The Color of Truth: The Places in Between

Chapter Twenty-One

The prison barge was secure and the single surviving guard returned to his normal self. He felt extremely guilty for allowing Dooku to take over, even after we'd informed him the majority of his followers, including Dooku himself, were now dead and on Devaron. There were actually only four inmates missing who had managed to avoid Dooku's influence and flee. The one who had returned with us, however - the one who had actually managed to do the dirty work for us, had a story to tell, and he didn't mind telling it. In fact, he was so ready for someone to listen to him, while we were leaving to board our ship to return to Dantooine, he followed us, speaking the entire time.

"Mor'ta's the name. Jaxson Mor'ta."

"Mor'ta?" Quinlan stopped and stared, apparently recognizing it. "Son of Prime Minister Mor'qa of Mardon?"

"So, you've heard. That's okay. It isn't like it was some big secret. So, I killed my father, who just so happened to be the Prime Minister. I had a good reason, you know. The guy was a complete scumbag. What I did actually saved half the planet!"

"How so?" I asked him.

"Because dear old Dad was a genocidal maniac! He hated the northerners only because their skin was a different color than ours. I overheard him one night talking to his generals about his plan to obliterate them completely and figured I had to do something about it. So, I killed him."

I had noticed that neither my Dad nor Quinlan had commented on anything Jaxson had said so far. They both seemed intent on reaching the ship as quickly as possible, probably before any Republic soldiers arrived and he'd have to answer a lot of questions. I sensed the young man was speaking the truth, although he seemed a bit flippant about it. Watching Count Dooku lying in a pool of his own blood had actually given me very little joy. It was a task that needed to be done, but I wasn't necessarily rejoicing about it. Jaxson seemed to be proud of his accomplishment and not bothered by it even the tiniest amount.

"How did you sneak up behind him like that?" The question had been in my mind since the incident, and although it felt like a bantha was sitting on my head, I had to ask.

"Because he trusted me," Jaxson replied simply. "I never let on that I was actually against him and agreed with everything he said, so he had no reason not to trust me. Actually, I was the one who was supposed to fly him away from Devaron; that is if things didn't go according to plan. I never expected to do what I did and waited forever for my chance, and then boom! There it was. One slip of my blade and it was all over with."

"I wished it had been that easy for me," I couldn't help but complain. I was still completely disappointed in my failure to be the one who had ended Dooku's tyranny.

"That's because you were obviously his enemy and he targeted you right from the beginning. He spoke of you often and was waiting for you. Kept saying something about convincing you to become his student or something."

I noticed Dad's head turn slightly at that announcement while we walked. Just ahead, I could see the doorway that would lead us to our ship, and I was excited to finally have enough time to tell Mom about everything that had happened, except for the part about my lack of shielding, of course.

Once we'd reached the door, both Quinlan and Dad turned and faced the stranger, which stopped us both in our tracks.

"What are your plans now?" Dad asked the young man. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

Jaxson thought for a second and then shrugged. "Can't go back home. That's for sure. And I suppose especially now with the break, the Republic will be searching for me, although I swear, what I did was for the best of everyone on Mordan! Someday they'll realize that and I'll be a hero. But for now, I guess I'll keep hiding."

I was surprised Dad hadn't turned him over to the lone Republic guard, since he and Mom were such sticklers for obeying galactic law. I'm not sure why I said it, but the answer was obvious - at least to me. "Why don't we let Jaxson come home with us?" The idea caused both men's brows to arch highly.

"It's a thought," Quinlan acknowledged, "although we don't know much about him other than he was accused, tried, and sentenced to life for the murder of his own father."

"I already explained that. I'm telling the truth!" Jaxson insisted, his voice showing a hint of emotion for the first time.

"And we're just supposed to take your word for it?" Dad replied while crossing his arms, a sure sign Jaxson's luck may be running out. "We appreciate your help back there, but why should we believe you?"

"Because," the young man faltered, obviously doing his best to think of something to say that would persuade Dad. "I had a choice. I could've embraced my fear and allowed that madman to escape as he wished to, or I could risk my life by standing up to him and refusing to do what he said. Trust me, I've met some pretty unsavory characters while held in this metal box, but none of them frightened me as much as he did. You should've seen what he did to the guards! And the poor warden! I don't think Dooku had a soul or anything close to it."

When Dad started rubbing his beard thoughtfully, it offered a glimmer of hope and I gazed at him with wide, pleading eyes. I don't know what it was about Jaxson, but he was brave and had risked his life to save ours. Surely, that counted for something!

"Very well," Dad finally admitted. "We'll take you back with us, but one sign of trouble from you and I'm contacting the authorities to come and pick you up. Understood?"

"Yes sir. I won't be a problem, I promise. Thank you."

I happily clapped Jaxson on the shoulder while Quinlan and Dad boarded the ship.

"Hey," he said to me before I stepped onto the ramp. "Who is that guy?"

"You mean the one with the beard?"

"Yeah," Jaxson confirmed.

I grinned proudly. "That's my Dad, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"So you're..."

"Leia Kenobi."

"Wow. It isn't every day you get to meet a Jedi Legend or his beautiful daughter."

I had been offered compliments a few times in the past, but something about the way Jaxson said it or the way his blue eyes seemed transfixed upon me made my insides tremble.

"It's nice to meet you," he added with a charming smile.

"Come on," I suggested once I'd found my voice. "Let's board before he changes his mind."