Star Wars: Secret of The Force

Chapter 24

I walked through what passed as a city, when something caught my eye. It looked like a consoler's ship, similar to a Corellian Corvette, but yet it was different. I walked to it, deciding it might be worth investigating. I didn't think it belonged to an Inquisitor or any Imperials, they weren't always willing to use stealth. It could have belong3ed to ISB, but on a world like this they would have been found out about far too quickly. Kara and Lena were likely looking around and gathering more supplies, so I figured checking this out would be fine. If it wasn't, I would likely be able to withdraw without too much more chaos happening. I walked over, and looked around. The ship seemed unguarded. That wasn't good for whoever owned it. I quickly looked around, saw no one was watching, and then used the force to discreetly unlock, open the door, get inside and then close and lock it. I made my way through the ship, and sat down in what looked like it could be a Senator's office. The layout looked like a ship from Alderaan both inside and outside. As for the office, I could associate with someone I knew, at least by reputation. I decided that it was worth the wait to hear what he had to say, but I already knew what my answer would likely. My reasons were genuine, it wasn't just the unwillingness to fight another war. Things seemed to be progressing very quickly, and I wasn't certain that was entirely good. All I could do was trust in the force, and I found myself entering a light meditation while I waited. It was the first time I had truly meditated since I had opened the holocron and gave me my theory. No one else was going to know about that holocron, regardless of if they were friend or foe. I don't know how long I was sat there for when I heard voices. I pulled myself out from my meditation and listened. One sounded vaguely familiar. "If our agents haven't found him by now then we'll need to pull the resources we've put into finding him! This Jedi doesn't need to be hunted by us along with the Empire..." as the voice got closer, I was more than certain. I'd never dealt with him personally, but I had met him once or twice. It seemed reasonable he wouldn't remember my name. The door opened. "Don't scream senator" I said when Bail Organa flicked on the lights as the door closed. "I've heard you're looking for me..."

Bail Organa almost jumped in the air, but composed himself quickly. This wasn't the first time he'd had a Jedi sneak into his office. "Czar Daraine, you look older than the last time I saw you" he said, sitting down behind his desk. Czar's eyebrow raised. "So you remember me?" he asked. Bail nodded. "I make an effort to remember the people who fought in the war... I also make an effort to know the citizens in the galaxy. Is that why you helped people on Raxxaann?" Bail asked. Czar studied Bail carefully. "What would you say if I answered no?" he asked. Bail laughed. "I would ask you why, because I don't think one as careful as you would do what you have done for no reason!" he replied. Czar considered his words before answering. "I saved those people because they were in danger... everything else since was Jedi Business" he explained. Bail considered this. "I don't have interest in getting in the way of that" Bail answered. Czar nodded slowly. "Then what do you want Senator? You obviously had someone send a child to spy on me, report my movements, find me, no doubt she had a secret Comm" Czar accused. Bail help us his hands in surrender. "True, its how we managed to find you here... though I had no idea she was so young, and I am no happier about it than you!" Bail said. He would need to have a talk with Fulcrum. "As for what I want, I want you to join the rebellion... we need your help!" Czar jumped in before he could finish his pitch. "I'm not looking to become part of another war Senator; you're asking the wrong man!" he said. Bail sighed. "Then why did you come aboard my ship and wait here for me?" he asked. Czar's answer was instant. "To tell you to take the girl back and keep her away from all of this! I am not the teacher she seeks!" Bail thought over the whole thing. "Why do I feel like she won't take too kindly to me recalling her and removing her from the Rebellion until she is an adult?" he asked. Czar considered how he would respond. Bail allowed him the time. "She wants me to train her to be a Jedi... I don't think she's ready, and I know that I'm not up to training her" he explained. Bail looked thoughtful. "Yet you've kept watch over her for this long? How do you know she won't want to travel with you?" Bail replied. Czar looked him over. "Its possible that she will, but I don't think I'm going to be her first choice..." he said. Bail once again thought this over. "Is there no way I can convince you to join our cause?" he asked. Czar shook his head. "No, but I do know where you might be able to recruit some more, so I will help you with that, After that you'll never see or hear from again!" he said. Bail nodded sadly. It seemed like Czar had no interest in fighting a war. "And what do you do? Go into hiding? The Empire know who you are" he said. Czar didn't answer. "Take the girl back Senator, she has heart, but this war is nothing to do with her" he said. Bail nodded. "I shall, so, how do you help me recruit more people?" he asked. Czar smiled a grin, although to Bail could tell it was quite forced. "All in good time Senator; Jedi business comes first" he said standing. Bail thought things over. "If the girl chooses to stay with you, what then?" he asked. The jedi didn't turn to face him. "Then she has no one to teach her, I won't lose anyone else to the Empire!" he said. Bail nodded. "I understand... I had hoped I could change your mind!" he said. He then had a thought. Fulcrum had journeyed here with him. At the very least, the two should talk. "Before you go, will you grant me one small indulgence?" he asked. Czar stopped, for her had started walking away. "I can't make any promises Senator" he said. "I just wish you to speak with someone, wait here, I'll call for her!" he said. Bail was glad when Czar didn't leave. "I'll speak with her, but I hope you don't think it will change my mind" he said. Bail shrugged. "I don't, but I think it always helps to have a friend somewhere. If it can't be me, perhaps it can be her..." he said. Czar nodded. "You're as wise as some of the greatest Jedi of the Age Senator" he said. Bail laughed in good nature. "I am glad you're willing to think of me that way. If she does change your mind, I will be quite surprised..." he said with a chuckle. For the first time, his guest smiled. "I think we both will... and Senator, there's never too many friends for a Jedi these days..." he said. Bail nodded. "I will go and retrieve my friend" he said. Czar nodded. "I'll call the girl here, and wait for her at the boarding ramp. Treat her well Senator, in case we don't get a chance to say goodbye" he said. Bail nodded and walked out.

I gave Bail Organa several minutes before I decided to go and wait for Lena. I understood he'd been searching for me for a while. My reasons for not joining the Rebellion were my own. After revealing myself on Raxxaann, and sbeing saved, Kara and I had ended up having a long discussion. I found myself thinking about it now. "You could have told me so many times! My people trust them!" she said. She wasn't angry, but she had been hurt. "And then what!?" I had asked. "I go around the galaxy!? Keeping the peace like the old days!? Look around you Kara, I almost died today because I saved those people, Godar, Brody and the rest!" I had replied. Kara looked at me, semi hurt. "So what now? You think that I care about having a death mark on my back for helping you?" she asked. She tried to remove the hurt from her voice, opting for comfort. I finally turned, and my voice cracked with the reply. "Yes!" I had almost shouted. "Yes, I do! For the last two years do you know what its been like everywhere I've gone!? Its been terrifying, because I don't want the Empire to find me!" I had said. Kara looked at me with sad eyes. "Czar... you could have told me, why didn't you...?" she asked. I sighed. "Because all the Jedi were told to avoid detection. So yes, I do care about you having a death mark on your back!" I had said. Kara looked at me and sighed then. "Czar, I took that mark on the day we met, do you really think it phased me anymore then? Do you really think that I believe the story the Empire spun when they declared the order as traitors!?" she had asked. I nodded. I didn't say anything else. "Czar, The Empire turned my family against me, took my sister from me! I don't care, I'm loyal to the Jedi above all else..." my friend had answered. The conversation had gone silent after that. I didn't need to add any more of a death mark to Organa and his rebels by joining them. Eventually after I had called her before leaving Organa's office, lena arrived. "Kara's still gathering supplies, so she said to come here alone" she said simply. I nodded. "Good, its best we talk alone before we go aboard" I said. Lena nodded. "About what you did..." she started. I cut her off. "We don't need to talk about that" I said. "We need to talk about you getting off mine and Kara's ship... you're too young for this, you need to live your life!" I said. Lena glared. "Oh, so you're dumping me, of course, makes sense!" she said. I shook my head. "No, I'm saving your life Lena, there is a difference!" I said. Lena sighed. "You should understand why I want to join you!" she protested. I shook my head. "No, you're a child who is only interested in revenge! Revenge is not the Jedi way!" I said. "Whatever demons you have, I've helped you face them, and you have the tools to learn to be a Jedi...!" I finished. Lena's glare hardened. "Oh so is that how you're justifying it!? Dumping me back with the rebellion because you're too lousy a teacher to train me properly!" she said. I shook my head. "No, I justify it by knowing that you'll be safer with the Rebellion than with me!" I said. Finally knowing that she wasn't going to win this debate, Lena stayed silent. "This isn't personal, this is what anyone would do, and I have already spoken with your superiors and they are just as upset as I was to find out you lied!" I said. "The Jedi Order is dead Lena, if you want to be a Jedi, teach yourself, but I won't teach you just so you can follow me to your death!" I said. With the discussion over, I stood and started to walk into the ship. "Come on, I think you'll have more than a few questions to answer." Silently obeying, Lena stood, and followed me inside. I felt the sense of doubt I'd been feeling leave me and I knew there and then, I had made the right decision.