Star Wars Jedi Knight IV: Sith Empire

Chapter 29: Confidence of the Dead End

"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force."

―Darth Vader

Vestara was curled up on the bench in her cell. She was stripped of all but basic clothes, her shoes included. With nothing on her feet, the already frigid cell in the brig felt like a meat locker. The intended psychological effect was not lost on her, but being raised a Sith she easily set her discomfort aside.

Jaina had seen to it that the cell next to her be populated with ysalamiri. That deadened her Force abilities, but still couldn't stop her mind.

For the half a day so far she was in her cell, she had been thinking. Planning. Or, at least trying to. Krayt had known exactly what he was doing with her, and as a result, no one would believe a word she said. Even if someone did, what good would it do? She was dead no matter where she went or what she did.

Vestara had been mulling this over for several hours today by the time the cell door slid open, and two stormtroopers stepped inside. But these stormtroopers looked markedly different from every other stormtrooper she had seen before. The eye slits on the helmets were smaller, there was less visible venting, and the armor around the troopers' torsos weren't quite the same.

"Turn around, hands on your head." One said, breaking the silence. Vestara obeyed, rolling her eyes. Even unarmed and without the Force, she could give the two a very bad day. But not now. Not just yet. She felt the cold stun cuffs click around her wrists.

"Let's go, move!" The other said, grabbing her shoulder and shoving her out of the cell. She was then escorted to a turbolift. As they all got in, Vestara felt the familiar feel of the Force return to her. Letting her have access to her abilities meant her captors were confident she couldn't escape. It was a pretty good bet they were in hyperspace then.

The turbolift opened up on the bridge deck of the Star Destroyer, but they didn't head to the bridge. Vestara was escorted instead to a meeting room on the port side.

As the door slid open, the stormtroopers unlocked the stun cuffs. Vestara was escorted inside, and the door behind her slid closed.

"Have a seat," A man in an Imperial uniform said, seated himself, and gestured to the seat across from his own. He was a middle-aged man, his hair was black save for a white streak above his right eye, and he had a solid couple days of salt and pepper stubble on his face. It was Jagged Fel. The uniform he wore appeared to be an altered Imperial uniform. It was the familiar gray double-breasted tunic and trousers, but with the Imperial roundel emblazoned boldly on his chest below his collar, which was trimmed with gold.

Cautiously, Vestara sat as well. She didn't sense any obvious traps. Jag was seated across from her, and on the table in front of him was a datapad. "Vestara Khai," He said. "This is long overdue."

"I'm guessing I wasn't hauled out of my cell for tea and crumpets," Vestara remarked.

"Not in the slightest," Jag confirmed. "You've committed some grave crimes. Off the top of my head we have attempted murder of Grand Master Skywalker of the Jedi Order, Captain Solo, and since we're past the charade, my niece Chume'da Allana Solo. For the people you've actually murdered, we have second degree murder of Mirta Gev, Jedi Natua Wan, Jedi Bazel Warv, Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo, and Master Jedi Organa-Solo. But I don't even want to get into how many people you may have wantonly murdered along the way to get there, or the fact that your behavior appears consistent with the rest of your family."

Vestara just shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm dead anyway. I did what I had to do."

"So you had to kidnap my niece after trying to blow her up with a thermal detonator?" Jag questioned. "Something doesn't add up here."