"Your pilot must be an imbecile," Luzaya told Andarack haughtily, as she strode after the short warrior toward the cockpit of the Council-owned yacht Ardana Grey, an improved version of Chi'in's old ship, the Ardana Ver, which had been destroyed during the last war, at Miecona, by a Yuuzhan Vong scout party.
If Andarack was insulted he did not show it. "My apologies, Princess, but he is usually quite reliable. That he failed to refill the fuel tanks in time before our leaving Byss again is unusual."
"Really," she commented, just for the sake of keeping him reminded of her displeasure. The two of them entered the cockpit swiftly, where Mahel was already bent over a read-out, presumably studying the possible dangers awaiting them on whatever backwater planet they had landed on. "I dearly hope that we are at least within New Republic space," Luzaya announced. "I would not want this delay turn into an extended stay here," she added in a sniff and joined the Yuuzhan Vong warrior. Mahel quietly made room for her so she could look over his elbow at the display. Since their pilot had already left the ship to negotiate for fuel, he was spared the princess' foul mood, but Luzaya vowed that she would not forget to reprimand him for this miscalculation later on. "Where are we anyway?" she demanded.
Mahel gave her a sideways glance, then gingerly pointed at the readout. "We are indeed in New Republic Space, Your Highness, and halfway to Naboo. One could say that, for an 'accident', this delay is remarkably well timed."
"What?" Luzaya was confused. She had no idea what he was getting at, and in her bewilderment she almost did not notice the look that passed between Mahel and Andarack clan Rim'kai. But she did see the thin smile on the Noghri Sith Lord's face. Frowning, the princess decided to ignore this mysterious exchange. "Very well. As long as we can continue this voyage quickly." There was the hint of a suspicion, though, one that made her slightly angry. "Since your pilot seems to have some trouble negotiating we should perhaps go and support him?"
It was not a question, and Luzaya swept past Andarack briskly, but he spoiled her grand exit by shrugging noncommitally, before he followed her, with Mahel on his heels. The Yuuzhan Vong warrior fell behind and vanished in his own cabin for a moment, while Luzaya, feeling a bit uncertain again with her bodyguard gone, stepped up to the ship's landing ramp. She did not entirely trust the Noghri with her. Andarack slapped the release hatch for the ramp casually and strode ahead, his dark eyes scanning the docking bay swiftly. If Luzaya was any judge, though, the Noghri would be searching with more senses than just his eyes.
"Everything seems to be clear," he announced at last, then turned at the foot of the ramp to face her. "You can come out, Your Highness."
"Wait!" Mahel shouted, hurrying to join Luzaya. She gave him an approving glance and smiled. Clad in full battle-armour, Mahel really did look fearsome, with his amphistaff curled around the bracer on his right arm, and the heavy blaster-rifle slung across his shoulder. "Now we can leave," he said a bit sheepishly, then preceded Luzaya as she walked down the ramp to join Andarack.
The Noghri frowned at Mahel, but said nothing. Wordlessly, the trio made its way toward the bay's exit, and Luzaya noticed the dock master's clerk assigned to this facility give a start at something she first could not identify, until she turned back to look at her Yuuzhan Vong companion. Brows climbing high, she thought she now understood Andarack's disapproval. By the look of him, Mahel was a small invasion force all by himself. He was tall, even for a male of his species, and the armour made his actually slender body appear more powerful. And he wore his battle helmet too. For someone who had self-proclaimedly forfeited the old ways of his people, Mahel Sivaraya's outfit unmistakenly harkened back to exactly those times. And still, despite that obvious contradiction, Luzaya found that he did not seem misplaced or in any way uncomfortable.
It was very strange. On one hand she found herself sharing the Nogrhi's unspoken point of view, that Mahel was drawing unnecessary and unwanted attention, but on the other hand she felt proud of what he embodied, for this was what her mother had hoped to achieve during her long reign, that her people would one day truly be one and accept one another's past. She decided that, for now, she would take the risk and not tell Mahel to change into something less spectacular and menacing. The Empire had nothing to hide, after all. Her rising confidence was deflated a bit by her recalling the serious talk she's had with both her father and her mother. Well, she thought defiantly, the Empire really did have nothing to hide, and nothing to justify itself for. If other people could not cope, it was their problem, for Force's sake! But when the three of them passed through the outer corridor and stepped into the port's common area together, she still swallowed hard when she found a squad of New Republic soldiers confronting them. The fifteen uniformed warriors were all grim-faced and gazing above Luaya's and Andarack's heads only at Mahel. One of them, the elader, the princess thought, waved the Yuuzhan Vong forward.
"You! Come over here."
Her temper flaring, Luzaya Dan began to take a step forward, when Andarack's clawed hand fell on her arm. "Let him handle this," the Noghri told her quietly.
"But I am – " she began in a hiss, and he silenced her with a long look from his unfathomable eyes. Clamping her teeth shut, Luzaya felt very angry indeed. She was heir to the Empire's throne! These people had no right to treat her or her companions the way they did! And Andarack traveled on behalf of the Council of Naboo! What did they think they were doing? And what did the Noghri think he was doing? Frowning, Luzaya suddenly thought back on what Mahel had said about their unwelcome delay, and she got the distinct feeling that Andarack clan Rim'kai knew exactly what he was doing, and why they were here, wherever here was.
The New Republic soldiers tensed a bit as Mahel Sivaraya's imposing form strode toward them unconcernedly. "Is there a problem?" the young warrior asked calmly.
"Your identification?" the squad leader demanded a bit gruffly, but he also sounded a bit undertain.
Mahel nodded solemnly, then produced what looked like a chip-card reader, but with a distincly organic look. Showing the milky-white display off to the officer, Mahel ran his thumb across the razor-sharp edge of the reader. The creature drew blood and produced the identification instantly. The device was a newer application, product of the good working relations between Yuuzhan Vong shapers and Imperial scientists. Together, they strove to create ageneration of tools and organisms that used both mechanical and organic materials. Luzaya was actually very proud of that accomplishment. Of course, Naas Deron disapproved, because he promoted respect for life in any form. Due to his standing, the shapers and scientists therefore always sought approval from him first, before they implemented one of their new discoveries. And Luzaya could certainly see that those impressed the New Republic soldiers.
Their leader was staring queerly at the display, then gave apained nod. "All right. Seems to be okay. I guess no forgery's possible with that kind of ID card," he added with a nervous laugh. He gave Mahel's masked face an uncertain glance. "And your business?"
"Refueling our ship," the warrior replied calmly. "Is there a problem, officer?"
"Perhaps," the man frowned. "We would like to take oyu – and your companions to headquarters. We – "
"This is New Republic Space, is it not?" Mahel interrupted him gently. "And this is an Imperial ID card I am showing you, is it not? I do not see any problem at all, then, officer. The Free Trade And Travel Agreement Section 5b explicitly forbids random seizure of citizens foreign to the authorized confederacy, except in cases of emergency or imminent danger. None is apparent here, I would say. I daresay that, if you were to escort us to your headquarters, one or both might come to be the case, though."
Luzaya's features went rigid at that. He'd been doing so well so far! Again she considered to interfere, but then realized that Mahel's last words practically excluded that possibility. He did not want these men to find out who she was, and she had no idea why. Andarack, apparently, thought the same Mahel did, for his hand was back on her arm, cautioning her.
"Now, you might say, there is a problem," the New Republic officer snarled. "You are impeding an officer in conduct of his duty, Mister Sivaraya," he continued coldly. "Besides, we do not appreciate having dangerous fanatics running around the port. Take your helmet off, sir. Now."
It was a clear challenge, Luzaya knew, and more than that, it was a studied insult. The officer wanted Mahel to yield to his authority, not only because of his ruffled pride, but also because of the crowd that had silently been gathering around the trio during the previous exchange. Luzaya was horrified at the looks the people crowding around them threw at the tall Yuuzhan Vong. And Mahel certainly saw those too. Of course. Luzaya knew that, dressed in armour as he was, Mahel would only remove his helmet in front of a superior warrior, which this New Republic soldier hardly was. She bit her lower lip hard, wondering how he would react. He was placid enough to let this insult pass, but still a warrior, something he took great pride in. As it was, pride had to stand down in favour of caution. Removing the helmet, Mahel revealed his face fully, and Luzaya almost gave a delighted laugh when she realized the deeper implications of his move.
The soldiers, as well as the crowd, had expected a butcher's face, a mutilated, ugly, inhuman visage that the ignorant had come to associate with the Yuuzhan Vong of the Sith Empire. What they did see now, though, was a face that, though not handsome by human standards, bore a calm and superior expression that commanded respect and certainly did not inspire alarm. It was then that Luzaya, for the first time since she had first met him, understood that Mahel was much more than she had thought. Beside her, she saw Andarack give an approving nod. He had known, of course, all the time, as well as Naas Deron had known. Only she had been ignorant. Stupid, pampered Luzaya Dan was too blind to see the obvious. She blushed furiously, and lowered her head to hide her shame, but then she saw Mahel turn his head slightly to look over his shoulder at her, and there was such genuine concern in his eyes that she felt her embarrassment fade as quickly as it had come. He was waiting for her approval, she realized, and the very thought filled her with a strange warmth she could not quite identify.
Stepping forward, Luzaya joined her bodyguard, and noticed only peripherically that this time Andarack made no move to restrain her. Her tone was decidedly frosty when she said, "Mahel, these good gentlemen surely will understand that I have urgent business to attend to and therefore will not tolerate an even longer delay on this journey." She emphasized her words with a heated glare directed at the leader of the squad, and her pale blue eyes did their job perfectly. She had, after all, practised to copy her mother's famous stare. And the princess was certainly well-schooled as coming off as the arrogant, spoiled and rich chit.
"No problem, my lady," the officer replied smoothly, and stepped back. "I think we have seen all we needed to see."
"Yes," she breathed, her eyes scanning the crowd coldly, "that I believe too."
Mahel Sivaraya gave the princess an admiring glance as the New Republic soldiers turned away to leave. The crowd, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, was not dispersing yet, but he decided to ignore that fact for the time being. Luzaya, her pale blue eyes strangely cold, returned his glance, then nodded, before she turned her head to look at Andarack. "Your pilot?" she asked calmly, and the Sith Lord gave a curt nod, before he walked ahead of them. Following, Mahel took up the rear position to shield the princess if necessary. As it was, it was not her who needed protection.
The crowd parted before Andarack's small form, but when Mahel slipped through behind Luzaya, someone quite purposefully shouldered past him, a provocation, that certainly did not escape the young warrior. He knew that the soldiers were not so far away yet that they could not lend aid to the mob, should he react hostilely. So he ignored the grim faces around him and politely worked his way through the crowd. To his annoyance, they did not seem inclined to let him go his way, and he grew pretty angry when the throng closed him off from Luzaya, who threw a bewildered look back before she bent foward to alert Andarack to Mahel's predicament. When she looked at the Yuuzhan Vong again, her face was a mask of indignation and righteous anger. Seemingly fending off the Noghri, she started back toward Mahel. Another mobster brushed up against Mahel roughly, spinning the unresisting warrior around. With rising concern, Mahel felt his amphistaff awaken to its master's anxiety. The creature reared up and hissed menacingly, before the Yuuzhan Vong could calm it again. A few of the people standing in front of him scrambeld back, horrified by the sight of the snake-like weapon.
A scream made him spin around again and he saw that two men were trying to hold Luzaya back forcibly. Enraged, Mahel went forward to free her, but not before putting his helmet back on. Hands reached for him roughly, but he slapped them away, focused only on the princess. She was talking rapidly, and he could well imagine that the mob was getting the sharp side of her tongue. He almost smiled at that. Then one of the men nearly pushed her over, and she whirled around, eyes blazing fiercely. Alarmed, Mahel increased his efforts to reach her and people were flung left and right, before the crowd realized that he was quite a bit stronger than he appeared and made room enough for him to join Luzaya's side. Andarack was nowhere to be seen. For a moment Mahel felt betrayed by the Noghri. He had seen through the Sith Lord's game already back at the ship, realizing that it was far too coincidental that their fuel had supposedly only sufficed to get them here, right in the middle of the New Republic. It was a test, Mahel knew, and something more, that made him even more furious.
Right now, though, Andarack clan Rim'kai was not his concern. Standing back to back with Luzaya Dan, Mahel Sivaraya calmly reached for his heavy blaster rifle. Raising his voice to be heard over the crowd, he said, "Stand back! I will warn you only once! The next one who dares touch her is dead!" The crowd held, but their eyes told him well enough that this would not last for long. Thinkingfrantically, Mahel whispered at Luzaya, "Can you go back and get to Andarack?"
"I don't think so," she hissed back. "And I have no idea where he is."
"I thought he was somewhere behind you!"
There was a brief silence, then she said, "He did not want me to interfere."
Mahel nodded to himself. "I thought so, yes. But he won't be far. How many between you and the edge of the crowd?" He shuddered when her palms closed about his shoulders as she used his body to draw herself up higher and peer over the heads of the peopel surrounding them. He could feel her weight on him, and the very thought of her touching him almost made his knees buckle with a strange, delicious weakness. Mahel closed his eyes briefly, then shook his head to get rid of very distracting thoughts.
"Three rows, I think," she announced finally.
"Okay." The Yuuzhan Vong turned around, and clasped one arm around her waist determinedly. His armour would hold off any weapon these people might try to use against him, he knew, and he did not want to prolong this confrontation unnecessarily. Blaster rifle held out before him, he frog-marched the princess through the crowd, and was pelased to see that it parted before them slowly, if reluctantly. Something hit the back of his shoulder, but he did not bother to turn around. They reached the edge of the throng of people without further incidents, and Mahel escorted Luzaya even further, until they had reached the squad f troopers they had encountered previously. Their leader gave Mahel a somewhat confused look, as if he were undecided about what to do.
"Is there a problem, my lady?" he asked Luzaya, who gave a low snort before she twisted out of Mahel's grasp. But, unseen by the soldiers, she let her hand linger on the Yuuzhan Vong's forearm a little longer, and smiled at him warmly, mouthing a 'thank you'.
Then she turned back to face the New Republic officer and replied, "No problem, safe for this trash lingering in our way. I had thought the New Republic would enforce order with a bit more enthusiasm than this."
The man's mouth quirked in a mirthless smile. "I am certain that the empire indeed would sue more force," he said accidly.
"Wrong," the princess replied, her voice icy cold. "You would not find anyone impeding travellers in an Imperial port. And do you want to know why? It is a matter of respect, officer."
And with those words she swept past the squad, with Mahel following her placidly. They soon left the corridor behind and found Andarack waiting at the corner. Without breaking stride, Luzaya walked past the Noghri, not sparing even one glance for him. "Mahel, if you were to haggle for fuel, where would you go?" she addressed her bodyguard, studiously ignoring the Sith Lord.
"In this special case," the Yuuzhan Vong answered calmly, aware of the short alien walking behind him, "I would try one of the closest taverns."
There was a cut-off laugh from the Noghri, as Luzaya whirled around and threw first Mahel, then Andarack an incredulous look. "Is that so?" she demanded, but gave a short nod and stormed off without waiting for an answer, heading for one of the closer tap-cafés. Mahelmade as if to follow her, but stopped short and let Andarack walk past him before he lay a hand on the Noghri's shoulder and turned him toward himself as one might handle a child. "Andarack clan Rim'kai," he began respectfiully, " a word with you, if I may."
The Noghri's unfathomable black eyes turned upward to regard him inquisitively. "Please. Go ahead."
"You lied to Her Highness about your pilot and the fuel," Mahel began, not bothering to wrap up the truth nicely. "And you are obviously trying to use the princess to bait whoever is trying to disrupt the workings of the Empire. This world is conveniently out of the way and could be used as the perfect trap to expose these traitors," he contiinued. "Am I right so far?"
"You are," Andarack nodded, unpertubed by the accusation.
Mahel heaved a satisfied breath. "Good. As you know, I have sworn to protect Her Highness no matter what. I therefore strongly consider finding different transport to Naboo."
"Is that so. And where would you, a Yuuzhan Vong, find another transport here of all places?"
"Credits. These infidels have no honour, most of them, at least. They would sell honour and dignity for any amount of money. I think I will find transport easily."
The Noghri's expression changed, and something like surprise appeared on his nightmarish features. "You are not as naive as you appear to be, aren't you. I take it Naas Deron knew exactly why he chose you to protect the princess, and not only because he has seen your future. I would still advise you to remain with the Ardana Grey. There are more deathtraps on this world than you could ever know, no matter how clever you are."
"Then we will leave at once. Just as soon as Luzaya Dan has rooted your pilot out of this drinking house," Mahel stated, feeling incredibly satisfied.
Andarack gave a curt nod. "As you wish, Mahel Sivaraya. I can see that there is no fooling you after all."
To that, Mahel merely smiled.
Three days had passed, since they had first begun to explore the planet more closely. And unfortunately it had been Frek Nessel, who had found the entrance to the caves. The mercenary's already strained temper had flared again, when he had found another mass grave there, hundreds of bodies and skeletons, which, according to Doctor Pawal, belonged mainly to females and children. The mood on Nzoth dipped sharply into a very gloomy curve, that would inevitably lead toward violence, Luke knew. He stood at the mouth of the cave with Nuron, having just arrived, and they could both sense the helpless anger that flashed through Frek Nessel's awareness like a thunderstorm. The mercenary, despite his tough demeanour and looks, had not yet grown used to the savagery which had taken place on this world, which, Luke found, was astounding enough. But the Jedi Master was careful not to voice his opinion aloud, as long as Nessel was with them.
Doctor Pawal had already left the site again, taking with him three bodies he intended to examine more closely, to determine their age and the cause of their death. That was not easily to be determined, as Luke had noted with great relief. Beside him, Nuron Sarin-Skywalker was a torch of grim outrage. A mother of two delightful children, she found it hard to understand the cruelty of butchering innocents like that. And her husband knew that it only cemented her opinion concerning Roj Kell, who had caused all this. Strange, wasn't it, that the woman, who over twenty years ago had followed the ancient Sith Lord's lessons in blind worship, had now taken such a strong stance against him. But then, she had grown up, and grown up to fill her new role completely. As mother, and as guardian.
Luke watched her turn her head to face him, her golden eyes reflecting her every emotion, as they always did. Right now they were very similar to what Frek Nessel was feeling. Suddenly, though, she gave a curt nod and said, "Let's go inside." Without waiting for him to reply she stepped into the rank cave, gingerly walking across this graveyard, careful to avoid touching any of the bodies. Luke followed her wordlessly, not even bothering to invite Nessel to come along. Only when the couple reached a turn in the tunnel carved into the rock did he look around. Nessel was still standing where they had left him, backlit now by the blue, blue sky above Nzoth. And then the cave wall hid him from view, and Luke almost stumbled in the dark. The gloom was broken abruptly by a torchlight, which Nuron had activated to illuminate the way. More bodies had been piled up here, making traversing the underground uncomfortable and very, very somber. It was like walking through a grave. And then Luke felt something a head, like a vast emptiness, and a moment later the beam of Nuron's torch cut across endless shadows, as they entered a large, and above all silent cavern. It was as if the mountain itself held its breath here. Nuron hesitantly walked deeper into the giant cave, the torchlight's searching beam more frantic now.
"Hold!" Luke called out, his eyes narrowing. His right hand pointed to the left, where he had been able to make out something, as the light flickered across the rough walls. "Over there." He hurried across the rocky floor of the cavern, suddenly very focused. "We need more light."
There was a sigh from Nuron's direction, before she answered, wrily, "Well, too bad Andarack's not with us." But a moment later the cave filled with a faint, yellow glow that grew in intensity the closer she came to the wall Luke had indicated. Letters had been scrawled over the rock there, huge, jagged letters that were all too familiar. Sith script. Luke stood, at stunned at first, because the writings were so large. But then, standing back a little, he squinted at the words, trying to make out their meaning. It was Nuron, who decyphered them first.
"The flow of events follows the current of life into death and beyond," she translated, her tone somber. "What was taken shall be returned, what was given shall not be reclaimed, what was broken will not be mended." He heard a disgusted grunt from his wife, before she spat, "This is nonsense. Sentimental drivel, nothing else."
"Wasn't it you, my love, who claimed that dear Kell never did anything unintentionally? This is a message," the Jedi Master countered sweetly.
"And what message would that be?" she snarled, audibly riled.
He stepped closer, running his hand over the lowest tip of one of the first letters. "It is written in blood, I think," he stated suddenly, and frowned.
"Oh, that is just wonderful! So tasteful!" Nuron joined him briskly, and her forehead wrinkled around her horns menacingly. "So, what do you make of it?"
But he wasn't really listening. "Is this all, do you think?" Luke looked around, glancing at the other parts of the cave. "There's more. Look!"
"You're right," she conceded between gritted teeth, when he hurried over to the next section.
Gripped by sudden excitement, the Jedi Master hurriedly explained, "We must write all of it down, then bring it into the right order. This might be an explanation for why he did this."
"But we know why," Nuron insisted. "He wanted to funnel their life-power into Laa'kuan and use it against the Yuuzhan Vong."
Luke gave her a long look. "That's what he said, yes," he conceded at last. "But Father used the maze without killing thousands of people. Never trust anything Kell says, remember?"
"Then taking down these writings will be a futiel endeavour don't you think?" she retorted icily.
"I do not believe so," Luke answered. "No," he breathed, "this is different. I can feel it. This is a message. Come!" he added almost cheerfully. "Let's get going."
Hours later the cavern was lit by a number of floodlights, which had been hastily erected by Doctor Pawal's taem once Luke and Nuron had gotten back to them with news of their discovery. Even Frek Nessel had been reasonably excited about that find. But now silence reigned, the gloomy setting having smothered all enthusiasm. Both Nuron and Luke were wandering along the walls, taking down notes and translating at the same time. Almost all of the walls featured script, sometimes a single word, sometimes entire paragraphs of writing, which seemed to have been applied randomly. The size of the letters puzzled Luke, and he was wondering hard how Kell had managed to write even on the ceiling. The late Sith Lord had been a tall man, but not that tall.
Doctor Pawal had set up station in the center of the cavern, almost completely hidden by what looked to be a portable laboratory. "Have you found something yet?" Luke asked, as he sauntered past, on his way to where his compad sat atop a smaller boulder.
"Well," Pawal replied, holding up a vial filled with a reddish liquid. "This is not Yevethan blood." For a moment Luke had to sort out his fluttering mind, dread overcoming his senses as he wondered how many other species Kell might have slaughtered. But then Pawal, directing a questioning frown at the Jedi Master, continued, "This is of human origins, actually. Do you think that perhaps our Sith friend sacrificed his own blood for this message?"
Luke paused, considering what he knew of the Cor'dan and their belief in balance. Of course, Kell would have had to give up more than just a few drops of blood to balance the deaths he had caused here, not to mention the amount needed to write all these words. But then, he had atoned for this massacre when he had let himself die, quite painfully too. Had he sought to atone in part for his crimes here, with this message? Luke doubted it somehow. "We are still trying to bring order into this chaos," he ventured at last, a hand vaguely indicating the walls.
Pawal nodded, then turned away to resume his tests, or whatever it was he was doing there. Luke waited another heart-beat, before he walked over to the compad and typed in the next section of script he had taken down.
So far the message read: "The flow of events follows the current of life into death and beyond. What was taken shall be returned, what was given shall not be reclaimed, what was broken will not be mended. Balance is a matter of give and take, and life punishes those who take too much, even their own lives, for we are one, all of us, and responsible for life as well as death. To bring light into darkness, and darkness into light, is to achieve balance, just as bringing life into death and death into life is balance."
Into the mangled sentences single words like "Duty", "Dedication" and "Patience" had been strewn, and Luke almost got the impression that Kell had simply been taking notes on whatever had crossed his mind. As if he had been trying to find an answer to some great riddle, a philosophical and ethical debate for one participant, of sorts. It had been here, Luke knew, that the ancient Sith Lord had decided on the manner and time of his own death, weighing future against past. What was taken shall be returned. When he had died the passing of his presence had not even registered with Luke, who had witnessed that gruesome death personally. And the Jedi Master had felt many a death over the years, including that of Master Yoda, who had been one of the most powerful Force-users of his time. Not as powerful, he knew now, as his father, or Kell himself. There had been something about the ancient Sith, a connection to the Force that went beyond what the Jedi Order had ever achieved. Where the Jedi tapped into the Force from the outside, in a manner of speaking, Kell had been born of the Force, which was why his presence had simply sunken back into that great flow when he had died, with no distance to cross between life and death.
Blue eyes playing thoughtfully across the screen in front of him. Luke shook himself out of his reverie again and typed: "Justice is a matter of perspective, when all you can rely on is yourself. Sacrifices are made to ensure the future, and weakness must be countered with strength, even if that prowess is only of short endurance."
"I have another one," Nuron said, coming up beside him.
He gave a weary nod. "Go on, then."
"Very well," his wife began, clearing her throat meaningfully, "These creatures are beneath me, as bad as the Ju Vong in their stupid little world of death. And they will challenge the stars too, if given leave. Will the stars be able to thwart the attack, so soon after this invasion? I doubt it. Better to take their life now than have them take the lives of those around them. Life means nothing to these creatures, and it means everything to me."
"That's as good as a confession," Luke commented, startled.
"Only, this is no court, it is a graveyard," the Zabrak retorted instantly. She made an impatient gesture. "I believe that he saw the Yevetha in the same light he saw the Yuuzhan Vong, but I do not understand how he could forgive one people, but not the other. He could have wiped them out as easily as he killed these people here. But he didn't. This makes no sense. What does this have to do with justice? Even if it is a subjective justice."
Luke gave this some thought, before he answered, "Perhaps he thought the Yuuzhan Vong capable of redemption, but not the Yevetha." His forehead creased into a frown. "Balance," he whispered. "Balance is always the key. And survival." When revelation came at last he uttered a faint gasp and sat back on his haunches, his mind blank. Blue eyes twin pools of pain and sadness, the Jedi Master gazed up at his wife. "He made his choices," he explained hoarsely. "For us, for the Yuuzhan Vong. He drew the lines for the future before we even knew tht there was a threat to that future. That was why they had to die. So one future could come to pass, but not another."
"That bastard! Always meddling in other people's lives!"
It was real, righteous anger he could see in Nuron's features, and he knew he should be feeling the same. But he did not. Helplessly, he wondered why. How did this apply to himself? To his father, to his sister, even? Who were they responsible to? The New Republic? The Council of Naboo? Life? He had no answer to that. Yet. But could he decide over life and death and still claim to serve life exclusively? If he were true to the Jedi creed, he would never ever allow the murder of innocents, yet at the same time he would also be obliged to spare the lives of those who acted aggressively, should that be at all possible. His father, he knew, followed another path. Anakin Skywalker had been a Jedi, a Sith, and Cor'dan. And he had once told his son something that was typical of him. Life is what you make of it. It was the Cor'dan speaking there, claiming that decisions sparked responsibility, and actions led to consequences. Either one, responsibility and consequences, had to be shouldered exclusively by the instigator. It was not a measure of courage or daring either, Luke understood. It was a simple fact. You did something wrong, you paid. You did something right, you moved on.
Who though, did define what was wrong and what was right?
In one of their last conversations, before he had been savagely slain, Kell had told Luke, twenty years younger then, that greatness was in one's ideals, and subsequently in one's actions. It did not matter if those were grand deeds or small accomplishments. What mattered, according to Kell, was what's inside one's head. Responsibility again.
As self-proclaimed guardian of life, did his responsibility and duty toward life also encompass protecting life from the living? If, as Roj Kell claimed, the Yevetha had lived for death, did they deserve to die in truth? The ancient Sith had had very distinctive views on that, views that Anakin Skywalker had adopted too. It was foolish to try and counter life's uncertainties by holding on to the certainty of death, as laid down in strict rules ad regulations of Yevethan and, also, Yuuzhan Vong society. Life was not to be determined by death, since death was part of life anyway. It was life that gave value to existence. Never death. The distinction between Yevetha and Yuuzhan Vong had to be this then: Where the Yevetha had valued death exclusively, the Yuuzhan Vong believed their sacrificial deaths to repay the gods for creating life in the first place. It was a concept of give and take that came close to the one promoted by Kell himself. Balance as the key to life. And that was why these people here had had to die, he thought. Luke shuddered ever so slightly. Not something he could ever have shouldered the responsibility for, nor would he have wanted to.
His path was different.
TBC