Rick Dagon?
After the Battle of Kamino, I thought I'd never see him again. Yet here we are, reunited in this vast galaxy that turns out to be surprisingly small.
When Rick Dagon saw Solo, a flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he quickly masked his emotions.
The waiter noticed the Makatu's... unconventional eating habits, and his lips twitched imperceptibly. He bowed and announced, "Honored guests, your guest has arrived."
Solo pulled back his hood and took a seat across from Taidor.
A meal was already set before him: a noodle-like dish accompanied by meat and sauce.
"Try this wine," Taidor suggested. "Their vintage is quite good."
"I'd prefer a liqueur," Solo replied, turning to the waiter. "Do you have Tustra's Wind?"
"A rich, exquisite flavor."
"I'm sorry, sir," the waiter apologized. "We don't currently carry Tustra's Wind. However, we do have a fine sweet wine from Botavi."
Dogen swallowed his food and interjected, "What else can the Botavi produce besides spies?"
Solo nodded. "Bring it over. Let's give it a taste."
The waiter withdrew as instructed.
He then turned to Taidor, his tone laced with teasing. "Your manners are impeccable, but perhaps you should apply these same courtesies to your student, esteemed Taidor."
"Heh heh, his name is Sheldon!" Taidor chuckled, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "You think I haven't tried teaching him? It's a complete waste of effort. The only thing he's learned is how to swing his halberd in every direction."
Sheldon looked up, indignant. "Hey, Teacher! He's insulting me!"
"Sheldon!" Taidor cut him off. "I'm thinking with my brain, while you're thinking with your halberd."
Solo finally took a good look at the blonde, blue-eyed man and chuckled softly. "That sounds familiar."
At that moment, the waiter brought over a bottle of pale yellow liquid, its sweet, cloying aroma filling the air.
"Bring me some Wookiee Wine too," Dogen added. "Better make it two bottles."
"Sir," the waiter said, glancing at the two empty bottles on the table with visible surprise, "you've already had two. Are you sure you want more?"
Taidor turned to him, his voice stern. "I'm paying to eat here, not to be questioned by you."
The server immediately understood, nodded, and closed the door behind him.
A few minutes later, he returned with two bottles of Wookiee Wine and placed them in front of Dogen before completely exiting the private room.
"Do you know how to use the Ionization Technique?" Taidor suddenly asked, turning to Solo.
This was a simple Force technique that could interfere with electronic devices and burn out circuits.
"I know a little," Solo replied.
Before he finished speaking, a wave of white energy radiated from his body.
This energy wouldn't harm living beings, but it instantly burned out all the hidden cameras and listening devices in the room.
In truth, there was no need for this. With a Shadow Warrior present, Solo's actions were unnecessary. He was simply doing this to put Taidor at ease.
"This place was recommended by a friend," Taidor said, pouring himself a glass of sweet wine and toasting Solo. "He said it's secure against eavesdropping." He paused. "To be honest, I'm surprised they don't have Tustra's liqueur here. This place is supposed to be a hub for Lantilles smugglers."
"Hmph, with the war raging, those smugglers have probably all gone into hiding!" Solo glanced around the private room. "But I suspect this is the least of the many questions you're about to ask me."
Taidor nodded.
Past events surfaced in Solo's mind as he continued, "We last met about three years ago. You helped me by translating some of your founder's texts for my training. I won't deny that it was helpful in mastering Force techniques, but I thought that was our last meeting..."
During that outing with his Master, they encountered Taidor in the Outer Rim and were hunted by the Sith. Nong Alto intervened to help them.
This was an ordinary occurrence. Taidor even shared some of his cultivation texts for discussion. However, due to differences in their sect's doctrines, Alto and Taidor eventually clashed and parted on unfriendly terms.
In the Force traditions of the galaxy, most practitioners relied on physical objects to focus their mind and power—a piece of jewelry or a lightsaber, for example.
But the Matuka Order was entirely different. Their focus was the human body itself.
The origins of the Matuka Order can be traced back to the "Golden Age" of the Old Republic—the period after the Great Sith War when the Jedi Order was at its zenith, its influence spreading throughout the galaxy.
During that era, the Jedi permitted other Force sects to practice their beliefs, with the core premise being that they did not delve into the Dark Side of the Force.
The founder of the sect was a human woman from Kavos II, whose name had been lost to history.
Initially, the sect consisted of only a small group of students, but it gradually grew, reaching a peak membership of around sixty individuals.
Their recruitment primarily targeted those who lacked the qualifications for Jedi training but possessed Force sensitivity, passing down the sect's teachings from generation to generation.
As the sect's influence and power grew, the Jedi Order sent representatives to propose an alliance, but the Matuka Order met them with indifference and contempt.
Although the Matuka Order always strove to remain neutral in the conflict between the Republic and the Separatists, they ultimately failed to escape the calamity.
After Palpatine issued Order 66, leading to the purge of the Jedi, the Matuka Order became one of the first Force traditions to be crushed under the boot of the New Empire. The vast majority of its members were slaughtered by Darth Vader and his Imperial forces.
Following the end of the Clone War, the surviving members of the Matuka Order went underground. It wasn't until several years after the establishment of the New Republic that they gradually reemerged.
When Luke Skywalker publicly expressed his willingness to learn from other Force traditions, several members of the Matuka traveled to the Jedi Academy he had founded to share their teachings.
During the Yuuzhan Vong War, many Matuka members were killed by both the invaders and the Peace Brigade. However, due to the widespread distribution of the cult's members, its core teachings were preserved and continued uninterrupted.
The core philosophy of the Matuka is the absolute balance between physical and spiritual aspects of the Force.
Every aspect of their lives, down to their clothing, deeply embodies this belief.
Their doctrine requires members to maintain physical strength and purity while focusing on the Force through personal rituals, all while avoiding the temptations of the Dark Side.
This "balance" also encompasses mental and emotional aspects.
The Matuka firmly believes that only by maintaining calmness and relaxation, avoiding negative emotions like fear and anger from clouding the mind, can the body become the perfect conduit for the Force, allowing its energy to flow and erupt without hindrance.
Many members recruited by the Matuka had only average innate Force aptitude, yet ultimately grew into Force Masters. This is also why, despite his own mediocre Force talent, Rick Dagon was able to help his predecessor become a Jedi Knight.
"Let's get straight to the point," Solo continued calmly. "Let's discuss the issue that's been bothering me: why did you come to me?"
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