During the hyperspace transit to their next destination, Partner was once again playing a game on his datapad while Tahiri sat in contemplation over what she did back on Candrous VII.
"Partner?" she asked after a while.
"Yeah?" he responded; he didn't even look away from his 'pad.
And that was just fine with Tahiri.
"Do you think I went too far on Velias back there?" she inquired.
"Do you think that?"
"I'm starting to."
"Can't take it back now." Partner's tone was still casual.
"No, I can't. But you didn't answer my question."
"My answer would be as relevant as yours; no matter what you feel now, the deed's been done."
"Then forget relevance; you think we should have brought him in alive, don't you?"
After a moment, Partner set down his 'pad on his ship's dashboard and turned to look at Tahiri.
"That was obviously an option," he conceded. "Then again, bringing him back and leaving him to Imp authorities would have taken time out of our investigation, which is what we're being paid to do. So killing him was more expedient."
"And that's what matters to you, huh?"
"Yeah," he responded with a straightforward nod.
Tahiri opened her mouth, as if she were about to judge him. But she then let out a defeated sigh and looked away from Partner.
"I guess I shouldn't judge you," she admitted. "After all, I'm the one who killed Velias in cold blood."
"Good to see you're self-aware," Partner remarked. "Can I get back to my game now? We still have a lot of time to kill and I think we've exhausted this line of conversation."
Tahiri was about to say, "Yeah, sure go ahead," before she stopped herself. Then she actually said, "You know what, no; don't go back to your game 'cause I don't think we've exhausted this line of conversation."
Partner let out an audible sigh. "You make it sound like I'm the one who killed Velias."
"You let me," Tahiri pointed out with some anger in her tone. "I told you back in the hospital, and you let me."
"So now you're blaming me for not stopping you?"
"Well... yes. Yes, I am."
"Is that your way of shifting responsibility away from your actions, Veila? By blaming me for not stopping you?"
"I'm not shifting responsibility away from anything, Partner," she said as if his moniker were poison. "I'm holding you accountable for your own actions."
"So what are you gonna do about it? Hmm? You gonna tell Fel about your cold-blooded murder of Velias, because you'll have to if you're gonna hold me accountable for not stopping you. And what do you think he'll do? Just let you walk and continue with this investigation like nothing ever happened? Oh, sure, Velias may have been a traitor who killed a lot of Imp lives just to cover his own ass, but Fel won't let that stop him from having you tried for murder. And even if a jury thinks you're a hero for icing Velias and a judge rules that you go free, I still don't think Fel can trust you after that. Hell, if nothing else, you failed to abide by Imperial laws, which would have dictated that you'd have had to bring Velias in so that he can be questioned by the proper authorities instead of being interrogated by a coupla' mercs the way he was."
"I'm not a merc," she growled. "I'm not like you."
"Oh, no; you're much worse."
Tahiri then used the Force to shove Partner back along the bulkhead behind him, pinning him there.
"Don't you dare try to judge me, Mando scum!" she yelled.
"Danger! Danger!" came an automated voice from the Firespray's control console.
A hole opened up in the cockpit's ceiling; less than a second later, a yellow gas instantly filled the room.
Tahiri didn't even get a chance to use any of her Force abilities to counter the knockout gas before she collapsed unconscious to her seat. The gas was then instantly vented from the cockpit as Partner, whose suit had been sealed by the gas's effects, composed himself; he then bent down to grab Tahiri's ankle and dragged her away to one of his ship's holding cells.
With that out of the way, he returned to the cockpit to drop his Firespray out of hyperspace. He then turned it around and plotted a course back for Bastion.
. . .
"I take it that young Ben is adjusting well to life here on Kesh, Tyro Khai?" Grand Lord Vol asked. His tone made it clear that he was, so far, pleased with the results that he was seeing.
He and Vestara Khai were standing in the backyard of the latter's homestead, where they watched Jedi Knight—or, rather, former Jedi Knight—Ben Skywalker soaring above them on Vestara's own pet uvak, Tikk. Young Ben's excited laughs could be heard even from the ground, and Tikk was obviously enjoying the ride, too.
"Much better, and much sooner, than even I expected, Grand Lord Vol," Vestara replied. "I even managed to stop giving him the acid-marijuana combination; I can sense that his mind has been altered so that he has become accustomed to our way of life. At this point, with his loyalty to the Tribe, I doubt he would even hesitate to kill his father if they were to meet again. After all, if Tikk would be willing to have Ben ride him, I'd say that's a safe bet he's firmly on our side now."
"I sense that Ben's mind has been altered, as well," Vol said optimistically. "Hopefully, when he gets back to the point that he can properly respond to a shikkar at his throat, he will indeed be one of us as well. You know, I was thinking that if Ben were to really join us in a sober state of mind, he would be a Saber immediately; after all, he was a Jedi Knight. It wouldn't make too much sense to reduce him to a Tyro with his skills and experiences, even if his knowledge of our people and our history is still very limited."
"I suppose that would be fair," Vestara replied noncommittally.
Vol grinned down at her. "Of course, your success in converting him could mean that you get to be elevated to the rank of Saber yourself. It would be quite an achievement for someone of your age, Tyro Khai."
Now Vestara looked much more hopeful. "I would be honored, Grand Lord Vol."
"My Lord!"
Vol and Vestara turned at the sound of High Lord Workan approaching.
"What is it, Lord Workan?" Vol asked.
"Saber Degron hasn't reported in as scheduled several times now," Workan reported. "Let me show you." He then presented a datapad to Vol, which the latter took and read from.
The Grand Lord looked at the information presented there and found that, indeed, Saber Odrok Degron had missed multiple check-ins in a row that were meant to confirm his status. He didn't even report in to Workan to let him know whether or not he left Kavan after Luke Skywalker successfully fell into that trap in the sewer.
"You believe he's in trouble, Lord Workan?" Vol asked as he returned the 'pad to his subordinate.
"I believe so, My Lord."
"And because he was your responsibility, you wish to go after him?"
"If you would allow it, My Lord."
"I demand it," Vol replied with urgency in his tone. "Leave for Kavan immediately; take two Sabers with you and retrace Saber Degron's steps from there. Report back to me by this time tomorrow on the status of your search."
Workan nodded and turned to hurry off to do his duty for the Lost Tribe.
"Saber Degron?" Vestara asked with some concern after Workan was gone. "My Lord, may I ask what's wrong?"
"You have concern for Saber Degron?"
"I owe him a debt of gratitude after he saved me from Hapes," Vestara explained.
"Ah, yes, when you feared you were in danger of discovery by Ben's cousin, Jacen Solo. Very well, I suppose it would benefit you to know, since Saber Degron was assigned on a mission that was tangentially related to you and Ben."
Vol then went on to explain that Degron's mission was to lead Luke Skywalker and Jacen Solo to the world of Kavan from the planet Andalia so that they could be thrown off the trail of finding Ben. It was on Kavan that a trap had been sprung on Grand Master Skywalker that had exploited and magnified his dormant grief and guilt for his wife's death and compelled him to try to kill Solo.
"Of course, Ben's father very nearly succeeded in killing Solo," Vol went on to explain. "But the Jedi Knight barely survived and defeated his uncle. Saber Degron's last report explained that he would stay on Kavan to monitor Solo's actions."
"I see," Vestara said when Vol concluded the story. "My Lord, may I ask to join Lord Workan in the search for Saber Degron?"
"What about Ben's indoctrination?"
"He can come with us," Vestara suggested.
"Tyro Khai, I have said that Ben's mind has been altered," Vol stated, "but I don't believe it's been altered enough to allow him to leave Kesh and risk an encounter with his cousin that can undo all the work you've put in here."
"My Lord, I don't believe seeing his cousin will undo any of the work. In fact, I believe it will seal Ben's fate with us."
"How so?"
Vestara then went on to explain the feeling of hatred and resentment that Ben had toward Jacen because of his psychological inability to disassociate his cousin from his clone, Darth Caedus, who had killed Ben's mother.
"If Ben had this thought process when he was still a Jedi Knight, My Lord-"
"He would undoubtedly have it magnified now that he's been indoctrinated to us. Yes, I see the wisdom of your plan, Tyro Khai. Or should I say Saber Khai?"
Vestara's expression instantly turned into one of absolute happiness; Vol even saw tears of joy leaking from her eyes.
But the Grand Lord didn't admonish her for displaying such emotion so openly. Instead, he brought his commlink up from his belt and called up Workan.
"Yes, My Lord?" the High Lord responded.
"Sith Saber Vestara Khai will be one of the two Sabers to join you, Lord Workan," Vol declared.
There was a brief moment of silence, as if Workan was reeling from the announcement of the sudden promotion that Vestara had just received, before he replied, "Of course, My Lord. Will that be all?"
"Not quite," Vol responded. "I'll be back with you in a minute, Lord Workan." He then cut off the call but didn't replace his commlink.
"Saber Khai, if you would be so kind as to call Ben down from the sky," Vol said as if it were a polite request; he was in such a genial mood that it allowed him to be more friendly than usual to a subordinate such as Vestara.
She nodded before she called up, "Ben! Hey, Ben! Come down here!"
"Okay, Ves!" he called back. He then guided Tikk back down to land near her and Vol.
After he dismounted from the uvak and approached the two Sith, he asked, "What is it, Ves?"
"Grand Lord Vol would like to speak to you, Ben," she said.
"Hello, Ben. I'm honored to finally meet you." He then reached out a hand.
Ben clasped it without hesitation. "As am I, Lord Vol."
When Vol broke off the handshake, he said, "Ben, you will be going with Vestara on a very special trip."
"Oh? Where to?" Ben asked.
Vestara and Vol looked at each other; the former shook her head. Vol's nod confirmed that he would accept her decision.
"It'll be a surprise, Ben," Vestara said. "One I'm sure you'll love."