Galactic Standard Calendar Year 5, April 8 — night. Lessu, capital of Ryloth.
"Give me your hand."
"Huh? Oh."
Aayla Secura took Max Vizsla's hand and closed her eyes. The Force flowed between them, linking their minds tightly.
"Max… have you ever used the dark side to interfere with my perception?"
"What—?" Max's eyes went wide. He waved both hands in panic. "No. No, absolutely not. I don't even know how to do that!"
Aayla opened her eyes and looked at him, exasperated. "Can you not get so worked up? Just answer me like a normal conversation."
"I can." Max nodded.
"Again." Aayla held her hand out once more.
"But—"
"Hm?"
"M… Mentor, if I really could mess with your perception using the dark side… then I could probably mess with your 'Force lie-detecting' too, right?"
Aayla ignored the argument. She curled her fingers. "Hand."
Max shrugged, took her hand, and closed his eyes like she did.
"Max… have you ever used the dark side to interfere with my perception?"
"No."
Silence.
Then Max felt it—Aayla's confusion, and a flicker of panic. She pulled her hand away.
"What is it, Mentor? Did you detect I've gone full dark already?"
"No." Aayla shook her head. "The balance of the light and dark vortices in your inner world hasn't broken. And you didn't lie to me."
Even as she said it, her face didn't relax. Her brow tightened, harder than before.
"What's going on, Mentor?" Max asked, genuinely confused.
"Max…" Aayla lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes. "This whole chain of events on Ryloth—I… I think you're right. And the Jedi Order is the one in the wrong. That… that doesn't make sense."
"Doesn't make sense?" Max scratched the back of his head. "What doesn't?"
"Max, you're someone with both light and shadow in you. The Jedi Order—Jedi themselves—are supposed to be the light. So logically… Jedi should always be more righteous than you." Her voice trembled. "I don't understand why you're the one helping the people of Ryloth, while the Order is moving to stand against them. Is there some hidden scheme I failed to see… and the Council saw it?"
"Mentor, is it really that strange?" Max let out a small, humorless laugh. "We Mandalorians have seen the Jedi Order's 'light' up close already. Now it's the Twi'leks' turn. That surprising?"
"No—no, it's not like that!" Aayla backed away with a hitch in her breath, tears rising. Her hand slid to her lightsaber hilt. "Max… are you a Sith? Are you trying to corrupt me?"
No hostility. Max felt only her confusion and fear.
"XIU—"
Blue light flared behind Max. Christopher Rhen had ignited his blade and slipped into a ready stance.
"Chris." Max's voice dropped, hard and controlled. "Turn it off."
"XIU—"
"Now get out. Hold the door. Nobody comes in."
"Sir?" Christopher hesitated.
"Do it."
"Yes, sir."
Aayla's accusation dragged a remembered line up out of Max's mind—Sidious's old poison, the kind that slid into people and stayed there. When Christopher stepped out and shut the door, Max spoke.
"Mentor… the Jedi blindly obey a corrupt Senate. And in doing so, they betray the Republic they claim to serve."
"No." Aayla shook her head, tears clinging to her lashes. "The Jedi have always served the Republic. The Jedi haven't betrayed it."
"Right now," Max said, pointing out the window, "the war on Ryloth is a just war—driving off slavers and drug traffickers who prey on the Twi'lek people. If Jedi arrive to stop that war… have they betrayed Ryloth? Have they wronged the Twi'lek people?"
"Maybe…" Aayla drew in a breath, her expression firming by a fraction. "Maybe the Order has a better solution. A way to make Ryloth better without war. Without blood."
"For thousands of years, while the people of Ryloth were crushed, the Jedi didn't show up." Max's voice sharpened. "Now the Twi'leks stand up and fight—and the Jedi suddenly arrive. Not to help them win. To call for peace. To stop the war."
He felt his own anger rise, hot and real—everything he'd learned before, Mandalore's scars, and Ryloth's reality colliding in his chest.
"What do you call that?"
Without waiting for her answer, Max continued, voice hard.
"That's taking sides. Mentor—peace will come, but not right now. Peace comes after we and the people of Ryloth wipe the slavers and drug pushers off this world."
"Max…"
"Mentor." Max cut her off, controlled again. "I won't put you in a corner. We'll finish this before the Jedi envoy arrives."
"Max, we can't." Aayla shook her head. "The envoy will be here in five days."
"Five?!" Max stared at her, sure he'd misheard. "Fifteen."
"Five." Aayla didn't budge. "Master Phin-Law Wo and her Padawan were returning to Coruscant from the Jedi Temple on Vrogas Vas when they received the mediation assignment for Ryloth. They're departing from Socorro. In a T-6 shuttle, the fastest they can reach Ryloth is five days."
"Mental note," Max said quietly. "Trust the Force. Trust your own heart. But don't blindly trust any organization."
He started for the door.
At the threshold, he paused and looked back.
"I'll end it within five days. I won't let this land on your shoulders."
"Aayla opened her mouth. "Max, you—"
Max shut the door, called Christopher, and moved at a fast walk back toward the shuttle.
"To the Dragon."
"Yes, sir." Christopher tilted his head, listening. "Sir—Mentor Secura is following."
"Open the hatch. Let her in."
As he spoke, Max keyed in the callsign for Second Fleet's flagship, Pathfinder.
"This is Max Vizsla. Patch me through to Rear Admiral Lai Vizsla. He's free right now, isn't he? Then connect him."
He didn't slow down.
"Admiral—your fleet ends the current operation immediately. One hour from now, I'm convening an all-hands command conference for the entire task force."
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