Chapter Six

Jacen Solo stood outside his Uncle Luke's office, nervously trying to decide whether or not he should do what he was about to do. The young Jedi had concerns for his fellow comrades and the fear that something may happen to them weighed heavily on his young mind.

Especially when it came to Eiram Esor.

Jacen didn't know much about the girl, but in the few months that she had been at the academy, he had perceived a lot. She was ambitious and headstrong, never asking anyone for help, even if she seriously needed it. She was strong in the Force, yet doubted herself when it came down to her abilities.

And she was a fountain of intense emotions.

Jacen also knew that the girl had a troubled past, but the details of which weren't clear to him. Luke knew however, but Luke was never one to discuss such a personal thing openly with anyone, even his own nephew.

The boy was hesitating. He knew Esor would be furious with him for doing so, but he couldn't help it. Something in the Force was telling him he had to talk to his Uncle. All he wanted to do was to help his friend.

He knocked on the door once. His fist had barely left the surface when his uncle answered.

"Come on in, Jacen." His uncle's voice was calm. It came as no surprise to the young Jedi that his uncle probably had sensed him long before he showed up at the door.

Jacen entered the room and stood in front of the desk where Master Luke Skywalker sat. The Jedi Master was seated his eyes closed. He appeared to be in a deep meditation. Jacen knew otherwise however. He blinked a few moments, trying to decide where to begin.

"What troubles you?" Luke asked, opening his eyes to look at his nephew.

"Well…Uncle Luke...I mean, Master Skywalker...I'm worried about another student." Jacen started, in a quiet voice. "She's very headstrong and…" He stopped speaking when he caught his uncle's knowing smile.

The Jedi Master already knew, naturally, and it didn't come as much of a surprise to Jacen. The boy continued.

"I'm just worried that she may do something that might harm her." He was thinking of the Dark Side, of all the other students at the Shadow Academy, and he didn't want anyone else to fall into that. And Esor seemed to type to easily be misguided.

"You don't need to be worried for Esor, Jacen." Luke nodded his head solemnly, still deep in his own contemplations. "She has been through some rough times but she will come through, you'll see. The Force is strong in her, I can feel it. She won't be brought down a dark path as easily as you may think."

Jacen nodded and furrowed his brow together as he thought a bit more, knowing his Uncle knew his suspicions already. "I hope so."

Luke smiled again. "Don't worry. I'm watching out for her as well." Luke paused a moment, sensing something in the Force. He dismissed it momentarily as he continued, "It's getting late, Jacen. You should return to your room."

"Yes, Uncle Luke…I mean…Master Skywalker." The boy obediently left the room, and once Luke felt his nephew's presence make it to his room, he let out a long sigh.

The words of encouragement he had given the young Jedi were far from reassuring for him. There was a disturbance in the Force, and something told Luke it had something to do with Esor, as well as Aidan DarKloud. He couldn't be sure just what it was, until he had meditated on it some more.

And meditation was something Luke was definitely considering at the moment…

Esor closed her eyes as she lay on her simple bed. Sleep wasn't going to come to her easily tonight. She sighed, and reopened them.

Her eyes fixed on the ceiling, cutting through the darkness of her room. Today had been quite the interesting one. First, the lightsaber duel…which she had to admit she had lost miserably…then the dream, which had been continuously plaguing her the moment she had snapped out of it…and then the realization that Aidan had been a part of the Shadow Academy.

Yes, it had been interesting indeed.

Letting out another annoyed sigh, Esor rolled onto her side, and faced the doorway out of her room. Through the darkness, she could make out all her simple belongings…her cloak and shoes resting on the chair, and her lightsaber on the table beside her bed. A pair of blaster pistols rested next to her Jedi weapon.

In the contemplating silence, it came to her as no surprise which one she would grab if someone were to enter her room this very second and attack. She would chose the blasters, because of they were a familiar weapon, and she had to admit she was good using it. The lightsaber was an awkward thing, and she wasn't confident using it.At least not yet.

Probably why she lost during her earlier lightsaber duel.

With a groan, Esor sat up, shaking out her dark hair so that it tumbled down her shoulders. She was not fit to be a Jedi. The Force was weak where she was concerned. Sure, she had some of the skills, but there was no way she could ever be as powerful or strong as Master Skywalker, or, much to Esor's dislike, even Aidan DarKloud.

In her mind, she could see her fellow Jedi student's cocky grin and gleaming blue eyes and she shook her head. She didn't like him too well, especially now that she realized he had a brush with the Dark Side. She hated to admit it, but Esor was afraid of Aidan…

But that was something she resolved to keep to herself. Aidan didn't have to know, nor anyone else. The Force was strong here at the academy, and Esor knew she couldn't keep that a secret for long, not with so many Force sensitive people around here.

So, silently, she lay back down upon her bed, staring up at the ceiling, brooding on many things…perhaps the morning would look better.

Perhaps not.