Chapter Five: Dark Justice
The two Jedi Knights made their way across the homestead, peering at the ground. They were looking for kath hound sign, hoping to find it, and fearing that they wouldn't. Revan and Malak had been summoned by a farmer to find his daughter, who had gone missing that afternoon. They were known in the district for resolving problems quickly, and for helping the homesteaders whenever they were in need. Now they were racing against time.
The farmer suspected that his daughter had been carried off by the kath hounds. Such an occurance was not unusual, though this particular farm was outside the hounds' normal range. The Jedi knew more than the farmer, though. Some of the neighboring homes had been broken into lately, and valuables taken. Revan suspected that there was a gang of young ruffians in the area, and that they had finally stooped to kidnapping. He knew that if they were to find the girl alive and unhurt, they would have to find evidence of her capture before morning.
Malak stood, wiped sweat from his brow and turned to his partner. "I think you're right, Revan. I don't see any kath hound sign. The livestock are too calm for this to have been an animal attack."
Revan nodded in response, but kept looking at the ground. He did not focus on any one area, but rather tried to relax and let the Force guide his eyes. He reached out searching for a feeling, an impression, some kind of echo left in the area. At last, he felt something; a sense of fear and anxiety, and a hint of anger, tainted the ground nearby. He focused his senses on the spot, trying to discern more details of the feeling. He saw in his mind's eye a vision of the girl sitting on the ground playing with wildflowers, then being dragged off through the brush by five young men.
The trail in the Force was now plain. "This way," he snapped, rushing off across the plains.
The two men ran over the hills, following the trail left in the Force by the frightened girl and her captors. At last, cresting a low rise, they saw below them a campfire with figures huddled around it. They saw five, with a small dark shape on the ground just outside the circle of the firelight. The men around the fire seemed in good spirits, singing and talking excitedly.
Quietly the two Jedi crept down the hill until the were just outside the camp. As one they stood up and ignited their blades, placing them at the necks of the two nearest ruffians.
"You're under arrest by order of the Jedi Council," Malak said to the one that appeared to be the leader. "You must answer for the deeds you've done today."
The five young men cast nervous looks at each other. A few of them glanced at the small form lying outside the circle of light. The youngest burst into tears and fell to the ground. Shamed at his display, the others straightened their backs, but were no less fearful. They knew the battle reputation of Jedi Knights. One, however, apparently knew of the Jedi capacity for mercy, and risked speaking.
"Forgive us, Master Jedi, we have given in to the temptations of our youthful passions. Please, we will go with you, and accept whatever judgement the Council decrees."
Malak replied, "If you have not done serious harm, the council may be lenient, but--"
"Justice has found you, and you will meet your judgement now," a soft voice spoke from the shadows. Revan stepped back into the light, having gone to the girl to check her condition. What he saw could hardly be properly called remains, and as he approached the leader of the boys, his lightsaber cast its light on the fury darkening his face.
The boy began to plead, but could only gasp as Revan thrust the blade through his heart. Malak and the others gazed on in horror as the young ruffian sank to the ground, his body splitting in two as it fell against the saber. Revan turned to Malak and ordered, "Cut them down."
Malak stared at his friend in disbelief, then saw in Revan's eyes the extent of his fury and the evil the young men had done. Ever loyal, he raised his blade and turned on the ruffians. In seconds, it was over.
The young Jedi stood in the circle of death they had created as the reality of their deed set in. Malak extinguished his blade and dropped it on the ground as though it were the instrument of evil. He sank to his knees, sobbing, "What have we done?"
"Jedi are the guardians of justice. Today, justice was served."
"This was murder, not justice, Revan, and you know it!" Malak stood and retrieved his blade. "What will the Council say? Anger leads to the Dark Side..."
Revan shook his head. "Did you see the girl? They deserved it. How can anyone not be angry at what they did? The Council will agree. We will convince them. Be calm, my friend. We did the galaxy a service this day, and now we must do right by the victim." With that he picked up the girl's body and strode off across the plains to her father's house.