Rishi seemed like a beautiful paradise. After destroying the pirate crew, the transport ship's pilot simply undocked the pirate Gozanti from his ship and headed for the planet. I did the same, only after undocking from the transport ship. In the area where my target's crew was located, it was night, so I had to direct my ship not exactly where I had initially planned to land. Otherwise, I would have had to travel an extra six hundred kilometers to reach the target. There was no central administration on Rishi. Or rather, there was, but it didn't decide anything. Pirate anarchy, what can you expect? It doesn't really matter how you direct a ship with a hundred or so scoundrels on board. If these faces are armed with blasters and are very angry, you'll shut up and won't tell them where to land. They'll figure it out themselves, there are plenty of places, and they mostly know their own landing spots.
I landed the ship in a backwater "town" where it was nearing morning. The spaceport in this area existed only for show, it was an old hangar with landing pads. No one really managed it. Anyone could come in, anyone could land... And before starting to act, I needed to scout the area. But even before that, I decided to get a good sleep. After all, it's night now, according to local time. I'll sleep, rest, and then move on to initial reconnaissance. I'm not going to rush straight to Lothar's base. Who knows what surprises await me... Even if they are just scum of society, they managed to kill a whole Jedi Knight. Yes, not a Guardian, just an Archaeologist, whose combat aspect is often overshadowed by "theoretical knowledge in their specialty."
And at the same time, Archaeologists can surprise, because they are constantly digging into the remains of past states, especially of Force-sensitives, searching for something. Sometimes Archaeologists can use Force Techniques that even the best Consulars of the Order, who are more focused on the Force, cannot. For example, my first Mentor, Lorm Decer, possessed pyrokinesis and even Force lightning. However, often archaeologists are more theorists who delve into history than truly capable of fighting back. Of course, it cannot be ruled out that Lothar's employer killed the archaeologist. But then everything becomes much more complicated. The Order could track the pirate gang, but couldn't track the Jedi's killer, likely a Force-sensitive and quite good, judging by appearances...
And this knot is what I have to unravel... Not only to find the artifact, but also to get to the truth - who managed to kill the Jedi. Damn... In any case, after sleeping, I will definitely be able to think better about the mission than I am now, loading my head. I went to my cabin, which was the best furnished on the ship, resembling the cabin of a luxury yacht more than the ascetic cabin of some Jedi. At least somewhere I can afford to truly live for myself... For a person from the twenty-first century, even not as rich as I am, the true asceticism of some Jedi was something like horror. Especially for an isekai protagonist who came from a much less technologically developed world. I saw no point in limiting myself in decorating my cabin. Undressing, I fell into bed without hesitation and fell asleep... To wake up about five hours later, when it was about nine in the morning local time. After taking a shower and performing my morning meditation with my usual routine of assembling, checking, and cleaning my weapons again, I got dressed. By ten, I was already leaving the ship, having previously supplied VV-7 with information that "no one is to be admitted except me," and switched the ship's security systems to high alert.
The droid took the order seriously and connected to the ship's systems, so as soon as I stepped onto the ground through the ramp, the exit immediately closed. The air was filled with a special smell of ozone; a rain with thunder had passed early this morning while I was sleeping? The old spaceport building where I landed had clearly seen better days. The steel beams supporting the building had clearly started to rust. I was heading into the city itself. Large ships couldn't land here... And Lothar's ship with two hundred scoundrels on board was large. Where exactly the captain had landed, I had no idea yet. I could only buy approximate information about the area on Rishi from the Bothans where this ship had landed. Of course, I could scout the area further, but I need to be careful... Pulling up my hood, I left the spaceport building.
Life in this area was already bustling, with plenty of sentient beings around... Not of the most pleasant appearance. I could see blasters, vibroblades, and other means of killing on many of them. First of all, I need to find out something about Lothar from sources in the city itself. I could catch a couple of sentient beings and interrogate them. But this could, in theory, attract attention. I could also try to eavesdrop on conversations in cantinas. Sentient beings, under the influence of alcohol, can blab a lot. And if you listen carefully, you can hear what you need. I didn't particularly want to attract attention, even in theory... It's too early, I can't scare away the prey. The news that a Jedi is looking for you can make him quickly change his location, fleeing in the opposite direction of the seeker. And then you can search for him all over the Galaxy. Although I trained to confront Force-sensitives, under Kuro's supervision - with non-Force-sensitives just like with Force-sensitives. How so? The only difference between Force-sensitives and non-Force-sensitives is the presence of the Force in Force-sensitives. In all other respects, both are prone to the same actions. Both logical and illogical.
So... This means I need to avoid attracting attention, even in theory. And that means starting with some cantina. Maybe I'll even be lucky enough to find someone from Lothar's crew. The cantina I chose was more or less decent. Simple music was playing, which I would more classify as jazz. Some tables were empty, some were occupied by sentient beings of various professions and activities. Somewhere they were engrossed in gambling. Curses were heard from such tables periodically. But the patrons preferred to behave culturally. As soon as I entered, several sentient beings, including mercenaries for sure, studied me with their gazes. However, after glancing at me, they discovered a BlasTech Industries blaster on my belt, which I had prudently taken with me, since everyone carries weapons here. Placing lightsabers on my belt would be like shouting: "Hey, hello, scum! I'm probably a Jedi!" But if I put a regular blaster pistol on my belt, many might just think I'm a smuggler, or someone like that. I opted for a DH-17 blaster pistol, quite common in these times. Naturally - not a prop, because an experienced eye will immediately distinguish a fake. How many sentient beings wear blasters on their belts?
I sat down at a table, and a human waitress approached me, placing a simple menu before me. The woman was not young, about forty, in my opinion. With black hair and traces of former beauty.
"Are you ready to order, esteemed visitor? Or should I come back later?" she asked.
"Hmm," I glanced at the menu. "Something to drink. Let's say. Here," I pointed to a wine option. I didn't recognize the name. By local standards, it was from the "mid-price segment."
"Will you be alone, esteemed visitor? Or will someone else join you?" asked the waitress.
"I want to celebrate something important," I nodded. "Alone."
"Will you be eating anything? I recommend item number twenty-six. Steak with a side dish."
I just nodded. I didn't care what they prepared for me anymore. In reality - my desire was to get the necessary information. Having received my order, I began to eat. The food turned out to be quite good, as was the wine itself, although I've never been a particular connoisseur of alcohol... But that's not the main thing. Focusing on my surroundings, I began to listen. Listening carefully, amplifying my hearing with the Force. Lothar was located west of the city, having landed his ship near local farms. The ship's crew, at least two of them, casually mentioned that they had caught a "big score." They said their employer would be very pleased. Sentient beings from other crews congratulated them, or were already boasting about their successes. As soon as I finished eating and started asking myself if I had heard enough, or if I should stay longer, the cantina door opened...
I glanced at the newcomer; it was the eleventh such visitor in thirty minutes. Only the problem was with the visitor himself... Why him, of all people? Shayjen Joyrit stood at the entrance with his glaive. The Matukai scanned the cantina, surprisingly found me, but only snorted contemptuously. He strode to the bar counter.
"Bartender," he said, a little too loudly. "I need information about the Rodian pirate Lothar!" - Damn it. I'm not the only one looking for him. This pair is also looking for him. And I definitely don't like this fact. The cantina was slightly taken aback by Shayjen's blatant recklessness. But two of Lothar's crew, clearly assessing the impressive appearance of the Matukai and his weapon, decided to make a hasty retreat. Well, thank you, dog... However. I can follow those two. Or catch them quietly.
"And can you pay for information, Matukai?" asked one of the musician-Bith, who had previously been playing good jazz on the saxophone.
"Why should I pay for information?" asked the teenager. "Just tell me everything you know. Or," he aimed his glaive at the musician. "I'll run you through."
What an idiot. What kind of hellish vagina produces such degenerates? Or is it a quota from the higher powers to fill the Galaxy with idiots?
"Are you sure you want to try your strength, Matukai?" asked a calm voice from behind me. A woman in Mandalorian armor was speaking. "You are clearly outnumbered here. And you won't be fighting weaklings."
"By the way," noted a pirate from a Sabacc table, "Captain Lothar's crew members just left. You scared them away. Clumsy, like a Hutt in a china shop."
"What?" asked Shayjen. "You'll pay for your insolence..."
"Shayjen!" came the voice of the hot-headed Matukai's mentor. The man stood at the entrance. He crossed the cantina quite quickly and, with a slight swing, hit his student on the back of the head with the blunt side of his glaive. "How many times do I have to tell you? Be quieter. Don't you see, you're disturbing esteemed sentient beings resting after their difficult tasks."
"I..."
"You," the Mandalorian intervened, interrupting the Matukai's student. "You clearly think too much of yourself. You almost started a fight with the whole cantina. Show some zeal, please, in his training, before you give him a tattoo, teacher," she addressed Teydor. Teydor's eyes widened in surprise... He was rightly surprised that someone knew about the internal regulations of his Order. "Even a Jedi behaves better than a Matukai. I didn't think I would ever see anything like this."
"What?!" asked one of the pirates. "There's a Jedi here?!"
"Yes, you idiot," how did she know? "But I won't tell you anything. Look for yourself..."
"But Lora!" exclaimed the Twi'lek, who had gotten into an argument with her. "Why?!"
"Because you had to pay in full, not 'sorry, but your group didn't fulfill the contract in full!' You incomplete fool. And why would you need a Jedi? Do you want to go to the afterlife?"
The Twi'lek shut up, and I glanced at the Mandalorian's armor. It was painted predominantly in blue. On the girl's back was clearly a vibro-sword. Blaster pistols hung from her belt. This woman managed to find out that a Jedi had passed through here. Did she guess who exactly was the Jedi?
"I apologize once again for my student's behavior," Teydor said. "We will leave you immediately."
"But mentor..."
"Don't argue!" Teydor snapped. As they walked past me, the man threw a barely audible phrase at me. "Young Knight. Don't you want to have a chat?"
Well, considering they also want to meet Lothar—I do now. I didn't want anything to do with this pair before. And I'd like to find out at least something about this Lora, who managed to expose me. But the latter will have to wait. There's a chance, of course, that she might also be working for Lothar. But it's a slim one. As soon as I left the cantina, I noticed a pair of Matukai who turned into an alley. The mentor nodded at me, which made me understand that it was better to follow him. The alley was filled with the foul smell of garbage. Dark, gloomy, located between two buildings—the cantina and the weapons store, which was literally next door.
"I apologize once more, Young Knight," Teydor Loy bowed slightly. "Did my student cause you any inconvenience?"
Sheyjen was literally drilling me with his gaze.
"Well," I said, looking at the young man. "I suspect he harmed you more. As soon as he entered, he proclaimed to the entire cantina who you were looking for on Rishi. And he started threatening sentients. I thought I would have to intervene and calm him down."
"As if you could..."
"Sheyjen!" the mentor exclaimed, interrupting his student. "Don't forget yourself. You are facing a Jedi Knight. And this young knight is not much inferior to me. Or have you forgotten how your previous meeting almost ended?"
"Yes, mentor," the teenager gritted out, "I remember."
"Hmm," I put my hand to my chin. "Did you assess the level of my abilities?"
"Live a little longer, young Knight, and you'll learn to understand how strong any sentient is, especially the Gifted, without any fights. You managed to become a Jedi Knight. Below average height, judging by your build—you prefer a mobile fencing style. Ataru? Makashi as a last resort. For the preferred style of Shien—your build is insufficient, believe me, I know what I'm talking about."
"I readily believe you, respected Theodore. But, I think, that's not important now. Your student mentioned that he was looking for someone named Lothar. And I would like to know what you need from him. I'm looking for him too."
"Hmm," Theodore said meaningfully. "I suspect I know the reason why the Jedi are interested in him... As well as which specific Jedi unit you belong to, young Knight," the stronger man clenched his vibro-axe.
"Let's leave my unit aside, respected Matukai," I raised my hands. "My mission is to find what Lothar stole from us. Not the intentional destruction of two Matukai."
"Especially since you wouldn't have succeeded in the latter, Jedi," Sheyjen's contemptuous voice came.
Damn. He's starting to annoy me. On the other hand, if I don't react too excessively to his outbursts, he'll eventually get tired of bothering me. Or I could completely suppress him in a direct fight, beat him up, maybe cut off his hands. At least he'll calm down.
"I suspect we're talking about certain artifacts that a recently killed Jedi archaeologist found," the main Matukai remarked.
"You know about them?" I asked. The man nodded. "And what are they?"
"Well, I think, considering the fact that you're not going to attack us—I can tell you. They're not exactly artifacts, they're a training methodology of the Founder of our teaching. Do you know how Matukai came to be?"
"Well, in general terms," I confirmed. "Although no one remembers the Founder's name anymore. I can admit that your teaching is quite interesting. And the training methodology," I licked my lips, "sounds very interesting. As a Jedi, more focused on the combat aspect, I must admit that I've just become interested in this mission."
"That's the point. I offer you the following deal," Theodore said with a smile. "I'm flattered that a Jedi has shown interest in our teaching. Especially after hearing what he is supposed to find, according to the Order's assignment. The Jedi who was killed, an archaeologist. Rikan Erez was my friend. He understood what he had found and invited me to help decipher the methodology. It contains not only katas for training but also detailed descriptions of Force manipulation. Rikan offered me the following deal: each of us gets a copy, and he will bring the original to the Order. I would help him decipher this information, thereby he would be able to get acquainted with our teaching a little. But before we flew to him—he was killed."
"And you're not afraid that the Jedi would reveal your secrets?" I asked the elder Matukai.
"Not at all. I would trust Rikan with my life. He was like a brother to me."
"And you're not afraid that I'll send the deciphered data to the Temple?" I asked another question.
"I stopped being afraid when I heard that, despite your affiliation with your Corps, you wouldn't attack us. Usually, your brothers from the Corps attack us." Now it's clear where Sheyjen's reaction to me comes from. I looked at the guy, and he snorted, looking away. "I like to take risks sometimes. Without risk, what's life, young Knight? So—how about this deal. You get the original, encrypted. I'll decipher the content of the methodology for you and give it to you personally. You'll send only the original to the Order, but you won't give out the deciphered information..."
"Are you aware that you're taking a big risk?" I asked the elder Matukai. "I'm not Rikan. Why do you think you can trust me?"
"I only trust my instincts, young Knight. And they trust you, for now."
"Well... You know how to convince..."
"But teacher!" Sheyjen exclaimed.
"Calm down, student," the mentor stopped him. "We must be able to coexist with everyone. Of course—we'll also get a copy. And you," he nodded at me, "will be able to get acquainted with our teaching. Maybe you'll learn something new."
"I won't hide it, other teachings interest me," I crossed my arms. "My mentor included Matukai teachings in my training, with whom he once crossed paths."
"Oh, I realized that right away," Theodore clapped his hands. "I see it, even if he included only the initial stage. But it turned out quite well. With your Force talent and Matukai training—you'll become an incredibly strong warrior. And this is no joke, young Knight. Your mentor laid a good foundation for you."
"Yes," I said with a slight sadness. "He did. In any case—since we've reached an agreement, where do we start? Sheyjen scared away those two from Lothar's crew. They might be preparing for departure," they certainly won't take off quickly. Pre-flight preparation—can take hours. Load everything, assemble the crew, check the ship's systems... Or maybe notify the captain, who might also be absent.
"My eternal student left us no choice," Sheyjen snorted, for which he received another smack on the back of the head from his mentor. "We'll attack right now. I believe, together, we can handle them."
The pirate gang's camp greeted us with liveliness. Clearly, they had received information that two Gifted had come for them. But they weren't in a hurry to assemble and take off. On the contrary—the pirates were preparing for defense. That's something I definitely couldn't expect... In general, according to my original plan, I was supposed to quietly infiltrate the camp, find the Captain. Interrogate him, kill him, take the artifacts. But Sheyjen happened... Fifteen years ago, apparently. And it would have been better if he hadn't happened, honestly. Now I'll have to fight such a crowd. The ship really looked terrible. A stretched, pleasure yacht, plastered with the remains of a cargo ship's armor and weapons. It would have been better if Lothar had bought a "Gozanti." But... we have what we have.
"Hutt," I said. We were standing on a small hill and observing the "work front." I examined the positions through an electro-binoculars. The device allowed me to magnify any image. With its help, I can see at a distance of, plus or minus—three kilometers. "They've set up defenses. At least five firing points, quite fortified, with stationary, rapid-fire blasters," I zoomed in on a weapon resembling a mounted machine gun. Its only difference is that it fired plasma. "I don't see mines for sure. But these stationary ones are a problem. If we attack from the front, head-on—we'll face... fiasco."
"We certainly will," Theodore said, asking for the observation device. I handed the electro-binoculars to the Matukai. "You can definitely block all the shots and get close to the position, and then deal with the defenders."
"Hmm... I can. However, it's worth understanding that they'll try to surround me from all sides. I won't be able to escape such dense fire... Or rather—all I can do is simply leave the battle, leaving you behind." Until now, the mentor and I mostly relied on not being detected before entering combat. Or—we interfered with the enemy's attempt to surround us. Only... Matukai are not Jedi. No matter how much knowledge they have about us—they certainly can't prevent me from being surrounded. A direct fight could end with me wounded, or dead. "Three firing points are concentrated in our current direction. And two on the sides, clearly designed to prevent flanking. That is, one on each side."
"If you think about it—we can attack from the flanks, each," Theodore said. "And you..."
"And I in the center, is that it?" I asked.
"They expect two Matukai to rush through the center, young Knight. But not a Jedi."
"I can try to go from the rear," I said, "go around the camp. Cause a diversion for them. They expect Matukai. Matukai are warriors, used to fighting head-on, right?" I asked Theodore.
"We are the best warriors in the Galaxy!" Sheyjen exclaimed. "Sith, Jedi, Zeison-Sha... You are all pathetic in direct confrontation with us!"
"I readily believe you," I said. Yeah, right, I believe you. I'll tell that to Vitiate, or Revan to their face, if you're a man. That the first is a Sith, and the second is a Jedi—they can crush the entire Matukai Order without even breaking a sweat. Or most of them, for sure. On the other hand—he hasn't played Knights of the Old Republic or the MMO "The Old Republic," unlike me, who has completed both games. And what do I need to prove to him? We're not on a forum—to argue about "Star Wars." It's better to focus on the present.
"So, what kind of diversion can you organize?" the elder Matukai asked with curiosity. "Are you going to play with their ship with telekinesis?"
I looked at the man with surprise, and then shifted my gaze to the yacht. No... I'm definitely not capable of pulling that off yet. But sneaking into the very rear of their position and throwing grenades into their ship's engines—that's a piece of cake.
"Well... I have a couple of ideas," I patted my pockets. Wanting to match the extravagant, but mercenary-smuggler of the Outer Rim, I grabbed not only a blaster but also a couple of grenades. I took the grenades out of my pocket.
"And don't even think about it. We don't know where the relic we're looking for is, young Knight," the Matukai shook his head. "And look at this junk. Even if it looks relatively sturdy—who knows what condition this ship is in."
"Okay, then we'll do something else," I shrugged. "I'll just levitate these toys," I tossed the grenades into the air, "to their positions. They certainly won't expect such a trick. But first, we need to identify Lothar. So that I can't hit him."
"He's standing right at the ship's ramp," the elder Matukai said. I heard angry notes in his voice. "You won't miss him."
He handed me the electro-binoculars. I brought the device to my eyes again and zoomed in. Indeed, right in the middle of the positions stood a Rodian. His build was frail, by appearance. He was dressed in standard pants and a short-sleeved shirt. A pair of blaster pistols hung from his belt. Modified... So this is Lothar. He stood with his arms crossed. I have five grenades... Should I use them to destroy the firing points, or just blow them up in different parts of the camp, causing panic?
"I think," Sheyjen said thoughtfully. "We need to destroy the three firing points facing the front... What? Why are you staring at me like that, Jedi?"
"You're thinking?" I asked in surprise. "Are you sick?"
"Shut up! I'm trying to think logically!"
"Ah, I see... You're sick," I stated the fact.
"Young Knight, please refrain from such explanations of my student's mental abilities. Although Sheyjen may seem to you... In a certain way... He is the son of a successful sentient who was a warlord on his planet. Quite successful. He has potential. He's just a bit hot-tempered."
"I don't understand, did you praise me or insult me, mentor?"
"These are two extremes of the same peggat," I sighed. "Okay. Let's say—I'll take out those positions with precise telekinesis. What next? Do we attack head-on?"
"Of the three of us, only you, young Knight, can block blaster shots. We attack head-on. You are our breakthrough unit. We, with Sheyjen, won't let you be surrounded while you get to the leader. Don't kill him right away..."
"I won't," I smiled, "but a severed arm, or leg with a lightsaber—won't kill him. I also have something to ask him."
The pirates were ready for a direct, frontal assault, in the Matukai style. Their Captain clearly knew who was looking for him. But even the Mandalorian's revelation wouldn't prepare him for the fact that a Jedi Knight was also looking for him. Simply because he hadn't received any messages. Otherwise, my datapad would have given me the relevant information. But no intercepted messages came to me... Which means—they don't know. The tall grass, between which the road to the camp lay, was excellent cover for me. I looked through the electro-binoculars again, precisely calculating the force of the throw and the degree of influence of the wind and my telekinesis on the grenades. And then, having swung, having previously activated the explosive device, I threw three grenades up with telekinesis. Five seconds until detonation... Watching the circles in the blue sky, I hooked them with telekinesis and directed them exactly where they should go. Two seconds... Now... The detonators exploded exactly where they should, groans and explosions were heard from the base. Ammunition also detonated, judging by the pops. Hooking the remaining two grenades, I threw them back into the camp territory, not aiming particularly this time.
And while the pirates hadn't recovered, I rushed into the attack...
"STOP!" The first line of defense looked a bit flimsy. I simply jumped over it, drawing my lightsabers in mid-air. Landing after the jump, I activated both lightsabers.
"Damn it," came from the crowd of pirates. "A Jedi!"
"We've already killed one! We'll kill this one too!" came from behind me. And a moment later, groans and screams of the wounded were also heard from there. I felt the life auras behind me begin to fade. The Matukai had entered the fray.
"There are three of them! Fire! Fire!"
Arranging the swords in front of me, I began to spin them. The Force guided me, showing me the trajectory of the beams. And I managed to place my swords in their path. The tempo increased, and my swords turned into real blades. The beams bounced off them, and at the same time, I managed to shorten the distance between the pirate lines and myself. A little more and I'll be able to cover the distance between us with a Force-enhanced jump. In the ranks of the pirates, a real massacre could be arranged. I haven't had any doubts about this for a long time, approximately since that training in the jungle that my mentor Lorm arranged for me. No matter how naive I was, I always knew—an enemy is an enemy. Finally, I made another jump to land in the enemy ranks. Spinning around, I immediately killed four sentients standing nearby by decapitation. I rushed to the next one... Dodging a shot, I cut him from belly to head... Telekinesis... The body of the recently deceased covered me from the shots of his comrades. Oh, hutt... Grenade launchers... Three pirates with grenade launchers immediately fired projectiles at me. I directed my left hand, with a sword, towards them, raising my fingers. A barely visible barrier in the form of a film formed in front of me. And it withstood the explosions with dignity. Another moment, and I knocked down the grenadiers and those standing next to them with telekinesis. I turned to the right, pulled three opponents to me at once, spinning, I chopped their bodies into mince. Then I broke away again, having already closed in on the pirates who were just getting back on their feet, whom I had knocked down before. Auras flickered out on the right and left. The Matukai are working...
"No! Hutt! Get away from us!" one of the pirates screamed, but I couldn't be stopped. I cut off his head, jumped on his comrade, pinning him to the ground with my swords. Jumping up, I spun in the air, moving parallel to the pirates. It turned out to be a kind of tornado parallel to the planet's surface, which rotated using the Force. Having thus jumped over five more pirates, I noted that they were dead. Twenty more ahead... All armed with blasters and ready to send me to the afterlife... Well then... Spinning my lightsabers in front of me, I licked my lips and attacked... The pleasure that the battle gave my body was intoxicating, although I tried to limit it a little. No need to "fall" to the other side here. After dealing with the twenty, I looked ahead... The last pair of pirates appeared before me when Lothar was about fifteen meters away. And here he is, already reaching for his blasters. A Gamorrean and a human. First, the huge Gamorrean swung his vibro-axe at me. I looked into his eyes and immediately activated the Force suggestion, and also pressed him with telekinesis. The alien froze, paralyzed... I spun again, cutting off his head. And finally, from the left, the last one attacked me, who stood against me along with the Gamorrean. He didn't have an outstanding physique, but he wielded a vibro-sword and quite well... For an ordinary sentient. But for me, a Gifted, all his actions were visible, like text in a book. Putting one sword back in its sheath, I parried his simple lunge and grabbed him with my free left hand by the neck.
"Do you want to play with me too?" I asked the man.
"Hutt! Damn you! Ha..."
A shot rang out. Lothar shot me with his two pistols. I was open to his attack, and he was to my right. And I could have blocked the shots with my sword... But that's the problem. This smart guy uses kinetic weapons. They can't always be burned by the sword's energy. Therefore, I acted quickly, putting the man in the path of the bullets, from which he, having received fatal damage, died, spitting blood. Devil... I have to wash my suit again.
"Not very polite to interrupt," I pointed my sword at Lothar.
"Stupid Jedi!" Lothar said, shooting at me, but this time I dodged the attack. "Do you think you can survive?! I'll kill you..."
"Enough," I dodged another of his shots and, hooking his pistols with telekinesis, tore them from the captain's hands. "I don't have time to play with you," I pulled the Rodian to me with telekinesis. He tried to reach me with a knife, but all he got was a severed hand. I stepped on his stump, pinning him to the ground. "Where is what you killed the Jedi for? And who hired you?"
"I'm not afraid of you, Jedi!" he shouted. "You're hoping in vain that I, Lothar of the Shot gang—will betray my client! I'm too honest..."
"A pirate and the word 'honest' are antonyms, Lothar," I grinned. "I'm less amused by empty users on social networks, with five friends and 'correct views on politics.' Speak now!" I demanded of the Rodian. "Who hired you and where is the stolen item? Or you'll be provided with a burial, not a prison."
"Jedi don't kill unarmed people..."
"And I'm not a completely ordinary Jedi," I grinned wickedly, looking into the Captain's eyes. "Have you ever heard of Jedi Shadows?"
His eyes widened... Although Rodian eyes are already quite large.
"I see you have," I laughed. "So what? Are you familiar with the rumors about our methodology?"
"Will you let me go?" the sentient asked.
"I'll hand you over to the Justice Corps. They'll imprison you for the murder of a Jedi, according to the laws. Most likely—for life. And so, at least, you have a chance to survive. But that's if you start telling everything you know right now. Otherwise—I'll just start using everything my mentors from the Corps taught me. And you won't live very long and very... Loudly. So? Deal?"
"Deal..." the man said. "You want to know who hired me? Well—I don't know!" And he's not lying. "I'll tell you honestly! I received orders by message. The messages were automatically deleted. This bastard hacked my datapad. But he paid well. And yes—he ordered me to kill that Jedi and take those scrolls..."
"Scrolls?" I asked him.
"That's right. Kha... They're... Paper scrolls. In my cabin," the Rodian said. "There are some drawings and inscriptions in a strange language, not like the one we write. I've never seen anything like it. I was supposed to... I was supposed to hand over all the information to him on Nar Shaddaa, or his subordinate... I don't know. He hadn't managed to tell me how to hand over the scrolls yet. But there's another nuance, Jedi. He's powerful! And he'll get me even in prison! I don't know who he is. But I don't like living like this, so... Kha..." he coughed. He started shaking, clearly in a fit. Damn. I missed that... Deactivating the lightsabers, I put my hand to his neck. Dead... Did he have a poison ampoule in his teeth?
"Did you kill him?" Sheyjen's angry voice was heard. I turned around... The younger Matukai was covered in blood. Blood was also dripping from his vibro-axe, falling to the ground.
"No. He swallowed poison, that's why he died. I couldn't notice that..."
"It's not your fault, young Knight. Not everyone can prevent that," Theodore appeared behind Sheyjen, also covered in blood. "Did he say where the things we need are?"
"The paper scrolls are in the Captain's cabin," I knelt by the Rodian's body and started searching his pockets. "Aha... Key card."
"That's good," the elder Matukai nodded.
"Not entirely," I shook my head. "Rikan was killed on the orders of some sentient. Gifted, most likely. It was he who needed your relics, respected Theodore. Do you know who it could be?"
"The galaxy is full of various Gifted, many of them rule entire planets, or possess similar power," Theodore observed philosophically. "Unfortunately, we can't even guess who the client was." He nodded at the corpse. "He could have shed some light."
"And I doubt even that," I sighed. "This specimen encountered not just a powerful Gifted, but someone who observes security measures to an insane degree. He hacked Lothar's datapad and sent him messages about orders that way. He probably paid him with untraceable credit chips, transferred through some cunning method. In any case, I will report this mystery to the Council. Of course, I won't tell you anything about you."
"Good," Theodore nodded. "Then we'll head off for the things we're interested in right away, and you..."
"And I'll go with you," I said. "Don't misunderstand, but I've known you for a couple of hours. Not even a full day."
"Matukai never break their word!" Sheydjen growled.
"Calm down, my student. The young Knight has a right to be suspicious," Theodore smiled slightly.
"Light. My name is Light," I said.
The man merely nodded. The ship's interior was surprisingly clean. From the outside, it was a pervert's ship, but inside it was cleaned almost to a shine. And the Captain's cabin greeted us with a strange sight. Lothar, in his own room, was a true pedant. Everything was neatly arranged. Several sets of clothes for different weather hung in the closets... And in the safe, which I opened with my lightsaber, lay all the ship's documents, a lot of untraceable credit chips, and the scrolls themselves on yellowed paper...
"Your Order has existed for over a thousand years," I marveled, turning the scrolls in my hand. They were small, at first glance. "And the paper has been preserved so well."
"Naturally, the creator used methods to preserve the paper," the elder Matukai took a scroll from me. He was trembling so much, it seemed he was about to have a heart attack... Or an orgasm. "Ooooh!" he exclaimed. "Wonderful. This is exactly what Rikan spoke of. A manual of martial arts, and from the creator herself... Oh, she was a woman," he couldn't believe it. "Some katas suggest incredible flexibility and stretching."
Well, yes, women are physically much more flexible than men. Although that doesn't stop us men from performing rhythmic gymnastics routines. Even if it looks a little... a little abnormal.
"In any case, I'm counting on translation and interpretation," each picture had an explanation in a strange language. "And you'd better not deceive me."
"Or Master Jonnal Ezar himself will come for us?" Theodore said seriously. "This wreck has long since passed its prime."
"Then he'll come with his subordinates, and I wouldn't say... that he's particularly out of shape right now," I recalled the Jar'Kai training... He left me no intact place.
"Don't worry. Matukai are warriors. Deception is alien to us in any battle and in life. That is our credo. If you are forced to deceive, then you are no longer a Matukai."
Yeah, right, I believe you...
"So Lothar was just a link," Master Jonnal Ezar said when I contacted him via holocom. The Master, who also controlled the Shadows, was clearly in his room in the Temple. "He killed Rikan Ezer, the archaeologist, just to fulfill his master's order."
"Yes, Master," I said. "Knight Rikan found scrolls, apparently belonging to the Matukai. They are written in a strange language that is not in our databases. I suspect only the Matukai can decipher it."
"They can," the man agreed. "But the Matukai are stubborn banthas. Arrogant and conceited, hiding behind their 'ideals' of honor, loyalty, and so on. A Matukai won't reveal a secret entrusted to him even under torture. Our decoders will be digging into all this for fifty years without them, but in any case, since all this once belonged to the Order of the Gifted, you are obliged to deliver it to Coruscant." I winced slightly. I had just escaped from there and set myself the task of creating refuges in the Outer Rim, and then thinking about getting a couple of specialties I was interested in at local universities, and now I had to fly to Coruscant again.
"And what about the client?" I asked him. "Should I deal with him after I deliver the scrolls?"
"No," Jonnal shook his head. "You have little experience, and besides, he left no clues. In the current situation, we have to wait. You first."
"Me?"
"You," the man nodded. "It was you who defeated Lothar, who stole what that client wanted. And naturally, he will surely try to take revenge, or find out from you where everything is that you stole from his pet."
"So I'm playing the role of bait," I guessed.
"Correct," Jonnal confirmed. "You are bait. But a Shadow and bait are not the same thing. If my assumptions are correct, he will try to take revenge."
"He... Are you sure you understand who I accidentally ran into..."
"A series of murders of Jedi Archaeologists and Shadows has swept through the Outer Rim. Many artifacts have also been stolen. Someone has been rummaging through ancient ruins for a long time, methodically clearing them out. Naturally, I became interested in such a thing, and began to search for this intelligent being. But he hides too well... No one has managed to bring him to light yet... And he has a remarkably vengeful nature, killing everyone who has wronged him, in any way. He has tried to reach me five times. So you will play the role of bait, one of many, who will lure him out, or his subordinates."
Well... I really got myself into trouble. Or rather, Jonnal got me into trouble.
"And what should I do after I return the artifacts? Will you give me another mission?"
"Yes... And your mission will be to settle on Alderaan," the man nodded. "You will have to carefully monitor the members of one of the Alderaanian houses - Antilles. One of the subordinates of this House was recently caught by a Guardian Jedi with contraband Sith artifacts. Moreover, it is likely that the intelligent being we are looking for was involved in this. The subordinate did not live to be interrogated, dying in the cell. A scandal almost happened. Now do you understand the danger?" he asked me. "Even an intelligent being, in the service of a Noble House of Alderaan, a rather influential House in the Core Worlds, was involved. Someone has thoroughly woven their web not only in the Outer Rim. Our enemy has influence in all sectors of the galaxy."
"Sith?" I simply asked. Could it be that Jonnal accidentally stumbled upon the trail of Plagueis and Sidious? They could well have done all this.
"It's too early to say. Much needs to be clarified. And you will be my agent on Alderaan. Find out everything you can about the murdered man, his connections, his actions before his death, before he was caught. I understand that you are more of an operative and a warrior than a secret agent. But there are no other options. Besides, in the Core Worlds, I can quickly send you help. And in the Outer Rim... Investigating this case, even more skilled Jedi than you have fallen. So get ready, Light. And prepare yourself. The mission promises to be difficult..."
Well... If we find Plagueis and Sidious, who knows how history will turn out... And will I have to clean up after them? Although that's absurd... Most likely, one of them will bury me somewhere. Well, I've really gotten myself into trouble... On the other hand... Alderaan opens up interesting prospects. I should check the list of items for admission to the University. As well as the requirements for taking exams as an external student. It's never too late to learn. And a Jedi who decides to get an education at the University will arouse much less suspicion. Besides, House Antilles is a noble house, and its offspring can study at the University... An interesting mission awaits me. Dangerous, but interesting...