[Solved] NJO BOOK ONE | Chapter 1 | Parts I - IV

Chapter 0.0 | The Myth-World

• Meego | Ch. 0.0 – An Unexpected Jedi

Chapter 0.1 | Gathering of the Jedi

Meego (Talus)

Meego | Lesson I: The Force
Meego Flashback: Bek’s Workshop
Meego | Lesson II: Knowledge

Lyra (The British Brixter)

Lyra | Lesson I: The Force
Lyra | Lesson II: Knowledge
Lyra Flashback | First Mission, First Mistakes

The Instructors

Jedi Knights from Luke Skywalker's original Praxeum, these three form the core leadership of the Ator Hollos Academy.

• Aemos Suurm-Xachus, the Resolute (Left)
  • Imposing and disciplined, Aemos comes from Hybolon royalty and tragedy. He is a stalwart Sentinel.

• Nokori Imani, the River (Third from Left)
  • Calm and good-natured, Noko is the essential Jedi consular. She hails from a spiritual tradition on an isolated world.

• Jun Jin-Wa, the Prodigal (Right)
  • An incredible warrior who takes almost nothing seriously, Jun spent years after the purge as a bounty hunter before Luke brought him into the fold.

Others of Note

• Ma-Riki, the Shaman (Second from Right)
  • A strange Lannik woman who employs Magick as her tie to the Force, she is apparently trusted by Luke despite her impish sense of humor. She helps the Enclave as a herbalist and sage.

• Asa Imani, the Steady (Second from Left)
  • Warm and earthy, Noko's husband is an ace pilot, engineer, and mechanic by trade. He is the new Enclave's quartermaster.

4th and Last Day of the Journey to Ator Hollos

The halls of the starship, Godspeed, were quiet. Most of the Jedi and Jedi initiates lay dozing in their bunks. The few still awake sat and talked quietly around a table in the hold, their voices drowned out by the dull thrumming of the freighter's engine. 

After nearly a standard week of space travel, the passengers were restless. Jun Jin-Wa, resident duelist, was no fan of space travel at the best of times, much less being trapped inside a crowded ship for days on end while flying through an anomalous space-time material cloud. 

"Everything good up there, Ace?" He bellowed towards the cockpit. "Should we—urgh—expect to crash soon?"

Kyle Katarn, head in hands, muttered, "I told you not to drink too much, Jin-Wa."

"Wish I'd drank more. Blacked out. Been left behind."

Noko Imani seemed to be keeping her cool a little better than her fellow Jedi, although her face was a tinge paler than usual. 

"Do not worry; Asa has been through bad spots before. We were chased by cultists above Reecee. We survived thanks to him."

The ship jostled and Noko grasped a pipe for support. 

". . . But then, that was cultists. This is the Kathol Rift. They are not exactly the same."

"Ha!" Laughed Ma-Riki, an old Lannik woman, who sat sipping on a foul-smelling green concoction, feet kicking above the ground. At Noko and Jun's request she was seated far away from the others, lest the stench make the turbulence an even worse experience. 

"You didn't listen! You should have loaded up on my special elixir a cycle ago! All the pains of flying, disappeared! Just like that! Don't be too prideful to ask for help, Jedi. Your Skywalker wouldn't like that."

She was certainly a good advertisement for her own elixir; her cheeks were rosy and her smile was wide. She seemed right in her element, her ears waggling up and down as she laughed.

"Cease your chattering, woman," growled Aemos from his bunk. "Silence!"

"Ooh, grumpy, aren't we, Master Suurm-Xachus? You wouldn't be so grumpy if you'd had my elixir. Hehe!"

A voice from the cockpit echoed down the corridor. "Hey, riverflow! I could use a co-pilot's eyes, if you got a sec."

Noko bit down a retort and hurried to help her husband. She kept one hand perpetually braced against the wall.

Asa Imani sat in the pilot's seat surrounded by empty Caf powder packets and grayweave scraps. He had been going almost nonstop since they'd left Sullust, sustained as he propelled forward by the ministration of his wife through the Force, and a steady stream of chemical boosters.

There were dark circles under his tired eyes, which he didn't take off the flight path in front of him.

"Skywalker's ship was a lot smaller than this old thing . . . Check the navicomputer, would ya? For our ETA?'

Noko crossed the small room and tapped away at the computer's keys, bringing up an ancient display. A planet swirled in hologram form.

"I don't get it," Asa frowned. "It's like we're going in circles. It should be there!"

"I have good news, love."

Asa was right. They left the tendrils of the Kathol Rift like breaking from a treeline, and finally earned their reward. Before them sat the solitary dark globe that was Ator Hollos. It was blue and green, streaked with storm systems and flashing atmospheric lighting.

The others heard their gasps and joined them in the cockpit.

"I can't believe it—it exists," Jun muttered.

"Indeed," grunted Aemos. "And it appears as dangerous as we expected. "

"I'll take anything, at this point," Kyle replied, teeth grit. "Aemos, go and wake up the initiates. We need to be ready for anything."

Noko put a hand on Asa's shoulder. "Not long now."

"Long nap, here I come," Asa said, before focus took over. It was time for approach. He shifted several levers and flicked a dozen toggles. The freighter swept in closer and closer to the atmosphere.

"Everyone strap in!" Asa shouted over his shoulder, eyes glued to the planet's shifting cloud forms ahead. 

The initiates and Jedi scrambled for a seat, attaching their restraints. One initiate struggled to get his to click; Aemos raised his hand, and the buckle fastened itself. 

"T-Thank you, Teacher Suurm-Xachus."

Aemos let out a deep rumble in response.

The ship slipped past the atmosphere and into the clouds. It was like entering a tumble-dryer, or a Bonadan refinery centrifuge. Brutal winds whipped against the old freighter, forcing it into unplanned spins and barrel-rolls. Asa pushed the controls with white knuckles to keep them from stalling entirely. A burst of lightning lit up the interior cabin.

"Don't tell me we came all the way here just to die in this durasteel box!" Jun barked, holding his restraints.

Asa was resolute. "We'll make it!"

"You've got this, Asa!" Kyle shouted over the howling wind. "Don't worry, initiates. All is as the Force wills it."

Ma-Riki said nothing. She was too busy cackling loudly, her ears flopping this way and that. The initiates on either side eyed her warily. 

Aemos, for his part, was completely silent. It was either strength, or he was worried he might throw up himself.

Then came the voice.

Every force-sensitive on the ship heard it; a voice ringing in their heads as deep as the planet's core. 

THERE IS SOMETHING HERE THAT MUST NOT LEAVE.

The words in their head were followed by a flash of lighting and a horrible crash. Everyone on-board saw a spark of orange in their vision, and the first engine exploded from the surge of power, tearing a hole in the side of the ship.

They felt rain against their skin, and the wind whipping their robes and jackets. Fire leapt to life, flicking wildly in the storm. The ship tilted to one side. Several initiates screamed. It was impossible to tell which way was up. It was like a horrible festival ride, an out-of-control podracer.

The lightning knocked out Asa's instruments, but his eyes worked as well as ever. Determined, he pulled back on the yoke. 

"Everybody hold on!" 

The ship careened through fog until the world stopped, as they slammed into the mountain.

When they came to, their heads spun and their bodies ached. The initiates opened their eyes to see one of the Jedi teachers rousing them, making sure they were okay. Several undid their restraints and fell to the floor, making sick on the grating. Noko supported Asa as he hobbled out of the cockpit, his leg bent at a nasty angle.

Kyle staggered out of the hole in the ship's hull to see where they had stopped.

By some miracle of the Force (or Asa's natural talent), they had landed horizontally, skidding across a long section of mountainside, upon which they'd strewn flaming parts of the ship and knocked over dozens of trees. The freighter now rested on the very edge of a cliff, overlooking a fog-drenched valley. Snow crusted the rocks, covering tufts of orange and green grass.

Though it thundered still overhead, the storm was not as violent this close to the surface. Thick white fog concealed anything further than a few hundred feet. 

"I can't believe we survived," Kyle huffed. "Asa, you sure you're not using the Force?"

Asa chuckled, but it took effort. "You're lookin' at one hundred natural talent, K-Katarn," he joked, before devolving into a coughing fit.

"I suspect you have several broken ribs, love," Noko said seriously. "Lay back. Jedi Jin-Wa, Suurm-Xachus, please inspect the students for injuries."

"At once."

The two Jedi complied, while Kyle stood peering into the fog around them. Something seemed off.  

He took several steps out of the ship, into the scorched rut they'd left in the ground. His senses were flying off the handle. Danger was close, and approaching fast. What was it; the cliff? The ship's other engine, would it explode? 

"Hey, Jedi, any of you . . ."

His voice trailed off as he saw them: dark shadows moving towards them in the fog. 

Figures, dozens of them. 

One by one they stepped close enough to see, a mass of crudely armored humanoids holding blasters and spears. They formed a line around the cliff's edge and the crippled ship, blocking them in.

"Sithspit," grunted Kyle. He spoke over his shoulder. "Friends, we have company."

The other Jedi turned to look--their guests had arrived in near perfect silence.  Several initiates startled, while others, though intimidated, looked ready to fight even in their battered state. 

Noko's brow set; she called her staff to her hand with the Force, and hurried to join Kyle. 

She studied the raiders. Among them, she saw all kinds of species, age, and disposition. Some of them were barely teenagers, while others were older, gnarled and scarred. Their eyes were uniformly full of hate. She knew well enough when someone else saw her as prey, it was the predominant look in the eyes on Reecee's streets. It faced her now in two dozen faces.

"Hello," Kyle greeted the crowd. "Something we can help you guys with?" 

His voice sounded as it always did, but his expression was intense. Not only focused on the hostiles and their intentions; he felt something, a whisper from the Force. Something distracting him. 

Two raiders stepped forward from the line; one of them enormous and armor-plated, with a mangled, fleshy face, the other thin, hunched like a predator, wearing a concealing helmet and cradling a rifle. Leaders amongst the rabble.

A long silence. Kyle sensed Noko's hand edging towards the activation switch on her lightstaff--he put out a hand to stop her, and to warn Jun, Aemos, and Ma-Riki to keep their distance. Aemos' hand was on the hilt of his sword. Jun held his saber, unignited, twitching and ready. 

The lean raider, crouched on a rock, said something to his comrade through a vocalized filter in his helmet. 

"Lightsabers. As the master said."

The voice sounded young. The large, armored raider cracked its neck in reply.

"Survivors! You are blessed this day," bellowed the big one. "Today, the One Who Gives has granted you a great opportunity. We who stand before you are the Immortal Clan, for we are that all: undying, unfading. The One Who Gives is not precious with his gifts, he can bless you also with eternity, should you prove yourselves to be not his enemy. Surrender your arms, and come with us. Come see him."

"Sabdan, be silent," said the rifleman. He stepped forward past the big one, who grunted in annoyance, to address the Jedi. His head tilted, his mask revealing nothing. 

"You...you are different," he said, curiosity at the corner of his words. "Some of you are powerful, indeed. Sabdan is right. You must come with us peacefully; the Master will want you." 

"I've seen worse odds," muttered Jun from the ship. 

Noko grimaced as a vision in the Force struck her, a glimpsed flashpoint. She was the children in the ship, and the children among the raiders. She saw their similarities, their shared fear, their shared capacity for violence in light of it. All at once, she blinked with the impression of every trigger and every blade around her. The crashed ship, one engine still humming with power. She sensed the planet itself. It was . . . watching? Waiting, to discover the outcome? The drums of war, arrhythmic and cruel, beat in her head. And something so dark, she could sense it only by the absence of light it created.

This was a crucial moment. Destinies would be shaped in the next few minutes. 

"We must not fight," she said, quiet enough for only the Jedi to hear. "Many would die. This cannot be our path."

She glanced at Kyle, but stopped at what she saw. His expression was odd--serenity had replaced his focus and worry. He was smiling--it was his typically wry, sarcastic smile, but it was a stark contrast to the determination and fear on every other face around. 

"Master Katarn . . . ?"

"Noko is right," Kyle said. He glanced back into the ship, to the Jedi, to the Initiates, and he offered a gruff, reassuring smile. 

"The Force just showed me my path. You need to go, carry on the mission, build the academy. I have to go with them."

"What?" blurted Noko, eyes wide. 

Aemos' jaw tightened. "Master Katarn. Please--"

"We either trust the Force, or we don't. At the very least, trust me. I'll be okay. This is the way things have to be. No matter what: trust in the Force, and each other. Noko, Jun, Aemos; good luck. May the Force be with all of you. I think we'll meet again."

He saw the reluctance, the shock in their faces. He smiled once more. "All is as the Force wills it," he reminded them.

Slowly, each processed his words. They looked at each other. 

"All is as the Force wills it," they said together. Whether they felt it in the moment or not, they meant it. They chose to believe it. 

The burden was transferred to them.

"I'll buy you an opening," Kyle murmured. "Take care of the students."

With that final word, Kyle turned towards the line of raiders, these goons that called themselves "Immortals." The Jedi Master stepped forward and raised his hands in surrender. 

"Alright, you spooks," he said, voice clear. "I'll go with you, but you leave the others be."

The big one, Sabdan, shook his head. "All or nothing, survivor."

"They all go to the master!" cried a warrior in the crowd. The others answered with jeers.

"Listen up, scumbags! It's just me, no one else. You don't like it, too bad. Let's get going, don't wanna keep this 'master' of yours waiting."

He stepped closer to the line of raiders. Two ran forward and grabbed him, pulling him towards a set of waiting chains. The Jedi watched him look back, and flash another half-grimace.

He closed his eyes and leaned back his head, reaching out towards them with his free hand, and then pushing with the Force as hard as he could. Noko felt it like a powerful wind, blowing her back inside the broken freighter. She let herself be carried, landing lightly inside the hull with the others. The power of the Force grew stronger, and the freighter squealed as its bulkhead scraped across the stone toward the edge of the cliff. Its weight passed the lip, and it lurched.

The ship teetered backwards. There was a clunk in the still-living engine. It vibrated the remains of the freighter as it flared to life. 

Jun shouted, "Everyone grab onto something! Strap in!"

"Stay together!" Kyle called, and the last thing the Jedi saw was the crowd of shocked, angry raiders pulling the Jedi Master to the ground.

While their comrades dragged Kyle Katarn away, the rest of the raiders charged the crashed Jedi ship. They were too late: Kyle's last action, that final push with the Force, put the Jedi and initiates beyond their reach. The crashed ship went sliding off the cliff, and thanks to a precision use of the Force, its single remaining engine ignited in a bloom of light. The ship lurched into open air, and the engine carried them away like a bird with a broken wing.

Blaster fire scattered against the hull. The passengers held on for dear life, watching through the hole as the cliff, the raiders, and Master Katarn grew smaller and smaller, and were finally swallowed by the fog.

The single engine could not keep the ship on a straight path for long. Soon it dipped under the weight of the freighter, its power waning, its thrust struggling. It became weaker and weaker, taking them lower and lower, getting closer and closer to the tops of the tall trees of the forest below. Then they felt the bottom of the freighter sweep against the tops of those trees. They sunk lower; the ship smashed against them, its mass of durasteel knocking them aside. For a few brutal seconds it was like they were in the storm again, buffeted by the violence outside. At any moment they might be ripped apart and crushed.

Finally the ship scraped against the ground, flying up on its nose as it met resistance. The freighter plowed across the forest floor, tearing a trench through the trees until finally, slowly, pathetically, it slid to a halt.

There was silence. The students and adults were battered, bruised, unkempt. They looked at each other in shock.

A bird cawed somewhere in the distance.

One of the lucky initiates who had never left his restraints was the first to come to his senses. He undid his harness and hurried, dizzily, to the opening, where he ooked out carefully to see only trees and fog. The light was fading. Night would come soon.

"I . . . I think we're okay!" he called back to the others.

Aemos, shaken but sturdy, scowled and rose to his feet.

"That is what we hoped last time we crashed," he growled.

He moved the student aside and stepped out onto solid ground. With sharp eyes, he surveyed the area.

One-by-one, the others followed suit. 

Noko held her staff, Asa leaned against the side of the ship, blaster in hand. Jun held his saber ready, unlit, lest he give them away.

Ma-Riki pointed around with a slingshot, one eye squeezed shut. She cocked her head, her right ear twitching as she listened intently.

"Nothin'," she declared, with a nod. She stowed her slingshot in her satchel. The initiates slowly clambered out of the wreck, one-by-one. Gradually, everyone was able to relax.

Enjoying the moment of peace, the Lannik shaman breathed in the air of the forest. She let out a satisfied sigh.

"Good to be back in the woods, eh! Not in space anymore. Space is weird-weird. The woods, on the other hand: weird in a way Ma-Riki likes. Mist-dripped and sodden. Earthy, moldy, alive."

Asa raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't get you, woman."

"Nor shall you ever!" she replied, cackling to herself.

Aemos turned seriously to the others, his tone authoritative. "Now is not the time to rest. We must find the Monastery quickly. We are at risk in the open. Our crash site will be easily tracked by any who wish us harm."

"This forest could go on for hcotes and hcotes," Noko sighed. "We should find shelter somewhere close, first. It could take days of walking to find the Monastery. Did anyone happen to see it during our descent?"

"I was too worried about seeing myself inside out," groaned Jun. He winced at Asa, baring a doggish grin. "Hey, Ace: stand-up job back there. Can't believe we're not dead."

Asa's breathing was labored, and his forehead was slick with sweat. Nonetheless, he smiled back at the ragged duelist. "I aim to please."

"Did I not tell you he would get us here safely?" Noko asked, looking pleased to have her confidence in her husband proven right. It quickly faded as she turned her attention to their less than stellar situation. ". . . Well, alive. Is anyone injured? Is anything broken?"

They set about creating a makeshift shelter. Ma-Riki sniffed out a concealed hollow ten minutes away from the crash site where they moved the injured to lay down to rest. They split into two groups--those staying at the hollow—Jun and Ma-Riki—and those going back to salvage the mangled ship—led by Aemos and Noko.

Jun stayed at the Hollow to stand guard with Ma-Riki.

"Let me treat the injured!" She offered. "They'll be spic-span as quick as can be. My elixirs work!"

Aemos turned his imposing glare on the diminutive woman. She didn't back down even one iota.

"You're not to touch any student until we return, witch. Swear it!"

Noko stepped between them, something she felt she was bound to do a lot in the near future.

"Aemos," she warned. She turned to the short, frowning woman. "For the time being, please wait for one of us to return with supplies, Ma-Riki."

Ma-Riki crossed her arms. She did not appreciate the snub.

Noko pulled Jun and Aemos outside the Hollow for a private conversation about the issue.

"Luke sent her with us for a reason. She might be able to help. I believe she deserves our trust."

Aemos would not be swayed. "While Master Skywalker has my utmost respect, enough variables have been introduced to this ruinous situation. She will not touch a Jedi or a student," the Hybolon insisted. "We will minister to the injured with the medical supplies from the ship. We shall prioritize their retrieval."

Aemos kept watch, the tall Hybolon stalking the edges of the clearing created during their crash. His brow was furrowed, his posture tense.

Night was descending fast. They could waste no time. He sensed shadows darting between the trees. The mist swirled around them, as though watching. His gnarled face wrinkled, his brow furrowed as he stared out into the darkness.

From behind him, the sound of a voice. A presence he only now sensed. Moving quickly, he unsheathed his sword.

"Greetings, greetings!" called an unfamiliar voice, echoing in the dark forest.

The initiates and Noko dropped what they were holding to unsheath their own weapons. As one, they turned from the ship wreck toward the mysterious new arrival.

The stranger raised his hands in peace, confronted with so many weapons. "Oh," he said. "I mean no harm, I mean no harm."

From what could be seen in the moonlight, the man was elderly, dark-skinned, his face surrounded by an enormous mane of bushy salt-and-pepper hair. He wore robes that covered most of his body, and gripped a walking stick in his left hand. It was capped with an ornamental carving. Pearl, or Ivory.

Aemos stared at him, confused as to why he had not sensed him sooner. He pointed with the tip of his sword.

"Begone," he rumbled. "Or you will regret coming here."

Noko jogged up beside him, a gentle hand touching the side of his outstretched weapon. "Aemos, please," she said quietly. "We're outsiders; hostility will be met with hostility. You know this."

Aemos steeled his nerves and backed down. Noko took his place.

"Greetings," she called. "We've had . . . bad luck with strangers today. Who are you?"

The old man chuckled under his beard. "An old hermit, an old hermit. These woods are my home. You've knocked down many of my . . . of my trees!"

Noko looked back at the path of destruction the crashing ship had created, and bowed to the man. "You speak true. Our circumstances were desperate. I am sorry; I take no pleasure in causing this planet harm. We would like to help restore what our vessel destroyed, if help can be given."

"Jedi Imani," Aemos muttered beside her. "We have limited time."

But the hermit waved away the concern. "No, no . . . the planet will take care of itself. It will take care of itself. This is not some fragile little garden, stranger. It is the mighty woods of Ator Hollos! The forest has a heart of its own. Many things live here. Prideful things, wicked things. Wicked things. Things that do not take insult so easily."

With sharp eyes, he looked over the wreckage, the tired and bloodied students, the two weary teachers in front of him. He bowed his head, clasping both long-fingered hands over the head of his stave.

"But I feel your words are honest. You bear no malice. You are not evil. Just running from something, yes? It's not your fault you didn't look where you were going. Look where you were going. Difficult to do when on the run."

"This is not the introduction we would have preferred," Noko admitted. "We hope to do good here. I hope that we bring far more to Ator Hollos than we have taken in our hurry to preserve our lives."

"Not all things can be preserved," said the old man, eyes sparking keenly under bushy brows. "Trying to preserve can bring upon worse things than simply letting go.

Many apologies, many apologies, I'm being rude. For my part, I am called Oku; a simple hermit of the woods. Of the woods. And who are you, strangers? We do not often get visitors to Ator Hollos."

Noko looked aside to Aemos. Her fellow teacher narrowed his eyes.

The old hermit waited patiently for them to decide what to say.

Finally, Noko decided there was little point in concealing the truth. It would come out eventually. It was important that they create a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Trust begat trust.

"We are members of the Jedi Order. I am Nokori Imani, this is Aemos Suurm-Xachus. These others are initiates of our Order."

The man acted as though she'd said nothing besides her name. The word 'Jedi' apparently meant nothing to him, though his ignorance might have been feigned.

"Finely met! I know not of your order, but hermits know little outside their realms. Welcome to Ator Hollos, Jedi Order." He looked at them closely in the half-dusk. "Tell me . . . is your order a peaceful order? Ator Hollos has conflict enough, I am sorry to say. Conflict enough."

"We are defenders of peace," Aemos said, his voice reverberating through the clearing. "We are allies of the Force. It runs deep within this planet."

Oku shrugged. "Does it, indeed? I've seen no Force here, but perhaps it is one of those invisible things? An invisible thing."

"It . . ." Aemos paused, apparently thrown off. ". . . Tends to be."

"Ah, well!" the old man clicked his tongue. "I have my own share of things for which others call me mad! I did not come to meet you to judge what forces you choose to worship. You choose to worship."

"We are looking for a Monastery on the mountain called the Grandmother. Do you know of it?"

"I do," Oku nodded, regret pulling at his face. "I am sorry to say you are quite far away from your monastery. It is a day's walk in that direction," he said, pointing south with his stave. "You best wait out the night before starting. Perhaps you will join me at my home. At my home."

Noko glanced back at the watching initiates. Some mistrusting, some hopeful, some afraid.

She bowed her head to the hermit. A kind offer, but not one worth risking at the moment. "I believe we are too many to fit into your home, and it is best we continue our work here. But we are most grateful for your offer."

"Ah, the more the better, I feel. But do as you will! I will bother you no longer. No longer. Farewell, Jedi Order! Peace watch you."

"May the Force be with you," Noko replied, bowing again.

The hermit called Oku tilted his head at this, and smiled beneath his beard. He turned and hobbled off into the dark shadows of the trees, gathering his robes around him. The Jedi and initiates watched him until he disappeared into the mist.

Noko sensed distress roiling in the hearts of the others.

"Do not fear, students," she said, still watching the spot where the hermit had vanished. Her cloak hung over her shoulder, her staff loosely in hand. Her words were firm, but her expression was unsure.

Aemos' face darkened. He would leave nothing to chance. "It is time to leave," he muttered.

"Yes."

The grim Jedi turned to the initiates. "Students, gather what can be carried. We move quickly."

They turned ten minutes into five. Aemos and Noko had to corral the students as some fell along the way, or risked getting lost in the fog. Aemos growled to keep them quiet, as they shouted to one another or cried from stress. Both Jedi teachers' heads were on swivels, eyes out for any other danger.

They sensed it at the same time. As did a few of the students.

A flash of blue in the fog ahead, illuminating the movement of beasts.

Jun was shouting and waving them off with his lightsaber while Asa fired his blaster. Ma-Riki helpfully flung rocks from her slingshot. A pack of creatures were assaulting the camp in the hollow. 

Noko and Aemos unsheathed their weapons. Noko's lightsaber snap-hissed as it erupted from the blade, throwing brilliant green around her. 

The light illuminated more beasts just to their left, galloping to reinforce their pack.

The things, seeing the light, turned to the two Jedi and their gaggle of students, encircling them, snarling and snapping teeth. As large as bears, they were insectoid-mammalian-difficult-to-understand horrors. They dripped with the dark side. The Jedi could feel it in their bones.

One howled--a withered sound that forced unnatural dread into the hearts of any who heard it. An initiate screamed, and the sudden sound provoked one of the things to lurch towards her.

Rushing between them came Aemos, throwing the student to the dirt and raising his blade to fend off the threat.

It stepped back and sized up this new meal, then snapped forward, its head unraveling on a longer-than expected neck. Tentacles on its snout flicked against Aemos' face. He felt stingers leave welts against the skin under his eye. The Hybolon roared and pushed with the Force, sending the creature head-over-tail, tumbling back into the darkness.

One of the initiates deployed his own force attack, warding off a flanking attack from a lone creature to their rear.\

The light from Noko's blade appeared to irritate the creatures. Jun's blade had driven several in retreat, where they were caught between him and Noko. Sensing their greater numbers, they shook off their wounds and launched towards the smaller human with savage purpose.

Noko's face betrayed no emotion, even as three of the things leapt towards her. Asa shouted from the hollow, but she was fully calm, which made the sudden flurry of attacks that followed even more jarring.

Obscured by the dark and the fog, the students couldn't see her form clearly. Noko blurred into a vicious leaping dance of sweeping strikes, both with her lightsaber blade and the haft of her staff. Many of her attacks seemed ineffective until one realized their purpose wasn't to land, but to maneuver; herding each creature into a disadvantageous position for a final blow three moves later. Finally, she brought her saber down in a firm, deliberate cut, loping off the head of the last of the four.

Jun dispatched his final opponent as well, heaving with breath and bringing his weapon back into a defensive posture. Two more more lay smoking at his feet.

The rest of the pack snarled and spat, and turned and returned to the darkness, their howling echoing into the sky.

Noko deactivated her lightsaber and checked on the initiates, hurrying everyone into the Hollow.

"Good work, Jedi Jin-Wa," she told Jun with a smile.

Aemos merely rumbled.

Jun deactivated his lightsaber and wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

"It's what I do," he shrugged.

Noko turned back to look into the darkness. "Those things, did you feel them in the Force?"

The other two obviously knew what she meant.

"Dark as tar," Jun nodded, his expression sober.

"Some twistedness begat their corruption," Aemos mused. "They were unnatural."

Once they'd all gathered in camp, a few students volunteered to stand watch with Asa's blaster so the teachers could explain their encounter at the crash site with Oku to the others.

Ma-Riki was more disappointed than anything. "I can't believe me missed it! Always a joy to meet new people, friend OR foe. Crazy people in forests are unfairly viewed as suspicious. Though . . ." she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it is fair, after all. I just remembered a few crazy people I've met in forests who could certainly not be trusted."

Jun folded his arms inside the sleeves of his robes. "You're not thinking of yourself, are you?"

She looked at him like he was odd for changing the subject. "Not right now, which is unusual. Why do you ask?"

Aemos shook his head. He had little patience for the two of them at this moment. He was strained enough with keeping conscious of the initiates, most of whom blundered and shouted and whimpered far too much for his preference. He rubbed at his eyes. His hand, he noticed, trembled.

"I think it wise that we travel south at first light. We will die if we stay out here any longer."

"You sure about that?" Jun frowned. "I've got to tell you, not sure this lot are ready for the trek. Bit risky if we don't have an exact location."

Noko stood against the wall of the hollow, beneath a tangle of roots. She flexed her mechanical hand, testing its servos. "Separating from one another poses risks of its own. Our strength is in our numbers."

"The girl is right!" Ma-Riki agreed. Any time she lowered her voice, it turned to gravel. "Strength in numbers, that is the way of the wild."

"This whole endeavor is doomed before it has begun," spat Aemos. "The loss of initiates is becoming an inevitability, whatever we do. We must accept that now."

Noko stared at him. "I disagree. Are we not equipped to protect less than twenty people?"

"They are slow, loud, foolish," Aemos glared. He paced, upset and angry. "We cannot protect them if they will not cooperate. Your husband is wounded, we cannot rely on any help from him. He is as much a liability as the rest. And this woman," he gestured to Ma-Riki, who preemptively shot him a glare. "Is as likely to eat us as help us."

"Despicable. You need one of my elixirs."

Jun winced. He looked as though he was going to regret what he was about to say. "He ain't wrong." Seeing Noko's raised eyebrow, he hurried to justify himself. "Look, I'm just saying this is a tough situation, that's all. Katarn left us in the lurch."

Noko's voice took on an edge. "He followed the will of the Force. It was Master Katarn who told us to stay together. He and Luke trusted the three of us to take care of our students."

"Master Katarn is gone!" Aemos roared. He looked aside at the watching initiates, cleared his throat, and returned to a mutter. "Our chances of success have dwindled precariously in his absence."

Noko stepped forward, jaw set. Suddenly, she seemed nearly as tall as Aemos.

"Master Katarn trusted the Force," she said. "And so should you. At the very least, you should trust him. He knew what he was doing. If you come apart at the seams without him, you're failing him *and* these students. Your fear is uncontrolled. The worst threat to this mission right now is your weakness."

The Hybolon visibly tensed. His eyes widened. "How *dare* you--"

Asa decided it was best to join the conversation. He hobbled in-between them on his makeshift crutch, waving his free hand peaceably.

"Woah woah woah, let's all be pals. Nobody kill nobody. You know things aren't great as is, right? We've gotta figure out how to get to that monastery. We gotta get these kids someplace safe."

There was a moment of tense quiet. The two Jedi stepped away, and things calmed down.

"How about we take five?" Asa suggested.

That seemed like the right thing to do. They dispersed: Asa spoke quietly to Noko while Aemos left to bring in the other initiates to sleep. Jun leaned against the wall and stared into the distance. Ma-Riki smiled at something in her head; more than anything, amused.

They had a long walk tomorrow.

By the end of the night, it was decided that the dangers of splitting up were too great; they would all travel together as one group.

As dawn broke over the forest, they took down the camp and set off. Most had barely slept. The injured rode on hover-stretchers, three of which had survived the crash. In one long line, they trekked into the woods traveling south, as the hermit had told them.

Aemos stayed back at the rear of the line while Noko and Jun led from the front.

Noko did not appreciate Aemos' continued attempts to distance himself, in this case literally. It worried her. If they couldn't face this challenge with the patience Jedi should, how would they face those to come? She had failed the previous night. She regretted what she'd said. But there was nothing for it now. She did her best to put the students at ease, and hoped their journey would end sooner rather than later.

The woods became deeper and darker, damp with fog and vividly green. Tall trees cast long shadows. Harmless animals scurried out of their path in the underbrush. Jun kept quiet and watched their surroundings carefully, channeling the skills he'd acquired during his time as a bounty hunter. The last thing he needed, he thought, was the death of any Jedi students on his hands. He had a complicated enough relationship to the Jedi as it was; dead kids would not help.

Soon, their path became difficult and confused. There was no trail to speak of, no stars or sun could be seen through the cloud cover above, and alarmingly, their compass was unreliable: while it had been stable enough before, it now occasionally spun before seeming to right itself.

Electromagnetic interference from Ator Hollos' atmospheric storms.

Aemos finally relented and allowed Ma-Riki to lead the group. She swore by her sense of direction, and promised she would keep them going south.

The dark side was strong in these woods.

The students began to see strange things, and hear whispers from the fog. Darkness crept in from every direction, a sense of fear and guilt. Solid shapes would coagulate and then vanish like breath in the air.

"We must press on," Noko insisted, though she felt weary and worn down. Jun was jumping at every sound. Asa's wound had him asleep on a stretcher as often as not. Aemos was as upset as ever. She was grateful for Ma-Riki's comparative cheer--the Lannik appeared unaffected by the dismal energy floating around the trees. It was her resolve that was rallying the students now.

Noko was beginning to understand why Luke felt she would be useful.

Their journey south took them lower and lower, down gullies and patches of bog. For the first time, they saw ahead through the tops of the lowest trees an open space, a distant moor uncluttered by forest. It was an encouraging sight, but it was followed by as deep a plunge into the darkest woods as they had made yet.

Here, roots curled around like wires, the trees were gnarled and old. Strange plants reacted to their passing by uncurling, or opening, or changing color, the meanings of which were impossible to surmise. It kept them moving all the faster.

And then, a sensed presence nearby. Something old, and sad. There was beauty here, but pain and regret obscured it. A terrible shadow.

Their path had taken them through a deep ravine, there was no way to go around it. 

Ahead, atop a rock in the middle of a throne-room like clearing, there sat a humongous beast, a behemoth with enormous, powerful limbs, a winding neck, and a face that looked both dragonish and as like the trees as the trees themselves. Across its back lay a sheet of moss, interrupted by stony growths. It reclined on the rock in the center of the grove, watching them as they approached.

This was something deep and ancient, and profoundly sorrowful. Darkness and light battled within. Eyes stared out at them soaked with regret, glowing lamp-like with unknowable light, shining through a tangle of antlers. Each of the Jedi and students felt as a frightening intelligence began taking their measure, so powerfully that each encountered a psychic phenomenon unique to them. It whispered truths and dark tidings, fears unrealized, tragedies long past, things yet to come. It told them who they might be, what they might lose. These things spoke into their minds all at once.

"The Force is with you, students," Noko said, but her voice was weak, hoarse. She felt faint. "Stand strong," she stammered.

Aemos was talking to himself beside her. "Darkness, clinging. Pulling. Straining. Disease. Disease . . . Father-! Father . . . Mother . . . "

It was Jun who moved to do something. He closed his eyes, stepped forward and raised a hand, his fingers grasping in the force. He would make it impossible to ignore him.

The thing's attention turned to him alone. The entirety of its powers, its consciousness, flooded Jun's brain at once. Whether it was an attack or it simply didn't know a human's mind would crack under so much pressure, Jun didn't know. But the power was driving him to him knees. He did the only thing he knew to do.

He ignited his lightsaber. Deep blue light washed around the darkened grove. 

The thing regarded the glowing blade. Jun felt his stomach plummet with relief as the mental presence receded from his brain, leaving his head pounding, leftover images and foreign thoughts clinging to the corners. Respect? Fear? Disappointment? The reaction was impossible to read.

The Master of the Wood stood and began to prowl its grove, the ground shaking with every mammoth step. It opened its jaws and a word gasped from deep inside its stomach.

"Leave."

The Jedi fled the darkness of the deep woods and the grove of the creature, beating as hasty a retreat as they could while still guiding the wounded, and recovering from the encounter themselves. As they went, the forest around them cleared. Light poured in from above. The oppression lifted, until the darkness was only a bad memory.

Once they felt they had left it behind, they collapsed in the ferns. Aemos supported Jun. Ma-Riki trotted underfoot while waving a stick with a bag full of herbs tied on the end and murmuring some kind of charm over the affected students. The dark side still hounded a few.

Aemos made sure everyone was accounted for. He looked back in time to see Noko collapse to the forest floor.

"Jedi Imani!" 

He helped prop Jun upJun prop against a tree, and hurried towards the fallen Jedi. He found her shivering on the ground, arms wrapped around her middle. Asa shouted behind him, hobbling as fast as he could.

"We won't be enough," she gasped, eyes blank and staring.

Asa sunk to her side, propping her up and embracing her. He threw a defensive look towards the looming Aemos. But Aemos' face was not hard. The confrontation had been burned out of him by their encounter with the darkness. He had, once again, to confront his own unworthiness. It reminded him of his place.

"We will fail," Noko said to no one. "Our failure will cause their deaths."

"Visions of a future that may not come to pass," Aemos reminded her, his voice low and calm. "Bestowed by a creature enslaved by the darkness. Do not fear, Jedi Imani. The future is ever in motion."

Her breathing stabilized. She looked first at Asa, and then up at Aemos. The Hybolon coughed awkwardly, and kneeled.

"Before, in the woods...I became defensive, because you were right. We have a duty not just to these students, but the Jedi Order itself, all generations past and future. What we do now determines the Jedi's destiny. It is not a time for . . . ahem, whining." He took a deep breath, steeling himself. "I . . . apologize, Jedi Imani."

Reason returned, and peace along with it. Noko touched her worried husband's shoulder gratefully before she turned to Aemos. She rose, and Aemos tentatively followed. Weary and injured, she smiled, bowing slightly.

"Thank you, Jedi Suurm-Xachus. You have my gratitude."

Aemos returned a stiff nod.

The matter resolved, they turned to Jun, who was leaning against a tree nearby.

"Now there's a Jedi Knight," Noko grinned. Jun laughed weakly, waving away the compliment.

"Indeed, indeed!" Ma-Riki chirped from where she was helping the students. "He saved your all's lives! I would have been fine, myself. Probably just taken to living with the big beastie if it ended up killin' you all. I do adapt well."

Aemos gritted his teeth. "Jedi Jin-Wa!" he rumbled.

Jun raised an eyebrow. He had a feeling what followed wouldn't be another scolding.

Aemos chewed on the words. "For once, you managed to do something besides bring disgrace."

Jun chuckled hoarsely, shaking his head.

There was a sudden sound nearby, making the initiates and Jedi all turn as one to face it. Their nerves could not handle much more.

Three tiny hooded Jawas stood a few meters away watching them.

One nearly fell over in fright. The second slapped him, jabbering something in Jawese. The third opened its arms to the Jedi in welcome.

"Utinni!"

The Jedi and initiates stared for a long time. A single initiate meekly raised a hand in greeting.

"Utto nye usabia keena?"

One initiate, familiar with the language of Jawas from childhood, turned to his fellows to translate. 

"They've been expecting us. They'd like to show us the way."

Noko almost didn't believe it. But Luke told them a small clan of Jawas lived in the Monastery, and he had secured their permission to the Jedi to live alongside them. These, she imagined, must be them. "We would be very grateful for the help."

"They would . . . like our hover-stretchers, in exchange."

A beat of silence. Jun shrugged. "Typical Jawas. Fair enough."

"Once we reach the Monastery, they may have them."

The initiate repeated this to the Jawas. The trio listened intently, and leapt excitedly at the answer. Eagerly, they waved for the Jedi to follow.

With guides, the way was far easier. Already, the Jedi had traveled leagues closer to their destination, and the Jawas knew the path well. The three hooded creatures led the group carefully through the woods, pointing out landmarks invisible to the less experienced observer. Ma-Riki seemed delighted by them, so much so that her pleased cackles earned a surprising shushing from all three. These Jawas were quieter than anyone who knew Jawas could expect--not only cautious in the way their height and strength necessitated, but practiced in their footfalls and intentional about their steps. Their way of navigating the woods illustrated respect--and fear--of their surroundings. One got the sense of things just out of sight, things watching and waiting for a careless mistake, things appeased by being shown the honor they were owed. Any questions--and there were many to ask--were rejected to keep the silence.

They soon left the sounds of waterfall and pine-tree for the open expanse of the misty moors, and the shadow of tree-cover for the shadows of mountains. Great peaks and rocky slopes rose before them, snow drifts and steep paths fell underfoot. Now the questions were rejected because they all had to concentrate, or risk tumbling down into the mist below.

The Jawas stopped and shushed their followers, gesturing collectively to a hillside leagues away, glimpsed through a gap in the fog. In the far distance stood two silhouettes--humanoids astride some manner of steed, wide-brimmed hats on their heads. The Jawas said something to their translator.

"Not dangerous. Not raiders, they say," the initiate passed on to the teachers. "Scouts from . . . a village . . . keeping watch."

They gazed back at the scouts until, after some time, their steeds turned and galloped out of sight.

A final climb culminated in the Jedi tromping up a heather-strewn hill. One-by-one they crested the top and gasped when they discovered the sight on the other side: a great mountain, the largest they had seen. The peak and its range commanded a sweeping valley, waterfalls cascading down its cliffs like the white hair of a matriarch. On its side, overlooking a wide silvery lake, stood the cluster of ancient towers and scoured domes of the Ator Monastery. 

Their new home.

None of them spoke. There was silence beyond the howl of the wind and the whipping of their cloaks. Their faces sweaty and weary, their limbs aching, they stood and took it all in. 

Leagues in the distance they saw the shapes of long-legged beasts as tall as mountains themselves, moving herd-like across the moor. Wide Beldon-like siphonophores floated in and out of sight between the dense clouds above.

". . . It's something, huh?" Jun said aloud. It felt like an understatement, but it did the trick. 

Soon, the initiates began to collapse to rest. The Jawas would have none of it, not when they were almost there. One of them tugged at an initiate's jacket in a useless attempt to muster her; while the Jawas were used to clambering over these mountains, the initiates were obviously not. 

Noko requested they be given time to rest. The leader of the three Jawas did not like it, but after admitting their current position was fairly safe, he could not say no. 

So they staked camp within sight of their final destination, and fell asleep wondering at the dark towers in the distance.

The following day they took down camp, descended from the hilltop into the valley, and--with the strength of burgeoning mountaineers, ascended the foothills of the spectacular mountain called the Grandmother to reach the Monastery perched on its side.

The old towers that served as the entrance were imposing, but they were expected. An old, wiry man came out to meet them, his uneven graying hair combed as neatly as possible. He looked taken aback at the sight of the disheveled travelers, probably a side effect of so rarely seeing anyone besides the Jawas, much less a dozen students and Jedi. Then his sense of duty took over.

"You are the Jedi, I . . . I assume?" he asked, voice reedy but strong.

The answer was pretty clear, so much so that a few of the students laughed. Jun, deadpan as ever, replied, "No, we're dropping off your mail."

Aemos did not laugh, unsurprisingly. "We are the Jedi."

The old caretaker nodded a few times at the ground to their left, seemingly more comfortable without making any eye contact.

"Skywalker said you'd come. I'm Lynus Fendri, I take care of the place. We have been preparing for you. There is . . . food, and tea inside."

"Sounds good to me," said Asa, propping himself up on his hover-stretcher. "Thanks for the welcome, Lynus!"

There was a chorus of murmured thanks from the initiates. Noko and Aemos bowed.

"He looks nearly as old as me!" Ma-Riki whispered, too loud, to the initiate beside her.

"This monastery bears the marks of centuries of history," Aemos growled. "We are honored by your invitation."

"Of course." Lynus looked uncomfortable, but bowed slightly in return. He turned and called inside. "Rudy! Come and help with their things."

A new voice came from inside the tower, filtered through the vocoder of a droid.

"You mean they're here? You didn't say they were--"

A droid ducked out from the door, a massive load-lifter frame with a disk-like head. Several of the initiates flinched at the sight of such an alarmingly large machine, until it chirped a greeting in a direct, feminine tone.

"Oh, wow. Hello, Jedi! I can hardly believe you're really here! Lynus said you'd be here, but it just seemed so amazing that I had to wonder if he was just getting the kind of old where he makes things up. But no, you're really, truly here!"

Lynus threw a frown in her direction, as though they had talked ahead of time about not coming on too strong. "This noisebox is Rudy," he introduced. "She helps with the labor."

"Very excited to have you here," Rudy continued, her servos practically shaking to prove it. "It can get a bit lonely up here, but all these new faces? It's really going to liven the place up! Lynus is great, but he can only tolerate me for so long."

"That's enough, droid," Lynus grunted. "Come on then, come on. Let's get everyone in. How did your landing go? Any difficulties?"

Jun hefted his bag and led the way. "You could say that," he said offhandedly. "Where's the grub?"

Lynus and Rudy set to work helping each of them inside, offering to take packs and supplies. The students weren't sure how to take the caretaker's stiff reception. He was not prone to smiling. He wasn't prone to anything but frowning, for that matter.

Lynus doled out stew and blankets to each of them, and once they were all fed he led them around the central towers of the Monastery. It was a massive complex. While originally built around carvings into the mountain by the Dai Bendu, the B'omarr order constructed the domed towers, and just as many additions were added by a host of other marooned dwellers from scores of different cultures and traditions. Lynus pointed out carvings, statues, and buildings he believed to be added by the Zeffonians, the Aing-Tii, and even the Je'daii. Some of the cultures he mentioned were ones Aemos, Noko, and Jun had never heard of before.

He showed them the main level, with its courtyard, kitchens, meditation chambers, and quarters rooms. While it was all ramshackle and in disrepair, it was clear that Lynus had done what he could to preserve the place with what little material he had; a relief in the courtyard was half-restored, and several walls bore the evidence of caulking and refitting. Nonetheless, the halls were cold, and damp, and could use light and color.

A drip from the ceiling on one of the higher levels caught Jun's eye. 

Once Lynus had left the room, he muttered to Noko, "The place holds up. The old man's skills are impressive, for sure. Still, not what you'd call glamorous, is it?"

Noko shrugged. "At least it's not as humid as the Praxeum on Yavin IV."

"Mm. Still, I hated the place, but sometimes you miss the temple on Coruscant."

Though he suppressed it, there were subtle hints that Lynus was just pleased to show someone--anyone--his work. He shuttled them from room to room, putting on a forced, subdued indifference until someone pointed out his craftsmanship, and he could no longer help but nod gratefully, muttering about how it didn't take too long, and the droid was there to help, after all.

While the students walked around choosing their quarters, Lynus took the teachers into some of the tertiary towers. Deeper inside the oldest parts of the Monastery were the tunnels into the mountain, but Lynus said he rarely went inside.

"The B'omarr monks live in the basement. Well, the . . . er . . . dungeon. There are two of them, been here for centuries, but rarely go outside the walls. Mostly sit around, thinking about thinking. They prefer their space; they get territorial if I go down there. They get along alright with the Jawas, though. I think they have them do them favors.

You're all free to take any rooms you like. This central tower is yours, the Jawas and B'omarr already agreed. And anything else that suits your needs, you're welcome to it. All I ask is that you respect what this place is."

"We shall treat it with deference," Aemos agreed. "The Jedi Order are but the latest in a long line of inhabitants, and perhaps shall not be the last."

"Nice work, old fella," Jun said, slapping a stone wall appreciatively.

Noko smiled. "We cannot express our gratitude enough. This place will serve well as a new enclave."

"Yes, well," Lynus frowned. "We shall see. I hope the Jedi Order can survive Ator Hollos. It is not for the faint of heart. I'll help you in any way I can, but for years I have been cooking and fixing for just one person. I am not suited to do it for over twelve people. If your students and you could aid me with repairs, it would help muchly. I will need help tending the fields below, that's where all the food comes from. Well, that and hunting Rabdoar at the edge of the woods. And we'll need more of it, especially with winter coming."

Noko nodded. "If you are willing to show us how, we will work hard. Farming will teach the initiates--and us--valuable lessons."

"Sure, sure."

"If the initiates do not work hard, they will face the consequences," Aemos added ominously.

They told Lynus about their run-in with the Immortals, and asked if he knew where they might have taken Master Katarn.

"One of your friends was taken by raiders? I . . . would not expect to see him again."

"We're gonna find him," Jun said, resolute.

"You can have whatever hopes you wish, but Ator Hollos is a large planet. Navigating the storms is hard enough. You'll need to learn how to travel here before you go off searching for anything. And I hope you won't bring any bands of murderers back with you."

"Do you know of this group?" Noko asked. "They called themselves Immortals. Sabdan, a large humanoid, seemed to lead them, though they referenced another master."

"I am sorry," Lynus shook his head. "I only leave the Monastery when it is necessary. And I keep well clear of raiders, or any group of travelers, for that matter. I hope your friend is alive."

The scouts from the village he was more familiar with. The village was no trouble, but they kept their distance. They had many superstitions about the Monastery. On the odd occasion Lynus did trade with them, he had been told stories about the beasts in the woods--the Atoric--that lined up with what the Jedi had seen.

"I'm no force-user myself, but I can feel the oddness of this planet. I don't know if you'll be any good for Ator Hollos, but . . . I do hope."

Noko smiled. There was humor in her voice. 

"We feel the same."

While the teachers were absent, the students had gone about putting together a makeshift hospital. They transferred the injured to mats on the floor, while the Jawas happily floated their new hover-stretchers away to their tower. Medical supplies (the priority from the crash-site) were stockpiled against one wall. They spent the rest of the afternoon tending to the wounded, making final selections on quarters, and giving everyone a chance to explore the Monastery. By evening, they convened again to eat and discuss. By firelight, they chatted about the monastery, some about its history, some--in worried tones--about Master Katarn, the beasts in the woods, and the roving gangs of scavengers. Noko told Lynus about the current state of the galaxy, to his idle interest. It had been a long time since he felt any connection to something besides Ator Hollos. In due time, he changed the subject.

"Perhaps, with your help, we can finally get real power running. I haven't had what I need to put up any turbines myself."

"Asa, my husband, was an engineer. Once he's recovered, he and the students can make that a priority."

"Could be good to get a turbolaser, too."

"I'm . . . not sure where we'd find one. What for, exactly?"

"Protection," said the old man, slurping his stew and saying nothing else.

After dinner, Ma-Riki regaled a sleepy audience with a tale of star goddesses and lost love, which Rudy the droid seemed to enjoy most of all. Before they could finally drift off, Noko caught everyone's attention with a strong, gentle word. Aemos and Jun looked on.

"Initiates . . . Well done. While unplanned, the journey so far has already greatly tested you, I'm proud to see you have risen to the occasion. Tomorrow we'll begin missions, lessons, and duties around the Monastery. You've overcome great challenges already, and shown yourselves capable. Next, you'll learn what it means to be Jedi. We have a lot of work to do before we can go out and serve the galaxy.

Rest well, everyone."