Chapter One

The midday heat of the jungle moon of Yavin hung overhead like a heavy sheet. The ruins of one of the great Massassi temples loomed ever close to the two young Jedi. Twenty paces from each other, they stood face to face, lightsabers humming, drowning out the usual sounds of the jungle.

The male watched his opponent with a set jaw, his weapon held out before him in a ready stance. The blade pulsed, white light aura reflecting off the ancient stones. His shaggy dark hair hung with wisps over his forehead, the white tips falling into his sapphire blue eyes.

Blue was the color of her lightsaber. It's core incandescent and very bright, a dark blue glowing along the outer edge. Unlike her opponent, her dark silky hair was pulled away from her face in an intricate braid, characteristically out of the way. She assumed her stance, mimicking his own. A slow smile moved over his face.

Dots of perspiration lined the girl's brow. She could've blamed it on the immense jungle heat, but he knew. He could sense her with the Force. She was intimidated and nervous.

Her grip tightened on the handle of the glowing blade. She felt her palms become sweaty and she longed to wipe them on the hem of her tunic or on her trousers. However, she was not ready to let her guard down. Not now, not ever. He remained relaxed, even slightly leaning his head back. The sun's rays fell across his still boyish features, illuminating briefly the scar that crossed his cheek. His eyes closed as he basked, enjoying the sun's warmth.

The female saw her opportunity. While her opponent was transfixed, she moved forward with an upper slash attack. Just to have her blade clash with his. White light sparked before her eyes, and through it's brightness, she could glimpse a cocky smirk. Infuriated by his reaction, she pulled back.

His stance was relaxed now, as if not even waiting for her to deliver a blow. An air of confidence emanated from him. She wasn't sure whether it was is casual cocky behavior, or if it was the smirk on his face that so annoyed her. Taking a deep breath, she launched forward with a combo move. The move was meant to strike first the leg, then an arm in a flash of glowing light. When he parried both blows easily, she found herself tightening her grip even more.

Before there was a chance to even thing on another attack, his lightsaber came down with a volley of blows. Acting on instinct, the girl blocked each one, and then retaliated with a few of her own. All blocked, of course.

She exhaled a breath, blowing a stand of dark hair that had come loose from it's braid. She swung her lightsaber to the side, an arc of blue light cascading before her. She steadied it in one hand. To her mild surprise, he did as well. He was mimicking her.

She made a noise that sounded somewhere between a snort and a chuckle, she took a few steps sideways, studying his movements. He did likewise, giving a slight toss of his head, so that the hair dangling in his eyes momentarily left his line of sight.

Neither combatant spoke, circling each other, waiting for their opponents' next move. It seemed ages went by, and the hum of the lightsabers grew stronger, drowning out all other sounds, until it filled her mind.

Then the male's lightsaber hummed as it arced sideways, forward, overhead…

She raised her lightsaber to block, immediately making contact with his blade. Light flashed bright as the blades held their position. Her grey eyes stared into his, filled with determination. She was about to make her next move…

Before she could even think, she found herself on the stony temple floor, the white lightsaber of her opponent poised near her throat. It's hum was loud in her ear. Her own lightsaber lay deactivated a few feet out of her reach.

She acknowledged her defeat with a sigh, her head falling back to rest against the stones. The overhead sun glared down at her, blocking her view. She didn't want to see the smug look on his face and she was thankful that the bright sun only allowed her to see his shadowed form. He laughed.

"You're not sensing with the Force" His low voice said. He deactivated the lightsaber and took a step back. He offered her his gloved hand. Reluctantly, she took it, and he helped her to her feet.

"What did you do?" She asked, rubbing the lower part of her back which had made hard contact with the stones. She retrieved her lightsaber, attaching it to her belt, refusing to look into his eyes.

He shrugged lightly, watching her. "Some call it a push." He paused, with a slight tilt of his head "I learned it a long time ago." With that, he went silent as he too attached his saber to his belt as well. Then he gave a sigh.

"Let me give you a piece of advice, if you will allow me." Her head shot up to give a glare at him, but he didn't flinch or pause "You lash out blindly. You have to sense your opponent and know exactly what his next move will be before he does it, not when he does it."

The girl continued to glare at him, a hand at her hip. He continued. "Or else you're going to find yourself missing a limb," He grinned, "or that beautiful head of yours."

She nodded slowly, setting her jaw. "Thanks, Aidan." Her voice was a monotone, without feeling, "What would I do without you?" She turned her back toward him, preparing to trek her way back through the jungle, back to the Jedi Academy.

Aidan gave a sly grin. It always made his day to see his fellow Jedi a little miffed by his actions. He considered this a job well done. He watched her for a long time as she began trudging her way back.

"After you."

Atop another of the great Massassi temples, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker let out a deep sigh as he watched his Jedi trainees leave the training area. He closed his eyes, feeling, reaching out with the Force. He could feel the pulsing anger and doubt coursing through Eiram Esor. She had great potential, but her mind was impatient, never on the task at hand. Luke had to admit she reminded him of a bit of himself, when he was just a kid back on Tatooine, And that worried him. He often felt that she was holding back on her abilities, relying on her wit rather than her skills in the Force. More so than that, she was quick to anger, and the Dark Side was ever lingering.

Luke found his thoughts drifting to the newest of his Jedi students.

Aidan DarKloud.

Aidan DarKloud had a lot of anger as well, but for him the Dark Side loomed very close, closer than Luke was comfortable with. But so far, he had been impressed with Aidan's skills, and his return to the Light Side.

Luke opened his eyes, and slowly stood to his feet. The students would be returning to the Academy soon. There was still much for them to learn.

His eyes swept over the horizon of Yavin 4, pausing a moment to stare at the large gas giant of Yavin as it loomed nearby.

There was still much for him to think on yet, and he hoped there would be enough time…