บท 54: C54 Hint Toward Earth!

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Shortly after activating the Holocron, Peter stood in the center of his new quarters in the palace, surrounded by holographic images and cryptic texts. Its light bathed the room in a soft, ethereal glow, casting intricate patterns on the walls. He rubbed his temples, his gaze locked on the floating symbols, frustration knitting his brow.

"This shouldn't be so difficult," Peter muttered under his breath. He'd been struggling for days to decipher the language of the Holocron, a device reputed to hold ancient Jedi secrets. Yet, the script didn't match any known galactic languages, leaving him stumped and frustrated…

He tried various commands, his voice steady but tinged with impatience. "Change language?" Each attempt was met with the same indifferent shimmer of light from the device.

"Settings?" he tried again, hoping for a menu to appear. The Holocron flickered briefly in response, igniting a spark of hope in him, but it quickly faded as nothing happened—no menu appeared, and the language stayed resolutely foreign.

Frustrated, he paused, collecting himself before giving it another go. This time, he closed his eyes and stretched out with his feelings, reaching out with the Force. "Come on," he murmured, his voice soft but firm, willing the Holocron to connect with his intent.

The device emitted a low hum, the light pulsing more brightly for a moment, yet the script displayed did not alter. It was clear that the Holocron was active and responsive in some way, but not in the way Peter needed.

He opened his eyes and exhaled sharply, the realization sinking in that the Force might not be the quick solution he had hoped for. The Holocron, while sensitive to his touch and power, wasn't going to easily be deciphered.

"Okay, what now?" Peter mused aloud, rubbing the back of his neck.

…

Days passed, each one adding to Peter's frustration. His mind raced with possibilities—was it broken? Was he simply not the right kind of Force-sensitive to access it? He paced back and forth, throwing occasional glances at the glowing cube.

On the fourth day, as Peter slumped into his chair, ready to give up, the door to his quarters swooshed open. Cosmo trotted in, her tail wagging as she approached Peter. Her nose twitched, picking up on his distress.

"Why have you locked yourself away, Peter?" Cosmo asked, her voice filled with concern. "It's been days since I've seen you..."

Peter forced a smile and reached out to pat her head, which immediately set her tail into a happy wag. "I'm just trying to figure out this Jedi puzzle box," he explained, gesturing toward the still-active Holocron. "It's written in some language I can't crack."

Cosmo tilted her head, eyes focusing on the hologram. She squinted for a moment before the characters began to make sense to her. "Oh, I can read that for you. It mentions someone called Jedi Master Vadim Zaytsev—"

"Wait, you can read that?" Peter interrupted, his voice a mix of disbelief and excitement.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be able to read it? It's in Russian, after all," Cosmo responded matter-of-factly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"Russian? How on Earth—literally—does a Jedi Holocron end up in Russian?" Peter's mind raced with the implications. "Could the Jedi who made this have come from Earth…?"

…

After a moment of silent thought, Peter asked, his voice tinged with disbelief, "So, it's really in Russian? Are you sure?"

Cosmo, seated attentively at his feet, nodded. "Absolutely. It appears that this Comrade Vadim Zaytsev hailed from my Motherland."

"Okay, let's dig deeper then. Translate everything it says," Peter instructed, his curiosity now fueled by the prospect of learning about a Jedi from Earth.

As Cosmo narrated, the words from the Holocron painted the picture of a memoir of sorts left behind by Vadim Zaytsev, a Gray Jedi who had apparently been abducted by another Jedi as a child following a crash landing on Earth. "He was taken as an apprentice? Just like that?" Peter murmured, his eyes scanning the glowing scripts.

Cosmo's voice was somber as she translated the text. "It mentions here that he really didn't have a choice. As soon as the Jedi's ship was operational, he was taken and launched into space."

Peter's brow furrowed as he absorbed the stark reality. "Kidnapped, just like that?" he murmured, his tone blending frustration with empathy. "I can relate..."

"Me too," Cosmo added softly.

Moving on, the Holocron revealed that Vadim Zaytsev had mastered every technique taught by his Jedi mentor, which he recorded in the Holocron, including a particularly interesting one named "Ionize." This technique had the capability to disable and destroy machinery.

Upon learning this, Peter's interest was immediately piqued, realizing the potential usefulness of "Ionize" in combatting droid forces.

Just then, as Cosmo continued translating, her snout accidentally brushed against one of the holograms, which seemed to activate something.

Suddenly, the Holocron pulsed brightly and projected a video. A man appeared, dressed in the robes of a Jedi, his expression solemn. He began speaking in fluent Russian.

Cosmo immediately sprang into action, translating his words. "He's describing his lifelong search for his home planet," she explained. "After being abducted, his master never logged the coordinates of Earth, leaving Vadim without any idea of where his home planet was located. He knew only that it was somewhere in Wild Space."

She continued, detailing his determined but challenging journey. "Over the years, he managed to narrow down his search to three potential solar systems within Wild Space, based on ancient star charts and other information."

Cosmo paused to check the data on the Holocron and then added the specifics. "The coordinates he identified are: the first at 28.3, -81.4 in the system designated as Zaloria; the second at 46.1, 11.9 in the Aqueri sector; and the third at -22.9, -43.2 on the fringes of the known charted space, referred to as Marnox."

Peter listened intently, hanging on every word. And as the image of Vadim Zaytsev faded, a wave of excitement surged through him. "This is perfect!" he exclaimed, his heart racing with the possibility of finally finding his way back home.

Before, he had been without a clear path, but now, with these three coordinates in hand, he had tangible leads that could guide him home.

Cosmo, however, looked thoughtful. "Do you think he ever made it back?" she asked softly.

Peter paused, considering the lonely fate of the Jedi who had spent his life yearning for a home he might never have found. "He might have," he shrugged, "But if he really did find Earth, why would he leave this Holocron here, and not on Earth? It doesn't seem likely, but who knows?"

The room fell silent for a moment, as Peter glanced from the Holocron to Cosmo. "Either way, we've got a solid lead back to Earth. Let's start planning a trip to Wild Space…"

Cosmo tilted her head, a puzzled look crossing her face. "We?" she asked cautiously.

Peter nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I just assumed you'd want to come along. You're from Earth too, right? Don't you want to go home?"

Cosmo considered this for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the Holocron's dimming light. "I don't really have any desire to return to Russia," she finally said, "they'd probably just dissect me or something, but visiting… that I can do. It might be nice to see the place again." She nodded firmly, making up her mind. "Let's do it. Let's go home!"

Just as Peter's smile widened, his datapad suddenly started to buzz insistently on the metallic surface of the desk. He glanced at the caller ID—it was his Jedi Master, Mace Windu.

"Stay there and keep quiet," he whispered to Cosmo as he rushed to deactivate the Holocron, its light winking out and returning the room to its usual lighting. He tapped the answer button and adjusted the datapad so they could see each other, quickly schooling his features into a welcoming smile. "Master Windu, what a surprise!"

"Peter," Mace Windu's voice came through, calm yet edged with authority. "Where are you? How is your mission proceeding?" Peter could see the slight worry creasing his master's brow.

Peter shifted uncomfortably, a lie forming swiftly in his mind. After all, he wasn't ready to return to the Temple just yet. "I'm tracking a bounty hunter. I believe he's linked to the attack on the Neti village."

"A bounty hunter? Do you have a name?" Windu's question came quick, expectant.

"Cad Bane," Peter answered almost too quickly, the name of the infamous, albeit deceased, bounty hunter slipping out.

There was a moment of silence as Windu furrowed his brow in thought. "Cad Bane, you say? He's well known, even to us Jedi. Do you require assistance?" He asked, clearly worried for his Padawan. "I could fly out and-"

"No, Master." Peter interrupted with a shake of his head. "I need to handle this one on my own. It's part of my path to becoming a Jedi Knight," he added, hoping to reinforce his need for autonomy.

"I understand. Just be careful, Peter, and remember, it's alright to call for help. I'd much prefer you fail and live to try another day, than... well, you know." he cautioned.

"Of course, I have no plans to die anytime soon," Peter reassured him, grateful for his master's concern.

They continued their conversation for a few more minutes before exchanging goodbyes. "May the Force be with you," Windu said, a council meeting calling him away.

"May the Force be with you too." Peter ended the call and exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair.

Turning back to Cosmo, who had been watching the exchange with curious eyes, Peter's expression softened. "Looks like we might have to put our trip on hold, Cosmo. I'll have to return to the temple soon..."

Cosmo nodded, her demeanor understanding. "I'm not in a rush. After all, Earth isn't going anywhere."

Peter chuckled, his mood brightening despite the delay. "That's the spirit. For now, let's keep digging into this Holocron. I want to translate everything about that Ionize ability…"

Just as Cosmo's attention returned to the Holocron, a harsh siren ripped through the quiet of Knowhere, startling them both. The room's lights flickered as the blaring alarm echoed off the metal walls, causing Peter to jump to his feet.

"What the—?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Cosmo's ears perked up, pacing back and forth. "What's happening?! Are we under attack?!"

Without a word, Peter picked up his datapad. His fingers danced across its surface, smoothly navigating Knowhere's security system—a task made easier by his newfound ownership of the station.

As he navigated the security feeds, a visual popped up, showing a tactical display of the space around Knowhere. His eyes narrowed as he spotted the cause of the alarm—a fleet of small, rugged warships maneuvering towards the station.

"Looks like Carina was right," Peter muttered, zooming in. The warships, patched together with mismatched plates of armor and bristling with weaponry, bore the unmistakable symbol of a Hutt clan.

A/N: 1900 words :)

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