Chapter Three
The crowds that had filled the Great Hall slowly dispersed but Evajo remained on the podium with Master Forchess. Once everything was completely empty the atmosphere relaxed once more. Forchess smiled at his former apprentice as they descended the steps down to the ground level of the hall. They said nothing until Evajo had both feet down.

"Congratulations," Tranta Forchess said, wrapping his arms around Evajo in a tight hug. "I'm proud of you, my student."

"Please, Master..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I mean my former student," he grinned, hugging the younger Jedi tighter. "It's easy to forget that. It may take a while to get used to it."

"No, Master... I mean I can't breathe..."

Forchess stepped back suddenly, looking incredibly apologetic. "Oh. Sorry, Evajo."

"It's okay," he replied as he put his hand forward for his old teacher to shake. He did, but nearly cut off his circulation in the process. The old man tended to forget that as a Quarren he tended to be a little stronger than a human. Evajo winced but said nothing. He knew the feeling was there. Forchess disengaged as the two Jedi walked towards the large elaborately decorated archway that led out of the Great Hall and out into the corridor that took them to wherever they wanted to go in the Temple itself.

"I can't believe how long it had been, Evajo," Forchess pondered thoughtfully. "Since I found you on Bespin. I couldn't believe my eyes. A three year old child, so wilful, being sent down to the gas mines alone to bring his father lunch."

"I have no doubt I wouldn't got quite a kicking from either him or mom if I hadn't, Master," Evajo smiled.

"Your treatment is no laughing matter, my boy. If it had happened to a lesser person you would not be where you are now."

"Well, Bespin was a hard place to grow up," he pointed out, as if defending his past. "The workers got paid a pittance and things were harsh. Mom did her best even if dad..." Sensing the anger rising in himself at the mere thought of his father, Evajo stopped and took several deep breaths to return to his usual calm self. "I can only thank you for being there when you were to take me away from it. I genuinely believe that the Force willed that worker's riot that you had to come to stop."

"That might not be the case young Evajo but I know what you mean." Forchess looked at Evajo. "The time has gone so fast. When I met you I clearly remember your long dirty hair, those lazy eyes... and now you're the most respectable human I've ever laid my eyes on."

"That's debatable, Master but thank you." It was true. The first time he had his hair cut in his entire life was when he joined the Jedi. And it was clean. He didn't even know what clean was until he arrived at Coruscant. And owning three sets of robes was just shocking at the time. "Still, today might not have arrived..."

Forchess glanced at him. "You mean the time you threatened to leave?"

"I could have given up my training completely," he said with a slight nod. "But I'm glad I didn't. I wouldn't be a Jedi Knight with hundreds of other saluting me if I had."

"Now be careful, Evajo. Pride comes before a fall. Don't let that show back there get to your head," the alien Jedi said, with a more severe tone now. "You must keep your feet firmly on the ground at all times."

"Of course, Master," Evajo bowed. "But don't worry. I doubt that I'll suddenly make a move to replace Master Yoda on the Council quite yet." He looked at Forchess with a glint in his eye. "I'll leave that for, oh, at least six months."

Forchess shook his head, trying to maintain an aura of authority but burst out laughing. "Make that seven and I may forgive your words."

"I'll remember that."

As they continued to walk through the corridor towards Evajo's living quarters, the young Jedi's mind wandered to his young Twilek friend. "So what's to become on Se'line now? Will you continue her training?"

"Of course," Forchess said. "It'll be much easier now with just the one pupil. The Council wasn't very happy when I offered them the proposal but since the reason young Se'line was without a teacher was down to Master Windu having to focus on his Council duty, they could hardly disagree... no matter how unusual it was."

"And in defiance of the Code, I might add," Evajo said cheekily.

"It was written specifically to allow for the occasional amendment, my old pupil. You should have learnt that in your history lessons all those years ago... of course knowing you I wouldn't be surprised if you'd forgotten." He ended his joke and moved onto the more serious side of the situation. "Still, it's doubtful that such a breach of conduct will be allowed again. It was just this once and the Council had faith in my ability to keep control over you both. And the advanced ages of the two of you helped."

By this point they had reached Evajo's door. He placed his hand on the pad next to it and it slid open with a whoosh. He turned to look at his former teacher again. "And don't forget that just because I'm no longer your student, you can't forget to invite me on any mission you're called on."

As if his words were magical, a young Jedi around the same age as Se'line came around the corner, not quite running but moving faster than he normally would. He saw Forchess and came in his direction. "Master Forchess... the Council request for you to come to the chamber immediately..."

The Quarren looked over to Evajo. "Well, consider yourself invited..."