The answer did nothing to calm Paak's mounting hysteria. Reaching into his boot, he pulled out a short vibroblade and rushed at
Zannah with a scream.
The spell she had unleashed on Cyndra was powerful but exhaust-ing. Zannah doubted she'd be able to effect a similar reaction in Paak before he ran her through with his blade. So instead of sorcery, she turned to more conventional means to dispatch him.
Extending her shackled hands, she used the Force to draw the lightsaber from Hetton's lap, sending it flying across the room and into her waiting palm. As the blades ignited she casually snapped her restraints with a single thought
Paak had come in expecting to skewer a helpless prisoner; he wasn't ready to face an armed foe. She could have slain him right then and there, but she noticed that Hetton was still sitting passively in his seat, observing the action. Zannah decided she'd give him a show.
Instead of decapitating her overmatched opponent, she simply toyed with him, twirling and spinning the lightsaber through intricate, hypnotic patterns as she easily parried his ham-fisted blows. Paak was a brawler, all muscle and no technique, making it ridiculously simple for her to repulse his attacks. He came at her three times, hacking and slashing as he tried to bowl her over. Each time she would nimbly skip to one side and redirect his blade with her own, turning their combat into a dance where she was most definitely taking the lead.
After three failed passes, the tattooed man threw his blade down in frustration and scooped up Cyndra's fallen blaster. He took aim and fired twice from point-blank range, but Zannah didn't even flinch.
Using the precognitive awareness of the Force, she was easily able to anticipate the incoming shots and intercept them with the crackling crimson blades of her lightsaber. The first bolt ricocheted harmlessly up into the ceiling; the second she sent back at Paak.
It struck him square between the eyes, leaving a smoking hole in his forehead. His body went rigid, then toppled over backward.
Still twirling her weapon, Zannah turned to face Hetton again. He had not moved from his throne; nor had he made any signal to his guards. As she stared at him he rose slowly to his feet and walked down the stairs of the dais until he was standing only a few meters in front of her. Then he dropped to his knees before her and bowed his head.
In a trembling voice he whispered, 'I have been waiting for someone like you my entire life.'
Chapter 14
Johun walked with long, quick strides down the dormitory corridors of the great Jedi Temple. He passed halls and staircases leading to the various wings that had been constructed to house the Jedi Knights and Padawans who chose to dwell here on Coruscant, making his way toward the base of the Spire of the High Council and the private chambers reserved for the Masters-in-residence.
He nodded curtly to those who waved or called out to him as he marched briskly past, but Johun had no time to stop and exchange pleasantries. He had received a summons from Valenthyne Farfalla immediately after landing, and Johun had a pretty good idea what his old Master wanted to talk to him about.
When he arrived at his destination he was surprised to find the door to Farfalla's private quarters standing open, the Jedi Master seated at a desk inside, deep in study.
'You wanted to see me?' Johun said by way of greeting, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
The room was decorated much as Farfalla's private cabin had been aboard the Fairwind, the flagship of the now disbanded Jedi fleet. Fine art adorned the walls, and expensive rugs covered the floor. In one corner sat the four-poster bed depicting the key stages of Valenthyne's rise to the rank of Jedi Master.
'Johun,' Farfalla said with mild surprise. 'I did not expect to see you so soon.' He turned in his seat and motioned to one of the other chairs in the room, indicating that his guest should sit.
'Your summons sounded urgent,' Johun answered. He spread his feet and stood stiffly, refusing the offer of a chair.
'I need to speak with you,' Farfalla said with a weary sigh.
'As my friend, my Master, or a representative of the Jedi Council?'
'That depends on what you have to say,' Farfalla answered, ever the diplomat. 'I have heard that Chancellor Valorum intends to petition the Senate for funds to create a memorial to Hoth and the other Jedi who fell on Ruusan.'
'No doubt he believes this to be a fitting tribute to the people who gave their lives to keep the Republic safe,' Johun remarked. 'A tribute some would say is long overdue.'
Farfalla raised an eyebrow. 'So you had nothing to do with this request? Valorum came up with this idea on his own?'
'I never said that,' the Jedi Knight replied. The truth, as both he and Valenthyne were well aware, was that Valorum had agreed to do this to show his gratitude toward Johun for saving him during the attack on Serenno.
'As I suspected,' the Master said with another sigh. 'The Jedi Council does not approve of this, Johun. They see it as an act of pride and arrogance.'
'Is it arrogant to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice?' Johun asked, staying calm. He was a Jedi Knight now; the Padawan who would fly off the handle at the slightest provocation was long gone.
'Requesting a memorial to honor your former Master smacks of vanity' Farfalla explained. 'In elevating the man who first trained you, you in effect elevate yourself.'
'This is not vanity, Master,' Johun explained patiently. 'A memorial on Ruusan will serve as a reminder of how one hundred beings willingly marched off to face certain death so that the rest of the galaxy might live in peace. It will be a powerful symbol to inspire others.'
'The Jedi do not need symbols to inspire them' Farfalla reminded him.
'But the rest of the Republic does' Johun countered. 'Symbols give power to ideas, they speak to the hearts and minds of the average person, they help transform abstract values and beliefs into reality.
'This monument glorifies the victory on Ruusan: a victory that came not through the strength of our army, but through the courage, conviction, and sacrifice of Hoth and those who perished with him. It will serve as a shining example to guide the citizens of the Republic in their thoughts and actions.'
'I see Valorum's flair for speeches has rubbed off on you,' Valen-thyne said with a rueful smile, recognizing that he would not be able to convince Johun to change his position.
'It was you who chose to assign me to the Chancellor's side,' Johun reminded him. 'And I have learned many things in my years of service.'
Farfalla rose from his seat and began to pace the room.
'Your arguments are eloquent, Johun. But surely you know they will not sway the Jedi Council.'
'This matter falls outside the Council's authority,' Johun reminded him. 'If the Senate approves funding for Valorum's request, construction on Ruusan will begin within the month.'
'The Senate will never refuse Valorum anything.' Farfalla snorted. He stopped pacing and turned toward Johun. 'And what will your role be in this project?'
'That, too, is for the Senate to decide,' Johun answered evasively. However, after a moment he relented and told Farfalla the truth. 'The Chancellor has agreed to travel with a full security complement on future diplomatic missions so that I will be free to go to Ruusan and oversee construction of the memorial.'
Farfalla sighed and sat back down in his chair.
'I understand why you are doing this, Johun. I do not fully approve, but neither I nor the Jedi Council will stand in your way.' After a moment he added, 'I doubt we could stop you now even if we tried.'
'At times I can be most stubborn ' the Jedi Knight replied with the hint of a smile.
'Just like Hoth,' Farfalla noted.
Johun chose to take his words as a compliment.
