Despite the Council's order, I did not go to Coruscant immediately… I needed to finish one more thing. What exactly? To bury Mila Karnur. She is not a Jedi, so I decided to bury her as a normal sentient being. I was considering two options for solving this problem… Either I should return to Chandrila, officially registering her death, and buy a place in the cemetery. Or… After thinking for a couple more minutes, I decided to head to the first planet my master took me to. To that very sanctuary… Even though it sounded wrong from a certain point of view. So I didn't leave the Unknown Regions for almost a week, while my ship entered a secondary hyperspace lane and proceeded to that planet.
The sanctuary planet greeted me with a real downpour. Landing on the landing platform, I encountered the rinds, my pack, who surrounded my ship. The wolves literally surrounded me, disregarding the rain, many of them looked into my eyes with a sad gaze, as if they understood everything, understood the pain I had endured… Although I was also to blame for everything. I allowed this, I made a mistake… I didn't want to become better, and this is what it led to. Mila is dead, Master Lorm is also dead. In an instant, I lost both my love and my teacher… And this loss finally made me wake up from my sleep.
Intoxicated by the Force, by my abilities – I decided that everything in this world was simple. That I would change history, and everyone would be happy, just like me. But no. You can't change anything without sacrificing something. I didn't want to sacrifice, I didn't want to change. And this is what it led to. To my complete defeat. And, ironically, the longer you delay learning, the more painful it becomes.
"I need to bury her," Mila Karnur's body, levitated by the Force, was behind me. All this time I had kept her in a special capsule, saving her from decay. Just like my master's body.
One of the wolves touched my shoulder with its nose. I could literally feel its warm nose warming my shoulder… At the same time, due to the rain, I was already soaked to the bone… It was quite cold, due to the weather and, I suppose, the season in the current location on the planet. But it didn't bother me much… The body of a Gifted, even one as worthless and pathetic as me, is much more resilient than that of an ordinary person. A common cold from the cold won't get me. The wolf touched my shoulder again, turned, and walked away from the ship, towards the forest. The others followed…
"Follow you, right?" I asked, covering Mila's body with a blanket and heading after the rinds.
Familiar trees and locations… my training here. It feels like it was just yesterday. And today I no longer have a strict but wise master who would teach me anything. Lorm Decer did not merge with the Force. His body remained, and his spirit will not appear to me, like Obi-Wan's spirit to Luke. When you are left alone, you always start to appreciate those you have lost, even more so… Mila… Although many might think we only knew each other for a couple of weeks. So what: we loved each other… Yes, the feelings arose spontaneously, but even that was enough…
Now she is dead too. And I am carrying her to be buried… The huge trees seemed endless. At some point, they created an impenetrable wall for the raindrops with their mighty branches, which instantly stopped touching my body. And the rinds kept going and going… Until finally I heard… The distant sound of the surf.
"Water? No… There was the sea in that direction… "
Dragons live in the center of the continent. So-called… I almost died from one of them. If not for my master. And so we approached the outskirts… Gradually the trees thinned out, the crowns became smaller, as did the flora itself. The fauna didn't bother me much, the rinds formed a tight circle around me and didn't let particularly zealous predators get close. I clearly felt several auras, living auras, extinguish along the way. Finally, the trees disappeared, revealing something majestic to me. It was a rocky shore, dotted with green grass. The gray sky brought sadness, cold raindrops fell from it… But it wasn't this that was impressive. As if a bridge extended from the shore, a thin path, to a rock-island where a decent building could be placed. The sea crashed and foamed against the gray rocks below. The dark water roared, splashing…
"You said you wanted to admire this view, Mila," I said. "It's a beautiful landscape. Too bad you can't see it… But you will be buried in the middle of it."
I looked at the ground… The soil was hard, rocky.
"You can't dig this with a shovel, you need a pickaxe," I said angrily. "Stop… Am I Gifted, or just out for a walk? Although it's a stupid question – judging by my actions, I'm definitely out for a walk… And I'm talking to myself too. You can go crazy like this, although I see Geralt from the last part of the game, he also talked to himself when he was investigating, yes… I'm not crazy, I've just become a Witcher, in the middle of the Heavenly River… " I joked and laughed at my tasteless joke. "Alright… It's time for you to rest, Mila, in peace."
I concentrated on a certain part of the soil and sharply released the Force into it… The calculation was that I could separate this part and lift it, but it didn't work. Since I couldn't separate the layer of soil like that, I had to act differently. Taking my Lightsaber from my belt, I ignited the blade. The green blade flew out of the hilt, and I twirled it. The hilt was cold, repulsive, and it felt like the rain was not to blame for this. Should I hammer a nail with a microscope? I decided to simply burn the soil with the Lightsaber… Despite the fact that the blade quickly burned the rock, I had to sweat profusely before I could not only burn through the chosen spot to the required depth, but also make it the required width and length…
"Well, Mila, my love… " I looked at the woman's body. It was pale, dressed in her new sundress, which I bought her on Coruscant. I decided to change her… I wanted to remember her in it. Not in the mechanic's suit, but in the sundress, which gave her an unusual lightness and attractiveness. I shivered, shedding the Jedi cloak with a movement. I had it. A light brown shade. Taking one last look at her peaceful, pale face… "I apologize for not understanding some truths sooner. It's because of me that you died… I was worthless and stupid… Perhaps I'm still a fool, or perhaps not? Time will tell. I will have it to prove it, or to prove the opposite. A part of me will always be with you, forever," I wrapped her in my cloak. "Rest in peace, Mila Karnur, and forgive me," I said, picking up her body with telekinesis and placing it in the freshly prepared grave. Well, now… I found a place where the soil was softer. Directing the Force towards the soil, I picked up enough, albeit with some difficulty, and lowered it onto Mila's body. "And a stone," I had no problem with that. There were many stones here. One of them became a new gravestone. With my Lightsaber, I left an epitaph in Russian, a language so distant now. "Rest in peace, Mila Karnur," with a heavy sigh, I put the sword back on my belt.
"Phew," the rinds reappeared nearby.
"Guard this place," I ordered the rinds, accompanying it with a Force push.
"Phew," came from several rinds at once.
"Well, I have to go… "
As I said, perhaps I am acting foolishly by returning to the Order. Nothing good awaits either the Jedi or the Republic. Both will fall… But even despite my fall. I still remained a Jedi… Not the same one I was before. But a Jedi… I moved through the forest, some of the rinds stayed near Mila's grave, and some of me accompanied me to the ship.
"Where to now, master?" VV-7 asked when I approached the ship, returning to the platform.
"To Coruscant, this time – for real, VV," I sighed, returning to my ship and starting its engines, then moving to the cockpit.
The engines of the "Star Path" roared, lifting the starship into the air. Taking the controls, I directed it upwards. The stars, distant and hot, appeared before my eyes. I entered the course into the navigation computer and pressed the hyperspace exit lever…
***
The ship landed at the Jedi Temple closer to evening. As soon as I got out, descending the ramp, three Temple Guards appeared before me. All in identical robes.
"Padawan Light Flaingstar?" one of them inquired. The hangar was alive with activity. Ships were either landing or taking off. Technicians scurried about their business.
"We have come for the body of your master, Knight Lorm Decer," announced, it seemed, their leader. Three men, dressed in robes of the same color, approached. "We will prepare him for the funeral rites. You will be invited to his funeral, Padawan."
"Well," I said, turning and waving my hand. "Let's go, Masters," I invited them, and they followed me. Together we went to the warehouse where a special capsule stood, where the master's body was kept.
The Guards swiftly picked up the Knight's body with telekinesis and left my ship.
"May the Force be with you, Padawan," one of them said. "We will inform you about the burial ceremony. By the way, you are expected in the High Council tower for a detailed report."
"Thank you," I bowed slightly to the guards. "May the Force be with you, Masters."
From a hierarchical point of view, any Knight is a Master to me. Therefore, such an address to them is quite justified. It's time to head to the Council. But first… I caught one of the technicians by the arm.
"Wait," I stopped a rather young guy.
"Yes?" he turned to me. He was a black-haired man of short stature. I felt the Force from him… Service Corps?
"There was a virus written into my ship. I got it after… A certain incident. And no one has been able to detect the virus until now," I said sadly, "until my master and an innocent woman died due to the mission's failure… "
"That's impossible," a voice from behind said. "I personally checked your ship, Padawan," I turned around. A Rodian stood by the ramp. I recognized him. He was also part of the Service Corps, but he had been working here much longer than the one I had grabbed. "I am Ruun Nikr," he bowed slightly. "And I've been working here for about thirty years. I can vouch that there were no viruses on your ship… "
"But then why was it accessed?" I asked sharply, stepping right up to the Rodian.
"Perhaps because the ship once belonged to some organization. And a member of that organization who gained access to your ship had a universal key. The key could have been written into the root of the system itself," Ruun said thoughtfully. "Thus, he gained access to it. We did not check your ship for this."
"But I changed the access codes… "
"Codes are irrelevant here," Ruun objected. "The key could have been written into the root of the system itself, or… Your ship's system itself is the key. In that case, he would have to completely replace the software. Or I can try to find the problem and replace it individually."
"Hmm," I scratched my chin thoughtfully. "Here's what! Replace the entire ship system for me. I don't want any more surprises with it. And, VV, come here," I called the droid. "Check him too. If the key was embedded in the ship's system, it could have copied onto my droid."
"Check the droid?" Ruun asked. "Logical," he nodded. "I'll manage it in a week," he said. "Until then, neither your ship nor the droid will be with you."
"Master… You don't trust me?" VV-7 beeped.
"I do. But you don't want to harm me, do you, VV? I'd rather know that even unconsciously you can't be a threat to me. And after the check – give him an oil bath," I ordered the Rodian.
"Hooray! Hooray!" VV spun around me, just like a dog.
"Hmph, it will be done," Ruun Nikr nodded.
***
The doors of the High Jedi Council opened, and I could see those present. The tower offered stunning views of Coruscant. Directly opposite the entrance sat Grand Master Yoda. Yoda sat with his brows furrowed, I would say – frowning. In the year 56 BBY, the High Council had the traditional number of Masters: twelve.
To Yoda's right sat Master Jonnal, from the Shadow division. I knew nothing about his existence in the canon. He was a non-canonical character, but Lorm spoke of him as a Jedi with his own principles, slightly softened, and he believed that his principles were worthy of being spread throughout the Order, which he promoted in the Council. Unsuccessfully… Next to Jonnal was Jocasta Nu, still young, in the prime of her strength and beauty. She had black hair, regular features, and a slender body hidden in a cloak. Moving on… To Jocasta's right sat Tera Sinube. Another Jedi Guardian, an investigator. No one knows the Coruscant underbelly better than he does. To the right of the Cosian was a native of the Iktotchi planet: Saesee Tiin. I remember him, he was the mildest towards my master among the entire Council. And finally, Evan Piell cast a threatening glance over my figure. Short, with peculiar ears, in black clothing. He belonged to the Lannik people.
To Yoda's left were the following individuals: the Quermian Yarael Poof, who strongly resembled a native of the planet Kamino, with a long neck… As I recall, he was in the first episode, but removed in the second so that an unprepared viewer wouldn't ask: "And why, for goodness sake, did no one know what kind of planet Kamino was, if you have a Kaminoan on the Council?" No, Kamino and Quermia are completely different, two unique planets. And next to Yarael: Yula Brylon, a somewhat unpleasant-looking human woman, Oppo Rancisis, a Tissian specialist in combat meditation, Poli Dapaten, an elderly man… To the left sat Elksa Kreiss, belonging to the Anomid race. And the last member of the Council, on Yoda's left side: Ian Dooku, recently elevated to the Council.
"Masters," I bowed slightly. A slender figure of a woman also stood before them, I saw her only from the back.
The woman turned around, and I easily recognized An'ya Kuro… I had seen her much earlier, during meditations in the Hall of a Thousand Fountains.
"Master," I greeted her.
"We were waiting for you," came from Evan Piell. "Tell us, Padawan. Now in detail."
I sighed heavily. It was quite likely I would be thoroughly reprimanded now.
"When Mila Karnur boarded my ship," I began my story, "we gained access to the location of all the hiding places of her brother, Joyran Karnur, who stole the medallion, a Sith artifact from the time of Zakuul."
"Why did Joyran Karnur steal this artifact from the 'Crimson Kraken' organization?" came from Dooku. "Resale?"
"No," I turned to the young Master. "The 'Crimson Kraken', as we reported before with my Master, decided to sell the artifact to Shilaj, a Dathomirian Witch and Dark Gifted, but Joyran, who was supposed to deliver the artifact, fled with it. The problem was Darth Arrogant."
"I have studied the data," Jocasta Nu interrupted me. "Darth Arrogant was the warden of the prison complex on the planet Gizelum and served Darth Vitiate."
"Correct," I nodded. "Darth Arrogant bound his spirit to the medallion and managed to possess Joyran Karnur's body, and then flew to Gizelum. Later, he tried to take my body… "
"I see," Jonnal said. "And what about Arrogant's spirit now?"
"Dead," I reported. "He couldn't destroy my spirit, detached from Joiran's body—he didn't survive," I wouldn't say that I had, in fact, absorbed him myself. No matter how the Sith might brand me. That's precisely why I feel, for sure, a strange reaction from my Lightsaber's crystal. I took a part of the darkness. Crystals are individual and react very sharply to the user's personality. In fact—don't I need a new crystal after my adventures, especially after such a cardinal revision of my views.
"Understood," Jonal nodded. "I'll take your word for it, Padawan."
"What happened to that pair?" Evan Piell asked. "You let them get away."
"Teyron Jarps is dead," I replied. "Only Shillaž remained alive. She still has the Sith amulet."
"Understood," Jonal's voice echoed again. "I will order the Shadows to track her down. Or do you want to track her yourself?"
Oh, every cell in my body demanded it. To track down that Dathomirian whore and turn her into kebabs. But on the other hand: vengeance for vengeance, but will it bring back Mila? Or my master? I am guilty of their deaths.
"No," I shook my head. "If I wanted to track her down: I would have gone after her myself. But I understand that simple revenge is a path to nowhere. I was ordered to return here, to Coruscant. Which I did."
"Praiseworthy zeal," Evan Piell remarked.
"Your reasoning commands respect, young Padawan," Yoda broke his silence. "Your master taught you well, since you speak such things," this is one of those lessons of his that I would have preferred to learn without paying the price I had to, under the unfeeling gaze of the universe. "And though I feel the pain of loss in your soul, you act wisely. The Council of Masters gives you a new master. Knight Kuro has expressed a desire to finish your training."
"As the Council commands," I bowed slightly.
"Your master reported that you are almost ready for the Trials. Your teacher will verify this and report to the Council," Yoda said. "If you are ready, you will become a Knight. That is all for now, Padawan. Knight Kuro, stay behind. The Council needs to speak with you."
I left the Council chamber while my new master remained. My room... Or rather, Lorm's room. Now my belongings needed to be moved from there to Knight Kuro's quarters. However, as it turned out later, this was unnecessary. Kuro was a loner, rarely returned to the Temple, and didn't have a specific apartment. So I was informed that not only did my belongings not need to be moved, but I could also move into those quarters and they would be entirely mine. My master was gone for a long time... So I simply sat in a meditative pose and surrendered to a feeling of relaxation. After all that I had lost... It was time to learn lessons.
What is the Republic? What is the Order? I intended to change something in both of these structures. But will I succeed on the chosen path? One should consider the conjuncture, the environment... What do I want, what have I always wanted in terms of politics? A state built on the principles of meritocracy, in fact. When the most capable hold positions. But how can I demand that leaders, as a Jedi, be capable and intelligent, if I myself am not? There are huge gaps in my mind. With empty words about general justice, freedom, equality—nothing will be achieved. These are just conversations, words in the wind. I dislike autocracies, countries with a "strong hand." They are weak, bound by their own elite, dependent on their own leader. And not all leaders are Lee Kuan Yews; most autocrats can hinder development simply due to their prejudices. But again—we have something to learn from. From Palpatine's Empire, from the Empire of Zakuul, from the Empires of various Sith. What do they know? They know how to act... There should be people in the country who are vested with power and who will not be afraid to act. These are not the same dictators; they are simply those who, if something happens, will help their country...
But here arises the question of the essence of sentient beings. How to build such a thing? After all, everyone understands everything in their own way. Many want power, and many are simply narrow-minded. Who will be the one who can act without looking back at empty talk, while maintaining a clear mind? Will sentient beings not tire of such personalities? I must find answers to these questions and many others. Because I myself did not understand what I wanted to build. But before demanding anything from anyone, I must first become a specialist in these areas. And I should probably start with the military sphere. The galaxy will face conflicts in the future. I cannot prevent them, no matter how much I want to. I'm not even sure: is it worth it? After all, without sacrificing anything, nothing can be built. Many sentient beings must understand the significance of their loved ones to learn to value the present and build the future. Yes, probably so... What will I do? Perhaps I should study officer courses. It will be useful in the future... To recall diplomacy, politics, management. I missed a lot, I relied only on my knowledge and thought, I could in the future consider this galaxy almost my playroom. Where everything will be beautiful and wonderful... Was I wrong? Definitely.
"Wake up," a demanding voice said. I emerged from meditation with some difficulty. "So, you know my name. I am An'ya Kuro, but you can call me 'Dark Woman'."
"I am Padawan Light Flaingstar," I bowed slightly, standing up.
"Lorm's funeral will be tomorrow, at dawn, Padawan," she said sharply. "We leave tomorrow at noon."
"My ship is under repair, Master, please forgive me..."
"The ship is under repair?" she asked. "Not good."
"It was easily hacked by the enemy," I said with bitterness. "So I asked the technicians to study it and modify it a bit. They say they'll fix it in a week... We can train..."
"Only in the Force," my master interrupted, shedding her black cloak, which was worn over equally dark clothing. "You will be useless in swordsmanship right now."
"Master! I know Soresu and Ataru, as well as..."
"Control your pride," the Dark Woman said sharply. "It doesn't suit you! You are not capable of fighting properly right now. But not because your knowledge of sword forms is zero. Lorm boasted of your successes, be sure. It's just that you don't feel the problem you've encountered. Even I, without connecting with you through the Force Bonds, felt it..."
"A problem?"
"You fell, didn't you?" she asked.
Silence hung in the air. She stood directly opposite me, calmly burning me with her icy gaze.
"Yes," I said dryly. "But I managed..."
"To return. But you dabbled in the Dark Side, that's a fact. You could have been locked up calmly if this information had been disclosed. However, many have guessed about it. You were not apprehended only because you managed to return, and you are holding on. The Dark Side is not felt from you. That's good. But you will never be completely the same as you were before your fall. The Dark Side has changed even the greatest Jedi in the galaxy. What can be said about you," she smirked maliciously. "Only one must consider the crystal for the Lightsaber. It no longer suits you. You have changed too much... You suspected, didn't you?"
"Yes," I nodded.
"It should be replaced. It is important for a Jedi that his sword corresponds to him. We will deal with this. First and foremost."
"Will we go to Ilum?" I asked.
"Where we go depends on you. You have a week. We will train in Force abilities, learn something new... And you will also meditate on your problem, trying to understand where you should go to get a new crystal for your sword. And we start tomorrow, after your master's funeral. May the Force be with you, my new student."