(So funny thing, in the last chapter, I said that Meranda was being trained for a few months, but it was actually a few weeks in-game. Now I could go back and rewrite it to be more lore-friendly, or you can all be my favorites, and ignore that. M'kay?)
The Council was up to something, but Meranda couldn't tell what exactly it could be. Sending a Padawan out to investigate a rise in Dark Side corruption in the region wasn't the most far-fetched thing, but the whole thing felt off somehow. She took Carth and Canderous with her as backup, but the moment they had breathing room, Meranda regretted that life choice.
"Carth, you fought in the Mandalorian Wars, didn't you? We may have faced each other in combat. What battles were you in?" Canderous asked, seeming to annoy Carth.
"I try not to think about my past battles too much. The horrors of war are something I'd rather not relive." The Republic soldier said dismissively. Seeming to touch one of the Mando's nerves.
"The horrors of war? My people only know the glory of battle. I'm disappointed in you, Carth. I thought a warrior like you would understand."
"Carth isn't like you, Canderous." Meranda chimed in. "He's a soldier, not a warrior, galaxies of difference."
"Exactly. Warriors attack and conquer, they prey on the weak. Soldiers defend and protect the innocent, mostly from warriors."
"Pretty speech." Canderous mocked, clapping his hands a bit as he did. "I bet you tell yourself that every night so you can sle-"
"Quiet," Meranda ordered, pointing to a figure sitting in some ruins. She was a Cathar in an orange and white jumpsuit, and she was the source of the Dark Side energy in the region. Meranda just nonchalantly walked up to the woman with her hands on her hips. "Ma'am, I'm afraid you've been labeled a disturbance of the peace. I will have to ask you to please cease and desist from all this Dark Side voodoo nonsense." The Cathar woman then stood up and petrified both Carth and Canderous before they could even get their blasters up.
"I will be your doom!" She screamed as she lit her blood-red lightsaber and charged. Meranda tossed the Dark Sider back with the Force before liting her blue saber.
"How did I know you were going to make this difficult?" She then charged the Cathar, blue blade striking red in a flurry of color all too common in the galaxy at the time. Meranda had to admit that the Dark Sider was strong, especially since they fought in a Dark Side Nexus. But the fool relied only on raw power and let rage guide her strikes. So she made it look like she had an obvious opening in her defense, and the moron fell for it. The Cathar got so close that her saber would be useless to stop the gut-punch Meranda had for her. And followed by an uppercut that sent the kitty onto her ass. It was clear who would strike the killing blow if the fight continued.
"You... You are strong. Stronger than me, even in my darkness."
"Ya, I'm a kriffing superwoman." Meranda gloated as she deactivated her lightsaber, no longer needing it. "Now that I've properly beaten the fight out of you, mind telling me your name?"
"I am Juhani, and this is my grove. My place of dark power." The Cathar woman snarled as she retook an aggressive stance. "This is the place you have invaded. When I embraced the Dark Side, this is where I sought my solace. It is MIN!"
"I take it from the arrogance you are vomiting up at me that you were once a Jedi."
"A more powerful Jedi than you will ever be."
"We literally just proved that's not true."
"Shut up! I am strong, and I slew my Master, Quatra! Embracing the power of hate! But... It wasn't enough..." A wave of despair washed over Juhani. Humiliated, she just stood there meekly. "What is it you want? Why do you bother me?"
"Well, I was going to drag you back to the Council by your hair. But honestly, I kinda just want to talk a little more." Juhani just scoffed upon hearing that.
"Talk?! You who have bested me so easily just want to talk? I don't believe it. Kill me now while you still have the power."
"Are you really so eager to die? Do you have nothing or no one to live for?"
"Well... Juhani paused, her eyes beginning to water a bit as she seemed to think on those words. "No, I'm pathetic. I thought myself to be so great for embracing the Dark Side, but I am nothing! I always thought they were holding me back, were jealous of my power. But it was only that I was not good enough to meet their standards... I never have been."
"If you genuinely feel bad about what you did, then all you can do is try to be better. You can't change the past, but you can pick your future."
"If my Master were still alive, there would be so much I would say to her. So much I would apologize for." An agony like no other washed over the poor woman. Meranda could see it with her eyes just as easily as she sensed it through the Force.
"You loved her. I don't need the Force to sense that. Honestly, if I killed someone I cared about, I would numb the pain any way I could too. But it's not too late, Juhani. That pain will make sure you will never do anything so monstrous again. You will be a great Jedi."
"How could the Council ever take me back after what I've done? Striking down one's own Master is unforgivable!"
"That is the risk you have to take. If you truly regret what you've done, and want to make things right, go to them. And one way or another, justice will be done." There was a long pause as she thought over Meranda's words.
"I will return to the Council. Then, I will submit myself to their judgment. And hope that they will forgive me. I thank you, I'm sure I will hear great things about you in the future."
"We can go back together, whatever happens, you will not face the Council's judgment alone."
"Again, I thank you."
...
Meranda waited in the main hall just outside the council chamber. Belaya, the Padawan that was a shutta to Meranda when she first came to the Enclave, waited with her. She said that she and Juhani were friends, but Meranda could sense more. Just then, Juhani exited the Council chamber, smiling at both of them. Belaya rushed over and hugged the Cathar. They were not very good at hiding their love for one another.
"I see it went well." Meranda said, unable to hide her shit-eating grin.
"Indeed, thanks to you, I am now welcome among the Jedi Order again!"
"All I did was kick your ass, you were the one who chose to come back here." Meranda waved her hand dismissively as she spoke.
"Even so, you have done a great thing." Belaya said as she tightly held Juhani's hand. "One of our own had strayed, but you have returned Juhani to the Order. For this, you deserve the highest praise."
"Again, Juhani is the one who chose to return to the Order. Why don't you two find somewhere private, and praise her for making good life choices? If you know what I mean." The two of them went red as rubies as Meranda joyfully skipped past them. She then returned to Master Zhar, her joyful expression becoming stern.
"You have done well, my pupil."
"Save it, Master. Why didn't you tell me that the Dark Side presence was a fallen Padawan?" Zhar took too long to answer for Meranda's liking.
"It was a test, not just for you, but her as well. You passed by showing that not only did you have the power to conquer darkness where you find it, but also the mercy to help those corrupted find peace. And Juhani passed by coming back to the light, even after falling to the Dark Side."
"And what if I had just killed her? What then?" Meranda crossed her arms, clearly displeased by the answer she was given.
"That would have been unfortunate, but-"
"Unfortunate!? Master, you know how hard it is to control my rage in battle. How strongly the Dark Side pulls at me. And still, you send me into a kriffing Dark Side Nexus!?"
"Meranda, please understand. While you have shown that you instinctively dip into the Dark Side in battle, you have never unnecessarily put another's life in danger. My time training you had only ever made me certain that you would not permanently harm Juhani."
"And what if you were wrong?"
"If I thought-"
"WHAT IF YOU WERE WRONG! Answer me, Zhar!" A wave of Dark Side energy burst from Meranda like a shockwave as she glared at the Jedi Master with hate in her eyes. Zhar, on the other hand, remained as calm and collected as he did at the start of the conversation.
"Then I would have deeply regretted my part in Juhani's death and reprimanded you properly." The yellow malic in her eyes quickly faded back to their natural color as Meranda forced herself to calm down.
"Forgive my outburst, Master. But you can understand why I question your decision, right?"
"Indeed I do." He then moved his hand to Meranda's shoulder and looked her in the eyes. Not sternly but affectionately. "And I can only hope that you learn to trust yourself as much I do, Padawan Meranda Kull.
...
Meranda had walked out of the Sandral Estat with Shen in tow. He rushed past her to embrace his lover, Rahasia.
"Shen! You're safe!" The dark-skinned woman half screamed as she embraced her lover.
"Rahasia! Thank goodness you managed to escape!"
"It was all thanks to this kind Jedi that we managed to get out of this at all." She then turned from Shen and smiled at Meranda. "I thank you, Jedi, for all you have done for us."
"Helping out love birds in distress is in my job description. No need to worship me over it."
"No, we know you must have gone to great personal risk to get us out of Sanderal estate undetected." Shen insisted.
"Well, I mean, it's not like I'm getting paid for this. So A tip would be apriciat- Oh kriff!" Meranda said as she saw the elder Matale and Sanderal come out of nowhere with battle droids in tow.
"There you are, Shen!"
"Father!"
"Mr. Matale!"
"Rahasia!"
"Father!"
"Mr. Sanderal!"
"Nurik!"
"Ahlan!"
"Meranda! Great, now that we are all introduced, we can order the droids to stand down an-"
"I knew this was all your doing! I knew you captured my son!" Ahlan Matale said over what Meranda was trying to say.
"You had taken my Casus from me long before that! You started this!"
"I don't want to hear any more of your excuses! Now I will get revenge for your transgressions!"
"Please stand down. I only want to arrest one person today."
"Why should I listen to you Je- What?"
"You all heard me." Meranda crossed her arms, trying to look as imposing as she could. "Nurik Sanderal, you are under arrest for the abduction and intention to murder Shen Matale."
"WHAT!?"
"Justice at last!"
"But master Jedi! Shen isn't pressing charges!" Rehasia begged.
"Well, I am! Lock the bastard up for the rest of his miserable life!" Ahlan screamed, a wicked smile across his face as he could bearly keep himself from laughing.
"He murdered my son, and I'm the one you-"
"Kath hounds killed your son. The Matale's had nothing to do with it. You are the only one who has committed any crime. Stand down, Mr. Sanderal, I would instead this not end in-"
"Droids! Kill the Jedi and the Matale's!"
"-violence." Meranda finished using the Force, she pushed the young lovers out of the way. Taking up a position between them and the droids as the metal soilders started firing. Meranda and her companions were able to take care of the droids quickly enough, but not before a blaster bolt struck Ahlan in the chest.
"NO!" Shen screamed as the last of the droids fell. Sanderal tried to run back into his estate, but Meranda used the Force to pull him towards her fist as she knocked him on his ass. Moving the tip of her saber to just inches from his neck.
"Looks like we're adding murder onto your list of crimes. But never fear. Jedi do not kill their prisoners. If you die, it will be because local law dictates it such." Meranda then grabbed the old man by his shirt and started dragging him off. He kicked and screamed empty threats, and he only stopped after Meranda gave him a couple of kicks.