The Eternal Vigilance (The Maw)

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar awoke from a trance as the Grandmaster entered the room. He was refreshed and at peace. The Jedi stood and bowed to one of his only two superiors. "Master Trevelian..." After bowing he sat back down, as the chairs here were quite comfortable here, inviting Darex to do the same. "I wish to explain my actions, and also why the task of finding the Dark Lord has brought me back here so quickly. But to summarize Faust followed my predictions, albeit a bit quicker than I had thought.

 

When he arrived all the traits I had studied about him were evident. During my duty at Gala, often with a surplus of time, I spent a great deal of effort studying the evils of this galaxy. The Sith have intrigued me for quite some time..." Dahar stopped for a moment, making sure not to me misunderstood, "The Sith themselves, not their abilities in the Dark Side. I have encountered evil many times, it sickens me. On one occasion I know I stepped dangerously close to that path, subduing Tobias Vos. Although I was correct in assuming he was a traitor, as he stole information and murdered innocents before leaving our care, I could have been wrong. I recognize that now and have spent much meditation in patience and perhaps the concept of 'benefit of doubt'. It is the psychology of these Sith I find interesting. What leads them to do what they do, to start down the Dark Path. Sure it is enticing, but what separates them from us?

 

Vladmir Faust was one particularly interesting case. A man, seemingly with his wits together, capable of atrocities most couldn't even imagine. In my studies he seemed to fit your typical narcissist personality, and so, I decided to play up on that. That is why I chose to chase after him without regard or permission. He needed to think that I thought highly of him, more highly than the council, and I believe he did. He allowed only me to accompany him, and my safety was maintained throughout our interactions.

 

I questioned him on his views of the Force and found some interesting, but also not so surprising answers. His beliefs are not so different than my own in certain ways. The idea that the balance of the Force can never truly be maintained. We differ in that I struggle to tip the scales for peace and justice, and Faust, well, wants to destroy the scale. In his madness he has decided it possible to 'destroy the Force' if you will, and claims to have nearly achieved this goal. I admit, Master, that my knowledge of the Living Force is far from complete, but it seems to me that without the Force the galaxy as we know it would crumble into oblivion. Faust however believes this would simply bring the balance we strive for, I believe he said it would 'leave us to fight it out ourselves' or something like that.

 

During these talks I believe I, well I don't know if one such as Faust can trust anyone but himself, but perhaps he developed a very mild fondness of me. As much as someone like him can. I played into his narcissism. Although I can not say I wasn't genuinely interested in his answers, but I think he thought perhaps I was trying to learn from him. Once again this is true, but not in the way he supposed.

 

As far as his motives in volunteering to help us he made himself very clear. This Julio Furion, a former pupil of his, in the way of his plans. Faust claims to need the Galactic Alliance to maintain for at least the time being and felt the Dark Lord would disrupt this. Whether his plan is to he himself become Dark Lord, highly unlike, or something else I do not know. I do know however we can't truly trust him. Although I suppose you knew that already..." Dahar could sense Darex had his own interactions and knowledge of Faust.

 

"We arrived at Coruscant and were given full access to CorSec records on Julio Furion." Dahar reached into his robe and removed the data cube, offering it to Darex. "I don't suppose we really needed to go to Coruscant for that, but it must have been part of his plan. After using me to get this information Faust ejected me from his ship and vanished, claiming Jedi involvement would be dangerous at this point."

[Darex Trevelian]

Everything that Dahar was saying fit exactly in with Darex's own opinion of Faust. In one way, it was refreshing to know that despite his random absence from the galaxy for the last year or so, Faust had not changed in the slightest. He still believed that chaos was the best thing for the galaxy, not peace, and would use every method at his disposal to pursue that goal. Even Dahar's impression of Faust feeling a particular fondness for him was something that Darex had seen in the Hunter before. "It's true that he's not a Sith like most of the others," he said. "He's always been willing to work with the Jedi, for instance, provided that we listen to his viewpoints. I think he loves teaching, spreading his ideas of chaos to others." Part of him still wondered what it would have been like if Aerec had accepted Faust's offer, and if Darex had traveled with Faust and learned from him along with his padawan.

 

His tone changed from musing to serious. "I'm glad you have explained this to me, regardless. Your actions and attitudes represented a calculated risk, one that caused the rest of the council to question you. Just remember that the ends don't always justify the means."

 

He took the offered cube and turned it over in his hand, then inserted it into a datapad he pulled from his robes. Keying the information to copy to the datapad, he turned his emerald gaze back to Dahar. "Now that Faust has run off, what do you plan to do next in your hunt for Furion?" There was a soft tone as the information finished copying, and he offered the datacube back to the young Master.

[Guest]

Clearly Adenna was trying to scare the Kaalian- even the man known as Leife appeared to have gathered as much. Maier was pretty certain Knight Alluyen will take her as her new Padawan, nonetheless when she gave her final approve, Gracelyn breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Meanwhile CoreSec Commissioner Leife appeared to be taking an inventory of Gracelyn’s gear. Maier herself knew she did have much in the way of gear. Last she checked she was supposed to be in training not on the for front as Knight Alluyen just mentioned. Despite that, Gracelyn was rather glad her time in training will be more of a hands on approach rather than been crammed in some dingy temple practicing with droids.

 

Finally looking at the Kaalian, with a slight nod, the aristocrat returned his greeting. “Pleasure to meet your acquaintance,” came the woman’s soft spoken words. Quickly turning her attention to her new master, Maier uttered “it is not everyday that one can witness the salvation of a Sith. I am more than willing to accompany you Knight Alluyen...” Pausing she adjusted her very lacking gear. “…Though as you can see my gear is lacking..But I trust your judgment in allowing me to be in your company at such an important mission.”

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar paused to reflect on the things he had learned. It shocked him the most the emotions displayed from the Sith he had been encountering lately. The information on the datacube was not overly thorough, but it did include holo-tapes of Julio during imprisonment at CorSec. One particular conversation between the Dark Lord and the Jedi Grand Master was of interest to him.

 

"Well Master, I'm not exactly sure where to go looking for this Dark Lord, but I can gather what he may be up to. I would assume, from reviewing this information and from conversation with Faust, that the Sith are re-structuring and re-organizing. This Furion seems to have his own ideas, and now that he is in power, can mold the Sith as he wishes. I would assume the are hiding and plotting their next move." Dahar needed to address this next part carefully, "Julio Furion spoke of something else, during a conversation he had with you. His daughter. Whether he was playing at your love for your own children, or out of a genuine concern for his Rose, I do not know. The Dark Side clouds the mind, and they are masters of deception. Regardless, if we can find out more about her it may lead us to our Dark Lord.

 

Where do you suggest I go from here Grandmaster?"

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex thought about it. "No, I believe his concern for his daughter was genuine. Having had time to think back over that conversation, and knowing what followed, I believe the only excuse for his bizarre behavior was that he must have suddenly realized that he could become Dark Lord and make the changes himself." It was funny; he hadn't known that Dahar had known about the twins. But he supposed it didn't really surprise him. A Jedi's life was sometimes an open book--particularly in the case of the Grandmaster, he supposed.

 

When Dahar asked for suggestions, Darex shrugged. "I don't doubt that Furion will have Rose in what he believes is the most secure place in the galaxy. That probably also means she is by his side, so if you could find one, you could find the other. I have no idea where that would be. But if you want to learn more about Rose, I suggest talking with Misal Draygo. You know, Armiena's mother? When Rose was a child, Furion gave her to Mrs. Draygo to care for. She would be your best bet for learning about the girl. I don't know if she'll know anything helpful, or if she'll be willing to tell you, but that's what I would do." The Miraluka was mysterious and elusive, but he believed Dahar had a better chance of tracking her down than Furion. "Master Draygo may be able to tell you where she is."

[Adenna Alluyen]

The edges of Adenna's mouth fell slightly. "As you can see, I have no gear except my lightsaber. A Jedi needs first and foremost the Force, not constructs of crude matter. They can be of benefit, true, but a Jedi should rely first upon the Force. You will be taught to connect with the Force in time, but for now, I will look out for you. At this moment, you need nothing except your identification. Despite being Jedi and having a good relationship with CoreSec, it is always good to follow their security guidelines wherever possible. The battle that needs to be waged will not be one of blasters and lightsabers, but of the mind and the Force."

 

She looked at Master Starlisk. "If you desire to wait for Knight Cadan, then perhaps I can take that time to get to know Padawan Maier a little better. If you desire to depart immediately, then we are at your disposal."

[Aira Cadan]

After a long journey, I finally came out of hyperspace over Coruscant. I felt stiff and cramped having been shut up in a cockpit for the whole ride, for I had used one of the E-wings that were in Ashla for our use. I had wanted to take a roomier shuttle, but with the departure of most of the Order from Tython, my options had been limited. I knew Onderin loved E-wings; I had shared his enthusiasm until this trip. Now I didn't particularly want to be near one of these nimble fighters for some time.

 

I sent my codes over and was granted access to land on the EV. I hadn't ever been to the ship/station before, and I approached, I was impressed. It was quite a testament to modern engineering, and I knew it wasn't even that new of a construction, but had been around for a while.

 

Once I landed, I debarked eagerly, stretching and wincing at the pain in my cramped muscles. My ankles were a little swollen from sitting in one position so long. But I took an eager breath of the station's not-quite-fresh but still nice air and headed to where I could sense my former master's presence.

 

I approached the trio just as Adenna was asking Onderin if he wanted to wait for me, thereby nullifying her suggestion. "No need to wait, I'm here," I said, walking up to them. "Sorry if you were waiting long. It's a longer flight from Tython than I remember."

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin was content to watch Adenna and Gracelyn interact and become acquainted in silence after his initial introduction. It immediately became clear that Adenna was going to bring her new padawan along for the next incursion into Geki's mind, and he hoped that the padawan would have the sense--or, even better, lack the ability--to get involved personally. The mind of that madman was so dark Adenna was still reeling from her first attempt, and he didn't expect someone of any less experience to stand a chance. The former Emperor had been so far gone for such a period of time that Onderin was still uncertain about their chances of actually redeeming such a person.

 

Chances that were immediately improved when Aira arrived. He knew that she was just the kind to believe that any man could be redeemed, a belief that would be a tremendous asset in the task, especially when combined with her experience helping to heal soldiers from both physical and mental wounds sustained during the final days of the war. He smiled as she entered the room, meeting her eyes and letting just a touch of pride glisten in his own. "Welcome, Aira, and thanks for responding to my call in such a timely manner," he greeted her. Then he turned to Adenna. "I think we're ready to go back down to the surface."

 

So saying, the Jedi Master started to lead the group back to the hangar...

 

((Someone else can take it from here.))

[Scubby]

Taking the lead he boarded the Everready, turning he did a quick head count. For such a short trip the old YT-1300 would have more than enough room for everyone to be comfortable. If they had been expecting a few GS days to pass then maybe it would have been prudent to take more ships.

 

"You're all welcome to come with us on the Everready. Might be a little cramped but it gives you Jedi time to do your mental prep together and save time in HQ staring at the guy."

 

So saying he nodded to HK, indicating the droid should start pre-flight checks. As it trundled off to do as it was told with a baleful glare cast in his direction he settled himself in the cockpit, waiting for the Jedi to decide how they were going to travel and for HK to finish pretending he was checking things... They had just flown the ship here not two hours ago. Of course it was ready to fly!

[Kyrie Eleison]

Be always aware of the fates... They sing of more than just destiny. Heed there warnings, and always be in tune to the song of The Force, it can and will save your life. The words of The Force is heard as a mere whisper, crawling through the back of one’s mind. It speaks of both good and evil, as both are from The Force, and a part of the mind. You must learn discernment in order to act. Do not blindly follow the will of the Jedi around you, for they might not be in tune to the whisperings of fate that concern you. I could only take so many blue milk runs, and diplomatic negotiations, before I was itching to follow Revan on his crusade. Action is, after all, the better part of virtue. One can sit and debate, or philosophize, or meditate, for only so long...’

 

Emerald eyes shining with secreted fire, Kyrie walked slowly into the great hall of the Jedi Council, her black cowl streaming behind her like a darkened flame. The sound of her leather boots gave off an eerie tap as she strode through the cavernous chamber, all alone but for the few masters speaking in their cliques. About her, the Living Force flowed like a bittersweet song, arcing and flowing, represented by small wisps of glowing light. She was in her element, perspiration still upon her scalp from her battle training, a combination of swordplay and a cardio workout, and she bubbled with energy.

 

Treading up to a pair of Jedi, Masters Dahar and Darex, she paused behind them, not wishing to eavesdrop. Once their conversation had lulled, she made her move. Reaching out with The Force, she tapped upon Dahar’s shoulder, and a slight whisper made its way to his ear, carried by The Force, bearing her small voice.

 

“Master... Shouldn’t we be hunting the Sith?”

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar turned as the gentle voice of the young woman reached his ear. He turned to see Kyrie, whom he had met once before. She was part of the group who was supposed to accompany him and Faust to Coruscant. However the group had never showed and Dahar was left to fend for himself after being abandoned by the Sith Master. He couldn't blame her though, she was the apprentice of the group. In fact he didn't blame anyone. The Force has a unique path for everyone and he wasn't one to question it. The young exorcist had been under the guidance of Knight Ardel, a worthy exorcist. The two of them were to be accompanied by Master Damon, the most wise in their branch of study. However both of them were missing, or so he assumed by the padawan being on her own.

 

"Kyrie, I take it Knight Xae-lin and Master Damon were called off to other business?" He didn't find it necessary to burden her with questions of why the group failed to join him. She probably didn't know. He used his mastery of the Force to gently get a sense of her feelings. He was verbally cued by her inquisition as well. She wanted to hunt the Sith. He could sense a deep disdain for them in her. Was it hatred? Dahar often pondered whether a hatred of evil could be healthy. For a Jedi there was to be no emotion, however they were also supposed to be lovers of peace and justice. Was therefore a hatred of wrong doing not necessary? He had however seen in himself how a blind and unchecked hatred could lead one to incorrect perceptions of what was evil, and perhaps down the Dark Path themselves.

 

"Hmm," the Jedi said in deep thought, "Your assumptions are wise. I will take you as my apprentice and complete your training as you accompany me on this task. I'm sure your skills will be of help in finding the Dark Lord." Dahar felt this true on a number of levels. He knew her training was nearly complete and that she would be able to hold her own, at least under his supervision. He also knew of her training as an exorcist, and he wondered if perhaps there was the smallest hint of the Dark Side brewing inside himself. Maybe she would be able to sense it and help him eradicate it.

 

"Master Darex, thank you for council." Dahar bowed to the Grandmaster and excused himself and his new apprentice from the room.

 

He lead her out of the council area and towards the hangar where his newly purchased transport was waiting. As they walked he looked over. She was nearly as tall as him, but quite thin and younger looking. Her skin was fair and reminded him of the girls of his native world. Dahar had been through much but could still appreciate beauty when beheld.

 

"Kyrie, why do you wish to 'hunt' the Sith with me?" Dahar had his own reasons, but he put emphasis on the word hunt as it was the one she had chosen. He needed to get a feel for her and discover her true feelings and motives. The Jedi Master did not know this woman at all, there was no bond yet established, although he hoped that his position on the council would at least offer a sense of trust.

[Dashel Illioni]

[bold]Current[/bold]

 

Dashel felt the strain of his roles as host, diplomat, and Jedi Master far more than anyone in the room knew. Even as Dax spun her tail, he stretched out with the force and monitored the emotions of everyone in the room, but even so missed some subtle clues coming from his Padawan concerning Kharjo’s emotional and mental state. Perhaps his own emotions interfered, or the force felt better served by Kharjo’s leaving the room in a state that Dashel felt resembled a mindless, empty shell of his normally attentive and bright Padawan. He started to go after the young man, possibly to say something when his own intuition or the Force let him know that the best course involved simply giving Kharjo space and time to work out his feelings.

 

His emotions rise at the thought of not going to the boy, then he recognized that intuition that rooted his feet came from a higher portion of his consciousness than the one that sought to shield and protect the vulnerable and inexperienced youth from the problems plaguing the galaxy yet knew that doing s to mean only delaying the time where Kharjo’s youth must firmly and he must take the first real steps towards being a Jedi Knight. The thought of the consequences of that train of thought played themselves out again in Dashel’s mind and he shuddered, feeling all too sure that Kharjo faced many days ahead whose pressures might make this little occasion simple by comparison and that the boy’s current level of training swept away the possibility of Kharjo thriving in the difficult life of an Itinerant Jedi Knight.

 

While keeping his Force sense focused on the mental, physical and emotional state of his Padawan, Dashel turned to the three men on the couch. “Gentlemen,” he said, “my Padawan is still relatively new to the life of a Jedi. Today’s events would try even a Master such as me; he will be okay after a chance to rest and regain his energy. Unless you have further questions for Miss Dax, I will need to see to my Padawan and finish preparing my ship for a journey.

 

Sue Barnes’s spoke first, calmly despite his girlish pitched voice and with a demeanor so stern that Dashel wandered if the giant meant to glower frighteningly or if something was rousing the big man’s ire.

 

“Who to serve on Ryloth, Master Jedi?” said Barnes

 

The Noghri spoke before Dashel could, “Jedi trust Force, we serve Jedi, we trust and all work out.”

 

Dashel did not hear anything further, as his senses, extended to monitor the status of his Padawan felt Kharjo wall himself in so completely that the Force did not reach the young man. With his senses maxed out he took an emotional hit when Alyssa ran to his Padawans side. He felt her tears, fears, and a swirl of other emotions for a few seconds before being hit by the very determined and blunt aura emanating from Master Vao even before she stormed up the embarkation ramp and said, “We need to talk,” punctuating each work by stabbing him with lacquered nails whose deep blue polish glittered with sensor strands. Normally people simply ignored the silver strands, but to Dashel whom had helped her design and install the things knew what to look for.

 

After looking at her hands and noticing the nail polish, Dashel felt his gaze follow up her arms and to the short, stylish jacket she wore, to the black sweater which outlined her curves just right without revealing anything and then he met her eyes and forgot all about his thoughts of a moment ago.

 

In her eyes, he felt the presence of a Jedi Master and a woman mature and secure in body, mind, and spirit, that coupled with her status as a Jedi Master and a strong, independent personality made for a formidable opponent on any battlefield of any type, but when coupled with the determination of a mother protecting her young made for a blending that brooked little argument. He did not yield an inch despite certain instincts that felt he needed to do so.

 

The three men on the couch certainly understood the signals being let off by Inaure Vao and all three very silently left the room and proceeded down the ramp, none desiring to face off with a determined woman of aroused feminine instincts that spelled trouble for whomever she warranted her attentions. Descending the ramp proved even more dangerous, as both the Knight Luo and Padawan Greene raised their gazes towards them and they felt the weight of those gazes, dangerous with grief and concern wash over them and provide them with additional impetus to be on the nearest shuttle descending to Coruscant. All three moved as one once they found the proper shuttle and proceeded to board for the trip to Coruscant’s surface with utter silence among the three until about halfway through the descent and then it was a young CoreSec officer whom broke the silence. The admiration in his voice as he spoke brought the attention of several people on the flight, including a few Jedi despite the near whisper at which he spoke.

 

“Gentlemen, that was a Jedi, a lady, and woman wrapped all in one. That was a beautiful sight.” His voice trailed off in a sigh as he gazed out the shuttles windows, lost in his own thoughts and trying desperately to remember every detail of the site he had seen.

 

One of the older Knights on the shuttle whom had seen the trio of women headed to the GrassTiger and whom had spent some time on Haruun Kal spoke up, respect in his voice as well and a mingling of something from long ago, “That was Master Inaure Vao and your right, she really is beautiful in so many ways. Just don’t be a fool around her; she has very little patience where outright stupidity is concerned.”

 

The Noghri turned towards the Jedi and asked, “What would happen if someone she cared for was hurt in some way?” His tone indicated he knew the answer, but needed to share some bit of mirth.

 

In a very serious tone, the same knight said, “Even Master Yoda would find somewhere else to be.”

 

“Sue Barnes” grinned and nearly choking on his barely controlled mirth, said, “Three on One, massive shipwreck ahead!” and then collapsed in his seat, his high pitched laughter reverberating through the shuttles cabin until everyone started laughing. They all started laughing harder when the Noghri, displaying his species traditional taciturnity explained what they had seen.

 

Onboard the GrassTiger Dashel found a way to deflect Vao’s determination and keep from being flayed from head to toe. He gently cupped her elbow with his hand and quietly agreed with her while gently guiding her to the same security room that he had just occupied with Kharjo. At first she resisted his gentle pressure until understanding flashed across her face that he wanted to hold the discussion somewhere they could ensure no one overheard anything.

 

“Yes, we do, and not just about Kharjo. Just what are your plans concerning Maeve?”

 

As the two closed the security door behind them, Vao noted Dashel’s use of Knight Luo’s first name. She knew Dashel’s reputation as a knight who was very conscious and considerate of other’s and for him to use the first name of another with that tone meant something. She felt a conscious thrill of excitement for Maeve’s future with the Triani and the click of the security door behind them sounded like the future being trumpeted.

 

 

Earlier

 

Knight Luo watched Master Vao all but charge up GrassTiger’s boarding ramp, determination marking her every step as she proceeded towards the ship’s interior. For a moment she wondered if Master Dashel might need medical attention afterward, then realized that Padawan Green sat with Padawan Kharjo. She stood still for a moment, sympathy coursing through her heart at Greene’s plight even as she realized that in many ways it mirrored her own relationship with Dashel, save that where Green and Kharjo where nearly the same age, a decade and a half separated her and Dashel and despite her growing up from the coltish and sometimes undisciplined teen she had been when they first met, remained a firm barrier between them.

 

She felt that if that had been the only barrier, than she might have more hope. In her bed or in quiet moments when she though no one else could see, she sometimes cried over everything that constantly separated them, from their respective ranks, the code itself, or the long missions that took her from home and his seemingly endless wandering about the galaxy, all of which conspired to keep a vast chasm between them that constantly tore her hear apart.

 

Of more immediate concern and in an area of her life in which she felt confident in her abilities, was the plight of the Padawan named Kharjo that many at the Temple silently cheered for when they found out that he had found a Master. She constantly felt amazed that such a young Jedi could pull so many people into his orbit and be oblivious about it. Rumors constantly swirled through the Temple about that particular aspect of the boy, with only thoughtful silence on the part of many of the Master’s or in the case of Erath, a very gruff dismissal and admonition to keep focused on their duties and studies.

 

One particularly persistent Knight ended being called before Master Erath and found a new assignment supervising the more intractable Padawans and Hopefuls cleaning the filters on the Temple’s air scrubbers. All of it added a mystery and allure to the teenager that went with his slightly wild and good looks and drove many of the teen Padawans to tears trying to attract his attention and garnered the appraising looks of several of the older women whom should have known better.

 

By the time she changed course and closed the distance from Alyssa and Kharjo, her entire demeanor changed. She went from being an attractive woman with a cool demeanor that allowed her to move about in public without notice to a medical professional, a cool, competent healer whose demeanor simultaneously soothed anxious patients and their families and organized and controlled everything from battlefield triage centers to quarantine zones at the same time.

 

She knelt before Kharjo and Alyssa and immediately began a routine perfected over her years of training as a healer. A medical device pulled from her purse quickly scanned and reported on his vital signs, all of which appeared to be in the low-normal range, as if somehow all the tension and worry that this Padawan carried about had been purged from his mind and body.

 

The device in her hands indicated his brainwaves where in a conscious but resting state almost as if he was day dreaming or meditating, but something about the way everything read put her into her mind that he had entered a healing trance. She frowned at Kharjo, wondering if Dashel had instructed his Padawan in that discipline or if he had some natural talent before registering that Alyssa was speaking to her. The sadness and desperation in the girl’s voice indicated someone whom had deep emotions for Kharjo and when Luo looked at her, she knew she had found someone in nearly the same situation as her.

 

“Knight Luo, there is something about where Kharjo has gone you should know.”

 

It took a good deal of time, but eventually Greene assured Maevis that Kharjo would indeed be okay, the two sat vigil over him. Alyssa sat next to him, her arm around his shoulders while Luo sat opposite her. The two spoke of many things, starting and ending with Kharjo and Dashel the two women setting aside age and rank to simply talk.

 

The two of them eventually reached a lull in conversation and for a few moments sat watching spacecraft coming and going within the EV's launch bay. One craft, a small aged star fighter entered the bay and both pilot and an equally old R2 unit exited the craft. The two searched around and eventually locked their eyes and sensors upon the GrassTiger and walked across the bay. Their path did not take them directly to the ship, rather they kept detouring around the various parked and landing craft. Eventually and completely unnoticed the pilot and the R2 unit walked up to where Maevis and Alyssa sat talking. Had either been paying attention to her approach, they might have seen the young Jedi pilot removing her flight helmet to reveal the face of a Cathari female whom bore a very heavy familial resemblance to the young man they sat vigil around.

 

“I remember when I did that,” she said without preamble. “It’s one of the reasons I spent so many years in the Service Corp before finding a master and becoming a Jedi.”

 

Both Luo and Green noticed the newcomer then and both rose from where they sat beside Kharjo's sleeping form. The three women stared at each other for a moment before Alyssa broke the silence.

“Knight Luo and Padawan Greene at your service. How may we help you?” said Greene her tone indication she was brimming with more than a little curiosity.

 

“Knight Pieta Shavir,” said the Triani female, “and I believe that's my brother Kharjo you seem to be sitting beside. Can any of you tell me where to find his Master, Master Dashel Illioni? I placed a call to him earlier today, yet he still has not replied. Then I received rather cryptic orders from the same Master, telling me to head to the Jedi Temple at Haruun Kal.”

 

She shrugged her shoulders as if that was little more than the life a Jedi, then continued with a slight smile, “I called the EV to see if Master Dashel's ship was still here and received a confirmation. I wanted to ask what the order was about and receive any additional information he saw fit to give me.”

 

A quick pause, and she admitted in a rather hushed tone, “and I wanted the chance to see my little brother again. It’s been years,” she finished quietly.

 

Dashel's voice sounded from behind all three of them, “Knight Shavir, it seems your family genetics and the Force keep conspiring to produce members highly sensitive to the Force. So far, three of you chose either to join the Sith or Jedi, with one still too young to join the Jedi. As for the Sith, their methodologies vary too much to draw conclusions or make blanket statements about any individual at this time. We will talk later, but for now, gather your gear and board by ship. You will be joining us for the trip to Haruun Kal.” Dashel’s voice brooked no argument and Pieta knew that she would know more when Dashel deemed it necessary.

 

Pieta stared up at the Triani Jedi as he descended down the ship's boarding ramp beside Master Vao to kneel before where Kharjo lay against the landing strut. She continued watching while Dashel extended his hand towards Kharjo for a moment, lightly touching the young Cathar upon the forehead and sank into the Force while the four women watched over them all. She could not read what he attempted to do through the Force, but that he was attempting to do something was apparent to all whom stood there. After a moment, he let go of the Force and turned to all three of them.

 

“Kala told me that the GrassTigercan take off the moment we get aboard,” said Dashel. “We will keep a 24 hour watch going on Kharjo in the med bay until he wakes from his ‘meditation.’ As for the rest of your time, please understand that I allow no passengers on my ship. You all take a watch, as well as help with any necessary tasks during the trip to Haruun Kal.”

 

Pieta looked over to Master Vao, trying to discern what Dashel’s fellow master felt about that pronouncement and discovered that Inaure Vao simply motioning her to board the ship, apparently content to allow Dashel to take the lead.

 

Dashel paused a moment before gently lifting Kharjo with the Force and heading into his ship. “Knight Luo, please join me in getting this Padawan into the sick bay. The rest of you, please find a place on the ship and prepare for immediate take-off.

 

The two walked aboard, gently levitating Kharjo between them until the young man rested as comfort-ably as possible in a med bay couch. He looked at the young man a moment, care furrowing his eyebrows and a definite hint of worry playing across his face and through his soul. Thanks to Kala’s earlier revelation, Dashel knew his attachment stemmed from Kharjo’s apparent helplessness in the face of an uncaring galaxy, but everyday brought him closer to understanding the young man, and thus being able to mentor his path to becoming a Jedi. He sighed, resigned, proud, yet saddened by the knowledge that the young man would one day be a Jedi Knight in his own right.

 

As Dashel reflected, Luo moved around the med bay, cinching a lap belt around Kharjo, adjusting and calibrating various monitoring devices to display the boy’s vitals, her bustle indicating a professionalism and surety within her chosen field, yet once Dashel finished his reflections and concentrated on just her, he thought he detected an underlying tension that Kharjo’s current condition failed to warrant.

 

“Luo,” said Dashel once he realized how useless the last of her actions had become, “stop.”

 

Luo looked up, then quickly ducked away, something on her face speaking of things Dashel barely understood. Even with a galaxy’s worth of experiences, the Triani master found it impossible to interpret what he saw there. He took a moment to compose himself before speaking.

 

Whatever he might have said, was lost in its birth when Luo looked up at him. Her composition cracked and he saw something there that quickly reaching out with the Force quickly confirmed. Jedi Knight Maevis Luo felt fear, complete and utter and that fear existed because of him. He tilted his head, searching for the reason why when he felt the reason in his soul and through the Force.

 

“Luo,” he started again, “are you still planning to read to me while I’m in a bacta tube?” Dashel waited, laughter lightening the concern in his eyes as Luo kept staring at him, her gaze growing both harder and more desperate with each passing moment.

 

His sally met a complete silence, and the tangle of emotions he sensed actually grew more complicated as doubt, confusion and anger added to her pathos, causing her body to actually began shaking with tension rocketing through her and Dashel knew that failing to find the right words for a third time promised an explosion of feminine anger that he had observed throughout his travel but never truly experienced for himself. He decided, for various reasons, that such a display was not something he wished to experience. He figured the only thing worse than Luo exploding like that would be if it was a Sith Lady exploding like that. The thought stunned him, never before had he thought so poignantly about Luo the individual. Always before, always between them lay the Jedi Code and the behaviors expected of Master and Knight, the gulf separating them further widened by the difference in the ages that the quiet passing of years finally made entirely irrelevant.

 

He shivered with that thought despite being a Jedi Master, instinct overriding higher intellect for a moment. Quickly composing himself, he focused his thoughts and knew what to do despite never having felt the need to comfort another in any capacity beyond that of a friend or counselor.

 

A quiet voice interrupted the tableau from the med bays door.  In the door stood Dax, eyes wide at what she witnessed between Dashel and Luo and a little sad at interrupting at the wrong moment between the two.  Her newfound quasi freedom and years under Kharjo's brother gave an insight into the wonder of two people falling for each other.

 

"You left a message for me, Healer Luo, telling me to see you whenever I could.  I came as soon as I could."

 

"Dashel," said Luo in a voice full of restrained emotion, "I need to see Miss Dax for an examination.  You will need to step outside while I do so." By the time Luo finished, the emotion left her voice and she returned to being the professional healer, capable and in charge of herself and her responsibilities.

 

"Come," said Luo to Dax, "there is a second exam room we can use so that we have some privacy. "

 

Dashel fought down a sense of loss, his emotions awhirl with what had passed between the two of them.  As he watched Luo leave, he knew that if he wanted, if he let down the barrier he kept between them then something wonderful waited.  Composing himself, he vowed that when the two of them were back on Haruun Kal that he would spend as much time as he could find with her.  Still, he found his heart heavy with sadness at an opportunity missed with her.

 

Dashel took a seat beside Kharjo and started talking to his Padawan as if the young man might hear him despite the state he lay in.

 

"Padawan, my ship has never carried so many people before.  Never before has so much life resided on board and I can't say that I want to go back to the long silences I grew accustomed to while wandering the stars and we've just barely left the EV.  Your master needs to make a change in his life and for those who know me, it’s going to be a big one."

 

Dashel smiled a moment at his own selfishness and then realized that something in him recognized the truth in his own voice.  His next meditation session would be very interesting.   Turning his mind towards Kharjo and began speaking again once he wrestled his thoughts toward his Padawan.

 

"When you awake, we need to talk about a great many things.  I think we will talk about your day on Coruscant first of all.  You made some great decisions, some bad ones but overall you did pretty well for a young man barely beginning his time as a Padawan.  Kala copied some footage for me from the fracas on the Senate plaza and after review, it seems you took the one of the better options you had.  Perhaps not the best one, that would have been to quietly surrendering and attempting to find a way to get a message to Kala or myself concerning what was happening.  In short, you would have helped by gathering knowledge about your brother and his intentions."

Dashel smiled before continuing.  That's something a Jedi might have done, but dwelling on the past is something Jedi do not do.   We learn from it, but never dwell on history."

 

He straightened Kharjo's robe slightly, noticing as he did so the aura of peace the young man seem to hold about his person.  As he had done on the EV's flight deck, Dashel shared that peaceful feeling and sent a feeling with the Force towards his Padawan along their bond to gently and wordlessly let Kharjo know that he was needed.

 

Withdrawing his hand and letting go of the Force, Dashel continued, "You, however, have just begun training and acting as you did was exactly the best thing you could have done so."

 

Dashel sensed a presence from the hallway outside the med bay, one that was not Luo or Dax but hesitated in nearly the same spot as Dax had and brimmed with the Force.

 

"Come in Knight Sivao," said Dashel.  "I expect you have a great many questions for me and this is as good time as any."

 

The hesitation ended and Knight Sivao entered the room.  "I am sorry Master, I didn't mean to interrupt."

 

Dashel said nothing, merely indicating with a shake of his head that the interruption was a trifling thing. 

 

"Master," started Sivao formally, "how is my brother?"

 

"Pretty good," said Dashel knowing she meant his progress towards being, not his current status.  That status was displayed above his head in both plain Basic and with more detail geared towards medical professionals and she was the Padawans sister.  Some things never changed, no matter how much a Jedi might try to, not that he felt that they should.  The order, according to his studies of the records from before the great purge was a better place when people had the ability to form relationships or not as they chose even if that choice made being dedicated to the order that much more difficult.

 

"Master Erath wanted him sent to the service corps until I came along.  His stated reason consistently remained that Kharjo simply failed to connect with his fellow students at all, failed to understand people well enough to be able to accept that people do things that are not very nice.  Erath felt concern that Kharjo might break at the first sign of trouble."

 

Dashel met her eyes directly and held her gaze as he spoke, "I am pleased to say it took an entire day of struggles to break him.  The funny part is, I thought I sent him to a juvenile center to interact with other children his own age."

Dashel shook his head, even for a Jedi Kharjo's day seemed to be unreal. 

 

"So what happens?  Someone attempts to kidnap him, he leaps off of Senate plaza towers, gets rescued by an Ysalamari toting Mandolorian, finds out his brother is a Sith, comes back to the GrassTiger and finds one of his kidnappers is safe and asking for sanctuary.  He then gives it to her and finding himself overwhelmed retreats into meditation or at least a similar state."

Dashel chuckled, even as he spoke he understood the truth of what he said.  "Yes, he's doing damned good."

 

Knight Sivao took Kharjo's hand and with tears streaming quietly down her face.  "The last time I saw him, he was so small, barely toddling but already determined beyond what anyone being should be.  Now he’s your Padawan and being made to shoulder a Jedi's burden so early."

 

Dashel said nothing, only nodding in her direction.  "It’s going to get more difficult, even harder on him before he becomes a knight, that's the nature of our order."

 

She sat quietly, absorbing the peace along with Dashel.

 

For his part, Dashel felt a moment coming in the Force and that he was in the right place at the right time.  So he sat, waiting, enjoying the calm of the moment. 

 

The galaxy, of course, entertained other ideas. Even as he began a series of mental exercises designed to relax the body and mind, he felt the presence of Master Vao and Padawan Greene outside of the med bay. He stood and motioned to Pieta to stand as well, handing over their chairs to Padawan Greene to stow away. When she returned, she found to her amazement that the small room now contained the ship's entire complement, all crowded around Kharjo's bed. Dashel wondered if his Padawan knew how many people now focused on his well being as well as supporting him in his journey to becoming a Jedi.

 

All of them stood quietly, their thoughts focused on Kharjo, worrying about one of their own, a family gathered to bring a loved one home.

 

From outside the room, Luo's voice piped up. “Miss Dax, after examining you and sampling your blood, I can target the particular virus used to infect you. We can cure now, after which the your body will naturally flush the capsules from your body.”

 

The Jedi in the room felt a palpable change come over Dax. Giving a person hope can electrifying them, but show them that their hope and work will be rewarded in a positive way and joy will infuse their entire being. Dax positively glowed at the news and turned to hug the nearest occupant in the room. Alyssa Green found her vigil and worry over Kharjo interrupted by a joyfully crying Dax.

 

Smiles broke out among the Jedi at the joy that Dax displayed. Dax for her part, reacted by letting go of Alyssa, hugging each of the Jedi present in the room. When she came to Maevis Luo, Dax collapsed into the Knight's arms completely, tears flowing down her face unashamedly and onto Luo's robes. The healer held the Zeltron girl gently, almost tenderly, supporting her weight entirely until the girl got her legs under her again.

 

Once the girl wept herself out, Luo continued speaking. “Please understand that my examination turned up two other things. The scanners and the Force indicate that someone altered your physical age. We will begin curing the virus immediately, as well as a course of therapy with the Force will reverse the alterations to your physical age as well as removing the false memories implanted within your mind. There are enough Knights and Masters here to begin immediately and by the time we get to Haruun Kal, your virus will be cured. The false memories and false aging will need to continue on Haruun Kal.”

 

The room went silent at Luo's pronouncement which allowed her to continue speaking uninterrupted, “Of course, you must realize that the cure for the aging will require you to serve the Jedi order for some time to make the cure permanent.”

 

To ease the sudden fear radiating from Dax, Vao interrupted, “The form of that service will be determined with your input and only be implemented with your consent, subject to change as you need and with all due consideration.”

 

“Kharjo must know,” came Greene's voice from beside the bed, “He must know the extant of his brother's crimes.”

 

Vao and Dashel met each others eyes. Greene's pronouncement left them stunned, the young Padawan showing a maturity far beyond what anyone expected from her. Even more, the thinking clearly indicated someone capable of loving someone, yet able to move past her love for him and attempt to see the larger picture. That she could spoke volumes about her journey to becoming a knight.

 

Dashel spoke up, “Padawan, thank you for the advice. Kharjo will indeed learn of this and he will be instrumental in investigating, finding, and eventually defeating his brother, whether form that defeat will take. In fact, I think that all of you will be involved in defeating this Sith Lord and helping Kharjo become a Jedi Knight if you choose to be, including you young Dax.”

 

The Zeltran girl looked up at Dashel, a question forming in her eyes. A smile thrown in her direction removed any barriers and she immediately began babbling. Vao reached out and comforted her, gently easing the young girl until Dax ran out of breath. Once she did, Vao asked her if she knew anything else that might be of use to them.

 

The young women spoke slowly and quietly, shivering as she did so. “He used to talk to me about how he planned to turn his brother once he found him. He always talked about sending his 'Elder's' to attack Haruun Kal to make Kharjo feel helpless and force him to turn.”

 

All the Jedi tensed at that pronouncement and looked over at Kharjo, wondering if the young Padawan truly understood or could be prepared for the trials he would face in the person of his brother. Dashel vowed to give the young man every weapon, power, and scrap of knowledge he could for the battlefields ahead.

 

“Master Vao,” said Dashel, “would you mind if Padawan Greene and Dax here take the current watch over Kharjo? Kala can keep us updated, watch over the two of them, and Luo will be moments away should something happen. Dax, you will be overseen by one of us until your rehabilitation is complete as well as oversight by Kala until as such time as you prove trustworthy. I mean no insult, but considering everything please understand.”

 

Dax only nodded, understanding showing in her face without diminishing the hope that filled the Force and caused her to glow with renewed hope.

 

“Masters and Knights,” said Dashel, “shall we go to the central lounge and discuss strategy and what we know?”

Everyone of the indicated rank in the room silently filed from the room and headed towards the lounge. Once there, everyone found a seat and waited for someone to begin. The wait stretched on without break until Kala entered the room.

 

She looked at the gathered group and said, “This makes a great picture, something that will make an entertaining story, about how four Jedi sat on acceleration couches unable to say a word or find a place to begin. Very nice and sure to bring comfort to the galaxy at large.” The sarcasm in her voice filled the room and caused the four to chuckle.

 

“We call it meditating,” chuckled Pieta, “or if you wish, gathering and ordering our thoughts to avoid using too many words.”

 

“Okay,” said Kala, “let me summarize everything you know or suspect. For hours she outlined the events, facts and deeds that formed the bulk of their knowledge. Once she finished with all the facts, Kala began to add her suspicians to what they knew.

 

“One thing that keeps bothering me is the apparent link between Kharjo's family's ancestor, his brother, and everything that is occuring. Once Knight Luo found the disease, she downloaded a great deal of information about the disease. Several facts emerged from the file she downloaded. The virus bears markers indicating it originated on Cathar and was once refered to by Juhani when she was helping the Old Republic do research on the history of Cathar as the reason that the Cathar ever developed any civilization other than a nomadic one. The Old Republic researchers and Cathari never figured any time frame for when that happened.”

 

Dashel indicated she needed to keep going when she paused as four brows furrowed in concentration, all of them seeing a connection but waiting for Kala' s independent confirmation.

 

“Along comes Padawan Kharjo, dreaming of his ancestor, the same one that the Cathari call 'wise' and whom in their legends is credited with bringing a new civilization to them at the same time that Kharjo's brother utilizes the virus as a weapon.”

 

Vao looked at Dashel, “You and Kharjo will need to head to Cathar after the dance on Haruun Kal and seek out everything you can about the boy's ancestor.”

 

Dashel looked at her, nodding his head in confirmation. He looked around the room, and said, “If Dashel's brother wants to turn Kharjo, than we can expect a strike at Haruun Kal soon, in fact, he will probably strike at the governor's ball, to spread as much chaos and fear as possible and make Kharjo doubt himself further and the Jedi order. We will not allow that to happen.”

 

He continued speaking, “Knight Sivau, you need to settle your family and explain to them what they need to know. You should probably also prepare them for a meeting with Kharjo and have your youngest sister tested for Force sensitivity. Luo, you should continue your treatment of young Dax and assist Knight Sivau with settling her family in. It might be wise to include Master Erath in all of this.”

 

Knight Sivau spoke up, “Now, all we need is for my brother to finish his self-exile so that we can bring him up to speed and Master Dashel to continue his training.

 

Haruun Kal

 

From the governor's desk of Haruun Kal, the final invitations with the explicit instructions concerning the upcoming ball, including the limitations of allowed weaponry for each invitee, the number of representatives allowed for those individuals deemed dangerous by the Jedi. Unknown to the governor, the Jedi and the governor's security people, several additional names were added to the list by the printer under the influence of a hired force user of considerable dark intent.

 

Every Senator of importance received and invitation, along with the the Jedi Kirlocca, Dahar, Kyrie, Vao, Illioni, Luo, Kharjo and Greene. The Sith Lord known as Furion or a representative as well, limited to two attendees as bodyguards as well as being unarmed, guaranteed safe passage by the Jedi as well and a representative from CoreSec and any number of agents the governor's wanted to send.

 

Unknown to the governor, additional and separate invitations went out to the head of Black Sun or a suitable representative with the same limitations as the Sith, along with the Hutt known as Sheog, as a representative of the Hutt cartel, along with a general invitation to whomever currently lead the Mandolorians or wished to represent that race.

[Kyrie Eleison]

The senseless commands of the council, refusing to allow us to assist The Republic in their war against the Mandalorians, along with their constant reflecting and pondering, finally broke my faith in the Jedi Order. I signed up with Revan and Malak, forsaking my vows to the Jedi Order, but reaffirming my pledge to the innocents of the galaxy, to justice, and to The Republic. Which was the right thing to do? History, written by the victors, has ruled me wrong in my decision. I do not regret it... We saved the galaxy, simple as that.

 

With a sad smile, Kyrie looked deep into the eyes of her newest master, Dahar, and he would see within them a deep wellspring of sorrow and pain, resolved by a will of iron. Reaching out with a scarred hand, she held it before his eyes, and clenched it. The veins stood out through her translucent, pale skin, highlighting the deep scars that ran in patterns down from her fingers, joining in her palm, before spiralling down her wrist, where they met with a line of deep furrows, and disappeared into the sleeves of her robes. Her voice rose within Dahar’s mind, mournful and pained.

 

...I hunt... Out of love...

 

Opening her mind to The Force, tearing away the defences she had built up for years, she revealed her deepest sorrows to The Force, and painted up around the two of them a vision. With each stroke of the brush, she added realism and a bit of herself, until the hanger about them was replaced with an apparition from her memory.

 

Before Dahar now stood a sickly girl just barely into her teens, long black and gold hair running in rivulets down the back of an orange flightsuit, at least two sizes too large, and from her lips came bubbling a small song, like the ones a child would create, to the tune of a mother’s lullaby. In her hands, she held a flight helmet, freshly painted in the colours that the child most enjoyed, bright jade, to match her eyes and black, since she had no interest in pink.

 

The memories of a young teenager. A beautiful woman with streaming blonde hair enters through an unseen door, followed by a man with shortcropped hair of black, and from the emotions bathed in memory; one could feel them to be mother and father. Kindness and sternness, they were not parents as nice as her friends had, but still good enough for the teen to have only run away once. A comment is made, and the girl rolls her eyes, frustrated about something negligible in the galactic scheme.

 

-KRASH-

 

Hell, in its purest form. Throughout The Force a feeling of great fear rolls forth in a shockwave. The unseen door flies past, propelled by those perverted by the dark side. Shock fills the room, and the parents jump back, the mother running to protect the daughter, but something stops her short, and all the frightened teen can see is a blade of crimson protruding from the back of her mother’s neck. The blade is ripped free and the body drops, the golden mane falling away from the teen, separated from the body. A scream echoes forth, shrieking out from the girl’s throat, joined by a yell of horror from her father.

 

Cerulean flame leaps forth from clawed hands, wreathing the father with electrical fate, dropping him like stone, to join his slain spouse upon the weathered wooden floor, whereupon the teen had taken her first steps as a child, and had seen her little sister born.

 

...Cathe!

 

The teen sprints for a door, to the room of her sibling, still but a child. The room before her is cluttered with bits and scraps of machinery, and the window stands ajar, the child is gone, hopefully safe. Bitter relief flows over the teen, and she turns, to accept her fate in oblivion, taking in hand a castaway hydrospanner. The beast is revealed, casting his ebon cloak to the ground, horns and tattoos glistening in the intermittent lighting from the shorted out lumalamps. With a tearful wail, the teenager throws herself headlong towards the ward of oblivion. Determination turns for but a moment to shock once more as an invisible hand snatches her from the ground, before horror takes its place. The Devorian smiles wickedly, and several other armoured figures join by his side. Death for her was not his plan. She screams out, but no one hears her. No knight in shining armour, no fairytale ending.

 

...Innocence forever lost...

 

Only darkness surrounded them now, alight only by the glistening glow of a single torch, casting about them the scene in shadow. The mournful cell was only outmatched by the curled up figure within the centre of it. Clothed in tattered scraps of orange stained crimson, not enough even for modesty, Dahar would see the scars and signs of torture and anguish at the hands of the Sith. Deep cuts left no part of her untouched, mixed with starspray patterns from Sith lightning. Her mind and will was broken, and with the sharpened remains of a rusted shackle, she cut deep furrows into each arm, the last commands of her master, forced into her mind, before he had sold her into new bondage, a year later.

 

Years began to pass in a rush. The sands of the arena, fighting for sport under her new masters, the accursed Hutts. A strong-willed woman, honed to an edge for war, replaced the sickly girl of the past. Opponents fell in droves before her vibroblades. Freedom earned through victory...

 

...My first master said these words to me, and engraved it in my flesh.... Through victory, my chains are broken...

 

Simple words she had learned long ago. With victory, the woman had set out into the galaxy, to ensure chains never bound another. To keep the blight of the Sith away from the innocent. So that war would never again break up another household and take forever the love of family, and innocence.

 

...So master...

 

The hanger sprang up about them once again, and before Dahar would stand his apprentice, the scars that crisscrossed her body highlighted by the fire of the exorcists. Her voice was strong and unwavering.

 

“That. Is why I hunt Sith. Not for vengeance, but for the sake of the innocent.”

[Mercury]

The breeze that rolled off the sea was heaven-sent. It kissed and caressed Kharjo’s fur and toyed with his robes playfully. The Cathari cub imagined that some wistful dance was happening before his eyes and that the players were himself and Alyssa. They danced to the rhythm of the sea and the beat of the trees at his distant back. He smiled wistfully as he watched his imagination take shape. A sigh escaped him and he felt himself lowering his gaze. Curiosity was overpowering his sense of tranquility, mostly due to the fact that he felt an overabundance of peace suddenly. It was as if Alyssa was right there beside him. He could not resist the urge to look to his right and left. When he did so all he saw was the cove around him, where sea rose to meet beach for a mile in both directions and beach met rainforest further in. Exotic birds of some sort could be seen flying high above the canopies of equally exotic and foreign trees. A twinge of disappointment rose then, in that moment, as he realized he was somehow both alone and not. He couldn’t explain how this could be, but readily accepted it.

 

Certain truths he would have found hard to accept before seemed to naturally be released and take hold in his being. He found himself wondering what this place was. True, he’d been here before, but only thrice and each time he had the same curiosity. Though, he never explored far. He was fearful that he would get lost in the jungle or on the beach. Always, he roamed near the palm tree he sat beneath, searching the white sand and the tree line behind him. Was this time different? What brought him here? The other times, he’d failed his Padawan trials, been told he could not contact his family during a difficult moment in his life and been told that the Jedi Service Corps. was going to be his best and only option at serving the Jedi. That he would never become a Jedi and that a true Jedi would accept that truth and do what they could in service of a power greater than themselves.

 

He smiled as he remembered that last part. He had defied the Councils expectations. He had become a Jedi’s Padawan. He had left Haruun Kal. He had grown closer to Alyssa then he’d ever dreamed of. He’d grown closer to Inaure Vao, Meave and had a Jedi Master for a mentor, instructor and father. His world was new and shiny, so why was he here? Suddenly, and momentarily, he felt that otherworldly presence disappear beside him. He felt alone again. He frowned to himself and lost himself in thought as he returned himself to the sea before him. He watched as waves formed off in the distance and rolled unto the shore. He watched the twin suns drift in the sky in a slow helix pattern. He watched a flock of gulls lazily fly across the mid-afternoon sky and found his mind slipping from the important questions. He had to concentrate in order to remember the questions and then had to force himself to remember why he was here. He was barely aware how he even got here. Never could he explain how, just what it was to be in this place, this sanctuary. The sublime and total sense of peace that washed over his being rejuvenated him and gave him the strength to continue when he thought he could not.

 

However, now that he was forcing himself to focus on things that were not of peace, he noticed the sky begin to darken. Storm clouds took shape and formed off in the distance. The sea began to churn and the birds began to cry in fright before they took flight. Whatever was happening, it would not be good. For a fleeting moment, he contemplated dropping his concentration. Perhaps, the sudden change in the weather was his doing. It was possible, after all, that he had created this place within himself and the Force and that his emotions impacted it. He shook his head. Even now, the peace remained and gave him the strength to weather this storm – whatever it would be. As he concentrated memories began to return. He remembered his apprehension at the onset of that day. He remembered his awkwardness when approaching a female Jedi Knight that now he realized must have been his sister. The Force works in mysterious ways, he thought briefly. In the distance the storm clouds grew with frightening quickness and the once calm sea began to churn. The waves that lapped upon the shore grew higher and more menacing. Yet, still he pressed on.

 

He remembered his approach with the group of beings that changed everything. He remembered the overly aggressive Zabrak, Andurs. He remembered the kind and motherly nature of Meera Kanlo, whom now he thought was being manipulative. He then remembered Dax and the rain began to pour over the sea, the clouds raced to the shoreline and the sea threatened to reach higher and higher. The old man, who had seemed to be the glue that held the group together, he recalled as well, but not the man’s name. Then, he remembered the violence that followed their strained and tense conversation. Memories of the suffering of the many and the small, the deaths that these people caused, and that were caused by the Mandalorian teenager Terra, memories of all that he had witnessed returned to him at once. He screamed aloud, tears freely streaming down his cheeks. He clutched his head as the memories became all too vivid. With knees raised to his chest he began to rock to and fro, sobbing hysterically. He did not want to see this. He did not want to remember this.

 

The storm’s intensity reached a climax and a funnel cloud appeared over the sea. Waves began to crash upon the shore and the once-gentle breeze was finally replaced with hurricane-force gales. His world, his sanctuary was being taken over by the darkness. And through it all, the poor child rocked and sobbed, babbled like a babe screaming for his mother. The peace he had once felt, the peace that had been suffocating and overpowering was now a sliver of its strength. His world became madness. Through his tears and cries of anguish, Kharjo witnessed the approaching hurricane and was helpless to do anything about it. It did not lessen the sorrow he felt or dwindle his misery. In fact, it was almost comforting to see the hurricane racing toward him. It was if he was inviting his own demise. The pristine and picturesque sand that lay blissfully upon the beach was being picked up and whipped about. Trees behind him were being tossed around like ragdolls. Kharjo could hear trunks snapping as entire trees were uprooted or broke in twain. His Jedi robes were being eroded as well. The rips and tears and missing portions were growing larger by the minute. He would be entirely naked soon.

 

And still the storm raged.

 

As he rocked and cried and sobbed, the images of the dead, the burning, the mutilated and falling bodies continued to traipse across his mind’s eye. They became a morbid slideshow he could not escape. He saw the police officer being shot in the head by the Mandalorian teen. He saw his partner be struck with a sense of immediate horror as she tried of vain to wrestle control from the fat, dead cop. He watched her scream as their cruiser crashed into a bus filled with children. He watched as the happy faces of the children turned to white-hot terror in an instant and then died there. He watched burning bodies plummet from the wreckage only to cause more harm as they slammed into passing vehicles and the floors below indiscriminately. Over all this carnage he heard the words of Terra: ‘They died so that you may live, Jedi. A life for a life.’ Those words were repeated over and over unto the point of utter madness.

 

And through it all the storm raged.

 

When he thought he could take no more, the face of an innocent child swam before his eyes. He looked up, his tears cresting and falling as he huffed for breath. The hurricane was a fourth of a mile out and larger than the cove he resided in. It would encompass his world entirely, but that was not what he focused on. Before him floated the image of a young girl, no older than four or five and limply hung in her hand was a ragged and beloved teddy bear. Her expression was forlorn; her cute, innocent face was covered in blood. A head wound, perhaps. Her icy blue eyes looked at him as if to ask ‘why?’

 

“Why did I have to die, mister?” she mouthed at him.

 

His mouth fell open as he shuddered to himself. That sense of peace diminished further. It was like a fire had once burned brightly and now was quite quickly being snuffed out. Only a flicker of a tiny, weakening flame remained. Once gone there would be no more. Kharjo rocked and said nothing. The little girl looked at him as if to implore him to speak. He did not. He could not. What would he say? He stared at her, his eyes begging for forgiveness, for understanding. The girl would have none of it.

 

“Why did I have to die, mister?” she implored.

 

This is not real.

 

The girl cocked her head to the side; in her right hand he gripped the bear tighter. She looked at him with confusion and sorrow and then looked up. Kharjo watched as flaming debris fell upon her and crushed her. As she died, she asked why once again. Kharjo could not contain the scream that eschewed from his mouth or how it echoed in this place. What remaining birds took flight for their lives with a cacophony of cries and shrill shrieks. Kharjo rocked anew and with frightening vigor. He stared at his impending doom and began to repeat four words to himself.

 

“This is not real, this is not real, this is not real, this is not real, this is not real, this is not real, this is not real. THIS IS NOT REAL!”

 

The hurricane crashed ashore and whipped about the beach. It slammed into Kharjo and threatened to uplift him. In that moment an albatross flew in from some unseen vantage and hovered before Kharjo as the hurricane bashed through him. The bird did nothing but watch the frightened cub rock back and forth. And soon the hurricane passed and Kharjo found himself in the eye of the storm. His head fell back, all color having drained from his face, his eyes appeared glazed over. Like a zombie he stared into the heavens, seeing the crystal blue sky and clouds lazily float past high above. It was a silver lining, a flicker of hope to this madness. He dropped his head and stared at the albatross and through it at once. His mouth fell open and his lips began to tremble. He watched as the bird drifted to the sand beneath it and squawk. It did not have the desired effect, so it squawked again and again until Kharjo’s eyes focused upon it inquisitively.

 

From high above, Kharjo dully heard more squawking and craned his neck skyward. A flock of albatross appeared and descend rapidly in a neat formation. When they were mere feet from the ground they flew closer and closer together until they were indistinguishable and exploded with such force that it sent a shockwave out from the center. Kharjo had to lift an arm to hide his face from the brunt of the blast. When he pulled it away, there stood in the epicenter a figure far too familiar to Kharjo; a middle aged Cathari man with familial resemblance to him. The Cathari looked upon Kharjo with much sadness and sympathy. Kharjo became confused and interested at once. Kharjo took the elder Cathari in. He stood there in a half robe similar to a toga. The carmine robe of fine fabric hung delicately off his right shoulder and draped down his body. He was built and in shape for a man of his venerable years. Many beaded necklaces of ranging colors and length hung from his neck. Twin and intertwining armbands clasped across his biceps. An embroidered leather kidney belt rested upon his waist, with a gold sash going through the loops in the belt. Bracelets and bangles hung from his wrists. His visage was old, wizened, and serene. His eyes were olive with bits of golden flecks scattered about. He appeared more lion than jaguar. His golden mane was long and shaggy. His ears were less pointed and more rounded, and black spots crested upon the tops of them. The fur around his maw was white and his nose pink.

 

Kharjo blinked. Who was this man? He knew him from somewhere. The man simply stared at Kharjo as the youth came to his conclusion. As Kharjo’s eyes widened, the man simply nodded.

 

“Yes, I am your ancestor Jaqen the Reluctant and the Wise.”

 

Kharjo sputtered, stammered, blinked. He was stupefied. He wanted to ask how that was possible. How had his ancestor crossed the expanse of time and space to be here now incorporeally? Jaqen simply waved him off, a gesture meant to silence him. He half smiled in a fashion that was telling. As if he were trying to say that all things would be revealed in time. Kharjo simply stared, not knowing what else to do.

 

“I have brought someone near and dear to you, my cub,” as he spoke, he motioned to the albatross that was now standing before Kharjo.

 

Kharjo moved his gave upon the mighty bird and watched as it, too, exploded in a magical fashion and transformed into a young Cathari girl with strong resemblance to Kharjo. She, too, was no older than the human child he’d seen before. She stood there so filled with hope, sadness and trepidation that Kharjo was at a loss for words. He knew instantly that this was his baby sister standing before him, but not how any of this was possible.

 

“Kharjo, please stop. Make the bad dreams go away. I don’t wanna dream about the evil Cathar anymore. He scares me! Please, big brother, make them stop! She cried aloud as big, shiny tears bubbled and streamed down her cheeks.

 

Kharjo was overwhelmed. All thoughts of his own anguish set aside in an instant. He rose with a swiftness he’d never known and rushed over to his sister’s side. He’d never met her, but that did not matter. He embraced her as she cried and held her firmly.

 

“Shush, baby sister,” he began trying to comfort, “you’re alright now. I won’t let the bad man get you.”

 

His gaze rose and he looked to Jaqen for guidance. He felt lost and his ancestor seemed content to just simply stand there waiting for something to happen. Kharjo’s sense of madness began to fade as did his anguish. Had his brother begun targeting their baby sister? Everything he’d experienced today was a cruel lesson, he realized. The galaxy was a harsh place. He could not accept that at the moment, but at least he acknowledged it. Right now, his baby sister was all that mattered to him. The spark was reborn. Unconsciously, he reached out to his Master and beckoned his aid. He needed help with this. He could not do it alone. But, how would his Master get to him when he did not even know where he was?

 

In that moment the wizened smile upon Jaqen’s visage brightened and he flashed a row of white teeth to his descendant. “I believe I can help with that, young one. Don’t worry, you’re Master will be here shortly.”

 

With that he momentarily vanished and Kharjo was left alone with his frightened and sobbing sister. He comforted her the best he could as he awaited help. He did not bother attempting to comprehend how any of this was possible. As far as he was concerned it just was. He would learn in time, he was sure.

[Dahar Raikanda]

The visions surrounded Dahar like a dream. The picture was painted vividly before the two of them. It pained him to watch the scenes unfold, helpless to do anything, as one could never change the past. What had brought Kyrie to the Jedi was certainly different than what had brought him. They had both been gladiators, one out of slavery and one for profit. Both of them obviously dissatisfied with their former lives, but Kyrie with a valid reason to truly hate these Sith. Still, Dahar recalled part of an old Jedi saying that pointed out 'Hate leads to suffering.'

 

He spoke to her as they boarded his ship. "I sense your intentions are true Kyrie. Your reasons seem valid to me. I will never understand where you come from, but I can help you get where you are going. I believe it one needs to fight fire with fire. There would be some that would disagree, but peace can come through the flames. I do caution you though, be careful with your righteous hatred." Dahar wondered if she would be offended by the word, but it needed to be said. "Even though you wish to eradicate the Sith, hatred is an emotion that can lead to the Dark Side. The line can be thin and ambiguous at times."

[Kyrie Eleison]

The whole world is in Dejarik. Any move can be the death of you. Do anything except remain where you started, and you cannot be sure of your end, even as a Jedi. Were you sure of your end once, my friend? When you were tortured until your very mind collapsed, did you not bargain for a different fate?

 

As the hanger came back into focus through her eyes, Kyrie listened to the calming words of her newest master. Mixed in the sympathy was a deep concern, and it took her aback for but a moment. Even amongst the Jedi, she had not seen many who were strictly concerned for the souls of others. Many were far too occupied with the blight that for so long had neutered the Jedi Order, and robbed it of its sincerity: Politics. What did one politician’s concerns for extending his power using the Jedi as a cloak; have to do with restoring the light to its true power?

 

With a scarred, pale hand, Kyrie reassured her master, placing it against his cloaked shoulder. Utilizing her touch, she transferred her emotional strength into small spark of white fire, which would bring a warm feeling through The Force. Speaking now without the assistance of The Force, her voice sounded strong, yet affectionate.

 

“Master... With your guidance, I am sure I will find true peace in The Force. It will be a struggle, to suppress my... Righteous anger...”

 

The girl trailed off, and her eyes grew dark for but an instant, like the shutter closing in a holoprojector, before the light returned all the brighter. About her, The Force was beginning to form into verse and song. About them both, Master and Apprentice, Kyrie bound the song, and a veil of strength fell about the two. Stepping forward, she transferred her hand to his arm, and began to move towards the shuttlecraft. With each footstep, a smile began to form across her pale features, as a painter would slowly add another stroke of beauty to a white canvas, following the beat of an orchestra.

 

“An ally awaits us on the Last Call, a mercenary who also is quite fond of diminishing the galaxy of oppression.”

[Tobias Vos]

It was as if a trigger happened- Tobias opened his "eyes" to see an old friend. Dahar.

 

A smirk came across the invisible face. As a ghost of the Force Tobias could transcend time and space to just drop a little hint. He reached out with his presence to touch the back of Dahars neck. Would Dahar feel it? Possibly. One could never tell with the Force. Especially when one was in limbo like Vos was. His grey signature could be felt, but only if one was looking for it.

 

Retracting his fingers, he looked around. Kyrie was his apprentice? Kudos to Dahar. Tobias decided to meander for a little bit. Maybe mess with Dahars head. But he was a Ghost now, so there was very little he could do. There was much to be done... And Dahar was a piece in the game...

[Dashel Illioni]

The meditations of a Jedi Master can and often do encompass the entire galaxy, taking them through a myriad of possible outcomes for any events or people the Jedi chooses to focus on. Dashel Illioni found himself viewing everyone inside his ship as it sped away from the EV, as clearly as if he sat in the room with them.

 

Master Vao had Alyssa Green doing a one-handed hand stand, completely and totally extended upright while Vao stood on top of the young woman’s feet. Around them floated several of the heavier objects within the GrassTiger’s cargo bay, and Vao calmly lectured Alyssa upon the nature of the Living Force. Dashel saw the sweat soaking through the young woman’s workout clothes and felt her exhaustion, determination and the concentration she maintained despite the demands of her physical position and her master’s demands. He appreciated the effort that the Vao put into training the young woman, recognizing one of Master Yoda’s favorite lessons being inflicted on his ship.

 

The scene shifted, and Dashel found himself looking at Pieta Shavir and young Dax keeping watch over Kharjo. He saw the two of them speaking calmly with each other and heard young Shavir ask Dax about her other brother. Dashel felt the pain pass over her features as Dax began telling her everything she knew about the Sith’s plans, including the plans in place to strike at Kharjo’s foundation, the temple and Jedi of Haruun Kal and detailed her involvements in what passed for the inner core of the Sith’s trusted advisors. Pauses in the tales and tensions during some segments left Dashel sure the young woman omitted some details, not because she was trying, but because of the pain she felt about them. Healing her mind promised to take far longer than her body, time he determined she would receive not matter what happened to him or Kharjo.

 

The scene again shifted and eventually his sight settled on the meditation room he and Luo currently sat across from each other. He found himself quite disquieted from being able to view himself from outside of his own body and from behind Luo. The view lingered a moment before he felt a rush that pulled him directly towards Maevis Luo. Dashel, even as he rushed forward, attempted to resist the pull towards her but found himself unable to do so. He felt the presence of fear and set that fear aside, determined to face whatever pulled him towards her with the courage, dignity and calm of a Jedi Master.

 

His journey ended inside a reel of emotional images Maevis Luo kept trying to block, but exerted a disruptive effect on her concentration, steeling her ability to find the focus necessary of a Jedi Master. He focused on the images and saw the entirety of relationship from their initial encounter when they were Padawans, she a very young girl and he already middle aged, having served in the Trianii rangers for years before his Force talents became known.

 

A blur of images passed, fond memories he never realized she kept of him. A stunned feeling entered his soul as he realized that what he saw as Maevis Luo’s crush on him never went away as a proper crush should, instead blossoming into something far more adult as time went by despite the young woman seeing other, more age appropriate peers. He knew that some of the relationships created close emotional ties, so at no point did he see her as fixated on him, but the depth of her emotions towards him caused him to pause and examine his thoughts on her.

 

He decided that the two of them needed a small lake on Triani in the near future so that he could explain how he felt about her with as little words as possible. Dashel Illioni realized that somewhere along the line the decade and half between them became completely irrelevant and that something beautiful lay in their future. Telling her that he understood made him wish to explain his heart right now so that they might be able to move on together.

 

At that thought, a warm feeling began to infuse the force from Maevis Luo, but before he knew how to interpret that new sensation, he felt himself being pulled towards Kharjo again. About half way there, Dashel felt the pull halted for a moment before resuming. In that pause, he found himself face to face with Kharjo’s ancestor, Jaqen whom looked at him with wise eyes whose depths spoke of wisdom earned through a life well lived.

 

“Greetings,” said the figure as the two looked at each other. “You know who I am and while I only know of you through my descendant, I come at great need. Kharjo Shavir stands within a nexus of his own making, a place that mirrors his emotions, and in which he might stay forever if he wishes it. I will guide you to it and hold open the way home, but I cannot enter there and hold open the door and be there.”

 

The figure smiled at Dashel a moment even as Dashel waited patiently for him to speak. Something wonderful was occurring and the Jedi Master knew enough to be patient and learn so that he understood before acting.

 

“Walk with me towards where Kharjo stays and I will explain, but first a word about the one you call Luo.”

Dashel focused his will upon the specter, trying to relay what he thought of the spirit’s intrusion on that particular matter.

 

“Boy,” said Jaquen with a chuckle in his voice, “giving unwanted advice is what we get best at once we get older as you should well know.”

 

Dashel found himself amused by that suggestion and proceeded to go with the specter even as Jaqen spoke about Luo.

 

“You’ve seen into that young woman’s memories and emotions and you know your own. Love her while the two of you can. She needs your love to open her future and you need her for what she can give her.”

 

The spirit of Jaqen again chuckled at the puzzlement Dashel felt. “You’ll understand someday, but for now, take that girl in your arms and give her your heart.”

 

A moment after that, the spirit beckoned towards what appeared to be a small window in the force through which Dashel saw Kharjo wrapping his arms around a young Cathari girl. Dashel marveled at how the spirit so effortless moved them here and at its knowledge of his relationship with Maevis Luo.

 

Dashel turned towards the spirit and said, “His youngest sister?”

 

The spirit nodded and gently pushed Dashel through the window calling out as he did so, “The way back will be here as long as you need it, but remember, only Kharjo can find it for the both of you. It’s his place after all.

 

Dashel fell through the window and realized suddenly that he indeed fell through the sky of Kharjo’s reality. Exerting his will, he summoned the Force to him and floated softly to the sand a scant pair of meters from where his Padawan and the young girl clung to each other.

 

He watched as her tears suddenly dried up and she wiggled free from her brother’s grasp to race across the sand towards him. She stopped only after running into him full force. Surprise washed across his face at the young girl’s complete trust of him, but he wrapped his arms around her and listened as she spoke. Every word came to him clearly despite her face buried in his robes.

 

“Knew you’d come, knew sending holo was right. Mom and Dad kept yelling at me for wanting to talk to you and Kharjo but I was right you would know how ‘portent my dreams were and come see me and now you are here and Kharjo is too and I won’t have to see bad Cathar anymore.”

 

Dashel looked towards Kharjo, his eyes wide as he realized that the girl though this was really happening. Then he smiled, remembering that to the very youngest of children, the difference between reality, dreams, and imagination did not exist and with Force sensitive children things became even more interesting.

 

Such was the moment Dashel found himself even as he met his Padawan’s eyes.

 

“Hello Padawan,” said Dashel, “I think it’s time you and I talk about everything that has happened throughout our time together, especially the events on Coruscant.

 

Dashel gave his Padawan a very short, very concise talk about the events on Coruscant, leaving out little of his thoughts on the matter and included suggestions for improving his responses the next time the Padawan found himself in such a situation, his suspicion that Kharjo had come under the influence of the Force empty space created by an Ysalamiri, and the pride he felt towards the young man and that the fact that his older sister, Pieta Shavir currently attended his inert form in the GrassTiger’s sick bay.

 

“She is quite the Jedi Knight you know despite having taken the longer road and having spent some time in the service corps.”

 

Before his Padawan could ask any questions, Dashel held up his hand towards Kharjo and said, “Let me finish.”

 

He paused and said, “Yes, you can see her when you get us out of here. You should know I felt it necessary to protect them because I think your brother will strike at those around you, from your family to the people of Haruun Kal to convince you to join him in the Dark Side because of their importance to you. No, I do not know why he would do that or how he was turned from the good man you told me about but young Dax travels with us and asking her might help us find out. Perhaps she heard or overheard something that might give us a clue. It might even be possible to turn him back from the Dark Side. Finally, that technique you use to remember so much information, you are going to teach that to anyone on this ship whose interested. It looks pretty useful.”

 

Dashel took a breath, feeling the surge of emotion coming from his Padawan and as he was about to calm him stopped and looked around. The surge of emotion was indeed mirrored in this place, and Dashel found the three of them in the eye of a massive storm. He looked up and saw the way home.

 

“Padawan,” he said, trying to be heard over the rising storm, “look up through the eye of this storm and you can see the way home. One problem, you will have to keep your emotions quiet enough to bring the way home to us or us to it, whichever you chose.”

 

The wind buffeted against him harder and Dashel looked down at Kharjo’s sister and understood about the second surge and smiled towards his Padawan, pride infusing his features at the boy’s need to protect his sister, someone he loved so much that he could let go of his own emotions to protect.

 

Dashel knelt and looked directly into the girl’s eyes now wide with fear at being left alone. “No, little one, you are never alone. Your brother and I are going to find and help the bad Cathar that keeps entering your dreams. Remember, we are all connected and that with love, we will always find each other.”

 

Turning back towards Kharjo, Dashel said, “Padawan, when you chose to go home, we all go home. Once home, we will do everything we can to help you become a Jedi Knight and find your brother. Hiding here, however perfect this place may seem, is not the way of a Jedi Knight. It’s a good place to visit, but not a good place to stay while there are others out there meaning to harm the ones we love, the loved ones of others, or anyone else anywhere in the galaxy. We are Jedi and we stand against evil to our last breath, together shoulder to shoulder in the now and with the Jedi of the Past.”

 

In the Cargo bay of the ship, both Master Vao and Alyssa Green found themselves drawn towards someplace through the force in their meditations. A very confused Master Vao landed next to Dashel, floating down much as Dashel with her robes fluttering around her and once she touched down, turning towards him with a bemused look upon her face. “So this is Kharjo’s harbor, very nice. How did we come here? Last thing I remembered Alyssa and I were in the cargo bay enjoying a meditation session.”

 

Dashel looked upon her wryly knowing what kind of meditation session the two had been enjoying before continuing, “I think that might have something to do with both with my need to reassure Kharjo and his thoughts about what I meant.”

 

He had just finished speaking when a loud howling filled the peaceful air around them. It was immediately followed by the sound of flesh slapping noisily against water and a few moments later by the sound of loud sputtering as a figure rose from the sea like some primordial goddess. Alyssa Green stood in knee deep water, attempting to brush her long hair back, soaked and heavy as it was with sea water. Small drops fell from it and flared golden as the sun shone through them. She now wore the tiniest of swimsuits, leaving a great deal of flesh exposed as well as revealing a great red streak that stretched from her knees to her face, evidently the product of a massive body flop into the ocean.

 

She saw Kharjo first and went to run towards him when the pain of that body flop registered with her and she fell to her knees and shouted, “Ouch that hurt!”

 

Bending her head, Alyssa looked down and saw both the streak from the flop and what she was wearing. She looked up, a look of confusion on her face turning rapidly to embarrassment as she spotted the two Masters just beyond Kharjo. A massive flush turned her red and stinging face an even brighter crimson.

 

Vao held her hand up, “Alyssa, this is Kharjo’s safe harbor. Just relax and hopefully we can sort this out when we get home.”

 

A rustling in the trees behind them indicated yet another arriving individual, but before they figured out whom it was, Vao said conversationally to Alyssa, “Nice swimsuit by the way. A little skimpy for swimming but I am pretty sure that’s not why you are wearing it.” She turned towards Dashel and smirked.

 

Dashel got his surprise a moment later as Maevis Luo walked out of the jungle behind them wearing a black bodysuit. He tilted his head and openly admired her for the moment it took her to cross the sands at a run and hug him.

 

As she hugged him, she whispered into his ear, “What’s so important about a lake anyway?"

She pulled him away and impishly whispered, “Your emotions do you credit, but Jedi Masters should know how to bury them deep.”

 

Luo turned away from Dashel, looked over to Kharjo and said, “So this is where you go. I think I want to know so much more, this place could help to treat so many.”

 

While the five Jedi resided inside Kharjo’s sanctuary, the GrassTiger sped away from the Eternal Vigilance and once clear of Coruscant’s gravity well, entered hyperspace on a course for Haruun Kal.

[Scubby]

As the final preflights were done Jazce closed the hatch. The Jedi were either on board or working their own way down to CoreSec HQ. Shrugging in to his restraints he kicked the Everready in to life and smoothly left the EV. Heading back to CoreSec HQ. It wouldn't take long.

[Dahar Raikanda]

As they boarded the transport Dahar could feel the Light Side emanating from Kyrie. She truly had the powers of the exorcists, able to represent the Light Side in the darkest of situations. This peace was disrupted however, only for a mere second, but distinguishable. A disturbance in the Force, a lost soul gently grazing the deepest depths of Dahar's mind. It's signature so faint he couldn't recognize anything but the pain it represented.

 

"Last Call you say? We can stop there on our way. There is a party taking place on Haruun Kal that I believe may be of some interest to us. It is a diplomatic Gala, a perfect opportunity for the Sith to strike. This may help lead us to the Dark Lord."

 

Dahar's face became quite serious, "I plan to kill him Kyrie, that is our mission. It may not be in direct alignment of what some would see as a justice, for him to go to trial for example. But this new Dark Lord is too dangerous to be left alive. When he falls the Sith will of course choose another from their ranks, and we will address that when it happens. For now we hunt Furion."

 

The Jedi Master took his seat on the ship and closed his eyes. He beckoned the Force into him and it gave him a relaxing calm and peace. He could sense that somewhere in the galaxy Faust was still working on his own goals. No matter, they would meet again soon enough.

 

The ship left the EV and took off into space.

 

"Tell me more about your friend."

[Darex Trevelian]

Dahar had left, the young padawan Eleison in tow, and Darex, seeing that business was finished for the moment, headed back to his apartments. The talk with Dahar had only taken a few minutes, and his dinner wasn't cold yet.

 

"Sorry about that," he said, taking his seat again. "I don't know why Master Raikanda insisted on meeting all the way over at the Council chambers. He just wanted to clarify something."

 

"Dada!" Jax shouted, banging his spoon on the table. The twins both had food all over their faces, for they were in the stage of wanting to 'help' but not being able to actually feed themselves.

 

Darex grinned and wiped his son's face. "Good job, Jax."

[Onderin Starlisk]

OOC: Since we kind of rolled back the Geki mission, I will say that Onderin never left the Eternal Vigilance.

 

IC:

Onderin had a large task ahead of him, and it was time to get started. Boarding his personal E-wing the Vigilance's main hangar, he set out to find the Sith by whatever means he had at his disposal. But before he picked a random Sith-controlled world, there would be a few things he needed first to increase his chances of success--and indeed, his very survival.

 

With that in mind, he laid in a different set of coordinates and jumped into hyperspace.

[Padme]

I'm a dolt....Vaderman, please delete. -.-

Edited August 10, 2012 by Guest

[Guest]

The girls listened as the elder Jedi spoke. According to her Master, she did not need any thing- in the area of weapons- save her identification. At that Gracelyn felt her bag, just to be certain that she did indeed have her identification. At the touch of the chip, she removed her hands back in the air.

 

Following suit, the young woman walked right behind her new Master as they headed to the hanger. ...Destination- CoreSec.

[SithAcolyte]

Darla had a choice to make...

 

She had wanted her children to be somewhere safe. Away from the Sith. Away from her enemies. Away from anyone who would them harm. When they had first been born on Tython she had horrible dreams where they were taken from her and she was unable to save them. This hadn't seemed beyond the realms of possibility. There were many men in the Galaxy who had tormented Darla and would relish taking her children from her. Although the Jedi sanctuary at Typhon was hidden deep in the jungle it was a Jedi base none the less and if it were discovered by the Sith would surely be a target. The fact that it was so far away from any kind of civilisation meant that if it was attacked Darla and her children would be sitting ducks.

 

As soon as she was able after the births, she had left with her children, their father and her dearest friend. Darla had hoped that the five of them would find a place of sanctuary, far from the rest of the Galaxy where her children would truly be safe. Where she and her family could live in peace away from Jedi, Sith, wars and all the horrors of the Galaxy.

 

They had decided to find the Eternal Vigilance, a place where Darex had once found solitude for a time and use it as their home. The idea had been that they could travel around, not stay in one place and also be far enough away that they wouldn't be stumbled upon.

 

But that wasn't to be the case, Darex's role amongst the Jedi, being Grandmaster no less had led him to bring the eternal Vigilance out of hiding. How could Darla tell him not to when he felt like he needed to? She knew that his role made him feel like the Jedi order needed him. Not only that but that the Galaxy needed him. To defend it, to right wrongs to fight for justice and peace. All Darla wanted was for him to leave the Jedi behind and be her husband. But how could she ask him to do that? Being a Jedi was the core of what he was. She had known this all along. He would never give up his beliefs and he would never stop fighting for what he thought was right.

 

A long time ago Darla had felt the same. But after years of fighting and becoming a mother, Darla just didn't want to fight any more. Of course she would fight if she had to. She would fight to save her children, Darex, Skye, but she wanted nothing more than to keep her children safe in the first place. She wanted peace and time to watch them grow. She wanted to be their with them. Always. A dead hero mother would do them no good. As would a dead hero father. At times Darla was terrified that Darex would get himself killed. There were only so many times someone could be pulled back from the clutches of death through cloning.

 

Not long after coming out of hiding they found themselves at Coruscant, the very centre of the Galaxy. Two Sith Lords, the two men who had once taken Darla's life no less, had been there. One Darla had hoped to help and redeem and had unwittingly revealed the existence of her children. The other Darla had been terrified of, terrified that he would come for her and her babies and that there was nothing she could do. How could Darex take their home to Coruscant, let it became a bustling place of Jedi activity? How could he allow Faust onboard?

 

Darla had been horrified. Instead of taking them to a place that was safe they had been taking to the heart of the Galaxy.

 

And this was why Darla had to make a choice.

 

Could she possibly stay here with Darex any longer or would she have to flee in order to keep her children safe and hidden?

 

In her mind Darla began to make plans. How could she get away? How could she sneak out of the Eternal Vigilance without anyone knowing? It wouldn't be easy, she would have to find a ship. The most difficult part would be getting the twins out with her. When they had first been born Darla had felt like she wasn't good enough to be a mother to them. By being their mother she had felt that she would make them a target for her enemies. Because of this she had wanted to run away and leave the twins with Darex and Skye. But now that her head was clear she knew that she could never leave them. But could she leave Darex? Was it the only way that she could get her children to safety? Did she want her children to grow up to be Jedi?

 

For weeks Darla thought about all of these things. When Darex was away from their apartments on business sometimes she cried in secret. She loved him dearly and always would, but every day she questioned wether or not they were right for each other. He was a Jedi through and through and she was... well, she wasn't even sure what she was anymore. Not a Jedi, not a Sith, but she had been both of those things. Then she had traversed a grey area between the two. Now... Now she barely ven used the Force. She knew that she could if she really wanted wanted to, but it just seemed that the Force was no longer such an important part of her life. It seemed that all the people who chose light or darkness, all it did was lead to wars and disputes. An energy force spilt into two. Both sides that could be devastating in their power. Why more people didn't see it for what it was, she didn't know . The Force was what it was, just the Force. No light, no dark. By making the division and forming religions and belief systems around it the Galaxy had been torn asunder. Many times.

 

Her husband to be stood for one of these factions, the light. Darla herself wanted to be apart from such distinctions. She had been willing and surely would be willing again if the situation arose, to use the powers that many called the Darkside. How could they ever hope to raise their children together when they had such different beliefs?

 

Darla really had thought that they could make it work. But since Darex had brought them out of exile and to the forefront of Galactic affairs she questioned wether or not they could make it on a daily basis. When she saw Darla she didn't let on. She kept her worries to herself and merely showed him her love. He had enough to worry about himself and she didn't want to drag him down in any way. If she was going to leave she wanted to make the most of the time that she had left with him. Darex surely noted that she had become fiercely passionate when she saw him as well as te sadness in her eyes when she looked at him in quiet moments. When questioned she would make excuses or smile and say that everything was fine.

 

This went on for some time.

 

By day Darla began to train again, when she wasn't looking after the children. She wanted to be strong again, strong enough to defend her children in a fight if it came down to it. Once she had been a fierce fighter, but it had been a long time since Darla had seen combat. Not only did she want her old body back, but she wanted to be stronger than ever. Day by day she lost the last of the baby weight she had still been carrying and began to regain her old level of fitness. Darla also got hold of some blaster pistols and began practicing on the firing range. Eventually she began to get her old aim back. Darla no longer possessed a Lightsaber and had no desire to on a quest to build herself a Jedi weapon. Blasters would have to suffice.

 

Darla also approached Skye and asked her friend to help her retrain in the Force. Skye gladly offered her help and under her wise instruction Darla began to grasp the Force again. She had no desire to become a Jedi once more, but being able to use the Force was a valuable skill that not everyone possessed. If she was going to go it alone she would need all the skills that she learn, or 're-learn for that matter. If her Force skills could mean the difference between protecting her children or being salin by a Sith, then she would hone those skills to the same level as ny Jedi or Sith. It wasn't easy and it took time. But day by day Skye taught Darla to re-use the Force. Some days Darla was so frustrated and exhausted that she wanted to cry. But she wanted to be the best that she could be.

 

While she was training the children were left with Nanny, their droid. During this time Darla didn't see them perhaps as much as she should have, but she kept telling herself that everything that she did was for them.

 

They had grown so much. As the months had rolled on they had began to walk, said their first words and before long it had been their first birthday.

 

How time had flown...

 

And Darla still had to make a choice; would she stay or would she go.

 

Now she was in the best position she had ever been to protect her children. Fitter, faster, stronger in both body and spirit. She began trying to procure a ship in secret and figure put where exactly she would take them where they would be safe. Would she take Nanny along too? Could she? Would the droid object? If she didn't the children would miss her sorely... But then they would also miss Darex and Skye... Could Darla really do that to them?

 

I have to take them away from here, away from the Jedi, it's for their own good

 

One night when Darex was sound asleep and Nanny had been shut down, Darla put he plan into action. Her new ship was waiting in the docking bay, Darla had managed to convince Darex that she was going to use it for flight practice, since she had once been a great pilot but rarely got to fly anymore. In secret she had stocked the ship with everything that she would need. She left their apartment and powered up the ship, then made sure that the twins new beds were ready.

 

Upon arriving back at their apartment Darla spend some time watching Darex sleep. He looked so beautiful. She was going to miss him. If she looked at him any longer she knew that she would change her mind, so she left the room wiping tears from her eyes. Now there was the question of getting the twins out of bed without waking them and getting them onto the new ship. When Darla had originally thought about spiriting them away, they had been a lot smaller. Now she would have to carry them one at a time. This wasn't going to be easy.

 

She took Alana first. Gently she lifted the sleeping girl and walked with her to the hanger bay. Using the Force she gently masked her image, if anyone saw her they wouldn't immediately notice she was carrying a child. She also had to move slowly and deliberately not to wake her daughter. She stirred a little but remained asleep. Darla lay her down in her new bed and headed back to retrieve her brother.

 

Quietly she entered the apartment, drawing on Force to help every movement be a gentle as possible. If Darex awoke now, there was no way of hiding what she was in the middle of doing. Slowly she lifted Jax and smoothly and quietly made her way out of the apartment. As the door shut behind her Darla exhaled and then began breathing quickly. She hadn't noticed that she had been holding her breath. She suddenly began to feel an urgency and rushed to get Jax to their new ship, to his sister. Jax began to stir and groan as his mother almost ran carrying his sleeping form. He was starting to wake up.

 

It didn't matter now. Darla would be at the hanger bay soon.

 

She began to rush across the hanger bay and had drawn the attention of one of the guards.

 

"Miss! Umm, Darla?" She stopped in her tracks but remained silent.

 

She began to tremble, visibly.

 

Another guard walked to the open ramp to the small space yacht that she had bought. In his arms was Alana, crying.

 

"This is your daughter, right? Miss, what was she doing alone on your ship at this time of night? She's frightened, we heard her crying." The guard spoke over what sounded to Darla like a cacophony of screaming and crying.

 

Jax had awoken and was wriggling in Darla's arms, responding to his sister's screams. He was crying too. Both children were red faced, tears streaming.

 

Darla's legs buckled and she fell to her knees almost dropping Jax.

 

"Are you alright?" Darla wasn't sure who was speaking to her, their seemed to be several people around her now.

 

"Is she alright?"

 

"What do you think she was doing?"

 

"Are the kids ok? Are they hurt?"

 

Darla began to cry too.

 

What had she been thinking? She had spent month planning how to abduct her own children, how to take them in night, far away from their family.

 

Darla lay crumpled on the floor, Jax had been taken from her arms. She lay there in a heap, crying like a child herself. She felt comforting hands on her shoulder and whispers that everything was alright. But the kind gestures meant nothing. What she had tried to do was awful.

 

Laying on the floor curled up in ball Darla cried for a long time...

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex saw himself, asleep. Darla had gotten up and was sneaking through their quarters. He watched as she took Alana to her new ship, and then returned for Jax. He had no idea what she was doing until she reached her ship the second time and started up the engines. A tear slipped from her eye as she whispered, “I’m sorry, Darex.” The ship took off and entered hyperspace, flying away from the Eternal Vigilance, away from Coruscant, and away from him. It was then that the Force revealed to him that all the changes he had seen in her over the past few months--the training, getting herself back into shape, her bouts of strange sadness—things that he had taken to mean that she was adjusting and accepting and growing happy again, had really been signs of her increasing fear and desperate plan.

 

He saw himself when he heard the news that she had taken the twins and left him. He was a broken husk of who he used to be. Time sped up, and he saw himself abandoning the Order and searching…searching…searching…. He lived in a constant state of anguish, and the dark side was always with him. He grew haggard and old, and still he searched, destitute, hopeless, and alone. But there was no trace of them, and in the end, he despaired.

 

Darex woke with a jerk, his heart pounding. It had been a terrible nightmare. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He turned on his side, needing to see Darla to reassure himself.

 

But she wasn’t there.

 

And realization came to him in one cold, dead flash of insight. Jedi don’t have nightmares.

 

He leapt to his feet. “Darla? Darla!? Jax? Alana!” He burst through into the twins room and saw that their beds were empty. Just then his comm buzzed, and he seized it.

 

“Grandmaster Trevelian? Sorry to wake you, sir, but this is hanger security. Your fiancée is here, and your children.”

 

Without even bothering to put on his boots, Darex was out the door, using the Force to help him get down there quicker. Once there, his eyes swept the hanger and took in the whole scene. Two guards were holding Jax and Alana, and two others were kneeling beside Darla’s crumpled form. They all seemed relieved to see him, and no wonder, for all three of their charges were bawling.

 

Fear, anger, and pain paralyzed him for a moment, and then Darex took a deep breath. “Stay with her for a minute,” he told the guards. He took the twins, one in each arm, using the Force to ensure they were secure. Using the Force again, he dashed back to their apartments, and laid the twins in their beds, activating the nanny droid. He spent a moment calming the twins, then left them in Nanny’s care, knowing they were just tired and grumpy from being woken up in the middle of the night.

 

A final burst of speed brought him back to the hanger. He strode over and lifted Darla in his arms. “Thank you,” he told the guards gravely.

 

Then he turned and walked away, carrying his weeping fiancée in his arms. He carried her slowly through the halls of the EV until they got back to their apartments. The nanny droid informed him that the twins had settled down and would soon be asleep. Darex nodded. He didn’t mean to ignore the twins, but right now he needed to talk with Darla without any distractions.

 

He took her into their room. A flicker of the Force shut off his comlink. He sat down onto the bed, still holding Darla.

 

Anger raged within him. Who is she to think she alone knows what is best? How dare she do something like this! For a moment, he felt the pull of the dark side. Make her pay for what she tried to do to you!

 

He clenched his jaw. No. Extreme sorrow swept over him. This is all my fault. It has to be. I drove her to this. She didn’t talk to me about it, so it must mean she felt she couldn’t. She got to a place where she felt her only choice was to run. Away from me.

 

Tears dripped from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks, disappearing into his beard. He didn’t know what to say or what to do.

 

After a long time of silence, he finally realized what he needed to ask. He knew what she had been trying to do—his vision had made that very clear, and he had never had a vision that lied. But what he didn’t know…

 

“Why?” he finally asked, his voice hoarse and cracked. Why had she done this, and why had she resorted to this extreme and hid it all from him?

[SithAcolyte]

Strong arms had lifted Darla drom the ground, she was dimly aware of being carried away as she continued to be lost in her despair. It was Darex, he had come to save her even though she didn't deserve it. She could feel feeling emanating from him that she'd never really felt before. Hints of anger. He was normally so calm and controlled, she never felt anger from him. Darla really had pushed him to his limits.

 

What was I thinking? Did I really think that I could go through with something like that?

 

Darla felt sick. She felt sick when she thought about how close she had been to running away, leaving Darex and taking their babies with her.

 

As quickly as she had felt Darex's anger she felt it ebb away to be replaced by sorrow. She had broken his heart, that she was sure of. Darex began to cry too and Darla didn't know what to do. How could she possibly make up for the hurt she had just caused him? How could she explain her reasoning for choosing to leave him in the night.

 

After a long silence, tears stolling down both of their faces, Darex finally spoke.

 

"Why?"

 

The simple word felt like a thunderclap in her ears breaking to silence.

 

"I...I..." Darla stuttered, not knowing what to say. "I felt like... I felt like I had to get away. Away from you and the Jedi and the Sith and War and everything, everything that could harm them. I had to get them somewhere safe... I don't want them to be Jedi, I want them to have a normal life and I don't want them somewhere where people like Faust can find them. When we came aboard the EV it was so would have somewhere safe to raise them and so that we could fly from system to system and stay safe. I know that you'll never leave the Jedi and I know that the Order comes first. I felt like I didn't have a choice. But when it came down to it, I just couldn't... I couldn't leave you..."

 

Darla couldn't make eye contact with Darex while she spoke. She knew that her words would only widen the rift between them.

[Darex Trevelian]

At first, her words stopped his heart with icy dread and fear. She felt she had to get away from...me? The Sith I understand, but me? He almost stopped listening right then and there, but it was a good thing he didn't, for as she spoke, he felt his heart softening within him. All his compassion was aroused as he looked into her tear-streaked face. He hugged her closer to his chest and took a few deep breaths.

 

As they sat in silence, Darex searched himself. He searched for the words to explain what he was feeling. And as he searched, he discovered some things. As much as he wanted to deny it, there was some truth to what Darla had said. She didn't trust him to do what was best for Jax and Alana. That made him feel like a rancor had found his heart to be a particular delicacy, but as he looked back over his actions, he saw moments where he hadn't done that. Take Faust for instance. When he had allowed the hunter Sith aboard the EV, he had done it as a calculated risk. He had gambled that Faust wouldn't notice the twins' presence. He had gambled that things would end peacefully with Faust, too, although that had been less of a gamble, for he knew Faust had his own twisted sense of honor. But if he had truly been always putting the safety of his family first, he would never have let that menace come within twenty clicks of the station.

 

What am I going to do? How am I supposed to balance my life? To be a Jedi demands sacrifice. It means being willing to let things pass out of your life, to accept it if someone's time has come. It means being willing to sacrifice even those closest to oneself to protect others. But for the first time in my life, I feel like that is something I cannot do. How could I lose her, or the twins? It's unthinkable. But if I can't do that, then I'm not worthy to be the lowest padawan in the Order, much less the grandmaster.

 

I just don't know. He'd have to do some serious meditating. What was the will of the Force in this? Could he possibly leave the Order? But being a Jedi was who he was. Without the Order, how would he define his role in the galaxy?

 

There were too many questions he couldn't answer right now, and after all, until the possible becomes a reality it is only a distraction.

 

Almost absentmindedly, he thumbed his comlink on, then sent a command string into it, sending the signal for the EV to jump into hyperspace. He could making amends with that at least. That was the easy part. The next part was going to be hard, but a Jedi never shirked from his responsibility. He never hesitated just because something was hard.

 

Darex took a deep breath. "You're right. I haven't been a very good father recently. I've put myself and my responsibilities before their safety. And I'm sorry."

 

He took another deep breath to steady himself, and forced the words to come out. "I'm trying, Darla. Please believe me. I love you. I couldn't bear to lose you. But...I'm still working out what it looks like for me to have a family and yet be a Jedi. There is a reason that this kind of thing was forbidden for Jedi for millennia. It's...it's going to be a lot of trial and error for me. And...I'm going to need your help. You...I need you to hold me accountable. You need to tell me when you feel that I'm putting you and the twins in jeopardy."

 

He took her chin in his hand and gently turned it so that he could meet her eyes. "Running away won't solve anything."

 

He was reminded as he looked at her how very broken she still was. The past few years had been incredibly hard on her. The last remaining dregs of his anger drained away and sorrow and compassion took their place. "Please," he said. "I want to make this work. Will you forgive me for making you feel like this was your only resort?"

[SithAcolyte]

Darla had never expected this. How could she have thought so little of him? How could she have thought that this amazing man, who she loved, who had done so much for her wouldn't listen to her and understand? That was her problem though. Within her own mind she could make such a mess of things and she had a tendency not to speak about the things that were bothering her and letting them build up until a something that would have been a small storm easily weathered became a hurricane.

 

Why hadn't she trusted him? Why hadn't she just spoken to him? If she had should could have saved them so much grief and pain. How could they possibly mend things now? She had tried t take his children.

 

Darla felt sick.

 

"No... Don't you dare. Don't you dare take responsibility for this. It's not you that needs forgiveness, it's me. I should have trusted you and should have spoken to you. I should have thought better of you. All it would have taken was for me to bring these things up when they happened and we could have dealt with them. Instead I let it come to this. I got so afraid for the kids when Faust came onboard and you just seemed so far away dealing with all your Jedi business... But that's no excuse... I should have just spoken to you...

 

"I don't know if I'm cut out for this. You know when the kids were born I was so terrified... I wanted to run then... I was going to leave them with you. I thought that they'd have a better life that way. I don't know what I thought I was going to do. As much as I was afraid of staying I know I would have been lost without you. And now I know I'd be lost without Alana and Jax...

 

"I'm still afraid."

 

Sitting next to Darex, Darla trembled.

 

"I pushed you so far, you wanted to hurt me. I felt it. You're the calmest, most controlled man I know. If I could push you that far..." Darla cursed quietly, closing her eyes tightly. "How could I let things get to this?"

[Darex Trevelian]

Her reply reminded him why he loved her so. She was never afraid to admit her weaknesses, to allow that she had made a serious mistake. She knew she was a broken, messed up person just like everyone else, and never shirked from that.

 

“We’ve both made mistakes,” Darex replied, taking her hand in his. “Yes, I was angry with you. The dark side tempts me. But I won’t give in. My love for you and twins is stronger than any other emotion I might feel.”

 

His doubts were released into the Force. “Don’t beat yourself up about this. We will learn from it, and move on. I’m frightened at times too. Neither of us has ever done this before. But we can do it. After all,” he said, a hint of warmth coming to his eyes, “we’re not so different from the trillions of parents before us. I believe in us. We’ll make this work.”

 

They continued to talk deep into the recesses of the night. Neither got much sleep, but by the time the station’s systems made the changeover from night shift to day shift, they had both resolved to do better next time.

 

After breakfast, Darex checked his messages, and found one from Haruun Kal. It appeared that there was a gala being held to celebrate the coming of age of two daughters of one of the noblemen there. The invitation didn't say who else had been invited, but from the invitation, it appeared to be a very formal, elegant occasion. He assumed he had been invited because of his standing in the Jedi Order, and not because he knew these nobles.

 

That morning, he brought it up to Darla. “We’d leave the twins here,” he said, “but it might be interesting to go. Security there will be quite tight, so I don’t think there will be anything to worry about. But it’s up to you. It might be nice to get off this station and get out a little.” Besides, he thought, it might be nice for the two of them to have some time alone to help their relationship continue to heal.

 

((Edited to reflect information from Dashel))