I stagger a bit. The Force may well be a cosmic energy field but I am the vessel through which it all goes when I pull some space magic. Like now. I may have had the assistance of some ancient technology but it was still a mass teleport across a couple of spiral arms. Twice. I haven't felt this way since, since...

"Does it not say, 'Size matters not' so why should this bother you?" says Kae.

We are in a training room. About me seven large statues hang suspended in the air. I can feel the weight of each one in my mind. I can feel the sweat rolling down my face. One wobbles and I reach out to steady it. Kae nods a gestures towards an eighth statue. I grimace, then picture it in my mind. Come on! None are as big as an X-Wing, even combined. It begins to rise, then shakes and falls to the ground, followed soon by the others. I fall to the floor, breathing hard.

Step, step, step. Kae has walked up to me.

"So?" she says. Even now I know that's Kae for. 'I want a summary of what you have learned today.'

"They, they were too, big." I pant.

"So?"

Still gulping in air I ry to think. "I, I don't know." I say.

In response Kae steps and hits me with a stick.

"You've exhausted yourself by over reaching in the Force. Without the Force, what are you?" she says and leaves.

I am left gasping on the floor contemplating Kae's question.

... that day. I remember trying to learn from the others but Kae's question kept coming back.

What are the Jedi without the Force?

What I am now is a little wobbly so Sesqual supports me, chiding me in her language.

"The wookie has the right of it. As a resource the Karbakar leaves much to be desired." says Manx.

"Well, I didn't want to use the traditional method." I say glancing at the ex-slaves.

Manx's helmet turns as well. "I see."

"Oh it's not all bad. After all, once the Hutts work out what happened, they're going to dig up their old manuals and assume that's how we did it. That we can strike back anytime we have victims to burn."

"They will also start guarding them again." says Manx.

"I do hope so my friend. I do hope so."

Our return to Wookie civilisation is largely uneventful. Our rescuees are bewildered, frightened but ultimately grateful for their freedom.

"You will return me to my father at once." commands Kalan.

I pause in the act of organising accommodation for everyone. The young Sith is nearby, glaring at me.

"Beg pardon?" I say.

"You will return me to my father, Val Korzan. He will order you be torn to pieces but I will request leniency." she declares.

"Why thank you." I say.

"I will request you be castrated and be made a Palace eunuch."

As Sesqual roars and advances on the Sith, Manx mutters, "Remind me never to work for your father."

HK-47 raises a blaster. "Proposed reward suboptimal. Advise termination."

I move to intercept Sesqual. 'Now, now. She's up against a few cultural misconceptions. HK, override.", the droid lowers the weapon. Sesqual growls but otherwise stops. I turn back to Kalan.

"Eunuch? Not your personal plaything." I say.

For her part Kalan makes a gagging sound. "Don't be revolting. Perhaps you can be impaled at the gate instead."

"As you wish Princess. Just tell me the system name and we'll be on our way."

Sesqual growls along with a "What?" and "Extreme surprise master.".

"Rescuing slaves means taking them back to their homes if that's what they want. Well Princess? Your system's name?"

"Nicht Ka" is her haughty reply.

"Very well. It will take a while but we shall see you to your home." I say.

Kalan nods and I go back to organising everyone.

Later after dinner, Manx brings up the subject again.

"You are not seriously taking the Sith back to her home?" he asks.

I nod and smile.

"So," Manx pauses to take a sip of beer. "Are you out of your mind!"

"I assure you that I am quite sane. In essence, Kalan is our most high profile slave that we rescued. Returning her will be invaluable." I say as I sip from my glass.

"You do know what castrate and impale mean?"

"Most agonising tortures practised by those who feel they are the experts in cruelty. Are you no longer interested?"

Manx shakes his head. "Cyare Joanicven. I'm in."

"Good."

With that we request transport back to Coruscant since regular Republic shipping doesn't include the Sith worlds on their itinerary. I'll be needing my own ship again. Its a few days wait.

"I shall have your skin flayed for your insolence." announces Kalan when I tell everyone of the delay.

"Of course. I am looking forward to it." I reply.

"Your screams shall echo through the Palace!"

"Tell me, will you be singing along to my screams?"

"Of course not!"

"So, it will still a merciful death then?"

I leave before the outraged Princess can formulate a reply.

The Voyage back is brief. After handing over the other ex slaves to the ASG I go deliver my report to the council. Normal stuff. Kashyyk is fine, the ruins are safe and can I have a fast picket to return a Sith Princess that I found?

"Sith Princess." says the very stern looking woman. She's new. Master, um tip of my tongue here.

"Yes, I rescued a few slaves after activating one of the artefacts. Still, Kalan is of the Sith species and a Princess." I say blandly.

"I, see. And was the rescue of this Kalan intentional on your part?" asks the Master.

"No Master." I say simply and truly. From a certain point of view that is.

And there's the key to Obi-Wan's famous statement. Getting away with shit in the Order requires standing up in front of mind readers. It really helps to frame everything being on the level 'from a certain point of view'. Kalan hadn't been intentionally rescued, more a target of opportunity that presented itself. There's also the adadge about the difference between permission and forgiveness at work here. Kalan is rescued. So let's take her home.

The masters all look at one another and me.

"Your actions, however we'll intentioned, were reckless and provocative. Your request for a ship to transport the Sith is denied. Might I remind you we are still technically at war with them? Kalan will remain as our guest until we have decided what to do. Dismissed.' says the Masters.

Of course they have been playing this game longer than me. Bugger. I bow, thank them and leave.

"A Sith Princess. What's the matter Revan? Your regular Harem just getting too vanilla?" accuses Surik.

Word gets around, even in the Jedi Temple. Especially in the Jedi Temple. Rumours can spread at the speed of thought.

"I'm not her type. Besides, castration is either now sixth or seventh on my tortures list."

"I wonder if she will want help with that. Really. Sith. Princess. What were you thinking?"

"That someone not be raped? Because that's what was going to happen. No fade to black. No white washing to maintain a bloody PG rating. This is not a fucking game! Slavery is humiliation, degradation and suffering without end in this Galaxy. We're two of the the most powerful people here. We have to do something." I say.

"What about when you fall?"

"What about it? If I fall, so what? We know how that ends! It leads to the damn cycle repeating all the way down to the OT. Let's attempt some change shall we. Make slavery here something Anakin learns about in a history lesson."

Surik looks at me for a moment, "Okay, but seriously, a Sith Princess?"

"They were all out of Alderaanians."

That earns me a smile. "Point. Still Nicht Ka. You know where and what that is?"

"Sure I do."

And how. Nicht Ka. Night Star. That's a pretty way of saying Black Hole. A Black Hole one jump from Korriban.

"And how do you propose we get there?"

In reply I begin humming a jaunty tune.

"I must believe
I can do anything
I can heal anyone
I must believe"

I spin and level a finger at Surik, "Use the Force!"