"It doesn't make sense! How can you refuse such an offer?"

Bastila was following my steps, as I hurried faster and faster in the direction of the Ebon Hawk, where I was looking forward to meeting my companions. We had been able to leave Taris, unfortunately in bloody chaos. It had soon been decided that we needed to get to Dantooine, where a small Jedi Academy was located. I had no idea what was about to be offered before I set foot here. And I really had no idea that Bastila was going to harass me like she was doing at that moment. There was no stopping her. I decided to ignore her completely, as I went on my way.

"Corem!" The Jedi suddenly commanded with power and resolve.

Somewhat taken aback by such a tone, I finally stopped walking and sighed in exasperation. I remained motionless, but took care to keep my back turned to the young woman.

The last few days had been nightmares. They wanted to make me a Jedi. How thoughtless. The Republic itself had felt that I had not been trained to carry a simple blaster. And now they want to give me a lightsaber?

None of this made sense.

The Jedi were trained from a very young age. What could you expect from a thirty-three-year-old translator whose brain was leaking all over the place? Sure, the events on Taris had legitimately piqued some curiosity, but the Masters and Bastila seemed to completely obliterate the fact that all these journeys had been conducted in collaboration with other equally capable fellow travellers.

Indeed, I had managed to defeat a number of vulgar gang members from the lower city of Taris. In order to raise some money, I had fought in a local tournament, which I had won. I had also been stuck in a swoop bike - a machine I had, to my relative knowledge, never driven in my life - and, with a little rather unorthodox mechanical assistance, I had come out on top. Later, I had also managed to outrun and dominate a high ranking Sith dignitary, capable of using the Force. I had also defeated Davik Kang, who was quite formidable for such an old man.

All in all, maybe I wasn't as incapable as I thought... And all this without mentioning the mysterious connection with that sweet Bastila. The hypothesis she had formulated on Taris had apparently proved to be true: the Force was trying to bring us together. At least, that was what they were all saying here. It must be a way of forcing me to stay.

It didn't make sense.

I was tired of being asked to go on new adventures, each one more insane than the last. We had just escaped from a Sith-bombed Taris in our search for the notorious Jedi. We had rescued Bastila and brought her back to the safety of a bunch of wrinkled, satisfied old guys, leaving a planet and all its inhabitants under Malak's fire. We had been on Dantooine for almost three days, and every night as our ship's crew went to sleep, I could hear Mission's muffled suffering, crying for her ravaged planet. There was no way I was going to do more for people who had done nothing to prevent such a massacre, and who were taking an outrageous pleasure in the return of the prodigal child.

So I had refused the Council's offer of Jedi training, which had led Bastila on a furious crusade to change my mind. She had spent all her time stalking and testing me, but I would not give in to what I saw as the Jedi's whims.

I said no. No more discussion.

At least, almost none. Indeed, it was difficult to face Bastila in a duel of psychological strength. As usual, she was extremely determined. Others would say she was mostly stubborn, a personality trait that was rather badly perceived by her masters. I had to hold on to her. She had to be allowed to vocalise her propaganda. Let her do her little proselytizing show, and maybe after that she would let me rest.

I waited patiently for her to reach my position. In a few seconds Bastila stood in front of me, looking stern and ready to fight. I wore a dejected and weary look, which I exaggerated to enrage her.

"You can't just brush off a proposal like this, Corem!" The Jedi resumed sharply. Still frozen in my determination not to give in to her, I didn't reply. I waited for her to exhaust herself. Nevertheless, the rest of what she said offended me just a tad more than all the barking she had been doing up to that point.

"How dare you be so arrogant?"

"Arrogance, you say?" I then repeated aggressively, incredulous. "From you, you will admit that it is quite amusing." I added defiantly. The Jedi frowned so hard that I feared she would hurt herself. I resumed with assumed irritation:

"I don't quite understand, Bastila. You implied it yourself, there was never any question of obligation. Unless you Jedi only operate by innuendo?"

We paused for a moment, during which we kept our eyes on each other. Then I continued sarcastically:

"Let me summarise the little interview from earlier: I was thanked for bringing you back here in one piece, I was very kindly offered your training, and I very respectfully declined the offer." I took a step towards the Jedi, and, bringing my face exaggeratedly close to hers, I added with ever more sarcasm: "I said thank you, I said goodbye, and I didn't forget to wish everyone a successful continuation. By the way, it's also time to do the same with you." I grabbed the Jedi's hand and gave it an exaggerated squeeze. "So Bastila, thank you very much, all the best to you, until next time. Or never, with any luck."

Finally, I stepped back and walked sideways around the Jedi, then started towards the Ebon Hawk again. I strode resolutely along, leaving Bastila behind. As I moved, I stared at the ship with a certain level of pride, smiling contentedly, pleased that I had finally smacked the young woman down. I had time to cover about fifteen metres before I was interrupted:

"Saying goodbye to me? Why, are you planning to leave us? So soon?" Bastila then asked in her accented voice. Typical of Bastila. But this time, this certainty seemed very irrational.

I moved towards the Jedi, and stared at her suspiciously. Bastila then let out a discreet smile, and came close enough to me to resume this conversation without raising her voice.

"Are you leaving, Corem?" The Jedi repeated, still smiling her particularly annoying smile. I picked myself up and replied very formally:

"That's right. Now that the mission I've been given is over, now that you're safe, I can get on with other tasks. I probably have other things to do."

"Dear me." The Jedi said theatrically, her eyes sealed in mine. So intensely that I admittedly found it difficult to hold her gaze. "These are very surprising words."

Bastila waited a few seconds, during which she made a few very short trips back and forth, a couple of metres away from me. Up to that moment I thought I was leading the dance, but I realised that I had actually jumped on Bastila's stage with both feet. Facing me again, she continued:

"Apparently, you are still not very familiar with the customs of the military environment to which you belong. Do you really think you can simply decide to leave?

Unless you've been reassigned and I haven't been told." I remained silent, my eyes locked on her. "In any case, I have not been informed of any decision about you. But you have nothing to worry about. Because the best part of all this is that your direct referent is standing right before your eyes. That's going to make things a lot easier for us, don't you think?"

Bastila had spoken these last sentences with such satisfaction that she could not hold back a broad smile, which in other circumstances I would have found quite charming, but at this moment it was a genuine humiliation.

Another one.

She was holding me and was enjoying the situation. I clenched my jaws, unable to retort.

"Yes," the Jedi continued, "you 'probably' have other things to do. But let me tell you solemnly that you are definitely better off here at the Academy."

I glared at the young woman. She was about to do what I imagined she would do. Nevertheless, I allowed myself an illusion of retaliation, before I was definitely knocked down by the Jedi.

"You're not going to force me to take this training, are you?" I asked defiantly.

Bastila met my gaze and showed a stern expression, much more serious than the one she had been wearing until then.

"No." She announced first. "But, from now on, you are bound to remain within the confines of the Academy here on Dantooine. You are not authorised to leave the site, by any means, until further notice. Any breach will be reported immediately to the chain of command, and I believe you know the consequences. Is that clear, sir?"

I had a furious urge to retort one last time, to hit her back, and to leave this damn planet with the Ebon Hawk. But I couldn't do that. Indeed, in spite of my very short 'military' experience, and my lack of knowledge on the subject, I knew perfectly well the sanctions incurred for mutiny; they were particularly severe. For a moment, I thought of talking to Carth about this, and asking him to refer the matter to higher ranks, as he had suggested to me on Taris. But although the order I had just received was of a questionable nature, it was not totally outrageous. No general officer was going to waste time on such a futile matter. And facing Bastila in this fight was not worth it. The Jedi had decided to lock me up at the academy. As long as she remained my superior, she had the right to do so. However, I hoped she wouldn't keep me confined here for centuries. There would come a time when she would eventually release me. Or, even better, there would come a time when the Republic would reform the Jedi. But for now, Endar Spire or not, she was still a commander, and I was still under her authority. I had no other option.

"It is perfectly clear, Madam." I replied reverently. "I am at your service, Madam."

Bastila nodded contentedly, and initiated a walk towards the dormitory wing of the Academy. When she reached my position, she stopped abruptly, for a brief moment, to conclude the conversation:

"Oh, and by the way, there was really no need to thank me before, it was a real pleasure. All the best to you too, midshipman."

Bastila went on her way and disappeared into the corridor leading to her destination. I bit my lips so hard that a little blood rushed to my tongue. I had lost this fight, but there would be more to come. Bastila wanted to force me to stay in the Academy, so be it. I was willing to stand my ground. And I was going to do whatever it took to make the Jedi regret coercing me this way. She wanted her nice little pet on hand, fine. She was going to get it.

I resumed my initial walk to the Ebon Hawk, hoping to forget this moment.