"Return of the Jedi"

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***

* A year later *

- Really? - The old man raised his grey eyebrows.

- I didn't think so," I nodded. Apparently, at least from what I could tell, he was not averse to leaving me on Mortis so that the architects wouldn't interfere with the fate of the galaxy at all. He hoped that I might be able to look after the Daughter, especially since it's very hard for Architects to find a mate in life - it's too rare for Architects to show up. And then there's this - I just ignored the faint hints of attention from Daughter. Yes, the girl was very good, but I was pathologically unlucky with women, and fate was getting back at me for everything it had given me. What if I agreed to stay on Mortis and got into trouble? No, no, I don't want that for nothing! For humans, they have long since outlived their usefulness, and no one prevents them from hiding their power and going into the galaxy, so to speak, undercover. But then the temptation to use their power would be too great.

I've been on Mortis for four long years now, in the Family's rather meagre campaign, but I haven't been bored - the long years have flown by like a blink of an eye. It was time to go back to the old man and finish my training. He promised two more years of work. After the training in the abilities of the light side of the force was over, I finally breathed a sigh of relief - the last and most difficult leap was coming. For the remaining two years, the old man promised to do the same, plus more of the subjects from my course left in the secretary droid that had travelled with me in the ill-fated ship. The droid was a treasure trove of information, and before I left for Son's, I handed it over to the Old Man at his request. Since the Architects were important figures in the galaxy, the Old Man was interested in how officials were trained in the future. In the coming years, I was to complete my training, learning the academy's curriculum, in addition to the standard course of physics, chemistry, and force abilities.

The old man greeted me as if it hadn't been two years since our last lesson - he welcomed me and offered me tea and asked me about his children's education. He was especially sly and asked me if I liked his daughter. A matchmaker, my arse.

Having finished his children's training, I had to make the final push. Judging by the look of the old man, he himself had just finished comprehending what was laid in the droid and, the day after my arrival, he called me to the classroom, which he had built especially for lectures. It was easier that way.

Having started with a brief repetition of the basics that I had learnt at the academy, in just a couple of months we moved on to more advanced subjects, legislation, basics of the financial system, taxation system, social policy....

These lectures, because of the fact that they were very different from what the old man had taught the last time, went well - I was really pleased to diversify my "diet" with knowledge from another field. The Code of Laws of the Republic was in the droid, and with the Old Man's experience we had no problem with the material. He could explain, I would even say, very, very well. Such a teacher would have been ripped off in any galactic university, but....

Lectures on basic subjects were interspersed with lectures on theoretical foundations. Now my knowledge was enough to rivet, say, a blaster from improvised materials, based only on my personal knowledge, without copying any successful samples. It was getting closer and closer to "demobilisation". The old man, too, felt that the end of our fleeting acquaintance was approaching.

I, week after week and month after month, year after year, felt that it was time to know the honour. Of course, all the knowledge of the Architects was not suddenly available to me, but I did not want to linger. I already had all the knowledge to create a reverse time hyperdrive and I was more than willing to use it.

Without going into too much detail, it was a hyperdrive with an originally different circuit responsible for the flow of time. Everything in the world is relative, including time. Its flow could be slowed down so much that while inside the ship a minute would pass, outside it, in hyperspace, centuries and millennia would pass. Changing one of the hyperfield parameters so drastically would change the entire pattern and it would have to be redone, but it was worth it.

I thought more and more about Lex, Tosi, the Order, and how they would accept me. I was gone for a while, but I've been six years in the middle of nowhere.

Speaking of which. I just celebrated the nineteenth birthday of my physical body.

Physical, because the Architects were practically immortal - we could change the cellular and genetic structure of our bodies so that the cells would not be damaged during renewal, that is, they would not age. That was the secret of longevity. Even the Old Man, according to his confession, looked like that because he was older and wanted to look like that - image. He could have been a kid younger than me, it's not hard for him to tweak his physical shell a bit....

I tweaked my body, stopping aging, just at the age of nineteen. Biologically, I was already in my twenties, but I looked more than young. Now I was at sea!

I remembered my adolescent adventures with nostalgia - those were glorious times! Tatooine, Valorum, the races on Alderaan, a week in the forests of Mandalore among the local creatures, one of whom nearly chewed me up...

It was all in the past. I didn't feel I'd changed mentally, though - I was the same as I'd always been, except a little more paranoid about my own safety and a little less stupid, like the one about rebuilding the Sith cruiser or flying to Mandalore. If I'd known now, I would have classed that mission as particularly dangerous, because the situation was extremely unstable then, and there was a high risk of an assassination attempt on the Duchess and me. I was young, stupid, what can I do now?

Somehow, unexpectedly, I noticed that one morning the Old Man did not come to the classroom where classes were held. Oh, yes, class was over. Study was over. This studying... I subconsciously realised that it was some kind of line that separated my youth from adulthood. Despite my status as a Jedi Knight, I still thought of myself as a teenager, or at the very least, a young man, but now, seeing a young man in the mirror, looking a little over twenty, with a good build, straw-coloured hair in a ponytail, and eyes of a faint blue colour, I could no longer think that way. My face was disfigured by the stamp of intelligence, or even a little aristocracy, for I had always worked on my appearance, as the Old Man had taught me, so as not to alienate potential interlocutors with my appearance. That wonderful time of almost carefree attitude to life was over - now I had to play seriously and not sit around on some planet like Alderaan, enjoying the charms of financial prosperity and the society of reckless peers.

Sad, but true. I walked out of the classroom the old man had attached to the house and went looking for him. It was impossible to find the old man in the force unless he wanted to, and he always kept such a disguise that even I, who could easily penetrate Palpatine's defences, couldn't sense him. Even if he was standing behind me and using the Force.

The old man was a freak sometimes. Hard to believe, but sometimes he really did. Now he was on the ground floor, playing sabakk with Erdva.

- Oh, Sila," I exclaimed, "Erdva, you'll be without the last of the hull panels!

- You're already down," the old man smiled at me, immediately turning to Erdwa. - I'm sorry, mate, but I've got twenty-three," he laid out the cards in front of the droid, and then Erdva lowered the video sensor and the old man turned to me.

- I take it the training is over? - I asked, stepping closer.

- You got that right," the old man nodded. - Would you like to stay a little longer?

- No, I'm sorry," I shook my head, "I've been living on Mortis for six years and I'm used to this planet. I'm attached.

- Yeah, well," he nodded, "then you're the kind of guy who can't stay in one place. Given the way you arrived and the way you're leaving, you're probably thinking that you're not a teenager anymore and that it's time to start growing up....

- It was," I scratched my earlobe. - Is it that noticeable?

- Of course, what did you think? Live with me and maybe you'll be able to read my mind without telepathy. I still remember the first rakat who began to enslave the galaxy... You'll have to build an engine to return to your own time. You can get to work, I've got all the materials I need outside the house.

- You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble.

- Who says I worked hard? Oh, you're still young," the Old Man grinned. - Go on.

I obeyed him and went into the nature. In front of the house there were indeed bars of various metals. After checking everything, I sat on the porch and started working on the hyperdrive. Not the engine, but the hyperfield generator, which throws the ship into hyperspace and drags it along at a certain speed, generating impulses similar to the structure of hyperspace.

Now it was much easier to work than ever before, I had created hyperdrives before, but as a test assignment. The old man didn't come out, apparently deciding to play sabakk with Erdva again. While the hyperdrive was being created, I had time to say goodbye to Mortis and think about plans for my future life. My freedom-loving nature, inclined to travelling, did not let me sit in one place, even if it was very warm.

The hyperdrive with new field calculations was built in only half an hour. The return flight was on the same boat I'd flown here, so the form factor was the same as the old hyperdrive, but the hardware had been significantly upgraded. I wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye to Toshi and Lex, so I left the backup hyperdrive alone.

One way or another, I'd have to leave. I returned to the house to find that the Old Man was no longer alone. The Daughter was with him.

- I didn't notice when you flew in," I raised my eyebrows.

- No wonder," she smiled, "you've been so busy. I wanted to say goodbye to you.

The old man stood back.

- 'I wouldn't leave you without saying goodbye either. You've taught me a lot, thank you.

- No need to thank you," she stepped closer, "it was a pleasure to diversify my time with your teaching. It'll be nice to have you visit us again at our retreat," she'd been a little nervous when I'd first flown in, since she hadn't spoken to anyone outside the family in ages, and now, apparently, neither had she.

- I will. I promise I'll be back sooner or later.

The lady turned around and smiled at me and walked out of the house.

- That's goodbye," nodded the Old Man, satisfied, "I thought you two would be a little nicer to each other....

- Old Man, stop joking about it," I pleaded, "she's a thousand times older than I am!

- It's no big deal," he said, "it doesn't matter to the Architect. - He stopped on the porch and looked at the boat I'd arrived on. "It's time to say goodbye, Anakin," he sighed.

- It was.

We shook hands and I ran off to the ship, almost forgetting Erdv on the mortis. The droid flew into the cargo hold at the last moment, and we took off. The ship, which had been standing for six years, needed a few minor tweaks, but overall everything was working properly. The Mortis gate opened as soon as I entered orbit - a bright point of hyperspace wormhole appeared near the planet and the ship flew into it, after a moment of light, I was thrown near the closing monolith.

I was sitting in the first pilot's chair, Erdva was beside me, everything seemed to be the same old thing. But no.

Travelling the usual routes was still dangerous, so after checking the supplies I had packed for the journey, I activated the hyperdrive and flew towards Coruscant. "The Return of the Jedi, no less. The journey to the galactic capital was still a long one - about two weeks on my class zero-five hyperdrive.

- Erdva, get on the holonet, check out the latest news. What's going on in the world?

- As soon as we get close to the repeater, I will," the droid replied. - I'm glad to be back on the big world at last.

- Me too. You could say glad," I smiled, leaning back in my chair and allowing myself to enter a trance-like state, feeling the power at full strength.

The journey here was routine, but the journey back... Over the past six years I'd grown accustomed to large spaces and the ship seemed small, even a 'crown' like mine, comfortable. I decided to get rid of this pepelatsa as soon as I returned to my time - too bad memories were associated with it.

The ship travelled in hyperspace for a day, but it was enough to reach the edge of habitable space - a planet called Anison. It was small, run-down, but it had a holonet repeater, so Erdva immediately went online and began surfing the net at a frightening speed, selecting the most interesting news.

- I'm going to sleep," I told him, "keep an eye on the ship and send me the most interesting news on the datapad.

- As you wish, Captain! - The droid turned around and connected to the ship.

I was already used to sleeping on a ship - in cold lifeless space, outside the space of a planet full of power and with no neighbourhood of anyone from the Family.

Erdva, as he was supposed to do, sent me the most interesting things in the form of links to the holonet. There I found news about Sith activation in some sectors, three years ago, news about political changes in the Senate, which I was frankly indifferent to. The Smuggler's Bulletin, a site for "free traders", where you could see the best-kept secrets about rates, routes, or just smuggler's tales. I sometimes liked to read before going to bed, either a tale or a story about how another smuggler had managed to crash-land his ship somewhere in an asteroid field rich in quadanium. Needless to say, there were no real references, just stories. Switching off the tablet, I drifted off to sleep, and in the morning, having had a frankly bad night's sleep, I went to the cockpit. It was time to move on.

It took two weeks to get to Coruscant - that's how long it took to get the ship through the Sith-ruled regions and directly to Coruscant. Exit in the sector, report... this time I wasn't checked as long, as the ship had a Jedi Knight identification code. Erdwa had taken to the cockpit on the occasion of arrival and was looking out at the scenery by himself.

- I wonder if they still remember us.

- Where would they go," I hummed, "let's remind them. So! - The ship began its descent into the planet's atmosphere. I handed over control to Erdva, who could communicate and steer at the same time.

Coruscant was still as impressive as ever - one could look at this galaxy-city landscape endlessly. A small circle appeared below - the Senate building from half a hundred thousand metres above. Against the background of the rest of the city, merged into a uniform mass, the Senate building stood out strongly. Next to it was a temple, only ten kilometres away. Compared to the size of the buildings themselves, it was very close.

I stood up, taking my eyes off the scenery, and walked off, saying to Erdv on the way:

- I'm going to go get cleaned up.

The droid didn't answer. I had to put on my force-synthesised clothes, my ceremonial clothes so to speak, take my new sword, and get ready to go out into the world. Am I a Jedi or am I not a Jedi?

The ship descended toward the temple and changed direction, flying into a hangar before landing on a vacant lot, which I felt good about. It was time to visit Lex. What should I tell him? Certainly not about the Architects.

The hangar hadn't changed in centuries, so I didn't see anything new - the same mechanic droids, the same Jedi on duty, the same ships standing in their places by the hundreds. The men on duty looked at me with interest - I guess, except for the colour of my hair and eyes and facial features, I resembled Qui-Gon. The same hairstyle, the same serene and tense look, the clothes almost exactly the same. They returned to their duties, and I went to the Master of the Order without wasting time. The way was familiar from past visits - past offices, training rooms, along the corridor between the younglings' dormitory and the canteen, to the lift that led to the desired level. By the way, out of more than a hundred turbolifts, only one led to the right floor - the others didn't stop there. It was not quite convenient, but it was safe from the point of view of the administrative wing's defence against open attack and sabotage.

I found Lex's office in the administrative wing, and as I approached the door, I felt his attention. The Master was in a pretty good state of mind, sitting in his office reading some data. Apparently, he didn't notice me, as I had hidden my power well and generally disguised myself from attempts to detect me. His level didn't seem unreal to me now, but a master was still a master.

I knocked on the door. Just knocked, and that's when Lex stirred, glancing around the floor with force, but not finding the source. Grinning, I repeated the knock, and then the door slid aside.

- Who are you? - Lex had his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber.

- I see you didn't recognise me. No wonder," I sighed, "Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight.

- Er..." Lex took his hand off his sword, "Anakin?

- Doesn't look like him? - I grinned.

- Not really," Lex slumped back in his chair, "I wasn't expecting you back.

- I came back to report back and say goodbye. I found a way to fly back.

Lex wasn't too happy about that:

- Are you sure? You could have stayed.

- No way. And reporting back... that's the hard part. I used the holocron's clue to find the house where the sith lived. It's haunted by his ghost, or rather a Force phantom. He wasn't very friendly, but he shared his research and gave me some coordinates.

- What kind of coordinates? - Lex sat back in his chair, relaxed.

- I can't tell you. Don't take this the wrong way, but I can't tell you. All I'll say is that I learnt power forging on a whole other level, and continued with other subjects from philosophy to swordsmanship to physics. Now I've finished my training and I'm ready to fly.

- Interesting," the Master nodded. - So be it. Let's go," Lex stood up and walked out of the office. I hurried after him, asking questions as I went:

- "Master? Where are we going?

- To the training room. If, as you say, you've been studying, I want to test your skills.

We went down the lift and three minutes later we entered the hall. The Unlings were still training and when they saw the Master, they greeted him. They paid no attention to me, though.

Lex picked up his training sword from the wall, and I did the same. I hadn't prepared to fight the Master on my first day, but I switched on my lightsaber and got into a stance.

- Attack," the Master said. I decided not to torture him with my innate superiority, so I launched myself at him first, at about the same speed as the last time we fought. Lex barely had time to grin before I was out of sight - I moved, with considerable acceleration, to the side and delivered a stabbing blow to the side that the Master blocked, and then I pushed off with one foot, ending up in the air. Using the gyro effect of the sword arch I spun round and struck from above, but this strike was blocked as well. Next was the Magister's attack. Compared to Son's attacks, Master's was much slower. I even had time to think about how exactly I could defeat him. I had to use a technique from Juyo - a rotating movement of the hand and the sword, describing a semicircle from below, raises the Master's sword. Having received the impulse of reverse movement, the sword with force and great speed describes almost a full circle together with my movement to the side and strikes from the top-back. The Master shifted a little and didn't feel the full force of the blow, but I immediately rushed to the other side, rolling over and hitting Lex's sword from the left, pushing him down. This rapid alternation of different vectors caused his hand to almost drop his sword, but he held on. Lex's move was next - he moved swiftly closer to his target and stabbed his sword through his chest. But surprise surprise, the moment the sword was about to enter his chest, "I" vanished like a puff of smoke, and my sword rested on Lex's shoulder. Checkmate.

- What was that? - The Master was dumbfounded. I was--

- An illusion. A mirage, Master. The image is in force, I'm actually behind you and averting my eyes.

We switched off our swords. Lex shook his mane of hair.

- Yeah, your speed is something else! I didn't even notice you moving to my back.

- The others didn't notice our fight at all," I shrugged, "It lasted a little over two seconds.

The Master smirked, nodding.

- 'Yes, you've learnt a lot, Hennia.

I shrugged and we left the hall. The Unlings, as soon as we started the fight, went quiet and tried not to glare. As soon as Lex walked into his office, he was staring at the terminal, typing something on it.

- Master? - I called his attention to myself.

- Yeah, yeah, just a second. So, first of all, you are transferred to the fighting staff of the Order. Indefinitely.

- Um... Master, what's the point of that? - I asked.

- Don't interrupt. So, you have been transferred to the combat staff of the Order, that's one, indefinitely, that's two. You've been given master status and all the privileges that come with it. This will help you connect with the Order in your own time, as well as make you more independent of the council. Congratulations.

I nodded at the congratulations. It was all wonderful, of course, but....

- Master. I've come to say goodbye. Can I see Toshi?

- About that," Lex frowned, "you can't. We need to have a serious talk, Anakin.

- Master? - I stood up, sensing trouble in my heel, since I was very lucky with women. - Where is Master? What's wrong with her?