After a few hours of waiting, the transport did come to pick us up and take us to Chikaga. Because of my rather long influence, Vessire had to lie on her bed for a few days and meditate, regaining her equilibrium.
I tried to keep calm as time went by, but there was no news from my mother. Moreover, even after contacting Hadiya through the satellite repeater, I learnt that everything was quiet there too, and no one had called anyone. Hadiya herself, having made sure that everything was all right with me, allowed herself to relax, because during the communication session her first words: "Well?!" and her demanding look were a little frightening. I had no doubt that if I had told her about the problem, she would have taken immediate action.
One thing that saved me was that when Wes came to her senses, she began to reassure me in every way she could. Sometimes too good, yes... But at least my head was clear, and at least for a while I didn't think about possible... or already started problems.
Upon arriving in Chicago, Hadiya joined her, and looked at the case and... loaded me up with work. Like, she's already supposedly drawing up the paperwork to transfer some companies to me, so - "learn how to run them, dear hubby."
The funny thing is that she didn't do it to help me (although she did that too), but so that Wes would have less time to make eyes at me. Hadiya herself is a busy girl, and the idea that while she's working, her "rival" is getting high with her husband... Anyway, there was something for Wes to do. But as soon as Tyranka of all Chicago had a window, she herself was not averse to distract me from my work and get a bit of affection.
It wasn't until Takeda that the Order got in touch with us and asked us to fly to Tython. No explanation of what, why, or why not. Nothing at all. Just a polite request, and on behalf of Cicuna. Sith herself looked cheerful as usual, which gave me hope that the situation would be resolved favourably. She's a friend of her mother's, after all, and if she's in a good mood, it's not all bad.
This time, we flew to Tython on Hadiya's ship, accompanied by my Mentor and the Sinner, a small cruiser that had just come off the slipway. While flying, I discussed with Hadiya a hundred and one schemes of how, what, and to whom to say at the "trial", in what form to present and how to twist the facts. The options started from the most lite, and ended with the worst, when Kalet would have to leave with a fight. Actually, the "Sinner" was taken for this purpose, the ship was designed for storming ground positions and carried a couple of small tactical charges. Just in case.
However, when we arrived, we were surprised, because everything went quite differently than expected ...
«Irbis?! - I stared at the teacher like a ghost, for it was he who met us at the ramp.
«May the Force be with you, Shade," he bowed courteously.
I hugged the noghri, as I usually did, a little out of tradition.
«Irbis, it's so good to see your face stretched out!
«Yes, Shade, I'm glad to see you too," Irbis showed his feelings by removing the barrier that hid his emotions. - Vessira, Hadiya.
«Master," Ves bowed. Hadiya honoured her with a simple nod.
«How did you end up here? - I looked demandingly at the nogri.
«I just... accidentally. Do you know why you were summoned?
«I have no idea at all," I admitted honestly, having no idea what was in store for me.
«Aala contacted the Stargazers, helped them infiltrate the hypergates in the Old City, activate them, which caused the ground to shake for a few days, then went to the other side, came back, brought the missing research team with her... Anyway, there's so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!
«...
«Don't worry, it's none of your business.
«А...
«You've been invited to say goodbye to your father.
«I don't understand... - I didn't have to play, I really didn't understand a bit.
«Aala brought your father's body from the other side of the hypergate. Alas, he sacrificed himself to protect the surviving members of the expedition and there will be a farewell ceremony soon. How soon though - I don't know, it's... a bit busy at the moment.
«Um.
«It's been dragging on for over three taqedas now," Irbis continued, understanding me in his own way. - The Council has been interviewing members of the expedition, reviewing the materials Dalien delivered, talking to your mother. In general, everything is boiling and simmering and seems ready to explode.
- What about Mum? Is she in any danger?
«Well, it's more complicated than that. You see, the Council is divided. Some are demanding maximum punishment for disobeying the ban and jeopardising the entire system.
«Ф!
«Some, on the other hand, are defending and vigorously defending.
«Cicuna?
«Not only that. And some are leaning towards simple banishment. Anyway, Shade, my advice to you is to stay out of it, but what's the point of me telling you that, you're gonna get in anyway.
«Heh, you know me well.
«Eh..." he switched from me to the girls. - Hadiya.
«М?
«I understand Vessira, but what are you doing here?
«Can't I go for a walk with my husband?
«Knowing you, I have a vague suspicion that you're here for more than a walk," Hadiya only shrugged, and Irbis sighed once more. - Shade.
«Yes, Master?
«Do me a favour and let this end peacefully. Okay?
«Master, you're hurting my better feelings!
«Maybe... Let's go.
So, we followed Irbis to the temple. Although Mum and Dahlien were listed as detainees, they were in the regular living quarters under the supervision of the guards. The Master of the Enil Kesh Temple, Quan-Yang, was beating his chest with his heel in defence of Dalien's interests. He had been the first to appreciate what this group of inadequates had brought, and he had also conveyed the message to his colleague from Vur Tepe. So a couple of maniacs from science put the question and even at gunpoint will not give Dalien and his group in the wrong hands. Yeah, well, who in their right mind would give up a top-notch abracadabra specialist? They'll take Mum along for the ride, even if she's expelled from the Order.
Mum's kind of banished, but she's not. On the other hand, she should be rewarded, because Cicuna, having a one-on-one conversation with her friend, made it look like her mother had acted according to her own vision of the Force, and the council had made a mistake, and Dalien's sister was a fool and a panicker. The latter naturally took offence and was not going to give up just like that, but you can't go against the facts.
Temple Master Kaleth was in favour of punishing her mother for going against the Council's decision and endangering the whole system. Things were more complicated with Dalien. Not only had he repeatedly deceived the J'Dayes, but he had also regularly screwed them over. I should remind you that twenty years ago, those radicals had stolen not one, but two Sleeping Ships, one of which Dalien was still flying. And in general, the Stargazers are a terrorist organisation and a sect in one bottle. At least from the Order's perspective. But what exactly to do with him, it did not help to decide, because, despite all the problems, the possible profit paid for everything more than enough.
Returning to the mother... Master of the temple Mahara Kesh was in favour of mitigating the punishment and limiting it to a simple banishment, or, at most, imprisonment for a certain period of time. But the one who was salivating to kill all the guilty was the master of the temple of martial arts Stav Kesha. He rolled out a whole list of violations of the mother, and even the old ones. The man must have been burned by his mother's past sins, but they never got along.
Master Padawan Kesh had a neutral-positive stance towards his mother. From his point of view - she should have been scolded for prevention, rewarded and written off, because you can't argue with results. And the fact that she got in touch with sectarians... So it's not sectarians at all, but quite a good organisation, which went to extreme measures to explain to the Order its wrongdoing, because otherwise they were not heard. How many slippers flew at him after that, I won't say.
It was hilarious when I heard about Temple Master Enzer Da'kotom. That Talid was just sitting there and learning zen, pretending that what was going on didn't concern him at all. In fact, his mother had passed the test for control of the Force, and he had calmed down, confirming that the woman was in her right mind, and that there were no claims against her. Moreover, he agreed that, in accordance with his personal vision of the Force, she acted sensibly and correctly. But agreed so, sideways and quietly, so as not to inadvertently get between the squabbles.
The Master of the Temple of Art was also dissatisfied. The laws are not written for beauty, you must obey them. If you have seen such a vision, you should have warned the Council and acted with its approval, instead of being arbitrary. Cicuna howled and went on to say that twenty-five years ago Saros had tried to get his point across to the council members of the time, but it had led to his expulsion. And the miraluka had to take matters into her own hands. Now who's right and who's a fool?
After talking to her mother, I found out that she doesn't care at all, and she's chatting with Dalien about the past with complete nonchalance, as if nothing had happened. She'd already made up her mind, no matter what the council came up with in the end. Dalien was a little more difficult, he wasn't about to put the results of his labours in the wrong hands and would try to continue his work. After all, what if he could recreate a hypergate? Especially since he now had at least two loyal members of the Order's council.
And so, amidst all of this squabbling, Hadiya and I appear. After a quick glance with that nice devil's advocate, we went to stand up for justice. Well... Well, Hadiya went, and I stood at the wall as a party whose interests are indirectly affected. And what began to happen.
Basically, Hadiya went from defence to attack. Accusations of the Council's incompetence came one after another, facts were twisted, and the girl herself went so far as to accuse the Council of deviating from its own dogmas. Like: you imagined something, and did not check it, and now it turned out to be a mistake that caused the death of worthy reasonable people. And how many other such "controversial" prophecies are there?
Irbis looked at it, turned pale, looked again, grabbed the first heart, turned pale again, then grabbed the second heart and so on in a circle, as it began to smell of a split. It's just a smell, but it's a warning sign that something's got to be done. I was also adding petrol to the fire, making a fuss, and wailing: "Ah, poor mum, she's for the Order, for Tython, and it's so unfair to her..." and so on. Hadiya also used, like, "You can be friends with Je'Dayi when they're willing to trample on their own." In the end, my bitch had a total meltdown at the council, and Cicuna had to come to me and ask me to calm her down before she drove everyone to the edge... Including her.
I told Hadiya what Cicuna said, and she made a couple of announcements at the regular meeting, the last of which read: "Either you drop the charges and admit the mistake, or we'll publicise this mishap." And now let's remember that the Order is not popular among ordinary people, many people think that Je'Daii just got a little bit crazy. Moreover, the Stargazers were financed primarily by those who are against the Order. If we throw such a miscalculation of the Je'Dayi into the masses, and adjust the facts a little, then... What will happen then, I can't say, but nothing good.
The council members thought exactly the same thing, got into what they thought, and-and-and-and... They let it go.In the end, Mom resigned of her own accord, the Stargazer sect was registered as a private organisation, and their research was officially transferred to Enil Kesh, along with the distinguished scientists led by Dalien. Hadiya was asked not to spread the word and in general, to play it off as a Je'Dayi'i initiative. Naturally, not for the pretty eyes, but for the preferential treatment of her beloved husband, that is, me.
I myself seriously considered leaving, but... But it didn't work out. The howl was no worse than it was, because everyone howled. Everyone. Even the masters of the temples of science and the forge. And Dalien with them. But they howled for different reasons. The latter howled because they had learnt from Dalien that Kwa's holocron worked not on the dark, not on the light, but on the Unified Force, and to interact with it SAFELY, you needed someone just as gifted. And as it happens, I'm the only one... Well, they won't let me go.
Master Mahara Kesh saw me as a promising Adept of the Unified Force, Master Kaleta just didn't want to let me out of his sight... Tsikuna also howled, though I didn't understand what that meant to her. She started calling my mum to talk some sense into me. Shit, even the monks got excited because they saw in me many new discoveries.
So I quickly became a master of the Unified Force. So far only nominally, but time will come and this status will be secured for me. By the way, I'm not the youngest master yet, there were younger and cooler than me. Together with the title I received a number of preferences, including my own cruiser like "Peacemaker". It turns out that such toys are not given to just anyone, and just "buy" - not an option. It's a special commodity. Also, Tsikuna told me in confidence that among the members of the council, the topic of a new temple preaching the Unified Force and, accordingly, the disciples. It's only on my lips for now, but the time will come and if nothing changes, if I continue to improve myself, it could become a reality. Now I'm sitting here thinking, "What the hell do I need this for?"
Because of all the changes, the Council cancelled my supervision of Hadiya, and I was replaced by... Irbis. Under the pretext of keeping an eye on the girl so she wouldn't get killed. Hadiya looked at it and shrugged her shoulders. "Thank you for having him instead of the left-handed newcomer," she said. Irbis himself was happy. And how happy I was when I saw that sour scaly face, m-m-m... A fairy tale.
We never got round to burying my father. They put him in the morgue and he stayed there for almost six months. It was only when everything was legalised and matters were settled that a date was set for the funeral....
***
Gathering firewood in the shape of a rectangle and laying the body on it, those who had once travelled with their father gathered around. The surviving members of the expedition, those who owed their lives to him. The members of the Order's council and some of the masters who knew my father personally were also present. Mother and I were here as well.
Standing a little behind her, I looked at my mother. As she said, she had long since come to terms with the loss of Saros, but... But she still couldn't hold herself together. Completely shutting down her emotions, she stood there with her fists clenched, expressing resentment and sorrow on her face.
«Mum?
«It's okay Shade. It's just... I'm a little angry. Angry that he chose that road over me.
«Maybe he did choose you. You just don't know everything, do you? - I'm getting closer.
«Maybe. He said he'd follow the path of the Force. That he'd prove the council wrong. And pave the way for a successor. I didn't understand those words then, but now... Looking at what it's turned out to be, I do. I think he had a vision. Saros wasn't crazy, he was a visionary, and he always knew what he was doing. That was the final argument we had back then," I was hugged. - He may not have seen you, Shade, but somehow I think he knew about you before you were born.
I didn't answer. I just stared at the slow-burning fire, remembering how I'd seen my own children. Father... I wish I could talk to you. I don't think I've ever had so many questions in my whole life.
Mum was the first to raise her hand. Followed by the others, myself included. The flames of the fire rose violently. The flames, filled with the Force, burst upward, taking with them the pieces of a great being who had given everything he had for his purpose.
Taking my mother's hand off my shoulder, I turned to see Vessira standing behind me. And there, right behind her was him. Dad's ghost. Standing there smiling.
Tugging my mother's sleeve once, I made her turn around. The Force ghost nodded and disappeared. Vessira, realising we weren't looking at her, tried to find the object of interest, but it was already gone.
«I'm going to kill him..." Mum whispered with only her lips.
«Can you reach it? - I squinted sceptically.
«Yeah.
And you know, I felt sorry for my father. Just a little bit. With our alchemy and knowledge of the Force, she could really find him first and then explain her point of view on all this.
That was how I said goodbye to my father. My belief that Je'Daiya's death would be the beginning of a second life in the Force was strengthened, and I was comforted for all those who had gone into it. I won't deny that the sadness of loss is not alleviated by this, but at least I won't be overwhelmed. And maybe... Yes not "maybe", but definitely, when my time comes, we will all meet in the Force.
And then life gradually turned to labour. We were transported to Enil Kesh, where I was put to work on Kwa's holocron, Vessira continued her self-training, and Hadiya was required at home to solve the next problems.
Before the young tyrant flew away, before I went into a work frenzy, and before Ves got a job, I decided to conduct an emergency introduction of both girls into a positive-vibrant state.
Having broken into the laboratory of one of the masters, thereby frightening the latter, I asked for urgent help in one matter. Since I don't know how to combine alloys, moreover, I get all sorts of shit, and here I need the subtle approach of a real master of his craft, so I came to ask just such a person. One of the live 3D printers, Enil Kesha, was busy making specific small parts for one need or another.
After apologising and explaining the rush, I ask him to help me cast three pieces of jewellery using the Force. And it was right now, because tomorrow it would be too late. The jewellery were three rings. A particularly strong alloy, resistant to time, and a special colour. Black metal alloy, with white painted streams of Force.
When we agreed on the price of the service, the Master made everything on the spot, he has in his stash of all kinds of materials, so that this very evening I put my passions next to each other and looked at their incomprehensible faces with anticipation.
«Ladies. Since we have a new stage of life ahead of us, and we've known you for a long time, and I made a promise to you... Anyway, Wes, remember what I said about the language nobody speaks?
«Yes," the katara nodded, squinting suspiciously. Hmm... Am I suspected of something bad? Did I give a reason? Ah... Well, yes.
«Anyway, the people there had a tradition that I liked. When someone was getting married, they would exchange rings. So, ladies... - I pull a box from behind my back and open it. - I'm a bit of a romantic, but please... Stay with me to the end.
«...
«...
Yeah, not the reaction, definitely not the reaction I was hoping for. They're both standing there, eyes wide open. Hadiya was the first to gather her thoughts, squealed with all her might and hung around my neck. I almost dropped the ring box, by the way!
Vessira was more calm. She just stood there and didn't understand why? While Hadiya didn't care about anything, she was happy about the fact that I(!!!) wanted to marry her. For once. Officially. Vessira, like a true Je'Dayi, was thinking about the traditional oath before the Force, and simply didn't see the point of my actions, though she tried to consider them. Trying so hard, she wrinkled her nose. As I watched her inner torment, I couldn't help but smile, for Katara couldn't even understand Hadiya's joy.
"Well, yes, the rings. Well the beautiful ones. So Shade offered to take an oath. What's the big deal? He's already mine... I don't get it," was roughly how the katara's thoughts flowed. At least, that's how I could interpret that pantomime of emotion. But then, apparently forgetting the whole thing, she smiled and took a step closer and hugged him.
Alas, since Hadiya had to leave immediately, they decided to play the feast a little later. It would have been possible to hold the ceremony in Chikaga, but I would not be allowed to go to the moon for the next couple of years. At least they didn't put a personal overseer on me, as some people had thought, and some people had thought of not letting me out of Enil Kesh at all, but, phew, phew, I dodged such an "honour".
As soon as Hadiya flew away, everyday life began... And not routine at all. It wasn't just me who was bored with what Father and his group had found, two temples were in a tizzy over it. And we decided to start small, with the way the Unified Force interacts with materials. Taking information out of the holocron, I put it on the computer, and from there it was pulled by specific departments.
Also new ways of processing materials, ways to synthesise these materials, because not all of them were physically known to us, and also - how to interact with them and what can be made of them. Having loaded the scientists of the technicians, I went to load the scientists of the monks with new techniques of the Force, not forgetting to warn that everything pulled out is primarily for those who control the Unified Force, so it will need adjustment.
In the process of pulling out, I was doing self-study, trying to internalise what I was pulling out. It was coming out... So-so. Little experience, little practice, but time and regular practice will correct both. I had to change the diary with records, because to rape its memory card further - was fraught with the loss of all records.
The real breakthrough happened when I managed to understand the principle of Kwa's holocron. After beating my head against the wall long enough in an attempt to unravel the secret, the "giraffe" finally realised that the Force had taken pity and sent the discovery to the idiot.
It was so simple. It was so simple that I had an attack of despair and my own inferiority, but Vessira was on the catch and by means of massage and positive emotions restored my faith in my beloved self.
It's all about the very crystals of the Force. I have two Kyber crystals on my hands, one of the most common stones in our area that can be imbued with the Force, but by no means the only ones. These same stones are the very link between the Force and matter. We fuse them into personal armour, we make amplifiers out of them, hell, they're even used in shipbuilding! But in weapons...
So I went to the armourers. They didn't send me straight away this time. They didn't send me away when I mentioned the laser sword, they just asked me again how I saw it. I explained that I needed a moulded sword hilt with a kaiber crystal fused into it. The whole thing is then processed with the Force. After that, it was necessary to loop the crystal for "pyrokinesis", adjust the shape, calibrate the stone, and feed the Force as energy, just as one does with ordinary swords made of metal. As a visual demonstration of the idea, I formed a small ball of plasma over my open palm, consisting of the Force.
The masters got into it and together with me sat down to work on it. Using the holocron, I was able to find a technique for working metal so that it remained metal and not a fucking thing. So, I assembled four handles, two of which I designed myself, and two more for later experimentation. Masters-armourers also did not sit idle and assembled four more handles in the image and likeness.
Then the machining began. The metal had to withstand the excessive pressure of the Force and the high temperatures, so for days on end I just sat over the hilt and meditated, changing its properties. It was only after that that I inlaid a random Force stone into the sampler.
Fitting the stone through meditation and fixing it inside the hilt by "soldering" caused a separate haemorrhoid. Since the stone was "cold", i.e. no one had ever worked with it, it gave in reluctantly. When this stage was over, I started to spin the image of what I wanted from this thing over and over again. Like a looped tape, over and over again, with two commands - switch on and switch off.
When it was time to activate it, a whole committee was assembled. Even Dahlien had broken away from his research to watch my efforts. So, gathering behind the armoured glass and placing the probe on the pedestal, I fed the Force into it. Nothing. Increased the pressure. This time the sword began to "puff" like a faulty motor trying to spit something out. Thinking it lacked power, I increased the pressure even more, but....
I don't know where I made a mistake, but it hit so hard that the armoured glass embedded in the wall was covered with a spider web of cracks, and from the laboratory side it was also melted. It took a while to realise what the problem was. It turned out that the sword just wasn't working for me. Yes, it was working properly. Yes, it was obeying commands while in my hand, and that was because I was making the stone work the way I wanted it to. And once the contact was broken, it shut down and wouldn't respond to commands. I also learnt that the Force can not be transmitted "remotely", you need direct contact, otherwise, it will come from the surrounding space, and this is fraught.
In order to test this theory, I had to make the second sample at once on a clean slate. Having done all the manipulations, I used the same kaiber crystal, found during the time of training in Qigong Kesh. In contrast to the first prototype, everything went straight to the oil, the stone sat in the hilt as if the hilt was specially made for it. In a matter of hours I was able to adjust and calibrate it, the stone did not oppose me, and was coming towards me.
This is where I was tempted to do something stupid. Holding the sword in front of me, I was tempted to activate it right away. Despite the result of the first experience, there was no fear, instead there was a clear understanding that now everything will work out. Giving in to temptation, I gave the Force right in the lab. The masters who had seen it were a little shocked, but when they saw the white-coloured bundle of energy that came out, they swallowed all the curses. The sword worked without a hitch. I heard it, felt it as a part of me, and understood that it would not fail me and would not harm me.
Stepping away from the table and making a couple of swings, I smile stupidly. The kid just got the toy he'd been dreaming of. Unclenching my fingers, I raise the sword above my palm. No problem. Right in the air, I switch it on and off a couple of times. I realised that it only recharges with the Force while it's in my hand. As soon as the contact is broken, the sword starts working on its own accumulated charge until it's completely drained.
Oh, man. It feels weird. I'm holding it in my hand, and it feels weird. Because the blade has no weight, it feels like I'm holding a torch instead of a sword. A torch with occasional black flashes running through it. Also, this torch responds in force, and caresses or something?
Immediately, a series of cutting tests were performed. The sword cut through everything that was put under it, including the Force-infused metal blade. Nothing could stop it, not even a plate of armour infused with the Force. On the strength of his success, he assembled a second one. A metal hilt, with a rough grip surface and wrapped strips of leather. The tip had four spikes to direct the flow in the direction I wanted. The hilt itself was slightly larger, so that it could be gripped with two hands.
After playing with the swords, I handed them to one of the masters. What was my surprise when he couldn't activate it. Although... It's understandable, because it needs both dark and light sides at the same time, not just one. Moreover, I heard the weapon show displeasure when in the wrong hands. It could be described as a slight discomfort coming from someone through a mental channel.
Having stopped torturing the unfortunate weapon, they decided to make a sword that works on a specific side of the Force. Everything is the same, but this time it was not me who did all the work. During the experiments we learnt that the sword, working on the light side, does not want to start in principle. The light side couldn't generate a destructive ray in its purest form. It's not her profile. But as an amplifier for the dark side, it worked perfectly. The energy blade was perfectly even and stable, as if there was a material rod inside.
Changing the aspect from light to dark, they created a weapon, and it even worked, shining with a violet colour, exactly as the stone was embedded. But comparing this sword with mine, there were several differences. The first was that the blade was pulsating, and to maintain it, Je'Dayu constantly needed to keep himself in a negative state. Very negative. The second difference was stability. Unlike my blade, which works like a great Kalimar clock, this thing could explode right in your hand. You can't relax, you can't let go of control, or it'll switch off at best and fizzle out at worst. Having the experience of the first sample, no one wanted to repeat the "bang".
And there was also a third difference. Having conducted the same experiments with the dark sword as with mine, and then crossing the two blades, we could clearly see the difference in the effects. The sword powered by the dark side was more powerful than mine, yes. To cut through one particularly strong alloy, I had to exert some effort. The sword powered by the dark side cut through that same alloy without effort and at a slightly faster speed. Except that when the swords crossed, it turned out that I was able to squeeze through it. At a particularly strong blow the sword of the dark side simply switched off and I had to "restart" it. Or, in advance, it could be infused with much more Force, and only then could it resist me.
Another difference was control. While I only needed to wish for the sword to activate and it would activate at my will, not even a thought, this trick didn't work with a sword working on the dark side. You had to work hard there. Although... It rather depends not on the sword, but on the level of attachment to the gifted person of the crystal built into the sword.
Our games of scientific enquiry around the lightsabers were interrupted by my mother. Visiting her favourite son, she inquired about my affairs, asked me about my new discoveries, and told me how she was settling in. It's a funny thing, but her ship, after leaving the Order, was given to me, and since I'm sitting on Tython, I returned it to my mother's use. Mum herself was looking for a new home somewhere on Chicago, closer to her future grandchildren. Well, the times they are a-changin', but she never changes. At least something in this world is stable.
Afterwards, she expressed interest in my design. After explaining briefly what kind of weapon, how it works and demonstrating several prototypes, she activated one of the Power Swords without any problems under my dumbfounded gaze. In a completely casual motion, as if she had always done it.
«Huh? - I dropped my jaw and rounded my eyes in an uncultured manner.
«Nice weapon," she gave it a couple of swings and returned it to its original position, point up. - Shade, will you make me one? - she looked at me, switching off the sword.
«Yeah... Mum, are you alright?
«Yeah, why?
Looking closely into her eyes, I didn't see even a hint of yellowing. Smiling at my suspicion, she decided to clarify:
«Don't worry, there's really nothing wrong with me. Everyone has their little secrets, right?
«Or wardrobe graveyards," I added, folding my arms across my chest in resentment and shaking my head.
«To each his own," she shrugged.
I explained the process to my mother, and she assembled the Power Swords for herself under my supervision. But the stones wouldn't listen to her, they were neutral. To solve this annoying problem, I suggested that she meditate on the stones for a few days to establish a connection with them, but her mother refused. Instead, she took both swords in her hands, walked to the centre of the room, and meditated. Her block was failing, and I could feel how much pain now reigned in her soul. Like an overflowing bowl, it poured over the edges, making me feel uneasy.
And then the swords started up. Bordeaux red, like blood, they pulsed to the beat of their owner's heart. When my mother opened her eyes, I saw a yellow iris that was changing colour quickly enough. The swords worked as before, but at least without such a bright pulsation.
«That's it.
«What did you do?
«Just shared my old wounds. In case you hadn't noticed, my swords always glow reddish when I'm saturated with the Force.
«Erm... Yeah, I hadn't noticed.
«That's the way it is. When the master suffers, the Force stones bound to him cry with him," she smiled sadly, turning to me.
«Mum, ah...
«Let's close this question? - interrupting me, Mum asked, switching off her swords. - I don't want to bring it up.
«Fine.
I don't know what's in my mother's heart, but... Looking at the swords, I realise that they're not fluffy bunnies. And if this is how she's been living my whole life, I can't even imagine. I remember at one time I was always sinning on the Sith, and the fact that it is difficult to learn the dark side of the force? I take that back. This is the true adept of the dark side of the force. Perfect control that doesn't cloud the mind one iota. I don't know if I could ever come close to that in controlling the unified force.
Come to think of it, Mum's not unique. There are a whole list of masters in Vur Tepe and Enil Kesh who regularly spend hours, if not days, delving into aspects of the Force for work purposes. And then there are the monks who endeavour to grasp the essence of the nature of the Force, again by delving into aspects. I am not talking about regular visits to the sources of the Force at all. Those who fail are sent to one of the moons, and those who succeed... I can see those with my own eyes.
And then there are the ones who don't come back. Those who disappeared in the Force aspect and went too deep, but eventually managed to come back. They're monsters among monsters, I've got a couple of them wandering around right next to me.
These last thoughts pushed me to temporarily step away from science and try to dive deeper into the Unified Force than before. And I even began to prepare for it, Vessira, who was an assistant, was actively supporting me with pure directed faith. And not only faith. Eh... My sweet kitty.
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