The Star Falcon passed through the Lairos System without stopping, leaving Solo slightly disappointed.
Many people dreamed of visiting this planet, and the reason was simple: Twi'lek girls.
They were widely considered extremely attractive, though not as universally captivating as the Asari from Mass Effect, they still held a strong allure.
However, Lylos's history was far from glorious.
The Twi'lek people had long engaged in the slave trade, selling their own women as a pillar of their economy. Though they had since abandoned this practice, other slave traders still coveted them.
Take the Zergel, for example. They captured indiscriminately, seizing anyone they could lay their hands on.
In the animated series, the Zergel were merely symbols of evil, but after experiencing firsthand what they were like in the galaxy and studying relevant materials, Solo had only one thought:
Deploy several Star Destroyers in orbit and execute the "Base Zero" protocol, wiping out the entire species.
This was clearly not a thought befitting a Jedi, but if circumstances demanded it, Solo wouldn't rule out taking such action.
It was cruel, but he understood that the path he was about to choose could never be pristine.
Instead, he was destined to become deeply tainted by filth, but he would also calmly accept all the consequences of his future actions.
The spacecraft leaped into Wild Space, heading toward the Kingdom of Zai, the home of the Matukai people in the S-19 System.
Ahsoka, brimming with curiosity about the uncharted galaxy, was about to ask Solo for guidance when she noticed her Master had fallen into a peculiar state.
"Master?"
A profound unease gripped Solo's heart—a sense of foreboding that intensified with each step closer to the Zei System.
"Are you alright, Solo?" Taidor, seated nearby, also noticed the Jedi's agitation.
Solo attempted to distract himself through meditation, but he couldn't suppress the restlessness within him.
"I have a bad feeling," Solo said, turning to Mo. "Something is going to happen, and it won't be good."
Mo nodded slowly. "There's a murky presence in the Force, a mixture of death and greed. The Clone War has unleashed too many dark forces."
"Hmph," Sheldon scoffed from behind Taidor. "Are you scared? You're Jedi Knights—you're supposed to be fearless!"
Mo turned to meet the young Matukada's gaze, subtly channeling a sliver of the Force into his eyes. It was a simple technique that could create an effect akin to a "halo of terror."
In the ancient texts of the Matukai, this technique is called "Displaying Intent." It requires minimal use of the Force, relying instead on the psychological pressure of words and body language to instill fear in the opponent.
At that moment, Mo used this technique on Sheldon, his piercing gaze unblinking, his Force-enhanced eyes radiating clear malice.
Sheldon instinctively averted his gaze, afraid to meet Mo's stare.
"Only the dead know no fear," Solo said coldly. "Fear is a tool in battle, Ahsoka. Remember this: we should neither surrender to it nor ignore it."
Ahsoka nodded. Over the past few months since leaving Coruscant, her experiences on multiple battlefields had made the meaning of those words clear.
"Solo is right, Sheldon," Taidor sighed. "This feeling is more accurately a premonition of the impending crisis. Solo, how intense is your premonition?"
"To put it in terms you'll understand, the last time I felt something like this was when my Master and I encountered Tyron Japps and the Dathomir Witches on the same planet." Solo closed his eyes, recalling that painful memory from his past life. "My Master didn't survive."
"Tyron Japps?" Taidor's voice carried a note of surprise. "He was quite famous within our Order. Many acknowledged his skills, but he disappeared about three years ago."
"I killed him," Solo said calmly.
"You killed Tyron?!" Sheldon exclaimed involuntarily.
"Sheldon!" Taidor snapped sharply.
"That's right. On a prison planet that once belonged to the Zakul Empire, during Visieret's lifetime—I avenged my teacher." Solo turned to Taidor. "Any questions?"
"No." Taidor sighed, then turned to Sheldon. "Sheldon is the son of a warlord, and Tyron Japps was the one who made him an orphan. Tyron created that warlord and destroyed Sheldon's family—he was Sheldon's target for vengeance.
"News of his death had already spread—" Taidor's voice carried a note of regret. "We've been isolated in a remote corner of the galaxy and hadn't heard."
"So you couldn't get your revenge," Solo said, looking at Sheldon.
"Revenge was just an excuse," the young Matukai snorted. "That old fool planned my life from the moment I was born, arranging my marriage when I was eight months old. Revenge was just a pretext for me to escape my homeland—you can kill him for all I care."
"I hope you can respect the one who raised you," Taidor sighed heavily.
"Who I respect is my decision alone," Sheldon said, turning away without another word.
"Have you been to the Zakur Empire Prison?"
Rick Dagon had approached them at some point, his question filled with suspicion. Even Shadow Warrior Mo turned to scrutinize them.
The prison was known to hide numerous artifacts of the Dark Side.
"Hmm?" Solo was surprised that such old memories would pique so much interest. "You have questions too?"
"Master, does that Empire prison have Sith?" Ahsoka's reaction was different, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Dogen stared at Solo, the Force flickering in his eyes as he attempted to exert pressure.
But Solo, hardened by years of meditation, remained unfazed. "This is the second time you've needlessly provoked me," he said calmly. "I've never seen a Jedi so impatient!"
At that moment, the ship's arrival alarm sounded, signaling they had reached their destination.
Ignoring Dogen and Mo, Solo walked to the observation window. Dogen snorted and silently moved to the side.
Taidor watched the Jedi and sighed, hoping no trouble would arise.
The Star Falcon emerged from hyperspace, revealing the yellow-brown outline of Zhai Planet in the observation window.
"Activate Mirror Mode," Solo ordered. The ship instantly engaged its highest level of stealth systems, capable of evading the sensors and visual detection of most devices in the galaxy.
Despite this, the unease in his heart only intensified.
Ahsoka frowned and whispered, "Master, the Force here... it's heavy, as if weighed down by the sorrow of countless people."
Solo nodded, forcing himself to dispel the unease. "Fear is natural, but we must not let it control us. Ahsoka, check the weapon systems. Mo, please take the watch. Your Shadow skills are better than ours at detecting hidden threats."
"Understood," they replied simultaneously.
The sensor data showed that the planet was littered with traces of mass destruction weapons, including nuclear bomb craters.
It seemed that during the twilight of their civilization, the Matukai people had endured a brutal civil war.
The planet's orbit was littered with spacecraft wreckage, unable to fully decompose in space. The debris scattered between the asteroid belt and the planet's orbit, resembling a metallic graveyard.
Even more alarming was the discovery of Separatist "Trade Federation" markings on several of the wreckage.
"The Separatists have been here?" Ahsoka stared at the screen in surprise. "Were they also searching for the ruins of the Kingdom of Zai?"
"Very likely," Mo said gravely. "After the outbreak of the Clone War, the Separatists have been scouring for Force relics to develop weapons of the Dark Side."
"The Matukai people once comprised thirty-seven clans," Taidor said, gazing at the ruins outside the window, his voice tinged with sorrow. "After the death of Cai San, the last king of the Kingdom of Zai, one hundred and seven heirs simultaneously claimed the throne, plunging the realm into a devastating civil war. Each faction commanded at least ten thousand warriors, with the most powerful forces amassing armies of over a million."
"Holy crap, this isn't Game of Thrones, it's a full-blown battle royale," Solo whistled.
"Indeed," Taidor nodded. "Only a small group of Matukai escaped early in the war, returning to our roots and focusing on travel and self-improvement. The rest became entangled in the mire of politics and conflict. We were never meant to be a nation, nor should we have clung to notions of sovereignty. Those who fought over the Jade Throne of Cai forgot our true purpose. Everything they created, developed, and achieved was burned to ashes by the flames of ambition."
"I should applaud your eloquence," Solo remarked, his gaze fixed on the viewports as he steered clear of debris in the orbital path.
"Having Jedi like you involved is enough," Taidor said. "Regardless of the outcome, Sheldon and I will translate all the materials we find for you."
"I must emphasize this again, Taidor," Solo said as the ship entered the planet's atmosphere. Below stretched a sandy desert with sparse vegetation. "My involvement in this isn't solely for personal gain. You haven't truly bought my loyalty."
Zhai Planet gave Solo a strong sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of Korriban. Yet unlike Korriban, this planet's desolation stemmed not from the Dark Side, but from the complete devastation wrought by war.
The ship flew over row upon row of regular meteorite craters, their bottoms still bearing traces of the sudden deaths of countless intelligent beings.
Ahsoka couldn't help but frown, her antennae trembling slightly. "Master, I can sense... the loss of countless lives..."
Solo had long learned to block out this deathly haze, but even after millennia, he could still feel the lingering despair.
"These are all the results of nuclear strikes," Mo said, studying the sensor data. "The galaxy had abandoned nuclear weapons long before the Clone War, as factions preferred occupying planets for resources and populations. Nuclear bombardment only pollutes the atmosphere and causes mutations, offering no benefits. Yet the Matukai used them to destroy their own cities."
"What a tragic sight," Taidor sighed. "The Sith and Jedi fled your Galactic War, but our people have repeated their mistakes. The root of this civil war largely lies in the Orodium Act, which prohibited the Kingdom of Zai from expanding beyond the Zei System. If this nation could have developed other star systems, that destructive energy might have been channeled into creation rather than self-destruction."
"This is an eternal dilemma," Solo said. "When a nation's priorities are set incorrectly, it devours itself. But how to set them correctly? It seems that no matter the choice, there are problems. Sometimes the very choices made to avoid disaster are what drive a nation toward it."
"What's the answer?" Sheldon couldn't help but ask. "Do we choose a path despite knowing we might fail, or do we avoid choosing altogether out of fear of failure?"
"Your Master knows the answer very well," Solo said with a smile. "Choose, and see it through to the end. Determine what truth is most important to you, and move forward. We don't have time to agonize over right or wrong; we can only prepare to accept all the consequences of our choices."
The spacecraft gradually approached the city Taidor had marked on the holographic star map—the capital of the Kingdom of Zai.
This city had survived the Clone War, though it had been attacked by rivals to the throne, it had not been completely destroyed.
"Worthy words to remember," Taidor said, looking at Sheldon. "Remember them, my Apprentice. The Matukai choose a path, rather than spending their lives questioning it. To die after striving with all one's might is better than living without purpose. Aren't you proud to be a Matukai?"
The city stood at the foot of a massive mountain range. A grand staircase led to the summit, where a colossal palace was embedded into the mountain itself.
"The Royal Library is located beneath the palace," Taidor pointed to the mountain entrance below the palace, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
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