Jedi Council Forums - A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn', Updated 1/1/08

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Author	Topic: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn', Updated 1/1/08
Quivyr Registered: Sep '07	Date Posted: 12/20/07 10:52am Subject: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn', Updated 1/1/08 - Date Edited: 1/1/08 4:01pm (2 edits total) Edited By: Quivyr
	Although I've written in other genres, it's been a long time since I attempted to write anything. It's also my first attempt at a Star Wars story. As a matter of fact, it's my first post anywhere on this board. If I make any errors in continuity, please feel free to point them out. I've done my best to research these matters, but I'm by no means perfect I realize Kyp isn't a favorite of many, but I ask that you give this a chance anyways. It's likely to be quite long and epiccy, as I seem to stung with that infliction. Please feel free to tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is quite welcome here. This fits into the timeline between the DNT and LOTF series. It will not be AU, and will follow the continuity as best I can Prologue, Part I Incursions and Evaulations Stretching out with the Force, Kyp felt the incoming blast from the ion cannon long before it hit. Banking hard to the right, he avoided the laser cannons from the fighter squadrons behind him. Despite the fact that these were supposedly seasoned mercenaries, it was almost child’s play. Getting through the orbital blockade hadn’t been much of a challenge, especially for two seasoned Jedi. Master Kyle Katarn’s voice chimed over the intercom, “Remember the plan, Durron.” Luke Skywalker liked sending Jedi out in pairs. It was a good practice as far as Kyp was concerned, but he hadn’t initially been crazy about pairing with Master Katarn. Neither had apprentices currently, and the Grand Master had thought the two of them a good fit. Katarn hadn’t liked it at first either, as there had been problems in the past. After a few missions together however, that had changed, and the two, dare he say it, actually began liking to work together. Kyle had a quick and ready wit, was tactically sound as any Jedi, and his force prowess was well deserving of the term Master. Luke generally gave the most difficult and delicate assignments to them. It was a sign of great trust, but Kyp still had to doubt the wisdom of placing two Council members at risk on the same mission. Regardless, it was mostly an enjoyable experience. Kyp didn’t have time to reply before his atmospheric shields blazed in fire, as his X-Wing hit the first pockets of gasses that defined the invisible barrier of the planet Duart. He would be unable to respond as long as the ionic hell outside his hull continued to exist. Letting his unconscious control the breakneck descent through the atmosphere, Kyp reviewed the plan and circumstances leading up to this event. The Susevfi system was a member of the Galactic Alliance, though relations were strained at this current juncture. Unfortunately, such made it difficult politically to wholeheartedly grant Alliance aid. There had always been a certain hostility between Susevfi, and Kuarin, a neighboring system. Before the Vong war, both had been members of the New Republic, but with the dissolving of the Senate in those dark times, Kuarin had never joined its successor, the Galactic Alliance. The relations between Kuarin and Susevfi had reached what could only be termed a ‘Cold War’. While no shots had been fired, both engaged in free-for-all economic and diplomatic warfare. The Jensaarai, a Force order similar to the Jedi, were the sworn protectors of the planet Susevfi. While understandably concerned about the Kuarin situation, the Jensaarai elders had professed patience in the situation; only allowing its members to engage in information and deterrence capacities. Not all Jensaarai had been willing to be so patient. There had been four Jensaarai who had rebelled, taking a more aggressive stance against the Kuarins. Kyp could sympathize. He had held the same viewpoints once, but now recognized what a fool he had been. They were, according to forwarded information, advanced members of the Defender rank; meaning they were about equivalent to Jedi Knights. The four had first turned to piracy, in order to finance their operations. Considering that they were operating on the fringes of GFAA space, little attention had been paid to their activities by the Alliance military. Pirates were after all a common plague in the galaxy, and generally left to the devices of member states. What had attracted attention, was once financing had been gained, they had turned their attention to hiring mercenaries, and had gained a sizable army and strike force. The Jensaarai, though powerful in their own right, did not have the resources of the Jedi Order in the galaxy at large, and had requested the aid of their sister Order in the matter. Luke Skywalker had been only too happy to give it, ever hoping that the Jensaarai and Jedi would put aside their slight differences, and merge their two organizations. The Galactic Alliance military had been a different matter. The Alliance Chief of State, Cal Omas, was in a difficult position politically. While he had been unable to uncover the location of the Jensaarai rebels with the aid of intelligence sources, Omas had been unable to gain whole-hearted Senate approval of military aid. However, he had pointed the Jedi, with a wink and nod style of politics, to Admiral Pellaeon. The admiral had a certain amount of latitude in affairs, and had sent a small force, largely consisting of Corvettes and light cruisers on a good will tour near the Duart system. The admiral himself commanded the tour, hiding under the excuse to give Admiral Niathal, his apparent successor, some on the job training in heading the Alliance forces. In truth, he was here to give the small force its best chance of victory. Kyp also suspected he was bored and wanted action. The political implications were also largely covered. It was hardly Admiral Pellaeon’s fault that they had encountered hostile forces. As for the Jedi, they had only been there to help foster goodwill on the tour. They were not strictly under the command of the Admiral, and had willingly volunteered their services. Jedi Leia Organa Solo was also on a diplomatic mission to help ease the tensions between Kuarin and Susevfi. Considering her skills, it was also likely she could broker a lasting peace. Any efforts however, would be wrecked if these loose cannons were allowed to launch any attack. Kyp’s comm unit beeped at him, signifying that he ability to transmit had been regained. He thumbed the button and spoke, “Acknowledged, Katarn. Launching counter-measures.” Swerving to avoid a volley of laser-bolts, Kyp moved himself back into direct line of fire with the trailing fighters, allowing the Force to tell him the exact moment to launch. Depressing the button, a Connor net, a literal net with the ability to completely disarm any enemy electronics its path, traveled to the group of enemy fighters, and hit with devastating results. The nets had been a gift of the Chiss Empire, and were a sign of ever improving relations with the mysterious, blue -skinned race. Noting his scanner, Kyp saw that Katarn’s net had the same results as his. They were now free to begin their run. His comm unit suddenly filled with Kyle’s voice, “Ready to die?” “You always know what to say, Katarn. Marry me?” Kyle’s amused voice chimed, “I suddenly feel an urge to follow the philosophy of attachment.” Kyp homed in on the power source of the ion cannons, firing at the Galactic Alliance vessels that had moved in since Kyle and himself entered the atmosphere, and adjusted his approach accordingly. “But it would be such a pretty wedding. All white, Luke could be the flower girl…” “I’ll take you shopping and indulge your need to feel pretty after, Kyp. Ready?” “Let’s do it.” Kyle stretched out his mind, and Kyp allowed himself to be merged into the battle meld. They were 100 clicks from the target, and would soon be in range of the enemy flak cannons. Swerving and dodging, they both moved as one, allowing their shields to merge and deflect enemy fire that could not be avoided. 70 clicks, 60, 50, 40... Spreading his awareness between the meld, and his display, Kyp waited until the number reached five, and promptly ejected. His astromech, D6R5, Kyp had nicknamed him Deep Six, preprogrammed to do the same. Momentarily stunned by the force of air overwhelming his senses, Kyp quickly recovered and disengaged from his seat, kicking clear and allowing himself to free-fall. A portion of his mind remained with his X-Wing flight stick, controlling and directing it to reach its target. The two fighters simultaneously collided with the enemy ion cannons, a tremendous explosion following. Both of their X-wings had been laden with incendiary devices, a very risky endeavor. Only Jedi, and a few other skilled fighter pilots, could have made the trip with any expectation of not detonating the bombs before-hand. Ion cannons were heavily shielded, but the assault was enough to make sure the shields were overwhelmed and take enough damage to be disabled. The Alliance fleet was now free to engage the enemy without worrying about fire from the surface. Kyp wasn’t worried about the war taking place up above, Pellaeon could defeat these guys in his sleep. They had their own battle ahead. Kyp allowed himself the luxury of indulging in the unadulterated thrill of free-fall for a moment, cooling the adrenaline flowing through his system with a Jedi technique. Eyeing the terrain below him, he angled himself to land as near the enemy base as possible. Kyle came to float beside him, grinning and obviously enjoying the experience. A nudge from the Force enabled his ears to hear Kyle’s voice through the roar of air. “It’s been forever since I did this.” Kyp grinned in return, “Don’t love it too much. Go splat, the Jedi do not.” “You just focus on the dress I’ll buy you, Durron.” “Hapan design, frilly, with lots of lace? No cleavage though.” Kyle laughed, “Prude.” “Proper Jedi modesty.” “How do we justify that on the Jedi expense account?” “Simple. Sign it ‘Corran Horn’.” “That would explain everything.” Kyle looked down, calculating the optimal moment to pop the chute. Kyp joined him in the exercise, pulling the cord at the last moment. A rough jerk announced the opening, but the ground was still coming at him much too fast. Angling his descent so he would land in a clearing of the forest, Kyp ignited his light saber, severing the cord when he was 10 meters above the ground. Using a Jedi technique, he slowed his fall and landed lightly upon the ground. Kyle had rather skillfully landed only a short distance away. Casting his eyes about, and using his senses, Kyp knew that their presence was still unknown. The blast from the destruction of the ion cannons had fogged the sensors of the mercenaries, and their ejections had likely gone undetected. It would not remain so if the enemy thought to go through their logs. Pellaeon’s rather carefully timed assault should be distracting them enough so they wouldn’t take the time however. Kyp gave them credit enough to do it anyway. Kyle had the same thought, and they wordlessly made their way into the forest towards the enemy base. The abundant life in the forest should mask their Force presence enough so that the Jensaarai would not be wary of a Jedi assault; at least until they passed the tree line, but they would take measures at that point. Despite their earlier banter, both were professionals and knew when to be silent as they glided through the underbrush. Kyp halted at the tree line, and used a moment to make his presence small in the Force. It was a technique that he personally disliked, given that it was learned from Vergere, but Kyp did not discount its usefulness. There was also nothing Dark Side about it, at least not per say. While masking from the Jensaarai, it also had a drawback. Neither Kyle or himself could sense each other in the Force. It wasn’t that much of a hindrance. While not as familiar with Kyle as he would be Jaina Solo for instance, the two had worked together enough to be comfortable with their ways of doing things. Drawing his macro binoculars, Kyp surveyed the enemy defenses, his counterpart doing the same. Master Katarn whispered, “Rather poor form of them. This is likely to be boring.” Kyp nodded, the defenses were token at best. Clearly, they were arraying themselves to defend against the orbital incursion. There were proximity and thermal sensors, but the Jedi had long ago found ways around them. There were only limited troops defending the compound. Stretching out his senses, Kyp sought and found the targets of their invasion. The compound was laid out in rather haphazard fashion, clearly a result from design by inexperienced commanders. There had been efforts to fix the mess, as mercenary leaders had obviously pointed out the deficiencies, but it had not been wholly repaired. The resulting chaos from the destruction of the ion cannons was also having an effect. Many of the army were engaged in an effort to put out the blaze, and regain at least some use of what their defenses had so obviously been placed around. This would be easy. Pellaeon had designed it that way. The Grand Admiral was no Thrawn, but there was a reason why the renegade Chiss had chosen Pellaeon as his personal student. His plans were always solid, devious, and he never disregarded unorthodox tactics when the situation called for it. He was getting old, but was an ideal successor to Admiral Ackbar, even given his Imperial upbringing. Kyp had always rather liked him, despite his normal feelings for those who followed the Imperial ways. Kyp looked at Kyle and nodded, not needing to speak to know their plan of action. Skillfully skimming and disabling the sensors when necessary, they made their way across the rooftops, as only Jedi could. The Jensaarai were located in the central hangar, and the main control room was also likely there. It wasn’t a good idea to have both located in the same building. Modern technology made it unnecessary, and there was too much chance of having both taken out in a single attack. Despite their Force powers, these Jensaarai were military amateurs, and it showed. Making their way across the rooftops, Kyle and Kyp both advanced to an eave overlooking a side entrance to the hangar. There were security measures on the doors, but there was enough traffic in and out of this door to make that easily traversed. Kyle wasted no time, falling from the roof and landing atop a soldier as he exited the building. The guard had been knocked unconscious, and Kyp landed a slight distance away, light saber ignited, optimal position for defending an attack during Kyle’s brief moment of vulnerability. Coming lightly to his feet, Kyle looked at the apparatus of the door in slight disgust. “Only a retinal scanner. What kind of bad guys is the galaxy putting out nowadays? Pathetic.” “We’ve killed too many of them, Kyle. A decrease in quality was inevitable.” Kyle snorted good naturedly, and hauled the trooper to his feet. The security of course offered an easy solution. Kyle merely opened the eyelids of the stricken soldier with an assist from the Force, and placed his forehead against the scanner. An immediate beep rewarded his efforts. Kyle dragged the soldier in, Kyp ahead, at the ready to deflect any bolts launched in their direction. Thankfully, the corridor was empty, and the soldier was quickly dragged into a side room and deposited. Kyle looked at Kyp, “How do you want to do this?” Kyp considered, the building was likely laid out so there was a corridor surrounding the hangar area, except through the main exit for the ships. There were three levels to this corridor, and no obvious way in that would not announce their presence from far away. There were possible ways in through the ductwork, but that would require a working floor plan of the building, and take time they didn’t have. “I say we take the subtle approach.” Kyle translated this rather well, “Meaning foolishly charge through hordes of mercenaries, likely crazy defenses, and four powerful Force warriors at the end?” Kyp considered, “Yeah, pretty much.” “Sounds subtle enough to me.” “Don’t it?” ********* Lumiya adjusted the scanners of the battle above, watching with great interest. Seeing the inevitable conclusion of the battle in space, she turned her mind to other matters, The two fighters she had seen on her scanners had been destroyed on impact, but she was an experienced observer of war. The anomalies detected prior to their suicide run could only be ejections. That meant only one thing. The Jedi were on their way. She was the officer on duty, but did not share her knowledge with the Jensaarai warriors. She had other plans, not the victory of these foolish boys. It had been so easy to manipulate these four. She had first suggested it to one of them, becoming a friend and confidante to their leader, A few subtle nudges with the Force had been all it took. Nudges that had been undetected. She never allowed the Jensaarai to know she had Force abilities, much less that she was a Sith. It wasn’t hard. Lumiya was as skilled as anyone had ever been at masking her presence in the Force. Her abilities were quite subtle, but not nearly as powerful as she had once been capable of being. She felt a slight sense of regret as she looked at her body. Much of it was mechanical, due to myriad disasters upon her person, though much of it was disguised by her always careful choice of clothing. Many of these disasters had been perpetrated by Luke Skywalker. Despite that, she didn’t hate him. She and Skywalker were both warriors, and Lumiya realized what that entailed. Kill or be killed. Maim or be maimed. It was the warrior way. Lumiya felt no regrets. Much of her Force potential had been swallowed as she had been forced to give up body part after body part. It made her feel the need for an apprentice capable of carrying out her goals most keenly. Lumiya had an apprentice now, but despite his power and skill, he was quite unsuitable for her end goals. Still, he had his uses, as she hoped later events would prove. She had settled on several candidates and had launched the process of testing suitability. As she had hoped, the situation she had helped create brought one of her candidates here. She had seen in the Force that Kyp Durron or Jacen Solo were likely to be the ones who came, but the future was always in motion. It had been by no means a certainty. Hiding a smile, the unrestrained force of nature that was Kyp Durron entered her mind‘s eye. She had only felt him in passing before, but the signature was unmistakable. His power and control made any more than fleeting contact risky, but she felt no fear in this situation. Part of this exercise was creating enough Force chaos that she would be free to observe and evaluate. There was another with him. Lumiya thought it might be Master Katarn, but she had never spent enough time on him to be sure. Katarn was indeed powerful, and had even been guilty of a Dark Side brush, but he was a soldier. He had too much of a sense of honor and duty to be useful. Lumiya had discarded him long ago. Durron now, also had a sense of honor and duty, but different than Katarn’s. Durron had the spirit of a rebel, and it would always be a part of him, despite his efforts to dispel it. She let a part of her mind see to her duties in serving the Jensaarai, but by far, she was watching Kyp Durron. Oh, he just might do. He might do nicely. -----signature----- "I have something to bounce off you."- Kyp Durron
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Ceillean Title: Scattergories and 20 Questions Hostess Registered: Nov '01	Date Posted: 12/20/07 11:46am Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Wohooooo! Kyp fic! I realize Kyp isn't a favorite of many, but I ask that you give this a chance anyways. Ha! You should come see us in the Kyp fanclub. We're crazy about him! We actually have our own clones. “Ready to die?” “You always know what to say, Katarn. Marry me?” Kyle’s amused voice chimed, “I suddenly feel an urge to follow the philosophy of attachment.” Kyp homed in on the power source of the ion cannons, firing at the Galactic Alliance vessels that had moved in since Kyle and himself entered the atmosphere, and adjusted his approach accordingly. “But it would be such a pretty wedding. All white, Luke could be the flower girl…” “I’ll take you shopping and indulge your need to feel pretty after, Kyp. Ready?” “Let’s do it.” I'd give a lot to see Luke as a flower girl. Kyp grinned in return, “Don’t love it too much. Go splat, the Jedi do not.” I love Kyp! Can you tell? “You just focus on the dress I’ll buy you, Durron.” “Hapan design, frilly, with lots of lace? No cleavage though.” Kyle laughed, “Prude.” “Proper Jedi modesty.” “How do we justify that on the Jedi expense account?” “Simple. Sign it ‘Corran Horn’.” “That would explain everything.” Kyle looked down, calculating the optimal moment to pop the chute. They're so cute together. “I say we take the subtle approach.” Kyle translated this rather well, “Meaning foolishly charge through hordes of mercenaries, likely crazy defenses, and four powerful Force warriors at the end?” Kyp considered, “Yeah, pretty much.” “Sounds subtle enough to me.” “Don’t it?” She let a part of her mind see to her duties in serving the Jensaarai, but by far, she was watching Kyp Durron. Oh, he just might do. He might do nicely. He'd have done so much better than Jacen. I love this! And I really enjoyed your writing style. Could you please PM me once you've updated? -----signature----- I claim Kyp Durron. I'm developing this thing for Captain Kirk.
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Quivyr Registered: Sep '07	Date Posted: 12/20/07 12:49pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Ha! You should come see us in the Kyp fanclub. We're crazy about him! We actually have our own clones. I'll go check it out. Although the clones part scares me a bit He'd have done so much better than Jacen. I love this! And I really enjoyed your writing style. Could you please PM me once you've updated? Actually, this fic was inspired by something Lumiya said in 'Tempest'. I think it was the part where Alema and her were cannibalizing a missile for bomb parts, and discussing why Lumiya chose Jacen. She said something to the effect of 'Jaina Solo was too emotional, Kyp Durron too stubborn and unpredictable, Luke Skywalker too hidebound, etc.' I always wondered how Lumiya determined that. This story was my answer. And I'll certainly PM you when it's updated. Again, thanks for reading. -----signature----- "I have something to bounce off you."- Kyp Durron
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Flowerlady Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 12/20/07 1:26pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	I agree wholeheartedly with my wonderful fellow Kyp Clone Keeper, Ceillean...This is fantastic!!!!! I really loved the banter between Kyle (another fave of mine) and Kyp. Wonderful stuff.... I also like the twist with Lumiya...I'm very intrigued. Please PM me with updates...I would appreciate it... FL -----signature----- Master to DanaeMariSkywalker, JediMasterArmada and PHGS_Weyr All WIP's on hiatus.... website: http://www.authorswe.webs.com/ Thank you to all that believe in me...Love ya!
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PHGS_Weyr Registered: Apr '06	Date Posted: 12/20/07 5:39pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Wow great stuff! This is really cool, it'll be interesting to see if Kyp turns again... Really interesting idea! Please add me to the PM list! PHGS Weyr -----signature----- My first comment after finishing Omen: "Most fanfics are better than this"
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iamobiwan1970 Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 12/20/07 6:12pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Welcome! I think you’ll get readers. There’s a pretty steady stream of Kyp love here at fanfiction. First off, great setting and action. Your choice of Kyle and Kyp is an interesting pairing. I like that Kyp get’s most of the POV. “We’ve killed too many of them, Kyle. A decrease in quality was inevitable.” Great banter between them. That whole wedding thing and just their approach to the battle: “I say we take the subtle approach.” Kyle translated this rather well, “Meaning foolishly charge through hordes of mercenaries, likely crazy defenses, and four powerful Force warriors at the end?” Really very male there. Are you male or female? So many of Kyp’s authors are fangirls. Sometimes he gets caught up in a lot of mush. And Kyp has a huge following. Sure there will always be haters, but I really think more people like him. Hiding a smile, the unrestrained force of nature that was Kyp Durron entered her mind‘s eye. Great description ! Durron now, also had a sense of honor and duty, but different than Katarn’s. Durron had the spirit of a rebel, and it would always be a part of him, despite his efforts to dispel it. You really understand Kyp. I love how you are tying in Lumiya’s comment. I found myself pondering that too, but to work a fic out of it is cool. I can’t wait to read more!!! -----signature----- Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, with open arms and open eyes.
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Quivyr Registered: Sep '07	Date Posted: 12/22/07 8:19am Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Really very male there. Are you male or female? So many of Kyp’s authors are fangirls. Sometimes he gets caught up in a lot of mush. And Kyp has a huge following. Sure there will always be haters, but I really think more people like him. I've been outed! Yes, I'm a guy I'm not a great mush writer, though I'm working on it. While there may be some, don't expect it to melt your heart or anything I don't dislike mush as long as it's part of a good story. That's what I like to read, and what I try to write. I've read some of the stuff (particularly the Kyp/Jaina section) to get some ideas on Kyp's character. You mentioned that I understood Kyp. Well, a big thank you goes out to many of those writers who helped show me the way. While initially worried, I find him not hard to write about at all. In a way, he writes himself. A big thank you to PHGS Weyr and Flowerlady for responding as well. The next update should be later tonight or tomorrow. I'll PM when it arrives. -----signature----- "I have something to bounce off you."- Kyp Durron
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Quivyr Registered: Sep '07	Date Posted: 12/22/07 2:29pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Using Force-assisted speed, the two Jedi sprinted down the hallway, their light sabers flashing, eliminating the enemy as they passed any resistance. The fact that the corridor was curved assisted their movements. None of the mercenaries had a chance to see, or react, to their appearance. It meant they could approach the hangar entrance without any break in their pace. Coming to a halt, Kyp regarded the elevator door to their next destination. They had taken off their flights in the entrance room to reveal Jedi robes. Kyp in brown and tan, Kyle wearing the black that the Grandmaster seemed to favor. Kyp took a position of guard and rather distastefully noticed the creases and wrinkles the robes had gained from their previously pinched state. Kyle withdrew a tool kit from his belt and popped the cover of the interface to the elevator door. “I can’t believe you talked me into wearing Jedi robes.” Kyp smirked. Kyle usually wore simple work or casual wear. Nothing fancy or even Jedi-related. It was all about utility to Master Katarn. “It’s all about a sense of style. How come you never wear one?” Kyle sighed, and withdrew a tool, inserting it into the exposed panel, then withdrawing a slicer card. “Call it a holdover from my Imperial days. I don’t like dress codes.” Kyle slid the card into the open slot, and glanced around. “How come you wear one now? You never did before.” Kyp shrugged. It was complicated. After the Killik crisis, when the Jedi had come so close to fragmenting, he began to feel a deep responsibility to the Order itself. Luke’s speech on Ossus prior to the final events of the Swarm War had a lasting impression upon Kyp. There was no denying he played a large part in the near disbanding of the Jedi. Luke had stated loyalty to the Jedi first, or don’t be a Jedi at all; that always making the right decision was less important than the Jedi displaying a united front. The fact that he still felt he had been right wasn’t the issue. The Jedi were larger than himself. Sometimes, you had to subjugate your will and desires for the betterment of all. Kyp had never told Luke, but it was an important growth experience. Glancing about the corridor, Kyp noted they were still undiscovered. There luck wouldn’t hold forever, and he was anxious for the slicer card to finish it’s work. “Call it a sense of team spirit.” Kyle was still gazing intently at the card, pressing buttons and adjusting as necessary. A tiny smile graced his lips, “Never thought I’d hear you say that, Kyp.” It was somewhat awkward for a moment, as Katarn was not used to dispensing praise. “You’ve done well this past year, Master Durron, but…while important to be a team player, don’t lose sight of being Kyp. That’s important, too.” “Don’t worry, I’m still the biggest pain in the ass on the council.” There was a beep from the card, and the door finally slid open. Kyle grinned, “No argument there.” Kyle and Kyp both moved into the elevator and it began its ascent. Kyp stopped the bantering and stretched out his senses. Using a view from the mind of the mercenary he touched, he gained an understanding of their tactical situation. Kyle left that to him. While powerful, Katarn did not have Kyp’s skill with touching minds. Kyle said, “Well?” “It’s a large open area. There’s about 200 of them in there, including a couple Mandalorian mercenaries. The Jensaarai are tucked into a corner on the east wall, opposite the elevator and near the hangar doors. There’s still a few ships in there, none of them large. They look like mostly transports and escape vehicles.” Kyle nodded, “We’ll disable the ships as we go. Mandalorians? They should offer a few seconds of fun.” “It’ll be difficult to handle the mercenaries and the Jensaarai at the same time. I say we split our attentions.” Kyle said, “Agreed.” Kyp questioned, “Do you want the mercenaries or the Jensaarai?” Katarn’s brow furrowed in thought, “I’ll take the mercenaries. Spanking a few rebellious Force kiddies just isn’t in me today.” Kyp sighed, “Spank or kill, that is the question…” “It depends how far they’ve fallen to the Dark Side. I trust you to make that judgment.” Kyp agreed, but the thought still troubled him. Killing was an inevitable part of being a Jedi. The Jedi were guardians of peace, which meant they fought where no one else could, so no one else had to. It didn’t mean he had to like the killing part. The Jensaarai had been pragmatic about their wayward members. While requesting that they be brought back alive if at all possible, they also recognized that wasn’t always an option. Plan set, the two waited until the doors popped open, and the strode through. Shedding their Jedi robes, they gazed around, their presence starting to gain attention. Kyp called his light saber to him, igniting it, the electric chill settling through his hand. Kyle’s saber came into being beside him, as the first cries of “Jedi, Jedi are here!” rumbled through the hangar. The first shots came their way, and Kyp and Kyle submerged themselves in the Force, enabling them to deflect the bolts back to their source. Kyle said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you.” Kyp launched into a Force jump, landing in front of a group of mercenaries, extending a hand. A Force push wall emanated from him, slamming them back into the hull of a transport ship. “What’s that?” The first Mandalorian came into view, hovering a few meters in the air with the aid of his rocket pack, twin blasters blazing away at Master Katarn. Kyle easily deflected them. “Master Skywalker contacted me before this began. He wants me to take a trip to Haruun Kal.” Kyle executed a Force flip, landing with his feet atop the Mando’s shoulders. Kyle kicked his feet together, the force stunning the hovering warrior. “Something about a family heirloom or such.” Kyle flipped off the mercenaries shoulders to a position behind, his light saber slicing through the rocket pack as he descended. The Mandalorian crashed to the ground. Catlike, Kyle alighted, spinning and gesturing a hand at the fallen mercenary. The warrior became a living missile, slamming back first against a nearby wall. Kyp saw the second Mandalorian come into view. He was coming at a high rate of speed, and Kyp merely used the Force to manipulate the rocket controls, making him unable to stop his armor from slamming into a wall nearby his fallen comrade. “Damn, you’d think they’d provide at least a little fun. Anyways…” Kyp sent a few bolts back to their owners. “Haruun Kal, aren’t they close to joining the Alliance?’ Kyle nodded, and then becoming a whirling dervish, feet colliding with the chins of a few soldiers foolish enough to come near. “Yeah, one of their major clans supposedly has a gift for the Jedi. They’ll only give it to Master Skywalker or a council member though.” Kyp moved behind a transport to evade enemy fire. Considering the hull before him, he took a second to figure out how to disable it without risk of explosion. Kyp’s light saber flashed and he skillfully cut into the hull of the nearby transport, disabling the engine and power plant coupling. “Okay, I’ll handle the after battle mop up.” Kyle yawned as a sizable group, alerted to the Jedi presence, made their way over. He flipped over the ship, landing beside Kyp, blocking himself from the approaching soldier’s view for a moment. Kyp raised an amused eyebrow, “Going to play hide and seek with them?” “At first. Later, we’ll play thump the scar head..” Kyle gestured to the east portion of the hangar. “Off with you, take care of the Jensaarai. You’ll spoil my fun.” Kyp shrugged and moved around the back portion of the ship, surveying the area, determining the best route towards his goal. ********* Lumiya stayed calm amidst the panic. The Jedi were here and the alarm had been raised., not that it would make any difference. She had to admit that some of the mercenaries were skilled, but individually, or as a group, they were in no way a match for Jedi Masters the caliber of Katarn and Durron. Some members of the command staff were edging their way out of the control area. Lumiya decided to join them. The Jensaarai were outwardly calm, but Lumiya could detect their apprehension through the Force. They were currently huddled against the wall, discussing tactics and options, pretending that victory was still a possibility. Foolish boys, she thought. She held absolutely no doubt they would be defeated. While powerful, they lacked experience, true vision, and willingness to ever become Sith. They had indeed started their Dark Side journey, but they would never take another step in that direction. Lumiya could have easily corrupted them further, but that would be a waste. None of them were suitable towards her needs. Neither was her current apprentice. Lumiya sighed as she thought of Tulyan Marr. She had such high hopes for him at one time. His raw power and skills were certainly up to the task, but he lacked vision. He was all hunger and desire. That hunger and desire scared Lumiya. There were things that were too evil, even for Sith. Tulyan certainly skirted the edge of that, and threatened to take the final plunge more and more every passing day. He would serve a purpose in this game though, she was sure of that. Slowly reaching the edge of the control area, she looked overhead to find a hidden view of the coming conflict. Seeing a catwalk above, she moved to a position no one could see her leap from, and landed upon it. Making herself even smaller in the Force, there was no use in taking risks, she began to watch and wait, for what she hoped would be an informative and entertaining show. She was rewarded with a blur of Force assisted speed, stopping in the middle of the control area, taking a second to dispatch the guards with a well placed Force push. Launching into an acrobatic display, Kyp Durron flipped into the midst of the wary Jensaarai, telekinetically slapping the Force warriors away from the wall. He smiled and said, “Jedi calling.” ****** “Jedi calling.” Kyp affected disinterest as the Jensaarai recovered from their sprawl. They move into a line of three, with the fourth behind them. Obviously the leader, Kyp thought. Though pretending to unconcerned, Kyp’s mind was watching the Force flows of the Jensaarai, awaiting the inevitable response. He sighed as he saw what it would be. Force lightning, how boring, how cliché. Did Dark Side users really think the Jedi would not have formulated a tactic to respond by now? As a matter of fact, there were many. Luke Skywalker would have absorbed and reflected their power back at them. Kyle would have just flipped over the streams and probably decapitated them. Corran would have used an illusion, making the Jensaarai think he was there when he wasn’t. Saba would probably just let it hit her and laugh at them. Kyp had his own solution. Streen was a good friend, and his main talent seemed to be towards weather manipulation, a quite useful skill. While not having the old prospector’s genius with the ability, he nonetheless had some success. Force Lightning was after all, at heart an atmospheric disturbance. They had worked this out together some time ago, and Kyp over time had added a few wrinkles to it. The excited particles gathered about the fingertips of the Jensaarai, and Kyp just made the ions unexcited. He bored them to tears, actually. As they stretched forth their hands to discharge, the power fizzled, dead about their fingertips. They gazed at him with undisguised shock. Kyp just winked. He took a moment to regard them. Unlike the Jedi tradition, where making a light saber was a rite of passage, the Jensaarai concentrated on their armor. They generally used ambushing predators as a model, and it held just as much importance to a Jensaarai as a saber did to a Jedi. He recognized the armor of the first three, nothing really exciting. The leader however, that was interesting. The armor somehow gave him a presentiment of a possible future. Kyp looked at him, “A Vaapad, right?” The Jensaarai leader nodded, a tight smile upon his smile. “The sight of this creature striking is the last thing you will ever see. But you’ll see your own death, Jedi. I promise you that.” Kyp rolled his eyes, and the four began harnessing their power again. “Foolish younglings, you have to learn the hard way.” Kyp concentrated. Rather than boring the ions, he merely switched their polarity, and their direction. The discharges betrayed their creators, their bodies quivering as the electric shocks disrupted their nervous systems. Each of them fell, recovering and stopping their efforts before they became unconscious. Kyp sighed, and paced back and forth in front of them. “We could keep playing, or you guys could just see some sense and surrender. The Jensaarai are willing to take you back.” The leader sneered, “We have become more powerful than the Jensaarai Elders could ever dream.” “Yeah, that’s why you’re sitting on your butts right now…” He sensed some doubts in each of them. Kyp stretched out his senses to each and was relieved. While they had touched the Dark Side, they were still in the wading pool, rather than the greater ocean. There was still hope for them, he didn’t have to kill. Kyp stopped his pacing, and assumed the serene pose of a Jedi Master, “My name is Kyp Durron. Maybe some of you have heard of me.” The one nearest to him slowly nodded, “The star killer…” Kyp winced inwardly, “That’s right. So you know I’ve been to the Dark Side, and returned. It’s not too late for you. You can do the same. Surrender, come with me. The Elders can help you. I can help you.” Kyp could sense them considering, perhaps even slowly returning, but the Leader suddenly stopped, “No, we’ve come too far.” His light saber hissed into existence, and he launched himself from to his knees at Kyp, with a Force assist. Using minimal movement, Kyp turned the attack aside, and fell into the comfortable starting position of Soresu. The others, emboldened by their leader’s attack, also activated their sabers, all four attacking him at once. Surrounded, Kyp let the Force guide his hands, his feet barely moving as he deflected each attack. Reaching his saber over his shoulder, he parried an attack from the Jensaarai behind him. A quick twist, and he manipulated his attacker’s blade into the path of the new threat glowing near his shoulder. Kyp fell into the almost trancelike state of Soresu. The style was almost purely defensive and would enable him to last almost forever in any circumstance. The problem was the lack of offensive capability. Despite his skill in the art, it required extreme patience. Extreme patience didn’t really suit Kyp. Kyp decided to go on the offensive. A quick Force shove enabled him some space, and he switched to the Ataru form. Flipping over one, his fist glancing against the temple of the warrior in a surgical strike. Staggered, the warrior fell back into Kyp’s awaiting reach. The Jedi Master stretched forth his hand to the base of his opponent’s neck, pinching a non-critical artery, only slightly cutting off the flow of blood, but it was enough. The Jensaarai almost immediately crumpled to the floor. He would awaken in a couple hours, with a tremendous headache, but otherwise unharmed. One down. The remaining three enclosed him slowly, with determination and, yes, they were scared. Kyp sighed, “I sense much fear in you. It doesn‘t have to be this way.” Two of them made a lunge for him, the leader moving into a position to intercept his jump if he attempted an Ataru flip again. They were coordinating. Not bad, Kyp thought. It was too bad for the Jensaarai, but Kyp had other options. Attacking powerfully, the two lunged as one for Kyp. Kyp met their charge head on, allowing the Force to enhance the kinetic explosion that was the Djem-so style. Pushing their blades aside, Kyp whirled, his leg kicking out as he leaped, connecting with the chins of the attackers. Each fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. Kyp straightened and locked gazes with the leader, “What’s your name, kid?” He snarled, “I’m not a kid. I’m 21 years old.” Kyp shook his head sadly, “Trust me, you’re a kid. You have a lot of potential, but your arrogance blinds you. You don’t listen to anybody, do you?” The Jensaarai merely waited in a ready position, not answering. Kyp sighed wistfully, “You remind of someone. Another foolish kid, so long ago. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Surrender.” There was no change, and Kyp set his resolve. “Very well, Master to student. Let’s begin your lesson.” Kyp launched a probing attack, not to win, but analyze the Jensaarai. The Defender had potential, but Kyp already noticed several flaws in his techniques. Taking advantage, Kyp maneuvered until his hand could give a rough shove to the Jensaarai’s chest, and his rear connected with the ground several feet away. Kyp noted, “There’s too much movement in your style. You’re fast, but not fast enough to compensate. Make your patterns smaller, more compact.” His pride stung, the Jensaarai roared and swung wildly at Kyp, unheeding of the earlier advice. Kyp merely moved aside, and let their ankles intertwine, sending the warrior to the ground once again. Kyp sighed, “Uncontrolled aggression is the fastest road to defeat. It’s important to acknowledge your feelings, but do not let them control you. A Jedi is best when at peace. Rise above your feelings.” The Jensaarai just lay there. Kyp stretched out with his senses, and noted the boy slowly begin to swallow his pride, slowly groping towards the light. “Good, good…” The Jensaarai slowly stood, a great sigh escaping his lips, as he realized this was a fight that he could not possibly win. He gazed at Kyp with a pleading look, begging for an escape from the nightmare he had created. “My name is…Galen.” Kyp smiled, “Welcome back, Galen.” The Jensaarai hung his head, “I…surrender.” “You’re smarter than I was, Galen.” Kyp reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small device, and tossed it to him. “Hold this to your arm, please.” “What is it?” Kyp shrugged, “It’ll give you an injection. A small poison of sorts. Masters and such can overcome this, but you’re not there. It’ll block your connection to the Force for a time. I know that stinks, but I can’t trust you yet. You understand?” Galen slowly nodded, and attached it to his arm with a wince. “It hurts.” Kyp nodded, “Pain’s a part of life Galen, but it also teaches. Now listen to me. You’re going to hate yourself for a while for this. You can’t help it. It’s the way it is, but be patient, and you will be able to live with it.” Galen’s eyes looked at him with unshed tears. Kyp knew he was thinking about all the lives they had taken through piracy, as well as other crimes. “Does it ever really go away?” Kyp smiled sadly, “No, kid. It doesn’t, but it does get better. I promise.” ******* Lumiya raised an eyebrow. It had been quite informative, quite informative indeed. The Jedi had evidently found at least one way to respond to Force Lightning. It wasn’t like she could cast it anyway. Her mechanical parts made sure of that. She still filed it away, and would think of the implications later. By far, her interest was more on Kyp Durron, his reactions, power, and suitability for the Sith. In many ways, Kyp had disappointed her. She had expected him to kill, but obviously Skywalker had an effect on him over the years. His actions didn’t match his reputation. There was evidently a certain unpredictability about Master Durron. Still, there were things she could work with. He was indeed powerful, even if he didn’t live up to his potential. There was still unlocked power in Kyp Durron. She doubted whether the teachings of the Jedi could ever unlock it, but the Sith could. Oh, how the Sith could. She was quite unwilling to discard Kyp Durron, not yet. Maybe she just needed to find the right buttons to push. That would be her apprentice‘s responsibility, with some guidance from her of course. Tulyan is certainly good for that, she thought sourly. She could feel the approach of Alliance ground troops. It was time to leave. *************** Kyp sought and found Kyle in the center of the hangar. There were bodies literally sprawled everywhere. Some were dead, but most were just unconscious. The Jedi preferred non-lethal force whenever possible, but sometimes killing was inevitable. There were still some mercenary forces left. Kyle was facing them and they fired at him. Kyle looked bored, reflecting the bolts back at their feet, making them dance over the bolts and inhibiting their ability to fire. Kyp looked at Galen beside him. His unspoken command transmitted, the Jensaarai spoke, “Stand down. It’s over.” The mercenaries recognized the voice and threw their rifles to the ground, apparently only too happy to comply. “You will go easy on them, right? They’re just here for pay.” Kyle looked over in slight surprise, “That’s up to the Alliance commander, but they’re generally not too harsh on mercenaries. You are?” Kyp answered, “Meet Galen. The leader of this little escapade. Sorry to spoil your fun, Kyle.” Katarn shrugged, “The entire thing was boring. I was just occupying myself until you were done.” Pointing at Galen, he asked, “He’s injected?” Kyp smiled at Galen, “Yeah, he did it himself. Smart kid.” Galen hung his head, unwilling to answer and unresponsive. That didn’t bother Kyp much. He knew it would take time to heal. “The other three are unconscious. I gave them injections, too. Guess it’s a wrap.” Kyle shrugged, “Not quite.” Alliance forces suddenly burst in, rifles at the ready, but soon relaxing as they saw everything was well in hand. They quickly determined who was alive and not, and medics came in to dispense help to the wounded. “Now it’s a wrap.” “Indeed, gentlemen.” Both Masters turned, and saw the tell-tale sign of Grand Admiral Pellaeon’s ram rod posture. Despite his age, there was still an energy about him that was hard to deny. “I do so enjoy working with Jedi.” He glanced around at the scene spread before him, “And doubly glad you’re no longer my enemy.” Kyp bowed, “Always a pleasure, Admiral.” Pellaeon acknowledged the compliment, “I’d love to sit here and mutually admire each other all day, but we all know I’m not one for small talk. Master Katarn?” Kyle looked at him, “The shuttle you requested is fueled, ready, and sitting on the landing pad.” Kyle said, “Well, I won’t waste any time then. Off for Haruun Kal. Want to come, Kyp?” Kyp shrugged, “I’m going to see the Jensaarai home first. Then…well, I have an appointment of my own to keep in a week or so.” Katarn looked at him steadily, knowing what he was talking about. “I forgot it was that time of year, again. Catch up to you soon, Kyp.” He exchanged goodbyes with the Admiral, and an aide led him in the direction of his shuttle. Pellaeon looked at him, “I expect you’ll need a transport as well. Do you require an escort?” Kyp looked at Galen, “No, I’m not expecting any trouble.” “I’ll prepare a transport for you as well, Master Durron. One with prison capabilities.” He smiled, “You Jedi always seem to be taking my ships.” Kyp chuckled, “I’ll return it. In a roundabout way of course.” Pellaeon nodded, “I expect nothing less.” Kyp gestured for Galen to proceed him, “With your permission, Admiral?” “Indeed, Master Durron. Dismissed. And excellent work.” -----signature----- "I have something to bounce off you."- Kyp Durron
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Ceillean Title: Scattergories and 20 Questions Hostess Registered: Nov '01	Date Posted: 12/23/07 2:30am Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn' - Date Edited: 12/23/07 2:31am (1 edits total) Edited By: Ceillean
	Great post. I enjoyed the Jedi action. I find canon lacks decent Jedi action. Wonderful job on that. And of course, the banter between Kyle and Kyp was funny. And I really, really liked your Master Durron portrayel. On one hand you have the pain in the ass ( I loved that part) and on the other hand you have him as a Master. Shows how much he's grown over the past years. Kyp shrugged, “I’m going to see the Jensaarai home first. Then…well, I have an appointment of my own to keep in a week or so.” Katarn looked at him steadily, knowing what he was talking about. “I forgot it was that time of year, again. Catch up to you soon, Kyp.” That time of year again? Hm...definately caught my attention. Eagerly awaiting the next post. -----signature----- I claim Kyp Durron. I'm developing this thing for Captain Kirk.
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iamobiwan1970 Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 12/23/07 8:38am Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Hmmm...like Ceillean said: "That time of year again." Could be several things, but I'm thinking some type of memorial to the departed?????? The action was great. It's really a good thing to get a male perspective around in the Kyp world! I love how they were all over the enemy, very descriptive. Master Durron was indeed on the top of his Force game. But isn't Galen Lumiya's Sith acolyte? Is he all a lie???? Has he dispelled the poison? Ut Oh! Can't wait for more. Thanks for such a fresh take on Kyp. -----signature----- Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, with open arms and open eyes.
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PHGS_Weyr Registered: Apr '06	Date Posted: 12/23/07 4:36pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Great job, not looking forward to finding out what "time of year" it is i imagine its not great for our Kyp! Great Post! Thanks for the PM! PHGS Weyr -----signature----- My first comment after finishing Omen: "Most fanfics are better than this"
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Quivyr Registered: Sep '07	Date Posted: 12/23/07 5:40pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Ceillean: Thank you very much I'm glad you enjoyed the banter. I think I'm having a tendency to make it too cute at times, so I'm trying to tone it down a little. Iamobiwan1970: Galen may make future appearances. I was only going to make him a faceless enemy who Kyp defeated, but he kind of just appeared as I was writing the scene. Funny how he just popped out of thin air. I think I may grow attached to him. He's not Tulyan Marr, however. You'll meet Lumiya's rather umm...delightful apprentice in a few posts. I'm also glad you like the take on Kyp. Not sure how fresh it is, but I hope to not disappoint you Kyp still has a looooonng way to go in this story. PHGS_Weyr: LOL, all three of you mentioned 'that time of year'. It's not anything bad. Well, it could be from a certain point of view, but I'm not going to be evil to Kyp....yet.... Here's your answer. I'll make another post after this one in a few moments as I had these parts written a few weeks ago. I'm just looking it over again. Although Iamobiwan's story is distracting me mightily... It was all connected somehow. Kyp Durron was certain of that. The molecules of the stars were of the same atoms and subatomic particles that made up his body and consciousness. Only the circumstances were different. The molecules were packed tighter together, or in a more excited state. Except for different circumstances, Kyp Durron might have been a star. He had to chuckle at that fact, and then immediately stopped. The image spread out before him was no laughing matter. If he had been a star, he wondered if he would have suffered this fate. There wasn’t much left of the Carida system; just a bright cloud, that may or may not one day coalesce into another stellar mass. Or it may just dissipate, he mused. Either way, not even the astrophysicists who had studied the system knew. Their best guess was it would be a million years before it could be known one way or the other. Much of the technology of the Sun Crusher weapon was still an unknown. His brief sojourn to the Dark Side had been the cause of this. A stolen Imperial weapon, an ancient Sith ghost, and a willful teen with way too much force potential were usually a good recipe for disaster. The death of his brother here was also ever present in his mind. That was a wound that was ever fresh, and had never truly healed. Kyp Durron came here once a year, faithfully. No matter what he was doing, he tried to come on, or as close to the date of the anniversary of this destructive act as he could. The only time he didn’t was during the Yuuzhan Vong war, when he had come so close to falling again. The last time he brushed the Dark Side, there was no Exar Kun to blame. It had been his own arrogance and stupidity. The Force was not a balance beam to be walked. There was no way to safely skirt the edges of the Dark Side without falling in eventually. He realized that now. If only the stupid fools who followed the Potentium view of the Force could be brought to know this, but that was a battle for another day. Kyp was here for a reason. He never wanted to forget. He never wanted to forget the teenager who did this. It was an important part of the man he had become. Rather than toss him in prison, or execute him for this act, the Republic Senate had let Luke Skywalker determine his fate. Considering that Kyp and Exar Kun had together battled Luke and managed to knock him into a coma, Kyp had been certain that the penalty would be severe. Instead, Luke had sentenced him with one phrase. “You will be a Jedi.” At first, Kyp thought he had gotten off easy. That was far from the truth, and Kyp was just now beginning to understand this. The life of a Jedi was hard. It required the deepest commitment, both to others, and the Order itself. Even during the Yuuzhan Vong war, he hadn’t understood. Being a Jedi then, was all about action, and he thought he had done the right things, but had he? He was indirectly responsible for Jaina Solo’s fall to the Dark side. He had also brought her back, but that didn’t excuse the Jedi way he had been preaching back then; that it was possible to skirt the very vortex of the Dark Side and return to the Light each and every time. He was suddenly distracted by an asteroid drifting across the view of the freighter he was piloting. Kyp was in between assignments after returning the rebel youths to Jensaarai. The woman elder who had met him had hinted at flirtation, even suggesting that he grow his hair longer. Kyp smiled, she had been quite a fetching woman. She was likely only a few years younger than himself, and might be a nice match. He considered visiting the planet Susevfi in the future. Clearly, only to foster good relations of course. The other fallout of the conflict had also gone rather well. Leia had successfully brokered a tentative peace between Kuarin and Susevfi. Cal Omas, despite his hidden approval of the assault, was not happy with the Jedi situation. The Order had been growing more and more independent of the auspices of the Galactic Alliance as of late, and the Chief of State was not pleased. Kyp could care less. The Jedi’s chief responsibility was to the Force as he saw it. However, Luke’s leadership fostered a close relationship with the government. While not under the same mandate as the Jedi under the Old Republic, it was close enough to cause Kyp nervousness. Still, Kyp saw a certain logic to it. It would be hard, if not impossible to garner the same resources the Order currently enjoyed without Alliance support. His musing were distracted by the chiming of his comm. He pressed the button and a holo image of the Grand Master appeared. Kyp nodded, “Master Skywalker.” Luke’s image raised an eyebrow, “The Carida System, Kyp?” Kyp didn’t feel like answering the question. It was much too complicated, and Luke and himself had discussed this many times. The Grand Master did not approve of his anniversary trips. He felt Kyp was living too much in the past. Carida was hardly a fresh occurrence in the minds of the galaxy at large How easily people forgot, but he never would. Kyp was more or less hailed as a hero now since the Vong war, but he would never feel like it as long as this event still existed. Luke just didn’t understand that these trips were a source of focus for him, that he needed the reminder to keep himself centered as a Jedi. Kyp never liked to admit it, but there was much darkness inside of him, and it took a constant effort to control. Suppressing a sigh, he answered “The reason for your call?” “I’d like you to come home to Coruscant. I have a trip to make in a week or so.” Kyp chuckled, “And you need me to mind the store?” Luke smiled back, “In a word, yes. It’s yours and Master Katarn’s turn.” Kyp nodded to himself. Kyle and himself had differences in philosophy over the years, but they had always gotten along well together., with notable exceptions It was much better than being stuck with Corran Horn. Ever since the Killik Crisis, Luke had been delegating responsibility of the Order more and more to the Master’s Council. The way the Jedi had almost disintegrated when Luke wasn’t available made the need for it patently obvious. As powerful as Master Skywalker was, he was neither immortal or invincible. There was no clear cut successor and Luke’s efforts as of late, were meant to determine who that could be. Checking his nav computer, Kyp programmed it for Coruscant, and took note of the readout. “I’ll arrive in three day’s time.” “Good, there’s some things we need to talk about before I leave.” Kyp decided to let that statement pass. He had a good guess what it would be. Either his yearly trips to Carida, or more pressure to take an apprentice were likely to be the items of discussion. He hadn’t wanted an apprentice since Miko Reglia’s death. The loss of his apprentice at the dawn of the Vong war was still a dark knife in his gut. “On my way, but if you hear on the holo news that Kyle and I threw Cal Omas out the window, you bear full responsibility.” Luke’s face betrayed his amusement, “As long as neither of you scream ‘unlimited power’, you have my permission.” Nodding in fake solemnity, Kyp answered, “Duly noted, Grand Master.” “See you in a few days, Master Durron.” The holo of Luke faded out, and Kyp smiled to himself. He had never gotten along well with Mara Jade. They were both too much alike than either cared to admit. One thing Kyp did know, she was good for Luke. She had at least gotten him to loosen up a little, and he actually had a sense of humor these days. As a matter of fact, she had been good for him in more ways than that. Kyp was not a yes man. He considered it a duty and responsibility to call Luke on it when he thought he was wrong. For many years, it had caused friction between the Grand Master and his erstwhile student. Nowadays, Luke seemed to consider it an asset rather than a liability. Kyp was sure Mara was also at least partially responsible for that. The problem was, Kyp hadn’t called Luke out for awhile now. They often found themselves in agreement on a number of issues. Kyp wasn’t sure whether to be scared or grateful for that. He mumbled, “Probably getting soft in my old age.” Preparing to launch into hyperspace, Kyp let his gaze linger to Carida one last time. Instead of the ever changing hue of the cloud, he found himself gazing upon the asteroid, again. Drifting back to his original thoughts on the connectivity of everything, he found himself musing on the nature of the lifeless rock. The rock didn’t care. It was neither light or dark. The asteroid just was. For a split second, Kyp thought he was on the verge of an epiphany, but it retreated as soon as it came. Shaking his head, Kyp gunned the hyper drive, and turned on the holos to try and occupy himself for the three day trip. -----signature----- "I have something to bounce off you."- Kyp Durron
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Quivyr Registered: Sep '07	Date Posted: 12/23/07 5:50pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn' - Date Edited: 12/23/07 6:03pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Quivyr
	A merry Christmas to all! Walking along the path of the Jedi Temple, Kyp always had the impression that ghosts lingered here. The old Temple had never been demolished. The Emperor had let it sit in ruins and reportedly gazed on it often, to gloat most likely. There was an ever present low buzz, as if voices of many were speaking at once, and it was impossible to distinguish any one coherent voice. One thing Kyp was sure of, there was a sense of euphoria that Jedi once again walked these halls. That was fine with Kyp. The best kind of ghost was a happy ghost. Kyp considered it almost a game to try and capture one voice out of the throng. Perhaps a Master Windu, or a Plo-Koon would deign to speak into his mind. These were names that were only rediscovered ten years or so after the Emperor‘s death. The Emperor’s Purge, his attempt to destroy everything Jedi, had almost been complete. He had never been able to stamp out the black market on Jedi material however. That had been an unexpected, and welcome boon to the reconstructed Order.; even with the inflated prices the Order had to pay to get the material back. For many years, Luke had floundered in the dark about the true Jedi ways and traditions. He had only done what he thought was right. Many things they had discovered about the old Order had come as a surprise. The biggest had been that of what they termed, ‘attachment’. A Jedi euphemism for friendship, family, marriage, and yes…sex. By the time the current Order had discovered this old tradition, it had been too late. Kyp had never believed Luke’s explanation that he had known along, and relaxed the philosophy of attachment as an experiment. No, the truth was, by the time Luke had found out, too many Jedi were bopping like banthas. The Order had succumbed to the hormone side of the Force, and there was no turning back. With a sense of amusement, Kyp mused that it was a happy accident that the Order had been reconstructed before the old ways were revealed. The old Order had fallen for a reason. They were too hidebound and set in their ways. The Jedi Order was once again fresh and new, and the sky was the limit. Floundering in the dark for so many years had actually been a blessing in disguise. Despite the many mistakes and disasters that had befallen them, the Jedi came out of each crisis stronger than it had been before. Kyp prayed that the day would never come when the Jedi once again became stagnant and unable to change with the times. A sense of disappointment followed Kyp’s shutting off of the ghosts. He had mentioned that he felt their presence to a few masters, and to his surprise, only Corran, Kyle and Luke admitted to experiencing the same. Coming out of his reverie, Kyp found himself before the Grand Master’s reception desk. Nodding to Miri Valorn, he said, “Master Skywalker is expecting me I believe?” A professional smile answered his question, “Yes, Master Durron, you are to go right in.” Kyp had tried to flirt with Miri in the past. She had always rebuffed him with a professional courtesy that seemed to permeate all the civilian employees of the Order. Kyp sometimes wondered if they were more Jedi-like than the actual Jedi. Waving a hand, Kyp opened the door with the Force, and gazed around the spacious office. Not for the first time, Kyp thought that Skywalker needed the services of a professional decorator. The office was rather bare, and the few pieces of art and furniture that were there just did not fit. Luke had mentioned once that Mara had done the decorating. Kyp believed that completely. He doubted that environmental niceties were high on the list of training for an Emperor’s Hand. Turning his attention to the room’s center, he found Masters Katarn and Skywalker nodding to him in greeting. Returning the favor, he noted something in the middle of the desk. “A Jedi Holocron?” Katarn grinned in answer, “Not just any Holocron.” Twirling the Holocron around absently, Luke was obviously deep in thought and seemed somewhat troubled. He answered absently, “It belonged to Master Windu.” Looking at Luke, Kyp replied, “That’s great, we’ve been looking for it for years. The reason for your trip to Haruun Kul?” Katarn answered, “Yeah, one of Master Windu’s family members had it, and thought it best it be given to the Jedi. It was useless to them, except as a keepsake.” Kyp blinked, “Master Windu had contact with his family?’” Luke smiled, although he still seemed troubled. “It wasn‘t unheard of. It was frowned upon, but not strictly against the rules. Although I imagine it was usually an awkward situation.” Kyp nodded in agreement, “Well, at least it didn’t cost us a million credits or so. What’s wrong? I don’t need the Force to tell me something about it bothers you.” Katarn agreed, “I’d like to know too. “ Slightly surprised, Kyp asked, “You haven’t seen it Kyle?” Shaking his head, Katarn stated, “It needed to be unlocked. It took a day or so, but Tionne finally found the proper key. A quite ancient one.” Kyp knew that Jedi Holocrons that required such measures to open usually only contained advanced or controversial knowledge. Whatever it was, seemed to trouble Skywalker greatly. Raising an eyebrow, Kyp turned his attention back to the Grandmaster, “Well?” Luke sighed, “Better to just show you than try to explain.” Reaching out with the Force, Luke opened his mind to both of them, showing the proper way to attune the Force to open the Holocron. An image of Jedi Master Windu appeared and the apparition began to speak. “Greetings Jedi, I am Master Mace Windu. I have sent this Holocron to my family as a safety measure. Master Yoda and myself have just conferred, and I go to confront Darth Sidious at the heart of his power. I may not survive, and I will only say this. What is contained in this Holocron is to be treated with the utmost care. Only Masters should ever be allowed to see, or practice what this device has to teach. One of my students has already fallen to the Dark Side because of this knowledge.” The Holocron’s image of Master Windu turned off , and all three Masters gazed at each other for a moment. Luke paused the Holocron for a moment. “I believe I have already used what he teaches here, and he’s right. It’s incredibly dangerous. Do you remember the end of the Vong War?” Kyp said, “Yes, when you confronted Shimmra.” “It was actually before that, when I faced the Slayers.” He nodded, remembering. One Slayer had almost been the end of him. He had only won because of help from Leia. He had not personally witnessed it, but Luke had used an unknown technique and become an almost unstoppable force of nature. Reports were that Luke could barely be seen, as he killed Slayers easily. That had always nettled Kyp. He had always considered himself an equal as far as Force power with Master Skywalker. Perhaps he still was, but Force potential and Force strength were not the same thing. The fires that had forged the son of Vader were hotter than most. Luke was capable of many things that Kyp could only dream of. The fact that Luke had reached his potential and that Kyp had been left far behind always stung his pride a little, no matter how much he tried to deny it. “Yeah, I know what you’re referring to.” Luke said, “I was still somewhat believing in the Potentium view of the Force. And despite myself, looking forward to this fight. The Vong had killed so many, and we were so close to the end. Once I gave into the feeling, I found myself among the Slayers and killed many of them. Part of me remembered the Light Side and clung to it. I found myself swept along, the Force guiding my actions.” Katarn furrowed his brow, “The problem was…you weren’t sure which side was guiding you?” Luke disagreed, “No, it was the Light, but the fact that it even touched the Dark Side was very troubling. I’ve never done it since.” Processing this information, Kyp said, “Let‘s continue.” Luke turned his attention back to the Holocron and the image of Master Windu came back into view. “It is the seventh form of light saber combat, Juyo finally completed if you will. I call it Vaapad. The key to this technique is to allow yourself to enjoy the fight, while staying submerged in the Light. A difficult proposition, but I have so far managed it. Mastery of this technique also requires high level knowledge of all the other six forms. It uses elements of all of them.” At this point, the dialogue broke off and showed images of Master Windu demonstrating some of the forms and techniques of Vapaad. Fascinated. Kyp watched the near seamless flow between various forms and the unbelievable speed and power that Master Windu demonstrated. After some time of the training images, Master Windu spoke again. “One of the major tenets of this technique is using one’s own inner darkness against another. It skips along the edge of the Dark Side and creates…. a circuit if you will, using the power of the Darkness against itself. I theorize that it would be most effective against Sith Lords and other Dark Side users. However, the greatest care must be used. Tracing the veil of the Dark Side is very dangerous. I have already made this mistake when teaching another who was not ready for this. “ He frowned before continuing, “There are very few who ever will be ready for this. Use this knowledge carefully, future Jedi.” The holo shut off and Luke intoned, “More detailed instructions are found in the sub menus. There’s other stuff, but it’s mostly Force philosophy and a treatise on the state of the Jedi Order. I’ve saved that and will send it to Tionne.” All of them were silent for a moment, digesting what they had just heard. It was Kyle Katarn who spoke first. “This will be Master’s Council level only, obviously.” Luke shook his head and walked to the window, his hands clasped behind his back. “Maybe in the future, but for now, only us three.” Kyp asked, “Why me and Kyle?” Kyp could see Luke’s wry smile in the reflection of the window, “Kyle because he’s Battlemaster. You Kyp? Just a feeling through the Force that’s what I should do. If you want purely logical reasons…” Luke pursed his lips for a moment, “Number one, with the exception of Kyle and myself, there are no better duelists in the Order.” Coming from anyone else, he would have taken Luke’s statement as arrogance, but it was just a fact. Luke had earned the right to say that. “Number two, we’ve all touched the Dark Side to a greater degree than the others. We recognize what is too far, and how potentially dangerous this is.” Kyp’s expression grew stormy, “I take it you’re asking us to play with this technique? Have you forgotten how seductive, misleading, and downright addictive the Dark Side can be?” Luke turned his gaze back to the room center, “I’m not asking you to touch the Dark Side, Kyp.” Luke sighed, and occupied his chair again. “The Dark Side is not stronger. For every power and ability the Dark Side can demonstrate, the Light has a counter.” Luke smiled tightly, “We of the Jedi just have to work a lot harder to find it. I want you and Kyle to see if you can make this style work without the Dark Side aspects.” Somewhat mollified, Kyp exchanged glances with Kyle. He sensed that Katarn had the same thoughts that he did, but had just left them unspoken. Kyp answered for both of them, “I’m not sure if it’s possible, Grand Master, but we will try. Can we at least bring Tionne in on this? We may need her help.” Luke was thoughtful for a moment before assenting. Katarn was silent for a moment before stating, “I can think of a few things...” Luke seemed to be satisfied with their answers, “I’m glad that you are reluctant, but I ask you to make the attempt.” His eyes seemed to be haunted for a moment. “Knowledge such as this may be needed in the future.” Kyp decided to let the comment about the future pass. He was still a bit tired from his trip, and didn‘t really want to know at the moment. “Where is your trip to anyways?” Luke’s mood suddenly became lighter. “Leia and I are going to Naboo.” Katarn grinned, “Finally taking the plunge, eh?” Luke had shared his recently discovered family heritage with the Masters’ Council, and his immediate family, but it was still far from common knowledge. “Yes, we’re going to meet our maternal cousins. It should be…interesting.” Kyp added an impish smile, “And awkward…” Luke’s visage betrayed some amusement, and some understandable nervousness. “No one ever said the old Order had a monopoly on that.” “Just Leia? Not Han, Mara or the kids?” “No, we want to take this slow at first. It was a shock to both our sides of the family.” Luke stood, “I should be back in about a month or so once I leave.” Kyp looked at Kyle, “Luke Skywalker taking a month off?” “Shocking…” Kyp agreed, “Scandalous…” “Break out the Sith detector.” Luke’s eyes twinkled, “That’s enough. Come back in two days and we’ll go over everything. And don’t try to blow the galaxy up?” Kyle chuckled, “Asks much, does he.” Kyp said, “Do or do not, there is no try.” Master Katarn agreed with feigned solemnity, “I believe you’re right, Kyp. Master Durron and myself promise not to try, we will blow the galaxy up.” With an exaggerated wave of his hand, Luke dismissed them, “Kyle, I’d like a few moments alone with Kyp if you don’t mind.” “Sure.” Kyle stood and looked at Kyp, “Tomorrow at 0600 in Training Room 6?” Kyp winced, “Make it 0800.” Kyle snorted good naturedly, “Lazy ass.” He winked and left the room. Kyp sighed inwardly, bracing himself for the lecture about visiting Carida or taking an apprentice. Much to his surprise, Luke did nothing of the sort, but went back to the window, resuming his former stance. After a moment’s silence. Luke finally stated, “I had a vision, Kyp.” That instantly put Kyp on edge. Jedi visions were hardly ever of the everything is wonderful, peachy keen variety. “And?” Luke slowly measured his pace back to the chair, taking his seat, lowering the full weight of his gaze upon him. Kyp hated this gaze. Luke Skywalker was perhaps the most powerful Force user ever known, however with those gifts came burdens. It was rare, but sometimes in unguarded moments, Luke let the façade of serenity slip from his face. It was a truly haunted expression, complete with lonely knowledge that only he could understand. Kyp believed that it came from Luke’s almost complete surrender to the will of the Force. Jacen Solo was the only one who had ever come close to the state that Luke perpetually occupied. Kyp never had, and looking at Luke’s face, he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Kyp forced himself to meet Luke’s gaze, and the Grandmaster finally spoke, “It wasn’t a vision of future events, exactly. Just a sense of you, alone. You were standing before an ocean of darkness. You tried to stand firm, to resist the tide. There were two paths.” Luke sighed, and stroked his forehead, as if he had a headache. ‘One, you stood firm, and were overcome. The other…you surrendered and merged with the Darkness, but…there was a sense of hope, of awakening.” Kyp scratched his eyelid, suddenly feeling a headache coming on. “And I suppose you have no idea what it means.” Luke shook his head, “No. I honestly don’t.” “Speculations?” Luke answered, “Only that the Dark Side is involved.” He frowned, “There is a sense of others on the periphery, but in the end, this is for you and you alone to confront.” Kyp drummed his fingers against the arm of his chair. He knew it was often useless to try and interpret or make sense of Force visions. They always made sense in time, and forcing understanding was often a mistake. Kyp was enough of a student of history to understand that had been a major component of Anakin Skywalker’s downward spiral. His nature screamed against it, but Kyp forced himself to patience. “You will let me know if anything further comes to you?” Luke smiled wryly, “Of course.” Kyp stood to leave, ‘If there’s nothing else?” “No, Kyp. Thank you for coming.” Luke let his hand droop towards the direction of the desk, indicating that Kyp was free to take what was contained upon it. Kyp scooped up the Holocron before departing, “I’ll be back in a couple days.” Luke watched him go, and walked over to a cabinet on the edge of his office. Opening the door, he took out a bottle of Corellian whiskey and poured a small dram. He usually reserved this for guests, but he partook on rare occasions. This was such a time. It was true that Kyp and himself had problems over the years. Many was the time that Luke despaired of Kyp ever realizing his true power. He was so close, yet so far. Ever since that long ago day, that he had tested Kyp and been amazed at his potential, he had awaited with bated breath. In so many ways, his apprentice had disappointed him. He hadn’t turned out badly, not that at all, but he could be so much more. So many times, Luke had tried to teach, and it had fallen on deaf ears. Many of Kyp’s problems stemmed from the fact that he so often saw the easy way as the right way. It was the flaw that Exar Kun had seduced him with. He didn’t show it, but Luke cared deeply for his apprentice, despite their disagreements. Luke was glad that Kyp had matured enough to not see their disagreements as road blocks anymore, but merely issues that could be worked through. Luke smiled wryly, that was progress of a sort at least. Luke took a sip of his drink, letting the warm liquid tickle and splash against his throat. He hadn’t shared the whole truth with Kyp about his vision, but that was because he wasn’t sure of what he was feeling. Only now, did he begin to distinguish the faint urge that was coming to him. He closed his eyes and meditated for a moment, until he was sure. He pressed a button on his desk, “Miri?” He heard her response, ‘Yes, Grand Master?” Try as he might, Luke had never been able to get her to use his name. It was always a title. She was an invaluable asset however. The woman had a steel trap memory, and an attention to detail that bordered on supernatural. “Current location of Jaina Solo?” Luke knew that she was out training Alliance pilots at the moment, but the exact location eluded him. The response was immediate. Miri hadn’t even needed to consult her records. “She’s currently in the Hoth system, training pilots in atmospheric flying in extreme conditions.” Luke nodded to himself, “Put in request through the military for me, will you? I’d like her to come home.” Miri answered in the affirmative and Luke took another sip of his drink. He was now certain that Jaina was a part of what Kyp would experience. She would be there, whether he liked it or not. The Force was like that sometimes. He also knew that if he tried to interfere, it could have disastrous consequences. Sometimes, being a Jedi meant standing out of the way of destiny. There was only one thing for sure. Kyp Durron falling to the Dark Side was a frightening proposition. One of the paths seemed to indicate that he might, but the sense of hope and awakening wasn’t explained by that eventuality. If he did turn though, Luke would have to hunt him down…and kill him. If he was able to. Luke would do it, but it would rip the heart out of his chest. He had to trust Kyp, though. No, he wouldn’t interfere, but he would watch. He would watch very carefully. Trust only went so far. Whatever Kyp would experience, it wasn’t immediate. There was still time. Luke finished off the last drop of his whiskey and contemplated going home for the day. He suddenly missed Mara and Ben very much. -----signature----- "I have something to bounce off you."- Kyp Durron
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DantanaSkywalker Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Apr '02	Date Posted: 12/23/07 7:42pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	I am loving this 'fic! If you have a PM list, I'd love to be on it. My fave part so far is: Luke’s eyes twinkled, “That’s enough. Come back in two days and we’ll go over everything. And don’t try to blow the galaxy up?” Kyle chuckled, “Asks much, does he.” Kyp said, “Do or do not, there is no try.” Master Katarn agreed with feigned solemnity, “I believe you’re right, Kyp. Master Durron and myself promise not to try, we will blow the galaxy up.” I love the banter between these two. And do my eyes deceive me, or is this going to answer Han's question of "I like Kyp, what ever happened there?"? Dana -----signature----- http://www.kypandjaina.net "I always liked Kyp Durron better, anyway." -- Han Solo H.A.L. 1979-2008. An saol seo, gui duit an saol eile. Congrats, babe. Hope you're still laughing, wherever you are.
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JEDI_MARAUDER Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 12/23/07 9:21pm Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Very good, I can't wait to hear more. So glad you used Katarn, he is so underrated. -----signature----- We don't have to win. All we have to do is fight. –Mace Windu
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Ceillean Title: Scattergories and 20 Questions Hostess Registered: Nov '01	Date Posted: 12/24/07 4:17am Subject: RE: A Kyp Durron story, entitled 'Stubborn'
	Kyp looked at Kyle, “Luke Skywalker taking a month off?” “Shocking…” Kyp agreed, “Scandalous…” “Break out the Sith detector.” Luke’s eyes twinkled, “That’s enough. Come back in two days and we’ll go over everything. And don’t try to blow the galaxy up?” Kyle chuckled, “Asks much, does he.” Kyp said, “Do or do not, there is no try.” Master Katarn agreed with feigned solemnity, “I believe you’re right, Kyp. Master Durron and myself promise not to try, we will blow the galaxy up.” My favorite part in this post. As said before, the banter is just great. I have to admit, it's refreshing reading about Kyp from a male point of view. I am totally loving this fic. And my female intuition served me well! I kind of had the feeling that he would go visit Carida. I find this is a side of Kyp we've not really seen before and you have no idea how much I'm enjoying this. Great update! -----signature----- I claim Kyp Durron. I'm developing this thing for Captain Kirk.
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