FORSAKEN - Target: Zero

CHAPTER FORTY

"I know... at least I do, now—"

"Are you guys just... being pragmatic or—?"

"I'm not sure what to make of it."

"How did you meet?"

"Fighting inside the Nightsister's fortress. I was ordered by my Master to seduce him and turn him to the dark side or kill him if I failed. We hit it off right away, from the way he fights, to his sense of humor—I've never felt like this before."

Addia tilted her head, considering the information. "So... love at first strike, huh? And oddly fitting, if you ask me. From what I understand, Sy didn't have the most normal of upbringings at the temple."

"How much do you know?"

"Enough for us to share a bottle of ardees."

In the left cargo hold, Elynn wore a blindfold with her guard shotos activated. Syrran had one of his lightsabers out with a full-length blade and in training mode. He swung it once, at random, nowhere near his Padawan. Elynn flinched and Syrran hit her leg with the sword.

"Ow!" Elynn said. "Are you doing this because of what I said earlier?"

"You're listening, not sensing," Syrran said. "Reach out with your feelings; feel my intentions before I act."

"Shouldn't I be doing this with a remote?"

"Why? You're not going to fight droids. Focus."

Elynn readied herself. Syrran jabbed her in the stomach.

"Dank farrik!" Elynn said.

"Calm your mind; center yourself—Heh!"

The yell made her react, leaving herself open to a strike on the arm.

"Son of a mudscuffer," she said.

"Control your emotions."

Elynn took a deep breath and relaxed. When Syrran feigned an attack, she didn't react. Then she blocked the next series of blows.

"Good." Syrran turned his lightsaber off. When Elynn lowered her guard, he fired it up and attacked with a series of blows. Elynn parried them without fault, pleasing Syrran. "Somebody has skills when she can shut her mind off."

Elynn kept herself at the ready, not falling for another trap, which increased Syrran's esteem.

"We are done for today." Syrran switched off the lightsaber.

Elynn deactivated her lightsabers and lifted the blind. "Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad at all."

"I sensed your movements as clearly as if I was seeing you with my eyes."

"You'll never perceive anything clearer than what you can with the Force."

"Is that how you can navigate in hyperspace?"

"Uh-huh."

"Can you show me?"

"One step at the time. There are no do overs in that lesson."

As Syrran went to his cabin, she passed by the crew lounge where Jarriss sat on the booth side of the table. He was drinking tea and watching an interview with Governor Wilhuff Tarkin on HoloNet News:

"—To unify the galaxy and assure the wellbeing of its myriad populations. Now, with the institution of sector and over-sector governance, we are in the unique position to repay our debt to the Emperor for his decades of selfless service, by lifting some of the burden of quotidian rulership from his shoulders. By partitioning the galaxy into regions, we actually achieve a unity previously absent; where once our loyalties and allegiances were divided, they now serve one being, with one goal: a cohesive galaxy in which everyone prospers—"