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When the Jedi academy proved disappointing and I fled, I returned to my roots. I pitched away what I had learned, and even missed what my grandfather had given me in the information he’d preserved. I even misinterpreted the dream as one predicting disaster if I tried to be a Jedi, but that wasn’t the message of the dream at all. The message of that dream was as simple as it was stark: selflessness is the only antidote to evil. It provides the light that destroys the dark.

At first I had divorced myself from my CorSec past, then I divorced myself from my Jedi heritage in favor of my CorSec training. I was treating my identities as if CorSec and Jedi were left and right, as if I could possibly function with only one side of my body or the other. I was making half of myself oppose the other half, when I should have integrated both halves.

I was not Corran Horn of CorSec or Keiran Halcyon, Jedi Knight. I was both of them. I needed to unify myself and my efforts. Certainly, just as my grandfather had described Nejaa often not letting it be known that he was a Jedi, there were times when one approach would work better than the other, but I had to be able to use both if I planned to succeed.

The Invidious got us back to Courkrus relatively swiftly, and I was shuttled down with Elegos halfway through the unloading of the Survivors’ share of the bounty yielded up by Kerilt’s warehouses. I could have gone down sooner, but I stayed on the Invidious to see to it that my squadron got off in good order, and to find out from Colonel Gurtt what she’d heard in the way of rumors running around through the ship’s crew. She didn’t say she’d heard much, but she recommended I start physical training, aiming to improve my stamina and vigor as much as possible.

By the time I got down to Vlarnya and to the hotel suite I rated, given my rank, I discovered it had been visited in my absence. A variety of luxury goods had been delivered to my rooms including some century old Savareen brandy in a matching decanter and snifter set. The bottle and the four glasses had been decorated with exotic gemstones, including a Durindfire jewel the size of my thumbnail. Bolts of exotic fabric, statuettes from various worlds and a variety of preserved foodstuffs had been loaded into my rooms, along with a holograph from Tavira wishing me a quick and strong recovery.

I smiled. A mere dozen hours before now this display would have impressed me and flattered me. I would have felt that I had her right where I wanted her, too; that I had trapped her into devoting so much energy to winning me that she’d never see how much I was fooling her. I would have poured a glass of the brandy, toasted her defeat and tossed it off triumphantly.

Now I just saw a pile of things that had been stolen from others. She had no right to any of this, and giving it to me, giving me things she did not own and had not worked to earn had no value. She took what she wanted, and while she thought she wanted me to come to her voluntarily, the fact was that she’d have from me what she wanted or she’d have me destroyed. Her gesture was as hollow as she was amoral; and that just made my decision to deal with her that much more important and imperative.

Elegos returned to the suite’s parlor after having completed a circuit through the bedroom, refresher station and food preparation station. “There is much more elsewhere, including things suggesting a fair amount of intimacy in the refresher station and bedroom.”

“In her fondest dreams, Elegos.” I gave him a confident smile. “We’ve got a month. In that time, I intend to become her worst nightmare.”

“Good. I applaud your decision.” The Caamasi clapped his hands together and smiled. “I should add, I think it is one worthy of even your grandfather.”

FORTY-TWO

“My grandfather?” I stared at Elegos, gape-mouthed. “You’re not referring to Rostek Horn, are you?”

The Caamasi shook his head and pointed me toward one of the suite’s chairs. “You inquired