>>5530855…had you? The crates she threw had broken Ma’kis’ arm, and nearly crushed Darté. The bolts she deflected nearly struck Farr and Arana. Hell, Force knows how she would’ve tried to harm Sia-Lan when the guardian refused to part with the cortosis blade. And that of course, wasn’t even going into the fact that those moves she used on you would’ve been fatal, if not permanently maiming.
“…I gave her what she wanted,” you counter flatly, “And proved that her plan wasn’t up to snuff against a Shadow, let alone an actual Sith Lord.”
What you don’t say is that you used tactics that would’ve been completely fine against Dark Jedi, or Dark Side adepts. Nor the fact that Master Potkin may very well have damned herself, and that you’d be fully within your rights as a Shadow to eliminate the threat.
But you hold off any more acerbic remarks. They don’t have an immediate rebuttal. Eventually, Darté grunts, sheathing his lightsaber. “You did everything short of killing her…but you held back at the last moment.”
It’s not a condemnation as much as it is a neutral statement of fact. Then again, at least the other Jedi aren’t jumping you to try and avenge her.
“She’ll live,” you say, repeating it emphatically. “Which is more than I could say if you guys fought Vader and the 501st.”
“…he was right not to hold back,” says Arana, much to everyone’s surprise. Including yours. He nods resolutely, glancing almost dismissively at Potkin’s limp form. “The Sith won’t fight like Jedi. Ren’s tactics are unorthodox, and some might argue that they stray towards the dark. But they not only prove the weakness of her plan, they <span class="mu-i">work</span>. And that is all that matters.”
Ma’kis isn’t the only one to raise a sharp eyebrow. Sia-Lan looks extremely disquieted by what he had said, and Darté looks like he’d offer an incredibly sharp rebuke. But this isn’t the time and the place for an ideological powwow. Clock’s ticking, and Vader draws ever-closer to Kessel.
Clearing your throat, you interject, “I don’t suppose any of you guys have ships of your own? I’ve got room aboard mine, but it’s gonna be tight.”
They shake their heads. All of them had chartered passage aboard freighters. If any of them had any ships during the Clone Wars, they either scuttled them during Order 66, or abandoned them due to their association with Jedi.
“I’d trade this paperweight for the <span class="mu-i">Mystic Burn</span>,” grumbles Sia-Lan, awkwardly sheathing the cortosis blade on her hip. “Force knows Deel and Rorworr tried their darndest to keep that rust bucket afloat…as well as where they are now.”
“What kind of ship was it?” you ask.
The guardian smiles wanly as the veil of nostalgia settles over her. “YT-1200 freighter. Not nearly as fancy as the 1250 or the 1300’s, but she was a good ship. Carried us out into the wider galaxy after the Battle of Naboo.”
(cont.)