Planet LJ-115- New Galactic Territories- Republic Controlled Space.

Planet LJ-115, as designated by the Military, but known as Lesana by the local inhabitants, was a beautiful planet. It was similar to Corellia, Coruscant, and Naboo. At least similar to the Republic Capitol before it was made into a city.

Lush green plains, rolling mountains, scattered cities in a high level of development, population eight million.

It was protected by a Company of Republic troops and a full division of local defense forces. It was an old and regal feeling planet. Its inhabitants had lived under the rule of kings and emperor's for a Millennia, until the Republic came. Then at the behest of the people, and a local government coalition, they accepted Republic Membership.

They pushed out the influence of forces considered hostile by the locals, and had lived in peace ever since.

In orbit four large ships reverted to real space, fighters and small landing craft positively spilled from their hulls and within their bowels.

The combined craft dove into the Planet's upper atmosphere.

The citizens of the planet looked up in shock as the screaming of ion engines greeted their ears as the craft swooped in low.

Angry Red Dots shot forth from weapons points all along the ships, the citizens screamed in terror. Military bases, instillations, and locals were wiped out within seconds. Unprepared for the appearance of such a aggressive opponent.

The Land craft soon touched down on the planet and unloaded their cargo. Between 30-50 men or droids unloaded from each of the ships. The craft then hovered in the sky and laid down covering fire, as the teams of men gathered, and then moved out onto the survivors of the Military, the Planets Forces, and the Security Forces. Killing with deadly precision.

The battle took nearly an hour, but at the end the Governor was captured, the local legislature was dead, exiled, or seized, and the capitol city was completely occupied by enemy forces.

As was the local coliseum where the people went for entertainment of all sorts and to see their politicians speak.

Another set of craft launched from the task force of ships. It contained one sleek command shuttle and two claw like assault fighters.

They landed just in front of the Governor, who was flanked by two tall droids with battle staffs.

He looked up blearily, his eye blackened from a blow delivered by an intense ruffian. As he fell he noticed burns in the chest of his rather pretty young secretary, so much life, gone in a blink of the eye.

The ships landed and three figures were distributed. The lead was wearing a long dark cloak, that came up to his chest with a golden clasp, and a hood pulled back around the shoulders.

He made his way over to the Governor, and he grinned with sparkling white teeth. "I am Lord Reefu, you are our prisoners, do you acknowledge this fact?"

"We will be avenged, the Republic will come." The Governor uttered belligerently.

"Oh yes we can hope they do." The Lord grinned, and then swished away, directing all of his commanders to gather around him.

Corellia

John Zaun was preoccupied as he was walking down the hall. His head was bowed in thinking as he was barely concentrating on where he was going. All of his conflicting lessons were spinning around in his head.

He nearly bumped into a figure, stopping him short. He looked up at who it was shocked, and then nearly blushed as he recognized who it was.

"Hey." He said evenly.

"Hey John!" Devylyn yipped happily, giving him a high five.

This made him smile in pleasure.

"So what's going on?" She asked, gesturing for him to continue.

He did so taking the lead but turning towards her slightly. "Nothing much, just that all the stuff that has been happening to me is getting a bit confusing. My training and all." John explained.

"Oh? Training to be a Jedi are we?" She asked, sounding intrigued.

"Yeah. Well not really, not officially anyways, Death is my fathers official Padawan." John continued.

"Death?" Devylyn's tone was one of complete curiosity.

"Yeah, Galen found him in another Galaxy." John explained.

"Oh, I have never met your father?" Devylyn switched to a different topic.

"He is cool, but not awfully fatherly, I barely know him." John frowned.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, see ya." She smiled at him nodding as she went the other direction.

John watched her leave, too stunned to even respond. He just did not know what to do about the feelings that were boiling up through his stomach and then shooting throughout his body. This was not how it was supposed to be, Jedi were not supposed to be…flustered.

The one minute alarm sounded and John came out of his slight stupor, looking up like a startled rabbit. He made his way expertly through the crowd to his room.

It was a boring day, he learned more about the Clone Wars, all stuff he had looked into in the past, beat his own personal record in his Physical Training Class, and then mixed chemical mixtures in his Chemistry room.

He then went to have lunch. A Krayt Dragon meat sandwich, made to perfection. He wolfed it down quickly and then silently snuck away from the lunch place, and to the field where the school played tournaments. It was a slight hill that dipped down into it a bit.

He stood at the edge of the dip in his tight clothing, he looked out over the field, and then looked at the mountains in the distance.

Now that he knew how to take in the perceptions around him, the life energies, he loved doing this so much. It felt so relaxing and made him feel so alive. He just enjoyed the life energies shooting through his body.

But it was ruined. A presence behind him made him turn around and face the person who would dare disturb him. Hoping it was not an instructor, not that he was doing anything wrong exactly.

But it was Nealis, his old adversary turned quasi friend.

"Hello." John greeted.

"Hello." Nealis replied, grinning, looking as though he were up to something.

"So, doing anything?" John asked wanting to strike up a conversation, before Nealis got to his plot.

"Nothing much, just doing my thing, chasing girls, doing the whole grades thing. You?" He asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Oh nothing much." John responded.

Nealis went up next to him and looked out over the field. "Beautiful sight." He opined.

"Yes, it is." Zaun breathed.

"Been enjoying any other sights lately?" Nealis asked, coming up onto the ball of his feet and then settling back down.

"A few." Zaun replied, a sense of unease creeping into the edges of his mind.

Nealis continued to probe. "So, Devylyn, what do you think of her?"

A smile cured the edges of John's lips. "She is a wonderful person, nice and warm."

"You like her don't you?" Nealis probed.

John hesitated for a second, something seemed off, he felt an odd tearing sensation at the edge of his mind, but he ignored it. "Yes, very much so…I think I am in love." He blinked at his amazing frankness, and then continued to grow uneasy.

"OK" Nealies grinned, the alarm signaled and they both made their way to class.

Something was off about the whole thing.

The Zaun Residence.

Galen and Death were sparring, without the use of Lightsabers. Practicing hand to hand combat techniques.

Death stuck out with a palm and then rolled into a round house kick, moving off the ground. Galen dodged the blows easily.

"Remember, hand to hand fighting is more about precision and cunning. Many species are more imposing physically than humans, and have higher endurance." He grunted as Death palmed him in the chest and then delivered a light kick.

"It is about endurance and speed and intelligence. You cannot rely on brute strength like you can with a Lightsaber." Galen side stepped the next set of blows as he continued, "also never rely on the Force except to use it to replenish yourself or predict blows. For the Force may not always be with you. And hand to hand is not as easy to master as combat with a Lightsaber."

Death flung himself at Galen, but Galen moved in and got through his defenses, nearly elbowing him, but pulling up short just before he struck.

"Alright good fight." Galen grinned, sweat breaking out from his brow, he did not use the Force to even replenish himself. Till now. "Man am I getting too old for the work of a Sith." Galen moaned.

"Yeah." Death laughed, hardly chastised, and feeling good. Not having a single bit of sweat on him.

"You are good at this, keep it up, we might make a Jedi outta you yet." Galen teased.

Death laughed heartily.

The door whooshed open and John Zaun entered, carrying his bag full of stuff.

"Hey Son." Galen greeted, "how was school?"

"Fine." John said evenly, he then darted off to his room and closed his door.

Galen sighed confounded.

"Cheer up, he will come around." Death clapped Galen on the shoulder.

"Oh I know, but I still want to be with him and know him but he seems so busy. And perplexed. He also feels preoccupied." Galen muttered worriedly.

"Well, he will come around." Death intoned simply.

"Yeah. He seems to like you well enough." Galen looked at Death pointedly.

"Yeah, he does but he is not telling me that there is something wrong." Death frowned at the door.

"Oh well all we can do is wait." Galen shrugged going over to the kitchenette.

John moved his ear away from the door keyhole, and heaved a sigh.

He went over to his bed and collapsed on it for awhile. Wondering what to do. He could not go to Galen, his father, he could not tell him. Galen would not understand, it was just too complicated, and John was not sure if he trusted his father yet.

So he did his work and went back to his studies, before falling asleep, not eating, not doing anything other then that, planning on what was coming for the new day.

The next day dawned bright and early and John ate his breakfast before speeding out of the apartment.

He got to school early and took his usual position outside of his Modern Languages class.

He greeted the throng of people that were coming in from the busses and the student drop off point. He acknowledged his best female friend with the black hair and they chatted for a little bit.

But then Nealis came around the corner, leading Devylyn, his arms around her waist.

"Hey John." He nodded.

John's eyes widened perceptibly as he looked at the two of them shocked. His mouth moved slightly agape.

The two of them moved on through. John could swear that he felt an energy passing between the two of them, massaging her mind and making it malleable. John frowned at that.

"John what's wrong?" His companion asked him.

"Nothing." He returned with an edge slinking into the room.

The rest of the day passed in a stewing haze, he had to research this issue over the next couple of days, so he could be sure of what he was up against and what was going on.

He dropped the ball on one question asked on the novel they were studying.

He went to go home and learned what he forgot, and then made a discrete inquiry to the Jedi Library.