Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or Knights of the Old Republic, the video game that precedes this story.

Legacy
By Tara Saralonde

Chapter 1: The Best and Brightest

The Force is life. It is embodied within all things, but only a few are able to feel its flow, to use it. These people are the Jedi, the servants of the Force, the protectors of the peace, the defenders of justice. They are the elite of the elite, their judgment respected by all. Not all of them serve the Jedi Council, but they are Jedi nevertheless. But even within the ranks of these guardians, there are those that have been chosen by the Force to fulfill a certain duty, and there are those that have been chosen to aid these chosen ones. Each one's choices determined, or will determine, the fate of the galaxy. One of these "chosen ones" is a man who longs for the return of a daughter that he gave up for a greater cause. One is the woman who stands beside him, the mother of this child. One is the child herself, not yet aware of her parentage and ultimate destiny. One is the boy that has always been held back, but has known that he was destined for something greater. One is a young girl, a former street waif, with a dark past and an even darker future. These are the best and brightest of the Jedi.

The Force plays favorites too.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple Archives
Elan slammed her hand against the console in frustration, earning her several disapproving looks from surrounding Knights and Padawans. She clenched her teeth and stared hostilely at the console screen, currently reading, "Data unavailable." She slowly inhaled, then exhaled, trying to release her anger. It didn't work.

"Ah, Sithspit," she muttered under her breath. No matter what she tried, the Jedi Archives were not letting her into a file concerning the former Dark Lord Revan. Recently she had become interested in the Jedi Civil War after a history lesson concerning it. She had always had a thirst for knowledge, though, and she often became obsessed with a subject. A strange thought struck her, and she bent back over the console, typing furiously. Her hair fell over her face, obstructing her view of the screen, and she reached up to hastily tuck it behind her ears.

Elan was stunning, even at 16, with long auburn hair that she usually kept tied back. She had dark blue eyes, reminiscent of stormy seas. Her slim frame belied her strength when wielding a lightsaber, though the form she used was mainly focused on speed and grace. Her potential with the Force was amazing, more advanced than most her age, and she had never been defeated in a duel. She had spent long hours honing both of these abilities, and it had paid off. She was now in advanced classes consisting of the more senior apprentices and new Knights. As a result, most of her friends were a little bit older than she was. She was the Masters' star student, but she was often reprimanded for letting her emotions run unchecked. Her young age had also caused her to be shunned by some of her classmates, but she had quickly established that she deserved to be in their classes and was generally respected. She didn't know it, but she was famous among the younger apprentices and older Knights for her looks and prowess.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, as she found what she was looking for. Master Atris, the historian and librarian at the Temple, glared at her fiercely. "Sorry," she whispered, offering her brightest smile. Master Atris just shook her head and went about her business. Elan turned her attention back to her console, where the file she had been looking for was displayed. That's strange..., she thought. The file's history showed that it had been tampered with recently. Why would someone try to change it?

She thought about this for another moment, then shrugged and scanned the entry. It contained information that she already knew: the details of Revan Sordana and Bastila Shan leaving the Order and disappearing about 20 years ago. She didn't know why she kept on returning to that event, but she felt that somehow she was missing something.

Her musings were interrupted when her comlink beeped. After lowering the volume, she turned it on. "Elan, where are you! The assembly about the Knighting ceremony started five minutes ago!" a female voice hissed.

"Stang!" Elan cursed, not quietly. How could I have forgotten? she asked herself furiously. She had already passed her trials, but officially she was still a Padawan. A special assembly had been called about the Knighting ceremony, and all the soon-to-be-Knights had wondered about it for a whole week. She got up and ran from the room, away from the knowing smirks of others who had wondered why she had still been here.

Master Atris watched Elan as she sprinted out of the archives. There's something strange about that one. She sometimes got a feeling that something about her was familiar, something she should recognize. She walked over to the console Elan had been using, which, naturally, she had not cleared, and glanced at what she had been researching. She froze as she saw it, and remembered someone from that time, someone she had loved dearly and had guided her back to the path of the light. As almost-forgotten memories threatened to overwhelm her, she concentrated on a calming breathing exercise. "Master Atris," came a childish voice behind her, "can you help me to find... Master, are you all right?" Atris turned around and tried to smile reassuringly at the Padawan behind her, regaining her composure. "Yes, I'm fine. Now, what did you need help with?" She quickly cleared the console, and went to help the youngling.

Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Assembly Room, Ten Minutes Later
Elan sat in a spacious room filled with senior Padawans, the youngest being herself, and the oldest probably in their mid-20's. All of them were sitting in chairs facing the opposite end of where the two doors were. Master Jolee Bindo was talking about the ceremony next week. Elan had listened intently at first, but had started to lose interest about 2 minutes ago. After trying to quietly sneak in after the assembly had already started (and failing miserably), she had found a seat between two of her closest friends, Anah Dakari and Brylan Truson. She was currently staring at a spot right above Master Bindo's almost-bald head, eyes unfocused. Anah, a white-eyed Arkanian with coal-black hair, nudged her from where she was sitting to Elan's left. She nodded at Master Bindo, and Elan came out of her daze and focused once more on his words. "Master Vandar will be arriving with some Padawans from Dantooine to be Knighted also in four days. I want everyone to be on their best behavior... like that'll ever happen." Everyone rolled their eyes, used to the jokes that only he thought were funny. Master Jolee was silent, then gruffly barked out, "What are you waiting for? You're dismissed."

As everyone poured out into the hallway, Elan asked Brylan, "Did he say anything important while I was gone?"

Brylan, black-haired and green-eyed, shrugged. Brylan was the most mischievous and teasing of all her friends, but he was also extremely strong in the Force, which had led him to become a Jedi Healer. Lately he had caught the attention of a great many female Padawans. "Nope. So what do you think about Master Vandar coming?"

Elan's answer was never heard, because right then she bumped into someone in front of her, who whirled around and said loudly, "Hey, watch it!" The white-furred Bothan girl bared her fangs at Elan. "Ah... it's the Terrible Threesome," she said mockingly, and deliberately looked up and down the two humans and Arkanian with obvious distaste. Elan's eyes narrowed as she stared at her "arch-enemy", Kisel Vri'ag. Kisel was in her lightsaber class, along with Anah, Brylan, and 12 other apprentices. From the very start, Kisel had picked on Elan because of her age. The first time Elan had defeated, and humiliated her, in a lightsaber duel, a growing enmity had sprung up between them.

Elan clenched her fists and looked as if she were about to punch Kisel. Anah grabbed her right arm and said loudly, "Don't, Elan. She's not worth the effort."

"Scared, maybe?" mocked Kisel in a haughty tone.

Anah's eyes narrowed. "Stupid, maybe?" She let go of Elan's arm. "Never mind. Go ahead, Elan."

Elan grinned and her fist sped to meet Kisel's face. Kisel flinched, but when she didn't feel a blow she opened her eyes. Elan, Brylan, and Anah were already down the hall. She was left standing in the midst of a crowded hallway, fuming.

Down the hall, Brylan gave Elan a celebratory high five. "Did you see the look on her face? Priceless! Doesn't match that time we put those fake insects in her bed, though. I bet her scream was heard all the way to Tatooine." He sighed longingly with a faraway look in his eyes. "Those were the days…"

Elan grinned. "That was last week, Brylan."

"Was it?" he asked. "I must be getting our pranks mixed up." Elan and Anah rolled their eyes.

"Someday you're going to get caught by one of the Masters, Brylan. I promise to come to your funeral," Anah said. They all laughed, even Brylan; he was never afraid to laugh at himself. Anah continued, "Well, it's getting late. We probably need to get to the dorms."

Before they split up to go to their rooms, Elan reminded then, "Don't forget: sparring tomorrow." Each week the senior Padawans met to spar. Tomorrow would be their last sparring session as Padawans, and all three wanted to do well.

"I just hope I don't get Kisel," Anah said with a shudder. "She's going to be very mad after what happened today."

"Anah, you are more than a match for Kisel. She couldn't touch you if she tried," Elan said. She was always trying to boost Anah's self-confidence, which was pretty low.

Anah gave her a half-smile. "Thanks, Elan."

Next Day
Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Room of a Thousand Fountains
Elan meditated, slowly finding her center. She meditated every morning in various locations around the Temple, and today was no exception. She focused inwards and examined her feelings. There was excitement, of course. A little bit of fear and anxiety too, which she tried to suppress. She had always been taught that emotions like these led to the dark side. But there was something else too… a feeling of foreboding, like something was about to happen, something important…

Her concentration was abruptly shattered when she sensed Anah running towards her. Over time, a kind of bond had developed between Anah, Brylan, and Elan. It was akin to the bond between Master and apprentice, but Elan had always had the feeling that it had the potential to become something more. She had never told anyone, but she had always longed to have a bond like the famous bond between Revan and Bastila Shan. A foolish hope, but maybe someday something would happen…

Elan had no idea that that someday was almost upon her.

Anah rushed up, panting and nearly out of breath. "Guess what! The Padawans from Dantooine are here. I saw them!"

Elan stood up. "How many are there?"

"About twenty, I think. Come on, they'll be at breakfast."

They walked down to breakfast together and met Brylan on the way.

Anah asked, "Have you-"

"-heard? Yeah. I think everybody has by this time." Brylan was trying very hard to be serious; Elan could feel it through the Force.

Too hard… thought Elan. She sighed. "Brylan, what have you done?"

"Who, me? Nothing!" lied Brylan.

"Brylan, you have been my best friend since I was five. Tell me what you've done… it's about Kisel, isn't it?"

"Maybe," said Brylan in a determined tone. "The less you know, the better." Despite Elan and Anah pestering him all the way to breakfast, he didn't say another word.

Elan walked into the hall just ahead of the other two. Kisel was standing with her back facing Elan getting her food tray. On the back of her tan robe read "PET ME" in hot pink, and hearts and flowers drawn all over the back. Apprentices, Padawans, and even a few Knights were sniggering quietly and pointing her out to their friends. Kisel, oblivious to it all, received her tray and went to sit with her group of friends. Most of them, scared of her anyways, looked nervous. Elan could tell none of them wanted to tell her.

A new table caught her eye. It was filled with Padawans she had never seen before. Must be the Padawans from Dantooine, she thought. She watched as a group of them stood up. Leading them was a tall boy with white-blond hair and tanned skin. He looked to be about Brylan's age. She noticed with interest that most of the Jedi surrounding him were female. He walked over to Kisel and stood behind her until she turned around. She noticed that many of his friends were suppressing laughter.

"What are you looking at?" she snarled.

Elan sighed inwardly. Friendly as ever. She watched as he leaned over and said something quietly to her. He turned away and started to walk towards Elan; she was still standing at the entrance.

"Fashion statement? What!" cried Kisel as she leapt up. She quickly ran out of the hall, passing Elan, Anah, and Brylan on her way. "This is your doing," she said menacingly.

Elan turned around to look at Brylan. She stared at him sternly for a moment, then they both burst out laughing. Anah joined in, before suddenly stopping and looking up. Elan felt the alarm radiating out from her friend. She shut her mouth and looked up… at Master Sevakt, one of the Masters on the Council. Master Sevakt, a Twi'lek, was known by many to be very stern.

"What do you three find to be so humorous?" he asked. He looked at them, and Elan had the uncomfortable feeling that he knew exactly what they were laughing about.

She tried not to look guilty and answered, "An inside joke, Master." She bowed when he nodded, and she started to walk away, before colliding into someone when she started to turn. She braced herself for a fall, but found herself in strong arms, looking up into a pair of ice blue eyes in a tanned face surrounded by white-blond hair. It was the boy from Dantooine.

Something woke inside of her then, and looking into his piercing eyes she could see the same thing that she knew must be in her eyes. She was exquisitely aware of where his hands touched her, and how close he was to her. Suddenly she was assaulted by a series of images, of places she had never been, of friends she had never met, of sights she had never seen. She knew this boy. She didn't know where they had met, or when, but they had definitely met. "Hello, Talvren," she whispered. His eyes widened in shock, and he dropped her unceremoniously on the hard floor. The spell broken, she scrambled to her feet, confused and, irrationally, terrified. They stared at each other for another moment before Anah and Brylan each grabbed one of her arms and dragged her away. They sat down at an empty table.

"Elan, what just happened?" Anah said, looking at her in a strange way. "He caught you and then… then…"

"Something happened in the Force between you two. It was… I've never felt anything so powerful before in my life," said Brylan, the Brylan who simply laughed everything off. He looked dazed and confused.

Not half as confused as I feel, though, thought Elan. "I know his name. I know everything about him. I have all of his memories." She continued in a whisper, "And he has all of mine." But even as she spoke, the alien images were fading from her mind. It was then that she noticed that everyone in the hall was staring at her.

"I have to get out," she mumbled, and stood up. Strangely, her body was not weak or tired. She felt strangely strong, like she could take on a dozen opponents at once and not even break a sweat. Anah and Brylan followed her from the hall, standing slightly behind her and to the side, ready to catch her if she stumbled. She felt a sudden, overpowering rush of gratitude and love for her two friends. When most would have shied from her after the strange thing that had just happened, they were still there, supporting her. She knew that she would be nothing without them.

Her feet led her automatically to the Combat Training Chamber. She stopped out side of the door.

"Elan, maybe we should go to the Council, or at least a Master. I don't know what happened back there, but you shouldn't try to deal with it by yourself," said Anah, concerned for her friend.

"No, I'm fine now. It's already fading," said Elan confidently. "I'll find Talvren later and—."

"Who?" asked Brylan.

"That boy. I'll find him later and we'll talk about it," continued Elan. Seeing the doubtful faces of her friends, she added, "I promise."

Brylan nodded and accepted this, but Anah still looked worried. But she knew that Elan would not change her mind when it was set, and she acquiesced.

"Well, let's go," said Anah, and opened the door.