Chapter 4

"What is this?" Luke asked as he saw the new lightsaber held in Kian's hand. It was similar to the other one he had carried before but had various differences.

"I decided that it was time for a change. One cannot live in the past Master Skywalker." Kian said and the two turned and walked down the sunlit corridor. For the past month Kian had been training vigorously, he had pushed himself harder and harder each day and had to have burnt out more training droids than Luke could count. He had progressed past most students at the academy, and though there had been no news of his sister or Tavion's activities the idea of an impending attack was in everyone's minds.

"Your right, the past can be a burden but we must never forget it. The past is what gives us all a chance at the future. It is only by excepting the things that have happened that we can except the things that will." Luke said and looked toward the young Kel Dor. The 16 year old boy had amazed Luke throughout his time here, the battles they had every morning were getting interesting. Kian had begun to explain the simple ideas behind the Form he used and Luke was already beginning to get the concept. In normal combat one must get into thee opponents head but in Form II you must get in their head, you had to be able to know what they were going to do and then be able to counter it. Luke had found a lot out about Kel Dors in the time he had meet Kian. They were very different, very martial and when it came down to it could be very cold. But what made them great Jedi were the extrasensory organs, these organs enhanced their mental powers as a Jedi.

"So I have heard your lessons are going well?" Luke said. Luke had taken a special interesting in Kian mainly because he felt connected to the boy. Both he and Kian had had family fall to the Dark Side, both had lost fathers, and both had started their training to become a Jedi at a fairly old age.

"Yes, I like the courses, I am learning things here that even my grandfathers journals could not teach me." Kian said and Luke was happy to see such enthusiasm in the boy.

"Kyle we be returning soon from his trip to Courasant and I want you to go with him on a few missions. It will do you good to get out with him and Ashina." Luke said and tried to reach into the force and see Kian's reaction to the news but as he had expected there was no reactions.

"That will be fun." Kian said and glanced at the saber at his belt. Luke looked at it as well and admired it craftsmanship, Kian had refused to talk to anyone the days he worked on it and Luke had to agree it came out nicely.

"So are you ready?" Luke asked as he stopped right outside the door of the training room. It was different now, for today all the students would be paired with another student and they would duel, and Kian had been paired against Marcon. He was a good student and unlike most students had studied his fighting with a pair of bright blue sabers. He was a very fast fighter and Luke wanted to see how Kian went against duel sabers.

"Of course master Skywalker." Kian said. Luke always was amazed by the child's confidence, yet even more amazed that it wasn't over confidence but just enough. Smiling Luke pressed the controls and the doors opened. Marcon's and Kian's fight would be the first fight of the day and all the students sat anxious to see the coming fight. Kian had made a name for himself over the weeks of training but had kept to himself and wasn't much for conversing with other students, he was friendly to them each but did not partake in the child like acts most of them did. Though on countless occasions they had seen Kian and himself fight and some of the times Kian would win and some he would lose and a few they called a draw which was something rarely seen. The fact that he wielded a saber with skill was not a question but never had he gone against two sabers, and the outcome he could not foresee.

"Good luck Kian, I'll be off in the bleachers." Luke said and he walked toward where a few other Jedi knights and masters sat. In the middle of the Arena sat Marcon in a meditative rest but when Kian approach he stood. Both boys looked at each other and it was obvious neither knew what the outcome would be, but they looked as though they would have fun. Both boys bowed sharply at each other and then removed their outer robes; they still wore their tunics and some minor protective gear though they had their sabers turned down.

"I see you've constructed a new lightsaber." Marcon said and ignited his two blue sabers.

"Yes I have." replied Kian and ignited his saber. Its orange blade crackled to life in front of him and he dropped it down in his usual fighting stance. Smiling Marcon bent his knees slightly and brought one blade out straight toward Kian and the other pointed to the side. For what seemed like an instance they stood looking at each other, but then, in a whirl of speed, Marcon struck. He brought the saber at the side, in his left hand, in an arch at Kian's left leg and with the right struck straight at his midsection. It took fast movements, but Kian leaped up avoiding the blade on his left and brought his saber up and slashed the other blade away. When he hit the ground he rolled and brought his blade up blocking Marcon's thrust with the left blade and moving fast brought the blade around blocking the other. Jumping once again he placed his foot in a kick against Marcon's chest just hard enough to push him back off of him and with a spin using the force flew through the air about five yards and hit the ground spun around and brought his blade back up defensively. Marcon looked shock and even more eager to attack, and Luke saw that his eagerness could lead to his loss. Rushing forward Marcon lunged out with a couple slashes and stabs and found each of them parried by Kian. Kian then turned to offensive with a slash that took Marcon off balance and the young man fell back. When he hit the ground Kian wasted no time, with two strong slashes he sent the blades out of Marcon's hands, and rested his blade a few inches from Marcon's face. With a curt nod he took it away and helped Marcon to his feet. The students of the academy applauded and Luke quickly walked over with a broad smile.

"Very well done the both of you." Luke said and nodded to Marcon.

"Perhaps I'll get him next time." Marcon said and laughed.

"Perhaps." Luke said and Kian seemed to be smiling beneath his mask. "All right everyone lets get on with the other competitions."

"I wish I had been there to see it." Ashina said smiling at Kian. They were aboard the transport vessel Kyle had been given to take them both on while the Raven's Claw was under work.

"It was nothing special, although the last fight was most interesting, lasted very long." Kian said blankly as he sat looking at the window out over the land below them. They had recently embarked to Mos Eisley and would soon land at the notorious city. It was the home world of Luke Skywalker and recent reports indicated that there had been some activity from a mysterious person yielding a saber. Kian believed it to be his sister, but also hoped it wasn't.

"Yes, but I still would have liked to see it. I wonder what Kyle will have us do here I wonder if he'll let us help him investigate the matter." said Ashina smiling, she was excited coming to Mos Eisley, and Kian could not understand why. Perhaps it was the chance of them being in danger, and she was experiencing an adrenaline rush, or perhaps she liked the planet. It almost reminded Kian of his home world Dorin, there the thin atmosphere left the ground sandy and rocky and the plant life very rare. Dorin rarely got visitors unlike this place, the dual black holes and the lack of oxygen deterred most species.

"I do not know, but I am sure for safety sake he will keep us all together." Kian answered turning to face the young women. She was about the same age as himself but maintained more of a youthful look about her. Humans were good at that, where as their kind showed their age quite well.

"So, how dangerous is your sister?" Ashina asked and the question caught Kian a little off guard. He hadn't expected such a question from the young Twi'lek girl.

"She is very dangerous, when she turned she almost killed me." Kian said and Ashina could sense it was a sore subject. Kian never felt any real emotion towards it, as she had learned was his way, but rather sensed it was uncomfortable and that only.

"Seems like we're here." Said Ashina as she grabbed the seat hard. As the ship landed in Mos Eisley, it bounced roughly before settling and throwing dust high into the air.

"We're here." Was Kyle's response from the cockpit.