Nar Shaddaa

[Andon]

With a subtle shifting of the matter in space, the lone E-Wing emerged from hyperspace. Against the dark aura of the planet, three presences of Jedi shone through like a beacon in a torrent storm...his kind was already here. Strangely, something didn't feel quite right here, like all the pieces weren't in motion...as if something were missing; the link was broken. As if the second Act of the play was set to center stage, his astromech droid patched in a comm through his communication system.

 

So Daz-Ex isn't here after all...I had a feeling he wouldn't be. I have the feeling I should be worried seeing how the source of the comm is coming from a ship registered to the hunter I fought on Tatooine, but what else do I have to lose?

 

It appeared as if this mission was going to be easier then he thought, but notions of importance still resonated from the planet in waves...currents in the Force were still drawing him here. He would be back to Nar Shaddaa, but on another today, now his duty was calling him elsewhere. Not wanting to leave his kind in the dark, he opened up a secure and encrypted channel to his three fellow Jedi and spoke.

 

"This is Andon Colos, I know of Daz-Ex's whereabouts...he's currently on Coruscant. I'll be going alone to meet with him, being his Master and all I'm the only Jedi that he'll actually trust. I'll be sure to keep you updated. I know this boy...he is no murderer, if he killed Whyl there was a good reason behind it."

 

With that, the comm abruptly ended and the E-Wing was once again in motion through hyperspace. Destination: Coruscant.

[Andon]

The Renegade Night emerged from hyperspace, the small fighter descending to the planet's surface as it nimbly skimmed low against the horizon, weaving in and out of buildings. Opening his scanners he searched for the Jedi ships once more, locating all three of them within seconds...they hadn't gone anywhere afterall.

 

No matter, if they want Daz-Ex badly enough they'll track him down...

 

He said nothing to the woman in the ship with him, his eyes merely locked onto the read-outs on his control panel...hands dancing across the keypad as he locked onto one of the Jedi's ship in particular: Talon Flick. Activating a comm, he opened up a secure channel that only he and Talon would be able to use.

 

"You were the one that relayed the information to the Jedi Council on the situation here...I need to speak with you. Meet me at the building marked..."

 

The Jedi Knight trailed off as he scanned around his location, picking out a single skyscraper as the name on the building clearly stood out against the backdrop of the surface.

 

"...K Inc...whatever the hell that stands for. Don't worry, I won't be too hard to spot."

 

He cut the comm off short, diverting his attention back to flight as he gently set his E-Wing down a hundred or so yards away from the building. Effortlessly he hopped down from the open cockpit and leaned against his ship, arms crossed across his chest as he sensed Ashley Jade climbing down from the ship as well. Eyes locked forward, he spoke to her.

 

"Stay close, this place makes the Bowels of Coruscant looks like a primary school field trip to the zoo. Keep your wits about you and blaster within arm's reach..."

[Andon]

"There is nothing fun about this nor is there any glory to be had. Battles are not determined by which side won, rather by which side is left standing...never forget that. When things cease to be about what needs to be done and instead becomes a game the vision is lost and innocents suffer."

 

He was beginning to sound like an actual Jedi Knight more and more each day, the maturity evident in his voice. He spoke in a harsher tone then he had expected, it sounded more like a lecture then a response to a simple phrase. He closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them and turning his head towards her.

 

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to snap. It's just I failed my last apprentice and I'm not too fond of the feeling of letting those down that depend on me."

[Andon]

Her question rung in his head, apparently his words had slipped out before he had thought them through fully...his sub-conscious hinting at notions he hid away from his surface train of thought.

 

"If you want me to be..."

 

He turned away, his thoughts travelling to his last conversation with Daz-Ex, the sheer pain the boy expressed at Andon's failure to teach him properly flashing across his eyes. Why'd you have to die, Hale, I could really use your guidance right about now.

 

"...I mean if you'd like to be my apprentice."

 

He allowed his gaze to lock in a forward position again, hazel eyes scanning for the approach of Talon's ship. He stayed silent for a long furious series of moments before speaking again.

 

"The life I offer you is not the fairy-tale the stories of old make it out to be. Good and evil are never clearly defined in black and white, choices will come about that may seem wrong but are really right and vice versa. If you choose to stay with me your life will never be your own...your life will belong to every living creature in the galaxy. Their safety comes before your own happiness...could you make that sacrifice?"

 

He paused as he turned his gaze to her, the weight of the galaxy hidden in the depths of his eyes and his voice even and serious.

 

"If in your heart of hearts can honestly answer 'yes' to that question then I will take you on as my apprentice."

[Andon]

"Then it's settled...you're now my apprentice. Pay close attention to your surroundings; this planet is your classroom and all that dwell in it are the lessons from which you will learn."

 

He turned his gaze away from her and again locked his eyes forward, ever present of his surroundings.

 

"The first lesson is patience. Never hesitate but never jump into a brash course either...take the situation for what it is and observe it...the truth in action will find its way to you."

[Andon]

Closing his eyes, the Jedi Knight centered himself in the Force as the presence of another Jedi danced across the farthest reaches of his conscious extent. Gathering his thoughts, he spoke once more to his apprentice, Ashley Jade Skywalker.

 

"Patience grants you the ability wait for the opportune moment rather then engaging in action by your own assumptions. Only when you're willing to find a means outside of your own perception will your mind be able to accept the first steps of true awareness."

 

Glancing around he saw a small child sitting in the street playing with a set of toy figures...his mother or father apparently here to get their daily fix...a path the child would no doubt follow. With a nod to Ash, she too looked at the child, and with a subtle wave of Andon's fingers the toys began to move on their own. A toy Jedi and a toy Imperial trooper, both moved as if an invisible hand moved them in an epic battle of good against evil, the child easily amused.

 

"Concentration grants us many things, my ability to move the toys and talk to you at the same time for instance. Proper focus can help us achieve many things, but it is only the one thing that holds us back. Concentration interrupts the flow of simply being because you attempt to block out everything around you while you try to achieve awareness on a singular task or object."

 

As quickly as it began, the moving toys stopped...Andon resuming his continuing stare at the area around him.

 

"Concentration breeds logical motives of "I am thinking this" and "I wish to do this". It's incredibly close minded, seeing things from only your perspective instead of seeing them from every aspect and point of view. You must go against your nature of thinking only about the person and instead allow yourself to see the entire picture...so in a sense awareness isn't so much a technique but a state of mind. Only when you let go of what you know and embrace what you can learn will you truly achieve awareness."

 

The roar of a landing ship broke the lesson of Master and Apprentice, the third Jedi of their party finally arriving in response to Colos' comm. Brandishing the full battle attire of the Jedi, he spoke light-heartedly and bluntly.

 

"An event as big as the death of Whyl would have no doubt been kept under wraps by the criminal underworld...though low class they always hide their weaknesses well. How did you go about acquiring this information so soon? If the source can be known then think of what else he may know of...possessing knowledge of all the pieces on the board couldn't hurt us every now and then..."

[Andon]

As the Jedi, Talon, spoke of the ringleader of the K Inc building, Andon Colos found his eyes wandering over to the structure as he looked it up and down. He had many impulses at once...one urging him to go about things calmly and rationally...one screaming at him to rush in lightsaber blazing and take the answers by force...the last telling him to let himself go in the moment and take the situation for what it is.

 

It is never the destination that matters, but the journey.

 

It was something he had been told of his whole life, yet he never put that much thought into it. His fingers slowly made their way to the grip of his lightsaber, his thoughts racing as he pictured all that would unfold taking the building. He quickly dismissed them, though, for anticipation was nothing more then a distraction...until it became the present the future was merely a distraction as well. In the end all you have is the moment and in the end it is all you will ever need.

 

"I agree, though it wouldn't exactly be moving into action single-handedly seeing how there are three of us."

 

He paused his talking long enough for a quick smile to cross his face before he returned to the point in hand.

 

"Hasty action would be ill-advised, though. You seem to know a great deal about the establishment, meaning you've been there before or studied it greatly...meaning you'd know how to find your way to Keanu. But in light of recent events our kind will not be welcome and we will be expected. I suggest that one of us creates a diversion while the other reaches the Pirate King. We remain unknown in the complex until our moment arrives and then we will move into action. Now here's the plan..."

 

He spoke quickly but effectively, a plan so simple it was impervious to failure. It was truly amazing how such basic concepts could be the most effective, for the highest form of thinking was none at all.

[Andon]

Silently the turbolift descended down into the sub-levels of the K Inc building, the trembling sensation of the air rushing upward giving off an eerie serenity. The Jedi Knight stood motionless, eyes closed as he centered himself within the Force and allowed the enigmatic current to wash over his aura and purge him of all doubts and hesitation. There was no future and no past...only the now...only the moment.

 

Before the lift had even stopped, he moved towards the door, the systematic hissing opening the entrance to the sub-level as he stepped forwards into it. Behind him his apprentice, Ashley Jade Skywalker, calmly followed her Master's suit as he idly walked into the darkened hallways. He inhaled and exhaled in a controlled and even manner, his awareness reaching past his conscious self as tendrils of his mind reached outward and crept along the durasteel and concrete walls. He found what he was searching for.

 

This was easy...almost too easy. I've got a bad feeling about this.

 

Slowly his hazel eyes adjusted to the lack of light and he spotted the small metal box that was hanging from the wall. Stepping towards it he drew his silver and black lightsaber hilt, a shimmering bar of green plasma emerging from the emitter. With a single swipe of his blade he removed the safety panel of the box with surgical precision, the Jedi disengaging his blade and attaching it to his belt afterwards. He studied the panel for a few moments before her reached his hand out and placed them it the activation pad. With a few simple key strokes his deed had been done: the building's power had been successfully cut, save for a pair of turbolifts.

 

Reaching out with the Force, he focused his mind on the auxillary wires and relays inside the box, his fingers twitching slightly causing their connections to be severed; the control panel rendered useless. With but a nod of his head, Andon Colos directed his Padawan back towards the turbo-lift, the dim emergency lights the only thing keeping the lift from being trapped in a cascade of total darkness. With the press of a button the lift was in motion again, this time the rush of air moved downwards as they were propelled back up towards the first level.

 

I sense something out of place...another Jedi. So Jurha came in search of me afterall.

 

At that thought he smiled on the inside, his facial features remaining locked in a solemn gaze prominent to many Jedi...though appearances were always deceiving. Though one may not be smiling it didn't mean they had no urge to and at the thought of her he smiled mentally once more. As the lift stopped, the Jedi held the doors in place with his mind and drew his hilt in his hand, simultaneously raising his black hood atop his head. Gazing forward he spoke to his apprentice...this would likely be her first battle.

 

"Relax, let the currents of the Force guide your motions. Remember, some battles are fought from without...all battles are fought from within. Don't allow your emotions to cloud your thoughts in the heat of events."

[Andon]

The four guards at the entrance moved quickly into action, drawing and training their blaster carbines on Jurha Kahn as she forced her way into the building. The five stood starring at each other in the dimly lit halls, the sound of a turbolift approaching deafening the area of silent moments. With a motioning of his hand, Ashley Jade moved towards the end of the turbolift that would provide her the most safety and cover from sight.

 

With a mechanical hiss the door of the lift slid open, its lone occupant standing there in a relaxed stance, shoulders slumping slightly forward, head looking down. Around him his cloak as black as night covered his figure, his drooping hood covering his eyes and nose; the angle of his face allowing only his mouth and jaw to be seen. Underneath the cloak that hid his arms, his right hand slightly moved, the fabric shifting to reveal a cylindrical object clenched in his fingers. Four pairs of eyes watched in a complete state of disbelief as the figure's thumb depressed an activation stud and they watched as an emerald green blade hissed and crackled into existence.

 

Realizing the situation had taken a turn for the worse, the four guards leveled their weapons at the figure; sights pinpointed at his heart and forehead. Slowly he lowered his head further, the hood now cloaking his face from plain sight”¦the four beings twitching with anticipation as others in the room took notice of the event that was about to unfold. Underneath his hood, Andon Colos was smiling”¦

 

Micro-seconds fell away like lifetimes as the Jedi Knight's perception shifted to a plane of understanding that few had the luxury of exploring. He centered himself in the Force, fear and hesitation draining away from his aura as he ceased to be Andon Colos and instead became a living vessel of the Force itself, actions and motives changing from that of his own to that of the divine entity that empowered all in the galaxy blessed enough to harness its bounty. This was the crowning achievement of a Jedi Knight, to be so lost in the Force that in fact you're granted the luxury of being able to let go”¦the Force was him and in return he was the Force.

 

All was still in the hollow darkness of the dim hallway, their four heartbeats echoed like the rumble of a far off thunderstorm, their breathing whispered to him like the water droplets of a waterfall cascading into the natural pool below. It only took an instant, but the fight was over before it began.

 

In a single motion Andon Colos lunged forward, a single diagonal swipe of his emerald fury cleaved the barrels of two of the blaster carbines clean off, the smell of singed metal filling his nostrils. With a flick of his wrist the Force was summoned into the surrounding air and a wall solidified from nothingness as he hurled it forward with nothing more then his will, the fruits of his concentration colliding with the two men and launching them into a wall; both were knocked unconscious. Simultaneously his blade was a whirlwind in front of him as he swung a tight figure eight; two blaster bolts were caught and redirected by the blade's momentum.

 

The first went straight down to the ground, glanced off the metallic floor, ricocheted off an adjacent wall and struck the back of the closest guard's calf, instantly dropping him to one knee. The second followed a similar path, though a more direct one, as it was batted directly into the remaining guard's shoulder causing him to drop his heavy rifle. In the blink of an eye the Jedi Knight was in motion again, drawing his lightsaber back and swinging it downward as he struck the kneeling guard in the base of his neck with the butt of his hilt, instantly sending him to the world of dreams.

 

Once more he lurched forward, the last guard standing drawing his throw down pistol as a last resort, the heinous feelings in this man's heart colliding with Colos's aura like a tsunami of sheer disdain. This man had killed before, it was nothing new to him”¦eliminating the Jedi Knight would be just another notch on his belt. Arrogance would be his downfall; he overestimated his own skills as he faced off against one of the Jedi Order's most experienced Knights. Andon Colos had many strengths, his fluency with a lightsaber showing itself as he cleanly cut off the guard's weapon hand.

 

The Force had always come naturally to him, in his days as a pilot in the Naboo Royal Air force and now as he summoned it within himself to step past the guard at an unnatural speed. Clarity from the Force granted him conviction for what was right and what was wrong, duty outweighing his own needs to be able to commit himself fully to his obligation of protecting billions of innocents. This man had defied the natural order by taking many lives and was a threat to the galaxy as a whole”¦his day of reckoning would come swift and hard as the cold grip of justice clasped itself around his throat.

 

Justice was the inspiration for Andon's movements, his blade thrusting behind him as the energy weapon pierced the man's back and all that could be heard was the sizzling of human flesh and a cry of agony. All these things made a Jedi great, but that alone was not enough to completely fulfill his duty, for the greatest strength Andon possessed was his mercy”¦death was not a gift to be handed out lightly; the emerald blade pierced the flesh but did no damage to vital organs. The searing pain had caused him to crumple over and pass out, but he would live to see another day”¦the Jedi had granted him the gift of a second chance. It a matter of a few seconds the entire fight was ended...

 

Duty told him to do one thing, but his soul instructed him to do another. Andon Colos was here to provide a distraction for another”¦today was not his day to become a murderer yet again. With his head down and lightsaber deactivated at his side he began his walk forward, tremors in the Force warning him that others were on their way to stop him. Those who were in the room had fled, leaving only Jurha and Andon in the main room and as he approached her he raised his head to meet her gaze.

 

He didn't know why, but he hugged her as a sudden feeling of dread overcame him...like the stars themselves suddenly extinquished at once. He could feel his strength breaking, his knees began to buckle underneath of him and if not for the support of Jurha he would have dropped to the floor. Pain...terrible pain and suffering...his soul was in a state of mourning as it was gnawed from the inside out; an unseen phantom clawing away at him. He was numb as nausea overtook him and the world gained a tilted perspective as he struggled to clear his head of the walking nightmares that threatened to rip him in half. With pain filled eyes, he locked gazes with Jurha once more.

 

"Something's happened...so much death. It-it's as if we're all on the verge of being sucked into a hole in the world...the currents have shifted. There's so much agony..."

[Andon]

You're a Jedi”¦you're beyond this. Carry the memory of their pain with you always, but let it go”¦mourning merely keeps you trapped in the past.

 

Apparently his thoughts had escaped him, for both Jurha and Ashley gave him silent nods of understanding. As quickly as it came, he shoved their sorrow into the furthest end of the most remote region in his mind, the place where he buried many phantoms he wished to forget. He understood the vergance in the Force now, many souls had perished in the blink of an eye”¦their agony would be the Jedi Knight's fuel to right the wrongs as soon as names could be placed to deeds. If anyone would know what would have happened instantly, it would be Keanu.

 

Footfalls amplified by the Force echoed in Andon's thoughts, the thud of steps against concrete and durasteel was mechanical, wholly efficient as each one stepped in unison, electroservers humming to provide movement towards their target. A green bar of plasma once again pierced the darkness of the dim hallway as the Jedi Knight readied his blade and moved to his left, positioning himself in front of his Padawan, Jurha taking a flanking position to his right.

 

”œDroids”¦lots of them. Go for the weak points at their midsections and their necks for the spindly infantry ones”¦a lightsaber to the chest will handle the super battle droids. And for droidekas”¦run like hell.”

[Andon]

Pondering the question, Andon Colos closed his eyes and exhaled slowly through his nose, his thoughts gathering into words. He spoke, his eyes remaining closed.

 

"I tracked Daz-Ex to Coruscant after he fled from Nar Shaddaa. When I found him he was distraught and he vented all the pent up frustrations he had about the way I acted. So he and I parted ways..."

 

The Jedi Knight opened his eyes, letting the memory go of their encounter on the vast city-planet.

 

"After Whyl's death, Talon heard about it through an intercepted Holonet line that derived from this building. Keanu's a major player on Nar Shaddaa, but even so the Hutts would have kept Whyl's death very hush hush...yet he found out about it. We're here to find out how."

 

He glanced at Ashley Jade quickly remembering that the two female Jedi had never met one another.

 

"Ashley Jade, meet Jedi Knight, Jurha Kahn. Jurha, meet my apprentice, Ashley Jade Skywalker."

 

When he turned his head to look at Jurha, he saw something in her eyes that was unsettling. The way she looked at him, he cut him deeply...it was just a flicker, but it appeared like she was horrified by him. He didn't have time to reflect on her body language and what could have caused the reaction, he felt the mind of another whisper across his consciousness as the turbolift neared the top of the building.

 

With a mechanical hiss the lift door opened and the three occupants poured into the room, Andon Colos taking point. With a depression of the activation stud, his emerald blade burned into life as it made quick work of a pair of battle droids "guarding" the entrance. He worked his blade furiously in front of him, blocking the seemingly endless barrage of blaster bolts that headed towards them. Jurha took his flank and the pair of Jedi Knights redirected as many bolts as they could back to the sources to thin out the ranks and give Talon time to recover.

 

"Looks like our plan worked, Talon, it played out exactly like I hoped: with us trapped in a bottle neck. Got any bright ideas about how to take out those Droidekas? I've got one, but some would call it unconventional..."

[Andon]

With Jurha focusing her attention on maintaining a make-shift barricade, Andon Colos allowed himself to slip further into his battle meditation. The Jedi Knight moved with fluidity and casual flaire, his motions seamlessly flowing into the next as he dodged, jumped and slashed in an elegant dance of never ending movement. To the naked eye he was but a dark cloak and a blur of motion, constantly one step ahead of the droideka blaster bolts that hounded him relentlessly, their random firing quickly decimating Keanu's forces as the Jedi Knight ran circles around them.

 

The droids fell like cannon fodder and a quick flick of his blade redirected any fatal shots aimed at the human grunts into survivable yet incapacitating wounds.

 

Funny, these men wish to kill me and yet I still spare them. Ah, what bittersweet irony the life of a Jedi is, showing mercy when others would only show us death. We're like angels damned by a Kingdom that doesn't want us...

 

Reaching outward with his mind, he centered the Force around the whole being of the sole remaining droideka, lifting the droid into the air and hurling it across the room. Like a clap of thunder it collided with the window, the metallic beast ripping through the transparisteel and falling downward towards the surface.

 

Faster then thought the Jedi was on the move again, the singular hostile presence remaining in the room blaring like a siren throughout the serenity of the Force. Keanu was trying to flee, but a warning shot from Ashely Jade caused him to stop and head into the other direction...right into the awaiting side kick of Andon Colos. The heel of the Jedi's boot caught the "gangster" square in the jaw, instantly dropping him to the ground as he doggedly tried to crawl away...the tip of Talon's blade hovering only inches away from his nose.

 

"Keanu, now is that anyway to treat company? You really should consider working on your people skills, I mean, a hoard of droids is no way to treat welcomed guests and representatives of the Galactic Alliance..."

[Andon]

As Talon interrogated the self-proclaimed pirate, Andon Colos stood cross-armed beside him, lightsaber hanging from his belt. He let the Jedi Master play the intimidation game...that wasn't his style...not anymore atleast. The Knight stood watching Keanu's every reaction, his fear washed off of him in waves of murky absolutes as he sat trembling before the lightsaber blade but breathes away from his face.

 

This isn't right...Jedi do not cause fear, we remove it.

 

He pitied him, even the mighty become cowards when the threat of losing their life comes into play. The concern didn't show, Colos's face was solemn and cold...almost empty as he removed all emotion from the situation; as he removed the self from the situation. He reached a place that his Master always told him of, a place where you let go of everything that kept you bound to this plane. A place where there were only the whispers of the Force. A place where he felt Talon's hostility spike as he drew his lightsaber back.

 

In the blink of an eye the actions unfolded, but to the altered perception of Andon Colos every drawn out moment fell away like a lifetime. Incased in a maroon light Talon's saber came downward in a hacking motion, Andon drawing his own saber and igniting the emerald blade; his swing already beginning before the blade fully materialized. With a flash of sparks the two energy beams met, the Knight stepping in front of the Jedi Master and catching his blade in a saber lock faster then thought.

 

Talon fought back, pushing further into his strike with both hands, but Andon's larger stature granted him the strength to hold him back even with only one hand. Talon pushed further but Colos stubbornly stood his ground and didn't allow the blade to move a milimeter closer to Keanu. As the two waged their own struggle, Ashley Jade and Jurha just stared in disbelief...

 

"Guiltly as he may be, he still deserves a chance at life. We are not murderers..."

 

Even as he spoke he felt the ripples that Keanu's sudden movement made through the Force, how his hand clenched into a fist and how his thumb lowered to depress a button on a remote caller in his hand. The Jedi Knight rotated his wrist, redirecting Talon's blade to cleave off the hand that held the remote as Keanu rose to his feet; Andon swiping backwards with his own saber, completely removing the arm he had raised in order to strike one of the Jedi down with. As the pirate cried out in pain, Colos crouched down and picked up the remote caller, examining it for a moment before turning to the stricken man.

 

"Did you think calling your ship was going to help? What were you planning to do...do a strafe run remotely on your office in an attempt to kill us? You've learned nothing...you were too impatient to realize I was pleading for mercy to be shown to you, yet you had to raise your fist in anger. What good did it do you?"

 

Andon lowered himself to the man in order to look him in the eyes.

 

"You fought back because you were afraid of losing all this...you let greed consume you. You are not the building you own, you are not your fleet of ships, you are not the clothes you wear...material objects mean nothing in the end. You've based your whole life on meaningless possessions, placing them all in a building in which I could destroy with but a thought if I so desired. In order to live you must be reborn. This building is no longer under your control...we've infilitrated and taken it...it now belongs to the whores and villains of this planet."

 

The Jedi rose to his feet, turning on his heel and walking towards the barricaded door as he turned his head and called over his shoulder back to Keanu.

 

"With this building gone the only thing you have left is this ship and I'm taking it as well...we've taken everything from you now. You can only be free when you have nothing left to lose. This is your second chance, Keanu, don't waste it. I've got your ship and I've got your comm frequency...I'll be keeping tabs on you. If you're not on your way to getting your life on the right track you'll be seeing me again..."

 

With a subtle nod of his head he motioned for Jurha to move away from the barricade she was keeping steady with the Force. He reached outward with his mind, sensing the battle droids that were trying to make their way through into the main office...the potential for more violence. He raised his hand, summoning the Force within himself as he let it wash over his aura and ease his wearied mind, the tendrils of his mind surrounding the make shift barricade and engulfing it with the the gently fury of the Force.

 

With a twitch of his fingers the structure ripped itself free of its holding place and poured into the hallway, colliding forceful with the droids that waited outside and quickly dispatched them as any sort of threat. Without another word he began walking down the hallway towards the hangar, his new ship needed to be collected.

[Andon]

Silence was his sanctuary; it was his escape. Separated from the battlefield of self-proclaimed Titans, silence was a place to hide from the rain of ash and brimstone that perpetual noise brought...it was surreal. It was obvious that neither Talon nor Andon agreed with the others actions, mercy was the Knight's top priority while justice was in the eyes of the Master.

 

It is of no matter, a Jedi should be merciful above all else and only kill in self-defense. The fight was over by that point and any fatal blow would have been out of offense.

 

Ashley Jade's uncertainty hung in the air around her and it was quite understandable, she'd gone through a lot since arriving on Nar Shaddaa and been through quite a taxing encounter for her first mission...but the fight was not the source of muddled thoughts. It was Andon and Talon's confrontation in Keanu's office that threw her; the sight of seeing two Jedi locked in a saber lock must have been overwhelming. The turbolift reached its destination and the Jedi Knight entered the hangar, activating the remote caller and following the sound of sub-lights warming up to find his "new" ship.

 

Behind him he heard the rapid thump of footsteps against duracrete and smiled as he felt his apprentice catching up with him. As she spoke he allowed the question to linger in his mind, his hazel eyes locking on the form of a ship in front of him. Andon approached it, running his hand along the refreshingly cold durasteel structure as he walked around the ship inspecting it. The matte-black GAT-12J Skipray Blastboat was a thing of beauty, such power and elegance, it was a pilot's dream.

 

"I stopped Talon because I wouldn't watch a Jedi become a murderer. The fight was over, there was no more need for violence and yet he raised his saber for the killing blow anyway. Keanu has done many wrongs in his time, but I didn't feel like death was our only option."

 

He stopped, leaning against the ship as he turned his head to look at Ashley Jade, his eyes seemingly burdened with the weight of the world.

 

"You will be faced with many things like this in your life...the eternal struggle of which is more important: justice or mercy. For the longest time I could never understand that right and wrong weren't defined, but it was my Master that always tried to instill in me that things are never just right and wrong. You must weigh the consequences of action and in-action."

 

He paused, drawing his unactivated lightsaber hilt in his right hand. He held it in front of him as he slowly placed his thumb over the activation stud.

 

"This is a weapon of defense...not attack. A lightsaber should only be activated when a Jedi is in imminent danger, never for offense. I was taught that and equally I will do my best to teach you that over the course of our time together. Some Jedi pick up on this concept easily and others don't, the determination of right and wrong is always limited to our own perception. Some concentrate of finding out what the right answer for themself is...others search for the what the right answer is for those they serve."

 

Exhaling quietly the Jedi Knight places the hilt back on his belt and shifts his weight, standing to his full height. With the depression of another button on the remote caller the landing ramp to his new ship lowered and he moved towards it, stopping to turn towards her once more.

 

"But enough philosophy for one day, it's time to move further into the art of awareness...perfecting the danger sense."

 

He smiled and though it was for only a moment, a devilish hint of adventure flashed across his face. This was going to be far different from another lecture on perception.

[Andon]

"We'll be stopping off at Wayland before heading back to the Jedi Temple on Rafa V."

 

Walking up the landing ramp he headed towards the controls on his new ship, hazel eyes taking in all the new sights. Sitting down at the pilot's chair he gently laid his hands on the controls, fingers dancing across all the panels to get a feel for them before he finally grasped the yoke with both hands. Ashley Jade took the co-pilot's seat next to him and turning his head he smiled at her.

 

"Welcome aboard the Renegade II. Hope you like it, this ship will be our main form of transportation from now on...definitely a lot more spacious then the E-wing."

 

Speaking of his old ship, the Jedi Knight pulled out his old remote caller and pressed a few buttons, his E-Wing's autopilot activated as his fighter lifted into the air. The NavComp was programmed to make a series of random jumps before returning to Rafa V and the ship would be waiting for him there. As his old ship took off into space, he activated the repulsor lifts of the Renegade II and it gently hovered in the air as Andon threw the throttle forward.

 

The ship exploded into motion, the Skipray Blastboat appearing to be only a blur as he blazed through the upper atmosphere and escaped into the lower reaches of space. Connecting his mind to Jurha Kahn's, he spoke but one word to her.

 

"Wayland..."

 

Performing a quick snap-roll to avoid an incoming freighter, the Jedi leveled his ship and punched a few coordinates into the NavComp. With the destination set he pulled back a single lever, the stars elongating as they punched a hole into hyperspace and disappeared in a wake of pseudo-motion. Destination: Wayland.