Chapter Eighteen: A Message Sent

Zaz-Kai Ell slipped into an alcove of a wall. There he called on the force, concentrating on making himself unnoticed. As he did, a group of Mandalorians moved through the halls, carrying weapons.

"You hear anything about the patrols we sent out?" said one.

"Nothing yet. From the sounds of things, we're chasing a ghost." said the other as they passed him. They were heading down the way he needed to go down, as usual.

"Well, keep your eyes peeled. I've got the sense that..." began the first.

Raising a hand, Zaz-Kai put the sound of footsteps in their minds.

They raised guns and pointed downrange. "What was that?"

"Nothing, you're seeing things." said the other.

Zaz-Kai slipped by and made his way into the far hall. Even as he did, he nearly ran afoul of several different patrols. There had been several near misses so far, and only the force had saved him.

At last, he came to the door and found Kreia, who had split off to find another way, waiting for him. "These guards are well trained. It has been some time since I was faced with this level of security."

"Indeed," said Kreia. "However, the control room is ahead." Pressing a button on the door, she opened it, and they entered. Within, they saw a dozen armed men, who all raised their guns.

"You..." began one.

"Silence," said Kreia, speaking aloud in an authoritative voice. "You will take your leave and remember nothing of what you see or hear here. Go."

Zaz-Kai Ell had never seen someone effect so many with the mind probe. However, as it happened, the leader seemed on the verge of shaking it off. "I won't...

"Get out of my..."

Zaz-Kai surged forward. Raising a hand, he moved forward a fist, sending the various guards against the wall. The shock disoriented them, and with another move, he sent them unconscious. That kind of power strained him to unleash, but it was only a minor strain.

One of the men rose up and grasped for a sword, but Zaz-Kai grabbed him by the neck and he went limp.

"You have always had a way with the minds of the weak-willed," said Zaz-Kai. "But I fear these Mandalorians have a certain resistance."

"They believe only in brute force as a power," said Kreia. "Most of them are easily swayed through the manipulation of certain emotions."

"For my part, I have always held such techniques distasteful," said Zaz-Kai. "To invade the mind of another is a sacrilege."

"I wonder if you'd prefer we reduce them to corpses with a lightsaber?" asked Kreia. "Or if you believe governments perform such heresy with ever broadcast?"

"No, I would not," said Zaz-Kai. "And in many cases, yes."

Kreia said nothing. "Check the computer."

Zaz-Kai did so, making his way over and checking the console. Drawing out a security spike, he began his work. "These computer systems are of primitive design, much like most in this world. But the encryption is of a kind I am not familiar with. With force, I may be able to slice it."

"Hacking with force?" asked Kreia. "A strange combination."

"The force may give us hints of the future, and guide our hand," said Zaz-Kai. "That same principle may be used to slice computer systems. I set forth my will, and the force guides me away from numbers that will be of no use.

"Yet I fear that even if we open communication, we may be detected. It is possible that they will detect our signal. Our enemy is a cunning one, and I believe had has the means of knowing when a signal is sent out.

"All our roads lead to conflict."

"It is of no consequence," said Kreia. "Our path is set nonetheless.

"Continue the operation before we are found."

"Very well," said Zaz-Kai.

With a bit more work, he accessed the communications array. From there, he sent out a message to Atris' emergency number. For a moment, he paused, before Atris appeared. "Yes? Who is this? How did you get this number."

Atris was older now, having grown into a beautiful woman. Zaz-Kai had not spoken with her before coming here. Only been given a number to call in case of an emergency. Such was the way of this particular conspiracy. "Atris, it has been some years."

"Zaz-Kai Ell, what is the meaning of this?" asked Atris. "Where are you transmitting from?"

"There is little time to speak," said Kreia, coming forward. "Suffice to say that we are in the heart of Mandalorian territory. Those same Mandalorians who attacked the holy city this world holds so dear. It is imperative that you transmit these coordinates, both to Melinda and Daan at once."

Atris blinked, and they looked down. "Yes, yes, I shall do so at once.

"Once contact is established with Kavar, we can coordinate an assault on that position. Naturally, I will also alert Zegil. Tell me what you know of it?"

"It is highly defensible," said Zaz-Kai. "I'm sending an attachment with all the data we've gathered so far."

"Very well, you did well to make contact with me," said Atris, before pausing. "Tell me, where are your apprentices?"

"Yuthura is safe, alongside a boy called Revan," said Zaz-Kai. "Kreia's own apprentice is held captive. We had planned to launch a rescue soon enough, but you should not delay your assault for us. These Mandalorians have some other purpose in being here."

"Whatever it is, I doubt it will withstand being thrown off the planet," said Atris, voice cold.

"Remember, Atris, we must act as a restraining influence," Zaz-Kai warned her. "If Melinda and Daan act in too ruthless a fashion, the results could lead to full-scale war." He'd seen far too many cycles of revenge for his taste already.

"I only promise to try," said Atris. "Atris out."

And she disappeared.

Kreia looked up. "We should leave, and now."

"What is it?" asked Zaz-Kai, who had never been well attuned to sensing life.

"Can you not sense it?" asked Kreia.

Zaz-Kai obeyed, and as he did, he sensed the guards making their way out of the building. When he focused, he often lost a wider view of things. It was his flaw. "Hmm?
"They are... the life within this entire building is leaving as we speak."

And then Yuthura's communicator turned on. "Master Zez-Kai Ell, Master Kreia, the Mandalorians are withdrawing from the communications tower. They are evacuating."
Kreia snatched the communicator at once. "Can you see anyone coming down?"

"There is one. He..." began Yuthura. "He's wearing black armor and walking past them. They speak to him with respect."
"So, the student seeks to kill the Master, does he?" asked Kreia, amusement in her tone. "I shall give him the confrontation he seeks."

"Is that wise?" asked Zaz-Kai Ell, focusing. And then he sensed that darkness again, no, one of the darknesses. "I sense that he has grown in power and strength since our last confrontation, and also something more. There is a... hunger about him." That had been a black day indeed. "I fear we may be overwhelmed if you face him directly."

"Our course is set nonetheless," said Kreia, drawing out her lightsaber. "He knows we are here, and only his desire for blood has him coming here. If we flee, he will send all his armies after us."

Zaz-Kai nodded and took the communicator back. "Yuthura, take Revan and get as much distance as you can. We'll meet you when we can."

Yuthura hesitated on the other end. "...Yes, Master Zaz-Kai Ell."

Then she cut the channel too quickly.

"Revan isn't with her, is he?" guessed Zaz-Kai Ell.

"Our prodigal apprentice may do as he likes," mused Kreia. "It changes nothing."

Zaz-Kai Ell conceded the point, and they went to face their enemy.


Revan observed as squads of Mandalorians made their way out of the array. Then he saw Aedal coming down in a speeder. As he stepped out, the men saluted around her.
"What is going on out there?" asked Revan, afraid his cover might have been blown.

"I don't know," admitted Ren. "Chieftain Aedal ordered a withdrawal from the communications array."

"Why would he do that?" asked Revan, already knowing why. It was a reaction to Kreia and Zaz-Kai Ell. The real question was, why that reaction.

"Like I said, I don't know," said Ren. "Aedal does things, sometimes for his own amusement."

"We won't want to miss this," said Ren. "I think we're about to see Aedal in action. Come on, we'll see what Mandalorians can do firsthand."

Revan followed behind, doing his best to keep a low profile. The other Mandalorians also lined up in large groups around the entrance.

Aedal stood forward, black cloak flowing around him. Out of the door came Zaz-Kai Ell, and Kreia came out, facing Aedal alone. She seemed unperturbed by the army around them, while Zaz-Kai Ell merely looked somber.

"Did you find what you are looking for, among the armies of thugs?" asked Kreia, after a moment.

"Granny Kreia, you look as decrepit as always," said Aedal. "All I did was take your advice."

"To little effect," said Kreia. "When last we did battle, you were a fool. Now you are a fool in black armor."

"Now that is harsh, especially coming from someone working for an order she doesn't even believe in," said Aedal.

"Belief in a cause is unnecessary when all alternatives are infinitely worse," noted Kreia.

A dead silence fell over them.

For a moment, the three of them stood in dead silence. It seemed to stretch into eternity. Then, suddenly, Aedal sprang forward. His lightsaber flared red, and he went at Kreia. Even as he surged forward, Zaz-Kai Ell stood in his way, both blades of his purple lightsaber flaring up. There was a flurry of light, and Zaz-Kai Ell ceded ground beneath powerful strikes.

Then Kreia drew her own lightsaber as yellow light surged out. Moving around, she brought her lightsaber at Aedal from behind. However, he slipped away from her strike, even as both attack him, driving him back. Aedal slid to a halt, then shoved forward a hand.

A wave of force struck Kreia and Zaz-Kai Ell, and their robes went into a flurry beneath it. They sent their own power against him before finally they were thrown back. Both landed on one knee, as Aedal moved forward.

"As I suspected, Granny Kreia. You're as strong as you were when we last fought," said Aedal. "But, I'm far more than I was then."

"Yes, you've traded one failed ideology for one doomed to failure," said Kreia.

Zaz-Kai Ell hurled his lightsaber, and it spun toward Aedal, even as Kreia sent forth a wave of force. Aedal raised a hand to counter Kreia, before dodging aside from the lightsaber. He surged toward her, and his lightsaber clashed with Kreia. Striking again and again, he threw her to the ground, before parrying strikes from Zaz-Kai Ell.

"Even if you Mandalorians were to conquer this Galaxy, you would consume one another," said Zaz-Kai Ell. "Until at last, you were devoured by those you deemed weak."
"Or perhaps you would find the vices you scorn more to your liking than you thought?" said Kreia, standing to join the battle.

Aedal slid back, and they stood in silent challenge. "Everything dies, Kreia. None of us are exempt.

"Your Republic is going to wither away into a husk and be swept away at the wind. Your legacy will be corporate parasites who bribe your 'democratic' leaders. Until at last, they eat you alive from the inside.

"Death and glory is a lot more fun."

"You speak as a Sith," noted Zaz-Kai Ell.

Was that supposed to be a comeback?

"And there we see the flaw in your philosophy," said Aedal, lowing his guard. "Jedi and Sith.

"The order would have us believe that everyone is one or the other. It's a very clever tactic for propaganda purposes. If you stray from the will of the Jedi Council, you are no longer a Jedi. If you are no longer a Jedi, you are a Sith.

"You don't want to be a Sith, do you?

"The Jedi Council excels at using people's fear for their own purposes."

Anger rose in the Masters, Zaz-Kai Ell surged forward at him, and Kreia followed in more control. As they did, Aedal parried them, leading them on in one clash after another. And he spoke as he did. "Heheheh, I seem to have touched a nerve there, haven't I? Always fearful to look too deeply into themselves.

"Understand, but only enough to confirm what you already know. Know, but only so far as it doesn't change what you think. Act, but only if it maintains the status quo.
"However, there's a flaw in fighting with a double-bladed lightsaber. The center!"

Then with a flick of his blade, he cut Zaz-Kai Ell's lightsaber in half at the center. With a flick, he sent the man to the ground. Turning around, he parried Kreia's blade, and with a twist, cut the top from her lightsaber.

Then he raised a hand, and there seemed to be a reddish aura. Kreia and Zaz-Kai Ell cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground. Even as they did, Aedal put away his lightsaber and adjusted his cloak.

"Well, that was fun," said Aedal. "Take them, see that they live. We've got a battle to fight."

Well... this could be a problem.

It was up to Revan, then. Yuthura could probably take care of herself, and there wasn't much he could do for her anyway.