I really, REALLY shouldn't be starting another story to work on right now, but I had this idea and thought I'd throw it onto the site. I actually have a plot for this one, so maybe I'll continue.

By the way, the title is a working title since I couldn't think of anything at the time. Maybe I'll keep it. Ya never know!

Anyway, let me know what you think, meaning READ and REVIEW.

ONE

"Hey, babe, how 'bout me for some comp'ny tonight?" slurred a hairy human, looking the woman up and down. She was about 5' 6" with red-blonde hair pulled up and braided tightly. Her dark violet eyes looked him over with disgust, and she put a strong hand against his chest to halt his advances.

"No, thank you," she said firmly, trying to avoid violence and yet knowing the words would have about as much effect on the man as poison gas would on a rancor; nada.

"Come on, honey, just a quick one…" he said while grabbing her around the waist.

Emlyn pulled out a small dagger and held it to the man's throat. "Unless you want another air hole in your body, I'd suggest you stay away from me," she said calmly.

"You wouldn't do that to me. I can tell you want…" the drunk began again.

A male voice spoke just as Emlyn was seriously considering stabbing the man somewhere that would be painful but not fatal. "She said no. Back off."

The drunk gulped, staring at something over Emlyn's shoulder. He let go of her and hurried off. After tucking her dagger away, Emlyn turned to thank her 'rescuer'. He was just a little taller than she, with dark brown hair and handsome features.

"Thanks," she said, turning back to her juma juice. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to get violent."

"No problem, and it didn't seem like you were hoping that to me," the young man replied with a small smile.

Then Emlyn noticed what had made the drunk so nervous; the young man was wearing a Jedi robe and a lightsaber. "You're a…" she started.

"Jedi, yeah," he said absently. She supposed he was used to getting that reaction.

Grinning, Emlyn stuck out her hand to him. "Nice to meet, you; you have no idea how nice it is to…" she stopped, withdrawing her hand as she halted herself.

The young man seemed to realize that she didn't want to continue and so changed the subject. "The name's Dustil Onaesi. You are?"

Emlyn hesitated for a moment, searching Dustil over with the Force. She did not sense any deception or ill will toward her. Either he was genuine or a Sith Lord. She decided on the former. "Emlyn Trai," she said finally, putting her hand back out to him. He shook it, giving her an odd smile.

"That's an older way to greet people," he observed.

Emlyn shrugged, gesturing to the bartender to bring her another glass of juma juice. "I haven't been around here for very long, so I wouldn't know."

"Don't drink?" Dustil asked.

"Almost never; it slows me down too much, and I don't like that," Emlyn replied, sipping at her newly arrived juice.

"So where have you been traveling?" Dustil inquired conversationally, taking a drink of his own juice.

"Oh, here and there. I recently arrived here on Corusant from Manaan. Nearly didn't get off after I… crashed," Emlyn explained.

"Crashed?"

"Yeah. Not much of a pilot, I guess," she said. The pirates that had been tailing her might have had something to do with it too. Turning the conversation toward him, she asked, "So what's it like at the Jedi temple here? I don't know much about the Order."

"Its how it's always been, I guess. There aren't many Jedi left. We lost three not too long ago," was Dustil's answer.

"What from?"

"A Sith lord," he said, "You really haven't been here long, have you? Half the galaxy must know that by now. Where have you been?"

Cold dread began to fill Emlyn's stomach as she thought of Sith. "Was…" she hesitated to swallow, her mouth becoming dry, "was it a true Sith lord? Or just…"

Dustil looked at her sharply. "How do you know about them?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because a good friend of mine was killed by three of them six months ago," Emlyn shot at him, becoming angry. The rest was none of his business, and he shouldn't be looking at her as though she would stick a blade down his…

"What else?" Dustil asked sternly.

Frack. "Nothing you need to know," Emlyn stated firmly, hoping to end the conversation.

"If it has to do with the Sith it is; that's my job," he replied, ignoring her tone. "Where did it happen?"

"Look, if I knew talking to you would end up as an interrogation, I wouldn't have done it! My business is my own, so go bother a krate dragon," she snapped, pushing away from the counter.

"Hey!" she heard him call after her. Suddenly a hand rested on her shoulder. Emlyn jerked away and turned to face Dustil. "I'm sorry if I upset you," he said, seeming calm.

"Oh, are you? How noble," Emlyn said snappishly. Then, realizing how she sounded, and thinking about what Lea would have done to her if she had been there, Emlyn sighed. "I'm sorry, it's not you, really. I don't mean to take anything out on you, but you really should learn to back off." There she went again. "Again, sorry."

"It's…"

"I accept your apology, and hope you accept mine, but I really have to go. See you around, maybe," Emlyn said quickly, slipping away through the crowded cantina.

Talking to the young Jedi had forced memories that she was trying to forget, to leave behind… to run from.

"It was none of his business!" she snapped at no one as she walked down the street toward the public transport station. "He shouldn't have pried."

'But it is what he does; he protects the galaxy, as you should be doing,' said a quiet voice in here head.

Well, it still doesn't give him the right to…!

'He wasn't prying. Did he ask you who died, how you knew them, what your relationship was? No. He just wanted to know about the Sith threat,' the voice interrupted gently.

I can't tell him about that! I promised…

'Sometimes promises must be broken for the greater good, Emlyn.'

Emlyn shut her eyes in irritation. You know I can't do that. You should be the one telling me not to break the promise! If I do…

'Let go, Emlyn,' the voice said softly.

"NO!" Emlyn shouted, startling several beings walking around her. Without even glancing around she took off for the bus that had just landed at the station. She couldn't let anything happen, not to…

"Card please," said a bored voice, snapping Emlyn from her thoughts. She looked up to see a very bored looking Rodian holding a hand out for her transport card. After showing it to him she was allowed to board the bus. She chose a window seat thinking that the scenery could distract her from everything else, but there was only so much of the city you could stand before you lost it.
Instead of looking at the countless buildings on the planet, Emlyn closed her eyes as the bus took off. Taking a deep breath, she murmured to herself, "Peace, quiet, tranquility," as she pictured in her mind scenes from various planets. A sunset on Tatooine, the wind through the grass of Dantooine, the sparkling waters of Manaan, the stars, the moons, the sky…

Soon Emlyn was relaxed and could look out the window in relative peacefulness, thanking Lea silently for teaching her that trick. If something made her upset she would go somewhere no one would talk to her and imagine relaxing things. Amazingly it did the trick.

After riding around Corusant for three hours or so, the driver finally demanded to know where Emlyn wanted to go. "You're taking up space other passengers could be using!" he had snarled.

Emlyn looked around the huge bus. There were five beings on board other than herself. "Yeah… I can see that," she said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Where? If you don't tell me you're going to find yourself stuck up the nearest…"

"Okay! Take me to…"

'The Jedi Temple.'

No!

'Yes; you must be Trained.'

They'll want to know about the Sith!

'Go to the Temple.'

"The Temple, please," Emlyn finished, sighing in defeat.

'Thank you.'

You shouldn't be thanking me.

'You should be letting go.'

No...

"Are you getting off this bus or not!" the driver shouted at her.

"What?" Emlyn asked in confusion, and then realized that she had drifted off to sleep and that they were at the station nearest the Temple. "Oh, thanks. Uh, sorry about the incon…"

"Just get out!"

"Sheesh, touchy," Emlyn muttered to herself as she gazed around at the new sector of Corusant she was in. It resembled area she had just come from. In fact, it looked a lot like it… Peering at a the large signs all around her, she realized that she had been taken in a huge circle and was in fact five blocks away from the cantina she had been in.

"Frack!" she cursed. She had used up more credits to get somewhere she could have walked to! She would be starving at this rate! How many credits did she have left? She didn't know, but it wasn't enough to survive much longer than a week on.

'You're at the Temple. Go in.'

Emlyn scowled up at the building. The last thing she wanted to do was be around a bunch of stuck up Masters who were more interested in meditating than helping people. Thinking things through was important, but it ceased to help if you hesitated to the point where it didn't matter what you decided anymore; when it was too late.

'They can still train you; you must be trained, Emlyn.'

I've already been trained! I don't…

'You have learned a great deal, but there is never an end to learning. You're getting stronger, but you can't go without guidance.'

…………I know. Taking a deep breath, Emlyn began to calm herself. She let it out, and with it her frustration with the Order. She could do it; she could ask them to test her and train her.

'They will try to turn you away with the reason that you are too old; do not let them. Insist that they test you and take you on as a padawan at least on a trial basis.'

Okay.

The Temple was a large stone building that was undergoing repairs from an attack several years ago. There was a Jedi at the door, apparently to watch the entrance. Emlyn strode up to the door with purpose and stopped in front of the Jedi. "I am here to see the Council, please take me to them," she said politely, keeping her face blank.

"They are in session at the moment, but you can wait if you'd like," the Jedi replied just as civilly, "I'll show you where."

Emlyn followed him through a series of rooms, a few of them that had simple fountains that made the most wonderful sounds. While they walked, Emlyn subtly searched for information on the Jedi, and knew that he would be searching her over as well, trying to find out whether or not she would be a threat.

"Here we are. You may wait in this room while I inform the Council of your presence," he said, motioning her to a bench by another fountain and then walking through a large pair of doors.

The room was cool and bright, and seemed very fresh with the fountain and the plants that were scattered around. The walls were a light stone, as was the floor, with small, intricate carvings in places that seemed to be words. Emlyn looked closely, but could not decipher them.

"The Council will see you now," said a voice. Emlyn looked up from where she had been crouching by the bench and nodded, standing up. She followed him through the doors and down a long hall and through an arch, and then she was in front of them. There were not very many, but enough to look intimidating. Although one might have been enough for that.

"Welcome," said a Twi'lek member of the Council.

"Hello," Emlyn returned with a bow, "My name is Emlyn Trai, and I would like to be tested to become a padawan."

A small green Council member with pointed ears nodded. "Sense that, we could. Why do you wish to be trained as a Jedi?"

"I am Force sensitive, and I believe it was what I was born to do," Emlyn replied, clasping her hands behind her back.
She figured the whole truth would be the best way to go.

"Being a Jedi isn't an easy path; it's not all fame and glory. It is very difficult, and many perish as a Jedi," an older human Council member said.

"I understand, Master, but that is not the reason I must become a Jedi. I have the ability to help people, and that is what I wish to do. I have had some training, but would like to continue being taught," Emlyn said calmly.

"Think about this, we must," said the small green Master, "Wait outside, you will. Call you shortly, we will."

"Thank you, Masters," Emlyn said courteously. With a bow she left them and returned to the room with a fountain. "Are you happy now?" she whispered as she strode around the room.

'They will accept you.'

How do you know?

'They did not sense the Darkness in you, but the Light, and they are very short on Jedi. The reformation will possibly take centuries or more.'

Emlyn leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, letting her arms rest on her knees. What would it be like being trained by a Jedi Master? She had met very few Jedi in her twenty years of life, and she had disagreed with over half. But… maybe it was for the best. She did need to be trained, that much she knew; she could feel her Force abilities growing daily and knew she needed instruction to control it.

'Do not be frightened.'

Of what? The Jedi? I'm not. I think I might be a bit excited to be trained and meet other…

'No. You are going to have a vision, I can feel it.'

How can you possibly know that? I've never…

Emlyn was silent as the room faded from her eyes and different images swam into focus in front of her retinas. She was in another temple of some sort, but she wasn't sure if it belonged to Jedi.

"The students are settled in, then?" said a voice to Emlyn's right. She turned quickly and saw a young man with blonde hair strolling next to an older man with gray streaked hair.

"Yes. They've even been fed," the older man joked lightly, "and they're ready to be initiated. There are a couple of them we might want to keep our eyes on, though. I'm sure I was never that impatient in my younger years."

"Can't imagine," the blonde man said, raising one eyebrow.

The scene changed and Emlyn was standing amid a throng of people, most of them young adults around her age, a few much older, a few much younger. She noticed a dark haired boy off to one side who seemed to be pestering a young woman intent on ignoring him. Off to another side was a twi'lek that looked so excited Emlyn half expected her to explode. There were humans, rodians, twi'leks, and a number of other species talking to one another in the large room.

Emlyn looked up and saw the blonde young man standing on a slightly raised portion of the room, smiling at the crowd. "Welcome to the Jedi Academy," he said.

The Jedi Academy? Emlyn thought, bewildered. Surely these people couldn't all be padawans! Or even apprentices! They were too old, every single one of them.

"Since there is still a shortage of Jedi to teach you, I will be assigning two of you to a Master…" The young man said. He went on to explain the Academy, and further confused Emlyn. He said that there was not necessarily such thing as a Dark side or Light side power; it was only how you used the techniques that determined the side of them. He explained that they would probably be trained at least a couple years before they were to become Jedi Knights, and went on to explain that duty.

After a while of listening is dazed sort of way, Emlyn watched as the young man, Luke Skywalker, he had said, assigned the new apprentices. The dark haired youth and the girl he was talking to were to be taught by the older man Luke Skywalker had been talking to: Master Katarn. She seemed to float over to where they spoke just in time to hear Master Katarn say, "Don't call me Master, just Kyle will do fine. I'm not your master; I'm just your teacher."

"Yes Mas… Kyle," Rosh replied.

Suddenly Emlyn was jerked out of the vision as her head hit the hard stone of the Temple floor. "Ow!" she yelped, quickly picking herself up. She must have fallen over.

What was that? She asked mentally. Was that the future or the past? Surely not the present. They were Jedi, but… not normal ones. Not calling them Masters? And the apprentices were all too old! And what was it that Luke Skywalker said about no Dark Force powers? Something about the Force not being evil, but the way it was used could be bad. I don't understand…

'That is alright, you will. I will help though; it was the future. You saw the Prophesized One, the one that brought balance to the Force. Your vision is thousands of years in the future, it is the future of the Jedi. He will be the greatest leader to date, and he will lead in another great war, though not as great as the one approaching. The coming war with the Sith will be one of the greatest in history.'

What? I still don't understand. Is Skywalker right about the force powers? And what about the rest? Does…

Emlyn was forced out of her thoughts as a Jedi walked into the room and motioned her to return to the Council room. With a slight nod, Emlyn forced her now stiff limbs to carry her through the doors once more.

"Thought about your request, we have," said the little green Master after Emlyn had greeted them with a bow.

'Master Vandar,' the voice said quietly.

"Train you, we will."

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