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."