Yavin IV was a world shrouded in mystery, and one with very few mentions in the history holobooks and archives. It was well-documented that the moon's pyramidal temples had been built by the ancient Massassi race, although very little was known about them or what exactly had led to their extinction. To the galactic community, Yavin IV had been an obscure, unimportant world for most of its history. At least until the Battle of Yavin gave it a measure of notoriety.

In many ways, it was the perfect world for the nascent Jedi order.

Luke had to admit that a big part of his decision to choose that particular moon was sentimental. Yavin IV was the first world he'd set foot on after finally leaving Tatooine, and he could still remember the sheer awe he'd felt at seeing so much plant life in one place. He'd also spent hours before the celebrations at the edges of the moon's jungles, where he'd mourned a murdered family, a lost mentor and fallen comrades that included the closest friend he'd had growing up.

Yavin was also largely symbolic of The Rebellion's hard won victory in the war. The system that should've been the final grave of The Alliance had turned into the site of its first major victory. It was a victory paid for with the blood of everyone who'd fallen at Scarif and in the Death Star's trenches, a fact that often left Luke feeling more than a little humbled.

But perhaps most importantly, Luke liked being on Yavin IV. It was a world full of life, largely due to the presence of so much fauna and flora on its surface, so The Force was especially strong on it like it was on Dagobah. But the moon also had a serenity and a sense of balance missing from crowded worlds like Coruscant or Denon. It made meditation easier when one didn't have to filter out so much, and Luke hoped that the quiet and beauty would make the first steps of his future students a little easier.

Although he wasn't sure if the setting was of any particular help for the first candidate.

The Jedi could feel the Tholothian's eyes on him as he spun and dodged through the web of stun blasts, his lightsaber somehow always at the right time and place to block whatever shots the training remotes sent his way. Some of the blasts would occasionally be intercepted by a floating rock or another similarly solid object, which likely only added to the awe emanating from the girl. It was not something that Luke found particularly encouraging, for he didn't want power to be the main draw for her.

The remotes ceased their attack as a chorus of beeps announced the end of the training session, and the spherical devices floated down to the storage unit that normally housed them. Luke wiped some sweat off his forehead and turned towards Kye, who was trying and failing to suppress what was probably the first grin he'd seen on her face.

"You've gotta teach me how to do that." she said with carefully contained excitement. Luke couldn't resist a smile of his own as he grabbed his water bottle.

"If you think that's impressive, you should see me spar with TeeEx more often." he said after a few gulps. Artoo blatted a sarcastic remark about the swordmaster droid's age, which drew a smirk from Luke. The Astromech was lucky that TeeEx wasn't around.

"That's pretty neat to witness too. But most people are gonna come at me with blasters, not a sword." she noted, and Luke once again noticed the pragmatism of her thought process.

"You know, you don't have to lead a life where people 'come at you'." he noted in turn, and the tholothian's face subtly fell.

"Maybe. But I'd still like to learn that laser sword trick. Just in case." she said stoically, once again trying to hide her eagerness.

"Well, it's not something you can easily master." Luke said, trying to get through to her. "When I first started my training, I could barely block shots from a single remote. It took me years to be able to do what I just did. And I didn't just have to practice with my lightsaber. I also had to strengthen my connection to The Force."

"By sitting cross-legged in the woods and doing breathing exercises?" she said with more disappointment than sarcasm. She was not someone who achieved peace of mind easily. Not that Luke could blame her.

"Trust me. Meditation wasn't easy for me at first either." he said with a patient look that he hoped she'd find encouraging. "It's hard to be mindful and serene when you're fighting both a war and the anger of losing your family to the enemy."

"Then….what changed, exactly?" she asked.

"Well, change isn't always sudden." he explained in his best teacher voice as sat down on a stool. "I just got better at listening to The Force as time went. I saw inside myself and learned how to master it. The stuff that held me back - the anger, the fear, the doubts - didn't entirely go away. I still have to fight them. But I do my best to not let them drive me."

She pursed her lips as she grabbed one of the remotes, clearly contemplating his words. "Do you think I could become a Jedi someday?"

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you could?"

"No, I asked first." the Tholothian said firmly, and with more than a little frustration. "You haven't said it, but I get the feeling that you don't want to teach me. And I don't understand why since you said that I have enough of that M-Count stuff."

Luke frowned slightly. The girl was certainly perceptive. "Knowing what a Jedi knows, doesn't make one a Jedi. Being a Jedi is about being. It's a hard life, and if you choose to live it, you'll have to make sacrifices. Are you certain that you're willing to walk that road? That you really understand what you're asking?"

Kye shrugged. "I don't know if I understand it entirely just yet." she admitted. "But I do want to be a Jedi. I'm certain of that, at least."

Luke's expression softened. The girl was still an enigma to him in many ways, but she did seem sincere in her desire. "Why do you want to become a Jedi?"

"Because I want to stop evil people." she said nonchalantly. "I may not have fought The Empire, but I grew up on Nar Shaddaa. I've seen a lot of evil in my life. Mostly things done to the weak and the helpless." she paused, subtly struggling to remain composed. "I want to learn to protect people from scum like that. Do you know that feeling?"

Luke's expression turned sympathetic again. The girl was angry, and the Jedi could tell that she wanted to feel safe above everything else. She wanted the power to protect herself, and maybe others as well like she'd said. But the line between justice and vengeance was often thin, and even righteous anger could lead to the dark side. In fact, it was probably the kind that led there the easiest, because it often didn't feel wrong at all.

"I grew up on Tatooine, a world practically ruled by a Hutt" he reminded her. "I've seen a lot of what you've described, even though my uncle tried to shield me from it as well as he could. I've also fought in a war for years to protect people from The Empire, so it's safe to say that I know what fighting to protect others is like." he paused, allowing her to take in his words. "But fighting oppressors is just one part of the job. A Jedi isn't a warrior."

She raised an eyebrow at that and crossed her arms. "Then what is a Jedi?" she asked with genuine curiousity and just a hint of wryness.

Luke gazed into the distance, remembering old lessons from years ago. "It's hard to describe, but a Jedi isn't just one thing. Sometimes we're healers, aiding the wounded. Other times, we're teachers spreading enlightenment. We can also be diplomats who resolve conflicts without bloodshed, or protectors fighting against people who couldn't be stopped otherwise. In short, we are what people need us to be at any given time."

The girl took in his words, and seemed to understand them."That sounds great, but I'm not sure if I'd ever be good at any of that other than the stabbing sleemos part. And from where I'm standing, that's how a whole lot of problems are solved."

Luke gave a small sigh. "Then you still have a lot to learn."

Kye opened her mouth to retort, but was interrupted by the sound of powerful sublight engines, and Luke grinned as a familiar looking YT-1300 Corellian Freighter approached the clearing and began landing preparations, slowly descending near the entrance to the great temple.

The tholothian raised an eyebrow "Didn't think you get a lot of visitors coming here." she noted.

"I receive a few." The Jedi said as a grin came to his face. "That one would be my brother-in-law. Come on, I think he'll like meeting you." he continued while heading towards the ship.

The ramp descended with a hiss, which was followed by two familiar shapes walking down it. Chewbacca gave a cheerful bark as he pulled Luke in for one of his famous wookiee hugs. "I'm glad to see you too, Chewie. Things can be a little too quiet without you two." The former rebel said with a grin, while ignoring his best friend's chuckles.

Han gave one of his own famous lopsided grins. "I'd ask you if living out here alone has you hearing voices, Kid, but I know that's not how the crazy part of you works."

"Yeah, my voices are pretty real most of the time." Luke joked while hugging his brother-in-law. "Hope you haven't dismantled Threepio yet."

Han shrugged. "I try, but Chewie doesn't let me do it. Apparently, putting Goldenrod together is too much of a hassle for him."

A wave of curiosity surrounded Luke as Kye arrived cautiously behind him. "Han, allow me to introduce Kye Manaan. She's been of great help to me on Nar Shaddaa, like I told you over comms. Kye this is my brother-in-law, General Han Solo."

"Former General." Han corrected as he shook the girl's hand. "Pleased to meet ya, kid. Luke told me a lot about you. Wouldn't shut up, actually"

"Er, Good things I hope." Kye said with an awkward smile, and Luke noted that she was almost flustered, which he guessed was a rare occurrence for her. "Wait. You're The Han Solo and Chewbacca? The smugglers turned rebel heroes?"

Han's lopsided grin returned as he gave Luke a smug look. "See? She's heard of me."

"There's a lot of gossip on Nar Shaddaa." Kye said. "When you live there as long l have, you learn a lot about the underworld. The stories about you definitely float around the cantinas."

Han smirked at look. "Ah. And what do those stories say exactly?"

"That you were a damn good smuggler, but bad at Sabacc. Both playing it and cheating at it." The Tholothian said, and Luke had to stifle a chuckle. Although Han surprisingly didn't seem too miffed. "Hmmm. I know a few people who'd contest that last part. My current business partner included." he said with the smirk still on his face

"Hey, I did say it was rumors." Kye said defensively, although with a clear hint of playfulness. "A lot people aren't exactly happy that you've gone straight, so I'm sure not everything I've heard is true. Eitherway, did you really make the Kessel run in only 12 parsecs?"

Han shrugged as Chewie barked with amusement. "Yeah, me and this fuzzball set that record back in the day." Solo said as he nodded towards The Falcon. "This old girl looked a little different back then, and gave us a bit of a close call. It's a good story for a round of drinks, that's for sure."

"Guess I gotta hear then." the girl said nonchalantly, although hints of excitement were there. "Let me grab something from the inside real quick though. I'll leave you guys to catch up."

The former rebels watched as the Tholothian disappeared into The Great Temple. And Han's trademark lopsided grin returned once more. "Well, the kid is nicer than I expected."

Luke gave a small snort. "Stick around. You might change your mind." he said wryly "I'm glad to see you guys. How are things going at Golden Saber?"

Han shrugged. "Somewhat stable at the moment. Although Lobot's probably gonna head back to Bespin soon. He does most of the work there anyway, but Lando somehow gets the fancy title. It ain't fair if you ask me."

Chewie barked a laugh, and Han gave him a half-hearted glare. "No, Just because I joke about it, doesn't mean I'm jealous of the Baron Administrator thing." he said defensively, before turning to Luke again. "So. Have you started teaching the girl?"

"Not officially. Not in a way that matters at least." Luke said dejectedly. "I'm not sure if training her would be in her best interests, or the right thing to do for the New Order. I don't want to rush this process."

"Well, you ain't getting younger, so you probably shouldn't wait too long either." Han noted wryly. "And if you're worried about her age, you weren't exactly a toddler yourself when the old man started teaching you."

"It's not about her age." Luke explained defensively. "She's angry, and she definitely has a lot of things to work through. And I'm not sure if Jedi training is the best way to help her deal with that."

"No offense, Kid. But you were pretty angry too after your folks and Alderaan." Solo pointed out. "We all were. And you've told me yourself that Jedi feel anger all the time, you included."

"And we work hard to not let it control us." Luke said. "My father had a hard upbringing that gave him plenty of things to deal with, and the Jedi accepted him anyway. That didn't go well, but I don't want to hold that against her."

"But you're also afraid that she may not be cut out to be a Jedi." Han finished his thoughts. "Look, Kid. I'm obviously not an expert on The Force, but I was a street rat too, and I turned out alright." he said, drawing a sarcastic growl from Chewbacca that left him rolling his eyes slightly. "Eventually." he said. "And that Bridger fellow was a street rat too, and he still made the right calls, just like you did. Point is, your old man made his own choices, and she deserves to make hers. If the girl really wants to be a Jedi, then I think she should at least get to try. And don't give me any of that "there is no try" nonsense."

Luke smiled "When did you get so wise?" he had to admit that Han's words mirrored much of his own thought process, and perhaps they were the encouragement he needed to truly accept his first apprentice.

"What can I say? Hanging around you and your sister rubs off." Solo said with another smirk. "Now, I hope you have something decent to eat, because we're staying for dinner. It's a long way to the meeting on Alzoc III, and I could use something other than ration bars."

Chewbacca gave a loud growl that drew a chuckle from the Jedi. "Yeah, Chewie." he said. "I do have some bantha steaks lying around. Come on inside and I'll start preparing something."

"Yeah, well, let's hope your cooking's gotten better." Han grumbled as they headed towards the Temple's doorway.

The Imperial Super Star Destroyer was the pride and joy of both the Imperial Navy and the various manufacturers at Kuat, Fondor, Rendilli and more. Capable of reaching a staggering length of nineteen thousand meters, a single one of those ships was capable of single-handedly winning a campaign; thanks to the sheer amount of shielding, armor and weaponry it boasted. Such ships were both a marvel of engineering and a hefty toll on resources, hence why the Empire had only ever built twelve of them. And only five of them belonged to the terrifying Executor class of Dreadnoughts.

Moff Gideon was currently sitting in his office aboard The Arbitrator, which was perhaps the final remaining Executor-class SSD in The Galaxy. The Class' name giver had been destroyed at The Battle of Endor, and The Agonizer had soon followed it during the Battle of Zastiga. The fall of The Ravager during the mid rim offensive presumably left The Arbitrator as one of its kind, although whispers that suggested The Lusankya's survival floated around the ISB offices, according to his agents there.

That status quo had a bitter irony that didn't escape Lasster Gideon's notice. A few years ago, the idea of the rebels destroying an SSD had been preposterous. Because back then, No one could have imagined the rebels ever obtaining such firepower or military might. The Moffs had viewed the Death Star as a fluke, and some were privately vocal about their criticism of the project; with the benefits of hindsight, of course. Many had felt that Grand Admiral Thrawn's TIE Defender project would've been more worthwhile, or that perhaps more Super Star Destroyers would've been more pragmatic. Some had been bold enough to make suggestions to The Emperor and Lord Vader regarding the future direction of the navy.

Then the old corpse had gone ahead and built another of his blasted planet killers, further crippling the strained economy. The masterstroke that should've brought about the final doom of the Alliance had gone horribly wrong, apparently because of the interference of a bunch of primitives with only a single mention in some obscure anthropology database. And even Lord Vader had apparently met his defeat at the hands of a boy with merely a few years of experience. All because of hubris and arrogance.

Palpatine had been more than intelligent and cunning, but he had also been a politician first and foremost, with only a rudimentary understanding of military operations. He'd never understood that wars were not won with Super Weapons and singular strokes, but rather with patience, logistical wisdom, and men. Great warriors like Lord Vader, capable of inspiring subordinates while leading them to victory with poise and prowess. Great warriors with The Force by their side.

Oh, there were rumors that Palpatine had wielded great power in The Force prior to his untimely death. But he hadn't been a warrior like Lord Vader or like the Jedi. Gideon had served alongside Jedi during The Clone Wars. He had seen their cunning and power first hand, and he believed that they would've won the war if they hadn't needlessly crippled themselves with pontifications and morality.

But Gideon's Empire was going to be different. It would have The Force on its side. And The Force would no longer be with a handful of individuals, but with many great warriors leading the charge.

'And speaking of warriors' Gideon thought as the door swooshed open to admit the person he'd been waiting for.

"Greetings, Sir. How may I serve you?" The Inquisitor said stoically while standing at attention in front of Gideon's desk

"I am not The Emperor, Thirteenth Brother." Gideon reminded the boy. "You don't serve me. We both serve The Empire."

"I do not see much of a difference between the two options, Sir." The young man said. Tall and powerfully built, the boy had a lot of potential as a warrior. He was cunning and competent, although Gideon got the impression that he somewhat lacked initiative. Of course, things weren't always what they seemed with Force Users.

"Then you have much to learn, my young friend." Gideon said in an almost fatherly tone. "How are the preparations for the mission to Mandalore going?"

"They're almost complete." Thirteenth Brother said. "The agents are in place, the ships are almost ready, and I've calculated the hyperspace jump coordinates myself."

Gideon gave a predatory smile. "In that case, I think we're just about ready to take the fight to the enemy."

"To the New Republic, Sir?" The young man asked with a raised eyebrow, and Gideon's smile simply widened. "To everyone, my friend. You need to learn to think bigger."

Author's Note:

Sorry for another wait, but at least it wasn't as long as last time! I hope this chapter was satisfying, especially considering it isn't very long. It's a bit of a calm before the storm where I try to build on Kye and the rudimentary connections she's forming. And of course, a tiny glimpse into the book's primary antagonists.

As usual, I look forward to your opinions. Likes/Dislikes/thoughts/speculations...they all mean the world to me and get the next chapter here faster.