Chapter 8

Kee-Xi had opted to take his breakfast with Spock again. It was a chance to compare Jedi and Vulcan teachings further and to learn more about the cultures and history of this new galaxy.

Their discussions had inevitably led them to the adversarial forces facing the Federation. The Klingons merited consideration; expansionist, militaristic, with a warrior ethos and pride in their culture that seemed to shift between embracing and clashing with modern ideas. Kee-Xi pondered the complications the Klingons might cause his mission of establishing a new Jedi Order in this galaxy.

But of particular interest to him, even more so than the Klingons, were the Romulans.

"I cannot help but see a mirror of our situations," Kee-Xi remarked.

"You speak of the Sith," Spock observed.

"Yes. Whenever they have re-emerged, it has been from schism within the Jedi. The rejection of Jed discipline and emotional control."

"A disturbing if accurate assessment," Spock noted. "S'task and those who followed him into exile believed that Surak's teaching of the suppression of emotion would undermine the ways of our people."

"The difference, it appears, is that the Romulans do not emphasize the embracing of the worst emotions like the Sith often do." Kee-Xi pondered that.

Spock remained quiet for the moment. "You appear to be concerned, Master Kee-Xi."

"I am… simply facing the inevitable, Mister Spock. The Jedi way must be preserved. I am dedicated to that. But I must be prudent about it. I cannot allow myself to ignore the lessons we have painfully learned these past few years. I cannot help but feel as if the Force preserved myself and my students for the purpose of putting the Jedi on a new path. Or, perhaps, to restore an older one. It is said that the original lines of the Jedi Code did not actually disavow emotion, but instead embraced the idea of feeling emotions while still experiencing inner peace."

"A distinct possibility. Early in the Order's development, it is logical to presume that they would be more flexible as they expanded their knowledge."

"I must then decide what should be changed and what should not be,. A daunting task. the fate of the Jedi, the hopes of so many, ride upon my decision." Kee-Xi drew in a breath. "my apologies. I have allowed our breakfast to cool."

"no apologies are necessary. The expansion of knowledge is its own sustenance."

Kee-Xi grinned with amusement at that. "True. But it will not palliate a grumbling belly."

Spock nodded in agreement. "Indeed not."

Kee-Xi nodded. Another thought came to him. "If your duties do not detain you further, Captain Spock, I would be most interested in trying out the game you and Captain Kirk were playing the other day..."


The day was just beginning for Pavel Chekov, one like many other of the thousands of days he had begun in his time in Starfleet.

This one wasn't quite the usual routine of late, though, as he received a request to meet near the ship rec area before heading to the bridge. When he arrived just outside the rec room he found Mister Scott waiting for him. "Meester Scott?"

The chief engineer nodded. "Aye. I called ye to ask for a wee favor."

Chekov decided he didn't like the sound of that.

"A favor, Meester Scott?" Chekov smiled. "Of course. Vat can I get for you?"

"Well, as it turns out, I owe a wee favor t' this young lady…"

Diya stepped out from the nearby room. Zeefive rolled up beside her and beeped enthusiastically. And the same could be said for the wide grin on the Twi'lek girl's face.

A sigh came from Chekov. "I am going to regret this, aren't I?", he asked.

He felt even more worried when he learned what the favor was.


Silas and Zeala took to some of their remaining rations on the Lightrunner for breakfast. Neither spoke a word. The pink on Zeala's cheeks and the furtive look in Silas' eyes would have been all that was necessary for an outsider to understand what was being dwelt upon.

There was a final sigh from Silas. "I should tell Master Kee-Xi."

"If you feel that you must," Zeala noted.

"I…" Silas rested his head against his hand. "By the stars, Zeala, what have I, what have we done?"

Zeala didn't immediately answer.

"What we've done… it's against everything we were raised to do," Silas continued. In a peculiar way his concern was being driven by how much he had enjoyed the experience. "But I don't feel like I've done anything wrong. Not truly wrong."

"Nor do I," Zeala admitted. She finished the last bite of her breakfast. "Perhaps… there is one way to reassure ourselves that what we are doing isn't a mistake?"

"That would be?"

"We promise, we swear, that we will not allow one another to fall," Zeala replied. "We accept here and now that we must let go when the time comes."

Silas heard her say those things. He knew they were true. But his heart hurt at the thought of it. That it might one day occur was something he didn't want to consider.

Nevertheless, it was something they had to face. Attachment brought with it danger for a Jedi.

"Yes," he agreed, drawing in a breath. "It used to be so simple, didn't it?"

"What?", she asked.

"Our lives. We were Jedi Padawans, joining our teachers in protecting the Republic and dealing with the Separatists. We were both on the verge of our trials to become Jedi Knights." Silas considered their surroundings for a moment. "And we had never even considered challenging the teachings we had been raised to follow. And now we are here."

"Yes." Zeala nodded and gave a small smile. "I do feel as if it is the Force that brought us back together."

Silas smiled at that. "It would make for quite the defense if we ever had to face one of the Masters for what we've done."

"Like the time you insisted it was the Force that caused you to pull Umata's lekku in our fifth year?", Zeala asked. A giggle came as a result of that memory. "'Hrm. To pull a Twi'lek's lekku the Force told you, hrm? Most strange.'"

Zeala's attempt to match Master Yoda's vocal tic and voice made Silas laugh. "I never did that again."

"The day Diya tells it, the Force inspired you to encourage her to come with you back on Gantoon," Zeala noted. "And you relied on the Force when plotting the hyperspace course at Lumin that brought us to this galaxy." Her soft giggles had given way to a warm smile. "Maybe… this was the Force all along."

Silas thought on that. All Jedi knew that the ability of the Force to influence the wider universe was up for debate. Obviously free will existed, so the Force was not absolute. But the Force had yet shown itself in varying ways, influencing people and beings, through the Jedi and Force-sensitives in general, even beyond that.

Ultimately, it made his head hurt a little. "Philosophizing about the Force was always the one subject where I have confounded Master Kee-Xi," he confessed. "I have an easier time with the physical world."

"You always have." Zeala reached over and picked up her lightsaber. "You helped me build this."

Silas showed some surprise. "Really? That's the one you made as a youngling?"

Zeala nodded. "The crystal is new, of course." She held up the weapon for Silas to view closely. It did indeed match the technical specifications he had picked out for her. "And some pieces are new. But the core of the weapon is the one you helped me put together."

Silas felt strange at the sense of pride that gave him. It felt good to know Zeala had gotten so much use out of his work.

"Well, since your lightsaber is already out, perhaps some practice?"

Zeala nodded. "We'll see if my Soresu has improved any. Or…" Her smile turned into a bit of mischief. As much as Zeala would ever show anyway. "...how well we can read each other given what has happened."

Silas had to admit that would make a duel an interesting experience.


All was nearly in readiness. Vindis was finishing his final preparations in his infiltrator now that it was in the large hold and shuttle bay of the Karlikar. He took a moment to focus upon the Force, upon the Dark Side, to feel his bitterness and hatred of the Jedi seethe within him.

He turned at feeling the presence walking into the rear of his ship. "Yes?" He recognized the white-skinned scaled alien from before. "What is it you wish?"

"They have found the Enterprise," the young man answered. "Once we reach the required distance we'll begin sending out a distress call to get their attention." Vindis smiled at that. "Good. Is there anything else?" He already knew the answer to that.

"What are these 'Jedi' to you?", he asked. "Why do you hate them so?"

Vindis smiled at that. "It is a hate I have cultivated for years. If you must know… they took me as a child They showed me the power of the Force, and I reveled in it. But instead of accepting my gift, they despised me. They showed no appreciation for my power and skill. They tried to limit my potential." Vindis looked toward the front of the ship. "So I left them. I went out on my own and found a universe where pain was my guide, hunger my teacher. Until the Dark Lord found me. He taught me the ways of the Sith. How to harness my hatred and rage to wield the Dark Side. The great truth that the Dark Side is superior."

As he spoke, the old injuries burned anew. Years of his childhood wasted listening to the prattling of Jedi instructors, their sanctimonious and smug sense of superiority even as they had done everything they could to stifle his spirit. He had gloried in the Emperor's triumph, had wanted to partake in it and sit at the Emperor's side… but it had not been destined. Indeed, the Force had granted him an even greater destiny, one he would eagerly take up.

"Resentment is a powerful weapon," the pirate agreed. "The people on my homeworld pile their resentments every day, but they have yet to wield it. I am eager for the day they embrace it." Vindis could feel the man thinking. "Could you show me this skill, Darth? Could I wield the power of the Sith as well?"

Vindis turned and considered the man. Ordinarily he wouldn't care much for the idea; why show these pirates anything of such power? But he could feel the resonation of the youth's heart with the Dark Side. He was ready to embrace power.

"Let us see the outcome of this coming battle," Vindis said to him. "When it is over, if you survive, if you prove worthy, then I will show you the power of the Dark Side."

The alien nodded at that. "I shall check your final preparations, Darth. We will take Enterprise."

Vindis nodded to send the man away. A dark thrill jolted through him. Soon. Soon it would be time to face the Jedi. Decades of regrets, of a need to face down the Order that had stolen his life, all hinged on what was about to come.

It was time to get ready.


Kirk had spent most of the day catching up on reports from Starfleet and from his own department heads. With the afternoon looming and lunch finished, however, it was time to resume the part of the job he had always loved.

It was on the turbolift ride to the bridge that he realized something was wrong. The Enterprise shuddered slightly. Someone had made a tight maneuver with the ship that had overtaken the inertial dampeners. Kirk was ready for the Red Alert klaxon to come and was surprised when none did.

Just what is going on?

That thought was in his head when he stepped out onto the bridge. Chekov was in the command chair looking… nervous, with Mister Scott behind him at the rail and leaning slightly over it. Uhura had a small smile on her face, although her attention was diverted entirely to the screens at her station. Kirk's eyes went to where Ensign Dumfries was at the helm.

But Ensign Dumfries was sitting over at the other station. In his proper place was… the alien Twi'lek girl Diya, her hands on the ship's maneuver controls and still working her maneuvering systems to turn the ship to port. Beside her, the little robot-thing - "droid", Kirk corrected himself - let out a series of beeps of varying pitch and length.

Kirk kept the smile he felt forming off of his face. With growing bemusement he loudly cleared his throat. All heads turned toward him. Chekov's face fell and he had a look that made Kirk think of a misbehaving teen being caught after taking a dare from friends. "Oh… Keptin Kirk, I did not expect…"

"I came up a little early today, Mister Chekov." Kirk nodded to Diya. "Can you explain to me why this young lady is at the helm?"

Chekov took a moment. "Ah, um, well Keptin, it's quite… It was a favor for Meester Scott, sir."

"Ah?" Kirk turned his head slightly to face his engineer. "Mister Scott, what is a teenage girl doing at the helm of my ship?"

"It was just a wee favor for th' lass, Cap'n," Scott replied. "She's been a fine help t' me in examinin' their ship."

"You're aware, Mister Scott, that there are several regulations you and Mister Chekov just broke?"

Scott laughed at that. "They wudnae be th' first, sir."

Kirk chuckled at that before stepping around the rail and toward his command chair. "Indeed not, Mister Scott." His approached prompted Chekov to take his usual post, now beside Diya. Kirk settled into the command chair. "Miss Suun, I hope you have been treating her well?"

"Yes, Captain," Diya answered, and her voice betrayed the wild enthusiasm that could come from someone that age fulfilling such a dream.

Kirk allowed himself an indulgent smile, and a thought to go with it. "Tell me, then, Miss Suun. Did Mister Chekov and Mister Scott explain all of the maneuvering controls?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then I have to wonder why we had such a rough patch a moment ago."

"I brought the ship around too hard, sir. I'm sorry, I was just testing her."

"Of course." Kirk allowed the smile to remain. "Well, since you're already in the chair, perhaps you'd like to return us to our original bearing and bring us back to warp? Mister Chekov will provide you the necessary bearing."

"Aye, Keptin," Chekov agreed. "Heading one-six-six mark zero-five-three."

Diya's hands moved over the controls. The Enterprise came back around to the right heading under her control. Her heart still soared as it did so. Even if the experience was about to end, just the fact that she had been allowed to fly the ship was enough to make her feel ecstatic.

"We're back on course, Captain."

"Well done, Miss Suun." Kirk leaned forward slightly. "Warp 5, Miss Suun."

Diya's eyes widened. She looked down at the controls. The warp systems were clearly marked. She could do this. But it was so far beyond what she had planned to do!

Diya swallowed and set the warp speed factor to five. Her hand went to the activation for the warp drive.

There was a beep at the rear of the bridge. A series of tones that brought everyone's attention. Uhura turned in her seat to face Kirk. "Captain, I'm picking up a distress signal from the nearby star system."

"On speakers."

Uhura obliged him.

"...say again… This is the independent vessel Roknoth out of Xepol… plasma leak in drive systems… lost all power…. assist?"

Kirk nodded to Uhura. She turned back to her controls. "Attention Roknoth, this is the Federation Starship Enterprise. We are coming to your assistance. Please transmit your coordinates."

"I'll head down t' Engineerin' an' get some of my people ready," Scott said. He went to the starboard turbolift.

"Miss Suun, Ensign Dumfries will need his chair back," Kirk informed DIya.

Diya nodded in understanding. She stood up and let the young officer take his post again. With Zeefive she moved toward the turbolift.

"There." Kirk pointed to a chair near her, at a vacant station. "That's an auxiliary station, you can sit there and observe if you agree to stay quiet and not touch anything."

Diya nodded enthusiastically and went over to the seat.

Kirk allowed himself a moment of amusement at that. He supposed that whatever regulations said,, it didn't do any harm to let her stay and watch. He had a good feeling it would be a positive experience for young Diya and might lead to bigger and better things.

Dumfries had retaken the helm and with Uhura and Chekov's input changed their course again. A short jog at warp brought them into range of the Roknoth. It was pf evident Xepolite design. Plasma trailed from the port warp nacelle and the ship's power was fluctuating.

Still. Kirk felt… uneasy about this. His instincts told him something was up. Still, he had obligations as a Starfleet Captain, and until he had a good reason otherwise he would treat this as just another ship-in-distress rescue mission. "Bring us alongside, Mister Dumfries," Kirk ordered. He pressed the intercom key on his chair. "Bridge to Sickbay. Bones, stand by to receive injured."

"Standing by.," McCoy replied.

"Mister Chekov… if anything suspicious happens, raise shields immediately."

"Aye, Keptin."

Dumfries' hands moved over the impulse controls. "Bringing us alongside, sir."

Kirk hit the intercom again. "Transporter Rooms, prepare to receive wounded. Security teams report to transporter rooms."


Vindis was at the transporter controls. The bombs were ready. And the report from the bridge was constant about the distance. He breathed in and let the Force flow through him. His hands began to move on the controls, The Fore guiding his hand for the targets he had to remove for this strike to work.

"Almost there," he murmured. "Yes. Closer. I must guarantee…"


The ship loomed larger on the screen. Diya thought it looked a little ugly, truth be told. Sort of blocky. A dirty dark brown with blackened spots. Her eyes focused on the hull. Something about it seemed familiar to her. Not exactly, she'd never seen this design before, but there was something about it… "Those plates look fake," she blurted out. Upon which she caught herself and put a hand on her mouth. She blushed fiercely when looking to Kirk, expecting him to expel her from the bridge for failing to remain silent.

He simply remained fixed to the viewscreen. "Mister Chekov," Kirk said. "What do you think about raising shields until we're ready to beam? And then dropping them just long enough for the transport?"

"Ve vould still be wulnerable, Keptin," Chekov answered. "It would take a few seconds for the shields to cycle."

Kirk considered that. He had figured the same thing. Beaming through shields was virtually impossible, and even Mister Scott couldn't handle doing it at the scale they'd need to evacuate a ship of that size.

"Be ready on my order, Mister Chekov," he said, feeling the hairs on his neck standing up on end.

Diya watched the entire thing with held breath. She had heard of pirates pulling tricks like this before, and she'd seen smugglers with weapon ports and the like hidden under fake hull plating. To think they might be walking into a trap even now...

But as scary as that was, she looked at Kirk and realized that it might not be so dangerous as she feared. Not with someone like Kirk on her side.


"Enterprise is almost alongside, Darth Vindis."

Vindis' grin turned feral. The power of the Dark Side swelled within the anticipation of victory.


Silas and Zeala stopped mid-duel. They looked at each other with certainty… and immediately ran toward the ship's ramp.


Kee-Xi's fingers were on his game piece, the "bishop" as Spock had called it, and he was about to pick it up when he felt something wrong. Something in the Force was screaming in warning at him.

It was evident in his expression and body language, apparently, as Spock gave him a concerned look. "Master Kee-Xi?"

"Something is wrong," Kee-Xi said. "Something is about to happen… you must warn Captain Kirk immediately!"

Spock nodded and stood up from his chair. He took the steps over to the wall and reached for the intercom.


There!

Vindis had to hold back a laugh as he pressed his hands to the controls of the transporter. He took command of the Force, he directed it to show him what coordinates to put in. His hand went to the lever that activated the transporter.


The intercom on the bridge chirped. Kirk pressed a receive key on his chair's arm. "Bridge."

"Captain, Master Kee-Xi believes we are in peril. I suggest we raise shields."

Kirk felt a surge of excitement. Whether or not his instincts were part of this 'Force' the Jedi talked about, he knew to trust them, had been right. "Shields, Chekov! Now!"

Chekov's hand was already on the shield control when Kirk gave the order.

And as Chekov brought the shields up, the entire ship rocked with explosions.