Talia sat up in her bed, the new sunlight pouring over her shiny black hair. Everything seemed slightly brighter today. She laughed to herself, feeling almost giddy with disbelief at Kavar's return.
It has to have been a dream, the voice in her head scolded.
Just be sure, she pinched herself on the forearm. Then she saw the green dress from the night before strewn hastily across the floor of her room, and her heart inflated like a balloon. Jumping out of bed, she eagerly began to dress for the day ahead.
Talia entered the glittering main dining hall, where several of her closest councilors and nobles sat eating a traditional Onderonian breakfast, a decadent scattering of buns and fruit. A steaming silver kettle of kaffa was positioned in the center, as usual. She quickly scanned the familiar scene to see if Kavar was there, and was impatient when she saw that he was absent. The nobles, noticing the entrance of their Queen, quickly stood from the table, bowing deeply. Talia nodded her acknowledgement and sat down, reaching for a soft roll. The others followed suit, and soon there was a healthy chatter. After a few minutes, a man with flaming red hair leaned over.
"Your majesty, we were just discussing your new advisor, Kavar. He came in briefly this morning and introduced himself before leaving for the Palace Museum. We hoped that you might clear up some… questions that we had."
The chatter at the table began to die down, as the other nobles paused to listen.
"Yes, I'm rather interested in hearing about him," a slender blonde said from the other end of the table, "He appeared to be an off-worlder."
"A keen observation, Lady Fairbanks," Talia said with a laugh. "Yes, Kavar is an off-worlder. He has travelled far and wide, and knows a great deal. I knew him once when he came to work with my father. He has offered me the gift of his advice, and I have accepted. Heaven knows we could use it at the moment."
The man with red hair continued.
"We couldn't help but notice his… unusual attire," he said slyly. "Is he, by any chance, one of the mysterious Jedi Order? I had been led to believe that they disbanded a while back, and have consequently vanished from the galaxy."
Talia sighed, seeing the expectant faces of the nobles before her.
"I had hoped to keep it quiet for more than a day, Lord Nigel. But I trust all of you to be discreet. Kavar is indeed a Jedi," she explained. Leaning in confidentially, she continued, "In fact, he is one of the only Jedi Masters left. He hopes to help us with my dear cousin, Vaklu."
Several whispers broke out along the table, and many of them smiled with satisfaction at this announcement. Lord Nigel beamed brightly.
"How perfect! Vaklu won't know what hit him," he said, grinning.
"That's my hope as well," Talia said with a serene smile, sipping a cup of kaffa.
She finished her breakfast rather quickly, exchanging only small talk with her courtiers before getting up from the table. Turning down the left corridor, she walked briskly to the museum. She peeked her head through the open doorway, spotting Kavar's perfect profile as he studied a lightsaber crystal propped upon a stand. His face was intensely focused, almost sad. It made her heart ache to see it. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the cavernous room.
"Good morning, Kavar. I see you've found our little treasure trove," she said in an airy tone.
Kavar looked up, slightly startled by her entrance. His expression quickly changed to one of pleasant warmth.
"Forgive my intrusion, but I was interested in looking through the palace collection. Your father never gave me permission to come in here during my last stay. I don't think he trusted the Jedi very much," he said with a faint smile.
"He was suspicious as a general rule," she said, remembering. "I wasn't even allowed in here until I was sixteen. He thought I would break things."
Kavar chuckled quietly.
"You, clumsy? Impossible. A swan would cause more damage."
Talia brushed off the compliment with a wave as she walked to where Kavar was standing.
"Not when I was young, at least. Once I set our head cook's robe on fire by accident."
Kavar's eyebrows raised in amusement.
"Really? Now that, I would have loved to see. I wonder how many of Onderon's loyal subjects know that their queen is an arsonist."
"Not many," she said cheekily.
They paused in friendly silence for a few moments, as Talia regarded the crystal Kavar had examined. She could feel his curious gaze on her again as she leaned towards the clear glass enclosure. A chill went down the back of her spine. It somehow made her feel nervous and brave at the same time.
"Have you seen anything interesting so far?" she asked lightly.
Kavar nodded his head, gesturing to the crystal.
"This belonged to Ulic-Qel Droma," he said, "I would recognize it anywhere, with that distinctive shape and orange color. It's in all the holocrons of the Jedi Academy. I had no idea it was on Onderon."
Talia leaned in, newly interested.
"Imagine that. I'll have to have it labeled now; I don't think anyone really knew what it was."
"I wouldn't bother. I doubt anyone will really appreciate its worth, with the Order gone." The sad look crossed the Jedi's face again.
It's so disquieting, Talia thought, the misery that he reveals at the smallest reminder of the Jedi. I only wish I could help.
Reading her troubled expression, Kavar turned to face her, sighing deeply.
"I apologize, your majesty. I really should have a better handle on my feelings. We Jedi are supposed to control our emotions. I'm afraid I'm a poor example of what a Master should be," he said darkly.
"From what you've told me, you're one of the last now," Talia said in a careful tone. "It's remarkable how composed you are. I don't think I could keep going as you do."
He looked at her, frowning.
"I think you'd be surprised, your majesty. Life continues on. We have little say in the matter."
"But you still feel the pain, nonetheless."
"I don't want to bore you with my problems," he said hesitantly. "Besides, I really shouldn-"
Putting her hand softly on his arm, she looked into his eyes.
"I'm a good listener."
"It was partially my fault, you know," he exhaled in a tone of remorse, turning away from her. He began to pace the floor. "I was presumed killed by Malak when I led a team of Jedi onto his ship, in an attempt at sabotage. We failed, and all of my companions died. But I was only unconscious, wounded severely. Sometime after Malak and his Dark Jedi had left to address another incoming strike team, I awoke to excruciating pain. I healed my most serious wounds quickly, and then hobbled back to my nearby ship, still docked in the port where I had arrived. A few guards noticed me along the way, and I killed them as quietly as I could. Still in pain, I punched the hyperdrive at random coordinates, hoping in desperation to evade any possible followers." He paused, looking at Talia as if for permission to continue.
"Go on," she said, intrigued.
"After a few days of drifting and healing my remaining injuries, I decided that I would allow the belief of my death to continue, so that I could search for the source of Malak's limitless resources in relative secrecy. In disguise, I scoured the galaxy for almost a year, looking for clues. Of course, I learned later that Revan and her crew had beaten me to the punchline when they found the Star Forge. But I found something else, something infinitely more dangerous." A dark gloom crossed his face, but he continued.
"I was often ambushed by Sith assassins on my travels. Although the news of my death had spread through the holonet, they seemed to anticipate my every move. I dismissed it at first, thinking that Malak's minions had perhaps seen my escape and tracked me. But I began to be suspicious when the attacks of these assassins continued, even after Malak was dead and the Sith were vanquished. I was also severely sapped of the Force whenever I fought them, and it became ever more apparent towards the end. They were clearly a new menace altogether."
"I meditated for a long time, trying to discover the reason for these attacks. I came to the conclusion that they were preying upon me through the Force somehow, drawn like moths to the flame. It was a technique of the ancient Sith Lords, one that we had assumed was extinct. But it was the only possible explanation for the continuous attacks, despite my meticulous precautions against being noticed."
"Alarmed by this idea, I rushed to find the remaining Jedi, to warn them against the new Sith threat. Too late, I learned that they had gone for a final gathering on Katarr, the Miraluka homeworld. They hoped to see beyond. But instead, they were brutally massacred. The new Sith couldn't resist the hundreds of Jedi, combined with the native sensitivity of the Miralukas. And now… they are all gone."
There was a heavy silence as Kavar finished his tale. Talia looked up through her green eyes at him, full of shared sorrow.
"Kavar… it isn't your fault. You were not to blame for what happened on Katarr."
"But I should have seen the signs earlier, and returned to the Jedi before they left."
"How could you have helped," Talia demanded, "if you had come earlier? Most of your deductions were based on pure speculation. You could have eventually changed your mind, convinced by the others that Katarr was a necessary risk. For all we know, you might have even gone with them and been killed." She couldn't hide the fear that inflected her voice as she spoke.
"Does it matter, considering how many others were lost that day?" he said cynically.
"Yes, it does!" Talia said emphatically. "You were saved for a reason, first from Malak and then from Katarr. It appears that the galaxy still needs you. How can you not see that?"
"Perhaps you are right, your majesty," he said reluctantly, "We don't know if my observations would have changed the outcome. And… well, I shouldn't think so much on the past."
"The past forms the foundation of our souls," Talia said gently. "It is equally as important as the present, or the future. It is good to reflect on the past, so long as you don't let yourself drown."
Smiling crookedly, Kavar cocked his head.
"You sound just like a Jedi."
"They say that happens when you associate with a Jedi Master," she said with a coy smile, "Maybe it's rubbing off on me."
"Maybe," Kavar agreed. "It seems I have a lot to learn from you, regardless. And I'm supposed to be your advisor."
"In theory," she said softly.
Meeting his pale blue eyes, Talia felt the surge of electricity tracing her spine again. She could feel her body being pulled towards his, as if by some invisible force. Kavar looked down at her with an unfathomable expression, leaning in for a few breathless moments. She could faintly smell his musky scent, and she felt her heart race faster. Then suddenly he turned away without a word, staring at another exhibit with great interest. Talia was surprised to see him spin away so quickly, and her heart deflated a little. She took a moment to collect herself before saying,
"I think… I think now would be a good time to discuss the upcoming Council of Lords. "
"I agree, your majesty," he said calmly. "And perhaps it would be better to talk in the conference room."
Nodding her head, Talia fell into step with him as they walked out the door.