**Chapter 375: Gray Lines**
**Scene 1 – Jedi Temple, Council Chambers**
Obi-Wan Kenobi stood near the edge of the circular chamber, arms crossed, listening carefully.
"What happened on Zygerria and Falleen needed to be done," Dagon said calmly, "for Zule to move on — away from her past and toward her future. If it ever happens to Ahsoka or any other Jedi under my care, I would do it again."
Obi-Wan thought privately, *Oh, the problems…* He really is exactly like Qui-Gon, my old master. His speech, his actions… and who knows how Anakin would react to this. He wanted to visit Tatooine to see his mother many times in the past, but Dagon actually took action for Zule.
Dagon continued, his voice steady and measured:
"Confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi. Each of our destinies is tied and linked in the Force.
There is no Dark Side nor a Light Side — there is only the Force.
I will do what I must to keep the balance.
There is no good without evil, but evil must not be allowed to flourish.
There is passion, yet peace; serenity, yet emotion; chaos, yet order.
I am a wielder of the flame; a champion of balance.
I am a guardian of life. I am a Gray Jedi."
A heavy silence followed.
"Hmm. Gray Jedi," Yoda murmured, ears twitching. "Not heard that name since it was recorded in the archives by the early Jedi warriors against the Sith Empires. A fine line you walk, Vice Supreme Commander Dagon. Unfortunately, you speak true. But your actions have provided a temporary break on the CIS's current operations."
"But Master Yoda," Dagon pressed, "Ryloth is still under blockade, and the news reports said Wat Tambor wanted to enslave them. How—"
Yoda raised his small green hand. "Much anger, yet hope. Calm, yet frustration. A balance I sense — too much of both sides in you. But correct you are. However, the Chancellor has decided to halt your actions for now. Nevertheless, Ryloth will soon be liberated."
**Scene 2 – En Route to Coruscant**
The news reached Padmé Amidala as she and Anakin were returning to Coruscant. Just a couple of hours and they would be there.
"However, we'll arrive in the Republic's capital anyway," Padmé said, scrolling through the reports. "The problem is, we now have a lot to think about… We'll need to urgently consult with Organa and Mothma to develop a strategy."
"Wow. Wow." Anakin put the datapad down, eyes wide. "Dagon sure gave those bastards a run for their money! Good job!"
Padmé shook her head. "Do you think this is great?"
"How could it be otherwise?" Anakin was genuinely amazed. "He destroyed the slavers, saved everyone… How could it be otherwise? He decided on his own to rescue the kidnapped slaves from so many planets — even some from Naboo all because he felt a disturbance. He solved the problem. Quickly and effectively."
"Dagon didn't solve the problem… he just delayed it," Padmé lamented.
"In what terms?"
"The problem isn't that slaves are being sold, Anakin. The problem is that they are being *bought*. Where there's demand, there's supply. And solving it this way is the wrong way."
"So you mean to say that he is wrong?"
"No, no," the woman ruffled her hair in irritation. "It's just that his methods are… unacceptable. What's needed is consistent, long-term work, Anakin. Well, take nuclear weapons as an example."
"What about it? Isn't this a weapon of barbarians and backward worlds?"
"That's the whole point. Thousands of years ago they used it, but now they don't. Why? Because these concepts have been formed. If someone uses it, they're a barbarian and a backward world. Nobody wants that label, so they don't use it. Although it's still stored away in many places as a last-resort weapon that everyone thinks will never be used. Yes, there are still the Mandalorians, but they've always had their own agenda."
"So what? How long will it take? Thousands of years? And the slaves will suffer, Padmé," Skywalker snapped. "That's unacceptable."
Padmé shook her head. This topic had always been a sore point for Anakin, and she was already regretting having brought it up.
"At any rate, I don't believe the Zygerrians will go soft after this, Anakin. Yes, they'll sit quietly for a few years, maybe even ten, maybe even twenty… And then they'll be back to their old ways."
"Well, we'll see about that."
**Scene 3 – Jedi Temple**
**Dagon's POV**
As we walked through the Temple corridors back to our quarters, I could feel the tense energy coming from the other girls — Ahsoka, Kayla, Flare, Stella, and Visenya. Zule walked beside me, hugging my arm tightly while I carried her two younger sisters. Ashla and Cera seemed to like being carried; since I was taller and more muscular than most Falleen they had seen, it was almost nostalgic. During the resistance days, I had been in charge of the orphans we rescued and new recruits, so carrying kids had become normal.
"Master, we need to talk," Ahsoka said, her voice tight.
I stopped and turned to face the group. "Look, Ahsoka. Zule needed this for Falleen. No, I didn't know about any of this beforehand. No life-threatening situations for me. Yes, I decided to adopt Zule's two sisters and keep them safe with us until the end of the war."
"Yay! We get a family!" Cera cheered softly.
"Thank you, big brother," Ashla added with a shy smile.
Zule squeezed my arm tighter, a small, grateful smile breaking through her exhaustion.
Ahsoka crossed her arms, still looking conflicted. "You burned an entire planet, Master. The Council is furious. Even some of us… we're worried."
"I know," I replied evenly. "But I won't apologize for protecting my own. If the same thing happened to any of you, I would do it again without hesitation."
Kayla stepped closer, her Zeltron empathy radiating concern. "We're not angry at you for saving them. We're worried about what this is doing to *you*… and to Zule."
Flare nodded. "The dark side was very close in that throne room."
"I felt it too," Stella added quietly.
Visenya remained silent but watched me with sharp eyes.
Zule looked at all of them, then back at me. "I'm still here. I'm still me. And I have all of you."
I shifted Ashla and Cera slightly in my arms. "We'll talk more later. For now, let's get the girls settled. They've been through enough."
As we continued walking, Ahsoka fell into step beside me.
"You really are like Qui-Gon sometimes," she muttered. "Doing what you think is right, no matter what the Council says."
I gave her a small, tired smile. "Maybe. But I'm not Qui-Gon. I'm just trying to keep the people I care about alive in a galaxy that keeps trying to break them."
The group fell into a contemplative silence as we reached our quarters.
For tonight, at least, the storm could wait.