Jedi Artisan 019

Once Norka had departed, the case was closed, and there was no further need to remain in the Mimban system. Commanding Captain Monogan to take them home, it took about two weeks of travel before Zane returned to Coruscant. 

Without so much as a few hours to find some rest, Zane & Shaak Ti had been summoned by the High Council to report their case. 

Walking into the Jedi High Council chamber, Zane stifled a yawn, completely nonchalant as he faced the twelve most ‘wise’ Jedi of the era. Although glancing at Ki Adi Mundi, he didn't particularly believe that was a very difficult bar to cross. 

At the center of the room sat Grand Master Yoda, his ancient eyes bright with quiet interest. To one side sat Mace Windu, looking as though he had recently bitten into something sour. The contrast between the two Masters could not have been more apparent, and a small grin spread across Zane's face. 

"Welcome back. Successful, your mission appears." Yoda warmly said, gesturing for the pair to step closer, into the middle of the room. 

"Yes, Master Yoda. There were zero casualties this time around.” She graciously replied, responding with a polite bow. 

Zane offered something that was technically a bow, though it looked suspiciously like a lazy stretch.

The darkskinned Master's eye twitched at the lack of decorum, yet he wasn't so petty as to address it in front of the Council. 

"Please begin your report.” Windu said in a no-nonsense tone. 

Shaak Ti stepped forward first.

"The dispute on Mimban has been resolved. Damask Holdings has formally relinquished its claim to the mining operation beneath the sacred Coway temple. All labor contracts-ones that served as de facto slavery-are now null and void.” She explained. Holding up a data slate, she shared the official documentation with everyone present. 

Several Councilors nodded approvingly.

"Excellent.” Ki-Adi-Mundi said, stroking his beard. 

"How was this achieved?" Plo Koon asked, his voice coming out somewhat rough due to his mask. 

Shaak Ti folded her hands behind her back, and briefly closed her eyes in thought. 

"Evidence was uncovered suggesting Damask Holdings had manipulated local circumstances in order to secure favorable agreements. Additional testimony obtained from several pirate groups and mercenaries connected the corporation to coercive actions against the native population." Shaak Ti recited like a perfect student, or teacher's pet. 

"Admitted willingly, they did?" Yaddle-the other tiny green Jedi Master in attendance-asked. 

Zane shrugged. "I convinced them."

"How exactly did you convince them? This isn’t like that incident on Raxus Prime, is it?” Windu asked in a tough tone. 

"Hey. Hey, it was nothing like Raxus Prime. We may have pretended to be a God to scare the natives, and sure, maybe we used the law to scare the mercenaries straight, but my dear Master Windu, this operation, I assure you, was nothing like that catastrophe.” Zane said in an overly dramatic voice. 

Shaak Ti sighed, and rubbed the bridge of her brow. 

“Ahh, the old pretending to be a God trick. Most amusing, young Zane.” The long necked bald, chalk skinned alien, Yarael Poof chuckled. 

The other Masters were less than amused. And they silently stared at Zane, waiting for him to expand upon the assignment. For his part, the Jedi Artisan seemed content to blankly stare out the window at passing hovercars, and speeders. 

"There was one part in the official report that we didn't share with the Republic judiciary. Something that we thought should be kept within the Order.” Shaak Ti said in an effort to boost Zane's capital amongst these Masters. 

"Oh? I sense a conspiracy.” Ki Adi Mundi said, leaning forward. 

Zane idly nodded, to which several Council members exchanged look. 

“You could say I disarmed my attackers…with this.” He said, pulling the small instrument from out of his robes. 

Yoda's ears twitched upward. The old Jedi seemed suspiciously amused.

"A harp?" Plo Koon asked in a disbelieving tone. 

"Yes. Wonderful little instrument. Made it myself. A person cannot touch music, but music can touch you.” He said with a smile. 

Windu shook his head, deciding it was pointless to question Zane any further. He then gestured towards the red skinned Togruta. "Knight Ti. Please continue."

Shaak Ti continued her report with considerably more professionalism.

She outlined the discovery of the temple, the traps they had navigated, the mysticism of the Kaiburr crystal, the actions of Damask Holdings, the pirate attack against the Hammerhead, and finally the negotiations that had forced Norka Hill to surrender the mining rights.

The report lasted nearly twenty minutes. Throughout it all, Zane stood quietly beside her. Well, mostly quietly…At one point he began inspecting one of the Council chairs. At another he seemed fascinated by a decorative wall panel. His fingers were idle, seemingly wanting to pluck the harp's strings, but holding himself back at just the last second. 

Windu noticed this, and practically shot daggers out of his eyes the entire time, barely paying Shaak Ti any attention. When the report finally concluded, several Masters offered their opinions, and closing remarks. 

"Well done. Although prison time Damask Holdings has escaped,  innocent life you have saved. For that, most thankful I am." Yoda said with a small smile. "A victory for the people of Mimban, this is."

Shaak Ti bowed. "Thank you, Master."

"Indeed." Adi Gallia agreed. The space-Indian woman nodded along with Yoda. "The mission objectives were achieved with minimal casualties. To diffuse a situation when being fired upon by a larger force is commendable.” 

"Although there were no casualties in the field, that does not mean that this mission was without consequences.” Windu said, steepling his fingers, he eyed his fellow Masters. 

A shadow crossed Windu’s face, and he seemed none too pleased. 

"Is something troubling you, Master Windu?" Zane asked, wondering what Wookiee had died and climbed up his tree. 

This was about as perfect as a mission could go. He knew Windu was a stickler for the rules and that he was deep down a good man. But what was up with the hostility? You change a man's briefs into pink polka dots one time, and he's still in attack mode? 

The bald Jedi Master stared him down, and then it was his turn to tiredly sigh. Producing a datapad, he pulled up dozens, hundreds of emails, and shared them with everyone present. 

"The Senate complaints. In fact, no less than 24 Senators have issued formal complaints, demanding we censor Knights Zane & Shaak Ti.” Windu said, seemingly irked by the notion. 

Several Councilors began to mutter amongst themselves. 

“Preposterous. Where does the Senate have the gall to question the conduct of our Knights?” Ki Adi Mundi asked, scoffing in ridicule as he read several threatening emails. 

Yoda folded his tiny hands, and raised an eyebrow at his companions. 

"Many complaints, there have been?” 

"Too many to count.” Windu said dryly. His voice carried the distinct tone of a man whose patience had been tested repeatedly. "Apparently a number of Senators are furious."

"Why?" Shaak Ti asked. “Technically, we did everything within our purview as Jedi Knights of the Republic. We broke no laws, killed zero sentients. What did we do?” Shaak Ti-ever the compassionate woman-was deeply troubled by this turn of events. Like a good girl who had never gotten in trouble before, she didn't know how to handle these sudden false accusations. 

"Because their children were assigned to that Hammerhead that you two requisitioned.” Windu explained. 

Understanding dawned on Shaak Ti's face. The Hammerhead, of course. That vessel that had spent centuries serving as little more than a ceremonial assignment, or a prestigious dead-end posting had suddenly been flung into the armpit of the galaxy, and was faced with combat. What was supposed to be a safe, comfortable, and boring time spent above the galaxy's capital had transformed into a life or death scenario. 

“We should have taken the Consular-class light cruiser.” Shaak Ti muttered in a low voice, so that only Zane could hear. 

Rolling his eyes, he wasn't one bit miffed at the decision to take the Hammerhead. He had flipped a cred on it, and was proven correct. Without those big guns, and heavy armor acting as a deterrent, they'd have been blasted into space dust, or forced into an emergency landing if they took that Consular-class ship. 

"The Senators expected their sons and daughters to spend a year aboard a museum piece collecting commendations and attending banquets.  The ship was attacked by pirates, engaged in combat, conducted investigations, flew into dangerous territory." Windu listed off one thing after another. 

"The horror.” Zane yawned. 

"The Senate apparently agrees with that assessment.” Windu replied. 

"They joined the Judicial Forces, and were assigned to a starship. Do the parents really have any legitimate complaint? Have they no shame?” Zane slowly stated, and shook his head at this nothing-burger of a farce. 

"You're right. I think they're overreacting. Furthermore, they have no place dictating who this council should and shouldn't censor.” Windu said, directing his stern fury towards the Senate Rotunda just outside the window. 

Zane raised an eyebrow in surprise. He always knew Windu wasn't that bad. 

“So~. I'm free to go? Mission accomplished and all that, yeah?” Zane asked in a cautious tone, and took a slow step backwards towards the door. 

Yoda laughed, pausing Zane in his step. 

‘Whatever this is, it can't be good. The green gremlin always laughed like this when him and Oogway were trading wisdom.’ Zane thought to himself with a sour expression slowly emerging on his face. 

"Unexpected, reality can be. Senators children in danger, why sign up at all? A good laugh to be had when pride falls flat, hrm?” Yoda chuckled, and tapped his wooden cane against the side of his chair. 

"Not all of them were useless. I thought Lieutenant Bel Iblis performed exceptionally well.” Zane cautiously got out, hoping to talk his way out of whatever mad plan Yoda was cooking up. 

"He did " Shaak Ti agreed. “The scion of Corellia was instrumental in securing a pair of corporate spies. He also acted with both forthrightness, and a willingness to follow the law.” She said, painting a picture full of glowing praise despite Iblis’ lack of social etiquette. 

"Captain Monogan was also quite the professional. Her reports should exonerate myself and Knight Ti in the court of public opinion.” Zane said, quick to add more names to the pile, and muddy the water. 

"The captain received praise from the Judicial Department. Her report did speak highly of you two…even if it did detail you, Zane as being a particularly unorthodox piece of hard candy. Whatever that means.” Windu said, and frowned. 

“Enlighten us into this Captain's inner thoughts, can you, Knight Zane?” Yaddle innocently asked. 

Shaak Ti blushed purple, and Zane laughed it off with the shake of his head. 

"Then the mission sounds like a success." Master Adi said. The calm female Jedi Master motioned to several others, indicating that she had heard enough. 

"Strong in the Force, young Zane is." Yoda eventually said. “Successful, your mission was. Protected the innocent, uncovered corruption, and peace restored, you have. Proud of you, the Council is."

For a moment, Zane's usual carefree expression softened, and Shaak Ti bowed deeply. Zane followed a second later, this time with an actual bow.

"Thank you, Masters.” Shaak Ti said.

Yoda silently smiled, then he glanced toward Windu.

"...you two go back and rest. So long as I am Order Master, not even Senators can abuse my Knights.” Windu said in a tough tone, dismissing them both. 

Zane grinned, and performed a Jedi style salute. "Good luck, Master Windu."

Just as he was about to leave, Yoda coughed, grabbing his attention. 

“Meet Oogway and I for tea under the Uneti tree after washed and settled you have.” 

Zane smiled his understanding, and practically ran out of the High Council Chamber. 

When those two geezers got together, trouble was afoot.