Chapter 11

Nura, Part II

Silence.

Appreciation for noiseless contemplation was something the Jedi and the Sith had in common. It was only in true silence that one could really hope to hear the soft whispers of the Force. For the Jedi, no doubt this was how they made weighty decisions—patiently waiting for guidance from the Force. For the Sith, the process was more active. One silenced the body and mind, listening to the trickling currents of the Force, actively selecting the one that was desired and following it to the source. True mastery of oneself and the environment could only occur if one was willing to descend into the stillness, grasp the tendrils of power, and conform the will of the Force to one's desires.

But the quiescence here was…disquieting.

The oppressive quiet that permeated the pilot's cabin thickened with each passing moment. Kaine busied himself by making slight course corrections as the shuttle broke free of Migruna III's atmosphere and the star field filled the viewscreen. He glanced sidelong at Yoda repeatedly, but the Migru Master's eyes remained as stubbornly closed as they had been since they had lifted off from the planet.

Kaine had endlessly tried to discern something—anything—from the tiny ball of flesh that sat across from him. He had found nothing. Yoda was as invisible in the Force as Darth Tyú could be when she chose.

Frowning, Kaine entered into the navigation console a new course that would set them on a lazy, arcing path toward his large, spheroid ship. There was no rush.

Dorran turned to his side and stared intently at Yoda. Something had happened. Something was amiss. Yoda was…different.

He could not attribute his knowledge of this fact to the Force—in this matter, he could learn nothing there. He just knew.

The blanket of stillness grew more stifling.

Repressing the urge to gasp for breath, Kaine decided that passivity at this time might prove fatal.

"I don't suppose you could explain what happened to the Jedi after you slew him, can you?"

Yoda's eyes remained shut, but Kaine detected a definite perturbation in the Force.

Finally, Yoda opened his left eye and smiled. Unpleasantly.

Kaine's stomach tightened.

"Nervous you must be now, hmmm?" Yoda's tone was quiet, but his sudden break from serenity reverberated loudly in Kaine's ears. Kaine wondered if it was the strength of the migru's voice or the danger in his tone.

Kaine swallowed hard and kept his face inscrutably calm. He managed to maintain the same level of control in his voice. "Why would I be nervous?"

Yoda chuckled with seemingly genuine amusement as he leaned his head against the back of his chair and placed his hands on both armrests. He looked, for all the galaxy, like an Emperor on his throne.

Kaine glanced anxiously at the navigation computer and contemplated taking a more direct route back to the ship.

Shaking off his apprehension, Kaine turned away from Yoda and faced the viewscreen before speaking again. He lowered his voice to ensure any traces of concern in it were duly hidden.

"You believe I am nervous because when we return, my Master will likely select you as her new apprentice." Yoda chortled more loudly and clasped his hands across his stomach. Kaine sighed. "You believe I am nervous because once that happens, I will become irrelevant."

Yoda stopped laughing but continued to smile as he settled his gaze on Dorran. "Untrue, this is?"

Kaine smiled. "I'll never be irrelevant, Yoda." He turned to face the Migru Master, squaring his shoulders. "Who do you think designed that ship? Who do you think holds the knowledge and the expertise to control the destiny of the Sith'ari? Master Tyú may have nothing but disdain for me, but she is no fool. She cannot hope to accomplish her goals without me. She knows this. She would rather violate the Rule of Two than lose my services."

Yoda grew silent, and Kaine felt a surge of pride.

Yoda grinned.

Kaine drew his brows tightly together.

"Nervous, you are."

"Hardly."

"See through you, I can."

"Enough!"

Yoda leaned forward, his eyes filling with menace. "Wish to ally yourself with me, you do. Convinced, you are, that destroy your master I will, before I let Migruna III die."

The words hung in the air.

Kaine contemplated responding when Yoda leaned back in his chair and smiled again.

"Wiser than I gave you credit for, you are."

A red light flashed on the main console between them, and they both glanced in its direction.

Kaine found that his throat seemed excessively tight. He straightened. "That is a private communication from Master Tyú. I will take it in the next cabin. Please remain here."

Yoda closed his eyes. "As you wish."


"What of the Jedi?"

Rizza's holographic image hovered in the air above Kaine's kneeling form. He kept his head low, staring only at the hem of her black cloak, which was tinged with the bluish distortion of the holotransmission. Kaine fought down the bile that threatened to erupt from his stomach every time he was in his master's presence lately. This "relationship" had nearly run its course.

"Yoda killed him."

Silence.

"You witnessed this yourself?"

"Yes."

Silence.

"What happened next?"

Kaine paused and looked squarely into Rizza's holographic eyes, contemplating his response. "We returned to the ship."

Rizza's eyes narrowed. "Why have you closed yourself from my perceptions, apprentice?"

Dorran held her gaze, unblinking. "I do not wish for Yoda to sense my thoughts."

After an eternity, Rizza nodded. "A wise course of action, my apprentice. His turn to the dark side is nearly complete. He has already mastered skills it takes most decades to learn." She smiled. "He will make a great Sith."

Kaine nodded. "Indeed."

The light from the holoemitter blinked out, and Rizza vanished without another word. Kaine stared at the now-empty space, frowning.

Perhaps the relationship had ended already.


As Kaine and Yoda stepped off the ramp and onto the durasteel grating in the main hangar bay, the floor began to tremble. Kaine looked up frantically.

"No!" Kaine immediately ran for the entrance. "The pre-fire checks have not been completed yet!"

Kaine had nearly reached the door when he noticed that Yoda was not beside him. He turned around quickly to see Yoda standing still, seemingly rooted to his position next to the ship.

"Don't you understand what's happening, Yoda?" Kaine beckoned for the Migru Master. "She's going to fire!"

Yoda nodded.

The rumbling stopped, and Kaine's stomach tightened.

The ship suddenly jolted and the floor gave way. Kaine toppled helplessly onto the deck and skidded across the metal grating. A wall on the far side of the room halted his acceleration. Hard.

Dazed, Kaine tried to regain his footing. What on Korun's dirt?

He grabbed hold of the wall and pulled himself upright.

Yoda!

Kaine searched the hanger bay.

Gone.

Kaine contemplated searching the ship, but he knew that would be pointless. He knew precisely where Yoda was headed. A sudden explosion rocked the ship again, and the bay tilted sideways. Kaine was prepared and kept his footing with the aid of the Force.

He needed to get to engineering fast.

Focusing on the doorway that was now several meters above, Kaine called on the Force and leapt through the opening. As he landed, a third explosion erupted.

Fighting the dizzying sensation of the ship's inertial systems falling offline and reengaging in seemingly random patterns, the Dark Lord ran along the wall down the corridor.


Rizza stared at the console before her, frowning.

Alarms filled the control room.

She raised a brow and entered a code into the computer. The klaxons shut down, and she punched in another sequence. The auxiliary inertial dampeners engaged, and the ship righted itself almost instantly. Nodding, she walked toward the main firing console.

She looked up at the viewscreen and frowned. "Your little diversion serves only to anger me, Yoda."

"Fire at Migruna, and destroy you I will." His voice was firm. Determined.

"And you think you have that within your power, my love?" Rizza turned and leaned against the console.

"Wish to test me, you do?"

Rizza lowered her hood, smiling. "I don't suppose you'd rather watch Migruna burn with me and make love in the light of the blaze, would you?"

Yoda lowered his head.

"Regret destroying you, I would."

"I'm sure." Rizza turned back to the console and began entering a new series of commands. "I have entered the sequence for an automatic firing in two minutes. I am the only one who can stop it."

Yoda's jaw clenched noticeably.

Rizza smiled as she watched red flames of the dark side begin to erupt from the dark shields that Yoda seemed to be trying desperately to hold in place. When he spoke, his voice was barely audible. "Have the power to stop you, I do not."

Rizza walked toward Yoda and stopped a careful three meters away. "Yes, you can."

Yoda looked up. "How?"

Rizza widened her smile. "Ask me."

"And?"

"Pledge your allegiance to the Sith."

Yoda held her gaze.

He nodded.

Rizza grinned.

Yoda lowered his head.

Smiling proudly, Rizza began to turn toward the bank of consoles when she caught the movement of Yoda's robe from the corner of her eye. Confused, she turned back toward Yoda in time to see him pull his robe aside.

She watched in astonishment as his lightsaber slipped from his belt and flew into his hand.

The distinctive hum of his blade filled the room as the green blade erupted from his fist.

His face was firm. Calm.

In the Force, the voided shielding dissipated.

She squinted.

A bright blue light seemed to be pouring from the Migru Master. She closed her eyes more tightly, but the light continued to erupt.

Like a fountain.

A Fountain of Light.

"On the bargaining table," he whispered, "my allegiance is not."