When Luke had seated himself in one of the guest chairs of the Grand Master's office, Hamner, without preamble, activated the holographic display over his desk. Immediately, Luke saw the faces of three humans—one female, two male—staring back at him.

"Master Skywalker," Hamner said, "may I introduce Prime Minister Aidel Saxan of the Five Worlds of Corellia, Corellian and Centerpoint Head of State Dur Gejjen, and Corellian Admiral Gojap Prest."

"Master Skywalker," Saxan said. "Thank you for taking time out of your day to meet with us. And I speak for Head of State Gejjen and Admiral Prest as well as myself when I say that we are sorry for your loss. If this were not so important, we would have let you be." Gejjen and Prest nodded their heads politely in acknowledgement of Saxan's words.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Saxan," Luke replied diplomatically. "Now what is it that you wished to speak to me about?"

"It is about one of your Jedi Knights, Master Skywalker," Gejjen spoke up stiffly. "Raynar Thul. Or UnuThul, as he calls himself."

"I would just like to remind Head of State Gejjen," Hamner interjected, "that Mr. Thul is no longer a member of the Jedi Order. His leadership of the Killik Colony precludes him from service in the Order."

"I stand corrected," Gejjen said, his tone only slightly cowed.

"Nevertheless, what about Mr. Thul, Head of State Gejjen?" Luke asked.

"Just yesterday," Prest began for Gejjen, "he and a small fleet of Killik nestships entered the Corellian system demanding that he and his Colony, as he calls them, be allowed to board and inspect Centerpoint Station."

"We managed to keep this out of the press so far so that we could relay this information to Master Hamner," Gejjen elaborated. "Jedi-sorry, Mr. Thul has agreed to not move any of his nestships any further into our system than he already has until we had contacted you specifically, Master Skywalker."

"He refuses to speak to me," Hamner explained to Luke. "Mr. Thul has said that he would not deign to speak to the acting Grand Master of the Jedi Order. What he has to say is, apparently, much too important for that."

"If that's the case, why isn't Mr. Thul in this discussion with us right now?" Luke asked.

"We just wanted to make sure that you were..." Hamner trailed off as he seemed to struggle to find the right words for what he wanted to say. "...inclined to hear what he would say."

Through his Force-connection with Luke, Hamner said, It's really more about these three's egos. None of them really view the Joiner King of the Killik Colony as a legitimate power in the galaxy; they would only humor him if you did.

Outwardly maintaining his stoic expression, Luke said, "Well, I'm very much inclined to hear what Mr. Thul, or, rather, UnuThul has to say if he had brought several nestships out of the Utegetu Nebula just to inspect Centerpoint Station. So, please, Prime Minister, Head of State, Admiral, bring him into this conversation."

"As you wish, Master Skywalker," Saxan said evenly.

Then a new face joined in on the holocomm conversation, one very much deformed by badly-healed burn scars from years ago. UnuThul stared back at Luke with impatience and anger on that deformed face.

"Master Skywalker, thank you for humoring us," the Joiner King said.

Luke had to stifle a knowing grin when he saw worried glances flash over the faces of the three Corellians, as if they feared that UnuThul had discerned how much they didn't take him seriously as a sovereign power.

"My pleasure, Your Majesty," Luke replied.

"And while we are sure that Prime Minister Saxan has expressed her condolences for the passing of your wife, we of the Colony wish to extend our own condolences to you. Mara Jade Skywalker was a fine Jedi."

If UnuThul had not been one of the Jedi who was part of the Academy on Yavin 4, Luke would have simply dismissed what he said as another formality, no different than Saxan's sentiments. But he knew that the Joiner King legitimately meant what he said; and even if he couldn't thank him anymore for his condolences than he had to the three Corellians, he could honestly say that he appreciated UnuThul's words.

"That is very kind of you, Your Majesty," Luke ultimately said, his tone not wavering from when he addressed Saxan over the matter. "So what is it that you wished to speak to me about that was so important that you could not impart upon Master Hamner?"

"Actually, Master Skywalker," UnuThul said, "we were hoping that you could come to the Corellian system so that we could speak privately with you."

"Wait, no, no, no," Gejjen interjected. "You're in our system, Your Majesty!" He made the title sound as if it were something to be mocked. "We have every right to know just why you're here, so you can't just keep secrets from us because-"

"This is not your concern," UnuThul interrupted harshly.

"Not our concern?" Gejjen replied incredulously. "Didn't I just say that you were in our-"

"Head of State Gejjen, that is enough," Saxan cut in. "On behalf of the Corellian system, Your Majesty, I apologize for the Head of State's behavior."

"No apology is necessary," UnuThul responded evenly. "We only want to speak to Master Skywalker privately."

"If you want to speak to me privately, why not just come to the Maad system, Your Majesty?" Luke asked patiently. "Or simply contact me from the Utegetu Nebula or somewhere close by? Why come to the Corellian system at all?"

"Prime Minister Saxan has made it clear that we want to inspect Centerpoint Station, has she not, Master Skywalker?" UnuThul asked.

"Actually, it was Admiral Prest who did that," Luke clarified.

"So you were informed," UnuThul replied curtly.

"Yes, I was."

"Then are you able to come to the Corellian system so that we may discuss this privately?"

"As Head of State Gejjen made abundantly clear, Your Majesty," Luke said as he felt his patience grow thin, "the fact that you wish to speak to me about why you are in the Corellian system without informing the leaders of that system of the reason makes me somewhat... reticent to accept your proposal."

"Because it does not concern them," UnuThul stated simply.

"I fail to see how it doesn't," Luke asked evenly.

"Because they are not Force-users, Master Skywalker," UnuThul began, "and they would not believe us if we told them why we were here. And even if they did believe us, they could not comprehend the horror of what we could be facing."

"Horror?" Gejjen asked. "Just what the hell are you talking about, you crazy bug-lover?"

"Head of State Gejjen," Saxan cut in with a sharp edge to her tone.

"Again, no apology necessary, Prime Minister Saxan," UnuThul said. "Head of State Gejjen's remarks are as insignificant to our state of mind as his being is to the universe."

Gejjen's face fell in outright anger. "Why, you-" His mouth and hand gestures continued to move quite animatedly even as silence fell from his end.

"Head of State Gejjen," Saxan spoke up again, "please note that I have muted you for this conversation." As she said that, Gejjen slumped in place as his mouth stopped moving. "Now I will allow you to listen in on the remainder of this conversation. So unless you have something really important to say, you can contact me on my personal line; you know my number. Anyway, Master Skywalker, I believe you have a response to His Majesty's previous address to you?"

"Yes, I do, Prime Minister," Luke said. "Your Majesty, if I were to turn down your offer of speaking to you more personally unless the Prime Minister, Admiral, and even Head of State were present with us, what would you do?"

UnuThul was silent for a long moment before he finally said, "We would concede that they would be allowed to listen to what we have to say, Master Skywalker."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Luke said with an affirming nod. "Now is what you have to say something that cannot be said over this holocomm conversation?"

"We feel that this is something that you would need to be physically present for, Master Skywalker," UnuThul said.

"Fine. I will be in the Corellian system by mid-afternoon tomorrow. Prime Minister Saxan, Head of State Gejjen, would you be so kind as to allow this meeting to take place aboard Centerpoint Station?"

"I speak for the Head of State and myself when I say that that would be acceptable, Master Skywalker," Saxan said.

Luke had to stifle a grin when he saw Gejjen rolling his eyes in a mixture of frustration and annoyance.

"Thank you. Prime Minister, Admiral, Your Majesty, you all have a pleasant day." Luke signaled for Hamner to cut off the communication.

When the latter Master did, he said, "I don't think Head of State Gejjen would appreciate how you snubbed him there."

Luke shrugged. "Well, I don't think that he would have appreciated if I told him to have a pleasant day, either. That would have been transparently false even for a politician to accept; might even have made him angrier."

Hamner tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Fair point."

Luke gave a Han Solo-esque grin before he stood up from his seat. "I should get going right away. Ben will be left with Kam and Tionne while I'm gone."

"Very good, Luke," Hamner said as the other man turned to leave the office. "Although if you don't mind me asking... how is Ben doing these days?"

Luke stopped a meter away from the door before he turned back to Hamner.

"I thought we were having real progress," Luke admitted forlornly. "Turns out, I may just be teaching him how to bottle his true feelings and bury them deep down. I know Kam and Tionne do their best to help when they can, but still..." He trailed off as he looked down to his boots in silent self-recrimination and continued grief for his dead wife.

"I'm sure he'll pull through, Luke," Hamner said reassuringly, "just like you will. If he takes after his father, he could grow up to be quite a strong man."

"Yeah, well, I may have gone through my fair share of hardships and trauma when I was younger, too, but... not that young. Not as young as Ben is, just with what he had to go through on Ziost. Maybe he's right."

"Who, Ben? What's he right about?"

"About me not being able to understand him or his pain." Luke sighed in defeat. "I don't know, Kenth. Maybe I'm doing more harm than good for him."

Hamner stood up from behind his desk and walked around it to more fully regard the true Grand Master of the Jedi Order. "You don't really believe that." It wasn't a question.

"Well, I'm not sure what else I can do for him," Luke said with mild frustration. "Allowing him to express his darker emotions can lead to a really bad path, as we know just from recent galactic history. And talking about his feelings, not just with me, but with Kam and Tionne, too, I don't know if that can be enough, either."

"Well, if you don't mind my saying, Luke, are you sure that adults are the only people he needs to speak to?"

"What do you mean, Kenth?"

"I'm just curious. Does Ben have anyone roughly his age he could talk to? Anyone among the other apprentices?"

Luke shook his head. "Whenever he's not with me, Kam, or Tionne, Ben keeps to himself. He doesn't really socialize with any of the other apprentices on or off his classes."

"Hmm."

"What do you mean, hmm?"

"Have you tried encouraging him to speak to any of the students? Perhaps what he really needs is..." Hamner then placed a hand on Luke's shoulder and put on a warm smile. "A friend."

Luke's jaw dropped, as if he was hit by a sudden realization. "You know, Kenth, I don't really think I ever thought of it like that." Indeed, he had been so mired in his own grief and making time for his son that he hadn't ever considered that maybe, just maybe, all Ben needed was someone within his own age range to talk to.

Hamner nodded as he removed his hand from Luke's shoulder. "I'll encourage Tionne to see to it that Ben engage with some of the younger apprentices more actively while you're gone."

"Thank you, Kenth, I really appreciate it," Luke said with a warm smile.

Hamner nodded, but then his smile almost instantly vanished as it was replaced by a concerned look.

"What, what is it, Kenth?" Luke asked worriedly.

"When will you be leaving today, Luke?"

"I should be gone in about a few hours. Why, what's wrong?"

"Just before I called you in, I was contacted by Jacen. He's reported that Lady Olaris Rhea is dead and that her apprentice, Tyro Vestara Khai, was captured."

"Lady Rhea, Tyro Khai?" Luke asked as his gaze wondered in remembrance. A brief moment later, he said, "Members of that Lost Tribe of the Sith, from Kesh, right?"

"That's right."

"There are still other remnants of that tribe not yet found?" Luke asked with mild disbelief.

"The raid on Kesh wasn't completely successful, I'm afraid. Most of the Circle of Lords, including Grand Lord Vol and High Lord Taalon, still have their whereabouts unknown."

"To think that the raid that took a month in planning still cost so many lives," Luke remarked bitterly. "And not just for the GA and the Jedi. If I'm not mistaken, there were plenty of non-Sith on that planet, too, right?"

"Yes, there were," Hamner answered regretfully.

Luke shook his head in shame. "Two months gone by, and we still haven't found even a quarter of their pirated fleet."

"We'll find them, Luke. In fact, I feel we may very well find the last of them before your bereavement leave is complete."

"Here's hoping you're right," Luke said wryly. "But you were saying, Jacen contacted you about capturing this Vestara Khai?"

Hamner nodded. "And given that Khai is a minor at nine years old, it means that, instead of being brought to a GA prison, she'll be brought here to be given the chance to train as a Jedi apprentice."

Now Luke froze in place. "So Jacen will be coming back here soon?"

"I'm afraid so," Hamner replied evenly.

They both knew what Jacen's return entailed: it also meant that Darth Judicar was returning, too.

"If you'd like," Hamner said, "I could contact Jacen and ask him to delay-"

"No," Luke interrupted harshly. Then, in a softer tone, he said, "No. If he's back at around the same time I'm leaving... then so be it."

"Are you sure?"

Hesitantly, Luke nodded. "Yes."

Hamner sighed. "You know, you haven't seen... her since-"

"No need to remind me," Luke said bitingly. Then he said, "I'm sorry."

Hamner shook his head. "No need for that."

Luke couldn't help but grin. "Now you're starting to sound like His Majesty."

Hamner mirrored the grin. "Well, let's just say I won't be saying that you're insignificant to this universe, Luke."

Now Luke chuckled. "Alright. Well, see ya, Kenth."

"Take care, Luke."

Then Luke finally departed from the office.