Chapter 2

Breakfast went by quickly. I sat there facing James as his swarm of friends came around him. They talked loudly, attracting the attention of a mess hall aid now and again. They joked and I laughed when appropriate to signify I was still alive. I didn't see how James took it. Having a huge group around made me uncomfortable. I guess James was just more social then me.

I excused myself from the table and waited outside the mess hall door. Do they talk about anything but speeders and ryll? I thought to my self. Girls. I answered my self. And food. The door sung open again and Master Re-oz, a tuskan raider, walked out speaking with my Master. I shifted behind the open door.

"I don't care Asce. I am not going to allow that type of corruption to plague this academy."

"Master Arn, you over re act," Re-oz said in his native language. "The children entertaining themselves, nothing more."

"Ryll is not entertainment for young Jedi, correct Rish?" Master Arn closed the door, reviling my hiding place.

"Ha-ha" I laughed nervously

" Do you think I wouldn't be able to sense my own apprentice?" He smiled at me as he shook the little vile of the twilek drug.

"A boy can dream."

"Do you know where I got this from?" Master Re-oz looked at my master anxiously. I shook my head.

"I could guess, but I couldn't say exactly." I glanced at Re-oz

Master Arn turned to Re-oz and gave him the vile. "I should get you kicked out of the academy. And you know I would if we had spare instructors." He leered Re-oz down. When Master Arn means what he says, he really means it. "I don't want any more of this stuff in this school. If there is even a vapor of a drop in the student chambers I'll be teaching Studies of the Techniques of Saber Dueling while Master Skywalker tosses you to the Galactic winds!"

Master Re-oz was practically running after Master Arn bowed in departure. It was quite humorous. My master turned back to me his face still in "Say anything and Die!" mode.

"If you hear of Master Re-oz selling anything, I don't care if its computer spikes, tell me immediately." He rested his arm on my shoulder as his face softened. He smiled again and pulled me along. "Time for you to finish your exercises."

After Master Arn helped me heal my muscles from the pain of exercise, I went looking for James. It was mid morning and he would usually be in the Jedi Archives on a day off, searching for the most worthy opponent for Master Skywalker. Master Skywalker was a very strong icon in the Jedi order. All of the Skywalker family has been, from Grand Master Luke all the way until now with Alexander. There is about five generation between them and Alexander Skywalker is more like Grand Master Luke then any before him, according to the old Masters.

I found James exactly were I thought he would be. His arms were crossed as he sat starring up at the hologram of an Ishi Tib. "I may have found a good fight for Master Skywalker." James looked at me through the pale blue light.

"He wouldn't fight Master Skywalker. And I doubt Master Skywalker will fight him." I sat "Don't you have anything else to do?"

James shrugged "I hate off days. They're so boring… where's Master Arn?"

I shrugged. "He has to keep track of me, not the other way around."

"Let's go to the dueling room." He shot up and flicked his wrist at the control panel of the holo-projector. Before it shut off he was already at the door.

I walked up the glass platform from the corner. James used the force to leap up and landed in his battle stance. He tugged on his lightsaber buckle with the force and the weapon drifted to his hand. I smiled. "Stop trying to be fancy."

"You know you're jealous." He activated his blue saber. I snatched mine from my belt and the orange blaze came to life.

James leaped at me wind-milling his saber. I countered his blow and pushed him back. He flipped back and leaped at me again. This time I stepped aside and he fell off the platform. He did not jump back up. I looked through the glass. No one was down there. Cautiously, I dropped from the platform, tapping the force every so often to see if he was anywhere close by. I heard his saber flare to life as I blocked the sneak attack from behind. "Tricky" I said mockingly. The sabers hissed as they slid from each others contact. He shifted out of the hold and attacked, keeping with the ground this time. I countered most of them, then had to duck to avoid a blow to the neck. He was swinging wildly. "Your saber is on the low setting right?" sweat trickled down his face.

"Of course" he said swinging another attack at me. He lost his footing and nearly fell forward onto my saber. It was my turn to attack. I swung an uppercut to counter gravity's pull. James wavered still then steadied himself. With the force, I practically slid across the dirt ground and swung a powerful down slash. James fell back purposely and rolled away. I ran after him, slashing at the ground. He stopped rolling and rolled back toward me. I knew what he was doing, both through the Force and by watching him duel before. I felt the imminent danger from below. It was as if time had stopped and was giving me a preview of the next scene in my life. I broke this force trance and ducked. James' blue sword flew just were my shoulder was.

"Using the Force to tell your opponent something, while you do the opposite. Very tricky." James winced as my orange blade made contact with his ankle, and then smiled. "You always hit the ankles. I should have seen it coming." His blue blazing blade hissed then fizzed away.

The shadows of the dark room shifted. I stopped breathing. Just a rodent, I said to myself. I punched in the commands for the holopad's memory. It beeped for identification. "Darth Misera." The pad hummed for a few seconds the confirmed his ID. Darth Misera pressed and held one trigger on the pads left side and a button on the bottom. " Password: Hunt Wise Crystals." The pad Acknowledged the password and a blue light wavered from the pad. I set the Pad on the nearest table.

"What is it?" a calm female voice from the pad said. A feminine figure loomed in the pale blue light. Her hair was plated back, which lead to a large bun in the back with four chopsticks stuck in. Three long braids hung from the bun. Her face was unseen mostly because of the lighting, but also, she was not looking directly at the projector, as if occupied by something more important. She sat on a large round seat, he dress and ropes draped like tapestry.

"Mistress, I believe I have found my next project." I said as I bowed quickly

"Next project…. You are at the Jedi temple again. When will you learn? They will catch you one-"

"Mistress, I have found your true apprentice."

"You cut me off. You know how I feel about that. You're lucky I need you Misera." The image rippled. She'll destroy my holopad again if she has a fit.

"Please forgive me, Mistress but I am certain. I have been watching him for years and he is to be your next hand." After an uneasy silence, "He felt my force aura… he is the one. He is to be your hand."

"… If what you say is true…" her words were slow and thoughtful " Darth Misera, don't be foolish in your methods. I want him. Don't fail me."

I bowed again. "I shall not fail you."

The face finally turned to me. I could not see them, but I felt her eyes piercing my soul. "Play with him a bit, but don't kill him… Does he know it was you?"

"The Force aura? No the hall was crowded. He barley knows of my existence"

"Good. Do not reveal yourself yet. We do not know for certain if the seed of the dark side has been planted… if it isn't, I know you will tend to that. I'm relying on you Misera."

"Yes Mistress. Good-bye." The figure nodded and went back to whatever she was doing before. The blue image faded and blinked out.

"Mistress would be angry if you kept secrets from her, Misrea." A dry voice from a shadowy corner said. I nearly dropped the holopad. "How long were you there?" I growled.

"I'm not a rodent." He said matter of factly. I heaved a sigh.

"Smart ass. Why were you spying on me?" the shadow came closer.

"Wasn't spying. What's wrong, are you paranoid? I was just getting some relaxation from the rush and tussle of Jedi teaching."

I chuckled. "Liar."

He laughed. "Now why would I lie? We serve the same Master."

"Right now you serve Sky-"

"Shut up, I'm here on an assignment, not for leisure. And what are you doing here, and don't give me that shit you told Mistress. You're suppose to be on sick leave."

I turned for the door. "Then I guess I can't tell you anything, Darth Stoic. What I do on my time is my business. Good day to you, Jedi Master." I could feel I had touched on a sensitive nerve.

"This is why you are never put with a partner." He hissed. I opened the door slightly and peered through the small crack. "You're too sloppy."

"No, my friend. I am not with a partner because The Mistress thinks I would kill them." When the hall was empty I stepped out and melted into the shadow. "And she's right."

"I'll be watching you, Misera." I heard him whisper. I'm sure you will, Jedi scum.