Alright Readers, this is it. The final chapter of book one.

Shout out to JangledSeaInk for catching the early chapter throwback-growth-parallel (90 degree angle technique). I'm finding that writers dream of readers recognizing things like that, so thank you for that.

I'll write more at the end of the chapter about where the series is going.

Enjoy!


Chapter Twenty-Seven

They arrived back on Coruscant and exited the Guile into the main hangar of the temple. An orange-colored figure jumped straight at Kyra, wrapping its arms around her neck. "Ahsoka," Kyra whispered, the Togruta still had Kyra tied up with her arms. She wasn't letting go, and just buried her face into Kyra's neck. "Ahsoka, I'm okay. We're fine."

"One hundred and seventy-nine," Ahsoka whispered.

"What?" Kyra asked.

"One hundred and seventy-nine Jedi dead, and they wouldn't tell me if you or Aedan, were one of them."

"That many?" Kyra choked out.

Ahsoka nodded. "I was so worried."

"We're fine. It's over now."

Ahsoka finally let go and stepped back. "It's not though," she said, and then glanced at Aedan, "It's not over, is it, Master?"

Aedan sighed heavily. "No, it's not over. This is just the beginning."

"How did it come to this?" Kyra murmured.

The three of them stood there in silence, the weight of what had just transpired, and the vastness of what lay before them weighed heavily on each of them. Aedan could feel the sorrow and doubt building up in his two favorite people. He had to do something.

"How about Tauntaun's tomorrow?"

Both girls instantly brightened, smiles lighting up their faces. "Really?" they both asked.

"Of course."

"Pancakes!" Ahsoka yelled.

"You got it," Aedan said laughing, "Ahsoka, we'll see you tomorrow morning. Kyra and I need to go up to the Council chambers."

They said their goodbyes, and then made their way up to the High Council Spire.

Aedan and Kyra walked into the Council chambers as Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Mace were speaking.

"Victory? Victory, you say?" Yoda questioned, "Master Obi-Wan, not victory. The shroud of the darkside has fallen. Begun the Clone War has."

"And now, we, the Jedi, are right in the middle of it," Aedan interrupted. "What are we going to be, Lieutenants and Colonels?"

"Close. Some commanders, but for the most part, Generals." Mace Windu answered.

Aedan, dumbfounded, stared at the three masters, and then shook his head despairingly.

"Need you, we will, Knight Kahl. You have good tactics and battle strategy knowledge. Help us you can."

"I…" he looked back to Kyra and her eyes locked with his. She nodded to him. "We are at your service."

"Already we have reports of droid armies gathering on separatist planets."

"This will be a full-scale war," Obi-Wan exhaled, looking down at the floor.

"Force help us." Aedan said, and walked out of the chambers, with Kyra in tow.

The halls of the Jedi temple, which usually granted him such peace, held no reprieve from the doubts that plagued him. War. They were at war. And they want us to be generals. Generals!

The image of Coleman Trebor falling to his death flashed before his eyes. That was my fault. He died because of me. And if they put me in command, only more soldiers will die. I can't take any more deaths.


Later, as the sun was setting on the vast city planet, Aedan and Kyra sat up in their secluded perch, taking in the golden hued metropolis.

"War," Aedan muttered, "I can't believe it."

"Isn't our profession most aptly named keepers of the peace?"

"Well, it's also guardians of justice. Aren't the separatist's committing injustice."

Kyra looked shocked, "What so it's injustice to not agree with an idea? To think a different way? Or protest when they're not being treated fairly? These systems just want to be heard, and the core worlds have failed to listen."

"It's injustice when you build an army and attempt to overthrow a republic. They started this war, we're merely reacting."

"Something else has to be at work here, Master. Can't you feel it? I guarantee you most of the systems want to remain peaceful. They don't want war. Something or someone is behind all this."

Aedan raised his hands, palms upward, "They're just droids."

Kyra nodded, "The droids I have no problem with. They must be destroyed, because I believe they are under the complete control of the main villain in this fight. But the separatist worlds, they're just asking for change, and want that peacefully."

"Those Geonosians seemed mighty happy to be killing our Jedi. They, like the rest of the rebelling worlds must be stopped."

"You don't mean that, Master. I know you're hurting, and I know you blame yourself, but this is not the way."

"This is war now, Kyra," Aedan said sharply, "Its kill or be killed."

Kyra slapped him, hard, right across the face. The blow stunned him. "Wake up!" she yelled. "Listen to yourself. This isn't you," she rubbed her own face with her hand. "Is that what the Force is saying to you? Have you forgotten all you've taught me? Go, reach out to the force. Find your answers there."

Aedan still reeling from the slap had to gather himself. He exhaled sharply, and then gave a curt nod. "Okay," he said, and closed his eyes, reaching out to that celestial essence that touches all living things.

But he couldn't. His mind was so clouded with anger and guilt at losing Coleman, at losing everyone that, he couldn't concentrate. How the tables have turned.

"Kyra, I…" he breathed out. "I can't do it. I can't focus." His shoulders slumped, and he buried his head in his hands. "I don't know if I can do this anymore. I can't lose anyone else."

"Master, you must, because I," she emphasized, "can't do this without you."

Aedan took a deep breath, crossed his legs, and sat up straight. "Will you help me?"

She nodded, a slight smirk on her face, she rested her hands on Aedan's, and whispered, "Find your peace."

He stared at her. Her glowing presence calmed him, healed him, and showed him the way. Her light eradicated the darkness.

He loved her. Force, did he love her. Of that, he was sure. But that path was an impossibility now.

He had been so close. He almost had everything he ever wanted. He had felt it. Felt the stars aligning, and the galaxy conspiring with him, and one sonic blast changed everything. Was that the force setting him straight, correcting him for straying from the code. Was this punishment?

The mission was to stop Dooku, and if he had jumped with Coleman, he could have done that. Together they could have ended Dooku, the Mandalorian, and captured the Separatist leaders. He had failed in his duty as a Jedi. Coleman was dead now, but what could he have done? Let Kyra fall? He moved without thinking. With the fate of the galaxy on the line, he unconsciously chose his own desires over the mission. He was compromised. And he didn't think he should continue being a part of the order. But he also knew Kyra needed him.

Was he cursed? He knew that he could not risk Kyra dying too. He knew the Force had brought them together and that he was meant to train her. But he also knew that he had to protect her. So, this was his burden. His privilege. His pride and joy. His curse. He was destined to train perhaps the greatest jedi ever, fall in love with her, but be forced to keep her at arms-length.

He bowed his head in defeat.

"What do we do now, Aedan?" she whispered.

He shook his head and let out a sigh. "Only the Force knows."


Author's Note:

Well, I hope you all had as much fun reading that as I did writing it. It's funny how a story can rattle around in your mind and just beg to be written.

Book two is completed, but the third act still needs heavy editing, maybe even a few re-writes, but I should have it done shortly. Regardless of that, I'll probably begin posting chapters within a week. Book three, yes there's a book three, is actually halfway done as characters have a long road ahead.

Thanks again to everyone who has read, followed, favorited, and reviewed. It really does mean a lot. Guess I haven't understood until now how much writers thrive on feedback and support.

Well, that's it for Book one. Goodbye for now.

Just remember, the Force will be with you. Always.

-J