The Republic transport ship Endurance cruised through hyperspace, en route to Coruscant from Alderaan. Aboard the vessel were hundreds of refugees fleeing the Imperial onslaught. Also on board were four squads of Republic soldiers, under the command of Sergeant Den Himelstos, and three Jedi Knights, Satele Shan among them. It was Satele Shan who now sat around a table with Rand and Aviendha, accompanying the two outlanders in their quarters. During the course of the ship's passage to Coruscant, Satele had lectured them a great deal on the Force, its nature, and its proper use. Rand carefully took note of how the Force, as Satele knew it, differed from the One Power, as he understood it. To begin with, the Force was not divided into a male and female side; the Force that he could channel was the same that Satele or Aviendha could embrace. Furthermore, any Force wielder could detect another, regardless of their gender. Rand certainly found it awkward to sense Aviendha embracing the Source. Perhaps most importantly, there was no taint on the Force; no oil slick on the surface of pure water. But there was, Rand noticed, an important similarity. Both powers had two sides, but the Force's sides differed in how it was wielded, not by whom. The Force had a 'light' side, used with serenity, and a 'dark' side, wielded with emotions. Jedi such as Satele wielded the light side, while the Sith often favored the dark. But at the end of their long discussion, Rand, Satele, and Aviendha all reached the same consensus: the Force and the One Power were the same.

Besides the Force, Satele also lectured them a great deal on galactic history. Fourteen years ago, the Sith Empire had returned from a milennia of exile, conquering the planet Korriban in their first attack. From there the Empire launched a huge offensive against the Republic. The two governments had been at war since. Satele and Jace had both been aboard a space station over Korriban when the Sith attacked, and were lucky to escape with their lives. Rand and Aviendha also shared stories of their adventures in the Westlands, and the events that led them to Alderaan.

"And when he emerged from Rhuidean," said Aviendha with a faint hint of fascination, "two dragons had wrapped their coils around his arms." Rand rolled back his sleeves, exposing the twin dragons. "That was when the Wise Ones knew that he was the car'a'carn - He Who Comes With The Dawn."

"Interesting," Satele said, studying the dragons. "And what is He Who Comes With The Dawn destined to do?"

"The prophecies claim that I am to defeat the Dark One," Rand added, "the evil being that threatens all of creation. All the world's nations will rally to my banner, and together we will fight in the Last Battle against the forces of the Shadow. But in doing so I will bring great suffering to the world."

"No war is won without cost, Rand," Satele assured him. "Look at what happened on Alderaan. We drove the Imperials off the planet at the cost of tens of thousands of Republic lives. Two Jedi Knights are among the dead as well."

"We took a great many gai'shan that day too," Aviendha added proudly. Despite Satele's efforts, Aviendha didn't fully understand the difference between gai'shan and prisoners of war.

"It's worse than just a costly battle, Mistress Shan. Some believe that I will destroy the world by saving it - that my actions against the Dark One will lead to another Breaking of the World. You remember what I told you about the Breaking."

"Yes, I remember. The world was destroyed when all the male Aes Sedai went insane and used the One Power to extremely destructive ends. Thus far, Rand, you have done us no harm, and I firmly believe that you will continue to do so."

Rand swallowed. "That's kind of you to say."

A beeping noise sounded from the overhead intercom speaker. "Satele," came Sergeant Himelstos' voice, "we're nearing Coruscant. ETA ten minutes. Best gather your gear and report to the shuttle bay." The intercom clicked off.

Satele stood up. "Best get ready, then," she muttered.


Five minutes later, Rand, Satele, and Aviendha were seated in a shuttle's main cabin. The three Force wielders sat in the foremost row, while behind them sat Den Himelstos and his platoon of Republic soldiers. The Sergeant and his troops were being transferred into a new unit, infantry squad 326, with Captain Jace Malcom as their commanding officer. Once the shuttle landed, he and Rand would be going their separate ways. Den had joked that Rand and Aviendha should join squad 326 as well, on account of him mistaking them for soldiers in the first place. Rand wished Sergeant Himelstos and his fellow troopers well, but doubted that he would ever see them again.

The shuttle vibrated as it took off, causing Rand to cling a little tighter to the brown leather pack on his lap. The pack contained only a change of clothes, a piece of bread, and a bottle of water, but it was all Rand possessed in this strange new realm, other than his sword, which was secured at his hip. Aviendha held a similar pack with similar contents, though Rand would bet that her pack contained more water and weapons than clothing, knowing the Aiel mindset. Satele carried only the clothes on her back, a small leather pouch, and her light sword - or 'lightsaber,' as the Jedi called them. When Rand asked why she carried so little, Satele reminded Rand that their journey from the ship to the surface would be short - there was no need to prepare a long journey, as Rand was accustomed to. Rand only nodded at her words.

As the shuttle cruised down to the surface, Rand looked out the window to his left, watching as the cold blackness of space gave way to the warm, bluish gases of atmosphere. He felt pressure on his right shoulder. It was Aviendha pressing against him, watching the sky with equal fascination. A fleet of Republic warships was in orbit around the planet, including one monstrous vessel that seemed to stretch close to a mile in length. The ship's elongated hull bristled with dozens of weapon emplacements. Rand stared open-mouthed at the cluster of vessels.

"See the big one?" Himelstos said behind Rand, indicating the enormous warship. "That's the Star of Coruscant. She's the first superdreadnaught in the Republic navy, and the new flagship of the Seventh Fleet."

"How many crew can she hold?" another soldier asked.

"Nine thousand personnel total," the Sergeant replied, "and that's not including transport craft and starfighters. Her blaster cannons can tear through anything in the Imperial armada."

"Glad she's on our side, then."

The orbiting Republic fleet gave way to the planet-covering city that was Coruscant. Steel buildings of every shape and size dotted the landscape, with not a tree or body of water in sight, as though the planet itself was artificial. Towering spires of metal and glass reached for the heavens while broad domes stretched their way across palaces and other structures. Airspeeders and spacecraft crisscrossed around the buildings through skylanes like fish around coral. In a single glance, Rand thought that he must have seen the art and architecture of a dozen different cultures reflected in the cityscape below. This was Coruscant. The center of the universe.

"It's beautiful," Aviendha whispered.

"Isn't it?" said Satele. "Galactic City has been the Republic's capital since its founding. It is also home to our destination: the Jedi Temple."

"And what will we find there?"

"Your new home, Aviendha, is what you'll find. You and Rand shall both study there under the tutelage of a Jedi Master. Masters are the senior, most experienced members of our order, and traditionally the practice of training new apprentices - Padawans - falls to them."

"Who decides which Master trains which Padawan?" Rand asked. "For that matter, who is going to teach us?"

Satele paused and looked out the window. "I do not know who your trainers will be," she said at last. "The Jedi Council shall decide. Understand that accepting new students as old as you and Aviendha is a rare practice among the Jedi, even during wartime. The Council will-"

A beeping noise sounded from Satele's leather pouch. The Jedi Knight opened the pouch and withdrew a disc-shaped object that fit neatly in the palm of her hand. She pressed a red button the device's size, and a blue three-dimensional image of a man in robes appeared, hovering above it. Satele focused on the image, which then began speaking.

"Knight Shan," the man's image said, "This is Master Din. What is your status?"

"I'm aboard a shuttle en route to the Temple. The two new apprentices from Tython are with me."

"Excellent. Once you've landed, bring them to the Council Chamber. We'll discuss the matter further then."

"Yes, Master."

Master Din's image blinked and vanished. Satele stowed the device and turned her attention back to Rand and Aviendha. "Did you hear that? You'll be going before the Council once we arrive at the Temple." She looked at Rand. "Remember the 'Amyrlin Seat' you told me about?" He nodded. "This is like having an audience with her."

The shuttle slowed to a stop, hovered for a moment, then lowered steadily downwards onto a landing platform. Rand felt the shuttle's fuselage vibrate as it settled on its landing gear. The entry hatch on the shuttle's stern opened, revealing a gangway. As the gangway lowered, Satele unfastened her seat belt, stood up, and secured her pouch to her belt. "We've arrived. Grab you gear and let's go." She began to make her way aft down the isle between the rows of seats. Rand and Aviendha both collected their belongings and followed her. The soldiers on board, Himelstos chief among them, bid them farewell and good luck. "Take care of yourselves," the Sergeant said as they passed, "and by the Gods, don't go into battle naked." Those words got a roar of laughter from the soldiers. The story of Aviendha's appearance on the battlefield was becoming legendary among their ranks.

Satele led Rand and Aviendha down onto an open shuttle pad. The Jedi Temple - an ornate, elegant structure of brick, metal and concrete standing close to one thousand feet tall - loomed ahead. Following in Satele's footsteps, the two outlanders passed through an entryway flanked by two heavy steel gates. The temple's interior, Rand noticed, matched its exterior, with vaulted ceilings, tall glass windows, and statues of renowned Jedi from the Order's history. Jedi of every age and species walked the corridors alone or in small groups. They passed an open door that lead into a dining hall, and another to a library. Looking around at the building and its inhabitants, it became clear to Rand that this was more than just a residence, but a school. An enormous academy. And he was its newest student, along with Aviendha.

At last Satele stopped in front of a closed door. "Leave your gear outside," she cautioned. Rand and Aviendha both unslung their packs and placed them on the floor against the wall. Rand moved to remove his sword but Satele stopped him. "Wear your blade if you wish, just keep it sheathed." Rand nodded and secured his weapon once more. Aviendha likewise continued to wear her belt knife (which was actually a combat knife gifted to her by Sergeant Himelstos as a gesture of good faith). Satele pressed a button on the door, which then slid open, revealing the Council Chamber. The chamber itself was a circular room with a tile floor and tall glass windows that offered a commanding view of the Coruscant skyline. twelve plush chairs were arranged in a circle around a central pedestal. The door through which Rand, Satele, and Aviendha entered was the only exit. Only six of the dozen chairs in the room were occupied. Seated in the chair facing the entrance was an alien Jedi Master with orange skin and a face concealed behind a breathing mask. Next to him was Master Din. The remaining four Jedi Masters, a mix of aliens and humans, were unknown to Rand, but the anxiety creeping in was familiar. He'd felt the same mix of emotions when going before the Amyrlin Seat. Hurriedly he entered Cat Crosses the Courtyard, allowing his muscles to relax. I wish Perrin were here Rand thought. He was always better with authority than I.

"Welcome back, Knight Shan," said the alien Jedi. "I trust the campaign on Alderaan went well?"

"Thank you, Master Zym," Satele returned with a slight bow of her head. "It went well indeed."

Zym eyed Rand and Aviendha. "And these two must be the recruits you mentioned. Please, step forward." He motioned for them to approach. Rand and Aviendha advanced until they stood beside each other in front of the pedestal. "Welcome, young ones," Master Zym said warmly. "I am Zym, Grand Master of the Jedi Order, and the five Masters with us are members of the Jedi Council. We have all heard a great deal about you." He locked eyes with Rand. "You must be Rand Al'Thor, yes?" Rand nodded. "Ah. Please remind us, Rand - what is your title back on your homeworld?"

"The Dragon Reborn," Rand replied.

"He Who Comes With The Dawn," Aviendha cut in.

Master Zym's gaze shifted. "Ah, yes. Aviendha of the Taardad Aiel. You have quite a spirit, young lady, if even half of what Knight Satele has told us is true. And we trust that it is." He added that with a nod to Satele. "I sense your strong affinity with the Force. Since your appearance on Alderaan, have you been able to recreate the action that led you there in the first place?"

"No."

"Would you like to learn?"

"No. I must learn."

Spoken like a true Aiel Rand thought.

Master Zym nodded approvingly. "We understand that you both defeated Sith in combat. A most impressive feat." He briefly eyed Rand's sword. "It is because of your skill in battle, your strength in the Force, and the curious circumstances that led you to Alderaan, that the Council has voted to accept you into the Order. From this moment on, you are now Padawans in the Jedi Order. Welcome."

"Thank you, Master," Rand said politely. "I humbly accept."

"As do I," Aviendha added, if more reluctantly than Rand.

"As is our custom," Zym continued, "each new Padawan trains under the tutelage of a Jedi Master. Rand Al'Thor, you have demonstrated great skill with combat and the Force. Therefore, Master Orgus Din has volunteered to be your teacher. Under his guidance, you shall become a Jedi Sentinel." Zym gestured to the human Jedi Master, who gave Rand a trusting wink. "Aviendha, your history as an apprentice Wise One - which Satele has informed us of - makes you an ideal candidate for a Jedi Consular. Master Roona shall be your mentor." A female Jedi with yellow-green skin and short ebony hair gave Aviendha a smile. "Do you have any questions for us?"

Rand swallowed, then spoke. "When does our training begin?" It seemed a foolish question to ask, but there it was.

"It begins right away, Padawan," Master Din answered promptly. "Once you've settled in to your new quarters, come find me at the eastern common room."

"Yes, Master. I will await you there."

"The same goes for you, Aviendha," Master Roona added.

"Any further questions?" Master Zym asked. Silence. "Very well. Padawans, Knight Shan, you are dismissed. Please escort our newest Padawans to their quarters, Satele. Masters, please remain behind. We have further matters to discuss."

With that, Rand and Aviendha followed Satele out of the chamber. The door hissed and closed behind them.


"I sense the strength within those two," Master Roona uttered once the Padawans had departed. "Such potential. They could easily become the most powerful Jedi that we've seen in many years."

"I agree with you on that, Lindrin," Master Din affirmed, "But there is something unusual about the way the Force flows through Rand Al'Thor. Chance itself seems to alter around him in ways both good and ill. Shortly after the shuttle he arrived in left, I sensed it crash into a nearby theater. Normally an event like that would cause dozens of deaths, but no one was even hurt, let alone killed."

Master Roona nodded. "Most curious," she muttered. "Still, I do believe we made the right choice by accepting him and Aviendha for training."

There was a murmur of agreement from the council members.

"Their progress must be monitored closely," Master Zym ordered. "Orgus, Lindrin, ensure that happens. We know that Padawans that progress too quickly through their training often turn to the dark side. Unfortunately, the galaxy is in a state of war, and we need to field as many Jedi as we can. Much of their training must take place outside the Temple, and even on the battlefield itself." Master Zym eyed Din and Roona in turn. "We cannot allow Aviendha or Rand Al'Thor to become Sith. Take care of them, Masters."

"We shall, Master," Din said confidently.

"This meeting is adjourned. Go in peace, and may the Force be with you all."