I woke up to the same sound I'd fallen asleep to - Ves's cosy purring, but now it was joined by a sniffle against my neck. I opened my eyes and removed my hair from my face, both my own and Ves's, and looked up at the ceiling. My head was crystal clear, as if after a draught, thinking was easier than ever.
Gathering my thoughts together, I try to remember what happened yesterday. It was a waste. As soon as I remembered, I immediately wanted to forget, or better yet, get drunk. One consolation - Wes was lying beside me now, and Hadiya was flying home. "Glitches, glitches, let go, bitches, how can I forget you?"
"At least I'm finally feeling better, and I've stopped generating delirium. I guess cats really can heal," I squinted at Wes and lifted my hand to stroke his head. The catara woke up from my manipulations and looked up at me with sleepy eyes, then realisation flashed in them and a smile appeared on her lips.
Mwah!
«Good morning," I purred softly.
«Yeah.
«How was it last night?
I remembered all the nonsense, the nightmare, and the whole fucked-up thing, and made as honest eyes as possible and answered:
«Great! My head is clear, I'm as calm as a boa constrictor, and what beauties there are... You can call me for a date.
«It's good that you liked it, - Ves nodded in a deceptively soft tone, but in her emotions there was anger.
«Uh, Wes?
She stood up, her hands resting gingerly on my chest near my neck.
«Honey, tell me, is it okay that you almost made me tear my hair out from the madness you were in?
«Erm...
«Where did you get into so much that Gris had to dunk me in cold water to cool me down?! - her paws closed around my neck, and Wes got really pissed off. - I almost had a heart attack when you got all emotional! Pain, mixed with fear, and fuelled by rage, and in such a quantity that I almost went after you myself!
«Wes, Wes, calm down, don't spark please, let me tell you, - I'm trying to calm down the katara, who got so angry early in the morning that she started to spark. - Anyway, we went down, got lost, and I was covered with visions of the Force. And there was a lot of stuff," I said, moving forward and hugging Vessira to me. The anger began to fade, and fear took its place. - I'm sorry, Miracle, you know I wouldn't dare to hurt you.
«Why did you go up there in the first place?- To see into the future.
«And did you? Did you?
«As long as I'm breathing, I'll stay away from such a future and try to stop it.
«Eh.
«Anyway, I didn't come down for nothing. At least I know what to watch out for, and maybe I'll know how to avoid it.
«Mm-hmm. Sniff.
«All right, Wes, shh. I'm here, I'm near... - and I add quieter, but for myself: - And so are you.
«А?
«No. It's nothing, sweetheart. Oh, what's that under your eye?
«Where?" she flinched, reaching for my cheek.
«There it is," I touch her cheekbone deliberately. - I don't know if it's a spot or not.
With a graceful wave of her hand, her mirror flew to us from somewhere.
«There's nothing here, what are you making up? - She looked at my pleased face, which was asking for a brick. - She-e-e-aid.
«Not with your feet, - I squinted and immediately got a light blow with this mirror on my forehead.
«Fool!
«Yeah. I see you've decided to move in with me permanently.
«Yes! I can't leave you alone. And the teacher too, two berries from the same bush, the one who's always poking around, the one who's always poking around, the one who's always poking around, the one who's always poking around.
«One blood.
«And one stupidity," Wes nodded.
«Okay, okay. I give up. Peace?
Letting the mirror levitate and folding her arms across her chest, she gave me a hard stare.
«And I'll grant you one wish.
«Two!
«One and a half.
«How's that?
«Well... I'll grant one, and then we'll write off the remaining half, hmm?
«Shade.
«Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha," I grabbed Vessira and began to tickle her shamelessly. And tickled until the katara acknowledged the surrender and agreed to my terms.
In the end, we left the room only closer to dinner, because the wish was very interesting and, importantly, pleasant for me as well.
***
My mother and I left the temple full of energy and ready for new achievements. I don't know how she got rid of stress, and I don't want to know, but I was sure that she was in a good mood. Just before the flight we dropped the guys to Vur Tepe and said goodbye to them there. Vessira wanted to come with us, she had already realised that it was very dangerous to leave us alone, and if it was just the two of us then it would be a disaster, but my persuasion and my mother's look (Br-r-r-r-r-r-r, creepy. I want to do that too!) managed to convince her.
As we flew, I was explained the controls of the ship and was even allowed to sit in the co-pilot's seat. I was not allowed to connect with the ship in the Force, but I was allowed to press buttons and turn knobs. At the same time it was accompanied by a lecture on the basics of ship control with explanations of what was responsible for what.
So for the next few days, instead of going out on the course, as it is supposed to be, I was getting into the process of control. And you know what? The Force is a cheat. It's a real cheat. It tells you where to push and what to do so you don't crash. You know what to press on an intuitive level, and when they tell you what this button is for, you understand why you pressed it. It's a funny feeling... But now I understand why the Jedi were good at everything.
«Mama, your left stabiliser is going to die soon, - I inform you as if in between.
«What do you mean? - Togruta turned round. - How did you understand it?
«Um..." I hesitated, realising what I'd just said. Somewhere out there, on the edge, there was a foreign, but very familiar presence. - I'll admit, I didn't realise. Just suddenly.
«You heard it?
«Sort of, yeah.
«You do know that J'Dai ships are built with power crystal elements?
«Yes.
«A bond is formed between the ship and its master. Since you are my son, you were able to pick up on that. There are Force techniques that allow you to sense technical devices, understand malfunctions, or hear warnings. Any pilot or engineer can learn it, and you will learn it later.
«I see.
«Okay, Shade.
«М? - I turn to my mother. She was just putting the ship on autopilot.
«I think we're done racking our brains. Let's go keep in shape.
«Fight?! On the ship? With you? - I gave her a sceptical look. - Look, are you sure you should be worried about my sanity and not me about yours?
«Ha-ha-ha-ha, no, absolutely. And no sparring, I'll show you another Force technique.
«That's more interesting. What's the technique?
«Let's just say it's designed for interrogation. It's used to break the mind and make you talk. Or breaking the will. There are many uses.
«I've never heard of it," I shake my head.
«It's an invention of my own. Come, I'll show you.
«On me?!
«Ha ha ha, no, Shade. First I'll try to outline how it's done, and then you can practice on me. Defending against this technique is much easier than attacking, it's all about your own will and the pressure of the Force. There's no way you'll be able to harm me simply because you'll subconsciously avoid it, so you don't have to worry.
«Yeah. Another takeda or two, and I'll make a great executioner! - I commented, following my mother. She only cheered up at my outburst.
To my surprise, after sitting across from each other, the technique was able to draw me in. It was an offshoot of the Force Stupefying, a cruder version of it, aimed not at gently implanting a thought or deceiving, but at the very specific infliction of pain and subsequent withdrawal. In principle, the thing could be compared to a rapid interrogation, because, according to his mother, it was the only way to break a target, especially if that target was deprived of the Force. Je'Dayu wouldn't be pleased to be hit by such an attack in combat. It wouldn't do much damage, but it could distract him, and any second counts in battle, so it's a very promising thing.
Busy with business, I didn't notice how we got to Knox. As soon as I stepped off the ramp, memories came flooding back. When I was leaving the spaceport with Irbis, how we were arguing about the local ecosystem, how, forgetting about all the "important" people waiting for us to negotiate, we were just sitting in a cafe. As they say - there are many of you, I'm alone, I'm entitled to a cup of vork.
Actually, we had to go to one of the cafes. It was a small building on a narrow street, with a discreet iron sign, on which was engraved the inscription: "Ashla's Belt". I was the first to approach the door, using the Force to push the button to open the door and walk inside. A small room, five small round tables, plus a bar. Everything was cramped, making the most of the space available.
There were white lights on the ceiling, imitating stars, pictures of mysterious places on the walls, and I found a couple of pictures of Tython among them. There were only three customers in the entire room, plus a bartender droid. A clumsy one, built into the wall and travelling on a rail.
It's funny, we have droids, but they're scarce, especially in cities. You can meet a droid somewhere in the middle of nowhere, in a colony, simply because there's not enough labour, plus mining droids are quite common. But in the city, on the street... They're almost never seen.
«Ashur nar kararat? - The droid murmured in my native tongue, asking what he could do to help.
«Speak in the common tongue.
«Whatever you say, Mistress.
«We have come to see the owner of this establishment. He's expecting us.
There was a hiccup for a few seconds, after which the droid continued:
«I have just notified Mr Stone of you. Come in, he's waiting for you in his office. To the right, up the stairs to the first floor," the droid pointed the beverage dispensing arm to the spiral staircase on the right side.
Letting my mother lead the way, I follow. An armour-clad figure slid in front of me and began to ascend. It's funny, but only now I noticed that neither I nor my mother made a sound as we walked. She was almost the first to teach me how to put my foot down properly and to help myself a little, if the terrain required it, with the Force. As I watched my mother, I compared her movements with my own. Smooth, calm, as if we were floating rather than walking. It's funny.
The first floor greeted us with a short corridor with three doors. Sensing the only source of life right in front of us, we synchronously moved straight ahead. Without knocking, Mum pressed the handle with the Force and opened the door.
«Good afternoon," the Sallastan said, rising from his chair. His large eyes studied the intruder, and his cheeks twitched slightly, indicating his master's slight nervousness. Though, I don't even need to see to sense how wary of us this individual is.
The Sallastan man's office was much like his master's. There were stacked boxes on the right, cabinets full of little things on the left, and a window where the Sallastan sat at his desk. Directly opposite the entrance stood a brand-new sofa, which was out of place. Despite the cleanliness of the room, dust was still visible here and there.
«Aala," Mum introduced herself.
«Shade," the Salastan saluted.
«Stone Harar'Atip. I've been expecting you, Master Aala, Master Shade," Mum grinned at the greeting and winked at me. - Are you alone?
«As agreed.
«Then please follow me. I'll escort you to the ship," the Sallastan shuffled off, remembering to switch off his computer and carrying a small brown suitcase.
Silently we followed him out of the cafe. The Sallastanian was clearly not eager to socialise. As he was almost a head and a half shorter than us, his brisk gait was comical.
«Stone, are we in a hurry? - Mum decided to ask.
«No, no, it's just the way I move. Everyone here on Knox is always in a hurry, that's the rhythm of life here.
«Yeah, I can see that," I squinted at the passers-by who were walking.
We did not ask our guide any more questions. Sallastanian brought us to one of the platforms, where a small shuttle was already waiting for us to transport passengers to large ships that usually stay in orbit. After handing us over to new hands, and the suitcase with us, Stone left immediately.
«Coward," the Zabrak said, as if spitting, as he stared after the Sallastan.
«Is this his usual behaviour? - I squint at the shuttle captain.
«Silence, fear, and do as he's told. Yes, - the zabrak looked at me and my mother. - Come aboard, let's go.
«Um... - I didn't hurry, and neither did my mother. We grimaced and looked at the very old model shuttle sceptically. Flattened, elongated, one-storeyed, with wings on the sides, tail with vertical and horizontal stabiliser. In principle, if you do not look closely, this miracle reminded me of the "White Swan" from my past world, the name of which I have already managed to forget.
«Yeah, I agree with you. Come on, let's go see this old girl fly.
«Well, well, well.
Inside the shuttle was almost empty. Sixteen of the 20 seats were empty. When we took off, I was surprised to find that, despite its age and general broken appearance, the shuttle flew very smoothly and quickly picked up speed.
«Wow. We're flying well," I looked out the window.
«Shade, you're going to have to set some technical groundwork after all.
«М?
«If you see a car you're going to drive or fly, feel it in the Force. Many a Je'Daii has died by simply being too lazy to check the vehicle itself for breakdowns or unexpected gifts. I'm far from the science, of course, but even I can tell the difference between explosives or check the integrity of the parts most prone to wear and tear. Of course, it won't save me from something serious, for example from the same virus in the ship's system, but it makes life much easier. After all, your safety is at stake.
«Mm-hmm.
Reaching for my note book, I open it somewhere in the last few pages and make a new note.
«What's this?
«A list of things I need to sort through, study, learn.
Taking the book, she flipped back a couple of pages and just shook her head.
«Yeah... You're definitely not short on money. Don't blow a fuse.
«No, I've got two fuses," I snickered.
«What a bug," I was elbowed. - Who did he take after?
«You?
«Hm... - Mum thought seriously.
«Um... Don't answer that. OK?
«Ha-ha-ha, okay, Shade.
«By the way, I can see a ship," I glance out the porthole and pay attention to the Sleeping Ship that appeared. Although... There's almost nothing left of the original. There was so much stuff attached to it that it was already another ship with very familiar outlines. Elongated, large, consisting of three huge sections, one larger than the previous one.
«Almost there," Mum sighed. Hearing a slight prick of emotion from her, I turned to her and raised an eyebrow.
«Mum?
«Yeah... Don't mind me. I was just thinking about Dalien.
«What about him?
«He used to be a quiet, unsociable bloke. Secretive, withdrawn, distant from any kind of group. That's why he was known as a weirdo. But despite this he was very kind and usually did not refuse to help when he was approached.
«Did anyone come to him?
«Mm-mm... The same kind of weirdos, let's put it that way. "Like attracts like, attracts like", ever heard of that?
«Yeah.
«That's how it is here. He's felt like a stranger from the start and he used to look up at the stars and wonder where we'd come from. And somehow he found himself drawn to the same dreamers and outcasts. Then he met Saros and saw him as a true example. Saros was also somewhat of an outcast, following his own path that led him into exile.
«Did it affect you in any way?
«Of course it did. But I didn't care, to the point where I was ready to leave the Order myself. But the members of the Order were not going to lose a fighter like me, especially since I hold traditional views. So the members accepted our relationship and turned a blind eye when Saros visited me on Tython. But getting back to Dalien, as I said, he saw Saros as a true example. Your father grew a core inside him that no one could break. When your father was banished, Dalien didn't hesitate to follow him and leave the Order. At the same moment, he renounced the Force, seeing it as a stumbling block and the cause of much strife both within and outside the Order. I remember him and Saros flying in for family gatherings, you could say he was family.
«But what happened after that?
«Saros and Daleen were the real deal, they were always up to something, so the Order kept a half-hearted eye on them. That all changed when Dalien died... Or rather, as we know now, faked his own death. Apparently, they wanted to get at least one of them off their radar, which they did.
«What about the Force? Didn't Je'Daii feel the death? Or, alternatively, that he was alive?
«It's not easy to sense someone who's been cut off from the Force, Shade," Mum grinned. - It's a painful process for the one who renounces. All ties are severed, and it's as if he no longer exists in the Force. I hadn't thought of that, though I doubted Saros's words about his apprentice's death, because he didn't seem that upset.
At those words, we felt a slight jolt and a hiss.
«Here we go.
«Yeah.
Standing up from the chair, we went to the exit of the ship. The first hermetic door opened, followed by the second one, and we had a view of the usual iron corridor, where the welcoming delegation was.
But I was the first to go, and I froze, rounding my eyes and staring at the man in front of me.
«Shade, what are you doing? - Mum called out to me.
I didn't answer. I just took a step to the side, letting her pass. The thing was, the man in my vision was standing in front of me, cut diagonally by a regular sword.
The thoughts of stung hamsters fluttered in my head, one crazier than the other, but I was able to control myself after the first stupor. In front of us stood a short man, well-groomed, in a captain's uniform slipped over his shoulders, with his short hair slicked back. He looked to be about fifty years old, if not more. Unlike his right eye, his left eye was completely white. Also conspicuous was the scar on his left cheek, which gradually diminished towards his lips.
And standing beside him were four men, two of them quite ordinary soldiers, but two more were former Je'Daii, now exiles. The Selkat and Sith squinted unkindly in our direction, but remained silent, as did the soldiers armed with machine guns and clad in closed armour.
Unlike his guards, the captain was as calm as a boa constrictor. I couldn't hear his emotions at all, as if they didn't exist. In fact, in the Force, there was a void in the place of the man.
«Hello, Aala," the ship's captain greeted us in a kind, confident and firm voice.
«Dalien," Mum said, frowning. - 'And I was hoping to the last minute that you were dead.
«Why, Aala? Aren't you glad to see me?
«I would have been glad to see you twenty years ago, alive and well, not now, when there's a skraghh knows what going on around.
«So many years have passed, and you haven't changed a bit," the man smiled. - You're still that fiery fury.
«But you've become a completely different person.
«I had to change," he shrugged. - And you..." He looked at me. - Shade, I presume?
«Yeah.
«Hmm... I see some familiar features, but you look more like your mother. Haven't we met before?
«Why?
«I feel like you recognise me. But how?
«The Force showed me.
Sith snorted quietly at my answer, the selkat snorted in disbelief, and Dalien grinned.
«The Force is a terrible thing. It causes so much grief. But why are we standing in the passageway? Be my guests, come.
Nestled next to Dalien, as if boxed in between his bodyguards, he continued:
«How are you, Aala?
«Fine. Flying, working, raising my son.
«Yes, there will always be work for an executioner of the Order," Dalien nodded seriously. - And you, Shade?
«Studying.
«From what I can see, you're going to follow in your mother's footsteps, aren't you? It's the right thing to do, it's a family business.
«Daleen," Aala said with a wince. - You're not the one to talk about the executioners. You're the leader of a not-so-peaceful sect.
«Everything is a comparison, Aala. We work for an idea. You work for money. And don't look at me like that, are you saying you share the Order's views? Really?!
«I prefer to look at it as a rubbish collection. So you can think of me as just a cleaner.
«"'Just a cleaner' isn't going to slaughter an entire village," Dalien parried.
«Mum?
«Tz.
«Oh! So she didn't tell you? Boy, you have no idea who you're living with!
«Dalien...
«Yes, Aala?
«Don't piss me off.
«How could you think that, I had no idea!
«That village wasn't civilised intelligent people, but wild beasts.
«They had the same opinion of you. 'Kha...' Dalien wheezed, from the slight pressure of the Force.
«Я. Said. Don't freak out.
«Ho...okay...
The pressure subsided, the man inhaled a full breath, and his guards began to slowly lower their weapons.
«On Ska-Gor, they found a group of tree-dwelling renegades," Mum began to explain to me, but she was glaring at Dalien. - You can't settle on the planet, you know that Shade," I nod. - A friend of mine, who we often worked together with, went to solve the matter in peace. She had just finished her training, and what's more, she wasn't a fighter. In our pair, I was in charge of force operations. But at that point, we had to split up. Nothing was going to go wrong. The only catch was that the settlement had been around for a long time, its inhabitants didn't use electronics and kept their activities carefully hidden, so no one knew about them for a long time. I was worried about my friend, and when the Ska-Gor authorities lost sight of her, I flew myself. And from what I saw, I didn't care who was there, for whom, with whom. I cleaned them all out.
«The settlers were the first to make contact. Well, some of them," Dalien commented, "who wanted to go home.
«I don't care. Inaction is an act.
«Hmm... What if I said I wanted to go home too? To where my ancestors came from. Would you stab me too?
«No. But if you dare raise your hand, there won't be anyone left on this ship," Mum looked at him coldly.
«Yeah... You've definitely stayed the same," the man smiled.As we walked along the corridors, I saw a small number of the ship's crew and, strangely enough, quite a lot of droids, which, apparently, compensated for the small staff. Here we came to the lift and, pressing the call button, Dalien looked at me.
«What about you, Shade? Do you agree with your mother?
«Completely.
«You guys are so bloodthirsty. I always knew the teacher had a bad sense of self-preservation.
«Ф!
«By the way, he was much kinder than you, Aala.
Just then the lift opened and we entered the cabin. While we were going upstairs, Mum was still talking to Dalien about the past, but in a much more peaceful way. All I could do was hang my ears and listen to the revelations, which, coincidentally, were pouring from the ceiling.
When we found ourselves in the guest room, where the ship was equipped like a small town with all the comforts of home, Dalien changed the subject:
«Drinks, snacks?
«No.
«All right, then. So, what brings you to me after all these years?
«Questions, dalien. All of which only you know the answers to.
- Oh! That's interesting. Very interesting," he stroked his chin, looking down at the tea table. - I'd be happy to answer them, but let me be curious too. How did it happen that you came upon me? - But, seeing that we are not in a hurry to answer, he decided to add details: - Just, you know, I was very much surprised when I received a notice from one of our points. Someone very knowledgeable, who knows too much about my organisation, wanted me to meet you in person. And... This certain someone simply left me no choice, hinting at possible problems for my organisation. I know you, Aala, you're not capable of pulling something like this off, and your son isn't exactly a brilliant tactician. Now I have to ask, who is this genius?
«A close friend. - I chuckle.
«Mm, too bad. I'd love to talk to him. Just to avoid misunderstandings, so to speak.
«You can rest easy, to find out something about you - it was my request, he doesn't care about you from a high bell tower, as long as you don't get in the way.
«Even so... Thank you, Shade, you were able to comfort me, or else, you know... I'd have had to search, then eliminate, you know, for security purposes.
Frowning, I just shake my head. Now I think I understand why he was lying at my feet chopped to pieces.
«But! We've cleared that up, so we can get back to yours. Now, what are you interested in?
«Hypergate.
Wow! One word, but a lot of emotion. Dalien's cheekbone twitched, and his bodyguards' paranoia flared with renewed vigour. I wonder if they were even trained to hide their personal emotions.
«I'm sorry... What-what?
«Don't make that face, Daleen, you know exactly what I mean.
«Erm... No. Explain? What are we talking about?
«Okay," Mum nodded, leaning back and crossing her arms across her chest. Except, despite her apparent calm and emotionlessness, her eyes turned yellow. - We all know the legend that there is a working hypergate somewhere in the Old City. Saros used to stay up nights chasing his dreams, but then I thought he'd cool down. I was wrong, he didn't cool down, he just found them. And he told you. And what happened next, I want to hear from you, Dalien.
«Hm..." The man stepped forward and gave me and my mother a different look. - Given that you came to talk to me... You didn't tell the council anything? No, I haven't. Otherwise this conversation wouldn't have happened. I see that even after all these years, you trust me, Aala.
«It wasn't my idea.
«Thanks anyway. I realise I don't deserve it, but thanks anyway.
«So can you at least let me in on your secrets now, so I can stop torturing myself with the question of whether to kill you now or later?
«Heh. All right. (chuckles) Anyway, you're right, the Master has indeed found the hypergate. And most importantly, they're intact and actually functional. That's when we came up with a plan that would last for years. I died and began to act secretly, while Saros, on the contrary, was in plain sight and in some places purposefully diverted attention away from my actions. We took readings, we studied the hypergate, we were even able to partially run them to pull some data. And that was enough to get a picture and figure out what to do. First things first, we need a power source. The blueprints we pulled out, moreover - we had a working sample, which we took out of the portal itself, but it was empty. Once we figured out how it worked, we were able to charge the battery using the vast reserves of marionium we'd been mining for twenty years. This should be enough to start up and test the portal. To avoid tragedy, we didn't even charge the battery a quarter of the way through.
«Somehow I think a quarter should be enough to destroy Tython.
«You're right and wrong at the same time. The system provides insurance for just such a situation. If something goes wrong, a backup system on independent and still functioning power sources will divert all that power into hyperspace. Yes, there'll be a storm, there'll be anomalies, but no one will be hurt. Our goal is to activate and find a safe way out of here, not destroy the system," Dalien grinned wryly. - Some members of my organisation may be overly fanatical, but what can you do, secrecy requires sacrifice.
«But why? Can't we explain the situation and come to some sort of agreement? - I couldn't stand it.
«Shade, I don't want to call you blind, but you can't see the obvious. The Je'Daii are conservative. The Teachings want us to stay on Tython and learn the Force. But what they don't see is that the system is growing, and since we can't leave by ship, we need another way out. They are happy with life on Tython, they control order in the system, but are there many who are happy with this order? No, I'm not talking about rebellion, moreover, I'm more than satisfied with the way the order is organised here. But I realise that it will not last long, and sooner or later there will be war. The Je'Daii have grown too high, too far removed from the common people, and there will come a time when this swamp will catch fire. A portal could solve that problem, it could open up new lands, it could give us a new breath of fresh air.
«But if something goes wrong?
«Then we'll have to fight it. If there's someone to fight it. I realise the danger of this and I know it, but if we do nothing, nothing will change. Shade, you've been around Chicago yourself. Tell me, how do people look at you?
«..." I averted my eyes, remembering those moments. The people really do consider Je'Daiyii something high, I'd even say stiff.
«That's just it.
«I see your point, but why did Saros leave?
«Because you need two points to activate the hypergate," he raised his hands with his index fingers outstretched. - An entry point and an exit point. And vice versa. We know where the second one is, it's in a neighbouring system. And the plan is for Saros to switch it on. If anyone can get the ship through the hyperspace anomalies, it's him. We've loaded the ship with marionium, with the expectation that the gate will operate for at least one hour. In theory. And it was possible to deliver new cargo through the gate itself to further recharge the battery. If we haven't made any mistakes, if the calculations are correct, Saros is still alive and on the other side, waiting for us to switch on the jumpgate.
Dalien fell silent and the room fell silent. I looked at my mother and could feel the storm brewing inside her, but not a muscle in her face quivered.
«Dalien...
«Aala, we didn't want to tell you about it, not to get your hopes up and not to burden you with worries. It's better to accept the loss than to dream of a pipe dream. Besides... You stayed in the Order. That's a lot of attention. You've been watched over enough as it is. And to bring you in... No. We couldn't do that. Especially since our plan was a purely white-washed gamble. But if it works... If we succeed... It will change everything. I dare not give you hope that Saros is alive. But he must be alive. He must. I believe he must.
Looking into this man's blazing eyes, I suddenly realised that he would do anything for this cause. He would be willing to make any sacrifice and overcome exorbitant obstacles just to get the hypergate up and running. And those he has gathered around him... Now I understand where this fanaticism comes from.
«Now you know what we're trying to do. What do you think?
«You're nuts," Mum breathed out, closing her eyes and covering her face with her hands. - You're fucking nuts. I'll kill him myself if he's still alive," she growled, rubbing her temples.
«Heh.
«And you. - Opening her eyes, she looked at Dalien. - Just for good measure.
«Can I take your answer as an agreement to participate in this event?
«No. I will not participate," she looked at me. - But I won't get in the way. I don't like it, but... I hope it works out for you.
«I know. It's a one-way street for us, all or nothing. I understand your reluctance to ruin your son's life, because then the whole Order will be after you.
Glancing between my mother and Dalien, I noticed a tear running down my mother's cheek. There was no emotion, she had closed herself up inside herself again, but it was all written on her face. She was tearing up.
«Still, a little, and a pity," Dalien leaned back. - I could have used your help. My sister was able to put a fear council on me, so I probably won't even make it to the hypergate.
«And you're going anyway?
«Yeah. I can't do anything else. Not now. Not at this price.
And that's when it hit me. The first link. He was the first to die. And then the others came after him. Did that mean... that if... he survived, everything would be different! My thoughts were no longer racing. Covered in sweat, at the limit of perception, I was frantically reasoning and analysing what I was seeing, what I was hearing now, and what to do about it all. Maybe... Maybe this wasn't a passageway to new lands, but an emergency exit? If... or when the big trouble comes, will we have a back way out?
«Dalien," I said, swallowing down a lump and clenching my fists.
«Yes, Shade? - he glared at me and frowned. - Are you sick?- No, no, it's just... It's different. Can you give us a few minutes? I want to talk to Mum.
«Oh! Of course. I'm just going to stretch my legs," Dalien stood up and stretched his arms out. - Eh! I'll be back in ten minutes. And yes, drinks in the blue cupboard, snacks in the fridge," he pointed to the said cupboard and fridge.
With that, Dalien left with his guards and the room fell into silence.
«Mum," I touched her shoulder and felt her shiver. - Mum, I want to talk.
«No, Shade. This is the end of our journey. We're not going any further. I can't risk you for an ephemeral, albeit beautiful, cause.
«Just hear me out, okay? - I interrupted her rather abruptly. Mum looked into my eyes in surprise, but seeing my determination, nodded.
Sitting down more comfortably and immersing ourselves in meditation, we made mental contact. It was much easier to talk that way, and much harder to hide emotions. And you can't forget about the wiretaps, if there are any.
«Mum, I've already seen Dalien. At the bottom of the gorge, among the visions. He was lying on the road, as if in a cave, never reaching his destination.
«Why didn't you say so?
«I had never seen him in person before! - I'm a little nervous. - Even Hadiya didn't give me a photo, and she was digging with her nose. I haven't seen any pictures of him at home, either. But it doesn't matter. Mum, we need to intervene now. You know what's waiting for them in Old Town. They'll all be dead before they even get to the portal.
«He's got bodyguards.
«They're the BOOKS off the street, not bodyguards, they walk around like logs they're carrying, younglings who failed their training and got kicked out of the Order. Or left on their own, it doesn't matter. They won't protect him!
«Shade.
«Mum, I'm not even saying this for Dad right now. My gut is screaming, the Force is pounding in my head, I can't, I can't let him die! And there's no one better to keep him safe than you. What's more, I went down to the bottom of the gorge and through the veil of Chaos!
«What?!" she snapped out of her trance, staring at me. I came out, too, and continued in my voice:
«"There's a device in there. I've never seen anything like it. But maybe if I try to understand Dalien's workings, I can figure it out.
Pressing her down with the Force, looking into her eyes, I continue to speak, but telepathically:
«We need him. We need him like oxygen to a drowning man, because he's the first link that could lead us to something terrible. And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that prick lives!
The connection loosened and we were once again alone with our own thoughts, glaring at each other. But then she exhales and her eyes return to normal.
«All right. Have it your way," she nodded, and I felt a relief akin to an orgasm. I just wanted to spill out in a puddle. One less thing to worry about. At least, I sincerely hoped so.
After lying like that for a while, I hear her ask me a question.
«So what's your idea?
«I don't have an idea. There is a task. We'll all work together to realise it. - I sigh.
«I still don't want you involved.
«Mum, I'm sorry, but I'm not standing on the sidelines. It's just a question of whether I'm in the open or in the shadows.
«When did you get so tongue-tied?
«Irbis taught me. And Hadiya's got a way with words. Usually.
«I'm either happy or angry," she shook her head. - I hope you know what you're doing.
«I hope I do.
«She-e-e-e-e-aid," Mum leaned her hands on her face and threw her head back.
«But seriously, I believe it'll work out. Besides, let's ask Hadiya for advice, that genius in a skirt will definitely be able to suggest something somehow.
«That's the first sensible thought I've had today.
I grinned, then got up and threw on some Force reinforcement, because my body was so nervous I couldn't listen to it. I walked over to the blue cabinet and ran my eyes over the drinks. There were both with and without alcohol. I took out a bottle of light "Holterweiter", the name of which would break your tongue, produced on Ska-Gora, and returned to my mother with two glasses.
Pouring half of each, I hand the other to my mother, but instead of a glass, she pulls the bottle and....
«Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh.
I stood there watching as she emptied the bottle in a volley.
«Phooey. No, Shade, you're definitely sending me into the Force early," she glanced at me. - Old Town first. I'd already given my soul to the Force. Then you and Tython. Then the Gorge, but I took you there. And now this?!
«I'm sorry, Mum.
«And there's no point in scolding, it's my blood," she continued.
«You forgot about your father, - I remind you, and I laugh myself.
«In general, wonderful, just a cocktail of recklessness and adventurism, mixed in one bottle.
«Thanks for not shaking it.
«Yeah.
Then the door opened and Dalien himself walked in.
«Am I interrupting?
«No, you're just in time," I shake my head.
«Oh! Is that for me? - He took the second glass from my hands. - Thank you. I see you haven't changed your habits either," he looked at Aala.
«Rakhsh atrahan!
«It's been a long time since I heard that... It's music to my ears," he winked at me.
«Dalien, why are you provoking mum?- I'm just reminiscing, it's nothing, it's just that it's been so long, and Aala's still got a lot of spirit. How lucky the teacher was to have her!
«Pfft!
«But why are you suddenly reaching for my alcohol?
«Stress relief.
«Why all of a sudden?
«None of your business. What is your business is that we're gonna help you.
«What? - Dalien froze in place and turned to his mother. - Are you serious?
«Absolutely. After talking to Shade, we've come to the conclusion that it's easier to help you than to deal with the consequences.
«That's wonderful! - Dalien said, tapping his glass lightly against mine and taking a drink.
«How can I put it," I squinted at the man. - It's just that we didn't see any other way out, we don't want you to die, and the Old City is booby-trapped....
«Kha-kha-kha-kha... Kha-kha-kha... Kha-kha-kha... Kha-kha-kha mined?! - Dalien choked and coughed as he looked from me to his mother in shock.
«With your sister's efforts, the council tried to find a hypergate. I was part of the search," Mom rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly. - We never found the hypergate, so we decided to mine certain areas, create some special traps, and put up signalling circuits in case you were there.
«Э...
«Dalien, make an easier face," I hum and finally take a sample. Mmm, it's not bad. A little sweet, but not cloying and refreshing.
«That... Complicates matters," he looked thoughtfully at the sieve.
«Does it? - Mum looked at him like he was an idiot.
«Ahem. What do you suggest?
«Nothing yet. We'll get together, look at your plan, finalise it, I'll consult a clever girl.
«The one who's on to me?
«That's the one.
«I was talking about her in a man's face.
«I didn't trust your face as much.
«Why'd it suddenly grow?
«Consider the Force itself on your side, Dalien," Mum said instead.
«That's funny. The one who betrayed me, whom I hate, and ultimately disowned, is on my side? That's a funny joke, Aala," Mum only shrugged her shoulders at that. - 'And seriously?
«We don't have that much choice,' I shake my head. - There are two prophecies. One the council believes in, and the other my mother and I believe in. The first one says you're going to die. In the second, you sort of live. Which one do you choose?
«The second one! Definitely the second one.
«That's what we've come to. And, Dalien.
«Yes, Aala?
«Don't disappoint me.
No Force pressure, no threatening stare. Mum just stared at him, and somehow it was far more frightening than if she'd been angry. Even I shuddered, it felt like there was at least a demon sitting next to me. Which, thank the Force, is on my side.
«Ahem. Where's the long-range transmitter? - I'm changing the subject.
«А?
«I want to make a call.
«Oh, okay. Talion, escort me out.
«Mr Dalien, are you sure?
«Yes. Besides, if Aala wanted to hurt me, we'd be dead by now. There's no reason for me not to believe them.
Mum just winked at me. After a moment's hesitation, he gestured for me to follow him. We walked in silence, Sith not wanting to talk, exuding contempt and distrust, while I thought about what I would say to Hadiya.
"Honey, we're in a scribe's mess here, and we really need you. We're helping the psycho sectarians now, but don't think we're not with them, we just really need to keep them from dying. Can you help us with that?" Yeah, this is going to be funny.
«This way," Talion pointed to a room. Lots of sensors, cameras, a holoprojector in the centre, all set up to perfection.
«Would you mind?
Sith gave me a glance and walked out. After standing for a moment, I walk over to the terminal and type in the numeric-letter address of the terminal on Hadiya's ship.
"That's odd. For Hadiya to not answer?!"
Repeating a couple more times, I make sure - there's silence on the other side. Thinking I was a fool, I sent a signal directly to the clan. I got a reply:
«Good afternoon. To whom do I have the honour to speak? - The image of a Twi'lek appeared in front of me.
«Shade Aero. Could you tell Hadiya I called?
«Yes, sir, of course. Right away.
Pulling the chair closer to me with the Force, I sit down and put my feet up on the panel, staring at the still blank image. While something rustled and blinked on the other side, I managed to pull out and half-eat a Sweet Joy.
«Shade! - Hadiya appeared in the cell. She was a little dishevelled, a little sleep-deprived, but still alert.
«"Hello, tyrant Chickagoo," I salute with a candy bar.
«Did you really have the decency to call me?
«Sort of.
«Where are you now? I can't trace the signal.
«You could say I'm on Knox," I chuckle.
«Ah. I see. How'd the negotiation go?
«Awesome. We sat, we chatted, we came up with a new idea.
«What's that?
«Why don't we join forces for a common goal?
«Can you tell me more about that?
«Only if it's in person. It's not pleasant, Hadiya, and frankly, I need your help. I really do.
«That's funny. I was gonna ask you the same thing.
«Is something wrong? - I twitch a little as I watch the twi'leka's smile fade.
«You could say that. I've been assassinated twice already.
«That's nothing new," I chuckle. - Who's the suicidal one? Is there an effigy of him in the hallway?- No, Shade, this time it was more than serious. It was a professional job, and what's more, I don't know who it is.
«Oh, really?
«I'll tell you more, they're Je'Daii," I frown and put my feet away, stepping forward.
«Okay, okay. Be specific.
«In the relatively near future, through the combined efforts of my father and I, I have a very important meeting planned. So important that if everything goes as planned, the Ryo clan will cease to exist and my clan will be greatly strengthened. I'm willing to swear that some people will do their best to prevent this meeting from happening, so I want to ask for your protection.
«Eh... This is bad timing," I lean back and put a hand to my face, rubbing my forehead.
«Are you in trouble too?
«Hadiya, you're the one with the problems, and we're the one with the Kharad!
«Oh...
«I don't even want to think about what happens if things don't go as planned.
«I'm sorry.
«Never mind. Good for you for telling me I'm flying to Chicago tonight.
«А...
«I don't want you to leave the fortress without me!
«Okay," I got a smile on the other side.
«Mum will stay here and cover the rear from any more surprises. By the way. Since I'm coming to see you, we can talk about my problems.
«Mm-hmm.
«Anything else to add?
«No.
«I'll see you then.
«I'll see you later, sweetheart.
The screen went out, leaving me alone with my own thoughts in the darkness of the room.
«Oh... Great Power, am I asking so much of you?" I muttered, rubbing the bridge of my nose. Sighing once more, I rise from the chair. - Now I understand where my mother gets her 'love' for the world.
---
patreon.com/posts/started-in-star-129917731