章 18: Ambiguous decisions (IV)
"What do you need?" the old man asked, sitting down at a large wooden table, watching as Pellaeon and I sat across from him. Rukh wisely took a place near the door to control the only entrance to the house and monitor the old man's actions.
"To begin with, how should I address you?" I asked.
"I am the Master of the Jedi Order," the old man said proudly and with a bit of contempt. "Joruus C'baoth."
** Joruus C'baoth **
Pellaeon, sitting next to me, coughed. "It can't be," he said, looking at the old man with incomprehension. "C'baoth..."
"You need some air, captain," I ordered, looking at the Imperial with a stern look. The Chimera commander blinked and headed for the exit. That's better. He won't ruin the whole show.
"You trained him well," Joruus said with obvious pleasure, watching the captain leave.
"Discipline is the key to proper work," I said neutrally. "So, you are a Jedi Master, trained in the ways of the Force and capable of feats most of the galaxy can't even imagine."
"Don't flatter me, Grand Admiral," the old man said with a threat in his voice, fingering his medallion. "I'm too old for that to have any effect. Now, I want to know how you managed to repel my attacks."
"All in good time, dear master," I said, shaking my finger. "As I mentioned, such information is for loyal allies of the Empire."
"You're not in a position to bargain, Grand Admiral," he said. "You destroyed my palace, my subjects died. You destroyed one of my houses—there were casualties there too. While you are with me, you are my guests, and the locals will not attack. But as soon as I say a word..."
"One move is all it takes," Rukh nodded, throwing one of his knives in C'baoth's direction. The old man belatedly raised his hand to intercept the weapon with the Force, but the blade dug into the back of the chair on which he was sitting.
The old man slowly, majestically, as if everything was going as he had planned, turned his head towards the knife. Then he returned his gaze to me. "That was a mistake, Grand Admiral," he said with rage in his voice.
"It's a mistake to threaten me," I clarified. "As you can see, we are capable of rendering you powerless. Consider us even now—everyone demonstrated their ability to exert pressure. Perhaps we can move on to a more constructive conversation?"
"You want an alliance," C'baoth recalled, not even paying attention to the knife sticking out next to his head. "But I am a Jedi Master. I have everything I need. The antics of your tame Noghri do not impress me," Rukh began to stir. "Yes, Noghri, I know what you are. And I know the role of punishers and murderers your people had under the Emperor."
My bodyguard remained indifferent.
"Speak of your proposal, Grand Admiral," C'baoth demanded. "I don't have much time."
"I came here to take for myself everything the Emperor's treasury can boast of—why lie if everything is already clear?"
"You can go there without me," the "Jedi Master" snorted. "I will order that you and your people are not touched."
"There is no limit to my gratitude for your generosity," I smiled. "Especially considering that the Chimera houses almost a legion of stormtroopers who can slaughter every man, woman, and child on the entire planet in short order, thereby saving me from any potential problems. But you see, I came here to enlist the help of the Guardian of the Mountain."
"The Guardian is dead," C'baoth said like a mantra to calm himself.
"Yes, but you're alive," I remarked. "As has already been emphasized, one of the Jedi Masters..."
"The last Jedi Master," my interlocutor smiled slyly. "The fact that you interrupted your subordinate does not make it a secret to me what is happening in the galaxy. I know about the Jedi Purge, the Battle of Yavin, and even the death of the Emperor at the Battle of Endor."
"I'm glad you know," I smiled. "This will save me a lot of time. So I understand that those who came for the Guardian shared information with you?"
"Yes," C'baoth answered without elaborating.
"Then you must remember the incredible power of Emperor Palpatine," I continued. "His death brought huge problems for the entire imperial military machine. His abilities helped coordinate the actions of the fleet. And his death, despite the small number of the rebel fleet, led to the disorganization of our fleet and forced us to retreat. If Captain Pellaeon were here, he would confirm this, having taken part in that battle."
"You need my help," Joruus drawled understandingly.
"Yes," I admitted. "A fully trained Jedi Master is a rarity in this day and age. However, I am confident that you can help my troops with coordination."
"Maybe you should train your fighters better?" C'baoth suggested, looking at his hands.
"That won't be the case," I promised. "However, not everything can be solved by simple soldiers and even star destroyers. Unfortunately."
C'baoth snorted. "So that's why you need me—Battle Meditation."
"I'm not familiar with this term," I had to lie. I knew what he was talking about, but Thrawn is unlikely to have such knowledge.
"What you are talking about, what the Emperor did, is Battle Meditation," he explained, looking at me with slight contempt. "The ability to use the Force to bind together the minds of people and other species in order to use their talents with maximum efficiency. I have had this gift since birth and I do it easily and naturally. People, psadans, myneirshi who live in my city—they are all in my power when necessary..."
"For example, to kill an enemy commander with a precisely fired arrow," I realized. Good thing I remembered to wear armor. Apparently, I'll have to make it more comfortable and wear it constantly if I value my life.
"But you don't control them all the time," I said. "Or do you?"
"That is not necessary," C'baoth said. "They live and go about their business until I need them. Then I unite their minds with my will and do what I need."
"In that case, yes, Battle Meditation is what I need," I agreed. "Coordinate the actions of the fleet. In the most critical periods, take complete control of the situation."
"And why should I do this?" the "Jedi Master" clarified. "You have nothing that could interest me."
"So the ultimate dream of a person of your talents is one town on a mediocre planet?" I clarified, hoping to play on his pride. I didn't want to play trump cards. That could trigger a chain of events leading to tragic consequences.
"A city that lives as I command," C'baoth's eyes flashed. "I see what you need, Grand Admiral. Thousands and thousands of worlds that will bow before your magnificence. Hundreds of rebels dying in agony, burning ships, and the banner of the Empire flying over Coruscant."
"In the end, yes," I agreed, clearly understanding that this was unlikely to be achieved.
"You want power, Grand Admiral," C'baoth stated. "But you don't understand its essence. Just as the Emperor himself did not understand it. Abstract power over thousands of worlds is the absence of power. Real power is mine. Intelligent people on this planet live and die according to my will. They do what I want—and nothing else. This is power. Not what you dream of."
"Maybe so," I thought.
"At the same time, this is only a limited number of intelligent beings," I noted. "Is a man of your talents content with such scales? I always thought a Jedi Master should rule a planet, a star system, or even an entire sector."
"Your statements demonstrate your immaturity, Grand Admiral," C'baoth chuckled condescendingly. "Power must be real, tangible. Only when I know each of those under my control do I truly rule over them. Not an abstract million, billion, or trillion beings."
What are you going to do?! This is really bad.
"You have nothing to offer me, Grand Admiral," C'baoth sighed.
"Except for the secret of how you turned out to be powerless against an ordinary sentient," I said. "Don't you think this is a threat to your power, Master C'baoth?"
"So be it," he agreed. "But as soon as you leave Weyland, the threat will disappear along with you."
"That's the problem, dear C'baoth," I said. "We're not leaving this planet. It is located in Imperial Space. And, if I'm right, there are technologies in the mountain that are hardly possible to move. Promptly, at least."
"I already said that you and your people will not be touched," said the old man. "Take what you need, and then leave me."
This is starting to make me angry.
"I need your help, C'baoth!" I muttered, losing my composure. Even Rukh moved. "And I will get it. By any means."
"You cannot force me, Grand Admiral," the old man said calmly. "You need me alive. And I won't serve you alive."
"Because you think I have nothing to offer you," I sighed.
"That's true," C'baoth agreed.
"However," I smiled softly. "A person of your intelligence and talents must understand that nothing lasts forever in this galaxy. Even a Jedi Master. Even you."
C'baoth looked at me from under his shaggy eyebrows.
"My death will not play into your hands, Grand Admiral," he said with a poorly concealed threat.
"Yes," I simply agreed. "Will it play into the hands of the Jedi teachings?"
"What do you mean?" C'baoth tensed.
"As far as I've heard, every trained Jedi must have an apprentice," I noted, defiantly looking out the window at the beauty of the city.
"Yes, in the old days it was like that," my interlocutor confirmed. "Now the Jedi have been destroyed. There is no one to take over my skills."
"Indeed?" I smiled.
"The Emperor, Vader, and their henchmen like the Noghri," he nodded towards Rukh, "hunted down and destroyed every Jedi in the galaxy."
"I'm surprised you believe this," I sighed. No, I won't give up my trump card—it will ruin everything. But I can entice him with a carrot. If only it works. "A person of your talents and intelligence should have realized long ago that it is statistically impossible to track down and destroy all Jedi and students. At least someone had to survive. Many Jedi abandoned the Order, fled, and hid. Most were found and destroyed. But they left behind children. And their children could have children of their own..."
"It's not a fact they became Jedi," C'baoth said, but he no longer had confidence in his voice.
"If you stay here, you will never know," I said. "By helping me, you can use the resources of Imperial Intelligence to find new recruits and recreate the Jedi Order."
C'baoth did not answer. He sat, restlessly tormenting the medallion hanging on his chest. So furiously that there was almost no doubt left.
"Or it may be that we won't find anyone," he suddenly said, relaxing. "I'm not a fool, Grand Admiral. I knew Palpatine and can imagine the zeal with which he destroyed his enemies. There are no Jedi left. No one."
"Is that so?" No, the old man is not completely mad. And I hoped he was sufficiently addicted to take the bait. "And it seemed to me I heard about at least one Force-sensitive sentient. And this is not about you."
"Careful, Grand Admiral," C'baoth approached. "You cannot mislead a Jedi Master. You are not a Jedi or a Sith to get away with it."
"In no case do I intend to mislead you, Honorable Master," I smiled. "There are at least a couple of sentient beings in this galaxy who are Force-sensitive. Despite their age, they are not trained. They heard about the Jedi but did not receive the proper education."
"Jedi don't teach adults," C'baoth noted. "Never."
"I'll bet a Star Destroyer you're wrong," I wanted to say. But the less I focus on a specific example, the more likely it is this comrade will forget about what happened a little over forty years ago after the Battle of Naboo.
"Maybe that's why the old Jedi Order fell?" I suggested. "A person of your wisdom, a survivor of the Jedi Purge, should have drawn many conclusions about how the Jedi should develop under your leadership. Why not adjust the program and make exceptions so the Jedi never disappear?"
"What benefit does this give you, Grand Admiral?" C'baoth narrowed his eyes. "The Jedi are supporters of the Republic, the opposite of the Empire."
"And the Jedi don't use lightning as a weapon," I noted. "That's why they have lightsabers. But you use it. Emperor Palpatine used it. And what successes were achieved? You achieved harmony on Weyland, reconciling three peoples. Palpatine united the galaxy. Believe me, he did not do this for a whim—there are threats much more terrible than those in this galaxy. The Jedi can help the Empire resist this wave of violence and horror. Jedi trained by you. Those who understand what you understand. Thinking like you. Acting like you."
"Your speeches are as sweet as wine, Grand Admiral," C'baoth grinned, rising from his seat. "I will help you. For the future of the Jedi Order. But mark my words—when the Order is resurrected, we will demand what is rightfully ours."
"I'll be glad to help you with this," I smiled, following the Guardian. "Now, let's visit Mount Tantiss and see what Emperor Palpatine left for us."
"Not until you tell me the names of those you know are potential Jedi," C'baoth stopped at the door. He held his medallion in his hands again. It seems it helps him stay grounded. Let's remember.
"One name is enough for a start," I said. "This is a representative of a powerful and well-known Jedi family in the galaxy. He has just begun to understand the Force..."
"I'll decide that myself, Grand Admiral!" C'baoth stamped his foot angrily. "Name."
"As you wish," I shrugged. "Corran Horn. Descendant of Nejaa Halcyon of the Corellian Jedi."
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