TYTHON

Kyl'thanis Lightstar sat cross legged at the edge of the stream, clearing his mind and letting the force flow through him as he meditated. The jedi grounds were usually bustling but today they were a bit quiet. Few of the trainees were about doing their trials, though the day was rather early still. Kyl'thanis had always been an early riser but the past few days he had been having trouble sleeping. Meditating, he hoped, would alleviate whatever it was that was bothering him.

The blue skinned twi'lek jedi felt the slight breeze and smiled, feeling the life all around him, the force as it was part of everything. It was then he felt the tremor, a slight disturbance he could not seem to pinpoint. It was a feeling, something elusive and intangible. Whatever it was, it unnerved him, which was no easy feat.

Kyl'thanis took in a couple slow deep breaths, exhaling softly and then focusing on the sensation and feeling. Suddenly he began to see images, pieces of things but unsure if it were present or future events. The jedi saw his adopted daughter, Asha, Lightstar drawn down on and surrounded by Imperials. He could only watch the image, feeling it, even as they opened fire and gunned her down. Kyl'thanis bit his lower lip hard enough to break skin and taste blood.

Eyes snapping open, Kyl'thanis frowned and shook his head, trying to clear away the image he had witnessed. He knew not to give into fear, and that the image could have been many things from what might be, or will be, to nothing more than a warning. Still, the feeling something was terribly wrong lingered and he could not shake it.

Unfolding his legs, the twi'lek rose and then struck out towards the jedi temple. His feet carried him up the walkway, the great flight of stairs, and then up the ramp to the jedi council chambers. Pushing open the large double doors, the jedi slipped inside. Kyl'thanis looked about, brown eyes falling on the only person who was present at the time, Jedi Master Satele Shan. Kyl'thanis smiled, bowing his head to her as she noticed his arrival in the chambers with a questioning look on her face. Of all those who could have been present, Kyl'thanis was glad it was Satele.

"What brings you here, Kyl'thanis?"

"A vision." Kyl'thanis answered back to the woman, "I have need of your counsel."

Satele Shan studied the twi'lek jedi a moment, pondering over his words. It was not uncommon for the force to grant visions, however they were very hard to ever read. Such situations, while not uncommon, were still rare enough to make her a bit surprised. She was not sure if she should be troubled or not by the revelation of the other jedi.

"You must be careful when dealing with such." Satele commented, standing relaxed before him, hands clasped at her back. "What was the vision of?"

"My daughter, Asha." Kyl'thanis answered, having expected the question. "I saw her fighting, and she fell. It was… unsettling."

Satele sighed and frowned as she mulled over the man's answer. What the vision meant could be anything, she knew. Familial ties were not truly allowed, as attachment was something that could quickly and easily lead one down the path to the dark side. It was something the order took a very hard line with. Kyl'thanis calling the woman his daughter was not surprising, given she knew of the circumstances, but that attachment bothered her nonetheless.

"You must tread carefully, Kyl'thanis." Satele ended up saying, cautioning the other jedi.

"I know." He said softly back. "Beware attachment, as it can lead to dark places. I cannot change what is, and to deny and hide such creates secrets."

"True enough." Satele smiled softly before placing a hand on the man's shoulder. They had in fact had the exact same discussion numerous times. They were both smart enough to know they were both right in what they said.

"What would you advise?" Kyl'thanis asked her then.

"As a jedi, to be patient. Be calm, at peace. There is only the will of the force." Satele said lightly. "As a friend, well… I would say you should be on your way to see how she is doing. If there is trouble, two jedi are always better than one."

Kyl'thanis smiled and bowed his head to the woman. She had been a good friend over the years, he knew, and her counsel was always well thought out and tempered. She never allowed emotion to overwhelm her, but it was still accounted for. He had admired her and respected her right from the first day they had met. He turned to leave but paused, glancing back to Satele.

"Thank you, my friend."

"May the force be with you, Kyl'thanis." Satele smiled as she said such to him.

Satele Shan had watched the twi'lek jedi leave and just settled back in her seat when the holoterminal at the table beeped at her. With the jedi still engaged all over the galaxy, it was not uncommon to have other members of the council checking in at odd times. Pressing the button, Satele watched the holodisplay come to life.

"Master Satele, it is good to see you." The hollow voice of the other jedi master said upon seeing her answering his call.

"Master Zym." Satele said to the Kel Dor jedi. "I trust all is well?"

"The battle continues, but we are hopeful of victory still." Zym stated. Satele remembered he had gone to Taris where Imperial forces had yet again launched another attack trying to re-take the planet from the Republic. "I have disturbing news to relay however."

Satele frowned hearing that, resting her elbows on the edge of the council table, fingers pressed together and thumbs hooked under her chin. Staring at the holodisplay of her fellow jedi she nodded for him to continue.

"We intercepted some strange transmissions from the Imperials. A capture order for some of their most decorated warriors."

"This is interesting news. Could there be defection from some of their elite?" Satele asked, wondering aloud of the possibility.

"I do not sense such to be the case, but I get a strange feeling all the same, an uneasy one about it." Zym replied in answer to her, before continuing. "There's more. There was also a kill order put out regarding Republic personnel. I think you need to see the names on it."

Satele arched an eyebrow curiously before nodding, quickly ensuring their channel was secure and set to receive a data stream.

"Send it through." Satele said. "And stay safe."

"I'm transmitting now." Zym responded. "May the force be with us all."

The data stream came through quickly, and with it completed Zym ended the call. Satele tapped the controls on the terminal built into the council table and pulled up the information on the display. She read it over before sitting back, her mind racing in thought. Whatever was going on out there, it could only end in hardship.

"May the force be with you, Kly'thanis, you and your daughter." Satele thought sadly.

Kyl'thanis had made his way to the hanger and aboard his ship. It had not taken long at all to warm up her engines and get her into orbit and beyond. Once out into space, the twi'lek attempted to use the comm to contact Asha, to no avail. That meant she was either out of range, or worse.

Settling back in the command chair in the cockpit, Kyl'thanis let his mind wander. Immediately he thought of the red haired woman who he had adopted and who would most recently rise to the status of the hero of Tython. He could not have been more proud of her. Given her beginnings, it was truly a feat.

Asha's beginnings, he mused, as the past returned to the fore of his thoughts. It seemed so long ago. He had been far younger, far more naive about the galaxy, the sith, the war. He had not told Asha of her past, in truth she had not ever asked and he saw no need to burden her. The subject had come up in passing and his answer had always been the same. I found you as a child, alone and abandoned, an orphan casualty of the war. Perhaps I should have told her the truth, the jedi thought. Would it have made any difference?

"Asha, this is Kyl'thanis. Broadcasting all frequencies. Priority message, please respond." He tried the comm again, though when there was no reply he was not surprised.

Kyl'thanis's thoughts returned once more to the past. Who had been there that day? He tried to recall, knowing there had been a handful of jedi. Satele had been present, of course. She had been the one to back him on taking the children. The situation had divided those in charge, to take the children into the Republic, or let them die a slow cold death on the mountain where they were found.

"My daughter." Kyl'thanis muttered to himself. "Would you hate me for all I have kept from you?"

It was a question he could not answer. Whatever ill thoughts and dark visions he had seen, he hoped only to find her before anything happened. As long as she was alive, there was the chance she would indeed forgive him for his actions, and his secrets kept. He could only hope. All he had to do now was find her.