Chapter 16. A Father's Quest Part 1

Peter Voles had been captured and turned into a mind slave by Donovan Leers. His father Derrin Voles had received visitations and visions in the force. So he decided to break his vow and learn the ways of the force to save his son from Donovan Leers. The Jedi Academy was currently on Coruscant as the academy was great ship that could unmoor its pistons and foundations and fly off to a new planet. Because there was no age limit on who could study the ways of the force as in the days of Jedi Master Yoda, Derrin stood with new recruits ranging from ages 5 to 49. Derron was 49 and the oldest student in a group of sixty-nine students.

Jedi Master Kam Solusar walked before the students while his wife Tionne stood at attention with their padawans. "The force is everywhere-inside-in the ground, the air-Always be aware of its presence-Submit to the will of the force and you will find your destiny. Try and bend the force to your will and you will be destroyed-For that is the path of the dark side of the force." Kam stopped pacing and looked at the eager faces of the new recruits both alien and human alike. "Now who can tell me the code of the Jedi?" No one raised their hands.

Kam was about to speak when Derrin spoke up, "There is no emotion; there is peace. There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no passion; there is serenity. There is no chaos; there is harmony. There is no death; there is the Force."

Kam waved Derrin forward, "Very impressive apprentice. What is your name?" He asked when he reached the front.

"Voles Master-Derrin Voles."

Kam just stared at him, "Despite your attempt to hide it I sense great fear in you apprentice-For someone you love."

"My son master-He is held captive by Donovan Leers."

Tionne walked up to Kam's side, "And you think that by learning the ways of the force you can rescue him?"

He did not answer, "Your silence is an answer apprentice..." Kam said, "...be careful this fear for your son can lead you to the dark side. Get back in line."

"Your first exercise is to learn the Jedi code-before weeks end." Tionne said speaking up, "Dismissed!"

The students broke some to go eat in the commissary while others went to their rooms. Derrin decided to go to his room, where another apprentice had already chosen a bed by the window. "That was impressive where did you learn the Jedi Code from?" A young human male asked.

Derrin sighed, "My family has always had a copy of the code."

The doors opened and a droid entered the room with a female Rodian, "Derrin Voles?" He stood up. "Master Skywalker would like a word with you." The droid said.

The droid lead him to a sky speeder and they flew three blocks to the Jedi Temple. They walked up the steps through the main foyer to a turbo-lift that took them to Master's wing. Luke's private suit was spacious and opulent for the Grandmaster of the Jedi order.

"Grandmaster may I present Derrin Voles apprentice."

Luke was on his knees in meditation. He stood up and dismissed the droid, "Derrin Voles-It has been a long time."

Luke was referring to the time he asked Derrin to become a student of the Jedi order over 20 years ago. "It has."

"I will get to the point-You don't need to break your vow-The order can rescue your son."

Derrin sighed, "Grandmaster-I hear that the war is going poorly for the Alliance-That being said I have had several visions about my son-I am the only person in the galaxy who can save him."

Luke folded his hands behind his back, "Have you considered that this may be a trap by Donovan to lure you out-So that he can control you as well?"

"I have-I am not afraid."

Luke smiled remembering that was the exact same thing he said to Yoda all those years ago, "There are exceptional people who complete the training in months-but normally it takes years to master the basics-I will allow your training-So long as you swear not to rush it." Derrin swore, "Master Kam will be watching and if you allow your emotions to get in the way you will be expelled."

Derrin took a deep breath, "I understand Master-I want you too understand that if my son is rescued before my training is complete I will leave the order."

Luke nodded in approval and dismissed Derrin. As he walked down the hallway Derrin passed a transparent woman with a reddish glow. She smiled at him, but he ignored her and kept going. When he returned to the academy Derrin went to his room and slept. The next morning he was up with the other apprentices doing meditation exercises. Tionne watched over them as they practiced. What she didn't notice was the force apparition standing behind her. Again Derrin tried to ignore the ghostly figure, but it was hard to meditate. He sighed and opened his eyes, when he did Tionne waved him over.

"You seem distracted apprentice-why?"

"Master-I-I do not wish to lie to you-so all I will say is that I do not wish to talk about it."

Tionne smiled, "When you are ready then."

"May I be excused."

"Only if you promise to not let the day go by without completing the exercise."

He agreed and left the garden followed by the woman no one seemed to see was haunting him. He went to his room and locked the door. Of course that didn't stop the woman who walked through door. He looked at her for a few minutes and then he got on his bed and closed his eyes. "How long are you going to ignore me and pretend I am not here?" The ghost asked.

Derrin sighed and rolled over to acknowledge her, "I know who you are Ilena Voles and you will not corrupt me!"

Ilena displayed a real emotional offense to his staement, "How dare you! I regret my actions! I only wish to redeem myself so that I may truly become one with the force. I-I only wish to help you free your son-You are my blood and I know things about the force that will speed you in your quest to save your son."

"I will not be twisted by your lies-begone!" He closed his eyes and drowned himself in meditation. When he opened his eyes Ilena was gone for the time being. He looked at the time, he had been in meditation for the past five hours. So he went to get something to eat.

The next morning Kam lead the exercises in the force. He had the students run, then they practiced level one hand to hand combat. The last exercise was level one lightsaber combat in the Shii-Cho form. After the lessons Derrin pulled Kam on the side. "Master what can you tell me about force ghosts?"

Kam looked at him, "Why do you ask? Have you seen one."

Ilena was standing behind Kam shaking her head no, "No master I was just curious."

Kam stared at him which made Derrin nervous, lying to a Jedi Master was not wise. "There is a lot we understand about force ghosts and much much more we don't-They can linger in places for thousands of years and awaken because of major and minor events in the force-The Grandmaster discovered a force ghost in an ancient ship-Master Horn defeated the spirit of Exar Kune-Some believe that these force ghosts or spirits whichever you wish to label them aren't truly one with the force-Some are so powerful they can will themselves into the shape of their former bodies-Others must latch onto force energy in a given area to linger and take shape. It is a vast subject, but apprentices aren't allowed in the archives. If you wish I could give a small data-pad on the subject."

"Yes Master thank you that will be fine." An hour later Kam presented Derrin with a three page data-pad on force ghosts.

As he walked through the academy reading it Ilena followed him, "You know I am a force ghost-I could tell you all about it." He ignored her, "If you are looking for a way to get rid of me-You can't-Technically we are linked and the only way I can move on is to help you in your quest."

Derrin stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, "I know how to get rid of you! I will just tell the masters!"

She smirked, "That will accomplish nothing!"

"Ah who is lying now-In fact you seemed scared when I was talking to Master Kam-Why? Is due to the fact they probably could cast you out!"

She hunched her shoulders, "Tell them-but if they were so powerful they would have sense me by now!" She raised her finger to make a point, "And my little Jedi-You lied to the masters-They would not take kindly that you have been conversing with a force ghost. You need my help and I need your help."

He sneered, "I don't need your help!"

Two days later Derrin stood pointing his hands at a large stone using the force to levitate the rock. He was in the room of telekinesis. The students stood around him admiring the display of power. "Enough!" Kam yelled, "Get back to your studies!" The students grumbled as Derrin lowered the stone.

He bowed, "Forgive me master-it was my fault."

"It certainly was! Come with me!" From that day forward Kam trained Derrin in private as he was progressing father than anyone.

There was a terrible battle, men and ships were blown apart and Peter Voles cried out in pain. "FATHER!"

Derrin awoke in a cold sweat He sat up breathing heavy, but his roommates didn't stir. "Rough night?" Ilena asked. "You were dreaming about your son weren't you?"

He looked at his sleeping roommates and whispered, "You probably gave me the dream!"

"There you go-accusing me again! I was only guessing-If you don't let me help you-Your son will die!"

He sighed, "What do you want me to do?"

Over the next few days Derrin neglected his studies and didn't show up for any of them, so Kam and Tionne went to see what was going on with Derrin. When they entered his room he was not there. They searched the academy and found him in the deflection room with a lightsaber batting away blaster bolts from practice drones-the blade was white. They were set to level 4 a padawan's stage.

"You have built yourself a lightsaber-may we see it?" Kam asked holding his hand out. Reluctantly Derrin gave him the weapon, he ignited it, flourished the weapon then he handed it to Tionne. "It has a nice design and grip-its balanced well-Where did you get the tools and the crystals?"

He sighed, "I stole the crystal and scavenged the parts from the refuse."

Tionne and Kam exchanged looks, "You will be reprimanded of course." He held his hand out for his lightsaber. Tionne smiled, "We'll hold on to this until we have made a decision."

"In the meantime refine yourself to your quarters."

"Its time to go! Time is against us!" Ilena said.

"What do you mean?"

"They will expel you and keep the lightsaber-We need to go with all haste!"

Derrin sighed, "If you are lying I swear I will find a way to destroy you!" Just then the door opened and a possessed boy walked in carrying Derrin's lightsaber.

"We searched everywhere Master!" Padawan Oarn said, Oarn was a Gammorrean.

"We should consult the Grandmaster about this!" Tionne said to Kam.

"No-the Grandmaster has enough on his mind-I will go."

Tionne grabbed his arm, "Be careful my love-I would hate to have to loose you."

He kissed her, "You won't!"

Coruscant-Lower Levels

Derrin found a a small shop to purchase a long range ship from then he took off on his quest to find his son Peter Voles and free him from Donovan.