Chapter 19: Jazal
Coruscant
"Luminous beings are we." The Grand Master began his eccentric eulogy with those words.
Jazal and Rel'skar stood one level down from the highest step of the audience chamber. Behind them, towering over them on the highest step, were four Jedi Temple Guards. Jazal had meditated for two hours this morning in preparation. She did not want to give the Jedi High Council any reason to believe she was out of control.
Master Ov-Bion had fallen in battle. He had been transferred from the Alpheridies Temple to some secret front in the growing conflict. He, along with six other Jedi, were draped under funeral shrouds in the centre of the Jedi funeral chamber.
"Luminous beings are we. Mourn not the fallen; miss them not. Rejoice for the fallen, we should, for they are now but one with the Force."
While Jazal was currently too balanced to feel rage towards Yoda, intellectually, philosophically, she had serious objections to just about everything the Grand Master had said. In her opinion, he had taken the Jedi teachings and reinterpreted them into a death cult.
At 900 years old, Master Yoda was the closest being Jazal had ever met to an immortal. He was so acquainted with death, yet far removed from it, that he could casually downplay death at a funeral. Everyone Yoda had ever known had died or would die. Jazal surmised that he was just a constant and had no real connection to death.
"Our job it is, to remember that, in time, we shall also pass," Yoda continued. "Luminous beings are we," Yoda repeated. "A moment of silence, I ask, to remember, and to move on."
Jazal sighed when the bombastic little green immortal essentially asked them all to just 'move on.' She sensed the increasing sadness of some other Jedi in the room, but not any anger. Had Jazal not meditated she would have certainly been shaking in rage at that point.
Before the war, Jazal had no idea that Master Yoda had a view of life and death that was so uncompassionate, cynical, and grim.
"Master Shaak Ti, I wanted to speak to you for a moment," Jazal said, catching her in the funeral chamber. Two of the four Temple Guards hurried down the steps to be nearer to Jazal.
"Certainly, I am sorry for your loss Jazal. I understand you knew Master Ov-Bion too."
"Yes, I did Master, and thank you for your condolences, but I wished to discuss another matter."
"We are going to be shipping out in two days Jazal. I would hope you could wait that long to find out more," Shaak Ti said impatiently.
Jazal was momentarily flabbergasted, then realised Shaak Ti must vaguely sense she has a question. "No Master, my question is related, but I can wait two days to find out more about our mission. I was wondering if Kev and I would be getting our lightsabers."
"The High Council has left that up to me," Shaak Ti said and did not elaborate.
"And?" Jazal asked impatiently after five seconds.
"I have not yet decided," she said serenely.
Jazal contained her anticipation. "Very well. In either case, I was wondering if you could authorise my Padawan and I two training sabers and allow us—"
"—You are aware that this Temple Assignment will be of a Consular nature?" Shaak Ti asked. Jazal could sense Shaak Ti had widened her eyes, raising her forehead curiously, despite lacking eyebrows.
"Yes, I do Master. I would like to practice some basic defensive techniques with my Padawan still."
"In that case, you certainly may. Training room—"
"—Respectfully Master," one of the Temple Guards behind Jazal interrupted. "Our standard rehabilitation regime generally forbids combat training and—"
"Quit being vindictive," Shaak Ti interrupted. "Jazal and her Padawan are going on a Temple Assignment off-world. I would agree with you if they had an assignment with the Council of First Knowledge, but they don't. Their assignment is classified, and it may eventually present some danger."
"Very well Master. I meant no offence," the Temple Guard responded in an even tone.
Jazal smirked to herself. Vindictive. She was glad someone on the outside could see that behaviour in the Temple Guards.
"Jazal, I don't understand," Rel'skar sighed. "Why are we practicing saber forms like I am a youngling? I know—"
"Kev, on Geonosis," Jazal looked nervously behind her at the Temple Guards, "I saw nine Jedi fall—"
"—Master, I knew when I joined the Jedi that there was a risk of death. I am not afraid to die," the Bothan said sternly.
His remark hit a nerve. It reminded Jazal of Yoda's eccentric eulogy she heard earlier. Luminous beings are we. "Kev, do you want to die?" Jazal asked pointedly.
"N—no," Rel'skar stammered, shocked by the question. Jazal sensed his fur swirl nervously.
"I am not afraid to die Master," Rel'skar added. Jazal now sensed his fur ironically fall flat in fear.
"But that does not mean I want to die," Rel'skar added, more calmly. His fur relaxed and swirled nervously again.
You are afraid my young Bothan, but I'll let that lie slide. "Good," Jazal said. "This modification to Soresu will teach you how to block blasterfire more effectively, while also freeing a hand."
"A hand?" Rel'skar asked, unable to fathom what the advantage of a free hand would be.
Jazal ignited her training saber with one hand and force-lifted a training dummy with her other. "Yes, my Padawan, a hand."
Once Rel'skar got a hold of lifting objects while holding an ignited training saber, Jazal reviewed the standard Soresu flourishes. She tried to avoid making the descriptions too graphic and used exaggerated Makashi flourishes as an example of what not to do.
"You might successfully block a blast doing this," Jazal said, pointing her saber straight up in the air with an elegant swoosh, "but it leaves your chest wide open to be shot again." She turned back to the Temple Guards. "Would it be all right if I took Kev Rel'skar to the training room with training blasters to practice our deflections?"
"You were not authorised to do that by Shaak Ti, Jazal."
Jazal recognised the voice of that Guard. He had also used 'you' before when warning her of discussing classified information. She could not sense his face under his mask and his essence felt very weak—like he was suppressing his emotions and hiding his body signature somehow, using a technique Jazal did not understand.
"Very well," Jazal sighed. "All right, back to Soresu…"
"Do you remember that odd Guard who keeps using 'you' with me, instead of 'the detainee'?" Jazal asked, looking up from her Bothese book.
Rel'skar looked up from his genetics book. "Yes, I do," he said simply.
"You can… smell things I can't Kev. What species does he smell like?"
"I don't know Jazal. He smells… musky… but not like a human or a Miraluka. He can't be a reptile," Rel'skar said shrugging his shoulders.
"Hmm… interesting," Jazal said, deep in thought. "I wonder if he is suppressing his presence to me through a force-technique, or if his species has a natural ability of some sort."
"Could be Master," Rel'skar said, not specifying which possibility it could be. He turned another page.
Their last weekend day in the Detention Bloc was uneventful, with the exception of the outcome of Prosset Dibs' trial.
Jazal kept her surprise to herself when news reached her that Prosset Dibs' trial resulted in a sentence of indefinite rehabilitation, with the eventual possibility of parole. Perhaps her fears of execution for desertion were exaggerated—Mace Windu defended Dibs from the death penalty and advocated for rehabilitation, even after Dibs not only deserted, but tried to assassinate him.
She slept that evening, correctly expecting to not see Prosset Dibs again anytime soon.
Primeday morning, after being led out of the Detention Bloc, Jazal and Rel'skar were greeted by Shaak Ti.
"Can I trust you?" Shaak Ti asked serenely.
"Yes Master!" Rel'skar stammered.
Jazal could sense the presence of hers and Rel'skar's lightsabers under Shaak Ti's robes.
Shaak Ti's question rubbed Jazal the wrong way. It reminded her of being asked whether or not she was dangerous by the Temple Guards, but she kept this to herself. "Yes, Master. You can trust me."
"Thank you Master," Rel'skar said calmly, holstering his lightsaber. Despite his calm tone, his fur danced with excitement.
Jazal holstered hers without any reaction. Compared to Oc'nel, Jazal found Rel'skar disturbingly adept at deception.
Shaak Ti led them through the Temple to the main hangar. A Consular-class corvette awaited them.
"Padawan, I don't want you to be too excited to get your lightsaber back—"
"—I am not excited Master," Rel'skar growled sternly, his fur swirled guiltily.
"Kev, I know—"
"—Jazal, with all due respect to you and your Padawan," Shaak Ti said, "I believe you are mistaken. I just don't sense any excitement from Rel'skar."
Jazal sighed. "Respectfully Shaak Ti, you don't know Bothans as well as I do."
Rel'skar's fur swirled nervously. Jazal sensed a wry smirk form on Shaak Ti's face. She half-expected Shaak Ti to make a joke and was glad that she didn't.
"All right Jazal," Shaak Ti said finally still with an innuendo-laden smirk. "I believe you. Kev Rel'skar, you heard Jazal, don't get too excited."
Jazal gave a small sigh. "So Master, where are we going?" she asked as they began walking up the landing ramp. Two Naval officers saluted them, Jazal saluted them back, Rel'skar and Shaak Ti didn't. There's nothing I can do about Shaak Ti, but I am going to get that Bothan to salute back.
"We are going to Kamino."
"Hmmm" Jazal hummed, completely unsurprised.
Rel'skar gasped. "Beyond the Galaxy?! For six months?"
"One year with the possibility of parole in six months," Shaak Ti said. "Assuming you two behave yourselves and don't like the assignment on Kamino."
"I am sure it will be fun," Jazal said with a genuine grin.