Before - Legends <(*-*)> Wounds of the Heart <(*-*)> Yoda/Jedi Council 83 BBY

TITLE: Wounds of the Heart
GENRE: AU, Jedi stuff.
SETTING: about 50 years before 'The Phantom Menace'
CHARACTERS: Mostly my own, but several known characters, like Yoda.
GENRE: Jedi stuff.
DISCLAIMER: This is in no way associated with Lucasfilm or any related companies and is written for fun. So George, sorry if you don't like it!


PART ONE

For a planet that had few natural environments left, Coruscant surprised many visitors with its chill. The average daytime temperature hovered around 28 degrees Celsius, with its nighttime temperature dropping almost to zero. It got a bit warmer at the planet?s equator, but not by much. Anyone visiting from a warm planet had to remember to dress properly. Several residents of Coruscant speculated that the low temperatures accounted for the many layers the Jedi wore.

In reality, the Jedi wore the different layers of clothing to accommodate many different climates. In addition, the thick cloak allowed them to blend in almost anywhere when necessary. It did get rather cumbersome on the warmer planets, however. When Jedi visited such a planet, some wished that they could have left that cloak behind.

This particular morning, the young Jedi watching one of Coruscant?s spectacular sunrises was very thankful for her cloak. It was so cold that her breath made lacy patterns of frost on the guardrail bordering the high balcony. She could have gone inside to watch the sunrise from behind one of the Temple?s many windows, but for some reason she wanted to come outside today. She needed diversion. She needed to think.

Nineteen year old Selia Makay was not particularly fond of the cold. It was the height of the Temple?s four communication towers. For some reason, the young woman was far more at home high in the air than down on the ground. She sometimes wished she were an avian rather than a biped so she could soar higher than the tallest tower on Coruscant and take in its sparkling beauty from above. Pulling the robe a little tighter, Selia closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the crisp, cold air. For a moment she seemed to drift along, drawn only by her own breath and the Force. If she sensed the presence coming up from behind, she did not acknowledge it.

?So here you are.?
Selia opened her eyes and turned to see her master, Jhey-Den Tsuko, standing just behind her. She blushed in the cold. ?I?m sorry, Master. I must have lost track of the time.?
Jhey-Den nodded. ?An easy thing to do in a place like this. But you mustn?t let your attention stray too far, Padawan.?
Selia nodded. ?Yes, Master.?
Jhey-Den nodded toward the door. ?Come. The Council is waiting for us.? He turned on his heel and strode back into the Temple. Selia followed close behind, eager to get back into the warmth of the Temple.
?Have they been waiting long?? Selia asked nervously.
?Nearly an hour. I looked for you in the library. Why weren?t you there??
?I?I don?t know,? Selia stuttered. Seeing the look of disapproval on her masters? face, she hung her head. ?Yes, I do. I couldn?t concentrate. I was too uneasy. I needed to think.?
?You are nervous about seeing the Council??
Selia nodded.
?I don?t see why you should be. You?ve been before the Council before.?
?Yes, Master.?
?Are you afraid of them??
Selia quickly shook her head.
Jhey-Den eyed his Padawan closely. Her response was too quick and too vague. ?I sense fear in you, Padawan. Are you being truthful??
Selia opened her mouth to protest, then closed it. She could never figure out how her master was so attentive to her moods. ?Not entirely, Master.?
?Not entirely??
?No. I don?t fear the Council; I fear their reason for calling for me.?
Jhey-Den allowed himself a small smile. ?Ah.?
Selia frowned. ?Why did they want to see me, Master??

Jhey-Den only looked ahead. Obviously he wasn?t going to tell her. Selia wanted to know why, but knew better than to question him any further, and obediently followed him into the Council chambers.

There were

 

Good start! I like the nightmare situation--explains a lot about Anakin. Creative OC's too--a very nervous Padawan, isn't she? Looking forward to more!

 

Thanks, Luna! Nice to know someone's reading this.

Part two
The trip to Ilum was fairly uneventful, save for the discovery of a small rodent-like creature
that had stowed away in the storage compartment. Though Selia was repulsed by the way it looked,
Jhey-Den told her it was a fellow sentient being and must be respected as such. The rodent thing
agreed to stay on board the ship and not cause any damage; it had just crawled in to get warm.

Aside from the distraction associated with the rodent, Selia was occupied most of the trip by
remembering the lightsaber moves she had practiced with the small training saber she had been
issued as a youngster. She remembered them well and was starting to look forward to using her own
weapon; the only possession that a Jedi truly owned. Though she had received some instruction on
how a lightsaber was constructed, the construction of her own saber was a task that she alone could
perform. She had only to trust the Force, and she would succeed.

Aside from the crystal, there were other parts that a Jedi needed to build their own lightsaber.
There was the power cell, several electronics, and of course the outer casing. Selia had already
found what she wanted to use for hers. The former use of it was rather unique; it was a broken
end of a large flute that had been discarded. Selia had picked it up because it fit her hands
perfectly and it was just the right length for all the needed parts. Besides that, it felt?right.
Jhey-Den gave a bemused smile at her creativity. She had a penchant for picking up something
someone else had discarded and re-using it in unusual ways.

The world of Ilum was a silvery-white snow globe, similar in terrain and climate to the world
of Hoth. There were no known inhabitants of either, save a few cold-resistant creatures, so
Jhey-Den and Selia were assured solitude. As Jhey-Den was adding an extra layer in addition to
his traditional Jedi robes, Selia looked out the viewport. From the rough landing and the thick,
swirling snow, it looked as though this was a place locked in eternal blizzard. She gave an
involuntary shiver and put on her second robe. Jedi usually traveled light, but when they knew
they were going to be going to a place as cold as this, they brought an extra robe. Selia
wondered if even those would be enough to fend off the chill.

?The weather looks rather unpleasant, Master,? she commented.

?Not for Ilum. This is just a mild storm. We?d best go now before it gets any worse.?
Wearing some six layers of clothing, the normally slender Jhey-Den now looked much like
the furry brown rodent they had found earlier. Under normal circumstances Selia might have
risked a laugh, but realized she probably looked as strange as he did, and turned her
attention to closing her robe as much as she could to the elements.

?How much do you know of Ilum, young apprentice?? Jhey-Den asked suddenly.

Selia relaxed. Her master often took to quizzing her about the planets they visited
to calm her nerves. She chewed her lip, trying to remember what she had read in the Jedi
Archives. ?Ilum, situated in the far reaches of the Outer Rim, has several defining
characteristics. One, its cold climate, with constantly-shifting winds and blowing snow.
Though the sixth planet of the?? Selia closed her eyes to concentrate. ?Hoth system has
similar terrain and climate, it is immensely colder and far calmer. The second
characteristic of this planet is its large network of caverns studded with crystals that
the Jedi favor for the building of their lightsabers. Some of these caverns can go hundreds
of kilometers below the surface and wind in many confusing directions. The crystals themselves
are usually of low value, though very good quality and range in color from pale yellow to deep
violet.? Selia opened her eyes to look at her master.

Jhey-Den nodded in approval. ?Very good. Your memory serves you well. Now, are you ready to
see how acc

 

That.........thats so sad
you had me crying
i really love your writing, cant wait for more

 

Wow, I didn't expect to make anybody cry! Glad you like it!

I'll post more when I can.

 

BRILLIANT
you had me crying in a good way
[face_alien_1]

 

PART THREE
Jhey-Den?s funeral was held off because it was customary for the Padawan to attend her master?s service. Selia?s leg had a severe compound fracture. It was broken in seven places below the knee, and even with some new healing technology available, the Healers had doubts that she would ever walk without a limp again. There were cybernetic limbs available and even bone replacement, but the former were still rather crude and bulky and the latter Jedi weren?t very comfortable with. They could mend all the pieces, but it would take time. The recovery would be long and painful.

Two weeks after the accident at Ilum, Jhey-Den?s body was burned in the traditional Jedi funeral pyre. Many Jedi were in attendance, including Master Yoda himself. He stood with a quiet strength, unmoving and impossible to read.

Selia sat uncomfortably against the wall, staring listlessly into the flames. It was expected that all would stand in silence until the body was reduced to ash, but an exception was made since she could not stand on her own for longer than a few minutes. She felt empty and incredibly alone?and frightened, much as she would have hated to admit it. She was not worried about her master. He had, by all accounts, been crushed instantly and not suffered, and now he was one with the Force. The look of peace on his face had been enough to convince Selia of that. Even more, he had died saving Selia?s life. He wasn?t strong enough to keep the rocks from crushing both of them, but he had been able to Force-push Selia out of the way of the worst of it.

What she was worried about was herself. She was nearly twenty years old and still without a lightsaber, whereas other Padawans her age had had theirs for four years or more. Jhey-Den had been the only Master willing to take her as an apprentice. The others were wary of her because of her age. Who would take her on now? Would anyone train her now that her master was gone?
Selia sensed someone looking at her and started in surprise when she saw who it was.

Master Yoda said nothing, but his sage nod and quiet look of assurance was enough. She would be all right. He would make sure of that.



Selia?s face was flushed as she limped down the long expanses of hallway that wound every which way about the Temple. Late again! When would she ever learn?

Not thirty minutes ago, a fellow Padawan had come to her room and announced that Master Yoda wanted her in the Council Chambers as soon as possible. Selia had thanked him, but her mind continued to wander until she completely lost track of the time. Now she was midway through a trip that should have taken her only ten minutes. Due to her still healing leg, it took her twice as long, even when she went as fast as she could. She had managed all right for the first floor, but all those steps were starting to take a toll. Just past the Jedi Archives Selia had to skid to a stop and give her leg a chance to rest. Her face was burning with embarrassment as many other Jedi passed her, most without a second glance. Selia mentally kicked herself for this foolishness. She could have taken the turbolift and saved herself the trouble.

?Selia Makay?? a voice asked behind her. Selia turned to see Qui-Gon Jinn, a quiet, thoughtful youngling just about ready to be taken on as a Padawan, standing not far away with a surprised expression.

Selia blushed even deeper and nodded. ?Hello, Qui-Gon.?

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows. ?What are you doing over here? I thought you were still with the Healers.?

?Not constantly. Master Yoda sent for me more than half an hour ago?? She looked anxiously up the stairs. ?And I?m very late.?

?Do you want some help??

Selia could barely hide her surprise. What was a younger student doing asking if she needed help? ?Don?t you need to be somewhere else??

Qui-Gon cast an embarrassed glance at the Jedi Archives and toyed with the holobook and datapad in his hands. ?The Librarian is expecting me?but she can wait. You?re here now, and I?m sure she

 

BRILLIANT I MUST SAY, JUST BRILLIANT

 

Well, spread the word! I love it when people read my stuff.

Part Four up ASAP!

 

Selia and Yoda--that has to be very exciting for her! Looking forward to seeing some of Yoda's training techniques! Great update.

 

PART FOUR
It was again quite late at night, and Tonan was restless. He paced nervously in his quarters,
twiddling his thumbs behind his back and gnawing his lower lip aggressively. The skin broke
and he tasted blood. He ignored it for the moment. There were far more important things on his
mind.

It had happened again, the dream about the tragedy on Ilum. Only this time it was different.
This time the young Padawan, Selia, was not with her master, nor was she alone. This time there
were two blurred figures off to the left. Jedi, Tonan guessed, though he did not know who they
were. When the one that reeked so deeply of the Dark Side appeared, the other two Jedi had
disappeared. Dead? Injured? Tonan did not know, but they were certainly unable to help Selia as
the dark one confronted her. Again, the blinding flashes of light had come, and the terrible pain.
He could interpret it only one way?

Selia was returning to Ilum only to be hurt yet again. This time she might not return.

Tonan slammed his fists against the wall in frustration. No! Selia had been one of Tonan?s few
friends in the twenty years since his illness had begun. He could not lose another friend.

Tonan forced himself to calm down. He took several deep breaths, feeling the Force surround
him. What was he to do? The Council had never believed him before. Why should they believe
him now?

The Jedi?s green eyes narrowed in determination. Well, then, he would just have to make them
believe him. He didn?t see how, but the thought of his friend being hurt yet again, and possibly
not escaping from Ilum alive was terrible.

Tonan sat down on his cot to think. If the Council was to believe him, he must not approach
appearing in this manner. His face held a grizzled, haunted look. Tonan smoothed his expression,
tapped the edge of the bed rhythmically several times, and leapt to his feet. His mind was made
up. He would tell the Council of this dream. If they believed him, then maybe he could prevent
another tragedy from striking Ilum. If they did not?Tonan preferred not to think about it. He
lifted his tunic from its? hook in the small locker and pulled it on.

Selia was surprised when Master Yoda summoned her to the Council Chambers very early one
morning. She was becoming quite used to the room by now, but Yoda had never called her in for
a lesson at this hour. She froze when she saw that the entire twelve-member Council was
assembled and apparently waiting for her when she came in the door. In addition, they had
company in the form of Master Lin-Jai Drucani and her young Padawan. They turned to look at
her, apparently as surprised to see her as she was to see them.

Yoda looked up at her from his cushioned seat. ?Come in, Young Makay. Expecting you, we
were.?

Selia looked about the room once in confusion, but took her place beside her fellow Padawan
and bowed to her Masters. ?You wished to speak with me??

Yoda nodded. ?Mmm. Taking her Padawan to Ilum, Master Drucani is.?

Selia turned to regard the pair with wide eyes. She only barely recognized Master Drucani at
all, and had not known she had an apprentice. The girl, a green-skinned Twi?lek of about fifteen,
looked embarrassed and shy. If she could have blushed, she probably would have. Selia turned
back to Yoda in confusion. ?And?why have you called me, Master??

?Go with them, you will. Still require a lightsaber, you do.?

Selia suddenly wanted to hide. She was aware of the younger girl?s shock and Master
Drucani?s disapproving look. Two Padawans on a single lightsaber excursion? There must have
been some mistake. ?But Master Yoda?I thought only one Padawan could go at once.?

?Mmm, true this is. But a helpful lesson, this will be. Know the layout of Ilum, Master Drucani
does not.?

Selia looked at the older Jedi in surprise before remembering; Drucani had been one of the few
Jedi who had not gotten her crystal from Ilum. Hers was a relic from her home world. So,

 

Sorry to dissapoint, Luna, but showing Selia and Yoda training together wasn't my intention.

I'll have part 5 up when I can!

 

Very interesting, very interesting indeed

i must confess you have me hooked on this story
i just love it

 

PART FIVE

The cabin was silent. Master Lin-Jai Drucani had made the jump to hyperspace quite some
time ago and was now relaxing in the pilots? chair. She glanced backwards at her Twi?lek
Padawan, Eela Lecara, and was not surprised to see her still absorbed in watching the older
Padawan build her lightsaber. Lin-Jai smiled. Eela, though quiet at first glance, had been
anxiously awaiting this day. She had trained hard with the practice saber issued to her as a
Youngling and focused more on swordplay than anything else. She was becoming rather
dangerous, and would no doubt be a formidable Jedi. The girl ate, drank, and slept lightsabers, so
it was only natural for her to want to watch the construction of one.

Selia Makay had a great variety of tools and parts laid out on the small workspace before her,
but her mind was not on the task at hand. It had wandered back to her last trip to Ilum, with
Master Tsuko. She remembered it well. The recycled air of the ship giving way to the biting
cold?the blowing snow, the portable heater, the caves, the crystals?the collapse?

Selia shook away these dark thoughts. Her master was at peace; everyone had told her so.
There was no need to dwell on the past. Even so, the young woman could not shake the feeling
that something was not right.

Suddenly Selia realized she was being watched. She looked up to see the Twi?lek girl watching
her intently.

Padawan Lecara jumped backward. ?I?m sorry. Am I disturbing you??

Selia managed a smile for the younger Jedi. ?No.?

?You?ve stared at those parts for over an hour,? observed Eela. ?Is something wrong??

?No. I?m just trying to figure this out??

??Do, or do not. There-?

??There is no try?,? finished Selia with a wry smile. ?Yes, I know. Master Yoda has drilled
everyone.?

Eela peered eagerly at the tools. ?Is there anything I can help with??

Selia shook her head. ?I?m afraid not. This is something I have to complete on my own.? She
turned her attention back to the greasy pile of metal and electronics.

Her saber was nearly finished. The power cell, grips, buttons, and electronics were all in place.
The only things missing were the crystals. The focusing crystal, set in the upper half, was fairly
easy, so she picked it up and carefully set it in place. The primary crystal- the one that had
pierced the heart of her master ?was more difficult. The alignment had to be precise, with no
margin for error. Here is where a Jedi had to rely on the Force to guide their hands.

Selia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She called for the crystal, which obediently
drifted in her open palm. Well, it was now or never. Bringing the saber close, Selia slowly
rotated the crystal, letting the Force guide her. No, not quite?a bit more to the left?no, down a
little?almost?there. Selia carefully lowered the tiny gem into place. It found the niche with a
satisfying click. Selia opened her eyes to put the housing on.

When the last screw was tightened. Selia got up from her chair and held her new weapon,
testing its balance. It seemed all right. The only thing to do now was test it. Selia was about to
press the activation stud with her thumb when she hesitated. Had she really constructed it
properly? Would it work? Was she really worthy to carry the weapon of a Jedi?

From far away and yet very near, Selia thought she heard the voice of her master, admonishing
her. ?Have faith in yourself, Selia. Have faith in the Force??

Selia chewed her lip and closed her eyes before finally pressing the button. Bishzmmmmmm!
The young Jedi opened her eyes in surprise to see a long tube of blue-white energy humming
\before her. She gazed in awe at her blade, swinging it around, feeling the weight in her hands.
Finally she deactivated it, smiled, and clipped it to its rightful place on her belt. She looked up to
see Master Drucani nodding in approval and amazement on Eela?s face, her lekku twitching with
excitement.

The

 

You left me hanging

BRILLIANT CHAPTER I MUST SAY

can't wait for the next one

 

Sorry it's taking a while- been busy. Next part up soon!

 

Part 6! (finally!)

Eela Lecara lay trembling in the passageway, arms covering her head and neck, until the
deafening collapse had finished. Slowly, cautiously, she lowered her arms and looked around.

The cavern was still. A few small pieces of ice fell to the floor with a crystalline tinkle, then
even that echo died away, leaving Eela in utter silence but for the steam of her breath in the cold
air. A puddle of brown cloth caught her eye. ?Master!?

Lin-Jai Drucani lay motionless not far from her Padawan. Much to Eela?s relief, a small cloud
of steam issued periodically from her mouth. She was alive.

?Master?? Eela moved cautiously now. Her Master was hurt, and she didn?t know how badly.
Closer inspection revealed a cut on the back of her head, but no other injury. Eela dug through
Drucani?s pouches until she found the standard-issue miniature medical kit that all Jedi carried.
With it she was able to bind Lin-Jai?s head before covering her master with her thick robe. All
right. Now, what?

Eela regarded the wall of ice. What had happened? She and her master had felt the ground
quake and heard someone shouting, but that was it. Eela was certain Selia was in danger. She
could feel it on every inch of her green skin, even tingling in her head-tails. She began searching
for a gap in the wall. ?Selia? Selia, can you hear me? Selia!?

There was no answer. Eela bit her lip. With her Master injured, what could she do? She turned
to the wall of ice, sizing it up?and thrust her bare hands into the snow. Eela had decided to dig
to find her newfound friend. The ice was sharp and wall-packed, but this did not stop her. If
anything it strengthened her resolve.

Eela had dug no more than half a meter before her hand fell on something small and hard and
razor-sharp. It sliced through Eela?s palm. ?Ow!? Eela pulled back her hand to look at it. It was
slowly leaking pale green blood, but it wasn?t a serious wound. A glint of emerald green caught
her eye, and she fished it out.

It was a perfect green crystal, without a single flaw.

Eela turned the crystal over in her hand several times before putting it in her pouch and getting
back to work. Her lightsaber could wait.

The young Twi?lek worked for several long minutes before scrambled away from the pile. It
had collapsed in on itself, erasing her work. She groaned before seeing her masters? lightsaber.
Of course! Eela unclipped the hilt, ignited it, and plunged it into the ice.

The ice responded by evaporating instantly. Eela was engulfed in a thick cloud of steam.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Selia Makay had not even caught her breath before she knew she was not alone. Whether they
were in the passage with her or it was Eela and Lin-Jai on the other side of the icy wall, she
couldn?t tell. She closed her eyes to get a better sense of things.

Yes, there was someone in the passage with her?right behind her?

?Welcome to Ilum, young Jedi.?

Selia spun around to see a tall, clean-shaven man with long, steel-gray hair pulled back into a
single ponytail standing at the opposite end of the passage. He wore very fine clothes; obviously
he was from a wealthy system. The boots looked like expensive rancor leather. A violet cloak
was clasped about his neck, and the fine-woven tunic and trousers were made of a material she
had never seen before. But his eyes?Selia inwardly shuddered. They were colder than Ilum.
?Who are you??

The man smiled. ?Ah. Direct and to the point. Your Master has taught you well. Good. I would
have expected no less from a student of Jhey-Den Tsuko?s.?

Selia flinched. ?You?you knew my Master? How??

?We were friends once as boys. The best of friends. We did everything together?until he stole
it from me.?

?Stole what??

?The crystal for his lightsaber.?

?That?s a lie,? said Selia. She scowled. ?My Master would never have stolen from anyone!?
?I assure you, you

 

Wise Yoda always knows when something is up, he does [face_alien_1]
Very interesting chapter i must say but brilliant all the same

 

Glad you like it! I won't make you want for Part 7, so here it is.


~~~~~PART SEVEN~~~~~

Tonan hadn?t even noticed he was tapping the console impatiently until he felt Delana?s hand
cover his. He looked at her with a slight start.

Delana?s hazel eyes were calm, as always. ?Patience, Tonan. We?ll reach Ilum soon enough.?

Tonan let his hand fall away. Next he directed his attention to the star charts. He tapped buttons
to check that things were running smoothly- the fourth time he had done this since they had
taken off ?and sighed heavily. He wasn?t just uneasy?he was afraid. Afraid that they would be
too late?that he would lose another friend.

?Tonan,? Delana began.

Tonan looked at her sheepishly.

?You?ll do no one any good if you let your emotions rule your actions. Selia Makay may have
a long way to go, but she is quite capable of making the right decisions. She?ll be all right.?

?I wish I could believe that,? said Tonan quietly. He looked at his hands. ?I failed her once. I
can?t fail again.?

?What do you mean??

?It?s my fault she was injured the first time.?

?Tonan, how could it be your fault? You were over a thousand parsecs away.?

?Remember when I told the Council of my vision? It wasn?t the first. I had one right before she
and her Master left for Ilum the first time. I told no one?and she lost her Master. If I?d told the
Council, maybe her Master would still be alive. Maybe she wouldn?t have been hurt.?

?Do you think the Council would have believed you??

?Of course not. They never do.?

?Then you couldn?t have done anything anyway.? Delana sighed. ?Tonan, you can?t carry your
guilt around forever. You have to let it go. Why is Selia so important to you? I?ve never seen you
so concerned about a student.?

Tonan shrugged. ?When she lost her Master, I felt like I had to make it up to her somehow. I
thought-? he stopped and looked away.

Delana nodded, suddenly understanding. ?You thought you could be her Master.?

The nervous Jedi seemed embarrassed. ?I tried. I asked the Council, but?you know what they
said.?

?I know, Tonan. I know.? Delana watched her friend, worried. She decided to change the
subject. ?Are there ample medical supplies on board??

?That?s what I forgot!? Tonan leapt to his feet and was all ready to go check when Delana put
her hand on his shoulder.

?I?ll check. You stay here. Practice your breathing.?

Tonan sat back down. He knew she was right. His stress levels had blown over like a volcano
on Mustafar, and he needed rest. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tonan hadn?t realized he was asleep until the alarm on the console woke him up. He jumped
and looked around, disoriented.

Delana turned off the alarm and flipped several switches. ?Tonan, prepare to cut in sublight
engines. We?ve arrived at Ilum.?

Tonan was immediately awake and took the controls.

?On my mark. 3?2?1?now.?

Tonan pulled back on the controls. Immediately the stars resumed their normal shape and the
stark blue and white planet of Ilum loomed ahead. A green light blinked. ?I?ve got their ships?
signal. Northern hemisphere, left side.?

?Can you make audio contact??

?Just a minute-? Tonan pressed the comm. button. ?Stargazer 6 to Stargazer 15, come in. This
is Tonan Reiss. Do you copy?? ?stargazer? was the current codename for the Jedi transports.

Tonan was answered with static. He swallowed and tried again. ?Repeat, this is Tonan Reiss and
Master Delana Merrin. Do you copy, Stargazer 15?? More static. He sighed and shook his head.
?No answer.?

Delana nodded. ?All right. They?re just away from the ship or have the comm. turned off.
Nothing to worry about. Hone in on their signal. We?re going in.? She took the joystick in her
hands and angled the ship toward the planet.

Tonan chewed his lip as they drew closer to Ilum. He cou

 

What to do, what to do

well this was a fantastic chapter cant wait for the next chapter on saturday

 

I like it. It's an interesting adventure and await part 8 with excitement. Might I ask to be added to a PM list for this story. I tend to forget I'm reading stories and never make it back to them. Great story!

 

You bet! Always nice to have a couple fans.

 

BRILLIANT CHAPTER AS always

 

PART 8

Despite the solemn promise of Jedi Master Delana Merrin to inform the Jedi Council that the
Sith might have returned, Padawan Selia Makay doubted she had said a word as she lay in
convalescence in the Jedi Temple?s infirmary.

It had not taken the Healers long to mend the worst of Selia?s wounds. By the third day she
was able to leave and resume most of her activities, provided they were not overly strenuous and
she wore a sling. Before the fourth day was over, Selia was beginning to go mad from sheer
boredom. She left her datapads in her quarters to seek out a friend.

She ran into Tonan Reiss- almost literally -by sheer accident. ?Oh! Master Reiss. I?m sorry, I
didn?t see you there.?

Tonan raised his eyebrows. ?Were your eyes hurt, as well?? Though Tonan was only a little
out of shape, he was fairly difficult to pass and not notice.

Selia sighed. ?No?but I am feeling a little lost.?

?Let?s walk, then. Maybe I can help you find your way.? Tonan turned around to walk beside
Selia. ?How are you feeling??

?Quite well, thank you?but I?m afraid the healers think I?m crazy.?

?The word ?Sith? does seem to have that effect on people. You must admit, they have been
extinct for nearly a thousand years.?

?Well, what else could it have been? He had a dark presence and a red lightsaber?and he
knew how to use both quite effectively.? Here Selia rubbed her sore shoulder.

Tonan looked thoughtful. ?I may have the answer to that??

Selia looked at him with curiosity. ?What do you mean??

Tonan looked up to see the Jedi Archives and smiled. ?I?ll show you.? he led Selia into the
Archives and made a mynocks-line to the nearest computer console. He began typing furiously.
?I was puzzling about this very subject the other night, and I think I?ve found the solution??

Selia peered over his shoulder. ?What are you looking for??

Tonan typed in a search, waited a few seconds, and pulled up a heading under ?star maps?.
?There you are. The Tapani sector.?

Selia frowned. ?Tapani sector?it sounds familiar, but I can?t quite place it.? She gave a wry
smile. ?Not that stellar cartography was ever my best subject.?

Tonan smiled back. ?The people of the Tapani sector have a very aristocratic society.
Incidentally, they also have a very long history regarding the Force. A large number of Jedi have
come from that sector, and it is thought there that the position of the Jedi can only be held by
nobles. As you might imagine, the Council frowns on this, but they cannot exactly refuse
potential Jedi.

?What makes the Tapani sector unique is that it is one of the only places to have non-Jedi
handling lightsabers,? explained Tonan.

?What? But I thought only those trained in the Jedi arts could ever handle a lightsaber safely,?
protested Selia. ?The Jedi and his lightsaber are one. Don?t you remember the poem that speaks
of the Jedi, the crystal, and the Force all being connected??

?Quite well. But the fact remains that your attacker was not a Sith?and yet, he carried a
lightsaber.?

?What about the dark feel about the place??

?Perhaps it was just fear?? Tonan shrugged. ?It is the only explanation that makes sense.?

?Maybe?but what are we to do in the meantime??

The older Jedi sighed. He had no idea. His first instinct was to go after Selia?s attacker- they
couldn?t have a madman with a lightsaber on the loose ?but he knew what the Council would say
to that. His eyes fell on Selia?s sling. ?Nothing. At least not until your arm is healed.?

Selia glanced down at her arm and shrugged. ?I suppose you?re right.? It would only be a few
days. She could wait a bit longer. Still?

Tonan fingered the old lightsaber hilt hanging on his belt. If he was going to face up against
someone else, he had better get some practice in. So had Selia. ?Do?.do you think you might be
up to some sparring??

The girl looked up, startled. That was rather unexpected. ?I??

?It?s

 

Much like Obi-Wan's bad feelings

Very nice chapter, cant wait for the next one