Hey guys, Borrum/Dunstin here. This is the midpoint for this second season, and thus I'll be taking a month-long break to plot out more of the series and take my finals for the year. Expect new episodes in mid-May. Until then, hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Leave a review or favorite or whatever if you're liking it.

Good luck on all your tests and stuff, and see you in about a month!

XXX

Magnus Iscander

Joran sat upon his small bed while they all gathered around him. With his face exposed and in the humble furnishings of the giant hollow tree, the others seemed less hesitant to listen to him now, although Cecilia remained annoyingly close.

"So," Joran said, working his hands in and out of each other. "Nice, ah-"

His hand went to the wound in his leg. "I'll feel this for a while," he groaned. "The Crist know their medicines, but they've never had to deal with blasters. Well… not till late, I suppose." He switched on a small glow lamp on the ground, causing them all to burn light green. It was the only sort of technology in there; everything else seemed of Crist design.

"Do you want to explain what that means?" Magnus said, crossing his arms. "Because I have a good idea of what it is."

"What are you talking about, Magnus?" Adelia pondered. He gave no reply but continued to stare at the man.

Joran narrowed his eyes, giving him the feeling of being dissected. He had been scrutinized by countless people before, but this felt… difference. As if some unseen eye was looking at him.

"You have a lot of anger built up in you," Joran declared. "Not healthy at all, mate."

What did you just say to me? "What-?"

"-did I just say?" Joran said, a knowing smile creeping onto his face seemingly against his will, for he quickly tried to put it away. "Sorry- old habit. But- look, I didn't come here to make fun of you-"

"Just answer his question," Adelia said, crossing her own arms now. "I saw it all when Vynus took me with him to patch up Gallis. You have a lot of wounded for being in the middle of a forest where there's no sentient neighbor. What have you people been doing?"

The smile had turned to a frown. "Now look-"

"You're fighting them, aren't you? The Empire."

"The Empire is dead," Joran said stiffly, sitting on the bed but his presence causing Magnus to shiver despite himself. "The people who came before you and I destroyed it. What we have here is a dying enclave that still follows the traditions of the Empire; one of those continuing to create armor for people who can't aim, it seems."

Magnus's fists clenched and he took a threatening step forward. "Stop this."

"It's not me." He leaned down on the bed, unperturbed. "Thurst came before me and told Vynus what the Alignment was doing; why, I could never figure out, the man's never done anything decent far as I've seen. But the plastoid ore that the Alignment is digging up holds spiritual value to the Crist; it belongs to the rock they walk on, as do you. I have tried to convince Vynus to stop… but just like the Alignment to the Empire, some traditions are too strong to let go of."

Lysander seemed to be struggling to come to terms with it. "So what happened? The Crist attacked Cindra?"

"If that's the name of the nearest mining town, then yes. That's where you all came from, then?"

"Yes. We were… uh, framed, by the new military commander for crimes. They would've arrested and done who knows what to us."

Joran laughed. "I don't need to use the Force to see the lie in that. You ran from justice- why?" he jabbed a hand behind him, in the direction of the medicinal area. "Something to do with your unconscious friend?"

"He was our leader," Lysander explained, red in the cheeks. "I… I didn't need to do the crimes, but the rest of them are orphans, with no help whatsoever."

"We robbed stores for food," Magnus supplied.

"And credits for a way off Ommas," Cecilia added. Her clutch on his arm had lessened somewhat, but he hardly noticed it anymore.

"They're natives stuck in the past," he said dismissively. "You're clearly not taking a firm enough stance against Vynus; people are being hurt by these attacks, and not just your own."

"You sensed it?"

"No, I just know how incompetent the garrison is. What do you mean sensed it?"

Joran ran a hand through his hair, looking exasperated. "Look- this is all a bit sudden for one night. I can't tell you everything going on here all in one sitting. What you guys need to know is I'm not here to hurt you, the Crist, or even the Alignment. I came here to save lives and restore the balance on Ommas- that's all. Can you all understand that?"

There was a silence, then Lysander hesitantly nodded. "I believe you. I'm… sorry about your leg."

Joran waved it off. "Just be careful who you trust, alright? Well- trust me, I mean. But for now, I need to speak with the two brothers. Alone."

Cecilia's grip tightened, and this time he threw her off. "We're fine," he said shortly. "I need to hear this. And so does Gallis."

"But-"

"It's fine," Gallis said quickly, though in Magnus's mind he could tell his brother was uncomfortable being left alone, and maybe his older brother's behavior. He couldn't even explain to himself why he felt like this, but all he knew was that he needed to know what Joran had to say.

The others slowly filed out, Lysander the last to leave. "We'll be in the hut right across the way. You guys… just meet us there soon, alright." With a last look to Joran who gave a simple nod of return, he exited.

Leaving the Iscanders alone.

"You both have some good friends," Joran said at last. "Makes me miss my own."

"They're our family," Gallis said quietly. He seemed small, out of place in this hollowed out tree with this man of power. Magnus decided he would take over from here.

"What happened on that plastoid cliff edge? The lightning.?"

The other rubbed his chin. "Honestly? No clue. A womp rat from Tatooine would know more. But," he said with a smile at Magnus's look of disbelief. "But, I have an idea. You ready?"

"Just say it."

"You both are Force-sensitive." He clapped his hands together and spread them like he was throwing out confetti. "Now, whatdya think of that, huh?"

"What?" Gallis asked blankly.

Joran's face fell. "Really? No moment of shock, realization? Maybe some distant memory awakening? Nothing?"

"What is the Force?" Magnus demanded. "I'm tired of hearing this word and not knowing. The old Imperial handbooks deemed it being used by Undesirable Number Ones: the Jedi, the warriors of the Old Republic. The Jedi were corrupt; I want nothing to do with him."

"If you believe everything out of a book made by the Imperial Military, I don't know why the Force chose someone as stupid as you to manifest in," Joran said with some disgust. "And really, books? Don't you kids have datapads?"

"Do we look rich to you," Magnus replied darkly. "Now tell us."

Gallis shook his head. "It's what let's me and Magnus know what the other thinks, isn't it? And what guided me when we were evading Bragg's forces?"

Finally, a happier look fell on the other's face. "It sure sounds like it. You both are untrained, completely unaware of your gifts. In times of great need, focus, and desperation, you've allowed low level uses of the Force to help you." He took a deep breath and took on a monotone, drawling speech. "'The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.'" He looked at them and shrugged. "The words of Obi-wan Kenobi, the Jedi Master who trained my current one."

But Magnus shook his head. "I want nothing to do with the Force. I don't care for anything the Jedi used-"

"The Force found a place in you, don't waste it," Joran warned it, looking at Gallis as well. "I didn't come here looking for Force-sensitives; stars know Master Skywalker has his hands full already. I thought I came here to help the Crist, but I now I know that I was drawn here by the Force- in both of you."

"So what does that mean for Gallis and I?" Magnus intoned.

He shrugged. "Hell if I know. My ship crashed, and Thurst's is beyond using without his help. The only way off his planet is through another starship- which I doubt anyone would give to wanted criminal kids or a Jedi."

"So you're a Jedi, then?" Gallis asked with wide eyes.

Joran nodded proudly, moving his cloak aside to show the weapon he'd used to take off Thurst's hand. "You bet. Fresh out of Luke Skywalker's Academy. Here's my, uh, 'badge.'"

"Luke Skywalker?" Magnus spat on the ground. "The man who killed a million lives aboard the Death Star? Who murdered Darth Vader and the Emperor Palpatine? I'm done here. Come on, Gallis."

He stalked out, but it took him a good few seconds to realize Gallis was not following. He turned around, cast in the darkness while his brother remained illuminated by the faint glow lamp along with Joran inside the trunk. "Come on, Gallis," he repeated.

"I want to hear what he has to say, Magnus," his brother said confidently. "I mean- we've had his hidden Force thing for years, and we never knew about now. Now here's someone who knows and can help us, take us to someone who knows everything! I think there is a reason why we got drawn out to the Blackroof Forest."

"Yeah, because Lysander knows geography like a slazer cat knows how to use a blaster. News flash: it was an accident we even made it out this far. Finding this guy was an accident, too."

"Was it an accident that you managed to perfectly shoot at Captain Bragg without ever having used a blaster?" Joran looked at him innocently, but a faint mischievous smile on his face.

"Get the hell out of my head," Magnus said with quiet malice, making the other's smile fade once more. "You kriffing Jedi- don't get near me or my brother. Get over here, Gallis. Now."

Finally his brother listened, and left the warmth of the glow lamp. Joran tried to stand, but fell back to the bed. From within, he called, "You don't have to listen to me, but you are stuck Crist will ask you to fight; think if you should. Is it your place to fight for bloodshed, or to keep peace and balance?

"Have you been fighting with them?" Gallis asked, making Magnus grab his arm and try and lead him away. No more words of nonsense. No more kriffing nonsense from this Jedi.

"No," Joran called after as they left. "I'm here to keep the balance of the Force on this planet."

"And if fighting the Alignment is balance? Or fighting the Crist the way to keep the peace?"

Joran dipped his head in a uncommittable manner.

Magnus dragged his brother's turned face away from the Jedi.