Chapter 97 - More Than a Weapon

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General Di watched the backs of the clones, and nodded to his padawan, who followed them reluctantly.

To tell the truth, Ima-Gun Di was really worried about his padawan. The boy had just arrived, a fresh apprentice, but was kidnapped by some bounty hunters for reasons that were still unknown. His confidence had suffered a huge blow, and General Di knew that if he didn't fix that, the young padawan could, and would, lose all his fighting spirit and motivation.

Because of that, when Ragout said he needed to get his lightsaber back, General Di readily agreed. He understood how important a lightsaber was to a jedi.

Not the metal part of it, but the true soul and heart of the lightsaber, the kyber crystal, that was the important bit. A broken lightsaber could still be fixed or switched on the condition that the crystal was still intact. General Di himself had lost a couple lightsabers during his life. But is the crystal was destroyed, a jedi could never get another. The connection between a jedi and his lightsaber was like that, if one side of it disappeared, the other also couldn't exist.

A lightsaber was more than a weapon. It was the symbol of a jedi, the proof that he deserved his position. During their training, the younglings built a strong link with their weapon, a link that couldn't be broken. If that happened, all the pain and sorrow that the crystal and its owner felt would be turned in a strong emotion: rage, hate, madness. That emotion would be driven to the crystal, and it would suffer as if it was a living creature. When the pain was too much, the crystal would either break or change colors. In the first case, the mind of the jedi would break together with the crystal. In the last, the crystal would turn red, and the oldest enemies of the jedis would be born. That was how siths first came into being.

So, General Di couldn't let that happen to Ragout. Although most probably it wouldn't get to that point, he didn't want to risk anything.

He walked slowly in the room, stepping lightly in the spaces between the sleeping pirates and bounty hunters. He saw the red-skinned pig-man that captured Ragout leaning on a wall, many empty bottles around him. There was no sign of the woman or the droids, but the palace was big, and they could be anywhere. He didn't want to waste time on them.

He soon arrived in front of the big, sleeping, fat figure in the bed. Jabba the Hutt was snoring loudly, mucus dripping from his nose and mouth. General Di jumped over the sleeping Twi'leks, and came face to face with the crime lord.

With a quiet 'zoom' sound, his blue lightsaber flicked into existence, its tip only millimeters away from Jabba's face.

Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was instinct, but the Hutt woke up without any help from General Di. Without opening his small eyes, he used his long tongue to sweep up and swallow the mucus and leftover food on his face. Only after that did he opened his eyes, and immediately closed then again when he saw the lightsaber. His lips parted open, about to call the guards when he heard General Di's cold voice.

"You better not do anything. If your guards come, the first to suffer the consequences will be you."

The Hutt froze, looking to the lightsaber, and then to the jedi, and the lightsaber again. The tip of his tail twitched nervously, and his eyes showed rage.

"Shouruu woydio yerrrriek! Touoyt harmetyw jedi, woooloah soouty! Fottyywe..."

"Enough. I do not speak your language, but I am sure you can understand mine. So listen carefully, Hutt. My name is Ima-Gun Di, jedi master. The padawan who you imprisoned was my padawan. Now, Jabba, try to explain to me why a Hutt lord is kidnapping young jedi."

The Hutt said something in his language, and when he saw that General Di didn't understand him, he used his small arms to point to somewhere near him. When General Di looked over, he saw a protocol droid similar to F5-PO88.

"No droids. Tell me why, now."

The eyes of Jabba showed some internal struggle, but he apparently gave up, and started talking the Common Language with difficulty.

"Guettro... I not speak well... huefas. I not know... tuyry gyrti... he was jedi... joggiwe... bounty hunter bring him, say I... durave youna... say I pay good."

General Di didn't believe a word the Hutt was saying. But it was better to let things flow. He couldn't risk a conflict here.

"Then why didn't you contact the Republic immediately?"

"I tried... furatewque cotyas. Sun storm too... strong. Have to wait. Gutyuu."

"Well. Then, Jabba, I am sure you won't mind that I take my padawan back with me. That will free you from a lot of bureaucracy."

"Yyoouy... of course. I send someone to get him."

"No need. Now, Jabba, give me his lightsaber. You don't want him to be ashamed for losing his weapon, right?"

A dangerous glint flashed in the Hutt's eyes. After some moments of careful consideration, he eventually gave the lightsaber to General Di, who caught it using the Force. Before leaving he made sure to warn the Hutt about the consequences of capturing jedis.

"Thank you, mighty Jabba. Before I take my leave, I think it is important that we make one thing clear. The Jedi Council won't allow this to happen again. So, when your bounty hunters bring their prey, make sure it is a good idea to accept it. I would hate to see you in such unfortunate circ.u.mstances again."

Ignoring the rage on Jabba's face, General Di retreated slowly, always with his lightsaber pointed to his opponent. Jabba could do nothing more than swear quietly.

General Di wasn't surprised to find Dageer waiting for him. He knew how the troops under him thought, and already expected something like that. So, he only nodded to Dageer and started running.

Not much later, both of them heard the angry screams of Jabba the Hutt, and started running faster. It wouldn't take long until the whole palace started chasing them.