Chapter Two-Dantooine
Present day.
The grassy steppes of Dantooine lay in silence as darkness descended like a heavy blanket. Large dog like creatures with shaggy manes, Kath hounds, slowly settled in the long grass, curling their brown bodies together under the thick trunks of the trees that grew upon the plains.
A figure stood silently observing the Kath hounds, from across the bridge that led to the Jedi Enclaves sub levels. A lightsaber was held loosely in one gloved hand, its silver beam gleaming brightly in the darkness. With a sigh, the man turned and strode towards the entrance of the Enclave.
Visas Marr marvelled at the quietness as she walked around the empty corridors. She felt the life force hidden away behind closed doors, of people sleeping soundly. She smiled to herself; it felt good that the Academy was filling up with new apprentices, all eager to learn the ways of the Force. In the morning, it would be filled with the hustle and bustle, the sounds of teachers and students alike-a vibrancy that the Academy had lacked for the last few years. She liked to walk the halls at night, it was at this time that she took great pleasure in the freedom that she felt, and all this had been because of the Jedi Exile, Jennra.
She owed the Exile her life.
In what seemed a different lifetime, she had changed greatly. Three years previously, she had been sent on a mission by the dark lord Darth Nihilus, to hunt and find the last Jedi, so that he could consume their Force power and essence. Visas had tracked Jennra, and had secretly stowed aboard on the Exiles small ship, the Ebon Hawk, with the intention of taking the Exile to her master. But Jennra had defeated her in a light saber duel, and had shown her great mercy and compassion. She freed her from the bonds that Darth Nihilus had held over her, and Visas had joined the Exile on her quest, that would ultimately result in the defeat of the three evil Sith lords and the final destruction of Malachor V, their home and training ground.
Visas frowned. It had been because the Exile was disconnected from the Force that had allowed her to defeat Nihilious. He fed upon Force sensitives, destroying all around him, people, planets; whatever he could leech the force from. It turned to be his undoing, as when he had tried to feed upon the Force in the Exile, he had met with the echo that lay deep inside her, the wound that the many deaths at Malachor V four years previously had caused. Rendered vulnerable, he had fallen to his knees, and it was Visas that had slain him with a final thrust of her saber.
He had destroyed her home planet, Kataar. Killed and fed upon the powers of her race, and that of the Jedi that had met upon the planets surface; a doomed plan to try to sense the new threat that they had felt then. Lured on by the promise of sating his hunger, Nihilus had consumed all the life force on the planet, only taking her as his servant, when he found her lying amongst the bodies of the dead and dying. Now she was the last of her race, the Miraluka, blind force sensitives whom saw and felt everything through the life energy, the Force that was in all that lived.
But that is now the past, she thought as she walked slowly up the deserted corridor, towards the entrance. The chill of the cool night air made her rub her arms with her hands. Nihilus is no more. The dark lords are no more. She inclined her head slightly, as sensed a presence moving towards her. Underlying that, she felt a quick, subtle movement within the Force, a deeply hidden threat. She focused her inner sight upon it. It was tantalising, almost within her grasp.
The sounds of footsteps rattling hollowly on the cobblestones broke her from her thoughts. She stopped, and stood waiting patiently. The man that approached her carried a great pain within him; she felt it ache deep within her as she attuned herself to him.
"Mical," she said softly.
The tall blonde man stopped as he saw her regarding him, with her half veiled face tilted slightly to one side.
"I was just out walking," he replied to her unanswered question.
She nodded her head. "This you do most nights. Are you troubled?" she asked gently.
Mical ran his hand through his hair and sighed wearily. "I could not sleep. Walking when it is quiet helps me think," he waved his hand expansively, "The Academy is so full of noise that it is hard to hear ones thoughts," he replied wryly. "Not that I am complaining, may I add."
Visas laughed quietly, "Yes, I walk at night also. It is peaceful. All of this is still new to me, the kindness that I have received here lies in stark contrast with my previous life. I think of the Exile often, and the compassion she showed me. She gave me a new life, a chance to be something other than what I had become."
"Yes," he replied quietly, "She was special. She was, is, an inspiration to us all."
"She showed me how to live again, without the shadows that once lay heavy in my heart. I owe her my life."
"Please, let us not talk of this now, Visas," Mical said in a pained voice. "I…I find it difficult. I try not to think of her." He looked out across the dark plains of grassland, "But, as much as I try, she is always there in my thoughts."
Visas laid a dark gloved hand on his arm. "Do not give up hope, Mical," she whispered.
He glanced at her. "Have you…?"
"She lives still. That I can sense, more than that, I do not know," she replied. "You must not allow yourself these doubts. Be strong for her in her absence. She placed great responsibility and faith in you which was well met."
"I fear that I will fail her."
She reached up, and touched his cheek softly with her hand, "She will return to you. Hold on to the promise that she gave you, and the love that you shared."
Mical smiled at her sadly, "It has been such a long time, since she were here last."
"She would be proud to see what you have accomplished. The Academy is flourishing well under your care and guidance."
"There is still so much that needs to be done here. I do wonder if what we have done so far is enough. But," he replied firmly, "those are questions for another day. It is late, and we need rest."
He walked past her towards the entrance of the Enclave, and pausing, he turned back to her, "Thank you," he said softly.
Visas watched the tall young Jedi as he walked down the ramp way that led into the sub levels. She felt his pain echo in her heart.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lone robed figure stood silently contemplating the morning sun, as a faint breeze rippled through the lush grass that edged the Enclaves pathway. His hair swayed slightly in the breeze, and with a slender pale hand, he brushed a blonde strand away. He sighed deeply. He had not slept well that night after his brief conversation with Visas; thoughts of Jennra had troubled his dreams greatly. He had waited patiently three years for her return, but the hope inside him was lessening as time passed by. Would she return to him, as she had promised, he did not know. It was an alien concept to him, as he was a man of many answers, yet he could not find the answer that his heart yearned for.
Footsteps echoed hollowly on the courtyard, as a figure approached him. He sighed again, part with irritation, and part with weary resignation. He recognised the heavy tread, and he wished to depart to the safety of his room and studies. He had no wish for the antagonism that this man constantly sought from him.
"So this is where you are skulking, eh?"
"Atton," Mical said softly, glancing at the dark haired man stood in front of him, "So you have returned. And how was Nar Shaddaa?"
"It was…" Atton chuckled loudly, "it was well, you know, lively."
"Ah yes, I imagine it was," replied Mical.
"Yeah, like you would know!" Atton scoffed loudly. "I mean, look at you. Finally got what you always dreamed about, a Jedi running the new council…what exactly would you know about life outside of that? Or are you still pining for the Exile?"
Mical glanced at him sharply, "She will return, Atton."
"Yeah, and you believe that, don't you? How long has it been now?" Atton opened his palm, and counted on his fingers "One, two, three…want me to go on? Face up to it Mical, she isn't coming back."
"Is this why you have come? To amuse yourself at my expense? You will not pick, or gain a fight with me. I have faith that she will return, and that she will return with Revan at her side."
"Revan. Yeah, that's unless they have both fallen," Atton looked at the ground and frowned. "The temptation must be strong where ever they are. The Dark…it can eat your soul."
"And you speak from experience?" Mical replied softly, concern etching his youthful face. "Have you…"
"Hell, Mical, what do you take me for?" Atton glanced away, his cheeks reddening slightly. "I feel no temptation, no lure to the Dark side. Is that what you think? That I am the type of man that could possibly fall?" Anger sounded in his voice, and with an effort he tried to rein in his feelings of hostility. Mical always got him that way, ever since they had first met. He felt resentful of the younger man stood in front of him, and no matter how hard he reigned in his feelings, the mere sight of him broke him into a sweat.
"I merely speak with concern, Atton. You must remember the oath you took. The oath you took with the Exile. As a Jedi, you must hold on to your emotions."
Atton glared at him, "Yeah, I remember my oath!" he retorted, "I remember what it is to be a Jedi, and while you have been sitting here idly at the head of the council, I at least have been trying to make a difference!"
"I see," Mical replied patiently. "And at which cantina was this?"
Atton laughed humourlessly and raised an eyebrow, "Your attempt at humour? Not funny. No way. You could never tell a joke, Mical. Far too staid for humour."
Mical frowned, "So what brings you to Dantooine, Atton?"
"Just thought that I would call in on my way past. Wondered how you were getting along…" he laughed "…running the Enclave. Looks nice, I just love what you have done to the place!" he said gazing around at the rubble and ruins.
"We are still undecided as to whether to rebuild the Academy, or just start again," Mical replied following Attons gaze. "There is such a lot that still needs to be done, but I think it more important that others are taught in the ways of the Force, rather than concentrating on mere construction, or reconstruction of a facility. Again, we have reached no conclusion…am I boring you, Atton?" Mical queried as he watched Atton stifle a long yawn.
"Sorry. What were you talking about?" Atton asked innocently.
Mical glanced at Atton, and saw that he was watching a female figure approaching. "Wow, you didn't tell me you were keeping a harem!" he grinned, raising a dark eyebrow.
Mical glanced across at the red headed figure strutting towards them, and sighed deeply. No matter how many times he requested that she wore her apprentice robes, she always wore the outfit that she had first come to Dantooine in. Hardly appropriate attire he thought for a place such as this. He tutted and shook his head in disapproval.
"Hey D! Got a message for you," the woman shouted, "Fairly important I guess… wow, is that Atton with you? The Atton Rand?"
Mical turned round to respond, but saw that Atton was already striding manfully across the walkway towards the woman. Still shaking his head, he followed Atton.
"Wow, take a look at you!" Atton said picking the girl up by the waist and twirling her round "Lookee, all grown up!"
"Whoosh Atton! Down boy!" she said breathlessly, "You are making my head rush!"
He put her down gently, and laid a long arm companionably across her shoulders. "What's a girl like you doing in a dump like this?" he whispered in her ear.
She punched him playfully on the arm "Shush, you will get me in trouble!"
"If only…" he replied wistfully.
"Atton!" she giggled, and then stopped as she saw the unamused look on Micals face.
"Mira. You said that there was an important message for me?"
"Uh, yeah. It was an encrypted message from the R…"
Mical grabbed her purposefully by the arm and pulled her out of Attons hearing. "Not in front of him!" he said reproachfully, "What transpires between the Republic, and myself, is not of any concern to the likes of him, or that matter, any outsider. You know of this, Mira"
"Yeah, I guess I do" Mira replied with an edge of hostility in her voice as she shook his hand off her arm. "I am a bad student. I just find all this so cloak and dagger. I mean to say, it's not like the Sith are going to come knocking on our door…"
"You do not know that. Just because of what transpired on Malachor V, does not mean it is all over. The Exile proved that with her departure…"
"Still smarts, doesn't it, huh?" Mira said softly, "But hey, you gotta move on, think about yourself once in a while."
"It is of no concern to you, Mira how I feel, one way or the other," he replied heatedly, "I do not wish to discuss my feelings to you, or anyone else. Please remember your place. You are a student. A Jedi student and I suggest that you start acting with a degree of decorum"
"Whoa, Mical," she replied, "I didn't mean any harm by it."
"No. You and others like you do not ever mean to!" Mical said edgily. He turned away from them and strode across the walkway without a backwards glance at either of them.
"Hey! Something I said?" Atton asked, leaning over Mira's shoulder.
"No, something I said," she replied. "I guess I gotta learn to keep my thoughts to myself."
Atton stood in front of her, "What did you say to make him so huffy?"
She turned and looked at him, reaching out a hand to ruffle his hair. "Never mind about him. Tell me, what have you been up to?" she replied with a grin.