Free Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn Page B

desires,” the Jedi noted.
    “Is that what you really believe, Master Obba? Or are you just looking for someone to blame for the death of your former Padawan?”
    The Ithorian sighed. “I admit my own judgment in this may be clouded by my personal feelings. That is why I must trust in the Force and allow it to guide my thoughts and actions.”
    “There is no emotion, there is peace,” the princess remarked.
    “You have studied our Code.”
    “Only informally.”
    “I should have suspected as much,” the Master told her. “I can feel the Force is strong in you.”
    Lucia’s eyes popped open in surprise, though Serra took his observation completely in stride.
    “I fear I am too old to be recruited into your Order, Master Obba,” she said with a faint smile.
    “Even so, the words of our mantra can serve you well,” he admonished her. “You must be ever wary of the temptations of the dark side.”
    “Like the talismans Medd was sent to find?” Serra countered. “That is what this is really about, isn’t it?”
    The Ithorian nodded gravely. “As much as I grieve over his death, I must put those feelings aside and focus on the purpose of his original mission.”
    Lucia was impressed. So far the encounter had gone almost exactly as Serra had predicted. During their preparations for the meeting, the princess had told her the Jedi cared more about ideology and the battle of light and dark than about living people. She had planned to exploit that knowledge to turn the conversation away from discussions of who had hired the assassin … with a little help from Lucia.
    The Jedi love to feel superior , Serra had explained during the shuttle ride. They consider it their duty to educate and inform the ignorant masses. If you ask one of them a question, they can’t help but answer it. We can use this to our advantage during our meeting .
    “Forgive my interruption, Master Obba,” Lucia said, recognizing the opportunity he had given her, “but are these talismans really that important?”
    “I believe they are,” the Ithorian replied.
    “But … how can you be so sure?”
    “I am a member of the Council of First Knowledge,” he explained, launching into a lesson just as Serra had said he would. “We are keepers of the wisdom of the Jedi. We maintain the Great Library, we oversee the teachings of the younglings, and we seek out the ancient histories and Holocrons that will bring us greater knowledgeof the light side of the Force. But we are more than just caretakers. We are also guardians.
    “Not all knowledge is pure; some is touched by evil. There are secrets that must remain hidden; forbidden teachings that should remain forever buried. There is a dark side to the Force. Unchecked it brings death and destruction.”
    Lucia nodded as if absorbing every word, but inside she felt nothing but scorn. The arrogance of the Jedi knew no bounds. As a soldier serving in Kaan’s Brotherhood of Darkness, she had developed a rather different view of the dark side. The Sith taught that emotion—fear, anger, and even hate—should be embraced. She had learned to draw strength from the so-called evil of the dark side, and it had helped her survive through war and years of suffering.
    The Jedi would never understand this. They lived in isolation, meditating in great towers at the center of the galaxy. They had no idea what it was like for the outcasts, the disenfranchised, and the forgotten people forced to live on the fringes of society.
    “The Council of First Knowledge is sworn to keep this terrible power from being unleashed,” Master Obba continued, oblivious of her true feelings. “But the influence of the dark side is scattered throughout the galaxy, as are the tools it uses to spread: ancient texts of Sith sorcery, amulets imbued with malevolent energy, tainted crystals that can corrupt the minds of the innocent.
    “Sometimes these artifacts are discovered by accident, and they fall into the hands of