I really should have seen this coming. Then again, maybe not. Surik hasn't been that strange. It's all about operational norms. For all that Jedi have an image as stoic mystics, we're all pretty colourful characters. That 'direct line to the universe' is filtered through a variety of brains in many weird and wonderful ways. The Jedi religion is mostly an attempt to establish some commonalities and ground rules for a bunch of psionic adepts to get them all facing in mostly the same direction. We're all a little odd. Some of us also come from another universe. They should really have a place for that on file.
We stare at each other for a moment. Surik then shakes her head and frowns, "What the hell are you playing at then?' she asks.
"Beg pardon?"
"You know who you are, you know what happens. So why are you deliberately chasing the plot?"
"I am not."
"Oh come on. Training under Kreia? Poking round the Star Forge? Already besties with Darth Malak here? I'm surprised that HK-47 is not already clanking about."
"Please. Kae is not Kreia, yet. Neither is Alek. The whole Kashyyyk thing, just, sort of happened."
"What sort of happened? How complicated can 'leave the Star Forge alone' be?"
"So I just leave it for some poor fool who knows nothing to stumble across it? Forewarned is forearmed. These things are evil artefacts, like the One Ring. When they want to be found, they will be."
"I guess there's some sense in that. What about him?" Surik says motioning towards Alek.
"Alek? A scared kid everyone was just going to toss aside to the Terraformers. What was I supposed to do?"
"I don't know, let your future lieutenant become a terraformer instead of a burner of worlds. Taris? Ring any bells?"
"That's in the future."
"A future you're enabling. Any more brilliant ideas? Is your little harem just something to tide you over till Bastilla turns up?"
"My what? Look, Tamman's a friend, who I slept with. Wait. It's just experimentation, everyone does it. As for Alana, please, she's really messed up and I'm just trying to help?"
Surik looks at me for a moment. "You really are the full Revan package, aren't you? Talented, powerful and totally clueless about women."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Looked in the mirror recently? You're not some NEET incel scrub anymore. Have you ever noticed how you pull everyone into your orbit? So get it into your head that you really now can charm women with stupid lines and behave yourself."
"Well, you're no different Miss Great General."
"I can bloody well keep my hands to myself. Anyways, we need a plan. At least this is a half-way decent era. This could be the Prequels, or worse the Disney flicks."
"What's wrong with the Disney movies?"
Surik just stares at me in disbelief "You liked those train wrecks?"
I shrug "They're no Citizen Kane, but pretty decent, all things considered. I was looking forward to the last one, but ended up here."
Surik throws her hands up "Oh perfect, trapped in another universe with an oversexed NEET who likes the Sequels. Just. Bloody. Perfect."
"What? Also, what's a NEET?"
Any illuminating reply is interrupted by Alek coming round.
"Oww. My head," he says.
"Easy. Alana carries a heavy stunner." I say.
"Not all on her that's heavy." mutters Surik.
Alek shakes his head, "You had her shoot me." he says.
"Yes. Sorry about that. Best way to keep the peace." I say.
"But, he's a Mandalorian. A Manx. You know what they did."
"Yes, but it wasn't him. We're trying to make peace. If we fail hundreds of other worlds suffer as Quelli did."
Alek blinks and looks at me, come on kid. See the big picture. "You're right, I guess. It's just the way he dismissed it like that. Like those people were nothing to him."
"They're murderous scum. I won't deny that. We still need something other than killing them all. Peace could give us time to find that."
"What's wrong with killing them all? Galaxy will be a better place without them." Alke snarls.
"Killing people puts a weight on you, a weight that can easily drag you down. Destroying an entire people, even one as vile as the Mandalorians will alter you forever."
"What if it's a burden I'll willingly pay?" asks Alek.
"Okay. We slaughter the Mandalorians" I say with a glance a Surik. "We wipe them out. What then? Who is next? The Hutts? Okay, maybe you can justify that one too. The one after that, or after that? It will get easier and easier to do."
"So we have to let them live? What sort of solution is that?"
"I don't know, but it's why we're out here. Because if we fail and fall, we could take the Jedi and the entire Galaxy with us."
Alek's eyes widen as the enormity of it all sinks home. Yeah, serious problem is serious.
"I still don't like it."
"Not asking you too, just trust me, give peace a chance." I say.
Alek looks at me, for what seems a long time, "Okay." he says eventually.
Surik and I help Alek back to the ship. Okay, now to deal with the other problems. Firstly concentrate, which way oh great interconnected energy field? Taking the hint I knock on the door to Alana's cabin. The door opens revealing Alana, dressed in something red and translucent leaning in the doorway. The blast of perfume accentuates the assault on the senses.
'Do you want the briefing now or, afterwards?" she purrs.
"Now. After we talk, again." I say firmly.
"Talk? Talk? Does none of this work on you?" she says gesturing down the length of her body with an arm.
"Oh, it works. Which is why it doesn't." I say.
Alana walks over to a stand and picks up the small bottle there. "Guaranteed to arouse any human male who is not a corpse. Worthless," she says.
"It's not worthless, you just need a different target. I'm an idiot. You aren't doing this."
"I assure you I am, that kiss, I have never experienced anything like that, and I want more," she says turning back and advancing towards me.
This time I close my eyes and raise my hand. Concentrate, focus and link. I hear a sigh from Alana as our minds connect. With a thought I put her to sleep, catching her with TK and depositing her on the bed. Now, focus. Let the Force guide me through her mind to the compulsion I know is here. There it is! Now, very, very gently. This is a living mind after all. With care, I remove and dissolve it into the Force. Whew. I withdraw and close contact. Alana turns over and begins dribbling on the pillow. I leave and close the door. Hopefully, now, she will just be attracted to me, can't change that, but without the compulsion, Alana won't feel compelled to make a pass every time I turn round.
Now, for Tamman. No sneaky Czerka switch on her I'm afraid. She's in the hold. I walk down and knock again.
"Go away!" comes the voice through the door.
"Tamman, there are people who need our help, which we cannot do if we hide in the hold," I say.
"I don't care!"
"I don't believe that, let's talk this out..." I get no further as the door opens, Tamman glares at me.
"Why is it always talking," she pauses and sniffs, "or not I see."
"Tamman, think, use the Force. Have I had sex recently? It leaves an imprint after all." I say.
Tamman scowls but pauses, "Alright, but she hurt me. It shouldn't, but it does."
"Alana has not been in her right mind since I met her. I should have realised sooner. She's now sleeping off having had a very insidious compulsion removed. We'll see who she really is when she wakes up." I say.
"How are you ignoring this scent?" asks Tamman.
"It's really that strong?" I ask.
Tamman nods. "Why, are you not affected? We're going to have to scrub the ship of this before Alek wakes up."
I shrug "No idea, Let's go with 'protected by the Force' for now." I hazard, I mean there's no way my agnosia travelled across but not anything else. That would be silly.
"So, no point in using it on you then?" she asks.
"Fraid not, now I am really sorry we..." I begin.
"Are you saying I was a mistake?" she says.
"No, not that. However, everything has unforeseen repercussions, a whole lot we are dealing with now while other people are depending on us. I regret nothing, but we also mustn't let it distract us from what we are doing." I say.
"How are you so reasonable? How is this not affecting you?" She asks.
Before I can reply I am interrupted by Surik on the com.
"Revan, that Mando is outside." her voice says.
"Thanks, Surik, well Tamman? Duty calls. Coming?" I say.
"Yeah, I'm coming."
"Excellent, let's see what he has to say."
Making our way to the outside doors we open it and there is Manx.
"Jedi. Thought you'd like to know. Kavanagh has ordered those gangers to attack and raze the town. Since he and I no longer have any engagements I thought I would offer my services to you. Price is one Republic credit." says Manx.
I reach into a pouch and flip him a credit. " Great, you're hired," I say before moving down the ramp with Tamman following. I turn round, "Surik, wake up Alek and then follow. You can show off that arsenal of yours."
"You don't want someone to guard the ship?" says Surik.
"No the town will need all of us. Don't worry, nothing will crash because they'll be five of us." I say before departing.
"It might," says Surik before disappearing into the ship.
With that, I take the two others to defend the town.
It's a quick jog into town. Reaching out I can not yet sense the gangers.
"Let's check out the ridge," I say and we move towards the vantage point, advising Surik via comm. Looking down from the ridge I see the dust plumes thrown up by the grav vehicles.
"Pleasant day for it," observes Manx watching them approach.
"We don't want them attacking the town. Got anything that will attract their attention?" I ask.
Manx nods and from his backpack produces, then assembles a nasty-looking rifle. He then proceeds to sight along it towards the column.
"Just a warning shot," I advise.
"Certainly," says Manx and pulls the trigger. A beam of green light springs from the rifle, briefly illuminates a grav truck, which then promptly explodes in a ball of fire. The other grav bikes stop, swerve to avoid debris and begin milling about.
"Was that a warning shot?" asks Tamman.
"Certainly. The warning was not to mess with a Mandalorian allied to Jedi," says Manx.
Godsdamned crazy space Viking.
Having gained their attention we move for cover as blaster bolts begin spraying uphill at us. At this range, they're hopelessly inaccurate, but they're approaching fast. Manx is firing downrange at them with accuracy, but there are a lot of them. Very soon, it will be knife range with a practical test of just how many blaster shots can a Jedi handle. Depending on who you favour the answer ranges from 'all of them' through to 'just a few really'. Tamman and I activate our lightsabres and Manx discards the rifle and pulls his blaster.
"The Force is with you, always," I say to Tamman, who nods.
"And the Force is with you, always," she replies.
The homily complete, we rise on each side of Manx, deflecting blaster fire and keeping our little trio safe as Manx fires back. Then, with a roar, he launches into the air on a pillar of fire and we leap into the middle of the bikers. Then it's a mess of screams, the whine and zip of blasters, the thrum of grav repulsors and the deep bass hum of my lightsabre. It's tone never changes, no matter if it's deflecting a blast, cutting through a bike vane, or bisecting a ganger. It is constant. I hold myself in the Force, moving and acting only as directed. Dodge, slip, strike, slide strike, parry, hack, spin, parry, strike, dash, duck, leap and strike. Through it all, I try to see how my companions are doing. I need not worry. Tamman is moving with grace and poise untouched by the chaos she causes about her. Manx is leaping about and inflicting as much damage with armoured boot and fist as with his blaster. Then, as abruptly as it began, it is over. The survivors turn and flee. A few sporadic shots are fired back our way, but without aiming they are wide.
"Revan, Tamman, report." comes Surik's voice over comm.
"We're good. Got your medkit?"
"Sure. Wait. Whose hurt?"
"They are. Hurry."
With that I begin the grisly matter of triage. Lightsabre cuts cauterise, mostly. Still a superheated bar of plasma to the body. That leaves four with amputated limbs and bruises from where they landed, three with serious cut and broken bones and one with broken ribs and arm from being thrown. Also fifteen dead. Soberly, I commend them to the Force. While doing so Surik and Alek arrive. I direct them to those who need treatment.
"Don't see why we're doing this." says Surik as she applies a wrapping to a biker with a broken arm.
"Yes, why help these fools," says Manx watching the proceedings.
"These people were led here by various forces and choices, not all of their own. They are as much victims as the aggressor. Also, if we treat them, they may not remain our enemies." I reply.
"If you say, Revan," says Manx. He wanders over and looks down at those awaiting treatment. Quickly, he draws and fires, shooting one in the head, killing him instantly.
I am up and in front of him quickly. "What the hell?"
"You have too kind a heart. That one. He deserved death." says Manx.
"I'll be the judge of that," I say.
There is a whirr and Manx's helmet retracts. "Very well," he says looking into my eyes, "Read my mind, see what I saw, then judge."
Using the Force I look into Manx's mind, what is at the forefront at least. I then use my self-control to avoid throwing up. I quickly withdraw.
"Well?" says Manx.
"Alright, you made your point. I still say we should have handed him over to the authorities." I say.
Manx grins mirthlessly, "Seriously? Do you know who I was working for? Kavanagh owns them as well. One thing I always admired about the Jedi. You have a talent for picking enemies."
What have I got myself into?