Author's note: Dearest readers, thank you so much for your patience with me. It's so nice to be back and I wish you all well. Given my busier schedule, it bothers me that I'm not updating weekly for the time being. However, I have to believe that differently-scheduled content is better than no content. I hate making anyone wait this long, but it feels better to do every other week than to take a massive hiatus. This being said, thank you for waiting. Thanks for continuing to support this story as we carry on. All of you are so greatly appreciated and I hope today's chapter reaches you.

Long Live Imagination,

~ Michael

This chapter is dedicated to those we've lost and the lives they've touched.

Chapter: 103 End of an Era

"There are five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance."

Trials of the Order! As the Republic finds itself locked in deadly conflicts across the galaxy, the Jedi Order struggles to maintain balance. While many of its members fully commit to the war, others seek deeper levels of understanding. They search within themselves and are reminded of just how precious their time alive really is...

If only maintaining life was as simple as refueling a ship. Or even fixing up a droid, for that matter. The Deliverance had docked for a resupply high above Coruscant's atmosphere. Accompanied by a plethora of other Venators and frigates, it orbited beside a colossal space station. Commissioned by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine himself, Starpoint was a base like no other. It was a headquarters for military leaders to regroup and debrief. It served as a watchtower for all of Coruscant. And even if the populace agreed that it was one of the ugliest space stations above the atmosphere, at least it offered them security. While Starpoint was comprised of a central spire, several rings orbited its core. Each served a unique purpose to the Republic fleet, with the lowest and widest being a fueling depot. Tremendous tanks and ribbed tubes pumped gallons of rhydonium into ships. From one of the Deliverance's viewports, Elsa Dellian enjoyed observing the process. Starpoint was a technological marvel, the likes of which both baffled and astounded her.

As the fueling task continued, Elsa reclined and returned to her workbench. A set of digital chitters had her giggling as she finished giving Sir Porgen a tuneup. After cranking the little droid's new wings into place, she let him waddle out for a moment. "Well?" she chuckled as the droid spent a moment adjusting. "Not bad?" Porgen's data-brain was adapting with each passing day as he fully acknowledged her. His dome head swiveled and he gleefully flapped his wings. Elsa's grin widened as she said, "I'm so glad! You'll be able to fly twice as high now." As Porgen leapt to nuzzle Elsa's forearm, her grin suddenly faltered. "Yeah..." she whispered and lost herself in petting Porgen. As she did so, her mind wandered beyond her workbench and back to a place she'd tried too often to forget.

It mattered not how many weeks had passed, nor how much the council and everyone had tried to move on. None of it changed the fact that Barriss Offee was a traitor. Elsa still had trouble stomaching the concept, even when the evidence had so openly presented itself. While she and Barriss had disagreed on topics in the past, Elsa never imagined that her friend would commit treason. That she'd take the lives of fellow Jedi in order to send a message. All Barriss had done was make things worse for the Republic and Jedi Order. Public opinion in the Jedi had only been salvaged by Anakin and Anna's combined war efforts. Although Elsa was grateful for any positive imagery of the Order, she strongly detested the methods by which it was obtained.

"This Republic is failing!" Barriss had warned.

And all you did was prolong that failure, Elsa answered the painful memory. She winced at such a thought and considered how many times Barriss had shown uncertainty. If only I'd been more attentive, she pondered. Maybe I could've seen the signs. I could've stopped this. I could've helped her.

"Her choices were her own," Evara, Wraith of the Force spoke up. "Just as yours are."

That doesn't change the fact that I could've made a difference. That would've been my choice to intervene.

"Young one, you offered this lost Jedi peace even after she'd committed the act."

I didn't know! Elsa winced. If she'd only opened up to me...after everything...I would've helped her.

"You will torment yourself with this regret," Evara said. "Elsa, not everyone is strong enough to walk the path of Light."

But they can return to it.

There was a long and daunting pause. "It has happened, yes." Evara answered."Much like how you still return to me." Elsa sighed as Evara continued. "It is becoming increasingly difficult to reach you. Why do you untether our bond?"

I have a responsibility to Stel, Elsa intoned. And he isn't ready to learn about you yet.

"But that isn't it," Evara insisted. "For even in your moments of solitude, you'd rather face your pain alone than with me. Do you not trust the Light Side?"

Elsa nervously bit her lip. Upon shaking her head and steadying herself with a deep breath, she finally answered. I'm not sure I can trust the Jedi Order. But my answer is no different from your question, for we are servants of the Light Side. And yet, I witness deception...corruption. We have betrayed ideals for the sake of politics. I have witnessed extreme horror in an attempt of retaliation. Barriss said the Jedi fight for the Dark Side. What if she's right?

"Much is clouded in the shadow of this war, Elsa."

Evara explained. "But you must understand that the Jedi are not the exclusive wielders of Light. They are but vessels. Symbols for others across the galaxy to rally behind. Whether those symbols are tainted or remain true is completely up to the individual. If you do not trust your council, you are free of judgement...even from a Force Wraith."

Then what makes me any different from Barriss? Elsa asked. Aside from not killing anyone? Because I believe that part of her speech is true.

"Your friend believed that the only language anyone would listen to was violence. And so she wrote her testament in blood before speaking out. You understand the value of life, and that is why I am still so closely drawn to you. Whether a Jedi Order exists or not, the Light Side shall remain. As will the Dark. The servants to either side will choose where they devote their energy." Evara accepted Elsa's silence for understanding. "Do not feel unworthy to speak to me because you have doubts."

That's easier said than done, Elsa professed. The Jedi Order is my life. Sure, I've made a name for myself within its doctrine...but- Elsa hung her head while petting Sir Porgen. Who would I be without the Order?

"That question possesses an easy answer," Evara said. "The likes of which can be used whenever you feel lost. From the moment you arrived here...from the trials you've faced, to whether or not the Order persisted...you will always be Elsa Dellian."

Elsa thought on Evara's words and slowly raised her head. She considered not only what her name meant to her, but to those aboard the Deliverance. To everyone she'd met in her wanderings. A certain Theelin's youthful banter had Elsa rising from her workbench. She leaned against the nearest balcony and observed her apprentice below. Stel was as lively as ever and staring into his lightsaber. The bright blue beam complimented his darker, azure hair.

"Alright," he said. "What's the story?"

"Story?" Rip blurted as he, Doubles, and Frost got into position. "We're training. Elsa's orders."

"No I know that part," Stel insisted. "I meant what's our scenario? You can't just be shooting at me for nothing. Come on. It'll make it more immersive."

"We were bred to fight battles-" Doubles jested. "-not make them up."

"Okay..." Commander Frost proposed. "What if Rip, Doubles and I betrayed the Republic?"

"Why?" Stel asked and tested the clone's patience. Elsa concealed a snicker as Frost kept brainstorming. "Count Dooku...uhm...offered us a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Stel questioned.

"Are we training the kid or having an interview?" Rip snapped.

"Cookies," Doubles stammered and all eyes turned to him. "What?" he shrugged. "I would join the Dark Side if they had cookies."

"I probably would to," Rip murmured.

"Reel it in," Frost huffed. "Okay then, kid. Let's try this again. Rip, Doubles and I have joined Count Dooku because he offered us cookies. Fair enough?"

Elsa giggled from the railing while Stel accepted the story. "Right then," his master declared. "Ready positions!" While the clones set their blasters to training rounds, Stel flourished his lightsaber. "Begin," Elsa instructed as Frost moved in first.

The commander fired directly towards Stel's center. Quick on his feet, Stel spun and deflected the blast. On cue, Doubles fired next for Stel to block. Rip tried being sneaky and unleashed two shots. While Stel blocked the first, he narrowly avoided the second. "Hey!" the Theelin snapped. "No fair!"

"Stel," Elsa intoned. "Focus. The battlefield is full of distractions and it seldom plays fair." Frustrated, Stel resumed his position and blocked incoming shots. "Good," Elsa admired as he completed each cycle. "Boys, let's pick up the pace a little bit." While Frost and Doubles were quick to oblige, Rip was too busy cackling sinisterly. Although his eyes widened with surprise, Stel was able to keep up with the blasts. "You're already better than I was at your age," Elsa admitted while Stel blocked Rip's double shot. "Remember, Form III is all about resilience. Block where you must and dodge where you can."

"When do I get to fight them?" Stel panted while deflecting.

"This is a defensive exercise, Padawan. You will not be seeking conflict today. And you shouldn't seek it any day either. But when it inevitably finds you, I will ensure that you are prepared to protect yourself. Know your technique and its history," Elsa instructed. "Soresu was created specifically to counter blasters, but it can also help maintain a duelist's defense. Work on this form and you'll outlast an aggressive opponent."

"But wouldn't it be easier to just attack instead of holding on?" Stel griped.

"Keep focusing," Elsa asserted and descended to their level. Porgen perched on her shoulder as she said, "Troopers, increase firing speed. But don't break at any point." The thought made Stel's heart sink, yet Frost caught on to her lesson. Staying true to her orders, he and the other clones fired rapidly. Stel's breaths hastened as he rushed to deflect each round. Sweat trickled down his temples with each frantic shift of his boots. Standing tall, Elsa dared to speak another order. "Faster," she told the clones. She wasn't done with them while they listened. "Even faster."

"I can't do this!" Stel panicked while hurriedly blocking shots.

"Whether you can or cannot doesn't change where you are," Elsa instructed. "You are here, Stel. What do you need to do?"

"Block," Stel panted while Elsa nodded. Sweat dampened his robes and splattered against the floor. The clones were firing so quickly, that Stel resorted to dodging where he couldn't block. "I have to attack!" he yelped.

"No," Elsa implored. "Hold. Your. Ground."

"They're gonna hit me!" Stel worried. "They're gonna-" In that instant, the laserfire suddenly came to a halt. The Padawan dropped his aching arms and stared at his master in disbelief. "D-...did I lose?"

"On the contrary," Elsa said. She shook her head and pointed towards Stel's opponents. A crisp odor reached her Padawan's nose as he observed the clones. Each of their blasters had become nearly too hot to touch. Smoke spewed from their sizzling muzzles while their energy chambers glowed in fiery reds. "They fired so much, that their weapons overheated." Elsa explained. "Yet you endured, Stel. Because victory doesn't go to the boldest aggressor, but to the toughest and smartest defender. With your opponents unable to attack, you'd now have a greater window to take advantage of."

"Overheating means nothing," Rip groused and raised his smoking blaster. "We can still use these as clubs." As Doubles smacked him upside the head, Elsa's holocomm suddenly chimed. The trill was enough to get Porgen chirping in alarm as Elsa raced to grab her device.

She plucked the holocomm from her belt and activated it in her palm. The first sound to reach her was that of a bizarre beeping. "What is that?" Frost asked while trying to make sense of the staticky sounds.

Elsa squinted her eyes as a peculiar set of holograms took shape in her hand. Two flickering orbs spiraled around a flat-winged symbol. A pair of cephalic lobes extended from the winged creature's body as Elsa tried to make sense of it. She immediately checked the transmission's coding and sighed. "It's an encrypted message. I can't make out who sent it."

"What could it mean?" Doubles asked while Rip still rubbed his head.

"It kinda looks like-" Stel whispered while approaching the symbol. "-a brith." The Theelin raised his finger and traced the creature's outline in its symbol. "See?" he queried. "There's the barbed tail...the wings...and its horn thingies."

"Lobes," Elsa corrected while tilting her head. "I do see a brith," she concurred. "But what does it mean?"

"Brith," Frost wondered. "Elsa...Didn't you once tell me that was the name of your youngling clan?"

"And mine too!" Stel replied until his eyes went wide. "That can't be a coincidence, master. Right?"

Elsa glared at the pair of spheres orbiting the alleged creature. "Two moons," she whispered to herself. "Just like Dantooine, the same planet brith are native to." Elsa stared deeper into the hologram and observed an inscription. "There are coordinates in here, but they're incomplete."

"Well that helps no one," Rip mumbled.

"At least you deciphered a planet out of that message," Frost said. "Perhaps whoever's reaching out to you wants to be found."

"Then why send unfinished coordinates?" Stel remarked.

"I'm not sure," Elsa sighed. "But we may be able to find the missing pieces with a topographical scan of the planet. If someone is reaching out, I want to find them. Commander Frost, have Admiral Taka set a course for Dantooine."

Having broken apart from the Fifth Fleet, the Legacy was performing a scheduled route check. The Corellian Run was one of the galaxy's largest hyperspace routes. Any Republic vessels traveling in its vicinity were advised to keep an eye out for potential threats. Separatist scout ships were notorious for using the Corellian Run as a jumping point. With tragic news unfolding in the Mid Rim, the Republic couldn't take any chances. While Admiral Shang dutifully manned his station, Anna and her squad observed a datascreen from their quarters.

The Deathchasers were practically glued to the news as more information was released. "This is by far the worst invasion we've seen in this war," a Rodian reporter declared. As an on-scene correspondent, he was wearing a hastily-prepped set of armor. Scorch marks streaked across his helmet while his bulbous eyes focused on the camera. "Ringo Vinda-" he panted in a saddened tone. "-has fallen."

"Kriffing hell," Anna cursed under her breath and paced across the room. Blazer shook his head, yet continued to watch the news.

"The Separatist have shown no mercy in claiming the world and its orbiting space station. With it, unspeakable amounts of Republic supplies have now fallen into their hands. The invasion of Ringo Vinda has raised questions in the Galactic Senate. With many delegates asking how the Republic could lose a Mid Rim world. This shaken faith has put the Core Worlds at risk, as citizens wonder if any of them are safe."

"Oh come on!" Blazer growled at the datascreen. "How many blasted battles have we won in the last two months? The Republic loses 'Ringo-Planet-Thing' and suddenly it's all meaningless?"

"Defeats weigh substantially more than victories, Sarge." Sparx lamented while Speedy hung his head.

"Well that's stupid," Blazer scoffed and crossed his arms. "Those people we're defending have no idea what it's like. They live in their privileged Core Worlds while we're out here watching our brothers get slaughtered. For them!" Blazer jabbed a furious finger at the screen. "Let's see the Senate's politicians come and fight this war."

"On the subject of losing Ringo Vinda," the Rodian continued. "The Supreme Chancellor had this to say-"

Footage swapped to images of Palpatine on a grandiose podium. Camera droids swiveled around him as he declared, "The invasion of Ringo Vinda was as sudden as it was devastating. And while we mourn the loss of life sustained in its valorous defense, now is the time to act. The Separatists will feel our power as we return with an even greater force. They will face the might of the 501st Legion and 62nd Regiment." Palpatine's words were met with thunderous applause as Anna raised a brow. "And as our heroes soar into battle, I will use the emergency powers bestowed upon me to fund an additional two million Republic troops."

"Please turn it off," Anna grumbled.

"Gladly," Blazer replied and powered down the datascreen.

"Two million more brothers," Sparx reiterated.

"We're just numbers to that guy," Blazer murmured.

"It's not like he treats the Jedi any better," Anna added. "I've never even heard of the 62nd Regiment. We should be the ones joining Anakin on Ringo Vinda, not whoever the hell those people are."

"This is all my fault," Speedy uttered and his squadmates turned to him. "Only Admiral Trench could've taken Ringo Vinda so quickly. If only I'd caught him...or not even tried, we'd at least still be assigned to the mission. I'm sorry."

"Hey," Anna intoned. "This isn't your fault, Speedy. If anything, I'm the one who went toe to toe with Skywalker and really pissed him off. It's their loss that the Deathchasers aren't with them. We could've ended that campaign in a week tops. But you watch, Anakin and his 62nd friends will be there for months. I guarantee it. Then he'll come crawling back!" As if on cue, Anna's holocomm rapidly chimed. She flashed a smirk and unclipped the device from her belt. "Well," Anna jested. "That was sooner than expected. Skywalker's probably calling to apologize right now."

Anna's cocky grin faded once she activated the holocomm. An abnormal, staticky beeping echoed throughout the crew quarters. "What the hell?" Anna winced as a trio of holograms emerged. A pair of flickering orbs spiraled around a flat-winged symbol. Cephalic lobes extended from the winged creature's body. The encrypted coding had its recipient growing increasingly suspicious. "Alright," Anna muttered and looked around the room. "Who sent this?" She narrowed her eyes when the question went unanswered. "Speedy?" she asserted. "You're the artist."

"I appreciate that you think so," the trooper answered. "But I'm not that good."

Anna glared at her lieutenant. "Sparx?"

"I'd never play a trick on you, general," he assured.

"Then who sent this?" Anna wondered.

"You're not even gonna assume it was me?" Blazer queried.

"You aren't the most secretive when it comes to pranks," Anna quipped.

"Fair," Blazer shrugged and rose to examine the hologram. "Maybe you have a secret admirer?" the sergeant considered. "Someone trying to tell you something?"

"You might be going somewhere with that last part," Anna said as she read over an incomplete inscription. "These are coordinates of some kind, but they're unfinished." Anna set her holocomm on the nearby table. "How bizarre," she remarked and stared at the symbols.

"Could that creature mean something?" Sparx asked.

"It kinda looks like a brith," Anna admitted. "I haven't seen one of those since my days as a youngling."

"General," Blazer inquired. "Where is it that briths are native to?"

Anna bit her lip and tried to recall the location. "Kriff," she hissed. "I know this. Is it...Kashyyyk? No no no. Manaan?" Frustrated, Anna aggressively snapped her finger. "What was it? It was part of clan history at the temple!"

"Dantooine," Sparx answered. "They're native to Dantooine."

Anna furrowed her brows and asked, "How'd you know?"

The lieutenant merely shrugged and raised a datapad with the answer. "HoloNet," he simply replied.

"Any chance Dantooine has two moons?" Anna asked while observing the orbs around the symbol.

"That it does," Sparx researched.

"We don't have the full coordinates, but someone's reaching out in secret." Anna deduced. "And I want to answer their call." She activated her comlink and patched in to the Legacy's bridge. "Admiral Shang," she beckoned. "Turn us around."

"What?" Shang sputtered. "Why?"

"I'll explain after we make the jump," Anna answered while looking at the holograms. "But we need to get to Dantooine by yesterday."

While her motives had been just as mysterious, Elsa's previous visit to Dantooine was far more dire. She recalled how tense and desperate she'd felt while trying to find her sister. Those emotions had only grown when pirates attacked the Rovani settlement she had infiltrated. Her experiences felt like a lifetime ago, and yet here she was. Dantooine's grassy plains consumed most of the planet from above. Full scale war had yet to ravage the world, and Elsa willed the Force for things to stay that way. She took in the ambience of the Deliverance's command bridge. The tremendous Venator hovered over Dantooine's upper atmosphere while crews completed a topographical scan.

"Even with a portion of the coordinates-" Admiral Taka sighed. "-there are far too many trajectories to narrow our search. We're talking about an entire planet, Elsa."

Unwilling to give up, the eldest Dellian stepped towards a viewport. "I know," she admitted and observed the planet below. "I just hoped we'd see something. A distinct location...a sign. If this person didn't want me to find them, then why would they send any form of coordinates at all?"

"Master?" Stel nervously spoke up as Elsa glanced at him. "What if someone sent it to the wrong person? Like a wrong number?"

"Stel..." Elsa huffed.

"Your apprentice might have a point," Taka considered. "With the Separatists striking closer to the Core Worlds, its very possible that people are worriedly sending messages. Incomplete...and inaccurate even."

"But if that is true," Frost deduced. "It doesn't change the fact that someone reached out for possible assistance. And why use a brith for the symbol? What a coincidence that both Elsa and Padawan Sovan are from Brith Clan."

Elsa mouthed the words 'thank you' to him, but Taka continued. "Then we'd better find whomever sent this cryptic transmission soon," the admiral said. "We've spent a great deal of time and fuel coming here."

Elsa pressed her hands against the viewport as if seeking to connect with the planet below. "Come on..." she whispered to herself. "What are you trying to tell me? Who's calling?" Suddenly, another ship boomed out of hyperspace just across from them. The Hammerhead's familiar frame left Elsa as perplexed as she was enticed.

"Either I'm just exhausted-" Frost began. "-or that's the Legacy."

Upon recognizing a Venator within their flight space, the Hammerhead set course for the Deliverance and opened up comms. "This is Admiral Shang," its overseer called and confirmed Frost's deduction.

"We read you," the Deliverance's leader responded.

"Admiral Taka," Shang greeted. "Might I inquire what brings the 213th to Dantooine?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Taka professed. "We've been tracing a peculiar, encrypted signal."

"What a coincidence," Anna's voice snuck through comms, much to Shang's irritation. "So are we."

"Sister," Elsa gasped and approached her bridge's command table. Leaning next to Taka on comms, she spoke up. "So you received the holomessage too? Interesting."

"Nice to see you too, sis." Anna griped. "I'm fine by the way." Elsa rolled her eyes over Anna's snark. "How long have you been here?"

"A little over an hour," Elsa answered. "But a topographical scan won't do much for us without complete-" The Jedi froze while glaring at the projection. "-coordinates."

"Yeah," Anna scoffed. "What kind of genius sends a half-finished message and expects anyone to-"

"Hold on," Elsa realized and furrowed her brows. "Anna, can you send me your portion of the holomessage?"

"I mean, sure...but-" Anna paused as her sister's theory reached her. "Holy kriff," she uttered. "Do you really think?"

"Only one way to find out," Elsa insisted as she dashed to the bridge's holotable. Stel, Frost, and Taka sped behind her while the Legacy transferred its message.

"Projection received, ma'am," a clone officer reported.

"Excellent," Elsa answered. "Now merge it with ours."

The Deliverance's crew watched with bated breath as the holotable lit up. Two, distinct holograms flickered over the table and swirled into place. Together, they merged to form a single, solid brith. Each matched up sphere glowed like a moon with its additional projection. And as the images came together, so too did the spaced out coordinates. Elsa's grin widened as she read over a clear and coherent line of coordinates.

"Holy kriff," Stel gasped and was immediately met with backlash.

"Woah!" Frost hollered while Taka crossed her arms.

"What?" the young Theelin blurted and looked to his mentor.

"Stel," Elsa intoned. "Language."

"But your sister said that on the HoloNews once," Stel mumbled. Elsa's disapproving glare was enough to have her Padawan zipping his lips.

"Anna," her big sister called in. "It works! Perfect fit and we have coordinates to match the signal."

"Well I'll be damned," Anna replied. "I've got to admit it, Elsa. I wasn't sure how to proceed with this message. Maybe it's more than a mere coincidence that we've both been called here."

"I don't doubt it for a second," Elsa answered. "Whoever's trying to reach out has personally sent for us. They knew we'd need each other to find them, so it's only right for us to go together. I can have a gunship pick you up."

"Copy that," her little sister said. "But my squad's coming too. I'm not ruling out that this could still be a trap."

"Fair enough. I will take my apprentice and Commander Frost. Let's get to the bottom of this."

LAAT-5's descent through Dantooine's atmosphere was slow and steady. As Anna clung to one of the vessel's handholds, she couldn't help but notice Stel staring up at her. Humoring the youngling, Anna offered a wink. Her sister's apprentice faintly smiled at her and asked, "What's he like?" Anna raised a brow until the boy elaborated. "Knight Skywalker. You work with him right?"

Having learned of their falling out from war chatter, Elsa winced at her student's question. "Stel..." she murmured.

"It's alright," Anna assured and addressed the Padawan. "We worked together," she corrected.

Although Stel seemed confused by her choice of tense, his enthusiasm hardly wavered. "Was he as amazing as they say?" he asked. "Was he really the greatest pilot? Strongest duelist?"

Anna had to fight every urged to flash a look of disgust. She briefly glanced at Elsa, who was hoping she'd play along with his excitement. With a heavy sigh, Anna answered, "Skywalker was...pretty good, I suppose."

The answer sufficed as Stel's grin widened. "When I'm a knight, I'm gonna be just like him."

Anna almost choked on his aspiration, but the gunship's sudden bout of turbulence distracted her. "Is your pilot...okay?" she asked.

"Toto's fine," Elsa assured. "He just takes a moment longer to stabilize without a co-pilot."

"Do I dare ask?" Anna groaned.

"Ever since we lost Donz, Toto was promoted to pilot and refuses to work with any other clone. We've honored his request, so long as it doesn't hinder his abilities in an emergency."

"As long as he's okay and we aren't dealing with more buzz droids," Blazer griped.

"Buzz droids?" Stel inquired.

"Trust me," the sergeant insisted while shaking his head. "You don't wanna know, kid."

LAAT-5 glided over Dantooine's vast plains. An entire sea of sunlit grass rippled beneath their vehicle's gusts. As they neared the ground and their destination, Toto opened the hatches for fresh air. The hold's passengers took what time they had to peer out at a calming horizon across the rolling hills.

"What if it's Ezzie?" Anna asked over the howling winds. "Didn't the Rovani have a settlement out here?"

"Long ago," Elsa said. "But their nomadic caravans traveled offworld almost half a year ago. Didn't you hear from the temple briefings?"

"Can't say I did," Anna confessed. "I've mostly been reporting to Watcher. Going where she needs me to go."

And killing who she needs you to kill, Elsa thought but resisted the impulse to say it. Anna's stern look brought a sense of concern to Elsa. While her little sister had never been very attuned to the Force, it didn't stop Elsa from thinking that she'd possibly read her mind.

Anna's next words brought relief to Elsa as she asked, "What's that?"

Elsa followed her gaze beyond the fields to a series of grassy knolls. And as the sunrise streaked against each mound, those aboard the gunship could see stone pillars emerging from the soil. To make matters all the more bewildering, Toto called in his findings from the cockpit. "These are where the coordinates take us!" he reported as Anna and Elsa exchanged mystified looks.

Upon hovering over the drop zone, the team found themselves observing a weathered edifice. What remained of its toppled pillars and hollowed metals had been reclaimed by nature. Thick blades of grass fought to consume all, and yet this structure persisted beyond the terrain. Its unique shapes had the team cautiously disembarking to examine the grounds in their entirety. Once LAAT-5 powered down, the group was left to endure an eerie stillness.

"Have you ever seen anything like it?" Elsa asked while stepping across a dirt-ridden path.

"Nope," Anna was quick to answer. "And I'm still not taking any chances. Deathchasers, secure the perimeter." On Anna's orders, her trio of clones fanned out across the grounds. While Blazer locked down the upper hill, Sparx and Speedy each secured an obelisk.

"Wow," Stel whispered while gazing up at a toppled column. He picked at a thick layer of moss, which had grown over the structure for an immense amount of time.

"It's some sort of ancient ruin," Frost said. "But whose?" Elsa held her breath as she stepped towards the nearest hill. Noticing her pause, Frost hastened to her side while Stel followed suit. "Elsa?" the commander worried. "What is it?"

"I can't quite explain it," she uttered. "But there is a connection to this place. It feels as sacred as it does somber. It is strong in the Force."

"Light Side or Dark?" Anna queried.

Elsa bit her lip and sought to answer clearly. Realizing she'd need help, she shut her eyes and delved deeper into her senses. Evara, she beckoned. Be with me. Serve as my guide in this ancient place.

"You are right to open your mind to me," the Force Wraith answered. "For I too feel the connection here. The land on which you set foot is safeguarded by the Force. And while it has seen great devastation, light prevails."

Elsa softly opened her eyes and examined the ruins. She noted the sunrise and how it cast fiery beams across the land. Bathing in that blazing glow, Elsa answered, "The Light Side of the Force lays claim to this place."

A soothing breeze reached Stel's face, not from above the plains...but from the ruins themselves. "Um...master?" the Theelin beckoned. He worriedly tugged at his blue braid and pointed towards an opened, metal door. Its framework was unlike anything in their century and led into a secluded corridor. Yet despite the tunnel going into the hill, there was a significant lack of darkness. In fact, there appeared to be sunlight on the opposite side.

"Good find, Padawan." Elsa lauded as she and Anna led the way. Blazer, Sparx, and Frost joined up behind the Jedi as they traversed the odd corridor. A series of echoey inclines seemed to carve through the hill and head towards a circular courtyard. While time and its own destructive history had ravaged the site, the remnants were clearly some form of outer pathway. Crumbled corridors seemed to lead in different directions, each spreading deeper into the hills.

"What is this place?" Anna uttered just as a figure dropped down from the upper ledge.

"Point secure!" Speedy reported after unlatching his ascension cable. It mattered not how spritely nor efficient he was. When Speedy landed, he put the rest of his companions on the defensive.

Elsa had gasped enough to throw a defensive hand in front of Stel. While Frost, Blazer, and Sparx readied their weapons...Anna nearly tackled Speedy. She sparked up her lightsaber and prepared to lunge. "Holy kriffing hell!" she screeched after realizing it was him. "Give us all heart attacks, why don't you?"

The ARF trooper tensed up and nervously shifted his boots. "I-" Speedy swallowed. "Oh...Sorry, general. You told us to secure the perimeter. So I just ran ahead and followed your orders. Once I saw this open space in the ceiling, I figured I'd jump down."

"I appreciate you following orders," Anna sighed and caught her breath. "You were just...so fast," she admitted.

Speedy straightened his posture and stood at attention. "I told you I'd be faster, general. I'll never be slow again."

Anna shook her head and gently patted his shoulder. "At ease, trooper." she relented.

"Sis," Elsa whispered as they entered the courtyard. "I know your squadmate startled you, but do you mind-" she subtly peered at Stel before turning back. "-toning down the language where you can?" Anna glared at her, yet Elsa didn't back down. "He's picked up some of your words from the HoloNews. So please just...try."

"Fine," Anna grumbled. "But you're gonna have to stop coddling that boy eventually. Otherwise your student's gonna be in for a rude awakening."

Elsa ignored her little sister's harsh warning and simply said, "Thank you."

As the team progressed deeper into the ruins, they found overgrown craters and floral pillars. No matter how much foliage had reclaimed the site, its chaotic history was evident in each corner. Elsa ran her fingers along a series of jagged cracks on a wall. "There must've been some form of battle," she considered.

"An isolated one," Frost concurred. "We saw the landscape leading here. Barely a scratch on it. Not anything of this magnitude anyway."

"Which makes this devastation all the more mysterious," Lieutenant Sparx added and knelt before a crater. "Overgrowth aside, I saw similar impact zones like this on Teth." Sparx looked at his fellow Deathchasers. "After General Skywalker ordered an orbital bombardment."

Anna braced herself when she saw Elsa twitch. While she prepared herself for another pacifist's lecture on warfare, it never came. Instead, Elsa found herself answering a different call. She felt drawn towards the adjacent corridor as it led further into the ruins. Her companions cautiously followed behind, letting their boots crunch the crisp and dusty rubble. As they passed beyond the forgotten courtyard, Elsa felt a tarp of sorts beneath her heel. Raising a brow and tilting her head, she found a tattered banner. Anna and Stel crept up at her sides to get a closer look. Time hadn't been kind to the ancient insignia, but its crest stood true. No matter the variation nor destruction on its fabric, the winged blade of light was easily recognizable. It was the living sunrise which Elsa, Anna, and Stel had been ingrained to learn of for years.

"Is that?" Stel uttered.

"The crest of the Jedi Order," Anna affirmed and looked over their decrepit surroundings. "Is this some sort of temple?"

"For some, yes." An older voice echoed to Anna. It was enough to have her gripping her lightsaber while the Deathchasers readied their blasters.

Frost, on the other hand, looked at Elsa for orders. She remained calm, yet was curious over the older man's voice. Stel tilted his head with intrigue and stood at his master's side. They inched their way down the path and towards an echoey, yet crumbled chamber. Elsa felt her Padawan grip her forearm and contemplated whether or not to say something. Instead, she chose the Force as her ally and let him stay close.

"For others-" the voice continued with hints of familiarity. "-it was a sanctuary. A place for those gifted in the Force and the lesser attuned to find refuge. But this too, like all things...had its limits." Stel's eyes widened while Elsa's narrowed. They quickened their pace, rounded the corner, and entered the mysterious chamber. While the structure had been damaged in an ancient attack, its integrity held true. Broken columns, dented beams, and slanted walls all held each other together in perfect balance. Sunbeams crept from beyond Dantooine's surface and reached the chamber's center. They gleamed atop an older man's wavy, greying hairs. His robes dropped with his relaxed shoulders as he bowed his head and turned. Master Adersen's gentle gaze fell upon his visitors as he said, "Now, this enclave unites the Force once more."

"Master...A-...Adersen?" Stel was the first to blurt.

"Hello, young Sovan." Adersen greeted as the youngling impulsively ran up to him. While the elder accepted his embrace, he held back his cough and grinned. "I've missed you," he told the boy and then glanced at Elsa. "But I trust your master has kept you on a noble path."

"Oh yeah," Stel assured. "Master Dellian's the best."

Elsa's body stiffened as her pale cheeks flushed with red. "Oh," she muttered. "Well I...do what I can."

"Wait wait wait," Anna interrupted while her clones lowered their weapons. "You're the one who sent the 'Brithsignal' to us?"

Adersen nodded. "Oh yes. And I'm so glad that you two were able to complete it together."

"Aw," Anna feigned adorability. "Me too." In that instant, Anna snapped at her peers. "Did everyone forget that we are at war?"

"Anna," Elsa whispered sharply, and yet her sister persisted.

"The galaxy is counting on the Republic to keep it safe," Anna intoned. "And we're out here on a connect-the-dots scavenger hunt because what?" She grouchily gestured towards Adersen. "Because you were bored teaching younglings?" Master Adersen chuckled at her remark. "You're laughing," Anna grumbled. "We're at war and you're laughing."

"I'm dying," Adersen answered. His words were as sincere as his tone was calm. That single sentence carried enough weight to silence the ancient chamber and leave his former students astonished.

"Wait...what?" Anna stammered. Elsa's lips impulsively parted while Stel remained shocked. Frost and the Deathchasers looked to one another, unsure over what they'd walked into.

Adersen took a deep breath. "Rest assured," he said. "I would never abandon Brith Clan. Its legacy...our legacy...will carry on through Master Kalia." Elsa's eyes lit up as he continued. "When I offered her a chance to mentor so many young minds, she was eager to teach again. As for the war and let alone state of the galaxy...I know it's breaking apart. That's why it needs the Force united more than ever."

"I'm sorry," Anna added. "I just need to make sure I'm understanding this right. When you say you're dying, you don't mean metaphorically, right? Because there are two Republic starships scrambled to-"

Adersen flashed a jovial grin and gently raised his hand. "If your soldiers are on edge, let them rest. I didn't mean to cause any alarm."

"Then why send such a cryptic message?" Anna mumbled.

"Because I thought you wouldn't come if I'd merely asked." Adersen's comment left the Jedi feeling bewildered. The master stepped away from the central chamber and worked through his rising cough. "You'd be surprised at how much is hidden beneath the questions of daily life." Adersen walked among the group, even peering beyond the clones' visors. "How often those around us ask for help without even knowing it. Or how many only want to spent time with us, never knowing which day will be their last. And still, those requests get passed by. What could've been a simple holocall to someone we know suddenly becomes a lifetime of regret." Adersen sighed for as long as his cough would permit. And even through his sunken, blue-grey eyes...he looked at his peers with unrivaled sincerity. "I'm honored to have you all here with me today," he said. "Honored."

Stel's blue brows furrowed. "I don't understand," the youngling sputtered and gripped Elsa's arm even tighter. "You're d-...dying?"

Adersen's solemn stare had Stel shaking his head. Still the master softly answered, "I'm sick, my boy."

"But that's why you called us here, right?" Stel insisted and forced a grin. "To help you." He frantically waved at those around him. "I mean, why else would you send us that hologram puzzle? So you would know we were the right ones for the job!" Elsa pursed her lips as the youngling continued. "What do you need, master? We'll get it for you!"

"Your company would mean everything," Adersen replied.

"Yeah but-" Stel scoffed. "-company's not gonna save you, master. We need medicine if you're sick. Master Dellian, didn't your sister find a cure to a virus before?" Elsa braced herself. Her student's noble optimism had her staving off tears. Anna on the other hand, was frustratedly crossing her arms and averting her gaze. "Why isn't anyone doing anything?" Stel blurted.

"Because there's nothing to do," Anna grumbled and glared at Adersen. "There is no cure, is there?" Adersen's silence had Anna nodding.

"No," Stel denied as fear gripped his widened eyes. "There's gotta be something we can do. There's always something we can do!" Stel desperately tugged at Elsa's arm. "What about the Force?"

"Stel," Elsa whispered, her voice cracking as a tear fled her eye.

"It saved us from the missiles!" the boy pleaded. "Maybe it can save Master Adersen too! I know I have a hard time remembering stuff, but-"

"Stel..."

"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me," Stel recited perfectly. "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I am-"

"Padawan!" Elsa blurted and reached for the child's shoulders. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she battled the lump in her throat.

Before she could continue talking to him, Stel's own emotions took hold. "You're giving up," he murmured.

"No," Elsa insisted until her student wriggled out of her grasp. "Stel-"

"Master Adersen needs us and you're all just standing here!" Stel shouted. His chest pounded with each hastening breath. Tears swelled in his eyes as he felt the weight of so many stares on him. Feeling overwhelmed, Stel bolted out of the chamber and down the corridor. His whimpers echoed back to the others as Elsa started to give chase.

"Oh for kriff's sake, sis." Anna asserted and jabbed her arm in front of Elsa. "Give the kid some air." She glared into her big sister's teary eyes and asked, "Hasn't your coddling hurt him enough?"

Adersen watched Elsa clench a fist and said, "Sisters." His tone deepened just enough to garner attention from both of them. No matter how many years had passed, he was still their clan leader. For a youngling of the Jedi Order was never to forget their clan, even as they carried long into adulthood. "This enclave has already experienced its fill of conflict," Adersen said. "Please...won't you walk with me?"

Elsa kept glancing down the corridor and did as Adersen predicted. "Frost," she beckoned.

The commander only had to hear his name to know exactly what Elsa wanted of him. "I'm on it," Frost assured and jogged after Stel.

Anna leaned towards her fellow Deathchasers. "Hold down the fort," she muttered.

Anna and Elsa followed Master Adersen through a narrow passage. "Stel has a good heart," the elder said. "He finds hope in every situation, holds on, and never lets go. It's a rarer quality than you'd think, yet it never ceases to inspire."

"I don't know what good it'll do him when there's no hope," Anna scoffed while Elsa glared at her. "What are you sick with, anyway?"

In spite of his ailments, Adersen kept a steady stride. "Lymphoza," he answered as clearly as he could. While Anna appeared perplexed, Elsa's brief gasp traveled down the forgotten hall.

"Master," the eldest Dellian uttered. "I-...I'm so sorry."

"Tis the way of all flesh," he sighed, turning to face the sisters. "Part of a well-worn path that we'll all tread some day. Some find it on the battlefield. Others in a natural state of old age. For me...well-"

"And there's just no cure for it?" Anna grumbled. "I mean come on. Sure, Rodia's halkavirus was new...but I've heard lymphoza get tossed around on the HoloNet for years. You mean to tell me that after all of this time, there's still no cure?"

"That is correct," Adersen answered calmly.

"We have hyperspace travel, holomessages, and still can't stop an immunocompromising disease?"

"Correct again."

"I'm not trying to be kriffing correct!" Anna snapped. Elsa moved between her and the master as she continued her rant. "There had to be some kid of treatment. How long have you been sick with this?"

Adersen didn't waver, even as his voice strained. "A few years now," he confessed. "And many treatments, even the experimental ones...haven't been successful."

"So you just gave up," Anna scoffed.

"That's enough," Elsa jabbed. "How can you-"

"It's alright, Elsa." Master Adersen assured. "If you can feel your feelings, Anna can too. Even if you don't like them." Clasping his aching chest, he stepped towards Anna. "On the contrary, I did anything but give up. I accepted what was and would be." Anna shook her head as Adersen pushed open the doors to a secondary courtyard. "The Jedi who once called this enclave home walked a fine line. They meditated through the Force to better seek their purpose. And yet-" Adersen sighed at the ravaged walls and a grassy crater. "-all of that knowledge couldn't save them from a Sith bombardment."

"So what..." Anna mumbled. "They were just as doomed as you are?"

"I suppose that could be true...from a certain point of view." Adersen knelt before the crater and clasped a bundle of grass. "Yes, in many ways it didn't matter how much the ancient Jedi could've prepared. But also, the tragedy of this enclave helps me see beyond the hubris of our Order's current state. Death is coming for all us," Adersen said. "And I declare that not out of fear, but understanding. We spend so much time alive without truly living." Anna and Elsa each appeared confused by his words. "How many words go unsaid before the end?" the master asked. "Admirations left unheard. Apologies festering beneath pointless grudges. And then opposed to that...you have empty words. Promises of hope and determined ambitions without action. So much goes undone before the end." Elsa slowly nodded as Adersen traversed the courtyard. "The Sith bombardment showed no discrimination. Think of the lives that were lost here." As Adersen mentioned each, he let a blade of grass fall from his palm. "Masters possessing decades of knowledge...knights with hopes and dreams...younglings just beginning their journey." He clasped the final blade and refused to let it drop.

"Master Adersen," Elsa spoke up. "Why are we here?"

Their elder sighed, cleared his throat, and sat on a fallen column. "Because I will not face my end with a single word left unsaid," he answered. "Nor should either of you live hindered by your own chains." He tapped the cracked stone at his sides. "Please," he whispered. "Won't you sit with me?"

"Stel?" Commander Frost beckoned while jogging down the halls. "Stel! Where are you?"

"Commander!" a clone shouted. Frost's boots skidded to a halt the moment he heard Toto. Frost froze and slowly tilted his head towards the enclave's entrance. Dantooine's gentle breeze brushed against the pilot's baggy flightsuit. With his helmet removed, Toto's swoop of black hair shifted in the wind. His dark and somber gaze fell back to LAAT-5 as he said, "He's over here." Frost gently nodded and pat his pilot's shoulder. The commander took his time to enter the gunship and peer inside. He spotted a pair of boots tucked away in the co-pilot's seat. "I heard what happened over comms," Toto whispered. "He looked like he needed a moment."

"Thank you," Frost answered before gingerly approaching Stel. The young Theelin had bunched himself up into a ball. He clutched his knees while peering out of the upgraded windscreen. Yet while his solemn gaze observed the clouds, Stel's mind was anywhere but present. He sank into the gunship's leathery seat as Frost delicately knocked from behind. "It's just me," the commander assured when Stel's head snapped back to him. "Can I...come in?" Frost held his breath until the boy subtly nodded. Acknowledging Stel, Frost removed his helmet to keep things personable. He set the headgear over on a dashboard and knelt beside Stel's seat. "Hey," he whispered.

"Did my master send you?" Stel mumbled. As the Padawan turned his head, Frost got a better look at his hair. Stress had gotten the best of Stel and he had completely torn the braid apart. A mess of puffy, blue strands cascaded over his shoulder.

Frost took a deep breath and answered, "She's worried about you. We all are." He tried gripping the Padawan's shoulder, but Stel pulled away. "Do you...want to talk about it?" Frost asked.

"Talking is all anyone seems to wanna do," Stel murmured before turning towards Frost. "Master Adersen needs help and we're just abandoning him."

"Oh Stel," Frost whispered. He instinctually wanted to reach for the youngling again, but resisted based on his reactions. "I promise that we're not abandoning him."

"How can you say that when we won't even help him?" Stel persisted. "When all of those people were under attack on Carida, we rushed in to save them all."

"This is different," Frost insisted.

"How?" Stel scoffed and the commander hung his head. The boy pursed his lips as anxiety-induced nausea took hold. He cupped a hand over his mouth, clutched his stomach, and leaned back.

"Sometimes-" Frost bit his lip and searched for the right explanation. "You-...I-..."

"Sometimes there really isn't anything you can do," Toto's voice spoke up. Stel and Frost turned to see the pilot standing in the doorway. Having been listening the whole time, Toto eased his way into the cockpit. "No matter how much you fight...or how many you've saved...or how good of a person you are-" Toto took a knee. "-bad things still happen." His tone faltered as he reminisced on his time in the cockpit. Toto recalled the heartbreak he'd experienced after finding Donz's body. If he thought deeply enough, he could still hear the old clone's voice. Thinking of what Donz would say, Toto concluded. "And we must find a way to be okay with those bad things."

"Why?" Stel continued to question. "It's unfair. Why do we have to sit down and take it? Why do I for that matter? I'm..." Stel bit back a flustered whimper. Despite all efforts to straighten his posture, he ultimately slouched again. "I'm a Jedi," he insisted.

"And you are a powerful Jedi," Frost insisted. "If it were up to me, I'd make it so no one your age had to feel this pain. None of us should have to. And while I can't take it away, I can share it with you."

Stel's teal eyes relaxed as he forced a sympathetic smile. "Master Adersen was always nice to me," he lamented. "He never yelled...even when I lost focus and couldn't sit still." Stel loosened his grip and glanced at his lightsaber. "I was the last one to get my kyber crystal during the Gathering. The other kids were so mad that they had to wait so long...but Master Adersen just said 'well done'."

"Master Adersen's a good man," Frost said. "He had to be to raise your master before you."

Stel nodded and slowly raised his head. "He's really dying...isn't he?" the child asked.

"Yes," Toto answered honestly.

Stel swallowed the aching lump in his throat. Tears puddled in his reddening eyes and he struggled to hold them in. "It's alright, Stel." Frost told him even as the boy shook his head. Exuding patience, Frost reached for the child's lavender cheek. The commander's warm, gloved palm gave Stel a sense of safety. The Padawan shut his eyes and shook his head in denial. "It's alright," Frost reiterated softly. Giving in to his grief, Stel shut his eyes and let the tears flow freely. Droplets rolled into Frost's glove before the boy fell over for an embrace. "I've got you," Frost assured while returning the hug. He patted the youngling's back as he wept into his armored shoulder. "That's it. Let it all out." While comforting Stel, Frost peered up at Toto and nodded gratefully.

Master Adersen sighed heavily as the winds rustled against his robes. The speeding, yet bulky clouds brought a comforting level of shade over the enclave. With Anna and Elsa at his sides, the master flashed a reminiscent smile. "We used to sit in the temple gardens just like this," he recalled.

"I remember," Elsa sighed. "You always encouraged us to take in the great outdoors."

"Which was already hard enough on a planet like Coruscant," Anna groused and caused the others to laugh. "What? It's true! Mmm. Smog, my favorite. Ahhh. The soothing sound of honking, skylane traffic. All that meditation was so annoying."

"But you still tried," Adersen chuckled. "That was the most important part. I always wanted to keep you engaged, regardless. 'Favorites' was a popular among the younglings. Favorite foods, favorite animals-" Adersen playfully nudged Anna. "Favorite Jedi Masters." Anna wrinkled her nose, almost cringing as Adersen persisted. "Oh come now," he jested. "I'm sure you remember your answer." Adersen turned to Elsa. "Do you remember yours?"

Elsa hummed in deep thought as the memory returned. "Back then-" she began. "-I would've said Master Satele Shan. I found her resolve during the Cold and Galactic War to be most inspiring."

"You always loved the Old Republic texts in our library," Adersen lauded. "You were Brith Clan's little scholar and I could hardly pry your eyes from reading."

Elsa humored her elder with a snicker. "Although these days, I'd have to say Master Kenobi has become a new inspiration."

"Even more so than your own mentor?" Adersen inquired as Elsa sighed.

Anna broke the chilling silence with her own response. "Qui-Gon Jinn," she said and made Adersen turn. "I only met him once in my life and that alone was enough. He saved Elsa and I on what could've been my last birthday. I still remember what he said to me that night." Anna huffed before reciting Qui-Gon's words. "Your choice was everything in the face of your fears. Confronting them is the destiny of all Jedi."

"Wise words over such an...eventful night," Adersen replied.

"You were right about one thing, master." Anna said. "The end of life is entirely unpredictable. I thought Master Qui-Gon was the coolest, most powerful duelist I'd ever seen. The way he defeated that dueling droid and saved our lives...I wanted to be just like him. I even hoped he could train me someday." Anna's fingers curled against the column's surface. "Who could've known that the mission he and his Padawan would take that night would be his last?"

"None of us will ever know when our time comes," Adersen coughed. "All we can do is our best with the time we do have. Although it would've followed the Order's doctrine, I couldn't expel either of you that night. To do so would rob you of the futures so many had risked for you to build. I knew exactly what I was getting into when you girls were delivered to my clan. When I looked into your wandering, youthful eyes...I saw ceaseless potential. I saw a pair of young souls who were going to make or break this galaxy, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to help them succeed."

"But-" Elsa began. "Succeed with what, precisely? Respectfully, master...I've come to understand the Order's many political agendas. Watched us forsake honor in the name of military prowess," Elsa's side-eye towards Anna left the redhead scoffing. "I've witnessed senatorial corruption firsthand. As more of our reality muddies, I struggle to see what our purpose as Jedi really is."

Adersen sighed. "It isn't up to the council nor the Republic as a whole to decide your purpose," he replied. "It never was. Your destinies will always be part of the choices you make. Who you choose to become, what you choose to accept, and who you choose to help." Elsa raised her brows at Adersen's final statement. Feeling the heaviness of her stare, the master came clean. "You are daughters of Aren and knights of the Order. What you choose to do with that power is up to you."

"Not you too," Anna groaned. "I mean no disrespect, master, but Aren's a doomed world."

"And yet still, its legacy follows you." Adersen explained. "Everything your parents sacrificed-"

"If you're trying to guilt trip us-" Anna scoffed.

"On the contrary," Adersen continued. "I am merely expressing how free you truly are. Your parents gave their lives for you to be here. There is no wrong answer into what you do next. Their efforts are honored by your existences alone, whether you continue their crusade or pave your own paths."

Anna averted her gaze and peered across the fields. No matter how much she tried to ignore Adersen's commentary, the plains were a reminder of her dream from Teth. Reflections of her dashing mother made her wince and her skeletal fate left Anna gasping.

Elsa looked across the field as well, instead imagining it as a slope teeming with milestones. She saw her younger persona stumbling through apprenticeship before she was taking on a student herself. Like the swishing clouds above, each reflective silhouette continued to change shape. Echoes of Maul's attack and her failed relations with the Tholothian Union howled with the winds. These pains coupled with the unfathomable sound of blasterfire as her parents were gunned down. Yet instead of looking away, Elsa focused on a pair of figures standing along the cloudy horizon. Her and Stel...master and apprentice.

I have chosen to train the next generation of peacekeeper, she thought. But what example am I setting if I leave Aren to ruin? Yet if I choose to intervene, I could defy the Jedi Order itself. Just like Barriss. What kind of example would that set? And what dangers would I subject Stel to? Certainly far worse than what he'd experienced on Carida. Elsa brought a hand to her chest and sighed. He doesn't even know what I am, she lamented and glanced at her troubled sister. What we are. The lost heirs of a forgotten world. Living two lives in a collapsing galaxy. Elsa's heart pounded as her figure faded into Stel's. She knew not whether it was her preoccupied imagination, or a vision from the Force itself. Either way, she looked upon Stel's ethereal essence and spoke within. You have a whole life ahead of you, Padawan. You deserve better than to have your future poisoned by my past. If I am to save Aren, I cannot put you in the crossfire. So for now...there are things you cannot know, and it's dangerous to dream of otherwise. Her vision of Stel vanished from the horizon and blended with the passing clouds. As it departed, she cupped her hands over her mouth and realized, Yelena...is this how you felt with me?

"Put your back into it, Sarge!" Lieutenant Sparx intoned.

"Don't give up, kid!" Speedy urged.

Frost, Toto, and the Deathchasers watched as Stel faced off against Blazer. Using a partially intact table, the duo locked themselves in an intense arm wrestle. Stel huffed, yet refused to yield under the sergeant's might. The young Theelin's nostrils flared as he struggled to push up. In a dramatic upset, Blazer's knuckles suddenly struck the table. "No!" the clone grunted while his brothers cheered.

"Three victories in a row!" Speedy lauded. "Nice work, little Jedi."

Despite the epic fanfare, Stel didn't celebrate. "But he let me win," he moped.

"No I didn't," Blazer refuted. "You're stronger than you think, kiddo." The boy shook his head in denial while Frost urged Blazer to back off. "What are you looking at, Blue?" he called the commander out.

"Don't lie to him," Frost said.

"We were having fun," Blazer intoned. "You should try it sometime, Frosty. Right, Stel?...Stel?"

The Padawan sighed as all clones looked to him. "I appreciate what you're all trying to do," Stel said. Little by little, he worked on slowly retying his braid. "But I just can't feel better right now."

"And that's okay," Toto assured.

Stel kept braiding. "I know you let me win, Blazer...but maybe you were right about something." The sergeant tilted his head as Stel continued. "Maybe I am stronger than I think."

Speedy came forward on behalf of his squad and asked, "What can we really do for you, Stel?"

The boy straightened his posture and rose to his feet. "Just be with me," he requested before stepping down the hall. Realizing that he was heading back, Frost took a moment to mentally prepare himself. With a group of clones to support his weary mind, Stel prepared himself to face Master Adersen.

Like Dantooine's gusts along the evening sun, so too did Adersen's coughs intensify. He wheezed so hard, that he'd hunched forward atop the column. Elsa held his hand while Anna urgently gripped his back. Keeping him in place, the sisters braced themselves as Adersen steadied his breaths. The master's eyes were tired and glassy. His grasp on Elsa weakened, forcing him to lean on her shoulder.

"Master Adersen?" Elsa worried.

"It's-" Adersen huffed while catching his breath. "It's alright."

"I have you," Elsa assured and let him lean further.

The elder sighed and let his head nestle against her shoulder. Adersen's fluttering eyes listed towards the sky. Strong winds had parted the clouds just enough to glimpse the warm sunset. The fiery orb was as bold as it was welcoming. So much so, that Adersen couldn't help but chuckle between coughs. "Do you think it's all real?" he whispered. "The Cosmic Force and beyond?"

"If the rest of the Force is-" Elsa answered. "-I don't see why it wouldn't be."

Adersen glanced at Anna and coaxed a response out of her. "Why not?" the youngest Dellian mumbled. "I mean...there has to be something after this whole mess we call life, right?"

"Too many Jedi scholars have ironically wasted their lives on that very question," Adersen professed. "We follow our callings in this living state. We touch the lives we can and hope those actions are enough." His cough strained his throat as he said, "It is enough and always will be. No matter what's after this...be it silence or salvation...I did my best. And a piece of my impact will carry on long after today."

Anna sighed, "How can you be so sure?"

Adersen gently patted her hand. "Because you're both here." Anna softy grinned as the master continued. "We're all ripples in a limitless ocean, moving each other along. And the beauty of it-" Adersen confessed while observing the skies. "-is finding out what kind of waves we'll make."

"Master?" Stel beckoned from the lower courtyard. The timid Padawan shuffled over with his band of clones in tow.

"Dear boy!" Adersen rejoiced, no matter how raspy his throat had become. "You're just in time to watch the sunset. Come over!"

Stel swallowed hard, even as Elsa turned and offered him a hand. No matter how much he'd built himself up, he was terrified at his core. Hearing his vibrant master speak in such an ailing tone made him wince. Stel was about to turn back when Frost held his hand. He looked up at the commander, who offered him a reassuring nod. Toto and the Deathchasers had removed their helmets to be as personable as they could be for Stel. Gathering his courage, the Theelin advanced. Every step was daunting and felt as though his boots had been cemented to the ground. His heart thundered once they reached Master Adersen's column.

Stel wanted nothing more than to break down at the sight of his ailing, former mentor. Instead, he accepted Elsa's hand as she guided him closer. "I-I'm sorry I ran away before," Stel uttered. "I was scared."

Adersen was quick to shake his head at his approaching pupil. "To be brave is to be scared," he assured Stel. "But-"

"I know," the youngling insisted and squeezed Elsa's hand. "I'm not alone."

The boy's response brought a smile to Adersen's lips. "Good lad." The master leaned back as those nearby followed his gaze to the sunset. Its extravagant glow began a slow descent beyond the horizon. The sun's fading rays streaked across the evening sky and clashed against its violet clouds. And as another breeze blew in from behind, several figures soared overhead. "Look!" Adersen gasped. His exuberance almost made him fall forward as he pointed towards the creatures. The master's grin only widened as he observed such a gentle flock. "Briths," he rejoiced.

For the first time in their lives, Adersen's students witnessed the living symbols of their clan. The briths were remarkable, and undoubtedly the largest flying mantas they'd ever seen. The flock was as silent as it was majestic, gliding across a golden sky. Adersen chuckled to himself...whispering, "Anna and Elsa Dellian."

Confused, the sisters turned to their ailing elder. "What is it?" Elsa asked.

"Oh I was just telling you who my favorite Jedi Masters are," he answered.

"But-" Anna stammered. "-we're only knights."

Adersen slowly nodded. "I speak of the masters...you...shall become." The master's hand slowly unraveled. And with a breath as gentle as the breeze, he released the final blade of grass. It drifted from his limp palm and was carried on by the winds. Such a frail, yet beautiful blade in a sea of greenery was now lifted beyond those fields. While the grass left its keeper, those around him wept. Still it spun high into the clouds, joining the Briths to chase the sunset. And as they glided beyond, they wondered what could reside over the horizon. For the quest of life became no different than that of death. Chasing light and seeking peace.

The winds calmed that night on Dantooine, giving way to the smokiness of a grand pyre. The sound of crackling was accompanied only by pronounced sniffles. Still, those in mourning stood honorably, and together as one. Despite wearing her dark blue hood, Elsa couldn't hide her tears. They rolled down her somber visage as she stared into the fire. Her kind hands rested atop her Padawan's shoulders as he searched within as well. His heart sank with his whimpers as he observed Master Adersen's silhouette. As serene in life as he was in death, he found eternal sleep amid the rising flames. Frost, Toto, and the Deathchasers stood at attention. With arms folded behind their backs, they wondered what had become of Adersen and all of whom they'd lost. Anna kept to herself and stood furthest from the pyre. While its flames cast a fiery glow over half of her face, the rest fell under the shadow of night. Despite this, neither side was free of her grief. And as her own tears plummeted, she wondered how many more funerals she'd have to attend. Her stern gaze fell to Elsa as she slowly stepped over.

Leaning towards her sister, she whispered at a volume only she would hear. "Do you truly believe there's still hope?" Anna asked. "For Aren..." she concluded before Elsa could answer.

The eldest Dellian's brows furrowed in astonishment. "I do," she confessed. "But I also believe that our homeworld's fate hinges on our choices." Elsa gulped and glanced at her distracted Padawan. "It's just a matter of making the right ones."

This chapter is dedicated to all of those whom we have lost in our lives. Parents, children, siblings. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins...best friends. Teachers, co-workers, neighbors. Loss is real. Very real. As real as every single feeling you will endure through it. There is no wrong emotion in and through death. Loss knows no age nor class nor sense of time. I cannot promise you peace. I cannot guarantee you healing. But I can assure you that you are not alone in your suffering. In a world where so much is taken for granted and so little is appreciated in the moment, all we really have is each other. So let's just take this moment to reflect on what we have. On who we have. On who we are and the people who helped shape that. We are human, and that alone makes us worthy of love. At our best and worst. I would like to conclude with the words of Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke...
"Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final."

IN LOVING MEMORY OF:

OLGA PINEDA
Beloved mother and best friend

RALPH PINEDA
Honest brother and gentle heart

NILDA BARRABI
Cherished grandmother and caring soul

DR. FIONA TOLHURST
Extraordinary mentor and noble friend

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's installment of "The Frozen Force." As always, it is an honor to deliver stories and entertain you all. I wanted to check in with you all about my posting time. Given my current schedule, we're going to keep things in a Code: Jawa and post every other week until I have more time. Part of me worries that this may upset some people, but then I think how we're still moving forward regardless. I would personally rather update in some form of consistency than just have a gap of time without chapters. But given my small free time windows these days, it takes me about two weeks to complete chapters these big. No matter what happens, you will always be updated. Thank you and I'll see you on Friday, April 8th for Chapter: 104 - A Foreseen Fall.

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You,

~ Michael