Aira Cadan

I was intrigued by Adenna's insistence on getting the support of the full Council. Wasn't that why the Grandmaster had appointed masters for each of us to report to? So that we wouldn't have to wait until the Council was in session to take official action? Besides, as I had just finished telling Mjan, one of the strengths of the Jedi Order was that we were able to operate with some level of independence. Still, I supposed Adenna was thinking of some major, public action. It wasn't how I would go about it, but if she was planning that, she was right to wait for Council permission. But I was sure they'd agree, so there was no harm in starting preparations while we waited. I frowned as she continued. "We don't even know where she is being held? That is indeed a major setback." I thought through our options. "The GA would likely be willing to help, but they were hit hard after Coruscant fell. They're honestly in shambles right now, and I'm not sure what's going to happen. Much of the leadership is dead, and with them, a lot of their resources. I would guess that they're pretty busy worrying about themselves right now. No, our own people might be better at finding her. But I can call in a few favors with some other contacts. Maybe one of them will know something." I paused. "Just how much are you willing to risk to rescue her? What if, say, she's on Onderon? There's no way we can stand against the Sith fleet. We were slaughtered last time we tried, and that was when the GA fleet was strong."

I nodded once. "It's decided then." Rising to my feet, I held out my hand for his teacup, and once he handed it to me, I took both of our cups over to the sink. "We'll head over and meet up with Knight Alluyen. On the way, I'll get you started on the enlistment paperwork. You'll have to learn on the go, just as I did, but I think you'll be a valuable member of the fleet, as well as a Jedi padawan." Once the dishes were rinsed, I dried my hands on a towel. Pulling out my comlink, I sent a text query through it, and a response pinged in a moment later with Alluyen's location. "Right, she's on the Sanare," I said. "Ready to go? We can catch a transport over." Together, we headed to the hangar, while I filled Mjan in on the military structure of the Jedi fleet. They used the same general ranking structure as the GA fleet, but Jedi were always considered officers. Mjan would start as a lieutenant. The flight over was short, and we were soon making our way to the bridge. I saluted the Mon Cal captain, then let my gaze fall to Knight Alluyen. She looked familiar, and after a moment, I placed her. We had met a few times over the years. The last time I had seen her, we had attempted to heal Geki's fractured mind, with no success. I inclined my head to her. "Knight Alluyen? I'm Knight Cadan, and this is my apprentice, Mjan. We're here to volunteer to be part of the rescue mission for Empress Zinthos."

Despite my heavy thoughts, Mjan's almost sheepish response elicited a smile from me as I entered and took in the scene. "Looks like you're making excellent progress," I joked. "Perhaps now is the time to exhort you not to use the Force too lightly. It's a great power, and as we master it, it becomes easier and easier to access, but it's not to be used trivially, or because one was too lazy to stand up and open the door physically." My tone took on a more serious timbre. "It's good to test your limits, to challenge yourself as you grow in ability. For now though, I want to fill you in on what's been going on." The door slid shut behind me. The lighting in the room was too dim for my tastes. "Lights up by 20%," I said aloud, and the room readjusted accordingly. I took a seat at the small table. "I'm not sure what you know about the state of the galaxy right now," I began. "My impressions are that you have been fairly cut off from galactic news. But Jedi are almost always at the center of everything going on, and this will affect you directly, so let me give you a run down." Noticing the tea, I rose and grabbed a fresh cup from the tiny kitchenette, then returned to the table and poured myself some of the tea as I spoke. I started with the end of the last war, with the formation of the Galactic Alliance and my role in it. I spoke about the few years of tentative, hopeful peace, until eventually the treaty failed and systems began breaking away to form the Imperial Remnant as a response to not feeling secure in GA hands. "Maybe in retrospect, the dissolution of the fleet was not the right choice, but at the time, it seemed like the only way to maintain order," I mused, taking a sip of the tea. I continued, telling him about my conversations with the empress, and her offers to ally with the Jedi Order. Opening up, I hinted about how I wanted to trust my friend, but I couldn't shake my concerns about how quickly she had taken power and all the benefits it offered her. "Anyway, despite the fracture, I still had hope for a peaceful galaxy, these two governments co-existing. But then the Sith reawakened." I shook my head. "They had been quiet for a long time. Who knows what they were up to, keeping their heads down and working behind the scenes. But the Imperial Remnant's drive to snuff out all darkness caused them to respond violently, and it was as if they exploded onto the galactic stage again at full force, ready to burn and slaughter their way through the galaxy again." I explained how the rest of the galaxy had tried to fight back, informing him about the death of Kirlocca and the battle of Onderon and the reemergence of Vladimir Faust. "Our current Grandmaster, Master Trevelian, is no coward, but he is adamant that Jedi should not take the offensive and act as soldiers." I shrugged. "You've seen by now that I'm just as much a soldier as a Jedi, so you know that I don't quite see things the way he does. But I appreciate where he's coming from: in war, it's very easy to justify horrible actions. In the end, civilians are going to be killed. And it's up to the Jedi to stand in the gap for that as much as we can. We're protectors, shields. And it's hard to balance that with the knowledge that sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good." My lips quirked wryly. "See, even as I say that, I'm not sure that's something a Jedi should ever say. I'm sure most of the Jedi Council would disagree with me. They'd say that as Jedi, it's our job to find another way. And maybe that's possible. But...well, my old master used to say, 'There's no good in war, but there is good in why we fight them.'" As if to punctuate my point, our comms pinged simultaneously, and I played the message from Knight Alluyen aloud. Clearly the Force was working, for she and I had been thinking along the same lines. However, I hadn't heard about Raven's capture. The news saddened me, and hardened my resolve. Still, something in Adenna's words set off a warning bell in my mind. It was probably nothing, but her words were so...staunch, so full of zealous righteousness. I glanced at Mjan and slowly put away my comlink. "There's another risk we as Jedi face," I said, lowering my voice. "As Jedi, the ends can never justify the means, or we'll be serving the very darkness we wish to push back against. Darkness can never truly be defeated--it will always be there, lingering in the shadows. And it's clever. It can take the most zealous heart and corrupt it. The most corrupted people I've ever met are not those who are mad with darkness and drunk on power and just want to watch the galaxy burn; it's those who do wrong for what they think are the right reasons." I had leaned forward in my chair, and now I drew back and spoke with a lighter tone. "I'm not saying that Knight Alluyen is doing that. I happen to think this is the right course of action, and I want to join her. I just say that as a warning--we need to constantly examine our motives and our actions." I downed the rest of the tea. "Now, I've talked enough. What do you think? Do you think we should join in and help rescue the empress?" A spark of humor rekindled itself in my eyes. "Are you completely overwhelmed with all of this yet?"

Space was chaotic over Borleias. Not only had most of the Jedi fleet jumped in, but we were met by another fleet. Squinting out the viewport, I felt relief wash over me as I recognized the device of the Survivor's Foundation emblazoned across their hulls. Now it really felt like I was back in the middle of the war. I glanced down at the terminal I was seated behind and winced. If I had thought the refugee situation on Felucia was bad, it was much worse here. Being more Core-ward, Borleias had clearly become a massive destination for those fleeing Coruscant. There was no way the planet could handle such a massive influx. I quickly realized that one of our roles here would be transporting refugees to other destinations. But not many worlds had opened their arms wide to embrace the refugees. In fact, many had studiously looked the other way. The Galactic Alliance government was in shambles, it's fleet mostly crippled hulks drifting in space, and there was no one to force planetary governments to accept refugees. There was no one to even begin to attempt to organize something on this massive of a scale. My head hurt just thinking about it. But I knew that would have to be where we came in, too. Jedi had a voice, and the time had come to use it. Though we were having leadership struggles of our own. No one had seen or heard from Grandmaster Trevelian since Hesperidium had hit. And as for the Jedi Council--Master Skywalker was missing in action over Onderon, presumed dead; Master Illioni had vanished from the galaxy several months ago; Master Organa hadn't been seen for a while either, and messages to her had gone unanswered. We were scattered, and I wasn't quite sure who to look for for orders. That's the soldier talking, I chastised myself. You're a Jedi. You don't need to wait for orders to act. That's one of the things that makes us who we are. It also meant that the burden of dealing with all this had to fall on someone's shoulders, and it might as well be mine until I heard otherwise. But where to start? It was a massive problem. The sheer scope of it threatened to overwhelm me. But then I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and focused. Start where you can. After a moment, I rose from my terminal. There were other Jedi in the system. It would be good to coordinate with them. Perhaps together we could spread out and talk some planetary governments in other systems into accepting some of the refugees before Borleias grew critically overpopulated. Once we started getting some other planets, our fleet could work with the Survivor's Foundation to begin shuttling refugees to those systems. And as for credits...well, I bet that my old friend the Empress of the Imperial Remnant would be willing to help out. That would be a good first place to go. For planets, too, I mused, making my way through the ship's corridors, although any GA forces left wouldn't be too happy shuttling their civilians over to Remnant worlds, no matter the current peace between the two governments. My train of thought didn't cease until I arrived at my apprentice's quarters. For a moment, I felt sorry for him. What a mess of a time to try to learn to become a Jedi on top of everything else, I thought. But I knew that going through these trying times would only serve to make him a better Jedi in the end, even if it was hard to see in the moment. I rapped on the door. "Mjan? It's Aira. Can I come in?"

I hadn't even noticed the size of his bag. Mjan kept bringing up things that didn't matter as if they would matter. I smiled to myself. He was just getting used to life as a Jedi, that was all. Culture shock would wear off and he'd settle in. We climbed onboard the shuttle, and it wasn't long before we were above the swirled purple-and-green planet. Fifteen minutes later we rendezvoused with the fleet, and no sooner than we were onboard than the fleet jumped into hyperspace. Perfect timing, I thought, pleased. The deck officer greeted us as we arrived, and verified my assignment and berth. "You're in the officers' barracks, Captain Cadan," he said. He looked at Mjan with skepticism. "And who is this?" "This is my new apprentice, Mjan Sadow," I replied. "I just took him on, otherwise I'd have let you know he was coming." The man pursed his lips, but just consulted his datapad. "There is one other padawan onboard, a Rodian male named Torchuk. They'll have to share, and he can bunk there." "That sounds like the best solution," I agreed. I would be comfortable quartering with the other non-Force users, and they with me, but it would be better for Mjan to be with other Jedi. "Right, deck 5 section 6 Besh." "Thank you, Ensign," I replied. "Come on, Mjan. I'll show you around and then I'll need to report to the bridge." *** After a quick tour of the ship, the two of us headed to the bridge. "Captain Mahlon," I said, striding forward to greet her warmly. "It's good to see you again." The purple-skinned Twi'lek didn't smile, but there was warmth in her eyes. "You're always welcome aboard my ship, Captain Cadan. Or should I say, Knight Cadan?" "Either is fine," I waved it off. "As you know, I'm here in both capacities. Captain Amienne Mahlon, allow me to introduce my padawan, Mjan Sadow." "Pleasure," she replied shortly. She turned back to me. "What do you know about our assignment?" "Nothing," I answered. She motioned for me to follow, and I started that direction before stopping and turning to the Tsis trailing after me. "Mjan, for now, you don't have security clearance. Your status as a Jedi gives you automatic basic level access, but nothing beyond, unless you wish to enlist. For now, you have access to all public areas of the ship. I suggest you look around, get your bearings, meet some people, see what you can learn. If you get bored, I've set you up with some basic educational reading that you'll need to do eventually. You'll be able to access it from your terminal in your room. Read up on the Jedi Code: I want to have a discussion on it later." Once I was sure he had no questions, I turned and followed the captain into the conference room. ((To Borleias...also I'll be traveling so my posting will be less frequent.))

Mjan was just about to try again, muttering to himself, when I felt my comlink buzzing. Pulling it out, I checked it to see an immediate recall from my newest post aboard the Ataru. I was secretly glad. I hadn't minded the work here on Felucia, but it would be nice to be on the cool, sterile ship, working on something a bit different. Or rather, I amended, likely more of the same, though from a different post. The Jedi couldn't afford to ignore this disaster, although we'd have to keep our eye out for those taking advantage of the situation, too. Lost in my momentary reverie, I missed Mjan moving the marble until his startled exclamation jerked me back to the present. I smiled. "You see? You can do it when you are calm and allowing the Force to flow through you instead of trying to direct it. It's a balance--we can use the Force, manipulate it's energy, but only ever as it's the will of the Force to do so." I rose and dusted off my tunic, though it wasn't dirty. "Come on," I said. "We can continue later. For now, I'm expected onboard the Ataru, part of the Jedi fleet." As we walked, I filled him in. "You might not have realized this when you agreed to be my padawan, but my assignment here on Felucia was only temporary. After I knighted my previous padawan, I rejoined the fleet officially. I'm honestly as much a soldier as a Jedi most days, as much as that may be an oxymoron to some. But I've found balance in it, and my previous experience with the New Republic and Galactic Alliance fleets during my own apprenticeship allow me to be an excellent liaison between fleets, as well as between our fleet and the rest of the Order. Anyway, much of the fleet is leaving the system, and I'm--we're, now--due onboard in an hour. Grab anything you need and meet me in the hangar. Your ship will have to stay here, but it'll be fine." We parted, and I headed to my own quarters. There I grabbed my sack that I kept packed and ready to go, as well as the rest of my accouterments, including two clean fleet uniforms. I'd be in my Jedi robes most of the time, but I'd found it useful to be able to blend in with the rest of the crew better sometimes. Everything else I'd need, I'd have access to onboard the Corvette. Ten minutes later, I was in the hangar. Striding over to where Mjan was, I nodded. "Ready to go?"

My eyebrows shot up when the marble rocketed off Mjan's palms and embedded itself in the wall. My padawan was immediately contrite, so I kept my thoughts to myself. This is going to be interesting... For a moment, I wondered if I knew what I was getting myself into. What if despite all my training, he ended up turning on me and becoming a Sith Lord? The future was unclear, and worry stirred in my heart. But I knew I couldn't think that way. Falling to the dark side can happen to any of us at any time, I reminded myself. Even to me. Mjan dug out the marble and returned. I could feel the guilt weighing him down, and it prompted me to speak. "Let go, Mjan. Let go of your emotions. Only when you are calm, and at peace, will you be able to move the marble in the correct way. You messed up? Make it right, and then forgive yourself. No one is perfect. Accept that." I had more thoughts on the subject, but they'd be best served until later. For now, I would let him try again.

I'd heard some master somewhere say that every student was different, and that one could learn completely different lessons from their second padawan than they had from the first. When Mjan started chanting, I realized just how different he was going to be than Aelyn. He is simply starting where he knows to start, I mused. No different from anyone else. After chanting for a few moments, the Force came to Mjan. I noted how easily he had called on the Force. That was something that many students had trouble with. But apparently his former order had taught him at least that much. The marble wobbled in his hand, and then he stopped chanting and looked at me with surprise and joy. "Indeed, I believe you are right," I chuckled. "I want you to try again. This time, let's try leaving out the chanting. There's nothing wrong with it, if it helps focus your mind, but you need to be able to draw on the Force immediately, instictively, and as habitually as breathing. I don't want the chanting to become a crutch that makes things more difficult for you down the road." I fell silent then, waiting to see what he would do.

I almost chuckled, but Mjan was being serious, so instead, I smiled gently. "I appreciate that, but I have to say, becoming a Jedi will only paint a larger target on your back. Instead of simply your clan being after you, you'll have thugs, assassins, pirates...not to mention the entire Sith Order. I once spent several months undercover with a merc band, and it still ended in a firefight. So of course I accept. The Jedi have a saying: 'The student accepts the danger when the master accepts the student'. In this case, maybe it's reversed a bit, but the application still rings true." I rose and collected my breakfast tray. "I'm sure you'll have to deal with your heritage someday, but hopefully not any time soon. Come on. If you're done eating, we might as well get started." We dropped off our dishes, and headed to the level where I knew there were some training rooms. One opened at our approach, and I was pleased to find a quiet, pleasant, empty room with a large 'window' overlooking the forest canopy. I took a seat crosslegged in the center of the room and motioned for Mjan to join me. "Alright, we're going to start with the basics and I'll be able to see what you know. Forgive me if you are already familiar with these skills, but fundamentals are important." Using the Force, I called a bag of marbles to my hand from a rack on the wall. "Right, I want you to reach out with the Force. Open yourself to it's flow. Calm your mind, and then," I dropped a marble into his hand, "lift the marble with the Force."

"Well then, you'll need a teacher. How about me?" The words slipped out before I knew what I was saying, and they astonished me. I hadn't been looking for a new apprentice. I had been content to train Aelyn and leave it at that, especially since I was vaguely planning to apply for a position in the fleet. But the words felt like there was weight behind them, and I knew they were the will of the Force. If Mjan accepted, I'd have a padawan again. You certainly know how to pick 'em, I thought, though not unkindly.

No sooner had we sat down than Mjan started chattering away. I hid my smile at his enthusiasm. Then he presented me with a black scarf, woven of fine silk. My eyebrows shot up. "Mjan, you don't have to give me anything," I protested. "I didn't do anything." But my fingers closed over the soft fabric anyway. "Thank you," I said after a moment, this time showing my smile. "What do the runes mean?" And then he was off again, delving into philosophy and the differences between our orders. I gave a mental chuckle. He's clearly a morning person. "Many Jedi believe in the unifying Force as well," I commented off-hand. "Though I'm unclear as to exactly what the distinctions are between our views. I'm not sure it really matters." Mjan chuckled, then announced his decision. I was surprised. "Becoming a Jedi is a big step," I cautioned. "It's a difficult path to walk, and even if you succeed, it's a hard life. It's about sacrificing yourself for the good of the galaxy, and for the good of another being. It's not just an ideology, but a lifestyle, and not one to be entered into lightly. I know when I joined, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Not that I regret my path, but it is a heavy burden oftentimes. A simple philosophy isn't enough to help one stand through the twists and turns and doubts that this path entails, or to protect you from the temptation to do what you think is right but may not be the will of the Force." My lips quirked. "I'm not trying to dissuade you, I just want to make sure you know what you're asking."

I slept fitfully that night, and was extremely reluctant to get out of bed when my alarm chimed. "Kriff this," I muttered, rubbing my hands over the back of my neck to try to massage out some of the tension there. My shower helped me wake up a little, but I was still pretty groggy, and knew that it would be best if I stuck around the temple today. Putting on a fresh clean tunic and a long skirt, I didn't bother with my boots, but instead slipped on some soft canvas shoes before heading out of my room. The temptation to swing by the cafeteria for some caf was strong, but I had promised Mjan I'd meet up with him, and I figured the Sith would want breakfast too. So I made my way to his quarters and rapped on the door. "Mjan? You awake? Wanna get some breakfast?"

"So you seek knowledge, enlightenment," Master Quin'dar mused. "The pursuit of knowledge is important to Jedi, however, desire to learn about the light side of the Force does not equate to wishing to actually become a Jedi. Being a Jedi requires the deepest commitment--that of one's entire life and being. This temple is a place for those who wish to walk that path." He paused for a long moment, seeking out wisdom from the Force. "However, it is not in our nature to turn those away who are seeking knowledge. You may enter our temple, and have access to our teachings, however, I must tell you that there will be little actual training you will be able to receive if you do not wish to walk the path to become a Jedi Knight." He turned to me. "Aira, please get Mjan entered into the system and show him where he can begin his studies. If the Force so guides you, perhaps you will allow this 'sorcerer' to come to you with questions." I was taken aback, but shrugged. "Sure. I mean, as you wish, Master." As long as helping him doesn't mean putting off a good night's sleep. I beckoned to the Sith. "This way, then, Mjan." We entered the temple, and began the process of getting Mjan into the system. His fingerprints and retinal scans were taken and put on file, he was asked to register his ship, and his ID card was copied and uploaded to the databanks. After all the details were taken care of, he was assigned a room on the second level. "Come on," I said, "I'll show you around." We headed through the large atrium towards the pair of grand spiral staircases, and walked down a level. I liked this temple. Even though it was underground, it felt open and airy, and the Grandmaster had ensured that technology had been put to the best effect with all the large 'windows'. I explained the layout of the temple to Mjan as we walked. "And don't worry if you get lost. Everyone here is friendly, and you can always check an info terminal." Once on the second level, I showed Mjan the cantina when we passed it, and then ended at his room. It was a double-occupancy room of the kind that hopefuls stayed in. "You're not exactly a hopeful," I said. "That's our term for those potential Jedi who haven't been chosen by masters yet. But it's as close as we're going to get. You'd normally share a room with another hopeful, but this one is empty at the moment, so unless someone else arrives, you'll have the place to yourself." I pushed the button and opened the door. "Well, I guess that's it. Do you have any questions? If you want to get started, you should be able to access the basic level one files on that terminal," I said, pointing to the one in the room. "Otherwise, I could meet you in ten standard hours if you'd like."

I shook my head. "There is no offense. I understand." I gestured. "This is Master Quin'dar. Master, this is Mjan Sadow." The old Twi'lek stepped forward. "You carry an ancient name, young one. One with an unfortunate history. But a being is judged upon his own actions, not those of his ancestors. Tell me, why do you wish to become a Jedi? And what have you already risked to pursue this path? What are you willing to surrender?" Meanwhile, I remained quiet. As exhausted as I was, my curiosity was stronger, at least for the moment. I wanted to see what would happen.

Mjan reacted strongly. Clearly, he had guessed that the presence of a Sith would send warning bells in the mind of a Jedi. But I sensed no guile or deception in him, and his words rang true in the Force. Fatigued as I was, I stammered, "Oh, you're not a refugee from Coruscant?" Relief was my first emotion, but surprise quickly followed it. "You came here actually seeking to be trained? Oh, well, then I guess you won't be needing a tent." I turned, then glanced back. "Oh, and of course you're welcome," I said, belatedly addressing his last statement. "Jedi aren't specieists." I shrugged. "If you really want to be trained, I'm sure it will be no issue. Well, I'll take you up to the temple. If you don't mind, I'll have a master verify your intent, and then we'll get you some quarters in the temple." I grabbed a piece of flimsy from my belt and scratched down my IFF code. Handing it to him, I added, "Just hop in your ship and follow me. I'll take you up to the temple." Turning again, I headed off towards my ship. Perhaps I should have been more concerned about the possibilities that Mjan was a spy, but I trusted my instincts, and the man seemed to be genuine. Of course, I could be wrong. Even a master could be. I had heard that Master Lusef Aryan had turned out to be Vladimir Faust in disguise--a disguise that had fooled the entire Order for months. But we had survived that, and if it came down to it, we'd survive Mjan if he was playing us. But I didn't think it'd come down to that. I had no reason to mistrust him. It was about a half hour flight from the camp to the Temple, a simple precaution that was necessary in these troubled times. I commed ahead and explained the situation as my ship was guided through the trapped canyon to a smooth touchdown on the landing platform at the far end of it. Jumping to the ground, I was glad to see Master Quin'dar striding out to meet me. I filled him in, and he agreed with my assessment, but also my desire to have Mjan's intent read by someone with a better understanding of the Force than I did. A gust of wind blew back my hair and Master Quin'dar's headtails as the tractor beams activated, drawing Mjan's ship forward.

It took about an hour to get everyone assigned tents. We had gotten efficient over the past few weeks, and it was easy to process the new arrivals. Most of them stayed huddled together in family units, blank with suffering, many still in shock. I could usually offer them some warmth and hope, but not all were ready to receive it. So I helped who I could, and focused on logistics. "All but one arrival are accounted for," my friend Lark told me. She had been working on keeping the meticulous records of who was who and where. A Cerean, she had an excellent head for administrative tasks. "Would you mind tracking him down? He came in on SoruSuub starfighter, but didn't check in." I nodded. "Sure thing. I'll let you know when I find him. Name?" "Mjan Sadow." I nodded again and headed off through the camp. My search was focused on solo travelers, of which there were few. But none of the ones I ran across were this Mjan. Finally, I saw someone kneeling down handing bread to some Twi'lek children. After a moment, he rose and turned to face me. His facial features were familiar, and I tried to place his species, though I failed after a moment. It'd come to me later. "Are you Mjan Sadow?" I asked when I got close enough, knowing that I was likely butchering the pronunciation of his name, but trying anyway. "I'm Jedi Knight Aira Cadan. I've been looking for you. You didn't check in when you landed. I have a tent set apart for you in spot 5893. I can show you to it, if you'd care to follow me?" I motioned over my shoulder. Then suddenly, recognition flashed through my mind, sending it onto immediate alert. "Wait...you're a Sith, aren't you? I mean, a Sith Sith." I kept my voice low. Even mention of the word in a place like this could start a panic. I knew that not all members of the Sith species were members of the Sith Order, and this man's presence didn't feel particularly dark in the Force, but I knew I had to be on my guard.

Fortunately for Mjan, the operations controller on duty had never heard of either title by which the newcomer identified himself. On top of that, there had been so many Coruscanti refugees streaming into various ports across the galaxy that Mjan's plea for asylum was about the 20th the controller had heard this morning. And he'd only been on duty for a few hours. As a result, Mjan received back a pre-programmed response. "Greetings and welcome to Felucia, on behalf of the Jedi Order. Deactivation of the shield will commence after your ship's identification has been logged. Please proceed to refugee camp Onith-4 at the attached coordinates where you will be provided with quarter and food, and a trained professional will meet you to discuss your needs and options." --- This whole situation was a kriffing mess. I slogged through the mud that had been raised by the rain and the constant tramp of beings passing through refugee camp Onith-4, trying to keep my frustration off my face. For the past two weeks, refugees had been pouring in. Many people knew that there was a Jedi Temple here, and in crisis, it was often the Jedi that people looked to. Especially since the GA fleet had taken a beating by what appeared to be Mandalorian forces. And since Hesperidium had hit Coruscant three days ago, the refugee stream had only increased, and the mood in the camps had gone from shocked yet hopeful, to utterly devastated. Even though Coruscant hadn't been completely destroyed, many of these people had lost literally everything, and even those who hadn't were reeling. A catastrophe on this level hadn't happened to Coruscant ever. Even the shield collapse of a decade or so ago held no candle to this. Of course, disasters occurred on other worlds. But Coruscant had always had an air of being invincible, surviving everything that had been thrown it's way, standing as the seat of government and culture for millennia. To be honest, I was having a hard time believing it myself. The Grandmaster and the other Jedi who had been there had failed. How could this possibly be the will of the Force? "Please, Master Jedi!" The voice of a young human, no more than five or six, interrupted my dark line of thought. I stopped walked and turned to her. "Yes, little one?" "My mommy is sick. She won't stop coughing. Can you help?" I checked the pouch that hung by my side. "Yes," I confirmed. "Take me to your mother." The child darted off, forcing me to pick up my pace as I hurried after her. We passed mud-splattered white tent after mud-splattered white tent until she stopped and pulled back the flap of one, disappearing inside. After a moment, I followed her. The interior of the tent was humid and stuffy. Felucia was a jungle planet, and even the Jedi Order didn't have the resources to provide climate control for all these refugees. A woman lay on a cot, with two other, smaller children clustered around her. Her coughs shook the tent. The three children looked up at me with wide eyes. "It's okay," I said, trying to smile. I knelt down next to the mother and took her hand. "I'm Aira," I said. "I'm just going to check you over, okay?" Pulling out a diagnostic scanner, I ran it over her. In the past few weeks, I had become familiar with a lot of equipment I hadn't previously known how to use. After a moment, it beeped, and I checked the readout and nodded. The scanner confirmed what I had assumed it to be--dust particles in her lungs. It was a very common ailment in these camps. Without hesitating, I pulled out a tube of medicinal spray, checked to verify that it was the correct one for humans, then handed it to her. "You'll need to spray this in each nostril twice a day," I told her. "If the coughing doesn't subside in three days, come find more medical help, okay?" The woman nodded weakly. "Are the kids having any symptoms?" "No," she croaked. "Okay," I nodded, rising to my feet. I turned to go, but she grabbed my arm. "Thank you," she whispered, tears of shame entering her eyes. I grasped her hand warmly. "May the Force be with you." Back outside, I put my hands on the small of my back and arched it, stretching out the crick that had been forming. Realizing I was hungry, and desperately needing a shower and a nap, I started to head back to where my fighter was parked. The coolness and cleanliness of the Jedi Temple sounded really good right now. Before I got very far, however, I was notified of a new wave of refugees getting ready to land. There were other people who could get them settled, but I was near the edge of the camp anyway. So I turned and headed over to the makeshift landing zone we had cleared in the jungle. Once I got these newcomers settled, I'd get that shower.

Eventually, the fleet limped home. It had taken longer than usual, since several ships were limping on damaged drives and I wasn't willing to leave them behind without the safety of more whole ships to guard them. That, and the three extra microjumps we had taken on top of the normal four before I let the fleet return to the space around Felucia. I repressed a yawn as I took a datapad one of the ensigns had just handed me. "Sorry." He shook his head. "It's been a long day for all of us." I nodded. And on top of the battle, we were grieving. That would be draining enough even in normal circumstances. Morale, however, was overall still okay. Everyone knew we had suffered a defeat--there was no kidding ourselves otherwise--but we had seen the fleets of our enemy in action, and already the analysts were pouring over the battle data and trying to come up with strategies to counter it next time. Everyone knew that, too--that there would be a next time, and that it was only a matter of time. Jedi didn't take revenge. We weren't interested in that. But we were interested in protecting people from those war machines. And if we walked out of this with a better idea of how to do that, it wasn't a complete failure. Later this afternoon, we'd have a ceremony for the fallen. But for now, repairs would begin, new ships would be built to replace those we had lost, and I had a report to file with the Grand Master. Then maybe I could get some sleep. ((Edit to put in dates: construction begins on a new ship, AP 2, to be completed 6/19))

I had spent a few days on Naboo after Aelyn had left, recentering myself. I sensed a change coming in my career as a Jedi. Training Aelyn had made me feel simultaneously more connected and more disconnected from the Jedi Order as a whole, and I didn't know what the Force was up to. Until I got the call from the Grandmaster. And then everything fell into place. It made sense. I was the Jedi with the most experience commanding fleet elements. And I couldn't deny that I was eager to get back on a ship again. Flying around, righting wrongs and defending innocents by using big guns and hoards of starfighters sounded just about right to me. As I left Naboo and headed to rendezvous with the fleet, I was left to muse just how much in the path of my master I was following. I hoped that was a good thing.

As we walked out, I felt good. Things here had been resolved, and in a way that was the best one could hope for. That happened rarely, and when it did, it was always worth celebrating. "I'm fine; I have a ship that can take me where I need to go," I replied to Aelyn's offer. "Go where the Force leads you, for sure--but I have a suggestion. Take a moment and celebrate. You've come so far, and we rarely get milestones like this in our lives." I hoped she'd take my advice. Aelyn had things she enjoyed, but I had never seen her just let her hair down. "And you should probably tell your parents the good news." It was only a short walk to the hangar, and we arrived by the time we were done talking. Suddenly, I felt strange. "So, I guess this is it. For a while anyway." It was funny; I had known this day was coming from the moment I took her as my padawan, but I was still unprepared for how odd and unwelcome the moment of parting actually was. There wasn't really anything to say that hadn't already been said--except one. I reached out and hugged her tightly. "May the Force be with you, Aelyn."

I smiled as I sat back in my seat. "You've earned it." Aelyn then brought up the leviathan. "Of course I'll stay. The scientists are going to make their preliminary reports tomorrow. Depending on what they decide, we may still be needed." I reached into the Force, hoping for a glimpse or hint at what the future would hold. I didn't sense any violence. That was encouraging. "For now, though, let's just drink our tea." --- The next afternoon found the two of us in the palace of Theed. This was being taken straight to the queen. We stood silently as the scientists made their recommendations. "All that said," the representative said, finally getting around to his point after a long-winded and mostly incomprehensible scientific explanation, "we believe that with a bit of conditioning, the creature prisitis maloba will be able to be acclimatized to our ecosystem without too harsh a strain on our world. Our team is eager to try and preserve this creature. However, it is our recommendation that we make the creature temporarily infertile, to prevent it from reproducing until we can learn more about it and it's origins." There was other talk, but everyone seemed to agree. The queen was a bit more hesitant, but the scientists had done extensive research, and it was clear that they wouldn't have recommended this lightly. I was pleased. The creature didn't deserve to die simply because a Sith had manipulated it. And I was encouraged that they'd be keeping a close eye on it, in case there was lingering programming that another Sith could exploit.

Aelyn got right down to it. I sipped my tea as she spoke, then smiled as she came to her decision. "Then you've learned the truth at the heart of being a Jedi: it's bigger than us. A Jedi doesn't fuss over glory or heroics. She doesn't even care if she is called a hero. She stays and keeps her head down and does her work. She sticks with it after losing everything, over and over again, because the welfare of others matters more than her individual loss and pain. She doesn't make sacrifice plays unless they're going to count. She cares deeply about making things the best they can be for those around her. Even if that makes it hard for her. She lets go of her own interest and focuses on how she can best be a servant to the will of the Force. The Force will confer on you great burdens. To act without forethought and deliberation now is impossible, for a single misstep can spell disaster. You will make mistakes, but you will need to do what you can to minimize their impact." I paused. "It's no longer enough to do the greatest good for the greatest number; you have to do the best for everyone." I set down my tea and scooted my chair closer to her, so that I could place my hand on her shoulder. "Jedi have always opposed those who revel in evil and seek power for the sake of power. In the absence of the Jedi, evil thrives. But in the presence of just one Jedi, evil can evaporate. Aelyn, you have faced many trials in our time together. You have shown skill, insight, and courage. You have overcome hardship, and helped others do the same. And you faced the temptation of the dark side." I took a deep breath. "As of this moment, you are a Jedi. You are heir to a tradition that extends back thousands of generations. You are an agent of life, peace, and justice--every day, every second, for as long as you live. And it is my honor to be the first to welcome you fully into the Order as an equal. Congratulations, Knight Talis." My heart swelled with pride at how far she had come. She was ready for this. I had no doubt. But it was also a bittersweet moment. I had enjoyed training her, getting to know her, seeing the Jedi she was becoming. And now, it was likely our paths would separate. I would certainly see her again, but one never knew when that time would come. Despite the mixed feelings, I smiled warmly at her. "You're a much better Jedi than I ever was. Thank you for letting me train you."

"Sounds like you've been learning a lot." Apollo's face hovered before me as a gentle zephyr blew through the open doors of the balcony in my quarters. "Is it exhausting?" "Some days," he replied. "But in a good way. I've been given a new chance to change who I was and become more." I smiled. "How about friends? Making any good connections?" "A few," he said, returning my smile. "These are good people. We trust each other. But how about you? How's it going with Aelyn?" I filled him in, then fell silent for a moment. "I'm going to miss her," I admitted to him. "I don't know what my role really is in the Order. If I'm no longer her master, what do I become?" "Only you can answer that question, Aira." I nodded. "I know." Just then, my comm signaled that another call was coming in, so I said farewell to Apollo and switched over. Aelyn's red mane and freckles filled the holo, asking me to meet her. "Sure thing," I replied. "How about the Apailana Tea House? It's two streets away from the palace." Aelyn agreed, and I shut off my comm. Rising, I straightened my tabards, and secreted my lightsaber away in an interior pocket. It was a warm enough day that I decided to forego my robes. Heading out, I made my way to the tea house. Scanning the room, I noticed that I had beaten my apprentice there, so I grabbed us a table by the window and ordered a sampler of three local teas as I waited.

There was much I could say, and was tempted to say. But the look in Aelyn's eyes reminded me that if I didn't stop treating her like my padawan, she'd never become a knight of her own. "Alright," I said, nodding. "Take a few days. I'm going to coordinate with the Naboo to make sure everything is under control. I'll make sure they keep you updated as well. Then I need to report to the Council; they need to know what happened here." Rising, I turned to go, but then turned back. "Just so you know, you handled that situation like a true Jedi Knight," I said softly. Then I was gone. --- The next day was busy. Cleanup was proceeding well, and the scientists had already begun to study the leviathan, promising a recommendation of action to the planetary governments in three days' time. The cities that had been hit would take longer to rebuild, but both the Gungans and the humans were determined, and I knew that by working together, they'd accomplish much quickly. I also made a few calls, securing a small but appreciated contribution of the Jedi's assets to help rebuild. My next call was to the Council, detailing everything Aelyn had done, and what I had taught her. "With your approval," I finished, "I would like to recommend her for knighthood." It was a proud moment for me. I wasn't going to push it on her unless she chose this life, but I wanted to be prepared if she did decide to continue on this path. And despite it being cliche, there really was nothing else I could teach her. She had already surpassed me. My good mood didn't last however. Breaking holonews reports indicated that the Sith had attacked Kashyyyk en masse. My heart grew heavy as I witnessed images of the wroshyrs burning. I knew the Jedi were going to do something if they could, but given how there had been no warning, it was unlikely we could get there in time to help significantly. It wouldn't prevent us trying, though.

It wasn't a detailed report, but I was able to fill in the details with what the Naboo commanders had told me. Of course, they knew nothing about what Aelyn had faced inside the beast. As she spoke, I suddenly remembered my first combat experience. I had been so sickened by the death I felt through the Force that I could barely function, and it had only been the attitudes of those around me that had helped me. With a start, I realized that I was probably that person now. This being a master thing still felt so new sometimes. "You're still a little in shock," I began, searching for the words to say. "That's normal. And it's normal to feel guilty for making it out alive when others didn't. But rarely is a situation all or nothing. Some people almost always survive. And it's not their fault for doing so." I paused, getting the feeling I was going about this all wrong. "Look, what I'm trying to say is this: Do you feel like you did everything you could when you were in the moment? Do you feel like you gave your everything to save the most people?" I placed a hand on her knee. "You said you've never been so scared, but you acted anyway. You acted despite that fear. You accepted that you might die, but you knew you could still save others, and that was enough for you. Those are the actions of a true Jedi. It's not all brash heroics and razor-sharp diplomacy--you know that by now. It's the every day, every moment striving to do what is right for the most amount of people, regardless of the cost to you. But that also doesn't mean you're reckless. It means knowing that sometimes the right move is retreating, living to fight another day, even if it feels like putting yourself first. Because it's not. Sometimes the role the Force asks of us is to be symbols of hope. And if you die, hope dies with you." I realized I was rambling, and I winced slightly. "I'm just saying--it sounds like you did everything you could, and everything the Force asked of you. That's all we can ever do."