Chapter Twenty-One
With Nogatan taken for the Republic, Dantius and his company that there was one last matter of business to take care of besides Morgause's inauguration to the Order. The data featuring the pathway to Nogatan had to be destroyed so that no one could reach the world ever again. An embargo would only encourage people to pursue it but destroying the data on where to find it would at least minimize the instances in which newcomers would find Nogatan. The artifacts that remained from Crassus' attempt to immortalize himself were either destroyed or packed for further sealing in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
The people were also to be given relief supplies such as foodstuffs, medicine, and whatever else they needed. With the fleet recovered from the fighting, they then prepared to destroy their own data on the coordinates to Nogatan. "Why destroy the coordinates? In a hundred years, would it really matter whether this world served the Sith or not?" Morgause asked.
"You ever been to Korriban, Ziost, or even Yavin 4? The Sith Lords who once ruled over them have been dead for thousands of years but their presence still dominates over those worlds. If you like, we can go there sometime and I can show you how those worlds feel just as there is a presence of the Light on Dantooine. You'll enjoy that world when you arrive there for your Jedi training," Dantius answered.
"Is that really necessary Dantius?" Ashlynn asked.
"We only need to encourage a desire to learn. Now that the Sith are destroyed, the Jedi must live in a day and age where the Order understands what gave rise to them in the first place. That doesn't mean exploring and agreeing with the principles of the Sith Lords by any means but it does mean knowing in full why they exist and how they can be beaten by their own tenets," Dantius answered. Ashlynn didn't argue the point further, not wanting to incite another joust with her former lover but she made her dissatisfaction clear.
"Besides, we gave my brother an adequate funeral and we've ensured that his peace is never disturbed again. It's time Morgause learned a little bit more about what corrupted him and why it had such a powerful hold over him until he was exiled to Ando Prime. From that information, she'll also be able to understand why those who oppose the darkness are more powerful than even my grandfather or Morgana could've hoped to be. As long as you and the others have the necessary preparations covered, that is," he added a moment later.
Jace assured him that the evacuation efforts and the declaration of an official end to the war would be underway soon. Once the Supreme Chancellor approved the motion, the war would be declared over and the festivities would doubtless ensure across Republic worlds. Meanwhile, Dantius and Morgause doubted they would find the kind of solace that the normal people would find in the end of the war. Both had only known the uncertainty of the clashes between Light and Dark, the ferocity of the Sith, and the corruptions of the Republic that had led to escalations. They had only known a Chancellor capable of becoming a dictator with the necessary war powers usually bestowed in order to counter the threat of the Dark Side across the galaxy.
"What is it like to face and resist the temptation of the Dark Side? To resist anger, to resist fear, any of those things?" Morgause asked. Dantius had known to expect this question but he was impressed with how immediately she came to asking it of her uncle for the first time. Fortunately, though he didn't consider himself gifted with words, he did know what he needed to say to teach her how to become a Jedi.
"In our code, the Jedi insist on their being no emotion only peace. This means no happiness, no joy, no sadness, no anger, none of that stuff. If you're an insectoid, I suppose that's easily enough done but if you're a human it's a living hell to resist the very things that make you human. But there are meditative trances you can undergo to learn how to channel your emotions productively. It's a shortcut but it's not like members of the Council haven't cheated in their adherence to the Light before," Dantius told her.
The comment brought a slight laugh to Morgause and Dantius asked for a shuttle to be ready for them when they arrived to the cruiser. Their first destination was Yavin 4, the world with the weakest tug from the Dark Side and from there, to Ziost and Korriban. Once they were finished, they intended to arrive to Dantooine to begin the training that Morgause would need to train Menelaus in the ways of the Force. Dantius would also need to find an adequate master who would teach her the ways of the Jedi while he and the Knights who'd accompanied him to Nogatan completed their own secret plans for the Sentience.
After all, Dantius believed in the Sentience's message of preventing corruption wherever it could be found. But he also saw how the search to defeat corruption could in turn corrupt his superiors and he needed to make sure that he and the others were on board with preparations to counter them if it was needed. And he had one person in mind, one who had already succeeded in training Inoy Llimetch to Knighthood and still had decades of life within her to train at least one more Padawan. As Morgause warmed up the shuttle at his request, Dantius found a private room to comm Master Aria Tethys about taking on another disciple. "Greetings Master Tethys, it is an honor to speak with you again," Dantius told her.
"The honor is all mine, Knight Octavian. How could I help with you today, my dear friend?" Tethys asked. Dantius knew she preferred not to mince words and went straight to the point with his newest request.
"How would you feel about taking another Padawan? I have a niece who lost her father but she has a gift for the Force that we have reason to believe will work best with another potential candidate for the Order. Due to my family ties, I cannot train her myself nor can anyone connected to me as extensively as Knight Llimetch or Knight Thorin," Dantius explained to her.
"As long as you can clear it with the Jedi Council, I would be more than honored to take on someone of your blood," Tethys said.
"Then I will comm you when we are en route to Dantooine. Please make sure the Council is prepared for the consideration of my niece training with you when I do," he replied, cutting transmission as soon as she bowed in acceptance.