Chapter XXXII - One Less Sith
Several Days Earlier
Shadow Town was a dark, dingy place; part of the seedy underbelly of Nar Shaddaa. Toward the bottom of the planet-moon's vertical city, Shadow Town received minimal natural lighting and the worst of the moon's atmosphere. The streets were narrow and cluttered, and the buildings were structurally massive to support the better parts of the city above. Shadow Town was just what you'd expect from its name, a dim and dubious place both physically and socially - the kind of place you'd find the worst sentients in the galaxy; like a Sith Lord. Unfortunately, my surroundings echoed my inner mood at the moment. Master Din's holo-call from three days ago was still glowing like a hot cinder within me, and Kira sitting next to me was like a bellows fanning it.
We had expressed our harshest words toward each other after the holo-call, and it seemed to create an unbridgeable break between us. I could not help blaming her for every frustrating part of my life at the moment. It wasn't rational but was driven by a strong feeling of disrespect and condescension, two things I could not tolerate. Taking a quick glance at her, I noticed she had her eyes closed and was meditating, preparing for the conflict to come. She could feel my animosity toward her, I was sure of it because I could feel hers in return. It was one of the things a Master-Padawan bond produced, an acute affinity toward your partner. That Force bond was intended to make the Master and Padawan work together as one, supposed to produce empathy and camaraderie, and supposed to make them stronger. Between us, the bond was like two equal poles of a magnet being forced together; the harder one tried, the more violent the reaction.
Chatter on the com drew me away from my brooding. The SIS covert ops team was moving into position and relaying telemetry to the Republic assault teams standing by to start their distraction. General Var Suthra was adamant that we execute the last stage of the mission in force, insisting that the Republic military be involved. I was leery of bringing non-Jedi units into the fight, having had bad experiences with those assets in the past, but I could not change his mind on this. The Hutt authorities had gotten involved after Agent Galen burned down several blocks of an industrial sector four days ago, and they wanted me and Kira served to them on a platter to placate the local authorities. It took Republic Ambassador Averdon reaching out to my father and some serious negotiating to calm things down. In the end, General Var Suthra had to disclose the seriousness of our situation and explain the danger the Hutts faced due to Lord Sadic's plans. The sensitive and depreciative situation had everyone on edge, especially the Republic leaders. We could not screw this up – that was the message to everyone involved.
It was the Hutts who insisted that we infiltrate Shadow Town in force. Apparently, there had been other complaints about the place, and the Hutts were using us to clean up their own problems. Ostensibly represented as a police training exercise, teams of local law enforcement began sweeping into Shadow Town several hours ago. The SIS covert ops teams were supposed to focus on the Excelsis Corporations complex to locate Lord Sadic and his production facility. Once the signal was given, Republic assault teams would create diversions all around the area to draw away Imperial forces. Then, sapper droids were to breach the perimeter of Excelsis Corp and create more chaos, pinpointing the Sith Lord's location in the process. In the end, it was up to Kira and me to finish him and collect the Power Guard files.
"Jedi Dwar?" Commander Gad's voice came through my earpiece. "We're in position."
"Okay," I replied confidently, "let's do this, people."
An explosion rocked the ground from nearby, and small-arms fire began to echo around the buildings on either side of the alley we were in. The diversions had begun. Police sirens began ringing out and flashes of light flicked across the gray, dura-crete building facades. Activity started increasing, even in our dark alley. Curious people poked their heads out of windows and doorways, and suspicious types began scurrying away from the sirens. Several tense minutes passed by when the chatter over the coms grew chaotic, and then I heard my name called again.
"Jedi Dwar, should we begin our infiltration?" Commander Gad asked.
"Go," I urged. We were stationed several blocks away from the main Excelsis building, waiting for our cue. A new set of voices entered the coms and made listening impossible. "Cut my com feeds," I grumbled, "I only want to hear the leads."
"Affirmative," sounded a com coordination droid as the noise in my ears lessened dramatically.
"Talk me in, commander. What's happening?"
"The teams are at the perimeter now . . . we have contact with minimal resistance."
"Get a location on our target fast," I added. "We can't afford to let him get away."
"I know," the commander muttered back. He'd been pounded on the same as me by the higher-ups. Don't worry about collateral damage, they said, just end the conflict.
Time seemed to tick by slowly, and I glanced over at Kira who saw my look and gave me a flat smile before looking away. I could sense she was anxious about what was to come. Fighting Agent Galen had been tough, I still had the burns to prove it. Lord Sadic was a Sith Lord with who knows how many Power Guards to back him up. This fight would likely be our hardest yet.
"Resistance is stiffening," Commander Gad complained. "We're losing droids fast." As he spoke, blaster fire and detonations could be heard coming from the Excelsis building's direction.
"We're moving in," I stated. My body was so tense that I couldn't stay still anymore, and I began jogging toward the back of the alley.
Kira caught up to me. "We don't know where Sadic is yet," she stated.
"I want to get closer," I replied.
"We've got a problem," Commander Gad's voice spoke sharply. "Imperial assault teams are leaving the building and spreading out into the streets. They don't look like normal soldiers."
"Power Guards," I grumbled.
"Looks like they're trying to set up an outside perimeter. Some are heading your way."
"Okay," I answered. "We need to avoid them," I said to Kira. "I don't want to get bogged down fighting in the streets."
Kira nodded. "How 'bout up?" she suggested. I bobbed my head in agreement and she Force leapt up into the dim shadows above the street lights. Sensing she had found a ledge a dozen meters above, I Force leapt after her, landing on the overhang just behind her. She hurried forward to the corner of the building and went around it, leading us closer to the Excelsis building. I heard noises below us, and suddenly concussion rounds were shot at us. The Power Guards had infrared sensors and found us.
"They've detected us," I said into the com. "Converge the assault teams and try to get their attention."
"Roger that," came a reply from the military channel.
"Don't engage them," I added, "just get their attention. I don't want casualties."
We had to Force leap several times to avoid the concussion blasts. Once, Kira leapt across the alley to the other building, having to hold on when a blast shattered dura-crete and plex-glass near her feet. The Power Guards were climbing the walls toward us, and another team had entered the alley near the base of the Excelsis building. Things weren't looking good. Suddenly, hover droids appeared over our heads and began shooting at the Power Guards, not with normal blasters which would do little against their shielded armor, but with gel rounds, a sticky, heavy substance designed to slow down and immobilize. Several Republic hovercraft appeared at the back of the alley we had come from and began opening fire as well. The Power Guards stayed focused on us, but the distractions were enough to keep us ahead of them. Kira Force leapt down onto the square just before the entrance to the building, and I was right behind her. We Force ran through the ruined doorway, hearing fighting deeper within.
"Where are we going, Commander?" I asked urgently.
"No contact yet," he replied.
"Dammit!" I cursed.
"I think I sense him," Kira replied at my side.
I looked over at her, seeing the confidence in her eyes. "Go," I urged her.
Just as she turned to move out, two Power Guards crashed through the entrance and charged us. I rushed them, igniting my lightsaber and dodging a concussion round as it shot past down the hallway. They weren't ready for my attack, still fumbling with their rifles, and I slashed away at their shielded armor desperately trying to get through. Behind me, Kira set off a container charge, sending a plume of sparkling dust past me into our enemies. Instead of engaging them, I Force pushed them both back through the entrance they had just charged through.
"Go," I urged Kira again, seeing more Power Guards rushing across the courtyard.
We Force ran and leapt down hallways and into a stairwell. I wasn't sensing what Kira was, but going somewhere was better than just wandering aimlessly. Hopefully, she was on the right track. She Force leapt whole flights of stairs down into the basement, and we burst out of the stairwell into a dim service hallway filled with Imperial personnel. Chaos ensued as weapons were drawn and people started screaming. Kira Force leapt over them, still leading us toward our target, blocking blaster bolts with her double-bladed lightsaber and cutting several Imps down as she landed.
"Converge all droids on our location!" I ordered over the com. There were too many Imps around us, and the Power Guards would be on us soon. Things were looking perilous.
Kira was unstoppable, whirling and leaping onward. Imps started giving her room after watching their comrades get cut down. It was all both of us could do to dodge and deflect the blaster fire aimed at us as Kira surged forward around a corner. We were close. I could sense the dark lord now, toward the end of a dim dura-crete hallway with a black matte floor and behind a set of double doors. Unfortunately, an Agent Galen-style Power Guard stood in the doorway, and suddenly, behind us, a concussion round impacted the wall and sent debris everywhere. The blast killed several Imp soldiers coming behind us and filled the hallway with dust. Power Guards were everywhere. I strode forward, determined to get to the Sith Lord responsible for all of this destruction.
The Power Guard in front of me fired his flamethrower, and I Force pushed the incendiary goo back onto him, causing the doorway to fill with orange flames. Things became desperate as Power Guards came around the corner and opened fire with their concussion rifles. Luckily, we both dodged the rounds, and one traveled down the hall to strike near the flame-engulfed Power Guard, throwing him back into the room beyond the doorway. I leapt toward the rifle-armed Power Guards as they fired again. One of the rounds impacted the ceiling just past me, knocking me hard into the wall as I came down. Desperately, I righted myself and slashed out to cut off the ends of their rifles. A tight melee ensued, and I was driven back by the two of them until Kira set off another container charge. Without their shielding and cybernetic implants, I was able to cut them down, but there were more behind them, and the flame-throwing Power Guard had recovered and was back at the doorway.
Things looked grim. We were trapped and unable to get to the Sith Lord. The short-circuiting dust cloud was keeping the Power Guards behind us at bay for a moment, and I rushed forward to engage the Flame-throwing Guard. Suddenly, rockets flared and shot toward us. Desperately, I put both my hands out and Force pushed as hard as I could down the hallway. One of the rockets spun back toward its source and the other one angled into the wall halfway toward us. The explosions rocked the building, knocking Kira and me to the floor and hollowing out the doorway where the Flame-throwing Power Guard had stood. Thankfully, in that moment of stunned disorder, the cavalry arrived. Sapper and assault droids had entered the basement from where we came and were firing on the Power Guards behind us. The broken doorway before us was a roaring inferno, and I wondered how we were going to get through it as I sat up and shook my dizzy, ear-ringing head.
"Stay down," Kira said beside me.
I looked over to see her reaching into her belt to pull out a grenade. She gave me a nervous look and then lobbed the charge into the inferno. The Flame-throwing Power Guard had remarkably reappeared with his weapons raised just as the grenade went off. A blast of icy cold air rushed over me as I raised my arm to shield my face. Kira had thrown a cryo grenade. I rose quickly to my feet and looked at the ruined doorway. Most of the flames were out and a crystalline sheen sparkled on the floor and walls. The Power Guard was still alive, his shielded armor saving him, but frozen to the floor in a half-fallen position with his weapons iced over. Quickly, I ran forward and Force leapt through the opening into the room beyond, desperate to reach the Sith Lord. Kira dispatched the frozen Power Guard and then followed me.
Two rooms deeper into the basement, Lord Sadic stood in the middle of the Power Guard laboratory with several elite Power Guards by his side. It appeared as though the Sith Lord was Power Guard enhanced, standing taller than a man should with cybernetic enhancements bristling out of his face and limbs. He was not running - but was standing ready to fight. I slowed as I approached him, and Kira came up beside me.
"So, it comes to this, Jedi," Lord Sadic's cybernetically enhanced voice resonated from his chest. "I was worried that you wouldn't make it through my little distractions," he stated, waving an enhanced hand at the chaos behind us. "It would have been a shame to be robbed of killing you myself."
"Your little game is at an end, Sadic," I replied to his baiting.
The Sith Lord laughed. "You have no idea how powerful I've become."
It seemed like the Sith Lord was going to start monologuing, but Commander Gad had taken my last order literately and a wave of droids came clattering into the room, firing their weapons toward Sadic and his guards. The final battle had started. I focused on the Sith Lord, knowing he would be the most dangerous, but that was not as easy as it seemed. His elite guards rushed me, trying to kill me first, and I ended up in a two-on-one brawl with the toughest Power Guards we'd faced. Lord Sadic went after Kira, and panic sank in as we were pushed further apart. I used Force skills desperately, trying to push and pull the Power Guards off balance and into each other. Kira was keeping her distance from the dark lord, but in frustration, he lashed out with Force lightning. Desperately, I leapt away from the Power Guards to get the Sith Lord's attention. He spun on me and attacked, throwing lightning at me that I barely caught on my lightsaber. I Force pushed him but it did nothing. Kira attacked him from behind, making him cancel the lightning and enter a saber duel with her. I tried to press him on his blind side, but the Power Guards were on me again.
The battle went back and forth, and it was the droids and their gummy gel shots that ironically made the difference. The elite Power Guards seemed to shrug off everything else except the green globs that stuck to their weapons and armor, shields or not, and began to encumber them. I was able to finally ignore them and go after Lord Sadic when they became blinded by the goo stuck to their visors. Kira was still keeping her distance defensively, but she looked to be wearing out. I rushed forward to get the Sith Lord's attention, my bright blue lightsaber slashing against his dark red one furiously. We fought brutally and Kira joined the attack, but the Sith Lord just seemed to get stronger. Laughing, he pulled his arms together, and I felt the Force coalesce around him. Then, a Force blast rushed outward and swept Kira and me backward despite our wards. A moment of fear crept in as I rolled to my knees some distance away from him. Lord Sadic was a combination of Sith Lord and Power Guard, a seemingly unstoppable force.
He walked confidently toward me. "Once I've subdued you," he spoke, "I think I'll add you to my Power Guard elite. That would make Darth Angral happy, I believe."
I drew on the Force as deeply as I could and rose to my feet. At the same time, I felt a stronger surge in the Force, and Kira cried out as she charged. She sensed as well as I that we were in trouble and had risen to the challenge.
Kira, I urged her in the Force, we need to use Force skills against him simultaneously to break through his ward. Her green blades whirled as she moved in to attack and I rushed forward from the opposite side. Lord Sadic lashed out at me with lightning as he fended off Kira's attack, and we both responded with Force push against him. The battle continued with our combined Force skills starting to throw the Sith Lord off balance, and finally, one of Kira's slashes hit home on his thigh, cutting through cybernetics and flesh to cause a deep wound. Enraged, the Sith Lord threw us back with another of his powerful Force blasts and then charged Kira. I scurried to my feet and rushed to her aid but watched hopelessly as he knocked her lightsaber out of the way and poured lightning into her body.
She screamed in agony as sparking flashes of purple light sprayed off and through her, illuminating her skeleton like an X-ray. I screamed in anger and Force lept the remaining distance to attack him, making the sickening sound of the lightning burning Kira's flesh end as he spun to defend himself, but the damage was done as Kira slumped to the ground unmoving. Lord Sadic backed away laughing, and as I glanced down at my fallen padawan, something snapped in me. His laughter, the taunting sound of it, made my blood boil, and I turned on him with a clarity and purpose I had never felt. The Force seemed to rush into me like a silent wind as I steeled myself.
"Come to me, Jedi," Lord Sadic kept mocking. "I will teach you the true power of the Force." Glancing around quickly, I saw rows of Power Guards standing just outside the room, waiting for something. "Yes, your little assault failed," he continued, "but I don't need their help in finishing you."
I was going to rush him - but then thought of a better plan. With my left hand, I lifted the fallen form of a sapper droid into the air and flung it at the Sith Lord. At the same time, I Force pushed him. He blocked my skill and sliced the droid in half with his lightsaber, laughing at my efforts. I did not get the result I wanted and stepped forward to do it again. Lord Sadic slashed a second droid's frame apart easily as it flew toward him, but this time his lightsaber cut through the weapon mount on the droid, sending green goo spraying everywhere. Some of it got onto Lord Sadic's legs and arms.
"Please," he laughed, "do you think this will help you?" Despite his mocking, Kira's wound and the goo had made him less mobile. "I can crush your mind with my will," he bragged, "you have no hope of beating me."
I rushed him then, using Force push to distract him as I closed. Our lightsabers met with a flash of energy, and we went into a tight exchange of parries. I was a better swordsman, despite his ego and cybernetic enhancements, and in the brief exchange managed to slice into his shoulder. Angered, he launched lightning at me which I blocked with my lightsaber, but then he Force blasted me again, throwing me backward and to the floor. Lightning followed, searing into my legs before I could get my lightsaber around to block it. I screamed out in pain and frustration, my eyes skimming past Kira's fallen form as I turned to face my opponent. The Force seemed to still be flowing into me, filling me up, and I could feel my skin prickle with energy as Lord Sadic strode toward me. He cast lightning again, but I blocked it and rushed forward to engage him saber to saber once more. We fought, and my Force aura surged outward. I could sense his motions, feel his attacks, and anticipate his thoughts. After a quick exchange, I struck his arm with my lightsaber, but his battle armor absorbed most of the blow.
He surged outward with his will, and I sensed a Force blast coming, but this time I surged out to meet it with my ward, using all the Force inside of me. Lord Sadic's eyes shifted right before he released his Force blast, sensing my counter, but it was too late. The blast rushed into and around my ward, skidding my feet back a foot on the ground, but Lord Sadic took more of the blast, having to step back a few paces.
He smiled at me wickedly. "Good," he hissed, "tap into your anger. It will make you a better Power Guard when I defeat you."
I had had enough of his comments and used my enhanced connection with the Force to lift one, then another of the fallen droids and hurl them at him. He pushed a few aside and slashed a few more apart before I attacked. The fighting became furious then - when our Force skills were even. He didn't rely on his saber skills, knowing that I could best him, but attacked with his free hand and leg kicks in a desperate attempt to overwhelm me. It almost worked when a free-hand punch landed on my shoulder and sent me flying to the floor, but I used the Force to correct my landing and jumped back to re-engage him. Several more moves and I managed to get in a devastating blow, slicing off his offhand at the elbow. Lord Sadic howled with his cybernetic voice as he stumbled back, his haughty expression gone.
I moved in to finish him, and he lashed out with a quick Force choke that was so strong it broke through my ward and closed on my throat. Desperately, I struggled to break free, but the pain grew worse. Anger welled up inside me. I'm not going to die like this! I screamed inside. A flash of light caught my eye as the choke almost finished me, sparkling off the remains of a droid nearby, and with my draining Force energy, I lifted the droid and threw it at Lord Sadic's head. He was so focused on crushing my throat that he didn't react in time and the droid slammed into him, knocking him silly. Instantly, the choke was gone, and I sucked in a ragged breath. Lord Sadic was angrily struggling to throw off the droid remains, which had gotten tangled up in his cloak, and I seized the opportunity to Force leap over his head, thrusting my lightsaber out as I came down to stick him in the back. He thrashed at me with his lightsaber, but I ducked under the swing and then ran my blade through his chest. Lord Sadic grunted as the lightsaber drove through his vitals. I twisted it harshly, unsure how much cybernetic enhancement he had, and then pulled it free and stepped back. His eyes looked at me in shock and anger for a moment before they clouded over and his form collapsed to the floor.
As soon as his body fell, I looked over at the Power Guards in a panic, but the cybernetic figures seemed to freeze up and then began to fall over too. Apparently, they were linked to Lord Sadic and unable to operate independently. A thrill rushed through me knowing that I had won, followed by a wave of fatigue, and then anguish as I remembered Kira. Rushing over to her, I knelt on the ground and gently rolled her onto her back. She was alive, with a weak pulse and shallow breaths. Nasty welts on her face and neck showed where some of the lightning struck her. Slipping my arms under her, I picked her up. Her Force presence was erratic and seemed to be fading, as if her soul was slipping away. I faltered for a moment to think about what to do. This wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to be a good master - supposed to protect her. With her weight in my arms, I struggled to activate my wrist com.
"Gad," I choked out as my feet started toward the exit, "Commander Gad?" Static rang in my ears for a moment. I picked up my pace, thinking I was too deep in the basement to get a signal. "Anyone out there?" I called again.
"Jedi Dwar?" came an unknown voice over the com.
"Yeah," I sighed. "I need a medic on my position, and hurry."
"We took quite a beating up here," the voice responded. "The damn super soldiers were everywhere. I've got your signal, and I'll see what I can do."
I kept walking – through the ruined doorway where the Flame Power Guard was and into the wrecked hallway with fallen Imp soldiers, droids, and Power Guards littering the floor. "Don't die on me, Kira," I muttered, "not like this. I gotta have a chance to make things right."
I was exhausted when the shuttle finally landed on the platform next to the Defiant. The assault teams and SIS operators were in shambles around Excelsis Corporations complex. Over a dozen squads of Power Guard soldiers had stormed out of the complex and engaged the Republic teams, causing many casualties and wrecking whole blocks of Shadow Town. They had to call in reinforcements and even the Hutts got involved, sending in Nar Shaddaa security personnel. A medical shuttle took Kira aboard and stabilized her, but they flew her to the hospital staff at the Republic embassy for better treatment. The way the medical droids were working on her seemed to indicate that her fate was still in the balance. Commander Gad had been injured in the fighting as he tried to get into the building to support us, and I worked with his second-in-command to secure the laboratory and remove the critical Power Guard files before anyone else could poke around. As the reinforcements streamed in and the area was locked down, I felt my presence was no longer needed and made my way to the shuttle drop zone. As the ship lifted out of Shadow Town, I got a call from General Var Suthra. He had just heard the news that Lord Sadic was dead and the Power Guard project destroyed. I told him about Kira being injured and that it was going to be hard to hide the Power Guard project from outsiders considering all the enhanced soldiers lying around the battlefield. That was the General's problem. I was too worried about Kira and too exhausted to care as I made my way into the ship. Trudging up the ramp, I heard a voice above me.
"Jaren," B'Zeya stated, "what happened? You're a mess."
I glanced down my body, noticing scorch marks, green goo, blood stains, and tears in my clothing. My eyes drifted back to the lilac-colored Twi'lek, noticing her look of concern as she hung onto the railing at the top of the ramp. "It's over," I sighed, almost to myself as much as to her. "The mission is done . . . a Sith Lord is dead."
"Cenny!" B'Zeya called out to her sister urgently.
"It's okay, Bzy," I said when I reached the top of the ramp next to her. "I'm all right. It's Kira that's hurt this time."
"What happened," Cen'Zeya said sharply as she hurried toward me from the back room. "What do you mean Kira's hurt?"
"The Sith Lord almost killed her," I sighed. "She's in the hospital in critical condition."
B'Zeya reached her hands out to touch my arm, and it was only then that I realized that I was shaking. "You need to sit down," she urged.
"No," I mumbled, "I need to get this shit off me and take a shower." I looked down at my ruined clothes again. "Then I will sit." I moved past them toward my room.
"What Sith Lord?" Cen'Zeya asked harshly as she followed me. "You didn't tell us you were going into danger."
Frustrated, I turned on her in my doorway. "Cenny, please," I sighed, "not now."
The twins followed me into the bedroom but didn't ask me any more questions. When I started fumbling with my clothes, B'Zeya came over to help me get them off. Cen'Zeya watched me angrily, seeming to carry on a whole conversation with her gaze.
"He's probably thirsty," B'Zeya said as she looked at her sister. "Can you get him some water?"
Cen'Zeya walked deliberately to my small chiller and pulled out several of my mineral waters. Her eyes burned into me as she walked up and handed them to me. The fewer clothes I had on and the more looks I got from Cen'Zeya, the more awkward I felt.
"I'm fine," I said, brushing B'Zeya's hands away gently. "Give me some time to take a shower."
B'Zeya looked up into my eyes anxiously. "Is there anything else I can do?"
I shook my head.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, glancing at Cen'Zeya.
"I'm famished," I replied.
"Okay . . . well, you take a shower, and we'll prepare you some food," B'Zeya said hopefully.
"That would be nice," I agreed.
The twins left, and I shucked the rest of my clothes to get in the shower, staying under the hot spray longer than I needed to get clean, hoping the wet heat would refresh my tired muscles. My mind drifted toward Kira, who was out when the medical shuttle lifted off. Word from the hospital was that she was stable as the shuttle flew me home, but that was almost an hour ago. I was still worried. I shut the shower off and went to get dressed, feeling like I needed to get to the hospital. The twins were sitting in the cubby talking softly when I stepped into the holo-room after my shower. Cen'Zeya gave me a look and got up to go into the storage room.
"The food's almost ready," B'Zeya said as she shifted over to let me sit. "Do you feel better?"
"Yeah," I nodded as I sat down. "I'm just exhausted . . . and worried about Kira."
"We thought you went to meet someone in the Republic Sector?" Her eyes looked at me, concerned and inquiring.
Cen'Zeya came out with plates of food and shot me a glare before heading back for more. I knew she was mad at me, and B'Zeya seemed upset too, but I wasn't sure I liked that they were being protective of me. It wasn't their place to be involved with my decisions and responsibilities. Their feelings were another sign of the complications that had arisen between us, and that didn't help my already saddened mood.
B'Zeya was looking at me intently, waiting for me to say something. "We did go to a meeting in the Republic Sector," I agreed before looking at the plates in front of me and grabbing a napkin and some silverware. Part of me hoped that the conversation could end there, but I could still sense frustration from B'Zeya when I began to dish out some fried rice onto my plate. It smelled spicy with chunks of vegetables and white meat. Cen'Zeya brought out some flatbread and drinks and distributed them to us before sitting down opposite me and taking a helping for herself. The twins were eying each other as we ate, and I got the sense that there was a silent conversation going on between them. They share everything, the thought echoed through my mind.
"You seem in a hurry," Cen'Zeya observed as she nibbled on a bit of her bread.
"I need to get to the hospital to be with Kira," I stated between bites.
"How serious is she?" B'Zeya asked.
"She got fried with Force lightning," I sighed, "on her face and chest. She was out of it when they loaded her on the med-lift."
"Force lightning?" B'Zeya replied anxiously.
"Yeah, it's a Force skill that Sith like to use. It's pretty nasty."
"Did you get hit with lightning?" she added with a gentle hand on my arm.
"I did get hit on my leg, but it wasn't bad, not like Kira's."
"How did you end up in such a fight?" Cen'Zeya asked thoughtfully.
It felt like a pointed question, but I treated it as an honest one and explained how Kira and I had flown to the Republic Sector for a meeting with the new SIS chief, and how in the middle of the meeting critical information was brought to our attention and the planned assault was moved forward. I explained the whole story to the twins, hoping that once they understood that the mission was over, they would not be as upset about not being informed. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect.
"You met the Hutts?" B'Zeya chirped. "The ones who run this planet?"
"Not in person," I countered, "they were on a holo-call."
"They wanted to arrest you?" Cen'Zeya asked across the table.
"I don't think it got that far, but they were pretty upset about an Industrial Sector going up in flames." I could tell my explanations were making things worse, and I wanted to leave and check on Kira, so I got up and stretched. "Look, it's over, the bad guys dead, and everyone's happy with me, including the Hutts. Now, I gotta go check on my padawan."
"How long will you be gone?" B'Zeya asked as I started to walk away. "Should I wait up for you?"
"Don't wait up," I said with a look back. "I don't know how long I'll be. Thank you for the food, Cenny," I added before heading toward the hatch.
Kira spent a couple of days in the hospital for observation, but thankfully, her injuries weren't as serious as they seemed. Apparently, the Force lightning to her head had rendered her unconscious and a little out of it when she came to. Her heart rate and breathing were erratic, but the doctors were quickly able to stabilize them, which left only some electrical burns on her head and neck. I still felt bad for what happened, even though she told me that it wasn't my fault. The sight of her lying on the ground after absorbing so much purple Force lightning still haunted me, and I felt like it was my responsibility to keep that from ever happening again. It was a busy few days of visiting the hospital and meeting with the different teams that took part in the Shadow Town mission. General Var Suthra was upset about the casualties that his men took, and we lost several more SIS operatives as well, but the mission was over and it seemed like we managed to get all the Power Guard data back.
Lord Sadic, typical of evil, power-hungry people, kept the project to himself, not wanting to share the newfound power with others. I told the general that he should make sure the research was destroyed. The twisted forms of the Power Guards that I fought were a testament enough to the despicable nature of the project. I had just gotten a good night's sleep and was looking forward to a normal day when I got a message from Ambassador Averdon. Apparently, he had pulled some strings to have Kira and I given an award at some diplomatic event going on that afternoon. I told him that it wasn't necessary, neither Kira nor I were in the mood to deal with politics at the moment, but he insisted, saying that it would further placate the Hutts and give the Republic assets on-planet a needed boost. So, we both dressed in our best outfits and flew to the Diplomatic Sector to be honored.
"You ready for some butt kissing?" Kira said as she looked over at me on the steps leading up to the embassy. She looked good in a white dress with gold accents, her golden-brown hair tied up in a fancy bun. I noticed some extra makeup on some of the bruised areas where she was injured.
"I'm never ready for that," I muttered as the doormen stepped forward to open the massive carved doors for us.
"Well," she shot me an amused look, "at least in the political sense."
"Very funny," I spat back, surprised by her innuendo. "Hey," I added as we entered the main foyer, motioning her to the side. "Before we get into the formal antics, I just wanted to let you know that you fought well against Lord Sadic . . ."
"Yeah," she broke in, "right up until he roasted me with lightning."
"I mean it, you fought hard and gave him everything he could handle."
Her hazel eyes seemed to sparkle. "This is weird," she said thoughtfully. "It's almost like you care."
I felt a little hurt by her words. "I've always cared, Kira, it's just that we see things very differently. When you went down . . . well, it wasn't easy for me."
"You don't have to tell me," she grinned, her way of deflecting with humor. "I almost thought of telling the doctors to remove your visitation privileges because I couldn't handle your doting."
"Doting?" I repeated, turning to walk down the hall, "I was concerned. Don't blow it out of proportion."
"I loved the look you kept giving me," she continued while trying to keep up.
"What look?"
"You, know, the look a boy gives when he realizes he broke his mother's favorite vase and is going to get a whooping."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied defensively.
"Right, and you weren't worried that you would get into trouble because you broke your padawan."
Of course, I was worried about that, but the way she was saying it made me sound self-absorbed and callous. "It was more than that," I answered as we walked up to the large interior doors to the main hall. Doormen swung them open for us and a steward was waiting just inside to receive us. "Maybe you can't handle the fact that I'm more than the selfish caricature you've created in your head."
She didn't have time to answer before we were announced and had to settle for giving me a 'not a chance' look instead. The presentation wasn't just for us, thankfully, but had representatives of all the teams at the battle. There was even a Hutt present at the reception, Bareesh Fenn'ak Torill, whom the Republic was trying to befriend. Commander Gad of the SIS was there, as well as the newly appointed Chief Pragg. Captain Zuk, the leader of the Republic assault teams was there as well, and a robot walking around with a holo-image of General Var Suthra, who could not attend in person. The ceremony saved Kira and me for the last - and had us march down the aisle to a raised podium to receive medals. I didn't have to give a speech, which was a relief, and instead shook hands with Ambassador Averdon and my father and bowed to the Hutt while people gave an ovation. After the ceremony, when Kira wandered off to talk to the soldiers who med-lifted her out of Shadow Town, my father managed to corner me. We had only said a pleasant greeting before the event began, and I could see all kinds of opinions behind his diplomatic gaze.
"There's the man of the hour," he stated as he reached out to clap my shoulder. On his arm was a Pantoran woman with pale blue skin and pinkish-white hair dangling down her front and sides in multiple elegant braids. She was stunning. "This is Rayyo," my father added when he noticed my gaze, "she's a staff member of the Pantoran delegation to the Hutt Cartel."
"It's so nice to meet you," she stated in a sweet voice, holding out her hand to me.
I gave my father a lost look because I had no clue what Pantoran etiquette was, and finally decided to take the delicate blue hand into mine and simply bow my head to her. "It's nice to meet you," I replied.
She drew her hand back after I let it go and smiled in a way that told me I had done something wrong. "I've never met a Jedi in person before," she stated, her big yellow eyes looking up at me intently.
"It's not that big an honor," I replied, glancing at my father to notice he was enjoying my discomfort.
"Oh, but it is," she went on, reaching out to touch the medal hanging on my chest. "You were very brave, I heard. I can't believe you defeated a Sith Lord."
Vensor, my father's long-time steward and friend, walked up to us with a tall, thin human woman. "Congratulations, Jaren," he said with a smile.
"Yes, yes," my father chided, "I'm trying to have a moment with the hero and you people are butting in." He waved his hand to ask for space. "Rayyo, darling, would you mind finding us something to drink?"
"Of course," she smiled, realizing my father wanted to be alone with me.
After she left and Vensor had moved off to talk to some other dignitaries, I was alone with my father. We studied each other's faces for a moment. I was a little taller than him but much broader. My father had a thinner build but was more handsome, at least that's what some of my female friends had said. He was better dressed than me in a tailored and sophisticated suit with our family colors draped across the front.
"You didn't wear your sash," he stated when he noticed me sizing him up.
"I was representing the Jedi, father, not the family."
"It doesn't hurt to do both, does it?"
"I think the Jedi Council would think it does."
"Whatever for?" he groused.
"Something about separating yourself from family entanglements and not holding connections to the past."
"That's ridiculous," he replied. "They need a statesman on that council. The notion of separating themselves and not caring about political issues is a bad idea. It makes them seem aloof and uncaring."
"You might be just the man for the job," I joked.
"Not on your life," he frowned. "Speaking of your life, I'm proud of your accomplishments."
"Thank you."
"However, risking your life and my reputation on crazy stunts is not what I envisioned for my eldest son. So, when are you going to give up on this crazy idea of joining a cult and do something sensible?"
"The Jedi are not a cult, Dad," I grumbled.
"The more you talk about their ideas, the more I'm convinced of it."
"I'm not giving up on being a Jedi," I replied confidently, looking my father in the eyes. "I'm good at it, and I believe there is a purpose to my gift."
"Gift, you say," he frowned. "Cefron doesn't have your 'gift', and he's doing really well at school. I get the impression that he'll become a great statesman."
"Well then, problem solved," I replied, trying not to let him goad me with brotherly competitiveness. "Your second son can follow in your footsteps and take on the family mantle while I'm free to pursue my dreams."
He just grinned at me. "Well, your little distraction may prove profitable. I've been able to make some good connections with the Republic while trying to smooth things over with the Hutts."
"I'm glad I could be of help," I muttered as my eyes scanned the room for help. A distraction from my father's irritating conversation was in order, but Kira was way across the room still talking to soldiers.
"Kira's a pretty nice catch," I heard my father say next to me. He had followed my gaze and was watching her. My father was a shrewd man. Not many things got past his keen observation.
"She's not a catch, Dad, she's my padawan."
"Whatever you want to call her, it doesn't bother me." He turned his eyes toward me, it was a look I knew well. "What do you think about the Pantoran? Pretty nice, huh?"
"She is very pretty," I agreed.
"You should see her without clothes on," he mumbled. "She's got golden tattoos on her . . ."
"Dad," I interrupted.
"What?" he asked with feigned innocence. "Why are you so squeamish all of a sudden?"
"I'm not being squeamish."
"You are," he countered, "I don't remember you balking at a conversation about women before." As he spoke, his eyes focused on the doorway, and I noticed that Rayyo had reappeared with drinks on a tray, talking to several males who were offering to help. "You know," my father said in a low voice, "we could switch for the night - if you'd like."
I looked back at him in shock, staring at him for a moment in befuddlement. "First of all, I'm not sleeping with my padawan. Second, I don't speak for her and certainly won't work out some arrangement between you."
"You have become squeamish," he frowned again.
"I have not," I said defensively. "I've become more refined."
"Really," my father answered with judgmental eyes. "More prudish is a better word for it. You knew what I meant, that I was only asking for permission to pursue your friend. The times of exchanging females in our culture are long past."
"You say that as if it is a bad thing," I complained.
"Don't lecture me, son," my father answered with a slightly harsher tone. His eyes flickered across me. "You're changing," he frowned, "and not for the better."
"No," I replied, "you don't have my permission to pursue my padawan. She's my ward, and I've worked hard to make sure our relationship isn't sullied."
My father's expression changed back to a diplomatic smile, but it was directed at Rayyo, who had finally worked her way through the crowd with our drinks. She still had two males trailing her, a Human and a Twi'lek, both of whom seemed to become dejected when they noticed my father and me.
"Here we go," Rayyo said as she picked up a glass to hand to my father, "an Iridonian brandy, just the way you like it."
My father took the glass and raised it to his nose. "Thank you, my dear."
"I took a guess for you," she said with a smile as she handed me a tall glass of golden champagne.
"A fine choice, thank you," I replied.
She gave me a coy smile as she lifted her glass for a drink, and I realized it was the same champagne. "This is Yuba," she said while nodding toward the human behind her, "and this is Bendo," she pointed her tray at the Twi'lek. "They were kind enough to help me with the drinks."
My father and I nodded at the two 'helpers' who nodded back sheepishly.
"So, what have you gentlemen been talking about?" Rayyo questioned before sipping her drink.
I looked for Kira again, desperate for a way out of the conversation, and managed to get her attention with a little Force focus. She looked my way, and I tipped my head back slightly to bid her toward me. "My father was just congratulating me on my success at being a Jedi."
"How nice," Rayyo said in her smooth, feminine voice.
"Yes," my father muttered, "it's a great opportunity for Iridonia to make inroads with the Jedi Council."
"I never thought of that," Rayyo said as she looked between my father and me. "I don't think there is a single Pantoran Jedi," she added reflectively. "Are all Jedi as big and strong as you?" she asked more softly.
I shot my father a glance, noticing his wry grin. "No," I answered. "Kira will soon be a Jedi," I added as my padawan finally made it through the crowded room to us.
Everyone turned to see her walking up. "Oh," Rayyo replied excitedly, "two Jedi in the same day, and you got a medal too."
Kira gave me a blank look before glancing around at everyone. "She's never met a Jedi in person before," I explained.
"I'm not a Jedi yet," Kira corrected.
"Yes," my father said with his charm activated, "what did you call her?" he asked me, "a perduan?"
"Padawan," I corrected. "Kira, this is my father, Erdovan Dwar, High Councilman of Iridonia."
"And acting Ambassador to the Hutt Cartel at the moment," he added while sweeping up Kira's hand and kissing it smoothly.
"It's nice to finally meet you," Kira said with a quick glance at me. "Jaren has talked a lot about you."
"He has, now?" my father looked between us, "it better have been good talk."
"Of course, it was," Kira answered deftly, "he's proud of you and his family name."
"Well of course, he is," my father agreed, looking at me with a smile. "I hope more Jedi are as elegant as you, Kira."
Rayyo cleared her throat softly next to my father.
"Yes," he nodded, "I'd like you to meet Rayyo Chukko. She's part of the Pantoran delegation. Rayyo, dear, this is my son's apprentice, Kira."
"They don't call them apprentices, Father," I corrected.
"How exciting," Rayyo replied, "so you're training to be a Jedi?"
"Yes . . ." Kira began to answer.
"She really doesn't need any more training," I replied. "She's very skilled and only needs to pass her final trials and then she will be knighted. As a matter of fact," I added, "I probably wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for her skills." Everyone paused to look at me, especially Kira, who didn't seem to know what to make of my compliment.
"Well, in that case," my father stated, "I owe you a debt of gratitude for keeping my son in one piece."
"He's exaggerating," Kira replied, "but don't stop," she added with a grin.
"I like her," my father said with a glimmer in his eye.
I needed to get us both out of there.
Back at the Defiant, it was late and I was just about to go to bed when a message pinged on my tablet. General Var Suthra requested a conference call with Kira and me in private; it was urgent. Five minutes later, Kira and I sat at the conference room table, and I engaged the holo-com.
"Sorry to get you a new mission so closely on the end of the last one," the general stated in his gruff voice, "but we got a notice moments ago about Admiral Hacklin wanting to defect."
"Who's Admiral Hacklin?" I asked.
"He's a close ally of Darth Angral," Kira answered next to me. "He was aboard Darth Angral's ship when they captured and interrogated me on Ord Mantell."
"That's right," the general agreed. "There's been some kind of falling out between them, and the admiral has requested asylum. He asked for you personally, something about trusting you and Kira to understand his plight."
"I don't trust him," I replied, "nor do I understand his plight."
"Yeah," Kira agreed, "this seems kinda suspect. How do we know that Angral isn't setting a trap for us?"
The general's Mon Calamarian figure shifted to look between the two of us. "I understand your hesitancy, but High Command has spoken to the Jedi Council and we both agree that this opportunity is too important to pass up. Admiral Hacklin's message asked for you personally because you would understand his position now that Darth Angral has turned on him."
"Darth Angral has become deranged at the death of his son. If Admiral Hacklin did something to draw Angral's wrath, then I do understand his position."
"Some chatter picked up by SIS implies that Admiral Hacklin filed a report stating that Darth Angral's actions have become detrimental to the Empire. It seems that report is the trigger that caused the split. Anyway, I'm sending you a set of coordinates where the admiral will be waiting. You should get them in a moment."
"If it is a trap," Kira said, "how are you going to keep us safe?"
"We've deployed a long-distance recon buoy to within a parsec of the location. It's monitoring activity in the area and will pick up any attempted trap that Darth Angral might lay for you. The coordinates will drop you out of hyperspace near the buoy where you can collect its recon data and determine if it's safe. You'll be far enough away from danger to just turn around and jump out if it is a trap."
"Sounds like an effective plan," I replied when the coordinates came through to the conference room computer. I punched them into the holo-map and noticed that they were deep in Empire space. "Do you know where these coordinates are taking us?" I complained.
"Yes, we've analyzed the location and the routes to get there. Admiral Hacklin said it's the safest place he can get to."
"Not safe for us," Kira muttered.
"It's not as bad as you think. The abandoned asteroid mining facility is out in the middle of nowhere. I know it's Empire space, but there are no military commands near there, and the sector is sparsely populated. No one should know that you are even there."
"Unless it's a trap," Kira replied.
"There's always that risk, but this is a very important opportunity. Admiral Hacklin is connected in the Imperial hierarchy; he will have invaluable information to help the Republic."
"When is this pick-up supposed to happen?" I asked, sensing the general wasn't going to let us out of the mission.
"The hyperspace jump is going to take you about twelve hours, and he set a pick-up date twenty-two hours from now, so you've got a little over eight hours to leave Nar Shaddaa and start your trip."
"Okay, we'll get on it."
"I expect you to keep radio silence for safety reasons, so download the recon buoy's data when you exit hyperspace and make your own decision. If it looks like a trap then don't risk yourselves, jump out of there and back to safety."
"We can handle it," I replied.
"Very well, hope to hear good news from you in two days."
The com went dark, and Kira shook her head next to me. "I don't buy it for a moment. Admiral Hacklin was pretty chummy with Angral while they were interrogating me. This is a trap, I'm sure of it."
"The general's plan is sound, even if you are right. We've got to at least try."
"You're the boss, but it's risky, and I've got a bad feeling about it."
It was risky, and after I tracked down C2-N2 to have him start prepping the ship, I went back to my room to think. Darth Angral hated me and would stop at nothing to make sure he revenged his fallen son. A trap was just the kind of thing the Sith lord would do to catch me. The general made it clear that he wanted us to complete the mission, but I didn't need to risk everyone to do it, especially not the twins. The more I thought things through, the more I was convinced that I needed to leave them behind for their safety. I contacted the best person I could think of to help on such short notice. Vensor, my father's steward. It was late, but I messaged him to call me and then asked him a big favor. Vensor had connections and knew how to get things done, and I could count on him. I struggled to sleep because my mind was busy with plans and worries, and in the morning, I sat down with the twins to explain what was happening. They knew something was up anyway because couriers were loading goods onto the ship from C2-N2's prep list. Cen'Zeya had made a simple breakfast for us to eat, and we were sitting in the nook.
"Kira and I have been given another mission, and it's a dangerous one."
"What does it entail?" B'Zeya asked.
"A high-ranking Imperial leader is trying to defect, and we were asked to go deep into Empire space and pick him up."
"That does sound risky," B'Zeya replied.
"It sounds like a trap," Cen'Zeya added.
"I know," I nodded, "Kira and I feel the same, but General Var Suthra believes he's taken precautions to protect us. He is insisting that we go through with the mission."
"What precautions could he take to protect us that deep in Empire space?" Cen'Zeya complained.
"I don't want to get into the details," I replied. "Kira and I need to do this. It's our mission, but I don't want to risk your lives."
"What do you mean?" B'Zeya asked with confusion in her voice.
"I've rented an apartment on Nar Shaddaa for you two. I want you to stay here until the mission is over."
"Stay here?" B'Zeya thought out loud. Her sister just stared at me with blank eyes. "I don't want to stay here," B'Zeya's voice started to fill with panic, "I want to be with you."
"Look," I answered strongly, "this isn't what I want either, but I've thought it through and think this is the best for you."
"But . . . but," B'Zeya sputtered emotionally, "you said we'd always be together. We make you happy . . . Cenny cooks for you."
I looked across the little table at Cen'Zeya as her sister started to cry softly. Her royal blue eyes just stared me down as her head gave an almost imperceptible shake.
"I'm sorry," I said gently. "It makes me sad too, but I think it's for the best. The mission isn't very long, so I expect to be back within a week." I got up to leave then, not knowing what else to say.
I spent my time with busywork, checking lists, and making sure our Nar Shaddaa business was closed up. The ship was readied and our speeder stowed in the undercarriage, and then I set the autopilot to fly us to the Diplomatic Sector to drop off the twins. The flight wasn't long, and soon we were at a private landing platform for the complex where I rented the apartment. The twins didn't speak to me as porters helped unload their personal items and hover-cart them to their apartment. I walked with them and made sure that everything was in order. It wasn't until the moment I went to leave that they broke their silence.
"Don't do this," Cen'Zeya whispered harshly to me when her sister walked into another room. "You said you wouldn't abandon us."
"I'm not abandoning you," I said confidently. "This is only temporary. I'm doing it for your safety."
"You've been pulling away from us for weeks," she added, not seeming to hear what I was saying.
B'Zeya noticed that we were talking and hurried over. "I don't want to stay on Nar Shaddaa," she stated sharply. "You shouldn't make decisions for me."
"I'm sorry, Bzy, I'm not doing this to upset you."
"Then take me with you," she countered.
"I can't. Do you know how I would feel if you two were harmed by my mistake of taking you along?"
"What are we supposed to do if you get killed?" she said with tears in her eyes.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out papers that Vensor had sent by courier. "I've put money in accounts for each of you." I handed Cen'Zeya the folder. "You've got more money than you can spend in a year, and this place is paid for. You're in the Diplomatic Sector," I smiled, "someplace you said you wanted to visit."
"With you!" B'Zeya snapped back. "I wanted to be at an elegant ball with you."
"You will be," I nodded. "When I get back, I'll make sure to take you to a fancy diplomatic event. I promise."
B'Zeya suddenly hurried to me and wrapped her arms around my side. "Don't leave me," she cried against my frame. Her sister just stared at me blankly.
I felt horrible. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Vensor had worked diligently for hours to set them up, and I had spent a lot of money to make sure they were comfortable. "In the envelope is a contact. He's my father's steward and a resourceful man. You shouldn't have to, but if you need anything while I'm gone, contact him." The twins didn't respond. "I'm going to be radio silent for two or three days, but I'll contact you as soon as I can."
I had to peel B'Zeya's arms off me before walking to the door. They didn't follow me, but instead stood in shock, B'Zeya crying softly and her sister staring. Stopping at the door, I turned to look back. "I'll see you soon," I said, "I promise."
With that, I left, starting to doubt my decision and carrying a heavy heart. I climbed aboard the Defiant and went to the bridge to punch in an orbital trajectory. Kira was in her room, and that was fine by me because I wanted to be alone. The ship lifted off of the platform and started to accelerate upward. While watching the orange Nar Shaddaa skyline, I thought about my father somewhere in the city below. He had commented at the ceremony that I was changing, and the weight of his words was starting to sink in. I had abstained from female companionship for almost two weeks because of Kira and Master Din. I had shown compassion and even concern for my padawan and had studied the Jedi teachings per my master's request. Those were all non-Jaren behaviors, but the effort was supposed to make me more Jedi-like. At the moment, it left me lonely and confused. An ominous journey lay before us with a likely trap at the end and unknown dangers. It was a moment that made me want distraction and companionship, yet I had neither.