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Author Topic: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Halloween update)
JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/6/04 9:22am Subject: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Halloween update) - Date Edited: 10/31 3:07pm (138 edits total) Edited By: JediAlly
Having learned of new information, I have made some edits to this fanfic and am now transferring it here from the Classic Forums.

For those of you who are regulars, some of the posts will be the same as in the Classic Forums. I'll inform you whenever I post a modified section or a brand new one.

As for any newcomers, I've been working on this for quite some time, and it hasn't been easy. As the title says, it's concurrent with the Jedi Academy Trilogy and I, Jedi, so I had to work within the confines dictated by these novels. I also wanted to make you react to this fanfic as though it were canon. That meant doing accurate, background research so that I cover any possible problems with continuity, character personalities, and so forth.

And now, on to the show.


It is a time of change in the galaxy. After over a year of unprecedented terror, the Darkness has finally been destroyed. The resurrected Emperor, Palpatine, was finally dead and had gone to join the abysmal chaos that awaited all who served the dark side. His elite group of Dark Jedi have been destroyed, dispersed, or taken prisoner. The mighty Imperial war machine has once again become fragmented, and the factions were now fighting amongst themselves or were busy consolidating their hold on their territories. The New Republic has begun the laborious task of creating a new government that would finally bring peace to the galaxy.

Throughout this time, one man has endured ordeals the likes of which very few individuals have ever experienced. That man is Luke Skywalker. He has passed through the fires of the dark side and has emerged more powerful than ever. He has emerged from the final forge a Jedi Master. As the New Republic begins its own tedious work of building a new government, Luke realizes that his work has only just begun. He realizes that the time has come for him to fulfill the task with which his Master, Yoda, has charged him. The time has come for... a Gathering of Light.

Part One - The Summoning

Luke Skywalker sat in his apartment, contemplating. It was an early hour on Coruscant, a world bustling with activity at all hours of the day. Yet he couldn't sleep. He hadn't been able to sleep very well during the past few days, his mind in deep contemplation over what he would be doing very soon. Now that Palpatine was gone once and for all, and the Empire had become fragmented again, he knew it was time for him to fulfill a responsibility that was placed upon him by his Master, Yoda, over seven years ago.

Pass on what you have learned. That was what Yoda said to him at his deathbed. Luke knew now that Yoda wanted him to rebuild the Jedi Order. However, for the past seven years, the task had seemed nearly impossible to do. Palpatine had successfully destroyed nearly any and all information concerning the Jedi, and most of the information Luke had been able to find was aimed at turning a Force-sensitive individual to the Dark Side. His sister Leia was the only one to whom he could pass on what he has learned, yet her progress was slow and sporadic. That was attributed to the enormous amount of time she needed to invest in bringing the New Republic government to life, and the numerous diplomatic and bureaucratic meetings. The past seven years were also filled with numerous conflicts - the Ssi-Ruuk, the campaign at Milagro, Lord Shadowspan and Mindor, Ysanne Isard, Zsinj and other Imperial warlords, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and the resurrected Emperor and his Dark Jedi.

Luke shrugged away these dark thoughts, and turned his thoughts towards more positive thoughts. Leia had begun to learn about the Force. She also gave birth to three Force-sensitive children. The two-year old twins Jacen and Jaina would be returning to their mother within the next few weeks, while the youngest child Anakin would remain with Leia's long-time friend and assistant Winter Retrac for another year on the hidden planet Anoth. He knew his friend Tycho Celchu was in a very serious relationship with Winter and was unhappy with Winter leaving to serve as caretaker. Once Luke and Winter explained to him the circumstances behind this, Tycho reluctantly agreed. Luke had met several others who could sense and manipulate the Force, among them Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade, and the ancient Jedi Master Ood Bnar, who sacrificed himself on Ossus to save Jem Ysanna and kill Sedriss. He encountered the Witches of Dathomir and the Ysanna of Ossus - different schools of learning the Force, yet every member of both schools has the potential to become Jedi. He encountered the ancient Jedi Vima-Da-Boda and a survivor of the Jedi Purge Empatojayos Brand, and was able to turn Kam Solusar back to the light side. And now that he thought about it, he had encountered a few others who had the potential to become Jedi even before he met Yoda.

He smiled at these memories, and what they meant. He knew there were others out in the galaxy that had the potential to become Jedi Knights, and that the time was right for him to begin training a new order of Jedi Knights. Yet the prospect of training these individuals to become Jedi Knights was one that couldn't be taken lightly. If anything, being a Jedi Master and instructor in the ways of the Force was a task even more serious and daunting than being a Jedi Knight. He knew all too well that by training people to become Jedi, he ran the risk of some of his potential students falling to the dark side. His first Master, Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi, said himself that as an instructor in the ways of the Force he failed when it came to his student, Luke's father Anakin, who later became Darth Vader.

If anything, the past three years had increased his awareness of how dangerous the Dark Side was, and of how easy it was for one to fall to the dark side. He was nearly killed by Gethzerion, the Queen of the Nightsisters. He was easily swayed by the insane Jedi Master clone Joruus C'Baoth, and hadn't realized the deception until Mara intervened. Then there was the time he served the Emperor, intent on learning about the dark side so that he could learn its weaknesses and defeat Palpatine from the inside. Only when Leia confronted him on Palpatine's flagship, the Super Star Destroyer Eclipse, did he realize how far he had fallen. Had it not been for Leia's love for him and his love for Leia, Han, and so many others, Palpatine would still be alive and he would be at his side, just like his father was. He owed Leia and Han more than they could ever realize.

He shook these thoughts from his mind, recalling a brief vision he had a while ago. He saw himself seated in a flagstone room looking on as a beautiful silver-haired woman played a stringed instrument and sang of a great Jedi victory to a gathering of earnest-looking young men and women clad in Jedi robes. He had an idea who that woman might be. Brooding over these incidents will only hamper me in what I need to do. Master Yoda has charged me with restoring the Jedi Order. I know in my heart that the New Republic won't be safer without the Jedi, and that the Jedi will serve as a backbone of strength for the New Republic. Yes, I must keep in mind what I experienced, but I must use these incidents in a way so that the new Jedi will be strong and wary enough to resist the call of the dark side.

With this resolution, Luke turned his thoughts to other matters that were more bureaucratic and logistic in nature. I have already encountered a number of people who have the potential to become Jedi, but there must be others. Searching an entire galaxy for a handful of people who have this potential is too big a task for me to do alone. Luke thought for a moment, and then came up with a possible solution to this problem. I can have Artoo and Threepio search the databases here on Coruscant. They can search for any lost descendants of known Jedi from the Old Republic, as well as anyone who lived lives filled with incredible coincidences or experienced miraculous strokes of luck. They can also search for people who seemed to have worked miracles or who are unusually charismatic. But I need more help than that.

I'll address the New Republic Inner Council and the Senate in a few days. I'm certain they'll be willing to help me search for candidates, as well as establish an academy of sorts somewhere. The academy must be relatively isolated, so that the students can learn about the Force in safety and without interference. There's also the risk that in learning the ways of the Force the students might accidentally trigger a Force storm, just like the ones Palpatine could create. At that thought, Luke stopped his current chain of thought and began another one. Enough. It's best to do things one step at a time. Over the next few days, I need to locate those people who I know are Force-sensitive. After I address the Senate and Inner Council, I need to investigate the two potential candidates I've recently come across. I'll concern myself with what to do next after I return from checking out the ones named Gantoris and Streen.

At that point, he received a chime from his message center. Wondering who would be calling him at this early hour, he went to answer it. He smiled when he saw Wedge's face appear on screen.

"Wedge!" he said.

"Luke. I'm sorry if I woke you up with this call, but..." Wedge said.

"Don't worry about it. My mind has been on certain things and I've not been able to sleep tonight. What is it?"

Wedge was momentarily taken off guard, wondering what could be on Luke's mind. He knew from experience that if something was on Luke's mind, it was serious and usually not good. "Luke, Corran is here with me. You remember him, right?"

"Of course I do."

"He came to me requesting help, and unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to help him. I do think, however, you can."

"Come on over with him, then. He can explain in person what the problem is and how I might be able to help."

"Thanks, Luke. We'll be over soon."

With that, Luke turned off the message center and thought about Corran Horn. He was a Corellian Security Forces officer who joined the New Republic military nearly two years after Endor. He joined Rogue Squadron and participated in the liberation of Coruscant. Ysanne Isard, the Director of Imperial Intelligence, captured him shortly after the shields were brought down on Coruscant and tried to turn him into one of her special Lusankya agents. But he was able resist the brainwashing and escaped from her center of power, the Super Star Destroyer Lusankya, which was buried beneath a portion of the planet-wide city. By escaping he was able to prove that Tycho was neither a Lusankya agent nor an Imperial agent. He also brought news that Jan Dodonna, believed to have died during the evacuation of Yavin, was a prisoner on the Lusankya. Corran then resigned with Rogue Squadron, fought against the Bacta Cartel, defeated Isard's forces, captured the Lusankya, and liberated Thyferra from Isard. Rogue Squadron later rejoined the New Republic, and participated in the campaigns against Warlord Zsinj and Grand Admiral Thrawn.

He remembered meeting Corran at the reception celebrating Rogue Squadron receiving the Coruscant Star of Valor. He was able to inform Corran about his potential to be a Jedi Knight. Corran long thought he was the son of Valin Horn, or "Hal" as his father had been called. Corran thought that his father was the son of Rosterk Horn, and all three of them were members of CorSec. His grandfather was retired, and his father died during an investigation. Corran knew that his grandfather was a friend of a Jedi named Nejaa Halcyon who died during the Clone Wars. But that was the extent of his family's association with the Jedi, at least to his knowledge.

Luke told Corran that he believed Corran's grandfather was actually Nejaa Halcyon. Luke believed that Rosterk consoled Nejaa's widow then later married her and adopted Corran's father. By doing this, Rosterk protected Valin and Corran from the Jedi Purge. When Luke offered Corran the opportunity to become a Jedi, Corran refused. Corran made a promise to Jan Dodonna to rescue him and the other prisoners, and he vowed to defeat Isard. He was able to fulfill his vow, but could fulfill his promise only after Thrawn was defeated. Luke accepted Corran's decision at the time, but he had always hoped that Corran would one day accept his offer and undergo formalized Jedi training. Maybe that day has come at last. I don't know what Corran's problem is, but I will do all that I can to help him. If that means he has to make another obligation and fulfill it before choosing to accept my offer, so be it. Nevertheless, I will remind him of the offer, tell him what I plan to do, and hope that he'll accept it.

 

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VaderLVR64  30945 posts
Title: Manager Emeritus
 Registered: Feb '04
49060_Obi-Wan Kenobi (811092)
Date Posted: 5/6/04 9:46am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13
I can tell this story is going to be amazing! I'm fairly new to the boards so I haven't had a chance to check out the Classic Forum as much as I would like. So, for me this is brand new! I can't wait to read more! Very nicely done!

 

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R.I.P John, Alex, Jason, and Christian flag Never forgotten
Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/
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padawan lunetta  12397 posts
Registered: May '99
39909_Jack Sparrow
Date Posted: 5/6/04 2:52pm Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13
Checking in! Interesting to be reading this from the beginning again. Excellent as always, though. happy

 

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Moldy Oldbie in search of a gimer stick.
"Whoa, is my hair out?"
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Tahi  5750 posts
Registered: Jun '02
19661_Tahiri
Date Posted: 5/6/04 9:31pm Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13
Reporting for duty, sir. happy Good idea to transfer here, too.

 

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"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Master to THE_PIED_PIPER
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JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/7/04 9:56am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13
padawan, Tahi, thanks for staying with the transition.

Vaderlvr64, nice to meet you. Hope I can maintain your interest in this fanfic.

 

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JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/9/04 9:40am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 - Date Edited: 12/23/07 7:25pm (1 edits total) Edited By: JediAlly
In celebration of Mother's Day, here's the next section, taking place after Luke's speech in Jedi Search.


Luke was waiting outside the Senate assembly chambers for a chance to talk to several people inside. The past few days have gone well for him. After hearing what Corran had to say about the disappearance of his wife, Mirax, and hearing what Corran felt through the Force, Luke knew that the best way for Corran to find Mirax was to learn the ways of the Force. Corran accepted the next day, having heard a message his father left for him in the memory banks of his R2 unit Whistler. Corran would be at the academy under the assumed name Keiran Halcyon, so as not to distract the other students, as well as to ensure that whoever kidnapped Mirax would be unaware of his movements.

Luke then contacted Kam, who has been on Coruscant since the New Republic liberated Coruscant from the Imperial forces again. Kam readily agreed. Kam did received training from his father Ranik Solusar before his father’s death at Darth Vader’s hands. Although Kam was technically a Jedi Knight, there were gaps in the training. Kam would be attending the academy as a student and an instructor, for he and his father were trained differently than the way Luke was – therefore he would bring another school of training to the academy.

He had successfully persuaded the New Republic Senate to support him in his search for candidates. It would perhaps be the only high point in today’s business. He also knew that his speech, and the Senate’s approval, would be broadcasted over the Holonet by this evening, which was fine as far as Luke was concerned. Prospective students will hear of his plans and come to be tested. As the senators left the assembly chambers, he strode forward, catching the attention of Mon Mothma.

“What is it, Master Skywalker?” she asked.

“I would like a moment of your time, Mon Mothma.” Luke looked past her and summoned the others to whom he wanted to talk. “As well as yours, Admiral Ackbar, General Madine, General Cracken.”

The four gathered around Luke, while Leia, General Carlist Rieekan, Jan Dodonna, and General Garm Bel Iblis left. Before Luke proceeded, Mon Mothma reached out to shake his hand. “Congratulations on the beginning of the restoration of the Jedi Order.”

Luke shook her hand, but before he could respond, Admiral Ackbar added, “You have my congratulations as well.”

“And ours,” General Crix Madine said.

“Although Garm brought up a good point, and I think everyone here agreed with him,” General Airen Cracken added gravely.

With that thought, everyone’s expression turned serious. “I agree with you and Garm completely,” Luke said, “yet I stand by my beliefs, and I will do all that I can to ensure that Garm’s concerns won’t come to pass.”

Satisfied with his response, Mon Mothma and the others relaxed. “What is it that you require from us?” asked Admiral Ackbar.

“Over the past several days I have attempted to track down the whereabouts of several individuals whom I would want to take on as students. I have already spoken to Kam Solusar, and he has accepted my invitation.” He looked at General Cracken. “I have also spoken to another, and he too has agreed.” At that point, he reached out to the Force, linked his mind to General Cracken’s, and sent an image of Corran to his mind.

General Cracken widened his eyes slightly, having been caught off guard by what Luke did. He then understood the full implications of what Luke did. Cracken thought, so Corran went to you to see if you could help him. I am concerned about your knowing some details that might be best kept classified, but I can trust you to be discreet. At the same time, you’re providing Corran with a direction as to how he can find his wife. Now I won’t have to worry about Corran petitioning the New Republic Ruling Council into getting me to release information that might end up in the hands of Leonia Tavira and compromise Mirax’s security and welfare. Cracken looked at Luke and gave a slight nod of understanding and thanks.

Luke nodded in response. He then turned his attention back to the group and said, “I will be leaving within the next day or two to investigate two potential candidates. While I’m gone, I hope that you would help me by getting in contact with three other potential candidates.”

The others looked at him with surprise in their expressions. It was General Madine who broke the silence. “Luke, while I am flattered that you think that we would be able to help you get in contact with several candidates, I wonder why you’re asking us? Surely you must know how to contact these individuals.”

“That’s not exactly true. I know who they are; however, I haven’t been able to keep in touch with them. Nor have I been able to keep track of their movements during the past two years. More to the point – all three of them are still either part of the New Republic military or special agents of the New Republic. Therefore, you might be able to locate and contact them much faster and more easily than I. In addition, they might currently be on a mission and are unable to receive my message or respond to my invitation right away.”

He stopped at that moment, looking at their expressions. While Admiral Ackbar’s expression was difficult to read because he’s a Mon Calamari, Luke thought he saw understanding in his expression. That same understanding was present in the faces of the others. They all understood that while Luke wanted to contact these individuals, he didn’t want place their lives in jeopardy. He then saw a change in Mon Mothma’s expression as her lips twisted into a half-smile. She knows, Luke thought. Or at least she thinks she knows the identity of one of the candidates.

Mon Mothma spoke up. “Master Skywalker, I think the Admiral and the Generals can agree to meet together and see if two of them can be contacted. If they can, they will. I will personally contact the remaining potential candidate. We can pass on your invitation, and if necessary inform you of their decisions.” Turning towards the others, she asked, “Is that all right?”

“I do not see a problem with this,” Admiral Ackbar said.

General Madine added, “Nor do I.”

“So long as their safety and their missions won’t be compromised, then very well,” General Cracken said after a moment.

“Thank you all,” Luke said. He then looked at Mon Mothma and said, “I sense that you know the identity of one of the candidates already.” Turning to face General Madine, he added, “And I believe you have taken a personal interest in his service to the New Republic.”

General Madine looked dumbfounded at first, but then smiled when Mon Mothma said, “Kyle Katarn.” When General Madine defected from the Empire, he was captured shortly thereafter. He would have been executed had it not been for Kyle and his commandos, who became known as the Katarn Commandos.

“Correct,” Luke said. “He single-handedly stopped Jerec and his band of Dark Jedi from tapping into the vast power contained in the Valley of the Jedi. He removed the importance of the Valley to the Imperials, saving the New Republic from committing a large force to take the Valley away from the Imperials. From what I understand, the Imperials lost all interest in the Valley and left shortly afterwards.” General Cracken and Admiral Ackbar have heard of this, and nodded gravely. “There’s another reason why I want him to be one of the firsts.” Luke paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. “Mon Mothma, you know that during the past year he went on a personal mission to Dromund Kaas to investigate a possible Sith temple there.” Mon Mothma nodded, while the looks on Ackbar’s, Cracken’s, and Madine’s faces were ones of surprise. While they knew about the Sith and the legends behind them, the fact that Darth Vader was a Sith Lord was enough to cause them not to dismiss these legends out of hand. None of them, though, were aware of Kyle’s mission to Dromund Kaas. “You may or may not be aware of this, but he briefly fell under the influence of the dark side and embraced the Sith power contained within the temple.” This brought concerned expressions from everyone, including Mon Mothma. He told me that he found the temple, but he didn’t mention anything else about what happened on Dromund Kaas, Mon Mothma thought. “Fortunately, he never left the planet, so he wasn’t able to do any harm. Also, Mara went to Dromund Kaas, as you know Mon Mothma. She was able to free him from the dark side.”

At this, Ackbar exclaimed, “Mara? Mara Jade?!” At this Luke could only nod and smile. Ackbar wasn’t the only one in the New Republic leadership who had reservations about Mara’s loyalties. Maybe this will cause Ackbar to ‘drown’ some of his reservations about her, especially since she’s a potential candidate too.

“The second one is someone you know, General Cracken and Admiral Ackbar,” Luke said. “Her name is Tyria Sarkin.”

Admiral Ackbar said, “Yes, I know her. She was one of the, uh… individuals, General Antilles recruited into his Wraith Squadron.” Admiral Ackbar went silent for a moment as unpleasant memories surfaced. One of his own nieces, Jesmin, was also a member of Wraith Squadron. She was also the first Wraith to die in the line of duty. Ackbar continued, “By the end of our campaign against Zsinj, Wraith Squadron was changed from a starfighter squadron into an intelligence/commando unit.” At this General Cracken nodded.

“I tested Tyria years ago to see if she would make a good student. While she was Force-sensitive, I determined that she’d never progress very far in controlling the Force. But I remember good old Biggs always being on my case back on Tatooine.” He smiled at the memories of his long-dead friend Biggs Darklighter. “He kept saying that I should apply for the Imperial Academy at the first opportunity. He saw the talent and potential I had and felt that I shouldn’t waste it by helping my uncle with the moisture-farm. It seems only fair that I provide her with the same opportunity to learn and develop her potential.” At this, all of them nodded their heads in agreement and understanding.

“The last one is someone else you know, Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar – Keyan Farlander.”

Mon Mothma smiled again, while Ackbar opened his mouth slightly, the Mon Calamari equivalence of a smile. “He was a valued member of the Rebel Alliance, having served in many missions, including the Battle of Yavin,” Mon Mothma said.

“He was also one of the pilots who volunteered to test the B-wing starfighter,” Ackbar added.

“True, but what I remembered the most about him was that after I arrived on Yavin Four, he asked me about my lightsaber. I told him that my father was a Jedi, and that I was starting to learn about the Force. It was then that he asked me about the dark side and whether or not I would know if I was listening to it.” That got their attention. “He told me that he started to hear a ‘voice’ after the death of a rookie named Breth Gart. I’m certain this ‘voice’ was the dark side, for it promised him power to avenge Gart’s death. He began to listen to this ‘voice’ and used it during his missions.” That got open-eyed stares from the others. “But he sensed the destruction of Alderaan, and realized that what he has done was wrong. The only thing I could do at the time was listen to what he had to say and told him the same things Obi-Wan told me.”

Cracken spoke up at that point, “Ah, Luke, are you sure you want to take Katarn and Farlander as students. I mean, aren’t they examples of what Garm was concerned about?”

Luke responded, “I know that you’re concerned about Keyan and Kyle. The same thing can be applied to Kam Solusar and me, for all four of us have touched the dark side. However, my impression from the conversation I had with Keyan was that the experience scared him enough that he stopped listen to any of these ‘voices’. As a result of what he did by listening to that ‘voice’ he was rather distant from his friends at that time. From what I’ve gathered, since the Battle of Yavin he hasn’t used the Force in any manner whatsoever. If anything, Keyan’s case should be seen as an example of what could happen to any potential candidate without proper training. I’d like to provide him with the necessary training, and the same thing goes to all the other candidates. As for Kyle, this might help him come to terms with his brush with the dark side.”

“Very well, then, Master Skywalker,” Mon Mothma said. “We’ll do what we can about contacting them, and hopefully we’ll have answers for you upon your return.” She looked at the others, and they all nodded their heads in agreement. “I do have one question, though. What about Leia?”

“I know that she’s doing important work to help establish the new government, and I know that the twins will soon be coming home for good. However, the decision to undergo formalized Jedi training is up for her to decide. Speaking of which, I should be going now. I need to give her some lessons tonight.” His tone then became one of humorous exasperation. “Besides, chances are that there are a large number of senators and other individuals outside waiting to congratulate me. I’d better be going. Thank you again for your help, and may the Force be with you.”

All four of them responded simultaneously, “May the Force be with you.”

 

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RebelMom  10428 posts
Title: TFF Secretary
 Registered: Apr '00
19073_Luke and Mara Family
Date Posted: 5/9/04 12:46pm Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Mother's day update)
Report for duty. wink

 

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Short Story: Pressure Point http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26961243/p1/?7
Jacen Solo and Anakin Skywalker - as it should have been.
TFF: Cheryl
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JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/12/04 10:23am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Mother's day update) - Date Edited: 4/9 12:09pm (3 edits total) Edited By: JediAlly
Nice to see you transferred, RebelMom. Hope you and the other mothers have had a nice Mother's Day.

The candidates begin to answer Luke's call, and we start off with one from the computer games.


“Alright, this exercise is over.” The dozen pilot trainees exited the simulators and gathered before their instructor.

Keyan Farlander stood before them, giving them a moment to come to attention. “Once again the results varied. Some of you did exceptionally well, while some of show signs of needing remedial training.” At this a number of students groaned lightly. “I am well aware that some of you don’t understand the need for this session of training. Some among you would prefer to fly the fast and nimble A-wing, while others are more content with the steady B-wing and its heavier shields, armor, and firepower. Let me make this point clear to you – I fully expect each and every one of you to have a preference when it comes to flying a starfighter. The purpose of these exercises isn't to knock you from the pilots' candidate list.” He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. “The purpose is to get you familiarized with the capabilities of each starfighter – both their strengths and their weaknesses. While you will have your preferences, circumstances, be they mission parameters, decisions made by your superiors, or the availability of resources, will arise whereby you’ll be flying a starfighter that’s not your preference. These exercises will enable you to become somewhat versatile and adaptable when it comes to piloting starfighters. This versatility and adaptability will enable you to fly at your best, allowing you to not only complete the mission goals, but also ensure your survival, the survival of your squadron-mates, and the survival of any other starfighter squadrons you’ll be flying with.”

He looked at the students slowly, making certain that a glimmer of understanding appears in their eyes. “I want to think about something – missions can have several goals, and exercises can have several lessons to teach you. There’s a hidden lesson for you to learn in this exercise. I expect an answer from you next time. Dismissed!” The class saluted, and he returned the salute.

After the class left, he made his way towards the instructors’ lounge, or what he called ‘senior pilot country’. As he made his way there, he thought about the exercises he’s been giving the students this past week, hoping that some among them would learn all the lessons. He remembered going before the senior instructor and proposing this curriculum. While the senior instructor was initially opposed to the idea, in the end he agreed when Keyan made two good points. Sir, we both know that the variety of starfighters in the New Republic has caused their pilots to have some preconceptions of other pilots. For instance, those who pilot the A-wings believe that the X-wing pilots choose X-wings because they can’t handle the increased speed. It also makes the A-wing pilots believe that their piloting skills are superior to those of the pilots of the other starfighters. These exercises will serve two additional purposes. First off, it’ll show each pilot the capabilities of the other pilots of these other starfighters. Knowing the capabilities of the enemy is important, but it’s equally important to know the capabilities of your allies. That knowledge will enable these pilots to work together more effectively, increasing their success rate, and more importantly, in my opinion, their survival rate. This will lead to the second purpose – showing these pilots that we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and that we’re all capable of mistakes. Bottom line – the second purpose is to instill in these youngsters the fact that we’re all the same. I just hope that these rookies get these lessons in their heads. If they don’t, then they run the risk of alienating themselves from each other, and that’ll be detrimental to morale and future missions. Yet even as he thought this, his thoughts turned down a path that he traveled repeatedly over the past decade or so. Granted, the general idea behind these training exercises is to hone the skills of these pilots. I got the skills and experience to teach them, yet I haven’t honed all of my skills, have I?

He entered the senior lounge, which was half-full with other instructors. He waved a greeting towards them, got himself a cup of caf, and sat down to do some paperwork. He hadn’t gotten far when someone watching the holovid said, “Hey, everybody. They’re showing a Senate session, and it looks like Skywalker’s addressing the Senate.”

All the conversations in the room went silent as everyone turned their attention towards the news feed. As the broadcast depicted Luke’s speech, Keyan’s interest began to increase. When the Senate erupted into cheers, so did everyone in the lounge. If anyone been more observant they might have noticed a spark in Keyan’s eye that was more than enjoyment over what they’ve just heard. Keyan took great care to keep the fact that he was Force-sensitive a secret. He did this as a means of protecting himself from the Emperor’s Jedi hunter, Darth Vader. He’s even gone to great lengths to avoid using the Force, for he remembered some of the questionable actions he performed in his youth while using the Force. Since then he’d gone to great lengths to atone for what he’d done. He was so caught up in his musings that he didn’t notice an aide attached to the communications center approach him.

“Excuse me, sir,” she said. Keyan turned to look at her. “Admiral Ackbar wishes to speak with you.”

He smiled at this. It’s been a long time since I’ve talked to him. And I bet I know why he’s contacting me. “Thank you. I’ll take it in my office.” With that, he rushed back to his office. Sitting down behind his desk, he turned on the holoprojector. A miniature image of Admiral Ackbar appeared before him. “Admiral Ackbar. It’s good to see you again.”

“General Farlander, it’s good to see you again too. I take it that being an instructor suits you well.”

“I know that I’m good at it, and I know that what I’m doing is important to the New Republic. However, I think you can emphasize with me when I say a part of me longs to return to the cockpit.”

The image began to shake as Ackbar laughed. “That’s the exact reason why Wedge refused to become a General for so long.”

“Yeah. He always preferred flying an X-wing to flying a desk, or a capital ship.” At this Keyan laughed with Ackbar.

After a few moments, Ackbar calmed down enough to continue talking to Keyan. “General Farlander, I’m calling because I wish to inform you of a recent development in the Senate.”

“If you’re talking about Luke’s plans to create a Jedi academy, I just heard about it on the holovid.”

“Then you would already know the reason why I am contacting you.”

Keyan paused for a moment. So, it looks like Luke wants me to become one of his students. All these years I’ve been avoiding the ‘voice’. But I can’t avoid the ‘voice’ forever, just like these rookies can’t train on simulators forever. There’ll come a time for these kids to go out and face the enemy in real combat. Maybe it’s time for me to face that ‘voice’ and hone some of my latent skills. “So, you now know about my Force-sensitivity.”

At this, Ackbar nodded.

“Then I know why you’re contacting me. Don’t take this the wrong way, but why you? I mean, shouldn’t Luke be contacting me?”

“He’s making preparations to leave Coruscant to locate two possible candidates.”

“Has there been any decision on where the Jedi academy will be set up?”

“Not that I am aware of.”

Hearing this, Keyan made his decision. “Admiral Ackbar, I will remain here until the decision’s been made. Once that happens…” Keyan began to grin as he continued. “Once that happens, I’d be willing to consider a career change. Tell Luke he’s got a student.”

Ackbar returned Keyan’s grin.

 

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JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/15/04 11:36am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 - Date Edited: 4/9 12:11pm (3 edits total) Edited By: JediAlly
Ooh, no one showed up. Hope I'm not boring you. Anyway, here's the next one, and it's the one that gave this fanfic its rating.


Tyria Sarkin Tainer emerged from the refresher, trying to savor the shower she just had, as well as what happened during the shower. She reached up with her hands to put her hair in a ponytail when a pair of strong hands grabbed her hands from behind. These hands pulled her hands down to her abdomen and then proceeded to enfold her. She felt someone kiss her on her right cheek while untying the belt of her bathrobe. She gave a sigh of delight and managed to squirm herself loose from the embrace just enough for her to turn around and face her husband, Kell Tainer.

Both of them were members of the Wraiths, an experimental commando/starfighter unit that Wedge Antilles created shortly after the Bacta War. Considered reprobates by many others in the New Republic military, the Wraiths quickly earned respect by being instrumental in bringing down Warlord Zsinj’s Empire. After the Battle of Selaggis, the Wraiths were transferred to Intelligence, where they functioned as commandos, pilots, and infiltrators. Kell and Tyria got married months after Han and Leia did.

Over the past two years the Wraiths functioned more as commandos and infiltrators than pilots, gathering intelligence on Thrawn’s activities and the movements of the resurrected Emperor. The missions were harrowing, and the Wraiths were pushed to their limits. Now with the New Republic in control of Coruscant again, the missions they were now performing were much easier.

A persistent problem for Tyria and Kell was the concern that the resurrected Emperor would learn of Tyria’s Force-sensitivity and attempt to capture her. Fortunately, the resurrected Emperor either was unaware of Tyria or chose to ignore her and focus his attention on Luke. This concern, and the numerous missions they performed, put a damper on their romance, and both were eager to make up for lost time.

Tyria placed her hands on Kell’s back as she gave him a passionate kiss. As they kissed, Tyria slipped off her bathrobe while Kell proceeded to push Tyria onto the bed. He was definitely eager to resume what they’ve been doing for the past hour. With each kiss the fire of their passion and love grew in intensity. He leaned back to admire the view, of which he could never get enough, just as he could never get enough of her. She knew exactly what he was thinking and was looking forward to another ‘session’ with him. He leaned forward, and they gave each other the deep, passionate kiss that signaled the beginning of another ‘session’.

Then the door chime buzzed.

Tyria couldn’t stop herself from laughing at the timing of this interruption and at Kell’s scrunched-up face. “No fair,” Kell whined in a high-pitched voice as he got up from the bed and faced the door. He started rubbing his knuckles and looking around the room, trying to decide if he should either give the intruder a beating or find some way of cobbling together something that would blow up in the intruder’s face. He chose to remain bare-chested and hoped whoever it was would take a hint and leave.

“Take it easy, Demolition Boy,” Tyria said in a teasing way. She donned her bathrobe and tied her hair in a ponytail, making herself somewhat presentable, then went to answer the door.

A dashing individual stood at the door. It was their friend and commanding officer Garik Loran, also known as Face. He gave her a charming smile. When they first met at Folor, she told him she had a crush on him when she was younger, since he was once a famous holovid star. At the same time, they met Ton Phanan, who became the Wraith’s first medic. Ton Phanan had professed his love for Tyria almost immediately. What none of them knew was that Face was also interested in Tyria. While his chance to pursue a romantic relationship with Tyria never came to be, Face still maintained a strong friendship with her and Kell.

Upon seeing Kell’s and Tyria’s conditions, his smile changed into a wicked grin as he realized what he had interrupted. Tyria blushed in embarrassment, while Kell’s face turned red with barely contained frustration.

“What’s the code?” Kell asked.

Face looked at him with a blank expression, not certain as to how he should respond.

“You have thirty seconds to give me the code and confirm your identity. If the code is correct, you proved that you are indeed Face. In which case, I intend to use you for a punching dummy.” As if to emphasize his statement, Kell cracked his knuckles. “If the code is wrong, then you’re a most unwelcome intruder. I’ll cobble something together and have it blow up in your face. I’m about ready to explode, so I don’t really care what your response will be.”

Face couldn’t help but chuckle at Kell’s remark. Tyria, while not in an “explosive” mood like Kell, did give Face a disapproving glare for the interruption.

“I might take that risk. But then, you’ll be arrested for assaulting a superior officer and court-marshaled, and while that’s going on, I’ll be comforting your weeping lover.” He gave Tyria a brief wink before looking at Kell again. “But I won’t take that risk today, so defuse your timer. The Wraiths were in the lounge with some of the crew when we heard an interesting news broadcast over the Holonet. The news was about Luke Skywalker.” That was enough to calm Kell down enough so he wasn’t red in the face. However, he mentally continued the countdown. Tyria, on the other hand, found her curiosity piqued.

“I tried to get in touch with you two, but I got no response. You were obviously occupied.” Face couldn’t help but give her and Kell a snide look, knowing how the two were “occupied”. “I was then told by the ship’s captain that there was an incoming message from General Cracken for you, Tyria. Even though it’s marked private, I think I know what the message might be.”

He entered their room, handed her the message wafer that was in his hand, grabbed Kell’s shirt and tossed it at his face. As Kell grabbed it and took it off his face, Face moved to stand slightly behind him. “I think Tyria will want to view this message alone, Kell, so why don’t we head for the lounge? That way, you can see a recording of the broadcast and acknowledge that it was worth the interruption.” With that, he began to push Kell out of Tyria’s room. Kell turned to look at Tyria, and when she gave him a slight nod, he put his shirt on and went back to get his boots. Once they were on, he left with Face.

Moments after they left, she went to her desk and opened up the message wafer. A holographic letter appeared before her.

To: Sarkin Tainer, Tyria. Lieutenant. Wraiths. New Republic Defense Force

From: Cracken, Airen. General. Head of New Republic Intelligence

Re: Invitation to attend Jedi academy


Tyria stopped the reader for a moment. Jedi academy? Within moments, realization began seeping into her consciousness, and she eagerly returned to the message.

MESSAGE:

Lieutenant Tainer, it would appear that an opportunity for you to meet a new challenge has arisen. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker has recently addressed the New Republic Senate. A recording of his speech is affixed to this message, which you can watch after reading this message. To summarize, he proposed to establish a learning facility, or academy as he called it, where he would be able to train individuals who have the ability to sense and manipulate the Force. The goal of this academy is to create Jedi Knights who will help defend the New Republic. Chief of State Mon Mothma and the Senate have given Master Skywalker their approval and their blessings.

He has informed me that he once tested you as a prospective candidate. While you demonstrated your sensitivity to the Force, at that time he determined that you would not make much progress in developing your latent skills. In doing so he concluded that you would not be able to become a Jedi Knight.

Times have changed, and he has reconsidered his assessment. I believe he wanted to contact you personally; however, he was aware that you are still a member of the Wraiths. Knowing this, and that I would be able contact you more quickly than he, he has asked me to inform you that he is inviting you to be a member of the first class to attend this academy.


Tyria stopped for a moment to collect her thoughts and feelings. When Luke told her that he thought she would never become a Jedi Knight, she gave up any hope of becoming one. Towards the end of the Wraith’s campaign against Warlord Zsinj, Wedge told her how Biggs Darklighter needled Luke to attend the Imperial Academy so that his piloting skills wouldn’t be wasted. He encouraged her to develop her latent abilities, and she took his suggestion to heart. She eventually began to use the Force to enhance her piloting skills, and it was through the Force that she sensed the Wraiths were being watched during one mission. That enabled her to help the others escape from a fatal trap.

Since then, she took every opportunity to practice her latent abilities. She learned to enhance her speed and agility, to resist pain, and to sense the emotions of others. She learned to pay full attention to any “Force-warnings”, as she called them, she received. She also developed some telekinetic abilities and the ability to send short messages and feelings to her husband. Because of the numerous conflicts that occurred over the past two years, she hadn’t been able to talk to Luke; thus, as far as she knows, he’s unaware of how much she progressed since their first meeting. She’d been hoping to meet him again and surprise him. Now the opportunity was at hand. She suddenly felt tears on her cheeks, and realized that she was crying out of happiness. Wiping her eyes so that she could read clearly, she continued reading the letter.

General Wedge Antilles might have selected you in his experiment three years ago because of your status as a “reprobate”. And I, along with many others in the command hierarchy, had our doubts about the feasibility of this endeavor and about your success in meeting General Antilles’ expectations. Fortunately, you, and all of the Wraiths, have managed to meet his expectations and prove your usefulness. Your records are testimony to your service and dedication to the New Republic.

I hate to lose the services of any soldier in the New Republic Military. However, should you choose to accept the invitation, the Wraiths’ loss will be the Jedi’s, and the galaxy’s, gain. When you have made your decision, please inform me so that I can inform Master Skywalker.

Clear skies, Lieutenant.

General Airen Cracken


She spent the next few minutes listening to Luke’s address. Her mind was trying to digest what she had just read and heard while her heart brightened with a hope she had been harboring was becoming a reality.

No doubt about it, she thought. It’s time for me to do some serious thinking and consideration. I’m married now, and Kell and I plan on starting a family. But the possibility that I can become a Jedi isn’t something I can dismiss out of hand. I’m going to need to talk to Kell about this. With that, she went to get dressed.

 

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RebelMom  10428 posts
Title: TFF Secretary
 Registered: Apr '00
19073_Luke and Mara Family
Date Posted: 5/15/04 1:10pm Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Updated 5/15) - Date Edited: 5/15/04 1:11pm (1 edits total) Edited By: RebelMom
I got both your PMs but I couldn't find the thread after the first one. Anyway, I'm caught up now.

 

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Short Story: Pressure Point http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26961243/p1/?7
Jacen Solo and Anakin Skywalker - as it should have been.
TFF: Cheryl
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Tahi  5750 posts
Registered: Jun '02
19661_Tahiri
Date Posted: 5/17/04 4:35am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Updated 5/15)
Yep, looking good, JA. Been away on a road trip, but got home today - and am gradually catching up with everyone.

One little suggestion for the Tyria/Kell scene would be to include more of their feelings into dialogue and/or thoughts (inside views), rather than doing the explaining as "telling" through the narrator.

It's good to see you including Tyria - as I think I said before. She's an interesting character.

It's good to see dear old Kyle and Keyan - I love those guys. happy The debate with Mon Mothma etc was well-written, especially in terms of the doubts some of them would have about some of Luke's choices.

 

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"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Master to THE_PIED_PIPER
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JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/18/04 7:33am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 - Date Edited: 5/13 3:00pm (6 edits total) Edited By: JediAlly
Welcome aboard RebelMom.

Tahi, thanks for the advice. I may add it in later, but at the very least I'll consider it when the time comes for me to submit it to the fanfic archives. But I know it'll quite a while before I reach that point.

Here we go with the next section, and for the veterans, I made some changes to this section from the old boards.


Dorsk 81 sat at the dinner table eating the processed wafers with his predecessor, Dorsk 80, and his successor, Dorsk 82. All of them were Khommites, natives of the planet Khomm, located near the Deep Core. The Khommites were a race of Near-Humans – tall, thin, and hairless with olive-green skin and a series of ridges running across the top of their heads. They had lipless mouths, wide-set eyes, flattened and smooth noses, and ears tucked back against their heads. However, no one could call them a family, since they were all clones. Over a millennium ago, the Khommites believed that their civilization had reached the pinnacle of perfection. To maintain this perfection and avoid any degradation of this “golden age”, they decided to keep their society static by cloning any Khommite who died. By choosing to clone their society, the Khommites eliminated live births, and over time became genderless. Furthermore, since they considered the balance of professions ideal at the time, they decided that each clone would take over the duties of its predecessor. The cities began to be laid out in grids, and the buildings became box-like in shape. Conformity became the rule on Khomm. Creativity and innovation became more and more undesirable until they became foreign concepts.

So it was that the Khommites remained on their homeworld, and Khomm, for all intents and purposes, remained frozen in time as the rest of the galaxy went through major upheavals. They remained neutral throughout every major conflict in the last thousand years.

Dorsk 81 knew that he was expected to continue the bureaucratic function of monitoring the computer banks at the cloning facility where every member of his line had worked for centuries. However, he knew something that no one else knew. He knew he was “abnormal”. When he was younger than Dorsk 82’s current age, he discovered that he could somehow “sense” something. It was something that came from the planet, and it permeated everyone and everything on the planet. One day, he was finishing one of his instruction datapads and was about to reach for the next one when it somehow slid across the desk and touched his hand. It was if the datapad somehow developed a mind of its own and read his. Secretly, he read other manuals, trying to discover what happened. He eventually came across references to the Jedi and the Force, and wondered if he had somehow gained sensitivity to the Force – something that none of his predecessors ever demonstrated. Despite this revelation, he was so scared and shaken by the incident that he kept it to himself. He knew that if his predecessors found out, he would be considered an anomaly and be subjected to shame and scorn.

Over the years, the basic tenant of Khommite society was drilled into him: Conformity was peaceful. He was ashamed of his condition, ashamed of the fact that he disrupted the conformity of his homeworld.

He was about to eat another wafer when the Holonet broadcasted Luke Skywalker’s speech to the Senate. Most of the populace showed no interest in galactic events. Only those lines that were in positions of leadership, like Kaell 115, kept up to date with what was happening across the galaxy, but only with a passing interest. So of course Dorsk 80 and Dorsk 82 showed no interest in the broadcast.

Not Dorsk 81, though. For the first time in years he gave some serious consideration towards his ability. He was startled to realize that with this chain of thoughts came questions unbidden to his mind. Is my role at the cloning facility the only one for me? Are there other options? Can I choose a different path? Do I even have the right to make such a decision? More shame coursed through his being, yet he kept a mask on his face.

Later that night, after the others went to bed, he remained awake. He couldn’t sleep with his mind churning with these thoughts. He knew in his heart that he needed to silence these questions, and that eventually he would have to confront his “abnormality”. He kept mentally reviewing the broadcast. Perhaps this Luke Skywalker might help me find peace. Perhaps with his help, I might convince my predecessor, my supervisor, and my leader that I should attend this academy he’s planning to create. But I can’t let anyone else know about this. Not yet. I have to give this some more thought. With his mind somewhat eased, he laid back in bed. His last thought before sleep claimed him was: I just hope he’ll help me find peace.

 

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JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/21/04 8:22am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 - Date Edited: 4/9 12:14pm (2 edits total) Edited By: JediAlly
Hmm. Once again no response. I bet you're all waiting for some new material. It'll be coming in the next post, but for now, let's bring into the spotlight the most famous EU character to come from the video games - Kyle Katarn.


Kyle leaned back in his seat as the Raven’s Claw cruised through hyperspace. For a change, the last mission was relatively uneventful, he thought. He looked to his right and saw his partner and trusted friend Jan Ors resting peacefully. As Mon Mothma’s personal operatives, they traveled across the galaxy investigating leads and gathering intelligence on Imperial activities. Most of the time the pair found themselves in too deep and had to fight their way out of Imperial bases and strongholds, usually bringing Imperial plans to a standstill or an abrupt end. Not so with their last mission – scouting the borders of Imperial territories for anything suspicious. Though they did encounter Imperial ships, these ships were either on routine patrol or engaged in combat with pirates or other Imperial forces, and neither Kyle nor Jan were inclined to make themselves targets.

Sensing that Kyle was looking at her, Jan opened her eyes and looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Disappointed with our last mission?”

“Disappointed?”

“No running through the streets with stormtroopers on our backs. Staying clear of bounty hunters and other types of scum and villainy. No dogfights with TIEs.” She then gave Kyle a mock stare. “No Dark Jedi to deal with.”

Kyle was beginning to grin in agreement with Jan, but the grin turned to a scowl with her last remark.

“Jan, you know how I feel about that.”

Jan’s demeanor sobered as she realized she treaded over something that bothered Kyle deeply. She knew what happened to him on Dromund Kaas, and that he felt ashamed by his failure to resist the dark side. “Sorry.”

He nodded, accepting her apology. “But you’re right about one thing. The last mission was a lot quieter than what we’re used to. After everything the New Republic’s been through over the past year, I’m all for a breather.”

“Strange as this might sound, Kyle, I can’t disagree with you.”

At this, Kyle smiled. “I’m looking forward to some downtime. I just hope Mon Mothma doesn’t contact us with a new mission for a while. A month, at least.”

Just as Jan was going to reply, the onboard Holonet transceiver came to life, and a holoimage of Mon Mothma appeared before them. As much as Kyle respected the leader of the New Republic, he couldn’t help but groan inwardly. There goes any chance for downtime.

Jan, however, was able to react to Mon Mothma’s appearance more smoothly than Kyle was at the moment. Nodding her head slightly, she said, “Mon Mothma. Good to see you again.”

“And you, Jan. Kyle. I understand that you were successful in your recent scouting mission.”

“Successful as in completing the mission, or as in not getting in over our heads, which seems to be a given on most of our missions?” Kyle quipped.

Jan gave Kyle a mild glare, which Kyle chose to ignore. Can’t really fault Kyle for being a little irritated. If I’m thinking like this, then I guess we both need some vacation time.

If Mon Mothma was insulted by Kyle’s quip, she gave no sign of it. “Successful on both counts, with the latter being a rarity for you two.”

Jan put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile as she chuckled silently.

“The reason why I’m contacting you is to send you a recording of a session of the Senate that occurred today.”

Jan was mildly interested, while Kyle showed his opinion with a sour face. He preferred to keep out of politics. However, as the recording ended, the expressions on their faces changed. Jan was positively beaming, as she was happy for Luke. She already knew why Mon Mothma was contacting them, and was silently hoping that Kyle would accept Luke’s invitation this time.

Kyle’s emotions, on the other hand, were mixed. He respected Luke and was happy that Luke would be setting up a Jedi academy of sorts. He definitely wanted to wish Luke the best of luck on his endeavor. What marred his happy emotions were the feelings of trepidation and hesitation he felt. He was certain that Luke would want him to be a candidate. It would be the second time for him. The first time, after he defeated Jerec, he turned down the invitation because he felt he would be of better use to the New Republic serving Mon Mothma. This time, he was hesitant because he was still trying to come to terms over what happened on Ruusan and Dromund Kaas.

Mon Mothma spoke again after the recording ended. “Luke expressed interest in having you attend his academy, and I told him that I would contact you. It’s a tremendous opportunity for you.”

“I agree,” Jan said wholeheartedly. But she could see the doubts that were flying through Kyle’s eyes.

Kyle came to a decision, but need to know something before following through on it. “Mon Mothma, has Luke decided where this academy will be located?”

Mon Mothma’s expression changed from certainty to a perplexed expression as she heard this question. “That is something that Master Skywalker hasn’t mentioned to me. I believe he has yet to make a decision, yet I’m certain that it won’t be on Coruscant.”

Just as well, Kyle thought. The Force is definitely something not to be trifled with. With that concession, Kyle felt a little bit more certain of himself. “Fine.” He turned to Jan, who had a hint of why Kyle chose to stall on accepting Luke’s invitation. “Jan, set course for Coruscant.” He faced Mon Mothma again. “If you don’t have any objections, I like to take some time off to consider his invitation. Once I hear where the academy will be located, I’ll inform either you or Luke of my final decision.”

Kyle was surprised when he heard what Mon Mothma said next. “Master Skywalker told me about what happened on Dromund Kaas, so I think I can understand your hesitation.” She gave him a smile of encouragement and understanding. “Take the time you need to consider his invitation, Kyle. In the meantime, both of you should avail yourselves to the opportunity to rest.” With that, she terminated the transmission.

Jan turned to face Kyle. “You know you’re just dodging the issue.”

“Maybe so, but this is something I couldn’t jump into on the spur of the moment. I needed time.” He then gave Jan a calculated grin. “Look on the bright side. At the very least this gives us the opportunity to take some much needed vacation time.”

Try as she might, she couldn’t help but agree with Kyle over the last data point. “True,” she said with a grin.

 

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Tahi  5750 posts
Registered: Jun '02
19661_Tahiri
Date Posted: 5/21/04 6:06pm Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Updated 5/21)
Really enjoyed Dorsk's thoughts about his culture and his dilemma. That was great. happy

Good as always to see Kyle and Jan. The banter was spot on. Also good the way you wrote Kyle's jaundiced view of Jedi training. I liked the ending as it showed the fond relationship between the two - nicley under-stated, too. Good work. happy

[A little grammar edit needed in the Dorsk section. located was near the Deep Core.
"which was located'? or simply "located near ..."]

 

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"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Master to THE_PIED_PIPER
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padawan lunetta  12397 posts
Registered: May '99
39909_Jack Sparrow
Date Posted: 5/22/04 9:31pm Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 (Updated 5/21)
Sorry I haven't been more regular, tis been a very busy week, and it's not even over!

LOVED the "Steamy" scene there, as well as Dorsk's thoughts. Always liked Dorsk. grin Kyle's part was good as well, so he's from the games? I always wondered! (I don't play them( I love the background you give for all these characters, and as far as I can tell, your characterization is dead on.

Excellent work!

 

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Moldy Oldbie in search of a gimer stick.
"Whoa, is my hair out?"
Jacen\Jysella Forever!!!
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JediAlly  3308 posts
Registered: Oct '00
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/24/04 4:00am Subject: RE: A Gathering of Light (EU, Jedi, concurrent with JAT and I, Jedi) PG-13 - Date Edited: 4/9 12:16pm (3 edits total) Edited By: JediAlly
Thanks, Tahi. I made the revision.

Thanks for the compliments on the characterizations.

Here's the next section, and it stars Tionne. For those of you who've been to original site, this is the first major revision I made. If you're wondering what happened to the rest, just wait. I chose to split that section up, so you'll be seeing the rest later.


It had been another busy day at the Oradin Spaceport on the planet Brentaal Four. Being a hub for trade, Brentaal Four was a wealthy and busy world, with ships transporting cargo and personnel at all hours. Numerous cantinas had sprung up around the spaceport to provide entertainment and food for the pilots, passengers, and port workers. Now that it was evening, one such cantina was filled well beyond capacity. This establishment was more like a restaurant than a seedy cantina, so there were a number of families and children inside. The owner and employees were earning twice as many credits as usual over the past few nights, but it wasn’t the food or the drinks that brought the customers. Rather, it was the young performer who was currently working there. Other performers have worked there, but none had attracted so many patrons.

Then again, she was no ordinary performer. She was definitely near-Human, and no one would refute the fact that she was a slender, beautiful woman, small and wiry. But her beauty was exotic – silver hair and large, oval, mother-of-pearl eyes. Her personality spoke of an open heart, and she easily expressed her feelings. The instrument she used consisted of two resonating boxes mounted on a shaft. The tonal chords that ran over the boxes allowed her to pluck or strum them with her white-gloved hands, making the instrument sound like two separate ones. The skill she demonstrated while playing it made the music sound like it was coming from a whole orchestra. Her voice made everyone feel alive, and the songs she played and sang ranged from stately lyrical themes to a slightly more raucous tone. With the off-shoulder white gown she wore, which also revealed a bit of her cleavage, many of the customers listening to her began to think they were seeing the living embodiment of a legend – an angel of Iego.

The songs she sang weren’t ordinary ones either. While she had a fair mixture of spacer songs in her repertoire, her personal favorites were songs of tales that hadn’t been heard of openly in over a generation: tales that had been outlawed by the Empire; tales that, with the decline of the Empire, one could now sing and hear without fear; tales of the ancient Jedi Order.

Tonight, however, she sang with even greater enthusiasm. Hours earlier she heard about Luke Skywalker’s address to the New Republic Senate on establishing a Jedi academy. Thanks to the stories her grandmother told her when she was little, Tionne knew a great deal about Jedi lore and history. Until today, she was content enough to learn and sing ballads about Jedi lore and history. Now, she wanted to help Luke Skywalker in his training of new Jedi Knights.

The thought was thrilling and intimidating at the same time. The thrill came from helping Skywalker, but at the same time the audacity of her idea intimidated her. Who was she to be working alongside such a famous individual – the last of the Jedi?

She thought back to a meeting she had with the owner of the cantina after learning about Skywalker’s academy. She informed the manager that she was going to be giving her last performance tonight. The manager’s response was immediate.

“But Angel, you’re beautiful. The crowd loves you. The staff loves you. I love you. This is the busiest we’ve been for years. You could make a fortune. We could make a fortune.”

The manager tried to convince her to sign a long-term contract, possibly a life-long one, but she politely declined. She had no real interest in making a career out of performing, and she accepted room and board more than credits. But she did need credits if she were to travel from planet to planet in her search for more Jedi lore, so she accepted a very modest percentage of the credits the establishment earned nightly. She figured that with tonight’s earnings she would have more than enough credits for fuel, supplies, and the docking fees of the next spaceport she went to, wherever that might be. But she always stopped off at a planet she knew of or learned about from others that might be associated with the Jedi in some manner. This time, she planned to go to a planet that had once been of significant importance to the Jedi - the ancient Jedi library world of Ossus, which once had a huge library of Jedi lore and history.

 

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