Tython

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

The supposed hub of information that was the Library was distressingly devoid of any up-to-date records concerning the Jedi Council. Odd, Jaina thought, concern furrowing her brow. Had the Council been disbanded? The hierarchy of the Jedi Order was largely contingent on its trust in the senses and persuasions of a collection of trusted Masters. It seems that it's not just me full of distrust these days, she thought grimly. Looks like the whole galaxy can't decide who to put their faith in. Another dead end.

 

Irritated, she closed her eyes for a moment, fighting the accusation that rose up against the Order. Never organized enough to keep track of things, never laissez-faire enough to trust their own people. Even their damn Grandmasters are unreliable. Tinova's abrupt and unexplained departure, apparently, still rankled within her. She sighed heavily, an attempt to clear her mind. Now she was irritated about being irritated. "I should be past this already," she muttered to herself, her thoughts no longer content to be confined to the inner workings of her mind.

 

"Forgive the intrusion, but you seem a bit lost. Is there something I can help you find in the archives?" As if in response, a woman materialized beside her. Jaina jumped in her seat, knee whacking the edge of the console. Silently chiding herself for becoming so focused on her task that she shut off the awareness of her surroundings, she rubbed her knee surreptitiously, trying not to acknowledge the clumsy move to the pint-sized Jedi who stood beside her. The woman, who appeared to be about Jaina's age--more or less, she thought wryly--was diminutive, but graceful, auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail that still managed to fall most of the length of her back.

 

It was the aura of this woman that surprised Jaina, more than anything else about her startling appearance. While she carried no weapons, she was no librarian. This woman was a warrior. Her eyes--reminiscent of the seas on Jaina's homeworld of Chad--were kindly, but piercing, as if she could not only read any situation but instantly take charge if necessary.

 

She thought instantly about trying to brush off the question, to retreat into her own considerations of the paths before her. Perhaps it was just the age of the Jedi who had approached her, but she took an instant liking to her. If her complaint had been of loneliness and friendlessness, here was perhaps the first opportunity to correct that.

 

But where to begin?

 

Realizing she had been holding her breath, thinking for far too long, Jaina exhaled in a bout of nervous laughter. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I find it easier to talk to myself more than anyone else these days."

 

Cocking her head as she looked at the woman, who was barely taller than Jaina even when the latter was seated, she began again. "This might be a strange research request, but I've been gone a long time. I need to find someone to administer my Jedi trials." Her heart pounded as the vulnerable, too-true words came to the front of her mind and spilled out of her mouth. "I've had a hard time keeping a master."

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar wondered if Tobias had thought him rash in his decisions. In truth these were ideas he'd had for a long time. Now it seemed, for the first time ever, they were in his unobstructed reach.

 

"Yes, I know who you are Tobias. As I said, you may want to learn to... cover up what you don't want others to see. As far as temple defenses, I would say a portion, yes. A decent amount of cover here, as this will now be our base of operations. Soon we will no longer be a secret and we need to be ready when that happens. I want you to find out, and get help if you need doing this, what the Jedi populations are like at the other temples. Allocate what you see necessary there."

 

Dahar came in closer, quieter, "This army we are building," he really emphasized the word "we" because he knew it was going to be a team effort, "will not be for defense."

 

"As far as an alias, resources, whatever you need. You will always be able to reach me on my persona comm."

 

Her presence grew closer until it was just outside the open door. There stood Adenna, all those years later. Dahar wondered who she'd be most surprised to see. He gave her a traditional Jedi bow, and beckoned her to come in.

 

"Adenna, it's been quite a while, hasn't it? You look well, and older." Being a Jedi had a way of showing wear that only fellow Force users could see. Skin could be treated but some scars were beyond cosmetic. "Like a true Jedi Knight. Please, come in."

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

Xae smiled back kindly. "I know the feeling, on all counts. Sometimes the best company can be our own, though the conversation does get stale after a while." A vague flash of memory of being alone and abandoned on a jungle planet - Ossus, she thought the name was - left by her first Jedi teacher, Kyp Durron. Many a countless hour she'd spent talking to herself just to hear a human voice. Banishing the memory, she extended her hand to the woman. "I am Xae-Lin Ardel, a Knight of the Order, though I, too, have also been gone a long while. If you don't mind a slight delay, I would be happy to give you your trials."

 

The Dathomiri woman regarded the other for a moment. "I can sense the conflict warring within you. If you're willing, I would like to help. I was on my way to the council chambers just now but felt someone else needed me more. You are welcome to come with me to observe, then we can begin your trials once my business there is concluded. Does that seem amiable?"

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Her first instincts about the woman were proving true, and Jaina sighed, astonished. Taking the proffered hand, a genuine smile crept onto her face. Conflict within me, indeed. She has no idea, but she soon will, Jaina thought with a flicker of sadness. Although, she acknowledged to herself, it would be nice to have someone to confide in again, and hopefully some of the mess her life had become could be more easily sorted out with a third party involved.

 

"Amiable hardly seems to cover it, Master Ardel. I would consider it an honor." She inclined her head in the slightest bow. "My name is Jaina Jade"--she paused momentarily, pondering what name to give--"Skywalker."

 

It felt strange to give her married name, but strange not to give it now as well. Putting distance between herself and renowned Jedi Master Andon Colos, however, seemed a good idea, to avoid drawing attention to herself here in these halls. Time had passed, true, but especially if she was about to meet the very handful of people she had just been trying to research, it would be a less intimidating meeting were they unaware of the baggage she was trying desperately not to wear on her sleeve.

[Tobias Vos]

"No, if you want to keep Tython secret, I will need to leave. There will be some complications if you wish me to remain here. And, remember that... 'whatever you need...' you said that. It will not be forgotten. Also, should I include you in status reports, or just wait until you request them?"

 

Tobias rubbed his hand over his stubble- it had been days since he had shaved last. Perhaps this would be a good time to take a break and find quarters and do some upkeep on himself. A runner had dropped off food and a stack of datapads outside that Tobias carted inside. Protein sticks and some sort of....goo in a mug? Doesn't matter what they called it it was now 'goo mug.' An inward laugh at his own joke.

 

There had been a note on the tray- "Council Meeting with Department of Growth- Chairman J.S." Another chuckle, this time the sound was audible. One of his alias's had worked now, a small measure of humor stemming from the joke.

 

The Kiffar was lost in his own mind for a moment. He was on the cusp of being finished- collecting datapads and a few things to leave the council chambers- Dahar's voice sliced through the silence. "Adenna, it's been quite a while, hasn't it? You look well, and older. Like a true Jedi Knight. Please, come in." Dahar welcomed the woman in.

 

Tobias froze mid-reach across the tray. A slight melody overplayed in Vos's mind. A slight piano overturn- something cliche almost. His movement was broken- but measured. His green eyes looked over the woman in the entrance of the room. He was still hunched over the tray, now frozen, a cookie has situated in his mouth, his left hand held two data pads- and his open bag showed the stashed contents of a few bits of food- surely to be saved for later. The glow inside the back was from the screens of about four datapad screens- all that could be seen. His right hand moved to close the satchel after the other two screens went in.

 

Voices screamed at him from directions all over-

 

Run to her, embrace her!

Run out and past her!

Steal Dahar's lightsaber- cut a hole in the window and jump out!

Turn the lights off, hide behind a council chair!

Quietly excuse yourself from the room, and move along!

Stand your ground. Come to terms with your mistakes.

Stand your ground, you have made no mistakes.

Admit your mistakes immediately, ask for Adenna's apology.

Thank her.

Kill her.

She is the only reason you are now here. She is your fellow Jedi now.

 

Taking a bite off the food in his mouth, chewing slowly and swallowing, he listened to the Force- then silenced the voices. His heart started to flutter as soon as she had arrived. Increasing in speed and intensity. His chest and blood sped through his veins, kind of making him sway under the velocity of his blood.

 

With a steady voice, and a nervous undertone- just slightly detectable. "Adenna, greetings." were the words he thought, but not the one's he had said. "Well, there you are. Welcome back, Adenna." And it actually come out with a solid-playful yet serious tone. While Vos's Force signature had been collapsed, a wave of relief, longing, and peace came about it.

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

Xae gave a small laugh. "Xae, please. You wouldn't be the first to feel lost, and I seriously doubt you'd be the last. It is well to meet you Jaina. Let us be on our way then."

 

The two women continued to navigate their way to the council chambers, Xae stepping aside to admit Jaina once she skirted past the raven-haired woman she'd seen in the cafeteria earlier, "Adenna" by the sound of things. The auburn-haired woman glanced over to Tobias, clearly sensing something going on within his Force signature before he greeted the woman. There was no mistaking that this was the Adenna he'd mentioned to her while they were on Gala. Xae smiled, understanding.

"Forgive the intrusion, but Tobias asked that I join you," Xae paused noting the absence of the Wookiee Jedi. "Where's Master Kirlocca? What's going on?"

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy quietly awaited her masters return.

 

Or at least she did for a while. After a few hours she went to her quarters and began her training regimen. After and hour of working out, she practiced her saber skills.

 

She sighed and sat on the cot. Sometimes life was boring.

[Trushaun]

That nagging feeling in the back of Trushaun's had multiplied ever since rejoining civilization. What was eating at her so? What had she missed? Sandy and Adenna had caught up- briefly, and Trushuan fell out of tune as the black-haired human walked away. Caught up in her own world for the time being. Cycle after cycle of flushing things through her mind. After she finished her food, she sort of meandered off- separating from Sandy was unintentional, but this nagging feeling had to be dealt with. Being much like a headache- but her vision blurred- refocused, blotted out, and repeated. Running through her Jedi techniques hadn't helped either. Wandering down this hallway- that hallway- trying to get away from the noise.

 

Her heart racing, her vision blurry- what was wrong with her? Poison? Here on the Jedi homeworld? Running through her techniques again, determined to have it make her better- she refocused on the bit that dealt with detoxing. Her head throbbed, the pressure was constant but no longer debilitating the way it had been. Inching herself forward, she avoided contact with anyone else which was hard to do in this area of the temple, wherever she was.

 

An audible curse in her native tongue shot down the hallway.

 

Kneeling- she braced herself against the wall. Eyes closed- her hand searched through her bag. Where was that vial? Glass connected in her bag- all the wrong tone and feel to them. It wasn't there- a brief panic ran through her where did her tears go?

 

She growled and cursed herself again. Her head hurt so bad, she collapsed against the wall and sunk to the floor. What had she forgotten? Electrical discharge echoed down the hallway-from which way she couldn't tell. It was best just to stay here, and concentrate. Then, the sense of vertigo kicked in. Best just to take nap. There she would sit, until the Sun came back around.

[Adenna Alluyen]

When Adenna entered the Council Chambers, she was relieved to hear her teacher Dahar greet her warmly. He didn't seem to be angry with her, so she wondered if maybe he was going to let her off lightly. It seemed that the Jedi had been fairly disorganized of late, so maybe he would just be grateful to have Jedi returning. "Thank you, Teacher Dahar," she said with a Jedi bow in return. "My path, though distant, has allowed me to grow."

 

So wrapped up in her anticipation of punishment, she didn't realize there were others in the chambers as well. One of them approached and caught her attention. She realized that she knew him from somewhere, though where exactly didn't hit her until he spoke, "Well, there you are. Welcome back, Adenna."

 

Her first and most immediate instinct was one of shock. A few years ago, she would have allowed that shock to freeze her into place, but not after all that she had been through. Her hand went to her lightsaber as her mind struggled to process what was going on. Her mind managed to override her instinct as she realized what happened. Instead, she stood upright and slightly on guard, ready to spring into defensive action but not threatening attack. Instead of immediately responding, she paused to consider the situation.

 

She had been so expectant of safety in this sacred place that she had not even considered that there would be a threat within this room. That was a failure, one she would never have made back on Thalassia. The second thing that occurred to her was that she should have been able to sense Tobias Vos long before entering this room. She had been distracted, but there was more to it. As she stood there, she reached out to sense the man's presence. He was, as usual, drawn in upon himself, but he couldn't hide everything, not in this place and not to her. She hadn't sensed him because he had changed quite drastically over the last few years. The darkness hadn't left him entirely, but he was far farther along the path she had sensed when they first met. If he had still been a threat, she doubted that Teacher Dahar would have allowed him access to this place. She trusted her old teacher's judgment on this matter and relaxed slightly.

 

After several long seconds of staring at Vos, one corner of her mouth perked up slightly. She had planted seeds and watered them, but sometime over the last few years, the tendrils of light had rapidly began to replace the rot of darkness in him. She was very glad to see that he had made the choices needed to end up here. "Here I am indeed," she said. Despite the realization of his choices, the surprise of the situation kept her voice from being too warm. She didn't quite know what all he was about and would reserve her judgment until she could speak to him further.

[Tobias Vos]

The time and stress had started to weigh on Vos- he could use the Force and bolster his stamina and mental fortitude, but why use that power if you do not need to? Or should? Something was different inside the man since the last time Adenna and Tobias had been in proximity to one another. He was certain she remembered things that he simply did not. A slightly unnerving feeling- knowing that there are certain things about yourself that you don't even know. He would simply have to press through it, try and figure out what pieces went where. That didn't make him less observant and he wasn't surprised when her hand twitched to her lightsaber.

 

He was unarmed- and not the same- she was smart, Adenna would notice. Except for the settling datapads in his satchel, and the cookie in his hand- that quickly disappeared with a few quick bites from Tobias. Just as he snickered at her response, Xae-Lin showed up- affirming she was in good health. A breath of relief from Vos, he wanted some new... ideas towards his certain predicament, it was good she was back on her feet. Also, it did look like she found a friend- another new arrival- a report he had yet to get to. She didn't have the settled in appearance or tone around her, it would make sense.

 

Walking around the seat he occupied to see if he left anything, then moving across the room, "Good to see you on your feet, Xae. Master Kirlocca was called out to assist with CoreSec. Grandmaster Dahar and I have been discussing a few things but Adenna is here for him now and I will admit I need to talk to you." He felt like that old monk you see on the holonet story channel. The ones that speak familiar with everyone, but have that odd...aura... about him? He was making himself a fool. "Dahar, I'll be in the shuttle. You know my questions, Good night."

 

He was closing on Adenna. Close enough that he could lower his voice to say something, and still give her some personal space. Taking a measured breath, he paused- dragging his back foot to in front of him- a deliberate sign of pausing. He spoke just loud enough for her to hear. "That was the right call, just now. I don't remember a lot, it has been an interesting past few years. I know it's not much but- I am sorry about everything. Who I was... you know..." Trailing off, then repeating himself- "You...know..." his feet were at par with him now- he seemed at a loss for words- "Right. Well, the Force is...interesting. I have some work to do- Good night, Adenna." There was a small glimmer in Vos's eye when he addressed her.

 

Blinking- his focus went back on Xae-Lin. There was a small smirk on her face- taunting Vos just a tad. Narrowing his eyes in a "Shut up, butthead" friendly glare on her. "Xae-Lin, you know Adenna Alluyen? Vice versa?" Tobias took a few more steps between Adenna and the door, pointing back and forth between the two- then three. "And you did find a friend along the way, point on the scavenger hunt for you." Vos joked- a nod to Xae-Lin, clearly fatigue was setting in.

 

"I am Tobias Vos, hello." he spoke to Xae-Lin's friend. He had inched his way closer to the doorway- his hands busy making sure his bag and certain items in his pockets were there. Both of the hands were gloved and busy, neither reached out to shake the girls hand. It seemed like an effort he was covering up- but only to a certain degree. "The handsome guy in the back that is giving everyone the silent treatment is Dahar Raikanda, Grandmaster." There was a tone of friends elbowing one another. "And again, Adenna Alluyen, fellow Jedi Knight."

Tobias didn't ask for her name, she was unnerved- he wasn't about to press her for details, just an attempt to ease her tension.

 

"A walk?" Vos inquired of Xae-Lin, reaffirming his need of council- but in no real rush. A few minutes of jabber-jawing wouldn't hurt.

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

Grandmaster? So Dahar has claimed the title then with no council to speak of to name him? The auburn-haired woman raised an eyebrow as she glanced in Dahar's direction, but said nothing. When Tobias said he wished to speak with her, the woman merely inclined her head in assent. She'd almost forgotten about the baby-sitting duty that Dahar had put her on in keeping Vos under observation. Then again, she reminded herself with one last glance in Dahar's direction, it's not likely there is any council left outside of Master Kirlocca and needs must. The Jedi need their leader.

 

But why does it settle so strangely in my heart that it is Master Dahar? Is it my relative unfamiliarity with him or something else. I will meditate on this later, with a brief internal shake of her head she stilled that particular train of thought.

 

Turning her attention back towards Tobias, her mind found another thread to pull at. Curious that he seems so quick to get away from Adenna. Though, she hadn't missed how the other Jedi woman's hand had reached for her weapon when she'd acknowledged Vos's presence.

 

The Exorcist stood by quietly observing while the others spoke, somewhat mildly amused by Tobias's apparent faltering with Adenna. Whatever obstacles had arisen to cause them to part roads before, she hoped, for Tobias's sake, that there might be some way to repair whatever damage had been done in their relationship. People deserved what happiness they could find in this galaxy and she'd seen and felt the changes in Tobias whenever he'd spoken of Adenna during their conversation on Gala.

 

The news of Kirlocca's sudden departure made sense; she'd never known the Wookiee, in the few times they'd met during the war, to remain idle when there was work to be done for the greater good of the galaxy.

 

Xae extended her hand in greeting to Adenna as Tobias introduced them, smiling warmly as she did so. "It's possible we've met, but you'll have to forgive me if my memory is a bit fuzzy. I'm sure Grandmaster Dahar will fill you in on the pertinent details. You do seem slightly familiar, though." Pleasantries exchanged, she nodded to Tobias when he asked about taking a walk.

 

"A walk sounds like a lovely way to settle the evening. Especially after much of the day spent in bacta," she paused, turning to the young woman who'd come in with her, "Tobias, this is Jaina. Is it alright if she stays near? As a guest, she could quite easily find herself lost in this maze of a temple and I have promised her my assistance."

 

I won't abandon you, Jaina. I promised I would help you and I will.

 

Just then, another voice cut in through her mind as the trio stood outside the council chambers.

 

Xae-Lin...? Is it?

My name is Kro'Roene'Givrah. I wanted to ask you. K-kyrie is going through her trials at this moment and has done quite well. Since you were a formative figure to her and she is undergoing, arguably one of the most transformative moments of her life, I would ask you a favor.

You know her, are there any words you would spare to Kyrie to help her along her way and guide her through her trials?

 

Xae considered for a moment, feeling out the source of the voice through the Force as she awaited Tobias's answer. Kyrie...I fear that unless she is prepared to face and forgive the darkness and anger of her past, much as I did for my own trials, then she is not truly ready for Knighthood.

 

She was chosen for a dangerous and unique path. As an Exorcist, we seek harmony with the Dark Side, but that doesn't mean we loose the Light or give into our own darkness to find that balance. We cleanse and heal the Darkness from the galaxy, but we do not become the monster ourselves no matter the temptations. To become a true Exorcist I had to cleanse the darkness from within myself and find peace. She must do the same. I have faith in her, for she is strong.

[Tobias Vos]

"Jaina?" Vos repeated the name, gazing down at the girl. A warm yet tired smile ran across his face. "Pleasure to meet you." He inclined his head in acknowledgement.

 

"I have no objection to a third, Xae. Shall we?" Vos gestured to the hallway. Perhaps a third opinion would be bettter. Jaina was unfamiliar to him, and fresh eyes were a good resource.

 

(OOC: crappy cell phone post, but moves us along.)

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

The petite Jedi nodded as she followed Tobias down one of the corridors and into the night air. As the trio walked for a bit in relative silence, Xae ventured breaking it with a simple observation. "Well Adenna's back and she didn't kill you. That's a good sign at least." She cast a glance over her shoulder at Jaina. "It seems whatever brought me back called to the others scattered amongst the stars as well. What did I miss while I was out of it. Other than Dahar becoming Grandmaster. Did he put out a call to any others? Is that what's brought them back to the Order?"

[Tobias Vos]

A chuckle. He was in a good mood indeed. "It is, I suppose. But if she had, I would have known what to do. Combat I can do..." He moved his hands around in an awkward hand motion symbolizing the situation in front of him- a movement to his head, and a dismissive motion to behind them. Obviously not finding the right words for what was going through- but a mix of regret, worry, joy, and a sense of wonder, filled his mind. "I wasn't expecting her to show up there... I was caught off-guard."

 

 

He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Listening, he brought himself back to the conversation. "Indeed, I've been reviewing some reports of Jedi finding their way back here- especially now that- Yes, Dahar put out a message through the Force. Kirlocca did not want to be the Grandmaster, so it really wasn't a discussion. That's why I asked the medical team to have you call up here when you got out of Bacta. Some personal message. Anyways, Dahar's message has had much more impact than I think Dahar realizes. As to what else- there's no way to tip-toe around the subjects- Another Jedi Master, Dash? I didn't catch the full name, but he called in to call Dahar out on.. not sure what but it wasn't good. Fractures in the Order already, it seems. To add to the situation- I have reports coming in from the Holonet- saying the Galactic Alliance has split as well- with Raven Zinthos at the head of the Imperial Remnant, the reports must be true if I did just see her holonet message- offering friendship and seeking Jedi Counsel. Much more is going on, but isn't everything?"

 

Tobias opened his mouth, as if to continue, thought better of it and bit his lip.

"You feeling alright? - Both of you?" Tobias stopped- turning to look at both of them. He was genuinely curious about both of them- the girl whom he had just met- and Xae, who was to Vos's scope of the Force- 'one of a kind.' An Exorcist.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Xae had a way about her that was incredibly disarming, Jaina reflected, and she flashed a smile to the former as she picked herself up from her research station, pocketing the datacard that contained the extent of her relevant studying. Gesturing with an open palm for Xae to lead the way, the two women exited the library. A hush seemed to lie like a blanket over this first tier of the Temple, and Jaina found herself increasingly self-conscious of the sound her footsteps made on the bare stone floor. Ivy-like vines crept in between the cracks of the paved stones and snaked up the walls, lending to the illusion that even in the midst of this Jedi haven, one was still in the heart of the forest. Not a word passed between them as they walked, Jaina trailing half a pace behind the diminutive Jedi, and five or six times she opened her mouth to say something before changing her mind and reaching into the Force for calm and stability. All of the questions that as yet had no answers bounced around in her head, and it took conscious effort to dissuade them from fighting for a place on her tongue. Questions about the Order, about the Jedi Council, about the state of the Galaxy, about the whereabouts of her family, and about Xae herself--adronitis that refused remittance seemed to follow Jaina, but she buried the frustration as they approached the doorway of the council chambers.

 

Several figures were present in the airy chamber, and her persistent questions were buried under a sea of new curiosities about the inhabitants of the room. A dark-haired man in black robes stood toward the rear of the chamber, facing a woman with striking blue eyes and a tall, sandy-headed man in the traditional Jedi attire. For a moment, Jaina hesitated, wondering if her entrance into the chamber was an overstep of bounds.

 

"Forgive the intrusion, but Tobias asked that I join you," came Xae's voice as she entered. "Where's Master Kirlocca? What's going on?"

 

Kirlocca? The name was familiar, the first familiar name she'd heard since reentering the galaxy on this side of the Force. Well, not the first, she corrected herself with an unintentional shiver, but the first that came with a sense of welcome. The Wookiee had been well-known in the order, a contemporary of Andon and Talon Flick. With a deep breath, she strode in behind Xae, trying to project more confidence than she felt, yet hanging back near the door, trying to avoid the obvious appearance of eavesdropping. Contenting herself with observation, she stood quietly by, folding frigid fingers together under the warmth of her cloak.

 

The blonde Jedi approached, extending Xae a warm greeting that seemed almost out-of-place in its informality to Jaina, given the surroundings. Then again, the obvious lack of pretense in the man was a refreshing change from the stodgy Jedi norm. "I am Tobias Vos, hello," he said finally, turning to address her. She inclined her head in the slightest of bows, a smile flickering onto her face unbidden. Mentally, she tabulated the names he gave her for the others in the room, filing them away for later reference. "A walk?" he extended the invitation to Xae.

 

The sense of uneasiness returned as quickly as it had been banished. She didn't want to be left alone here, yet again deposited on the step of a different council chamber like an unwanted kinrath pup. Before she could even voice this concern, however, Xae responded. "A walk sounds like a lovely way to settle the evening. Especially after much of the day spent in bacta." Jaina met her eyes and a sense of deep understanding settled her disquietude. "Tobias, this is Jaina. Is it alright if she stays near? As a guest, she could quite easily find herself lost in this maze of a temple and I have promised her my assistance."

 

With a slow exhale, Jaina quirked a half-smile at her compatriot. As if in response to her fear, Xae's presence pressed gently upon her mind. I won't abandon you, Jaina. I promised I would help you and I will.

 

Nodding gratefully, she followed the others out of the room.

 

The fresh night air on Tython seemed to be alive with invisible motion, nocturnal woodland creatures skittering around in the evening dim. For a handful of moments, it was quiet, the three of them each seeming to need to collect their thoughts. Jaina inhaled deeply, in an attempt to dispel the tension that strained her neck and shoulders and tied her psyche up in knots. There was nothing she could do for Tirzah, for Andon, for herself, in solitude. Trusting too easily had burned Jaina countless times before, and so it seemed to her that her hesitation was understandable. But just being understandable didn't make distrust a better course of action. Be here, she commanded her mind quietly. They can help. Reaching into the Force, she felt the familiar waves of peace still her nerves, just as Xae breached the silence.

 

"Well, Adenna's back, and she didn't kill you. That's a good sign at least. It seems whatever brought me back called to the others scattered amongst the stars as well. What did I miss while I was out of it, other than Dahar becoming Grandmaster? Did he put out a call to any others? Is that what's brought them back to the Order?"

 

From her myriad of questions, Jaina gleaned several answers. First, whatever relationship Tobias Vos had with Adenna was tenuous at best, which explained some of the out-of-place feelings in the council chamber. Guess it's not just me, she thought wryly. Second, the Jedi were disorganized, scattered, and Jaina's return coinciding with a summons from a newly appointed Grandmaster meant that it was much less conspicuous than she had originally thought. A rodent of some kind crossed the trail just before her feet, pausing to look up at her with disproportionately large eyes before disappearing into the underbrush, startled by Tobias' voice as he detailed the current conundrum of the Order. The situation he detailed made her wary. Fractures in the Order, indeed. A newly minted Grandmaster who had already earned the distrust of other Masters, seen the disappearance of Kirlocca, a split in the Galactic Alliance and an offer of friendship extended to the Jedi from the Imperial Remnant... no, these things were not adding up. Add into that her own resurrection and that of Raynuk--Quietus, she corrected herself again--and there were definitely strange things at play.

 

Tobias stopped suddenly and Jaina nearly plowed into him as he turned. "You feeling alright? Both of you?"

 

For a moment, Jaina wondered if her misgivings had been felt through the Force. For the first time since entering the council chamber, she made her voice heard. "Honestly, I don't know how much weight to give my feelings," she shrugged. "I haven't exactly been around to take time studying the machinations of the galaxy. But I do feel uneasy about all of this."

 

She hesitated just a moment, the crushing self-preservation instinct screaming at her to withhold details until the emotional environment proved safe or trustworthy. But it had happened one too many times. The environment would never be safe, and sharing these details would always contain a risk. Better to press through. Closing her eyes for a moment before continuing, she blurted out, "I was dead three days ago. I don't know what brought me back. The Dark Lord of the Sith you would know as Darth Quietus is also alive, and he's hunting me." Her thoughts flickered to him momentarily, but she chose to push through, instead focusing on Ca'Aran's comment about the new boss of Black Sun as she spoke again. "That, the unrest in the Order, whispers of destruction, new leadership in so many powerful organizations--it all seems connected somehow. The Force does not abide coincidence." She scanned back and forth between their faces, waiting for a reaction, willing her heart to slow its pace.

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy awoke and yawned, stretched her tired muscles from the hike the night before and slipped into the sani-steam. As always it was time began her training process, perhaps her master would be nice today, but looking at her datapad on the counter from the sani-stall Adenna appeared to be involved in the jedi council meeting that was currently going on for the last three months. There must be one hell of a discussion going on. Sandy rolled her green eyes, scrubbed, slipped on her robes, and put on her boots. She groaned and stretched her muscles as she walked the halls to the cafeteria. Food was always a nice friend to greet her in the morning. She glanced around and looked for any friends at all. None.

 

 

Yay!

 

 

She sat down next to Tirzah, the brown haired girl she had seen several times in her training. She had been nice in passing, perhaps she would like to chat. They were in the same age group after all.

 

“Hi, how are you doing?”

[Adenna Alluyen]

Adenna was still quite surprised at seeing Tobias here, but realized she needed to see what was going on before making further judgments. Instead of asking direct questions which could only corner him, she instead stood back a bit and contented herself on watching him interact with other newcomers. She recognized a couple of them, but not many. When Tobias introduced her, she smiled in acknowledgement, but knew enough to defer to the other, more prominent Jedi.

 

She was surprised to see how open Tobias was with them, and how he genuinely seemed at ease. It was a far cry from the furtive man she knew in the past, a welcome change. Whatever had been happening to him, it was definitely for the better. She wasn't sure quite how to deal with that, but she was interested in seeing how it turned out. A good bit of her wanted to talk to him in private, but she didn't have time to do that. The Grandmaster had summoned her, so clearly he needed to speak to her and she was at his call.

 

After a little time watching Tobias, she went over to Dahar and asked, "What is it you wish with me, Teacher?"

[Tobias Vos]

A sly smile creased across the Kiffar's face. He was impressed. The eyes examined her face as she spoke- she really got down to the bone about the big picture and something along the lines where she sits in. "First impressions-" he flat out said. "you're smart and respectful to others. A good combination, Jaina. You respect others by respecting your place among the universe. You recognize them and their importance. you don't think yourself over them. And that you know not to rush to conclusions when you only know a little bit that goes on. Some thoughts- Why must the order stay on one track? Why do we have to have one goal, one set of ethics, one right way? Why not have a diversity of opinion from time to time? Sometimes alchemy is a good thing- add something new to the mix and see how it changes. For better or worse?" He shrugged- palms out. Then returned his arms to his chest and folded them.

 

"Darth Quietus has returned as well?" Tobias masked his intent with that question. "Did you see him? Where?" Tobias drew out a data pad as soon as he started the question, tapping here and there the light reflected off his face- nearly dark outside. It was as if his feathers had been ruffled. Then offered it to Jaina. "If you're willing to share what you know, I would appreciate it. On a holo or written, please."

 

He sighed- "I am starting to ramble aren't I?"- another rhetorical question, rolling his eyes at himself, "Xae?"

 

In the back of his mind- he tried to dig up what he could remember about Quietus. Then to Jaina's comment about The Force does not abide coincidence... Was she speculating? Implying that there are folds in the Force? Then there was the pang of regret. Basically about how he had gladly accepted the position he's in now. If he wasn't paying attention the thought would have sent shivers down his spine. He did come back - different. A little bit of regret seeped into how he wish he would have had an apprentice at some point. No, he had lived a- complicated life, an apprentice would have been a terrible idea. That's why he missed Sooba. He longed for the companionship. Where was Sara?

 

All the while still attentive on Xae and Jaina. The crystal beat against his chest soft and faint now- as if it were going to sleep. Or waiting. The mask had gone silent as well. The first time since ever.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

The odd dreams had stirred her the previous night, ten times more vivid than before, almost as though she could see as others did when waking. A woman in a green tunic, black pants, and leather boots seemed to be at the periphery of the whole thing. I'm coming. Just hang on.

 

Once again the twelve-year-old girl woke with a start, an odd sense of unease and anticipation over taking her, reaching out like her instructors had taught her to do, she could sense the stirrings of some of the others and guessed that it was nearly the usual waking time. As she was blind her sleep patterns mainly relied on those around her to help regulate since there was no way for her to know whether it was day or night according to the planet.

 

Even as she and her adoptive mother (the one that abandoned her to the Jedi) had bounced around the galaxy, she'd pointed out from an early age that all time seemed so arbitrary when all of the planets had different day/night cycles and longer and shorter rotation cycles. Her mother couldn't begrudge her the point.

 

Still, Tirzah wondered at the woman that had haunted her dreams that night. What does it all mean? Who is she and why do I feel as though I know her?

 

Unable to lay back to go to sleep (mainly since she could feel the others in her side of the dormitory stirring), she rose and dressed in a set of standard padawan robes before washing her face and heading to the cafeteria to find something to eat before the day's lessons. Per usual, she'd found a table by herself and was quietly eating when another one of the girls she had the vaguest knowledge of slid into the chair opposite her and offered up a bright greeting.

 

Tirzah raised her head slightly to look at the other girl with her all-white-eyes. "As I can be I guess. No real complaints this morning. You? I'm Tirzah, by the way."

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

Xae remained silently observant as Tobias and Jaina conversed, feeling out for guidance through the Force.

 

"I'm glad at least Dahar was willing to take the chance on reaching out," she remarked remember the earlier civil debate she and Kirlocca had butted heads on during their trek to the temple. "If we have any hope of rebuilding the Order we can't afford not to reach out in friendship and refuge to those that need it most." She looked at Jaina, then met Tobias's gaze for a bit before looking back along the path.

 

"Regarding Dahar as Grandmaster, I will be frank as I always have," she continued. "There is a darkness that lingers deep within him, just as there is something...equally as unsettling to me about you."

 

She leveled her blue-green eyes at him again as she offered, "I'm sure you haven't forgotten what happened in this very spot three or so years ago?"

 

Xae gestured around to where they were standing, it was the same garden courtyard that the now-Grandmaster of the Jedi drew his lightsaber against an unarmed Tobias Vos. It had been Xae who'd stepped between them in defense of Vos, more out of disbelief that a member, let alone a master, of the vaunted Jedi Order would bring such a threat against someone who had done nothing to provoke such a response. "It does relieve me to hear that not all of our masters were lost to us following this Great Hunt you mentioned. Those rightly frightened of what we can do have leveled against the very people that would stand between them and the Force-Users they fear. It is a position that I don't envy, though I am saddened by what it's done to the Order."

 

She sighed thinking about the fractures he'd mentioned. "I came to the Order later in life, nineteen as a matter of fact, and, as long as I've been among my fellow Jedi, one thing has always been clear to me. We don't always agree on what is the 'best' or 'right' path if such a thing even exists in the first place. It's always been our purpose that has united us towards one goal, and that is making the galaxy a better place. Fractures heal if treated with enough care and gentle guidance. So, in short, I agree with you Tobias. We are stronger because we are diverse, but we should be united in our goal to better serve those in the galaxy that cannot defend themselves."

 

"War, peace...it is part of the never-ending dance of the galaxy we live in. The Imperial Remnant offering friendship does strike me as odd, though intriguing. I feel more information is needed before acting, though our action is needed in order to gain more information." An amused smile crossed her face. "Il-Andon's riddles..." The woman shook her head back and forth and dismissed the subject as she regarded Jaina for several moments before taking the other woman's hands in her own.

 

"Don't dismiss your feelings, they are there to guide you," her voice was as intense as the look in her eye as she reached out to Jaina reassuringly through the Force.

 

With a mischievous sparkle in her eye, she added, "Some would argue that I've been dead for the last three years as well," the Jedi Knight extended her hand towards Tobias, pointing. "He looted my corpse, apparently, and carries one of the crystals from my ruined lightsaber. Don't think I couldn't sense it on you," she added with a wink before her expression grew serious as she considered a bit more what Jaina had said.

 

"Quietus isn't a name readily familiar to me..." Xae-Lin looked over at Tobias to see if the name rung any bells for him. "However that doesn't mean we'll take him as any less of a threat. My not knowing a name is easily explained by being a solo operator for the Order for many years during the war and a bit after it as well. Oddly didn't come in contact with that many Sith, or at least not one named Quietus." She was curious to hear about the Sith master that the two of them seemed to be familiar with.

 

"The Force does seem to like to keep its own counsel, but you are right...too many oddities for it to be mere coincidence. The question is...what is this building towards and how will our action or inaction serve its will. Jaina, I am an Exorcist...Do you know what that means?"

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Xae's musings, though enlightening to a degree, were becoming hard for Jaina to follow. Tobias, apparently, was not always on excellent footing with the now-Grandmaster, for unknown reasons. She listened intently to the conversation, nodding mutely to concede Xae's point concerning the Jedi being protectors of the weak throughout the galaxy. More information certainly was needed, and it seemed that even the revered halls of study on Tython were inadequate to prepare the Jedi for the shifting motion of future events. Action, then, seemed the appropriate course. If Xae agreed that the Jedi should mobilize from this location, and it seemed that she did, perhaps her trials would not be conducted here on Tython. And, she thought grimly, staying in one place is a bad idea for a mouse on the run from a kitterpat.

 

Her focus shattered as Xae's voice split the air again, whatever message she intended to convey lost in a blur of syllables. The only word that fell on Jaina's ears: "Andon".

 

Jaina's heart quickened its pace as the breath disappeared from her lungs. Her brow furrowed in concentration, as standing upright suddenly seemed a task beyond her ability. Attempting to conceal her disorientation through the Force, she averted her gaze, studying the ground intently as the world spun around her. Did she say Andon? Has he been here? Does she know him? Where can I find him? What has he done all of these years? Does he think of me? I always think about him...

 

From the other side of death, memories seemed to resurface. Had he been there, in the long darkness of the Necropolis? She couldn't say with certainty. What had been an endless tormented reality in death seemed only a vague feeling when found on this world teeming with life. Andon's light, so brilliant and steadfast even in its wider understanding of the Force, would have had to be impenetrable by that darkness, or a great change would have had to occur in him. He didn't belong in the world of shadows that had been her purgatory. And yet, she was desperate to believe he had been there with her, in the lowest place, in the frigid grip of death, keeping her from passing into oneness with the Force so that she could come here to find their daughter. For just a moment, she could almost feel him, the sly, too-cocky grin from across the room that weakened her knees and challenged her senses. She could almost smell the scent of his hair as she nestled into his embrace in a breezy curtained suite on Corellia. A gentle caress through the Force, a tender hand seemed to rest on her cheek for the briefest of moments.

 

But it was not Andon's.

 

The sharp contrast jolted her mind away from her memories, shocking her with its unexpected tenderness. Wrestling with her thoughts in a sheer force of will, she screamed at herself mentally, attempting to temper her restless distraction through the Force, so as to keep it from her companions. Stop it, stop it, STOP IT. Stay in the moment! These feelings are irrelevant to the task at hand. Do NOT let his memory distract you!

 

Which "his" she intended, Jaina wasn't quite sure.

 

"Don't dismiss your feelings, they are there to guide you." Startled, Jaina's head jerked up, Xae's subtle comment doing what her striving could not, and bringing her fully back to the conversation.

 

"I--I--I," Jaina began, but Xae continued, her gentle touch through the Force bathing Jaina in calm.

 

"Some would argue that I've been dead for the last three years as well. He looted my corpse, apparently, and carries one of the crystals from my ruined lightsaber." Jaina's eyes flickered to Tobias' chest, where a wire-bound crystal hung, glistening in the evening dim.

 

Hearing Raynuk referred to as Quietus was going to take some getting used to. While there was any number of things she could tell them about the Dark Lord, in many respects Jaina bore a hesitation to do so. While it was possible that he was weaving an illusion around her, in all the flickers of his thoughts she could detect, Jaina sensed a sincere sadness, and a lack of surety about how to proceed that she shared. She had accepted the datapad Tobias extended to her as he asked for information, but still held it idly in her hands.

 

"The Force does seem to like to keep its own counsel, but you are right: too many oddities for it to be mere coincidence. The question is, what is this building towards and how will our action or inaction serve its will?" Xae's all-absorbing eyes fell on her again. "Jaina, I am an Exorcist. Do you know what that means?"

 

An Exorcist? Jaina grinned unwittingly, unable to stifle the amused reaction even though it felt inappropriate to the conversation, not to mention the whole host of conflicting emotion she had just experienced. Her assertion that the Force did not abide coincidence seemed to prove true at every point, and here was yet another example. "I'm unfamiliar with the duties of an Exorcist as a branch of the Jedi Order," she began with a breathless laugh, "but if you're telling me that your job is to hunt down and expel unwanted spirits, you're hired. I have more than enough to keep you busy for some time."

 

At this admission her face sobered. "I don't know what the Force has in store for the Order, or even for myself. My prime concern, to be quite honest, is not galactic or all-important, like the Jedi consider themselves more often than not."

 

She sighed, pressing a finger and thumb into her tired eyes. When she opened them again, she looked up at Xae with a flicker of apology on her face. "If I'm listening to my feelings, they're telling me that the galaxy is deeply conflicted, that it has lost sight of what is important and its protectors have past wrongs to right, and quickly, before they can move forward. These coincidences seem to be leading to some greater shift in the Force, though whether from light to dark or dark to light I couldn't begin to tell you. And as I said," she finished with a shrug, "I have my own unfinished business to attend to, my own bantha poodoo to wade through. The Balance of the Force can't concern me now."

 

Strange, to be a woman out of time and place. She had witnessed so much history within the Jedi Order that there scarcely seemed a place to start recounting it.

[Azhani]

The Eternal Vigilance came out of Hyperspace within Tython orbit. The large ship coasted and awaited its next command; a silent protector in a sea of possibility.

 

____________________

 

Still reeling from the sudden momentum, Azhani was stuck in her fuzzy ball, rocking back and forth. She couldn't see straight for a moment, but when she was done, she realized that the motion had stopped.

 

The Cathar tried to center her mind and stretch out of her ball. It didn't take much effort, but the tension from before had bound up her muscles and they required proper stretching before she could use them effectively. When she looked around to gather her bearings, her eyes finally listening to her, she saw the green marble of Tython stretched out beneath her. It was beautiful, but it wasn't Cathar. She didn't even really know what it was. But it was land. It was a place that probably had people, animals, nature, meat, cars, technology, meat... and MEAT.

 

After eating synthetic foods and trying to subsist on a Jedi's diet, Azhani wanted to go back to hunting. This was no way to live. She wanted to be on the ground and in control of her own destiny. Save the space ships to the spacers.

 

When she could feel the blood flowing through her legs again, Azhani left the cockpit and ambled around for a little while to find a shuttle. It took her a few hours of searching to do it, no thanks to the people scattered around her, but she found the hangar bay and located a shuttle that fit her purposes. The people around her made space for her as she went by, not saying anything. But she ignored them. She was getting out of here whether they cared or not.

 

She climbed inside the tiny hatch and although another wave of claustrophobia was fighting to the top of her mind, she tried to locate and steer her shuttle to the surface of the planet. Luckily, the shuttle had autopilot too or Azhani would never have reached the surface safely.

_______________________________

 

Green grass, plentiful harvests, and animals grazing. Azhani was happy again, being on solid ground. The fact that she could have continued her Jedi training hadn't even crossed her mind. She wanted this and she was going to have it.

 

The green soul of Tython gripped her muscles as she leaped from an earthy plateau. She saw the light of day looming on the horizon and the hope that it stood for. Today, would be the next step in an amazing future.

[Sandy Sarna]

When the girl looked at her Sandy suddenly realized that she really could use additional training in the Observations department. She had completely missed that the girl was blind. Sandy tried to cover her embarrassment in the force and smiled widely. The girl had a pleasant aura around her in the force, and Sandy knew they could be fast friends. "As I can be I guess. No real complaints this morning. You? I'm Tirzah, by the way." Sandy reached her hand out to shake the other girl’s and realizing her error before the gesture could be completed, turned it into a bow instead. She placed her tray across from the girl and began to eat between questions. Why was always so awkward to make friends?

 

“Hi Tirzah! I am Sandy Sarna, at your service. Where are you from? I am from Gala” Feeling a bit foolish again, Sandy took a bite of a strange meat dish that tasted a bit too salty for human consumption, and pushed the tray away. She sighed, and looked at the other girl and smiled warmly again. How could Sandy even think about complaining about the food when around someone that had to struggle every day. So she stayed silent and listened to what the girl had to say.

[Tobias Vos]

Without uncrossing his arms- a crystal floated from his chest pocket. Light pulsed from the little gem, brilliant viriadian. The lights in the hallway had dimmed and the light the gem gave off reflected off their faces. Hanging in midair- it just twirled.

 

"I had recalled this from the monolith- perhaps the sabers I found on the surface of Gala were yours- and the crystal inside transmuted into this crystal." A slight hand motion from Vos- pointing to the crystal. "It called to me, it speaks to me. Maybe that is a sign, or a kinship between us- Xae. I did not mean offense by claiming it as my own. But you have your own sabers- and I still have yet to forge one."

 

"Jaina- As an old Jedi Master once said- 'One must not be so caught up in the universe that it detracts from individual needs.' We all have our own paths to walk. Master Kirlocca left, to assist with only a problem he could help with. No one will scorn you for a bit of self interest. But, I do have a request of you..." An alert went off on one of the datapads in his pouch. Pulling it from the bag- the white light mixed with the green until the crystal floated back into his chest pocket. His eyes shot across the small datapad- and whatever it was- twisted his face into a smile. "The Force continues to give me options." The sentence was to himself, but could be overheard.

 

 

"Excellent. " Tobias said- returning his eyes to Xae and Jaina- a smile was stretching ear to ear. A cough to clear his throat- his fingers maneuvered the datapad screen with ease- his eyes did not break from the girls. "I have a task for you, Xae-Lin. I was hoping to keep this hush-hush, but I need your help. The Eternal Vigilance has just docked nearby- why or how I have no idea. As a member of the Jedi Council, and a Jedi Master- you are to-" He corrected himself. "Sorry, I would like for you to try and track down remnants of any Force Relics that have made their way into places where they don't belong. Take the Eternal, Jaina, and the Jedi who made the report of the Relics-" Vos double-checked the datapad- obvious a report he had skimmed over. "Trushaun? She seems to be a Fosh Jedi who filed this report. You three, and whatever you need and track down as many relics and holocrons you can. We need to get these back into safe hands. Perhaps we can take care of Jaina and Trushaun, both. If Jaina needs to attend to something- so be it. We have a big project ahead of us, Master Xae-Lin, rebuilding the order- and several other issues we have to face."

 

Vos handed a datapad to Xae-Lin detailing a few things- including the promotion to Master, Launch codes to the EV, the location of the Lehon Temple, and a few other things detailing what Vos wanted to get 'off the ground' or some other metaphor.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Tirzah regarded the other girl for a moment, considering her question. "I remember Hapes, but I spent some time all over before I was left with Jedi by my mother. I guess she had better things to do." The girl took a bite of her oatmeal and looked back at Sandy, sensing the other girl's curiosity. "I was born this way." She shrugged. "Some kind of birth-defect, I guess. Spent a lot of time in orphanages, some foster homes, before I was adopted. Don't worry about it. It catches a lot of people off-guard. At least here people don't seem as wierded out that I still know where everything is."

 

Tucking a stray strand of chestnut hair behind her cheek and smiled up at Sandy. "But the past is boring and depressing. You're a Padawan now aren't you? I'm not old enough yet...but soon...maybe...What's it like?" Tirzah leaned forward, clearly interested in hearing all about what it was to live the glamorous life of a Padawan, especially one rumored to have actual field experience.

[Aira Cadan]

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."

[Aelyn]

Aelyn scanned the planet during their approach, ever curious about what sort of environment she was going to find. It seemed that the world was practically a verdant paradise of deep forests and vast oceans, the fifth of eleven worlds orbiting a yellow star. But the planet's sun was about the least remarkable thing about its sky, which was unlike any that Aelyn had seen thus far on her travels. She knew so little about where she would be in a few hours or days, but she hoped it was either night at the Jedi Temple, or they would stay until there was at least one clear night sky.

 

Whenever she approached a planet she got a sense of unity, as though all the organisms that lived there were part of one collection. That sense was particularly strong here, even though the sentient population seemed very low according to the sensors.

 

As they started walking, Aelyn took in the sights. Every forest had unique sounds and colors. She listened to what Aira said with a sense of wonder. The way she was describing the Jedi made them sound much more like a monastic order of philosophers and sages than the powerful warriors that she'd grown up hearing about during the war. Was there more to Admiral Starlisk and the famous Master Kirlocca than the war-time personae that had become so well known? As someone who didn't see herself as ever becoming like the stories said they were, she hoped so.

 

"This place feels almost balanced somehow," she said when Aira had finished. "Like, any ecosystem must be in equilibrium, but it's almost like I can see it here."

 

She shook her head. "Is that the Force?" She blushed a little. "Maybe you should start over and tell me just what the Force is. I get that it's like a source of power for the Jedi and Sith, and that they can do all sorts of things with it, and it's so powerful that Faust used it to blow up Kuat City and nearly a whole lot more." She shuddered. "But what does the Force have to do with a forest and the wildlife?"

[Aira Cadan]

"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."

[Aelyn]

She puzzled over some of the words and others seemed to challenge her. It seemed like Apollo was in for the whole conversation anyway, and with a day-long hike ahead of them, she supposed there was little to do but start absorbing as much information and philosophy as she could about this new vocation that lay before her. It was funny -- just when she thought she'd finished her education and was ready to get out in the galaxy, she found herself starting at the bottom again, tackling a whole new subject.

 

"The way you talk about it having a will and speaking to Jedi makes the Force sound like a deity," Aelyn said. She'd thought society and science were past the point where gods and god-like beings were revered by any but the most primitive species. It honestly made her a little uncomfortable to think she would be signing away her future into service of some invisible intelligence. It made the Jedi sound like a cult, although by most accounts they were very good people.

 

"And do you really act without emotion?" she asked. "Surely there are good emotions, too. Compassion? Desire to do good? Love? Is a Jedi supposed to act without these things?" That also didn't sound very good to her. Emotions were some of the things that made her who she was. She thought she would rather try to make a difference on her own than become some kind of unfeeling slave to some mysterious higher power. "Without our emotions, how can we know we won't lose track of who we are?"

 

But she had already seen Aira exhibit some of what she would consider positive emotions. It was possible that Aelyn just didn't understand yet.

[Tobias Vos]

And so the datapad read-

 

"Yes, you heard right. I am promoting you a Jedi Master. Under what authority I have to do that and send you on a mission? Dahar has seen fit to induct me as a Jedi Master as well and into the Jedi Council. There is Dahar, Kirlocca, you and myself now, on the council. He's given me responsibilities to uphold, and I will. I ask you- Xae-Lin to help me. With being an exorcist you have certain insight into the Force that we- the Jedi- will need shortly. Strings are being pulled and we cannot resist. The Force is calling, can you hear it? Of course you can. Not many people will agree with Dahar's choice of company - myself. And I would not blame them to question his actions. Shows that they are thinking and paying attention. I even question it, but I know what is coming. I would be a fool to not try and stop it. Finding these Relics and returning them to safety is vital. My private encrypted communication channel is on this datapad. Please, trust me. I know I ask a lot, and it is not casually forgotten. Try to keep this secret- my appointment- for now. Too many changes too quick and we risk alienating the allies we have left. We will have time to talk again. "

 

Tobias inhaled- he saw a figure move in the shadows down the hallway. Returning to the duo in front of him- "I am glad you both are well enough. I will be on Tython for a few more days, then I will have to return to the rest of the galaxy so I can oversee..." He had said too much, but the three were alone. Reluctantly, he sighed- "...our new space station. The Jedi need to show a sign of investing in the galaxy again, we need to show the populations that we have returned. Not as a sign of just power- but as a sign of hope. Now, I'm rambling. Fatigue is setting in tenfold, I'm afraid. I have a shuttle in the hanger reserved for myself, and I will be here two more days- if you need anything reach out to me."

 

Datapads beeped in his satchel, but Vos was ignoring them. He had tuned his ears to the alerts coming in. New arrivals were coming in, purchase orders were fulfilled, so on and so forth. Mining equipment, droids, fuel, hyperdrives, ships, shuttles to recurring investments- shops and stations around the galaxy were subtly adjusting to the Jedi's influence. The economy would be impacted, as well as politics- both with the Alliance and the Remnant. Pebbles were moving. He knew who the figure was, and knew he could not avoid it any longer. Sara had been waiting for him for a few hours now, but to stall a few moments just incase Jaina or Xae had any pressing concerns.