A/N - This chapter was really hard to write for some reason. The first section came pretty easily but I spent a lot of time looking at blank screens for the rest. But it's finally done! Look for the next update fairly soon.

Islanders

Jan lead the party though the crowded streets of Luca, away from the docks, the arena, the central square -- all the places that would be overrun by tourists. Sam followed, and Kal and Liss walked together, a step behind. At first they said nothing, as they would have needed to shout to be heard over the teeming masses. But as the crowd thinned, Liss started to feel uncomfortable with her silence, full of questions for her father's old friend and unsure where to begin.

Kal glanced sideways at her, then broke the ice. "So, you're Auron's kid. They told you that I knew him?"

"Your brother did, yes. You served together in the warrior monks?" This man didn't really fit her image of a warrior monk, either -- too slender, too cheerful -- though he came closer than Jan did.

"Yeah. First we were bunkmates as trainees. Later, he was my captain for two and a half years in Kilika and then in Bevelle for almost a year after that. Over four years together, total."

Although dying to know what Kal could tell her about her father, Liss found herself wondering about him, too. "If I may ask, how did you end up in the Defense Force? Shouldn't you be in the Bevelle Guard with most of the other former monks, or retired?

"Retired?" He laughed. "I'm only forty. I'm sure that seems ancient to you, but I have a few good years left. As for Bevelle, I got disgusted with that place a long time ago. When Yevon started falling apart, I quit. I thought I might retire then, but when Nooj founded the Youth League and they needed people to rebuild Kilika, I couldn't resist helping out. Over that time, I got to know Nooj. I was impressed by his leadership, and he appreciated my experience, so I joined his command team. I was about ten years older than anyone else there, but I think it was good for them to have an old guy like me around." He laughed. "When the Youth League turned into the Defense Force, I stayed on. I've been a soldier since I was 15; I don't really know anything else. It'll be the same for you if you stay in the Force; you'll see. But anyway, enough about me. It must be your dad you really want to know about."

Liss nodded. "But I'm not sure what to ask you," she admitted.

"We're even, then," he said, flashing another disarming smile and running a hand through his sun-bleached hair, "'cause I don't really know where to start. I haven't talked about him in so long..."

"We're here!" Jan's voice broke in from ahead. They'd arrived at a small outdoor cafe in the residential part of town. It was crowded but not impossibly so. The seating area was secluded, partially hidden from the street by bushes, so a casual passerby might not notice it.

Kal looked down at Liss. "Later," he promised. Then they followed his brother into the cafe.

Anyone else would have needed to wait for a table, but Jan was a regular. The proprietor found space for them immediately and brought a round of ale on the house. The group chatted about the tournament while waiting to place their orders. Once the waiter had come and gone, Sam, who sat next to Liss and across from his father, leaned crosswise over the table toward his uncle. "So does this mean I finally get to hear some stories about Sir Auron?" he asked.

"Sam!" Jan gave his son a stern glance.

" S'okay, bro," Kal chuckled. "I don't mind. As long as it's okay with Liss?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly at her.

Liss glanced at Sam. He had the grace to look embarrassed at his over-eagerness, and she giggled a little. "Sure, it's fine. I want to hear them too, you know."

"All right." Kal leaned back in his seat. "I guess it's easiest to begin at the beginning. I -- we, really, Jan was there, too -- met Auron on our first day in Bevelle. The three of us were assigned to the same quarters, along with one other."

"Who?" asked Sam.

Kal exchanged a glance with Jan, who shrugged. "Better tell 'em," said the latter. "He's part of the story, too."

Kal nodded grimly, then took a long drink of ale and swallowed. "It was Kinoc," he said.

Liss's mug froze halfway to her mouth as Sam's gaped open. "Maester Kinoc? Uncle Kal, you knew Maester Kinoc?"

"That lying, scheming, heartless bastard!"

All three men turned to face Liss as she slammed her glass down with so much force that the tabletop rattled. The similarity of the shocked expressions on their faces would have amused her if she hadn't been so furious.

"So," Kal said quietly after a long pause. "You know about that, then."

Liss let go of her drink and rested her palms on the table. "My mother told me."

"Is your mother who I think she is?" he asked.

"Yes." It came out in a whisper.

"Ah." He glanced down at his glass. "Then Kinoc wronged her greatly." He raised his face to Liss's. "Does it help to know that I beat the crap out of him when I found out what he'd done?"

Liss fought back a smirk. "Maybe a little. But my father--"

Kal pounded the table with a fist. "Your father," he said, slowly and clearly, "was the bravest, strongest, most loyal man I ever knew. The world is a poorer place without him. Do not doubt that, ever." His eyes burned into hers. "He made some mistakes, sure, but he is not to blame for what Kinoc and his father did to him. If your mother told you that, she's wrong, and I'm afraid I think less of her for it."

Liss shook her head firmly. "I don't think she blamed him, not really. But you have to understand, she told me nothing of this until very recently. Actually, I only learned the story two days ago. So you see, it's all very fresh to me."

"I'm sorry." Kal reached across the table and covered her hand with his large rough one.

His touch was comforting, and she found herself fighting a blush. "Thanks." Get a grip, Liss, she told herself. He's at least twenty years too old for you, and your commanding officer besides. Don't even think about it.

Sam, who had been quiet throughout this exchange, laid a hand on her shoulder, and she pulled away from Kal and turned to him.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me what this is all about," he said, his expression unusually serious. "But if you ever need someone to talk to..."

She smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Sam. I appreciate it, truly. And I will tell you sometime. But not today, okay?"

He returned her smile and stroked her shoulder gently. And as he looked at her with warm hazel eyes very like his uncle's, she thought for a moment that she might like to do more than just dance with him after all.

"Hey, I'm sorry this started on such a downer," Kal said.

Liss and Sam quickly broke their gaze and looked back at Kal. "That's okay," she said. "So they were friends at first? Maester Kinoc and my father?"

"Best buddies, believe it or not. For years." Kal smiled with a memory. "Hey Jan, remember the time Kinoc tried to teach Auron to cast a basic healing spell?"

Jan laughed. "Your dad had many talents," he told Liss, "but magic sure wasn't one of them."

Kal began the story. "It was during the first week of training..."

The next morning, Kal met us as we were on our way out of the temple. "May I have a moment with Sir Auron, my lord?" he asked with a bow.

"Yes, but we are on our way to catch the ferry to Besaid," Lord Braska replied. "Would you be able to walk with us?"

"Of course." I hung back as Jecht and Braska started down the stairs, Jecht casting a glance back at me. Then we began our descent. "How are you?" he asked.

"All right, I suppose." I still planned to wring Kinoc's neck at the first opportunity, but the immediacy of the murderous impulse had lessened, thanks both to Jecht's intervention and the long talk I'd finally had with Braska before going to sleep the previous night. "I just have one question. Does Brac know?"

Kal shrugged. "I don't know for sure, but I get the feeling that he doesn't. Do you really think he would have tapped Kinoc for the promotion if he did?"

I shook my head. "Six months ago, I would have said no. But after everything that has happened, I'm not so sure anymore."

"I thought about telling him. But to be honest, I'm afraid to move publicly against Kinoc. He's getting very powerful, building strong alliances. Complaining is one thing; no one will bother me for that, especially not here. But if I leaked this story and Kinoc fell from favor, I might end up dead in my bed. Or 'accidentally' shot in the back one day."

My hands clenched, and I could feel some of the peace I had gained last night slipping away. "Why did we trust him, Kal? How did we not see this coming?"

"I wish I had an answer. We always knew that he was ambitious, but so hungry for power that he would trample over your life like that? No, I don't think we could've guessed. Either he's changed, or he's a very good actor."

"Maybe both," I said, thinking back to our final parting in the Bevelle armory.

"Anyway, I just wanted to check in with you." Kal stopped, and I faced him. "Yevon be with you, and with your lord."

"Thanks." We bowed to one another. Then I drew him into a quick hug, and he slapped my back in return. "Good luck to you."

This time, I was the one to watch him go, bounding back up the stairs to Kilika Temple. When he was out of sight, I turned and hurried to catch my party before they disappeared into the forest.

Late the next morning, we made our way down a steep hillside to Besaid Temple. The day had dawned fair and warm. Assuming such a thing to be possible, the grassy mountains of Besaid were even hotter than the Kilika jungle. I was already sweating from nothing more than the two-hour walk from the beach. It was one of those days that almost made me rethink my preference for black. Additionally, I was also working the sphere recorder -- Jecht had asked me to carry it for the morning, and I had agreed, only a little reluctantly. Even though I still thought the exercise useless, I felt like indulging Jecht today, partly to repay the help he'd given me at Kilika but also because, on the ferry this morning, he'd as much as admitted that he wasn't really expecting to make it home. Yet he kept making these spheres. I almost had to admire his stubbornness.

I found myself growing curious as we approached the village, as this was the only temple of Yevon that I had never visited. Kal was the only person I knew who'd been stationed here for any length of time, about two years, and he'd always said there wasn't much to tell. Going by my first glance at the place, I decided he was likely right.

Jecht went through the entrance to the settlement. "Smallest heap of huts I ever seen!" he exclaimed, wrinkling his nose. The place was less than half the size of Tzeki Village, and instead of cottages the inhabitants seemed to live in tents. It looked provincial even to me. The temple towered in the background, almost out of place in this hamlet.

Lord Braska walked up to Jecht, taking in the scene. In contrast to his jaded guardian, he seemed charmed by the village. "You think so? To me, it looks like a fine place to live." He glanced at the tents, the temple, the view of the ocean as Jecht headed for the temple. "Hmm... Auron?"

I focused the sphere on him. "My lord?"

"When this is over, could you bring Yuna here?" he asked. "It seems so peaceful... I want her to grow up far away from the politics and conflicts and prejudices of Bevelle."

I nodded. "You have my word. I will bring her here."

He turned to me. "Thank you, Auron. You truly are a good friend."

Before I could protest that I promised nothing more than a guardian owed his summoner, I was interrupted by Jecht.

"Hey, what're you doing over there? Let's get moving," he called from ahead. "I'm hungry enough to eat a shoopuf whole!"

Braska started slightly. "Sorry," he said, looking at Jecht, then me. "Well, let's go then." He started walking toward the temple.

I switched off the recorder and followed. "So I assume you're requesting a lunch break before the trials?" I asked as I joined Jecht.

"You bet." He took the camera from me and stuffed it in his bag. "Food's gotta be better here than the slop they fed us at that last place."

I grimaced. "I certainly hope so." Kilika had been the exception to the rule that summoners ate well in the temples. Two nights ago, I'd taken one look at the dinner they provided and pulled out the field rations. It was worse than the Bevelle mess hall. How Kal and the others stood it, I had no idea.

Braska had reached the temple entrance. He stopped there, then turned around to look at us. "Sorry, were you saying something?"

"Jecht wants to eat before we enter the Cloister. If that's all right with you, my lord?"

He shook himself slightly. "Yes, of course. We have time."

The three of us entered the temple together, and Jecht went to ask about a meal. "Are you still thinking about Yuna?" I asked quietly while we waited.

The summoner stood still for moment, then nodded. "I do not regret my choice," he said. "But it still saddens me to think of her growing up alone."

"She won't." I held Braska's eyes. "This I swear, my lord. Either I will take care of her, or I will find someone else who can."

He let out a sigh. "I don't know what to say, other than 'thank you', and that's not enough."

"Your thanks will always be more than enough for me, Lord Braska."