There was no limit to my happiness, not until I saw the planet we'd come to. As I left the shuttle with the other passengers, my smile faded as I looked around at the vastness of the planet.
«Shade, what's wrong? - Irbis stood beside me. Just outside the landing pad and terminal was a corridor to the dome city, with transparent windows that overlooked the planet.
A rather depressing view, by the way. A lifeless desert, covered in smoke and soot, overlooking working factories. You can barely see the sky, let alone the stars, and you can only breathe with a jumpsuit.
Damn... And this planet used to be quite a blooming planet, with plenty of life and vegetation. But with resource extraction and factory construction, the ecology simply ceased to exist. I understand building domed cities on planets that are known to be uninhabitable, but here... Knox was just killed. I've found pictures of what the planet looked like in its original state. Not even a trace of its former glory.
«Shade?
«Just thinking. Irbis, tell me, what kind of person would you be to pollute your own planet like that? - I nod at the picture behind the armoured glass. The view involuntarily made me think of Earth. Painted caricatures of working, smoky factories in a grey, dreary world.
«Does that appeal to you? - he looked off into the distance.
«You know it does. It does. I don't understand the reasoning behind it. There's filters, there's special cleaning equipment, even recycling plants! Ska-Gora is quite environmentally friendly, provided there are mines and mines, and it's a whole planet's worth of nature reserves!- That's why Ska Mountain is so carefully protected. After what Knox has become, the inhabitants of Ska-Gora decided to ban settlement on the planet, and went to the floating cities.
«Is it really necessary to see a shitty example to realise the value of your own planet?
«No, but at that point the campaign to clean up the planet proved too expensive. So instead of cleaning the planet, it was just..." he faltered.
«They decided to kill it," I finish. - Phenomenal decision. No, well, in principle, yes, what's the big deal? The climate is killed anyway, it's still an arsehole, so why bother now? I can assume that it was after this that industrial centres were purposefully moved here. Including the chemical industry.
«Yes. That's what happened," Irbis sighed.
«And why didn't the J'Daii intervene?
«Because they were one of the participants in this... process," the teacher grimaced. - We are not the guardians of the world, Shade. If you knew J'Dayi's history better, you'd know how much blood we have behind us. And by the way, that's what you're all about, fighting and killing.
«I think a little differently.
«How so?
«If I'm ordered to kill someone I personally believe to be innocent, I won't do it, Irbis. I am not an executioner, to recklessly take the lives of those I am ordered to kill.
«But it will be your duty. With your interests and... peculiarities, you will be no different.
«You're wrong. Irbis, you've already guessed that I'm far enough from the Order in my views. That's why I don't worry too much about being excluded.
«Explain?
«The Order is trying to find harmony with the Force around us. But how can we find harmony out there when we don't have any inside of us? And no, I'm not talking about self-control," I said before the teacher opened his mouth. - We're fine with that. I'm talking about our view of the Force itself. We know it's with us. That it's inside us. But then why doesn't anyone even think about trying to know it?
«I don't understand your point. The Force is one, it's with us and around us. It nourishes us, and we learn to operate with it in balance.
«Irbis, that's not what I'm saying. The power that is inside us is like an invisible organ that is there, that works, and we use it without even noticing it and take it for granted. You see... - I looked into the distance... - It's hard to explain, but I'll try. From a small age, we learn the Force as a tool. Dark side and Light side, two sides of the same coin, and we learn to balance between them. YOU learn to balance between them. But I don't understand that. I don't understand why we need to switch ourselves from one to the other when they are essentially one. It's with us, it's within us, so why aren't we using it?
«Maybe because... it's dangerous? - Squinting at me and as if to ask me carefully, the teacher asked.
«Maybe. I know the Force can drive you mad, many examples sit on both moons. Admittedly... I have little understanding of these processes, but at the same time I believe that the Force is One. I... I believe it with all my soul. Moreover, we ourselves believe that after death we go to the One Power. And the dark and light sides are derivatives of the whole.
«But for this you have to balance between darkness and light.
«Rather, you have to control yourself carefully.
«And how? - What's wrong with him? I feel like I'm being probed. - Is it working?
«I think so. It's hard sometimes, though. Common training methods don't work for me. Moreover, after them I get headaches, sometimes I have fits of anger, in other cases I want to lie down and do nothing. When I was training in Qigong Kesh it was very hard, but now it's more or less the same. In any case, I have to invent adaptations of old techniques to my personal abilities, and not always the result will work. At least work somehow.
«Mmmm...
«Also, when working with the Force, I got the impression of a filter.
«What's that like?
«When we absorb the Force, we filter it, making it safe. You don't go crazy when you deliberately upset the balance, do you? - I squint at Irbis and snicker. - No, you don't. But at high concentration of strictly light or dark energy the filter stops coping, and that's when the roof starts to leak. If you fix that filter, control returns. If not, then..." I sigh. - Then nothing will help there. Of course, there are a lot of conventions and factors that affect it, but I think you get the gist of it.
Irbis nodded.
«An unusual look, but a slender one. Where'd you pick that up?
«Mum used to talk about the fallen J'Dayas. Lots of stories. She gave me things to read. Instead of going out with the other kids, I spent my evenings reading books and studying the material I was interested in. She also tried to teach me traditional practice, but it was not given to me somehow, so I went my own way.
«Do you have any proof of the hypothesis? Well... Experiments, evidence?
«Nope. It's just my speculation, formed after analysing the material. I lack both knowledge and practice, so I'm sorry, I can't give you anything more than a hypothesis.
«So what are you going to do with them? Go to the Council of the J'Daiyans?
«Of course not.
«Well, you're going to argue your point, aren't you?
«It hurts. If the Council knew what was going on in my head, they'd have kicked me out of the Order a long time ago. Like they did with Dad. Mum just keeps her opinions to herself, even though she's different from the standard.
«Wrong. The theory is solid and fits the code. Exclusion is out of the question, rather they'll try to retrain you in more traditional methods of Force operation.
«Heh, thanks, but I'll pass. My gut is churning at the thought of having to go all the way back.
«And not just your gut," the nogri muttered quietly, thoughtfully.
«What's that?
«I see what's wrong with you, I said. Then why did you tell it to me?
«Are you my teacher, or are you out for a walk? - I turn to Irbis, to which he hummed quietly. - And besides, you're a master of Balance, you know better than I do the rules of power and balance. Who else am I going to talk to about it if not you?
«Also true. But there will be no discussion here.
«Why not?
«The hypothesis is viable, more than viable... - at that moment I thought he wanted to add something, but he restrained himself. What the hell is wrong with him today? - Hmm, but the hypothesis needs to be confirmed. I won't challenge it or agree with it. But if you stick to it, I'd love to see where you end up.
«Look," I shrug.
«My point is for you to share your thoughts as it develops.
«Huh, you'll have your thoughts, so don't regret it.
«Thank you. And on that note, I suggest we get back to business, they're waiting for us after all.
«By whom?
«As I said, the parties haven't agreed on their own, so we'll sort it out, - he shrugged his shoulders. - And we'll do it peacefully," he looked at me. - I said peacefully, Shade.
«What about me?
«Let's see what you've learnt.
«A bullet to the forehead is an excellent negotiating tool.
«You're incorrigible," Irbis shook his head.
«I was only joking. But seriously, should I go for a walk, or..." I waved my hand uncertainly.
«No. Not a step away from me this time, or I don't want you to start a coup here.
«Are you trying to put me on a leash? - I'm noticing that Irbis is really trying to leave me alone for long periods of time.
«I want you to learn to think, not just swing a sword. Watch, memorise and analyse how to negotiate properly.
«Got it. You're the boss, I'm the fool.
«Irbis shook his head, looking at my satisfied face.
The city we entered was strikingly different from the picture outside the window. Some of the buildings served as support columns for the dome and stretched all the way to the ceiling. There weren't many of them, only six, but it looked epic.
Also, unlike Chikagu, which was at a crossroads between the fifteenth and twenty-second centuries, this place was remotely cyberpunk. Narrow streets, illuminated signs, crowds of all kinds of people. From guys in dirty work overalls, to uncles in decent suits with personal guards. Ordinary citizens were also present, but mostly it was the working class that walked around the city. Yeah, well, what did I want from a factory planet? I was a little hasty on the execution planet part, but in another millennium or so, it'd reach that proud title.
«Shade? - Irbis glanced at me when I rubbed my nose again.
«Air. Irritating," I muttered, trying to shake off the irritation in my nasopharynx with the Force. The air in here was strange after all. It was mechanical, dry, with a hint of oil. All in all, unpleasant.
«It's a bit of an adjustment. Well, you'll get used to it eventually.
«Is it like this everywhere on Knox?
«No, it depends on the air purification system. In this city, it's old, and where it's newer, it does a better job. But in general, the air is unpleasant everywhere, just to different degrees.
«Yeah. One planet has maniacs, another has an atmosphere that makes your eyes water. What's next? Regular meteor showers, plus earthquakes and tornadoes?
«No, we're not going to the Sunspot yet," Irbis grinned and shook his head.
«Did I just guess that? Really?! Shit... Take me back to Tython.
«Pha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha...
«What are you laughing at? I'm serious!
«Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh, you haven't been to Creve Coeur, it's fabulous. Hot atmosphere, the surface is covered with crystals, you can move normally only through caves, and they are full of local hungry animals.
«That's great," I shook my head. Yeah, Tython isn't the worst planet in the system. The whole system is just one big fucked up mess.
Sighing, I reach into my pocket for a candy bar. At least some joy in this grey, dull world....
«What? - I squint at Irbis.
«Why do you keep eating them? It's a child's treat, a child's treat. To chew on when they're teething.- They're delicious, by the way. My mum got me hooked on them, you know what they do for your brain?
«Something suspicious bars, - he really looked at the treat in my hand.
«Why are you so suspicious? I eat them all my life - and nothing. Here! - I held out another one.
«Shade, if you don't care about your reputation, then don't ruin it for me. I'm not supposed to be in a position to be messing around like this.
«Like a hofef. It's a great topic, isn't it?
«...
«Crunch, crunch, crunch.
«...
«Yum!
«Okay, let me see what you're eating.
«Heh-heh-heh, - feeling like a tempting serpent, I hand over the sweetness.
«Mmmm... Yeah, there's really something to it. Moderately sweet, hard, high-calorie, with dried meat bits," Nogri nodded.
«You know, I'm thinking of starting my own company sometime.
«М?
«You know, new bars, marketing, business, all that stuff. And I'm gonna call it "Evil Bars!"
«Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.
«Or "Evil Happiness." Sounds good, doesn't it?
«Whoo-hoo-hoo. Whoo-hoo.
«Irbis, why are you coughing? Are you choking?
«No, I'm happy for you.
«Yeah, yeah, I can feel your joy.
So, word by word, we got to the company that was in trouble. It was a small company that made electronics for everything. And the shipments went directly to Tytone. They were, until now.
Throughout the negotiations, I stood by and kept a low profile, watching Irbis negotiate. It turned out that the company decided to strangle the good colleagues, firstly by arranging a massive injection of silica sand into the market, and then, immediately after that, there was a shortage. The paradox is that the company supplying the sand had prearranged the date of the dumping, and "their own" were warned and bought up everything in time.
Well, when prices soared, their people simply and uncomplicatedly buy sand at triple the price, just to raise the price even higher, and the company - the supplier, returns to the buyer part of the money by buying equipment from the same, again, at triple the price. Both are run by the same owner, so it was more like "pouring from one container to another". But that didn't make it any easier for us. Tyton and a number of other companies that buy electronics were suffering because of internal disputes and the desire of one company to eat someone smaller, not even necessarily the one we flew to.
So, after listening to the problem, Irbis arranged negotiations where representatives of the conventionally warring parties came together. Admittedly, I hadn't seen a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and so really watched with interest as Irbis organised it all.
And the teacher surprised me. He threatened a major company that if they didn't curb their appetites and stabilise the situation, Tython would shut down its orders and temporarily tie its belt. There are similar factories producing the same electronics, albeit in smaller volumes, so we can pull out. But a company that loses THOSE contracts is probably not going to make it.
Again, this company is not the only one in the world. There are other small private companies. Yes, their volumes are much smaller, but what, in fact, is the difference whether we buy from one company or from several, and at a lower price?
Having realised what a hole the guys had dug for themselves, the conflict was resolved that very evening. Moreover, this shrewd bug, for a forfeit, even managed to get discounts on the already dropped(!) price! Yes, Irbis was using the Force in some places, but still, his cunning and ability to turn circumstances inside out... I'm amazed!
I told him so.
«Learn, my padawan, learn and remember. A gun to the head and a kind word are not the only way to resolve a conflict, though effective. Companies, especially large ones, fear what? Bankruptcy! Or heavy losses. So this can and should be used, imposing their interests. And then, between the company and the client, the initiative will always be with the client, because it is YOU who buys goods from them.
«And if it is a monopolist? The goods are needed, there are no alternatives, and the company is impudent. What to do?
«Depends on the situation, - Irbis thoughtfully tapped his claw on his lips. - You can approach his friends, you can negotiate with other clients, even that one will have to bend under the pressure. As a last resort, you can do things your way.
«О!
«Oh what? I didn't say you were doing it wrong. It's effective, yes, but when there's an alternative, why always go one-sided? Besides, besides the whip and the pressure, there's the doughnut. For example, negotiate a new contract, some services, or even just mutual discounts, because even a monopolist needs to buy something from someone, and there are possible variants. I remember I had just such a conflict. Well, I approached the equipment suppliers, negotiated with them, and the monopoly on pentane powder got very, very bad. Since then, there's no monopoly on that powder anymore.- Well... I have to grow up to such a thing," I sigh.
«Well, you'll learn. Nothing comes right away," I got a tap on the shoulder.
«Mm-hmm.
And so began my wanderings through the Tython system. After Chikagu, we didn't stay anywhere else for long, spending most of our time on ships. I took the opportunity to poke around with the technicians, pilots and even the captain. Yes, I was a dummy, but I was interested, so, due to my education, they tried to explain the material to me in an accessible language. It was not difficult to arrange lessons, the crew itself did not mind to share knowledge with a curious decent guy.
Training with Irbis continued. Moreover, mutual. As I was trying to adjust the technique to myself, I'm an unoriginal Je'daii and use the Force a little differently, so I showed Irbis this and the benefits that can be obtained from it. Irbis, in return, kept me up to speed on theory and practice. On a regular basis we arranged with each other a kind of mock trials, in which Irbis would pretend to be nothing, and I would have to convince him of something. It wasn't much, but it was fun.
An outlet was a spontaneous meeting with Gris. Wookiee, in the company of the master, was hanging around Ska-Gora and kept order there fulfilling the role of... well, the closest it would be to the police. And as soon as that furry mat sensed me, he ran up and almost strangled me. While we chatted with him about training and how things were going, the teachers were talking about their own things.
Later, it turned out that Zeng and Feng were also hanging around. The twins had become miners. A miner was a type of Je'daii who went into the most dangerous areas to get something valuable out of them, either for the good of the Order or for commercial purposes. And since we had plenty of dangerous zones, the profession was very, very honourable.
The funny thing is, it was none other than Ramira who put them up to it. I didn't expect it from that dandelion... The girl needed special roots for her medical research, which don't just grow anywhere. So these two volunteered to get them. Hence the interest, then they were given a teacher with the appropriate skills, that's how they started wandering around the system. They got the stubs, by the way. Ramira herself, together with her master, wandered around the planets and gained experience by studying the podop... I mean, the sick.
But the best time was on the next trip to Nox. Coincidentally, Mum and Wes were there, staying on the planet for a few days for us. And when we arrived, we were greeted by a very warm company....
«Vee-ee-ee-ee-ee! - I was nearly knocked off my feet, running up from the side and hugging as hard as I could. - She-e-e-e-e-aid! I'm so glad to see you!
«I'm so glad to see you," I put my hand on the top of his head and ran it through his hair, scratching his ear.
«Mr-r-r-r-r...
Caa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-if. I've missed this...
«Hi Shade," Mum walked up to us.
«'Mum,' I salute lightly, not letting go of Weight.
«Master Aala.
«Master Irbis. May the Force be with you.
«Likewise.
«It's good to see you back in good health. I see you and my son are getting along well.
«Yes... It was hard, but we got along," the sly nogri grinned at me.
«Would you like to keep me company? It's not far," Mum nodded.
«And you won't do anything to me? - Irbis raised an eyebrow jokingly.
«Only if I kick you a little. Just as a precaution.
«Too bad, too bad. I was hoping to have a cup of vork with you.
«I could have a cup of vork," Mum nodded.
So they went off in the direction of the café, leaving me and Wes alone. No, I understood Irbis's fears, he was really afraid of my mother, it was clearly felt in his emotions, and not without reason. It was only in our last communication session that Ves had mentioned how my mother had cut off some selkat's privates for inappropriate behaviour in her company and vulgar innuendos. He was a former member of the Order of Je'daii, now on the run. Well, he's not on the run anymore, he's on Bogan now, but he's not wearing any chandals. Yeah, well, you can't piss off Mum.
But, cheered up, I switched to Wes, who's clinging to me.
«What's up, kitty? - I pull away, looking into those wonderful green eyes with a vertical pupil.
«I'm fine! Master Aala is showing me so much and explaining it so well, wow! I can see why Gris thought so highly of you on the first day of the meeting. With a personal trainer like that, you can't be physically weak.
«Yeah, well, it is what it is. What did she teach you?
«Well, how to fight. Fight properly. We had trouble with that in Qigong Kesh, but now I'm pretty good with a sword.
«What else?
«Well, she told me about, um, stuff. Yeah! Shade, don't pry, it's a girl thing," I got a little poke in the chest.
«Okay, I won't," and as I got closer, I kissed the kawaii wonder. She's managed to grow up in the past time. If before she was a head shorter than me, now she's only half a head shorter.After playing with each other and pulling away to catch my breath, I rub my cheek against the top of this cutie's head.
«I missed you so much.
«Me too.
«Come on, I know a place where there's no one around.
«О!
So, hiding from prying eyes on the roof of one of the houses, where Je'dai couldn't get on it, I could relax and rest, squeezing this cute little thing sitting on my lap every second. And it doesn't mind, it just sits there, getting high. Lapota!
But the high was broken by a message from Irbis, saying that we had been missing for too long and it was time to go to them. And there, in the cafe, I was handed over to my mother. How, what, when, there were so many questions that I wondered how Irbis had given me a couple of hours of time to be alone with Ves. I'll be sure to thank him later.
Ves herself was not averse to hearing about my adventures. She was particularly interested in my circle of female acquaintances. Yes, after the rumours about Hadiya, she was getting a little jammed up, so I was sure that if a rival appeared, she'd be buried, and given what her mother had taught her, that wouldn't be a problem. Yeah.
But I stood the test with honour, and when night fell, the reward came to my room in the form of Wes. Very heated, literally burning Wes, who did not even let me make a sound, immediately jumped on my neck and wrapped her legs around me, kissing me passionately.
Click! - said the lock on the door as I fell onto the bed.
«Last time..." breaking the kiss, breathing heavily, Ves spoke. - ...You were alert.
«М?
«Master Aala taught me two medical techniques. One to conceive, the other to prevent accidental conception,' my earpiece whispered to me. - So don't hold back," she purred the last words, scratching my chest lightly.
Yeah... Mum is definitely a very, very bad influence on Wes. And damn, that feels good!
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