The following day, Kayla went to go check on Vaukel and how his treatment was coming along.

"I noticed a bit of movement from his hands," said Suki, "I think he's finally making some major progress."

"Oh… That's good…," said Kayla.

"How about you? How have things been going on your end?" asked the Mirialan.

Kayla sighed and found a spot to sit down.

"I tried learning Form V… But I couldn't bring myself to go on the offensive," she said, "while Daralec was helping me, he said something about how I'm afraid to kill again."

"Oh?" asked Suki.

"It's like, what is he even talking about? I mean I've killed before," said Kayla.

"Well…" Suki started to say.

Kayla gave her a look.

"Well, what?" she asked.

"I mean, from what I heard, you came here as a hound for the dark side," said Suki, "so…"

"What are you saying?" asked Kayla, "what I can't kill someone unless if I tap into the dark side?"

"I'm not saying that," said Suki.

"…Okay," said Kayla.

"However, given the changes you've undergone, I heard you've become much less aggressive," Suki added.

Kayla just rolled her eyes. She got ready to leave when she stopped and looked at the healing pod Vaukel was in. A thought entered her head…

"…Say… These pods… How did they work exactly?" she asked.

"They emit a subtle harmonic hum that puts you in a dream-like state while the water repairs your physical and mental wounds," said Suki, "it's a slow process, but while you're in the dream state, the machine purges the impurities that plague your mind… However, if the impurities are too strong for the machine, you're forced to face them yourself."

"…Can this machine… Heal someone of their… Traumatic experiences?" asked Kayla, "like… A traumatic experience that's plagued them for decades?"

Suki looked at Kayla.

"…This machine is able to cleanse someone after they've been mentally tortured, remove any traces of someone who used the Force to dominate their mind, maybe even help them make peace with being forced to fight someone close to them… Someone they considered to be like a brother or sister to them," said Suki, "you're talking about trying to purge something that you've had since you were a child."

"I know… But… I just… Want to try something… See something," said Kayla.

Suki sighed.

"Well, if it's something you want to see… I'm afraid the pods aren't the answer," she said, "you're going to want to see High Master Aavok."

"Who's he?" asked Kayla.

"He's one of our Shamans," said Suki, "come on."

Kayla followed Suki to the Revanite High Master's office. Inside sitting on the floor was a man, with long white hair and a full beard, he wore a set of mystic-looking hooded robes and appeared to be in a meditation trance.

"High Master," said Suki, "Forgive me for disturbing you… But I have someone who wants to have a word with you."

The Miraluka Revanite looked up.

"Well, well, well… What do we have here? A troubled lamb?" he asked as he got to his feet.

"Y-Yes, high master," Kayla said with a formal bow.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am High Master Aavok, one of the shamans for the Knights of Revan," Aavok said with a bow, "tell me… What plagues you child?"

Suki stepped back, causing Kayla to freeze for a second before speaking.

"…Um… One of my friends says that something is preventing me from falling on the instinct to kill my enemies…" said Kayla, "another said that since I turned my back on the dark side… I have nothing to protect me from my own fear… Part of me knows what the thing that keeps me from killing my enemies… But I just wanted to… Make sure."

"Because you don't want your friends to be right?" asked Aavok.

Kayla slowly shook her head.

"No… Because, I don't want to be right," she said.

Suki, seeing that her work was done, closed the door behind her so the old shaman could get to work.

"Come, sit," he said as he sat back down.

Kayla sat down right in front of Aavok.

"Now… I want you to close your eyes and take slow deep breaths," said Aavok.

Kayla did as she was told.

"That's it… Close out all other sounds… Just focus on your breathing and my voice," he said, "for this to work, I need you to be calm and collected… Ease your thoughts… Calm your mind…"

/\/\/\/\/\

Kayla opened her eyes and looked around.

"I'm… I'm home?" she thought, recognizing her old house.

Kayla looked down and saw she was sitting on her old bed, she saw and picked up her old stuffed animal.

"Mr. Puff-Puff… Heh, I remember this," she thought, looking at the Loth Cat doll.

"What do you want?" asked a voice.

Kayla turned her head, fast and ran towards the voice. She raced into the living room and saw her, an older woman, roughly in her mid to late forties, with long black hair, hazel eyes, and wore simple, civilian attire. Standing in the living room with her, were seven soldiers that she recognized.

"Shock Troopers," she thought fearfully.

"We got a tip from a concerned citizen, saying that there was the child of a Jedi here," said Captain Thynte.

"Whoever gave you that tip was clearly mistaken… I think it might be best if you move on," said Kayla's mother.

"Mommy, what's going on?" asked another voice.

Kayla turned and gasped, seeing a little girl with white hair appear from behind her.

"Kayla, no! I told you to stay in your room!" screamed her mother.

The child gasped.

"Hold it you," said a shock trooper.

But young Kayla made a run for it. One of the shock troopers took only a few steps before grabbing her by the arm.

"You are coming with us," he said.

"M-Mommy! Mommy!" Kayla cried out.

Kayla's mother grabbed the shock trooper by the wrist.

"NO! Get your hands off my little girl!" she barked.

The shock trooper struck her in the gut, letting Kayla go in the process as he held her at blaster point.

"Official business ma'am," he said, "citizen interference is punishable by death."

"No!" the child cried out as she jumped in front of her mother.

Kayla's breathing began to quicken as she saw the events start to play out again. Her mother telling the shock troopers that they weren't a threat to this newly established empire, that they would go somewhere far away and wouldn't return home. The shock troopers unfortunately, weren't budging.

"Ma'am… If you're not going to turn over the child… The punishment will be death," the captain said firmly.

"…Never," Kayla's mother said with tears in her eyes.

The shock trooper captain snapped his fingers and his men lined up.

"Kill them," said Captain Thynte.

Young Kayla's eyes went wide.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed.

Suddenly, Captain Thynte's shock troopers dropped their weapons and began clawing at their throats as they were being choked out by an unseen force.

"NO! NO! NO, NO, NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed the child.

Kayla started hyperventilating as she watched her younger self begin to choke out the shock troopers and then Captain Thynte himself.

/\/\/\/\/\

"Kayla! Kayla!" Aavok barked, trying to bring her out of her trance.

"I HAD NOT CHOICE!" Kayla screamed as she was shook awake.

Kayla looked at the Miraluka Revanite, panting and sweating.

"…What happened?" asked Aavok.

Kayla lowered her head.

"…They're right…" she said slowly, "they're completely right… I am afraid… I'm afraid to kill again."

Kayla buried her face in her hands.

"…I… I can't do it… Not without seeing her face again," she whimpered.

Aavok made a face.

"…I see," he said, "…you're free to go now Miss Abaven. I have… Some things to go over."

Kayla gave a nod as she and Aavok stood up; she gave the High Master Shaman a bow and went on her way, but not before giving Vaukel's healing pod a light pat as she left. With Kayla gone, Aavok made a quick call to Ersanan and the two men met in the High Master Shaman's office.

"She's afraid to kill again?" asked Ersanan.

"So, she has been told. So, she has also told me," said Aavok.

"That doesn't explain why she panicked when she ran back to me when I took her to face those dragons," said Ersanan.

Aavok sat back in his seat.

"Ahhh… So that's what this is really about," he said with a hint of amusement, "mm… Perhaps since she has turned her back on the dark side, the immense power was enough to drive her from the mountain. Remember the number of apprentices who failed in their final trials, my friend? Remember when you too felt the power of the dark side?"

"All too well," said Ersanan.

The Revanite Master and High Master went silent.

"Well… Since you were so kind to give me the full scope of the situation, I must ask… How do we proceed?" asked Aavok.

"We proceed with nothing, my friend," said Ersanan, "remember we can only show these students the door, but it is they who must walk through it. Unless my apprentice can learn to control her fear, unless she can look into the darkness without turning away… Then I'm afraid she cannot become a knight."

Aavok gave a nod.

"Very well," he said, "and what should we say to her?"

Ersanan was quiet for a moment.

"I told you… We proceed with nothing," he said.

Ersanan turned and left the High Master's office. Aavok gave a shrug and went back to doing his business.

Author's note: What did some of ya'll think that a tragic event from her past would be the reason why she punked out? Nah, this ain't Disney Star Wars XD