Chapter 3 – Past memories
Kane and Jai were running as fast as they could in the snowy forest, trying to escape the Stormtroopers of the First Order. They were both very tired but they knew that if they stopped for even a moment, it could prove fatal to them. Kane was also worried that he could not use well the lightsaber, as he had not used it for years.
"Behind you!", Jai suddenly shouted.
Kane turned around and saw a Stormtrooper firing with his blaster at him. Kane fell on the ground, dodging the fire, and quickly activated his lightsaber, which emitted a green glow. He then used it to deflect the Stormtrooper's blaster and approach him. When he was close enough, he stabbed his lightsaber through the chest of the Stormtrooper, killing him. His blood spilled on the ground and painted the snow red.
"Two others to your right!", Jai said.
Kane turned to his right and saw two more Stormtroopers ready to fire at him. He waved his hand and the two Stormtroopers were forced pushed against a tree and lost their consciousness.
"Nice reflexes.", Jai noted.
"I did not expect that I could use the lightsaber that well after so many years. But how were you able to spot the Stormtroopers?"
Jai laughed. "As I've told you, ears can be more reliable than the eyes. I can hear even the slightest of sounds."
Before Kane could reply, Jai interrupted him, "Behind you!"
Another Stormtrooper fired at Kane but he easily deflected the enemy fire with his lightsaber. Seeing this, the Stormtrooper shouted: "I will bring you down with me!".
Kane noticed that the Stormtrooper was holding a grenade and was about to trigger it. "Run!", he shouted and he and Jai tried to run as fast they could but the explosion caused by the grenade shook the ground and caused Kane to fall on the ground and lose his consciousness.
Kane felt warmness. He opened his eyes and saw the sun shining on the clear blue sky. He could hear the sound of birds chirping, singing a melody more beautiful than that of any human singer. He was lying on a green field full of beautiful flowers. The flowers lay scattered on the grass like frozen flames. The sweet smell of the flowers cut through the soft scent of the grass.
"Where am I?", Kane wondered. He got up and looked around but he saw no one. Jai was nowhere to be seen. "What happened? I was in a snowy forest only a moment ago, if I remember correctly. Am I drunk? Or have I gone mad?"
As he was thinking about what had happened, he saw a woman walking in the grass. The woman was Arryn, his beloved.
"How is that possible?", he muttered. "I….I remember this place. I had just saved Arryn from some thugs and I was accompanying her back to her home. It was our first meeting."
Arryn turned around and seemed as if she was looking at him. Kane could not believe that he was seeing again the woman he loved after so many years. He did not care if this was real or just a dream. All he cared was that he was able to see her again.
"Arryn!", Kane cried out. "Arryn…."
But she did not seem to notice him.
"Arryn!", Kane shouted. "It's me! Kane! Don't you recognize me?"
Arryn smiled and Kane felt happy for the first time in years. But his happiness was not to last long. He saw a man who looked exactly like him walking past him and bringing a bouquet of sunflowers, white daisies and purple asters to Arryn.
'I remember this.', Kane thought. 'I had picked those flowers by myself and gave them to her. I still remember their fragrance. And how much she loved them...'
A tear slid down his face as he remembered those days. He saw himself and Arryn laughing and chatting and he could not but feel unimaginable sadness. He wanted for this vision to end. He could not bear see her any longer; for she brought back all of the memories he had with her. He trembled.
Suddenly, everything before him disappeared and was replaced by pitch black darkness. He collapsed to the ground and his eyes closed. When he woke up, he was lying on the floor of room full of thugs. He remembered that day. It was the day when he sealed his fate. It was the day that he made a mistake which would cost him everything he had and would make him lose everything and everyone he loved.
He and Arryn were in love and were seeing each other in secret. Kane's Master, Luke Skywalker, knew nothing about his student's relation. Jedi were forbidden to fall in love. At that time, a group of thugs were tyrannizing the people of Shao city where Arryn was living and were trying to force the citizens to sell their land at them at humiliatingly low prices. Among those blackmailed by the thugs was Arryn's father. As her father had refused to bow to the will of the thugs and sell his land to them, he was beaten by them.
Kane remembered how he had reacted when he learned of the news; he was enraged and determined to put an end to them. He did not consult his Master but went on his own to face them.
Kane saw the door being cut in half by a lightsaber. It was wielded by his old self. A Rodian thug approached him but with a swift move he beheaded him with his lightsaber. Another thug attempted to shoot at him, but he force choked him.
"No!", Kane shouted at his old self. But he ignored him. Kane was forced to watch his old self massacre everyone and show no mercy and he was not able to do anything to stop this. It was the day of his life for which he was most ashamed.
Of course this massacre did not solve the problem. The brother of the thug's leader wanted revenge. He organized an expedition which failed to kill Kane but killed Arryn. When Kane asked Luke's help and explained the situation to him, he was enraged that he had disobeyed every one of their rules, had gave in to his emotions and caused the death of innocents. Luke did not kill him or physically punish him but he exiled him from the Jedi Order.
Remembering all of this and how he lost the woman he loved and was exiled from the Jedi Order, he collapsed and lost his consciousness.
"Hey!", Kane heard a voice saying. He opened his eyes and saw that it was Jai talking to him.
"You finally decided to wake up!", Jai said.
Kane saw that he was lying on the ground and was still in the snowy forest. He had a terrible headache.
"What happened?", Kane asked.
"You passed out after the explosion and I had to drag you here in order to get away and not be found by the Stormtroopers."
"Thanks. But we cannot stop. We must continue running and reach the metropolis. We must find a way to get out of this planet as fast as possible."
"I agree.", Jai replied. "The First Order will send more troops here sooner or later. You are too much of a prize for them to lose."
As Kane got up, Jai shouted, "To the left!"
Kane turned to the left and saw three Stormtroopers firing at him. He was barely able to dodge the blaster fire and he quickly ignited his lightsaber and charged forward. The Stormtroopers kept firing at him but he easily deflected their fire. With a swift move he cut across the back of one of the Stormtroopers and sliced his lightsaber across the chest of the second trooper. The third attempted to escape but Kane used the force to pull him back and stabbed his lightsaber through his back.
"How many Stormtroopers has the First Order brought here?", Kane wondered.
"Too many.", Jai replied. "But this is no time for chatting. Let's go!"
'Blue Sky' was inside a tent and talking to Kylo Ren through a hologram projector.
"You've failed me yet again.", Kylo Ren said. "Maybe I should reconsider if you are worth the money I pay you."
"He cannot have gotten far away, my Lord.", 'Blue Sky' replied. "I am sure that the troops will find him. It is only a matter of time. I have always completed successfully all missions given to me."
"But Kane seems to always escape from you. Maybe I was mistaken to have hired a mere assassin to kill him. He was always powerful in the Force. I trained with him and I still remember his prowess. "
"I can assure you that-"
"If you can, kill him.", Kylo Ren interrupted. "If not, I will kill him myself. I am coming in person to Aurizur. He is far too dangerous. He must not escape."
The transmission ended and 'Blue Sky' was left alone, thinking of how to kill Kane. Suddenly he remembered a duo of killers suggested to him by an old friend a few days ago and used the hologram projector to contact them. Soon the image of a young man appeared.
"Are you 'Swift Sword' of the 'Deadly Lovers'?", 'Blue Sky' asked.
"Yes. And who you may be?", the man replied.
'Blue Sky' smiled. "A client and I have a job for you."
After hours of walking, Kane and Jai had reached the metropolis and were entering a cantina, hoping to find a pilot to get them out of the planet. The place was filled with the smoke of cigarettes, the laughter and voice of the costumers and the Jazz music of the Bith musicians.
"This is where the best pilots hang around.", Kane said.
"Do you have the money to hire one of them?", Jai asked.
"Don't worry. Our first priority is to find a pilot. We can worry about the money later."
Kane saw a man in his thirties with shaggy brown hair, brown eyes and wearing black shirt and trousers and a dark blue jacket sitting in a table in the left corner of the shop. He immediately recognized him; he was Vasil, a fellow Pazaak player he had met in Nar Shaddaa. He was part time smuggler, part time bounty hunter.
Kane approached him and said, "Hey Vasil, old buddy, how are you doing? Long time no see."
"Well, I just delivered a shipment here on orders of a crime lord.", Vasil replied. "How about you?"
"I'm doing fine but I need a pilot to get me out of this planet."
"I can do it!", Vasil said. "But I expect to be paid. Do not think that because you are my friend you will get a free ride. I have a Pazaak debt to settle and I really need some money."
"Of course. How much do you want?"
"7000. All upfront!"
"7000!", Jai shouted. "That's…."
"It's a deal.", Kane said, interrupting Jai.
"Good. See you in Dock 76. Bring them money with you."
"I will be there in two hours."
"Alright. I must be going now. I must inform the one to whom I owe the debt that I have the money."
Vasil got up and left the Cantina while Jai was left dumbfounded. "You have 7000 credits?!", he asked.
"No.", a smiling Kane replied. "I have only 500 credits."
"Then how are we going to pay him?"
"Well, we have two hours to win 6500 credits in Pazaak. Do not worry, I am very good Pazaak player."