January 19, 1997

Deadly space radiation spread out slowly from the Galactic Core, a process that took several billion years to reach this stage. Around this dangerous nuclei of life's origins circled one planet where life seemed to be a myth. The air was thin, no plants grew anywhere to add some colour, and yet buildings rose from its rocky soil and man-made generators still hummed as they fed energy to the anti-radiation shields. People had once colonized this once nameless rock in order to escape the hardships of regular populated areas. Now these colonies were empty, abandoned long ago. Everything on the planet was dark, almost charred, the work of centuries of radiation exposure before the arrival of man and the anti-radiation shield technology. Strong winds blew across the surface of the abandoned settlement, the only movement perceivable to the naked eye. A barren wasteland.

This was the scene that offered itself to a tiny pair of blue, human eyes. This could have been a human, a young woman, but years of torture and unsanitary living conditions had turned her feral, almost animal like. Instinct was all that drove her on. Instinct, and something else. She remembered arriving in this place as a baby with her mother. She had been aware of that.

Then what?

Everything had become a blur of pain and sadness. From the very start she had been abused, beaten, and left to die when they evacuated for some unknown reason, but she had clung to life fiercely through one of the worst storms that she could have ever imagined. Instinct had helped her survive, but something else had helped her live!

She stared out of the barred, ground level window at the large form landing not far away. It was disk shaped with a cylindrical protrusion on one side and like a large pincer in what must have been the front. It roared loudly as it landed. Her instincts screamed, Predators! but the other tugged at her to come out and show herself. It was telling her there was nothing to fear, that this was going to help her. There was someone out there, she could feel that, and whoever it was, was going to find her and help. Her mind began playing a tug-o-war with her body, her adrenaline beginning to flow. Her instincts finally won out and she ran from the window, deep within the building, to the ancient, empty prisoner cells. She knew this complex intimately. They wouldn't find her so easily.

* * *

"I have a reading!" Captain Han Solo announced from the pilot's chair. His once dusty brown hair was beginning to pepper with grey from age. To wear he still favoured his old clothes from his smuggler's days, Corellian red striped pants with shin boots, an Imperial jacket and a white shirt. Now he was a respectable general in the New Republic, a husband, and a father of three. "Bearing zero-zero-four and moving, fast. Definitely human by these readings. Guess your feeling was right, kid." he stated as he turned to the passenger, behind the co-pilots seat, who was smiling peacefully.

"I would've thought you gave up second guessing the Force." Jedi Master Luke Skywalker chided jokingly, his voice sounding eternally calm. He had to smile at his Corellian friend and brother-in-law. Han was one of the only ones he allowed to call him kid. This had started they day they had met back on Tatooine so many years ago, when Ben had still been with them. The name had stuck since. It was a show of affection and Luke didn't mind. It was like having a brother he never had. That was one of the reasons he had allowed him to marry his sister, Jedi Knight and Senate President Leia Organa now Solo, and he was happy to see that this union had been blessed with the birth of three Force-sensitive children. They had recently come under his tutelage.

The ex-smuggler shrugged. "A guy can always try, right?" He then turned to his large, hairy co-pilot. "Let's land her, Chewie, and start looking for the source of this reading."

Chewbacca the Wookie grunted in his own language, his great furry paws flying over the controls. Chewbacca owed Han a life debt to repay from the time the Corellian had served the Empire and saved his life. He had stayed with him ever since, proving his worth as a mechanic and a pilot for this ship. The Corellian freighter, known galaxy-wide as the Millennium Falcon, landed without any perceivable bump, no small task considering the ship held together with hope and industrial grade wire. The Wookie growled a smile, the equivalent of saying, Please, put away your food trays and return your seats to their upright positions.

Han, too, smiled. "Taking you to ever stranger places. Thank you for flying the friendly skies." he quipped.

But Luke hadn't heard. He was already moving towards the rear of the ship to the exterior hatch. He opened the hatch without hesitation and descended the ramp. The planet's strong winds blew at him, threatening to throw him off balance, his loose black shirt flapping against him and his short, blond hair being tousled in all directions. The pull from the being was getting stronger by the moment. It was near, very near. He had to know who this strong Force-sensitive was. He only knew of Masters who had powers relative to what he felt, a power so close to his own. Luke used his own mastery of the Force to scan the inside of the nearby buildings, casting his mind out like skipping a stone on smooth water. His powers let him feel the many decades of the stones and walls, he could feel the generators still humming with energy after so many years of work, and then he could suddenly feel the being, feel it running away from them, fast. "Han, it's moving!" and he raced out of the ship, not waiting for a reply. The winds tugged at him, trying to pull him away from the building's crumbling door, but still Luke ran. His eyes adjusted quickly to the dim light inside. He felt his feet hit hard on crumbling, ruined ground. Dry, musty odours reached his nose. He judged himself to be a few hundred metres in the complex's maze of corridors before he stopped to listen. His breath hadn't speeded up and he hadn't even broken a sweat. The Force was strong in him.

Han and Chewie joined him shortly, both out of breath. Sweat had beaded to his brother-in-law's forehead, a show of just how different Jedi were to everyone else. A musky, sweat and fur odour emanated from the heavily breathing Wookie. Whatever Luke had wanted to hear was covered with the heavy breathing of his friends no matter how hard he tried to isolate them out. "What now?" Han puffed as he struggled for breath.

"Shh." he hissed urgently. Han and Chewie held their breaths as Luke listened intently. Then, "It stopped running. This way." he motioned down one passage. With his blaster drawn and ready Han led the way. It wasn't that he was afraid of what this creature could be. It was more he didn't know what to expect from it. If this being was a Jedi, even in the remotest sense, then anything could be expected. A short set of crumbling stairs lowered the ground level so the windows were now all set near the ceiling. Very little light illuminated this level.

Chewbacca grumbled, holding his paw to his nose.

"I hear you, buddy." Han whispered, wrinkling his own nose. "This place stinks." Although dry, the air had become stale over the years and smelled strong of musk, rotting refuse, and something else Han didn't feel like identifying. It made him nauseous to think that to smell something one had to literally take particles of it into your nose. The lack of light made these halls cold and eerie looking, not at all someplace you would find a living being. Not a civilized one in any case. Dark rooms lined one side of their current hallway. All the doors were missing, having long ago rotted away or having been smashed. No tiny critters moved in the hallway, a definite indication that something here was wrong.

They walked for long, tense moments before Luke suddenly stopped them. He scanned the room ahead and almost received a jolt. The Force was strong here, in that room. It was there. He pointed to the gaping doorway. "There." was all he whispered.

Han nodded. "Right. Stay here and we'll flush it out to you. You have a better chance of stopping it than we can. Chewie." and he motioned for his large friend to follow him in. Luke stood alone in the centre of the hallway, using the Force to heighten his senses once again. He could feel the presence of the other Force-sensitive, he could hear Han and Chewie's footsteps on the dusty floor. Their breathing sounded hollow from this distance. "Chewie, look out!" Han cried out.

There were two screams from the room, one a surprised cry of pain from the Wookie and the other from something else that sounded vaguely human. Luke could hear the struggle, the random laser fire, and more shouting from his two friends. He was going for the door to help when something dark came bursting out. His first reaction as a Jedi Master was to reach out with the Force and hold that being where it was. The biped fought his mental grip with its own untrained abilities before wrenching itself around to face this new attacker. That's when they got their first look at each other.

The sight of him shocked her still. He wasn't like what she had seen of other males. He looked gentle, a care-giver, not much taller than her, and dressed in a loose black shirt and tight black pants with shin boots. He had short blond hair and striking crystal blue eyes. But what scared her about him was that he such control over an identical power as hers. And the fact that he somehow seemed familiar wasn't very settling either.

Luke was startle by this person, but not enough to release his grip. The being was definitely human and female. A woman. What struck him first about her was her incredible blue eyes. They were such an amazing blue, made all the more striking by the dirt and grime covering her face and matting her messed up hair. Then he felt her power. Her mind struggled against his grip. She was strong, stronger than anyone untrained he had ever encountered. It was then he looked her over. She wore old, tattered shreds of rags all covered in the same filth that covered her. She was emaciated, but he could tell her limbs were powerful. She cringed suddenly and he noticed Han and Chewie had walked back into the hallway, weapons still in hand and rubbing their forming bruises.

"It's like she came out of nowhere. She's definitely a Jedi." Han stated as he straightened his mussed up hair.

Luke could see frightened tears in her eyes. "Han, Chewie, put your weapons down." the young Master ordered calmly. They looked at him, puzzled. "Put them down." he repeated and they obeyed. She looked back at him, mainly at his right hip.

His lightsaber!

Then she's seen one before.

When his hand went to rest on it she cringed again. Luke kept his eyes locked with hers, one handedly unhooked the elegant Jedi weapon from his belt, and tossed it aside. She watched him carefully, but he could still feel her fear. "What makes you fear us so?" he asked softly.

She blinked as she felt his mind brush against hers. It wasn't an intrusion. He was asking her permission. No one had ever done that for anything. It greatly surprised her. She knew she had blocks in her memories, blocks her mind had put up meaning to protect her. But she wanted to know her own past so she allowed him access. His entrance was gentle, almost tender. Slowly, one by one, the blocks fell away at his touch. Pictures of her mother reached her mind's eye. She was screaming in agony and fear. A man was holding a knife to her throat and beating her at the same time. Her mother's clothes were being ripped off of her by another man. All she could do was watch from a dark corner, afraid to do anything, too afraid to be found.

Luke saw the images in horror. She had watched her own mother be raped, tortured, and then murdered when she had still been just a young child, probably still a baby. Tears streaked down her cheeks tracing clear trails through the dirt. He tried to stop the images, but it was like a torrential flood, unstoppable, uncontrollable. More images came. Her own beatings surged forth and they were apparently for no reason. At least they had refrained from raping her. Then the Force-storms came and the planet's inhabitants evacuated, abandoning her.

She still looked impossibly young when that happened, sometime during the end of the Clone Wars. She was crying now, uncontrollably, and fell to her knees. He went to her and cradled her in his arms, letting his Force-grip fall away. She clutched at his arms needing every ounce of comfort they could give. This was the first act of kindness anyone had shown her since the death of her mother. Her whole body shook.

Han came to kneel nearby. "Luke, what happened? What did you see?"

"Too much pain for any child to have to go through... and I just made her relive it." He sounded bitter towards himself. He held her tight against his chest. "I'm so sorry." he whispered to her.

Chewie made a moaning sound from where he stood. Han nodded. "Chewie's right, she needs medical attention. It's a miracle she survived this long."

"No, not a miracle. It was the Force." He pushed her back to look at her face. "Do you want us to take you away from here." Her tear streaked face merely looked at him, confusion radiating from her. She didn't understand. Luke began to realize just how young she had been and how long ago it was when her mother had died. He sent her a mental image of her boarding the Falcon with them and leaving the planet. She stiffened, her eyes going wide, but no smile touching her lips. Luke smiled gently. "I'll take that as a yes." Her beautiful blue eyes twinkled at him in the dim light. She tried to get to her feet, but stumbled back to her knees. Her little ordeal had left her drained and weak. Feeling very responsible Luke helped her stand, then lifted her in his arms. Her eyes never left him, fear still swimming in those blue oceans.

Han and Chewie picked up their weapons at this point, Han also retrieving the Jedi's weapons, and followed the young Master back to the Falcon. The ex-smuggler had never seen his brother-in-law behave this way, so caring, so gentle. He remembered how Luke had acted with Callista, the young Master's former love. Even then he hadn't done anything similar to this. Luke felt responsible. Once on board the Falcon Luke headed off to the medical bay with the woman while Han and Chewie started up the engines. Han began to wonder if this change in Luke's attitude had anything to do with the connection the Force made between Jedi. He had explained it to him once. When Jedi were in trouble another Jedi would feel this and feel an incredible urge from the Force to rush off and help. Luke and Leia had demonstrated this many times during their adventures, but Han believed there was something more than just the Force acting on the young Master now. It was true that she had the most amazing eyes. Who was this woman and why had she been left to die alone? They would probably figure all this out when they got back on Coruscant.

Luke felt the ship lurch into hyperspace as he watched the woman rest in the medical bay. Shortly after he had put her down on the single cot did she doze off. It had taken him a moment to convince her to allow him to place a nutrient tube on her arm, but after a mental explanation she allowed him to do it. It would allow her to move on her own power, hopefully. He stood not far away, against the bulkhead. Her breath was slightly fast, but peaceful, betraying her sense of security. How long had it been since she had slept in a real bed? He studied her features, trying to picture her face without the years of dirt. He smiled at the thought.

She could be lovely under all that, he thought.

She would become one of his greatest students. Her power was equal to his own so there was plenty he could teach her. And then... He stopped.

You're getting ahead of yourself, he thought. She has to mentally grow up first before you can decide what your next step is.

A frown suddenly cracked the caked grime on her forehead and she sat bolt upright. Utter fear radiated from her as she examined the strange, new surroundings. Then she saw Luke. What was that he felt from her? Relief? She trusted him. It was a start.

He came to stand next to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked, letting her feel his confusion. She merely looked away, a clear statement anyone from any race could understand. He heard her begin to cry again. Luke reached over and enfolded her in his arms. "Hey, shh. I won't ask again, I'm sorry." She clutched at his arms. He was forced to hold her the rest of the trip back, but he didn't mind too much. The aura that surrounded her was subtly comforting, like a warm blanket on a bitterly cold night. The ship seemed to suddenly give a lurch like it had done several hours before. They were coming out of hyperspace near Coruscant. From the medical bay he could hear Han radio ahead for a medic and for permission to land. Within moments they were landing at the Senate Palace's main pad. With some coaxing Luke led her out of the medical bay back towards the ship's ramp where Han was already waiting. Leia was there, waiting for them. The woman walked close to Luke's side and cringed at the sight of so many people staring at her. He held her hand tight and smiled reassuringly. This seemed to calm her as he led her to the medics.

Leia went to her husband to welcome him back. "I always worry when you go off in space." she told him as they embraced.

"Hey, I always come back, don't I? What do you think about that kid we brought back?" he said, indicating her with a nod.

"Who is she?"

"Damned if I know, but look at the way Luke's doting on her. He says she's a strong Jedi."

"She is, I can feel it." She watched the woman for a moment, wondering why her brother was giving her so much attention. "She's so sad."

"Luke said she went through something no child should ever have to. Whatever it was she still hasn't gotten over it. He feels responsible 'cause he made her relive it to know why she was so scared of us." He sighed suddenly as he hoisted up his shoulders. "So, what did I miss while we were gone?" he smiled on a lighter note.

She returned the smile. "Nothing, except maybe that the kids are dying to see their daddy for their bedtime story. If he could, Threepio would be climbing the curtains right about now." Han laughed. "Go see if you can help him out. I'll call you if anything new happens." and, embracing again, they went their separate ways, Leia following the group of medics to the infirmary and Han to the lift to go home to his kids. Leia watched her brother carefully, noticing how he kept his hand on the small of the woman's back and the other gripping her hand as they walked along for several corridors. She could easily feel her rising panic and fear as they entered the infirmary. Fear like this was almost impossible. As the doctors began to examine this woman Leia pulled her twin brother aside. "Luke, what happened to her? I can feel so much pain and fear in her without even trying."

He sighed heavily. "She was witness to horrors while she was still an infant. Her mother was repeatedly raped and then murdered right before her eyes."

"Poor child." she whispered.

"Then the planet was evacuated and she was purposely left behind to die in a Force-storm. She survived through the worst."

Leia thought of her own children and shuddered to think of them living out a life as this woman had. No love, no company, no comfort or hope. This was not a life for anyone to have to go through. She acted so feral, almost animal-like. Then his explanation sunk in. "Wait a minute! A Force-storm?"

"The Emperor seemed to make regular use of them as a form of punishment in the past. When his body got older than the rest of him they became too hard to control. That's why we never heard of them until he showed up again."

Luke had told the group of four attending medics to keep whatever movements they made as slow as possible as not to startle her. She eyed them with mistrust clearly visible in her eyes. Each medic carefully showed her each medical instrument before using it and managed to mime comprehensively what they were intended for. When they finished their cursory examination the head medic, a young man who looked barely old enough to be out of his medical training, approached the Jedi twins. He seemed surprised at the results of their tests. "Well, apart from the fact that she needs a hot meal, a bath, and a lot of rest I would have to say she's a physically healthy thirty year old." He sighed. "Mentally, now that's another matter. She's been through some very traumatic experiences that's left her with the thought processes of a four year old, maybe younger, but it's not damaging at this time. It's reversible."

"So, it's okay if she comes with us?" Leia inquired. Her brother looked at her, curiosity on his face. "I feel sorry for her so I'm inviting her to stay with Han and I until further notice." she explained.

The young doctor nodded in agreement. "A sound idea. She needs an environment where she'll feel safe and where she can learn everything her isolation has caused her to miss. She seems to feel quite safe around you, sir."

"She can do her learning with the kids. All her learning." she added.

The young Jedi Master thought for a moment before he suddenly cracked a smile. She would be safe there and it would be easier to train her in an environment quasi filled with Jedi. A place where her powers and abilities would be encouraged to grow. "Agreed." he finally stated.

* * *

Han walked up the small terrace walkway to his home. He took a moment before getting too close to the house. It was a large house, very modern looking, surrounded by a countless multitude and variety of exotic plants. Leia had chosen this place and Han had agreed. It was the perfect size for the two of them, their three kids and up to five guests. And who could beat the view they had for this place. The snow capped Manarai Mountains off in the distance glowing from the sunset's golden light, a view of the ocean now like some great orange sea. He loved this time of day when everything was just beginning to wind down. He took a deep breath of Coruscant's gentle early summer air, heavy with the odour of thousands of different kinds of flora, and walked up to the door.

It bleeped. "Welcome home, sir." the automatic greeter announced in a prissy, familiar voice.

Anakin must've toyed with it again, Han grinned as he thought of his youngest, mechanically gifted son.

The voice had definitely been that of Threepio, the C-3P0 protocol droid that they had as a nanny. It was hard to believe that same droid had survived through the war between the Alliance, now the New Republic, and the Empire.

The door opened and he was immediately assaulted by three small figures. His twins, Jacen and Jaina, were wrapped around his legs and Anakin had jumped up to wrap his arms around his daddy's neck. Han staggered under the sudden weight as they all jabbered welcomes at once, happy to see him again.

"Hey there, munchkins." he cut through all the noise. "You been behaving for Mom while me and your Uncle were gone?" They gave him a very loud, unanimous affirmative. "Good, but isn't it past your bedtimes right now?" They began to protest, but with a little near acrobatic manuvering on his part he managed to get them into their rooms and in bed. After reading each their favourite story, reading the Little Bantha Cub That Could to Anakin for the hundredth time this month, he retired to the living room, letting himself drop unceremoniously on the couch. That was when he noticed how quiet the house was.

Odd? Where was Threepio? At this point in time the golden droid would be pouring out all the horrors the children had put him though. "Hey, Goldenrod!" he called out. His only answer was a banging sound from the storage closet. With a heavy sigh of realization he sauntered over to open it.

The golden, bipedal protocol droid came bursting out all in a fluster. "Master Solo! Thank the Maker, you're home! Those little monsters locked me in here as soon as Mistress Leia left."

"It's okay now, Threepio. They're in bed. Go take a lube bath and relax for the rest of the night. I'll deal with them in the morning."

"Oh, thank you, sir. I believe a lubricant bath is exactly what I need at the moment." and he began to walk away muttering, "Yes, I really do need it."

Although Han was getting used to it, he still had to smile at C-3P0's almost human mannerisms. It was an amazing piece of programming to get droids to do that. It kind of reminded him of the droid he used to have during his smuggler days. He would have to look him up some day. Han had just settled himself on the couch when Chewbacca, Luke and Leia arrived with the woman in tow. She still looked edgy, but at the same time confident of those she was with. She looked the same, in appearance, as when they had first found her, but somehow she seemed more comfortable.

Leia smiled at the woman. "Let's go get rid of all this dirt." she urged. The woman stared dumbly, but, with a reassuring look from Luke, she followed her off to the refresher.

The Corellian looked at his brother-in-law, but Luke intercepted the question before it came. "Leia thought it would be best for her to stay here. Teaching her will be easier around the kids."

"Lords know they'll be simply thrilled to see their Uncle." he smirked.

Luke grinned. "To tell the truth I've missed them too. I don't get to see them hardly as much as I'd like, what with the Academy and all."

"Speaking of attention, you sure are laying it on thick on that lady."

The young Master sighed heavily as he sat across from Han. "I don't know what it is about her, Han. Something is pushing me to help her in any way I can. The Force has something to do with it, but, from what I can feel, not a lot."

Han leaned foreword conspiringly. "Could it be her?"

"What?" Then, "No, that's impossible." but he looked at his friend with a questioning expression, almost saying, Isn't it?

He smiled. "You tell me." and he leaned back, his palms turned up at the Jedi Master.

Luke looked away at the floor, his chin between his thumb and index in thought.

Could this feeling be what he saying? Is this what he's seeing it as?

The idea was intriguing, but...

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Han smiling, a smile he had used before when they had escaped from the first Death Star with Leia. He had tricked him, again! "You old pirate!" he began to laugh, throwing a pillow at his friend's head in mock anger to acknowledge the dupe.

Han blocked the throw and laughed. "But seriously." he began, fighting with himself to regain his composure. "It couldn't be her because all you saw was something that looked as bad as a Hutt. For all we know she could be as ugly as a rancor." This made the young Master chuckle.

"Hardly, Han." Leia announced from the door to the refresher. "It took me a while to convince her the bath water was safe, and we'll probably need to sandblast the tub to clean it, but I got her completely clean. Gentlemen, meet our mystery lady." and she brought her out in the open.

The men stood with mouths agape, struck with awe at what they saw. Where once there had been rough dirt and grime there was now smooth, rosy skin. Her face seemed to glow, her blue eyes were brighter than before. Leia had given her one of her sleeping jumpsuits to wear, a cream white coloured one. It hugged every perfect curve on the Jedi's womanly body. Her long still damp hair, once blackened by filth, shone a dazzling gold in the evening light. She was simply stunning.

Now if she would only smile, Luke thought as his sister brought the Jedi towards them.

"Well, since we can finally see her real face let's see is we can't find out who she is." Han announced as he turned on the coffee table's built in computer as they sat again. There was a faint humming sound as the computer invisibly scanned the woman's face. Long moments later it beeped suddenly. "It's found a close match..."

"But...?" Leia continued, catching on to the fact there was more.

"The match rate is only about seventy percent accurate. It had to go through the Imperial records to find it. I'll pull up the holo."

A three dimensional image of a woman's face appeared above the table. The resemblance was there, in the shape, symmetry, and genetic background, but that was where they ended. This woman was far older, by perhaps two decades or so, her hair was shorter and of a rich red, and her doe eyes were of a deep green.

Luke turned to their mystery Jedi and saw tears beginning to brim out of her eyes. She reached out tentatively to the image in longing, her lips moving but no sound coming from them. The feeling he was getting from her was one of saddened recognition. It was then he understood. "It's her mother." he announced softly to his friends.

Han looked suddenly remorseful at what he had done. "I'm... I'm really sorry..." he tried, but Leia touched his arm to silence him. Chewie moaned sympathetically.

Luke gently touched the woman's shoulder to offer some reassurance and was nearly overwhelmed by the pain and sorrow that emanated from her. It was heart wrenching. He felt himself drowning in the wave. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her small form, and rocked her comfortingly all the while fighting back his own tears that threatened to spill. She didn't fight against him. She leaned against him and cried out her grief, her frame shaking. Luke looked away to him friends. "Her mother, what was her name?"

Leia looked down at the computer screen. She had noticed the slight crack in his voice. "Torana Dreamcatcher. She was imprisoned for defying the Emperor's order to not train to become a Jedi Knight."

A sudden though crossed his mind. "Who was her teacher?"

She had a surprised reaction. "It was Obi-wan." she replied as she looked into his eyes. Then she looked down again. "She has no living relatives known to exist." she finished softly.

The Jedi Master cradled the young woman against him, brushing rebel strands away from her face. "If Ben taught her then that explains how the Emperor knew about her. Father was probably his student at the time, on the verge of turning to the Dark Side."

Leia shook her head. "Another betrayal." she murmured sadly.

He was going to add something more when he suddenly felt the Dreamcatcher woman shift closer to him and begin to shiver. Fear radiated from her. Luke lifted her chin gently, questioning her with his eyes. And then he felt it. A wave of cold, a cold he recognized, like an arctic wind and yet not there to cause movement in anything. The Dark Side. It was there, outside, just close enough for them to feel its strength. Even Han and Chewbacca felt it. The Corellian shut off the computer as Luke raced to the door. It opened to allow him access to the front yard. The sight caused him to stop dead in his tracks. The beautiful and pungent garden that had once flourished in splendour was now reduced to several dried and decaying brown patches. There were no visual signs of poisons of other chemicals, no scorch marks, and no sign of whoever had done this. It was a ghastly sight of death for everyone's eyes to see. Luke clenched his fists, fighting against a sudden rush of anger building in him. He still had to fight with his emotions to stay away from the Dark Side's pull. He succeeded and sighed heavily. A trembling pair of hands gripped his hand, drawing his attention away from the garden. Dreamcatcher had followed him out and was now standing at his side, looking around like a hunted animal. She knew this feeling, but she trusted Luke enough to protect her.

"My garden!" Leia suddenly wailed from behind them. They turned to see her kneeling next to the spot where rare Elominian roses once grew. "Who could've done this?"

"Someone with a hate of wildlife?" ventured Han jokingly. Leia glared at him.

"No, someone with a grudge against either us or the Republic." Luke corrected calmly.

"That's half the Universe, kid."

"I know that, but who out of them know about her?" he motioned towards Dreamcatcher. She merely moved further into the protective aura surrounding him. He placed an arm around her shoulders. "And who out of them is a Dark Jedi?" He looked at the woman again. Her eyes met his. "You know who this is, don't you?" he asked, not intending on getting an answer from her. She merely stared at him, matching the intensity of his gaze.

"If she knows than it's all the more urgent we teach her to speak." Leia took a long, almost mournful look around the garden and sighed. "Before anything else dies around here."

* * *

A shadow watched the now silent house, content with its show of power over Nature. It had given the results it had wanted; testing the abilities of the Jedi gathered inside and locating the Dreamcatcher woman. Depravity had not hindered the way she had developed. Her powers were incredibly strong, her appearance an added bonus.

Why stay in the shadows without something beautiful to look at? After all, her mother had been quite a conquest. The daughter should be equally so. Its only problem was how it was to get her away from Skywalker and his sister. It was clear how attached she had become to the young Master. She always remained at his side, touching him in some way. And he did nothing to dissuade this. It had scowled when Skywalker had put his arm around her. Was the great and flaunted Master Skywalker going soft? It smiled an evil sneer. It could use that to its advantage. The shadow quivered once, then disappeared from sight.

* * *

Dreamcatcher woke with a start late into the night. She was immediately aware of her new surroundings. She was in a plush, warm bed in an elegant room wearing a warm jumpsuit like sleeping attire. Jumping to a crouch on the floor she remembered what had happened and she sighed silently. She was with friends, people who were trying to help her. Off to a side was what she saw and thought a window. She went to it, to examine this new planet she was on, and stopped violently.

A woman was staring in at her!

She reached out with her mind to know this person's intent, but she couldn't feel anything. There was nothing there. She frowned and the woman frowned. She reached out to the glass's smooth surface and the woman did the same. She remembered how the water she used to find did the same, showing a woman imitating her every movement. She had later realized that the woman had been her. Dreamcatcher touched the glass again and then her face. This was her, her image. Her eyes widened as she saw how much of a change swimming in that warm water earlier had done to her.

A cold feeling, almost like a smothering hand swept through the room to envelop her. She rushed out into the hall and looked back in. There was no sight of where this cold had emanated from. It looked like a normal room. Her instincts forbade her to re-enter so she headed for the living room instead. Just before arriving she stopped. Someone was already there, staring at that strange glowing screen on the table's surface. The glow reflected off his face, identifying him as the one who had caught her with his powers on the other planet. He was the one who had been so gentle with her. She watched him for a while, memorizing his face, before she suddenly saw him smile.

"Couldn't sleep either, could you?" came his gentle voice. He looked up in her direction, or rather the shadow she was hiding in, his crystal blue eyes boring a beam of light through the darkness. "Standing in the shadows can be very lonely. Come out here." he motioned with his hand. She hesitated for a moment and then went to sit next to him, meditation style, on the couch. "I had a thought. If you can still remember the details of your childhood maybe, just maybe, you might remember your name." She just stared, not understanding a word he said. He sighed softly. "Now, getting you to understand me is the problem. You need to learn how to talk and since neither of us can sleep now's as good a time as any." He settled more comfortably on the couch to face her, then flattened a hand to his chest. "Luke." he stated carefully. He repeated his name several times, all the while urging her to say it.

She listened carefully. Then, "Luke." came the soft, tentative voice.

He smiled.

Progress!

Luke spent most of the remainder of the night teaching her various words and phrases he believed she would need using his mind to send her pictures to associate with the words. Dreamcatcher was a quick study. No matter how difficult he made her lessons she managed to keep up. Teaching her further lessons wouldn't be as difficult as they had originally believed. Her Jedi training would not be long in following. "Okay, let's try this. No repeating. My name is Luke, your name is Dreamcatcher. My name is Luke, your name is..." and he waited.

She blinked once in thought. "Sheyhani." she finished.

It was his turn to blink in surprise. "Is that your real name?" came the automatic, if not redundant, inquiry.

She nodded. "Real name. Sheyhani."

Luke marvelled at this. She had successfully remembered her name and she had adapted to speech remarkably well. She spoke smoothly and evenly, embracing this Universally accepted form of communication. It was hard to believe that a few short hours ago this woman was as wild and feral as an animal. And yet here she was, learning to speak and understand Basic. Her eyes suddenly drifted away to his right hand and she frowned, seemingly puzzled. "What is it?"

She took his hand and turned it palm up, looking it over. He could feel her using the Force to probe it. "Not real." was all she stated.

A shock coursed through him.

She can feel that? he marvelled.

"It's artificial. Bio-mechanical." She looked up at him, still frowning. "Here, look." and he pried open the tiny panels on his wrist. Working gears and small blinking lights were now exposed. He saw her twitch and wince in what seemed like sympathetic pain and then she gently closed the panels before looking back up at him.

"So there you are." Leia's voice snapped them away from the lesson and his hand.

She was standing at the edge of the hall. "Morning, Sis." he sighed. A sudden thought hit him as he turned to Sheyhani. He pointed to his sister. "Leia." Luke stated carefully. "Like I showed you." he urged.

Leia wondered what all this was about when she heard, "Good morning, Leia." being carefully stated by the Dreamcatcher woman. Luke smiled proudly.

"You taught her to talk!"

"Sheyhani's a quick learner."

"Sheyhani? Is that her name? How did you--?"

"She told me, as soon as I taught her how to talk."

"Have you asked her about the incident in the garden?"

Sheyhani suddenly shuddered, hugging her sides. "Cold. Evil." Her voice flowed haltingly.

"Who is it?" Luke probed gently.

"Not know. Thing. Very old. Hates you very much. Wants me to go to it. Wants me to join it."

"Do you know why it destroyed the garden?"

"Hates life. Big show of power. Knows you. You know it?" she suddenly asked.

"I've known many Jedi in my lifetime, some of them Dark. From what I know they all want to kill me." He smiled. "Kind of reminds me of the time I met Mara. You seem to know a lot about this Dark Jedi." he frowned, going serious again.

"Felt this before, on other planet. It came to find me, it knew I was there. It searched for many days, but I hid very well so it left."

Luke nodded once, part of his mind noticing that the more she was forced to speak the easier the words came and the smoother the sentences flowed. "We'll have to keep our guard up then if it's here. Can you give me any bit of detail, a description, something that might make things easier?"

"I am sorry. I did not see its face, but I have felt its soul. It is very dark and old, trapped between here and someplace else."

A cold thrill raced up the twins' spines. This description was so eerily familiar. But there had been so much going on in the past few years that it was too far buried to properly remember. Luke mentally filed this bit of information in the back of his mind for further processing as he suddenly heard the pitter patter of tiny feet. Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin came bounding into the room towards their Uncle Luke, having felt his presence as they woke. They crawled all over him, throwing their arms around his neck in joy. All he could do was sit there and return the embraces gratefully.

Then Jaina noticed the stranger sitting next to their Uncle. Leia felt the shift in her daughter's attention and gently took her shoulders. "Jaina, this is Sheyhani Dreamcatcher. Your Father and Luke brought her back from a planet where she had grown up all alone. She'll be staying with us for a while."

Jaina moved closer to Sheyhani and stared at her with a slight, concentrated frown, seemingly examining her both mentally and visually. "Are you a Jedi?" she finally asked.

"I want to be." Sheyhani replied with a short glance at Luke. Leia caught the glance and his smile.

Then the young Master leaned foreword to take her hands. "I'll teach you... if you let me?" he added almost as an after-thought. Then, almost too quick to catch, she smiled and he felt his heart skip a painful beat. It had been what he had expected it to be, sweet and stunning. Even after it had disappeared the smile remained in her eyes.

"I don't know how you guys manage to get up so early." Han stated as he and Chewie stumbled sleepily into the room. He took notice of Luke holding Dreamcatcher's hands and straightened, looking from him to Leia. "Did I miss something?"

"Only the beginning of a new life." the Master replied. "She's decided to take up her Jedi training."

"And how'd you get that one out of her?" he asked with a sceptically raised eyebrow.

"I told him." came Dreamcatcher's soft voice.

Both Han and Chewie did a double take, the Wookie voicing his obvious amazement with a throaty rumble. The ex-smuggler couldn't even speak for the longest moment while all but Dreamcatcher chuckled. Then he shook his head. "One of these days I've got to learn that anything's possible for a Jedi." he muttered. "Don't suppose she said anything about the garden incident or about herself?"

Leia smiled them over. "As a matter of fact she did. She says her name is Sheyhani. As for the garden, seems we're going to have to deal with another Dark Jedi."

Chewbacca moaned at the mention of another Dark Jedi. Han sighed heavily. "I'm with you, Old Timer. I'm getting tired of these run-ins with the Dark Side."

Sheyhani stiffened. "This has happened to you before?"

Leia was the one to answer. "Many times, yes. We encountered the Emperor and his clones several time over, an insane clone named Joruus C'baoth, and several re-incarnations of the first Sith Lord Exar Kun who very nearly killed Luke on several occasions." Sheyhani's gaze snapped towards her new teacher in horror. His hand gave hers a reassuring squeeze as Leia continued, not having noticed the exchange. "We also had to deal with a number of Dark Side Adepts, the spirit of Freedon Nadd, and then Dark Force witches on Danthomir. Trust me, we had our fair share of run-ins."

"Still certain you want to join their club?"

"Han!" his wife admonished.

"It's okay, Leia. He's in the right. It still is her choice, after all." Teacher and student's eyes met for a brief moment before she broke the contact.

Sheyhani turned to Han, determination etched into her features. "My decision is still the same. I want to be a Jedi."

Luke smiled. "And so shall you be."

* * *

Dernon Palmach stood before the scientific counter watching the emerald green liquid boil in its beaker above the Bunsen burner, his deep rust coloured skin reflecting the blue and green light like a smooth mirror. This particular formula had proven itself incredibly potent and extremely deadly, but only for its specified target. All he had to work with had been a file with a single, specific genetic code on it. It had taken months to perfect the genetic match coding for the liquid and even longer to work into the formula the time delay for its effect. Two months and the intended victim would die. Exactly what the wraith had specified. It was no small wonder he held the title of the greatest lethal chemist in the Universe. A shame no one of importance knew of him though. It might have given him a chance to get the money and prestige his position deserved. For now only a handful of bounty hunters, extortionists and vengeance seekers knew who and where he was.

A cold breeze suddenly filtered through the room, not strong enough to flutter his lab coat though.

The recycler must be on the blink again, he thought

"Not even close, Palmach." came a terrifying voice reaching into his thoughts.

Dernon jumped back in surprise, turning to the dark shadow forming in the far corner. It peeled itself away from the wall, floating to the counter's edge. "I really wish you would give me somewarning before you arrive like that."

"Perhaps." it replied as if the matter was only a trivial one. Two dark appendages stretched out towards the beaker, not quite ready to touch it. "Is it ready?"

Dernon shrugged. "As ready as it's going to get. You must really hate this guy to put him through this kind of torture."

"Is there an antidote?" the wraith continued as if he hadn't heard.

"None, like you asked. And no records of this thing's composition, again like you asked."

"Very good, Palmach. Very good indeed. You performed beyond my expectations." it praised.

"Told you I was the best." Dernon boasted.

"Yes, you are. That is why I might someday feel regret at having to do this."

"Do wha--" Before he could finish, an invisible vice grip began to tighten around his throat. All breath became blocked and he began to feel dizzy as the blood stopped reaching his brain. Bright spots began to play before his eyes. He clawed at his collar, desperate for air. Just before the thought of rushing at the wraith occurred to him he fell to the ground, unconscious from lack of air. Three minutes later he was dead, strangled with no marks.

The wraith's dark limbs took the beaker gingerly from where it sat and moved back to the corner. It took a last look at Dernon with an evil grin. "I might feel regret, but I don't." and it vanished as silently as it had arrived.

* * *

Luke sat against the trunk of a large, aged tree, its numerous mighty leaved limbs sheltering him from the early midday's sun. He wore a black, light tunic, belted at his waist where his lightsaber hung, regular black pants and his shin boots. This was a quiet spot in the Dorka Province, the most remote province on Coruscant, that he had found during one of his numerous explorations of the planet, a rare green spot away from the densely populated city complexes that covered the surface. A welcome sight from the day to day congestion of people. He would usually come out here alone to meditate in peace on various aspects of life, but today he had some company.

Sheyhani was standing in an attack yet relaxed pose not far away. Her hair shone in the light like spun gold. She wore a pair of tight, brown suede pants with soft leather boots and a loose, green silk blouse. An extra lightsaber Luke had built was gripped in her hands, warding off weak stun blasts from a tiny remote sphere floating around her. Luke shook his head slightly in wonder as he rested his chin on his knuckles. Usually this level of a Jedi's training came very much later for beginners such as her, but she had shown herself a quick learner that he had decided to advance her training considerably. This particular level he himself had achieved after a year. It had taken her less than a week.

With a coy smile he called on the Force to take control of the remote sphere and began moving it at speeds no ordinary human could keep up with, let alone defend against. No one but a Jedi. The blue/white blade of the lightsaber seemed to coalesce into a single wall of light as she blocked the sphere's blasts flawlessly and then the sphere shut down by itself, having come to the end of its time limit. Luke smiled proudly at his protégé, thus he had dubbed her for her exploits. She shut down the lightsaber and opened her incredible blue eyes which she had kept closed throughout this whole session. Her breath was still slow and no sweat had beaded on her skin. She smiled at him as she came to sit at his side. He noticed how easily these came now, especially when they were alone like this. Another way of showing him how much she trusted him.

"I've taught you everything my present students know. If I were to teach you any more I'd have to take you to Yavin, to the Academy."

She was still smiling, more sweetly now. "Is that far from here?"

"No, a few hours at most at point four sublight." He stared at her in silence before suddenly shaking his head with a chuckle. "It's amazing how fast you learned all this."

Her smile turned sly. "I had a good teacher."

"It's still only been a week. None of my other students have shown even a quarter of the ability to learn you show."

"The Master praises the pupil for the work he himself has done." and then she laughed a sweet, crystalline sound that Luke felt his heart skip a beat. She leaned on his shoulder with a blissful sigh. "I guess it's because I feel really at home here. All this green and blue and so many people, I don't know, it somehow feels right. There's so much to see and feel all at once."

His hand gripped hers tenderly, the only show of affection he had allowed himself to show towards her for the present. "You're handling all this better than I had first hoped." There was a sudden trill of the comm-link at his wrist, breaking his momentary reverie. He sighed, excused himself, and listened to the message.

She watched his expression go suddenly serious in almost the blink of an eye. He jumped to his feet, pulling her to her own at the same time, and they ran off. "What's going on?" she asked, feeling his urgency.

"That was Admiral Ackbar! Something got into the palace and nothing seems to be able to stop it! It's heading for the main council chamber!"

"But the Senate's in session there!"

"I know!" was his only response.

Dreaded realization crept into her mind as she finally saw his line of reasoning. This was an attempt at the lives of the Senators gathered. If anything happened to them then the entire New Republic would collapse. Not to mention that Leia was there at that moment. "Do you think we'll get there in time?"

"By the Force, I hope so!"

Through crowded streets they ran, the sea of people parting away to allow the Jedi duo through to their destination. What seemed like agonizingly long minutes later they arrived at the Imperial Palace. The Calamari Chief-of-Security, Admiral Ackbar, stood at the main entrance with a large contingent of his armed Security personnel. His high, salmon coloured, domed head glistened from stress and his short, wiry whiskers bristled in worry. He seemed to be relieved by the sight of the approaching Jedi.

"What's the situation, Admiral?" Luke asked as the three of them walked up to the doors.

"Not in our favour." the Mon Calamari replied. "The corridors are pretty much clear, if you can get past those invisible booby traps."

Sheyhani frowned at him. "Invisible booby traps?"

"My men reported walking into areas that felt strange, almost cold, and then we lost all contact with them."

"Nasty traps."

"To make matters worse, whatever this is, is holding the entire Senate hostage. Captain Solo is there as well."

Luke sighed a mournful smile. "Leave it to Han to be right in the middle of things." He looked up at the smooth walls before looking at the collection of faces from the Security teams. "Have your men surround the building and report in if anything strange happens. They are not to engage the intruder, but keep their distance until I, Sheyhani or Leia can get there." Chewbacca had approached them at this point and bellowed his intent. "I know better than to say no." and the Wookie's eyes grinned as the young Master turned to his protégé. "Ready for this?"

She took a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be."

He nodded once to Admiral Ackbar and led the charge in as the rest of the troops deployed. He kept their pace at a relatively human speed as not to tire out Chewie. The Wookie might have been a powerful, resistant being, but no one could keep up with a Jedi when this one ran flat out.

The corridors were empty of people and deathly quiet. The light and power were out everywhere probably in order to keep whatever was up there from tapping into the Central Computer and down loading whatever it wanted. Only the midday sun through the occasional window provided any light. Ackbar had stated he had men who had been in here before them, but there was presently no sign of what had happened to them until they came around the next corner. They skidded to a halt from the sight. Four guards lay sprawled out on the floor, their bodies twisted and bent at unnatural angles. Fear and pain were eternally frozen on their faces. Chewie grumbled an oath in his own tongue. "I quite agree, Big Guy." Luke breathed. The zone ahead caused his Jedi senses to tingle in warning.

Sheyhani didn't feel the subtle warning with her Jedi senses. Her senses were frozen by the pain and fear on the men's faces. She entered the area towards the fallen guards and suddenly stopped, her hands going to her throat. Her breath blocked in her throat as something in the area caused her to choke. She turned to her Master, her eyes wide, a hand reaching out towards him in a desperate plea. Her vision began to blacken. "... c-can't... br-breath..."

"Chewie, stay put!" and he rushed into the zone towards her, all the while calling on the Force to protect himself. Desperate urgency had laced his voice. He caught her just as she fell to her knees, still struggling for breath. Shoving his hand inside her shirt collar he pressed his hand at the base of her throat all the while using the Force to open her closing air passage. It took him a moment to completely calm himself before he could feel her breath easing into her lungs again. He held her this way for a moment longer, the warmth of her skin seeping into his hand, then he helped her to her feet. "You okay?" he asked with much concern in his voice.

She nodded, regaining her breath. "Why is it you're not affected?" she asked as he led her back towards Chewie, removing his hand from her throat.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "A little trick I picked up from an old friend. I'll teach it to you if you want." The Wookie rumbled a worried question at Luke. "She'll be fine. She'll just think twice about going into one of these areas unaware of what they can do." he smirked at her.

She frowned a smile. "So how do we get around them?"

"We don't, or rather, we can't. We can only go through them." Chewbacca moaned in obvious displeasure. "I can dampen the effects while we walk though. Don't worry, Chewie, we'll get to them." The Wookie loosed a stream of barks and yelps which made the young Master look up at him in compassion. "You can stay here, if you want, and watch our back." Chewbacca frowned an angered roar. "Forget I mentioned it, then, and let's go."

Sheyhani felt his aura stretch out around them like a great warm bubble and her eyebrows raised in sudden comprehension. His strength in the Force felt thick around her, almost tangible. "So that's how you do it." Luke turned to her sharply. "It's like a bubble."

"Very good." and the trio began their advance, unaffected, through the zone. "You can create one as well. It's a matter of thickening the Force-aura, of calling enough of it around you, to block out the Force-influence of others."

"Sounds draining."

"It can be, on a long term basis."

"Then--"

"No, these zones are small. We're coming out of this one now."

Chewie looked around, but saw nothing. He held his bowcaster a little higher. With a deep breath Sheyhani straightened bravely. "Seven more floors to go."

"All of which are probably going to have a greater number of these zones."

"This is going to get monotonous."

* * *

Leia sat in her seat at the oval Council table, her back stiff and straight, her Jedi senses tuned to high alert. All around her, slumped in various poses, were the other New Republic Senators and their aids. All were unconscious. At her side Han lay face down on the table. She had checked his vital signs immediately after he fell over and managed to determine he was in no danger, for now. She herself felt the danger only a split second before it actually happened. Now, all the Senators except her were incapacitated by what felt like the Dark Side, all communications were cut off, and she was all but helpless.

"Now, now, little Jedi. You overrate yourself. You are helpless." came a disembodied voice. She whirled around in time to see a shadow peeling itself away from a wall.

How'd it do that without my sensing it?

"I know a great many things, Organa Solo." it replied with a sneer. It moved, or rather floated, to the opposite side of the table from her, then just stared for a moment. "You are afraid of me, I can feel it. You hide it well. Oh, don't try to deny it. Tell me, Organa Solo, do you fear for family's life?"

"What have you done to my children?" she shrieked in terror.

"Nothing, I assure you." it responded almost too amiably. "I'm not after them, but someone else in your immediate family." It deposited a beaker filled with an emerald green liquid on the Council table. "You are part of the bait for my trap along with the rest of these... people."

Leia suddenly realized who it meant and tried to call out a warning to her brother through the Force. Her mind hit hard against a dark wall and she blinked. "Wha--?"

"We'll have none of that, little Jedi." it scolded sternly. "I want him to get here without knowing that all he'll find is his own slow death. It's taken me several agonizing months of careful planning to get to this point and I won't let you ruin it all."

"Who are you?"

"A nightmare." and it laughed loudly. "And I will soon be Death for our beloved MasterSkywalker as I was for his newest pupil's mother." It ended with its voice sounding almost sad.

"You killed Torana Dreamcatcher?" her voice hushed in respect for the fallen Jedi.

"Not directly, no, not intended, but I did cause the Force-storm to drive out the colonists."

"Why? I know she suffered, but--" Her eyes went wide. "You were training her." She thought she saw it frown. At what? A memory? "You were trying to bring her to the Dark Side." she continued, hoping to distract him long enough for her to send a message to Luke.

"And I succeeded! I was going to return for the child when she was old enough. The Emperor was a fool to believe she was harmless if locked up away from civilization. Did you know that planet had three moons?"

"Had?"

She saw it grin. "In a fit of rage against the colonists Torana destroyed the moons, all using the Force. I was so proud of her. She told me she felt she could do more and I agreed to show her." Bitter anger filled its voice. "I left and the colonists saw their chance."

"So you caused the Force-storm to destroy them, but they escaped leaving Torana's daughter behind."

"I came back many times and never found her. She's gotten very good at hiding in shadows."

"She doesn't want to be your student. She knows what you are."

"Who said I want her to be my student?" it stated flippantly.

"Then why--"

"I lost my former body in the Force-storm I created. Gender is no concern, really."

"No." Leia breathed in horror.

"I'll keep her consciousness intact to toy with while her powers will make me the strongest force to be reckoned with." he continued.

"You're mad."

"No, my dear Organa Solo. Like I said before, I am a nightmare. And you can stop trying to warn Skywalker. He's almost here in any case."

* * *

Luke leaned hard against the corridor wall, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he let himself slide to the ground. They were between Dark Zones, as they had dubbed them, with Chewbacca looking anxiously around. The young Master had to smile inwardly at the Wookie's efforts. He knew Chewie was afraid of anything he couldn't see or fight but it seemed his life debt towards Han was what pushed him onwards. It would be a matter of time though before fear finally broke his resolve.

"Are you alright, Master?" came Sheyhani's voice. She was kneeling at his side, peering anxiously into his face.

"I just need to rest a little." he replied soothingly as he gently patted her knee. "The Dark Zones are getting more powerful as we go on. They're taking up a lot of my concentration and energy."

"Any word from Leia?"

He turned to her sharply.

So she knows, he marvelled.

"Not yet, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. Whatever's up there could just be blocking us."

"Sort of like the ysalamiri?"

"Sort of, yes. The Dark Side has abilities learned through anger and hate, quick emotions. This blocking of other Jedi's abilities is a very basic technique for them, but a useful, powerful one. In fact that's the technique we've been using to get this far. I learned to use it reading the Emperor Palpatine's Dark Side Compendium. To use this technique for defence is acceptable, but to use it out of strife now that's another matter."

"Is the Dark Side stronger?"

He smiled, remembering the time he had asked that very question to the Jedi Master Yoda on Dagobah. "No, not stronger. Just easier, faster. And extremely lonely."

She frowned, confused. "Lonely?"

"Very. During your life on the Dark Side you trust no one to the point where you betray or even kill old friends and allies. From all sides you feel the cold pressing in on you and there's no one left around to offer you comfort or warmth."

"You speak as if you know, Master."

"I do. I fell to the Dark Side, once." He looked at the floor with a sad smile, reminiscing. "I thought I could learn to stop the Emperor and the Dark Side from within and still be in control. I was wrong. Leia came after me to bring me back, but not before I was tricked into nearly killing her." He felt Sheyhani's hand grip his shoulder, a wave of warmth suddenly flowing through him. Luke turned to find her blue eyes staring at him in slight concerned caring. He drew the back of his fingers against her cheekbone, silently telling her not to worry about him.

She smiled softly. "I always worry." she whispered.

Off to a side Chewbacca barked something urgently. Luke blinked, bringing himself back to reality and full alertness. He got to his feet reluctantly and helped Sheyhani to her own. "Right. Let's keep going. The next turn up ahead will take up to the Grand Hall and then the Council Hall itself." and they continued their advance.

"And that's where the brunt of the attacks will be."

Chewie growled low in his throat. "Kind of late to turn back now, Big Guy." A sudden sense of dread filled him as they entered the long, empty Grand Hall.

Where's this coming from? he wondered as they walked between rows of pressure sensitive, colour changing ch'hala trees.

He hadn't had a vision about any imminent danger, but he was also not one to go against his Jedi senses. All his senses went to battle ready. Sheyhani slid her hand into his, her fingers lacing with his. The touch was both frightened and reassuring at the same time. Luke allowed himself a smile at the fact that she didn't seem to miss a single change in his moods. The doors of the Council Hall loomed ahead, a wave of deep seeping cold emanating from them. With a calming breath Luke stretched out his aura to protect his friends and himself. To his surprise he felt Sheyhani accomplish the same thing. When he looked at her she merely shrugged with a smile and a wink. "Show off." he muttered with a joking smile.

"Not in the least." The cold managed to seep through their defences and Sheyhani gasped in recognition, hugging her sides in almost abject terror. "That's it." she whispered.

Luke whirled around to face her, gripping her shoulders tight. Fear was not what she needed right now. This was dangerous around a Dark Jedi. "Sheyhani listen to me. Remember your training. A Jedi can only act when calm. There is no emotion, there is peace."

She took a deep, cleansing breath, closing her eyes and closing her mind to the fear. "There is no emotion, there is peace." she repeated over and over like a mantra. Slowly, with each repetition, her fear diminished.

He continued to hold her shoulders, offering all the strength of will he could spare. He lowered his voice enough so only she would hear. "So long as I'm with you it can't and won't get you." She looked up at him, her eyes understanding what he was saying. "Ready?" She nodded, a thin, grim smile of determination forming on her lips. Still holding one of her shoulders the young Jedi Master turned to Chewbacca who had waited patiently off to a side, understanding that there were some things Jedi were best left to work out with other Jedi. He held his bowcaster tight in readiness. With a nod Luke turned his attention on the heavy doors, calling on the Force to push them open.

Inside, the chamber was chillingly cold and silent. No protocol or translator droids were active, no aids were shuffling their feet, and no Senator was shouting his or her point across the table. Leia sat straight in her seat, almost as if she were frozen in that very pose. All around her were the limp forms of Senators, aids, and whoever else had happened to be there. Moving closer to the table the trio could see the tired circles that had formed under Leia's eyes. A beaker filled with some jade coloured liquid sat on the table across from her. She was staring at it intently, fear in her eyes. Luke felt a subtle change in Sheyhani's aura and glanced in time to see her take her lightsaber from her belt.

"How kind of you to grace us with your presence, Master Skywalker." came a mocking voice from the shadows.

"You make it difficult to reach you." Luke called back calmly in no particular direction. "Since you used the Senate as bait, and since we're now here, why don't you let them go." He sounded almost like a father chiding his child.

The voice laughed and Sheyhani's hand gripped Luke's again. "Of course, oh great Master. They're free to go. All I want is you and the Dreamcatcher child." Her hand tightened and he responded in kind.

Slowly first, then all at once, the Senators, their aids, droids, and whoever else began to wake. Leia and Chewbacca ushered them all towards the door, Leia stopping just long enough in front of her brother to receive a reassuring glance from him. No sooner had the last person crossed the door's threshold did it shut with a resounding boom. "I believe you can show yourself now." he announced towards one shadow in particular.

A shadow peeled itself away from the wall and floated towards the table and the beaker. "Is this acceptable?" it mocked.

Luke shook his head. "Your true form, instead of masquerading as a Defel."

"You are unworthy of seeing my true form! Many of your predecessors thought me dead, but I live, stronger than ever."

Sheyhani moved closer to Luke's side. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I am your future, dear child." it soothed, its voice almost too tender. Then, in a flash of sudden anger, "You have no claim on her, Skywalker!"

What seemed like the explosion of a thermal detonator blew the duo across the chamber from each other. There had been no warning in the Force what-so-ever and therefore no time to prepare the Jedi countermeasures. Stunned for only a moment, Luke used his skills and training to recover quickly, rising to knees in the process. He looked over to find his student struggling to raise herself on her arms. She was strong with the Force. "Sheyhani." he called to her.

She got to her knees. "I'm alright, Master. Are you?"

"Fine."

"So, she called you Sheyhani." the Defel mused tenderly as it approached her. She quickly sprang to her feet, taking an involuntary step back, and watched it cautiously. "Your mother always did love that name. It was the name of the planet's smallest and brightest moon."

"What do you know of my mother?"

"Plenty. She was my student, you know. She promised you to me when she learned she was pregnant."

"She would never do that!" Her eyes darted away to where Luke knelt watching. She pleaded him with her eyes and he nodded in understanding.

"You belong to me, my little Jedi." it continued. Luke was on his feet now. The Defel didn't notice. "Our destinies are deeply intertwined."

She bolted away towards Luke, but the Defel stopped her by nearly wrapping itself around her like a suffocating wet blanket. It laughed as she struggled against its invisible grip. Luke tried to go to her, but once again the Defel anticipated the action. The beaker sprung away from where it sat and shattered against the young Master's head. Jade liquid and crimson blood mixed into his vision, blinding him painfully. He staggered, swiping at his eyes to rid himself of the burning chemical. "Luke!" Sheyhani cried out. Concentrating hard she called on the Force to create a blinding, hot light directed at the Defel. It released her with the most horrific scream possible by anything even remotely living. She ignored the sound and raced to her Master's side. He felt her press her thumbs into his eyes and for the moment they burned even more. Then, it suddenly stopped.

A Jedi healing technique!

One he hadn't yet taught her. One that she had improvised. He blinked several times and looked at her. Anxious concern swam in her eyes. He allowed himself to smile caringly at her in gratitude. She returned the smile, relieved.

Then the Defel laughed maniacally, catching their attention again. "I have won, MasterSkywalker, and you don't even know it yet." it cheered. It gazed hard at Sheyhani. "I will see you again, my dear, and by then your precious Master will not be able to save you." and it vanished along with the cold pressure, leaving the Jedi duo shaken and confused.

She turned to Luke, opened her mouth to say something, and then shut it again. She looked at him thoughtfully, a smirk on her lips. "You know, green is definitely your colour." she quipped.

He frowned in mock anger as a smile appeared. "Don't start." he warned with a chuckle.

She hooked a thumb towards the area where the shadow had disappeared. "What do you suppose it meant?"

"I don't know." he sighed. He looked at the green chemical on his clothes. "But we should probably get this stuff analysed just in case."

Everyone who had been in the Council Chamber were presently in the Medical Unit suffering from the worst, if not strangest, cases of post traumatic stress in existence. And there, standing in the middle of all the chaos, were Leia and Han, looking very calm and very composed. Chewbacca stood not far away like a bodyguard. Leia looked up at her brother as he and Sheyhani entered. She tried hard to smother her amusement at Luke's appearance. "What happened to you?"

"A run-in with a flying beaker." he replied simply. "I'm going to have this stuff analysed. That wraith back there said something about a second encounter where I won't be able to do anything."

"A chemical Force-suppressant?"

"I'm not sure. I've never heard of such a thing existing, but I don't think that's it. It added that I wouldn't be around so I'm not taking any chances."

"So, what it tell you it wanted?" Han asked, still fuming that he hadn't anticipated the attack. Everything had been too quiet for the past week. He should have known it wouldn't last.

"It wants Master Skywalker dead and wants me to join forces with it." Sheyhani replied with a shudder.

"That's what it told me." Leia interjected. "It said something about wanting a new body." Sheyhani shuddered again, this time in disgust.

"Same thing as with the garden?" the Corellian inquired to the Jedi Master.

"Same thing." Luke answered.

"Makes me wonder, Luke. If it's so hot to kill you it'll probably go after people you know quite well. It's already gone after us so that just leaves your students."

"The Praxeum?" Han merely nodded in answer. Luke thought for a moment, trying to think as the Defel would at this point in time. Would it go after his students at the Academy? Was that its ultimate goal? He didn't think so, but the Academy was a tempting target. Streen and Tionne, his two most advanced students, would be able to protect the others but being forewarned was being prepared. "Han, get my ship prepped for immediate departure. As soon as I get this stuff off I'm leaving for Yavin."

"I'm going with you." Sheyhani announced.

"Of course you are." he assured. He turned back to the Corellian. "I'll be taking a Lambda-class shuttle then. And have Artoo meet us at the ship. He'd never forgive me if I left him behind." and, with a confirming nod from Han, Master and student walked off towards the laboratory. Sheyhani waited in a small anti-room as her teacher was escorted into the lab by the attending MD droid. The droid then requested all the affected clothing removed so the chemical could be extracted. Only his shirt had the green substance on it. He dropped it into the indicated centrifuge tank, watched it spin for a few minutes, and then retrieved it when it stopped. Every trace of the chemical was now streaming through a tube to a beaker.

"There is a shower in the back, sir, if you wish to remove the rest of it." the MD droid announced.

Luke agreed silently as he entered the back. Once in the shower, letting the warm water wash over him and ease the pain of the wound on the side of his head, he began thinking to what the Defel had said to Sheyhani. Her mother had been a Dark Sider, the wraith's student, during her pregnancy. The possibility was there that Sheyhani was his daughter, especially since he had mentioned that their destinies were deeply intertwined. A child of the Dark Side hiding from her father? He smiled morosely.

Where have I seen this before?

He dried off, dressed, and returned to the lab area where the MD droid was already hard at work. "This chemical has an extremely complex composition, sir. It will take some time before I discover just what its use is."

"It's alright. Just send the results to the Academy on Yavin IV when you get them. I'm leaving for there now and I plan to stay there for some time."

"Very good, sir." and Luke left.

Sheyhani was still there in the anti-room, standing against a wall. He stopped in sudden awe just before completely entering the room and watched her. She was stunning. Golden hair cascading in soft rivers around her shoulders, her blue eyes hidden behind luscious lashes, flawless features and skin, and full lips. And that body, a body that any man would willingly kill himself just to be near it. To anyone else coming through this room she would seem like some holographic sculpture, a perfect work of art. And yet she was beautiful flesh and blood, alive and his close friend. Then she sensed his presence. She stood up straight as he approached her.

"What's the verdict, Master?"

Inwardly he winced at the term Master. "We won't know for a while, but for now it's a clean bill of health." She sighed a smile, seemingly relieved. "The EmDee'll send us the results on Yavin." and they began walking to the ships' landing pads.

"Tell me about Yavin IV."

He looked ahead in slight concentration. "Not much to tell. It's a lush, jungle moon with wide rivers, diverse forms of life, and extensive ruins of a now-dead civilization called the Massassi. Also turns out that it was the launching point for the second wave of Sith Lords. Seemed appropriate to redeem the place by founding the Praxeum there."

"And how many students do you have?" she probed further as they negotiated the complex maze of corridors and access ways.

"At last count I think it was somewhere near sixty, give or take a few."

"Don't suppose you train them all yourself."

"No, I have two of my first students who stayed on to help me. This is as much a warning we're bringing them as it is a training opportunity for you."

"This'll be fun."

Luke grinned. "You might change your mind about that when we start. The advanced training you'll be starting can be extremely brutal."

"I'm not afraid of a little hard work."

"You will be." he warned gently.

* * *

Exotic and beautiful, her long silver hair floating on the wind behind her, Tionne sat at the top of Yavin IV's tallest temple, once home base for the Rebel Alliance and now home of the Praxeumof the Jedi Academy. The guitar she had herself built lay across her lap, her long, thin fingers strumming the chords lightly in a haunting tune. Her face was turned up to the setting of the gas-giant Yavin and three of its moons, her pearl white eyes closed. She could easily feel the gentle ebb and flow of the Force all around her. She had been one of the first, one of the original twelve to train here, but she was also the weakest with the Force. She sighed heavily as her random tune became sad. Tionne often wondered why Master Skywalker had even bothered recruiting, let alone bothered even training, her.

The back of her mind suddenly began to tingle, but not in warning. This was a familiar ripple in the Force, one she had grown to know quite well. Guitar in hand, Tionne raced down to the temple's ground level out to a large, stone courtyard they used as a landing pad. Streen, a gas prospector and another of the original twelve students, was already there waiting. Streen was by far the oldest of all of Skywalker's students and the strongest in the Force. His leathery skin, peppered hair, and deep facial lines testified to a hard life in the clouds of Bespin collecting precious gases.

"It's him, isn't it?" she asked though she hardly needed confirmation.

"Yup, and there's someone with him. Someone who's stronger than me, maybe even stronger than him."

"I didn't think that was possible."

"Neither did I."

The whine of an incoming ship suddenly filled the air as the craft cleared the vegetation cover. The ship was an old Lambda-class Imperial shuttle that the New Republic occasionally used. The wings folded up against it's sides as it landed softly on the ancient stones. The boarding ramp beneath the cockpit lowered as the hatch opened slowly. Cooling gases escaped from their pipes in great hissing billows as the tiny astromech droid known as Artoo Deetoo rolled down the ramp. He beeped a greeting then rolled off for the Academy's computer room. Streen and Tionne chuckled at the droid's behaviour.

The clinking of boot soles on metal flooring attracted their attention back up the ramp. Dressed all in black and wearing his brown Master's robes was Master Skywalker. Behind him, dressed in brown suede, black leather, and green silk, was a young blond woman strong in the Force. The Master approached his students and clasped their welcoming hands.

"Welcome back, Master Skywalker." Streen greeted.

"Good to be back. How're the students doing?"

"They're excelling." Tionne replied. "And so far they seem to be staying away from Exar Kun, Freedon Nadd and Naga Sadow's temples."

The Master nodded in some visible relief.

One Dark Sider is enough for now, Luke thought relieved to his students' reassuring words.

"Speaking of students, Streen, Tionne, I'd like you to meet our newest pupil: Sheyhani Dreamcatcher." She merely nodded in greeting. "We found her a week ago on Dorostr near the core. She had been there, alone, from birth."

"She's a strong one." the old prospector voiced. "And quiet."

Sheyhani hunched her shoulders shyly as Luke chuckled. "She's still getting used to being around people. Give her some time. Tionne, assign her some quarters, please." Sheyhani's eyes locked on his face. He understood the silent question. "We'll all meet up again in the Grand Hall. Right now, you need to get settled in."

Her eyes lowered in defeat. "Yes, Master." and Tionne led her away.

"Cute kid." Streen commented as they walked towards the main temple.

"Yes, she is. But I have reasons to believe that under all that beauty lies a very ugly past. She was abused and saw her mother murdered all at a very young age. There's a wraith, a Dark Jedi, after her. Her mother had been its pupil while Sheyhani was still in the womb. I don't know what effect that'll have on her in the long run."

"So this Dark Jedi's the other part of the reason you're here. You think it's going to attack?"

"It might or might not attack the Academy, but I wasn't going to take the chance on the latter. It proved what it's capable of on Coruscant."

"First attack?"

Luke nodded. "It tried to tempt her to the Dark Side and it doused me with some sort of green liquid that's giving the Med Lab a hard time. The only reason I'm having the stuff analysed is because it said something about the next attack I wouldn't be around to stop it."

"Probably sounded real certain of itself too, just like all Dark Siders. I wouldn't worry about it too much. They all sound so certain of themselves and their plans but in the end they always lose. You could almost say that defeat is the destiny of all Dark Siders."

"And yet Naga Sadow once proved that whole philosophy wrong by dying of natural causes and not an attack by the Jedi Knights. Don't hold too bright a torch to it or you risk seeing it burst into flames."

They entered the Grand Hall, a large Spartan room with inclined walls and a raised stone dais with several stairs leading up it at one end. The sixty or so students were all gathered there, talking to each other in muted tones, either sitting or standing in informal groups. Upon seeing Luke they rushed towards him in a joyful greeting like happy children seeing a parent. He felt their minds gently pushing him towards the dais, urging him to resume his teachings. He complied and sat on the top-most step, the students gathering at the base of the stairs.

While Streen informed him on what the students had accomplished and what their problem areas were, Tionne returned with Sheyhani close behind. As she went to join the group, Sheyhani hung back. Many eyes had turned to her having felt her strength in the Force, but only one pair of eyes caught her attention. Luke's eyes had locked with hers, a smile playing on his lips. He focused his thoughts tightly on her.

Sheyhani, he called gently.

She squared her shoulders in response. He held out a beckoning hand to her.

Come sit by me.

None of his other students heard or felt the gentle call. A shy quirk formed on her lips as she walked towards him. Streen fell silent as all eyes watched this stranger make her way towards Luke's outstretched hand. She took it and let him sit her close to his side, casually hooking his arm in hers so as to keep a hold on her hand, his aura wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She had to fight with herself to resist the urge to lean her head on his shoulder so much as his presence was comfortable. He didn't miss that thought.

Am I really that much of a comfort to you? he sent.

She hid her smile well, but he still saw the twinkle of amusement in her eyes. Maybe someday I'll tell you just how much.

He smiled. "Fellow Jedi, welcome the newest member into our order. This is Sheyhani Dreamcatcher of planet Dorostr. She'll be joining the advanced classes."

A ripple of shock, anger, and annoyance went through most of the younger students. It was clear they disapproved. A young Bothan stood, a new student Luke recognised as Shorark Bril'alon who had joined the Academy three months ago. His cream coloured fur rippled with anger.

"Why should she, being a newer student than all of us, be allowed to begin in the advanced classes?" and murmurs of agreement rose around him.

An Elomin, a tall, thin humanoid with pointed ears behind which long hair grew and four hornlike protrusions emerging from the top of his head, quickly got to his feet. His tusked nose wrinkled disapprovingly, wide-set protruding eyes opening wide with emotion.

"You have no right to challenge Master Skywalker's decision!" he nearly shouted in a rumbling voice, backed by a human female and a Calamari.

Luke leaned close to Sheyhani's ear to be heard over the shouting match. "Feel like proving Shorark wrong about you?" he asked her, indicating the Bothan with his chin. She turned sharply to face him, understanding that fighting the Bothan was what he meant, but not intending on having her face end up so close to Luke's in the turn. It was a shock to both, a pleasant shock, feeling each other's warm breath against their faces. They looked away from each other with an awkward chuckle, but Luke turned back to her. "Feel like?" he asked again.

"If you think that'll prove your point?" she smiled, still looking away from him.

"Might. Ready?"

"No, but I'll do it anyway."

"At a girl." He squeezed her shoulder in support before turning to the arguing students. "Shorark, since you seem so eager to test her potential you will get the opportunity." During this Sheyhani went to stand within the large, rough circle the other students were forming, her hand resting lightly on the lightsaber. Shorark seemed to struggle with uncertainty for a moment before finally facing her. His saber was already in hand and ignited, surprising the students with the purple white blade. Luke frowned. The level the Bothan was at wasn't supposed to have the skill or the knowledge of how to build the weapon yet. He glanced at Streen and Tionne who shook their heads in answer to the unspoken question. They hadn't taught him. His frown deepened. "Begin."

Shorark lunged forward with a battle cry, aiming for Sheyhani's head. She merely side-stepped out of the way. He whirled around and lunged again, this time his blade connecting with her blue white blade. Luke could sense much anger in him, too much anger. He rested his chin on his knuckles and watched the proceedings intently. There was something about the feeling it gave...

Sheyhani parried and riposted every blow the Bothan attempted. She could easily feel the anger and frustration grow from her opponent. This wasn't the Jedi way. He was a novice and yet he handled the weapon as if he had decades of practise. Then she felt his aura shift. Her Jedi senses recoiled suddenly.

This wasn't Shorark.

Both she and Luke came to the same conclusion at the same time. This was a Dark Jedi. Luke raced foreword towards his protégé to stop this battle, but Shorark made his move before he could get to them. With a wide, sweeping arc he sliced through Sheyhani's lightsaber. The remainder exploded in her hands in a multitude of razor sharp metal shards. She cried out in surprised pain and fell to her knees, her hands dripping with her own crimson blood. Shorark smiled insanely and raised his lightsaber high to deliver his final, deadly blow. When the glowing blade came down it collided with the green white blade of Luke's lightsaber just a few inches above Sheyhani's head. Shorark looked up to see the stern face of a Jedi Master. He backed off a step as the Master's gaze grew harsher.

"Enough!" Luke ordered, taking a menacing step towards him. The young Master could feel his anger rising within him. He was walking the knife's edge and a any time he could end up slipping to the Dark Side. He pushed hard against the rising wave. Why was this emotion suddenly so strong? Why was he reacting to Sheyhani's pain this way? "Where did you come from?" he demanded the Dark Jedi within Shorark.

The Bothan smiled an evil sneer. "I guess we'll never know, Master." he mocked in a familiar voice as his whole body began to tremble. With a violent, strangled cry his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the stone floor, dead.

Luke wasted not a second to mourn the fallen Jedi. Sheyhani was staring blankly at her bleeding hands when he turned back to her. The life giving ichor oozed from wounds in which metal shards were still imbedded. She was too shocked to have any reaction. He heard one of his students rush off, probably to get a med kit, as he came to kneel before her. Gently, he lifted her chin and suddenly realized that she wasn't in shock as he first thought. She was using every spare ounce of concentration to use the Force to suppress all the pain she was feeling, unwittingly preventing herself from healing. Fooling her body in thinking nothing was wrong could become a very deadly Jedi technique. He could feel the Force radiating strongly around her.

The med kit appeared next to him, held aloft by a Danthomirian woman, Kiruna To. Her green eyes watched her Master carefully as she handed him a small pair of medical pliers for him to begin the delicate task of removing the shards. His blue eyes stayed locked with the injured Jedi's eyes. There was a deep connection between them, an intensity that was almost tangible. It almost made her feel jealous.

Luke removed the last shard and then carefully slipped her hands into a pair of special, bacta-lined gloves of a bleach white colour. Sheyhani hadn't moved or made a sound through the whole thing. He came closer to her, gently gripping her shoulders. Her muscles felt stiff in concentration. He lowered his voice to a near whisper. "Sheyhani, listen to me. To heal you have to let the pain come." She looked up at him sharply, her eyes wide in apprehension. He touched her cheek. "It's alright, I'll be right here." came his tenderly soothing voice. Her eyes hesitantly went to her gloved hands, staring at them for a long moment, before the wall she had put up came crashing down. As tears began to flow she cried out in excruciating pain. Luke caught her and cradled her in his arms, rocking her gently, holding her to his chest ever so tight. He could feel her pain radiating from her in great, pulsating waved. Looking up he could see his other students felt it too and they wondered why their Master was so concerned with her. "Streen."

The old prospector understood. He turned to the assembly, calling for their attention by raising his arms. "Go back to your chambers!" he called out. "Meditate on what you have seen and felt this night!" Slowly, very slowly, the group began to dissipate.

Streen and Tionne watched as their Master lifted the injured Jedi up in his arms as he whispered calming words to her. From the corner of her eye Tionne saw two of the older students remove Shorark's body to properly dispose of it. "Who was it?" she asked tentatively.

"The same thing that's after Dreamcatcher and Master Skywalker." Streen answered. Luke merely nodded in confirmation and prompted him to go on. The prospector turned to Tionne. "That's what they originally came back here for, to warn us or help us against this thing. It attacked them on Coruscant and predicted Master Skywalker wouldn't be around for a second encounter."

"Sheyhani's mother was its student during her pregnancy." Luke continued. "Torana promised her daughter to it, supposedly in payment for its teachings, where upon it would enter her body and mind to live again. Torana was killed and Sheyhani went into hiding from her first moments. She managed to hide well from it, until now." He held her a little tighter, feeling her pain beginning to subside. Her whole body trembled from the intense experience. Heavy guilt pressed in on his heart. This was more pain he had unwittingly made her suffer by his carelessness. He should have known, should have sensed the Dark Jedi's presence before any of this had been allowed to happen.

It's not your fault, he heard her say in his mind.

Yes, it is. I let this happen, he replied as he looked down to find her eyes searching his face. With a resolute sigh he turned away from Streen and Tionne to carry Sheyhani back to her quarters. The room was easy to find, being the only one who radiated her presence. Using the Force he opened the door and walked into the room. Unnoticed he relished in the feel of her presence concentrated so strongly. She hadn't yet unpacked, her bags lying near the simple palette on which he gently deposited her. As a father would do to a child he tucked her covers in around her and smoothed rebel locks of hair away from her face.

When he began to move away she sat bolt upright. "Luke." she called softly to stop him. He stopped. This was one of the only times she had used his name and not the term Master. Her eyes pleaded with him, asking him to stay just a little longer. He obliged her with a smile as he sat at the head of her palette, her pillow across his lap. A blissful, grateful sigh escaped her lips when she laid her head back on the pillow, keeping herself as close to him as physically possible, smiling as she breathed in his masculine scent.

Luke's smile became sad as he watched his newest and dearest student sleep. Deep down she was still a child trying hard to act like an adult. But sometimes she still needed to be treated as a child. Tenderly he stroked her head as he closed his eyes and joined her in sleep.

* * *

Three youths, barely out of their teens, made their way though the rough terrain of Yavin's jungle. A dark stone temple rose above the trees before them. From the smoothness of the stones it should have gleamed in the bright, multiple moons' light, but it seemed more to absorb and suffocate this light. It was clear from the architecture that the now extinct Massassi had built this structure, but no stone on Yavin IV, on anywhere else in the galaxy, could do what this stone did.

The three didn't wonder about this though. They knew the cause. Weak as they were with the Force the human trio had heard the call of power in the dead of night when no one else had heard it. They were new members to the Praxeum and hungry to learn their powers in the Force. Unfortunately, Master Skywalker wasn't teaching them fast enough. The power of this temple was. They had come here, every night, since Skywalker had returned two weeks ago. He, Streen, and Tionne doted heavily on the new member, Dreamcatcher. They would spend long training sessions with her, teaching her everything of the Jedi at a phenomenal pace. The three youths felt this wasn't fair.

"Of course it's not fair." came a dark, compassionate voice within the temple as they entered. "Why should they spend so much time on one student when there are sixty four others who need them. That is why I came to you, my students. You needed to be taught and I needed to teach. Tell me, how does our beloved Master Skywalker fare?"

The oldest of the three stepped foreword to answer his new Master. "He weakens, Master. His skin is paler and once simple tasks have become increasingly difficult for him."

"Good, Direen. And Dreamcatcher?"

"She refuses to leave Skywalker's side." another answered. "She seems almost afraid for him." he continued.

"As she should be, Koren. Within the next six weeks he will weaken to the point of death. During this time I want you three to bring Dreamcatcher here to me."

"Why, My Master?"

"Your place is not to question me, Kale!" it snapped at its student's question. Then, with a patient sigh, "Her powers are rival only to Skywalker's. I want her on our side to keep us from being destroyed. You understand, Kale?"

"Yes, Master." he bowed.

"Good. You have your instructions. Use any means possible, but do not fail me. You do and you won't live to make another." and the three bowed to the shadow before quickly plunging back into the jungle.

* * *

Sheyhani, dressed in her brown student's robes, stood on one hand with six other students on the Praxeum's main terrace. The triple suns heat beat down hard on the group, but everything about Sheyhani was totally relaxed and detached from the physical to allow the Force to flow freely through her. Master Skywalker and Streen watched the group carefully, offering guiding words and hands where needed. She half listened as the outside world became hazy from a vision. She was in a black stone, palace room where the conventional laws of physics didn't seem to apply. Master Skywalker was on a high stone platform before her, lying immobile. Then the wraith appeared, filling the room with its maniacal laughter. She looked back at her Master and noticed how very white and ashen his skin was.

"He's dead, young Jedi!" it bellowed at her. "And you are mine!"

Sheyhani was so jarred that she came out of her vision and was forced to put her other hand on the ground to keep her balance. She looked up to her teachers to see if they had noticed the change in her general being. Streen had noticed, but Skywalker's eyes were closed as his whole body swayed dizzyingly. She let herself drop to her feet and dashed to his side to steady him. He leaned heavily on her, his eyes closed, his brow furrowed in concentration. His skin was taking on an ashen hue that frightened her.

"Master?" she asked tentatively.

"Help me back to my chambers, Sheyhani." His voice was a near hoarse whisper.

"Yes, Master." Followed by worried glances she led him back to his quarters in the main temple. She helped him to his palette to let him recover. "Will you be alright?"

"Fine. I just need some rest." and he stretched out with a deep sigh onto his bed. Sheyhani kneeled at his side on the hard stone floor, watching him take deep, laboured breaths. Then he opened his eyes to look at her. The dim light caused his eyes to glow. "You're afraid."

"You felt that?"

"It's a very strong sensation from you. You're afraid for my life."

"With reason, Master. In the past four weeks here I've seen you physically grow weaker and weaker. Then, there's my vision..." and she sighed at a sudden loss.

He turned on his side, towards her, and took one of her hands. "Tell me about the vision."

Sheyhani hesitated for a moment, giving his hand a squeeze. "You... you were dead. You were on a stone pedestal with the wraith floating nearby, laughing at you. Then it came at me and that's where I snapped myself out of it." and she turned her head away to hide her coming tears. "I don't want you to die." she breathed softly, barely loud enough for him to hear.

"It's only one possible future, not the possible future." he told her as he sat on the edge of his pallet. With an understanding smile he lifted her chin, turning her face towards himself. Tears brimmed in her eyes, spilling in thin streams down her smooth cheeks. He pulled her into his arms comfortingly, holding her close.

Sheyhani's arms wrapped around his chest in response, pressing her wet cheek to his shoulder. "I don't want to lose you."

He gently stoked her head. "You won't lose me, Sheyhani." he whispered softly in her hair as his arms tightened around her. "Just as I won't lose you. I swear it."

* * *

Han woke from a dreamless sleep late into the night. For a moment he wondered why he had awakened when he heard a high pitched whine from the living room. The comm buzzer.

Somebody must really have a death wish to do this, he thought sourly.

He slid out of the bed, careful not to wake Leia, and went to sit at the comm station, passing a hand through his hair to straighten the mess. He punched up the screen without even looking. "This better be good." he grumbled.

"Captain Han Solo, this is EmDee droid Three-TooSee of the medical laboratory."

Han's head jerked up to see the visage of the droid framed in the screen. Why was it this was so familiar to him? "What's up?"

"I have found what appears to be a signature strain in the substance Luke Skywalker left here for analysis. I cross referenced this strain with all know chemists and found that the creator seems to be a certain Dernon Palmach who's whereabouts are presently unlisted."

He nodded, remembering that Luke had mentioned he was getting a green chemical checked out because of the run in with the Dark Jedi, then had a sudden violent reaction. "Dernon Palmach, the lethal chemist? Did I hear you right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Right, you keep working on that stuff and send the results here as you get them. Let Leia give Luke the news. I'll see what I can do about Palmach. I take it that's why you contacted here first?"

"Affirmative, sir." the droid nodded.

"Okay, then. I'm on it. Solo out." and he switched off the comm. Han leaned back with a frown of deep thought. A lethal chemist had designed and created a chemical that had been doused on his brother-in-law and best friend. He knew he had to find Palmach, if not bring him to justice but to know the effects of the chemical and find a cure if necessary. He also knew it was close to impossible to find Palmach unless you had lots of money, something Han couldn't spare right now, and unless you weren't too well known. A disguise would work, but he wouldn't be able to bring Chewbacca with him. A Wookie accompanying a human was too recognizable. He would have asked Commander Wedge Antillies, an X-wing pilot and an excellent back-up to count on, but Wedge was busy enough as it was patrolling the Rim Worlds for any Imperials the New Republic might have missed. Then he suddenly snapped his fingers at a thought. "Lando." he stated aloud. He keyed in Baron Lando Calrissian's personal comm channel and waited as the buzzer sounded several times on the other end.

Lando's face, looking tired, dishevelled, and annoyed, suddenly appeared in the screen. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" he barked, not taking notice who he was speaking to.

"No, but that doesn't matter right now. I need your help to find someone, urgent."

Calrissian came fully awake in a blink as he recognized Han's voice. "Urgent, hun? For who?"

"Luke, maybe even life threatening."

"For Luke that's considered really bad. Who is it we're looking for?"

"Someone by the name of Dernon Palmach."

"What!?"

"Just meet me at our usual rendez-vous in four hours. Oh, and bring your credit book."

And he signed off just after he heard Lando state in puzzlement, "My credit book?"

* * *

Han looked around the seedy looking cantina with a heavy sigh. Why was it all the good drinking holes were exactly that-- holes? He remembered the first time he had stepped foot into this place, the Rancor's Den, the hot spot of planet Kraitos. He had the same reaction as he was having now. One of disgusted wonder. Smugglers and hustlers from all sorts of backwater planets were gathered here to do whatever business it was they did for a living. A Black Hole, a particularly exotic concoction, sat between his hands, untouched since he received it.

"So tell me what exactly is going on with Luke?" Lando inquired from across the small booth.

The Corellian turned away from the crowd to his friend and colleague. "A little over five weeks ago Luke, Chewie and me found a lady who'd been abandoned and left alone from birth on Dorostr. Turns out she's a Jedi, and a strong one at that. We brought her back to Coruscant where we found out she had a Dark Sider in wraith form chasing after her. It wants Luke dead and it wants Sheyhani, the lady we found, as a new body for itself."

"And you think Palmach was in league with it?"

"The wraith was the one who dumped a chemical on Luke, one that has Palmach's signature strain."

"So that's why you're looking for him. You're hoping to find out what that stuff does or maybe find a cure."

"Before I left Coruscant I left a convenient message over the public net about two revenge seekers looking for Palmach." he stated with a conspiring smile.

"Don't suppose you left a location for us to meet?" Lando smiled identically.

He nodded and leaned back. "At the entrance of the Maw. I took a two man shuttle out here. If you don't mind leaving the Lady Luck here for a few days we can take my ship out there."

"I don't mind too much. I got an anti-theft device installed on her. Nothing short of two rancors could get near her."

"Let's go then. It'll take us six hours to get to the Maw in the crate I took. Barely makes point three past Lightspeed but it's unmarked and there's no transponder installed." he explained as they moved towards the door.

Outside there was hardly any light to see by. The streets were littered with refuse that either crunched or squished under their feet. The air was humid and stale. In the darker shadows Lando believed he saw a couple of Gamoreans imbibing themselves. "So how did Chewie take the fact that he wasn't coming along?" he suddenly thought to ask.

"Not well, but he clammed up when I told him his duties, as he calls his protection, also included Luke, Leia and the kids."

"And Leia?"

"What about Leia?"

"You didn't tell her?"

"Worrying about the Republic, Luke and the kids keeps her busy enough as it is. What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

Lando shook his head and smiled. "Sometimes I wonder how your marriage lasted this long."

"It's because I'm irresistible. On another note, I wonder if that EmDee droid found out what that green goop was."

* * *

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, sat in front of the large, blank computer screen. His breath was regular, his posture relaxed, his eyes closed in quiet inner contemplation. Moving and walking had become increasingly painful and difficult for him. He now relied on Artoo Deetoo, his astromech droid, and Sheyhani Dreamcatcher, his protégée, for news of the vast Praxeum's activities. He hadn't left this room for over five days, ever since he had received Han's message that he was seeking the chemist who had created the goop which had doused him. Hopefully, there was a cure for this slow deterioration he was suffering. No one had dared enter the chamber during the five days except for his faithful Artoo and Sheyhani.

Artoo was not far away from him, jacked into the dominating computer, and beeping softly to himself. The thrumming of both machines, sounding like regulating heartbeats, could be heard clearly in the silence. A smell of electrified and metallic ozone reached his nostrils, emanating from the machines. He was almost swallowed up by the sheer silence and aloneness of the chamber when he felt a familiar presence enter. Where as his body had weakened, his strength in the Force had greatly increased. Luke turned in his chair to face the newcomer when a new scent hit his nose. A bitter sweet flavour.

Tea!

Opening his eyes he saw Sheyhani enter. She was wearing the one piece bodysuit of cream white Leia had given her the first day and her long, golden hair hung loose about her shoulders. He silently and secretly marvelled at how exquisite and stunning she was in the temple's dim lighting, a slight smile touching his lips. She was carrying a wooden tray on which was a glazed clay pot of steaming, fragrant tea and two terra cotta mugs. She carefully placed the tray on the edge of the computer console and proceeded to pour him a cup.

"I thought it might help you ease the pain, Master." she voiced softly, handing him the warmed mug.

Smiling, he took it and saluted her with it. "So long as it's one of your special blends." and he took a long sip.

"Nothing but the best for you." she replied, pouring a cup for herself.

Luke sighed blissfully as he felt the liquid's soothing warmth begin to seep through him. During the time her hands were healing, after Shorark's attack, Sheyhani had distracted herself in the temple's collective kitchen, experimenting with various herbs and tea blends. This was one he recognized as one of her many successes, a blend of soothingly sweet spices, herbs and sweet berries native to the Yavin forest. He could feel his dull, now constant, pain recede slowly. "I needed this." he breathed softly, closing his eyes to enjoy the sensation. Then, after a long quiet moment, "What news of the outside world?" he asked, looking up at her again.

"The others are worried about you. They never see you."

"And yet, I'm here."

"But they're afraid to come here since Streen and Tionne have stopped coming. Why have they stopped?"

"Because they have the students to watch over now that I can't. Their training, right now, is more important than anything happening to me. The Jedi have to rise again." He looked at her face and saw she was holding back. "There's more."

"Three of the younger students, Direen, Kale, and Koren, they keep trying to get me to go to the jungle. They say there's a powerful temple out there I should see. There's a strange glow in their eyes each time they talk about it. Makes me want to stay away from the place."

"Then you're not going?"

"No, the whole thing feels cold. Too cold, if you know what I mean."

He smiled in understanding. She felt the Dark Side in their attempts. "What else?" he probed.

She sighed heavily as she put her mug down on the console. "Rumours, really. I heard the other students talking among themselves."

"About?" She kept silent. Luke put his own mug down before reaching over to take her hands, forcing her to face him. "Sheyhani, what are they saying?" His voice was stern, but gentle.

She met his gaze bravely. "That the only reason you favour me in training and in company is because I'm mentally still a child. That's not true, is it?"

He smiled reassuringly with a short laugh. "Of course not. Both mentally and physically you are a woman, a beautiful woman. You're my protégée because... because I care about you, a lot." In slight shock to this sudden admission, Sheyhani went down on one knee before him, her hands still locked with his. "Remember what I told you about Callista?"

She nodded. "You loved her very much."

"And then she left to regain her lost powers in the Force. I came close to finding her again, many times over, but each time she had to leave again. I began living in the past due to grief until I met you, a person trapped in the past, and I was forced back into the present. I realize now that Callista will be long in returning and there are others who need me, for what little time I might have left."

"Don't say that!" she admonished as she jumped to her feet, pulling her hands away from his.

He sighed heavily. "Don't make this any harder than it is."

She walked away, her frustration at the situation all too clear in her actions and face. "How do you want me to react? You're practically telling me you're dying..." She leaned back against the wall, her face hidden in her hand.

Painfully he forced himself to his feet and managed to go to her. He took her hand away from her face to see her eyes. There were no tears but the pain she was feeling was there. Luke cradled her face between his hands tenderly. "Sheyhani."

"You can't die." came her hushed voice.

"It's the natural order of things. If my time is coming then it's to make room for the one to replace me." She looked away, not wanting him to see her tears. "When Han calls with news, I'll then head back to Coruscant to my Father's palace. I know my last encounter with the Defel will be there. Just remember that things can go either way now."

"I won't let you die." she whispered.

He grinned sadly. "No one is that strong." and he turned to go back to his seat. Before reaching it he felt his weakened body suddenly fill with strength and energy. He straightened and spun around to face her.

Sheyhani was still leaning against the wall, tear filled eyes watching him. "One doesn't know until one tries." was all she stated with a forced smile of hope.

* * *

"He's overdue." Lando stated in the quiet of the ship. His jet black hair was now bleach white, his usually flashy wardrobe toned down quite a bit, and a scar ran along his jaw line.

Next to him, wearing non-descript clothing and an eye patch to cover the eye through which a scar ran, sat Han. His visible eye was closed. "He'll be here. How can anyone resist half a million credits?"

"Me, in a heartbeat."

"Yeah, but you make that much in one day." The console before him beeped. "There he is now. Told you he couldn't resist."

They stared out the front view screen to the computer's specified co ordinates. The great, multiple mouths of the Maw swirled with the dying lights of stars being sucked into black holes. At a certain distance they were perfectly harmless, but if one got too close it was at their own peril. A ship lurched into view, coming out of hyperspace. It looked like any other blockade runner, sleek and fast, but onboard was the means to find answers for Luke. "You boys the justice seekers?" came an aged drawl from the comm link.

"Only if you're our guide to justice and Palmach." Han replied.

"Okay, this is the drill. I'm the jury and my partner the executioner. You judged the crime to require our services, I tell you if it really deserves our help, my partner makes up the merchandise. Spill it."

Lando was the one to reply. "The guy we're after came to our world while we were on a run, got his men to kill all the men and then took the women he liked, killing the rest. My little sister and my pal here's daughter weren't among the bodies and who knows what's happening to them. We heard killing him was the only way to get everything he took back. He's untouchable any other way." Han looked at him with wide, impressed eyes. Calrissian merely shrugged.

"How do you expect to get the stuff to him if he's so powerful?" the drawl asked, his curiosity peaked.

"We'll deal with that later. What's your verdict on it?" Han demanded. There was a long pause as the comm shut off. "He's not buying it."

"He'll buy it." Lando shot back.

"He's not gonna buy it."

"Trust me, he'll buy it. I hope."

The comm re-activated. "Slave your ship on this frequency. I'll do the flying to Palmach, you two just sit back and enjoy the ride." and the comm switched off.

Han, in utter disbelief, was speechless as he programmed the slave computer with the proper frequency. Lando merely smiled in surprise. "He bought it." was all he said.

Several hours of blind flying later Han felt the ship lurch out of hyperspace. He did the calculations in his mind, allowing time for detours to confuse the passengers, or anyone who might be following, and found that any course they would have taken from the Maw would put them right in the Rim Worlds. He felt the familiar tug of a gravitational well from a planet, the sound of engines entering an atmosphere and then a cavernous space, then the gentle bounce of a landing. He and Lando went to the hatch as it opened. A blast of cold air invaded the ship. Then they saw their guide. He was human, roughly in his sixties, his leathery skin testifying to his hard life.

"Palmach's this way."

"You look worried." Lando voiced having noticed the tight lines around the man's eyes.

"I tried calling ahead. There wasn't an answer. He might be busy at something..."

"But he would've answered anyway."

He didn't speak as they walked down a corridor. At the other end was a sealed door. An electronic control panel was to one side on which the guide punched in a series of complex sequences. The door opened with a whoosh and then silence. No one was there. Pungent odours of long ago burnt chemicals permeated the air as they entered. Then they saw it. The body of an red skinned alien lying on the floor, still clutching its throat. Decomposition had begun in many areas, but the chemicals masked the smell. The old man dropped to his knees as Han and Lando began hunting through the lab for their target.

Nothing.

No papers, no computers files, no uncontaminated sample of chemical. Nothing. The only place to find anything that would help Luke was in Dernon Palmach's head and that was where that information would end up staying for good.

"So much for finding a cure." Lando voiced sadly.

"Yeah, and I'm the one who has to tell Luke and Leia."

The old man turned to them, sudden realization on his face. "You weren't seeking revenge."

Han pulled off his eye patch and wig as he took out a small, but powerful, comm link. "Oh, I was looking for revenge, but another kind. Cheating your friend's employer from killing my brother-in-law." He switched on the comm, his heart suddenly heavy with the news he would have to give. Nothing hurt more than having to tell someone they had no hope left. "Captain Han Solo calling New Republic Relay Station Gamma. Connect me to the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV."

* * *

"You know as well as I do that you can't keep this up forever." Luke stated softly. Sheyhani hadn't moved from the wall, her concentration too great to allow any other action. Tears flowed freely now down her cheeks.

"I'll do this for as long as it takes to find a cure." Her voice quivered in effort.

He looked away as he sat in his chair, taking a deep calming breath. "I won't let you continue." In the blink of an eye the ashen hue of his skin had returned and the spark of life dimmed in his eyes.

She fell to her knees, realizing what he had just done. "No! You can't let this happen." she cried.

"My time is coming... dearest Sheyhani." Her eyes met his, suddenly understanding his innermost thoughts. The comm buzzer beeped to life, alerting the occupants of the room. "That would be Han."

She leapt to her feet, coming to stand behind his chair. "Please, let it be good news." she muttered as she wiped the tears from her face and eyes.

At the flick of a switch the screen went from black to Captain Han Solo's anxious face. He took one look at Luke and his features softened in worry. "Hey, you don't look so good."

"I've been better. What've you found?"

"Bad news and worst news. What do you want first?"

Luke sighed. "The bad."

"Okay, we found Palmach and his lab. Looks like that Dark Sider didn't want him to ever be forced to make an antidote so he killed him. It's been a while by the looks of it. There are no records left of anything here, not even a micro-script."

"Then that would mean the worst news is..."

"You guessed it, Bro. No means for an antidote." Luke looked away, the air around him suddenly growing still and heavy. "I'm real sorry about this, Luke."

"Call Leia and tell her. She needs to know. And tell her I'm heading for our Father's palace. If anything happens she's to go there. She'll know how. Understood?"

"Sure thing, kid. Take care of yourself." and the comm switched off.

He turned his chair around to face his student but found himself alone. There was only Artoo in a corner, beeping softly to himself.

He half closed his eyes and cast his mind into the Force to find her. He could feel the gentle life of rain falling on the jungle, the ancient stones welcoming its caress. The minds of his other students were a commotion of emotions and thoughts. And above them all, standing atop the Main Temple, was Sheyhani. Her soul felt ripped to shreds. He felt her great pain and gasped silently as it seemed to inhabit his soul as well. Gathering his strength he got to his feet and left the room. The occasional student he met in the halls attempted to lend him their aid, but he refused them all, struggling with his weakened body to walk the halls and climb the numerous stairs. Along the way Kiruna To, his Danthomirean student, handed him his Master's robes to help protect him from the elements. He took them without so much as a glance. Ahead lay the long stairway leading to the roof. Cinching his cloak-like robes to his throat he began the painful and tiring climb to the top. There was no light, but that didn't matter. A Jedi could see through the dark. The top of the stairs were wet with the falling rain. The smell of evaporation and ozone wafted through the air. Great wet drops plastered his hair and clothes to his body when he emerged at the top. Sheyhani was there, standing in the rain, her closed eyes turned up to the sky that lit up with the occasional flash of lightning. He came up behind her, to arms length, but didn't dare touch her. "Are you willing the lightning to strike you, or are you waiting for the wind to sweep you off the edge?"

"Both will give the results I want." came her trembling answer.

"You want to die."

"For two reasons: To stay with you and to cheat the Defel's want for me." and she took a step forward, a step he stopped by gripping her wet shoulder. Ever so tenderly he wrapped her rain soaked body in his arms and cloak, pressing her back to his chest. A shaky sigh escaped her lips. "All my life no one has ever cared about me. I was always left on my own, alone." She turned in his arms to face him, her arms wrapping around his chest. "You were the first to care, and who still cares."

He smiled softly as she pressed her cheek to his shoulder. "I care more than you'll ever know." he whispered silently, his arms tightening about her.

"Take me with you." She pulled back to look at his face. "I want to go with you to Coruscant."

"I thought you'd never ask." With a small tug at her waist he led her back to the stairs and out of the rain. She held on to him, supporting much of his weight now, as they reached the bottom step. Streen was there, waiting for them, along with Kiruna To whose eyes were wide in worry. "Is everything ready aboard the shuttle?" the Master asked his eldest student as a confused Kiruna looked on.

"Yes, Master. Including whatever she'll need as well."

Sheyhani's gaze snapped around to stare at her teacher. He merely managed a weak smile. "I anticipated you'd want to come." Then, turning back to Streen, "There's a signal programmed into the main computer that will activate at the moment of... well, you know when. At that moment, gather all the students together. You'll need all their combined powers to defeat the Defel. He'll come back here and not necessarily in his true form. Do not, for a single moment, underestimate him."

"Understood, and farewell, Master Skywalker."

* * *

Leia stood before the Assembly of shouting Councilmen and Senators, her fingers tapping on the podium's surface as a headache was slowly building in the back of her mind. The subject of the day, new trading routes to avoid the still Empire loyal planets, seemed to have been the catalyst for everyone assembled to explode.

Why can't they ever just get along, she mused tiredly.