General Warning: There will be some mature content in the future and some of it will be quite detailed. I will label any chapters with a warning at the top and each section will have labels at the beginning of them as well in case anyone feels the need to skip ahead.

Nadia stood with her master in the cockpit of his Defender-class Starship. Before them was the beautiful world of Voss – a blue and green sphere with wispy white clouds. Her Master Nedeser Thul smiled down at her wide blue eyes and her excited expression. "It's so beautiful. When do we land?"

Nedeser chuckled and said, "Within the hour. Take us down, Felix."

The tough Republic soldier nodded and angled them towards the planet. Nadia took a moment to look up at her master. Nedeser Thul, Jedi Master and Barsen'thor of the order was a tall, handsome and very muscular man. Even through the Jedi robes, his broad shoulders and thick limbs were evident in how they stretched the fabric. On top of being powerful and good looking, he was the kindest, most sensitive and most understanding person Nadia had ever had the privilege to meet. Master Thul suddenly spoke, breaking into her musings. "I'll be in the comms room if anyone needs me. I'm expecting a call."

Nadia knew better than to run after him immediately. Instead, she waited six minutes and fourteen seconds before turning and heading back that way. Brushing her white hair away from her blue and white painted face, she stepped quietly into the comms room, only to see that her master wasn't there. After only a moment of confusion, Nadia chuckled and said, "You know, that's only going to work for so long. Eventually everyone is going to figure out your little trick, Master."

A deep chuckle came from less then ten meters in front of her and, as if out of thin air, he appeared, standing with his arms across his chest. Nadia shyly went up to him and placed her hands on his folded arms. "Do you know when to expect this call?"

Nedeser opened his arms and gently wrapped them around her. "Oh, any minute now;" he whispered before kissing her tenderly, reveling in the softness of her lips. Nadia gave a quiet, contented sigh and returned the kiss. In moments like this, it felt like she was wrapped in the embodiment of strength while being surrounded by love and compassion all at the same time. For over a year now, this man had been her encouragement when she was unsure, her comfort when she was hurting and her strength when she was weak. They separated and Nadia said, "Listen to this, Master: 'On broken feet I walk, crushed and alone. The lies they told me have turned the world gray. But, oh, that you breathe and live is a song in this void that brings me life again.'"

Master Thul was enthralled by her words. When she stopped, he smiled fondly at her. "I didn't know you wrote poetry, Nadia."

Nadia bowed her head, blushing a little. "It's not mine. It's a part of Kallas and Fiana. It's one of our romances. I've always loved it but you've helped me understand it."

She stepped back out of his embrace and took his hands, looking down at the scars and calluses. Nedeser could sense the emotion in her as she said, "There has been so much death, but there's life too. You've shown me what you fight for, what you live for."

Looking back into his eyes, she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "I love you."

Nedeser Thul felt his own heart skip a beat – and then start hammering like a drum. Smiling down at her with all the love in his own heart, he whispered, "I've loved you for a long time, Nadia Grell."

Nadia's lovely face was made even more so by a smile. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she said, "I know. I told you once we should take our time but now I'm ready to be with you."

Nedeser felt his heart start to sing. This wasn't just them dancing around the edge of commitment or even giving into their passions and emotions for one another. This was Nadia telling him that she accepted him for who he was – the good, the bad, the ugly. Despite any failures of his past or future, she wanted to be with him. Smiling down at her, he murmured, "I never wanted you to be anything but certain."

Giggling quietly, Nadia said happily, "Oh, just kiss me."

Master Thul obliged. As their lips touched, he felt her tongue graze along the outside of his lips and reflexively opened them. The feel of her tongue moving into his mouth caused the stirrings of desire to worm their way into his body and mind. Hungrily, he thrust back with his own tongue, causing Nadia to give just the softest, breathiest little moan into his mouth. Slowly, still kissing her, he moved them over to the couch and pulled her down onto his lap as he sat. Neither of them could really tell how long they had stayed like that but they were suddenly interrupted by a throat being cleared followed by a chorus of chuckles. Looking up quickly, the remainder of the crew stood there. Felix Iresso cleared his throat again and said, "Just thought I should let you know that we've landed. Oh, and the holo-communicator is going off."

Gracefully, Nadia stood from where she had been sitting and Master Thul stood up beside. Both of them were blushing so deeply that Nadia's face looked a light pink and Nedeser looked like he had been burned be the Tatooine suns. Clearing his throat, Nedeser said, "Very good, Lieutenant."

Activating the holo-projector, Nedeser saw a large table with the leadership of the Rift Alliance seated around it. One of them, Alauni of Saleucami, snorted, "The fabled Voss - a few overblown words and everybody rushes to one tiny little planet - even including us."

Diab Duins of Aeten II, muttered in his native tongue, which Nadia didn't understand but Nedeser did. The Jedi Master's intense blue eyes widened. "There predictions have all come true?"

The Sullustan replied and Nadia got the idea that it was a skeptical affirmative. Tai Corrdon, the president of Balmorra, lifted a hand and said, "Well it turns out that both the Republic and the Empire believe these 'stories'. They're attempting to sweet talk the Voss into an Alliance."

Nedeser frowned and said, "I think that the Jedi Council should lead the negotiations."

Representative Alauni snorted. "Apparently, the Voss upset the Jedi Councils sensibilities. They call them 'gray force user'. An ideological quibble but it means that the Council isn't lifting a finger to help the Republic."

Nadia had read about that term - force users that were not connected to the Jedi Order yet didn't necessarily follow the dark side either. Interesting. Nedeser Thul frowned. Nadia could sense his mild annoyance at the Jedi Council's bigotry. Tai Corrdon said, "There is a Republic ambassador in the Voss capital who might help us: Sophia Farash."

Alauni nodded, "Perhaps she could get us to the mystics."

Nedeser nodded, rubbing the stubble on his chin. Corrdon gave one final warning. "Be Careful. If you go after the Voss, you'll be right in the Empire's line of sight."

With that, the conference was terminated. Nedeser rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Politicians."

He said it like it was an amusing curse word. Nadia smiled sweetly at him. "Surely not all politicians are all that bad, Master."

Nedeser smiled back and said, "There is an exception to every rule."

Felix rolled his eyes and said, "Look, I know the secret's out at least on the ship but that doesn't mean you two have to openly flirt while we're around. It makes me uncomfortable at least."

The two lovers chuckled and Nadia went right up to her master and nestled up to him, just to get a rise out of the tough soldier. Felix rolled his eyes. "I'll be doing maintenance and such if you need me."

Nedeser chuckled and looked at his apprentice. "We need to pack an extensive survival kit, just in case we need to hoof it a little bit. I leave that to you, Nadia. The rest of you, you have your details. Let's jump to it."

Nadia nodded and headed to the cargo hold. She took a very large ruck sack and her own that she had bought from a wookie merchant at the Republic's Carrack station. In hers, she put the food, water bottles, different vitamin and supplement pills and an extensive med pack. She nearly had trouble tying down the straps as she hummed a happy song from Sarkhai. In the larger sack, she put a two person shelter, a pair of fusion lamps, a half a dozen glow rods, more food, a datapad, and several extra battery cells for the glow rods. On the outside, she tied a pair of cots with detachable bed rolls. The smaller, she hefted without a problem, slinging it onto her back and adjusting the straps so that they were comfortable. The other, she struggled with, puffing and heaving it up the stairs to the boarding ramp. In the comms room, Master Thul was chatting with his old friend, the Jedi Master and Hero of Tython Alias Ordo. Apparently the Mandalorian Jedi was going to be on Voss while they were and Master Thul was seeing if their paths would cross at all. Nadia set the two packs down with a puff and then walked into the comms room. Alias smiled warmly at her and said, "Hello again, Nadia. How is your training going?"

Nadia smiled him. She liked Master Ordo. He was a loyal friend and always treated her with and older brotherly-type attitude. "It's going well, thank you Master. We're about to head out into Voss."

She sidled up to Master Thul and leaned against him, allowing his arms to drape loosely over her shoulders comfortingly. Alias grinned hugely and said to Nedeser. "You and I are going to have a conversation later, Vod. In the mean time, I have to go. We're getting ready for the mission. Take care. You too, Nadia."

With a knowing smile and a wink, the Jedi Master disappeared. "I really like him. He always reminds me of what a big brother would act like;" said Nadia. Nedeser chuckled. "He's been like a brother to me for as long as I can remember. Vod is actually brother in the Mandalorian tongue. Anyhow, are you ready to go?"

Nadia nodded eagerly. "Yup, I have the packs and everything ready to go. I'm afraid that I may have made one a little heavy though."

Nedeser frowned a little as they headed to the entry ramps. Nadia picked hers up and settled it smoothly on her shoulders. Nedeser lifted the pack and looked at her questioningly. "It's not so heavy."

With the same ease as she had with hers, Master Thul swung the pack onto his shoulders and tightened down the straps. Nadia was opened mouthed for a second before saying, "Well we can't all be big, strong, handsome, powerful Jedi Masters, now can we?"

Nedeser winked at her and said, "I suppose we can't. We'll be taking one of the speeders anyway so we won't have to carry them long. Let's head out, Love."

Nadia's stomach flooded with butterflies. Love. She felt like she was the luckiest girl in the galaxy if not the universe.

It didn't take them long to find the Republic ambassador. When they did, she was shocked at why Nedeser Thul and the Rift Alliance wished to contact them. "You want to what?" she said, a little shocked and a little incredulous. "I should explain. Sith Lord's have taken entire systems to war in order to gain one - ONE - Voss healer. Entire cultures can change at the words of a single visionary and you want them as soldiers?"

Nedeser frowned slightly and muttered. "I guess getting the Mystics on my side will be harder than I thought."

Ambassador Farash nodded. "I would have more success purchase Voss-Ka and its mountain. Please understand, Master Jedi, Mystics are rare. Only a few are born in a generation and with the Gormak tribes expanding, there is even fewer."

A look of sadness crossed her face. "It's become too dangerous for Mystics to go on pilgrimages and finish their training."

Nadia was fascinated by all this. Her blue eyes were wide with excitement and her hands were clasped primly in front of her. Nedeser was trying to figure out how he was going to do this at all. The Rift Alliance - and the Republic as a whole - needed the Voss Mystics to help. Suddenly, he thought of it. "Surely the Voss would be grateful if someone protected these young Mystics."

Farash shook her head. "The Voss are irrational about 'interference' with the Mystics. Though..." and she appraised Master Thul as rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "...they might be more accepting of a Jedi - and if they saw you help a potential finish his training..."

She considered it for a little longer and then sighed and slumped slightly. "But it's long odds. Only one in a dozen actually becomes a Mystic."

Barsen'thor Nedeser Thul smiled confidently. "If the force is truly with us, failure is impossible."

Farash smiled slightly. "I hope you're right, Master Jedi. Now..." and she began to list some names of who Nadia assumed were Voss. None of them seemed promising until she said, "Oh... there's Gaden Ko. He's an acquaintance of mine - a potential visionary. If he becomes a Mystic, he is entitled to a HUGE entourage - including healers and Voss Commandos."

Nedeser's eyes rose a little. That would be most helpful indeed. Cautiously, he said, "Wouldn't Gaden Ko see me as interfering?"

Farash nodded. "Well you'll need to ask him but he's been petitioning to go on a pilgrimage for years."

Turning to her attendant, a dainty looking young man, she said, "Havren, please book a room at Dos-Ton's tea house and send an invitation to Gaden Ko."

Havren looked a little nervous. "I'm sorry ambassador but Gaden Ko left Voss Ka with his family group this morning."

Suddenly, fear filled Farash's eyes and force presence. "He's gone without a real escort? He'll be killed out there."

Looking at Master Thul and Nadia, she said insistently, "Jedi, you HAVE to go after him. He will have gone to the closest holy ground - a cave in the mountain. Oh - wait - the ritual..."

She whipped out a data pad and began fiddling with it before saying anxiously, "Before you enter, cut branches form these trees here and here. Their sent will make you pure enough to walk on the holy ground."

She handed Nedeser a datacard which he slid into his personal datapad. Nadia had to stifle a chuckle at that. Branches being able to make someone pure to walk on holy ground was an utterly foreign concept to her and it sounded a little ridiculous. One look at Master Thul's set jaw wiped the tiny smile off her face.

In a voice that was ever so slightly impatient, he said, "I respect the Voss and their traditions but is this really the time?"

Farash's eyes become very serious. "Master Jedi, you are outsiders. IF you ignore their traditions, you will offend the Voss and push them closer to the Empire. Oh and be careful. Away form Voss Ka, the Imperial's manners tend to deteriorate."

Nedeser nodded and Nadia felt a scowl trying to play on her lips. Just once, she would have liked to have been on a world where the Empire wasn't trying to kill everything and everyone.

Master Thul nodded and bowed. "Thank you for your time and your assistance, Ambassador. Take care."

Turning, he and Nadia headed back to their speeder outside the embassy. They hopped in and took off at a breakneck pace. Nadia was looking around as they flew, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the strange world. Finding the trees wasn't the problem. The coordinates lead right to them. The problem was the Imperial patrols that always seemed to be in the area that they were trying to get to. The first nearly caught them by surprise but, using her unique ability to cause things to explode with a flicker of her thoughts, Nadia managed to disarm them and then Nedeser put them into a stasis state, allowing them to sleep without being harmed. The second tree, they approached from a few hundred meters away on foot. "Stay as close as you can, Nadia. Let's see if I can still do this."

Suddenly, Nadia felt the force around her and was surprised to find that she couldn't see herself or her master. It was even stranger when she felt his large hand envelope hers. "Stay close, love. Take careful steps and use the force to sense where the best footing is. Remember, your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them."

She whispered, "Understood, Master. Let's go."

The group of Imperial soldiers lounged around the tree itself, talking and generally being very in-attentive. It was the work of a moment for Master Thul to put them all to sleep just as he had the first group. Carefully, he cut another branch. Nadia looked at the Imperial soldiers. "Why don't we kill them? They're enemies and we're probably saving a group of Voss or Republic soldiers the trouble of having to in the future."

Nedeser smiled at his apprentice. "The future is never set in duracrete, Nadia. Who knows - for all we know, they'll defect or maybe be executed by their own commanders for something later. The point is that WE don't need to and all life is precious - even an Imperial's."

Nadia felt a little ashamed of her question despite her master's kindly explanation. Her cheeks burning, she looked down. "I'm sorry, master."

Nedeser rubbed her back affectionately. "Don't be. Alias would have told them to surrender and then, when they didn't, killed them. He doesn't have my gifts though. We all have to do what we are able to and can only do that. Come on. We need to find this Gaden-Ko character."

Nadia smiled at her master and said, "You know, you're a lot like my father in how you teach. You remind me of him sometimes."

Nedeser beamed at her. "I had a great deal of respect for your father. I take that as a very high compliment."

Hand and hand and invisible to any who they might come upon, the Master and Apprentice strode towards their speeder and, once they reached it, headed straight towards the cave where Gaden Ko was supposed to be in.

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Please read and review.

Updated 08.26.2016