Chapter 4: 4. Chapter

In the elder’s house in the jedi temple, there is a sudden incoming call, without announcement. It must be an urgent matter. The few masters who were currently in the middle of a general meeting were interrupted by the sound of this holographic call. 

- Where does this call originate from? Can you tell me Kenobi? Asked master Windu already frustrated by the rude interruption.

- It is from one of the border stations of the planet, we never got a direct call from there before this.

- Humph. Said Windu, showing little interest in the matter. 

- Answer this call, we should, its rude to make the caller wait without proper reason.

- Of course, grandmaster, I will redirect it to the central holoprojector.

Soon enough, the opaque form of a border guard appeared before them.

- Greeting esteemed masters. The man greeted them while giving a slight bow with his head.

As the youngest of the present masters, and with the title of infamous diplomat Kenobi naturally took over the lead in the communication.

- Greetings to you too sir. What is the reason for your sudden call?

- Of course master, we have located a wanted type of ship, waiting to enter Coruscant...

Windu interrupted the man’s long-winded monologue.

- Then you should probably arrest the owner, and not call the jedi temple right now...

- Yes, master, but there is no crime on record that the owner committed...

From that answer, Windu’s brows raised with surprise. He looked to the other master’s then continued with a much more interested and relaxed manner.

- Then, why is the ship wanted?

The man relaxed instantly as he sensed the change of tone then continued.

- The jedi temple provided a wish to buy this type of ship as a relic because of historical value. It is a dynamic-class freighter ship, its code name is Ebon Hawk, the scanned assembly date seems to be original, certificated by the old republic. We are currently holding back the ship on the border.

There was silence in the room, Kenobi and Windu simultaneously looked towards the grandmaster for advice.

- Yes, I seem to remember, that there was a warrant for that type of ship a few hundred years ago; sadly, there was no ship to find at that time. The force works in mysterious ways, after so much time of futile searching, the ship comes to us on its own accord. Captain, lead the ship to the jedi temple, we will speak with its owner personally.

- Masters...

Windu’s eyes narrowed a bit. Then he said, after a weak shake of his head.

- You will be compensated for your good work captain. We expect it to continue in this manner in the future too.

- Thank you, masters! Have a beautiful day!

Windu sighed and said after the call ended.

- The greed of man.

There were a few minutes of silent contemplation after that. In the end master, Kenobi broke it.

- Honestly, I am looking forward to this encounter. What type of person uses such a relic as general transportation? Is it possible that they don’t even know how unique their ship is? Will we really buy it?

- We will give a reasonable price, but of course, we cannot force them to sell their ship. It is their property after all. Said Yoda.

- In case, if the ship actually belongs to them in the first place.

Windu added his two credits sinisterly.

- Let’s wait and see. The grandmaster closed the conversation.

 

In the Ebon Hawk, after a call from the traffic-control station explained unusually happily to them that they are invited to the jedi temple for a meeting with the elders. Carefully hinting that they should not try anything funny like running away, a few police fighter ships escorted them to the planet until the very moment they landed on a big landing area on the side of the temple.

In the meantime on the Ebon Hawks bridge.

- Nizzal screaming hysterically: YOU SCRAP PILE! I TOLD YOU THAT WE SHOULDN’T USE THIS DAMN SHIP! WHAT WILL I DO NOW? I CAN’T EVEN HIDE MY FORCE PRESENCE PROPERLY! THEY WANT ME TO SPEAK WITH THE COUNCIL I AM DONE FOR!

I sat down in my chair, at the end of my hysterical outburst...

- Not even a week after I became a master, the jedi will capture me... And everything is because of you!

- (Logical assessment): They can try to capture us, in that case, I will activate battle protocol, while I distract them, little meatbag should be able to escape.

- From the hearth of the jedi temple, you are crazy. We should try to escape with the ship that is our best chance.

- (Statement): There are four fighter escort ships around us; they are faster and more agile. Our shield generator is too obsolete; we would be destroyed in a few hits.

- (Critical assessment): There was no better ship in the hangar on Hoth.

- Maybe, but this way, we painted a giant target on our backs!

- (Troubleshooting logical deduction): There was no mistake in my logic; the jedi should not remember this ship, after thousands of years. An unknown factor was not included in my calculation, which is the only possible answer.

- Look the temple's door opened, we should go and meet them too. Let us hope they won’t kill a child, in these types of scenarios it is actually good to be a child.

We walked down on the ramp towards the small delegate. They were temple guardians two of them, with double-bladed lightsabers proudly displayed on their hips. The faces were hidden under a mask and a hood, equipped with some unpractical, ceremonial armor. I watched them suspiciously, as HK-47 took its place behind me obviously intimidating the guards a bit. When I reached them, I nodded slowly to greet them. They looked at me hesitating then one of them said,

- The council would like to speak with the owner of the ship.

- Then, lead the way, I said.

The guards exchanged a few knowing glances as they turned towards the weird protocol droid.

- The master of the ship is currently not here, we came here with Miss Nizzal in the hopes of visiting the central library to further her knowledge and update our databanks. You can treat her as the current owner of the ship.

They nodded and turned back to me, one of them said, pointing towards the door.

- This way, please.

So, I followed them into the hearth of their temple, I felt hundreds of powerful force signals all around me, it was a strange experience, I kind of liked it though. The tall halls of the corridors gave away a strong and peaceful sense, forcibly relaxing my troubled mind. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to take in this special feeling. When I opened my eyes, I saw for a second as one of the temple guards was eyeing me carefully. Oh hell, I forgot about myself... With a spike of fear, I started to reinforce my mental shields and did my best to erase my force signal. As a reaction, both of the guards stopped and looked at me, I saw as they touched their blades if only for a fraction of a second. Then they began to walk again, acting as if everything was normal.

I have done it again... Stupid, stupid, stupid... everyone has a force signal, even the people that can’t use force... If you erase your force presence suddenly, they will instantly realize that I am trained in the ways of the force... They are going to lock me up here... bye, bye cantinas, bye, bye freedom... My shoulders dropped a bit as I realized that I am most likely screwed, yet again, I was screwed from the moment I came here... Time to figure out, how to escape, I looked back towards the door we came through... Maybe I can make it back to the ship?

One of the guards caught my gaze and stepped in front of me, activating her yellow lightsaber, and then she said.

- Don’t even think about it, girl.

- I turned around and saw the other guard doing the same, locking me and the droid between them in the middle of a corridor there was nowhere else to run.

- Uhm, would you consider letting me go if I asked?

- No.

- Pretty please?

The woman snorted from that.

- She is a funny one, I like her, but the answer is still the same.

- Ugh...

I looked towards HK-47, it would be a good time to start that distraction... Right about now... He was standing there unmoving, without a care in the world. Oh no, I am a damnable fool! I actually trusted in this pile of scrap! Of course, it won’t lift a finger to help me, at that moment it turned its face towards me. I felt a fickle of hope igniting in my chest then it looked away uninterestedly. My mouth opened with utter disbelief, I couldn’t even oppose when the two temple guards grabbed me by my arms and forcefully escorted me to the council room. I am going to blow up that cursed droid, since it joined me everything went downhill... The sadistic smile of Revan’s ghost spirit reappeared before my eyes, then I realized this droid doesn’t care, about me having Revan’s memories... This droid only serves Revan, not the holder of his memories, in that way, I am just a complete stranger to it, just another meatbag... I started to struggle a little, I wanted to blast that thing to smithereens even if I couldn’t do it realistically... Ouch.. but the tightening hold of the guards on my arms stopped me.

A few minutes later, we finally reached the council room, the door opened and we marched in stopping in the middle of the room. The three jedi masters currently present looked towards us with an obvious frown.

I also looked at them carefully... Two humans, and a goblin, that’s my luck.

The black-skinned human male on the right side was the most frustrated, no surprise there since all of his hair was long gone. It means he had a very short fuse... There you go, he almost immediately started the questioning. Where is your patience master? I thought sarcastically.

- What is the meaning of this interruption, we are waiting for a guest, it is not the time to judge some misbehaving youngling!

The male temple guard gave his answer without hesitation.

- Master, she is the guest you were waiting for.

That surprised all three of the masters, there was a few seconds of silence then the other human continued the questioning.

- Then, allow me to ask, what is the reason for this commotion?

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Now the female guard gave the answer.

- She is force sensitive and trained in the ways of the force. She was able to hide her force presence that we could not sense when standing only a meter away. She is still hiding her presence.

Now, the three masters looked at me with calculating and somewhat skeptical eyes. The one in the middle, the goblin, said suddenly.

- You are right about this, while you were coming towards the room; I only sensed the two of you. Now as I consciously focus, I can sense her presence, as well. She is skilled in hiding, on a level of a knight or even a master.

The temple guards nodded, then looked at me with a new light glinting in their eyes.

The strangely serene moment was destroyed by the female guard's next short sentence.

- Oh, and she tried to run away.

The change in the overall mood was quick. Damn that lady, that part was uncalled for, she avoided my betrayed gaze...

The master on the left continued the conversation.

- How do you know that she is the owner of the ship?

Both of the temple guards answered in unison. Were they twins or something?

- The protocol droid said it.

I saw a momentary confusion in the eyes of the masters than the one without hair asked.

- Where is this droid then?

All three of us turned around simultaneously; there was no droid behind us, only air.

I facepalmed, to the particular amusement of the master sitting on the left from my perspective. The skinhead was less amused, by this chain of events and began to rant loudly.

- You mean to tell me, that you brought an unidentified droid into the temple, and then lost it! This can easily be a separatist plot we are in the middle of a war! Find that droid immediately! The door opened, and another guard came in hastily.

- What is it now?! Shouted the still raging master.

- The new guard was a bit taken aback by the raging master, but he soon composed himself and started his report.

- We have located an unauthorized breach into the jedi archives, about ten minutes ago and the ship that landed on the seventeenth landing pad just left without authorization.

An even heavier silence fell on the room, a few awkward seconds later every persons-wandering gaze fell upon me. I could not stand their accusing gazes filled with hostility and suspicion. Under their piercing eyes, I could only say.

- Oh, I am done for...

After long moments of this awkward silence, the third temple guard left. At last, the grandmaster tried to salvage what was left of the conversation.

- Hmmm... Let us start this conversation as a new. What is your name girl?

I was truly grateful for this chance, therefore I answered quickly and honestly.

- Nizzal, grandmaster.

- He smiled a bit, I see you know my position in the order. Where you trained in this temple perchance?

Oh crap, should have known where this will lead.

- No, grandmaster, but you are a well-known figure in the galaxy.

- He looked at me strangely, tell me then who trained you, and where.

I bit the side of my lips. If I lie, they will know it, but I can’t tell the truth, so I didn’t answer at all.

- Did you not hear the question? Said the skinhead angered by my obvious defiance.

I looked at him and answered.

- I heard it, but I have no intent to answer.

The witty remark left my lips even before I realized it. Oh hell, not again, ugh, I can already see the veins on his forehead...

He jumped to his feet, then started another rant.

- Hah, be careful girl, named Nizzal, it is your fate that is currently judged. Yet I can already see, that you will not leave this temple today. You may have some skill with the force, yet you should not be that proud of your knowledge or it will be the downfall of you.

Crap I should get used to my changed personality. Those witty remarks were not my cup of tea until now...

The other human master asked curiously.

- What is your full name?

I said reflexively.

- Nizzal Grey.

All of the masters used this name.

- Just like your skin color, said the same master playfully.

- Humph, and her force presence too. Said Yoda nonchalantly.

- Now, show us your lightsaber girl. Ordered, the third one.

I froze.

They looked at me with sudden suspicion.

Yoda continued.

- We have already seen you reaching towards your right sleeve multiple times, only to stop halfway. It is obvious, what you have in your sleeve, at least for our eyes.

I resigned and slowly took out my lightsaber, then activated it before everyone's eyes.

The silver blade ignited in the silent room, to the surprise of everyone, except me.

There was another contemplating silence as the temple guards stepped back a few more steps finally relaxing somewhat.

The grandmaster stated, clearly relieved.

- Than she is not a sith.

- The skinhead opposed immediately, we can’t be entirely sure of that yet.

This guy must have some grudge towards me...

The last one joined the conversation.

- I agree with both of you masters, we should watch over her, to make sure of her affiliation, but let me ask you something. Were you aware of a plan to break into the jedi archives? He asked.

I instantly started to shake my head, and voice out my objection.

- No! I was not! That damned droid left me behind, and stole my ship too!

- So the ship was really yours at least.

- Of course!

- Where did the droid come from?

- I-I found it in an abandoned ruin...

That was actually the case so they can’t sense a lie if there is none.

Yoda frowned at that.

- I sense that you hold many secrets, and just as many questions yourself. We will continue this conversation later, Master Kenobi, I trust you to lead the youngling to a separate holding room.

The man now named Kenobi stood up from his armchair then called to me.

- Nizzal Grey, you should know, that you are under arrest for suspicion of breaking into the jedi archive, holding back information from official personals of the republic, illegal possession of a lightsaber, and unauthorized use of force abilities. Since you are underaged, and without the backing of any legal guardian, as an already trained force-sensitive the jedi order will take over guardianship as your legal lawful guardian. Until the documentation is done and the archive breaching suspicion is cleared, you are ordered to hand over your lightsaber to the council, effective immediately.

He walked before me, waiting for me to turn off and hand over my lightsaber. I thought about my chances for a whole two seconds, then turned it off and dropped it into his open palm. With that gesture, the last bit of open hostility also disappeared from the hall, then they silently led me to my minimalistic prison and left me there without a word. I dropped on the bed instantly and buried my face into the pillow. I will destroy that damnable droid! Just wait, you fucking scrap pile! I will show you!

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