Chapter 28 Convince me

Ty'karus made a final check of the nav computer, satisfied with the readings he left the bridge and headed to his cabin. Valenya and Akita were standing in the hallway talking, he smiled and passed them without interrupting. He entered his cabin stripped off his clothes and stepped into the sonic shower. He let his mind drift, reaching out with the force he applied a healing touch to the muscles in his shoulders. Once his muscles relaxed he let himself enter a mild meditative state. He reviewed the next steps and gave some thought to how enjoyable it would be to survive the next few weeks.

His shower completed he dried off and wrapped the towel over his shoulders and stepped out of the fresher into his room. There was a sharp intake of air from Valenya. Ty'karus turned to see Akita and Valenya now talking in the open doorway to his room. 'Don't care, I'm tired.' He thought. Without a word he laid down on the bed. "If you don't want to look, feel free to close the door. Good night my dear apprentice's" he turned on his side and closed his eyes.

Akita pulled Valenya back out into the hall and closed the cabin door. "Sorry about that, I swear he does that on purpose." She smiled at Valenya.

"Akita how do you put up with him?" Valenya asked her.

"I love him. I know what you're going to say, how do I know I love him? Well you're right I have nothing to compare it to but I know how I would feel if I lost him." Valenya took Akita's hands and tried to look supportive.

"I have to ask; you know I do. Are you sure are you really sure that he has not done something to you to make you feel this way? Please don't hate me for asking." Valenya bit her bottom lip as she waited for Akita to respond.

Akita squeezed Val's hands. "I don't hate you Val, I am happy that you care enough to ask, even though you are obviously concerned about how I might react." Valenya exhaled in relief.

Akita pulled Valenya into the lounge and sat her down on the curved couch. "The first time we joined." Akita smiled and Valenya blushed. "The first time, something happened." Akita said quietly.

"I'll bet something happened." Valenya said sarcastically.

"Besides that, hush. It was mutual whatever you may believe it was not forced." Akita retorted.

"We shared something. I saw bits of his life, felt his pain. I think this can happen between any force users, I suspect it's one of the reasons the Jedi council forbids it." Valenya stared at Akita. "Val you have no idea what it's like being trained as a Sith. While most Jedi are still Padawan learners, he was killing. They are like animals, forced to fight or die. Without feeling it, you can't appreciate what it means for him to have turned away." Her eyes welled up with tears. Valenya hugged her.

"Akita that's the hard question, how could a Sith truly turn away on his own. You said you had an idea. Can you share it with me? I need to understand. Don't get me wrong, I believe this path is the right one. I just need to understand him better, I need to get rid of this doubt." Valenya sighed. Akita looked uncomfortable.

"I know this is going to sound conceited so forgive me. Valenya he did it for me?" Valenya's face told Akita that she did not believe it was true.

"Akita he had just met you, I'm sorry but..." Akita cut her off.

"Valenya when we talked about what it was like for me to choose to stay with him, to walk this path. I did not tell you everything." Valenya furled her brow.

"Are you saying you lied Akita?" there was a hurt look on Valenya's face.

"No! I promise no. reach out search my feelings my thoughts. I swear I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you everything some of it was just too personal, some of it shames me." Valenya could feel the truth in Akita's mind and voice. Seeing Valenya relax Akita continued.

Akita told Valenya everything, she left nothing out. The whole truth about the force visions, the pain it caused him. She told Valenya all she saw in his life when they made love the first time. All she had seen since. Akita painted a graphic picture of Ty'karus master Lord Mott, admitted to killing two of his acolytes. The incident in the hall of logistics and Ty'karus torture of the Sith Adith.

Then with tears rolling down her face she told Valenya about Edza and her mother, Jitta. She told Valenya how she felt seeing the little girl's body lying in her mother's arms. Of sorrow so intense it felt like her heart would actually break. Valenya hugged her and cried with her. Akita pulled away enough to see Valenya's face, she told her how it felt when she held up her lightsaber and let out her sorrow in one primal scream. How it lifted her heart when the clone Edza awoke in her mother's arms.

Akita could feel her master touch her mind, he had felt the emotion build in her and Valenya. She reached out and let him know all was ok. She felt his presence leave her mind.

"Akita I don't know what to say. But I do understand why you didn't tell me, I am sorry I pushed you, forgive me?" Valenya gave Akita a pained smile.

"There is nothing to forgive, I just wish I had something more than words to share with you." They sat together a while longer, just talking about their time as Jedi and the future. Valenya noted that Akita tended to think about the now and what would come next but only in a limited sense. As a Consular Valenya had to think long term, it was part of her diplomatic training, whereas Akita was a warrior and tended to think more immediate or tactically.

It occurred to Valenya that if they were to continue recruitment they would need to address conversion and doubt with more than Ty'karus current methods. Her face flushed and a tingle ran through her as she gave thought to his 'methods'.

Valenya discussed her concerns at length with Akita, they both agreed that something had to be devised that would improve on the current methods. Valenya was reluctant to bring this to their master but Akita convinced her that it was important. They agreed to bring it up in the morning as right now both of them were tired and needed sleep.

Valenya paced back and forth in the lounge. The ships protocol droid had made her breakfast and stood quietly by the main entrance to the lounge. Valenya looked at the time and took a deep breath. 'They should be up by now how much sleep can they need?' she thought to herself. It was almost an hour later that Akita and her master made their way into the lounge. Valenya sensed contentment rolling off of them both, realization set in and she felt a warm flush through her body. It was becoming quite an annoyance. She was tempted to suppress her feelings but she knew that a sudden change might not go unnoticed.

"Good morning." Valenya practically pounced on them. Akita gave her a smile.

"Master why don't you sit and talk with Valenya I will get our food." Akita suggested. She pushed him toward the table. He gave her an odd sideways look but did not resist. He sat and Valenya took a seat next to him.

"Master, Akita and I were talking last night and I, that is we, have a concern we would like to discuss." She paused only for a second and when he did not offer objection she continued.

"I am assuming that you desire to enlist additional support for our cause. If that is correct then we would like to suggest that alternate methods for recruitment be considered." She was talking at breakneck pace getting the entire string out in one breath. Ty'karus held up a hand and she reluctantly stopped.

"I agree but you must keep in mind that all the standard inquisitor methods involve liberal use of torture. Akita was a unique situation, as she told you, I had been preparing for our meeting for years." He paused and motioned Valenya to move closer, she did so hesitantly. Ty'karus motioned for her to take his hand, which she did.

"Val. I was not prepared for you. I feel that I should have taken longer, been more careful. Each time I hurt you it caused me great pain. I know there is no way to make it right but I do want to apologize." With his hand holding hers she could feel his emotions, she could sense his thoughts. She was surprised by the genuine sense of regret flowing from him.

"Thank you master. I don't think I have forgiven you quite yet but if it helps I am glad it happened." She offered. He nodded his understanding.

"So since you brought this up do you have a suggestion, an alternative to offer?" has asked while looking from one to the other. Akita looked at Valenya.

"Perhaps we could use the Jedi approach? I have read a few case studies where the Jedi worked together to break down the barriers of a Sith or a Jedi that had gone over to the dark side. They used their abilities in concert. It was less like torture and more like reconditioning, using the force." Valenya watched his face as he considered her idea.

"I am not opposed to trying this method but it would require that you both be involved and it would open you to considerable stress and keep in mind that the power transfer we are talking about is far beyond battle augmentation. It's the difference between a straw and a starship fueling hose, mistakes can be damaging or fatal." He paused letting that sink in, Ty'karus wanted to make sure that both of his apprentices were aware of all of the risks. Secrets had no place in this discussion. When he was sure they both understood he continued.

"Additionally I am concerned that someone turned in this manner could so to speak, snap out of it, reverting without warning. My methods with you Val were focused on providing you the facts and letting you see for yourself what this conflict was costing the galaxy, so that you would come to the truth on your own. While you could choose to go back to the Republic, you are less likely to do so as I truly believe you have changed." His words surprised Valenya. She searched his mind and saw that there was no reservation in him. He trusted her and it shamed her because she knew that she was still unsure of him or rather his motives.

"Master do you know how this joined process works?" Akita asked.

Ty'karus nodded. "I have a detailed account as well as a few books on the subject from the Jedi archives.

Valenya let out a small gasp. "How did you manage to get books out of the archive?" she did not hide the shock on her face.

Ty'karus cringed. "I bought them from one of my Sith brothers who obtained them from a Jedi." He said quietly. "The books are in my cabin, but I don't think you are ready yet Valenya." His words were plain there was no recrimination in them but Valenya was visibly hurt by his response.

"May I ask why you believe I am unfit for the ceremony?" her words carried her pain at his rebuff. He gave her a thin smile.

"It's my fault, actually, you see the ceremony requires that the Jedi performing it, in this case us three, trust each other completely. I have, thus far, failed to earn your trust. For that I am sorry." He leaned against the back of his chair and sighed.

"Akita could you bring the books here? They are in the hard case under the bed. Please." Akita smiled and excused herself from the table and headed down the ships hallway. Valenya and Ty'karus sat in silence. Valenya tried to analyze her master's recent comments. She wanted to trust him but the nagging questions in the back of her mind would not let go. This man is a Sith Inquisitor, his life is manipulation and intrigue. There was part of her that still believed it was possible that she and Akita had been manipulated and that even though they believed in the cause, they were being led by someone who was doing so for his own ends.

Akita returned with two books and a data pad. Valenya looked up at Akita and was surprised to see an odd smile on her face. Their eyes met and Akita raised an eyebrow then looked downward, Valenya followed her gaze and was shocked to realize that she had not pulled her hand back. All this time she had been sitting beside him holding his hand. A wave of shock ran through her. Ty'karus smiled and gently let go of her hand, Valenya was further surprised that she had genuinely enjoyed the contact. Akita winked at her and Valenya felt anger and other emotions rise.

"There is a Sith version similar to the Jedi. It differs in that it requires the use of Sith Alchemy. The Sith don't have the ability to trust like the Jedi so the ritual requires the use of acolytes and apprentices to provide power and a single master or possibly a few. There is a single large crystal and one or more control crystals. We can talk about that later though."

Ty'karus stood and moved away from the table. "I will leave you to review the Jedi material. I still need to do my morning exercises and meditate. Good morning my apprentices." He gave them a small bow and left them.

Akita and Valenya spent the remainder of the trip locked in study of the ceremony. Valenya was forced to come to the same conclusion that her master had. The ceremony required trust, each of the participants provided power and one drove it. If at any point one of the participants doubted the one in control it could cause the ceremony to fail or worse, it could injure the subject they were trying to convert.

She would have to address this later as the ships destination alarm sounded. They had arrived in the Tatooine system.