the resources to make it possible. My great army will oppose any force that stands between us and our goals, and we shall be victorious.
"Forget this mindless beaurocracy that is the Republic. We need action, not endless discussion! As the only man in the galaxy with the clout to make this happen, I hereby name this the new Galactic Empire, and I, your new Emperor!"
Discord spread throughout the House.
"You really are mad! You have no authority to do this! The Republic will never recognize an emperor, Tratzel!" Chief of State Felderai raged.
"Not Emperor Tratzel, Felderai. Emperor... Darth Sceptaurus." A wicked smile spread across his lips. "And my authority is that of the leader of the next great Sith Empire."
Panicked murmurs could be heard from all around the huge room.
"Now, I bid you all, bow to your new Emperor." He raised his arms in a grand gesture.
"We will never bow to you, Tratzel!" Chief of State Felderai asserted, though his composure was now giving way.
The members of the House, unsure of what to do, remained meekly standing, save for a few, who already demonstrated their fearful submission. Perhaps they were the smart ones.
"Well, then..." he said, glaring menacingly at the Chief of State. "As my first order of business as your new emperor, I find former Chief of State Felderai guilty of treason! The punishment: execution."
Without another word, two chrome guard at Felderai's side grabbed him roughly, forcing him to his knees. One continued to restrain him, while the other removed his vibro-sword from its sheath, raised it high...
And struck a blow that would be felt throughout the galaxy. Chief of State Felderai's disembodied head rolled off his podium to the floor far below, and his now-lifeless body crumpled at the guards' feet.
"And now, citizens of the Empire - bow to your new emperor," he said precisely. "BOW!" His voice now seemed to shake the entire house, and the room briefly darkened under the weight of his command.
The members of the House began quickly kneeling, almost reflexively. The few, strong-willed individuals who hesitated or defied were physically forced, until every set of eyes in the room were trained on the floor, save for Darth Sceptaurus and his guard.
He looked on with great satisfaction at the room, only moments before filled with bright-eyed, ambitious individuals, now beaten down and resigned. And all he could do was smile.
