No. l spoke hastily. It was because of what happened with Darra. But Anakin said nothing. He did not want to have a conversation with Tic. Omega. He found it unnerving to see the same friendly look in his bright eyes, the good humor on his face.
“That interested me,” Omega said. “I thought, this Jedi is different. He recognizes not only what power is, but what it isn’t. What it can be. Power is… protection. It is what stands between you and losing what you have. I’m not talking about material things, either. I’m talking about… everything.”
Anakin didn’t understand. But then, he didn’t want to.
Tic leaned forward. His warm eyes met Anakin’s.
Not Tic. Granta Omega. He is not your friend.
The words Tic and Omega blurred in his mind. He remembered a man sitting on a snowy mountainside, his skin knitted together with synth-flesh. He could not reconcile the two images, the two men. It all seemed unreal.
“I’ve asked about you,” Omega said. “I know you. I know you because I grew up like you. I wasn’t a slave, but I might well have been. My mother worked at things she should not have, harder than she should have, longer than she should have - just for me.”
My mother did the same.
“My mother worked herself to death for me,” Omega said.
I can only hope that Shmi is well and safe.
“What is the Force for, if not to protect what you have? Why should you give that up because you are a Jedi? The Force can bring you all the power you need. Yet the Jedi tell you that you must have nothing. Why is that?”
“Ours is a path of service,” Anakin said.
“And who do you serve? The Senate?” Omega laughed softly. “A group of fools who can be bought?” “We serve justice.”
“Whose?”
“Justice does not have a master.”
“Shouldn’t it?” Omega leaned back again, resting against the pillows. “I am just a seeker, as you are. You have been told that the Sith belong to the dark side. Yet the Jedi know little of the Sith. What you don’t know could fill galaxies. Well, you do know one thing - that there is one Sith still alive. I know this, too. I wanted to be rich enough to find that Sith. Then one day I realized that was wrong. The only way I would find a Sith is if I was rich enough, powerful enough, so that he wanted to find me. I am not rich enough yet. But I will be.”
Omega paused. “I’m not Force-sensitive. I can never be a Sith. I have found something at last that I cannot buy. But I can be close to that power. I can sit at his side, as I am sitting by your side.”
“That’s why you attack the Jedi,” Anakin said. “You want to impress him.”
“Yes, you see? It’s nothing personal.” Omega leaned closer to him. “Don’t you think I could have killed you if I wanted?”
“No,” Anakin said. “I know you think you could have.”
“I like you,” Omega said. “I liked what I saw on Haariden. Your Master you can keep. Typical Jedi.” He waved a hand. “But you… you I like.”
“I’m honored,” Anakin said.
“Sarcasm from a Jedi? I knew I liked you.” Omega leaned back against the cushions and crossed an ankle over his leg comfortably. “You’re different because you didn’t grow up in that Temple. You know how power works because you were ground down beneath it. You know how the powerless have only their dignity to comfort them, and how, some days, that is not enough. Not nearly enough.”
Shmi. He had left her with nothing but her dignity. Mellora stood restlessly. “Let me show him.” No.
“Yes.” Mellora reached into her pocket
and
withdrew
Darra’s lightsaber. “I’ve been learning how to use it. One day I will fight a Jedi. “
The Force he had kept at bay shot through him, revitalizing his muscles. The sight of Darra’s lightsaber in Mellora’s hand had done it. He felt strength move through him. He knew he could rise now.
Even Omega looked amazed when he shot to his feet. He activated his lightsaber in a motion so fast they could not follow it with their eyes.
“How about today?” he taunted, taking a step toward her. “Are you ready to fight a Jedi today?” His voice was thick and it was an effort to get the words out. He could feel his leg muscles trembling but he knew they couldn’t see it.
“Well, well,” Omega breathed. “Impressive.”
But the others were not so calm. They drew blasters.
“Shoot him!” Mellora shrilled. She activated the lightsaber clumsily.
Anakin took a step. He felt unsteady but in control. Mellora began to wave the lightsaber. She tried to execute an offensive thrust, but the lightsaber swung crazily. She was not able to balance it.