On November 7, Year 6 of the Galactic Standard Calendar, Tehar.
Inside the cockpit of the Kom'rk, Christopher Wren was teaching Ralkai Wren how to read a star chart.
"From Tehar, you make a short jump to Ansion (star chart coordinates: I-6), then follow the Namadii Corridor hyperspace route inward toward the Core until you reach Palanhi (star chart coordinates: K-9). From there, you make another short jump to Vakkar (star chart coordinates: K-9)."
"Huh?" Ralkai rubbed his eyes. "There's no route after that?"
"Right." Chris nodded. "On public star charts, the route ends there. After that, you either hire a chartmaker or a smuggler to navigate. You keep heading southwest, pass through the Colonies, the Inner Rim, and the Expansion Region, enter the Mid Rim, and finally reach our destination: the planet NaJedha and its moon, Jedha."
"We didn't follow that route, did we?"
"No." Chris tapped his finger lightly, drawing out the Kom'rk's planned course. "We're taking a secret hyperspace route used by the Jedi Order."
"From Tehar, we first make a short jump to Benath (star chart coordinates: I-7), then follow this hyperspace lane through the Utegetu Nebula to Lysatra (star chart coordinates: I-8). From there, a long jump will bring us directly to NaJedha."
"Is this what the Chief calls 'monopoly over knowledge'?" Ralkai asked his father.
...
In the Kom'rk's cargo hold, Max Vizsla was on a long-range call with Samuel Erda, Director of Mandalorian Intelligence.
"The Judicial Department peacekeeping fleet will begin a large-scale withdrawal from the Mandalore sector next month?" Max frowned. "Is the intelligence reliable?"
It was extremely reliable.
After the Carnelian Incident began to ferment, the senators of the Galactic Senate had launched wave after wave of sharp questioning and attacks against the Judicial Department.
Quite a few senators had expressed doubt and dissatisfaction over the Judicial Department keeping such a large peacekeeping fleet stationed in the Mandalore sector.
One senator from the Mid and Outer Rim territories had spoken bluntly: if the Judicial Department could not treat the Mandalore sector and other Mid and Outer Rim sectors equally, providing security guarantees of the same quality and scale, then he would lead the sector he represented out of the Galactic Republic.
Other senators suspected illicit dealings between the Mandalore sector and the Judicial Department, demanding that the Judicial Department open its accounts for Senate review.
"Using the Galactic Republic's military budget to raise a private guard force for the Mandalorians—does law still exist? Does justice still exist?!"
"Withdraw the fleet!"
"Withdraw the fleet!"
"Apologize!"
"Apologize!"
Under the senators' pressure and attacks, and with Coruscant's citizens protesting in the streets, the overwhelmed senior leadership of the Judicial Department ultimately failed to withstand the pressure. After consulting Chancellor Palpatine and informing the New Mandalorian government, the Judicial Department made the decision to withdraw the peacekeeping fleet from the Mandalore sector in stages.
"The withdrawal of the peacekeeping fleet will begin in the middle of this month and be completed before the end of the year."
"The end of this year or next year?"
"This year."
"This year?" Max could hardly believe it.
"This year," Samuel Erda confirmed.
"This... this is too fast, too rushed, too careless. The New Mandalorians won't have time to complete any proper handover."
"Sundari seems quite confident," Samuel Erda continued. "However, protests have already broken out on a number of worlds in the Mandalore sector opposing the withdrawal and asking the peacekeeping fleet to remain. The public generally lacks confidence in the New Mandalorian police forces."
"What movement is there on Concordia? Anything from Deki and Death Watch?"
"So far, we have not detected any major activity."
After ending the call, Max's expression turned grim.
He had a premonition that something serious was about to happen in the Mandalore sector. And once trouble erupted there, it would inevitably disrupt the established plans of Max and Bespin.
...
"Chris." After returning to the cockpit, Max gave Christopher Wren an order. "Recalculate our route."
"After reaching Benath, jump into the hyperspace lane and set course for Ansion. Then follow the Namadii Corridor to Coruscant, and return to Bespin via Corellia."
"Yes, Chief."
"Chief, we're not going to Jedha anymore?" Ralkai asked curiously.
"Not this time. There's an urgent matter, and we need to get home as soon as possible." Max smiled and ruffled young Wren's hair. "We'll go to Jedha next time."
"But why don't we return through NaJedha?" Ralkai asked, pointing at the star chart in confusion. "Wouldn't that be closer?"
Max explained.
"Don't be fooled just because the region around NaJedha looks empty on the map. In reality, the stellar density in that area isn't any lower than elsewhere in the galaxy. Traveling from Benath to Bespin through NaJedha isn't something you can settle with two long jumps. It requires a chain of short jumps, and the whole trip would take about a month and a half."
"But if we go by Ansion, Coruscant, and Corellia to Bespin, the entire journey follows established hyperspace routes. We can arrive in about twenty days. That saves a great deal of time."
"I see." Ralkai nodded thoughtfully, then kept asking questions. "Chief, why does Jedha look so lonely on the star chart?"
Jedha was a desert moon, cold throughout the year, with a climate that was far from comfortable.
But Jedha was rich in kyber crystals and deeply connected to the Force.
One of the earliest civilizations to explore the mysteries of the Force had arisen on Jedha.
To the Jedi, Jedha was a place of origin and deep significance.
To the galaxy's other Force faiths, Jedha was an extraordinarily inclusive holy world. Pilgrims crossed the sea of stars to worship in the ancient city of NiJedha. There, whether Force believers were Force-sensitive or not, they could receive generous and selfless guidance from the wise Shamans of the Whills.
"So the Jedi wanted to monopolize knowledge related to the Force, and they didn't want non-Jedi Force believers receiving guidance from the Shamans of the Whills. That's why they deliberately blockaded Jedha and prevented people from charting the surrounding space?"
"Heh." Max could not help laughing. "There's no need to think quite that badly of the Jedi. The Force is very powerful. In the hands of good people, it can help many. In the hands of bad people, it can also harm many. So from a certain point of view, the spread of knowledge related to the Force is also the spread of danger."
"The Jedi aren't exactly good people either, are they?" Ralkai clearly did not buy it. "What gives them the right to do that?"
"Ralkai." Max ruffled young Wren's hair, unable to keep from smiling. "Your father and I are Mandalorians. The Mandalorians and the Jedi Order have an ancestral feud. A lot of what you hear about the Jedi from us is not necessarily objective. There is a resident Jedi in Cloud City on Bespin, Aayla Secura. If you have questions about the Jedi, you might as well ask her directly. Listen to both sides, and you gain clarity. Trust only one, and you fall into darkness."
"Ah..." Ralkai instinctively shrank back. "She won't kill me, will she?"
"She won't," Christopher Wren said, joining the conversation. "Aayla Secura is a good Jedi."
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STAR WARS: THE RISE OF MANDALORE
🛡️🔥 STAR WARS: THE RISE OF MANDALORE 🔥🛡️
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