In truth, Desiraye never left the Enclave. She was there the whole time, in hiding. She'd learned a few tricks to hide her from others, and she employed them to make sure she wasn't found. Not for awhile, anyway. She needed time to think.

More than once she nearly went to the docking bay and booked passage on some ship. She didn't care where it was headed - she just wanted out. Away from the Council and everything that reminded her of it.

Eventually she started wandering the halls of the Enclave, in stealth so she wouldn't be found. When she went into the audience chamber, she got more than she bargained for.

"She's questioning Covell's death, and his appearance in the temple," Vrook was saying, "And since we've erased him from the records, she's more suspicious than ever."

"It was an unfortunate situation," Vandar murmured, "For all involved."

"But necessary." Dorak intervened, "Did we not all agree on that?"

"Yes, we all knew the dangers of letting her learn everything. Her thirst for knowledge was surpassed only by Revan's, and we know all too well where that lead. We cannot afford to have that happen again."

Everyone nodded at Vrook's words, and Desiraye felt sick. How could they talk so casually about sending one of their own to his death? And just to stop her training?

"Her thirst for knowledge was surpassed only by Revan's..."

They were afraid that she was going to turn dark like Revan did? Just because she was a little too interested in her history lessons?

Zhar was the only one who stood idly, not agreeing but not disagreeing. What did that mean? Was he possibly on her side? Or did he just not want to get involved at all?

They began to speak again, but Desiraye couldn't bear to hear more. Moving as silently but as quickly as she could, she fled the Enclave and headed out to the docking bay. Looking around quickly, she saw a ship whose crew was loading supplies, and whose captain was urging them to hurry up. They were about to leave.

Carefully slipping past the crew, she made her way up the boarding ramp and inside the ship. Only once she was safely on board and hidden away did she uncloak herself, and sat huddled in a corner as the first tears began to fall.

….

"The scouts have returned with no news of your friend."

It was nearly dark as Akanni, Carth, Canderous and Bastila stood before the Council.

"She's been missing for six hours," Carth said, "She could be anywhere by now! She could be hurt, or... or..."

But he couldn't say it. Wouldn't say. He couldn't even think it. She was fine, she had to be.

"We're still looking," Zhar soothed, "And we will continue to do so until we have some news of her whereabouts."

The impromptu meeting was dismissed after that. Bastila went to her room within the Enclave to meditate, the men returned to the ship and Akanni followed Zhar back to the sparring room.

"I'm sorry, Master, but I don't know how you can expect me to study when Raye's missing."

"I understand that, Padawan. I too am finding it difficult to focus right now."

Akanni was surprised to hear that. She studied the older Jedi for a long moment, debating on what to say and how to say it.

"You seem to be the only member of the Council who feels that way."

Zhar shook his head sadly.

"We gather in shadows and speak of secrets. Are we no better than those we warn our pupils about? I was not permitted to train Desiraye myself. No one was, officially. But I would have gladly taken her as my student. She had a brilliant mind, much like Revan before her."

"Is that why the Council refused her training? Because she was too much like Revan?"

The old Twi'lek nodded again.

"They were afraid that she would follow in Revan's footsteps. Afraid that she would turn dark."

"But not you," Akanni realized, "You knew her differently than they did."

"She often came to me for lessons. Though I was forbidden from teaching her, we would often talk late into the evenings. She learned many things on her own through my... careful words."

Akanni couldn't help but smile. This old Jedi had defied the Council in his own way, to teach Raye what he could.

"You're lucky the Council never found out. They likely would've found a way to silence you too."

Zhar flinched, his lekku twitching slightly.

"So you heard about that?"

"I saw Covell's body in the temple."

"I see. I sit in the Council chambers day after day, nodding silently and deferring to their judgement about such matters. But I do not agree with them. Covell's life was sacrificed to assuage their own fears. What have we become if we sit idly by and allow such a thing?"

"If you're so against it, why do you stay? Why not leave?"

"Because I feel I may still do some good here," Zhar sighed, "By teaching others of our past mistakes, perhaps I can prevent another tragedy."

Something in his voice tugged at Akanni. She could tell that he cared very much for Desiraye, perhaps even loved her like a daughter. She could feel his heartache at the knowledge of what the Council had done to her, to Covell. He felt it like a personal attack, like any father would feel if their child was treated in such a manner.

Like she knew Carth was feeling. Maybe they hadn't worked out their differences yet, but she was still his daughter. He felt every injustice done to her as surely and acutely as if they were against himself.

"We'll find her," Akanni whispered, both to Zhar and to Carth, though of course the latter was nowhere around her at the time.

….

"I fear that she is no longer on Dantooine."

Bastila's words brought a chill to Carth's spine.

"You think she fled the planet?"

"I can no longer feel her presence here. So unless she has found a way to shield herself from me, yes, I believe she has."

Carth looked to Akanni, expecting her to refute the older Jedi's words. Instead she seemed resigned to them.

"Akanni..?"

"I didn't want to say anything," She admitted softly, "Not until I was sure. But I can't feel her here either."

"Well, how many ships have left the planet since last night? We'll check their flight paths and track her down."

"We already did that, Republic." Canderous said as he joined them. "There's only one ship."

"Well, that's a good thing, right? It should be easy to find her."

Carth felt a surge of hope, but it was quickly doused as he looked at his companions' less-than-reassuring faces.

"What's the problem? Where did the ship go?"

No one seemed terribly eager to tell him. Fear gripped him as he looked between them all, his mind running through the reasons why they might have bad news. Had the ship gone to some planet they couldn't get to? Was it dangerous?

He didn't care if it was dangerous. He'd go through the nine hells of Corellia if it meant getting his daughter back. He'd lost her once, let her down. He wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. He'd do whatever it took.

Bastila, Akanni and Canderous all shared a look. He couldn't read what that look said, but it definitely wasn't good. Were they afraid of his reaction?

"Someone just tell me already, dammit!"

"Carth," Akanni breathed, "The ship that left last night, the only one Raye could have fled on... was headed for Korriban."

….

Desiraye stumbled down the boarding ramp one step behind the rest of the crew. Her stealth field ensured that they wouldn't see her, and she slipped past them as they were approached by the docking official.

She'd had no idea of where the ship she boarded was heading. Now that she stepped foot on the tainted soil, she wished she'd taken another ship. But there was no other ship available anyway.

Korriban... how could she have ended up on Korriban..? Of all the places that ship could've gone, it had to land on Korriban.

She considered staying hidden on the ship, waiting for it to leave and trying again on another planet. But she'd been in hiding for more than a week; she was exhausted, and starving, and sore. Her body was protesting the rough treatment it had endured, stuck in that little corner in the cargo compartment. She needed to get out.

So she would face the harsh Sith world, at least until she felt better and was ready to hop another transport.