Agenord and Teeseven entered the Jedi training hall and found Kira Carsen running through combat exercises while her master, Bela Kiwiiks, spoke to Master Satele by holo. He waited and watched until he was noticed.

"Master Kiwiiks," Kira said.

The Jedi Masters looked up from their conversation.

"Master Agenord," Master Kiwiiks said. "How goes the investigation?"

"Slowly," he said. "I'm waiting for an informant to contact me."

"I heard about that business on the Esseles," Master Satele said.

"Just some Imperials and a Sith Lord. Nothing I couldn't handle," Agenord said.

Kira said, "Thank goodness your ego wasn't damaged."

"They didn't have the firepower for that," Agenord replied.

Kira rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here, Master Agenord, if not the investigation?" Master Kiwiiks asked.

"To test myself against you," he said.

"Worked your way down to me, have you?" she replied.

"You were a Battlemaster once," Agenord said.

"Briefly," she said, "And I wasn't very good at it."

"Master Orgus believes differently," he said.

"I agree with Master Orgus, Bela," Master Satele said.

Master Kiwiiks sighed. "I guess I'm outvoted, but you must help Kira clean up. That's my price."

"Do you mind if I watch?" Master Satele said, a gleam in her eyes.

Master Kiwiiks looked at her. "You sound oddly pleased, Satele."

"Do I?" she said. "I suppose I am. I just received word that Yadira Ban, the Jedi from the Brentaal Star, will make a full recovery."

"I remember her," Agenord said.

"One of your many fans?" Kira asked.

"Actually," he said, "She was obsessed with my cousin Kriranda. I thought she was setting her bar a little high."

Master Satele smiled. "Yadira is nothing if not enthusiastic."

"Your cousin is 'setting the bar a little high'?" Kira said to Agenord.

"Yes, she is," Master Satele said.

"Master Kiwiiks?" Agenord said.

She held up her hand, and a training saber flew to her from a rack. Agenord did the same, and the fight began.

Forty minutes later, Master Kiwiiks, sweaty and breathing heavy, looked up at the scoreboard. Five to two, in favor of Agenord.

"Not a word, Satele," Master Kiwiiks said.

Master Satele replied, "You wouldn't feel so bad if you saw the list of his other victims."

"I still haven't beaten you yet," Agenord said.

"Yet?" Satele replied.

He replied with a confident look.

"I haven't hit Master Kiwiiks once," Kira said. "And I'm her Padawan."

"You're getting better, Kira," Master Kiwiiks said. "You really are."

Kira didn't look convinced.

"It's getting late here, Bela," Master Satele said. "We'll continue our discussion later. Master Agenord, while I have you, the Matriarch asked about you."

"I thought that matter was settled," he said.

"It has been," she replied. "We're getting bread for protection. Actually, that bread is very good. It makes the protein paste edible. Maybe the Matriarch wanted to wish you well. She did seem to like you."

Agenord said, "We worked well together."

Teeseven squealed.

"What was that?" Kira said.

"I don't know," Agenord replied. "I'll have him checked out."

"I'll send someone to the village," Master Satele said. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"Master Agenord," Master Kiwiiks said, "Your fee awaits." She motioned to the training room.

"Well worth it," he said. "I learned a lot."

"You're kind," she said.

"I'm honest. You earned those hits."

Kira watched her master leave, and sighed and said again, "I haven't hit her once."

"Sorry," Agenord said, gathering training supplies.

Kira sighed again. "Thanks. And Master Satele is impressed with one of your cousins. I heard another one of your cousins is the head of Havok Squad. At twenty-two. Is that right?"

"Cyr'rnin," he said. "And her older sister Nin'nussil designs weapons for the Republic."

"That's a bit much for one family," Kira said, pushing a practice dummy back against a wall.

"We take our responsibility very seriously."

"Responsibility?"

He said, "We're strong in the Force. We're known for it on Ryloth."

"Oh," she said. "You're like the Windus."

"Exactly, and we tend to marry for genetic quality."

"You're eugenic?" she asked.

He shook his head. "We're not that organized, but marriage for love is rare in my family. My grandparents aren't in love. Everyone knows that. I think my own parents have grown fond of each other. That's something, anyway."

"It sounds like a big family. There's really no one?"

"Kriranda's parents might be in love," he said. "It's hard to tell. They're researchers. They're level of discourse is above the rest of us."

"Even with all that," she said, "Don't you think you're a little too strong?" She saw immediately that was the wrong thing to say.

"Yes," he said in a heavy tone. "So does the Council."

"They're afraid of you?"

"'For me' would be more accurate," he said. "If my scores are right, I may be a Champion of the Force."

She raised her eyebrows. "Like Revan or the Perfect Being?"

"Revan," he said. "I wouldn't want to be the Perfect Being. I would never want that much power."

"Still," she said. "It must be nice."

"Sometimes," he said. "Sometimes it feels like a burden. Sometimes it feels like cheating."

"People have accused Jedi of cheating since forever."

"True," he said. "That's not the part that bothers me. Everyone identified as a Champion has done something very important and died. Some people think Champions are strong enough to influence the Force directly, and it's afraid of them. It creates them for a reason and kills them when that reason is gone. They all accomplished something great and lived short, tragic lives."

Kira stacked more gear, not sure of what to say, then looked up. "What about Master Satele?"

"She's not a Champion," he said.

"No," Kira said, "But, if the rumors are right, she's descended from Revan through Bastilla Shan. Literally."

"I guess," he said.

"He must have had some fun. Maybe more than once. He was Sith for a while. There's no telling what kind of fun they had."

"Not something I wanted to picture," Agenord said.

Teeseven whistled in agreement.

"Find yourself a Bastilla Shan," Kira said.

He watched her and said, "Do you know any spirited Jedi women?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not any that would put up with you."

He smiled at her. "Would you like a lesson before I go? I can show you how to get past Master Kiwiik's guard."

She thought about it and said, "Don't you have an investigation to get back to?"

"I do," he said. "Bastilla Shan used a double-bladed saber, didn't she?"

She stared at him. "Investigation. Go."

He smiled at her again and departed.

Champion, huh? Kira thought. Let's see. Brooding, check. Good with a lightsaber, check. Nice smile, when he shows it, check. Too arrogant for his own good. What do you know? Maybe he was a Champion after all.