Homecoming Chapter 4: Time For Change
It was still quiet in the communications room as we waited for a connection. It hadn’t surprised me it was taking so long, though. The Trial’s first attack was on the communications so no reinforcements could be notified. Emily, Jake, and Bastila sat in a corner, discussing a family matter. Nicol and I sat near the receiver. I was watching Bastila and the Twins; Nicol was watching me and the receiver.
“You know you have to tell them sometime. They have a right to know,” Nicol said softly.
“Just because they have the right to know doesn’t mean I should be the one to tell them,” I told her, tossing my lightsaber around in my hand.
“I would, if I were you. better to hear it from you when you’re alive than from Bastila after you’re dead.”
“It just might have to come to that because I don’t think after our next meeting with The Trial that I’ll be around.”
Nicol looked at me with frightened eyes. “That can’t happen, Isaac. If you’re gone, then The Trial will surely kill us all, or enslave us.”
I shook my head. “You’ll still have hope in the Twins. If I can’t save us, then they can.”
Nicol looked at the Twins. “Are they going to be as strong as you are?”
“They need to be.” Nicol nodded, and I went back to tossing my lightsaber.
“Isaac…in..Come..Isaac.” Words started to come through our receiver. “This…Commander…Scarline…Come..”
I grabbed my portable holotransmitter and quickly set it up. Scarline came up almost immediately.
“Isaac, finally. I’ve been trying for half an hour trying to reach you. Is the mission complete?” she asked in her commander-sounding voice.
“Mission complete, but it has a heavy casualty loss. Many padawans and Knights have been slaughtered. There are younglings missing, but I’m guessing they’re still in hiding. The Trial don’t kill younglings,” I explained.
“Were our missing padawans found?”
“We’re fine, Master. Knight Isaac managed to bring defenses back online, also,” Emily spoke up.
“Excellent. I’ll send a recovery team down with reinforcements ASAP. As for your ship, Isaac, I’ll send a mechanic unit down as well.”
“Thank you,” I replied, clipping my lightsaber back onto my belt.
“An escort ship will also be down to transport your group to the Anchormansion. Lanmei and the Council are requesting and update upon arrival.”
“Understood, Scarline. See you when we arrive.” I turned off the holotransmitter, picked it up, and attached it right beside my lightsaber.
“Quite popular now that you’re back, aren’t you, Isaac?” Nicol asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Funny, Nicol. So funny I forgot to laugh,” I told her, drapping my cloak back around my shoulder. I sighed softly to myself. People were going to talk now. Word would spread. it was going to be a long, few months now.
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As the walk to the communications tower had been quiet, so had the ride to the Anchormansion. The Anchormansion was the flag ship of Scarline’s fleed. TI was one of the largest assault starships I’ve ever seen, but just because it was big didn’t mean that I’d choose it in a fight. Once we landed on the Anchormansion and started to walk down the corridors, many padawans greeted Emily and Jake as we passed by.
“Jake!” A young girl ran over to us and hugged Jake after pushing by Nicol. This padawan must’ve not known who we were, or she would’ve bowed before joining our group as some of the other, older padawans had. “You missed it! Marien’s been chosen for her Jedi Trials!”
Jake was taken by surprise at the information the girl had just said. “Oh, that’s awesome. When does she leave for her first Trial?” he asked softly.
“Tomorrow. She said if you got here before, then I was to tell you to go find her and at least say good-bye. We just didn’t really think you’d show up this early.”
“Thanks, Cryl.” We waited as the girl ran back to the room she had came out of. Jake just stared after her, not saying a word. Nicol gently put her hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up at her.
“Go and say good-bye to your friend, Jake. I’ll let Jolee know that you’ll see him in an hour,” Bastila told our son softly. I just stood there, watching the two. Jake looked at Nicol; she just winked at him. Jake nodded and started to walk down the corridor to our left. His head was slightly down, thinking carefully like I had seen Bastila do.
“I’m guessing this Marien girl is a close friend of Jake’s,” I said.
“Very. We’ve known her since we were chosen as padawans,” Emily explained. We continued our walk down the corridor again.
We entered the bridge; Scarline was explaining plans to a soldier. He kept nodding to whatever Scarline said. This kept me suspicious of Scarline’s new personality. Scarline was not only changing her personality, but she was also changing how she was executing her plans. Something was out of place, and it bothered me. Scarline looked up at us as we entered the bridge.
“Isaac, you’re back. before you update the Council on the Temple’s condition, I would like to inform you that we have an update on The Trial. It looks as if there’s been more attacks similar to this attack in the past two years, but it’s all spread out through the Mid and Outer Rims. I know I shouldn’t have held you from your meeting with the Council, but I thought I’d let you know about the attacks. Lanmei informed me that she’d like to speak to you, Nicol, and Bastila. Emily, you are to stay here and analyze this data with me,” Scarline said in the voice that seemed so familiar to me that it almost made me smile when I remembered the old times.
Emily went straight to her master, my eyes on her, but my mind was elsewhere. Their attacks had increased because I was out of the picture during those two years. This wasn’t good at all, especially since their attacks were spread, and I had no idea why they had attacked so spread out. When I finally concentrated on what was going on, I found myself in the communicatons room, the transmitter coming online.
Lanmei appeared before us, her power almost radiating off her body. “Isaac, was your mission a success?”
I bowed. “Yes, Master Lanmei. The Temple was saved, the Twins were rescued, and so were many of the younglings, padawans, and Masters. Although many were saved, a great deal of padawans and masters sacrificed their lives to protect The Temple.”
Lanmei sighed deeply. “That is unfortunate, but they will be remembered for sacrificing their lives to protect the innocents in the Temple.”
“Council member Lanmei, Scarline said you needed to speak to the three of us,” Bastila spoke up, interrupting Lanmei’s deep mourning.
Lanmei regained her composure. “Yes. While you were on Alaris Prime, I received disturbing news. Master Jolee Bindo has been murdered. A Jedi investigation has began, but young Jake will need a new mentor.”
“I’ll do it,” I said, not a second after lanmei had finished her sentence.
“No! I won’t allow it!” Bastila said.
“Enough!” Lanmei shouted. She turned to me. “There are consequences to you mentoring Jake, Isaac.”
“He nor Emily know I am their real father. Also, if what I fear is that The Trial is after Emily, Jake, or I, then I need a reason to be closer to them. This is an opportunity to help protect the Twins from further danger,” I explained.
“You also bring danger wherever you go. It was already trouble trying to get Jake and Emily to focus on their Jedi studies. I don’t need them in more trouble,” Bastila countered.
“Enough, Bastila. I am appointing Isaac as Jake’s new mentor to protect him from future Sith attacks. isaac is powerful in the Force, which will make him an excellent mentor. Another reason I am appointing him as Jake’s mentor is because I agree with him; if The Trial is after either of the three, the Isaac needs to be close to Jake and Emily to protect them.”
Bastila sighed in defeat. “Understood, Council member Lanmei.” Nicol patted her shoulder.
“Nicol, I’m sending you to Gargon, the site of Master Bindo’s murder, to help the investigation along. Hopefully we can find his killer without drawing too much attention to our investigation,” Lanmei instructed Nicol.
“Understood, Master Lanmei. I’ll send regular updates during the investigation,” Nicol replied.
“Bastila, you will continue to work with Scarline and Emily on our politicial matters with the Republic,” Lanmei said, her focus now on Bastila again. Bastila only nodded.
Lanmei looked at the three of us. “May the Force be with all of you. Also, make sure you are carrying a holotransmitter with you at all times for updates from your fellow Knights before you depart.”
The holotransmitter powered down, ending our meeting with the High Council member. I looked at Bastila, only to be met with a punch to the face. I didn’t back up nor did I fall to the ground from the force of the punch. I only turned my head to look at her, my cheek filling with pain.
“If I see one scratch on Jake, I’ll make sure you’re never by him or Emily again, Isaac,” Bastila said, anger in her voice. Then she stormed off back towards the bridge.
I looked at Nicol, who only shrugged. I sighed as I left the communications room. I knew Bastila was going to be mad at me, but I needed to find Jake. If The Trial was going to attack again soon, then I needed to be ready. If my plan went accordingly, then maybe Jake would also know ways to defend himself from The Trial.
I walked down the hall, looking for Jake. I hadn’t seen him since he left to find his friend, Marien. I kept walking down different corridors, looking for him. I found him soon enough.
He was with another girl, probably Marien, sitting outside a room. The girl was shorter than Jake was; her hair was short and brown. They looked up at me as I came down the corridor towards them.
“Jake, I need to talk to you,” I told him, watching them stand up.
“About?” he asked.
“Master Bindo. I’m sorry Jake, but Lanmei has just informed us that he was just recently murdered on Gargon. An investigation is underway, and Nicol is on her way to help the investigation along.”
Jake looked as if he had seen a ghost. “What’s going to happen to me?”
“I’ve been instructed to be your new Master. Until we can find where the Sith are, the ones that attacked the Temple, you and I will be leaving for training right away.” I turned and headed towards the hanger. “I suggest you finish saying your good-byes because we leave in one hour.”
Now came the hardest test I’ve ever had to do: Train a young padawan experienced Knight, almost Master, techniques to defend himself.
