Imperial Honor Chapter 13 of 13

 Final Destination

It has been three weeks since I reclaimed the Holocron – since I killed another in anger.

I work hard during those weeks, spending three nights each week with Eeth, fine tuning my light saber skills. In addition, I work on calming myself; finding my center.

It is during these times that I calm myself I see how draining this effort is to Eeth. This form of long distance communication wasn’t meant to go for weeks on end. I can see how weak and pale he is by the end of each of our training sessions. And each time I go back, he looks more drained than the session before.

And yet . . . He doesn’t complain. He doesn’t suggest we stop.

I ask him about this, but he waves me off, only saying, “You’ll be needing this training soon.”

His intensity frightens me at times.

I do my best to keep the sessions short by practicing with Zak. On three different days a week – usually the days just after I meet with Eeth – we meet to trade blows in his simulated environment. He learns quickly, and I fear soon I will not have anything more to teach him.

After the most recent session with Eeth, he has a long discussion – dialog, he calls them, where we trade ideas back and forth, and point out the flaws or good points in each others arguments. It’s all on the topic of honesty and deceit, and how prolonged time spent in deceit is similar to the Dark Side.

I decide it is time to confront Zak, and find out who he really is.

I meet Zak at our usual time; about an hour after our shift is completed. I make sure to arrive first, however.

Zak comes in about ten minutes after me, saying, “Oh,” in a surprised fashion. Then he smiles, and adds, “Got here early for today’s butt whipping, I see.”

I sense something under his usual banter. Does he know we suspect? If so, what does that mean? So much for catching him off guard.

Usually, we’re pretty light hearted about this practice, but I decide to get more intense, trying to upset that cockiness of his.

“Is that what this is to you?” I snap.

It works. He looks momentarily confused.

“Just an occasion to make jokes, is it?” I say.

“Oh, uh, sorry, Alexa. I didn’t mean-“ Zak starts to say.

“Didn’t mean?! You ‘didn’t mean’?! Maybe you should start meaning what you say! If you’re going to whip my butt, then, by the Emperor, you better mean it!”

I let hostility radiate from me, dredged up from my frustration in dealing with this spy, pretending not to know what he is. My ploy works as he takes a step back.

“Look, if I’ve broken some Jedi code-“

“Don’t speak to me of Jedi codes, you – you fraud!”

With the last word, I lash out with a broad Force push, knocking him back three meters, and sending him tumbling. He comes to a rest sliding on his back.

While he struggles to get up, I ignite my light saber.

He flips himself upright, looking shocked. Then his face comes together in a frown.

“All right, I have no idea what’s going on here, but you won’t find me lacking in skill.”

I expect him to charge me, but instead he uses a Force push strong enough to knock me down. He doesn’t wait for me to react: he charges me.