Chapter 21

Heartbreak

Kael's fingers twitched at the sound of a gentle knock on his door. His body still had not fully recovered from his wounds, and he felt slightly dizzy as he sat up and rubbed his eyes which were struck by the sun. "Come in," he said, trying his best to avoid letting out a grumble from being woken early in the morning.

The door opened, and in stepped Bastila, looking pristine and refined as always. "Good morning," she said with a smile as she walked towards him and crouched by his bedside. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Still tired, but at least I'm not dead, huh?" Kael joked, and Bastila responded with a grin. "Is it time to meet with the Council?"

"In about an hour," she nodded. "But first, we should make our way to the dining hall to get some breakfast. Elena told you what's going to happen from now, didn't she?"

"She has. She told me that after she relayed what I told her to the Council, they decided to set us on a mission to track down each of the Star Maps. But Bastila," he looked at her with concerned eyes, "Elena…is she alright?"

"She, uhh…it's strange," Bastila waggled her head in confusion. "When we woke, she was so…distanced. Cold. Just what did you speak to her about?"

Kael pondered for a while before giving an answer. If he told her the truth about what happened last night, Bastila could give away their secret to the Masters if she acted nervously in front of them. On the other hand, not telling her the truth could also lead to her being curious about Elena and arousing the suspicions of the Masters due to her emotions if her former teacher remained too secretive.

Deciding that Bastila was well and truly capable of keeping her composure, Kael gently held her hand before speaking. "Promise you won't freak out if I tell you?"

Bastila grimaced. "I can't exactly guarantee that seeing as I have no idea what you're going to say, but I guess I could make the effort?"

Opting to take his chances, Kael sighed and told her. "The truth is that I felt the effects of your Battle Meditation while I was fighting Juhani's kath hounds in the cave. I could feel you and Elena's strength being channelled into me, and…well…I could also feel very strong emotions coming from the both of you – I'll leave it at that."

Bastila's eyes widened and she began to pant, dumbfounded. "You…I…we…"

"It's okay, Bastila," he immediately put his hand on her shoulder to calm her. "I know that the Council wanted me to do this solo, but I'm grateful for your help. I wouldn't have been able to save Mission's life, let alone come out alive of that cave, if you hadn't intervened."

"E-Elena was the one who told me to do it," she confessed with a stutter. "Told me it was too important…that…that you—"

"Ssh, ssh…Don't panic," he said, again squeezing her shoulder. "Just keep calm while we're speaking with the Council, okay?"

"I…I'll try," Bastila nodded and gulped.

"Don't be too harsh on yourself with this," he smiled and gently patted her arm. "Besides, I wouldn't have acted any different if our positions were somehow reversed."

"But…but the will of the Council forbids all Initiates from receiving any kind of help at all during their Trials. And the Jedi Code…forbidding emotional and rash actions and—"

"After spending a whole month with me under you and Elena's tutelage, haven't you learned anything about me, Bastila?" Kael shook his head and sighed. "I'm not your average Jedi, and from what I can tell by you and Elena saving my life, I have reason to believe that the two of you aren't, either. If I were to be perfectly honest with you, I'm a Jedi insofar as it helps me protect others while undertaking this quest to stop Malak. After he's defeated and the Sith threat is no more, then…I consider myself a free man."

"But…but you can't just up and leave the Order like that! None of us can!" Bastila cried, utterly confused and unable to understand Kael's mindset – or at least pretended that way.

"Doesn't it ever bother you, Bastila? Doesn't it ever kill you on the inside to not be able to do what you know in your heart is right, solely because of the doctrines of the Masters? Doesn't it irritate you to simply be a yes-girl instead of acting by your own conscience?"

"Stop it, Kael," Bastila puffed and narrowed her eyes at him. "You shouldn't speak of the Masters that way."

"You and Elena felt it, didn't you? My inner thoughts while I was reciting the Code to the Masters?" Kael retorted, and immediately Bastila tensed, letting him know instinctively that she did. "I know what the Code says, but my heart tells me to always strive to protect those I truly care about. And after all the hardships we've faced together, I'll be damned if I let any of my friends get hurt in any way – especially you and Elena. As well-intentioned as the Jedi are with their Code, to deny and suppress your emotions is to trample on your own humanity."

Bastila looked down and sighed. She always knew in her heart that the Code as well as the Masters were both full of crap at times. She would often think of her father while she was training her Battle Meditation ability in training chambers under the supervision of teachers other than Elena. Always they would scold her whenever they could sense even the slightest feeling of love or attachment. It felt so wrong…so wrong that an emotion so essential as love was forbidden among Jedi. It was like they were mere shells of sentient beings acting on the orders of their superiors.

It was ridiculous. And wrong.

"We can talk about this later – and we will," she said solemnly to him, letting him know that she wasn't just hurriedly ending the conversation. "You can rest assured that I fully understand what you mean. To be honest, I sometimes feel exactly the same way you do. But for now, we must prepare ourselves for the meeting with the Masters. Wash up and get dressed, and we'll head out soon."

Kael opened his mouth to speak, but his questions were-half answered by Bastila who could guess just what he was going to ask her.

"Family stuff. I'll leave it at that for the time being. We can talk about it another day." She got up on her feet and went back towards the door. "Get ready, and I'll wait for you outside."

Kael nodded to her and heaved himself out the side of the bed. His legs were wobbly and unable to hold their own in the final moments where the dark beasts swarmed around him, but surprisingly he was able to stand firmly at present. The mild nausea and dizziness he felt upon waking up in the afternoon in his room had largely subsided, and all that remained was the groaning hunger of his stomach.

After Bastila closed the door to give him privacy, Kael washed himself up quickly in the en suite bathroom and dressed himself in the fresh set of brown robes which were hung up in the wardrobe. He emerged from his room refreshed, showing little signs of his lethargy last night.

The two of them walked together through the open corridor of the east wing of the Enclave's living quarters, turning the corner to come to the southern section where Bastila and Elena's dorm was. Although they would always exchange light and pleasant conversation in previous days, the present morning was marked by silence. As much as Kael wanted to speak to her, he also respected her desire for silence and space in order to gather her thoughts. As he peered to his right at her, she gave him a shy smile, expressing her gratitude in return.

Bastila continued to walk, but suddenly came to halt once she noticed that Kael had fallen behind. She turned around and saw that he had stopped in front of her and Elena's dorm, looking with a rather pained expression at the door.

"She's in there…isn't she?" he sighed. Their bond was too strong for him not to notice.

"She is, but…," Bastila said as she approached. "She said she would like to be left alone, and will join us later."

Kael didn't move from his spot, and instead of moving along he stood firm and approached the door. "I have to speak to her."

"Kael, no," Bastila said firmly, pacing over to him and pulling him by the arm. "She's made it very clear. Come with me."

Bastila was surprised when she felt Kael yank his arm out of her grip. Seeing that there was no way to convince him to come with her, she nervously withdrew. Elena's anger only rarely erupted, but when it did, it was the one thing which terrified her more than death itself.

"Elena," Kael knocked on her door and called out to her gently. "Elena, it's me, Kael." No answer came from within, but Kael could sense Elena's downhearted spirit. He continued, hoping to soothe her heart with his words. "I'm sorry about last night. It was wrong of me to put you on the spot like that, and I hope you can forgive me."

No words came, but Kael could hear the rustling of bedsheets. She was listening.

"I apologize for making you uncomfortable, but I really had to speak my mind. I've spoken to Bastila about it just then, and she told me that you were the one who asked her to do it. I know what the Code says about emotions, and I'm well aware of the rules the Council set on my Trial, but I do want you to know that…I'm grateful. Truly. I owe you my life. I want to repay the favor by striving to protect both of you in the quest the Council is about to set us on."

Still, no word came from Elena. Downhearted, Kael sighed and slightly turned, readying himself to leave. "That's all, I guess. I'll see you later, then…"

One step later, Kael's eyebrows twitched when he heard the doorknob turn from the inside. The door opened inwards, and Kael saw standing before him a ghostlike Elena, her untied dark hair scrambled in a mess and her eyes red with a lack of sleep. She breathed lightly and stared downwards, unable to meet his eyes.

"Elena," Kael exhaled and instinctively moved forward to hold her by the shoulders, but was stopped when she raised a hand up towards him, signalling for him to stop. She looked up at his face and then looked down again, reaching for his hand with hers which was trembling eerily. She pulled him in and closed the door, but not before giving Bastila a pained look as her former pupil looked back at her with concern.

"I'm…sorry for what I did last night," she sighed and looked down, unable to meet his gaze. "I must have hurt you with my words."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Elena," he responded with a warm smile. "It's the second time you cared for me while I was severely wounded. For that, I'm forever grateful."

Third time, really, Elena thought as she looked up with a slight grin.

"But…," Kael said, "why did you bring me in here? I thought Bastila said you didn't want to be disturbed."

"I just couldn't continue pretending to be angry at you, Kael. In truth, I was only angry at myself."

Kael took one step towards her and looked at her intently. "What do you mean?"

"I have a confession to make," she exhaled, and finally summoned up the courage to keep her eyes on his. "It's true. I was the one who told Bastila to use her Battle Meditation. I guess that the reason I told her to do it was because…well…it's just as you said. I'm just as susceptible to emotions as any other person. I pushed you away last night because I didn't want to admit it: I wanted to protect you as well, and I couldn't bear to see you hurt."

"Elena…," Kael whispered, reaching down and grasping her hands in his own. Unlike last night, she didn't shy away, but rather returned his affections.

"I may be a Jedi Knight, but I'm still a human at the end of the day, not a machine. I'd be lying if I said that I feel absolutely nothing for you. But this quest…our mission…there's far too much at stake. We can't let our emotions get the better of us, especially when they can endanger the lives of our friends, let alone the fate of the entire galaxy. We have to keep our focus solely on the mission."

"I respect your motives, Elena, but I have to disagree," Kael released her hands and held the sides of her arms. "I just can't do that. I can't just focus entirely on the mission, because if I did that, it'd mean that I'd inevitably have to treat you and everyone else as expendable in our cause to stop Malak and the Sith. You're not a chess piece, Elena; none of us are. If it came down to a choice between being able to easily and swiftly defeat Malak and losing you in the process, or saving you with great difficulty and facing a hellish task of overcoming Malak, I'd always choose the latter."

Elena's shoulders visibly rose and fell as she breathed deeply, touched by Kael's words. "But…we can't…We can't put our own group above the lives of billions in the galaxy."

"Why do you think I pushed myself so hard to save Mission when she was about to die in that cave?" Kael responded. "I've said this to Bastila and I'll say it to you: I'm not your ordinary Jedi. My emotions give me strength; they don't weaken me. I'm not going to let anyone get hurt ever again in our quest, especially you, Bastila or Mission. Not even Canderous, as gruff a son of a bitch as he may be."

"Tread carefully, Kael," Elena warned him, and Kael's hands soon sank to his sides. "Bastila and I will not scold you on your philosophy, but the Masters will certainly do more than scolding. Some have even been exiled in the past for their actions."

Meetra, she immediately thought of her best friend. Meetra, how I miss you…

"I don't care. In fact, I'd rather choose exile over continuing to be ordered and condescended to my entire life." Elena gasped a little as soon as Kael spoke those words. "I've made up my mind. After Malak is defeated, I'm withdrawing from the ranks of the Order. I can't suppress a part of me that guides my every action. It's been over a month since we came to Dantooine, and well…I've come to regard you all as my family of sorts. I can't even remember my real family, so this is the next closest thing."

But they are right here, Elena looked at him with a sullen gaze. You are standing alongside your family – your future wife – as you speak.

"You know what the Council speaks of love, don't you?" Elena said softly. "Love leads to possessiveness, and possessiveness to the dark side."

"Again, I have to disagree. In my opinion, love doesn't lead to the kind of possessiveness you fear. I've read many texts while I was here, of ancient Sith who were twisted by their obsession with saving their loved ones. But if you truly love someone, you'd let them go, wouldn't you?"

Elena looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"If you truly love someone and they loved you back, they wouldn't want you to destroy yourself with grief and obsession, and so you should respect their wishes. Death is a natural part of life, and when it comes, trying to fight it with all your will is only going to cause you to wallow in misery and anguish."

Elena raised her eyebrow. "You're a hypocrite, you know that? Before you spoke of virtually going through the depths of hell to save and protect the ones you love, and now you speak of letting them go?"

Kael grinned. "At the end of the day, we're all hypocrites in one form or another – it's natural. But really, I was discretely talking about cases of terminal illness when I spoke of letting loved ones go. And besides, death is not the end, is it? We all live on through the Force, and we will eventually be reunited with the ones we miss every day." He reached out again and held her hands once more. "The ones we care about."

"You…care for me?" Elena said, her eyes looking downward as her lips formed a half-smile.

"I do. How can I not, when you've cared for me twice?" he smiled warmly at her. "Wherever our journeys lead us, Elena, I want you to know that I'll always look out for you. I promise you that."

If the barriers which once surrounded Audrey's heart were made of ice, then the barriers which surrounded Elena's were made of durasteel. The words of Kreia still echoed in her mind, and now, as much as she wanted to deny it, she knew it was true: only by tapping into the deepest core of their bond – their love for each other – could they ever hope to stop Malak.

And then, if only for one time, the guards around Elena's heart were dropped completely. She walked into him with open arms, burying her face against his warm chest and wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you," she whispered. "I think…I think I'm beginning to understand you now. Perhaps as time goes on, I'll understand you even more. And for the record, I'll continue to look out for you as well."

A tingle rushed up and down Elena's spine when she felt Kael rest his chin upon her head, his warm breaths blowing through her messy hair. His arms were assuring and loving, just the way she remembered them as being.

After several seconds of silence, Elena finally separated herself from Kael with a gentle push. "You should get going now," she said with a smile so that Kael knew that she appreciated him. "I'll join you and Bastila in the dining hall soon. As you can see, I'm…in quite a mess."

"Sure thing," Kael grinned back and then proceeded to open the door and walk out. "I'll see you soon?" he said looking back with one foot placed outside.

"Yes," Elena nodded. "And Kael?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said in a hushed tone, letting her sincerity be known. "For everything."

"Don't mention it," Kael chuckled as he closed the door behind him. The morning breeze suddenly seemed all the more sumptuous after his conversation with Elena, and his mind never felt more rejuvenated. "Bastila?" he called out, his eyes searching for the Jedi Knight who wasn't standing right outside the room like he thought she was. "Bastila, where are y—"

He fell silent when he turned rightward to see Bastila collapsed on her knees, holding her face in her hands while her tears fell freely from her cheeks and onto the stone pavement. He rushed towards her and knelt in front of her, and he gently pulled at her hands so that he could look into her eyes while he spoke to her.

"Bastila, what's wrong? Talk to me, please," he said softly.

His dear friend was panting and sobbing, and she could barely bring her head up to look at him as she murmured.

"Father is…dead…"

-o-

A content smile stretched across the recovered Mission's face as she walked through the shopping areas of Dantooine, Carth and Audrey on either side of her while Zaalbar followed behind. The end of the winter season was clearly approaching, as the warmth of the sun and the slowly melting ice which lay over the nearby river signified. It always gave her great joy to go out shopping whenever Audrey gave her permission to, as it meant that she could buy virtually anything she wanted. The ridiculous amount of credits stored on Davik Kang's credit chip which was nipped by Audrey ensured that she would never again go hungry like she often did in the Lower City of Taris.

"Do we really have to buy just tracking devices and extra comlinks, Audrey?" Mission whined, tapping at the side of Audrey's waist. "Why can't I buy some cool gadgets and stuff?"

"Mission, you should know that you shouldn't adopt the attitude of a spendaholic," Audrey scolded her. "If you keep that attitude and keep on buying things that you don't need simply because you want them, you're going to go broke."

"Oh, come on! How much do we have stored in that credit chip? What, at least seven billion credits?" Mission continued to complain.

"Audrey's right, Mission," Carth said. "I still remember an old friend of mine winning the Corellian lottery one year. He kept spending and spending it on real estate, aaaand it was gone. All gone in a few months' time as his investments all crashed in value."

"After spending years in the Lower City and caring for the downtrodden in our old gang, you should know better, Mission," Audrey reminded her. "I want to live a comfortable life just as much as you do, but…well…I was actually thinking of perhaps opening up an orphanage or something after this war is over."

"An orphanage? Sounds like a good idea," Carth praised Audrey for her generosity. "Always felt crushed seeing all the displaced children who lost their homes and families due to this damned war. Most of all the children of Telos."

"I thought we might as well," Audrey shrugged. "With the enormous amount stored in Davik's account, the interest revenue alone will be enough to finance an orphanage. Or twelve."

"'We'?" Mission giggled, giving Audrey a cheeky little nudge with her elbow.

"Oh shut up Mission, you little squirt," Audrey laughed and squeezed Mission on the cheek.

"Wa-wait a second," Carth said, flustered. "She knows?"

"Eavesdropped on us while she pretended to sleep. Bloody scoundrel," Audrey gave Mission a joking glare.

"Oh come on, it was so sweet!" Mission giggled. "It was like those old romantic movies, I'm telling you! But hey, when can I get to call myself 'Aunt Mission', if you know what I mean?" she teased, giving Audrey a wink.

Audrey blushed furiously, trying her best to avoid making any noticeable facial expression, let it be a frustrated frown or an embarrassed smirk.

"Too soon, Mission," Carth gave a disapproving mutter.

"Ah, finally!" Audrey exclaimed and paced over to a stall which was selling transponders and tracking devices. Well-versed in such devices and needing no extra time for inspection, she quickly bought enough to supply one for each member of the group, including T3-M4. The devices all came with in-built text encryption technology, allowing T3 to relay vital messages in Basic to them.

"Seriously, do we have to?" Mission groaned and placed her hands on her hips. "Seems like just an excuse to keep close tabs on me on your part, if you ask me."

"It's necessary, trust me," Audrey said. "You know how huge both Tatooine and Kashyyyk are going to be, right? We'll probably have to split up often to search for these weird 'Star Maps' Elena and Bastila told us about last night."

"Star Maps? What the hell are they?" Mission asked.

"You were asleep at the time, Mish," Carth informed her. "It's hard for us to explain, but I think these Star Maps are some things we have to locate in order to find out just where we have to go in order to stop the Sith."

"You should seek out Elena or Bastila when they're free; they'll be able to explain it to you in more detail," Audrey suggested. "Here," she said, handing Mission one transponder. "Get accustomed to it. It'll come in handy."

Mission grumbled as she took the device and put it in her back pocket. "I know you love and want to protect me and all, but…geez, this is borderline ridiculous."

Audrey grinned as she walked towards Zaalbar. "You'll thank me when it comes in handy, dearie. Here," she said, handing another to her big companion. "Place this in that utility belt of yours."

"Grrmph…," Zaalbar let out a hesitant groan as he took the device out of Audrey's hands.

"What's the matter? Please don't tell me that your wookiee pride forbids you from even using transponders," Audrey rolled her eyes, then muttered to Mission. "And Mish, please tell me that you'll secretly shampoo his fur at least once every week while we're all crammed into the Ebon Hawk?"

"I'm not exactly in the mood to get my head ripped off by accident, y'know," Mission chuckled. "But Big Z, what's wrong? Come on – you can tell me."

"Kashyyyk…my homeworld…I'm not sure if I can bear to return," Zaalbar said dejectedly with a shrug.

"What? Why can't you bear to return to your own homeworld?" Mission asked.

"It is…painful for me to speak about. Perhaps later I can tell you more, but for now I would like to be left to my thoughts," Zaalbar answered.

"Okay then, suit yourself," Mission gave him an empathetic look. "Take all the time you want, Big Z. But remember, we have to visit Kashyyyk eventually."

Zaalbar shyly nodded and went back to his silent brooding thoughts, all the while taking in the atmosphere of the Dantooine markets which he would see for the last time.

-o-

Hours later, an eerie silence fell upon the group who were gathered together as usual in the dining hall, this time also accompanied by Juhani. With the exception of Zaalbar whose comparative lack of self-awareness led to him hooving away at the dish of nerf steak and steamed vegetables, the rest of the party ate their food at a hesitant pace, their eyes intermittently glancing over at Bastila who simply poked at her meat with her fork without taking a bite.

"Is something the matter, Bastila?" Audrey asked her friend, finally breaking the awkward silence. "You're hardly eating your food."

"I'm fine," Bastila murmured back, her voice almost inaudible among the chorus of voices in the dining hall. "I'm just not that hungry, I suppose."

"Don't be like that, Bas," Mission said. "I know you. You're probably second only to me when it comes to being a smiley, positive person. What's wrong? You can tell us."

Bastila briefly showed the slightest sign of a smile on her lips, but it quickly faded. Elena turned to her right to speak to her long-time student, and gently held her hand over Bastila's while they exchanged a few words. Then, after a little nod, Elena spoke on Bastila's behalf.

"It might upset you to hear this, but Bastila received news this morning that her father died in a hunting expedition on Tatooine. That's why she had to excuse herself from the meeting with the Council in the morning and has been in our dorm until now."

"Oh my gosh…," Mission gasped, holding her hand over her lips while her fork clanged against her dish. She reached out with both hands and squeezed Bastila's which lay still on the table opposite her. "Bas, I'm…so sorry. But how did you hear news like that?"

Bastila paused for a moment before gently pushing back Mission's hands and summoning up the strength to give a reply. "While Kael was speaking to Elena in our dorm in the morning, a man approached me. He was one of my father's treasure hunting friends. Father would always go on hunting trips because mother wished him to – because she couldn't resist the allure of treasure. My father's friend told me that their group was ambushed by a group of Sand People during one of their hunts deep in the Dune Sea of Tatooine. One man was killed and three of them wounded and left for dead, including my father's friend. My father himself was taken away by the Sand People and was never seen again."

Carth and Audrey exchanged mournful glances before looking at Bastila. They knew all too well how it felt to lose their loved ones forever, and couldn't help but sympathize with Bastila.

"But your father," Juhani said, feeling confident that she could speak freely to the friends of the man who saved her from darkness. "How do you know that he is dead?"

"They're Sand People, Cathar," Canderous grunted, quickly drawing a narrow-eyed glare from the woman who still held a grudge against his kind. "What do you expect them to do – ransom like civilized folks? Get real." After receiving a disapproving frown from Kael, Canderous took his cue to be silent so as to avoid further offending Bastila.

"We have to go to Tatooine!" Mission cried, flustered. "I thought I had reason to go because I wanted to see my brother again and find out why he left me behind, but Bastila's reason is all the more important."

"Don't fret it, dear," Bastila sighed. "For all I know, my father is dead. There's no point in you all being reckless just to try to save him."

"Well, I say we go to Tatooine," Kael said with conviction, drawing the attention of all of his friends. "I told you before didn't I, Bastila? I'm a Jedi now, but at the end of the day I follow what my heart tells me is right. And right now, my heart tells me to go to Tatooine and search for your father as well as Mission's brother."

"The Star Maps, Kael," Bastila murmured. "They're more important than my family."

"Don't talk that way. Just don't," Kael said again with that tone which warmed Bastila's heart to the core. "I'm just as devoted to this mission as you are, but I'll be damned if I let you continue to be plagued with a broken heart. I want to do this for you, Bastila. I'm sure we all do." He looked around at his friends who looked back at him with eyes of determination…save for Canderous who appeared to be rather indifferent.

"Well, unless anyone has objections, I guess Tatooine is our first stop," Carth shrugged. "When should we leave?"

"We can leave first thing in the morning," Audrey said. "Don't want you falling asleep at the controls due to a lack of proper sleep now, do we?"

"Blondie's right," Canderous added. "Every single hyperspace route is probably being fought over by the Republic and Sith. We'll be shot and turned into a thousand tiny pieces if we make even the tiniest slipup while traveling."

"I can request Admiral Dodonna to provide us with a continuous live feed of the galaxy map," Carth suggested. "It'll let us know which routes are dangerous and which to take."

"Really," Bastila sighed, almost teary-eyed. "You don't have to do this for me."

"Hey, it's what you're supposed to do for friends you care about," Mission said to her with a warm tone. "Just because you're a Jedi, it doesn't mean you should always keep a stiff upper lip. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on every now and then. Don't be afraid to share your feelings with us, and especially Carth and Audrey. They've gone through suffering from the same feelings you're experiencing right now, remember?"

"You should know by now that I'm not as frosty as I make myself seem to strangers, sweetheart," Audrey assured her. "Mission's right: Carth and I know what it feels like to lose our loved ones. You can talk to one of us any time you like."

"She's my old apprentice, you know," Elena smiled at them. "You're not trying to become competitors of mine for her affections, are you?"

Audrey gave Elena a joking wince of her eyes. "The contest is on, El."

Although she did not believe it to be possible, Bastila felt…happy. Despite losing the one person who truly meant the world to her, she was gladdened by the fact that she had such dependable and caring friends at her side.

And deep down, she could somehow feel the presence of her father, smiling at her in the way he always did right up to the day she departed to join the Order.

A/N: I had to be extra careful in writing the final stretch of this chapter. I almost forgot that I had written in a completely original plot for Tatooine in which the krayt dragon lair part is completely removed.

The subplot concerning Kael, Elena and Bastila's relationship will really move ahead in the next few chapters. Cracks will form eventually, so please keep an eye out for that. The character of Vice-Admiral Krieg will also play a more prominent role in the next chapters, and I also want to put in a space battle that is completely original and will call upon Bastila's Battle Meditation in a new way.

The pace might also slow down a tiny notch as I fit in more flashbacks and visions here and there. As usual, they will consist of Bastila's dreams, as well as visions shared by her, Kael and Elena. Mission's past with her family is also something I want to cover.

And yes…fingers crossed for HK!

As always, please leave your reviews!