Aira Cadan

I smiled to myself as the TIE escort brought us in for a landing. An honor guard of troopers in armor stood assembled. I noted the new look with approval. Raven seemed to already be making some excellent changes. I was the first one down the ramp after we landed, and I approached Raven with a brilliant smile etched across my dark face. I took her hand, and then we embraced. She hadn't changed much. A few years older, and a larger burden of responsibility on her shoulders, but I could sense the same dedication and desire to make things better that I had sensed in her the moment we had met back on the Death Star. She greeted Master Kirlocca, then expressed her pleasure at having us on Carida. "The pleasure is ours, Head of State," I replied, still smiling. "Thank you so much for your invitation. This is my apprentice, Aelyn Talis." Aelyn exchanged pleasantries. I could sense her awe, but it wasn't overwhelming her, and that was good. After she had finished speaking, I glanced around the room. "It looks like you've already begun making some changes," I commented to Raven. "I am very interested--we all are very interested in hearing what part you envision the Jedi playing in the future of the Empire." Regardless of how these talks turned out, it was good to see Raven again. Her and I were kindred spirits, and I would always consider her a dear friend.

From space, Carida was a verdant world orbited by a pair of sparkling moons. There was a good deal of traffic in the system, which was to be expected for such a hub. Carida had been the heart of the Empire for a long time, and I never expected to actually be here. It was a beautiful sight, not only to my eyes, but to my heart as well. Being here represented hope: hope for a bright future. I slipped into the copilot’s seat and accessed the comm. “This is Jedi Knight Aira Cadan, here with Jedi Padawan Aelyn Talis and Jedi Master Kirlocca. We are here to meet with Imperial Head of State Zinthos, per her invitation. Requesting docking clearance and direction.” I was actually quite eager to see Raven again. It had been several years; the last we had seen each other had been at the Kat Nargal Memorial Resort when the peace accords had been signed. Much had changed since then—for both of us—and it would be good to see her and catch up. More than personally, though, I was eager to see what she had in mind for her new Empire, and what she was hoping their relationship with the Jedi Order would be. We took up a high orbit while we waited for a response, flying casual, as it were.

The meeting was over quickly, but I felt good about what had been accomplished. Could it have been done over holos? Sure. But I liked that it had been face-to-face. It was always better to have deep conversations face-to-face if you could help it. It was hard to read people over holos. I rose to my feet as Kirlocca and Aelyn started to walk away. "Goodbye," I told Tares, Skye, and Tirzah. I put a hand on Xae's shoulder. "Until next time, my friend." Finally, I met Jaina's eyes, and impulsively hugged her. "I'm sure whatever you're going through...the Force will guide you." Then I headed off, following my padawan and the Wookiee. I caught up just as Aelyn turned to me and queried me about the structure of the Order. I nodded. "Yes, you're right. Master Trevelian was the most recent Grandmaster, although for a while, he shared that title with Master Kirlocca here. Except for that time of having two Grandmasters, it's usually the title that we give to our most revered Jedi Master. The role is essentially the public face of the Jedi Order. It is a misconception, however, that the Grandmaster has any more power than any other member of the Council, although I've heard that when the Council is divided on something, the Grandmaster has the power to cast the deciding vote. But the Grandmaster really is nothing without his or her Council. The Jedi are not authoritarian." We drew near the docking bay where we had left the Open Road. "As for the Jedi Council, they are Jedi Masters, usually named to the Council by the Grandmaster. A good Grandmaster strives to choose Council members who all have differing points of view, so that the Jedi can make well-rounded decisions. There has never been a member of the Council who is not a Jedi Master. Not that I know of, anyway. A Jedi Knight becomes a Jedi Master in the same way a padawan becomes a knight--through a trial given by one of their peers or superiors." We climbed onboard the ship, and I followed Aelyn to the cockpit. "That is how the Order has formerly worked. It sounds like Grandmaster Raikanda is doing things differently, though. We'll have to see." I smiled at Master Kirlocca. "What do you think? Did I forget anything?" The ship rose off the ground smoothly, and we headed for space, and Carida.

I smiled to myself. I knew coming to Kirlocca had been a good idea. The Wookiee's natural leadership skills and decades of experience being a Jedi shone through in this moment. Kirlocca's advice strangely echoed what I had told Xae back on the Eternal Vigilance, and I was glad to know that it seemed to be coming from the Force. Kirlocca would take care of Dahar, and I could just go back to being a Jedi. Which is what I wanted to do anyway. Nevertheless, Kirlocca's advice to go off-grid was wise. Never hurts to take precautions, I thought. But it showed that he was concerned, another thing I felt was wise. I listened as he assigned Xae to look for relics, and Jaina offered to help her with the information from a Sith library she had access to. That was interesting. I wondered why she would have access. I shrugged. It didn't matter. "Aelyn and I will of course accompany you to Carida, Master," I said. "I know Raven is eager to see me...and I her."

I nodded. "Yes, Master." Pulling out my comlink, I set it on the table and engaged it's speaker, then played the message. When opened the holographic form of the Imperial Head of state would briefly bow and smile. "My friend, though I have not spoken to you in some few years, you are the only contact within the Jedi Order I trust, as such I look at you for guidance, attached is a message I would ask you not to openly share, lest it cause political disord within your order. Though I leave that decision in your hands. I seek your guidance on this transmission ere I respond. For it does not reflect the Order as I remember it. I hope this transmission finds you in good health." There was a pause, and then Dahar's message came through. "Ms Zinthos. My name is Dahar Raikanda, I am the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. In future correspondences I would beseech you to speak only to me, or to my hand Lord Paragrin. We are the only two in the current re-structuring of the Order that will be of any administrative or tactical relevance to you. The concept of a Jedi "council" still exists but please note that with changing times roles are changing as well. I believe you and I may be on the same page regarding the Sith. I would like to discuss more in person. It would be prudent to meet in a safe and private place. You may reach me at my personal comm. I would appreciate it if you kept this correspondence, as well as any in the future, private. Should anyone approach you claiming to be part of the council please respectfully decline to meet with them. Only myself and Lord Paragrin will be able to assist you with more than just an oath..."

It was when we aboard Aelyn's ship that I got the bomb dropped on me. Raven's message caught me off guard, and deeply troubled me. This was suspicious alone, but combined with Xae's strange feelings about everything? I knew that Exorcists were particularly gifted in sensing darkness in people. And while I had encouraged her to calm down, Raven's message made me wonder if she had been right to worry. So I was quiet as we made our way back to the city we had just left two days earlier, lost in my thoughts. This really made me eager to go to Carida. And it also made me eager to hear what Master Kirlocca had to say. Unless he was in on this too. Aelyn was busy looking around, and I could feel her testing her limits with the Force. As we approached the group of Jedi, I murmured to her. "Keep your mind open and your senses alert. I want to know your impressions afterwards of how this meeting goes." There were more people at the table than I had met yet. But there wasn't much time for introductions. Xae was already talking to Kirlocca, spelling out her bad feelings. As I took a seat at the table, next to a small girl, Kirlocca began to rumble a reply, and I was grateful again that I hadn't forgotten my Shiryywook. << ... I left Dahar in charge as Grandmaster,>> Master Kirlocca was saying. <> I spoke up at this point. "Master Kirlocca, it's good to see you again. As you probably remember, I have a unique relationship with the new Imperial Head of State Zinthos. She personally invited me to the discussions. But there has been a new wrinkle in all of this. As we were coming down from orbit, I received a message from her." I glanced around the table. Raven had wanted this kept quiet, and I agreed with her, but at the same time, I knew that this would be important to our discussions. Besides, I trusted the people around the table that I knew, and had no reason to distrust the others. "She has been contacted by Grandmaster Raikanda. Essentially he said that he has appointed a man called 'Lord Paragrin', and he almost outright ordered her to speak to no other Jedi but himself or this Lord." I kept my voice low. "He essentially said they were the only ones with the authority to do anything. She expressed her concern over this message, and I have to say, it strikes me as fishy too. If he plans on restructuring the Order, why do it in secret like this? Who is this Lord Paragrin and why does he have the Grandmaster's sole trust? Why bother naming people to the Jedi Council if he intends the council to not have political--internal or external--clout?" I hesitated. "I'll play you the message from the Grandmaster if you wish."

I put a hand on Xae's shoulder comfortingly, then nodded at her final comment. "You're right, We should probably keep going. The Remnant has waited long enough already for a Jedi response, and we still have to meet with Kirlocca." We headed back out onto the bridge to find Jaina talking to a man In a very nice business suit that I didn't recognize. He had just asked Jaina a question, and I didn't want to interrupt, so I just smiled and waved at him. Glancing around the bridge, I didn't see Aelyn. Accessing the computer systems, I found that she was in the infirmary with two other beings. I hadn't sensed any pain through the Force, so I assumed she was alright and just making new friends. Using the ship's internal communications system, I sent a message to the med bay. "Hey Aelyn, were getting ready to head to Chandrila. Meet me in hanger 6f, okay? And feel free to bring your friends."

As soon as we got to the quiet meditation room, Xae poured out her concerns. As I listened, several thoughts came to my mind, but I saved them and let her speak. Finally, she admitted to sounding half-mad. I shook my head. "No, not half-mad, Just concerned. You're worried about what might be happening to the Jedi. Your concerns are valid, but I wonder if you're getting ahead of yourself. It's important to be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the present." I paused. "I do not know our new Grandmaster, but I do know Master Kirlocca, and I trust him. If he named Raikanda as the new leader of the Order, he must trust him to do the job well. Perhaps he does have darkness in him. But don't we all struggle against the dark side? Doesn't it haunt most of our steps? It concerns me that, like you say, he doesn't seem to be acknowledging it, but perhaps he just doesn't feel that he can confide in you." I shrugged. "As for Tobias, I wondered why I had never heard of him before. He isn't a Jedi, but is on the Council? That does seem very strange to me. Very strange. I wonder why the grandmaster feels that we have to look outside our own order for wisdom?" As far as the unconventional methodology, I had two feelings. "It does seem strange to master someone without a trial; master trials are a time-honored tradition for a reason. But this is kind of a new Order, and perhaps the grandmaster feels that the rank will enable the Jedi in question to be more effective somehow." I didn't know how; in my opinion there wasn't a big difference between what a Jedi Knight could do and what a Jedi Master could do, practically speaking. It was the militarization that caused me more concern. "Militarization is a bad idea. I did it for many years. Was a solider and a Jedi. And, pardon the language, but it was kriffing hard. There is good in why wars are fought, but I really don't think Jedi should be soldiers. Every time in our history that we have militarized has ended up poorly. Remember that Kamino Incident during the war? That's just one example." I placed a hand on Xae's shoulder. "What I'm trying to say is, let's see how this plays out before we worry about it too much. Things are in transition now. We will see what they are when they settle down. Until then, we have to trust the Jedi to act like Jedi, and if they do, then it'll be okay. I trust the Force. It will not lead us astray."

Aelyn was a fast leaner. During our journey back to Ashla, I had kept working on the basics with her, and soon she was able to lift larger objects. I knew next was to really push her, but I was going to save that for later and let her rest in her accomplishments. As we shuttled up to the EV, my thoughts turned to Apollo. It had been surprisingly difficult to say goodbye. I wasn't sure what to make of that, but that very fact made me think it was good that we would be apart for a while. When I got back...well, we'd see. We approached the massive ship, and I whistled softly. "That thing is huge!" I had heard about the EV in my time with the Republic, but never been there before. As soon as I stepped foot on the Eternal Vigilance, I fell head-over-heels in love with the ship. It was the most beautiful, peaceful, diverse place I had ever been, and it echoed with quiet wisdom in the Force. Aelyn and I took our time through the halls, stopping to look at whatever struck our fancy. But eventually we made our way to the bridge and met up with Xae and Jaina. "Hi again," I greeted them. Jaina took on the challenge of the controls and sent the massive ship hurtling into hyperspace. I turned to Xae. "Why don't we find a nice quiet meditation room and talk through everything?"

Together, the four of us were quickly able to hash out a quick plan. Apparently one of the council members had ordered Xae and Jaina to do something with the Eternal Vigilance, the Jedi city-ship currently in orbit. I agreed to meet up with them on the EV before heading to Chandrila, since it made the most sense for us to stick together if we were all going to meet Master Kirlocca. I was concerned by Xae's sudden quiet when I had brought up the state of the Jedi, and that made me only more interested in getting to the bottom of all of this. Suddenly, I sensed a rush of emotion from Jaina. She was staring at a young girl who had sat down at an opposite table, a Miraluka it seemed, since she had the pure white eyes of a blind person. I had no idea why the girl affected Jaina so much, but I could tell it was extremely painful for her. Xae sent out waves of calm from the Force, and I simply laid my hand on Jaina's and gave it a squeeze. After a moment, Jaina shrugged off her reaction, but she wasn't fooling any of us--my empathy had always been one of my strongest gifts, and in the short time I had known Aelyn, it seemed it was strong for her too. But I let it pass; Jaina clearly didn't want to talk about it. She and Xae headed out of the cafeteria. I finished the last of my fruit juice and pushed back my chair to stand up. But then Aelyn was expressing a bit of hesitancy. I considered her for a moment. "Well, doing this wouldn't really delay your training at all. Sometimes hopefuls like yourself go on missions, and the Force teaches them much. I remember Master Kirlocca sent me and some other hopefuls on a mission to Aracoun Morion not long after I arrived. But..." I paused, "I think in this case, it might be simplest if we do what you suggest--that you get a master and she come along with the group." The Force swirled into a moment of confirmation of my decision. I smiled at Aelyn. "I could teach you, if you'd like."

Jaina and Xae's distrust of the Remnant was not surprising. The old Empire had committed many atrocities, several of which I had seen personally during my service. "Aelyn's right. I don't think we should forget what the Imperials have done in the past, but we always need to make strides toward peace. If the Imperials really are leaving the Galactic Alliance after all these years, I at least would like to give them Jedi input as they set up their new government. And thank you, Xae. I'm glad Master Kirlocca is going to talk to them. I'd be happy to accompany you to Chandrila, and then go with Master Kirlocca to these meetings." Master Kirlocca had been the first one to show me the ways of the Force. He had taught me much, and I remembered the old wookiee fondly. But something Xae had said stuck out to me. "What do you mean, other concerns closer to home? You mean the Jedi? What's been going on with the Order? I've been undercover for a while with a criminal organization, so I haven't been much in contact with the Order as a whole. I got the new grandmaster's summons--that's why I came--but other than that, I haven't heard much."

I smiled broadly at Jaina. "I'm so glad you made it! I hope the Jedi have provided you the sanctuary you were seeking." The woman had sounded so desperate over the comm. I took a seat next to Jaina, across from Xae, and picked up on the thread of the conversation. "The Imperial Remnant is much changed since the war, Aelyn. They've lived quite peacefully as part of the Galactic Alliance." I took a bite of my breakfast sandwich. "I recently received a message from Raven Zinthos. She's is declaring the Empire a separte entity now, with herself as head of state, if I'm not mistaken." I paused for a moment. "I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I trust Raven. Enough to hear her out anyway."

I shook hands with Xae. She seemed a bit distracted, but then, I had interrupted her conversation. "Thank you, Xae," I replied to her condolences. "It's never easy to lose your master, but I know he died fighting for what he believed in, and so I couldn't be prouder." Xae naturally assumed Aelyn was my padawan, and I gently corrected her. "Aelyn's not my apprentice," I said. "She's a hopeful who the Force led me to on Chandrila, who has come to learn the ways of the Force." I glanced at the other woman as Xae introduced her. "Pleased to meet you, Jaina. You aren't here by any chance seeking asylum? I recently sent someone with that same name here." Suddenly, I felt a disturbance in the Force. Sadness stole over me, the Force weeping as someone important, someone significant, passed out of the galaxy. I didn't know who it was, but I knew that this person would be missed by many. May the Force be with you...

My meditations were not helpful in illuminating my path, but there were helpful for recentering myself. As a result, I slept well that night, although I did have a bizarre dream about Adamarian swallows carrying coconuts. I had no idea what that was about. I rose and washed my face, then raided the closet. The nice thing about being in a Jedi Temple was that they always kept the closets supplied with sets of clean Jedi robes in various sizes. I chose one that would fit me and dressed, then looked at myself in the mirror. I still wasn't used to seeing myself in Jedi robes. C'mon, Aira, you've been a Jedi for how long now? But most of my time with the Jedi had also been time with the Republic, and I hadn't worn robes that often. Well, it's time for a new start. As I headed down to the cafeteria for breakfast, I reflected on my time as a Jedi. It had been very different than I had expected, going in. Growing up I had dreamed of the adventures, the vision of myself in Jedi robes, wielding a lightsaber, saving innocents from a terrible fate. I had wanted to be a hero. I shook my head with a small smile. Reality was much different than dreams. All I could do was be the best Jedi that I possibly could, and let the Force take it from there. Arriving in the cafeteria, I glanced around for Aelyn, then spotted the red-head in line for food. I waved and joined her. "Good morning, Aelyn! Did you sleep well?" We gathered our food and then turned to find a place to sit. With a start, I saw another Jedi I recognized. "Xae!" I said, waving. I nodded to Aelyn and we walked over to where Xae was sitting with another woman I didn't know. "How are you?! I haven't seen you in years!"

"Goodnight, Aelyn! Sleep well," I replied, returning her hug. Her door slid shut, leaving Apollo and I alone. "Can I get a hug too?" he asked with a smirk. "Sure," I replied with a wink. I gave him a big hug. Suddenly, I realized he felt lonely and overwhelmed. I gave him a playful elbow in the ribs. "Hey, don't worry. You'll be fine. Perfect for this role, actually." "It's not that, not really. More of the fact that starting over always so hard to do. New faces, new places...having to make new friends." "Don't worry," I replied. "You'll still have me. Goodnight, Apollo." "Goodnight, Aira." Once his door slid shut, I headed to a nearby inter-base comm unit and had myself patched through to the new Grandmaster. "Grandmaster Raikanda," I said, "I'm Jedi Knight Aira Cadan. As you requested, I have returned to Tython. Sorry I wasn't here sooner, but Master Dashel Illioni and I were in the middle of a mission. Regardless, I'm back now, and would appreciate knowing why you recalled all of us. Is there something you need from me? I'll be here for the next few days at least. Feel free to find me, or contact me back, at your convenience. I know you must be very busy. May the Force be with you, Master." I wasn't quite ready for bed yet, though. Instead, I headed to a nearby meditation room. It was good to be here among the Jedi again, but there were other things I had to get to. For one, I still had that invitation from Raven sitting in my comlink data drive. I really wanted to take her up on her invitation, but I wanted to make sure I understood the position and state of the Jedi first, especially if Raven was expecting me to speak on the Order's behalf. Taking a deep breath, I cleared my mind. The Force could give me guidance...all I had to do was listen.

I thanked Aelyn for her condolences. "Yes, at times it is especially hard, but I know he gave his life fighting for what he believed. He saved the entire galaxy. There is no higher honor." I grinned at the looks of awe on Aelyn and Apollo's faces as we approached the temple. And this wasn't even the most impressive of the Jedi Temples. As we entered, a male adept greeted us. "Hello, welcome to the Jedi Temple." I gave him a traditional Jedi bow. "I'm Jedi Knight Aira Cadan. This is Aelyn Talis--a new hopeful--and Ambassador Apollo Antilles Vine of the Tilaarian people to the Jedi Order." "You are all welcome among the Jedi," the Gran replied. "If you follow me, I will give you a brief tour and show you to some quarters." The Gran showed us all the amenities the temple had to offer, and then lead us to three rooms all next to each other. "You'll want to set your chronos to local time," the Gran said. "It is just after sunset here, making it equivalent to 1930 hours. There will be food served in the cafeteria we passed until 2100 hours. Tython's day cycle is 23 hours, so its not that much different than Galactic Standard Time." I thanked him. I had remembered most of the rooms that he had shown us--areas to train in and meditate in, mostly--but I hadn't remembered the layout of the temple, so it had been good to have the tour. I turned to Aelyn. "Well, Aelyn, thank you so much for the ride. We would have been stuck without you. Hey..." I paused. "Would you want to join me for breakfast? Say around 0800 hours?" I was hoping I could check in with the Grandmaster tonight, but I was also pretty tired from the long walk from Ashla.

We continued on our way, tramping through the wilderness, and I tried to answer Aelyn's sudden influx of new questions. "Well, usually a new person who comes, like yourself, is called a Jedi hopeful. Often times, especially when there are many other hopefuls, one of the Jedi will hold group classes to teach the basics. A lot of the stuff I already taught you, actually, plus usually some self-defense basics." I jumped over a small brook so that I didn't get my boots wet. "Other Jedi visit these classes and choose an apprentice from the group. That person is formally apprenticed to the Jedi, and their training begins in earnest. My own master was Onderin Starlisk, which is mostly why I ended up entwined with the New Republic in the first place. It just made sense to give me an officer's ranking since he was still the Admiral at that point in time. A lot of my training was done on the fly between battles." I winked. "That's not normal, although it is normal that the apprentice accompanies their master in whatever business the master is doing. It's a hands-on learning approach. The apprentice gets lessons both in between missions and during missions, and gets to see what the life of a Jedi is like firsthand. "Eventually, the master will decide that their apprentice is ready to take the trials, a set of tests designed to see if the apprentice is ready to be a full Jedi Knight. The trials usually test the apprentice in body, mind, and spirit, seeing if they really understand how to live life as a Jedi." We walked a bit further, continuing to talk, and not long after, the Jedi Temple came into sight. "There it is," I motioned. "The Jedi Temple. Welcome."

As Aelyn immersed herself into the Force, I smiled. I could feel her; in a way, within the Force, I was her. We were all connected in the great web of life the Force spun. There was a moment when I sensed she got it. I was pleased, very pleased. She was making great progress. Slowly but surely, the twig rose from my hand. Aelyn held it there for a few seconds, and then it tumbled back down, and I let it fall to the ground. Aelyn looked up at me, and asked me to repeat the lines of the Jedi Code. I could feel her sudden sense of occhiolism. That too, was familiar. It wasn't uncommon for me to feel that way even now, even when I was used to having the Force flow through me. Nodding, I repeated the Code for her. "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force." Seeing her jot the notes down reminded me that everyone learned differently. One didn't usually see Jedi hopefuls taking notes. But that was a perfectly acceptable way to learn, especially for the more educated and highly literate of the Jedi. "Anyway," I added. "Your Jedi Master will be able to explain everything in more detail. These are just your first steps, and I'm happy to guide you along them." I glanced at the sun. "I think we will have no trouble reaching the Temple before sundown. Shall we go?"

I wasn't concerned. "Let's take a break, have some food. We're not far from the Temple now, but it'll still be a couple hours." There was a lovely copse not too far from where we were standing. We made our way over to it. Apollo got out some rations, and we munched on them and chatted about insignificant things. After about twenty minutes, I turned the conversation back on the Force. "Alright Aelyn, I'd like you to try again. Relax. Clear your mind of distractions. It's when you are calm and centered that the Force will come to you the most easily." I scooted over until I was sitting across from her. "Try this. Breathe, in and out. Match my breaths." I breathed slowly, filling and emptying my lungs completely with each one. I picked up another twig and held it in my open palm. "Close your eyes. The Force is always there, inside you. You just have to listen. Let it fill you, and when you're ready, try to move the stick." I knew she could do it; it was just a matter of her overcoming her own natural mental barriers.

I grinned at Aelyn's attempt to explain what she had just felt. "I remember the first time I touched the Force," I said. "It was like...the cool fresh breeze of autumn, the smell of baking bread, the electric jolt you feel when something you've worked hard on goes off without a hitch, the feeling you get when you bow before a cheering audience after a triumphant performance." I smiled again at the memory. "It felt right and good and pure." We headed off, keeping to the path that my memory told me to follow. "Yes, we can. And it's like that most times," I replied to her last question. "But remember that the while the Force has a light side, it also has a dark side. The dark side feels completely different. Powerful, yes, and deadly. Seductive. It's almost oily, and...well, the first time I really felt it permeating a place, I wanted to vomit. So it's not all fun and games. When you can feel the people around you, sometimes you are opened to things you'd rather not experience. Desperation, panic...and death." I had felt death through the Force way too often during my time with the New Republic. "But in a way, those things can encourage you to be better. To understand people, and to understand why they need to and deserve to be protected. And it makes you value life more." We continued to walk and talk for the next several hours, not stopping for lunch, just eating as we walked. The sun was starting to set and we were getting closer to our destination. I could just begin to sense the congregation of Jedi up ahead. "Aelyn, why don't you try again to touch the Force?" I stooped down and picked up a twig. "Reach out and see if you can lift this twig."

Aelyn followed me across the river, but paused halfway. "That's a solid analogy," I answered. "Many Jedi refer to it as such. Like all analogies, it breaks down at one point or another, but it's still a helpful way to think about it." I watched as she continued a few more steps, then felt her tentatively reach out to the Force. "Whoa!" she exclaimed, suddenly losing her balance. I started to reach out with the Force to catch her, but she caught herself and continued walking. I smiled at her when she arrived on the bank. "I felt that. You just felt the Force for the first time, right?" Apollo followed her over, and we three struck off again. "Tell me," I encouraged her. "What did you feel? What was it like?"

I shook my head. "Then I'm not saying it right," I replied to her comment about the deity. "Some people out there believe that is the case, and that's why there is an entire mysticism surrounding the Jedi. The Force makes people nervous sometimes. But it's not really like that." I shook my head. "I can't explain it really. It's just something you'll have to experience yourself. When you hear the Force speaking to you, you'll know." When she asked a series of rapid fire questions about emotions, I chuckled. "Ah, the classic objection. I know I asked Onderin the exact same questions when I was in your shoes. It's the line in the code that people have the most struggle with. But it's not like that. It's not that we don't feel emotions. If we cut ourselves off from them, we might as well be droids! They still affect us, and to some extent influence our actions, but we are not controlled by them, not let them cloud our judgement. Also, we don't let our emotions influence the way we use the Force. That is one of the biggest differences between the Jedi and the Sith. The Sith use their emotions as a lens through which to focus the power of the Force. They use the Force to do what they want, what they feel. The Jedi on the other hand, are selfless. It's not about what we want, or what we feel, but rather what the will of the Force is." "So that's why you opened my cell back on the space station?" Apollo asked. I shrugged. "Well, it was the Force that led us to your cell. We actually detoured out of our way, because we felt the Force drawing us in that direction. It made no sense to us at the time, but Master Dashel and I have both learned to trust the Force's leading. But it was quiet about setting you free or not. That was my personal choice." We came to a river that I remembered from my last journey to the Temple, and motioned to a wide log that the Jedi used to cross the river. "Over there," I said. We headed to the log. We had to cross one-by-one, but it wasn't particularly treacherous, just narrow. The feet of many Jedi passing before us had worn the log into the ground on both sides of the river, anchoring our make-shift bridge.

"Good!" I said, when Aelyn commented on feeling the balance of the place. "Yes, that is your first glimpse of the Force." She asked for a definition for the Force, and I smiled and shook my head. My gaze lingered on the horizon. "Everything," I replied. "The Force is a mystical energy field that is created by life. Wherever life flourishes, the Force flourishes. Philosophers and Jedi have studied it for ages, but never truly come to understand it. What we do know is that it can be harnessed by some people. They have access to it. The standing philosophy on that is that some beings have a higher concentration of symbiotic lifeforms in their cells, called midichlorians. These midichlorians give us the ability to tap into the Force, to use it. But the Force is more than just an energy field. It has a will and a purpose. What many people call 'destiny' or 'luck' is actually the Force working in and around them." I nodded. "It is powerful. Unlimited really--and our access to it is limited only by our potential and training. During your first days with the Jedi, you'll learn to quiet your mind and listen to the currents of the Force. A Jedi exists to serve the Force, to listen to its will and be its hands and feet. We seek not our own will, but its will. We try to empty ourselves of our own desires--of our own self--and instead be filled with the Force. It is in those moments when the Force speaks to us. It's our job to do what we hear it saying." I shrugged. "Sometimes that means fighting to defeat evil. Other times it means standing between an innocent and harm. Yet other times it means training, or meditating, or...well, most anything you can think of. Like I was saying before, each Jedi hears the Force a little differently. But we are all bound by an overarching philosophy that we call the Jedi Code. It goes like this: "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force. "These five tenets are what each Jedi strives for. They strive to not be overcome by emotion, to know what they need to know, to be calm and strong of mind, to not be overcome by or promote chaos, and to not fear death, for after death, we become one with the Force." My voice trailed off. I was thinking about Onderin. It was good reminder that my old master was still with me, even in death. It was going to be strange to be back around the Jedi without him. Not that we had been around the Jedi much during my apprenticeship. Still, it was going to be odd. I turned my focus back on Aelyn. Apollo was listening, too, clearly interested and taking his new role as ambassador to heart. "I'm sure you've got more questions."

We came out of hyperspace with a flicker of pseudomotion. Normally, the approach of a system was done from a ways out; it was easier on the navicomputer and the hyperdrive to not risk getting too close to a gravity mass. But in the Deep Core, you had to be right on the money. Stars were much closer here, and there were more globular clusters and nebulae to navigate. As a result, when the lines of hyperspace reverted to realspace, there were many more stars than one would normally see. It was a beautiful sight. I liked Tython for many reasons, and this was just one of them. The whole planet rang of peace and serenity in the Force. As we approached, I noticed with awe and surprise an incredibly large ship in orbit, the likes of which I had never seen. I wondered about it; perhaps it was a new Jedi build? "Here are the landing coordinates," I told Aelyn. Then I turned my gaze to incorporate both her and Apollo. "The planet we're going to is called Tython. It's an ancient Jedi planet; most say that this is where the Jedi Order began, millenia ago. As a result, it's become saturated with the light side of the Force. For the past year or so, the Jedi have been scattered throughout the galaxy, ever since the former Grandmaster died. But the other day I got a message saying that the Order is being recalled here. There is a new Grandmaster, Master Dahar Raikanda. I'm not sure if he has something planned, or if he just wants all the Jedi to check in." The ship came down into Ashla, and Aelyn landed her in one of the docking bays set aside for the Jedi after I transmitted my codes. I rose. "It's about a day's walk to the Temple. The entire area is a no-fly zone, so we have a bit of a hike ahead of us." We each gathered what we'd need for our stay, which for me meant the backpack carrying my armor and the few other possessions I had, along with some rations for our picnic lunch and dinner during our walk. Then we headed out. Tython was a temperate forested world, with hills and valleys, canyons and large rock formations. It was peaceful and quiet, with not a lot of technology or infrastructure. "You'll find that as we draw closer to the Temple," I told the others, "that your comlinks won't work. The Temple here was originally designed as a retreat for meditation, reflection, and study. It's grown since then, but still retains the quietness and solitude reflecting its original design." I hoped we wouldn't get lost. I had only been here once before, and that was getting to be several years ago now. But I wasn't really worried. I knew the Force would guide us. I smiled over at Aelyn. "Can you feel it? This planet is incredibly rich with the Force. Everything here is connected. From the roots of the planet itself all the way up to Ashla and Bogan," I pointed to the two moons hanging high in the sky, "everything is more intricately reactive to the Force than anywhere else in the galaxy. It's said that the planet responds to how people use the Force here. If it's overrun by dark siders, huge storms wrack the planet, and the land becomes barren and arid. The lifeforms grow large and aggressive. But in times when the Jedi are here, it is a center of peace and harmony, as you see." A bright green screech lizard ran across our path. "It's always good to come to places like this to remind myself that there is good in the galaxy."

Apollo laughed. "Well, I used to make a living as a ship tech, so I've seen a lot of different ships in my day." He sobered however when Aelyn mentioned the sleeper ship. "Yes, the Sith came to my planet decades ago. They infected half of our population with a virus that could make them into Sith slaves at a moment's whim. But we weren't going to just sit around and let that happen. The infected members of our population voted to go into isolation, to segregate themselves on a sleeper ship and sail the stars. After all, the Sith couldn't use them if they couldn't find them, right?" His gaze looked sad and thoughtful as we entered the cockpit. He sat down in a jumpseat and began to strap himself in. "Our scientists searched for a cure for years, turning outward when our own technology failed us. And eventually, I found it. A cure that would save my people. But someone else had found out about this whole thing--a criminal organization called Black Fist. Thank the Force that Aira and Master Dashel just so happened to be working to take down that organization. Black Fist had captured me and gotten the location of the ship out of me. But Aira rescued me." He looked at me with a warm smile. "Together, we raced Black Fist to the ship, and held them off long enough to dispense the cure to my people. They're safe, and it's all thanks to these amazing Jedi." I shook my head, but smiled, taking the seat Aelyn had left for me at the copilot's station and starting to punch the coordinates into the navicomputer. "You would have figured out a way to escape from that cell. Really that was all I did." He shook his head, but turned his look back onto Aelyn. "All I care about now is that it's over. My people--including my sister--are free. They can get back to their lives, lives that had been ruined by the Sith. My people will never forget what Aira and Master Dashel did. That is why I was named an ambassador to the Jedi. We want to establish better connections with the Order. If the Jedi ever need us, we will be there. We owe them everything." It was interesting hearing it from Apollo's perspective. For one who had been at first very hesitant to trust us, his tune had certainly changed. But I supposed that our actions had proven who we were--all of us. "Some days," I said softly. "Things work out." I glanced at Aelyn. "Coordinates are set. You ready?"