Chapter 23 – Passing the Flame
For once Belana did not find even the tiniest spark of forgiveness or affection in her heart when she stood facing her lover. "You are mad!" she shouted at him, but he only continued smiling at her placidly. "You killed your own son! And what for? As a lesson to his sister!
I thought you had stopped fooling around!"
He nodded in agreement. "Very true. This is no game, Belana. I am deadly serious."
"What about?" she grated out, her voice quivering with outrage.
"Being Cor'dan also means standing back to let destiny go its way, but I am free of that obligation now. I can act as I see fit. I do not have anything to prove, or a legacy to ensure." His eyes narrowed coldly. "No mercy toward the enemy, Belana. No restrictions. I will kill whoever I need to kill and I will do whatever I think is necessary."
She gazed at him in amazement and horror. "What?" her voice broke. "Why?" she stammered, confused.
"I don't think you would understand, my love. You do not share my belief."
"Then you have found your faith again?"
"Oh yes. And I intend to live it," he whispered as he wrapped her in his arms. His lips buried into her soft hair and Belana closed her eyes, returning his gesture. Standing together for a long while neither spoke. But the Jedi Master had a lot of questions. It just didn't feel like the right time to pose them. "To'e," he said suddenly, his enchanting voice bringing tears to her eyes. "My love, you must leave now," he explained softly.
"No," she answered and cuddled closer, "I don't want to. I fear what you might do."
"You cannot stop me, Belana. You never could."
His words stung at her heart mercilessly and she raised her head to look at him, hurt marring her features. When her love had been the sole obstacle in his path he had killed her, if with regret. Why did he have to remind her of that just now? Why did he have to be so cruel? Setting her jaw she shook her head with determination. "And you cannot make me go," she replied stubbornly.
He gave her a tender smile. "I am Cor'dan."
"You were Cor'dan," she pointed out.
Kell gave a soft laugh. "It is not a job you can simply discard. I will be Cor'dan for as long as I am alive." Kissing her deeply he made her feel like a helpless girl, not the grown woman and Jedi Master that she was. It felt as if no time at all had passed between when she had first met him and her death, as if she were still the innocent warrior who had fallen in love with her enemy. When he drew away again she felt a tear slide down her cheek.
"Goodbye, Belana," he said and smiled at her warmly. "I will see you again soon." And then he was gone.
Belana found herself standing in the Council Chamber of the Jedi Temple. It was deserted, safe for her glowing presence and that of a stocky human. Hagen Dycos was smiling at her. "There you are," he said by way of greeting. "You are late."
"Where is he going?" she asked no one in particular, and she did not really expect Hagen to answer. But the Jedi Master walked over to her quietly, his emerald eyes full of understanding.
"It is always hard to let go of someone you love. But he wants to return to you. Do not despair. He will come back."
She looked at him out of large brown eyes. "I am afraid, Hagen. He is going to do something foolish. And where that man goes disaster follows behind."
The blonde Jedi smiled grimly. "Good. Then it will be directed at the Yuuzhan Vong."
"Why them? What is it about them?" Belana asked, uncomprehending.
"To him they are a bunch of children who have not learned their lessons about life yet. Ignorants. He has no patience with those. You saw what he did to Irek," Hagen concluded with a shrug.
"So he will fight them."
"Yes. He will use any means available, including whatever troops Thrawn has in that territory."
"But I do not understand why he has chosen to end it that way. The way it began."
His gaze softened somewhat. "He can never reclaim his innocence, Belana. You have to accept that. But in the deepest depth of his heart and soul he is much more compassionate, much more generous, than you can know. You have taught him that."
She knew exactly what he meant. For all the power he commanded and despite the cold rationale that dictated most of his actions, Kell had still retained the defensive stance of a guardian. Whenever an enemy advanced toward him he would take a step back, if only to draw that adversary into an elaborately spun trap. Aggression was not something he used lightly. But that was changing now. And Belana knew exactly where it would lead.
"I know," she replied at last in a hushed whisper. "I wish he had allowed himself to show it more."
"Too late for that," Hagen replied quietly. "It is up to his successor to redeem the Cor'dan. That is what he is doing right now. The final test, the hardest, I believe."
"What does it cost?" Belana asked, feeling afraid for some reason.
"Forgiveness."
Yana walked back toward her private quarters, still feeling numb. She had left the caretakers to bring the bodies to the fortress' morgue, but she knew she could not run from her grief for long. She could just postpone it for a while, perhaps. Franzis Sarreti was waiting at her door and he wore a carefully blank expression on his scarred face. She also noticed that he did not quite meet her eye. She walked past him to open the door, but paused before she went inside.
"Counselor, about the guardsmen I ordered executed – "
"Yes?"
"That was a foolish reaction." She risked a look at him and it did not even hurt all that much.
"Knowing you, you will have waited for me to come to my senses before relaying that order anyway, so I would appreciate it if you just didn't mention it again."
A rare smile appreared on his face. "Yes, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Counselor." Brushing past him she closed the door between them. For a moment she stood there, her mind blank, her heart still. Then she ran for her bedroom and buried into the soft blankets and pillows, seeking some comfort she knew she would not find. But the soft fabric drowned out her screams of anguish, and hid her tears effectively. And for that, and only that, she felt very grateful.
"But I did manage to get a message out to the Shoothing Star, and I am almost positive that they received it," Al'than'erudo was just saying. "They should be with us in a few days at the latest."
The Star Keeper had forbidden them to use any open fire or even light stoves for illumination or cooking. So Luke and Nuron sat together with Al'than'erudo, chewing ration bars in the dark. Night on Laa'kuan was cold, but at least the winds had died down and the dust clouds with them. Looking up at the black sky Luke studied the stars intently, but everything seemed quiet. The Yuuzhan Vong had not followed them here, it would seem. For the tenth time or so he let his eyes wander over to the indistinct shape of the small hut, where Chi'in was asleep and was watched over by the Star Keeper herself. Around Luke and his companions the rest of the Star People had made camp in a loose formation. Sentinels had left the camp to venture around the premises. Everything was quiet. But when the tent flap was flung back and the Star Keeper left the small hut Luke jumped to his feet impatiently.
"How is he?"
Nolyane waited until Al'than'eruodo had translated the question. She answered calmly in a series of quiet, soothing hoots. The Chiss turned toward the young Jedi and gave him a small smile. "She says Master Chi'in is as well as can be expected. He has lost a lot of blood, but he is very strong. He will survive."
Luke nodded. Despite Chi'in's albeit weak pleading Nolyane had not agreed to free the commander. He was a prisoner of war for the time being. But he was allowed to wander around the camp unrestrained. Still, when the Star Keeper moved closer to join Luke and Nuron she gave the Chiss a pointed stare and waited for him to retreat further back before she settled down on the cold ground. Kneeling some way behind her Al'than'erudo was just close enough to serve as translator. Nolyane gestured toward Luke and bade him to sit down again. After hours of waiting he had a lot of questions to ask.
"Why are they here?"
Relating the request the Chiss warrior listened to the answer closely, then gazed at Luke out of glowing red eyes that shone faintly in the dark. "The gods are angry," he replied.
"What? What does she mean?"
Again Nolyane answered, and this time she took longer to explain. Finally Al'than'erudo nodded. "The gods have punished the Star People, killing many of their ships and warriors. The gods demand respect. Therefore the Star People have come to perform a rite of cleaning and asking forgiveness."
"Here?"
"My guess is that Lord Kell's attacks against diverse groups in the Unknown Regions hit the Star People too. I think I remember we found debris from their ships among the wreckage."
A loud belching hoot from Nolyane cut Al'than'erudo's speculations off, and she twisted around to glare at him angrily. He met her cobalt blue eyes calmly. She added some vicious mutterings to the call for silence, then turned back toward Luke with an earnest expression. She extended a hand toward the Chiss and chatted on as if nothing had happened. But the young Jedi saw the Chiss lower his head in embarrassment.
"The Star Keeper apologizes for her inability to keep her servants in line," he translated.
"If you wish it she will have this insubordinate subject punished."
Nuron, sitting at Luke's side and holding his hand, snickered quietly. "Tempting," she commented in some amusement.
"Ssh!" Luke admonished her. "This is serious. Commander, please ask her when they have last visited this world."
There seemed to be some difficulty, for Al'than'erudo and Nolyane discussed this for quite some time. In the end the Chiss frowned deeply. "As far as I can tell the last time they came here was about fifty years ago. Apparently it requires a guide to find the place of prayer. That guide would be provided by the Jem'luz. By the way, the Star People call them Abernake."
"A guide? I assume this place of prayer is the labyrinth Chi'in spoke of?" The Chiss nodded.
"But that means that Chi'in knows the way!"
"The way, yes. I doubt, though, that he knows the proper procedures to appease the gods of the Star People."
"So, when we say 'guide, what we really mean is 'priest'?"
"I think so."
Luke felt a mirthless laugh work its way up his throat. "I see. How unfortunate that the Chiss decided to annihilate the Abernake. Does she know?"
Al'tha'erudo shook his head slighty and his glowing eyes bored into the Jedi's head warningly. "I don't think it would be a smart move to tell her right now."
"No," Luke agreed. He look over at Nuron, seeking assurance in her golden gaze. A smile was apparent on her features and she leaned over to kiss him tenderly.
"You know," she said, "somehow I believe this is the test Chi'in spoke of. If Lord Kell was the one who trained these priests, then a Jedi should manage to reconstruct the procedures."
"Chi'in couldn't."
"He didn't try," she reminded him quietly. "He did not know what we do now."
Sighing, Luke rested his head against her shoulder, ignoring Nolyane and Al'than'erudo completely. "I guess it is worth a try," he conceded at last. "But I have a bad feeling about this." He glanced up toward Kynda'bey worriedly. "It is so quiet up there. I wonder what they are up to."
The Millennium Falcon touched down on one of the first priority landing pads atop the governor's residence. Boba Fett had declined such an opportunity and had insisted on keeping a low profile. He would join them later on, once he had made some contacts on planet. Han did not like letting the bounty-hunter get out of his sight, but what choice did he have? Fett had brought his own ship, after all. And he was not answerable to Han. He turned his head to look at his companion, and saw her dark eyes fixed straight ahead. Suddenly, as if waking from some daydream, she shook her head and gave him a smile.
"I will go and tell Andarack that we have arrived," Padmé said.
"Yeah," Han grumbled as she rose to leave the cockpit. "And tell him he's to behave himself!" he shouted after her.
He did not like the Noghri either. It had been quite a fight he'd had with Padmé over the alien's fate. He had insisted on turning him over to New Republic Intelligence, but she had pointed out that they could hardly hold an agent employed by a prospective ally. As if they were suddenly allied with the Empire! To Han's knowledge, all Yana Dar had agreed to was a cease fire. No aggressions toward the New Republic until the threat in the Unknown Regions had passed. That was all. And, just like his future mother-in-law, he did not trust 'Counselor' Franzis Sarreti at all.
Grumbling under his breath the Corellian finished powering down the ship and went to join Padmé and her bodyguard at the exit hatch. Andarack was watching him patiently out of large black eyes. He had recovered quickly from Irek's attack, and again Han had been astounded at the resilience of those short, wiry aliens. Andarack was easily as tough as his great-uncle. Great-uncle! Whoever had seen Chi'in in action would never suspect him to be anyone's great-uncle! He slapped a hand on the hatch release and nodded at the Noghri.
"Let's go."
Preceding them the Sith slipped down the ramp and checked their surroundings swiftly. The door at the far side of the landing pad swooshed open to reveal Leia standing there. She rushed toward the newcomers immediately, arms thrown wide apart in greeting. Han could see the laughter on her face, and it made his heart sing with joy. She bounded into his embrace giggling like a school-girl. Following her at a more dignified pace Tomas Piett joined the group quietly. He gave Andarack a startled glance, undoubtedly suffering the same momentary confusion Han had upon seeing the Noghri warrior for the first time. Then he bowed gracefully toward Padmé.
"Your Highness. A pleasure to have you here. Captain Solo."
"I am also pleased to meet you again, Admiral," the former queen answered gravely. "Yet this is an unofficial visit. I simply wished to be with my daughter."
"I understand. Still no news from your son?"
"Alas, no," she replied sadly. "I hope he is all right." Suddenly her face brightened again. "So! How are the negotiations coming along?"
Leia laughed. "I thought this was unofficial?" She was eyeing Andarack somewhat warily too.
"It is," Han agreed and hugged her closer. "Just a little family outing."
"Father has already left –"
"I know," Padmé told her daughter quietly. "We talked."
"Oh. I see." Cuddling against Han, the princess sighed. "Well, the admiral and I had a hard day. I suggest we retreat toward my quarters and you tell me everything that happened to you so far."
Roganda followed the Dark Lord timidly, grateful for his large frame, that seemed like the perfect shield to hide behind. He did not seem to notice her uneasiness as they walked down the giant hallway toward the throne room. It was an exact duplicate of the one in the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, and that was one of the reasons that made her stomach flutter with memories and nervousness. The other reason was that she could not sense her son any longer. His presence had simply vanished, as if plucked from the Force itself. It was strange, unlike anything she had ever felt before. But perhaps it was nothing, perhaps –
"I present Ambassador Anakin Skywalker, Dark Lord of the Sith, and Roganda Ismaren," the tall man who had led them here announced suddenly.
Realizing that they had already arrived at the throne room, Roganda hesitated in entering. Yet the Dark Lord strode ahead briskly, his black-clad form fitting perfectly into the gloomy chamber. Roganda shivered. She would not have expected Yana Dar to share her father's taste in depressing decorations. The woman herself was seated on the throne, an indistinct, dark shape among shadows. Red-armored Royal Guardsmen flanked the walls in a ceremonial formation, the only spot of color apparent. Roganda nervously plucked at her purple dress, her eyes constantly searching. Perhaps Irek simply had not arrived yet?
"Welcome, Ambassador," Yana Dar intoned, her voice clear and strong. But her tone was utterly devoid of emotion.
"An honor, Your Majesty, to meet you here," the Dark Lord replied just as gravely. Stepping closer toward the throne, he bowed deeply. "On behalf of the New Republic, I bring greetings to the Empire."
"Thank you, Lord Skywalker. Your greetings are well received. I see you have brought a guest. Roganda Ismaren, please step forward."
Her throat was so dry and swollen that she could barely breathe, when she hurried to join the Dark Lord. Her heart clenched at seeing Yana Dar's face up close. It was pale, her skin almost translucent. She wore a high-collared black dress, and a black headdress rested on her brow. The veil that it included was raised to show the Empress' blue eyes clearly. They were no longer bright, but dead, and full of mourning.
"Your Majesty." She managed a shaky curtsy. "I prayed to find you well..."
"I am grateful for your concern, Roganda." The Empress' voice was trembling just a little bit. "I am – unhurt."
Roganda couldn't bear the uncertainty any more. Raising pleading hands toward the woman seated on the throne she asked: "My son?"
For a long time the Empress kept silent, her features utterly blank. Then, very slowly, she rose from her seat and walked down the steps one at a time, her black robes trailing after her like the broken wings of a graceful bird. It was then that Roganda realized that Yana had grown into her role as Empress, that she filled it completely. Dropping her eyes, she held back a gasp when the taller woman stopped in front of her, but Yana gently cupped her chin in her hand and made her look into those frightening eyes again. A sad smile was playing along the corners of her mouth.
"Your son has found forgiveness," she said, her voice breaking. "I want you to know that I never wished him harm, that I have loved him like the brother he always was to me. I am sorry, Roganda. You came too late," she finished in a hushed whisper.
Silent tears were pouring down Roganda's cheeks. She could see her grief mirrored in the Empress' gaze, could see the same pain there. When her legs gave way underneath her Yana caught her quickly and embraced her in quiet support. Rocking her in her arms tenderly, she whispered words of encouragement. And once she could sense that Roganda had found some of her strength again she pressed a kiss on her cheek and released her carefully. Immediately one of the guardsmen was there to stand watch over her. Roganda stared blindly at the floor, her back bowed with the horrible news. She was too late. Her little boy was dead... Too late.
"How?" she asked at last, her voice hollow.
"His father murdered him in cold blood. Right here, where we stand."
"Roj Kell did this?" the Dark Lord demanded suddenly, sounding shocked. "And you let him go?"
"What choice did I have, Lord Skywalker?" Yana asked bitterly. "He is blinded by his own perspective. I do not understand how he could kill he his own flesh and blood at all."
"I know how," the Dark Lord said in a whisper. "He did not see Irek as his son. And if he did, he sacrificed him for something he thought more important."
Roganda saw Yana flinch. "You!" she screamed, furious revelation drowning out everything else. "He sacrificed him for you!"
"Do not be ridiculous." The Empress' harsh reply cooled her temper instantly, and then Yana simply ignored her. "Lord Skywalker, under the circumstances I would appreciate it if you did not polong your stay here on Byss. I welcome the New Republic's recognition of my throne and title, of course. I will send some ships with you, and you will have my leave to make use of our resources."
"I appreciate that offer and accept it gladly, Your Majesty." The ambassador bowed gracefully, then looked up again to meet the Empress' eyes. "If I may say so, I am grateful that you are alive. And I share your grief. But you must look to the future. The answers to your questions can only be found there."
"Thank you," Yana answered with a small smile, before she turned toward the grieving mother once more. "Roganda, I would like you to stay here, with me. Would that be acceptable?"
Remaining silent, she merely gave a small nod. What choice did she have? "Can I see him?" she whispered quietly.
"Of course. Lord Skywalker, forgive my abruptness. Counselor Sarreti will brief you on the most important bits of news until I join you. Please, Counselor?" The Empress nodded at the tall man who had received them at the hangar and he immediately turned toward the Dark Lord.
"If you would follow me, Ambassador." The two men left, and then it was only Yana and Roganda, apart from the guardsmen, but they did not count. All that counted was that Irek was dead. Meeting the Empress' blue eyes Roganda felt herself gain a little bit of the other woman's strength.
"I really am glad that he did not hurt you," she ventured, uncertain.
Yana shrugged. "He did try to kill me, but I was not injured badly." Her left hand came up to rest against her bosom. "It was the wound – here – that hurt me most," she added softly. "Abla did not survive the attack."
Gasping in surprise Roganda shook her head. "Oh, no! I am so sorry! I –" she broke off, tears obscuring her vision. "This is my fault," she sobbed. "I should have been there for him, I should have guided him..."
"Too late for regrets, Roganda. We cannot make the past undone, even though we both wish for it. Come," laying a hand on Roganda's shoulder, the Empress gently turned her toward a small door set into the left wall of the room, "let us go and say farewell."
"It is good for her to have someone at her side in these trying times," Anakin said quietly as he walked alongside Sarreti toward one of the citadel's many private meeting rooms. "Abla Othana is dead?"
"Yes. Irek Ismaren's doing. From what the Empress reported I am not at all sure whether he realized what he had done."
"I admire her for her strength. That she is willing to fight a war now proves her insight. A good choice, I think. She will be an adept ruler."
The counselor threw him a disbelieving glance. "Lord Skywalker, I want you to understand that we can speak freely. Whatever you may believe, I prefer plain speech over empty promises." He opened a door. "In here, please."
Entering the meeting room Anakin suppressed a tiny smile. So he had been right about Sarreti. No fool, that man, but dangerous in his own way. He obviously saw Yana as the icon she was, and he was watching over her like a brother. An over-protective one. Seating himself, Anakin waited for Sarreti to join him. The man's gray eyes were unfathomable, and he kept his emotions tightly under control. There was nothing the Dark Lord could perceive through the Force that could tell him anything about the counselor's intentions. Too bad.
"Tell me, Counselor, was this entire affair your idea?" he asked at last. That had been something he had been wondering about for some time. Jix' report had not yielded any information on the man's motivations. All it had said was that Sarreti had been planning to depose Markhan and raise Yana Dar in his place, the same information Admiral Parck had given him.
"What affair are you referring to, your lordship?"
"You know very well what I mean. I am not quite convinced that you acted on your own."
"What makes you think so?" Sarreti asked, curiosity plain in his eyes.
"It seemed too much of a coincidence that you would implement this scheme once Roganda Ismaren made her move. As far as I know she had no clue about your own scheme, so it was her initiative that triggered your plans. You are too young to have known about Irek from the court. And you only started using Markhan once Yana had agreed to helping Roganda. Am I right so far?"
"Yes," Sarreti replied with a small smile. "Go on, please."
"Erinin, Irek's bodyguard, was with Roganda from the beginning. What did he know?"
"Nothing. His sole directive was to protect Irek."
"And Othana? He must have known more. He worked with Markhan even longer than you did. First as an independent slicer, then as Imperial agent."
"He knew about Irek's special abilities. He was to keep an eye on Yana, to guide her steps, if necessary."
"So Erinin did not receive orders from you, but from Palpatine. Othana?"
"He worked with me."
"That does not answer my question," Anakin reminded him gently. "I will tell you what this was about. Palpatine instructed Erinin to protect his offspring, until the time was right for him to take over the boy's mind. His death made this order obsolete, but Erinin continued his task. Why? Because he felt an obligation to the boy and because he, like any Imperial agent, knew that Palpatine's plans always were more than what they seemed. Until something fundamental changed Erinin would continue protecting the boy. Yet you did nothing in regards to Irek. You let him run off after Thrawn unchecked. Because your orders were to let the boy go through a few tests. Andarack revealed as much."
"Andarack," the counselor repeated. "Whatever happened to him?"
"He is currently acting as my wife's bodyguard on Bilbringi."
"Excellent. And, of course, he did not succeed in his task. Fortunately."
"Why fortunately?"
Sarreti shrugged. "You see, Palpatine had not planned for the boy to take the throne. He would have been a convenient distraction for you, should you survive. Perhaps the boy would even have managed to destroy you. Then Yana would have had free reign to reestablish the Empire."
"What went wrong?"
"Irek proved more sensitive than anticipated. He was much more patient with Thrawn than I had thought. He valued the Grand Admiral's counsel, saw him as a father-figure of a kind. In short, he was useless as the weapon Palpatine had destined him to be."
"So you ordered Andarack to kill him, but Yana objected."
"Exactly. Yet Lord Kell decided that the danger had not passed. I agreed with him."
Anakin exhaled slowly. "Why did he kill him?"
"Yana Dar is a strong woman with a soft heart. Irek was weak and incredibly powerful. Not a healthy combination. His death at Lord Kell's hands took a decision from her that she would not have been able to make. One day her brother would have become too much of a danger. And then it would have been her, who would have had to order his death. An order she could not have issued." Leaning toward the Dark Lord Franzis Sarreti smiled. "You think me cold, Lord Skywalker, but I see it as an honor to be the shield for the Empress. She needs someone to perform the mean and dirty tasks her position requires. She may hate me for it, but she also appreciates what I do for her."
"What about you, Counselor? What is your shield?" Anakin asked quietly. But he already knew the answer, and then Sarreti gave it himself.
"Duty," he said. "Only that."
The Dark Lord nodded gravely. "I understand. But duty is not everything. You will learn that someday, the way I learned it." He gave Sarreti a tight smile. "And now we should return to that duty and make plans for the troop deployments. How many ships can you spare?"
Yana stepped into the morgue delicately, moving slowly, carefully, not wanting to disturb the rest of the dead. At her side Roganda glided across the floor, a ghost among ghosts. Her pale face was hard like porcellaine and as fragile, and her black eyes held the ice of deepest grieving. It was so easy to understand, so easy to feel with her. But even though Yana herself had had some time now to become used to the facts she still felt sorrow stab at her heart at coming here once more. She knew it would not stop hurting for a long time. Silently the two women stepped up to the shiny metal biars that the bodies of Abla Othana and Irek Ismaren rested on. Both men had had their eyes closed, and in death they looked frighteningly alike. Peaceful, at ease.
Roganda's trembling hand reached out to caress her son's cheek tenderly and tears were flowing freely down her face. Yana watched in fascination. Had she looked the same when she had stood above her love, when she had felt her heart break and her soul turn to ice? She remembered every second, every nuance of her emotions, her surroundings. It had been etched into her mind forever. She wondered briefly if that memory would ever fade. Somehow she doubted it.
"I will never forgive myself for this," Roganda explained suddenly. "For as long as I live I will not forget that you were there with him, when – " Her black-eyed gaze found Yana's eyes. "I meant what I said back in the throne room. You were the reason why he had to die. With time and care he could have found his way, could have survived. It would have taken an effort, a great one, but I had set my hopes in his father, had prayed that he would teach him... But I suppose he found it more convenient to bend you to his views than take it upon himself to save this boy's soul."
Hurt by the other woman's accusations Yana could not speak at first. But then she shed her paralysis and reached out to grasp Roganda's hand. "I did not make that choice," she told her calmly. "I would have saved him, I would have given up everything to teach him. Kell knew that, I believe, and that was his reason for eliminating what he saw as a mere distraction. He hurt me too, Roganda, and I was serious when I said I loved Irek. I have forgiven him for what he did to Abla, and if I can forgive something like that you can forgive me for not having been able to prevent your son's death."
For a long time they simply looked at each other, reading one another's thoughts as if gazing into a mirror. Finally Roganda squeezed the Empress' hand with a nod. "I forgive you, Yana. And I am grateful for your caring. If I had no one, I do not know whether I would want to continue this miserable life I call mine. Thank you."
Enfolding the younger woman in her arms, Yana hugged her tightly. "Never think that your life is worthless. You are precious, just like Irek was. I want you to stay with me." She wiped away some tears from her eyes and smiled fondly. "I could use a friend now."
"Then I will stay," Roganda answered gently. "But there is one thing I must do first."
"Anything you need."
"Good." Her black eyes turned venomous when she disengaged from Yana's embrace. "I want revenge. I want my son's murderer dead. I want Roj Kell's head."
Grinning, Yana clasped her hand in both of hers. "That makes two of us," she agreed. "And I already have an idea who we could charge with that task."
Chi'in stumbled upright clumsily and darted through the tent-flap in his haste to give warning. Over the past couple of days he had concentrated on healing, had shut himself away from the memories that were still giving him some nightmares. But the silence in the Force was too much to bear. Indistinct shapes moved toward him and he wondered why there was no light. But then he heard a familiar voice call his name and he came to a panting halt next to Luke and Nuron, almost doubled over with the effort of running the short distance between the tent and his friends.
"Nirauan," he gasped. "They will attack. They are already gone – "
Luke pounded his right fist into his left palm angrily. "Of course! That's why it is so quiet up there!"
At his side Al'than'erudo rose elegantly from his seat on the ground. "Then I assume Syndic Ech'an'dana will remain with the Grand Admiral's fleet to meet them. We should join them."
"What about them?" Nuron asked, nodding toward the Star People lounging not far off. "You think they will let you go? Let us go? My ship is damaged, yours is too, Commander. We rely on them for help. And Nolyane is bent on performing that rite before she concedes to anything else."
The Chiss nodded gravely. "True. But what if that rite fails?"
Luke turned to glance back at the Noghri. "Chi'in, you've been to the labyrinth. You must lead us there, so Nolyane can do her job and we can be off. Do you think you can find the way again?"
"Certainly," the Sith Lord told the young Jedi soothingly. "But I have no idea what you are talking about. What rite?" Luke explained it to him, with Al'than'erudo offering additional details that might have been lost in his translation. Listening closely, Chi'in felt his skin crawl with sudden dread. His black eyes turned up toward the sky, studying distant Kynda'bey. "The gods?" he repeated at last. He dropped to the ground unceremoniously, and his clawed fingers drew circles in the dust. No one dared break his concentration as he pondered this new information. The gods... From what evidence he had found here on what Luke insisted was called Laa'kuan, he had concluded that the Jem'luz had indeed been a deeply religious people. But apparently they had been more than just that. Luke had called them guardians, once, and perhaps that was even true. That the Star People had come here to worship was a surprise, but not as much of a surprise as the exclusion of the Chiss from the peoples allowed to land on this world. Which prompted a certain question: if religion was what united these peoples, what difference was there between their beliefs and that of the Chiss?
"Chi'in, what is it?" Nuron asked softly and edged closer toward him. Looking up he met her golden eyes hesitantly.
"Tell me," he began quietly, "what do you believe in?"
"The Force," she answered promptly.
"Luke?"
The young Jedi Knight hesitated. "Forgiveness," he said at last.
Chi'in suppressed a tiny smile. Then he turned toward Al'than'erudo. "Commander?"
"What kind of question is that to ask now?"
"An important one. So?"
"I believe in enlightenment. You would call it logic, I suppose."
Nodding to himself the Noghri sighed. "Yes, I guess I would. The Chiss were not allowed to participate in these rites because they would have destroyed the belief of these people. They would have tried to uncover the mystery of the planet, of the labyrinth. Because they did not understand it, but sensed the danger this place posed, they annihilated the Jem'luz, the only ones who knew the secret of the labyrinth. We all know Grand Admiral Thrawn. He would only have acted that way if he had been certain that what is hidden here was a weapon."
Luke's eyes narrowed somewhat. "A weapon? What sort of weapon?"
"You have sensed it, up there, have you not? The three worlds, Kynda'bey, Laa'kuan and Melyash form a triangle. I suggest one of the worlds contains the controls to the weapon, perhaps all. My feeling tells me the labyrinth is the key."
The Jedi's face lit up with revelation. "Yes! You are right!" Suddenly his face fell again. "Wait. So, whenever the people who worshipped here performed a rite the weapon was activated?"
Chi'in shrugged. "Who knows?"
Rising from his seat Luke joined Al'than'erudo. "Then we have to find out. Come morning we will leave. Commander," he said and regarded the Chiss pensively. "I would ask you to interpret for me when I tell the Star Keeper."
For a while the two men just stared at each other, and Chi'in knew very well what this was about. Luke was asking Al'than'erudo to surrender command to him. Finally the Chiss nodded. "It will be my pleasure, Master Skywalker."
The next morning saw everyone packing up. They would follow Chi'in's directions to a fitting landing site and go on from there on foot. Nolyane had insisted that the sacred place could only be approached like that, that starships and other vehicles were not permitted in the premises. Luke understood very well. The labyrinth was a place of prayer, deserving respect. Since Chi'in knew the way he would take the remaining intact Chiss scout craft and fly ahead, while the Star People followed in their ships and with Al'than'erudo, Luke and Nuron on board.
It was a rough ride, with the dust storms making navgating the increasingly difficult terrain a game that required extreme skill. Rocks and craggy hills would appear suddenly, and the irregular surface made it difficult at times to rely completely on the ship's radar. Chi'in, of course, was experiencing no such difficulties. He was using his perception through the Force instead of navigational instruments. Luke threw a longing glance at the control panels from time to time as the ship lurched and shook in the grip of yet another heavy gale. And then it happened. The ship tilted to the left, losing balance, and suddenly they were falling freely. They hit the ground even before Luke could think of repeating his feat when he had saved Nuron's ship from smashing into the moon.The jolt that rang through his body nearly knocked him unconscious, but then someone grabbed his hand and dragged him out of his seat. Following Nuron in a daze he noticed the rest of the crew evacuating the ship in good order. Up front Al'than'erudo carried Nolyane's limp body in his arms and gently lay her into the waiting embrace of her people. Apparently she had been hurt during the crash.
The trio of warriors were the last to exit the downed ship, and Luke groaned softly when he saw the other ships that had flown with them in a similar state as their own, dotting the landscape in a radius of about one kilometer. A distant roar announced Chi'in's arrival as he drew his scoutcraft into a wide circle to join them. Dust swirls obscured their vision most of the time, and Luke had to extend his senses to keep track on the people milling about. He nodded toward Nuron, and the two of them quietly and politely began herding the Star People together. In the end they were all assembled around where Nolyane rested on the ground. Al'than'erudo, his glowing eyes fixed on something in the distance, stood above her. No one dared chase him away, and Luke understood that his move to save Nolyane had earned him his captors' respect. One of the warriors jabbered something at the Chiss and Al'than'erudo took his time in answering. Once he had ended the warrior bowed his head respectfully and turned pleading cobalt eyes on Luke.
"He wants you to heal her," Al'than'erudo explained.
"What? Why me? I am no healer!"
"You're leading this assignment, Master Skywalker," the Chiss reminded him, and Luke thought he could detect a hint of triumph in the other man's tone.
Was he waiting for Luke to fail? And what would happen if he did not manage to heal Nolyane? Luke had a hard time not to look over at Nuron for confirmation, but he could sense her tense in anticipation of hostilities. He could not let that happen. But if Nolyane was injured that badly, if she died, what consequences would her death have for himself, the Zabrak and Al'than'erudo? Why did the Chiss look so damn smug? Then he got it. Stepping forward with a smile he lay a hand on the commander's shoulder and gently pulled him down with him as he knelt beside Nolyane.
"If you cross me now you are dead," he said out of the corner of his mouth. The look in those glowing red eyes was exhiliarating. But Luke pushed his own pride away. "I know you are Force-sensitive. And I also know that the Star People would abandon you just as easily as they would kill me for failure of healing her. So you will heal her. I know you can."
Surprise evident on his handsome features Al'than'erudo could only nod. Luke rose elegantly and took a step back, before he deliberately crossed his arms in front of his chest, giving the impression of a mildly disapproving commander who had given a menial task to his subordinate. It was how he imagined Father would look while standing on a ship's bridge during a fierce battle. He would not lose his calm, would not panic. He would analyse the situation and act, just as he himself had done just now.
With apparent boredom he watched while Al'than'erudo let his hands drift above the Star Keeper's body, as if searching. The Force seemed to swirl around him in what Luke supposed where healing energies, and vanished into Nolyane's body. He could feel the strength in the commander's movements, could sense him direct the energies to where they were needed. After a moment longer the Star Keeper opened her eyes. The warrior who had put the request to Al'than'erudo jumped into the air with pure joy and rushed over to hug Luke.
"All right, all right," he stammered, feeling a blush creep onto his face. He hadn't done anything! Al'than'erudo was smiling at him from where he still crouched at Nolyane's side.
"It was nothing, okay?" Luke continued, confused, but didn't dare to fend off the enthusiastic warrior.
"Doing nothing sometimes is everything," Chi'in, who had joined them in that quiet manner of his, commented drily. "It is not what you did yourself, Luke. It is your perception, what you made the commander do. It is your task you reward him, not theirs."
The young Jedi immediately walked over to help the Chiss rise again. He patted his shoulder amiably, feeling like a fool. "Well done," he said through gritted teeth.
But he could easily identify the contempt the commander held for him. He was not happy to have leadership taken from him, not happy that Luke was ignoring his suggestions, that Nuron and Chi'in followed him more readily. Not happy at all that he had seen through his game. He would be trouble, that was for sure.
"Perhaps I have another task for you," Luke told Al'than'erudo grimly.
And so, half an hour later, they watched the single scout craft lift off with the commander piloting the small ship. Luke had charged him with bringing the news to Nirauan. Perhaps he could warn them in time. And what was more, this way he was out of Luke's way. Turning toward Chi'in, he held his head high, feeling a coldness settle over his features that he knew made him look impassive and indifferent. It was the mask of leadership he had seen so often on the faces of both Leia and their father. So he was a leader now, a guardian, as Nuron had named him. The Noghri and the Zabrak knew what was going on, of course, but he trusted them to stand with him, no matter what. The Star People were another matter altogether. They were gazing at him expectantly, Nolyane among them, surprised that he had sent his interpreter away, pleased that he had healed their Star Keeper and looking forward to having him lead them through their rite. Everything depended on his insight, as Chi'in had told him, but the Noghri had also implied that knowledge meant being able to identify the best asset to perform a mission. That he could do, had to, if they were to survive.
He gave Chi'in a sharp nod. "Lead on, please."
"All right," the Noghri answered with a smile. "Let's take the scenic route."
TBC