Notice: Corran horn is a character of Star Wars and owned by Star Wars...I have a few character in the story that I have added. I would like the audience to know that the characters I write about deal with real "Star Wars Problems"....I will not blow up Corellia or any other well know place in the Star wars universe. Thank you and happy reading....Oh, yeah. I take critisuim like you. So don't go off on me if you think I am doing a bad job. If you don't like the way I write Corran that is your option...and you can write about him. Thank you.
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Chapter One: Training Day
The jungle was quiet this night and all I could think about was how long it had been since I took my last run. It has been a while I know that. But with Max back and all, I find my time being taking up with my wife a lot more these days. Our choose to have children has keep us busy through most of our free time and my training here at the academy has been tough. But for some odd reason I miss this place. This jungle world where I learn who I am. Luke has been well, but I still worry if he will get the big picture.
It was about midnight when I came out here to be by myself and think about what had been transpiring over the last year of my life. I was then when I realized that I had interrupted someone else.
"Are you going to stand there all night?"
As I let my eyes half shut I felt the flow of the Force running through me. I reached out with my sense reading every bug and feeling ever tree and planet. Scanning out into the jungle in the direction in which I had heard the voice. I knew the voice well before I had sense where he was. A new student from some planet I had never heard of came on planet about three days ago. I was given the job of showing him around and learned that my time as a pirate had made me very intolerable of people who had more to say than things to talk about.
"I thought I would get away for a while"
"Why?"
"Because that is something you do when you want to be alone."
"Sorry, I didn't know you where in a bad mood."
"I'm not...Look Alov right?"
"Yeah." He moved around the tree he was standing near and sat on a trunk to a tree that was knocked down about I would say around a hundred years ago. Well before I ever came here. I was my marker for when I had reached the half way mark in my runs.
"I have things to think about and I don't know what to do. I come out on these runs to clear my mind." I gave him a look I had learn from Luke. The one that said, "I know more that what you think you know about yourself." He just stared at me.
"Okay. So you want to be alone then right?" He said stand up and moving towards the trail.
"Yes, I do. I would like to finish me run in peace." I began to feel my muscle tense from stand so long and I knew I had to start to stretch or run before I would get stiff legs.
"I us to run in the valleys, near my home. People of my village called me Running Wind, or Falp Targ a creature who was very fast and would hunt the Blue Grass Dear." He started to look down the path. Then looked back at me. "I would like to run this path."
" I, to tell the truth don't know how you got out this far. I run fast and I know nobody was around when I left." I gave him a sideways glance.
"I have what Master Skywalker calls a sense of being. I can tell where I am at to others. I see then in the force." He smiled as if that would explain how in the middle of the night he had cought up to me in the dark when he didn't even now the paths. And not only that but got all the way out here without running into any of the night wildlife.
"But you not even winded. And there is no way you cought up with me. It took me about a good thirty minutes to get here. And I have seen you on the class runs. Your not the fastest, matter of fact I think I saw you come in last."
"I was looking around. I was in no hurry. And Master Luke said that there was no time limit. Although I do have to admit I have never been in a place with so many trees. And like I said, my village called me Running Wind." At which point he looked at the trail again.
I looked down the path myself this time. Nothing different. I reached out with my sense and felt nothing out of the ordinary. I looked back to Alov was gone reached out with my sense for him. I let the Force guild my eyes to where he was. When I realized that I was looking down the path. There standing next to a tree was Alov. Smiling, not the type that Kyp gave me, but one of understand. The kind of smile that sets your mind at ease. I understood. And this time I learn the lesson that Luke had been trying to get through to the students. This kid, who I thought was just in touch with the Force was more powerful than I had ever thought possible. I let myself think that just because I was a Jedi Knight and he was not, that I could make it out into the jungle with no problem. And at that point I started to like the kid. He made me understand that just because you have the ability doesn't mean you have to use it.
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Well , I knew from the beginning that I wouldn't get away from Luke after Max had left. She had some cargo run she had to do and I was totally against it. But she insisted. I didn't like the fact that my wife was going back out on the spacelanes by herself. Luckily I had planed for it. One day me and Wedge had placed a tracking device on her she. It was right before he and Rouge Squadron had left. He warned me about her temper, but I told him I didn't want her out in space without one. I knew that if she had ever found it that I would need more than Jedi healing techniques and a personal tank of batca to keep me alive. But it was worth the risk. She was to valuable to me to go of and get kidnapped again. But with Booster on her side and the fact that I had to complete my training here, I had no other choice. And Max had said that it would give me plenty of time to rest up for when she gets back.
That wasn't all. I found out in a interesting conversation with Luke that he was going to have me train a few students. I was kinda interested in the. I enjoyed watching the new students learn things about the Force they never thought possible. One student reminded me of myself when I first started my training. His name was Vesh Calpern. A native of another world I had never heard of. But it was said that his species was very in touch with the Force. I had learned through my conversation with Luke that he was one of the two students that I was suppose to train. The seconded was none other than that kid Alov. I was kind of suprised. I thought Alov would be far more advance in the Force to need me to train him. Most of the time Luke would take on these students himself. But then I found out the nature of the training I was suppose to teach these kids.
"What do you mean you want me to train these kids how to use a Lightsaber?" I gave Luke a look of disbelief. I heard the words but I couldn't understand or begin to understand why he wanted me to train these kids.
"The galaxy needs us more than ever now Corran. These students are of the strongest in their classes in the Force. I only think it wise to train a few more student how to use a Lightsaber." He was sitting on a cushioned bench. dressed in his Jedi robes and had a datapad in his hand. He was reading it when I came into his quarters.
"I just don't think it is wise to have these kids train in a weapon at this stage." I had place my hand on my hips to show the true meaning of my words.
"These are not children Corran, they are Jedi students and will have to be train in a lightsaber. I don't see-"
"That's right you don't." Luke gave me a wary look. " I mean you cant see right now. These students need to learn more about what it is to be a Jedi. Its not saving the galaxy and swinging around a lightsaber. Its not lifting objects and reading minds." I stopped for a moment. Not know how Luke would react to me going off like I was.
"Go on. Why do you think these students should wait?"
"I have one name. Kyp."
"Now that is not far Corran and you know it. He is ameanding for his wrongs."
"Is he? He is still a Jedi and now he is teaching student how to use the Force. I don't like it and I will never like it. Its just wrong." I turn away from Luke, trying not to show my contempt for what the kid had done. Killing millions of people to get back at the Imps. And using the excuse that a long time Dark Lord was in control of him the whole time. I just couldn't swallow it. I could feel Luke trying to read my mind. I tried to block him out, but it was useless.
"Why do you propose then?" Luke said with a sigh. "These student have shown get strength in the Force."
"Strength? Speed? Is that what makes a Jedi now?" I turned around to face him again. "What about the Force? What about peace? You teach these student how to be faster, stronger, how to lift objects, and now you want to teach them how to fight with a weapon that can cut a man down with no effort?" I let my words hang in the air like a freshly cut wound. "Kpy learned how to be fast, stronger, hell her was the only student in the class to lift so many objects at one time I couldn't even count. Then he took that power and killed a million people. Slayed them in cold blood. Many people in the New Republic have forgiven him. Some I think were in awe of the kid, for being able to do what they couldn't. What's going to stop these kids from going out there and cutting down a pickpocket?"
Luke sat there for a long before he spoke. "How do you suppose we fix that problem before it becomes one?"
"Simple. Instead of training these kids to become faster, stronger Jedi. Lets train them to be compassionate and understanding Jedi, at peace with themselves, the galaxy and the Force. Only when they are calm will they make the right desition. Only when they are at peace." Luke and I talked about how we could approach that peace in all the students. He still wanted me to train the advance students in the lightsaber. But I only agreed if he would first make sure that these students understood what it meant to activate a lightsaber. Luke agreed much to quickly. And I found out why when I woke the next morning.
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Chapter Two: First Class
To my surprise I only had about three students in my first class. But it wasn't the amount as it was who they were. I had gotten up that morning as usual, and began my run as always. I was about finished with my run when I heard a destructive sound. Two Lightsabers striking at one another. I hurried down the path to the sounds. I couldn't believe my eyes. Their was two figure fighting. Both had long hair which was moving about in and around their faces. And both had been brandishing lightsabers in which I had never seen before.
The red headed figure was brandishing a silver white lightsaber. I could tell that the figure was a woman at this distance. She was wearing a black flight suit with silver trim like her lightsaber. She was about 5' 5" with a graceful figure. Her body movements came and went like water as she parried and attacked. I at one point cought a glimpse at her face. She was no older than seventeen in human years. But I could tell by the way her ear arched at the tip that she was not human.
The other figure had soft silver hair. So bright that it almost looked white. This figure was easy to tell was a man. Though his fighting style was more traditional to Jedi, he also shared a faint similarity to the red haired figure. I had seen the male before. The male was Vesh and was speaking in a language that I had some how recognized. He was about twenty years of age, by human standards, but shared the same physiology with the woman. And from his speech patterns I could tell he wasn't saying, "High, how are you this morning."
The Vesh had brought his lightsaber up and over his right shoulder in a hack attack which the woman had easily parried down to his left. Using the momentum of his attack, he had spun around on his left foot and elbowed her clean in the throat. She was cought off guard and slowly moved back a few steps. Holding her throat with her left hand and parring his attacks with her lightsaber in her right hand she was backing up. I could see she was trying to regain her footing and bring her mind back from the pain. But the Vesh continued his attacks. He came from the right with a wide attack. She had placed her blade pointing down and parried his attack up and over her head. Then she quickly brought up her left leg and jab it into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. She flipped her wrist and knock his blade out from his hand. She then dropped down onto the ground and kicked his legs out from under him.
He was now kneeling down on one knee and sucking air in as fast as he could. She was standing over him with her blade pointed at his head. She called out something to him. He responded in a whispering voice, trying to use as little air as he could. She smiled and pulled the handle to her blade up to her face. Still looking down at him, she reached out with her right hand and grabbed at a handful of hair forcing him to look up at her. She then raised the blade high above her head and brought it down in a wide arch.
I heard a savage scream as the blade cut down. I shut my eyes I couldn't watch. When I had opened them again I saw this woman starting to walk away. But the body of the Vesh was gone. Without thinking I came out from behind the tree I was standing next to, and walked right up to her.
"Who the hell are you?" I had both of my hands, clenched in fists. I was a good 4 to 5 inches taller than her. She spun around and stared at me right into my eyes. They were the darkest of all greens I had ever seen.
"Who am I?" Scanning me. Sizing me up.
"Yes, who are you and what did you do back there?" I started to look around. I saw no drag marks nothing to indicate that she had moved the body. Nothing not even blood. I didn't understand.
"Gray, and you?"
"Gray, huh?" I stared her down. "I am Corran Horn, Jedi Knight." At the sound of my name she hit the ground. She was bowing now in front of me. Her hands spread out to either side of her.
"I am sorry Lord. I did not know it was you. Please forgive me." I didn't know what to do. I felt like my world was being turned upside down. Then I had seen it. In her hand was silver hair. And as I looked around I saw Vesh walking away, about five minutes down the trail. She didn't behead him. She had taken something much more important. His pride.
"Why are you on the ground like that and what is this all about?" She didn't move. "Speak already!"
"I was fighting a duel of honor. I am sorry for disturbing you, Lord. We did not plan to make trouble for the others here. Outsiders do not understand our ways."
"Stand up already. I like to look at the person I am talking to, not down at." With my words she stood. but her head and face still looked downward. "Now would you like to explain yourself and what was going on here?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Enough with the Lord bit. I'm not royalty." She glanced up at me, then looked down again.
"Yes, my L....yes."
"Good, now what is this about?"
Well from what she had told me and from what I understood of it. Gray is a warrior of her clan. They have had a rivalry with the other clan called the Lathathrial. This rivalry has been going on for centuries. Well, Gray had been training with some of the new students and came across Vesh and was infuriated when she had seen that he was wearing his hair in the style of her clan. Vesh was apart of the Lathathrial clan. Since she did not agree with it, she challenge him to a duel. The losing warrior would have to cut all of their hair off.
When I had asked her how she got her hands on a lightsaber, she said she had built it. She had said that her people had been using such weapons since the stories of her people were first told. I took her lightsaber and head for the academy. I had to talk to Luke about this. I had to find out what he was thinking. Letting students carry such weapons. And the fact that they were dueling. How long would it take for the Jedi to rebuild, if they were killing each other over honor?...And a childs honor at that.
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Chapter One: Training Day
The jungle was quiet this night and all I could think about was how long it had been since I took my last run. It has been a while I know that. But with Max back and all, I find my time being taking up with my wife a lot more these days. Our choose to have children has keep us busy through most of our free time and my training here at the academy has been tough. But for some odd reason I miss this place. This jungle world where I learn who I am. Luke has been well, but I still worry if he will get the big picture.
It was about midnight when I came out here to be by myself and think about what had been transpiring over the last year of my life. I was then when I realized that I had interrupted someone else.
"Are you going to stand there all night?"
As I let my eyes half shut I felt the flow of the Force running through me. I reached out with my sense reading every bug and feeling ever tree and planet. Scanning out into the jungle in the direction in which I had heard the voice. I knew the voice well before I had sense where he was. A new student from some planet I had never heard of came on planet about three days ago. I was given the job of showing him around and learned that my time as a pirate had made me very intolerable of people who had more to say than things to talk about.
"I thought I would get away for a while"
"Why?"
"Because that is something you do when you want to be alone."
"Sorry, I didn't know you where in a bad mood."
"I'm not...Look Alov right?"
"Yeah." He moved around the tree he was standing near and sat on a trunk to a tree that was knocked down about I would say around a hundred years ago. Well before I ever came here. I was my marker for when I had reached the half way mark in my runs.
"I have things to think about and I don't know what to do. I come out on these runs to clear my mind." I gave him a look I had learn from Luke. The one that said, "I know more that what you think you know about yourself." He just stared at me.
"Okay. So you want to be alone then right?" He said stand up and moving towards the trail.
"Yes, I do. I would like to finish me run in peace." I began to feel my muscle tense from stand so long and I knew I had to start to stretch or run before I would get stiff legs.
"I us to run in the valleys, near my home. People of my village called me Running Wind, or Falp Targ a creature who was very fast and would hunt the Blue Grass Dear." He started to look down the path. Then looked back at me. "I would like to run this path."
" I, to tell the truth don't know how you got out this far. I run fast and I know nobody was around when I left." I gave him a sideways glance.
"I have what Master Skywalker calls a sense of being. I can tell where I am at to others. I see then in the force." He smiled as if that would explain how in the middle of the night he had cought up to me in the dark when he didn't even now the paths. And not only that but got all the way out here without running into any of the night wildlife.
"But you not even winded. And there is no way you cought up with me. It took me about a good thirty minutes to get here. And I have seen you on the class runs. Your not the fastest, matter of fact I think I saw you come in last."
"I was looking around. I was in no hurry. And Master Luke said that there was no time limit. Although I do have to admit I have never been in a place with so many trees. And like I said, my village called me Running Wind." At which point he looked at the trail again.
I looked down the path myself this time. Nothing different. I reached out with my sense and felt nothing out of the ordinary. I looked back to Alov was gone reached out with my sense for him. I let the Force guild my eyes to where he was. When I realized that I was looking down the path. There standing next to a tree was Alov. Smiling, not the type that Kyp gave me, but one of understand. The kind of smile that sets your mind at ease. I understood. And this time I learn the lesson that Luke had been trying to get through to the students. This kid, who I thought was just in touch with the Force was more powerful than I had ever thought possible. I let myself think that just because I was a Jedi Knight and he was not, that I could make it out into the jungle with no problem. And at that point I started to like the kid. He made me understand that just because you have the ability doesn't mean you have to use it.
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Well , I knew from the beginning that I wouldn't get away from Luke after Max had left. She had some cargo run she had to do and I was totally against it. But she insisted. I didn't like the fact that my wife was going back out on the spacelanes by herself. Luckily I had planed for it. One day me and Wedge had placed a tracking device on her she. It was right before he and Rouge Squadron had left. He warned me about her temper, but I told him I didn't want her out in space without one. I knew that if she had ever found it that I would need more than Jedi healing techniques and a personal tank of batca to keep me alive. But it was worth the risk. She was to valuable to me to go of and get kidnapped again. But with Booster on her side and the fact that I had to complete my training here, I had no other choice. And Max had said that it would give me plenty of time to rest up for when she gets back.
That wasn't all. I found out in a interesting conversation with Luke that he was going to have me train a few students. I was kinda interested in the. I enjoyed watching the new students learn things about the Force they never thought possible. One student reminded me of myself when I first started my training. His name was Vesh Calpern. A native of another world I had never heard of. But it was said that his species was very in touch with the Force. I had learned through my conversation with Luke that he was one of the two students that I was suppose to train. The seconded was none other than that kid Alov. I was kind of suprised. I thought Alov would be far more advance in the Force to need me to train him. Most of the time Luke would take on these students himself. But then I found out the nature of the training I was suppose to teach these kids.
"What do you mean you want me to train these kids how to use a Lightsaber?" I gave Luke a look of disbelief. I heard the words but I couldn't understand or begin to understand why he wanted me to train these kids.
"The galaxy needs us more than ever now Corran. These students are of the strongest in their classes in the Force. I only think it wise to train a few more student how to use a Lightsaber." He was sitting on a cushioned bench. dressed in his Jedi robes and had a datapad in his hand. He was reading it when I came into his quarters.
"I just don't think it is wise to have these kids train in a weapon at this stage." I had place my hand on my hips to show the true meaning of my words.
"These are not children Corran, they are Jedi students and will have to be train in a lightsaber. I don't see-"
"That's right you don't." Luke gave me a wary look. " I mean you cant see right now. These students need to learn more about what it is to be a Jedi. Its not saving the galaxy and swinging around a lightsaber. Its not lifting objects and reading minds." I stopped for a moment. Not know how Luke would react to me going off like I was.
"Go on. Why do you think these students should wait?"
"I have one name. Kyp."
"Now that is not far Corran and you know it. He is ameanding for his wrongs."
"Is he? He is still a Jedi and now he is teaching student how to use the Force. I don't like it and I will never like it. Its just wrong." I turn away from Luke, trying not to show my contempt for what the kid had done. Killing millions of people to get back at the Imps. And using the excuse that a long time Dark Lord was in control of him the whole time. I just couldn't swallow it. I could feel Luke trying to read my mind. I tried to block him out, but it was useless.
"Why do you propose then?" Luke said with a sigh. "These student have shown get strength in the Force."
"Strength? Speed? Is that what makes a Jedi now?" I turned around to face him again. "What about the Force? What about peace? You teach these student how to be faster, stronger, how to lift objects, and now you want to teach them how to fight with a weapon that can cut a man down with no effort?" I let my words hang in the air like a freshly cut wound. "Kpy learned how to be fast, stronger, hell her was the only student in the class to lift so many objects at one time I couldn't even count. Then he took that power and killed a million people. Slayed them in cold blood. Many people in the New Republic have forgiven him. Some I think were in awe of the kid, for being able to do what they couldn't. What's going to stop these kids from going out there and cutting down a pickpocket?"
Luke sat there for a long before he spoke. "How do you suppose we fix that problem before it becomes one?"
"Simple. Instead of training these kids to become faster, stronger Jedi. Lets train them to be compassionate and understanding Jedi, at peace with themselves, the galaxy and the Force. Only when they are calm will they make the right desition. Only when they are at peace." Luke and I talked about how we could approach that peace in all the students. He still wanted me to train the advance students in the lightsaber. But I only agreed if he would first make sure that these students understood what it meant to activate a lightsaber. Luke agreed much to quickly. And I found out why when I woke the next morning.
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Chapter Two: First Class
To my surprise I only had about three students in my first class. But it wasn't the amount as it was who they were. I had gotten up that morning as usual, and began my run as always. I was about finished with my run when I heard a destructive sound. Two Lightsabers striking at one another. I hurried down the path to the sounds. I couldn't believe my eyes. Their was two figure fighting. Both had long hair which was moving about in and around their faces. And both had been brandishing lightsabers in which I had never seen before.
The red headed figure was brandishing a silver white lightsaber. I could tell that the figure was a woman at this distance. She was wearing a black flight suit with silver trim like her lightsaber. She was about 5' 5" with a graceful figure. Her body movements came and went like water as she parried and attacked. I at one point cought a glimpse at her face. She was no older than seventeen in human years. But I could tell by the way her ear arched at the tip that she was not human.
The other figure had soft silver hair. So bright that it almost looked white. This figure was easy to tell was a man. Though his fighting style was more traditional to Jedi, he also shared a faint similarity to the red haired figure. I had seen the male before. The male was Vesh and was speaking in a language that I had some how recognized. He was about twenty years of age, by human standards, but shared the same physiology with the woman. And from his speech patterns I could tell he wasn't saying, "High, how are you this morning."
The Vesh had brought his lightsaber up and over his right shoulder in a hack attack which the woman had easily parried down to his left. Using the momentum of his attack, he had spun around on his left foot and elbowed her clean in the throat. She was cought off guard and slowly moved back a few steps. Holding her throat with her left hand and parring his attacks with her lightsaber in her right hand she was backing up. I could see she was trying to regain her footing and bring her mind back from the pain. But the Vesh continued his attacks. He came from the right with a wide attack. She had placed her blade pointing down and parried his attack up and over her head. Then she quickly brought up her left leg and jab it into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. She flipped her wrist and knock his blade out from his hand. She then dropped down onto the ground and kicked his legs out from under him.
He was now kneeling down on one knee and sucking air in as fast as he could. She was standing over him with her blade pointed at his head. She called out something to him. He responded in a whispering voice, trying to use as little air as he could. She smiled and pulled the handle to her blade up to her face. Still looking down at him, she reached out with her right hand and grabbed at a handful of hair forcing him to look up at her. She then raised the blade high above her head and brought it down in a wide arch.
I heard a savage scream as the blade cut down. I shut my eyes I couldn't watch. When I had opened them again I saw this woman starting to walk away. But the body of the Vesh was gone. Without thinking I came out from behind the tree I was standing next to, and walked right up to her.
"Who the hell are you?" I had both of my hands, clenched in fists. I was a good 4 to 5 inches taller than her. She spun around and stared at me right into my eyes. They were the darkest of all greens I had ever seen.
"Who am I?" Scanning me. Sizing me up.
"Yes, who are you and what did you do back there?" I started to look around. I saw no drag marks nothing to indicate that she had moved the body. Nothing not even blood. I didn't understand.
"Gray, and you?"
"Gray, huh?" I stared her down. "I am Corran Horn, Jedi Knight." At the sound of my name she hit the ground. She was bowing now in front of me. Her hands spread out to either side of her.
"I am sorry Lord. I did not know it was you. Please forgive me." I didn't know what to do. I felt like my world was being turned upside down. Then I had seen it. In her hand was silver hair. And as I looked around I saw Vesh walking away, about five minutes down the trail. She didn't behead him. She had taken something much more important. His pride.
"Why are you on the ground like that and what is this all about?" She didn't move. "Speak already!"
"I was fighting a duel of honor. I am sorry for disturbing you, Lord. We did not plan to make trouble for the others here. Outsiders do not understand our ways."
"Stand up already. I like to look at the person I am talking to, not down at." With my words she stood. but her head and face still looked downward. "Now would you like to explain yourself and what was going on here?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Enough with the Lord bit. I'm not royalty." She glanced up at me, then looked down again.
"Yes, my L....yes."
"Good, now what is this about?"
Well from what she had told me and from what I understood of it. Gray is a warrior of her clan. They have had a rivalry with the other clan called the Lathathrial. This rivalry has been going on for centuries. Well, Gray had been training with some of the new students and came across Vesh and was infuriated when she had seen that he was wearing his hair in the style of her clan. Vesh was apart of the Lathathrial clan. Since she did not agree with it, she challenge him to a duel. The losing warrior would have to cut all of their hair off.
When I had asked her how she got her hands on a lightsaber, she said she had built it. She had said that her people had been using such weapons since the stories of her people were first told. I took her lightsaber and head for the academy. I had to talk to Luke about this. I had to find out what he was thinking. Letting students carry such weapons. And the fact that they were dueling. How long would it take for the Jedi to rebuild, if they were killing each other over honor?...And a childs honor at that.