Author's note: For those wondering how Callista can call both the Karrdes and the Dinns her parents, here is a little explanation. The Dinn and Karrde families are already close. With Callista's Master being killed in Reflections of a Padawan, Steffan had taken over some of her training... and had taken her under his wing. The day of Callista's marriage to Xan, he unofficially adopted her into his family. Myk and Arie also adopted her, making them her official guardians. If memory serves, both those events occur in To All Things, An End, though I can't recall exact chapters. That story has yet to be posted. But I will do so as son as I can.

Ryneas' birthday party went over well, Myk thought. Eighteen wasn't technically childhood by most standards of sentient beings, but, like most of the people attending, the kid was forced to grow up fast. It was good to see the child-like joy in Ryneas' eyes at the site of the speeder-bike. Myk-Ron firmly believed that growing up didn't necessarily mean giving up on toys, it just meant that the toys got bigger and more expensive.

The meal Steffan and Jade prepared was fantastic. There was something to cooking meat over a wood fire that set Myk's mouth to salivating. Being summer on that part of the world, the whole gang gathered around a very large table outside on the lawn. The kids ran through the warm grass, and chased each other amidst the mingling adults. For a few hours, the troubles of the galaxy seemed far away and inconsequential. The sound of laughter joined the buzzing flitnats and a steady lake breeze on the air.

However, like all good things, the party had to end sometime. The sun was beginning to set when Steffan called the kids to start cleaning up. Surreptitiously, the Jedi went to each of the adults there that would be called to the meeting of the Council. He found Arie and Myk near the cake table. Myk was just helping himself to another piece as Arie looked off to where Evelina and the younger children were playing.

"We'll be holding the meeting in two hours," Steffan informed them. "Though, I need to see the two of you in my study about an hour before so we can get some administrative stuff out of the way. We just need your signature, Arie, to reactivate your status on the Council. However, since Myk-Ron's last time participating in Council business was somewhere along the lines of fifty years ago, we're going to have to fill out a whole new profile for him. Luckily, when Master Skywalker granted our…ravenous Rogue," Steffan arched an eyebrow at Myk as the Corellian continued to stuff cake into his mouth. Myk just shrugged, and Steffan continued. "Granted him his Masterhood, Tionne had already set up the filing systems. So that won't be an issue. Still, it will take just a little while to move him back to the 'active' list."

"Mmmph, mmmph mmmphhhhh mmph mmmph," Myk said around a mouthful of food, as he rolled his eyes.

"What my husband is trying to say," Arie cast Steffan an exasperated look as she elbowed Myk-Ron in the ribs. "Is that we'll be there, Steffan. We'll ask Jade if she can keep an eye on Evelina for us."

"I'm sure she'll be delighted," Steffan chuckled as Myk stared daggers at his wife and continued to eat. With a shrug, the Jedi nodded a salute to each of them and went to find Callista and Xan.

"Really, Myk," Arie sighed. "Am I married to a five-year-old?"

Myk-Ron smiled. "What?" He shrugged. "The cake's really good."

Arie shook her head. "I wish I had your uncanny ability to just shut off your worry at the drop of a hat," She leaned on the Rogue's shoulder, and watched as Evelina went around introducing everyone to her stuffed taun-taun. "I'm scared, Rogue. Suddenly, the Empire is acting…Imperial again, and doing an amazing job I might add. The Hutts are expanding their influence like mad. And, there are wounds in the Force popping up around the galaxy. Knights are disappearing faster than students can be trained. Then there's Xan's vision…how can you be so relaxed?"

"I'm lying, Princess," Myk said, and his voice had grown suddenly weary.

Arie turned to see the Rogue's eyes had grown cold, and he radiated anxiety in the Force. She shuddered at the overwhelming feelings of anxiousness, determination, frustration, and anger flowing from Myk-Ron like a wave. Just as quickly as it came, however, it was gone, and her husband's face didn't seem to have as many lines in it.

"I trick myself," He explained, as he forked the last bite of cake into his mouth. "I make myself forget everything but what is happening right now, and I focus on the things that make me happy. I pretend that the rest of galaxy doesn't exist, and I convince myself that everything is okay. I lie to myself."

He shrugged then, "It makes it easier to hide what's really going on inside; easier to keep my feelings unnoticed and undetectable through the Force. If I can convince myself that I'm happy, everyone else will assume that I am."

"Myk-Ron," Arie put a hand to his cheek. "That's…that's…you're doing that so I don't worry more than I already am, aren't you?"

"A little," the Rogue grinned. "But, it's okay, Princess. You're thinking that you want to help me with my worries. You already do. The biggest key to convincing myself that I'm happy is focusing on what makes me happy. Sweetheart, you and Evelina make me happier than anybody has any right to be. So, convincing myself isn't really that hard."

"Oh, Rogue," Arie smiled. "When did you get so…smart?"

"Oh," Myk shrugged. "I have my moments."

"That, you do," Arie kissed him on the cheek, but lingered near his neck, her lips barely touching his skin as she spoke. "You know what helps me take my mind off things?"

"I'm getting an idea," The Rogue gulped. "And, I really hope I'm right."

Arie wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, lightly flicking her tongue along his jawline. "I'm going to see if Jade will watch Evelina, then you and I are heading to our quarters on the 'Bird where you can help me relax."

Myk could feel the heat spreading through his body from her touch, and he smiled broadly. "Absolutely," He said as she turned to find Jade. He made sure no one was looking, and gave her a quick slap on the backside as she walked away. "Hurry up," He teased as he looked at his chrono. "We've only got forty-five minutes."

She smiled at him over her shoulder as she walked away, and the look she gave him could have melted the ice caps on Hoth. Hastily, Myk threw away the disposable plate and fork he had been using and headed for the Firebird.

Jade walked over to where Steffan was finishing up his plate and casually sat down next to him where she could help with keeping an eye on Evelina and Ian.

"So tell me, Master Jedi," she said playfully to him. "I have been wondering something for a while now and I think you can help me with it."

"Oh, I can, mi'lady," Steffan replied with a smile on his face. He was getting an idea of what was fixing to be heading his way.

"Yes you can," she said as she kissed his cheek for a moment. "How did Andrea come to the decision to give her X-wing to her little brother as a present…knowing what I know of how much she had enjoyed it since you gave it to her?"

"An interesting question," Steffan said as he joking rubbed his chin in thought. "How do you know she didn't decide to do it on her own?"

The look Jade gave him was enough to tell him that the jig was up and he was caught in his part of that particular present. "My love, you may be able to keep secrets from most people in this entire galaxy, but having known you and loved you most of my life…" She playfully traced his cheek. "You can't keep anything from me. And I know how old our son is, and I'll be okay with him having the bike and the fighter." She leaned against him and traced his hand with her fingers. "At least he is able to fly it without incurring gossip from some of the nobility. Half the things I hear being said about Andrea sometimes almost make me want to ask you to issue challenges."

"No talk of that tonight," Steffan said as he looped his arm around her. "Just enjoy the kids running around for a while."

She heard the way he had said that and looked up at him. "I know that there is another meeting tonight. With Myk and Arie there along with Xan and Callista, I can tell the tone will be different. Steffan…what happened at the landing pad earlier?"

He sighed heavily for a minute, knowing that he was going to have to relay this at some point. Inwardly, he had hoped to not talk about it now, but he wouldn't hide this from her and so he leaned over to whisper it in her ear. Her eyes widened and she had held her breath for a long moment before she looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"Master Yoda had said that the future was always in motion," Steffan told her. "There's no real sign that it could happen, but nothing that could say it couldn't."

"Can it be stopped?"

"I know it can," he said truthfully. "How and at what cost, though…I don't know."

He looked at his chrono for a moment. "I suppose I need to pull up the files I need in my study before Myk and Arie decide to come out of the Firebird."

"It may be a little while," Jade said, holding back a laugh at the thought. "If I hadn't known better, I could've sworn I saw the Firebird swaying on its landing shocks earlier."

Steffan almost choked up on the drink he had taken when she said that. "I'm sure it was just an illusion, hon."

"Uh huh," Jade said with a laugh as they got up, her heading towards the children and him heading for his study inside the house to pull up the files. He had everything set and ready as Myk and Arie came into the study. Steffan looked up at them and chuckled again.

"What?" Arie asked with an innocent look on her face.

"You're hair is still messed up," Steffan said as he put down a datapad for each of them. "Here's the bit we needed that signature on. We'll probably head up towards the grotto in a little bit."

Arie tried to casually move a few strands of hair behind her ear as she looked over the two notes and nodded while trying to keep from blushing as she signed hers.

Myk came over with a grin and looked at his. "Well, Steffan, sometimes you just can't fight the…"

"I…..don't need to know about it," the Jedi broke in with a laugh as Myk was putting his signature on the datapad.

"Where exactly is this place, anyway?" Myk asked as he set it down.

"Just a nice quite spot I picked out…"

It was an hour later as Steffan walked into the grove with the others behind him. Dilan was waiting for them this time and had already set up and lit the fire that would give them some light as Steffan and a few others started to take a seat among the different stones and trees. Once all the masters and council members were there, Steffan stood and called the meeting to order.

Now, the challenge would really begin….

"I must say, I'm glad to see the four of you here now," Streen said with a chuckle from where he was sitting against a tree.

"You know how we are," Myk said as he sat down next to Steffan. "We just can't stay out of things."

"As as we each wish we could in our own way," the older Jedi replied with a knowing nod and looked to Arie. "And looking just as pretty as ever."

Arie had to laugh as she sat down next to Myk. "You always knew how to be charming, Streen."

Steffan grinned and enjoyed the fact that there was a genuine camaraderie that had remained for most of them over the time. "I should say that Myk-Ron and Arie have rejoined our ranks as masters this evening and I, for one, am very grateful for it."

"Full masters?" Waln Cartega asked. The statement instantly caught his attention and Arie turned around to look at him.

"Yes, they are," Steffan said before Arie could say anything. From the moment they had met years ago, Arie and Waln had rocky time together...and Steffan thought that was putting it mildly at the time. Thankfully, time and experienced mellowed Cartega.

"I don't think any of us can deny the power and abilities they have shown," Relan said as he laid a calming hand on Waln's shoulder before taking a seat on one of the stones around the fire. "And I, for one, won't deny them the respect they've earned."

"You'll have to forgive me," Waln told them. "I didn't mean anything negative about it." He smiled and nodded to Arie, wanting it known that whatever differences they had were buried now.

It was Kai Qon Dei that brought everything to order with what he had to say.

"I have pondered and meditated on what we discussed last night," he said as he looked to all of the council members and all the masters that were present. "I must agree with what Master Chris-tien and Steffan have said. The resurgence of the Empire is a major threat, but I truly believe now that our main concern as an order must be on these increasing numbers of wounds in the Force."

Steffan nodded and took the cue. "Kai, I feel that this situation may be worse than we first believed."

That got Chris-tien's attention and she looked up from where she had been pondering her own thoughts. "What do you mean, Steffan?"

He gestured over to where Xan and Callista were sitting close to Arie and Myk. "Master Qenadius has shared a...series of visions...that he has been experiencing over the last while. To say that it was disturbing would be a gross understatement. "Xan," he started to ask as he looked to the Mando, "I would like you to share what you showed me to everyone here. I know it may be difficult, but they all need to hear...or see...this."