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Author	Topic: The Powers that Be
JadeSkywalker Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 12/26/99 7:33pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Yavin IV. The Jedi Academy. A casual observer might have mistaken Alia Ba'khar for one of the young Jedi students who frequently made use of the library. Though she appeared to be hardly out of her teens, she was in fact a full Jedi Knight and the driving force behind the library itself. She had asssembled and cataloged what scraps of Jedi history other scholars had been able to find, so that students and masters alike would have easy access to their heritage. Alia was gradually expanding the collection with a hodge-podge of historical and current information. She gathered lightsaber schematics, compiled a map of the galaxy with the known locations of Jedi, and pleaded with masters to write their memoirs so future generations would have their thoughts. Her goal was no less than to make it impossible to wipe out the history of the new Jedi the way the Empire had the old. Alia tucked back the strand of dark brown hair that fell in her face as she studied her latest acquisition. She leaned over the old scrap of cloth on which a crudely lettered note had been written. It contained the last words of an Iktochi Jedi master, just before the Imperials caught up with him, and it was apparently written in his own blood. Alia was determined that his story would not be lost, after it had miraculously survived for nearly a century in what had been the Emperor's private museum on Coruscant. The rag had somehow gotten lodged in the base of a display case and had only recently been rediscovered. Alia skimmed over her translation and reread the original. There were a few terms that still puzzled her, Iktochi idioms that seemed to have no direct translation to Basic. Alia chewed her stylus as she contemplated the likely meaning. Lost in thought, she didn't hear the student approach her desk. "Excuse me, Jedi Ba'khar, but there's a call coming in for you over the holonet relay." Alia looked up in surprise. "For me?" She rarely, if ever, received messages; she wasn't exactly one of the more widely known Jedi, preferring to work in her library rather than travel. The student, a young Twi'lek with a penchant for working with machinery, nodded. "Yes, Jedi." Alia laid down her stylus and datapad and looked around the library. There was a small knot of students in one corner, chatting quietly. Theoretically, they were discussing Old Republic history, but none of them had looked at their texts for quite some time. They seemed unlikely to cause any trouble, but just to be safe, Alia called out her assistant, "Q-R8, please come here." The droid emereged from the back of the library where it had been straightening the material. "Yes, Mistress?" Q-R8 asked, in carefully modulated tones. Cue-rate, as it was more often called, closely resembled an old model protocol droid, though its functions were somewhat more limited. "I need you to mind the library for a bit while I go to the communications center," Alia said. Cue-rate bobbed its head in an approximation of a nod. "Very well, Mistress Alia." Alia followed the Twi'lek to the communications center, wondering all the while who could possibly want to speak with her. When they arrived, she found a familiar face on the viewscreen. He hadn't been wearing rumpled and stained field gear or had quite as much stubble on his chin when he had taught at the University on Obroa-Skai, but it was unmistakably her old professor of ancient languages. "Professor Jesno!" Alia exclaimed, settling into the swivel chair opposite the viewscreen. "What a wonderful surprise! I'm honored to speak with you again." Professor Jesno smiled, the roguish expression that had made many of his female students swoon. "I'm the one who's honored to be talking with you, Alia. It's no small feat to be running your own research library at 24, even if you are a Jedi." Alia blushed and looked down. She'd never quite gotten used to being complimented on her work; it was something that she did for her own satisfaction, not for any desire to be lauded. "Thank you," she murmured. "What can I do for you?" "Have you ever heard of a planet called Cantiva?" the professor asked. She frowned, racking her memory. "Cantiva....no, I can't say that I have." Professor Jesno shrugged. "Well, no reason why you should have. It's a forest planet, mostly tropical or semi-tropical, supposedly uninhabited. No one thought there was anything of interest there until lately. The Republic's surface scans turned up a few oddities and they called in my team to investigate." Alia leaned forward in her chair. It didn't take any talent in the Force to know he'd found something very unusual. "What did your team discover?" His grin widened, making him look more like an excited schoolboy than a professor. "A metal dome, 8 meters in diameter, 4 tall. Covered over with the native plants, but otherwise untouched. We were at a loss to explain why it was in such good condition, until we found the body inside: a mummified Jedi Knight." Alia's heart started to beat faster. "A Jedi?!? Professor, that's incredible!" "That's not the best part," Professor Jesno continued. "There was also a stone tablet inside the dome, inscribed in a language I've never seen before. It would take me years to translate it, which means it ought to take you, what, about a week?" He paused. "That is if you're interseted and you have the time." "Of course I'm interested!" Alia exclaimed. "Who knows what this could tell us about the history of the Jed? I wouldn't miss this chance for anything!" "I thought that's what you would say," Professor Jesno chuckled. "How soon can you be here?" "Immediately," Alia promised. The professor nodded. "Good. I'm transmitting the coordinates for Cantiva and the location of our campsite. We'll be waiting for you." "Thank you for calling me, Professor," Alia said fervently. "You don't know how much this opportunity means to me." "Probably as much as this expedition means to me," he answered with another smile. "I'll see you soon. May the Force be with you." "And with you," Alia replied as his image faded out. She leaned back in the command chair and took a deep breath. It was all so overwhelming. She was excited at the prospect of working with Professor Jesno again; he'd always been one of her favorite teachers. But most of all, Alia was thrilled at the prospect of opening a new chapter of Jedi history and deciphering an unknown language, one that had been specific to the Jedi, perhaps. There was just one tiny problem. She didn't have a way to get there. Alia didn't have her own ship, and relied on the Academy's shuttles to take her where she needed to go, usually Coruscant or Corellia, or some other equally civilized planet. She doubted they would fly a shuttle to an an obscure planet like Cantiva. Which left one possibilty. Jade. Jade Skywalker was one of Alia's best friends. Like Alia, she'd become a Jedi at a very young age, despite the fact that some considered Jade too reckless and impatient to be a good Jedi. She also had learned an appreciation of fast ships from her many of her relatives, like her second cousin Jaina Solo and her uncle Balan Kardde. She had one of the best ships of any Jedi, the Corusca Gem, a highly modified space yacht. Jade had a strong sense of adventure; mummified Jedi and secret languages would appeal to her. Ali knew it wouldn‘t take long to convince Jade to accompany her to Cantiva. She couldn't think of anyone she'd rather go with; being Luke Skywalker's granddaughter, Jade knew more about Jedi history and traditions than almost anyone. She was fast with her gold-bladed lightsaber, better than Alia was with hers. Though she didn't really expect any trouble, it was always good to have back-up. Just in case. [This message has been edited by JadeSkywalker (edited 12-26-1999).]
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Green Saber Registered: Feb '99	Date Posted: 12/27/99 3:43pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Lithiene The meetings had dragged on for three weeks now. Finally, Kain Aarin reflected, they seemed to be making some progress. Though by looking at the surrounding scene you would never know it. The unorderly, booming voices of the various factions and clan members filled the convention hall, where the peace talks had taken place since day one. Kain still could remember the day they arrived here on Lithiene vividly, as it reintroduced him to his past. Civil war had erupted roughly two months ago. The fighting had been vicious and had torn the planet apart both physically and spiritually. Unlike Kain’s planet of Milyon, Lithiene was a peaceful planet. This conflict was the race’s and planet’s first in almost one thousand years. But the language of war is universal. And when Kain arrived with Callista and Rigel, he could not help but think of the horrors, that had engulfed his home planet. Thankfully, Callista had delivered both Kain and Milyon from those flames. Now she, Kain and Rigel, would attempt to do the same for Lithiene. “LIARS!” a Lithien leapt to his feet and pointed his three digited hand at another Lithien across the divided room. “The cause of the fighting was your attack on the Spice convoy! We played no role as instigators!” “You most certainly did!” The accused Lithien shot back. “Although you maintain that you played no part in it, there is little doubt that you and your clan played a large role in the destruction of the clan’s chambers in Bev’mori,” the burly, well muscled alien referred to the bombing of his clan’s assembly in the capital city of Lithiene. That event had pushed the planet over the brink and into a full scare war. The first Lithien opened his mouth to shout some more, but Callista silenced him. “Please. Both of you,” she spoke. Her tone rigid, but soothing so as to alleviate the mounting tension in the room, but to remind everyone who was in charge of these negotiations. “We have already established that neither party can be held responsible for inciting this conflict. Please let us not degenerate back to that stage in the negotiations.” Rigel continued where Callista left off, “All we have left to do now is examine the actions taken during the conflict. I remind you again that these actions are already completed and yelling about them now will not help either side. We will take a short break and then reconvene in 20 minutes. Kain remained standing behind Rigel and Callista as they rose from their seats. Callista addressed her padawan, “So have you learned much?” “I’ve learned that I don’t envy you,” Kain replied with a sly smile. “I also have learned that no matter how clear cut a decision is, there is still much that goes into the way it is delivered and the conciliatory measures that will accompany it.” “Very good, Kain. You will do fine at the trials,” Callista patted her apprentice on the shoulder as the Jedi made their way out of the chamber. Before they reached the door, two Lithiens hurried towards them and accosted Callista and Rigel. Kain tried to wait patiently, but Callista sensed his quickly fraying patience. “Go ahead Kain, this could take a while. Return before the meeting resumes.” Kain nodded and turned to the exit, his padawan’s braid brushing over his shoulder as he did so. The fresh, humid air of Lithiene greeted him as he stepped into the courtyard. He strode along the walk ways and took in the sight of the lush surrounding vegetation. Lithiene was a tropical planet. It’s incredible amounts of moisture and its nearby sun combined in a strange mix to form a nearly uniform global climate. The heat and frequent rain allowed wildlife and vegetation to flourish, covering the planet with a thick canopy of emerald green. Unfortunately it also provided the perfect environment for guerilla warfare, which took the lives of several thousand Lithiens before Callista could enact a cease fire agreement. As Kain walked he let his eyes wander, but strangely he felt them returning to the same spot time and again. Near the edge of the courtyard, two trees had fallen down and some vines had begun to weave their way through the fallen trunks. The view was far from spectacular or even impressive but Kain repeatedly found himself staring at it. Then he felt it. Cold. A darkness pervaded the area that had captured his gaze. Slowly Kain made his way towards the two fallen trees, the sensation growing as he did so. He slipped his hand under his brown robe and rested it on his lightsaber. Stepping quietly on one of the two trunks Kain vaulted himself to the other side, to find nothing. Kain searched quickly and thoroughly with his eyes, but could see nothing. But the cold remained. He shut his eyes and stretched out with the force, but the cold, and the darkness had lifted. Nothing. Kain raised himself from his crouch and made one final sweep with his eyes before returning to the path and the convention hall.
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Green Saber Registered: Feb '99	Date Posted: 1/1/00 5:30pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	The once empty space infront of her eyes began to shift, finally materializing into a human male face. The man's facial lines were distinct, and were particularly prominent around his eyes. His face was framed by a close cropped mane of blonde hair, ending on either side of his face in a set on long, well-trimmed sideburns. Without hesitation the young woman spoke up. "The talks are nearing a close master, the Jedi were more efficient than we thought." "Indeed they have, but it is of no concern," the disembodied face displayed no outward emotion, just cool contemplation. "I commend you on your efforts. Even the Jedi have no idea of the true cause of this little conflaguration. Now I need your services elsewhere." The young female bowed her head. "Yes, master."
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padawan lunetta Registered: May '99	Date Posted: 1/4/00 8:16am Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Hey good job you guys!! The story is really good so far! -----signature----- "You may marry a hutt if you like, just don't expect me to brag about my cute grandchildren." Hal Horn to Corran, I, Rebel Jacen\Jysella Forever!!!
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JadeSkywalker Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 1/5/00 9:15pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Alia found Jade in the practice yard ringed by a group of new students, mostly adolescents, but a few young children and even some adults. Her mother, Kisa stood with her in the center of the circle. She held up a spherical object for the students to inspect. "This is a training remote," Kisa said. "It is programmed to fire short bursts of energy randomly, and it is generally the first way a Jedi learns not only to control a lightsaber, but to anticipate events. If you use the Force, you can avoid the blasts. If not, you get a nasty shock. Watch." Kisa pressed a button on the side of the remote and left it hovering in mid-air. She moved out of the way, and Jade stepped forward. She watched the remote for a moment, then engaged her lightsaber. The gold beam ignited just in time to catch the first shot. She parried a few more effortlessly, and the students murmurred in approval. Kisa disengaged the device. "Of course," she said, "it doesn't necessarily take the Force to do it this way. A reasonably coordinated being with good reflexes could learn to use a lightsaber against the remote. That's why we add the blindfold." She covered Jade's eyes with a thick strip of cloth. "Blinded this way, Jade has to rely on the Force if she wants to avoid being shocked." Kisa re-activated the remote and once again, Jade fended off the beams of energy it shot at her. "But again," Kisa said. "Using the Force against a simple machine is relatively easy. Things get more complex when you add another living being to the mix." With a snap-hiss, Kisa ignited her own saber and stepped into the ring. Jade caught her mother's violet blade against her gold one, and the audience gasped as she began to fence with Kisa without removing her blindfold. "That's going to be me someday," said a voice to Alia's left. She turned to see Jade's younger sister, Sorcha, a twelve-year old with fiery red hair and, often, a disposition to match. She watched enviously as her sister and mother contended in the ring. "Just wait til I get my own lightsaber. Then I'll be the one impressing the new candidates." Sorcha exhaled gustily. "No one ever lets me help." Alia nodded sympathetically. She knew what it was like to feel unappreciated because of her age. At the University, the other students in the advanced program were twice her age and mostly treated her as a freak of nature. Sorcha was talented for her age, even if she was prone to being overdramatic. "Is your mom just about done?" Alia asked. "I need to talk with Jade." "Yeah," Sorcha answered. "The blind-folded duel is always the last part of Mom's demo. She likes to leave the novices wanting more." As she spoke, the crowd burst into applause, and Alia looked up to see Jade pull off her blindfold and bow to the students. She caught Alia's eye and gave her a small wave. Kisa addressed the students again, asking if they had any questions, and Jade made her way out of the practice ring. "Hi," she said to Alai. "What's up?' "I need to ask a favor of you," Alia answered. She explained briefly about Professor Jesno's call the dome and the Jedi's body, and the mysterious tablet he'd found. As she predicted, Jade looked intrigued, her blue-green eyes sparking with interest. "But then I realized, I don't have any way to get there," she said. "So I thought that maybe....." "We could take the Corusca Gem?" Jade finished for her with a laugh. "Sure. It sounds like fun. Peculiar ancient buildings with mummies and messages from beyond the grave– danger, excitement, adventure." "A Jedi craves these things not," Alia said, quoting the famous Jedi master, Yoda. Jade made a face at her; the quote was a standing joke between them. Jade had been reminded of the saying countless times during their training by almost all of their teachers. The fact that she was a Skywalker only made things worse; many of them felt she should have already been infallible. "Anyway, I doubt there'll be much of them. It's an archaeological expedition on an uninhabited planet. The only thing you'll probably have to fight off is boredom." "Awww," Jade said in mock disappointment. "So when did you want to leave?" "How soon can you have the Gem ready?" "She's always ready to go," Jade replied. "Just give me a chance to get our departure cleared and get a few things together." "Can I come too?" Alia had forgotten that Sorcha was still there until she heard the eager voice behind her. She looked as entranced at Alia's tale as her older sister had. "Oh, I don't know, kid." Jade said. "This isn't going to be a holovid adventure, after all." "Alia just said it wasn't going to be dangerous," Sorcha argued. "And besides, it would be educational. Just think how much I could learn about Jedi history, and Republic geography, and xenobiology. Please, can I come? Please?" Sorcha stretched the last word out into a melodramatic appeal and widened her eyes pleadingly, until she had the same expression as a sad Wokling. Alia and Jade exchanged glances over her head; Jade shrugged slightly. "All right," Alia said. "Check with your mom, and if she says its OK, you can come." Sorcha's expression quickly changed from rapturous joy to abject misery. "Awww no," she whined. "You know she won't let me come; I never get to do anything fun. Can't I just come with you anyway?" "Sorcha, our friend has been nice enough to agree to let you come," Jade told her firmly. "You don't want her to get in trouble with our parents for smuggling you off Yavin, do you?" "No," Sorcha answered sullenly. "I'll go ask." She slunk away towards where her mother was still answering the new candidates' questions. Jade sighed as she watched her go. "Sometimes I worry about her. And you know what really scares me? Mom says I was just like her at that age." She shook her head and laughed. "I guess there's hope for Sorcha yet, since I survived to become a Jedi. Anyway, I'll meet you at the main dock as soon as possible....with or without the kid."
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Anonymous	Date Posted: 1/6/00 1:35am Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Onboard the Night Saber heading for Cantiva... Tay'lyn flipped switches on and off as she prepared for the descent to the forested planet below. It was night, making it very difficult to see. Using the force to guide her, she carefully piloted the ship to rest on the forest floor. She grabbed a few supplies and hopped out. Once on the ground she drew her black cloak around her and scanned the landscape with her ice blue eyes. She sensed a prescence nearby and headed in that direction. "Hey Dad! I can't find Keylo!" Nyrhon said poking his head inside the tent. "Didn't I tell you not to keep wild animals?" Reyhn said rubbing his eyes tiredly. He'd been studying the copy of the tablet for hours. "Well what was I supposed to do? Leave her to die? Her parents had abandoned her, or worse, been killed," he said, a touch annoyed. They'd had this conversation a million times. "I'm sure she couldn't have gotten far on those tiny legs. She's probably in the camp somewhere," Rheyn said waving it off, unconcerned. Nyrhon sighed and left, intent on finding his pet. "Mr. Jesno?" it was Lhasla. "Yes?" he said looking up from his work. "There's somebody here to see you," Lhasla said looking slightly muddled. Rheyn carefully folded the flimsy and put it into his pocket. "Who is it?" he asked, just as confused as Lhasla, who would come to Cantiva? "I'm not sure, a young woman, says she is a Jedi," Lhasla replied shrugging. Rehyn frowned, Alia couldn't have made it here that quickly. He followed Lhasla out of the tent and made his way to the center of the camp. The rest of the group, three others, were all clustered together near one of the tents. A dark hooded figure was standing at the fire. Rehyn made his way over to her. "I'm Reyhn Jesno, can I help you?" he asked. The girl turned to him, the expression on her face sent chills up his spine. He'd never seen such cold, unfeeling eyes before. The light from the fire flickered in them giving her an slightly demonic look. She removed her hood revealing a young face and a head of ebony black hair, she couldn't have been older than Nyrhon. Seventeen or eighteen perhaps. "Yes you can, I believe you've found something," she said in a cool voice. Reyhn was reluctant to tell her anything, something about this girl unsettled him. "You say your a Jedi?" he asked studying her face. "Dark Jedi," she grinned wickedly. Before he had even heard the hiss of her lightsaber activating she was in motion. Tay'lyn flipped over his head and charged the group of archeologists. Her royal blue ligtsaber cut easily through one victim. Lhasla reached for his blaster but he didn't even have a chance to draw it before she had plunged her blade into his chest. Another tried to challenge her with a vibro shiv but she easily blocked the blow and sent it flying from his hand. He backed up but to no avail, she brought her weapon down upon him. The last one tried to run, panicked. With a flick of her wrist she threw her lightsaber after them. It spun throught the air and sliced the fleeing archeologist in half. It then completed a graceful arc and returned to her hand. In the confusion Rehyn had pulled out his own blaster and now opened fire upon her. Deflecting them as if they were nothing she advanced upon him. With one swift swipe she cut the end off of the blaster rendering it useless. Roughly she shoved him to the ground, holding her lightsaber to his throat. Reyhn could feel it singeing his skin and he broke out into a cold sweat. "What do you want?" he said, trying to remain calm. "Tell me what you found," she replied coldly. He shook his head and she pressed the blade closer. The singe now becoming a painful burn. "We found an old ship, there was a Jedi inside," he said. "Alive?" she said skeptically and raised a dark eyebrow. "No, dead. But very well preserved," he explained. She turned off her lightsaber but kept a keen eye upon him. "Get up," she commanded. Carefully he dropped the flimsy onto the ground behind him where she couldn't see and made a few scribbles in the dirt. He slowly got to his feet. She smoothed back her hair and brushed some non-existant wrinkles out of her midnight blue robe. "Now, take me to this ship. Don't bother trying to run, I'd catch you in a second. And don't try to lead me in the wrong direction, if you lie to me I'll know. I hate liars," she said grimly, adjusting her cloak on her shoulders. Reyhn's mind raced. He didn't know what other choice he had. Sighing in defeat he made his way painstakingly towards the site where the ship was located. Nyrhon stared in horror. Had he really just seen that? Had that girl really just massacred the archeologists? He remained crouched in the underbrush, clutching Keylo to his chest. She wiggled her head on it's long neck and tried to flap her fuzzy pale blue wings. He craned his neck trying to see as the girl herded his father out of the camp, it looked like they were heading in the direction of the crashed ship. As soon as they were out of sight he carefully made his way into the camp. He checked the others, all dead. Something caught his eye near the fire. He kneeled and picked it up, it was the flimsy with the copy of the Jedi tablet on it. His father must have dropped it, then he caught the markings in the dirt. It was their secret code. An obscure alien language that they had used when he was a small boy to fool his mother. She hadn't approved of him joining his father on his digs so he had often sneaked out. This had been an effective way of getting messages to each other. "Dad...no," he whispered reading the message. Get the copy to Alia. I love you. His head snapped up quickly and he looked in the direction the two had headed. A lone tear ran down his cheek. "Wark," Keylo warbled brushing against his side, sensing his sadness. "I won't let you down Dad, I promise," he said, a fierce look coming upon his face. He stuffed the flimsy into his pocket and picked up Keylo. He hesitated a moment before writing in the dirt next to his father's message. I love you too. Then he took off into the forest, not knowing exactly where he would go. "Is this it?" Tay'lyn asked gesturing to the large dome with her lightsaber hilt. "Yes," Rehyn said through his gritted teeth. She gave him a shove towards it. "You first," she said with a smirk. He opened the door and entered. She followed, her icy eyes taking in everything. Then the remains of the Jedi caught her eye. She examined the body. "Sobreviven, as my master thought," she said circling the corpse slowly. With a deft motion she snatched the lightsaber from his belt. It hissed as the red blade extended. An evil grin lit up her face and she deactivated it again. "A fine prize for my master," she said sticking it into her own belt. Then she moved to where the tablet was. "Ah, so this is what you called your Jedi friends for," she said. "Please, it's been perfectly preserved for this long don't..." Rehyn cringed as she ripped it out of the floor using the force. Then she turned to him, lightsaber humming. "Well I won't be needing your help anymore. Which, unfortunately for you, makes you expendable. Good bye Mr. Jesno," she said with a wry smile. The last thing he saw was the brilliant blue glow of her lightsaber. Tay'lyn headed back through the camp, passing by the bodies without even a second glance. Once she was out of the camp she carelessly tossed a thermal detonator over her shoulder towards it. She didn't even waver as the powerful explosion rocked the ground. She had the tablet in her arms and Sobrevivens lightsaber at her side, her master would be very pleased.
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Green Saber Registered: Feb '99	Date Posted: 1/13/00 12:02pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	The stylus traced its last graceful arc on the formal parchment and the civil war between the people of Lithiene was over. A cheer erupted from the crowd gathered in the main audience chamber as the leaders of both faction gripped eachother's forearms in a show of goodwill and future comradeary. Callista stood back and smiled. Kain stood behind her as a smiled played across his face as well. He marveled at Callista's diplomatic abilities. Once again she had found a society poised on the brink of total strife, only to deliver them to a new beggining of peace. As the ceremony and pleasantry came to a close Rigel drew close behind Kain and Callista. "Come. Our work here is finished, let us return to Coruscant." The Jedi nodded and followed him back to their waiting ship.
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¿Quien Sabes? Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 1/18/00 6:19pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Clouds rolled in from the east. The Republic shuttle Dembe sat nearly empty on its landing pad. Inside its pilot waited for the arrival of his passengers. Kalb Kasch watched as a few rain drops fell on the transparasteel. He yawned and scratched his feathered muzzle with a paw. Why do I get stuck with these jobs, he thought. The Philomenan swiveled in his chair. Boredom began to sink in. “Never pick the younger pilots,” Kalb grumbled to himself. Images of his younger days filled his mind: snow races on Qamra, flying starfighters for the Republic. But those days were gone. Now that the higher-ups considered him too old for anything more risky than a escort mission. Memories faded into bitterness as his thoughts drifted. “Finally,” he sighed as three figures emerged on the pad. The feathered being swiveled his chair to face the exit. Kalb stood and walked toward the ramp. The three figures appeared at the bottom. “Seems congratulations are in order,” said Kalb to the three Jedi. “I’m sure you’ll be remembered in the minds of these people.” The rain rolled off his water-proof feathers, and short fur underneath kept him warm, a little too warm in the tropical heat. “Now that that’s done, please come inside so we can get off this planet.” He escorted them inside the shuttle. “So where we headed now?” Kalb asked after everyone had been seated. He rubbed his paws together eagerly, hoping against all odds to see some action again. The woman replied, “Coruscant.” Kalb looked disappointed. “As you wish.” He moved his paws over the cockpits controls. The engines hummed to life, and Kalb prepared to take off. “Perhaps you would prefer taking to the site of another conflict?” the human male probed. “Yes, that’s what you want, isn’t it?” “No, actually I wouldn’t.” Kalb both envied and disliked the Jedi for their clairvoyance. “And if you don’t mind, stay out of my head.” “I didn’t need the Force to see that you not content with this assignment.” “Duty is duty. I made my oaths, now I have to keep them.” The human smiled. “A warrior’s way, I can relate. Loyal to a fault.” There was silence for a few minutes. “You’ll get your fight soon enough.”
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JadeSkywalker Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 1/23/00 9:15pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Jade double-checked the coordinates that Alia had given her as the Corusca Gem prepared and prepared to come out of hyperspace. Beside her, in the co-pilot's seat, Alia was trying to meditate, but she kept fidgeting restlessly in her chair. Jade smiled to herself; for all of Alia's admonition that a Jedi didn't seek adventure, she was almost as excited about this as Sorcha had been. Unfortunately for Sorcha, her parents had vetoed her going along. Jade was a bit surprised that she hadn't shown up at the docking bay to plead for one more chance, but, knowing her sister, she had probably decided to sulk in her room instead. They had picked up an extra member for their party, though. Khimrhikha, a Noghri Jedi and Jade's self appointed bodyguard, had insisted on accompanying them. Jade had tried to explain to her that it was merely a research expedition, that there was no chance for danger and that she was only going as a favor to Alia. Khimrhikha had simply looked at her impassively with her dark, fathomless eyes and said "When do we depart for Cantiva, Mistress Jade?" Jade sighed, remembering; she really should have adjusted to the Noghri's near constant presence by now. Khimrhikha took her honor very seriously and part of that was serving the descendants of the Lord Vader. Even when they didn't want to be served. The Gem shuddered out of hyperspace, and Alia opened her eyes, giving up her attempt at meditation. She gave Jade an enthusiastic grin, pushing herself forward in her seat so that she could see the planet below them better. "Oh," she gasped. "It's so beautiful from up here!" Jade suppressed a grin of her own. The blue-green sphere looming beneath them was attractive, but not any more so than Yavin, and certainly less impressive than Mon Calamari, Kashyyyk, or even Coruscant. But then again, Alia rarely traveled; she hadn't left Obroa Skai until she was sixteen. Jade, on the other hand, had been going from world to world since approximately the moment she was born. So maybe she was just, well, jaded. "Yeah, it is kind of pretty," she agreed, trying to see it with Alia's eyes. "You should strap in now. We'll be landing right over there." Jade pointed to a clearing that was opening up between the trees. "That's where the Professor's coordinates said the camp is." Jade leaned forward as the Gem circled in its final approach. "What is it?" Alia asked, sensing her tension. "It's strange," Jade replied. "But it almost looks like they used a grenade to clear the trees from that area by the runway. Look, there's the circular pattern you get from the explosion. Why would archaeologists do that? Wouldn't that damage any delicate old structures that were there?" Alia paled. "Yes," she replied, voice catching nervously in her throat. "The time that it would save would never be worth that risk. Professor Jesno's the best, he would never use such a crude method to remove the vegetation." Her hands trembled against the armrests. "Jade, I don't like this." "Me neither," Jade said, gripping the steering yoke a little tighter than was strictly necessary as she set the Gem down. To use an old family cliche, she had a bad feeling about it. Khimrhikha was waiting for them at the landing ramp. "Mistress Jade, I must insist that I go ahead of you and Jedi Ba'khar." Jade started to protest, but it was Alia who answered first. "No. I'm coming too." Jade glanced back at Alia in surprise. She held onto her lightsaber determinedly, even though she there was a slightly queasy expression on her face. "I have to know what happened to the Professor and his team." "We're all going," Jade told the Noghri firmly. Khimrhikha held Jade's eyes for a moment, and apparently finding no room for argument, dropped her head in concession. "As you wish, Mistress." ******************* Jade and Alia surveyed the devastated camp as Khimrhikha prowled restlessly behind them. "I don't understand why anyone would do this. They were scientists, all they wanted was to pursue knowledge, " Alia said. She sifted through a pile of rubble and pulled up a datapad, its screen badly scratched by the explosion. Alia choked back a sob and scrambled over to a nearby heap of debris. She knelt by it and cupped a hand over her mouth, holding back tears. As Jade approached, she could see that it wasn't just a pile of rubble; it was a body, a Rodian or what was left of one. "This was Lhasla," Alia whispered. "Professor Jesno's assistant. He was also so kind to me. And they killed him; they killed everyone. Oh, Jade, why?" A sultry breeze rustled through Jade's hair, and she looked past Alia, staring into nothingness as tried to sense the past. She could see figures struggling, hear the scientists' cries, and feel their fright. The air was heavy with a sense of violence. Jade brought her focus back to Alia as she knelt by Lhasla. "They were after whatever the archaeologists were here to find. They knew exactly what they were doing, " Jade told her. "What did the Professor tell about the expedition?" Alia wiped away a tear. "Not much, really. It was sponsored by the Republic; someone found anomalies in the survey data for the planet. But we'll never know what they found. The explosion destroyed the main tent. Whatever the murderers didn't take has been blown beyond recognition." She looked back down at the fallen Rodian, and Alia's mouth set in a line of grim resolution. "We have to go back to Coruscant. I want to find out who authorized the dig, what they were officially looking for. Anything that might tell us who killed the team." Jade nodded and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We'll bring them to justice; we're Jedi, after all." The wind shifted again, and Jade had a sudden flash of the emotions that she felt a moment before– fear, pain , uncertainty and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Alia's gaze snapped up to meet hers. "Jade, what's wrong?" "There's someone alive out there." ************************* The floor of the Corusca Gem's cargo bay shifted uncertainly, knocking over a stack of ration bars. A cleverly concealed panel slid aside and a young girl climbed out of the compartment beneath it. Sorcha Skywalker took a deep breath. She wasn't generally claustrophobic, but it was a relief to get out of the smuggler's hold. She wondered if the rest of her family knew about Jade's little secret, then decided with the history of some of her family members, like Grandma Mara and Great-Uncle Han, they probably knew and also approved of it. Anyway, it worked in her favor in this case. Sorcha picked her way through the piles of supplies. She was rather impressed with herself that her mental shields had held and she had not been detected. Sorcha had developed the shields as a way to keep her mother from picking through her thoughts too much. It was hard in a family of Jedi to have much privacy, when they kept receiving every emotion like it was a Holonet broadcast. The shields had worked admirably today when she'd convinced her parents that she was going to the docking bay just to see her sister off. She felt a small pang of conscience. Mom and Dad were probably getting worried about her by now. She shook the feeling aside. They might worry now, but they'd be so proud when she discovered the secrets hidden on Cantiva. She wasn't prepared to see the scene of devastation that she found outside. Bits of equipment and ragged tree limbs were strewn around the camp. And worse. Among the rubble there were bodies: a Rodian, a human girl a little older than Jade, a Sullustan and others. Sorcha gulped and leaned uneasily against a tree. She was beginning to think maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all. Her parents were going to lock her in her room until she was 25 for this one. Unless she found some way to justify her actions. A clue. There had to be a clue as to who
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Jeff 42 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Sep '98	Date Posted: 1/25/00 8:07pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Keep up the good work, everyone!
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JadeSkywalker Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 2/6/00 4:01pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Nyrhon crouched warily in the undergrowth; he'd heard a ship approach and he wavered between elation that someone had come to rescue him and fear that the woman who slaughtered the team had returned. Since she left, Nyrhon had only dared approach the camp once; he found that the holonet relay had been irreparably damaged by the detonator's blast, no way to call for help. He'd scraped together every usable bit of food he could find in An-Mari's cook tent, trying hard to ignore the look of shock on her face as she lay sprawled in the entrance. Then he'd fled back into the forest with his supplies. It wasn't much, just enough to feed him and Keylo until help arrived. Until Alia came. Watching for her was the only thing that kept his mind off the attack. Dad wanted him to get the copy to her, and he would. Nyrhon vowed it again silently. He crept a little closer to the camp at the sound of footsteps and voices, women's voices. Keylo chirped inquisitively and Nyrhon hushed her. He pulled a frond of vegetation out of his way and saw three figures in the wreckage, two humans and an alien whose species he couldn't immediately put a name to. One of the women knelt by Lhasla's body, her head bowed, and her dark hair obscuring her face. The other, a red-head, said something to her companion softly and laid a hand on her shoulder. Suddenly the red haired woman frowned, and turned into the wind like a hound catching a scent. The first woman looked up and then all three turned to where Nyrhon was hiding. He tensed, getting ready to run, until he saw the brunette's face. It had been eight years since he had last seen Alia Ba'khar. She looked a little older, but not much; somehow she still seemed as young as she had when she was a student on Obroa Skai. The look of timid uncertainty she always used to wear was gone, though. Alia seemed distraught, but still self-possessed. With a sigh of relief, Nyrhon stood up. "Alia!" he shouted. She blinked and stared for a moment, either not recognizing him or just surprised that anyone had survived. Then Alia's face lit up. "Nyrhon!" she called back. She ran towards him as he stepped out of the undergrowth and caught him in a rough embrace. "Thank the Force you're alive! This is Professor Jesno's son," she told her companions. A hopeful look flashed across Alia's face. "Your father, is he...." Her voice trailed off as if she was afraid she might influence his answer by finishing the question. Nyrhon found he couldn't answer directly, either. Instead, he pressed the flimsy into her hands. "Dad wanted me to give this to you," he said. "It's a copy of the stone tablet we found with the Jedi. You know how Dad was always making those rubbings. Drove the other professors crazy." He managed a half hearted smile, swallowing hard to push back the tears that threatened to start again. Keylo, sensing his distress, chirruped and rubbed her head against his cheek. Tears brimmed in Alia's eyes. "Oh," her voice caught and she bowed her head, clutching the folded flimsy to her heart. "I'm so sorry, Nyrhon." "We will find the ones responsible for this. They will be brought to justice." It was the red-head. She put an arm around Alia's shoulder, and extended the other hand to Nyrhon. "I'm Jedi Knight Jade Skywalker, and this is my friend, Jedi Knight Khimrhikha clan Khimbar of Wayland." The gray-skinned alien bowed. Skywalker? As in Luke, and one of the famous Jedi? Nyrhon wanted to ask her, but he suddenly felt terribly self-conscious. Instead he took the Jedi's hand, and shook it automatically. "Nice to meet you," he said. A roguish smile curved her lips. "Likewise. And yes, I'm his granddaughter." "Wha ... how?" Nyrhon stammered. "I'm a Jedi; I know these things," Jade answered with another mischievous grin. "And besides, your jaw dropped so fast when I introduced myself, it didn't take the Force to know what you were thinking. I'm getting rather used to that reaction." He blushed uncomfortably, and cursed himself mentally. Mom always used to tell him he spent too much time with his animals or in the field with Dad. He guessed she'd been right. "I'm sorry." "Don't be," Jade said. "Really, it's nothing. I'm more concerned about you, and what you've been through. You saw all this happen, didn't you?" Nyrhon inhaled sharply as the memories assailed him again; he'd thought that they would at least lose some of their knife-edged clarity, but the images still seemed to hurt as much now as they did the first time. "Yeah." he answered, his voice ragged and husky. "I saw her, the girl with the lightsaber. She cut everyone down, she took everything, she blew up the camp. I couldn't stop her, couldn't do anything. Dad told me.... told me to get the copy to you, Alia." "Lightsaber?" Alia asked. He nodded, blinking hard. He wouldn't cry; he would not. Keylo twined herself around his shoulders, crooning softly and peering into his face. He pulled her away, or tried to; she dug her tiny claws into his shirt with an indignant squeal. Preoccupied with his pet, Nyrhon missed the startled look Alia darted at Jade. He glanced up when he heard the alien Jedi hiss. "A Dark Jedi." The two women nodded in grim agreement, and something about their expressions sent fresh shivers down Nyrhon's spine. Alia stepped towards him again. "Nyrhon," she said softly, "We need your help if we're going to bring this Dark Jedi to justice. Will you come back to Coruscant with us?" Alia spoke up. "We may need you to tell your story to the Jedi Council or the Senate. Can you do that?" "Yeah," he whispered. He would see the girl punished for killing his team. They were his family, all of them, not just Dad. "But what about....?" He waved a hand at the ruined camp, at what was left of his loved ones. Jade seemed to know what he was trying to say. "Don't worry. We'll take them back to Coruscant, too, and notify their relatives, so they can rest peacefully. You just come with us to the ship and let us take care of it." "Thanks," he said. It seemed pitifully lame and inadequate, but the Jedi seemed to sense the depths of his feelings. ******************* Jade watched Nyrhon Jesno carefully for a moment. His emotions were teetering on the edge of hysteria, although that was to be expected after all he'd seen and been through. She shuddered to think what he would be like if they hadn't arrived when they did. I think you should stay with him, she told Alia. He needs someone he can trust right now. Let me and Khimrhikha take care of the rest. Alia agreed and guided Nyrhon towards the Gem, talking softly with him, asking him about the unusual animal perched on his shoulder. It seemed to be a safe topic; Jade could feel his tension ease ever so slightly. "Well," she said to Khimrhikha ,surveying the scene in front of her. "How do propose we tackle this job?" "The crates we packed our supplies in and the plasti-canvas tents should suffice for our needs," Khimrhikha pointed out. Jade grimaced. The suggestion was practical, and yet... "That just doesn't seem respectful, somehow," she protested. The Noghri gazed at her, with a typically unreadable expression. "Honor to the dead is more than interring them in ornate vaults." Jade considered this, and decided that Khimrhikha was right. At any rate, the alternatives were even less appealing. "Okay, let's get started." As they climbed the Gem's ramp, there as a crash from the direction of the cargo hold. Jade reached for her lightsaber, but Khimrhikha, with her hunter's reflexes, was faster. The Noghri ignited her saber and dashed off towards the hold before Jade even freed her lightsaber from its belt hook. She ignited the saber's gold blade and followed Khimrhikha. She found her bodyguard in the small passageway that connected the crew's quarters to the cargo hold, dragging a struggling figu
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padawan lunetta Registered: May '99	Date Posted: 2/15/00 10:37pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	You may all gasp in shock, I have written my part! Here it is! ***************************************** Jedi Master Akram Starchaser walked down the crowded streets of Coruscant, heading towards the Jedi Temple. The sun was shinining brightly and a certain weekend excitement emanated from the crowds of people and aliens roaming the streets. Akram smiled to himself, he loved walking through the streets of Imperial City in the late morning. He loved the feeling of the warm sun on his back and the buzz of voices everywhere around him. Ever since he had begun his Jedi training he had started takink long walks just to enjoy the small things in life and clear himself of the heavy burdens set on his shoulders being a padawan then, and a master now. He really loved and was amazed by crowds of people. Which may seem odd for a Jedi Master. But he had come from a sparesly populated town just six hundred miles west of Mos Espa. A group of ten people was considered a crowd where he came from. That was not true ofr Coruscant where there were thousands of people on the streets and speeders in every hour of the day. Akram practically marveled at that inwardly, even though he'd been away from Tattoine for nearly two decades. His face and posture remained impassive, revealing none of his amazment. A Jedi Master was emotionless, or at least seemed to be. Akram ran his fingers through his short blonde hair as he approached the Jedi Temple that stood tall and alone in the mess of buildings. A silver protocol droid approached him when he entered the building. "Master Akram, how good to see you this morning. Mistress Callista and her apprentice Kain will be arriving here shortly, you wished to be there to greet them, right?" "Right, thank you." Akram replied sending the droid on it's way. Callista had been negotiating with the Lithiens for three weeks now, he hoped they had gone well. He crossed the white marble floor to the Temple's docking bay. Akram waited patiently for Callista's ship to land. The wind from it's entrance ruffled his black robe as he watched it land gracefully on it's pad. Akram folded his hands in front of him as the boarding ramp lowered and Callista and Kain exited the ship. Callista nodded to him when she reached the bottom of the ramp. She stepped to meet him. "Greetings, Akram Starchaser." "And greetings to you, Callista and Kain. I trust the negotiaions went well?" "Yes very, both sides declared a cease fire. The threat of civil war has been abated." Akram nodded. "That's very good." He smiled, "Welcome back to Coruscant." Callista returned his smile. "Thank you." -----signature----- "You may marry a hutt if you like, just don't expect me to brag about my cute grandchildren." Hal Horn to Corran, I, Rebel Jacen\Jysella Forever!!!
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Green Saber Registered: Feb '99	Date Posted: 3/9/00 4:53pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	A trickle of sweat made its way down from the brow to the cheek of Kain Aarin. Inches away a patrol of Republic Guards looked feverishly for him, but could not see him at all. The search had gone on for more than an hour. Twice the patrol came within feet of the young Jedi, but had yet to discover him. "Very impressive," a wrinkled man in a hover chair spoke flatly from behind a dura-steel observation window. "Yes he is." Callista replied from the figure's right side. "He has great potential." "And with that comes the potential for great danger." Callista nodded silently, not really capable to disagree with the man. For no one knew that fact and all its arguments better than Luke Skywalker. Luke flicked a switch and spoke into the intercom in front of him. "That's enough Kain. You've passed the first test." Inside the enclosed holographic arena Kain's figure materialized from seeming nothingness directly behind the patrol. "Boo." Kain spoke evenly sending the nearest soldier leaping a foot in the air with surprise. Kain couldn't suppress a smile as the red faced soldier turned to face him. The first of the three phases of the grueling endurance test that were the Jedi Trials was over and Kain had performed admirably. He had concealed his presence for a solid thirteen minutes longer than most Jedi candidates had been able to do in their long history. The arena's environment changed to a rocky hillside as the stage was set for the second phase of the trials. Kain inhaled deeply and prepared himself as his soon to be opponent entered the arena. The figure drew back it's hood to reveal the face of K'nan Balard. A zabrak Jedi Master who most of the order considered to be the best living Jedi in the field of combat. Kain's emotion never fluctuated. Luke stretched out and felt the young man's mind begin to contemplate strategies. And the only stray emotion that Luke could sense was confidence. Kain charged at his opponent drawing his glowing green blade back to strike as Balard ignited his own saber and brought it up to parry. Kain continued forward, he began to swing the blade in what was meant to be a decisive early blow. Balard's blade was already in place to deflect the blow, but Kain's blade never met it. In a flash, Kain closed down his saber and slid at his opponent's feet. K'Nan barely reacted in time jumping to try to avoid the blow to his shins. His leap was late however and he crashed to the ground in a head. Kain was quickly on his feet, saber ignited again. K'Nan rolled backwards to avoid a slash by Kain and he too found his feet and assumed an en guard stance. Kain launched into his second offensive swinging his blade from the right which was skillfully deflected by K"Nan. K'Nan attempted to muster a counter attack of his own, but Kain allowed no openings and quickly resumed his attack. The two men battled on, each fighting for the higher ground of the hillside, looking for flaws in an attack, a chink in the defense of the other. Finally, Kain saw what he was waiting for, K'Nan's movements began to slow. His mind worked quickly, calculating just how much of a window he would have for his attack. Kain hastened his moves, gambling and unleashing the last of his energy. It paid off as Kain managed to exploit K'Nan's fatigue and slipped his blade past the defenses of the Jedi Master. K'Nan's reaction told the story as Kain's green blade closed down and the hilt was pressed firmly to the chest of the Zabrak. Slowly the two combatants parted and bowed to each other. Both respectful and impressed with the abilities of the other. "Very impressive," Luke repeated from his perch. Beside him, Callista could not help but smile at her apprentice's success.
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JadeSkywalker Registered: Mar '99	Date Posted: 3/21/00 10:21pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	The level of tension in the Gem's crew quarters on the way to Coruscant was palpable. Khimrhikha was ostensibly meditating, but she still seemed ready to spring into action at the least sign of trouble. The way luminous, dark eyes kept straying towards Sorcha revealed the direction she expected the trouble to come from. Not that Sorchahad done anything since take off expcept sulk in the corner and scowl whenever anyone looked her way, Jade reflected. However, her little sister was probably the least of their worries. Alia sat next to Nyrhon on the jump couch talking softly with him about their days at the University on Obroa-Skai. On the surface, it was a nice picture: two old friends trading reminiscences, but Jade could sense that Nyrhon was slipping farther and farther away, overwhelmed by days of hunger, sleeplessness and stress. Alia was trying to keep him focused, but Nyrhon just stroked the animal he called Keylo distractedly and stared off past her, offering vague responses at irregular intervals. As even these few murmurs grew less frequent, Alia's worries mounted and so did Jade's. She considered suggesting they put Nyrhon in a healing trance until they reached Coruscant. They couldn't afford to have Nyrhon be hysterical when they presented their evidence to the Senate. There were some hidebound Senators who wouldn't believe Alia and Jade, dismissing them as too young and irresponsible, even if they were full Jedi Knights. Only a firsthand account was likely to be of any consequence to them, and only Nyrhon could say what had happened during the attack. However, no mere trance would heal the worst of Nyrhon's injuries. The emotional scars of seeing his friends slaughtered did far more damage than any physical effects of his ordeal. And no one, Jedi or not, could make those wounds heal any faster. Jade sighed to herself as she considered their options; go to the Senate at once and have push Nyrhon to a breakdown, but gain time or wait until he was ready to speak and risk losing the Dark Jedi's trail. Perhaps there was a third way, though. They could go to the Jedi Council first, and get their support. Jade had an inexhaustible network of connections among the Jedi, from her grandfather on down to a small army of cousins. Having Luke Skywalker's backing in their search for the culprits would certainly put them in a better position with the Senate, and Jade was positive Grandpa Luke would help once he heard their story. Grandpa might also be able to put Nyrhon at ease, too. He was tremendously comforting to talk to: patient, inderstanding, and sympathetic. Jade relayed her thoughts to Alia, who agreed readily, and seemed to relax a little just knowing they had a plan. With that problem taken care, at least as much as it could be for now, Jade turned her attention to her next obstacle: Sorcha. Well, that was easily solved, too. Once they were on Coruscant, she'd contact Mom and Dad on Yavin, and arrange a one-way trip back home for her impulsive little sister. There was always someone making the circuit from the Council Chambers to the Academy. Hopefully it would a shuttle full of masters; even Sorcha wouldn't dare act up in front of them. If not, she'd have to send Khimrhikha with Sorcha as a bodyguard. Jade grinned to herself; she knew Khimrhikha would do it as part of her duty to guard the Skywalker family, and then Sorcha would definitely behave herself. The Noghri guards in general, and Khimrhikha in particular, were among the few beings who could still intimidate the girl. Jade glanced over at her sister, to make sure she was still there. It unnerved her that Sorcha had managed to hide her presence from three Jedi, including her sister, for the entire trip to Cantiva. She wasn't even an apprentice yet, so no master had taught her that skill. For an untrained twelve-year-old to be that proficient with mind shields was unheard of, even for a Skywalker. Sorcha sat cross-legged on the floor, looking completely innocent as she twined together something that looked like the cords used to secure the plasti-canvas tents. Jade was caught between relief that Sorcha had found something quiet to occupy herself, and annoyance that she had appropriated Jade's supplies. She watched as Sorcha examined the braid, looping it around her neck to see how long it was. The cord reached almost to the center of her chest, and that seemed to satisfy her. Sorcha reached into the side pocket of her green coveralls and pulled out a flat grayish object. She strung it onto the braid she'd just finished and tied the ends behind her neck. It was an odd-looking necklace, Jade thought. Not really all that attractive, though perhaps it looked better up close. "What'cha got there, kid?" she asked, moving forward to get a better look. Sorcha jumped with a startled squeak. She closed her hand around the necklace defensively. "Nothing." "I'm not going to take it away; I just wanted to see what you were making," Jade told her, a touch of irritation showing through in her voice. Reluctantly, Sorcha opened her hands to show the triangular blue-gray stone. It didn't seem any prettier from here than it had from across the room, and Jade couldn't imagine why anyone would want to wear it. But then, there was no accounting for taste, especially not the taste of an adolescent girl whose temper could go from placid to outraged in less time than it took a jawa to strip down a droid. "Oh, that's nice. Where'd you find the, umm, interesting rock?" Sorcha eyes slid away from Jade's. "Just outside the Gem," she mumbled. "You took this from Cantiva?" Jade asked. She hadn't known Sorcha left the Gem while they were planetside, and wondered what other details Sorcha had failed to mention. "What, I'm not even allowed to pick up a rock now?" Sorcha exclaimed with an indignant expression. "Oh, I'm so sorry Jedi Skywalker. I'll go put it right back." Khimrhikha's head snapped up sharply from her meditation, and Alia looked startled at Sorcha's tone of voice. Even Nyrhon gave a dispirited glance in her direction. Jade threw up her hands before Sorcha could go into her familiar complaint: "No one lets me do anything!". "Keep the rock; I don't care," she told her sister, backing off. "I was trying to make conversation. Not every comment is an insult, you know." Jade was relieved when she finally set the Corusca Gem in the Jedi Council's docking bay. She had seldom been so glad to see Coruscant; as always, returning to the Council building was like coming home, as much as any place could be home. Jade and Alia guided Nyrhon past the Council's shuttles and the Jedi bustling through the hangar, arriving at the Council, as they were, or departing on various missions. Sorcha straggled behind them and Khimrhikha brought up the rear-making sure Sorcha didn't wander too far away from the others. Inside, small knots of Jedi clustered in the atrium chatting, relaxing, and discussing the latest news. Jade spotted her cousin and former master, Jihan Solo, among them, talking with Ho'Din master Has'tah. She called out a greeting; Jihan looked up and waved, motioning for Jade to come join them. "Jade, my little apprentice! You will always be my little apprentice, you know. Even when you're as old as Uncle Luke," she added, grinning, as Jade rolled her eyes. "I haven't seen you in a Hutt's age. I thought you were at the Academy." "I was," Jade answered, "But the Force had other plans. You remember Alia Ba'khar, right?" Jihan nodded as Alia gave her a small, shy smile. "Well, Alia got a message from one of her professors form Obroa-Skai the other day. He found some unusual Jedi artifacts on a planet called Cantiva." Jade gave her cousin a short version of their adventures so far. Jihan frowned as she told of the Dark Jedi. "Just when you think we've seen the last of them," she sighed. Master Has'tah nodded thoughtfully. "You wer
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Green Saber Registered: Feb '99	Date Posted: 3/24/00 5:52pm Subject: Re: The Powers that Be
	Calm. Relaxed. At peace. Kain scarcely noticed the touch of his sweat drenched garments on his skin. But he did sense the presence of the Jedi surrounding him. Including that of Jade Skywalker in the observation room above. Well hello there, he spoke to himself, passing his words along to her through the force. Just then the Jedi around him attacked, not viciously, but with precisely timed maneuvers designed to challenge the young Jedi's awareness and timing. To stretch his mind and body to the breaking point, but pull up just short. In the observation booth above Jade watched somewhat stricken by awe. Kain's moves were like that of a dancer. Every motion, fluid, instantaneous, planned. Incredible. The consecutive attacks continued for five arduous minutes. Each Jedi swinging the blades of their sabers or firing a blaster bold at the blur of motion that had become Kain Aarin. There were occasions when Jade thought that Kain wouldn't be able to respond in time, but in all cases he proved her wrong. Parrying, dodging, spinning, blocking, crouching, leaping, and never a waiver of doubt in his judgement. Incredible. Then, all at once, they stopped. The Jedi put away their weapons and watched as Kain did the same. Kain raised himself erect and took a deep breath. The Jedi filed out of the chamber leaving Kain alone. "Please move to the antechamber Kain." A mettalic voice cooed from the walls of the chamber. Kain did as he was instructed, removing the blindfold and stepping through the now opened recess and into a plushly furbished room. He desperately wanted to sit down, but his instinct told him to remain standing. His vague suspicions were confirmed seconds later another door hissed open and Master Luke Skywalker entered. Kain bowed his head deeply out of respect. Luke looked at him evenly. Waiting a time before he finally spoke. "Today you have surpassed the expectations of many of the Jedi Order. And thus, you have proven yourself worthy of the rank of Jedi Knight." Kain could not contain his smile and beamed brightly as he heard those words. There had been doubts in the past. Many within the order thought Kain was too reckless to be a Jedi, others viewed him as a potential threat the same way they did Luke's father all those many years before. But Kain had now proved their worries unfounded, and had achieved his goal. He was a Jedi. "You know as well as I do that many still have doubts about your abilities. Not your talents themselves, but rather to what purpose you will put them towards. I have faith in you Kain. Callista has faith in you. Jade has faith in you," Kain noticed something in Luke's eyes as he mentioned his granddaughter. "But there are dangers out there Kain. The dark side often lurks in the strangest places. You must be wary. A seductive power it is. I have felt it myself. It can posses you as it did my father. You must guard against it. If you give into temptation, hate, aggression, you will destroy all who you love as well as yourself." Kain listened readily. Absorbing all that the wise Jedi Master had to say. It was something about the words, the mention of the Dark Side, that triggered the cold sensation he had felt earlier on Lithiene. And so he spoke. "Master Skywalker, how does the dark side feel?" The question caught Luke momentarily off guard. Then he stretched out with the force and touched Kain's mind to see exactly what drove such a pointed question. What he saw disturbed him greatly. "Cold, it feels, hollow, empty." Luke responded already knowing what the newly dubbed Jedi would say next. "Master Skywalker. I have felt the Dark Side."
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