Chapter 12 Abominations are not Innocents

Five Hours Earlier

They were quietly talking amongst themselves when the cargo hold door slid open.

"You, get up." The Belaridian, one of three present, ordered, pointing his weapon at Zak.

Zak sighed, patted the youngling sitting next to him on the head and stood up, "What do you want now?" He asked.

"No questions, just come with us." The Belaridian replied, waving the weapon toward the door.

"Why can't you people just leave us alone?" Ferri wondered, as he started to get to his feet.

Another extremist shoved him roughly back down, "Just him." She said gruffly, pointing her own weapon in his face, "Understand?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ferri answered, making no further move to stand.

"Keep them calm; I'm sure this won't take long." Zak told Ferri as he was prodded toward the cargo bay door.

Ferri nodded, "If you hurt him..." He warned.

"You'll what? Don't threaten us, freak." The female replied, shoving Zak through the door before following him and triggering the door.

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One of the extremists took Zak by the upper arm and led him down the hallway, "Where are we going?" Zak asked.

Another Belaridian jabbed him in the back with a weapon, "No questions, remember?" He answered.

Zak shook his head and reached around with his free hand to rub his back, "Sorry." He replied.

The woman patted his arm, "Don't worry, you'll know soon enough." She told him.

They continued on, walking swiftly for several minutes, before halting. While one extremist continued to hold Zak, the woman hit the door signal.

"Come." A voice Zak recognized as Melak's beckoned and the door slid open.

Melak was seated behind a wide desk with Terak standing at his side. At the sight of the Jedi, Terak grinned maliciously and Melak gestured, "Come in, come in." He instructed graciously.

"What do you want?" Zak asked as the one holding him pulled him forward.

Melak smiled, "I do admire your style; right to the point." He replied and then looked at the escort, "Bind him and then leave us."

Zak stared impassively at a portal above Melak's head as his arms were jerked roughly behind his back and binders clamped painfully tight around his wrists, "Terak." Melak said as the three extremists backed away.

Terak came around the desk, tried unsuccessfully to make eye contact with Zak and checked the binders himself; finding them satisfactory, he nodded to the others and they left the compartment. Melak triggered the door leaving the pair alone with Zak.

Terak came around to the side and stared at Zak's profile, getting no reaction from him, he moved to stand in front of him. They were nearly the same height, but Zak continued to stare forward as if Terak were not there. Frustrated, Terak found himself tempted to strike the young man he denied as his brother, but instead, settled for another way to taunt him. Turning his attention to the Padawan braid which had settled in its normal place in front of Zak's right shoulder, Terak fingered it, rubbing a hand over the delicate beads woven into it. Not getting the desired response as Zak continued to stare forward, Terak tugged on it, "This makes you look like a girl." He decided.

Zak remained silent, and Terak continued, "So, what happens to a freak who loses this, huh?" He asked.

Zak continued to ignore him and Melak smiled in amusement as Terak yanked hard, "I asked you a question, freak." He said.

Slowly, and without losing its impassivity, Zak's gaze turned toward Terak, "Then I would just have to grow it back." He answered.

"Oh, I think there's more to it, than that, dear brother. It would hurt, wouldn't it? To loose so much growth? You must have been growing this since, when? When Kenobi took you on? I think it would really bother you if I hacked it off. And what about all these little bobbles? You'd lose all them too." Terak replied and then smiled, "Yes, if I wanted to hurt you, I think that would be the way."

Zak returned the smile, "It's only hair, Terak, it will grow back. Take it, if it means so much to you." He urged.

Terak's smile disappeared and the hand that had been toying with the symbol of Zak's Jedi rank moved to strike Zak across his right cheek, "I can break you, you know, anytime I want." He declared.

"Is that why you brought me here? To break me? Then do it, Terak, and get it over with." Zak retorted.

Terak's face reddened with rage and he balled his hand into a fist, "Terak, that is not why he is here." Melak warned.

"I know, I know." Terak conceded but he shook his balled fist in Zak's face, "But I could if I wanted to."

"Yes, I get that." Zak replied and then looked past him to Melak, "So, if I'm not here for you to harass, then why am I here? Just to unsettle the younglings by taking me away?"

"I have no desire to torment them; exile is as much for their good as it is for those they pose a threat to." Melak answered.

"Excuse me if I fail to see how condemning children to certain death is for their own good; unless, of course, the place you plan to send us to is habitable." Zak countered.

"Well, it could be; it just depends on how strong they are. But if they die, don't you see that it will save them from what they will surely become?" Melak asked.

"What they will become? They are training to be Jedi; when have the Jedi ever posed a threat to anyone except those who break the law?" Zak argued.

"You don't know your own history, Zak; the abominations were evil, they were killing their own families. We have always had to guard against your kind to protect ourselves and everyone else from you." Melak explained.

Zak shook his head, "I know all about Belarid's history; I know that some Force sensitives had been taken by a Sith Lord and twisted into turning to the Dark Side. But what did those ancient people do? Did they seek the help of the Jedi? No, they handled it themselves; they started killing their own children without ever trying to understand why they had turned evil. Even when they found out what was happening, even when they destroyed the threat, they just kept right on killing; and that compounded the evil, fed it, until it became so strong that even two powerful Jedi Masters had difficulty destroying it." He answered, "Murdering the innocents who were untouched by the Sith was the true evil, Melak; but you will never see that."

"Abominations are not innocents, and you will never see that, Zak." Melak countered, "But I did not have you brought here to argue this with you; we know what we are doing is right, and anything you have to say will not change that."

"Then why am I here?" Zak asked, sighing heavily.

"Because it's what Melak wanted it, freak." Terak shot back.

"Terak, I understand you are bitter because of what happened to you, but I am rather tired of these outbursts." Melak interjected.

"Not just to me." Terak replied angrily.

"Servus and your mother, yes, I know." Melak answered, "But your temper..."

Terak glared at Zak, "My apologies then, Uncle." He muttered.

"Thank you." Melak said and looked up at Zak, "Now, why are you here; yes, that is a very good question."

Zak waited as Melak paused before answering, perhaps waiting for Zak to repeat the question; when he didn't, Melak sighed and stood up, "I just wanted you to know that I do not like being forced to do this; my brother's wife bore you, and I held you as a babe before we realized what you were." He began.

Zak knitted his brow, "I am no threat to you, Melak; and neither are the younglings you took. What you are doing is wrong; and I think in your heart, you know that." He insisted.

"You have no idea what it's like to find out that a member of your family is an abomination against the Maker." Melak continued, coming around the front of the desk to stand in front of his captive nephew.

"And you have no idea what it's like to be four years old and to be called a freak by your own family." Zak countered as his eyes met Melak's.

"You're lucky you're even alive, you freak; if I'd been old enough I would have..." Terak began.

"Terak, I didn't ask for your input; be quiet or leave." Melak warned.

Terak huffed and crossed his arms, "I know it must have been very hard to understand what you were." Melak continued.

"What I was? Do you hear yourself, Melak?" Zak exclaimed, "I was a four year old boy who had a gift he didn't understand, not a freak; and it was a long time before I realized that. It doesn't have to be this way, turn this ship around and take us..."

"That's not going to happen, you and your kind of dangerous; it's time your Jedi friends realize that." Melak replied.

Zak sighed and shook his head, "Then what do you want from me?" He asked.

"Understanding." Melak answered.

"Well, you're not going to get that from me; I will never understand why all this killing is necessary." Zak told him, "And what about Ferri? He's not Belaridian, he shouldn't even be here; let him go."

"That's not an option; would you rather I turned him over to Kien and Devan? I'm sure that would make them very happy." Melak suggested.

"I feel sorry for you; you are so blinded by your fear, that you can't see what you're doing is wrong." Zak said with a sigh.

"Then I guess we're finished here." Melak decided, shaking his head sadly.

"I guess we are." Zak agreed as the realization that Melak could never be swayed sank in.

"Take him back to the others, Terak." Melak instructed.

Terak nodded, triggered the door and then shoved Zak toward the open doorway.

"I do feel badly about this, Zak." Melak told him.
"Apparently not badly enough." Zak answered just as Terak pushed him into the corridor and slid the door closed.

Terak shoved Zak back toward the cargo bay, "Move, freak." He ordered.

Zak clenched his jaw and smothered his annoyance...until Terak pushed him again, "I said move." He repeated.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Zak fought the dampening field caused by the collar, gathering what Force he could around him; and when Terak pushed him again, Zak pushed him back, shoving him hard into the bulkhead and pinning him there with his shoulder, "Look, you bully; I have no intention of resisting you, so you don't have to keep pushing me." He said.

Terak's eyes widened in shock and surprise for a moment before they narrowed in anger and as Zak turned away from him, Terak drew his sidearm, "Don't, Terak." Melak commanded.

Both Terak and Zak turned to see Melak pointing a blaster at his older nephew, "Holster it and walk away; I mean it." He warned.

"No, not this time." Terak replied, aiming his weapon at Zak, who made no move to elude it.

"What's going on here?" Devan asked as she happened upon them.

"I'm just about to finish what I started five years ago." Terak answered.

"And that will be the last thing you ever do, Terak." Melak cautioned, "Exile not death, we all agreed."

"I changed my mind." Terak said.

"It doesn't matter; I'm in charge." Melak reminded him, "Devan, get him out of here before I am forced to do something we will all regret."

Devan nodded and put her hand on Terak's arm, "Terak, love, come on; it's not worth it." She appealed, squeezing his arm affectionately, "Come on now."

Terak blinked and looked at her, then at Zak before sighing, "Probably not; but it would have been very satisfying." He replied.

"I know; but not very sporting." She answered, taking the blaster from his hand and tucking it into her belt before hooking her arm in his and leading him down the hallway.

Melak watched them until they turned down another corridor and disappeared from view, "You're very lucky you're not dead." He said when they were out of sight.

"Why didn't you just let him kill me?" Zak wondered.

"I don't want you dead, Zak; despite what you think." Melak replied, "But the way you're acting, it appears you'd rather be."

"I was tired of being pushed, and so I pushed back." Zak answered with a shrug.

Melak had to smile, "In that way, you're like him." He observed.

"I don't think so." Zak denied.

"He doesn't like to be pushed either." Melak explained and then moved closer and took Zak's arm.

Zak made no move to resist as Melak led him back toward the cargo hold, "Just don't keep pushing him, Zak, because he will kill you; and the next time, I might not be there to stop him." Melak advised.

Zak said nothing, and they continued on in silence until they reached the cargo hold.

"You still have a chance to do the right thing and let us go." Zak appealed as they stopped before the hold hatchway.

"We are doing the right thing." Melak replied, nodding to the Belaridian guarding the entrance.

The extremist returned the nod and triggered the door; Melak pushed Zak inside before removing the binders, "Think about what you're doing, uncle." Zak said, but Melak did not even acknowledge him as he left, sliding the door closed behind him.

Zak sighed, bowed his head and rubbed his wrists, "What did he want, Zak?" Ferri asked.

Zak huffed and shook his head, "To tell me how sorry he is that he is forced to this." He answered.

"Forced to...how does he figure he's being forced into anything?" Ferri demanded.

"He's twisted; Belarid's past has done that to him, and to those who follow him." Zak replied.

Ferri shook his head, "I thought that was settled after they discovered that Sith in the killing field." He said.

"Not for everyone, I guess. These extremists still think they have to kill their Force sensitive children." Zak informed him, "I'm sorry for you, though, Ferri; you should never have been dragged into this mess. I tried to explain that to Melak so he would let you go, but he wouldn't listen to me."

"He couldn't now, could he? I know too much." Ferri answered, "But at least they aren't actually going to kill us."

Zak grinned, "Now who's being an eternal optimist?" He asked.