Star Wars_ I, Jedi - Michael A. Stackpole [79]
The Jedi Master shrugged uneasily. “Could have been.”
I passed my hand above the melted Holocron and caught some residual heat. “Is Exar Kun our guy?”
Luke shook his head. “I don’t know. Four thousand years is a long time. I’d rather think someone being trained by the Empire, someone being used like Mara, discovered Exar Kun’s studies and has fashioned himself into a new Dark Lord of the Sith.”
“Don’t have to go far for a candidate.” My nostrils flared. “I think Kyp will do.”
“Don’t think that’s not crossed my mind. He was so powerful and eager, but that just fed his impatience.” Luke looked up at me. “You said the other day I was afraid I’d failed my father. Maybe that’s true. I know I’ve failed Kyp.”
“No, Kyp failed you.” I leaned back on the table. “Kyp agreed to undergo serious training, but didn’t know what he was getting into. He’d been a mine slave all his life. You showed him how powerful he was. He was learning how to make his own decisions and suddenly, grand new vistas opened up for him. It’s all but impossible for people like me or Kam or Mara to deal with such power, but Kyp …?”
Luke’s expression darkened. “You’re not making things better here.”
“I’m sorry. You’re the Jedi Master and you know what you’re doing, but I think you need to refocus on those students still here.” I sighed loudly. “Kyp may be gone forever, or he may come back. We don’t know. What we do know is that your original mission, the reason you created the academy, is still valid. The Jedi Knights need to return to the galaxy and you’re the only hope to make that happen.”
The Jedi Master remained silent for a moment, then nodded just once. “The Order is what we need. That has to be my focus.”
“Agreed.” I gave him a hopeful look. “I also think we need to decide what we’re going to do about Exar Kun.”
“Right.” Luke hunched forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His cloak slid down around his shoulders and flanks, making him look smaller than I’d ever seen him before. “Evidence we’ve got points to Exar Kun or a disciple of his pretending to be. I’ve searched this temple and have found tiny traces of evil. Not enough for Exar Kun.”
I toyed with my goatee for a moment. “I thought I heard someone—Bodo Baas, perhaps—say the temples here had all been raised as a focus for Exar Kun’s power. Maybe this temple isn’t the focus of it, but just linked to it. If the link was forged of Sith magic, Exar Kun might be able to block back-tracing. Another of the temples here, then, would be the centerpoint of his power.”
Luke nodded, then sat back. “Good idea. That temple could also be where Gantoris and Kyp obtained instruction. If we only knew where it was.”
I smiled. “I think we can find out.”
“How?”
“Survey logs. Everyone has been out surveying the local sights.”
“Yes, but that was after Gantoris died.” Luke’s eyes narrowed. “And Kyp would have falsified his logs to hide where he had been.”
“True, but he was out all the time with Dorsk 81, who wouldn’t have any reason to falsify his survey reports.” I smiled slowly. “If you ask for everyone to turn in their survey logs and tell them you will be conducting an exercise about observation, I can go over them and sort out the likely spots our Kun-clone is hiding out.”
“Okay, we’ll do that.” Luke stood and came over to stare at the ruined Holocron. “By destroying the Holocron, our enemy may have done more to hurt us than he knows.”
“In his fondest dreams.” I gave him an easy grin. “What we’ve learned of Jedi history is good. We’re certain we’re heirs to that tradition. Now you need to use what you know to transform us into the people who will further that legend.”
Feeling Mara Jade’s back pressed against mine, I had to smile. “Kam isn’t making this easy, is he?”
Her blue lightsaber hummed then spat as it batted away a remote’s fiery dart. “Easy isn’t for Jedi, is it?”
“Nope.” I extended my senses as far as I could, taking in most of the darkened hangar space. Kam had closed the door and turned off all the lights, leaving our lightsabers to provide the only