Lux Bonteri, Jedi Knight

Chapter Five: Meeting With the Jedi Council

The ride up to the Jedi Council Chamber was long and almost painfully quiet.

Lux usually took advantage of the trip to calm his mind and prepare himself for the scrutiny of the Masters. But today, his thoughts flittered around him like birds straining against the bars of their cages, soaring up just out of reach as he tried to grab hold of them and soothe them.

Why does the Council want me?

What was that even about, all that talk of someone who could bring an end to the war? That's impossible, isn't it? One person couldn't hold that much power...

Are the Council's reason for seeing me and the person they were talking about related? Master Skywalker said it was just another mission, but were the four of us chosen to go looking for them?

And what would that make 'the one who can bring an end to this war'? A sentient weapon? An ancient Force-sensitive being with knowledge the likes of which we've never seen before? Or something else? The possibilities are practically incalculable...

The endless back and forth of a multitude of hypotheses such as these was driving the part of him that strove for emotional stability and to further itself through logical reasoning insane. It was almost a relief when the turbolift doors opened onto the Council Chamber and the stiff forms and stony faces of the five Jedi Masters present.

But Lux noticed immediately that, strangely enough, none of the other Masters were taking part in the briefing via hologram, as was their custom when they were offworld. It was unsettling to see their seats empty, because it usually only ever happened during times when the need for secrecy was so great that the Council made the decision not to risk speaking within range of the audio receptors of their colleagues' reprogrammable HoloNet channels.

Lux felt his grip on his confidence loosen ever so slightly as he realized his Master would not be there, if for no reason other than to provide Lux with a reassuring glance every now and then.

Lux stepped through the door, and jumped as it closed abruptly behind him. Then, he took a few timid steps forward, his resolve strengthening as he neared the center of the room. "You summoned me, Masters?" he said, offering them a quick bow once he was standing in the very center of the mosaic decorating the floor.

The five Masters – Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Adi Gallia, and Plo Koon – shared a look too complex for Lux to read. Then, finally, Master Yoda inclined his head in return. "Padawan Bonteri. A mission, we have for you."

Lux nodded.

Ki-Adi-Mundi leaned forward. "You remember the primary objective of your mission to Jerra, of course?"

"To eliminate the Separatist presence there and retake it in the name of the Republic," Lux answered without hesitation.

"And..." Windu trailed off, thinking for a moment before speaking again. "The secondary objective?"

"To recover the data crystal with the clearance codes to get into Base thirty-four-oh-two." Summoning his courage, Lux ventured to ask a question that had been burning at his lips for the past few hours. "Masters, you'll forgive me for saying I don't quite understand what this is all about."

Master Windu put the tips of his fingers together and leaned forward in his seat. "The data crystal Master Kenobi now has within his possession was our only lead for the whereabouts of the base. All that we know is that it's somewhere on the border of Republic and Separatist space – perhaps even on our side. It might not even be close to Jerra, as we originally thought."

Adi Gallia nodded. "Every Separatist information leak that might have yielded clues to even something as general the sector in which it is has been sealed. There is simply nothing more to be found."