Vader scratches an itch, Su has a new apprentice, Shaak sees some old pals and takes another step forward in her plan.

Thanks to followers: Amazing Spectacular Spider Man

Chapter 21: A Sight for Sore Eyes

Felucia, 9 BBY 6 months, 12 days

Shaak and Maris were planning an evening meal together, after the Zabrak had a rousing training session with the acolytes. The Master was preparing the main course, a steak of some Felucian small game animal that pleased her Togruta tastes. She had been able to duplicate some of her mother's best barbecue recipes by cultivating various pepper plants in the Felucian soil. Maris had opened a bottle of ale and was sipping it while Shaak was working the grill.

"So … Master, I think Xendar and Sanjip are rounding into good leadership material. They performed admirably with some of the newer people today."

"Oh?" Shaak gave an air of mock surprise. "That's good to hear. So, about the newer people. Do they look promising?"

Maris sighed as she took a swig from the bottle. The past four months had gotten off to a good start as some new Force-sensitive people had been found, two males (a Rodian and a Sullustan) and two females (a human and a Zygerrian).

"It's going to take some time. All four seem to have a good attitude, so we'll see. I'm a touch skeptical about the cat-lady. She seems to be a touch sly. What were your impressions of her?"

"Oh … I don't put too much stock in first impressions. We must be careful not to engage in prejudgment, Maris. Everyone has a story to tell. Let's give them the chance to tell it. A Zygerrian Force-sensitive … rather a rare thing."

"I didn't know the history, Master."

"Well, you of course were aware of that species' reputation of being slavers on the outs with the Jedi."

Maris simply nodded.

"So it was hard for us to find any possible adherents on Zygerria … but I'm not one to judge a book by its cover."

"OK, I hear you. I hope she works out."

Shaak was satisfied with the outcome of the grilling and pulled the steak off, shutting the flame down with a wave of her hand.

"Let's eat, shall we?"

"Ready when you are. That smells delightful and I'm starving."

As the two sat down together in Shaak's small dining area, their discussion ranged.

"Maris, I've been recently tracking Ahsoka Tano." She stopped and gauged her apprentice's reaction, then continued. "It seems she is doing a fine job of helping with intel and she and the Twi'lek Hera Syndulla have conducted some raids on Imperial shipments, yielding some useful supplies."

"Okay … I guess that's good. When do you think …" she paused to further chew her steak bite ... "we might start working with her directly?"

"No hurry on that. But I did notice something else … Barriss is no longer with her. It seems the Mirialan has basically disappeared."

Maris stopped chewing upon hearing that. "Really."

"Yes. And I'm at a loss to understand why. It seemed the two were growing close. Some of my contacts on Dantooine had told me of their relationship. I thought it all rather remarkable, considering what they had been through earlier."

"Uh huh, you had told me about the trial and all. Seemed like a dirty deal. I don't think I would be so forgiving."

"Yes. You surely would not," Shaak chuckled. "But Ahsoka, she's a special person. And I was quite interested to learn of Barriss's progress so I was tracking her as well. She was becoming wealthy and well-established on her home world, but she disappeared over a year ago, which is most curious."

"How was Barriss doing with the Force, did you happen to notice that?"

"I did, and it was remarkable. Her power was indeed growing and so was Ahsoka's. After the war, Ahsoka had reached new heights but then clearly had to go into hiding so I think she allowed her skills to degrade."

"Right. Use it or lose it, you always say."

Shaak chuckled again. "Yes. But Barriss was inspiring her to do that."

Maris gave a tight grin. "So what now?"

"I don't know … yet. I would really like her to continue her progress. Let's continue to keep an eye on her. Varda seems to have a good relationship with Ahsoka. Let her be our eyes and ears on this matter."

Maris laughed for a second, then grew silent as the two of them finished their meal.

Aboard Su's Light Ship, outside the Galaxy, 9 BBY 4 months, 20 days

Many days away from Group 17, Empress Su and her protégé Lizza had settled in for a long cohabitation. They had traveled far and seen many things, from various parts of the universe. Su had shown Lizza new powers – some regarding Force ability, but far more significant were knowledge and understanding. Lizza, once the Jedi Knight Barriss Offee, had left the Primary Galaxy far behind. Occasionally, she thought of her friend Ahsoka Tano and wished her well, but realized it would be a long time before they would ever see each other again.

You've got your life, my friend, and I have mine. I wish you the best, and we will meet again someday.

Lizza thought about some of the things she had seen over the past year, and one of the more remarkable in her mind was how few sentient beings were on the Light ship with her. There was always plenty of time to read and study and the Empress was never away for very long, but still she couldn't help but wonder if this amazing craft really did run itself. As near as she could tell, the ship was the size of a small, rocky planet some 4000 km in diameter and Su gave her more or less the run of the place. She could use a speeder and go anywhere she wanted but the surface of the ship could be any number of different layouts and changed often so it was quite easy to get lost. Yet every time it seemed she was lost, all Lizza had to do was concentrate via the Force and she quickly found her way back. Such roaming gave her progressively more confidence.

Another aspect of living on the ship was the amazing way it could navigate as quickly as it did without making any sound whatsoever. What kind of fuel did it use and where were the engines? Su was often mysterious about various topics and this one was the most elusive. Lizza tried to do some calculations. For example, what was the total mass of the ship? Lizza knew that a planet of this size would be some 10x e23 kg – a number unimaginably large, but considerably smaller than a planet such as Coruscant or Lianna. She also reasoned that, because the ship wasn't really a planet, the inner core of it could well be far lighter – whatever it was actually made of. Once, she asked Su how could something this massive be able to travel at the speeds it had to in order to cover the distances it did in such short periods of time. Su told her that the energy of a star had been compacted and harnessed and was actually inside the ship, but just how far down from the surface was only known to the Empress. But Lizza also knew that if she could come to understand the advanced level of technology at work here it would make her superior to just about anyone from her home Galaxy. A sobering thought indeed.

While gazing out at another beautiful day – the surface of the ship went through periods of light and dark that simulated being on a planet – Lizza was lost in contemplation, when Su soon appeared and came to stand next to her.

"Good morning, dear Lizza. I know you always have many things to ask me, but I thought that today we would start to understand the nature of mass and energy together. I have put us on a course to take us to a reasonable distance from a typical phenomenon – the remains of a super-nova from only about 6 thousand years ago."

"Did you see it explode then?"

"I did. And it was quite the show. In the process, I made some observations … some of them went into the power and drive systems I use on the ships."

Lizza sighed. "So that's part of what goes into it – the extreme concentration of power when a star is dying. You've just learned a way to control it as needed. But why is it so quiet?"

"My child, there is no sound in the vacuum of space as you well know. Nothing about that is different here. But I wanted you to observe the beauty in destruction. You will see the colors and patterns in new ways. Come, let's take a small journey."

With that, Su grasped Lizza's right hand and they were instantaneously transported to something that resembled a control room, but there were few instruments readily visible. Only a few screens along a bank with a few chairs facing it. They sat and she watched Su at work. The Empress waved a hand over one of the screens and a series of settings showed up. Lizza looked on with interest, as she had never been in this location before. The fact that Su was showing her this told her one thing – the Empress was trusting her with new responsibility. Lizza kept silent as she watched Su make the adjustments slowly, clearly so she could follow along. For all she could tell, this was mostly a programming of the navigation system to take them to some unknown (to her) destination.

"Observe, my child, how we set our destination – and our arrival time."

Lizza watched, but couldn't make out much of what Su was doing. All she knew was that the screen showing what amounted to the viewport was starting to rapidly change. Soon the planet-sized craft had gone into hyperspace.

"Where are we going, my Empress?"

"We will make a jump to a smaller galaxy in Group 24. We will be there soon – about one hour by our current reckoning. Let us rest for the duration."

With that, Su strode into an adjoining space away from appeared to be the ship's helm, and Lizza followed her. They plopped down in a sumptuous lounge area, a plush couch large enough to seat 15 comfortably. Su went into a meditative state, but pulled Lizza next to her and draped an arm around her, gently exuding warmth. Soon Lizza had dozed off.

When they awoke a bit later, they returned to the control room and could see a fabulous display – reddish and blueish wisps of what appeared to be gaseous clouds, which were probably light-years across. Su led her outside to a seating area and they looked up in the sky – it had become night as there was no nearby star.

"This is truly amazing," Lizza gushed, after sitting quietly for a couple of minutes. "I don't think I've ever been this close to something like this before. And to think we can just dial up any place we want to go and soon we will be there."

Su simply sat quietly, admiring her student. Lizza continued.

"I don't suppose this has anything to do with coaxium, does it …?"

"No. It's beyond that. A level of power and energy that few civilizations have ever possessed."

"But there are some others, right?"

"There are. And perhaps, someday, I shall take you to see them. Places which have no wars and the initiation of force against someone else simply isn't done. Where there are material needs in such great abundance that there is nothing to fight over, and the need to seek power and 'rule' over others is laughed at as the preoccupation of a simpler and less advanced mind."

"Can my Galaxy – the one I was born in – ever reach that level? All of my life, all I really wanted was to have knowledge and use it to help others. Being a Jedi seemed like such an honor … but it all went sour. Then I met you and it's all changing. I truly hope Ahsoka can join us … someday."

Su smiled, then put her arm around Lizza. "That day may very well come, friend."

This seemed to be good enough for the one who was once called Barriss. A way to seek everlasting life and understanding and to bring my dearest friend into it as well. It's all anyone could hope for.

Aboard Su's Dark Ship, outside the Galaxy, 9 BBY 2 months, 0 days

Empress Su had another world craft, but this one was far different. Simply as a point of reference, Su referred to this one as the "dark" world-ship and it had a far different appearance than the Light ship that she had introduced Barriss to. On this particular ship, very different developments were taking place.

The Empress had an ability yet unknown to the inhabitants of Group 17 Primary Galaxy, and that was the ability to transfer herself from place to place – within limits, of course – without needing any type of spacecraft. The various civilizations of Group 17 had long wanted to develop and perfect this ability but always fell short. Thus it had become considered knowledge that this was simply not possible. But Su knew otherwise and often made use of this ability herself and planned to show it to Lizza when the time was right.

On this occasion, Su had left Lizza behind on the Light world-ship and transferred herself over to the Dark world-ship. Both craft were at this time on the outside of a far more massive galaxy than anything to be found in Group 17. Su had no direct business with anyone or anything in this galaxy, the chief feature of what she referred to as "Group 50." After boarding her other ship – similar in size (4000 km in diameter) to the Light ship, but all in black, making it nearly invisible when seen in open space – Su boarded an internal transporter and, within seconds, she arrived at her destination, a small suite of rooms. Su waved a hand and the outer portal opened. She then walked for a bit and came to another portal which opened as she approached.

Standing – proudly – at attention, was a young female of about twelve years of age (if being measured by the standard year of Coruscant). She had beautiful light hair and a body of such perfect lines it was as if she was carved from stone by a master sculptor. Dressed in a simple white gown that went to her knees, the girl waited patiently as Su walked over to her in a relaxed fashion. "Greetings, my empress," was all she said. Su smiled and held out her right hand, palm facing downward, whereupon the girl curtsied and then took her hand and kissed it gently, then bowed deep. Satisfied, Su smiled and spoke.

"Rise, my child. Mama is here to see you. I hope you were not too lonely."

The girl shook her head slowly, while smiling. "I am feeling well. Delighted to see you again, it's been some time."

Su realized that was something of an under-statement. It had actually been almost an entire year, based on Coruscanti time, and the girl – who still had no given name by this time and was simply addressed as 'my child' – was expected to be relieved. Yet, outwardly, she gave no sign. Su opened her arms wide and the girl came forward to be hugged.

As she released her, she asked pleasantly, "how are your studies progressing?"

"Well, my empress. I have completed all assignments. Including the sabre creation."

"You may show it to me."

The girl raised her right arm and stretched out her hand. Within seconds, a lightsabre hilt flew into it. Su smiled, then nodded. The sabre was lit and the girl took one step and gave a crisp, clean cut with a stroke in front of her from a blade of clear white. She then stood at attention, the blade still lit, extending from her right hand.

"And the modification I asked for."

The girl deftly twirled the blade in front of her, passing it between both of her hands like a master drill instructor. Soon, its color changed from white to black – nearly resembling the famous "dark sabre" of Mandalorian legend. Still smiling, Su took one step backward, then raised her left hand and made a gesture, snapping her wrist quickly. A series of small spherical objects – about the size of tennis balls – were launched in the girl's direction. Almost effortlessly, the young woman gripped the sabre hilt with both hands, then made a series of pinpoint sharp strikes, neatly slashing each of the balls into perfect quarter sections, which fell to the floor in front of her master.

Su lowered her head and gazed at the objects below her, then raised a pair of them via the Force up to her eye level. Close inspection showed the precision of the cuts.

"Very good, my child. I am most pleased. This is not the work of a beginner. You are already the equal of any swordswoman of similar experience – that I have yet seen. A top-level expert could match your ability, but never exceed it."

The girl, knowing that her master frowned on any level of self-congratulation, simply smiled, while making only the slightest bit of a smirk. Su chose to ignore it. She was most impressed with her pupil's level of concentration, and the dedication it took to reach it.

"And the history, mathematics, physics, and chemistry texts?"

"All mastered, my empress. My work is stored in the system for your review."

Su's smile became a grin. "You have done well, my child. And you shall be rewarded. Mama is taking you on a trip."

"Thank you, my empress."

Su grinned some more, then pulled her again into an embrace, this one lasting almost two full minutes. The girl felt a strong current of warmth surging through her, and relaxed, let it in. Su released the hold, then grasped the girl's hand. Soon a sharp crack sound was heard and, in an instant, both she and Su were standing on an observation deck.

Su spoke softly. "Set heading to 245." The ship seemed to briefly shudder, then it was in hyperspace. Perhaps thirty standard minutes passed and they had dropped out. A planet – one of various colors of green and brown – came into view and then were transported to its surface.

"Master, may I ask, where are we now?"

"A nearby galactic group to G17. I call it G59. This is a system that I have appropriated for my own use. It contains planets of various types, one of which will be adequate for our purposes. This system is located in the mid-rim area of the galaxy, a smaller model than the primary in G17. There are various levels of civilization present in this galaxy, and they are being encouraged in various lessons … but that is not our concern at present."

The girl simply nodded, unsure of what Su wanted from her. Her master then came from behind her and placed her hands on the girl's head, one to each side. Soon she felt a charge entering her system like none before. Su kept her hands in place for a full minute, then relaxed. The girl fainted and Su caught her and lifted her body up then gently laid it on the ground. Su then held both hands in front of her and proceeded to inject electric current into the young woman, an exercise that took about two full minutes. When completed, she brought the young one back to consciousness.

"Rise, my child. Tell me how you are feeling."

The young one was a little dizzy and she shook her head for a few seconds. She looked at Su, then smiled. "I am good, my empress."

"Excellent. Now, hold out your hands and aim at that vegetation over there," Su said as she pointed to a small grove of plant life. "Then you should know what to do next."

The young woman nodded, then proceeded to blast her new power of electric current. The grove caught fire and burned brightly.

"What next, my empress?"

"That is all, my child." Su smiled, and waved a hand, extinguishing the blaze, leaving some of the plants still alive, while others were charred. "I want you to practice your new ability over the days to come, using different amounts of current and pinpointing exactly where to strike. I will return in seven rotations to observe your progress."

Soon, she had transported them back to the Dark ship and its engines soon engaged, carrying them into hyperspace.

Lianna, 9 BBY 2 months, 8 days, 14 hours

Darth Vader was traveling through the Outer Rim, when an idea came to him. His TIEx1 ship was in hyperspace, heading for the Pyke Syndicate world of Oba-Diah after a status check in the Scarif System. Progress was satisfactory on the Death Star project, Director Orson Krennic had assured him, but he had to see for himself. The Pykes had an Imperial contract to produce more coaxium and their recent mining on Kessel had been promising. En route, he had a sudden urge to visit someone he hadn't seen in over three years – the beautiful chairlady of the Santhé-Sienar organization.

The meeting with the Pyke leaders went quickly and he determined they were holding up their end of the contract – after doing some mind probes, which weren't hard to do with the likes of the Pykes. As he left, he had considered going to Mustafar for a bit but then that urge came. He dropped from hyperspace and quickly charted a new course for Lianna. The journey would take about eight hours so he caught some sleep and arrived fresh – at least as fresh as someone in his circumstance could hope to be. As the lovely turquoise colored disc of Lianna showed in his viewport, another memory came to him from his previous visit. It was how he felt when he left her company – almost at ease and relaxed, as he gently took her hand and approximated a kiss, while complimenting her beauty. How rare it is that anyone – or anything – seems beautiful to me …

He decided to contact her directly, as Valles had left him instructions. Once he reached out to her, he received a coded reply, telling him to proceed to her private docking station at the top of the Tower. She was ready once he arrived and checked her look in a mirror inside her private dressing area. Valles sparkled in her loose-fitting short dress of bright pink satin and her matching pumps. Her hair had been tied back, so she loosened it and spritzed it with a seductive scent that worked its magic slowly. Well then, Anakin, so you have returned … you shall indeed be welcomed, my Lord. Valles chuckled to herself, then strode out of the room and proceeded to greet him personally at the docking station. She stood calmly, awaiting his arrival, looking out over the city. It was a typical sunny afternoon with a slight nip in the air.

The TIEx1 was finally visible and Vader docked it and debarked, entering the observation area where she awaited. His heart felt a sensation upon seeing her again. She might be even more beautiful than ever. Valles curtsied slightly as he appeared, smiling broadly.

"Welcome to Lianna, again, my Lord. I hope you are feeling well," she chirped brightly.

Vader immediately detected her pleasing aroma. "As best as could be expected, my Lady."

"If you please," she said gently, leading him to her office, where they then sat together in a comfortable lounge area.

"Might you have some cold water?" he asked.

Valles nodded, and pressed a button on her com device. Lasivia Borges, her trusted assistant, entered the lounge and brought a canister.

"For your pleasure, Lord Vader," she said softly, then curtsied and left.

Vader quickly produced his drinking tube and attached it, whereupon he drank generously, realizing he'd been quite thirsty. He then turned to Valles.

"My dear Lady Valles, I was sorry to learn of the death of your grandfather. He was a true friend of the Empire."

Her expression turned serious for a second. "Yes, it's been a difficult time, but we are moving forward. How kind of you to remember."

They sat quietly for a few seconds, then she broke the silence. "What may I do for you, Lord Vader?"

He then realized that she had already done it, as his mood had improved greatly. Valles clearly was Force-sensitive, but so practiced at concealing it he found it rather pleasing. She could feel him reach out to her, so she returned it, emanating a softness that soothed his many aches – it wasn't a pain deadening drug, but more of a replacement with something pleasant. As she did this, she smiled sweetly while looking past the mask. I've found the way to get through, my Lord. Another subtle hand gesture and then she pressed a message. Are you quite certain you are getting good information from your subordinates? Their agendas may not align with yours.

Upon processing her message, he frowned internally. In response, he seemed to acknowledge the truth of the matter. You are of course correct, my Lady. He then spoke aloud, "do you have anyone in mind?"

Another chuckle from Valles. "Any organization such as this has many ambitious people." Left unstated by Valles was her recent intelligence brief that informed her of the Death Star project, a subject that was clearly on a "need to know" basis. To her surprise, Vader opened up to her, clearly feeling he could trust her – not a normal reaction from him, but she had penetrated his outer psychological defenses and was now inside.

"My Lady, how perceptive of you … you are as wise as you are beautiful."

She laughed. "Well, Anakin … I can assure you that your trust in me is not misplaced. The further glory of the Empire serves me just as much as it does you. My only agenda is for my own firm to continue our beneficial partnership."

Hearing the name Anakin this time did not bother him as it might have earlier. Somehow, he knew of her genuine feelings toward his long-ago self, and, try as he might, the past still had a hold over him. But he must keep this from his master …

"Lady Valles, the project continues. He has been convinced this is the way to keep things under control."

She chuckled, "perhaps a different sort of name might be effective … I've been thinking of referring to it as the Peace Keeper – because with order there can be peace and prosperity."

Vader simply nodded. "I … agree. My Lady, I would appreciate your wise counsel on this matter going forward."

"I would be honored, my Lord. My firm is embarking on some new projects that might align well with the battle station. Might I ask, is there a more direct role for Santhé Corp at this time?"

"Not that I am aware of. But I will keep you apprised of the situation. Someone like yourself who is a more neutral observer would greatly help me. The Emperor needs to trust in my support and this can be most … useful."

"I think this is wise, my Lord. He needs to have you in that position."

They continued their chat a while longer, then Vader reached out again with the Force, asking for understanding. Normally this was something he would see as a sign of weakness, but she was again supportive. They both stood and walked over to the windows, looking out over Lianna City and the beautiful parks and other public spaces below. He turned to her and completed a breath cycle.

"My Lady … I am … gratified by your support."

She placed a hand on his shoulder gently. "Again … my pleasure."

Muunilinst, Obtrexta Sector, Northern Outer Rim, 8 BBY 11 months, 25 days

Keeping a promise she'd made to herself, Shaak Ti arrived aboard the Intrepid III on the "banker's planet" of Muunilinst on a cold but sunny day. Arrangements were made beforehand with her contact, Mak Plain. Plain had once been the Inter-Galactic Banking Clan representative on Coruscant during the Republic days but had returned to his home world where he still served the IGBC but the organization was no longer the influential group it had been.

Toward the end of the Clone War, the IGBC had come under the aegis of the Supreme Chancellor, but when Palpatine became Emperor, he no longer had much interest in financial matters. Like with much of the Imperial Administration, the day-to-day grind of government had devolved to various Imperial ministries and former IGBC people from Muunilinst had gradually taken control of the Ministry of Finance. The Emperor was fine with this, as his one-time Sith Master had also been a Muun – Hego Damask, secretly Darth Plagueis – and he knew they were the masters of all things financial.

During her latter days in the Jedi, Master Ti had assumed responsibility for managing the Order's accounts – after all, these things didn't just take care of themselves, and so she invested the funds on Muunilinst in private banks not part of the IGBC but still affiliated with it. Plain's status had declined – along with his personal finances – since the fall of the Republic, and leaving Coruscant seemed like a downgrade. However, Shaak Ti had reached out to him (as "Madam Tea") some five years after the Empire had taken over and found him most amenable to creating a financial relationship. Both of them had a mutual need to be off the Imperial radar and she gradually transferred what had once been Jedi Order funds into new accounts that Mak Plain would look after. So long as the value of these accounts headed higher, everything was fine. Shaak had ample funds to draw from and Plain was paid a generous retainer.

But there were other interests that drew her to the planet. Early in her time with the Jedi, she had become something of an apprentice to Count Dooku, who tutored her in financial matters after she had passed the Trial of Knighthood around her 17th birthday. The Count had once taken her to Muunilinst and she saw firsthand about the vast deposits of gold and platinum contained on the planet. Unknown to her at the time, Dooku was also a confidant of the wealthy Muun financier Hego Damask. When Damask died in about 32 BBY, Dooku had taken her to Muunilinst and showed her a mining venture that would provide its owners a vast fortune – but no shaft had yet been sunk. Dooku agreed to give Shaak a half-title to anything that could be recovered from the mine. In return, she would be his ally in a campaign to reform the Jedi.

About seven years later, Shaak had become a Jedi Master and was elevated to a seat on the Jedi High Council, replacing Yaddle, who had mysteriously passed away on the planet Mawan, in the Galaxy's Colony Region near the Core. Once on the Council, Shaak returned to Muunilinst and located the secret mine via the Force. Later on, in a bar in Harnaidan City, Shaak struck up a friendship with a pair of Twi'lek prospectors. Keeping her Jedi identity secret, she told them of the mine and they agreed to sink a test shaft, which successfully yielded a platinum vein. Recovering a few small ingots, Shaak then traveled on the planet to the capital, Mariunhus, where she first met with Mak Plain while looking to begin a banking relationship for the Jedi Order. The two became friendly and Shaak agreed to move Jedi assets to accounts located at a bank in the capital. She then showed one of the nuggets to Plain and indicated he could keep it as a down payment to show her good faith.

Shaak then returned to Coruscant and the Jedi Council and informed Mace Windu of her actions in setting the account. Explaining that she had "another source" of wealth, she promised that the Jedi funds would steadily increase in value. Mace saw the value of such an arrangement and agreed that Shaak would be the best Master to look after the accounts, and that their existence would be known only to him and Master Yoda, who also approved of the arrangement.

So it was that seventeen years later, Shaak had returned to Muunilinst again. Mak Plain was pleased to see her and they met in his office on the 44th level of a gray tower somewhere near the center of town, among other banking and insurance headquarters. The banker had been reduced to various schemes to keep the credits rolling in, among these being a seller of reinsurance and private asset management for middle class clients that paid him modest fees. Shaak arrived at his office wearing a dark green velvet robe over her green dress of handmade silk that she had grown on Felucia. She did not have her lightsabre with her on this occasion, preferring to leave it on the ship. As she entered the office, Plain rose to meet her and they exchanged vows.

"How gratifying it is to see you again, friend Shaak," he uttered in a low voice, carefully making no reference to her past as a Jedi Master.

"And you, my old friend. I won't forget what you did for me … then."

"So what I might I do for you … now?" he chuckled.

"It is time for you to set me up with a new line of credit. It will be fully capitalized."

"How much are we talking about … my lady?"

"About fifty million." Shaak smiled. "I will be providing the collateral later today."

"In what form?"

"Bullion."

He nodded appreciatively. "Ah. Hard money is the best money."

It was her turn to chuckle. "I knew you'd like that."

"When might I expect it to arrive?"

"Later … probably in the morning. I have to meet with some … contacts."

"Might I treat the lady to lunch or supper tomorrow?"

"Provided we keep a low profile. I see no harm." Shaak smiled and looked him in the eye. She rose and gave a slight curtsy. "Until tomorrow, Mister Plain."

As she headed out of his office, Shaak pulled out her com device and tapped it.

"Tor? Yes, it's me. I'm not far away. Can you send a speeder?"

Shaak rode the lift down to the 25th level, then stepped out onto a platform. Soon a dull blue speeder arrived and she hopped in, then punched in the destination. The vehicle whisked her away, and about an hour or so later, they had left the city and were in some open plains, finally arriving at a spot where there was no one nearby. The speeder set down and up walked a stocky, orange-complexioned Twi'lek, wearing overalls. His lekku were smudged but he had on a big grin. As Shaak started to dismount from the speeder, he took her right hand and helped her to the ground.

She laughed softly. "Tor Bohcala, you old dust eater, how are you?! It's good to see you again."

He returned her laugh, gently slapping her upper back. "Shaak Ti. You sure are a sight for sore eyes. More beautiful than ever." He paused and stepped back a little, trying to take in her whole form.

"How nice of you to notice," Shaak chuckled. "So … have you got something to show me?"

"Well, my lady, do you think I'd call you out here otherwise?" The Twi'lek laughed again, causing his lekku to dance around. "Let me take you …"

With that, Bohcala jumped into the speeder and put it on manual override. Shaak calmly got back in next to him and they were off. After about five minutes, he stopped the speeder and they got out and walked for a few seconds. Tor ducked down and Shaak did likewise and they entered what appeared to be a kind of cave. Another Twi'lek greeted them.

"Vim, this is our client, the beautiful Miss Tea."

"Shaak, meet Vim Himdur, he's from Ryloth, an experienced miner – though you wouldn't know it to look at his baby face…"

Shaak laughed as she shook the man's hand.

Vim bowed to her. "I'd give you a bonnet but I'm not sure you can get it on over those lovely ears of yours, lady."

Shaak grinned. "I'll be fine."

Vim was a burly guy compared to most of his species, and one of good nature. Like many Twi'lek males, he was attracted to Togruta ladies and Shaak was no exception. Her basic elegance was a real draw. She and Bohcala followed him in as he lit the headlamp on his helmet. They proceeded to walk down a short incline and then came to a large table, upon which were a series of platinum ingots.

"These are 99% pure, Madam Tea. I've rarely seen this level of quality."

Shaak chuckled. Thank you, Count. I appreciate this part of your legacy, at least. She hefted one of the ingots and found it rather heavy, about 10 kg. "You did a fine job casting these. How much ore would you say is readily available on this shaft?"

"Madam … I'd say several hundred kilos, all easy to extract. From the looks of this strike, I would expect much more in the immediate vicinity."

Shaak nodded. "Very good … I'd like to carry about five of these back to the City with me."

"Absolutely, ma'am. We can load your speeder, and Tor will help you in town."

"You've done well. Let your crew know how much I appreciate their fine work. I will take care of all of you."

Muunilinst, Mariunhus City, 8 BBY 11 months, 24 days

The next morning, Shaak awoke at her hotel in the capital city and contacted Mak Plain.

"Sir, might you be able to meet me for breakfast here? I'm at the hotel."

"Yes, my lady. I will see you at the café."

When she arrived, Plain had reserved them a quiet booth. Shaak slid in and punched out an order on the table console. Soon, a serving droid showed up with mugs of caf and some small seafood strips for the two of them. Shaak also ordered a green salad.

"So … Madam Tea … You now have your collateral … Am I correct?"

"Yes."

Shaak continued to crunch her salad, then sipped some herbal tea.

"I think you will find it most adequate. It is ready to be placed in your vault as an escrow holding."

"Of course, Madam."

"And I've some good news. My financial position is looking brighter by the day. This is just the start of what will be a fruitful relationship."

"Glad to hear that."

Plain was most eager to rebuild his reputation on Muunilinst and find a way to become one of the "Core Five" – a long held and cherished dream, that would signify his arrival as a top player in Muun banking circles. He would likely require no less than a trillion credits, so the goal was quite far away, but Shaak was the type of person that could help him get there.

"Mister Plain … my next move will be to transfer a half-billion credits to my account in your bank. This represents the majority of my holdings on Muunilinst at the current time."

Shaak had done well in managing what remained of the old Jedi funds, with some well-timed trades and other investments enabling her to grow the total some 300%. The Master was always shrewd with money matters and Dooku had been most impressed with how quickly she grasped various principles. Now, that education was being paid back many times over. Shaak never spent any sum unless it was for a purpose that would later reap a solid return. Even everyday things such as food and clothing were areas for thrift. On Felucia, she produced all she needed from local plants and animals. Bigger ticket items such as coaxium had to be budgeted for, but for the most part, Shaak spent little and earned much.

"Even better, Madam Tea. Just send word to me privately when you are ready to make that move."

"I shall." Shaak took a full breath and sipped her tea some more, then finally asked what she really wanted to ask.

"Mak … I've been meaning to ask you something. I am a student of history as you likely know, and I've been puzzling over something."

He stared at her directly. "Whatever could it be, Madam?

"It has to do with someone named Hego Damask. I've learned that he passed away some 24 years ago. Might you know anything about that … and … why Damask Holdings paid the cloners on Kamino to create an army at that time?"

Plain stared at her some more, then tried to answer.

"I can tell you this much. Damask Holdings was a secretive organization. Yes, he did die – under mysterious circumstances – on Coruscant. I was, as you know, stationed there, in my role with IGBC. Hego was getting on in years – he was well over 100 – but it was not as though he was in poor health."

"Hmm," Shaak muttered. "Of course, that was the time that Palpatine became the new Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. And I later learned it was also when Master Sifo-Dyas used Damask money to build the army for us – an army that later turned on us while we were in the heat of battle and perpetrated the Purge. How much of this did you know about?"

"Very little, I'm afraid, Madam Tea. Except the allocation of Damask money at that time. I was working in the bank that handled those payments. Things were kept quite secret, but I did some asking around."

"Go on," Shaak replied, softly.

"Well, I knew that the Kaminoans were skilled at that sort of thing – harvesting clones and all – and when I learned they were to build an army for the Republic, my guess was that someone believed that army would be needed sooner rather than later … but I had only a suspicion."

Shaak simply nodded and finished her tea. Plain continued.

"About ten years later, my suspicion was proved correct. Suddenly these soldiers appeared – fully grown."

"Did you have any conclusions about the nature of the war?"

"Not so much at the time, but we all knew – after the fact – their real purpose was to kill the Jedi, and not to fight the Separatists – who, by the way, did some major damage to Muunilinst."

"Yes, I am aware of that, but you all have rebuilt quickly, just as they have on Lianna."

"Interesting that you should mention Lianna."

"Why is that?"

"Because the great Kerred Santhé was a major client of ours during my earlier career here."

"Interesting …" Shaak again pondered, stroking her chin. "But, was it at all surprising to you when the war ended so quickly on that day the clones turned against us?"

"It was at first. We were all led to believe the war had a genuine purpose. But it really did not."

"So why build clones?"

"The answer, Madam Tea … is not that complicated. They could be programmed."

"Programmed to follow orders … but that's what any soldier is expected to do."

"Exactly. But wasn't it a little strange, when, we were being told all through the war that the Jedi were the good guys and we should want them to win? And the cloned soldiers were carrying out the will of the people … but all of a sudden it changed."

Shaak nodded vigorously. "We were almost taken totally by surprise."

He shook his head slowly. "But somehow, you survived. Seems like a miracle."

"It really was, to be honest. I was just in a right place, right time scenario. So I was able to get away."

"Madam Tea, I was one of the few on Muunilinst who admired the Jedi. It's not something I'm comfortable saying in public, you understand …"

"Indeed I do. We made serious mistakes, however. But I'd like to ask you about Kerred Santhé. Did you meet him?"

Plain chuckled. "I actually did. He wasn't a big man, kind of average in stature, but he had a presence. I rather liked him. Understood money, and how to use it. It's not surprising he was a friend of Damask."

"Hmm," Shaak said with a smile. "What do you know about his daughter?"

"Not much. But his granddaughter … that's another subject entirely."

"How so?"

"She's got that look in her eyes. She was on Muunilinst not long ago. Very charming. Beautiful, in almost every way … but, she has a cold heart," Plain said wistfully.

"You spoke with her? We're talking about Valles, yes?"

"Yes, indeed. Oh, I did have the pleasure of her company not long ago. She and some of her corporate underlings were here, trying to get buy-in on some venture – I never found out much in detail – but she walked around here as if she owned the place. And no one was willing to let her think otherwise. You see, Madam Tea, she's incredibly rich."

"How rich, exactly?" Shaak's antennae were up.

"Trillions, maybe more. And she's clearly after more, and still so young, not even 30 years."

"It seems as though you liked her, nevertheless."

"I'd be lying if I didn't agree … they say she's single, unattached."

Shaak chuckled. "It's rare that a Muun cares about such things."

He had to laugh. "Guilty as charged, my Togruta friend."

Shaak realized she had to get going. "Well … my friend. As they say, all good things must come to an end. I've got places to go. It's been great catching up and I hope we can reconnect again soon. I will be in contact."

Mak Plain also stood and escorted Shaak to the exit of the café. Her bag was packed and she was headed for the spaceport and the Intrepid. As she boarded the speeder taxi, she waved goodbye. Plain stood for a while, watching her disappear.

To be continued …