Tyridac landed hard on the dirt, using the momentum he had just attained he ducked into a quick somersault and was on his feet before Korin could blink. As he sprinted forward he drove the force out of his mind. In the two days he and Korin had been on Dantooine Tyridac hadn't relied on the force for more than 5 minutes. Korin had been putting him through a training regiment that Tyridac was sure had been designed to kill him.

Right off the Ral, Korin had turned to him and said, "Catch me" as he sprinted off. It took a moment for Tyridac to process this and when he was finally chasing after his master he knew catching him would be near impossible. The older Jedi ran with such speed that Tyridac was sure he would tire after about a day. No such luck was lent to the younger Jedi. He had chased Korin for two days before he had finally collapsed from exhaustion. The older Jedi allowed him to sleep for only 6 hours before he roused him with a small stone.

There were many unpleasant ways to wake up. Having water poured on you, rolling out of bed, but the rock flying against his temple was the worst. He instantly had a headache and sleeping on the grass had done a number on his back. Mix that all with the fact that his limbs still burned from the running and Tyridac could deduce that he life was soon about to end.

"Wake up. There are things to do, my friend." Korin hovered a good 20-centimeters off the ground. Tyridac could feel the force pulsing out from his master in great waves. At first, Tyridac couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"How are you doing that?" Tyridac asked as he stared at the gap between the dirt and Korin. "I heard levitation is near impossible for a Jedi Guardian."

"Exactly what I am going to teach you!" Korin clapped his hands as he settled back to the ground. "The force works in ways we must come to understand. Just because I am a Jedi Guardian doesn't mean that I am cut off from techniques that, say, Laurune would use. It just means I have to focus and work a little harder to master them." Korin kneeled down so he could look his Padawan in the eyes. "I hope that you will soon realize that the force doesn't exclude someone based on class. Remember the code of the Guardians: There is no separation, there is unity."

Tyridac nodded as the words rang through his head; they took on a new meaning, one free he could now fully understand. Tyridac drew himself into the position he took while he was meditating on the force. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he spoke. "What would you have me do?"

Korin smiled as he stood. "I thought you would never ask. Reach out with the force. Feel everything around you. Feel the grass as it blows lightly in the wind. Feel me standing here. Feel the trees that ring this grove and feel the animals that wait just beyond them. Take in a sense of the world and reach out to it. The force binds all matter and connects all life. It is in that life that you will draw your greatest power. Life teems from a Jedi. Feel it now."

Tyridac reached out with his senses. Instantly he could feel the grass around his body. It didn't so much form an image in his mind as it did a pattern. He could see the intricate weave the force did as it played through the grass. It was small and thin, almost like it would break if Tyridac touched it too hard.

As he reached further he could feel Korin. All throughout his training Tyridac had been aware of things through the force. He had reached out and touched them and used the force to tell where things were. He used it as a tool more than he did an extra sense. Now, as he gazed through the world of the force, he realized how much he had been missing.

Korin was magnificent when viewed through this way. The force seemed to bend around him as it flowed through him. It took on a pattern that was at a glance simple, but when focused on it became clear that it was much more intricate. The pattern of Korin was one of steady streams. The force flowed through him and was connected to him that it became a constant part of his body. Korin was so alive with the force that Tyridac suddenly felt weak by comparison.

As he reached further he could feel the trees, their patter tying the life of animals, grass, and it's own leaves together. Tyridac saw and felt everything, though he didn't once open his eyes.

"Now, you can't feel these, but you can tell where the force bends around them." Korin reached into his robes and produced a small satchel of coins. "These are the coins that my Uncle had struck when he became a Master." Korin sat down cross-legged on the dirt and sat the satchel in front of him. He retrieved 4 of the small coins and held them; two in each hand. "We're going to play a game."

Korin tossed up a coin from each hand until he had settled into a pattern. Tyridac was amazed at how Korin juggled the small coins and had to work hard to keep his concentration.

Korin smiled as he continued to juggle. "Do you have them?"

Tyridac nodded. He could tell where the coins were and could reach out with the force and touch them. That would be no problem. The problem was that they were flying through the air and had no set origin that Tyridac could work off of.

"Good! Then let's play." Korin snatched one out of his juggle and flicked it towards Tyridac.

Tyridac opened his eyes as the coin bounced off his chest and settled on the grass in front of him. He looked up at Korin with a puzzled expression. "How am I supposed to catch it that fast?"

"I'll give you a hint." Korin snatched up another coin from the satchel while he continued to juggle. "I don't want you to use your hands."

Tyridac began to say something, but then he realized what Korin wanted. As he closed his eyes again a new wave of anxiety washed over him. He didn't know if he could produce the results that Korin wanted. "I'm ready."

Tyridac had barely gotten past the sense of the grass when he felt the next coin sailing through the air at him. This one traveled with less speed but it still took a great deal of effort for Korin to stop its travel in midair. The coin slowed then froze a half a meter from his face.

"Good, now hold it there and get ready for the next one." Korin wondered how many Tyridac would be able to hold.

The exercise took a little while longer. Tyridac was able to hold up 4 coins at once before his senses collapsed and the coins tumbled to the ground. Tyridac slumped over as he tried to suck in as much air as was possible. No amount of physical fatigue could compare to the fatigue he felt now. It was like his entire body had been drained and his mind was now swimming. His eyes focused and unfocused as he tried to seek out Korin. He could still feel the force within himself, though it was very faint.

"Very good!" Korin gathered up the coins and deposited them within the purse. "That's two more than I was able to do my first time." Korin slipped the satchel back into his robes.

"Thanks." Tyridac rolled onto his back and stared at the light blue sky of Dantooine. The sun was dipping below the horizon and soon night would envelop this side of the world. "Why did you juggle them before throwing them at me?"

"To keep you guessing. If I just held one at a time and threw it you would be able to expect it. You would grow complacent and wouldn't trust your intuition. By juggling them, I forced you to wait until it came to you."

"I see."

"Yes, you can sleep now." Korin stood and glanced around. "There are no Kath Hounds within a mile. I'm going to go and grab our camping gear. We'll sleep here tonight and make our way back tomorrow."

"What about some food?" Tyridac mumbled out. His mind slipping into slumber.

"Yeah, I'll grab us some food too." Korin shouted back as he walked towards their transport. His words were lost, as Tyridac was now asleep.

Ithica clung to the side of the rock face. The past four days had been spent in much the same manner. He would track Laurune through the forest and through the plains. He had now tracked him to a small plateau and was sure he would get him.

As soon as the Viller sad down on the small moon Laurune had engaged Ithica with his saber. Ithica had only learned a smattering of Shii-cho from Korin. His basic training was no match for the older Jedi and he was beaten within 3 minutes. Laurune had told him that for each time he lost he would have to track him down and engage him again. Ithica didn't really understand the meaning of this training but he trusted Laurune.

In the four days he had engaged Laurune 3 times and was beaten each time. After each fight, Ithica would ponder the way Laurune had fought and he was starting to pick up some of the moves and styles that the older Jedi used. Shien/Djem So was a odd style to Ithica. It used large sweeping motions that Ithica felt left the Jedi open. Each time he tried to capitalize on this weakness, Laurune had countered with a pattern of strikes that Ithica had a hard time following. In the end, Ithica guessed that was how the form really worked.

As he neared the top of the cliff, Ithica slowed his pace and calmed his nerves. He tried to move as quietly as was possible and he was sure that each time his feel moved he gave himself away. When he was near the top, Ithica took in a deep breath.

Using the force to propel his limbs, Ithica vaulted over the edge of the cliff. While he was in midair, he plucked the saber he and his brother made from his hip. He ignited the blue blade as he tumbled over and landed in a crouch. Laurune was standing 5 meters in front of him and Ithica would close that distance in a few seconds. That was, if the rock he was crouched on didn't start to crumble away.

Laurune bore a smile as the Padawan struggled to escape from the waterfall of rock that he had planned. The edge of the cliff he had been perched on tumbled away and Ithica leapt towards Laurune in a last ditch effort.

Ithica had his saber already swinging as he closed with Laurune. The older Jedi spun backwards and clipped Ithica's saber away as he backed away. The Padawan set his feet and brought his saber back around. He had prepared for this, the entire time he stalked after Laurune, he had been thinking of ways he could best the older Jedi.

Laurune skipped back and then came forward as Ithica completed his slash. The younger Jedi barely had time to block the hard return slash that came in at an angle to his shoulder. The Padawan then carried through another slash. He took a book out of the Shien/Djem So line of fighting. He kept his arcs wide and focused on trying to lure his Master into a false sense of security.

Laurune didn't bite. Ithica's slash gave him a window that he would strike hard at. Stepping forward he gave the Padawan a push. Ithica fell backward and landed hard on his rear. Laurune plucked the saber from Ithica's hand using the force.

"Not bad at all. You're picking up on Shien very well." Laurune tossed the saber back into Ithica's hand. "You've got the wide swings down. Now you just need to learn how to capitalize on the openings they can provide for you."

Ithica stood. "Thanks, I think. I still don't understand how I am supposed to learn the form by just fighting with you."

"The best way to understand something is to fight it. To struggle against something is to truly see it at it's best. I could show you the moves but you would never have a chance to see them, I mean really see them. We could spar and we could practice all day long but in the end if you hesitate, it will all be for nothing. I don't want you to hesitate, Ithica. I want you to feel. I want you to make a decision based on your training and on your guidelines. If you can do that then you can face any challenge and be unafraid of it." Laurune clapped a hand on Ithica's shoulder. "You've had enough for a while. We must go and we must rest. Come."

The two headed off towards the Viller. Ithica thought of what Laurune had said. He thought about challenges he was unwilling to face because of his fears. Maybe I can learn something from Shien/Djem So. Ithica looked up into the sky. Maybe I can learn to put aside my anxiety and do what needs to be done. Just maybe.

Over the course of a month, Tyridac had advanced past 4 coins. Advanced very far. He was seated in front of Korin now, his arms on his knees and his eyes shut tight. Sweat beaded on his forehead and a whole slew of coins floated in front of his face. Korin had emptied the bag and was now searching for something else to add.

Uncovering some small stones, Korin began tossing them towards Tyridac. The pebbles flew in and abruptly stopped. They held position along with the coins. One right after another, Korin tossed the stones. One right after another, Tyridac caught them. Korin was pleased. Already, Tyridac could do more than Korin could after a year of this type of training. It was finally time for him to see the extent of his power.

"Ok." Korin stood, dusting off his robes. "It's time for another type of exercise."

The coins and stones floated slowly to the ground and Tyridac began to gather them up. "What type of exercise?"

"Oh you'll see." Korin smiled. Soon Tyridac retrieved his coins and when they were safely tucked away in his robes, he made towards the ledge they were practicing near. It was an outcropping of rocks that were roughly 5 meters in height. They were rigid and had a surface that was porous like lava-rock. When they neared the rocks, Korin turned to Tyridac.

"Heh, see you on top." Korin bent low and leapt to the top of the rock. As he hit the top he felt fatigue wash over his legs. A leap like that was near the limit of his ability. There were other Jedi that could leap to the top of buildings 30 or 40 meters in the air. There were even some Jedi that could levitate themselves higher than that. Korin didn't expect all of that from Tyridac. If he could make it to the top of the rock he would match Korin for ability.

"Hmm." Tyridac scratched his chin. Over the past month both he and Korin had put grooming on a back burner and both men sported shadows that were well beyond 5-o'clock. "All the way up there?"

"Size, distance, time; none of these things matter in the force."

Tyridac considered his words and looked back to the rock. He had never attempted anything like this and wasn't very sure how to proceed.

"Feel it in your legs."

Tyridac bent low. His muscles bunching and growing taut.

"Feel it through the force as you near the apex of your power. Feel the pattern the force makes around your body. Feel the pattern it makes through the air. All you need to do is follow the patterns with your body."

Tyridac felt the force flowing through him; quickening his body. With all the power he had, Tyridac leapt. He was surprised to see Korin's face speeding past and let out a short yell. That surprise soon melted away as he realized that he was climbing higher and higher into the air. Soon he reached the pinnacle and began falling back to the ground. Panic poured over his body and he vaguely heard Korin shouting something.

When he hit his left ankle rolled to the side and gave way. He flopped to the ground and rolled several times before coming to a stop. His ankle was already swelling and Tyridac was sure it was going to bruise badly.

Korin came jogging over; surprise washed off his face and was replaced by concern. "You overshot it a bit, brother."

"Just a tad, I must say." Tyridac reached down and held his ankle. The skin around it had begun to turn a soft purple and would soon grow darker.

"That's gonna be pretty nasty. Let's get you back to the Ral." Korin lifted Tyridac up and started leading him towards their ship. Tyridac leaned heavily on him and with each step he winced with pain.

"We'll get some ice on it, maybe some chilled Bacta. Yeah, chilled Bacta." Korin repeated.

"Gah." Tyridac groaned.

"Yeah, I know. Bacta smells terrible but it is good for what ails ya." Korin started to continue but suddenly fell silent.

Tyridac began to ask a question but the reason for Korin's silence suddenly hit him. In the tall grasses around them, a pack of Kath Hounds were spreading out. They slowly circled them, viciousness emanating towards the two Jedi. Tyridac began to panic.

"Stay calm, Tyridac. We just have to figure out a solution." Korin spread his feet wide and bent his knees. If they had to make any fast movements, they would be ready.

"The ship is about a kilometer away and I can't put much pressure on the ankle so that is out of the equation." Tyridac groaned as he tested the appendage.

"Then we just have to expand the variables." Korin dug into his pocket and retrieved his comm-link. "Vee do you copy?"

Within a few seconds, the small droid tooled back over the link. Tyridac was panicking and could only make out a few words the droid spouted back. Something to the effect of Where else would I be.

"Listen, Vee. Tyridac and I are in trouble. Tyridac is hurt and we need you to pilot the Ral to us." The little droid tooled back over the comm and Korin then continued. "Some local wildlife has taken an interest in us, so make it quick." The droid sputtered an affirmation before the comm went dead.

"Ok. If they are gonna come after us we're going to have to hold them off. Like you said, it's a kilometer away so it might take a couple of seconds." Korin raised his lightsaber and ignited it. Tyridac wished suddenly that he had taken the time to make his over the past month.

"Hey, Korin. Any special attachment to those coins?" Tyridac Asked as he shifted away from Korin. He put a little weight on the ankle, not much, but enough to steady himself.

"Are you kidding? I have a ton of them back home." Korin tossed him the bag containing the coins.

Tyridac fished a couple out of the bag and held him in his fingers, ready to fling at a moment's notice. He felt the Kath Hounds start to stalk towards him before Korin shouted a warning.

A pair of Hounds pounded out of the grass to Korin's left. He brought up his saber into the lead hound and rolled to the left. The second hound leapt past and contorted in mid-air. When it landed it already faced Korin and took off in his direction. The hound was ravenous and bent on killing the Jedi Knight. Korin easily sidestepped the attack and severed the Hound's head from the rest of its body.

Tyridac spotted one Kath Hound leaping from the brush and let the coins fly. The small gold discs made excellent projectiles as Tyridac accelerated them with the force. The Hound yelped as the disc bored into it's skin. The creature rebounded and backed up a few steps, sizing up the Jedi.

Tyridac reached into the satchel and retrieved two more coins. They fell into his grip and he felt his anxiety start to lighten. The hound took a running start at Tyridac and he raised the coins. He was about to throw them when he stopped and thought to himself. Why am I using coins?

Dropping them to the ground, Tyridac let the force fly out through his hands and into the hound in front of him. The force push slammed the creature back and drove it into the ground.

The Hound that was coming from behind never had a chance as Korin threw his saber into its neck. The creature shook a couple of times before it finally became still with death.

The Ral appeared up ahead and settled into the ground in front of the two Jedi. The large ship frightened the remaining hounds as they ran off into the brush. Korin and Tyridac were safe. Korin helped Tyridac into the shuttle and shut the door. They had escaped today, if only very narrowly.

Ithica and Laurune made it back to the Viller after spending a month going over saber combat. Ithica was sure that he knew the form inside and out by the time the month was over. He could feel his senses getting sharper as he picked up and worked on the form that Laurune was teaching him. Ithica would see the form in his sleep and every time his mind wandered, it was always to the form.

The two Jedi arrived at the transport where a very excited Biv was puttering on about a message that was waiting for Laurune. He did reveal that the message had a possible air of danger about it.

Laurune entered his ship and made his way quickly to the comm console in the cockpit. Ithica wasn't far behind him. As Laurune sat in the co-pilot chair he punched up the message control system. The face of an aging politician materialized in front of the two Jedi.

"Master Laurune." The hologram of Senator Kreekek spoke softly into the recorder. The Rhodian Senator was Laurune's contact on the inside of the Senate. "I wish I was coming with good news or salutations. I come asking a favor from you."

Laurune crossed his arms at the hologram.

"We have recently lost contact with one of our new warships, the Hindsight. The ship is very important and we would appreciate it if you would investigate their last known coordinates. I thank you in advance for your efforts. Kreekek out." The hologram wavered for a moment before blinking out of existence.

"I've got the ship prepped. Ready when you are." Ithica turned in his seat to face the Jedi Master.

Laurune stroked his chin and stared out of the viewport as the sun dipped below the horizon. He didn't like the abruptness in Kreekek's voice. He always liked to drag things out, this message was short and to the point. Unlike him to say the least.

"What is it, Laurune?"

"I'm not sure, something about this doesn't seem right." Laurune turned to the Padawan and offered a smile. "Don't worry about it, it's probably nothing." Laurune gestured out. "Lead the way, Padawan."

The Viller left and started to climb out of the atmosphere. Something about the system in the coordinates ached against Laurune's senses. The moon of Callist, Laurune was sure it was nothing to worry about.