[Dark Nest] - 1(111)

“In truth, I find it rather quaint,” Formbi replied. “But, having no desire to find myself exiled, I’ll follow the law-even if it means the destruction of the Ascendancy itself.”

A line of ten-year-old students appeared ahead, racing toward Luke and the others against the flow of the slidewalk. Formbi started to step aside so they could pass, but Mara used the Force to gently tug him back.

“Please, Aristocra,” she said. “They’ll be disappointed if we rob them of their chance to show off.”

Formbi eyed the chubby Kitonak girl at the head of the line, then cocked his brow when she suddenly sprang off the slidewalk, turned a Force flip over his head, and landed gracefully - if somewhat heavily-behind him. The rest of the students followed suit, beaming in pride as they somersaulted over Luke and the others. Once Formbi grew accustomed to the game, he even encouraged the students by pretending to flinch before each one jumped.

“Thank you for indulging them, Aristocra,” Luke said. “The dining halls will be buzzing tonight with how they actually drew a reaction from you.”

“My pleasure,” Formbi said. “As long as they understand the difference when they become Jedi Knights.”

“They will,” Mara said. “Chiss courage is legendary around here-which is why I’m so puzzled about your fear of Killiks.”

“If you are puzzled, it is only because you are ignorant of the Colony’s true nature.”

“Then enlighten us,” Luke said. “The sooner the Jedi understand the situation, the sooner we will find a solution and end our presence at Qoribu.”

“And if there is no solution?”

“It would be better to discover that now,” Luke said, “before any more of our Jedi become like Raynar.”

Formbi frowned. “Who is Raynar?”

“Raynar Thul,” Mara said. “He went MIA during the war. He was presumed dead, but apparently his ship crashed inside the Colony.”

“A nest of Killiks rescued him and saved his life,” Luke said.

“Saved his life?” Formbi sounded surprised. “When did this Raynar come up missing? About six years ago?”

“Close.” Luke began to have a sinking feeling. “It was a little over seven.”

“I see.” Formbi’s gaze turned inward. “That explains it.”

“Explains what?” Mara demanded.

“The Defense Fleet reconnaissance corps has been watching the Colony for centuries,” Formbi said. “It has been slowly expanding over time, but it wasn’t considered a threat.”

“Until recently,” Mara surmised.

“Correct,” Formbi said. “The insects-Killiks, as you call them-are clearly intelligent, but they’ve customarily shown little concern for life. When one was injured, its companions would simply abandon it, and when food grew scarce, whole columns would just wander off to die.”

“And that changed six years ago,” Luke said.

Formbi nodded. “The first satellite nests appeared on our border, and we began to notice an exponential population increase. Imagine our surprise when we learned that now they had hospitals to care for their ailing and were using interstellar trade to alleviate the cyclic food shortages that once kept their populations in check.”

“And that frightened the Ascendancy into sending your defoliators to give nature a helping hand?” Mara asked.

“No.” Formbi accepted the criticism in her question without visible emotion. “We didn’t make that decision until later - after we had discovered how dangerous they were.”

The slidewalk carried them past a sunken basin, where a group of adolescent apprentices stood meditating under the watchful eye of a training Jedi Knight. They were surrounded by twenty grown adults, who were shouting insults at them and pelting them with missiles ranging from kitchen leftovers to sting balls.

“My word!” Formbi gasped. “What kind of drill is that?”

“It’s a centering exercise,” Luke said proudly. He was counting on this part of the tour to persuade Formbi to speak on their behalf on the Chiss capital world, Csilla. “Young Jedi must learn to detach themselves from their emotions, to remain focused regardless of whatever they are feeling at the time.”

“There are several other versions,” Mara added. “A five-day fast while the rest of the academy feasts around them, a three-day swim in a warm bubble pool, an all-night tickle where they’re forbidden to laugh.”

“That may sound silly, but that’s actually the most difficult test,” Luke said. “And if they fail, they repeat the other exercises.”