"Everything is clear... Alright, it's time to go back..." As soon as Kuro uttered this phrase, I was immediately bound hand and foot by the Force. What the hell?
"Mentor?" I stared dumbfounded at the woman who, pointing her hand towards me, was concentrating the Force, and in the other hand was a lightsaber.
"Do you think I'll believe you so easily?" the Shadow asked with a smirk, activating her lightsaber. "I ask again: where is the Sith medallion? Did you destroy it?"
Damn it... I knew Kuro wouldn't believe me so easily. To suppress the medallion's aura, I "released" the Force. So that I wouldn't be detected, and so that I wouldn't pressure weak Force-sensitives with my Force, and there are many of them in the Galaxy, I used a concealing Force technique. And I wasn't wrong – my aura perfectly overpowered the medallion, if you exaggerate. But against me is not some stupid brute. The question about the medallion was asked by An'ya Kuro, a Jedi Shadow. They are far more cynical and used to distinguishing lies. From the perspective of an ordinary sentient being – I lied and didn't even give myself away. After all, I practiced. But did she use some technique, or is it just her intuition? With Kuro, anything is possible. I'm afraid to even guess – what will she do to me... But okay. Pull yourself together. This medallion can help me in many ways. After all, not all Great Jedi and Sith left holocrons.
And over time, some of them started to fade from my memory. New impressions, memories – pushed out the old ones. And considering my introspection, which I prefer to do almost every day, for about two hours... The medallion must be preserved at all costs. And now it doesn't matter who created it, and Darth Arrogant, one of the servants of Visheyt-Valkorian-Tenebrus himself, created it. It's just that I'm not being interrogated by a sentient being who doesn't believe in anything.
"I... already... repeated: I destroyed it!" I tried to put as much confidence into my voice as possible.
"Uh-huh... And you stopped restraining the Force, shining in my perception like a supernova because you were tired from the battle," Kuro chuckled. "Don't feed me bantha fodder, Light," the woman aimed her lightsaber directly at my face. "I remember perfectly well whose student you are. Lorm always did things his own way and interpreted everything to his advantage! You are just like your mentor. And now – be a good boy, give me the medallion!"
"Search me all you want!" I replied angrily, suppressing my emotions. "You won't find what I destroyed on me..."
"Oh, so you can help me start believing you, my reluctant student," Kuro giggled. "You won't be shy about undressing in front of me, will you? I'll examine your clothes, your bracers... Mmm... They can fit in the hilts of the swords. Prove you're not lying!"
"Mentor," I felt myself being released. She stopped trying to suppress me with the Force. Only her purple lightsaber glowed in the workshop. "Do I have to undress here?" I nodded. "Pervert..."
"Do you really think I'm doing this to look at your body?" Kuro asked sarcastically. "I just want to see if you've deceived me. Feelings can be deceived, the mind can be deceived. Even the Force... But I'm used to believing only what I see with my own eyes. I will examine your clothes, your bracers, your swords. And when I see that you are not lying to me, then, and only then – we will return to the ship..."
"And what will happen if you see that I am lying to you?" I timidly asked Kuro.
Silence hung in the workshop... The woman looked at me with cold, hard eyes, in which the Force could be felt. The Jedi's sword seemed to freeze in one position.
"I will cut off all your limbs, take the medallion, and escort you to the Council's Judgment. There, you will most likely be forced to undergo many atonement training sessions. Perhaps – they will cut you off from the Force, because in such a case you hid an artifact that can destroy the fundamental rules and laws of our world. To violate the laws of the Force... And after that... Perhaps you will be released, so that you can drag out your pathetic existence somewhere in the Unknown Regions... Or they will kill you. Is the answer clear?"
"I have nothing to hide," I sighed heavily, starting to unbutton my clothes. "My heart is heavy that even my mentor doesn't believe me, after all I've done..."
"Yes, yes, spare me your naive moans," Kuro smirked. "Remember: it doesn't matter who you become. A Guardian, a Consul, a Defender... Every sentient being is capable of lying. And if a sentient being is tempted by the Dark Side of the Force," she said meaningfully. "No offense, Light, but far better and stronger Jedi than you have fallen to the Dark Side. And many will fall to it. The fact that you held out once and even managed to destroy Dark Force-sensitives might mean something to the Council, but not to me personally. Always, even in the brightest and warmest places, there will be shadows that will block some of the light and emit cold. Shadows capable of manifesting even now, almost a thousand years after the battles on Ruusan. And now I must make sure that you have not been tempted by this shadow."
The outer clothing, while she was speaking, was neatly folded on the floor. Oh, I'll have to wash the cloak later. It was completely white. Does she even know how much bleach costs? I use the best of the best... My clothes were already dusty from the fight with Shillazh. And now I have to get them even dirtier.
"Do you want me to take off my underwear?" I asked, standing completely barefoot on the floor. The floor turned out to be quite cold and unpleasant. Even though I tried to abstract myself from this feeling. "Do you want to see all of me?"
"Both the shirt and the underwear," Kuro said calmly. "Don't expect to embarrass me, boy. I've seen things you wouldn't dream of in your worst nightmares. And your 'dignity' is not the worst thing the Force has in store for me."
Shrugging, I took off my shirt, baring my upper body. I didn't have much muscle, though there was definitely something to be proud of. At least – I would be proud of myself from my previous world. Having ended up in this body, and in a DDG, and in a strong Force-sensitive – I understood perfectly well that if I didn't train, I would die. And most likely, this time, for good. Of course, "there is no death, there is the Force." But this postulate literally means that you will become a Force Ghost, or fall into the Abyss where all sorts of Dark Force-sensitives dwell. So I trained... Especially after the death of Mila and Lorm, I realized how worthless and easily broken life is. A moment, and Mila died... Just a moment, and Lorm Decer, a proud Jedi Knight, received fatal wounds... So easily.
"You're a pervert, you know, mentor?" I took off my underwear.
She examined me scrupulously. And then she started on my clothes, literally trying to shake everything out of them. Shaking out my chip from the Tustra Bank and my ID card from my pocket.
"And... I know you deliberately made such a construction. Disassemble your bracers and swords."
"Naked?" I asked my mentor.
"Don't test my patience!" she snapped. "If you want to finish this quickly – obey the order!"
How humiliating this is. Although I understood with my mind why they didn't believe me. Still – I was sad about such an attitude. Well... Do I have the right to complain, after everything that has happened? And everything that will still happen? Kneeling before my tools, I moved my right hand in front of them. First the bracers... They floated before me and my mentor, who peered at them with a studying gaze... A moment, and they fell apart into their component parts. Initially, I created the parts using Force Forging, as well as welding, which was done by the VV-7, under my control and according to my drawings. The bracers themselves were completely disassembled into several nodes. The first was the base, to which everything that was supposed to be attached was fastened. Initially, there were magnetic holders for the lightsabers there. A coil of cable and suction cups was also attached to it. The second component was the module with the cable. And next to it was an elementary engine, weak, but enough for me. It was responsible for moving the cable, obeying my instructions... How? Telekinesis. The trick was that I used the Force to shoot the cable, the Force to return it, or the Force to make the engine pull me to the point where the suction cup landed. I had to help myself with Force Acrobatics, as the engine was weak, something more powerful simply wouldn't fit inside. A datapad was also attached to the left bracer. The best I could find for integration into the bracer. It was enough to contact someone, or go online, search for information... Check an account, pay for something. You can't play games... And I don't like mobile games. It's better to find a stationary one and play it. After all, the graphics and detail are often better than in many mobile games combined... Although I did download the local time-killer, like "2048". But its necessity was low...
With a nod, Kuro ordered me that she was done with the bracers, having meticulously examined each element before that. Returning my bracers to their normal position, that is, a solid construction, I immediately disassembled both of my lightsabers.
"And where can it fit here?" I asked the woman, whose gaze wandered over my crystals. Is she envious?
"Don't grumble," Kuro replied quietly. "If only you knew where a smuggler Hutt hid a holocron..."
"Hutts are now personally transporting contraband?" I asked with doubt, holding all the structural elements of my swords with the Force, while crossing my arms, my voice full of disbelief. "A Hutt? Not his subordinates?"
"These are prejudices, Light. They have ruined many Jedi..." Kuro said thoughtfully. "Alright, you can get dressed," she nodded.
I returned my swords to their normal appearance and rushed to my clothes like a starving rancor.
"Ooh," the woman put her palm to her mouth, watching me. "It seems someone is shy of a woman," she smirked.
"It would be fair if you undressed in return, mentor," I replied to Kuro's smile.
"Be careful with those jokes, Padawan," she suddenly said. "Or you'll become a woman yourself," she pointedly aimed the hilt of her sword at my lower body.
So, let's note: Kuro's humor is on the verge of vulgarity, or "obscene," it's better to avoid it. Why risk it? Returning to a dressed state, I picked up the girl, still lying unconscious after my intrusion into her mind, with the Force, and carefully brought her closer. Kuro, in turn, repeated this trick, but with the body of the dead Shillazh. Already at the exit of the workshop, I spoke up...
"Master," I addressed Kuro.
"Mmm?"
"So where, after all, did that Hutt hide the holocron you were looking for on that mission?"
"In his ass," Kuro answered concisely.
"You're being rude to me," I grimaced. "That's..."
"I also thought it was impossible," Kuro looked at me intently. "But that's how it is."
"It sounds disgusting," I commented. "AAAAAH! You don't want to continue my examination on my ship?! I declare that in that case I will do anything, but your foot will not be on the 'Star Path' again!"
"Calm down," Kuro said. "From your reaction, I can tell how disgusting it sounds to you. Besides – you are from Seph. You are arrogant and proud to do something like that. It was a Hutt, who had been smuggling for almost fifty years. And here you are, a young man, who is too lazy to even get a haircut in some places..."
"I refuse to comment on the last insinuations," I pretended to blush. "But if you want to examine me again, then warn me – I'll get a haircut."
"I told you what could happen to you for similar jokes, Light," the Dark Woman hissed threateningly. "Do you want to undergo phalloplasty?"
"No..." I deflated. "I'd prefer to keep my standard one."
"Well, then, calm your humor, which has gone astray somewhere, and heed my wisdom. It seems you have heard a couple of important lessons for yourself today..."
"Theory is not practice," I said importantly.
"True... And thank the Force, I won't be running after you with a flashlight and watching you go through practice. We're returning to Coruscant, and I'm presenting you for the Trials. Fortunately, a couple of them might be credited to you. Maybe you'll even become a Knight on the first try..."
Knight... I closed my eyes, recalling what "Jedi Knight" meant to me before. When I was just starting to learn Star Wars – I thought it was a warrior of light, without fear or reproach, who dispels injustice and does good. A kind of shonen hero... Later, after the prequels and familiarization with the Expanded Universe works – it was possible to understand that not everything is so straightforward... The Expanded Universe works, which were later declared Legends, can be criticized... But they definitely make one thing clear – not everything is so rosy. So who is a Jedi Knight? Someone who runs from planet to planet, resolving conflicts? My compatriot – Fay – came to mind. A strange character... in my opinion. Although she performed her duties excellently. Or are they characters like Jord and his Padawan, who also wander from planet to planet, turning gangs into kebabs? Or maybe it's Kuro, who, along with her brothers and sisters from the Shadows – plays the Empire's Inquisitorius on a minimal setting, turning all sorts of Dark Force-sensitives into kebabs. Which of them brings the most benefit to the Sentient beings?
If you think about it... None of them. How many will Fay save from pointless conflicts? How many will people like Jord protect? Or how many will the Shadows and other Guardians save from the Dark Side, who also deal with catching criminals? Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands... Millions? Perhaps. Nevertheless – the problem, based on what I've studied – lies, for the most part, in the fact that everything is too hypertrophied. After all, Jedi who create, for example, vegetable crops for different biomes, will save the most. They will help the largest number of people in some places not to die of hunger. Hunger can also push some people towards crime. And therefore, the high-quality performance of the duties of such Jedi can reduce the work for Defenders, Guardians, and perhaps even Diplomats. Now they are botanists, not particularly honored... And they won't be honored until the Order falls under Order 66, if I don't change it... However – is it worth it?
I see a decaying Republic, once a Great Country, a Colossus on Clay Feet, and an Order that has sunk into theoretical Dogmatism, becoming also a obedient dog of the Senate. It's not so noticeable yet... But soon Dooku will leave the Order, soon many will understand this. Sometimes, it's better to build anew than to rebuild, right, Comrade Gorbachev? There are too many contradictions... And no one will destroy them in any way. Maybe it's better for them to feel for themselves what these contradictions can lead to, than to try to convince everyone? Isn't this the good of the majority?
So, after all, what kind of Jedi Knight do I want to become? I was reasoning about the Jedi Biolaboratory workers who grow crops and save entire Systems and Sectors from hunger. But I'm not a botanist, and my talents have long since moved away from that. Telekinesis, Combat Foresight, Fencing, Stealth Infiltration... A rather poor set for a peaceful botanist... And I have no desire to retrain.
"What are you thinking about?" the mentor asked.
"About your words," I replied, squinting from the starlight that had begun to shine in my eyes, hanging in orbit above the planet. The sunset on this planet is beautiful and bright... Oh, if only I could get rid of Kuro's company sooner. It's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the medallion with telekinesis. At the same time, I have to behave as usual. "More precisely, about what kind of Knight I should become? You are a mentor, an experienced Jedi, what do you advise?"
"And you will follow my advice?" Kuro asked, smirking sarcastically again. "I remember Lorm complaining to me that you are not very eager to take the advice of senior mentors. Back when they told you about Ataru. You were stubborn... And what did it lead you to? Now you admit the experience of some members of the Jedi Order?"
"If I didn't admit it, I wouldn't have asked," I grumbled. "I've already understood – where my talent lay. And what happens when you start doing what you want, without developing your talents, – after all – Soresu has its advantages. But it didn't suit me. It was Ataru, with all my initial data, that was the ideal first combat form for me. And I've regretted a thousand times that I didn't start studying it first. If I had better skill in Ataru, if I were faster, thanks to this form... If I had applied it from the very beginning, perhaps no one would have died. How painful... Mila and I formed a Force Bond. Lorm and I formed a Force Bond... And their death, due to my stupidity, hit me hard. But at least I learned something."
"Well," Kuro slowed her pace. "You want to know my opinion, and that's commendable. Lorm saw you as part of the Guardians, or rather, part of the Jedi Archaeologists. Your intelligence level is quite high," she praised me. "But please don't confuse intelligence and life wisdom, i.e., experience. In the latter, you are too immature. However, for archaeologists, intelligence itself, knowledge of history, good reflexes, and quick wit are important. You have all of that. You would also be suitable as a Defender, albeit with some reservation. The Defender's style of action is with a sword against an army, in the open. Therefore, the mortality rate among them is quite high. For a Diplomat, I'm sorry, you are completely unsuitable. I've seen your grades. You know the history of both the Galaxy and the Order perfectly. You would make a good Archivist. But a diplomat must not only remember the historical prerequisites of conflicts and be able to analyze them, but also must himself seek common ground between enemies to reconcile them. And you, in diplomacy, seemed to want to pass an exam, not show the highest class – uh-huh. It's hypocritical – I want to build a state through peaceful agreement with everyone, not herd everyone with a blaster, while treating diplomacy as secondary... Although – this will smooth out later. I will have a lot of practice. Probably... You know, I would recommend you become a Guardian. But not an Archaeologist, but a Shadow. Why? Your body will be ideal. You are already actively using a style aimed at quick and effective elimination of the target. Although I have some questions about your psychological aspects..."
"About what? About killing?"
"The noble idiots might have questions about this," Kuro shook her head. "No. I'm wondering what you feel during battle. I felt it while you were fighting Shillaj. Pleasure, anticipation. You like battles. If we analyzed your blood, there would definitely be a surge of adrenaline and endorphins. You might get distracted during target elimination, shifting your priority not to elimination, but to the battle itself. This could cost you dearly if you get carried away. Nevertheless, excluding psychological issues, you approach the work of a Shadow perfectly. Jonnal would like to see you with us. Although, you'll decide all this yourself. In my opinion... You've passed the trials of skill, spirit, and courage with flying colors, surviving your adventures with Shillaj. Only the trials of the body and perception remain."
"Body and perception?" I asked. As far as I correctly recall the supplementary materials, specifically "The Jedi Path: A Guide for the Force-Sensitive," it seems so... Skill is the ability to wield a lightsaber and the Force. These are my best skills. In my graduating class, there's no one better than me in terms of sensory perception or telekinesis. And in fencing – I'm in the top five... Or maybe even the best. There's something to be proud of. Courage can be counted by the fact that I've repeatedly demonstrated my abilities, facing opponents in difficult situations: Teyron Jarps, the krayt dragon with those two Dark Gifted, and finally, Shillaj. Quite a worthy collection of victories to count towards the Trial. The Trial of Spirit consists of overcoming one's passions. And although I'm against Jedi completely rejecting the dark side of their character and becoming some kind of bright fanatics, I managed, in the Order's view, to pass this trial by falling, and then fully returning from the Dark Side of the Force. Only the Trial of the Body, which consists of enduring physical impact, essentially – pain. But what need have I for a crucitorn? I'm not a master of this technique, but I wield it quite well. And the Trial of Perception... This involves solving logical problems. If the descriptions are to be believed... In reality, the mind can be tested in various ways. These could be logic problems, of various kinds. Or they might simply put you in a room with Force illusions and ask you, for example, to sit on a chair... though using illusions – to imagine part of the basins of cold water as chairs. Not creative, but it filters out those who aren't particularly attentive in studying and analyzing the environment.
"DAUGHTER! WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?!" a family, dressed in rich clothing, met us at the barricades. The mother of the family was as red-haired as the girl with a red, swollen face. The father stood and glared at the soldiers who had cordoned off the energy district. Apparently, he wasn't allowed through the cordon. But neither of them could fail to notice the girl floating beside us.
"She's fine," I replied, distracted from my thoughts by the girl's parents.
"Think about my words, Light," Kuro said, as if not noticing that I had lifted the girl's body higher and carefully placed her on a transport platform, which was immediately hooked up by droids and taken towards medical speeders. "Or better yet, meditate. Your specialization will leave a mark on far more aspects of your life than you think."
"You handled it," Inspector Tsurko's voice reached us. He approached us, his steps precise. "Those two Jedi have already left the planet. But they reported that she was dead. So, what about her?" Tsurko asked.
"I'm taking her body," Kuro indicated the floating body of the dead Shillaj nearby. While I was pulling the red-haired girl. She Force-lifted my dead enemy. "The body of a Gifted can hold some secrets, if you know how to look for them. This is especially true for Witches from Dathomir."
I wasn't worried about her potentially reaching Plagueis and Sidious ahead of time, which would lead to a Global Breakdown of everything. I thoroughly searched her body, destroying the portable transmitter as well. Besides, she contacted Plagueis via a stationary one, which, lo and behold... a fireball flew into. Interesting... Who did that?
"With all due respect, Master, I'd like to rest a bit and take a walk... Maybe find a quiet place for meditation..."
"I thought your favorite ship, to which you'd even agree to marry, would suit you," Kuro chuckled.
I just looked at her reproachfully, ignoring the joke.
"Alright. You can go for a walk. I'll report to the Council myself on how you did," she waved her hand. "Although, I think Jord has already done that."
"Padawan," Tsurko's voice stopped me. "I want to note that Jedi are forbidden to visit gambling houses on our planet. I'm confident in your Master, but in you... I'd like to be sure too."
"Don't worry, Inspector," I reassured him, turning to him. "First, I want to go to the laundry. I've run out of bleach on my ship, and someone has stained my white cloak," I looked at Kuro. Is she mocking me! She's even whistling, looking at the sky, as if she had nothing to do with it! "And then... we'll see."
"For quiet meditation, I recommend our baths. There are private pavilions where you can relax and meditate," Tsurko advised me, finally turning towards Kuro.
***
Having walked a considerable distance from the energy district, I summoned the holomap and found a quiet alley on it. The silence was deafening. None of the possible inhabitants of such streets came out to look at me. Still, there were many police and military personnel swarming because of Shillaj... Touching my stomach, I directed the Force... A chain appeared from my mouth... A few more moments, and I naturally spat out the medallion. Picking it up and cleaning it of my saliva, I looked closely... The medallion's aura had partially faded, but was still noticeable if you concentrated.
"I wonder if I thought of this, thanks to Uchiha Madara for the method. Madara in 'Naruto' bit off a piece of Senju Hashirama's skin and swallowed it. Then, inducing vomiting, he spat out the pieces of skin and transplanted them, awakening the Rinnegan afterwards. Although... Like all plans conceived literally on the fly, it depended too much on luck. But my calculation paid off. Although I think I'll get indigestion this way. Next time – I need to think about this in advance, I almost swallowed it," I glanced at the artifact. "So... How should I hide you? I can't exactly drag you to the Temple? Jonnal, the other Shadows, the Masters of the Council are there. I definitely won't be able to mask your Aura in front of them. So, not on the ship... Only one option remains," I typed "Bank Vault" into the holomap. If you pay the Bank well, they'll hide your lightsaber, even that of Tenebrous, in their cell without any questions. And then simply returning for your property – won't be difficult. So, before the laundry... The Bank. And then everything else. "I hope all the sacrifices I've made will be worth it. Tulak Hord, Arca Jeth, maybe Malgus, Bastila Shan, Satele Shan, and even Revan... So many great Jedi and Sith, whose knowledge I could use not only for my survival but also for an attempt to rebuild the Galaxy according to my understanding. I can't say for sure – whether my worldview is politically... economically correct. But... If you don't dream of building a utopia, you won't build even a hell. So – forward Light Flyingstar... You will either ascend, realizing your ambitions. Or you will fall, like many."