Chapter 5

"Nothing spreads faster than doubt."

When they finally arrived on Coruscant and Jatori returned to his father, Kira couldn't get the Mandalorian Jango Fett and more importantly, what he'd told her of the Jedi massacring his people off her mind. She couldn't fathom the Jedi actually doing something like this, sure Jedi and Mandalorians were ancient enemies but she was certain the Jedi wouldn't just off an entire group of people, at least not without provocation. She made her way to the Jedi archives and decided to investigate further. She took a seat at one of the computers and began her search.

It took hours but what she found was exactly as Fett had described. There was an 'insurrection' and the politicians were under attack from a group of Mandalorians known as the True Mandalorians, it even described that all but one single Mandalorian were slaughtered and that the Jedi had no say on what happened to the Mandalorian afterwards. It was suspected that the sole survivor was sold into slavery but no other information was listed.

Kira frowned. They didn't even try to stop it, they allowed the Mandalorian- Jango- to be sold into slavery without a single protest. She pitied the man. He had truly lost everyone he ever cared about in one battle. It might have been different if she'd just been told the story of Galidraan but she'd met a survivor, she sensed how he felt and the pain he had buried so deep down.

What worried her more was that the assault was lead by Jedi Master Dooku. She knew Dooku well, he had been close friends with Mace for many years. She had spent many hours training alongside his padawan, Komari Vosa as a young child. Kira realized it wasn't long after the Battle of Galidraan that Master Dooku left the Jedi Order all together. Did Dooku realize what she was beginning to? That the Jedi had made a mistake? If they could make a mistake like that once, how many other mistakes had they made over the thousands of years that ended just like Galidraan? For the first time in her life… she doubted the Jedi. For the first time, she saw why so many in the galaxy called the Jedi the Republic's dogs, sent out to obey orders without question. Had they ever checked their intel? Did they trust them?

"Are you finding everything you're looking for, Padawan Kenvor?" A voice behind her spoke up. Kira jumped, startled. She turned and saw a middle-aged woman with graying hair. It was the Chief Librarian, Jocasta Nu.

"Master Nu," Kira said with a hand over her heart. "You startled me."

"You must be very invested in your research." She noted.

"I am." Kira said with a smile.

"I'll leave you to it then." She said as she turned to leave. "Apologies for the fright."

Kira hesitated before deciding to just go for it. "Master Nu," She said reaching out a hand towards the older woman. "Can I ask you something?"

The woman stopped and glanced back at the young padawan. "Of course." She took a seat beside Kira with her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Kira sat sideways in her seat to face the Chief Librarian. "I'm doing some research on the Battle of Galidraan," She began, Jocasta's eyebrows rose in interest. "It says the Jedi had killed an entire squadron of Mandalorian warriors, all but one… why did the Jedi not step in and help him? He was sold into slavery. Why would the Jedi allow it?" Her voice had an underlying hint of anger as the words fell from her lips. Jocasta certainly was not expecting such a question. She took a moment before answering, she looked towards her hands in her lap then glanced back at the young padawan. Jocasta's face fell flat. Kira pursed her lips together realizing how her tone sounded and bowed her head slightly in embarrassment.

"If you recall, the Jedi were called in to neutralize terrorists. That Mandalorian group was attacking politicians, the Jedi ordered them to surrender and when they did the Mandalorians attacked and the Jedi had no choice but to retaliate." Jocasta said.

"But murdering the entire squad? Shouldn't they have tried to subdue them and take them to justice? I thought peace was the way of the Jedi." Kira asked, she couldn't hide the doubt she was feeling and Jocasta could see it written all over her face.

"The peaceful way is not always the most successful," She said. "Mandalorians have always been the ancient enemy of the Jedi, we have a long and bloody history with their people. In some cases, death cannot be prevented."

"But they left one alive," Kira argued. "Why was he not sent to stand trial?"

Jocasta sighed, obviously concerned about the passion Kira had about a battle she knew nothing about. "The Jedi were overruled when it came to the Mandalorian. Galidraan's governor had already had claim to do what he would with the man who attacked his planet. Even if we wanted to, there was nothing we could do for him."

"But he was sold into slavery." Kira said, her voice turning sad as her eyes fell to her hands and she squeezed them together tightly.

"Be mindful of your feelings, Padawan," She reminded gently. "What has you so interested in this battle? It happened over three years ago."

Kira pursed her lips together, "I suppose my eyes have been opened to the world of slavery since my last mission." She said. "It's just wrong and we have the power to stop it but we don't."

Jocasta gave a small smile, seeming to understand the frustration. It was a well known one throughout the Jedi Order. "The galaxy is an inherently corrupt place, there will always be those who rule and those who are ruled. We as Jedi must not allow our personal feelings to get involved for the greater good. Having an Galidraan as a Republic ally outweighs the life of a single being."

Kira's eyebrows furrowed. She didn't agree with that, not even a little bit. She wanted to ask why the Jedi were even aligned with the Republic, why if they were supposed to be neutral but that was opening a door she didn't have the time for. "I see." She said instead. "Thank you, Master. I should continue my research."

Jocasta gave a polite smile. "Of course." She got up and went on her way.

Kira let out a sigh before turning her attention back to her computer. She thought back to everything Fett had told her when the thought of that other Kenvor came to mind. She paused. She shouldn't indulge herself. She didn't need a distraction like that and yet… it seemed that her hands had a mind of her own. She went to the public records and typed in the name JENSE KENVOR. Kira closed her eyes as the information came up, she was almost afraid of what she was going to find. When her eyes opened, she found the man's contact information. He was a bounty hunter.

She clicked on the holoimage, enlarging it. His face was covered beneath a dark blue and gray T-shaped helmet with lightning bolts adorned on the crown of his head. She couldn't help but stare at the holoimage of him. She also couldn't help but wonder if this man was her father or some other relative but the word father kept replaying in her mind. She sensed Mace coming and quickly shut down the computer, she didn't want to have to explain why she was searching up a Mandalorian with the same name as her. She got up and smoothed out the skirt of her tunic as she turned towards the door just as Mace came through it.

"Hello Master." She greeted with a smile.

"Studying hard?" He asked.

"Yep." She said nonchallantly.

"Will you take a walk with me?"

"Sure," She said and followed him out of the archives. "Something on your mind?" She asked. He seemed distracted and Kira could sense it clear as day.

"I think you are ready for your Knight trials." He said.

Kira's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You really think I'm ready? Shouldn't I still be a padawan for a few more years?" She asked, it wasn't uncommon for a human Jedi to be a padawan as late as twenty-five. Being as she was only eighteen, she still thought she had several more years under Mace's guidance.

"You still have much to learn," He said as they walked casually through the Temple halls. "But I think you are ready. You will still accompany me for several more years but as a Knight should you pass your trials."

Kira smiled and looked up at him. The thought of Mace believing she was ready for the Knight trials several years early pushed the thoughts of Mandalorians to the back of her mind, if there was one thing she wanted, it was the approval of her master and him thinking so highly of her sent her heart soaring with pride. "Thank you." She said, unsure of what else to say.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I am proud of the Jedi you are becoming, Kira." He said. "You may still be impulsive but I was not so different at your age. You will learn as I did to temper it."

Kira shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully as they came to stand in front of a large window that overlooked Coruscant, this was the place they had spent many hours talking in great lengths about any and everything in the galaxy, she smiled up and him before folding her hand into a fist and pressed it into the palm of her other hand as she bowed to Mace. "Thank you for teaching me and believing in me. I am grateful for your guidance."

Mace bowed in kind, "You are welcome." They both stood straight before their postures relaxed as they both gazed out the window.

"So, when I pass my trials, will you take on another padawan?" Kira asked. "I wouldn't blame you for taking a break, I can be exhausting." She joked doubting he would take on another so soon. She knew in time he would take on another apprentice but surely not so soon should she pass her trials.

Mace shrugged lightly. "Training the next generation is our duty as Jedi, I imagine you'll take on an apprentice in time." He said before pausing a moment. "Do you remember that mission where we rescued those two infant girls from the pirates?"

Kira chuckled. "You mean the one where you left me behind in the temple because I was too young to be in such danger?" She asked mimicking his voice.

She'd only been Mace's padawan for a few months, she was only ten years old then. Mace had rescued two infant girls from pirates who had killed their parents and kidnapped them from their home planet before bringing them to Coruscant after discovering their Force sensitivity.

"Oh… yes," He said, then chuckled. "The older of the two, Depa, will be going through her initiate trials soon. Should she pass them, I intend take her on as my next apprentice." He said.

Kira's eyebrows rose. She felt a slight twinge of jealousy. He'd already had his next padawan picked out before his current one had passed her trials. Whether or not she admitted it, she was very attached to Mace. She saw him as not only her mentor, but her father. The only one she knew and the thought of him moving on hurt more than a little.

Sarcasm was her defense mechanism, so naturally, that's what came out of her mouth. "Ah, so you're having me take my trials early because of Depa, huh? Don't think I can't see it." She taunted, waving a finger at him in an attempt to make her jealousy sound playful. She struggled to hide it though, Mace surely knew how she felt as she felt it. She could hide no emotion from him no matter how hard she tried.

"That's not why you're taking your trials early." Mace said with a frown. "Do not be jealous, Kira. It is the natural order of the Jedi."

"Who said anything about being jealous?" She asked defensively pushing down the green-eyed monster manifesting itself within her heart. He was right though, it was the way of things. Train your padawan and when they were raised, take on another. The Jedi were only the Jedi because of the lessons they passed down, still. Kira was a loner for the most part when it came to the other Jedi, she made no friends in her padawan class. She never even made an attempt, the only person she ever really connected with was Mace and now he was taking on someone else.

"In time, you will take on your own apprentice," He reminded. "I think it would be good for you. Being responsible for another."

Kira raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't know about that." She said with a smile. "I am not very good at teaching... or babysitting. I mean kids in general... yeesh..."

"You learn as you go." He said with a shrug. "You may change your mind one day. We as Jedi never become parents but in taking an apprentice you take on the aspect of being a parent. You are responsible for your pupil, you must teach them everything you know so that they too may be successful."

Kira rose an eyebrow and a smirk crossed her lips. "So, you see me as your kid?" She asked playfully.

"You'll learn one day what it is like." Mace said. Whether he had actually said it or not, it did give Kira some reassurance that the bond she felt towards him was not one sided.

"Anyway, When does this trial happen?" She asked, she wasn't even worried about the trials. She either passed them or she didn't. Either way, it was the will of the Force. She did find it funny though, she worried so much of Mace's future in her life but so little of her own played out. She had no reason to think she would fail, Mace had been a thorough and dedicated teacher. If he had faith in her, so did she.

"In a weeks' time." He said. "First, Master Yoda has us going to the Jedi Service Corps. We are to take a group of youngling initiates there for their next assignment."

Kira paused and gave him a confused look. "Why?"

"These initiates failed their trials."

There were six kids, six. It made Kira's stomach churn. She remembered being their age going through the trials. She luckily had passed with flying colors, everyone in her class did. These kids, though, were deemed not strong enough in the Force to become Jedi. She expected one or two, but six. She never really looked into the Service Corps because she did pass her trials as a youngling, she didn't really know much about it other than that was where failed padawans went.

The kids looked sad and defeated. Kira couldn't help but pity them. Mace started up the ship and brought the ship towards the atmosphere of Coruscant before punching the ship into lightspeed. He put the ship on autopilot before turning his head towards Kira.

"It'll be a few hours to get there," he said. "Perhaps you should meditate, with your own trials coming up."

Kira nodded. "I will, I want to go check on those kids first."

Mace nodded his approval. "Alright."

Kira jumped up out of her seat and went towards the back of the ship where the kids were strapped in their own seats. The door whooshed open and the eyes of every youngling were on her. There were two humans, a rodian, a twi'lek, a besalisk, and a togruta. She awkwardly came and sat down at one of the seats against the walls next to the besalisk boy. "Hey guys." She greeted. "How are you all feeling?"

They all gave various forms of shrugs and mumbles. "We failed, Padawan Kenvor. We're as good as we're going to get." The togruta boy said.

Kira frowned. "Hey, now." She said. "You didn't fail, this is the will of the Force. It just has a different plan for you guys. You guys are going to learn trades that will help the galaxy become a better place." She said trying to make the dim situation somewhat better. "Try meditating, it will help clear your minds." She suggested. They all shrugged and fell silent. Kira couldn't help but feel for them, she couldn't imagine what they were feeling. Like failures. She thought to herself.

She thought back to her own initiate trials. Kira was gifted in the Force; it was one of the reasons Mace had chosen her to become his apprentice. She had the raw ability that, with guidance, could be trained and molded into a Jedi Master. What would have happened to her if she wasn't strong in the Force? She certainly would have opinions about being sent off to the corps. Could she have gone to wherever she was taken from? She doubted so, even eighteen years later she didn't know where she was born. The only inkling she'd found was from some random bounty hunter she'd rescued but even then, there was no certainty that this other Kenvor would even be a relative or even that Kenvor was the surname given to her at birth. There's a lot of planets out there and even more civilians on them. The chances of it being a chance encounter were slim.

When they reached the planet of Telos IV, Kira and Mace led the group of six younglings towards a building at the end of a large pasture. There were at least four various forms of humanoids throughout the pasture as they farmed it. Kira could never imagine herself being a farmer. She'd always pictured herself running headfirst into danger and excitement, farming just seemed so… simple. It certainly was not the life for her.

A felinoid stood straight, stretching his back before making his way towards the group of initiates. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand before bowing his head slightly to Mace. "Welcome, Master Windu." He greeted. "I hope the trip here wasn't too rough."

Mace nodded his head in a greeting. "Wasn't too bad, we have a few new initiates for you, Vitril." He said.

The felinoid looked over the six children before motioning towards the building. "We'll get them all settled and tomorrow they'll start their work here. You all are welcome to stay a while, I know your journey must have been long coming all the way from Coruscant."

Mace glanced at Kira, she shrugged. "My padawan has her trials coming up soon, we will need to return to Coruscant so she can meditate." He said. "But we appreciate the offer."

Vitril looked at Kira and gave a warm smile. "Ah, best of luck on your Trials, Padawan."

Kira bowed her head. "Thank you."

"Padawan, will you lead the children to their rooms and get them settled?" Vitril asked keeping his hands folded neatly behind his back.

Kira nodded. "Of course." She looked over the group of children. "Alright, come on, Kids." She said leading the kids towards the building, it wasn't quite a temple but certainly more than a house. It had rooms upon rooms, a cafeteria, a study room, and a meditation room. It almost was like a smaller version of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Once the kids had gotten settled, Kira went to leave the house and get back to Mace when, as she passed the kitchens, she felt eyes on her. She stopped and glanced to her right, where a female twi'lek stood with her hands crossed over her chest.

"So, you're here to drop off more failed Jedi?" She asked. She was strikingly beautiful, as many of her species were. Blue skin, blue eyes. Wide hips and a small waist.

Kira paused. "They are new members of the Agricultural corps, yes." She said, raising an eyebrow as the twi'lek picked up a loaf of bread and broke it in two before she crossed the kitchen to hand Kira a half. Kira took it cautiously, something about this Twi'lek was off, she felt her resentment as if it were floating off her in waves. It was so thick it almost stunk.

"You can just say it how it is, Padawan Kenvor." She had a no-nonsense attitude. "They failed. Everyone here is a failure at a life we didn't choose and now we're stuck here until the end of our days." She spat.

Kira was taken aback. She'd never met a Jedi who spoke so freely and negatively. It was a culture shock. "That's a little harsh…" She said uncomfortably, still holding the piece of bread in her hands, she hadn't had much of an apatite when she arrived but now she certainly had none.

"Am I wrong?" She asked.

"Let's start over," Kira said, unsure of how exactly she'd angered this woman. "Who are you?"

The twi'lek took a bite from her half of the loaf and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "I'm Tamzin Jorra." She said.

"Okay..." Kira began. "I am-"

"Oh, I know who you are." She said cutting her off pushing herself away from the wall to square up to Kira, she looked down on her as if Kira had personally attacked her. "You're the precious padawan to the great Jedi Master Mace Windu. You're one of the ones that was good enough."

"Uh…" Kira mumbled uncomfortably, taking an involuntary step back away from the twi'lek and crossed her arms over her chest.

"They say Mace would take no other initiate but you. They say you're strong in the Force… good for you. How's temple life? Still all great and dandy? Is being Windu's apprentice as great as everyone thinks it is?" She asked. She looked at her with a scrutiny that made Kira even more uncomfortable. It was like she was searching for any reason to tear her down.

Kira frowned. She knew Mace had wanted her as his apprentice but she hadn't known that she was the only one he was willing to train but that mattered little, she was his apprentice and that was that. Mace had his reasons for wanting her as an apprentice as she was sure he had his reasons for wanting the young Depa as his next. "I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" She asked.

Tamzin let out a frustrated sigh. "Not to me personally." She let out another sigh before snatching the bread piece out of Kira's hand and took a bite. "You, privileged ones just don't understand how it is to not be good enough. You don't understand what it'd like being here."

"Why?" Kira asked raising an eyebrow. "What's so bad about it?"

"Look around you, Princess," She said. "We're the rejects. We have reason to be angry. Everyone tells us that we're doing a great service to the galaxy but what a joke that is!"

Kira just stared at her, unsure of what to say. "The Agricorps can't be that bad. I think you've just got a lot of pent-up frustrations that you need to let out, taking it out on strangers isn't healthy." Kira's own attitude was coming to the surface. She could handle a little disrespect but only so much before she would fight fire with fire and being called 'Princess' didn't help.

"Kenvor. We talk to plants." Tamzin deadpanned. "You say it's not so bad when you're able to go out and be the hero everyone thinks the Jedi are. You know, I could have actually been a princess? Instead, I'm here day in and day out… talking to kriffing plants. I was deemed not strong enough in the Force to become a Jedi but because I could still wield the Force in some aspect, I am stuck here instead of being able to go home. Neither you or I will ever meet our families, our siblings because we were given these abilities. We were kidnapped from our homes and now we're stuck here forever and we never even had a say in the matter."

Kira could only gape at the twi'lek. "How do you know you could have been a princess?" She asked. "Did they tell you where you came from?" She couldn't help herself, her recent dives into her own family line had her curious and she had little control to hide that curiosity even in the face of one so hostile.

"I did some research. Got into the forbidden archives and found out." She said with a shrug as she took another bite of her bread.

Kira's eyebrow rose. "So, you're here because you broke the rules."

"They never found out about that, actually. I failed my knight trials, that's why I'm here." Tamzin said. Kira's frown never left her face. "Oh, wipe that look off your face. Look, if I were you. I'd get out before you're stuck with the Jedi for the rest of your life. You're pretty enough, you could find some attractive human man and live a normal life maybe pop out a few gremlin children and live a happy life."

"Who says I don't want to become a Jedi? Who says I want to find a man?" She asked. "I'm perfectly content with what the Force has lined up for me. If I'm meant to be a Jedi Knight, then I'll be a Jedi Knight. I'm sorry you failed and you're angry about it but don't put your anger onto me. I have nothing to do with why you failed."

Tamzin smirked. "Have you ever thought about what life you could have had if the Jedi had never found you?"

"I might have been dead or a slave," Kira growled. "You don't know. There have been plenty of padawans who've been rescued."

Tamzin nodded. "Sure, and there's also been a fair amount of those whose parents were convinced to give up their precious little babies for no other reason than it was the will of the Force."

"It was the will of the Force, Tamzin." Kira defended. "Everything happens for a reason."

"Yeah that's what they've told you- brain-washed you to think. That's what they probably did your mother. Told her that if it wasn't for them that you wouldn't reach your full potential or that if they didn't take you, you would be in danger for the rest of your lives and because people are stupid and impressionable they believed them, then the Jedi just swiped little baby Kenvor out her papa's arms never to be seen again." She said. "I'm telling you, get out while you can."

Kira was about to fire back when the doors opened, Mace and Vitril walked through them. Tamzin immediately shut up and bowed her head slightly towards Mace. Kira couldn't have been more thankful for him to walk through those doors, she'd had about enough of Tamzi's patronizations.

"Are the initiates settled in?" Vitril asked.

"Yes, they're in their rooms." Kira said, going to Mace's side. He immediately sensed Kira's discomfort and raised an eyebrow to her. She gave the slightest shake of her head. It's nothing. He gave a nod accepting it, if it were serious enough, he was sure she would tell him what had happened.

"Good, thank you, Padawan." The felinoid said with a smile.

"We must be going," Mace said before the men clasped their hands together. "Take care of those kids."

"Don't worry, we will." Vitril said. "Safe journeys."

As Kira and Mace turned to leave Kira couldn't help but glance once last time at the twi'lek, she gave her a knowing look before smirking and disappearing into her room.