Chapter 21
"Good, Benji. I'm glad you're awake." Mirax Terrik entered the room and walked toward Benji's bed. He was sitting up, playing a game on a datapad. The game helped to distract him, to keep him from thinking about the last few days. Dankin had taken the brunt of the physical damage, but the mental trauma had been directed primarily at Benji. And yet, despite the horror they had experienced, everyone had made it out alive. That victory made everything bearable. He had faced the demon from his nightmares and he had survived.
Mirax's eyes flicked to Dankin's still unconscious form as she passed. "I have something for you," she continued, hefting a large fabric box onto the foot of Benji's bed.
Mirax was a friend of Benji's parents. Benji knew she was married to Corran Horn, a powerful Jedi within the Order. Benji thought she had even babysat him once or twice, when he was younger. All this meant Benji had no fear of Mirax. However, he did not remember her ever giving him a gift before and he vaguely knew that Mara found her untrustworthy. He noticed that the side and top of the box had mesh panels and Benji could see a flicker of something within. This was not the flowers or small toys that were usually given to acquaintances in the med ward.
She seemed to pick up on his uncertainty because she added, "Here, I'll open it for you." She unzipped the mesh panel on the top and reached inside the box. For a moment Benji thought she had pulled out a stuffed animal. It was a smoke grey ball of fluff, much resembling Niki in a different color. But as Mirax set the fluff next to Benji he immediately saw that this whisperkit was not like Niki at all. This whisperkit was alive.
The creature sniffed Benji carefully, and then rubbed her head against his chest, her long ears brushing against his chin.
"She likes you," Mirax said with a smile. She then reached in and removed another creature from the box. This one was a fiery red and Mirax set her right in front of the box, a bit away from Benji. "This one takes a bit to warm-up to you," she explained.
"We found them stowed away in the cargo hold of my ship a few weeks ago. They reminded me of…well, Jysella used to have a kit…" Mirax trailed off, pain clear in her eyes and voice. After a moment of composure, she continued quickly. "I just didn't have the heart to abandon them. But they can't stay here; this base is no place for pets."
The grey whisperkit was curled up in Benji's lap, purring audibly. He delighted in the sound as he stroked her soft fur. "I don't know. My dad…"
"Nonsense," Mirax said, cutting him off. "I'm sure your dad will be fine. In fact, I believe he may be waiting for me now—I'll let him know." Mirax headed out into the hallway, pausing in the doorway to add, "You better start thinking of names. As soon as you name them, they're yours."
Mara was seated in the middle of a long table in a conference room adjacent to the med center. Aves was a few seats down, and across from her were a couple of officials in NRI uniforms. What the NRI was doing here she didn't know. Nor did she know how Aves figured into any of this. She still wasn't sure where he'd been before flying to the rescue at Faughn's request. Clearly, there was a lot more going on than she had yet been let in on. The meeting seemed far too formal to be an impromptu response to the last mission, yet Mara was sure Mirax had not been planning it when she first came by a few days ago.
Luke entered and sat beside her, soon followed by Mirax who sat next to the NRI officials.
"What's going on?" Mara demanded.
"Patience," Mirax replied. "You of all people know he likes to make an entrance."
Mara's eyes narrowed, she didn't know who Mirax was referring to and was in no mood for games. She was about to get up and leave, preferring to stay with the injured than deal with Mirax for another moment, when a door in the back of the room swept open.
Standing in the doorway was the last person Mara expected to see. But also the person whose appearance was never a surprise. Talon Karrde.
The red whisperkit had sniffed around Benji and allowed him a few pats on her head, but then had jumped off his bed to explore the room.
The grey whisperkit had reacted by placing her front paws on Benji's chest and rubbing her face against his cheek.
"Jealous, are you?" Benji asked with a laugh.
The whisperkit mewed in response and he noticed for the first time that she had a perfect triangle of white over her nose. "Snip," he said thoughtfully. "What do you think of that name?"
She mewed again, in what Benji decided was agreement. "Snip it is, then. Just one more name to go," he said, visually searching the room for the other kit. He found her curled up on Dankin's stomach, one eye closed, the other half open as though keeping watch.
"Well, Snip," Benji said softly, "I don't think I can name her. I don't think she's mine."
"I will explain everything," Karrde said as he entered the room, preempting any questions from Mara. "Starting with Aves." Karrde nodded acknowledgement to the blonde-haired smuggler. Aves did not seem to be the least bit surprised to see Karrde. Apparently Mara was even more out of the loop than she realized. "I'm not sure how much you know, but I know he has been out of contact with you for a while. That is my fault.
"You see, Aves approached me, requesting assistance. He saw that the company's ranks were getting thin. Knowing that you were busy with more important things, he intended to hire me as a sort of independent contractor to help find more suitable employees and replenish the ranks. At first I did not realize you were not involved with this idea, and for that I apologize, Mara. But you must understand that Aves did not tell you because he was afraid you would be offended by an offer of outside help, yet he could see the company would not survive the way things were going. I believe he thought you would be more accepting of the deal if the details were already worked out.
"At any rate, I was more than happy to accept the offer. However, I found myself rather indisposed when first contacted. You see, retirement did not sit well with me. I stumbled upon a bit of information, and having nothing but time on my hands, I rather foolishly decided to do a bit of investigation. The intricacies of what happened are a story for a different day, but suffice it to say I found myself deep in the Unknown Regions confronted by an enemy I though was long since vanquished.
"I had told Aves just enough to cause him great concern when I did not respond to his comms. Fortunately for me, NRI had some of the same information I did and found me during their own investigations. If not for their intervention, I would not be here before you today. Because of that debt I agreed to help them."
"If I may?" one of the NRI officials stood, looking pointedly at Karrde. With a hint of reluctance, Karrde handed over the floor, taking a seat at the end of the table. The NRI official stared critically at Mara, as though not sure he wanted to be speaking to her. After a moment, he tapped the controls embedded in the table and a star map displayed over the surface of the table. He indicated various points on the map as he spoke.
"As we all know, the galaxy has been threatened by three separate invaders in the last fifty years. The Ssi-Ruuk, the Vagaari, and the Yuuzhan Vong. Fortunately, all these invaders have been turned back, and the galaxy we know remains free from their oppression. The last thing this galaxy can afford, especially considering the current state of civil unrest, is a resurgence of any of these extra-galactic threats.
"Republic Intelligence has, since the day each of these invaders was defeated, been monitoring for any hints of resurgence. A few weeks ago, we got our first pings, indications that the Ssi-Ruuk were beginning to test the borders. Within days we had similar pings for the Vagaari and the Vong. We could only hope that this was a mistake, surely you can imagine that a three-way invasion would leave the galaxy in tatters. As we searched for more information—which is where we came across Talon Karrde—we became confident that this was no mistake and no coincidence. Not only do all three invaders appear to be preparing for attack, there is evidence that they are working together to plan that attack.
"This situation is absolutely unacceptable." The official pounded the table with his fist and stared hard at Mara. "This is where you come in."
"Our analysts have determined that our best, and perhaps our only, shot against this threat is to unravel the alliance. If we can get the invaders to fight themselves, they may wipe each other out, or at least reduce the numbers remaining to antagonize our galaxy. Turning the invaders against each other will require a series of precise, carefully orchestrated assaults. We are in the process of forming a few elite teams to carry out these strikes. Talon Karrde has insisted that we will find no one better suited to this task than you, Mara Jade. We need the first strike team to leave immediately."
Shutting down the starmap, the official once again stared critically at Mara. He seemed to expect a response, but Mara simply stared at the wall beyond him. She found it extremely difficult to care about extra-galactic threats and precision assaults when members of her crew were in critical condition. She'd followed the explanations just enough to see that there wasn't really a choice to make.
Perhaps intending to fill the silence while Mara made up her mind, Mirax stood and began to speak. "If you accept this mission, you would of course be given the ship and the crew of your choosing. I then propose that the remains of your company would be integrated into mine. All your current employees would be offered similar positions within my company.
"Regardless of your decision, I have already offered Aves the position of liaison between my company, NRI, and the strike teams."
Mara looked to Aves, who offered her a small smile and a slight shrug. It sounded like a perfect job for him; he'd be a fool not to take it.
Then she turned to Luke. She had felt the reverberations of his conversation with Corran and was surprised at how calm and confident he seemed.
A day ago he had asked her to join him as he walked away from all he knew. When he had asked they had both been seeking to escape from the past.
Now she was about to ask him the same question. But this time, instead of fighting against the past, they would be fighting for the future.
A week later and deeper into the Unknown Regions than he'd ever been before, Luke strode down the main corridor of Incident Alley. The ship positively shone all around him with gleaming panels and bright lights. Although he hadn't taken much note of what the ship looked like when he'd first started travelling in it, he knew it had been battered and in need of sundry repairs. Now it was in top working order, appearing brand new. Mirax and the NRI had really outdone themselves, turning the vessel into a perfect cutting-edge machine in only a few days. The ship was ready to go as soon as the crew was released from the medical ward.
Luke entered the common area was happy to see the entire crew was present. Mara entered from across the room just as Luke arrived. Odonnl looked up from a datapad and nodded a greeting at Luke. Luke was pleased to note the swelling around his eye was almost gone—he'd be good as new in no time.
Pormfil and H'sishi were playing dejarik in the corner. Dankin was stretched out, dozing on the couch with two whisperkits curled beside him. Mara gently shook him awake as she passed by. Benji and Ghent were at the table, playing a computer game. Faughn sat on the couch across form Dankin, studying a stack of flimsies.
Fingering a data chip, Luke announced, "I have something I'd like to show. Everyone is welcome to view it."
"What is it?" Benji asked, eagerly taking a seat in front of the holoprojector.
"It's my last act as Jedi Grand Master. I gave a copy to Corran. He should be playing it at the High Council meeting any time now." Although clearly uncertain what to expect, the rest of the crew gathered around as Luke started the projector. Luke was glad for their interest. Whether they were Jedi or not, he wanted an audience. He needed Benji to know how serious he was.
Luke's image appeared and began to speak. He hadn't known how to properly introduce what he had needed to say, so he had cut right to the point. "The Jedi Order, under my guidance, has become very rigid. The rules are strict and the punishment for testing those rules is harsh. Because of these rules, many people, many capable, Force-sensitive individuals with a variety of skills to offer, have been turned away from the Order.
"There were reasons for these rules, reasons I felt were righteous at the time. But now, on the dawn of a new day, I see vividly the mistakes I have made. And there are many. I regret that I have caused many to follow me in my folly, and that those who have not followed have often suffered as a result.
"But I do not speak to you today to outline every past misstep. There is not time enough to list them all. Instead I approach you with one recommendation, one request for the future.
"I propose to introduce a new class of Jedi. To be known as Jedi Paladin, this class will be roughly parallel to Jedi Knight. Jedi Paladins are those Force-sensitives with unique gifts, skills not common among Jedi Knights. Jedi Paladins have varying levels of connection to the Force, some may have only the faintest attunement. But each of these Paladins is a valuable asset to the Jedi Order, an asset that has been largely overlooked before now. Jedi Paladins are scientists, diplomats, slicers, mechanics, doctors, and engineers.
"Jedi Paladins will not be strictly beholden to the Council and its official missions, but rather are allowed and encouraged to seek pursuits beyond the purview of the Order. Paladins will spread the Jedi message of compassion and peace to all corners of the galaxy.
"It is my hope that the introduction of Jedi Paladins will make the Order more accessible to more people, so that more gifted individuals will be able to commit themselves to the service of others.
"Thank you for your consideration, and your service." The small image of Luke gave a final bow to the camera.
Luke shut off the projector and turned to his son. Benji's eyes shone with excitement, and he radiated an eagerness Luke had never before seen his son show for anything Jedi-related. "Dad, can I be a Paladin?" he asked.
"Of course," Luke replied, hugging Benji tightly. "You can be anything you want." For a moment he fought back tears, wondering why it had taken him so long to make even this small connection to his son. Luke loosened his embrace, his hands coming to rest gently on his son's shoulders as he continued. "I'm serious. You don't have to be a Paladin. You don't have to be a Jedi Knight. You don't have to be a Jedi at all. From now on, Benji, all I want you to be is happy."
Mara set a gentle hand on Luke's back as he released Benji. "You did good," she said softly.
"You know, I wasn't just talking about Benji," Luke murmured as his son, still smiling, returned to his computer game.
"I know," Mara replied.