Kane woke to a soft tuneless humming, and it took him some time to remember where he was and, more importantly, who was with him. His mind did a double-flip as he tried to sit up and failed. The attack had weakened him immensely, and he sank back onto the sticky floor with his head spinning like mad. Zulkur Arden, he noticed through barely open eyes, had retreated again into his chair by the window, where he was examining something held in his hands. In the gloom Kane could not make out what it was. Suddenly, Zulkur Arden's head came up, and he stared straight at the Jedi Knight, a piercing gaze that seemed to examine the young man's very soul.
"You are curious?" Kane did not answer, and instead let his apprehensive silence goad the other into continuing. "It is something that was entrusted into my care some time ago," Arden explained, his voice gentle. "Something precious." Cradling whatever it was in his arms, he chuckled softly. "She will want it back, of course, but I will guard it as I promised I would."
He fell silent abruptly, and Kane shivered, when he could sense a certain chill settle throughout the room. Zulkur Arden rose with surprising grace, a reminder of what he had been once, Kane thought. With a snap-hiss a lightsaber blade came to life in his hands, illuminating the ailing Jedi with a garish green light. And then, as if a curtain was being drawn aside, the waning presence of Zulkur Arden opened into an abyss of darkness, a melange of anger, hatred and fear. And something else: greed. With that vortex of malicious power so close, Kane found it hard to breathe. So that was the secret! Zulkur Arden had turned to the Dark Side! That was why he was hiding here and had never dared contact Master Halcyon when he had fallen ill! He stared helplessly up at his captor, his mind racing as he tried to think of anything he might say to ease the situation, or what he might do to escape. When Arden moved past him, a cloak of darkness was smothering Kane's thoughts, turning them into a useless mass of fleeting snippets of memories.
"They are here," he heard the other whisper.
With a supreme effort Kane twisted around to lie on his side. If he reached out he could have easily made a grab for Arden's right ankle, but before he could make his move, the battered door to the apartment broke open, and light flooded the room mercilessly. Too late Kane remembered what Zulkur Arden had said about light, and what it did to his eyes. Staggering back with an animal scream of pain, the Dark Jedi threw an arm across his face and dropped into a protective crouch. There were voices outside, Kane could hear, and they were shouting to one another excitedly. But still Arden's black presence shielded the newcomers' emotions from the Jedi Knight.
He scrambled to his feet hurriedly, and used the wall to support himself as he rose. It all happened so fast, that he almost stumbled into Zulkur Arden as the other turned away from the light, whimpering softly. With a growl the older man pushed him aside, and Kane found himself crashing against the wall by the window, astounded by the other's physical strength. Turning back toward the door slowly, Zulkur Arden straightened again, gathering power with every second. Kane's eyes widened in astonishment at the immense amount of energy filling the other man, like bottled-up lightning, and he remembered the attack that had felled him previously. Out of reflex, he pulled the Force around himself, trying to shield himself. A mistake. Instantly the Dark Jedi whirled around to face him again, eyes blazing with an unholy fire that burned right through Kane's mental barriers.
Watch out!" he shouted, trying to divert Arden's attention again, but by that time whoever had broken open the door had gathered enough courage to act.
Someone snapped: "Get him!" and a second later a volley of blaster bolts filled the tiny apartment.
Zulkur Arden screamed again, but this time the challenge in his tone was unmistakable. It was the angry roar of a krayt dragon disturbed in his lair, and it shattered the window above Kane's head, sending sharp splinters into the vibrating air. It was unbelievable. When the scream had died at last the silence that came crashing back into the Jedi's awareness was almost deafening. Kane watched Arden's green lightsaber cut wildly at the figures outlined against the light from the corridor outside, saw them fall back gradually.
He shook off some of his weakness and caught a deep breath before he made a second attempt at rising to his feet. He stood on swaying legs, undecided about what to do. It seemed as if Arden did not really need his help, not with that much power being channelled through his mind and body. But he did not really feel any desire to help the Dark Jedi at all. Much later Kane Jinn would question his own sanity, when he started running toward the other, whose back was turned to him, and on impact locked both arms around his waist, squeezing hard in an attempt to stop Arden's furious advance on Kane's would-be rescuers.
And he would never forget the sound of Arden's bones snapping like dry twigs as they crashed onto the floor. Kane was carried forward by his own momentum and came to a stop a few inches away from the Dark Jedi. Looking back over his shoulder the young Jedi Knight saw the other's eyes wide open in shock. Blood was bubbling from his mouth, and Kane realized that somehow a broken rib had to have punctured Arden's lung. With a mind fueled by dread and guilt, Kane sat up and hurriedly ran his hands over the man's torso, which was almost entirely smashed. He sat back, stunned, and then the cool muzzle of a blaster rifle came to rest at his right temple.
"Nice work, son," a man told him, his voice laced thickly with amusement. Kane turned his head wearily to gaze up at the stranger, but before he could catch a glimpse at the man's face his vision turned into a blue sea of nothing. Stun-bolt, was his last observation.
In this forcibly induced stupor he found himself racing the narrow corridors of a dark maze, pursued by a man who bore an uncanny resemblance to Hagen Dycos. Blue lightning was running along the walls at his sides, chasing him, and the man's cackling laughter filled the air with madness. And with each step his hunter took, Kane heard the other's bones snap, one after the other. Her woke with a small scream, his body drenched in sweat, to find himself upright, submerged in a stasis field. He could not move at all. Panicking a bit, Kane tried to free himself, but was too dizzy and confused to succeed. Helpless, he let his shoulders slump in defeat, but after a short while he resolved to analysing his current situation.
All right. He had found Zulkur Arden, who had turned to the Dark Side and fallen ill somehow. Arden, who was guarding something precious. And someone had been after the Dark Jedi, that much was clear now. The question was who. He studied his surroundings critically, but there was not much to see. A small, round chamber, with one door opposite from him. He guessed that there would be cameras installed somewhere, a ventilation grid above his head, maybe. And then the door opened. Grimly setting his features, Kane Jinn gazed at the dark rectangle expectantly.
He was young. A tall human, with dark blond hair and brilliant blue eyes that were studying her calmly. She could easily see that he was as confident with his power as Zulkur Arden had been when she had first met him. Walking closer to the Jedi, Inyo pursed her lips ever so slightly, pleased with what she was seeing. A contemptuous smile flickered across his face, and she realized that he must have picked up on her thoughts. She nodded, then crossed her hands on her back and cocked her head to look at him.
"My, aren't you a pretty one," she purred, and a soft laugh was her only comment to his shocked expression. He was definitely uncomfortable in her presence. Good. "I hope Mangus was not too hard on you," she continued lightly. "When he heard who you are, he was about ready to kill you. But that would have been a waste, don't you think?"
"Mangus? Mangus Zullawa?" the Jedi exclaimed, obviously surprised. "So that was who Arden was after!"
"And yourself," she added sharply.
His eyes turned very cold all of a sudden, and she tensed involuntarily. "And myself, yes. A friend of mine died on Tatooine ... "
"Trent Bryar," Inyo said dismissively. "A Corellian of shady reputation. You paid a visit to his ex-wife, didn't you."
"I confess you know a bit too much about me for my taste."
"And now you want revenge?"
His eyes flickered in denial. "No. Revenge is of the Dark Side. I have to accept Trent's death, but I will not tolerate Zullawa's evil machinations."
"The Dark Side," Inyo echoed contemptuously. "What do I care about that?"
The Jedi smiled slowly. "Perhaps you should care a bit more. After all, you have just caught yourself a dangerous Dark Jedi."
"You are referring to Zulkur Arden, I assume? No, he is not dangerous, not at all. At least not in the state he's in right now. You broke his back, and most of his ribs, young friend. A few months ago I might have had you killed for that offense alone. I do not like others to play with my toys, especially if they're playing as roughly as you did."
"Your what?" His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he realized what she was telling him.
She gave a coy little laugh. "He was quite a handsome man, once. And he seemed to enjoy my company."
"This sickness. Is that your doing?" he asked.
Oh, he was definitely sharp, this one. Inyo smiled coldly up at him. "Do you like it? A work of art, that little virus," she claimed, not without pride.
"A virus," he breathed, sounding stunned. She could tell by the look in his eyes what he was thinking, and her smile turned positively cruel.
"Are you thinking about your Master Dycos, perhaps? A very famous Jedi, very educated and insightful. I have met him once, on Alderaan. Alas it was just a very brief meeting. A pity."
"You infected him with that virus, didn't you?" Jinn's voice was eerily calm.
"Of course. I have heard all of the rumours surrounding his supposedly dark past. He wrote quite an accurate report on the history of the Sith, that I found very interesting. Master Dycos certainly has a fair grasp of the Dark Side. No one would be surprised if he went berserk all of a sudden, I think."
"Just like Arden, is that not so?"
"Exactly! Good looks and brains. I am impressed, Kane Jinn."
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Tell me about this virus."
Inyo licked her lips eagerly. She loved to talk about her work. "It is quite simple, actually. The transmitters are mutated midichlorians that reproduce fast. They also carry certain hormones that alter the victim's mind and make him paranoid and aggressive. An additional effect are the affliction of the victim's vegetative system and general health. Slower reaction time, amnesia, dry, sore skin, weakening bone structure ... One could call this a safety catch, to make sure the victim does not remain a loose gun."
"What's the purpose of all this?"
"Oh, isn't it obvious, then?" she asked innocently. "The goal, Kane Jinn, is to create an immensely powerful creature that will turn against anyone who tries to help it. It will destroy everyone it suspects of cheating or slighting it, the paranoia and deteriorating health will make sure of keeping those suspicions alive and a very real threat. Of course the Jedi will have to put any such creature down, and it in turn will defend its own life to the death. That way the Jedi will destroy one another, you see?"
"I see. Indeed, I do see. There's a very easy solution to that problem, though."
"Really? I am curious. Go ahead."
"An afflicted Jedi could be cut off from the Force by decree of the Council. In such an extreme case that would be allowed by the Code."
"No infected Jedi would allow such a measure voluntarily. And even if he were still sane enough to realize the benefits, he would never want to give up his power," she snarled, then leaned closer. "Would you give it up, if you had to?"
His lips compressed into a tight line. "Probably not," he grated out.
"Fact is, Kane Jinn, that using the Force to try to heal the victim will only accelerate the process. And the worst one could do is to use your so-called Dark Side power on the virus. That was what Arden tried, in the end, when all else failed. You have seen what it did to him."
"How much time? How much time until the victim's mental and physical health have deteriorated that far?"
"Zulkur Arden managed in six months, Master Dycos has lasted a bit longer, so far. Which brings us to my reaon for this little visit. Would you be so good as to tell me how he has been afflicted so far? Have you noticed anything odd about him? Did he confide in you? Anything?"
Kane Jinn's face twisted into a disgusted grimace, and Inyo could tell at once that this would become a long and tenious conversation.
Only a day. It had passed in the matter of a heart-beat, had lasted for an eternity. Trying to sort out his warring emotions Jedi Master Hagen Dycos had sought the solitude of the park outside the temple, but the greenery had reminded him too much of what he was to lose. The quietude of the library had not soothed him either. He had still been restless and driven. At last he had returned to his own quarters to meditate, and he was still seated on the simple mattress he used for his exercises when the lights came on and a familiar figure was reflected in the viewport against the black background of night.
"Is it that late already?" Hagen whispered, unashamed to show his fear. Never afraid, not of him.
"Close your eyes."
It was easy to obey that voice, easy to trust it. Ever since his thirteenth year Hagen had dreamed of that voice, followed it, longed for it, even, though he hated its owner for his stubborn views and loved him for his wisdom and kindness. He could sense the other's presence as the Sith knelt behind him and his hands were placed gently on his shoulders.
"Relax."
"But I haven't even decided!" Hagen tried, but a low hiss shut him up.
"Ssh, no more words. Let your feelings show you the way."
Silent tears began running down Hagen's cheeks, clinging to his beard and wetting his lips with their salty taste. His heart was in turmoil. What was he to do? Give up the Force, give up his power? But did he need either one to be what he was? Did he need it to fulfill his duties? The answer was yes and no. He would not be what he had been, he would not be someone different either.
"Do you want the power?" Roj Kell whispered softly. "Is that what you believe defines your being? Then let me show you something, and we shall see whether you will realize the truth about yourself at last."
Hagen let out a frightened gasp when he was seized by an irresistable surge that dragged him right through his own mind and plunged him into a nightmare vision that was all too real. He was himself, he could feel it, and he was filled with an anger that he had never experienced before. He could not fight it and it took possession of his very heart, no matter how hard he tried to fight it. He was furious. And then he saw the reason for his outrage, spread before him in its ugly glory. A battle-field. Hagen did not know whether this battle had ever taken place at some point of time, or if it was just an image of something more. But he did not care. What he saw filled every fiber of his being with hatred and an overwhelming desire for vengeance. The scent of blood and gore hung in the air, sickening him, and the cries of the wounded and dying clamored all about him. He had to end this massacre, had to find the source of this slaughter. Wild-eyed, he hunted all across the battle-field, searching, while around him people trashed in seizures and convulsed in invisible chains of agony.
Then he found him.
Standing at the very center of the destruction, a black-armored warrior was swinging a long quarterstaff in slow circles over his head, and a deep, powerful humming noise filled the air, ripping through the army opposing him. The screams of the dying were deafening against the background of that steady, unrelenting noise, and Hagen felt nauseated by the image. Yet he fought against the dark knight's spell relentlessly, gaining ground inch by inch. All the while his fury was building in a tidal wave ready to be unleashed, a wild fire burning at his back, dancing in anticipation, shouting for release. He held it, held it further, feeling a strange satisfaction spread throughout his heart as he reached the eye of the storm. Filled with righteous anger he confronted the dark knight, who brought his staff around one last time and pointed it straight at the Jedi Master. The blast that followed should have blown him apart, he knew, but somehow he managed to withstand it. Weaving strands of power from the fires of his anger, Hagen felt his pride swell into a single shout of utmost delight as he sent his own power against that creature of darkness, burying deeply into it, his only desire to kill and destroy.
The dark knight was torn apart in shower of blood and gore.
Chest-heaving, the Jedi Master dropped to his knees, eyes gleaming with joy at his victory. The silence that had fallen over the battle-field was sweet and light. And there were tears in his eyes when he realized that he had managed to end the killing. But when he reached out with the Force all around, he found that except for himself no one was alive any more. He was all alone with the dead.
"This is the future, Hagen," a voice told him, and he woke again, drenched in sweat.
"No!" he exclaimed, shocked. "I would never succumb to this!"
The voice was very close now. "You would, and you will, Hagen."
But the Jedi Master shook his head. "You are trying to manipulate me!" he accused the voice.
"Really. Well, if that is truly what you think, my friend, I will – "
With a loud bang the door opened, and Hagen jumped up instantly, already whirling toward the newcomers. Roj Kell, he noticed, had stepped to the side, his right hand slipped underneath his long cloak. Hagen could easily guess that the Sith had taken hold of his lightsaber handle. In the door-way, Master Elvor Layatos stood rooted in place, his huge eyes fixed only on the grey-haired stranger standing next to Hagen. The Gotal's mouth was working frantically, but no sound came out. It was only then that Hagen became aware of the insidious strands of dark power that had locked around the alien's throat and were constricting it mercilessly.
"Let him go!" the Jedi Master commanded, and waved imploringly at Roj Kell.
The Sith did not even look at him. "I warned you, Hagen," he pressed out. "I should have left earlier."
Hagen shook his head. "No! You are the only one who can help me! I will protect you! They will understand once I explain – "
"Protection," Roj Kell snarled, "I do not need your protection, Hagen, I never did." Master Layatos' neck broke with an audible snap and he was whisked into the room and dropped unceremoniously in a corner, like a discarded jacket. "Time to go," the ancient Sith grated out. He shrugged out of his cloak with inborn elegance, and ignited his lightsaber and instance before three more people, two Jedi Masters and an apprentice, Hagen noticed desperately, stormed into his quarters.
"You!" Master Lockba exclaimed, and the Mon Calamari's eyes swivelled toward Hagen Dycos instantly. "Master Dycos!" she exclaimed, just before Kell lept toward her. The Jedi Master brought up her own lightsaber instantly, and her blue blade met the Sith Lord's yellow in a shower of sparks. The other two Jedi immediately joined the fray, and before Hagen could do anything, the four combatants were out of the door. He followed, realizing too late that he had forgotten his own weapon in his quarters. Yet he decided against going back for it. By now the entire section of the temple was in turmoil. This level housed the masters' quarters, and in the matter of moments the sound of doors banging open and people shouting filled the entire floor. Hagen raced along the hallways, searching for the Sith.
He found him sommersaulting down a flight of stairs, ten or more Jedi hot on his trail. But he landed on the next floor unmolested, and pivoted on his heels left arm outstretched.
"Su'hate!" he shouted, his magical voice ripping through everyone present, even Hagen, who felt as if his brain were being torn apart.
"No," the Jedi Master whispered, paralyzed with uncertainty. He could not just stand by and do nothing, while the Sith magician butchered his own brethren. And yet he could not fight his friend either, not with what he meant to him, and not with Kell being his only chance to be cured of his illness. "Stop!" he roared, his voice enhanced by sheer dread. No one took notice.
Finally Hagen raced down the stairs to join the battle unarmed. Where he could, he tried to catch the Jedi's attention and implored them to halt their attack, but the incredulity and betrayal in their eyes quickly made him seek another approach. Setting his jaw grimly, Hagen darted between the first few rows of Jedi warriors and dropped to his knees. His own momentum carried him across the sleek marble floor and right he slid unstoppingly toward the tall Sith Lord who was just blocking a wide slash directed at him by one of the other Jedi. Kell's own counterstroke came low, and was stalled in the last possible moment, before the yellow blade could slash through Hagen's neck.
"Please," the Jedi Master asked urgently. "Please surrender. For me."
Looming over him, his lightsaber held firmly in both of his hands, Roj Kell stood motionless for just a heart-beat, his pale green eyes searching the Jedi Master's face incessantly, as if looking for any hint of insincerity or deception. But before he could answer, someone vaulted over Hagen Dycos' kneeling figure and rammed his blue blade into the Sith Lord's chest, right up to the hilt. The scream that came out of Kell's mouth was one of sheer fury, as he was driven back and pushed up against the wall. With cold accuracy the blue blade was retrieved and deactivated, and its owner took a practised step back, secure in having performed well. Only then did the Jedi Knight turn back to face the master. It was Kane.
Hagen was struck speechless. Behind Kane's tall silhouette Roj Kell dropped to his knees heavily, a look of disbelief on his face, and fell over to lie on the marble floor, unmoving. Scrambling to his feet, Hagen rushed over to join the fallen Sith Lord's side.
"No!" he pleaded and flipped Kell's unresisting body on his back. Pale green eyes were looking at him mockingly. "Don't die," Hagen whispered, his voice breaking.
The ancient Sith beckoned for him to lean closer, his fingers moving incredibly slow. Hurrying to comply, Hagen put his ear over the other's lips, waiting.
"A guardian, my friend, will protect those he knows to be in danger. And he will mourn those he is forced to slay." That enchanting voice was no more than a sigh now. "You chose well, Hagen. You chose well."
The Jedi Master closed his eyes ever so briefly, and when he opened them again to reality there were tears in his eyes again. Caught in the other's pale green gaze he realized that he had indeed made his choice.
"All right," he said at last, determined. "Let's do it then."
Roj Kell smiled at him, before he leaned closer and took his head in his hands. "Be brave now, Hagen," he asked, "this will hurt a lot."
By the time Inyo Di'vitt left his prison, Kane was hoarse and his throat was burning painfully. All right. He had indeed uncovered a lot of information in that exchange, mostly about the virus ailing Hagen, but also quite a bit about Inyo herself. Her hatred for the Jedi had grown deep, it must have festered in her heart for years. The Jedi Knight was wondering hard what could have caused such hatred. He knew that she had to know something of the Jedi, and the Force, to be able to come up with such a weapon against them, and he suspected that Zulkur Arden, or another Jedi, might have assisted her here. For Inyo herself was not Force-sensitive, just immensely clever.
Kane's shoulders slumped a bit. He was tired and thirsty. Which meant that he would need some rest before he could set up a plan to escape. But first he needed to make sure that there really was no way to cure the virus. Inyo had been so certain, when she had claimed that no Jedi would willingly give up his power to save his own life. It told Kane something about her general view of the Order, but it also revealed her ignorance. True, there may be a lot of Jedi, especially newly knighted Jedi, who would be incredibly loath to losing the power they commanded, but a master, who knew better than to cling to what was no more than a tool, who had realized that the essence of power lay elsewhere, might rethink his choices.
If there was one Jedi Master who incorporated that ideal it was Hagen Dycos. Hagen had never been one to use his power excessively in his line of duty. The Force always was a last resort to him, a guiding hand if needed, but seldomly a weapon. It was what Kane admired in his mentor, that combination of detachment from worldly matters and the level-headedness with which he still handled everyday life. There was no distinction between the Order and the common people. Whoever called Hagen Dycos a dreamer was badly mistaken. And Kane was confident that the Jedi Master would understand the necessity of ending the threat he posed. He only needed to get back to Coruscant to tell him exactly that, before it was too late.
He was just beginning to ponder the possibilities of his escape, when the door opened once more. A guard, wearing a thick jumpsuit and a helmet with face-guard stepped in, balancing a cup and jug on a tray. Only then did the Jedi Knight remember how thirsty he was. And yet, what if there were sedatives, or worse, bacteria, mixed into that beverage? He did not trust Inyo Di'vitt, and he trusted Mangus Zullawa even less. The pirate knew now that he had captured his hunter by chance, and Kane would not put it past the man to kill him, regardless to Inyo's wishes. The guard poured water into the cup, then stepped closer. The stasis field released Kane's head, allowing him to drink, when the cup's rim was pushed against his lips.
"Drink," the guard commanded in a low voice.
"What, without a thorough analysis?" Kane tried flippantly.
"No poison, Jedi," the guard hissed, sounding angry.
Kane grinned. "No? So, what's in it instead?"
"It is just water," the man replied, exasperated.
But suddenly an image flashed in Kane's mind, startling him. He squinted at the guard, but there was no way he could see past the face-shield. Instead he reached out with the Force, probing the other's presence delicately. In an instant another image answered, showing two familiar faces. Kane shot a mental picture back, imagining a Jedi Knight, and formed it into a question. Master Halcyon? The reply was just as swift, and Kane relaxed somewhat. When the cup was put to his lips again he drank slowly, savoring the cool taste of the water. There was something mixed into it. And then he lost consciousness.
"He is what?" Inyo exclaimed, as she whirled toward Mangus, who had just brought her the news. "He was completely healthy when I left him!"
Mangus shrugged uncertainly. "Well, now he isn't."
"You have had him brought to the medical ward, yes? Good. No need in wasting time then," she added gloomily.
Rushing past Mangus she stalked toward the turbolift that would take her a few levels down, to the special ward she had had furnished to hold Arden, and which he had escaped once already. Not this time, though, thanks to Kane Jinn. Still furious, Inyo stepped into the lift and pushed the button to close the door behind her. But in the last instance someone slipped through the small gap between the doors. A woman, holding a blaster trained on Inyo's chest.
"Not a word out of you," the woman threatened. Automatically Inyo looked up to see whether the camera installed into the lift was operational. "Oh, don't worry about that," the woman remarked, then waved at the watching lense. "Got her," she mouthed and smiled.
Inyo swallowed drily. "You have a friend here?"
"Two friends, actually," the stranger shrugged. "Ah, the medical ward. We're here." The woman stepped behind Inyo and prodded her not so gently. "Get going."
"You aren't worried about any guards?"
"No, not really. Stop, stay where you are." The woman, now standing next to Inyo and boring the barrel of her blaster into the scientist's flank hard, took a quick look around. "Nobody here," she commented softly. "Kane?"
There was a rattle form one of the offices. "I'm here, Yanessa!" a familiar voice called out.
"Jinn! I thought he was unconscious!" Inyo exclaimed.
The woman called Yanessa shrugged again. "Just a fake to get him down here," she explained.
Suddenly revelation dawned on Inyo. "You are Bryar's ex-wife, aren't you?"
"You got it."
The doctor smiled cruelly. "Ah, so the the Jedi does not want revenge for his partner's death, but you do. Is that not so?"
"Could be." Yanessa nodded toward the office. "I think you could help him find whatever he is looking for there."
"A cure," Inyo snorted, as she was marched toward the office, where Kane Jinn was rummaging through the desk. The shelves had been searched already, and her valuable data lay everywhere. She grimaced in disdain as she said: "You won't find anything. There is no antidote."
He looked up at her, his blue eyes calm. "Yet."
"What?"
"It stands to reason," he explained, and heaved another stack of data discs on top of the desk. Searching through them quickly he continued. "Why else would you want Arden back? To test something. What would that be, if not a way to control him? To control the virus?"
"A clever boy," Inyo snarled. "But not clever enough. All any so-called antidote could achieve would be to halt the midichlorian growth and keep the paranoia at a stable level. It would only help to gain a temporary hold on the virus."
Kane Jinn stopped his search and gazed at her again. "But it is a beginning, isn' it?" He nodded at Yanessa Bryar. "We'll take her with us. Where is Master Halcyon?"
Blinking her violet eyes rapidly, Inyo felt confused. "Another Jedi? How did you find us anyway?"
"Oh, this hide-out is hardly a secret, Doctor," Yanessa told her. "CorSec has known about it for some time, but so far they didn't have the resources to go against Zullawa. Still, when Kane didn't call I paid a visit to CorSec and Malek told me that Kane was going to see this Zulkur Arden. I was already going to leave when Master Halcyon came storming in to demand to know where Arden and Jinn were. As it turned out he had felt an immense disturbance in the Force. Dark Side, he said. So we went to the shelter and found the mess your people left there. Master Halcyon decided to take this into his hands and I sorta went along."
"Your Master Halcyon must be very confident in his abilities," Inyo commented drily.
"He's Corellian. What do you expect?"
Listening to the women only with half an ear, Kane quickly stuffed every datacard he could find into a make-shift sack he had fashioned from his cloak. He shared Inyo's view concerning the Jedi Master's confidence, but he pushed those worries aside to concentrate on his own task.
But then Yanessa said: "I hope you won't demand that we take the entire laboratory equipment with us next."
He shook his head. "No. CorSec can do that. But I want to go see Arden before we go."
"You want to leave him behind?" Inyo asked, confused. "Why?"
"He's too dangerous," Kane replied calmly, then slung the sack over his shoulder. "Yanessa, wait at the elevator. Master Halcyon should be with us shortly."
"Good. But make it quick, okay?"
Kane only nodded, then cautiously walked through the deserted corridors of the medical ward. When he had woken from the artificial sleep the sedative had put him into, he had proceeded to take out the medics and guards systematically. They were all lying in one of the wards, each in deep slumber. Leaving the sack out in the hallway, the Jedi Knight entered the secured ward holding Zulkur Arden, or what was left of him. Hooked up to a life-support machine, the man seemed awfully pale, and in the artificial lights of the ward his sore skin and sunken-in cheeks made it appear as if he were dead already. The medics had patched up the most grievous of his wounds, but Kane's memory supplied an all too vivid image of the man's state. He stopped at the side of the bed and looked down on the Dark Jedi, undecided of what to do.
"Hey," he called out softly. There was no reaction. Very gently, Kane extended his senses and gave the other's awareness a slight nudge to wake him up. He could feel how weak Arden was, and it did not help to know that most of his injuries had been Kane's doing. Suddenly Arden's yellow eyes snapped open. "Can you speak?" Kane asked, and there was a mute nod.
"Drugs – help," the Dark Jedi explained.
Kane nodded understandingly. "I am taking Inyo Di'vitt to Coruscant, her and her research data. I suppose the government scientists will leap at the opportunity to examine that data. Perhaps they can find a cure," he added.
"You fool," Zulkur Arden breathed, "you will – be handing – that weapon over – to the government?"
"But the threat can be neutralized, if we find a cure."
"Destroy the virus – now. Destroy the data. Kill – everyone – who knows."
Kane frowned. "I can see that the drugs didn't alleviate the paranoia."
Zulkur Arden gave a bellowing laugh. "What do you need – a cure – for? Simply make the – virus vanish."
"My master has been infected," Kane explained at last, very quietly. "I do not know how far he has gone yet. You suggest that I kill him too?"
For a moment Arden was silent. Then he closed his eyes. "I wish you could succeed, Kane. I wish – I could be cured. But better to die – than taking this risk."
"I just want to help," Kane replied, shaking his head. "There has to be a possibility to heal you."
"Too late. Your master – I am sorry about that."
The sound of running feet made Kane's head snap around, and then Yanessa stood in the doorway, panting. "Kane! She's gone!"
"What? How could you – " Growling softly, Kane ran to the door, then looked back at Arden before he fixed his eyes on Yanessa again. "You had a blaster! You could have used it!"
She stared up at him, furious. "You are telling me to shoot an unarmed woman? A Jedi Knight?"
Rolling his eyes, Kane shook his head. "No matter. Did she take the elevator?"
"Pushed me against the wall and was gone before I could say 'Coruscant'. She's pretty strong for someone so fat. Must be a matter of mass or something," she concluded. "What about him?" she added, nodding toward Arden.
"We gotta get out of here now," Kane told her, ignoring the question. "Here." He picked up his cloak and handed it to her. "These are the datadiscs. We have to get them out. Go ahead, okay? And you do have permission to use the blaster as you see fit, okay?"
"Sure thing." She threw him a last, concerned glance. "Don't be too long."
Inyo was gasping for breath by the time she had reached her own quarters. Furious, she launched herself at the comm station installed into her desk, but found that all lines were off receive. That damn Jedi had to have tampered with the comm center. Where was Mangus? She had not seen a single person on her way to her quarters, and by all rights they should be all over the place, tracking down the intruders. Then she remembered what Yanessa Bryar had told her. What if CorSec had decided to move against Zullawa at last? No matter. She had to get away, that was all that counted now. With a concerned glance at the precious cask standing on the desk top she began packing a few necessities hurriedly. The cask had to come with her, she coud not leave it behind. They may have her data, but with the virus' prototype she still had the advantage. And all the necessary knowledge was stored inside her head.
"Inyo!"
Whirling around with a startled yelp, she stared at Mangus, uncomprehending. "Where is everyone?"
"There's a Jedi loose in the complex, and we are trying to corner him, but he's too good. The sentinels also report a mass of CorSec vehicles coming our way. We need to go!" He threw a glance at her packings. "Good. You've already thought of that. But no time to waste. Come." He stepped forward to grab her arm, then started dragging her toward the door.
"Wait!" she pleaded, breaking free. "I cannot leave that behind." She snatched up the cask and pressed it against her bosom possessively. "Now I am ready:"
Mangus grimaced at the cask, then nodded. "All right. Let's go. Transport is waiting on the roof."
They left her chambers hurriedly, and Mangus led her toward the emergency stairs at the back of the building. Sighing inwardly, Inyo started the long walk up, but her legs were protesting that excertion heavily. By the time they had reached the last floor, she was drenched in sweat and leaned against the wall to rest. Mangus' eyes were pleading.
"Just one more set of stairs," he said. "We need to hurry!"
There was a loud boom from above, and the ceiling creaked ominously in the backwash of an explosion. "No!" Inyo exclaimed, shocked.
"There goes our transport," Mangus muttered angrily. "All right. Back down."
He hurried past her, blaster drawn, and vanished around the corner. A moment later Inyo heard him shout, and she quickly walked down the stairs to see what was happening. Rounding the corner she saw Mangus stand at the landing to the next floor, confronted by a short, stocky human with dark hair and green eyes. The stranger held a lightsaber in both hands, the tip of the blade mere inches from Mangus' face.
"Ah, Doctor Di'vitt, I assume? Why don't you come down here, nice and slow?"
Following the unmistakable order slowly, Inyo hugged the cask to her body tightly, like a mother might hold her child in the face of danger. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice unnaturally high with fear.
"I am Dex Halcyon. At your service," he replied laconically.
The Jedi Master. Of course. Inyo stepped up next to Mangus, her eyes fixed on their opponent. "What are you planning to do now?"
"CorSec will be storming the building any moment now. I figure all I have to do is wait til they come to fetch you."
Next to Inyo, Mangus reared up, an angry snear on his face. "CorSec will never get Mangus Zullawa, and you won't either, Jedi!" he exclaimed, and before she could blink her eyes he had snatched the cask out of her embrace and hurled it at the Jedi.
"No!" Inyo screamed, horrified.
The Jedi Master's eyes widened slightly, then he pivoted on one heel with impossible speed, and kicked the cask right back at Mangus, who was too late to catch it. It shattered against his head, spreading blood all over him, and over Inyo, while the sharp splinters dug into her flesh painfully, cutting and stabbing. She froze, knowing exactly what this meant.
"You utter, utter fool!" she screeched, all of her self-control gone.
Launching herself at her lover she threw all her weight against him, and had the satisfaction to hear his skull crack when he impacted against the duracrete wall at his back. When she looked around again the Jedi had vanished.
He had seen Yanessa to the elevator and sent her down before he returned to Zulkur Arden's side. "Time to say farewell," he said slowly, sorrow in his eyes.
"Guess so – Kane." The Dark Jedi gave him a horrible smile. "Better go fast."
"What are you planning to do?"
"I don't share – your view. The virus must be – destroyed. Go. Quickly."
The last word was delivered in a hiss, and Kane involuntarily took a step back. But then he could feel the darkness rising within Arden's presence once more, building up power with each passing moment. It rose like a whirlstorm, and would soon envelop everything around. It was clear to Kane now, what the Dark Jedi was planning to do. Turning on his heels, Kane started running. He did not look back once. Calling the elevator he waited anxiously, sensing the Dark Side fill the medical ward like an itch that had crept underneath his skin. When the elevator doors finally opened he rushed inside quickly, and noticed the other passenger almost too late. Wild-eyed, Inyo Di'vitt was staring at him. Her ample form was covered with blood from head to toe, and he could make out glittering shards of glass that had embedded themselves into her skin somehow.
"You!" she grated out, her body tensing as she prepared to leap at him.
Self-consciously, Kane hit the emergency button and used the Force to pin her to the opposite wall. Behind him, the elevator door silently opened into darkness. "Calm down," he told the raging doctor, but she wasn't listening.
"You believe I will let you get away? You have destroyed my life's work! You ignorant fool! You will die for this!"
She was desperate, he could see that clearly. "There's no way you can make that undone now," he tried. "This building won't hold that much longer. Either you agree to be calm and follow me peacefully, or else you will leave the elevator now, and are free to do whatever you please. You only have another two minutes left, though. At the most," he added, shivering ever so slightly as he could feel the Dark Side storm build in intensity above them.
Inyo shook her head, sending drops of blood flying from her wet hair. "Never!" she screamed, and tried to get at him again.
This time he did not hold her back, and she scrambled for the opening, out into the darkness. He heard her scream all the way down. Closing his eyes in grief, Kane released the emergency brakes again and let the elevator carry him to the ground level. He exited the car on numb legs, not really noticing the flurry of activity taking place all around him. He was trying to convince himself that it had been better this way. Unbidden he thought of Zulkur Arden, a paralyzed raging warrior, whose only defense against his fate was revenge, and his own death.
"Kane!"
Looking up, he gazed at Yanessa, who was standing just inside the entrance to the building.
"We gotta leave," he told her hoarsely. "Everyone has to evacuate the building right now. You have the data?"
She shook the cloak she still held in her left hand. "Yes. You look a mess," she commented at last, as he joined her.
"Everyone get out!" someone roared over the din of voices, and then a stocky human charged around the corner, still running. He must have run all the way down the stairs, Kane realized. "Out of here!" the man screamed. "Didn't you hear, you lazy Hutts? This building is a complete loss! Get out!"
He stopped briefly to throw Kane a scrutinizing glance. "You Kane Jinn?"
"Yes," he answered, nodding dumbly.
"Dex Halcyon. Pleased to meet you. Now get out."
They were only two miles away when the entire scyscraper imploded. It fell in on itself in a majestic shower of debris, and Kane thought he could see a bluish backwash that filled the structure just moments before it vanished in a billowing cloud of smoke and dust, burying Inyo Di'vitt underneath tons of rubble, and her precious virus with her.
"What a show," Dex Halcyon commented coolly. Then he turned toward Kane, his green eyes inquisitive. "What are you gonna do now?"
"Go back to Coruscant," Kane replied quietly, his gaze still fixed on the destruction ahead. "See what I can do for Master Dycos."
"Well," the Jedi Master shrugged, "you still have the data. Perhaps you can make something of it. And perhaps he will agree to what you suggested."
Kane looked at him sharply. What he had suggested... That Hagen be purged of his power forever. "Would you?" he demanded heatedly, feeling desperate all of a sudden. How could he ever ask that of his master?
For a long time Dex Halcyon just gazed at him. Then he nodded. "Yes, son, I would. And he will too. He's a brave man, I know. Don't worry."
"Thank you." Exhaling slowly, Kane closed his eyes, before he turned toward Yanessa, who handed him his cloak.
"This is good-bye, then," she said.
He nodded. "Good-bye, yes, but not farewell." The smile that appeared on her face lit up his heart. She stepped forward quickly to embrace him, then pressed a kiss on his mouth.
"Good-bye," she whispered.
Behind her, Dex Halcyon rolled his eyes in mock disgust. "Come on, you love-birds. We need to get Kane to the spaceport. At least he won't have to deal with the paperwork this mess will cause," the Jedi Master added wrily.
Hagen Dycos was seated in his favorite spot, at his desk by the window, and his fingers were idly drumming on the desk top as he waited. He was gazing out over the city, not really thinking of anything. It was a quiet afternoon, sunny, and only a few clouds hung in the distance, promising some rain later this evening. In front of the Jedi Master a notepad and a writing stylus had been neatly placed next to one another, but not a single line had been written so far. He wanted to wait for Kane to complete his own findings first.
When there was a knock at the door he twisted around in his seat and waited for a short moment before he called for the visitor to come in. As expected, it was Kane. The young man stepped into the room cautiously, his blue eyes suspicious. Enduring the other's scrutiny patiently, Hagen smiled. Finally Kane crossed the last few meters that separated them.
"Welcome back, Kane," the Jedi Master said softly. "I am glad you are well."
Kane placed a data box on top of the table, carefully pushing the notepad aside. But his gaze lingered on Hagen's face. "How about yourself?" he asked at last. "What about the – sickness?" Kane's eyes flickered to the wall behind Hagen, and the Jedi Master knew exactly what he was searching for.
"The walking cane isn't really necessary any longer. I have put it back in my cupboard, where I hope it will remain for the next twenty years or so." He gave his former apprentice a wide grin.
"Then you're healed?"
"Yes." He nodded at the databox. "What is that? The data you found on the virus?"
"You know?"
"Master Halcyon called ahead."
Kane dropped into one of the unoccupied chairs, shoulders slumping. "You know," he repeated. Then he sought Hagen's eyes again. "How?
"Can't you feel it?" the Jedi Master asked back, very quietly.
The younger man inhaled sharply, then frowned. "I – I was about to suggest the same, just to be – on the safe side," he finished lamely. "You did this yourself?"
Hagen shook his head. "No. I asked a friend for help. An old friend," he added, emphasizing the word 'old'. He could see that Kane got it instantly.
"Oh," he said.
"He came to ask after something in the Library," Hagen continued.
"Did he find it?"
The Jedi Master smiled, then leaned closer toward Kane. "He never even looked for it," he explained. "I realized that only after he had left again, when I went back to see where he had been searching. But he didn't take anything, Kane, he put something into the Library."
"And he healed you."
Hagen grimaced painfully. "Don't remind me." Schooling his features again he gave Kane an encouraging nod. "And now, please tell me in detail what happened on Corellia."
"I did find Zulkur Arden, but he had been infected with the same virus that was ailing you. It was created by one Inyo Di'vitt –"
"I know. A former Sith slave, whose parents were killed at Ruusan."
"So he knew her?"
"Seems so. Go on."
Kane frowned ever so slightly. "Arden tried to combat the virus by using the Dark Side. It only seemed to intensify the symptoms."
"Yes. Apparently it is impossible to heal that virus with the aid of the Force."
Kane's frown deepened. "You do not seem overly depressed over the cure," he stated.
"Does it seem that way?" Hagen asked flippantly. "It hurt. Making that decision hurt a lot, more than the healing process, which wasn't very comfortable either. He is an excellent healer, but not very gentle."
"I knew you'd make the right choice," Kane sighed. "Though I regret your loss. I had hoped we might be able to salvage the data, since Inyo Di'vitt herself died, but I guess it is too late now..."
Hagen turned his head to gaze at the databox. "We will need to destroy it," he told Kane thoughtfully.
"Destroy it? But what if – "
"What if what?" The Jedi Master fixed his one-time apprentice in an icy glare. "Inyo Di'vitt is dead, her virus destroyed, and all the data is here. If we destroy it, Kane, no one will know, save you and I. And Master Halcyon"
"Zulkur Arden thought the same," Kane offered at length.
"Oh? And now you believe I might have turned darkside?"
"No, no! Of course not!" the younger man hurried to assure him. "It is just – "
"You do not trust his words, because of what he became, is that it? And you do not trust me either."
"I trust you," Kane confessed. "Your decision proves your insight. An yet. It feels – wrong to destroy the data."
Hagen gave a low chuckle. "Should some of my own passion for knowledge have rubbed off on you, Kane?"
"I just think this should not be forgotten. If, by chance, a similar virus is somehow developed, we will at least have some pointers and may come up with a real cure. One that doesn't require such a sacrifice. Imagine, if the virus had spread, and every afflicted Jedi had been cut off from the Force ... Easy prey," Kane finished in a whisper.
"I didn't think of that," the Jedi Master admitted, suddenly even more thoughtful. Indeed, what would have happened, if Inyo had somehow been able to infect even more Jedi? A blood-bath, he suspected. He shuddered ever so slightly. "All right. A compromise." He gazed directly into Kane's blue eyes. "I will not allow this knowledge to get lost in time," he promised. "But no one must know, Kane. Not now."
"Why not now?"
"A feeling. A hunch, if you will. Please, just trust me on this."
Kane frowned again. "What exactly did he leave in the Library? It is something to do with that, isn't it?"
"I see I cannot hide anything from you, my friend," Hagen sighed. "Yes, it has to do with what he left."
The younger man sat forward in his seat, eyes gleaming. "You have it here? What is it?"
"Answers," Hagen replied, then reached down to snatch up the holocube he had had hidden underneath the window-sill. "Or questions, depending on your point of view," he concluded. "This," he said, not without pride, "may hold the key to the future. Though it will require thorough research to determine just what lock that key will fit into."
"What is that?" Kane asked, sounding awed, as he nodded at the holocube.
Hagen ran a hand lovingly over the smooth surface. "May I present to you, the last surviving copy of the Jen'da Prophecies."
TBC