Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt

A/N: I would just like to apologize for the large gap since my last update, it's been multiple problems, I've had a touch of the writers block, and exams are coming up so school's been a bit busy, on the other hand I did get to see Revenge of the Sith Wednesday, midnight on the 18th and if you haven't seen it I would suggest it. It has it's problems and it doesn't quite add up to any of the original trilogy but it is still a massive improvement from the last two.

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A soft click of the lock and the light on the panel in front of them told the group that the card key had been accepted and the door was now unlocked. Nevan slid the key back into the folds of his robe and walked into the room.

Aida quickly ran over to the first bed and sprawled out on it. Nevan, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan all chose to sit around a nearby table.

"You said Master Orinis was behind this?" Qui-Gon questioned, wasting no time getting to the point.

Nevan snorted, "Always straight to the point old friend, what no catching up on all times?"

Qui-Gon looked irritated for a split second before another idea crossed his mind, "Ok, let's talk about who you joined after you abandoned the Jedi."

Nevan knew he was backed into a corner he couldn't answer the second question and he didn't want to answer the first, "How is Master Yoda, still surprising Jedi the first time they see him duelling." Nevan smiled "First time I saw it was during a tournament and somehow I got matched up with him, actually I always suspected he rigged it not just to teach me a lesson but to test me as well, but for what I don't know."

"Master Coronis." Qui-Gon stated, trying to drag Nevan away from his distraction.

Nevan continued on as though he hadn't noticed, "Anyway, first round of the tournament and I walk in feeling very confident and then my opponent is announced and this little green form walks into the ring, I was laughing in my head I knew he was strong in the Force, stronger than any other council member but someone of his size and age in a duelling competition seemed ridiculous."

"Master Coronis!"

"Next thing I know he pulls out his lightsaber and in two swift movements my lightsaber is embedded in the wall and hi is pointed towards my throat, I still remember what he said to me after the tournament 'A painful downfall arrogance can be, never misjudge your opponent' it changed the course of my training, what can I say I was young but still considered good enough to be in a tournament with people much older including several Masters, of course I was arrogant at the time."

"Nevan."

It was the use of his first name that pulled Nevan out of his thoughts, it was the first time since they'd run into each other that Qui-Gon had called him that.

"Answer me."

Nevan sighed, his eyes flicked back and forth between the three people occupying the room, "Fine but this is not to be repeated, not even to the Council." He looked back over at Aida, "And your not to tell our Council that I revealed our secret, to a Jedi no less."

Nevan took in a deep breath, "After I...left the order I was recruited, their teachings were of balance, not taking any one side but doing what was right for the whole, seeing the force as what it was, not a two sided coin with dark and light but a single unifying field, that the dark side and the light side didn't exist in the Force and was only created through actions, we are the guardians of the balance...the Shadow Jedi."

Qui-Gon shook his head, "I'd heard rumours of such a group existing but always dismissed them as just that, rumours."

Aida let out a loud laugh from the bed, "Oh we certainly aren't just a rumour."

Nevan just smiled at his Apprentice's comment, "And that's where I've been since I left the order."

Obi-Wan interjected, "But how could the Shadow Jedi exist without us knowing."

Nevan laughed, "The term Shadow Jedi doesn't just come from our philosophy on the mechanics of the Force."

Obi-Wan nodded, logging that in the back of his mind for further thought, "And what about this Master Orinis?"

A pained look crossed Nevans face, "I'm feeling tired, we'll speak more once I've had the time to sleep or at the very least meditate."

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In the morning, the group awoke to find one empty place, Nevan was gone. Aida reach out through their bond in fear that something had happened and was quickly calmed when she felt the presence of her Master nearby.

All three heads craned to the right as the door opened and Nevan entered.

"Where were you?" Qui-Gon asked him.

Nevan shifted, uncomfortable with the small feeling of suspicion he felt from his friend, "I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk and found a beautiful garden to meditate in."

Qui-Gon's features softened for a moment in understanding of Nevans difficulty with the event that had transpired years earlier "I know it's hard but I need the information."

Nevan nodded, "Ok but I should probably recount the events of our first time on Cerallis for Aida and Obi-Wan."

It took a short time to catch Obi-Wan on the part which he had missed and then continued on.

We reached the governors office and were promptly admitted in to see him. He was very tall for a human, overweight, but clearly a very strong man both in body and mind.

I bowed in respect, "Greetings governor Taryn."

"Greetings Master Jedi." he replied in a deep, booming voice.

"I believe the Jedi council has told you of our mission?"

He slowly nodded his head, "Yes, horrible business, you have my full cooperation."

Nevan smiled, "Excellent do you have any news for us?"

He pulled a datapad from his desk and handed it to Nevan, "There have been reports of many people disappearing over the past few weeks, occasionally we find one or two of the bodies, the wounds that killed them came from a lightsaber." He said the last part slowly, almost as if in disbelief.

Kaitlyn assured him, "Don't worry we'll handle it as quickly as possible."

Nevan broke off from the story, "At this point I guess I should explain the nature of our mission."

"It is one of the darkest secrets of the Jedi order and is not to be repeated to anybody." Qui-Gon interjected.

At this point both Aida and Obi-Wan leaned forward, their curiosity getting the best of both of them.

Nevan looked over at Qui-Gon for a moment then continued, "We were there to hunt down Jedi, not normal Jedi mind you, or Dark Jedi, very seldom does it happen but occasionally with the strain of trainingand devoting ones life to the order, some Jedi apprentices and even knights...snap."

A shocked look crossed both Obi-Wan and Aida's face in unison.

"They become incredibly violent and volatile and are a danger to themselves and others so they are sent to a small Jedi outpost on the Outer Rim where they are cared for by several Masters." Nevan paused to take in a deep breath, "About twelve months before our mission we lost contact with the outpost when we got there we found all the caretakers brutally killed and a supply shuttle missing, we assumed they had somehow manage to overpower the Masters and ran, rumours that they were on Cerallis was what prompted the mission, we were there hunting insane Jedi."

Before Nevan could allow it to sink in the hum of a lightsaber drew their attention.

Nevan was confused at first, until he could feel a familiar dark cloud in his mind, cursing at letting his focus slip like that, it was something that hadn't happened since...since the last time he had been on Cerallis.

They all rushed to the window and saw a man clothed in a black robe outside the building holding a crimson red lightsaber as if challenging them.

Qui-Gone and Obi-Wan ran out of the room and made for the entrance, Nevan and Aida jumped out the window and used the Force to aid their descent.

The second they landed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan came running through the door and simultaneously the man turned tail and bolted.

All four immediately took off after him.

For what seemed like forever they ran, they ran by people, they ran by buildings, they ran around them as though they were nothing more than random obstacles. They darted around people and buildings, following him as he ran through the streets and it still seemed like forever even when they stopped, and witnessed a small one man fighter take off.

Nevan cursed in fifteen different languages and kicked the wall of a nearby building.

"Quick we can make it to our ship and follow him." Qui-Gon said impatiently.

"You go ahead, I'll wait until the Demons Foe is repaired and then I'll follow."

Qui-Gon nodded and turned to leave but quickly turned back to face Nevan, "I will have to tell the Jedi Council of you and the Shadow Jedi." He said with a hint of regret.

Nevan stared at him for a moment and nodded, "Just try to keep it quiet, now get to your ship."

Aida watched as they left, "He'll be long gone before they get their ship into the air."

Nevan shook his head, "No that man wanted us to follow him, he was daring us stay focussed and don't let your guard down for a second, there's a trap wherever he was going."

"What about Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan?"

"Qui new it was trap, they'll both be prepared for whatever awaits them."

Nevan stood there staring into the sky, slowly day turned to night, people passed the two Shadow Jedi by as the darkness crept up on them and soon the streets were all but empty except for the pair. Neither moved for hours, just staring at the hundreds of twinkling stars in the sky.

Nevan was the one to break the silence, "Lets go get some sleep."

And so they waited.

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A/N: I would just like to apologize one last time for how long it took to get this done, don't worry I should be posting again at my usual speed. Please Review and if you see any mistakes or errors don't be afraid to point them out I have a tendency to be a little absent minded and miss things.