A/N: It took me a long time to write this chapter. After I finished the first I started working on the second. The first five pages came easily, but after that… the ending of the chapter started to kill me. So, here it is. To the best of what I believe it could be. Also, it may look like there is an odd flow to the chapter, but I tried having a line to make a past and presence break within the chapter, however it is not working. So whenever there is a group of italicized words, that is something that happened in the past. Again, I couldn't fix it and am trying to get my next chapter out. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 2: Ben, Don't be my Apprentice

I remember when I used to sit in the seat Ben sits in now. Of course, I was only a few years older than him when I would fly on missions with Kyle. The difference between the two of us is, we had nothing to feel terrible about at the time of flying with each other. Now, looking at Ben, I feel I'll fail both of Luke's requests and even Ben. All Luke asked me to do was to train Ben in the ways of the force and deal with the Sith in due time.

Sith?

He's reading me now. He knows what's going on. Break the silence.

"So, what do you think of the Raven's Claw?" After breaking the silence, I smile at him. Great, fake sympathy. Just what he needs right now. More fake sympathy from many in the Jedi Order who don't even know his mother and treat her as their inspiration to be blah, blah, blah for the Jedi Order.

Honestly, Jedi can't have role models. If they do: than they have created an icon. The only icons Jedi can have are themselves, and by that it is by accident only. After all, if everyone looks up and respects the Jedi: than by association of being a Jedi you have become an icon. To create icons within icons would be almost disturbing. That's why I would rather marry a holodrama starlet, than a Jedi. Some Jedi can be… full of themselves. At least holodrama starlets are more interesting.

"I like the Falcon better. There's more room." I nod my head. Fine, let him be melancholy. The kid just lost his mother. I'm not asking for an overnight turnaround in happiness. However, I'm asking for a better Jedi student. Jacen isn't a Jedi anymore, and to that I don't know how long he trained him outside of being a Jedi. He may be a Gray Jedi, but that's not a Jedi. So, for me: he's high on my list of being the probable suspect to Mara's murder.

Sith?

Why does he keep picking up on that? He shouldn't be picking that up right now. I clench my teeth and see the ship come out of hyperspace as the stars pull back and the blue swirl of space dies out. The darkness of perpetual night that is space, coupled with the stars of galaxies far and close illuminate the rest of space.

I throw my head over towards him after we leave hyperspace and say to him with a soft sounding aggressive tone, "Stop it."

"WHAT?" Wrong move Jaden. The kid just lost his mother, and you're telling him to stop picking up on your thoughts; especially thoughts of the person who might have killed his mother: smart… Okay, why not just tell him that you're the Sith who killed his mother. That will definitely speed up the process. Only to have him find out later that in the end, someone else killed her. Why not just do that? It makes sense compared to how much of a schutta you just acted a few seconds ago.

"Look, there's some food in the refresher. I'm going to set the ship on autopilot. Go in the back, and I'll meet you shortly." He does so and I set a channel up with the Drewwa docking authorities. I inform them that I am going to circle the planet for a little bit with my autopilot on. Letting them know I carry precious cargo dealing with the Confederation-Galactic Alliance War. Not only that, but the cargo must not be damaged with. If so, than the cargo may very well make the GA and the Jedi Order determine it as a member of the Confederacy.

I head towards the back as my ship is on autopilot and is being heavily protected by Drewwa military fighter pilots. I haven't seen what they are, but more than likely they are the older models of the X-Wings that were used against the Death Stars. If someone doesn't have a long-range scanner, it won't make a difference. It's all for show.

"You know, if you really trust your instincts Jaden, you would just leave Ben on an isolated planet. Not telling Luke to expect it."

"I know Kyle but he has to know. His wife is gone, and to not know if his son lives or dies… what do you say about that. What do you say to him?"

"It keeps the authenticity."

"How's that caf?" I throw my robe over the chair and sit down on top of it. He just sits down looking at the caf, which is still full, and seems to be lost in it. The brown mixture is not swirling, but why does a kid who just lost his mother need to be caught in the swirl of something? This is as much of a swirl for him as it is for me. Kriff, what am I supposed to do with him?

"Don't make small talk, please. You've been thinking about my Mom's killer." Well at least the kid gets straight to the point. He's just like his uncle, or so I've been told. With a little bit of his dad and the part of his mother taken away by himself, he's a real member of the Skywalker clan.

"Yes, and I…"

"Look, I need to know why I'm here?" For that, I really have no idea myself. In fact, I was hoping Jacen would not have the same idea either. That's the point complete randomness keeps even the plotter out of the loop. Once that happens, you confuse everyone because if you don't know what you're saying: neither does anyone else.

"I'm going to need the Raven's Claw."

"I know Jaden." I turned around and was about to leave. Ben was in line with me and continued forward in a similar pace as me. I turned around not to see how Ben was, but to see my old master.

"May the force be with you both."

"I'm going to need more than the force Master." He nodded his head and walked off in the other direction. Not saying anything more, not saying anything less for the conversation. He just walked off, giving into the force's hope that all goes well.

"You're here to throw off Mara's murderer." It sounded odd, running. It sounded odd not going after Mara's murderer. It felt so different than when I was pursuing the members of the Disciples of Ragnos. Back then I felt a weird calmness when going after them. The only thing odd was not knowing what came next. Although, it left a weird sensation of calmness even though I never knew what the enemy had planned. However, now: I feel like I have to tap into the force to look over my shoulder. Maybe that's how the Old Jedi Order felt when the Jedi Purge happened. I'd rather not think about it.

"We didn't have to come here to do that." He's right, but he's just too angry to look at the picture.

"Yes, but you met someone here." He doesn't pull his head up, but there is a tint of regret in the force flowing from him. I can feel that very well, but he doesn't show it. Lucky for him he's not a diplomat. If he was, his cousin Jacen might pull him down further than Jacen can pull him down as a Jedi. I say my next words softly to not make him angrier, "Someone you left behind." And with that, he turns to the side and let's out a grunt. I might be getting to the boy.

"Yeah, so?" He looks back at me with a tear about to run from the bottom of his eye.

"You left someone behind who was force sensitive; someone who could be trained at the academy. Why?"

"Because I did."

"Tell me why."

"Because I did, that's why." The tear is staying there, not moving. Maybe this has to do with his mom, or maybe it's because of someone else. Either way, I don't want to find out now. Whatever we're talking about now, this is probably the answer to that.

"Why?"

"Why don't you read my thoughts? Why don't you tell from those?"

"That's not how it works and you know that."

"Fine, than land this ship and you'll get your answer."

"No, you tell me why, or I'm not moving from this spot." With that I stare him straight in the eyes. I stare right at his ocean blue eyes that have turned to a tint of red from letting tears through them. It is as though the ocean is being depleted of it's water and all I am staring at is the blood left from being taken of it's beauty.

It takes him a while till he opens his mouth, but when he does it's like I can't hear him. "Kiara, I didn't want her to become a Jedi now. Not with Jacen in charge of the galaxy."

So he also sees a problem with Jacen. Reports said Jacen used to be Ben's idol. If that's the case, than he should be the one I am to look at the most. He should be the number one suspect to Mara's murder.

Jacen, Sith?

He really should stop picking up what I'm thinking. It will make him feel worse. "How did you meet Kiara, Ben?"

It takes him a few moments, not as long as it took to tell me who she was and why he never filed a full report. However, this time when he speaks, his voice is sharper and more defined. It's like his voice is showing his level of comfort in telling me these things. "It was on Ziost."

"Right, but how?"

"I was getting there," he yells this at me. I pull myself back and breathe to signify for him to calm down. I don't think he gets it because he eyes me too much with just one eye. I tell him what I meant and he gets a chuckle from it. I let out a cough and a chuckle to show the awkwardness I feel in the force and he continues with a calmness I only saw when I told him to go into the back of the ship. "I accidentally killed her father and then... left her for dead."

"You went back for her?" He nods his head.

"We went on, to find a new ship, and the Sith presence of the planet kept telling me to eat her. That she will strengthen me for the journey. That she will keep me alive." He breathes hard and says softly, "I almost died there; we almost died, but I saved her. I… kept her from dying…" This is the first time I see him smile. For some creepy almost familial reason: it's comforting. I hope I never experience this again; the familial feeling, not the smile. I like to see smiles on people I help bring together or whatever I am normally tasked by the Jedi Order to do. However, this feeling, it's unexplainably odd.

"You did the right thing Ben." I get up from my chair and head back to the cockpit. I hear Ben's voice behind me, giving me some form of approval for making him feel better about himself. Allowing him to be comforted in knowing that he did the right thing. However that's not the only thing anymore in his voice.

"Didn't you ask me to go in the back for something else? Something about the Sith?" He is a smart kid, much smarter than the typical teenager. Maybe it's because of his parents' intelligence, or maybe it's just his experiences. Either way it does not matter. As long as I don't have to teach him much about the force and help him as a Jedi, this is going to be easier.

I turn around to give the answer that feels too much like a copout than an answer, "Today was filled with plenty of new understandings. When we get on planet, you'll understand." How can I use that on him? What would the problem have been if I had told him? Probably nothing, but who knows what he might think of being left on Drewwa. I turn around to head to the cockpit.

Sitting back into the pilot's seat, I remember the first mission I took at the academy with Kyle. He told me how to be his copilot, but it took me long to get used to it. By the time we headed to Vjun, I finally began to understand The Raven's Claw better. However, if we had ever gotten into a firefight before then: we would've been space dust.

"Jaden?" I turned around to notice a small man in my apartment. He looked about as high as my stomach stood. I smiled of course to show some form of polite generosity, but in this business, that never occurs.

"Slommo, what's the news?" He took a seat across from me and looked into my eyes. I could never tell if that look was a look of hateful business tolerance, or that of close inspection. Either way, it is never a good thought across my mind.

"I want you to take care of something Jaden?"

"And what would that be?" Now he stopped his gaze at me and got into his left pocket to throw a datapad at me. Reading through it before he ever spoke, I knew it was something too terrible and too rich to make a decision.

"That Jedi, she's been causing trouble. I want her dealt with."

"Dead, or alive?"

"You choose."

I was never sure why that Jedi allowed me to take her lightsaber. I was never sure why that Jedi was so kind to me when I could be so cruel to her. I understand now, and I don't find the reason to be completely justified, but still… I guess it's what we have to do. It doesn't make sense: but one must give into the force at times.

A few steps into the room and Ben plops himself down. Ben is right, the Falcon is at least more luxurious than this freighter. I mean, this ship has two rooms besides the kitchen, and that's the bedroom and bathroom. Besides that, the ship is small enough to fit inside a Sorosubb yacht.

"What's our ETA on planet?"

"Don't talk in military talk with me."

This time, he gives me the courtesy to speak to my face before asking with a confused face, "Why?"

I look over to him and say with emphasis, "You're a Jedi." He nods and asks the question again without the military speak. I answer him with a sly remark, "Not long." Again, he nods his head and I hail the planet docking authorities that we will be heading down to the planet now. Of course, they have no problem with it and we have begun our descent.

"What if I don't kill her?"

"Let's just say: you will never be heard from again."

My descent. I haven't thought about what happened twenty-six standard years ago in a long time. No matter what it brought me to the Jedi, and it brought me to finding the Sith. It brought me to finding what the dark side really is. It never brought me to re-experiencing what happened before I met the Jedi. Feeling like I was worthless, and feeling like what I brought to others was to make them just as worthless.

"I'll give you a call when the job's done, Sleemo." He bobbed his head up and down and aimed to leave the room. However before he opened the door to leave, he looked at the door. He never looked back at me. He just looked at that door and said the last words I ever wanted to hear from him.

"Good choice."

"Jaden, is something bothering you?"

Shaking my head, and doing what every Jedi Master does at one point in their life, finish my lie with, "No Ben, not at all." He nods his head, and hopefully cannot pick that up in the force.

Truly?

He is staring into me through the force. I can do the same to him. If he tries to find out through the force, I will do the same to him.

Ben, ready?

Of course he is not ready. He cannot be ready for only being an apprentice for five years to a terrible Jedi.

Jacen, terrible.

Good, he can sense that too. Meaning he knows that he heard that he is not ready. That he needs more training. However, that will not come from me. That will come from someone else. That will come from someone who survives the fight against the Sith whom killed his mother.

You're leaving me?

"You got it kid." He looks at me with eyes as open as his mouth. He screams, he shouts, and he punches me. However there is nothing he can do now. There is nothing he can do to stop me from leaving him on planet. At least, not after I leave him there. If he is to be safe, that is the only safe haven for the son of a Skywalker. A place that is so remote to that person's true past that he must be left there for protection.

"You'll never be a good master like that, Jaden. If you can't teach me, you should have never taken me." I nod my head at him and point back to where the bedroom is.

"Go cry about it until you can think of a good excuse for me to keep you around to get hurt. Otherwise, you're staying on Drewwa until I pick you up, or until your mother's killer is dead."

"And what if that doesn't happen?" He stares at me with tears in his eyes. If he was more of a Dark Jedi, his lightsaber would already be in the ready and ignited. Luckily for me, I have a Skywalker I'm dealing with.

"Then I hope you like pretending that you're not a Skywalker."