I Want To Be Your Knight: Chapter Five

I stumbled to a stop, leaning over and propping my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. I glanced up to stare at my Master, wishing for a moment that I could fire blaster bolts from my eyes, and found him jogging in place. His lips twisted into a smirk, directed solely at me. Which made me really wish I had my blaster at hand. Or even a large stone. Kriff, who am I kidding, I would've settled for a spoon.

Anyways, I glared at him as I wondered how he could have so much energy while being over thirty years older than me, I had no clue. All I knew was that it annoyed me to no end.

Which of course pleased him to no end.

"Hurry up, Skywalker," he teased me. "Or are you going to let this old man out run you?"

I nodded my head, and between breaths gasped out, "I think I'm going to let you out run me."

He barked a laugh, and jogged closer to me. Then he grabbed a hold of my shirt, and started pulling. Muttering dire curses about him, I stumbled into a trot, as we continued through the course that he had picked out for this particular run. These things were annoying. No two runs were ever on the same course, and each was at least a few hundred meters longer than the previous path.

As we stomped through the dark underbelly of Coruscant, he glanced back at me, that smirk still on his face, and said, "Be happy, Ben. Luke's Master made him carry him on his back during these types of runs, in a swamp, all the while whispering oddball phrases such as, 'Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.'"

I shook my head, ignoring Kyp's laughter and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, just hoping to still be alive at the end of the run.

Finally, my torture was ended as we emerged from a set of stairs and into one of the sub-basement entrances of the Jedi Temple. Kyp ambled to a stop, and I collapsed against the wall, struggling to catch my breath. I glanced at him as he punched a code into the keypad by the door and noticed that he wasn't even breathing hard.

The door opened and Kyp walked through it. I pushed myself away from the wall and followed. In silence, we rode the turbolift up to the more populated areas of the Temple, and my mind wandered back over the past few weeks.

While my training had not been overly tough, I had been at a constant state of movement almost that entire time. Everything from these horridly long runs, to hour long sparing sessions, to hour long hand-to-hand combat training. Then I had the coursework: astrophysics, hyperspatial navigation, starfighter maintenance, survival training, field medicine, economics, Holonet research, and the course that started all of this hassle, Ethics. Top all that off with two hours of meditation and another hour for eating, and well you can see just how busy I had been.

Oddly, I couldn't complain that much. Sure my body hurt from the abuse it was taking, but I didn't feel any of the pressure or misery during training that I had felt the first time I had been through this stuff.

What confused me the most though, is that I wasn't placed in with the other padawans my own age; rather I was stuck in with the eldest group of trainees. These students, all about three years older than me, were right at the borderline between padawan and Knight. When I had asked Kyp about that, he said something about the stuff I had learned in GAG and just being outside of the Temple counted a lot towards how ready I was for being a Knight, but when I really pressed him, he had told me that I was on an accelerated plan, designed to get me Knighted and out of his hair.

Truthfully, I wasn't sure which story to believe.

As I told Kyp during that discussion, what this meant from a practical point of view was that I didn't know that many of my classmates. In fact there were only two that I really remembered from my first time through the Temple: Jysella Horn and Seha Dorvald.

These two girls were nearly opposites in every way. Jysella was very much her mother, having the same luxurious black hair and ice-blue eyes. In fact it hurt to look at Jys at times, because of how much she really did resemble her mother. She was outspoken and boisterous. A smile was ready to come to her lips, except when her gaze slipped onto me. Her skin seemed to have a perpetual tan, as if she spent most of her time laying out on a beach somewhere, which I knew for a fact that she didn't do, mainly because her training load was the same as mine, and I didn't have time to lay out on the beach.

Seha on the other hand was red-haired, green-eyed and very pale. She was quiet and serious, and usually the closest she came to a smile was this small, wry grin. One that reminded me of a whisperkit which had just eaten a treat it wasn't really supposed to have. One that reminded me just a bit of mom.

Of course, Jys had made sure that everyone was aware of who I was. As evidenced by the fact that they tended to ignore me, unless they were playing a prank on me. One usually instigated by Jysella. Since the Council had passed an edict that no one was allowed to intentionally cause me physical harm, Jys being Jys determined that that gave her implicit permission to cause me as much emotional, spiritual and psychological damage as she could inflict. She also realized that as long as she didn't intend to hurt me, if I did get a little damaged in her pranks, then it would be all right.

My proof for this involved one of the tricks that she played on me. It consisted of a floating lift platform, with a bucket of water set atop it. The contraption hovered right outside my quarters, a sensor directed towards my door. When I walked out and under it, the platform flipped over, and dumped its contents on my head.

It's an old prank, long used by many, many people. Usually, the bucket is a lightweight plastic one, and snapped down somehow to the platform, so it won't fall off and hit the person the trick's being played on. Somehow, Jys forgot to connect her bucket to the platform. So when it flipped, the bucket, plus the water, slammed down onto my head. Oh yeah, the bucket in this case was made out of cast iron, and just happened to be a type of crock pot, which contained an internal heating element, that she had accidentally left on.

To the highest setting.

The good part of that prank, is it allowed me to keep her from getting in trouble with the Council. When they had dragged in everyone involved, I spoke up on Jys' behalf, telling the Council that I was certain that she hadn't intended to hurt me, that the prank lost its amusement if the person who was getting water dumped on them actually got hurt. I stood there, and looked at each of the Masters in turn, spending an extra moment looking at her older brother, and then with a straight face, I said that it was an accident. That I didn't believe that Jysella meant to give me a concussion, and second degree burns on my face, neck and shoulders.

I'm not certain if anyone in the room believed me, but the Council didn't punish her, and ultimately that's what I really cared about.

Seha didn't play pranks on me. I don't know if she remembered me at all but I have to say she did, as I would occasionally catch her staring at me. For the most part during these early weeks of training she would leave me alone. She was never implicated in any of the pranks pulled against me. She was never part of the group who constantly teased me while the Masters weren't paying attention. Of course, she never spoke to me either. In fact, if I hadn't caught her staring at me a few times, I would had guessed she didn't know I existed.

The doors to the lift opened with a swoosh, and as we stepped off, I shoved my ruminations to a back corner of my mind. I didn't need to be focused on the past few weeks. While walking these halls, my focus needed to be on the here and now. Trying my best to find Jys' next prank before I happened to spring it.

As we reached my quarters, Kyp held out a datachit towards me. Hesitatingly, I took it from him and glanced down at it. Then I looked back up at him. "What's this?"

"Survival training is having a field trip next week. Because, I know that you have a rather... strained relationship with the other students, since this is going to be a group assignment, I guess I'm giving you a head's up about who's in whose groups."

I nodded my hand as I closed my fist around the data chit. Sometimes it's a good thing to have a Master who's also the instructor. I smiled as I said, "Thanks, Kyp."

He nodded his head, and wandered away. I stepped into my room, and my danger sense flared. As I started to duck, something warm and gooey struck my face. I pulled the metal plate away from me, and licked my lips, tasting the cream. At least it's a sweet one this time, I thought as I walked to the refresher to wash off my face.

That done, I returned to the door and reprogrammed my passcode, knowing that ultimately it was a futile gesture. Then I sat down at my terminal and put the datachit into the reader. The file opened, and I read through the list. For whatever reason, Kyp had given me the assignments for the entire class; so I knew that everyone was assigned into groups of three and then each group was assigned to a different undeveloped world. As I reached my name my heart sank, and I could feel heartburn flare in my chest. I instantly regretted the fact that I had ever told Kyp anything and promised myself that I would never do so again.

Because there, in glowing letters, right above my name were the names Jysella Horn and Seha Dorvald, and we got the beautiful assignment of Myrkr.

Family Found: Chapter Two

The Stolen Star flashed past the Jedi Temple on Ossus. The ship's sweep-backed wing design sliced through the air like some savage bird-of-prey. The sun reflected back brightly off the burnished metal of the spaceship's hull - and from the white marble which made up the base material of the Temple. High above the altitude which the Star flew a few, fat lazy clouds drifted high in the sky.

Noelani calmly banked the ship to port, dropping speed and altitude as she closed in on her assigned landing place. She could feel the large grin which was plastered on her face, and was ecstatic at the chance to actually be flying.

There was something about flight which was freeing, as if the cares of the common world meant less when someone was behind the flight yoke.

She flipped the sublight engines off and the repulsers on with a single flick of her wrist, and the last of her forward momentum was quickly shed as she lowered the ship to the ground. The whir of the landing gear lowering was a nearly inaudible rumble from beneath them. As soon as it stopped, she dropped the final few meters to the ground, coming to a rest to the hissing of the coolant jets.

Still grinning madly, she glanced towards the copilot's seat where Tahiri sat, "So, how'd I do?"

Her Master smiled back at her. "You did perfect. Now, let's get those things you found and take them over to Tionne."

The two unstrapped themselves and walked in silence to the small cargo hold; each picking up a heavy crate filled with datapads and other artifacts which Noelani had found on Rhen Var. Noelani began a stream-of-consciousness discussion about the artifacts as they walked down the ramp, and out into the bright light of Ossus' primary.

Standing a few meters away was a group of three people, Mara Jade Skywalker, her son Ben, and Tionne Solusar. As soon as she saw Ben, her mouth stopped working and silence fell around them.

"Are you all right, Noelani?"

Startled slightly, she could feel her cheeks beginning to burn as she looked up at Tahiri. "What? Oh. I'm fine. There's nothing wrong."

She noticed that Tahiri seems to just watch her silently for a moment, amusement flashing in her green eyes. Finally the older girl nodded her head once quickly, and faced forward to those waiting on them. As they arrived, Tahiri set the box down by her feet, and wrapped Tionne in a hug and then bowed for Master Skywalker.

Noelani watched these transactions, as she shifted the weight of the box around slightly in her arms, a dull ache beginning to appear in the arm that she had broken just a few weeks ago. She tried to keep from staring at Ben Skywalker, but constantly found that her eyes were drawn back to him.

And more often than not, he was watching her.

Giving up the pretense of not staring, she took a nice long look. Today, he was dressed in a Jedi outfit, loose pants and a linen tunic. She noted that he didn’t wear a mantle, and for a second wonders if that's because he spent so much time working with GAG. She looked up from his clothes to find that he had been silently staring at her. Their eyes locked, and Noelani could feel her stomach do a flip, and she adverted her gaze quickly, feeling a slight burn of a blush cropping up on her cheeks again.

Finally, Tionne brought up the boxes which they had brought back with them, by saying, "So, Tahiri, what goodies did you bring me?"

Tahiri's laughter sounded almost like bells. "My apprentice stumbled onto a room which apparently held a Jedi at some point in the past – complete with lightsaber and holocron. We brought two cases of the stuff, and there's more."

Tionne's eyes appeared to light up slightly, joy at having new items for her research. "That is wonderful Tahiri! Thank you! Can I borrow your apprentice to help me carry these things?"

Tahiri glanced towards Noelani once, and then nodded her head. Turning back to Tionne, Tahiri had a wry grin on her face. "I think Noelani would love to help you."

Before Noelani could respond, Ben darted forward and scooped up the box at Tahiri's feet. "I'll give a hand to."

Noelani looked towards him, noticing the lopsided grin he had on his face, and quickly looked towards Tionne.

"Thank you, Ben. If you both will follow me."

The elfin Jedi turned and headed towards the Temple and Noelani and Ben fell into line next to one another. A burst of annoyance came from Mara Skywalker, and both Ben and Noelani glanced over their shoulders to see the Jedi Master staring after them – a stormy expression on her face.

Ben looked towards her again, "Don't worry about her, she's just grumpy."

Noelani can't help but giggle. The thought of someone calling the Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker "grumpy" was just too much of an amusing picture for her not to do so.

Noelani looked away and down at the box she was carrying, focusing on following Tionne to the Master's office. Before long they arrived, and the two teens placed their respective boxes on the table which Tionne indicated.

"Thank you both."

Noelani smiled happily for her. "It was a pleasure, Master Tionne."

Ben made a small non-committal comment, and the two fled the room, and began walking around. Neither quite sure what to say to the other.

Finally, Ben spoke up, his voice hesitant. "You want to grab a bite to eat?"

Noelani smiled for him. "Sure!"

She grabbed his hand in hers, and started walking faster through the temple, dragging Ben slightly. Before long, they arrived at the doors to the cafeteria, and Ben coughed to attract Noelani's attention, and then called out her name.

She glanced over her shoulder, one eyebrow cocked in a query.

He glanced down where their hands were still joined. "Uh. Do you think I could have my hand back now?"

"Oh! Sorry." She let go of his hand, feeling a blush creep up on her cheeks once again.

Then she reached out and pushed open the door, and together they walked into the cafeteria. The bustling noise of the place washed over them – the collective sounds of dozens of beings all talking to one another. Noelani grinned; she had forgotten that the cafeteria here was so much fun, with so many people in it at almost any time of the day.

She headed for one of the food service lines, and picked up a meal. Stepping out of the food service line, she looked around, and finally saw a table with no one sitting at it. Working her way around the filled tables she sat down at the empty one and waited for Ben.

Before long he joined her at the table. She frowned down at his selections.

"Are you really going to eat all of that?"

"Sure?" Then picking up and holding out towards her an avian leg, he said, "Why? You want some?"

"No. What is it?"

He laughed and glanced at the leg in his hand, before bringing it to his mouth for a quick bite. "I'm not exactly sure."

She crinkled her nose slightly, and took a bite of her own food.

"So, did you really find that stuff?"

She looked up from her plate, and nodded her head. "Yeah, Master Tahiri took me to Rhen Var to show me a tomb that was there, and while I was exploring I found this hidden room which contained all those treasures. It was astral."

"Really? Was there a dead body in the tomb?"

"I don't think so… it was the tomb of a Jedi, and I think he did that fadey thing some Jedi do when they die."

"Oh. So, how do you like doing missions with your Master?"

Noelani shrugged her shoulders slightly. "It's fun for the most part. Except all the fighting. I broke my arm two missions ago. And we just came back from Rhen Var, which is an ice planet. It was way too cold."

Ben grinned at her. "I think visiting an ice planet would so lubed."

"Ben!"

Both teens looked up and saw Mara Jade Skywalker standing at the doorway, a scowl darkening her face as she watched the two of them. Noelani swallowed hard as she started towards them, and looked towards Ben.

"I don't think she likes me."

Ben grinned for her. "I think she's that way for everyone."

Before Noelani could reply, Mara Jade was standing at their table. "What do you think you're doing?"

Ben glanced down at his half-eaten plate of food and then back up at his mother. "Having lunch?"

"You know you were supposed to meet your father for dueling practice fifteen minutes ago."

"Oh. Sorry mom." He turned towards Noelani. "I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

And then he jumped up and rushed from the room. Noelani watched for a moment, and then felt someone staring at her. She turned from the doors and saw Mara Jade still standing there at her table.

She swallowed hard, suddenly scared. "Is… is something wrong Master Skywalker?"

The older woman's eyes seemed to soften for a moment, filling with an emotion which Noelani could not quite name. Then they hardened once more and she shook her head. "No, Noelani. Nothing is wrong."

Then she too was gone, leaving Noelani alone at the table, silently chewing at her lower lip as she tried to figure out what had just happened.

I Want To Be Your Knight: Chapter Four

A few hours later, we stood outside the door to the Council Chambers. It was in essence a pretty door. A mosaic displaying key events from Jedi history were set into the double-wide doors in multiple columns. I paused for a moment, my eyes flicking up and down, left to right, recognizing a few of the scenes.

Kyp pushed open the doors, and walked in confidently. Almost gone was the frustrated old man who had been drinking with me. This was Kyp the Grand Master of the Jedi. I could almost see why he was chosen.

I waited a heartbeat, and then stepped into the room. A wave of mixed emotions washed over me. Anger. Amazement. Hostility. Basically, the usual mix for whenever I walk into a room.

I looked down, and saw the Jedi sigil in yellow and blue marble on the floor. The image had been designed by Miko Reglia back before the Vong War, and contained a stylized lit lightsaber with wings coming out from the base of the hilt. A circle surrounded this whole image, and not only did it appear in the center of the Council chambers, but it was attached to the start and ending of all Jedi communiques.

Being the masochist that I am, my eyes glanced first towards the source of greatest hostility, and found Valin Horn glaring at me. My eyes shifted to the right, and I caught Doran Tainer looking calmly on. Beside him sat Tahiri, her face oddly serious, almost expressionless.

Then Kyp settled into his seat, and spoke up, calling the meeting to order. Then he made a gesture my way where I stood in the center of the sigil. "Young Skywalker here has a request for the Council."

Cilghal spoke up, her voice sounding old and dry. "And why exactly should we listen to his request? He made it clear two years ago, that he had no desire to be a Jedi."

I sighed, as Kyp answered her. "We are all aware of past actions. Regardless, he has come before this Council, not making any demands, not screaming, but he patiently waited outside of the Temple until one of us had the time to see him. As such, I have decided to hear his request before the Council."

His dark eyes flicked from chair to chair, almost as if he was daring someone to speak out against his decision. When it appeared that everyone had settled down, he leaned back and sighed. "One of these days the lot of you are going to let me step down." Then he waved his hand my way again, and said, "Make your request."

I bowed my head, and took a deep breath, calming my nerves and then straightened back up as I exhaled the breath. In a calm voice, I repeated the request I had made to Kyp earlier in the day, "I've come before the Council to request permission to finish my Jedi training."

The Council instantly devolved into a room filled with toddlers. There was yelling and screaming. There was bickering. Force help me, I was amazed they wasn't kicking and biting.

I tuned out the Masters, ignoring the whining and bickering and allowed my eyes to flick from Master to Master. Sighing, I finally glanced at Kyp and saw him sitting in his chair, hunched forward slightly, one elbow on his knee, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

Sensing my attention, he lifted his head and stared back at me. He slowly shook his head and then stood up and walked closer to me. The doors behind me opened, and a young Rodian padawan came in, and took up a position behind me. Kyp gestured towards the padawan and said, "Geelto will take you somewhere to rest while we hash out this decision."

I bowed to him, and then turned around and followed the Rodian from the room. As soon as we had left, the doors closed behind us, and I ran my hand through my hair again.

Geelto looked at me, interesting shining in his alien eyes. "I've not seen the Council this worked up in a while. Just who are you?"

I laughed, "You're new here aren't you."

He nodded his head. "Yeah, I've only been in training for a little over a year."

I shrugged and shook my head as he opened another door off the main anteroom for the Council chambers. "Don't worry, Geelto. I'm sure someone will tell you soon enough."

Then I stepped into the room, and turned back to grin at him. He looked at me, confused, and I could feel the slight touch of a Force probe. I hardened my defenses and waved at him as the door closed.

I faced the room, and saw the couches, small table and beverage station and frowned. For some reason, every waiting room in the galaxy looked exactly the same as the next. Maybe it's just my optimistic nature, but I kept hoping for something new in one of these waiting rooms. I sighed, and dropped onto the couch, determined to wait out the Council's discussions about my training.

So I settled down to mediate while the Council made its decision about my fate. I had hoped to spend that time recovering after the less than warm reception from them.

Ultimately though, I found myself pacing, not entirely certain when I had started, too worked up to sit still long enough to meditate and all the while hating myself for being so nervous about their decision.

After about two hours of endless waiting, Kyp walked into the room, and dropped into one of the overstuffed couches. He looked haggard and worn, his dark eyes clouded with frustration.

He sighed, and glanced up at me. "Well, we've been talking about you, and a decision was reached. Some of the Masters were happy that you returned to us to finish your training."

"Some?" I asked, not really wanting to know what the others thought. Not quite able to stop myself from finding out.

"Well, one of them said, 'We should not let that kriffing Sithling anywhere near any of the Jedi. He was Jacen's apprentice. He should be thrown out of the Temple and barred entry, and that is only if you deny my request to use my lightsaber on him.'"

I grimaced and rubbed my head. I knew when I went into the Chambers earlier and saw Valin Horn sitting in one of those chairs, that I would have a hard time getting approval. "So, Valin wasn't that happy about my showing up, huh?"

Kyp laughed, a malicious grin appearing on his face. "Oh, that wasn't Valin. That was Tionne. I'm not going to repeat what Valin said, but fear not, his father taught him a lot of fun words. A few I'll have to go look up later tonight just to be certain that they mean what I think they mean from their context."

I sighed, rubbing a hand through my hair. I had let slip my memories of just what happened to Kam. I began my pacing again. "Kriff... so they're not letting me complete my training?"

Kyp shook his head. "I didn't say that. The Council was unable to come to an agreement. Of the twelve, half want you to finish your training for various reasons, the most common being the hope that you'll not fall if you complete it. The other half either want to eviscerate you or drop you off on Dagobah. Or both."

I stopped my pacing, and faced him, my face twisting into a scowl. "So, what's going to happen?"

Kyp stared at me hard, then his eyes seemed to soften, as he leaned back into his chair. He moved his gaze from me to the ceiling. "You know your Dad told me that you'd come back one day. When he asked me to take over this position, he told me that. Told me to bring you back into the fold."

I scrubbed my hands over my face. "So, even though he's not here, and hasn't talked to either of us in the Force knows how long, we're both still jumping through his hoops."

Kyp snorted a laugh and then pinched the bridge of his nose again. I had the feeling that he did that often these days. Then he spoke, "Yeah, it appears we're both just his little monkey-lizards. Of course, he was the wisest man I ever knew, so I guess that it's not that bad of a thing."

"So, I get to finish the training?"

He just left his head tilted back, his hand massaging the bridge of his nose. "Yeah. The Council couldn't come to a consensus. It's the reason we have a Grand Master. I made the decision."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Just like that?"

He nodded his head. "Just like that."

I was stumped. I had figured that the Council wouldn't approve my decision. I had expected to be able to tell the Force that I was done with this, that it was taken entirely out of my hands. Beautiful luck I have sometimes.

My hand went to the bridge of my nose, and I squeezed it for a moment. Kriff, I'm doing it now, I thought to myself but out loud I said, "So, do I get a Master or what?"

Kyp's head leveled out, so he was watching me again. "Yes, you get a Master. You're the son of the previous Grand Master, one of the strongest of all the students that have walked through these halls, and half the Council wants to hurt you badly."

"Who?"

He grabbed at his nose again, tilting his head back once more as he closed his eyes. "Force help me, me."

Family Found: Chapter One

Rhen Var

For all of recorded history, Rhen Var has been a planet of ice and snow. Subject to colds so intense that it is nearly inhospitable, nevertheless, scientists know that it was at one time inhabited; the structures of an advanced civilization can still be seen poking their spires up out of the snow drifts. Buildings older than the Old Republic locked in this eternal ice age by some atmospheric cataclysm.

Stepping off the Stolen Star into the wide expanse of ice and snow, Noelani tugged harder against the drawstrings of her heavy parka glancing at her Master as she stomped through the snow. Tahiri stood still, watching the sky as the thousands of snow flakes drifted down towards them. Her navy blue parka already had a number of flakes on the shoulders. Grinning mischievously, Noelani ducked down and scooped up a handful of the loosely packed snow, compressing it into a tight ball. She threw it and then called out, "Master!"

Tahiri turned around in perfect time to receive the snowball to the face.

Noelani giggled uncontrollably as Tahiri calmly wiped the snow from her face. Then piles of it slammed into Noelani from behind, knocking her off her feet, and covering her in a drift. She heard Tahiri's voice in her head through their training bond; next time less giggling and more paying attention to the warnings from the Force.

Noelani sighed, and began digging herself out from the snow drift. She broke through, and looked up just in time to receive a snowball to the face.

Sputtering she looked at her Master, who had once more taken to watching the sky.

Noelani stood up and brushed the snow off of her parka and face, and began to rub her shoulders, trying to warm herself up.

"Why are we here again, Master? It's cold."

"The Force will keep you warm enough. Just focus."

"Still doesn't tell me why we're here," Noelani muttered under her breath.

Tahiri sighed, and turned to face Noelani. Spreading her arms wide open, she once more looked into the sky.

"Have you ever seen snow? Like this I mean, in person."

Noelani looked up, watching the powdery flakes as they alight on her eyelashes. After a second she had to blink away the drop of water that hey had become.

"Not really. I think I like rain better. Rain's warm."

Tahiri chuckled slightly. "And that's what we get for placing our new academy in a temperate zone of Ossus. Don't you believe that I could have come here just to see the snow?"

Noelani wondered for a moment if Tahiri had lost her mind and then shook her head. "If you had wanted to just see snow, I could have programmed the holoprojectors to show it to you."

Tahiri dropped her head, sighing slightly as she shook it from side to side. "You and your machines. You're hopeless you know."

Without waiting for a reply, Tahiri turned away and began trudging up the mountain, heading towards the ruins visible through the snow flurries. Noelani glanced once back towards the Stolen Star.

"Hey! The ship is back this way!" She stood still and watched for a moment, finally sighing and beginning to follow Tahiri up the mountain.

They found themselves on the steps of a shrine – blue marble and blue stones surrounded them both. At some time in the past, the ornate doors had been cut away; the edges held the flowing look of metal that had been melted with either a fusion torch or a lightsaber. Tahiri stepped into the room, and pulled a handlight from one of the pockets of her parka, turning it on, and slowly moving the light over the various surfaces within the inner room. Noelani pulled out her own light, and began looking in the other direction.

In the middle of the room was an oval shaped table. A gold-colored plate was attached to one end, the swirls of Old Republic Jedi script visible. Noelani scampered forward, and knelt down to read the words.

"In memory of Ulic Qel-Droma. He held the heart of a Jedi."

She turned slightly to find Tahiri once more, keeping her light directed towards Tahiri's feet, so that she will would able to see Tahiri without blinding her.

"What is this place?"

"According to records, it's the tomb of Ulic Qel-Droma. A Jedi turned Sith from about 4000 years ago."

Noelani slowly turned in a circle, allowing her light to play out on the various artifacts and statuary within the chamber. "Why did we come here?"

"For you."

Startled, Noelani turned back towards Tahiri. "Me?"

"Yes. Ulic fell because he wanted revenge over the death of his Master. He was arrogant and wanted to gather as much power to himself as possible. He tried to infiltrate the Dark Side – and was corrupted by it. In the end he threw away everything he loved; sacrificing everything he held dear on the altar of his hate."

Noelani frowned at her Master, trying to figure out the lesson that the elder Knight was attempting to teach her. "I, I don't think I understand."

"The Alliance and Corellia are nearly at war, and for all intents and purposes they are. War is a dangerous time for a Jedi. The death. The fighting. The sheer overwhelming sense of hopelessness and helplessness, of despair and desolation. It is easy," Tahiri paused here, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again, and continued speaking. "Too easy, to embrace the Dark at times like these. As you become a Jedi, I want you to consider this room. This cold, broken place. This…" She gestured around her at the ice covered walls. "This is the legacy of a dark choice."

"Do you think I'll join the Dark Side? Or the Corellians?"

Tahiri lifted an eyebrow as she watched the girl. "Those two are not necessarily the same thing."

"But I thought the Corellians were the bad guys."

"It's just a point of view."

Another voice intruded upon them at this moment. "Luke has been saying that for nearly forty years now. I think he needs to find a new line."

Noelani's and Tahiri's lights flashed over to the doorway, highlighting Han and Leia Solo. Tahiri advanced and threw her arms around them, clinging to them. Then she gave them each a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm happy that you're both all right. When I heard what happened at Hapes I was so worried."

Leia gently placed a hand on Tahiri's shoulder. "We're doing as well as can be expected. Thank you for doing this for us by the way." Then she glanced over Tahiri's shoulder, catching sight of Noelani sitting near the stone oval. "Hello Noelani. How are you?"

Noelani stood up, and performed a half bow. "I'm doing all right, Knight Solo."

Noelani frowned slightly as the adults once more returned to talking among themselves in slightly hushed tones. She was trying to figure out what was happening – the last rumors she had heard were that the Solo's were working with the Corellians.

But they're too nice to be the bad guys, she thought as she watched them in silence. Finally giving up, she walked to the far side of the room, away from the adults and their frustrating conversation. She found herself staring at a blank wall. Yet something felt off in the Force. A subtle niggle – as if there was a machine here, one that had long since fallen into disuse and disrepair.

She pressed her hand against an outcropping of stone, and pushed against it hard. With a low rumble, a section of the wall rolled backwards creating a doorway leading into the dark.

Noelani glanced back over her shoulder, to see the adults still talking, and with a mischievous smile plunged into the opening, her light shining down the steps which she followed.

The stairs ended in a small room; the walls were covered with shelves filled with holocubes and very old datapads. A small cot took up one corner. She walked over to it, and noticed the Jedi robes, lightsaber and a thin gold chain amidst the dust which coated the cot. She picked up the saber, admiring the construction – the octagonal hilt, the dark, burnished steel, and four clawed tines around the emitter array. She gave the hilt a slight shift, and then activated the weapon, watching as the green blade flashed into existence. Seconds later, it sputtered and died, the power cell fully drained and Noelani tossed the weapon back onto the cot.

She turned away from the bed, and noticed a metal and crystal cube which appeared to have been placed in a position where it would be the first thing seen by the person who slept on this bed. She walked over to it and picked it up. The machine hummed to life, a cool blue glow coming from the crystal sides and suddenly a blue hologram of a human female resolved itself above the cube and Noelani recognized it for what it was. A holocron.

The holocron spoke in sharply accented basic. "I am Nomi Sunrider, and act as the gatekeeper for this holocron. Do you have a question for me?"

Noelani shook her head and replied, "Not right now I don't."

The image flickered away into nothingness and Noelani darted from the room, recklessly running up the treacherous stairs to where she had left the adults.

Grinning madly, she interrupted their conversation. "Hey, look what I found!"

Tahiri took it, the holocron coming to life in her hands once more, and she smiled for Noelani. "This is a great find. Was there more?"

Noelani nodded her head. "Yeah, a whole room filled with stuff."

Tahiri smiled, and glanced at Han and Leia. "Great. Now we have an excuse for making this journey again." She turned to Noelani. "Tionne would love to have this and the rest of the items. Do you feel up to going down to the ship and getting a crate or two so we can take a load of this find back to her?"

"Sure!" With a grin, Noelani began making her way back to the ship.

I Want To Be Your Knight: Chapter Three

I stood there like a fool, my arms held out on either side of my body, a lop-sided grin on my face.

Of course, Kyp stood there like a fool as well, his mouth hanging open, gaping at me.

The poor padawan had no clue who I was, or what was going on. In hindsight, she looked kind of foolish as well. I guess Masters don't come down from their Ivory Tower that often to talk to kids who just wouldn't leave the front steps.

After a moment or two, I dropped my arms back to my sides, but kept that Solo grin on my face.

Finally, Kyp seemed to regain control of his mouth, and closed it. Then it fell open again, as if he was about to say something. But nothing came out, so he closed it again. He turned away, one hand pinching at the bridge of his nose.

The padawan still was staring at us, while trying to figure out just what was going on, all while trying to not be caught staring.

Kyp slowly swung round until he was facing me again, and I could have sworn that he had aged another decade while his back was turned.

"So, let me get this straight. You want to finish your Jedi training. The training that you said you despised, which you said at the same time that you called the entire Council a bunch of lying, useless pseudo-Sith and told us that we could continue to lick Jacen's boots if we wanted to, and that if you ever saw any of us again, you would shove your 'saber up various orifices of ours, or maybe use our own sabers in that shoving maneuver. That Jedi training."

I was beginning to wonder if he wasn't happy with my being here. Rather than saying that, I nodded my heads a couple times. "Yup."

Kyp grabbed at the bridge of his nose again.

"I might have some pain reliever here, if you've got a headache," I offered helpfully.

He glared at me, glancing quickly down at my blaster before saying, "Was that an offer to shoot yourself?"

I smirked at him and he sighed.

Then he started down the steps, tossing his head in the direction of the walkway below. "C'mon, let's go get a bite to eat."

I shrugged, and tossed a wave to the padawan who still wasn't looking that sure about anything, and followed Kyp down the steps. He walked, hunched slightly, as if there was now some heavy weight pulling at his shoulders. For a moment, I felt bad about doing this to him, but then I remembered that he had accepted my dad's position. That weight is just part and parcel of being Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

Kyp stopped in front of a cantina, and looked up. He then looked down towards a small bistro which I had thought was our destination. Making up his mind, Kyp turned from the bistro and went into the cantina. I followed, that silly grin still on my face. He walked to the bar, leaned against it and asked for an ale.

I frowned and glanced at my chrono, noting that it was only an hour after lunch. I leaned against the bar, and asked for an ale as well, and then turned to Kyp. "I would've thought it a bit early for a drink."

Kyp looked at me. "Kriff, and here I was beginning to hope I was just having a nervous breakdown."

I laughed. "I don't remember you being this funny two years ago. I guess being Grand Master that you've gotten all the humor the position sucked from my dad."

Kyp merely shook his head, and sighed again. "So, tell me why you want to finish your training."

"And if I don't want to?"

"Then, the answer will be 'no.'"

Now it was my turn to sigh, and for the first time since I had stood up in front of Kyp, the grin faded from my face. I took a long pull from my ale, and set the glass back onto the table, looking at the foam which rested on top of the liquid.

"I... well, I guess it's just something I need to do."

Kyp made an annoyed noise around his glass. He set it back onto the bar. "Not good enough."

I sighed. "There's someone that I need to get forgiveness from. To do that, I need to be a Jedi. To do that, I need to complete my training."

"Who? And why now?"

"Kriff," I muttered, I really didn't feel like telling him all the sordid details. I decided to try to deflect him. "You know, all those years of training, everyone kept telling me that I needed to be mindful of the Force, to let it guide me, well for the first time I start trying that and I get the third degree."

Kyp laughed, and I felt a burst of relief that I had managed to deflect his probing.

"It does seem that way sometimes, doesn't it?" Kyp said after his laughter had died down a bit. "And I applaud you listening to the Force. But that doesn't answer my question."

Kriff, I thought as I said. "Fine, you win. I was down-level doing some research for one of my university courses and I saw someone I hadn't seen in years. She was protecting this old man, standing up to four guys. Against my initial instincts, when the goons attacked, I found myself in the midst of them, trying to protect her. Afterwards, she punched me in the nose and stalked off. It was then that the Force prompted me that I needed to get her forgiveness."

"Who?"

"Jysella Horn," I whispered. I didn't really want to tell him, after all, the events of GAG boarding the Pulsar Skate were well known to the Jedi Council. As were the events that happened on the Anakin Solo shortly afterwards. As were the events that happened the next time that Jys saw me. Let's just say that the love tap she had given me earlier would have just been a warm-up for that particular day, and a big reason why I tried my best to forget she ever existed.

"Who?" His voice was slightly louder, and tinged with worry. I glanced over and saw that his cup had paused centimeters from his lips.

In a louder voice, I replied, "Jysella Horn."

He set the glass on the bar, and slid it down slightly. Then he slammed his forehead against the bar top. Lifted his head and did it again.

Then I heard him muttering to himself, "Kriff. Let me guess, Luke, this is payback for all the fodder that I caused you twenty years ago."

He slammed his head against the bar a final time and then lifted it, and turned to face me. "Let me get this right, you're wanting to become a Jedi, just so you can apologize to Jysella Horn."

I shook my head. "No. I'm wanting to become a Jedi so that I can get Jys' forgiveness. I've already apologized, but she's not accepted it yet. I think she's being a bit stubborn."

With one hand, Kyp grabbed at the bridge of his nose again and with the other raised his glass, attracting the attention of the bartender. "Another one please."

Then he drained the remaining ale and set the empty glass down on the bar top, watching the remaining foam slowly side down the side to pool at the bottom.

The bartender dropped off Kyp's new glass, and he quickly drained that one as well. He sighed, as he set it on the bar. "I'll have to take this to the Council. They need to be informed."

I grinned, knowing I had won. Of course, what Kyp said next wiped the grin off of my face.

"But that means you have to listen to the Council. No running off doing whatever you feel like. No special missions without approval. I don't even want to hear that you went to the refresher without permission."

I stopped. My initial thought was to get up and leave right then. To forget this forgiveness kriff and run away once more. I could feel the tension hanging like a taut wire around me in the Force. I felt its prodding at me to accept the terms. It was being unreasonably clear that I needed to do this. Why couldn't you have been this clear to understand back when Jacen was kriffing with my head?

I knew that I had to get her forgiveness, that the Force would harass me until I did so. Even though I was the son, and grandson, of the most powerful Force users in recorded history, it was rare for me to receive such clear guidance from the Force. It usually liked to play with little niggles of intent. If it had been the usual guidance which I received from the Force then I would have happily ignored it, gotten up from the bar, and walked back to my life.

Yet the Force was a clear song in my head, telling me in no uncertain terms that this was something I had to do.

Yet, I didn't want to be constrained the way Kyp was describing. I enjoyed my freedom. I sure wasn't going to give it up, just to get the forgiveness of a girl who hated me.

I didn't want to do this. I realized that. I knew it with everything I was.

You know what, I decided to myself, brushing off the little moral war that had been waging in my head. I can live with the Force nagging me. It'll stop sometime.

I could see the the brief light of hope on Kyp's face as he realized that I was on the verge of just walking away again. I don't think he had realized just how serious this was for me. I hadn't even realized how serious I was.

I opened my mouth to tell him the various ways which he could go kriff himself, a few of them not technically possible for human anatomy.

What came out was, "I understand, Master Durron."

Shavit.

Jedi Adept: Family Found: Prologue

Dramatis Personae

• Tahiri Veila – Jedi Knight (female human)
• Noelani Darklighter – Jedi Apprentice (female human)
• Luke Skywalker – Jedi Grand Master (male human)
• Mara Jade Skywalker – Jedi Master (female human)
• Ben Skywalker – Jedi Apprentice (male human)
• Kor Res'sal – Jedi Apprentice (female Bothan) (Thann Mithric's apprentice)
• Poll Syth - Jedi Apprentice (male human)

---

"Should I have left you two unchaperoned?"
- Corran Horn to Anakin Solo (Rebirth)

Prologue

Tatooine is a harsh world. Filled with sand and dangers. From sarlacs to krayt dragons to the wild sand people. If the blistering heat and lack of water does not kill you first, the creatures who eek out a living on her surface are just as apt to do so. The landscape is filled with rolling dunes of yellow silicate sand, broken intermittently by brown limestone formations and deep canyons where water once rushed. It is a bleak, dry, desiccated world. One which humans have struggled with surviving on for millennia, always just a step away from being run off by the intense environment and unforgiving denizens.

Yet for all the bleak, sameness of this world, it is still a world of beauty. A perfect blue sky, betrays the existence of water in the atmosphere, and during the day creates a startling contrast between the endless vistas of tan sand and brown limestone and the unbroken expanse of bright blue.

When true night falls, the three moons shine down in glorious splendor, outshining the smattering of starlight which reaches this Outer Rim world.

Yet the most beautiful and breathtaking of times is when both suns are setting at the same moment. It is an occurrence which happens only once every few weeks, as Tatoo I and II must be in specific places in the sky in relation to each other and Tatooine itself. The sky erupts into oranges and reds, as if the suns themselves have kissed the sky, and set it on fire. And while that fire washes across the sky, one can almost believe that the suns would join, and become only a single entity.

It is a sight which eight year old Noelani Darklighter never misses.

Every chance she gets to see it, she is out here, at the edge of the compound, standing on the rim of the sunken Darklighter Homestead. The wind pulls and tugs at her blonde hair, a golden yellow – the same color as the flowers of the thorsa which bloom in the dark crevices of Beggar's Canyon. Her gaze is fixed towards the horizon where the tan sand joins a sky which is the exact shade of her eyes.

An intense eight year old girl, she has lived a hard life as well. When she was just a few days old, she was delivered to the Darklighter's by none other than Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, and it seems that no one knows who her parents are, or even where she was born.

Then as the sight that she is standing here and waiting to see begins, she cannot help but think about the conversation that she had just had with her father. The constant stream of questions, and pesterings trying to figure out who her true family is. Where she comes from.

She simply wants to know who she is.

As she watches the suns set, she struggles to keep her tears from falling once again. Struggles to make sense of this life that she has found herself in.

A cough from behind her, alerts her to a presence, and she glances once over her shoulder, and sees her Papa there.

He is an older man, and though his face has been lined by laughter, and amusement dances easily in his eyes, Noelani knows that he has seen his own share of heartache and pain. Pain which will appear at random times, and always on the anniversary of the Battle of Yavin. As she considers her adopted father, she sadly thinks that she will be the last of his children. That unless she has children before his death, that no child after her will hear his booming laughter.

Then she wonders if her own father was as filled with life and laughter as Huff Darklighter is.

She wonders once again, what forces could have driven them to give her up. To send her away to this place.

"Papa?"

He lays his large hand on her thin shoulder. "I am sorry, Little One. I am sorry that I do not have a valid answer for your questions. I wish I did. I wish I knew who your parents were. I wish I knew what happened to them. Where they are, or even if they have died. Luke, Master Skywalker, never told me any of that information as he just dropped you off and then had to return to the war."

"I know Papa. I just…"

Silence falls over them both, as the sun continues to burn the sky.

She considers for a moment, that this is probably the longest that she has not talked in weeks, but even that amusing fact is not enough to pull her from her melancholy.

Together they watch as the suns drop beneath the horizon, one last flash of burning color and then it is gone, purples and dark blues having claimed the sky as the fire left it. Together in the darkness they sit, watching the stars as they slowly fade into existence on the horizon.

"We should probably head in now, and shut down for the night."

"Just a bit more, please Papa?"

"Five more minutes."

She can feel his smile more than anything else, as he steps closer and wraps an arm around her shoulders. She leans against him, grateful that he does love her and is willing to take care of her.

"Thank you, Papa?"

"Whatever for, Little One?"

"Thank you for loving me."

Huff Darklighter kneels down so that he can look into her eyes, and turns her to face him. He can just make out the shape of her face, and the shine of her eyes in the dim light of the moonless sky. "You are my child, as much as any of the others were."

Noelani can feel tears welling in her eyes, and quickly brushes them away.

"I'm sorry if my questions earlier hurt you. I just…I just wanted, I want, to know where I came from. Who my parents are. I know I have a family here with you, but I want to know about my birth parents. I want to know if I have any brothers or sisters or aunts and uncles or cousins. There is so much I want to know."

Huff leans forward and kisses her forehead. "And I want you to know that, the same way that I have wanted to give you everything you have ever asked for. But for now, it is time to go inside."

"I know, Papa."

Huff grunts slightly as he stands up straight, and walks towards the small building set into the surface which contains the stairs that lead into the main house.

Noelani takes a second to once more stare out at the stars.

I know my family is out there, and one day, I will find them.

I Want To Be Your Knight: Chapter Two

I stood on the steps that lead up to the Jedi Temple. The surrounding precinct was the second largest plot of open space on the entire planet. The largest was the Imperial Palace. Technically, it was renamed as the Alliance Governmental Complex when they rebuilt it after the Vong War, but most of the citizens still called it the Palace. Old habits and all.

Anyways, I stood on those steps, looking up them to the giant marble statues of Jedi that stood beside the doors. Then my eyes tracked upwards, to the spires of the Temple, finding the one which contained the Jedi Council.

I swallowed, memories of the last time I was in that room burning deep in my gut.

I sighed, and lowered my eyes, wondering once again just why I was doing this. A flash of green eyes and black hair ran across my memories, and I remembered. I wanted Jysella Horn to forgive me.

I slowly began to ascend those steps. One at a time, advancing towards the main entrance of the Jedi Temple. I saw a young padawan stationed by the door. Her back ramrod straight, as her eyes flickered across the view. They settled on me for a moment, and her eyes hardened.

I almost smirked as she continued to watch me climb the steps.

For a moment, I considered hand-waving her and just walking on past, but the way I last left the Temple, I didn't think that would be appreciated too much.

I stopped in front of her and said, "I'd like to see the Masters, if possible."

She blinked a couple times and then glanced up towards the tower above her. "I... I don't think-"

"That's all right," I interrupted her as I sat down on the step by her feet. "I'll just wait here until someone shows up."

I then proceeded to ignore her stammering requests for me to be on my way, until she finally relented and took a few steps away from me, whispering into her comlink. When she got off the device, she returned to her spot and took up her vigil.

I continued to wait. As I did so, my mind drifted back, memories flickered across my awareness, and I sighed. I knew the Force was going to make me think about the past if I did this. Make me remember, make me poke and prod at my own emotional wounds. Since I was actively trying to stifle my memories, I got a vision.

Lucky me.

I found myself back in the past, nearly four years earlier. Back when I was still gung-ho about being Jacen's apprentice, happy at all the odd things he was teaching me, still thought Jaina was an out-of-control tramp.

I was leading a GAG squad, four of the meanest, orneriest soldiers that the GFFA Defense Fleet had ever trained. Odd how happily they listened to some wet-behind-the ears fourteen year old pseudo-lieutenant. One can only assume that it is related to how beloved Jacen was during this time frame, especially by the fanatics who made up the Guard.

We were in an assault shuttle, bearing down on an interdicted freighter. It was one that was really familiar to me, and I was definitely full of mixed emotions about boarding her. While not quite as familiar to me as the Falcon was, I had been a visitor on board Mirax Horn's Pulsar Skate quite a few times in my short life. I had pushed those concerns from my mind, as Besk's voice came over the com, talking to the Anakin Solo which hung back a few thousand klicks behind and above us, which effectively meant that the shuttle fell from the Solo towards the Skate.

"Control, we're closing with the suspected terrorist on board the Baudo-class yacht."

I frowned at that, and almost asked Jacen why were were harassing a family friend, someone that we had both known our entire lives, someone who had fought and bled for the freedom of our Galaxy. Yet, I knew that those questions would be detrimental to squad morale. I also knew that Jacen must have a reason for it, even if he hadn't shared it with me. What I hadn't worked out yet was that his reasons were crazy.

Jacen's voice came back over the com, cool and controlled. Betraying no hint of any anxiety over the arrest of Mirax Horn. "You are cleared to proceed."

I double-clicked the com and then looked up from the display unit, my eyes flicked from soldier to soldier, and finally landed on the pilot. The only person on the shuttle not in GAG body armor, the only person besides myself not wearing the distinctive GAG helmet. I nodded to him, and said, "All right, Loth, take us in.

I stood up from my station, and the followed the rest of the squad to the port docking clamp. Before too long a deep clang reverberated throughout the shuttle. Cet pulled open the hatch, and punched in an override code on the small console set next to the Skate's hatch. It popped open, and the squad darted through their blaster rifles raised at a ready position.

I had followed at a more sedate pace, trusting my squad to carry out their orders.

Then I arrived at the common area, and glanced around. For a split second, I thought I had seen Jysella Horn standing in the mess, but an eye-blink later she was gone. I frowned as I stared at the food prep station, knowing there wasn't enough room in there for someone to hide.

My thoughts were interrupted by my squad leading Mirax in at gunpoint.

She frowned as she saw me, and her head snapped towards the mess for a second.

I glanced that way, following her gaze, until Mirax's voice dragged my attention back to her. "So, Ben, tell me again why you're arresting me? After all, I'm just a simple merchant-shipper trying to get home to Ossus."

I sighed, and pulled out a datapad. As it turned on, it automatically went to the file that I had flagged earlier, Mirax's arrest warrant. Holding the machine out towards her, I said, "Sorry, but according to our reports you're a member of Corellian Intelligence and a traitor." I made a small hand gesture to Besk. "Get her on board, she's our last link to the Intelligence leak."

The squad marched back through the hatch, disappearing into our shuttle.

I took a final glance into the mess, hoping for a moment that I really hadn't seen Jysella Horn hiding in there. What I had seen Jacen do Mirta Gev was still rather fresh in my mind, and I did not want that to happen to my old playmate. Giving myself an internal shrug, I turned and walked back to the shuttle myself, after all I knew that there was no way for her to have hidden herself in the mess.

Then I was back on board the shuttle, and slapped the controls to close the hatches connecting the two ships. With the subtle swaying of acceleration, we were away from the Skate and heading back towards the Anakin Solo.

As we landed in the hanger bay, Jacen was waiting for us. I still remember the smile he turned on Mirax as she was led from the shuttle. She seemed to strut down the ramp, and stopped in front of him. She glared at him for a moment, and then said, "You know Jacen, if you had wanted me to come over for tea, an invitation over the holonet would've worked. No need to set my ship adrift."

I admired Jacen's restraint as he just gave her a cool half-smile. "Where is your father?"

She laughed at him. As I listened to Mirax's throaty laughter, I realized that that was the first time I had seen anyone laugh at Jacen in all the years that I had known him.

Jacen quickly cut it off. He backhanded her with his gauntlet; it made a dull, meaty thunk where it had connected with her face. I felt a frown on my face at that noise, and glanced at Jacen's glove, noticing the plasteel plate attached over the back of the hand. I shifted my gaze from Jacen's glove to Mirax, and I noticed that her head was averted from Jacen. Slowly, she looked back at him, and then spat a mouthful of blood and teeth onto his uniform.

Jacen's jaw clenched, and his eyes slid from her to me. Then he spun away, heading deeper into the ship. I frowned for a moment, and ordered them to put Mirax in the detention block.

It was at this point in the Force's happy, let's-pull-out-bad-memories-for-Ben vision, that a voice cut through my memories, and pulled me back to the present. Someone had called my name.

I looked up and found myself staring at Jedi Master Kyp Durron. The past few years had not been kind to him. He looked like he had aged a dozen years since the last time I had seen him, a mere two years ago. Where once there were few stress lines on his face, and only a smattering of grey on his temples above the ears, now his hair was more white than black, and lines were etched deeply into his brow and cheeks.

A frown twitched at my lips, as I blurted out, "Kriff, Master Durron, you look old."

His eyebrow hitched, as he stared down at me, and then, much to the surprise of the padawan standing guard, he laughed.

"You always were an annoying schutta, Ben. What do you want?"

I stood up, grinning at him. I knew what I was about to say would throw him for a loop. Kriff, it was going to rock the entire Jedi Order. There hadn't been an active Jedi with Skywalker blood since I had left two years ago.

As Kyp noticed my grin, his amusement quickly faded, replaced by a look of concern. A look which really did just force my own smile to be drawn out of my bag of tricks.

I spread my arms wide in a welcoming gesture, and said, "Master Durron, I came back to finish my training."