Capítulo 24: Chapter 7.2
- Which planet are you from?
Damn, I don't feel like talking. I don't like to dwell on that. I still regret sharing it with Jiro. But back then, I was somewhat overwhelmed - new surroundings, new impressions, new acquaintances. On the other hand, it's Drallig we're talking about. He won't go around revealing the name of my homeworld to everyone. He's not supposed to survive Order 66 anyway. Damn, it reminded me of that awful thing. And there's nothing I can do about it. The fencing mentor will surely be in the Temple during the purge, which means the fight will take place here. He simply won't listen to me, even knowing it's all over. This guy will fight for the Temple and the younglings until the end. He won't flee from the confrontation. Unless... no, it needs to be arranged, and I won't stay here under any circumstances. Well, whatever, Drallig won't give me away.
- Pzob.
- Where is that, in which sector?
- Herios. Outer Rim.
- Huh, I haven't even heard of that sector, - he said slightly surprised. - Alright then, tell me, how long did it take you to get to Coruscant? Do you remember at least?
- Three weeks.
- No, - he immediately replied. - That's too far.
Damn long-eared prick, he ruined it.
- Well, fine then, - I said slightly offended. - I'll choose something else. I won't win the tournament this year anyway.
- And that's the right approach, - the man nodded. - There's no need to rush. Think. Prepare. This year's top contender is Sigis from Master Balka's group. You're lucky here - he's thirteen, and he'll become a Padawan soon.
- Lucky?
- He's very good, - Drallig sighed. - His only rival at the moment is Ashanta, - he waved behind himself. - She's twelve, but even at eight, you won't win against her in the tournament.
- Not even theoretically? - I glanced at the blue Twi'lek.
- Theoretically, you could do it at seven, but in practice, think for yourself.
Well, there's nothing to think about. I won't be able to defeat Ashanta, not even by some miracle. Not now. But in a year, it's possible to dream of miracles.
- But what about the fact that I'm a genius? - No, I understand, being a genius doesn't mean you'll be cutting down everyone since infancy. I just blurted it out without thinking.
- Master Dooku won this tournament for the first time at the age of ten. He's a genius too, - the mentor remarked.
Yeah, and then he lost to Skywalker in a duel. You can attribute it to his age, of course, but he had quite a bit of experience. Definitely more than a youngling, essentially. Well, yeah, he's the Chosen One... damn it. Alright, the nearest goal is to win the tournament at nine. How am I, just like that, worse than Dooku? I'm not, I'm better. I'm the coolest in this universe. I'm the Transmigrator! Damn it, to hell with your Chosen Ones.
- Ten years, huh? - I muttered through my teeth and, noticing that, tried to relax. - Alright. I accept the challenge.
- That's great, - Drallig smirked at me. - Now that we've settled the motivation, let's get back to training. I'm still not satisfied with your hand-to-hand combat skills.
- Hand-to-hand combat? - I was surprised. - But what about the tournament? Wouldn't it be better to...
- Youngling, - he interrupted me. - You said you trust me with your training, didn't you?
- Yes, - I lowered my head. - I apologize, Master.
Damn, I'll have to sacrifice more sleep for a while. I also need to find a sparring partner, but that's more difficult - I have few acquaintances who are older than me, and I have to catch up with my peers myself. But that's for later, for now, let's focus on Master Drallig's lessons.
And at night, instead of training, I settled in one of the training rooms and started dictating a letter to my parents. I know I have the whole day tomorrow, which I can spend contemplating what to say to my father and mother, but impatience gnawed at me. Besides, tomorrow I'll be working on a completely different text.
The next day was marked only by a new comlink that Dzik handed to me. It was a stylish black bracelet made of a plastic-like material, but softer.
- BC-90, - the technician nodded to me. - Coverage zone of one and a half thousand kilometers. It can encrypt frequencies and "see" encrypted ones. One of the best comlinks on the market, a perfect combination of price and quality. And it looks good too.
- Thank you, - I put the bracelet on my wrist. Fortunately, it was adjustable.
- You're welcome, - he shrugged. - No big deal.
- Hey, Dzik, that projector you gave me yesterday, can it encrypt the recording? Like, with a password or something.
- You can set a password, but it can't encrypt. It's a cheap one.
- Really? Hm, I still didn't understand how to do that.
- Come on, buddy, - he reached for his desk. - You can assemble droids, but you can't figure out the menu on a holoprojector. Here, look, - he showed me a device identical to mine.
Well, I'm quite a loser. I didn't pay attention to one of the icons that exist specifically for that purpose.
- Shame on me, - I said slowly. - Couldn't figure out something so simple.
- Ah, come on, it happens, - after explaining everything to me, Dzik put the device back on his desk.
- Smart people often overlook obvious things.
- You know, - I said, scanning the projector with my gaze, - why don't you explain how to use the comlink as well?
The day of the meeting with Pron was nerve-wracking. I was excited in the first half and nervous in the second. There was no particular reason for it, but who knows. Maybe he got busy with something and we have no way to notify me - there's no way to call him from the new comlink without showing my impatience. Whether it's embarrassing or not, scary or not, I don't know. Closer to seven o'clock, I was completely restless. I went over the second encrypted text, the one I would discuss tomorrow, in my head ten times. I couldn't afford to make any mistakes there.
And ten minutes to seven, I sat on the steps leading to the gates of the Temple, feeling bored. The excitement had vanished, burnt out, it seemed. Pron's number was saved in my comlink, and if anything, I would just give him a call. Maybe not today, but I believe the meeting will happen one way or another. Perhaps it's even better if I have a couple of extra days - I'll buy a new holographic projector with encryption capabilities and think through the letter more carefully...
- Is that little Rein? - came the voice above me. Well, I must have been so lost in thought to miss the moment when they approached me. - Well, you've grown, lad. If it weren't for your obvious resemblance to your father, I wouldn't have recognized you.
- Hello, Uncle Pron, - I jumped to my feet and, not knowing what to say, said, - I'm glad you could come.
- And how could I not? - he smirked. - We had an agreement, after all.
And Pron, as I can see, hasn't changed at all. Although it hasn't been much time. For me, it's been three years, wow, but for an adult man, they go unnoticed. Like before, he strongly reminded me of Stallone, as I remembered him before coming here - older, but still lively. Of course, they weren't exactly alike, but there was something about Pron.
- Nevertheless - who knows what could have happened, - I shook my head. - You didn't have to come.
- Oh, come on, I'm here. Tell me instead how you're doing here. And let's take a walk along the courtyard at least. Can't just stand still. There's nowhere to sit, - he looked around the stone platform, half the size of a football field.
- It's fine here. When I was flying here, I expected the worst. But now, I think it's even interesting. Not always, but often.
- Can you move objects with your mind already? - Pron asked, smiling.
- Of course! - I puffed up. - I only drag rocks for the journey. And I'm also training to be a pilot. When... - I started and involuntarily glanced back, - when I come back, I'll buy myself a ship. I'll compete with you.
- Healthy competition is good, - he patted my head. - And I'm glad you don't forget your home. You Dakari always came back. Your father, his brothers, at different times, traveled many parsecs across the galaxy but, in the end, returned home.
To which I could only shrug. And after a brief pause, I said:
- The Order does everything to make us stay. No, it's more than that. Everything here is built so that Jedi feel like family. And considering that many have nowhere else to return to...
- Are you saying that most of them are orphans? - the man was surprised.
- No, - I shook my head. - It's just that their relatives believe that being a Jedi is a great honor. Situations like mine, actually, are not that common here.
- But such children do exist, - he said half affirmatively.
- They do, - I nodded. - But... feeling like a part of something as enormous as the Order, not just a piece but an actual part, it's... enticing.
- And you've grown much more than it seems.
- It's easier to see from the outside, - I shrugged.
We fell silent.
- By the way, - the man spoke again, - I tried to contact you three times. But I kept getting the same answer - not allowed, - he imitated someone. - I'm too indebted to your father to give up that easily. This year, I wanted to try a couple more times, not as directly as before, though. And here we are, without needing to do that.
- Three times? - I was surprised. - Do you visit here so often?
- Hm, about four times a year.
- And... - I hesitated, - and this year?
- The third time. Damn, does Derosh not catch any mice at all? I even stopped for a moment out of surprise. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
- My droid scanned the holonet for familiar names and ship names for a whole year. And I stumbled upon you just now.
- Oh, I see. Funny. You see, usually on Coruscant, I dock at my acquaintance's place, and neither my name nor my ship's name can be found on the public network. But this time, let's say, he had some problems, so I had to use the official docking bay.
- So, it turns out I got lucky because someone else didn't?
- Something like that, he shrugged with a smirk. "But now you'll be able to maintain regular contact with home. More or less regular," he corrected himself.
- Yes, exactly, I said, taking out a holoprojector and handing it to Pron. "Here. Can't let the Force... ah, damn it. See? I'm stumbling over my words.
- It's normal, the merchant smiled. "I remember when your father returned from the Temple... oh, it was a long time ago... several years, on occasion and otherwise, he paid tribute to the Force." And twirling the projector in his hand, he added, "Do you have anything to say?"
- Yes, I sighed. "Uncle Gaari, please try to deliver a letter to my father in a way that my mother won't see. And tell him there's a second file that she's better off not looking at. Let him see it himself and do as he pleases. But the first time, he should look at it alone." And to emphasize the importance of what I said, I added, "Completely alone."
- Wow. Well, as you say. And if I decide to read it?
- I trust you. Jedi don't lie, but I'm the Chosen One, that is, a Transmigrator. I'm allowed. However, just in case someone stumbles upon the holoprojector, the second file is password protected. Tell my father that the code consists of ten digits that I was supposed to remember.
- Is everything that important? he asked me.
- How should I put it...? Let my father decide.
- Alright. I'll do as you said, he said, putting the projector into a small pouch hanging from his belt. "When do you need to return?"
- I have two hours, I replied, estimating the time.
- That's good. Then let me tell you what's happening at home while we still have time.
- Are my parents okay? How's my cat?
- Your parents are fine, but as for the "cat," I don't know.
- Please don't tell me that it's...
- Well... Bain... My pet, I said cautiously.
- Ah... he winced nervously. "That demon. Yes. He's doing well too. Your father said he would only listen to you without question." And sighing heavily, he ran his hand over his head. "Oh, little one, I wish you'd come back soon."
***
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TheTranslateMan
TheTranslateMan Don't forget to mention my mistakes...
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