"Unacceptable," Nute Gunray told the hologram. "Why haven't you found the Jedi's second base? And I don't want to hear any more excuses about bad informants."

"Viceroy, we have the location narrowed down to two choices. You can have those, or you can let us keep working."

"Give me what you have, and I'll handle the situation from there," Gunray said, getting even more agitated.

"The two systems we have as the highest possibilities are the Yavin system, with several habitable moons, or Kamparas, with the fourth planet being capable of life."

"Fine. Your payment will be made once we've found something."

"Wait! That wasn't the..."

Gunray cut off the comm. He hated dealing with the Bothans, but they did have decent intelligence sources.

"Captain, take us to the Yavin system. It's time we took this fight to the Jedi."

Cas Istyn walked down the empty hall of the Jedi Temple, the diminutive Master Yoda at his side. Istyn had been on a fact finding mission when the battle was joined on Geonosis, so he didn't know the details of that fight. In the week following the battle, the small percentage of Jedi to return spoke volumes of that first fight in this clone war. Even Yoda had been unusually quiet since his return.

Walking out onto the landing platform, Istyn watched as the last of the children were helped aboard the cruiser that would take them to their temporary home. The Jedi Council had decided that the youngsters weren't safe in the Temple. Istyn agreed, since the Separatists could attack here any time. What he didn't agree with is the Council sending him to chaperone the children Two Padawans and one other Jedi Knight were going along to protect and help train the potential Jedi until safer arrangements could be made or the war was over.

Istyn sighed as his thoughts wandered again. He needed to focus on the task at hand, but his thoughts kept wandering to his fellow Jedi, fighting for the existence of the Republic. He wanted to be there, finger on the trigger or lightsabre swinging. Jedi were not supposed to think aggressively, but Cas didn't want to fight for the sake of fighting. Rather, he had a feeling that he wasn't going to see all of his friends again.

"I know your thoughts, Master Istyn," Yoda said into Cas's reverie.

"I know, Master Yoda. I'm thinking of things outside my mission again, but I can't help feeling I'm being wasted in this mission."

"Of great importance, this mission is. A heavy toll will the Jedi pay before this war ends. With the losses suffered at Geonosis and those yet to come, protect the future of the Jedi, we must."

"Yes, Master. I just feel…" Cas trailed off as the young Jedi Knight, Terrin Jesak, approached from overseeing the boarding.

"Master Istyn, we're all ready," the blonde-haired man said with a bow toward both senior Jedi.

"Thank you, Terrin. Go ahead and take off. Make sure the path is clear, and I'll send the cruiser up. I'll bring up the rear in a few minutes."

"Yes, Master."

Jesak walked to the other side of the platform and before long, Istyn heard the whine of repulsors as he saw Jesak's fighter lift off.

Climbing into his own craft, Cas strapped his helmet under his chin. Unlike some of his fellow Jedi, Istyn actually flew in a full flight suit rather than his Jedi robes.

Yoda was standing beside the cockpit of the wedge-shaped craft as Istyn secured himself.

"I know your thoughts," he said again, "but the Force wills each to their task. No greater purpose can you serve than that which the Force requires."

"Thank you, Master. I will strive to remember. Don't forget us on Kamparas," he replied with a small grin.

"No Jedi is ever forgotten."

With that, Yoda climbed down the pilot's ladder and made his way back into the hanger. Once he was clear, Istyn initiated his engine start-up sequence and keyed his comm system.

"Coruscant Center, this is Jedi flight Epsilon. I have one craft airborne and request clearance for one Class-2 cruiser to lift."

"Epsilon Flight, Coruscant Center. You are clear to lift on filed course. Good skies, and may the Force be with you."

"Also with you. Epsilon Flight, out." Switching over to the private frequency, Cas keyed his comm again. "Pathfinder, this is Istyn. We have clearance to lift off. Go ahead, I'll follow you out. Jesak, go ahead and hook up with your hyperspace ring. You're jumping first."

Cas heard the confirmations, and then watched as the Pathfinder lifted through the atmosphere. Once the cruiser was out of sight, he fired up his engines and followed the course away from the temple. He tried to tell himself that he really wasn't running away.

Protect the Future

(A Prologue to The Kamparas Trilogy)

"Master Istyn, we're glad to have you there. I know you would rather be with us, but we need a Jedi of your caliber to protect the children."

Cas Istyn let his head drop a moment then looked back to the hologram.

"I appreciate your kind words, Master Windu, but you're out there, putting your life on the line and I'm..."

"Babysitting. I know you feel that way, Cas, but if this war goes badly, those children are the only hope for the Jedi. That means you and Jedi Jesak are responsible for keeping the Jedi tradition safe."

Istyn sighed again. "I know, Master. Forgive me for my impatience. I know better, it's just frustrating."

"I know, Cas. Don't worry, once we find Dooku, we should be able to learn who is behind this war, and we'll be able to stop it."

"Well, if you need assistance, you know where to find me."

"I know it's hard, Cas. Just hold out a little longer. Windu, out."

"Kamparas, out."

Istyn walked out of the communications center and found Terrin talking with the pilots of the cruiser that had brought them here. The pilots were members of the Freedom's Sons, a group of civilians that assisted the Jedi when possible.

"Master Istyn, how goes the war?" Jesak, unlike Istyn, was content to wait here on Kamparas until the Jedi Council required them elsewhere.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose. Since Geonosis, there hasn't been another mass slaughter of Jedi, but the clone army Chancellor Palpatine dug up has been taking a pounding. Our new orders are the same as the old; protect the children, preserve the Jedi."

"I know it's not my place to argue with a Master, but I believe you're wrong, sir."

"You should always feel free to disagree with me, Terrin. I'm not beyond criticism, and I know I could probably use some insight right now. What is it you think I'm wrong about?"

"Well," Terrin started somewhat uncomfortably, "I don't think there's anything more important we could be doing right now. I'm not sure, but there's something more going on than just protecting the children. I don't know why or when, but something is going to happen, and we're going to be needed here."

"Young Jedi, you are better attuned to that side of the Force than I am, so I'll trust your word. I pray that you're wrong, but if something happens, we must be ready."

"Is there anything we can do, sir?" the cruiser's captain asked.

"Keep the Pathfinder on stand-by. If something happens here, the kids are going to have to be loaded and moved quickly. That's the best thing you can do for us here right now."

"We won't let you down, Master Istyn. Don't worry, sir. The Jedi won't fail in this fight."

"I hope you right, captain. I very much hope you're right."

Istyn and Jesak walked out of the anteroom and down the hall in silence until they were out of earshot of the pilots.

"Terrin, I know you have a greater reason to want to stay with the children, and I don't hold that against you, but…"

"Master, the fact that my son is one of the Falcon Clan does not make me any more protective of them than I would be ordinarily."

"Terrin, Jedi don't normally marry, let alone have children. The council made exceptions for you because Corellian Jedi have always tended to make their own rules."

"Cas, Keiran doesn't even know I'm his father."

"I just want to make sure the impressions you're getting aren't just based on your paternal concerns."

"I understand your caution, Master, I really do. Please trust me, the feeling I have is from the Force, not from a paternal over-protectiveness on my part."

"Very well, Jedi Tesak. I'll take you at your word."

Istyn walked out of the classroom after the last of the Bear Clan children had left. Teaching the youngsters to trust the Force rather than their senses had once again led to several sore bottoms from the training remotes.

Thinking about the children with their training lightsabres brought a smile to his face. That smile vanished when the communications specialist appeared at the end of the hall. The clerk had a flimsy in her hand and a worried look on her face.

"Master Istyn, we just received a Priority Aleph communication from Master Fisto."

As she handed over the flimsy, Istyn studied her face and her sense in the Force for any clue to the message. What he sensed and saw was agitation and fear. He turned to the message in his hand.

Master Istyn:

It is imperative this reach you immediately. The CIS has found our supply route to your location. They intercepted the last convoy and it is our belief they are moving to stop the current convoy. Jedi Tesak and yourself must provide security to the convoy or your supplies will be severely depleted. Intercept the convoy at the attached coordinates, just rimward of Yavin from your position. The convoy is scheduled to be at the noted coordinates seventeen hours after the timestamp of this message. Good luck, and may the Force be with you all.

Fisto

Istyn looked at the timestamp and then at his chrono. He then turned to the clerk, even as he was moving down the hall.

"Find Jedi Tesak, have him meet me in the main hanger."

He didn't even hear her confirmation as he broke into a run.

After seeing the look on Cas's face, Terrin didn't bother asking what was going on. He simply powered up his fighter and followed the older Jedi out of the atmosphere. It wasn't until they were mating with their hyperspace rings that Terrin finally asked what the mission was.

"We have to go protect our supply convoy. The Separatists are picking off our ships just on the other side of Yavin."

The rest of the trip was made in silence. Istyn could feel the anxiety from Jesak, and he hoped he was keeping his own worry out of his sense. Supplies had been tight for the last week or so, but Istyn figured it was just the result of war shortages. If the Confederation of Independent Systems had learned of their supply routes, then they probably knew where the base was. It was only a matter of time before a war fleet moved on Kamparas.

The two Jedi starfighters came out of hyperspace into the middle of a massive battle. The CIS had several battleships in the system forming a perimeter while the droid starfighters pounded the convoy of freighters. Istyn and Jesak dropped their hyperspace rings and joined the fight.

"This is starfighter 432 to Republic convoy. Report your status." Cas refrained from giving his name or title, not knowing who may be listening on the comm channel.

The comm broke into a burst of static, the reply barely audible.

"…fight….32…..several freight…..stroyed, many more crippl…."

The comm cut off again as another freighter exploded.

Istyn and Jesak battled the droid fighters for another twenty minutes before the battleships recalled their fighters. The convoy wasn't completely destroyed, but the ships that survived weren't going very far. One of the remaining freighters moved a little better than the rest, and Cas did a sensor focus on that ship.

"Midnight Eclipse, this is Cas Istyn. Do you copy?"

"Eclipse here, we copy, Master Istyn."

"How much damage do you have?"

"We're not bad, sir. The other ships took a fierce pounding, but we got off easy."

"Eclipse, what happened? Did they follow you out of Ord Mantell?"
"Negative, negative. They were already here. I don't think they would have touched us except that it looked like they were recovering a ground invasion force from one of the moons in-system. I don't know what they would wantat Yavin, sir. The only reason we came through here is that it's a convenient jump point."

"Eclipse…no, what's your name, son?"

"I'm Mal Proshton, sir. Captain Proshton now, I guess," The voice sounded young, too young and to weary for his duties. Cas had to help him focus.

"Captain Proshton, I'm going to assign you an important task. Are you up to it, son?"

"Yessir," the voice broke slightly, but then came more firmly. "Yes, sir"

"Good. Your hyperdrive is functional?"

"Yes, sir."

"You need to get the survivors on to any vessel still hyperspace-capable and take them to Toprawa. The Republic medcenter there will get them patched up."

"Sir, what about the supplies for…..for your base?" Istyn knew the young pilot had gained some of his control back now. The hesitation in Proshton's voice came from his realizing the transmission could be intercepted. That would reveal the Jedi training center and endanger those living there.

"I'll worry about that. You get the wounded to help."

"Yes, sir"

Istyn flipped to the channel he shared with Jesak.

"Terrin, my long-range transmitter took some damage in the fighting. Can you patch me through to Coruscant?"
"Yes, Master, one moment."

The green light blinked on Istyn's comm board as Jesak connected to the Jedi Temple. After a moment that seemed an eternity, the light burned solid again.

"This is Jedi Aalya Secura. Go ahead Master Istyn."

"Jedi Secura, we just lost the supply convoy at Yavin. We need a new shipment deployed and more security."

"Master Istyn, I'll pass the message along to the Council, but I'm not sure what we'll be able to do to help. We're stretched fairly thin at the moment. New intercepts show that the Trade Federation is hunting you, Master. They know we have a second base."

The Jedi Master's blood turned cold.

I don't know what they would want at Yavin.

"I think they're getting close," he mumbled. "Jedi Secura, advise the council that we may have been compromised. I moving back to base to prepare for evacuation and I need backup. Immediately."

"I understand. Coruscant, out."

"Sir?" Jesak's voice came over the comm.

"The Federation is hunting us and they missed with their first guess, Terrin. I don't know how many they have left, but we have to move the children."

Without another word, Istyn fired his engines, racing back to his hyperspace ring. Glancing at his scope, he was glad to see Jesak right with him.

Now it's a race. I hope it's a race we can win…

Within a day of the battle at Yavin, Istyn was overseeing the dismantling of the Kamparas training center when a call over the base intercom requested he come to the communications center.

"Sir," a young systems technician stood as he entered the room, "we have a message from Coruscant that requires your personal decoding."

Cas pointed to one of the privacy alcoves at the back of the room and got a nod from the technician. When he entered the alcove and sealed the door behind him, the message light was already waiting with a prompt for decoding clearance.

"Master Istyn," Yoda began in the recorded message, "great danger, we know you face. The Separatists have become aggressive, and no place to relocate you do we have. Fortify and hold Kamparas, you must, until reinforcements arrive. Protect the future, on you this depends."

The image of Yoda faded and the alcove was silent.

Cas went to the top of one of the sentry towers and looked out over the plains of Kamparas. He had intended to come and meditate on the message Master Yoda had sent, but he found himself simply studying the surrounding area. It really was quite beautiful. The air smelled of sweet flowers. Mountains in the distance gave way to rolling grassy plains, oddly tinted a dark reddish hue. A bright blue river cut a swath from the mountains into the town here along the coast of a large lake. Standing here, along the battlements of a centuries-old castle, the breeze brought the sounds of laughter and bargaining from the market three stories below. The castle was made of a greenish-gray stone quarried from local bluffs. The sky, like the plains, had a hint of red, the effect of the red sun of this solar system. From below came the ringing of a bell. An alarm. A raid.

Cas shook himself from his trance-like study of his surroundings. The base was under attack.

"Sir, more STAPs coming in from the west, and Destroyer droids are now massed at the southwest. Shields are still holding, but they're not going to last forever. The Federation landed AATs that we haven't seen yet, and they haven't launched any of their fighters."

Istyn nodded while looking at the map table.

"They're trying to take us intact, capture anyone they can to use as hostages."

"I'm afraid they may succeed, Master," Jesak said as he entered the room. "We've been at this for two days now. They're laying siege and they're winning because we have no supplies. Food, water, power packs, it's all being eaten up."

Just then, a new blip appeared on the map table.

"Sir," a technician called from the communications console, "we have a heavy cruiser landing on the eastern flank. Sir, she reads as the assault ship Palpatine's Pride!"

Even as the technician spoke, the cruiser began to disgorge troops. First in were the Republic gunships, followed closely by heavily armed speeder bikes. The riders on the bikes shone in their white armor.

The defenders watched as one of the Federation's landing ships exploded in a large fireball as the Republic transport settled onto the field of battle. The soldiers on the speeder bikes blasted a wide path to allow the larger troop transports to pass through and converge on the training center.

"Kamparas Center, this is Trooper-Commander AX-917, commanding the three-thirteenth strike battalion. Our orders are to report to Jedi Master Cas Istyn and render assistance in the evacuation of this base."

"Commander, this is Master Istyn. We have heavy resistance to the south and west. We need some suppressing fire in order to hold that side to evacuate."

"Roger, copy. Stand by; we are deploying AT-TEs to the designated area. Suppression to commence immediately upon their positioning. Please lower the eastern shields so that we can deploy the security company to your position."

Istyn motioned to one of the base technicians. He felt a wave of relief from those arrayed around him. Istyn wasn't sure relief was warranted yet, but he was glad to have the help.

"Shields lowered in eastern quadrant, Commander. Bring in your troops."

"Viceroy Gunray gave very specific instructions," the Neimoidian fleet commander told his tactical officer. "We can no longer pacify the base, so it must be destroyed. Deploy the starfighters and prepare for orbital bombardment."

The Confederacy troops were a solid wall along the south-eastern perimeter of the base. The clone commander, AX-917 ordered his troops to move into flanking positions, spreading his line of five hundred troops left and right, with his command company of another hundred going right up the middle. The droids, realizing there was a new enemy, started to turn. The super battle droids opened up with their repeating blasters, causing gaps in the clones' lines, but many more droids fell to concussion grenades and heavy, speeder-mounted blasters. The gunships dropped, strafing back and forth over the droid lines. Thinning the heard, as AX-917 had heard a human refer to it once.

"Commander, this is Trooper-Captain DR-214. Delta company has mobilized the speeder bikes and have breached the line to the south. Request next maneuver instruction."

Before the commander could answer, a massive flash of light lit up the bright afternoon. When his helmet's polarization lenses cleared, he saw a huge crater in the field. His mechanized company – Delta – was entirely gone, as were the ranks of droids that had been combating his troops.

"All units, this is Commander 917. Confederate forces have begun orbital strikes. Converge on my location and push through to the base. We have to get inside the perimeter so the shield can be reinforced. Move out, now!"

As his troops folded back into one unit, AX-917 watched as the Palpatine's Pride lifted off to confront the Federation cruiser.

He received confirmation from his company commanders that everyone was assembled, and they began their push to the base.

The clone trooper approached Istyn at the command center entry. He had his helmet under his arm, the yellow there and on his arms marking him as the commander of this force.

"Master Istyn, we are pushing the Federation forces back from the landing area."

"Thank you, Commander. We do have a problem, though. The north side of the base has come under siege. The forces we had lost track of have showed back up."

"What about the shielding in that area?" the clone asked.

Istyn shook his head. "Not good. We transferred power to the south to blunt that attack and protect the ships in the hanger. The north side is already starting to buckle."

"What's housed in that part of the base?"

"Living quarters. The childrens' rooms, staff quarters, that sort of thing, but the staff and students have already been moved to the hanger."

Before the clone could respond, the base shook from a nearby explosion.

"Federation droids have entered the base. Federation droids…" the comm cut off with a squeal.

The commander had his helmet back on his head as he motioned the security company to surround the command staff.

"Commander, follow me. We have to make sure that freighter gets off the ground."

"We're with you, sir."

The Jedi motioned Jesak to the front with him as the clone troopers formed a defensive ring around the rest of the staff. Leading the company through the halls, Istyn pulled his lightsabre from his belt and ignited it. Just as they turned the last corner into the hanger, a platoon of battle droids, along with a few destroyers, opened fire.

"Cover! Find cover!" Istyn yelled as he and Jesak blocked incoming fire with their lightsabres. Even with their efforts, five clones dropped with smoking holes in their armor in the first barrage. By the time the commander had them spread into attack positions, four more were down. At each far end of the clone line, a pair of troopers set up their heavy blaster cannons and opened fire, targeting the destroyer droids.

Istyn and Jesak charged the Federation lines, careful to stay out of the line of fire of the clones behind them. The first rank of battle droids dropped into smoking heaps, victim of the Jedi's blades. Another dozen fell to concentrated fire of the clones. Within a matter of minutes the firefight was over. All of the Federation droids that had entered the hanger were destroyed, along with nearly two dozen clone troopers.

Istyn motioned to one of the Pathfinder's crewman to start moving the children aboard the freighter.

The Kamparas academy shook as the students were loaded aboard the Pathfinder. Istyn was knocked to the ground as the next turbolaser blast struck the shields.

"Sir," the clone commander addressed him, pulling him to his feet, "the Federation is no longer going to take prisoners."

"You noticed that, too, huh?" Istyn snapped. The trooper didn't respond and Istyn could read no emotion on the black and white face plate.

Though I doubt I could even without the helmet

"Commander, I'm placing the rest of your company in command of the security of the Jedi children. Secure the perimeter, get the cruiser up and connect with your assault ship, and get back to Coruscant."

"Sir, that goes against procedure. We should…."

"You have your orders, Commander. Protect the future."

"Yes, sir!"

Terrin Jesak came dashing up to Istyn as the clone moved away, the Pathfinder's captain at his elbow.

"Captain," Istyn started before anyone eels could speak, "it's time to go. The Federation has decided to make this a slaughter instead of a prisoner raid. It's up to you to get the children through this blockade."

"Sir, how are we going to get through that? The Federation will smash us before we pull in the landing gear, and even if we make it to orbit their fighters will pick us apart."

"Jedi Jesak and I will open a path. When the opening presents itself, get clear. The Pride is already in orbit and will give you extra protection."

The freighter captain stared into Istyn's eyes for a moment, then nodded and ran to prep his ship.

"Master, the Federation is launching fighters. The Pathfinder is going to get slaughtered as soon as it leaves orbit."

There was no fear in Jesak's voice, but Istyn could sense his anxiety through the Force.

"No," Cas said, almost too quietly to be heard, "they're not. C'mon"

Cas and Terrin ran to their fighters. Racing through the power-up sequence, Cas closed his eyes for a few moments. Taking several deep breaths, he called on the Force to help clear his mind. When he opened his eyes, he found that all systems were in the green. Istyn wrapped his hands around the controls. Throwing full power to the repulsors and engines at the same time, the fighter rocketed off the pad. He cut the repulsors and threw the ship into a sharp climbing bank, gaining altitude quickly. Before he realized, he was through the outer layers of the atmosphere and into the void of space. There, right in front of his fighter, was a battleship of the Trade Federation. Dozens of droid starfighters were spewing from the battleship, swarming toward Istyn and Jesak. Using the Force as his guide, Istyn squeezed the trigger on his flight stick and one of the droid starfighters evaporated into a molten ball.

"Cas," Terrin's voice called over the comm. The young man still sounded calm and controlled. "Master, we need to punch a whole for the Pride and the Pathfinder to get out"

"Right," he answered, "Concentrate on sector 327, bearing 14. Clear that and keep it clear."

Suiting action to words, Istyn shot into the path he had designated and began ripping the Federation forces apart. The fighting was fierce, and the two Jedi accounted for more than fifteen droid starfighters, but Istyn knew they weren't going to win this fight, and he knew their good luck couldn't last. He was right.

An entire squad of fighters swooped in from behind and unleashed a fury of shots at Jesak's fighter. With his shields already weakened, he didn't stand a chance. The last thing Istyn heard from the young Jedi Knight was the name of his son, cut off almost as it began.

Istyn rolled to his left to avoid the same fate and decided on his last course of action. Throwing full power to the engines, he shot through the picket ships and charged the battleship. His initial shots deflected off of the shields of the big ship, but even the deflections did some good, hitting a few of the droid fighters that were circling the battleship. Glancing to the left, Istyn saw the planet he was fighting to defend. His comm scrolled a text message that showed the Pride and the Pathfinder were clear of hostiles and were thirty seconds to lightspeed.

Cas opened fire on the Federation ship, but he knew his battle was over. His astromech exploded, and he saw that his shields were dropping.

Force be with me. Keep me strong until I know my work is done.

His ship rocked with a hit to the belly of the craft. His port engine was gone and the starboard was starting to stutter. His ship heeled over and was grabbed by the gravity well of Kamparas. He had no control over the craft as it breached the atmosphere. Istyn had resigned himself to his fate when he saw that he was heading for a farming complex outside of Ryhn City, the capital of Kamparas.

There have to be nearly a hundred people there he thought. I can't be responsible for that.

With the last of his ability, Istyn summoned the strength of the Force to steer his ship away from the complex toward an empty field. Once he knew his ship would stay clear, he released his hold of the ship. He sent out a message through the Force in his last few seconds of life.

I did as you commanded, Master Yoda. I protected the future to the best of my ability. I live to serve. Protect the...

END