The Way of the Mystics
by Tilt
(continued from Part 10)
"Again! Yes! Keep going, Kaitryn!"
Theri grunted, tugged a little more on the Force as she ripped her blade down and around Jagoe's lightsaber yet again to try for a disarm and once again failed to do so. The Baradan had a half-smile on his bronze-scaled face, his amber eyes glittering into hers merrily as they fought. The sun-like flash of her saber as she leaped to the side and bounced into a mid-air somersault to land behind him made her flinch but she didn't lose her focus on the Baradan as he whirled to face her again, his purple blade coming up to meet hers. She dropped into a Soritsu-ji sweep-kick, a move so unexpected that it actually worked and Jagoe laughed a curse as he was knocked off his feet, automatically rolling and springing to his feet, but Theri was already jumping at him. She didn't give him time to think or prepare, just zipped her blade in another attempt to disarm him, yelling in triumph as the purple blade at last flew out of the Baradan's hand.
"Yes! You got it that time!" Windu said from outside the saber cube, nodding at the two as Theri gave Jagoe a hand up and he moved to retrieve his lightsaber.
Theri backed a few feet away and leaned against the scintillating energy wall of the saber cube, trying to catch her breath, turning her lightsaber off and dragging one forearm over her eyes to try and banish the sweat along with the straggling strands of black hair that had come loose from her braids. She closed her eyes, feeling the faint buzz of the energy wall behind her vibrating through her skull.
[Are you all right?]
A quick smile, and she opened her eyes again. Master Windu was now standing in front of her, grinning, but there was faint worry in his eyes. She nodded and pushed off the cube wall. [Jagoe's as fast as Ben.] The thought brought a brief frown to her face and she veered her thoughts resolutely away from the subject of Ben Kenobi. [Just need a minute to catch my breath.] She relaxed into the Force, let it sooth the twinges in her legs and back, trying to stretch away the stiffness in her shoulders.
Windu caught her arm as she started to turn away, turned her around so that he could rub her shoulders for her. She smiled, faintly surprised but not about to complain.
[Watch it, she's mine,] Kee Sent with a twist of amuement to his friend. [You want a Thretkethan, she's got two sisters and two cousins.]
Windu's laugh was answer enough to that, the dark eyes twinkling as he let Theri go. [Getting possessive, are we? My my. That's a change.]
Theri rolled her eyes at Windu's Sending as she turned to go put her lightsaber in the center of the cube floor in preparation for another bout. Jagoe was already standing in his corner of the cube, his black-metal lightsaber on the floor already.
"All right, kids, how about a remote or two?" Windu asked as he went back through the doorway in the wall.
"Remotes and fighting each other?" Theri asked with some trepidation.
"No, you'll be fighting the remotes together," Windu said, picking up two black-metal spheres from the bench outside the cube. He tossed them through the doorway and they hovered automatically, spinning in the test sequence. The cube door sealed behind the remotes as Windu took the remote programmer and began punching in commands. "You'll run for your sabers and then defend against the remotes. And try not to get shot while you're diving for your sabers."
Jagoe and Theri both groaned at this. "Hope you're up on your Soritsu-ji," Theri called over to Jagoe as she dropped into third guard position and prepared to spring across the cube toward her lightsaber.
The Force steadied her as she reached deeper into the spiral, letting go her conscious control into the silent joyful tide. The doubled images appeared in her sight, the glowing foreimaged aura that she now knew was a tiny sliver of the future around each remote and around the auroral shifting form of the Knight across the cube. A split second before the remotes began their attack she saw the one nearest her would zip to her right--
Her diving tumble to the left barely avoided the stun charge that connected with the cube wall behind where she'd been. Theri was already cartwheeling away from where she'd landed and bounced up into a flip to avoid the second shot the remote aimed at her as it chased her around the cube. She hit the floor, rolled with her momentum, scooped her saber from the floor as she passed and was on her feet with it flaming to life in her hand in an instant. She was bumped roughly from behind as Jagoe backed into her, both of them standing back to back, and Theri flung out a mental line to him if he wanted to link to her. She felt the Baradan grab on to the link and felt the Force flare up between them, and they were moving together in harmony, defending and attacking together as if they'd been working together for years and not merely the past forty-five minutes.
[Hey, kiddo, I've got tickets for the hoverboard match today, you want to go?]
Inda's mindvoice was so unexpected that Theri lurched off-balance in the dance of her lightsaber, the delicate balance of the Force and concentration thrown sideways and translating into a very real stumble. Too late, she sensed the stun charge arrowing at her head, and the world was jerked out from underneath her. She didn't even feel herself hit the floor.
Time passed, and she sensed it was only a few minutes in the grayness. Finally feeling and sensing returned, and with it a terrible tingling ache in her head radiating down to her neck and shoulders. Vague voices sounded around her and she was lifted up, felt her legs dangling, felt warmth beside her. Finally felt gravity again beneath her as she was put down somewhere. She dragged her eyes opened and winced at the light, turning away and burrowing into the warm ivory silk of Kee's tunic.
"Silly minx," came the soft voice in her ear. "Well, that's the last time I let Windu talk me into distracting you."
"Distracting...?"
"Yes, distracting." Warm hands on her face, over her eyes, blocking out the light. "All right, beloved, try it now. Open your eyes."
She did, sighed as her eyes adjusted to the little bits of light Kee was allowing through his fingers as he slowly took them from her face until he moved them altogether and she could see again.
Kee's sapphire eyes smiled down at her, caressing her face. She knew his touch was intended to be soothing, but her whole head ached with every pulsebeat, even her skin hurt. Over his shoulder, Jagoe peered down at her worriedly, and beyond him Windu sat on the bench beside the saber cube, a guilty frown on the dark-skinned face. Theri realized Kee had carried her out of the cube and that now she was cradled in his arms just outside the cube boundaries.
"Don't Send," Kee warned gently. "I'm shielding us both right now. No Sending until the medics say you can." The stern look he gave her would accept no arguments, and she nodded reluctantly. He gathered her up again into his arms, glanced over at Windu who nodded immediately. "You were shot in the head, dearheart, so we need to make sure you didn't get any neural damage. Jagoe, where's her lightsaber?"
"Here, Master Kee," the Baradan said, and gently put Theri's deactivated lightsaber in her hand.
Theri put her arm over her eyes with a sigh of relief, pushing her aching head back into the softness of the pillow behind her, willing the painkillers to start working as the lancing pain seemed to travel from one hemisphere of her brain to the other. Damn. The regen unit would take several hours and she'd be out like a light for the rest of the night. Damn. She'd wanted to spend the rest of the day with Kylan and the kids...
Outside the door of the little infirmary room she heard muffled voices, the medicdroid and Kee and someone else she didn't know. Vaguely she felt her lifemate's agitation and worry in the Force. Something must be wrong.
She sighed as the painkillers began to take effect, the ache beginning to subside slowly. Drowsiness started creeping in around the edges of her thoughts, a cozy warmth. She debated whether to give in to it or not, then decided to try to stay awake long enough to find out what was wrong. Kee's worry was plain, threading through their lifebond like a dark thread through a tapestry of light.
The voices quieted and the door opened finally, Kee slipping into the room on silent feet. Seeing she was still awake, he smiled and came to sit beside her, taking her hand and kissing her fingers.
"What's wrong?" Theri asked groggily. "You're worried, I can feel it."
"Yes, I'm worried," he answered. "And no, you can't Send yet."
Theri frowned irritably. It *had* been the next thing she was going to ask. "What's happened to me then?"
Kee reached up to brush some stray strands of hair out of her eyes. "You'll be all right, dearheart. But you need to sleep and let the regen unit work. You'll feel better in the morning."
"Damnit, Kee, stop avoiding--"
Kee put a hand on her forehead, and her weak protest abruptly cut off as he touched her with the Force, calming her mind in one swift brush and sending her into a deep sleep.
"Stress, the medics tell me," Kee said worriedly, rubbing his eyes with one hand as he sat later that night with his Master. "Anomalous readings caused by stress."
Yoda hummed to himself at this, arranged himself comfortably in his nest of pillows and putting aside the textreader he'd been reading prior to his former apprentice's arrival. "Much has happened to Little One lately. Many things to cause strain."
"Too much, apparently. And she didn't realize how close to the edge she was getting," Kee agreed. "For that matter, neither did I."
Yoda's slight smile and lifted ears indicated his amusement. "The joy of the lifebond chases away perceptions of the body. But live on joy and sunlight you cannot." A chuckle then. "Stressful, it is."
Kee nodded. "I thought we were doing well enough."
"Well enough?" Yoda asked in echo. "Not, apparently."
"What can we do, Master?" Kee asked quietly. "We both have responsibilities that we can't run from. The medics are saying I need to get her out of the Temple and somewhere quiet where she can rest, but she has Kylan and the children to teach and her work at the hospital and I've been helping Windu and Mundi keep track of several different situations that I don't think I can leave." Kee shrugged helplessly. "If I just take Theri and leave--if we didn't have to put up with Goza and the trouble it would cause if we took Tas and Rhyon with us, that is--I'd feel guilty for leaving my work here, and Theri still has her work at Coruscant General. We *can't* leave. We *can't* take any time for ourselves. We have too much to do."
Yoda listened to his apprentice and closed his huge eyes for a moment in thought, sifting through centuries of memories and the flow of the Force around him. "Needed, resolution is, of many situations. Easiest to resolve at the moment is that with Goza. Spoken to her, you have?"
"Once, a few days ago," Kee said. "She said she doesn't intend to give up her claim to Tas and Rhyon."
Yoda humphed at this. "A fight, she will make of it, because of wounded pride and tradition." The old one popped his eyes open again. "Young Taslimi and Rhyonluppa--think you committed to the Way they are? Would choose to be with Little One despite trouble with Goza?"
"As much as Kylan would, yes," Kee nodded. "The more I talk to Tas and Rhyon the more I realize they've had to grow up too fast. They may be only eighteen and twenty, but they think a lot older. And they've been following Kylan's hunt for the Mystics for several years." Kee's eyes went distant for a moment in thought. "When I think how two promising apprentices are being neglected as they are--"
Yoda nodded. "And Little One will not neglect?"
"No," Kee answered. "Because she won't be doing this alone. I'll be helping her and keeping her from making any mistakes."
The old one gave him a considering look and then a shrug. "Mistakes are a path to knowledge."
"Well, fatal or irrepairable mistakes then," Kee amended sheepishly. Yoda chuckled.
"Go, Qui-Gon. Be with Little One. Do as medics say. Call you, I will, in time to prepare for the Council and Goza."
Kee nodded, got to his feet, bowed to his Master, and turned to go back to Theri.
It took a long time to wake up, an unusual sensation for Theri. Normally there was no fuzzy dreamworld span of time between waking and sleeping, she was asleep and then she was awake and moving, leaping out of bed and into uniform, the beat of time and the demands of her schedule tugging her up and out of the warm comfort of Kee's arms.
But at the moment she couldn't bring herself to move more than to roll over and burrow against Kee's chest and haul the blankets up over her head. The very thought of getting out of bed nearly brought her to tears.
Kee's arms tightened around her and his hand sifted through her hair soothingly. They usually woke at the same moment these days, the new connections in their lifebond synchronizing their circadian rhythms to such an extent that even their hearts beat in synch. It was frustrating. Theri missed watching him sleep.
[Me too,] Kee responded sleepily to her unspoken thoughts. [But there are other rewards we have gained.]
Theri snorted a laugh at this. [So you're enjoying yourself are you? Well, you were already very Thretkethan in your mind.]
Kee's soft laugh then, and she opened her eyes and pulled away a little to look up into his eyes smiling. [Ben would find it amusing. When I explained about Thretketh when we came to get you on Tatooine, I told him I didn't intend to die from sexual exhaustion. And now I probably will.] His mischievous grin then, and a caress down her back. [It gets more difficult to resist you with each passing day, beloved. But we are more than the lust.]
Theri nodded. [Well, if I'm a bad influence on you, you're a good influence on me. Most of the time all I want to do is snuggle.]
Kee pulled her close again. [Because you've been driving yourself far too close to the edge of exhaustion, dearheart. You have no emotional or physical energy to even think about anything more strenuous than snuggling.]
Theri Sent her agreement. [Is that what the medics said?]
Kee sighed for a moment. [Yes. There were some 'anomalous readings' that the medics said were from stress. Too much stress. You are not getting out of this bed today if I have to tie you down.]
Theri's smile was mischievous and hopeful. [That sounds like fun, can we try it?] she Sent with a caress.
Kee laughed and leaned over to nibble on her neck for a moment. [Later, minx. I'm serious. I'll have Kylan and the children come here this afternoon. You can talk just as well here as you can in Inda's room in the sublevels.]
[Am I supposed to be Sending?] Theri asked belatedly, remembering his admonitions of the night before.
[Oh, yes, there's no neural damage. The medics only had to leave the regen unit on you for a couple hours.] He pulled back a little to kiss her lips and then her forehead. [But for today, you are to rest. You have been doing far too much, pushing yourself far too hard, and you will rest today.]
[I *am* tired,] Theri answered.
[Then sleep again. But I need to go up to Operations, at least for a while.] He moved away reluctantly, Sending his agreement and regret as she squeaked in protest as he pulled the blankets up over her head again. [I'll be home soon. Sleep, beloved. For the moment, you have no responsibilities and nowhere to go.]
Theri sighed gustily and relaxed again, and in moments she was asleep.
"I wish this could wait a few more days," Kee muttered to Theri two days later as they stood together outside the Jedi Council chamber door.
"We can't put it off forever," Theri answered, breathing deep of the slight chill in the air, breathing in calmness and releasing her nerves and worry into the Force, almost a physical sensation of something draining out of her with every breath. She was dressed in her best dark gray uniform, the new one with the black trim on the edges of the tunics and vest and the cloak a darker shade of gray. Kylan had braided some silver cording into her hair but she wore it loose. Beside her, Tas and Kylan smiled at her tremulously, both of them dressed in plain dark gray, and Theri had helped Tas to give Rhyon a thorough brushing. The young Wookie's silky pelt floated on stray air currents now, and he had a smug toothy grin on his face, his yellow eyes twinkling. "Well, kids, just to keep up the tradition--" She reached out and her students joined hands with her, and they all began Sending to each other.
[There is no generation, there is no destruction. There is no continuation, there is no interruption. There is no unity, there is no duality. There is no arriving, there is no departing.]
[Nothing happens by accident,] Tas Sent.
[All is the will of the Force,] Kylan added.
[And all are one within the Force,] Rhyon finished.
"So long as you want me to teach, I will find a way," Theri told them.
"So long as you want us to learn, we'll make a way," Kylan answered.
They all nodded, watching each other for a long moment, then hugged desperately. Then they all pulled away and straightened cloaks and tunics. "Everyone remember to breathe once we're in there," Theri said with a shaky grin. [Inda?]
[I'm here, kids. Always.]
Theri quirked an eyebrow up at Kee as he settled his arms around her again briefly. [Are you going to make a big dramatic entrance?] she asked the spirit.
[Who, me? Little old me?]
They all laughed at that.
[Well, are you?] Theri pressed. [I know you too well, you old trickster. And I know you can't resist grabbing the spotlight.]
[Weeeeellll, maybe I've thought about it,] Inda Sent with deceptive casualness.
Theri snorted a laugh.
"It's time," Kee said as they felt Master Windu's Sending from the Council chamber a few seconds before the door opened before them.
Theri nodded, relaxed into the Force, and led her apprentices inside the Council chamber.
Mistress Goza already stood to one side of the mosaic circle in the center of the Council floor, standing with her arms crossed inside her cloak sleeves, her graying red hair tied back with strings of beads and ribbons, her icy blue eyes cold with vexation. Theri took in her stance and emotional aura in one glance, then shifted her attention to Yoda who sat serenely watching as she and her students came to the center of the circle. A brief spike of surprise from Tas behind her just as Theri felt Inda's presence beside her, glanced sideways. The spirit had coalesced into form as they walked together into the Council, and Theri gave a mental sigh of relief to see Inda had appeared in his younger form in his Jedi uniform. Then she shifted her attention to Yoda and she and her students and Inda all bowed in the Mystic way to the old one, hands together at their foreheads.
Theri could feel the faint agitation run around the circle of twelve council members, but all were far too much Jedi to let it go further than that. Goza looked slightly stunned at the appearance of the group, the ghost and her own students in Mystic gray. Behind her, beside the door, she could feel Kee waiting patiently, silently, and his very presence gave her an anchor in the storm she was sure would soon erupt around her.
"Mistress Theriyah," Yoda said in greeting.
Theri blinked. She'd never heard Yoda call her by name before, much less... "Master Yoda," she replied, nodding to him.
Goza glanced sharply over at Yoda at the title he'd given Theri, plainly she felt it was unwarranted, but she said nothing.
"Know you why you are here?" Yoda asked Theri, sitting back in his chair, his ears relaxing as he watched her.
"I believe so, Master Yoda. Mistress Goza has probably accused me of stealing her students, Taslimi and Rhyonluppa."
Another ripple of agitation through the Council. Theri took the chance to glance swiftly around, placing presences with places. Windu to Yoda's left. Master Mundi to Yoda's right. Behind her and a little to the right was Mistress Depa, Master Yarael, Mistress Gallia, Master Rancisis, Master Piell, Yaddle, and Master Saesee. She was surprised and heartened to see Master Koon in his chair beside Windu, watching impassively, but she felt he was taking in the show with a great deal of amusement. Mistress Depa was radiating faint encouragement to her. Master Koth, beside Mistress Depa, was a stormcloud of negativity but Kee had told her that had more to do with an old argument between them than anything she herself had done. Yaddle's calm presence was a blessing and a fine counterpoint to Master Koth's opposition. And of course Yoda, who was looking up at her with what she felt was a conspiratorial half-smile. Windu, of course, had his usual "Council face" on, the blank poker-faced look he used when he was being serious. Theri's spirits rose another couple notches. She had friends here. She wasn't facing this alone. She straightened up and turned to look Goza in the eyes.
"So how say you, Mistress Theriyah?" Yoda asked, sliding a glance briefly at Goza who again bristled at the title Yoda used.
"Taslimi and Rhyonluppa came to me, Master Yoda. I did not ask them to be my students. They came of their own free will and asked me to teach them."
"True, this is, younglings?" Yoda asked, looking to Tas and Rhyon behind her.
Theri could almost hear Tas and Rhyon gulping in fear behind her, but they moved forward and glanced at each other and then back at Yoda. "Yes, Master Yoda, it was our idea."
[Learn of the Mystic Way, we wish to,] Rhyon Sent tentatively to the old one. [Our friend, Kylan, had been searching, and we shared this with him.]
Yoda nodded at this and his eyes drifted to Kylan. "Jedi Hellstorm, your path is your own. Confirmed you have been, five years."
Kylan nodded. "Yes, sir. But I am now Mistress Theriyah's apprentice."
Theri couldn't help the brief flash of amusement that burst from her to Kylan then. Hell, even Kylan was calling her Mistress... She saw one corner of Kylan's mouth quirk in answer to this, and his answering flash of amusement.
"I had been searching out all I could find about the Mystic Way for ten years before I met Mistress Theriyah," Kylan continued quietly. "I've traced the trail that Master Inda and his students left on their flight into exile and then to Cae-Tauvon where they built their Temple and then the various trails left when the Mystics were again forced to flee from persecution."
Yoda's eyes slid then to Inda, who gave Goza his most charming grin before turning to face his former Master. "Master Inda, what say you?"
Inda raised an eyebrow at Goza as her eyes got wide in amazement. [I would say to this Council that Theriyah bel Kaitryn is the last of my people. The Jedi have much they could learn about themselves from the Mystic Way and that had I my wish the Mystics would be welcomed back into the Temple with open arms. We were exiled from this Temple more than five hundred years ago because of fear and distrust. But now we've returned from our exile and it's up to you to decide if the Jedi have grown enough spiritually to accept us back as a vital part of the living Force.] Inda turned a full circle, looking at each Council member in turn before turning back to Goza. [If your own beliefs are strong, you have nothing to fear from an alternative viewpoint. A belief that cannot survive doubt is not something I myself would care to base my life on.]
Theri blinked at this last barbed statement, Sent a swift worried warning to Inda, but his answer was a brush of reassurance.
Yoda's ears lifted at Inda's Sending and his eyes slid around the circle of the Council. [Challenging still, after all this time?] Yoda Sent swiftly to Inda. [Learned you nothing of tact in five hundred years?]
[Nope. 'Fraid not. Still the insolent brat,] Inda Sent back narrowly.
"Mistress Goza," Windu said, indicating she could speak.
Goza nodded, turned to look about at the members of the Council. "My objections are these: first, despite the obvious wishful thinking of some of you this child is not of sufficient rank or experience to be a teacher of any sort. Theriyah bel Kaitryn is twenty-six years old. We have apprentices of that age who have not confirmed yet this girl is considered to be of Master rank already. Secondly, Taslimi and Rhyonluppa are *my* apprentices. Taslimi is my Padawan. I have been responsible for their well-being and training for over ten years now. Thirdly--"
"Training?!" Tas burst out, and her hand shot out to catch Rhyon's automatically. "What training? Masters--" Tas turned quickly to look about her, then turned back to look at Yoda and Windu. "Master Yoda, Mistress Goza does not *train* us. The great majority of the time Rhyon and I don't even see her during the day, and rarely at night. She hasn't been there to answer our questions, she hasn't been there to help us figure out things. When Rhyon and I started skipping classes to be with Mistress Theri it took Mistress Goza *four days* to realize what we were doing! I don't see her teaching us to build our lightsabers, I don't see her challenging our judgment or encouraging us to use our mindpowers or anything like that. I look at my friends, I see them spending hours meditating with their Masters, talking, learning. While Rhyon and I just slog from class to class like sophmores at Coruscant U!"
Rhyon whurffled loudly in agreement. [True, is, what Tas says! If not we had each other, what would we be? Alone, wandering, probably go to Dark Side looking for someone to pay attention to us!] The young Wookie glared over at his former Mistress and a huge sigh of contempt and resignation ruckled through his muzzle. [Rather be with Mistress Theri, we would, to learn and grow and know ourselves and the Force, even if the path is not Jedi! Wasted time, it is now. And anger is no good to anyone.]
The Council members murmured among themselves at this while Yoda looked from Tas' flushed face to Rhyon's indignant snarl and them glanced over to Theri. Goza and Theri had locked eyes in challenge, Theri calm and collected, Goza tensed and coldly expressionless. Kylan shifted ever so slightly to the right, moving into Goza's line of sight where the Jedi Mistress' eyes were locked to Theri's, making it clear he stood with his teacher. Inda drifted over closer to the two just as Yoda tapped his walking stick on his chair to signal for silence. Goza tore her eyes from Theri's first.
"Mistress Goza, continue you may with your objections," Yoda said quietly.
Goza nodded. "My third objection is that these so-called Mystic teachings are heretical at best and Dark at worst. Add to that this child's inexperience as a teacher and you have a recipe for disaster for my apprentices. Fourth, the Jedi have a long-standing and honored tradition of the ties of faith and trust that are between Master and Apprentice. Nothing is allowed to come between Master and Apprentice save death itself. Yet this child has taken my apprentices for her own students against all the centuries of Jedi tradition." Goza glared at the four and the ghost now, clearly angered.
Taslimi snorted a mirthless laugh at this. "Nothing 'cept the Senate and Chancellor Valorum," she grumbled.
[Heretical. Dark. My my, we've gotten nowhere in five hundred years, have we?] Inda Sent in a saccharine tone. The spirit drifted around to stand in front of Theri, facing Goza for a moment before turning around slowly to peer at the assembled Council. [I don't know how much all of you know of the Mystic teachings,] the spirit began slowly. [You can look it up and read the Book of the Force for yourselves now that it's in the Archives along with all the teachings that Theri inherited from her Master. But I will say this.] Inda turned to pin Goza with such an intensely challenging look that even Mistress Yaddle tensed at the strength of it. [I was a Jedi before I ever was a Mystic. I was Master Yoda's Padawan. I was a small-unit tactics advisor and a covert operations specialist. I was the one they sent to lead rebellions and revolutions and slave revolts. I was damned good at what I did. But in my day we were taught that all we did to intercede in conflicts was secondary to our spiritual development. I was taught by Master Yoda himself to think, to use my mind, to question. I was taught that no question was forbidden, no knowledge was beyond my reach so long as I knew that all the answers came from inside myself. I was taught to trust my own instincts and feelings even when the knowledge they brought me was painful. I was taught that the Jedi follow the path of Light and that the Light was the natural order of the universe.] Inda looked over at Yoda then, and years of regret seemed to shine from the spirit's eyes at his former Master. [As much as I trusted Master Yoda, I could not deny the evidence I saw with my own eyes. The Force isn't all Light, nor is it all Dark. After a while you can't escape the conclusion that both Light and Dark are facets, aspects, of the true Force. The Force that lies under and above and beyond the Light and Dark.] Inda turned again slowly to look at the silent Council, meeting each set of eyes without fear or anger. [The Jedi are too much involved in the outer conflicts of the galaxy and not nearly involved enough in the search for insight. Now you have a perfect opportunity to introduce some new blood and new ways of thinking into the Jedi, and who better to teach than one who isn't afraid to challenge and dare? Who better to learn what she has to teach than these quick-minded and adaptable children? What better, more painless way could you find to reintegrate the Mystics back into your ranks? Or would you rather go on as you have been with unchanging, unchallenged authority based on teachings thousands of years old?] He turned back to face Yoda then. [You always told me it was the tree that learned to bend with the wind that survived the storms.]
There was silence for a moment, then Theri shifted a little to come stand with Inda. "Say this, then, and be done with it. Taslimi and Rhyonluppa came to me asking that I teach them. They came into it knowing already a little of what the Way meant and what it concentrated on as we had discussed such things in Jedi Hellstorm's Religious Symbolism class. I told them freely that this would happen," she said, gesturing with one hand to indicate the Council. "I told them there was a good possibility we would be exiled from the Jedi again. I told them it was a difficult life to live, one where there could be no lies either to others or to yourself." She stopped for a minute, thinking of how she was deceiving the Council and nearly everyone by working at Coruscant General and with Inda's hidden room in the sublevels. Kee's swiftly-Sent reassurance heartened her. "I did all I could to make it clear to them that the Way is not something to be taken lightly and that their futures would hang on their decision. And they decided to stay with me. As you say, Jedi Hellstorm is already confirmed and so can follow his own path, and he also has chosen the Way. Inda--well, he's a ghost." She threw a grin over at the spirit, who's answering grin was far too goofy for a Council meeting. "I will go on, whatever the Council decides. I will teach those who come to me asking for teaching. But I will not change my teachings at the direction of anyone, Jedi, Sith, Master, Knight, Sith Lord, whatever. As long as my students wish me to teach them, I will do all I am capable of to do so, and defend them where I can from those who would try to deny them their free choice." Here she looked over at Goza with veiled contempt. "The matter is in your hands to decide."
Yoda and Windu traded unreadable looks, then Yoda turned to look at Mundi who was giving the little group a very contemplative look.
Theri felt Mistress Depa and Mistress Yaddle Sending approval and satisfaction, and a moment later Master Koon's agreement and approval. [I feel I've accomplished something if you approve, Master Koon,] she Sent on a narrow line to the Vaikerian.
The answering Sending was a rumble of laughter. [Of you, youngling, yes I approve. You're much like Kee and I see why he loves you so.]
Theri looked down at this, trying not to blush.
"Mistress Goza, your objections we have heard," Yoda said after a moment. "Considered, your claims on Taslimi and Rhyonluppa, will be. Not lightly are the bonds of Padawan and Master broken, nor even that between simple apprentice and Master. Go now, the Council will call when decided we have what to do."
Goza nodded reluctantly, bowed stiffly to Yoda, and turned to go.
Theri let out a silent sigh of relief and began to turn as well.
"Dismissed, you have not been, Mistress Theriyah."
Theri turned back as the Council chamber door slid closed behind Goza, Kylan, Tas and Rhyon turning back with her.
"Sir?" she asked, putting her hands back inside her cloak sleeves to clench unseen on her arms in nervousness.
Yoda glanced over at Windu, who nodded over to Koon. The Vaikerian rose silently from his chair and stalked over to the comscreen, beginning to key in a link to Operations.
"Always better, absolute truth is," Yoda said serenely.
Theri felt a chill start to thread it's way down her back, felt Kee's concern. "In what way, Master Yoda?"
The comscreen cleared to show a stream of dates and times and Theri's Psi-Corps ID number. Theri swallowed but took a deep breath and touched the Force to let her fear and nervousness drain away.
"Explain about these," Windu said. "The Psi-Corps IDs are to be used only when you are actively involved in searching for Psi-Corps telepaths as per our agreement with them. Why are they showing up at Coruscant General?"
[Damn! Windu's an Intelligence specialist! I forgot!] Theri Sent in a swift angry burst to Kylan.
[Fake your way out?] he shot back.
[No, better not, Yoda and Yaddle would know if not the whole room,] Theri flashed back. [No help for it.]
"I am working at Coruscant General in the Drug Abuse Treatment ward. I am using my telepathic powers to help drug addicts get free of their addictions," Theri said slowly.
"You are being paid money for this?" Master Mundi asked.
Theri nodded. "Yes, Master Mundi."
A ripple of agitation from the others in the room. The tradition that Jedi did not accept payment for what they did was long-standing.
"Why are you doing this?" Windu persisted.
Theri felt Tas and Rhyon and Kylan tense up behind her, Sent a swift feeling of sorrow and regret to them. "We have a plan to salvage an abandoned starship from the Undercity, and to do that we need money. I do not intend for my people to depend on the good graces of the Jedi to survive, and if we are exiled again I intend for us to have our own way out before it comes to being chased out of the Temple. Also I wish us to have a way to go elsewhere for training and retreat, and again I do not wish to be dependent on the Jedi for this. Working at the Drug Treatment program is at least an honorable thing, and I am helping people. I could see no other legal way to acquire the money we needed, and I suspected that using my skills in illegal ways would earn me swift correction from the Council if ever it was found out." She quirked one corner of her mouth upward at this. "As apparently it has been."
Windu looked to Yoda and shrugged slightly, and Yoda looked around at the circle of the Council. Master Koth was practically radiating his negative reaction to Theri's words. Master Yarael's round head was swaying on his impossibly long neck, indication of both agitation and deep thought. Yaddle Sent a swift admonishment to Theri, but it was tinged with understanding. Master Piell was frowning at the little group of Mystics.
Windu nodded to Koon, and the Vaikerian keyed in another request to Operations. A moment later another screen full of data, and after a moment Theri realized it was an Intelligence report...about Maul.
"We have three reports about incidents involving yourself and Darth Maul," Windu said, sitting back in his chair to pin her with a steely glance. Theri gulped a little and dropped her eyes. Was this the same person who'd been rubbing her shoulders three days ago and joking with Kee? "What connection do you have with him?"
"I have no connection with him," Theri began, then faltered for a moment as the Force seemed to ripple at her own words, but she went on with what she intended to say and filed it away for further thought later. "The Sith have always hunted down Mystics so they can use us as weapons against the Jedi and against each other. Mystics use the Force differently than Jedi and Sith, and so neither Jedi or Sith can sense our presence. Mystic training develops the mindpowers to the furtherest extent possible, and so we are considered valuable weapons. When Darth Maul kidnapped me recently, I overheard Darth Sidious order Darth Maul to have me kill Darth Ylaren."
"Yet we can sense you here and now," Mundi said quietly.
Theri looked at him for a long moment, then Sent swift instructions to her students.
All four disappeared from sight and sensing. Inda stood alone in the mosaic circle, grinning.
[Heh. You think that's a cool trick, watch this. Hey, kiddo--] Inda Sent to the Council, then narrowed his Sending to Theri alone. A moment later Mistress Depa let out a cry and leaped from her chair and Master Yarael suddenly ducked his head almost to his shoulders in a lightning move.
"A Sylurian rock-spider!" Depa cried, trying to brush away a non-existant spider from her shoulder. "How did you--"
[A mind trick!] Yarael Sent in his curious bubbling mindvoice. [I saw a bird of some sort flying straight at my head!]
The four faded back into view at the same moment. Kylan was behind Master Koon, Taslimi was beside Master Yarael, Rhyonluppa beside Mistress Gallia, and Theri was sitting on the arm of Windu's chair.
"If we'd wanted, we could have killed you all in any number of ways and you'd never have seen or sensed us in any way," Theri said quietly. She got up from Windu's chair and walked back to the center of the mosaic circle.
[Showing off, dearheart?] Kee Sent in amusement from his place by the door.
[Making a point,] Theri Sent back. [Maybe too well. Maybe I shouldn't have proved to them that the Jedi would have no chance against us if we chose to fight you.]
"Darth Sidious and Darth Maul chased me and my old Master Therasslen the entire time we were together," Theri said to the Council. "And Maul has continued to do so. If this is a connection, so be it."
"There is also the matter of the mind trick you used on the group who went to rescue Master Qui-Gon and myself a few days ago," Windu said. "We were told of this by Jedi Hellstorm, otherwise those affected had no knowledge of it. What did you do and why did you do this?"
Theri took a deep breath but found she couldn't quite let her sudden flash of angry annoyance drain into the Force. The anger put an edge to her voice. "That was a lapse in judgment on my part, as Jedi Hellstorm and Jedi Kenobi impressed upon me afterwards. It was a mistake and I will accept your judgment and punishment on this matter as it involved Jedi. What I did was plant an impulsion loop into the minds of the Jedi. An impulsion loop is a set of thoughts, emotions or images that are implanted to play out in a person's mind when a triggering thought passes through the mind. The impulsion loop can be made permanent or temporary, it can be implanted so deeply that the thoughts it produces are subconscious or involuntary. There are any number of uses for the technique. The impulsion loop I used on the Jedi replaced distrust and hostility with trust and obedience." She shrugged a little. "Whatever else I am, I am still Master Qui-Gon's apprentice. I felt I had little choice."
"Choice, always there is!" Yoda said, thumping his walking stick on the metal of his chair. "Consent to do this, you had not!"
Theri nodded. "I will make no excuses, Master Yoda. It was wrong, and I admit it now."
"You are a dangerous liability," Koth snarled at her. "As impulsive and reckless as your Master."
Theri was confused for a moment at this, then realized Koth was talking about Kee. She turned to Koth and gave him glare for glare. "We captured four Sith and rescued Master Windu and Master Qui-Gon with no casualties or injuries. But it has been made clear to me already that the ends do not justify the means."
"Indeed not," Mistress Gallia said, her soft voice almost a whisper. "Though the intentions were good and honorable, you had no right to meddle in the minds of others."
"How do we know you have not used these mind tricks to influence Taslimi and Rhyonluppa? Or Jedi Hellstorm?" Master Mundi said.
Theri straightened at this and realized she was in a corner she couldn't get out of. She looked down at the floor for a moment. Fine, then. They were the ones always going on about ethics, not her. "You don't know if I have or not. I would say, have Mistress Yaddle check them for my influence. But I know I have not done so. If you cannot accept my word that I have not then we have nothing more to discuss and I will leave in the morning."
Instant silent protest from Kylan, Tas, Rhyon and Inda.
[Don't you dare even think about leaving us!] Kylan Sent angrily.
Theri felt Kee's quiet support, and he Sent her an image of his house on Tatooine. She took his meaning. With that silent wordless promise she turned again to look at Master Yoda. [Do what you feel you have to, Master. Whatever happens, we will survive.]
[What you are best at, it is,] Yoda Sent back swiftly. He looked around at the Council who were all now murmuring together anxiously. He tapped his walking stick on the metal of his chair and the others quieted. "Much to discuss, we have, before decision can be made regarding the Mystics. Much to think on, we have. Mistress Theriyah, Jedi Hellstorm, younglings, go now. Call you back, we will, when needed. Several hours it may be."
Theri nodded, and she and Kylan and Tas and Rhyon all bowed to Yoda silently and turned to go. Inda stayed behind for a moment, looking down at his former Master.
Yoda looked up at Inda serenely, blinking slowly at the spirit.
Inda nodded slightly at last, and the blue flickering form began to dissipate into mist and light and then disappeared completely.
"Master Qui-Gon, you will stay," Yoda called across the circle as Kee made to follow Theri and the others out.
Theri turned to look up at Kee at this, and he shrugged at her and turned back to his Master. "As you wish, Master."
And the Council chamber door slid shut behind Theri and the others, and they heard nothing more of the Council's debate.
"Well, we certainly gave them a lot to think about," Kylan said with a faint laugh as the four got off the lift at the lunchroom level.
"The part with Goza went well though," Theri said listlessly. The let-down from the nervousness was setting in now, and all she wanted was to sit down and rub her eyes and let her mind go blank until she felt better. Whenever that would be. She was certain now she'd screwed everything up and that she'd be tossed out on her ears in the morning. Oh well. She'd had over a year with Kee and Ben after all. It was more than she had any right to expect, really.
[Excuse me?] Kee Sent indignantly. [Does everything I say go in one ear and out the other?]
Theri smiled wanly and Sent back a wistful caress. [No, beloved. Certainly not. Just feel like I've failed everyone, the kids, Ben, Master Yoda, you.]
[Never!] Kee Sent back instantly. [But we'll see it through together. How could we not? We're lifemates.]
[You are my soul,] she Sent softly.
[And you are my life,] he answered. [Together, we can manage anything. But for the moment, let me try to manage the present so we have a future.]
Theri tried to smile and Sent acknowledgement as he turned his attention away. She let Kylan lead her up the stairs to an empty table on one of the glassed-in terraces, sighed as she shrugged out of her cloak and sank down into a chair at the table tiredly. Tas and Rhyon had already gone to get food and drinks and Kylan watched her a moment before dropping into the facing chair and taking her hands. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Stay here," he said softly, "I'll go find us some company. You need cheering up, teacher mine."
Theri sighed and nodded as he got to his feet and moved away silently. She smiled at his retreating form. The dark gray outfit went well with his hair and pale skin. She shook her head at herself wearily and went back to rubbing her aching eyes, feeling a headache beginning to start.
[You did just fine, kiddo,] Inda Sent to her softly.
[So did you,] she answered. [You've a lot more backbone than I do.]
Inda's chuckle. [If you want to call it that. Insolence is what Master Yoda calls it.]
[It's only second bell and already I just want to go home and sleep,] Theri Sent wistfully. [I wonder if it's some sort of defensive mechanism, my mind playing tricks on me to avoid stuff I don't want to deal with.]
The feeling of Inda's shrug before he answered. [Maybe it's that. Maybe it's the stress thing. Or something else.]
[Cryptic again,] Theri Sent, raising an eyebrow. [When you're cryptic it usually means you're hiding something.]
[Or it could just mean I don't know what's wrong with you,] Inda Sent cheerfully.
Theri left it at that and leaned back to let the autumn sunlight warm her face, idly watching the flittering tiny jewel-birds in the vines and blooms above her head, and let her mind empty of thoughts.
"This Mystic is dangerous, she has proven this already, and I say we should cut out this malignancy before it has a chance to spread," Koth said stridently, standing at his chair in the Council chamber. "She and Hellstorm at least should be sent to Cyrinx before they spread these aberrant beliefs of theirs. The Jedi need unity and harmony, not this obstinate individualism this sect promotes."
"Yet do we wish to appear closed-minded and intolerant to differing beliefs and ways of life?" Mistress Gallia asked quietly. "That could be as demoralizing within the Jedi as damaging to our reputation in the galaxy at large. A great deal of what we do depends on justice and tolerance and the celebration of life of all forms. We must be trusted by the people we seek to aid. If we are seen to eliminate those within our own ranks who hold differing viewpoints, will we not lose that trust in our impartiality?"
"They could be an invaluable resource," Yarael said slowly. "I am not easily tricked, and yet they got past my shields. They would make valuable allies against the Sith."
"Now you're thinking just like the Sith would," Depa said with a snort. "Listen to yourself, Yarael. You'd use them against the Sith when they have made it plain they do not wish to fight."
"Yet according to Windu's reports the girl has fought Darth Maul at least twice, once even before she had her lightsaber," Rancisis said tentatively. "Qualara tells me she is one of the best he's ever trained in Soritsu-ji."
"But she is still trying to learn the lightsaber," Windu answered. "She's got many years to go before she even thinks about confirming."
"She is dangerous now," Mundi said quietly. "With or without a lightsaber, she is a danger and a liability. She cannot be trusted, not with those Mystic mind tricks that can go right through shields. She has no grasp of ethics or morality."
"My Masters, may I speak?"
Kee came forward then from his spot by the door to the center of the mosaic circle.
"Speak you may, Qui-Gon," Yoda said, his ears lifting at his apprentice. "Listen, we may or may not."
Kee quirked a grin briefly at his Master before walking forward to stand between Yoda and Mundi's chairs so the entire Council could see him. "Masters, you need not fear that Theri will take advantage of her greater mindpowers, nor that she'll use her talent for Soritsu-ji to harm anyone. The only way she'd hurt anyone with her lightsaber is by accident or if she was defending someone else. It's true she sometimes has problems deciding what is the right thing to do, but so do many kids her age. But I have never heard her deliberately lie to someone. Ignorance of facts and circumstances, maybe. But she is unfailingly honest and she tries very hard to think of the impact her actions may have on others." He sighed heavily and shrugged slightly. "And the circumstances surrounding her use of the impulsion loop on Master Mundi and the others who came to rescue Windu and me were unusual and probably will never happen again."
"Unusual how?" Master Saesee said. "Elaborate, Master Qui-Gon."
Kee nodded. Well, it was defintely a day for owning up to things. "Theriyah and I have been lifemates for over a year now. Our bond is strong enough that we are able to trade places psychically. When Niharn captured us he used mind-altering drugs to attempt to extract information from us. Due to a severe allergic reaction to the drugs used I soon became unconscious and my breathing stopped. But by that time, Theriyah and I had switched bodies and I--we--were able to carry out a plan of rescue. I am afraid that I was desperate that the others follow my orders. And with our lifebond, I was able to gain knowledge of how to set impulsion loops as Theriyah does. And neither of us were thinking clearly at that point. Theriyah's Mystic training also includes deep-trance techniques that mimic death. She was able to withstand the condition my body was in far better than I could myself at that point, and I had a rescue plan." He smiled lopsidedly at Yoda. "My Master tagged the change at once, and so did Jedi Hellstorm."
"You lifemated with the child? And you've hidden this for over a year?" Mundi said with an edge to his voice.
Kee sighed and turned to his old friend. "I haven't hidden it, Mundi. Neither has she. We've just kept it quiet precisely because we knew it would cause trouble. Lifebonds are rare, and they don't happen at anyone's command. Think about it. Aside from Theri and me, I know of only one other lifebonded pair, Depa and Ghanivo." Kee looked over at Mistress Depa and acknowledged her smile with a rueful one of his own. "Depa would probably agree with me that there's not much you can do when you have a lifebond. It's certainly not something that takes account of age or rank or the impropriety of the relationship."
"Quite true," Depa said with a laugh. "And Ghani agrees. Still, Qui-Gon, your bond must be far stronger than my own, if you and the child can trade bodies."
"It saved my life and Windu's as well," Kee said simply. "And on a similar note, that is another reason the Council need never fear that Theri will abuse her powers. She is able to access my memories and thoughts at all times, and my sense of ethics and morality is creeping into her mind. Plus we always know what the other is thinking and feeling, and distance is not a factor in our bond. She can't get away with anything."
[That's what you think,] Theri Sent softly.
Depa laughed again from across the circle. "I'll bet she just contradicted that last statement, since you look like you're about to burst out laughing."
Kee tried his best to keep the grin off his face. He shook his head slightly and turned to bow to his Master as he crossed again to the center of the mosaic circle, awaiting instruction.
Yoda looked around at the others of the Council, the various expressions on faces and the emotions and thoughts racing around the room. "Time, we need, to consider all this fully. Go, Qui-Gon, call you we will when needed."
Kee nodded, bowed to Yoda again, and turned to go.
"Why didn't I think of coming down here to meditate before?" Theri asked with a sigh.
"We are not exactly meditating, dearheart," Kee said with a chuckle and popped another gumpta berry in her mouth.
"The kids are," she said. "It's so peaceful here."
The indoor gardens on Level 3 of the Temple took up almost the entire level. The parts of the gardens on the terraces in the open air were kept under force-shields to keep the various birds and small animals inside the gardens. The indoors parts of the gardens held some of the hydroponics that supplied some of the Temple's food. There were fruit trees and nut trees from various worlds of the Republic on the terraces. The children in the dayschool, those talented in the Force who had not yet or were too young to be chosen by Masters, tended to the gardens under the supervision of the dayschool Mistress. And of course there were droids to tend the vast gardens, patiently and endlessly watering and trimming and pruning and raking fallen leaves. Narrow pathways wound through the profusion of vines and trees and bushes to grottos and tiny waterfalls and pools, and the silence was deep and lasting.
A few yards away, past a huge fall of moonflowers that spilled over a boulder next to a tiny bubbling stream, Kylan, Tas and Rhyon knelt in meditation. Theri smiled at them. It had been their idea to come here, and she hadn't even known this place was in the Temple. Kee had never brought her here and she'd not really had time to explore the Temple as she'd wished.
[This level was classrooms when I was here,] Inda Sent quietly. [We had the walkways outside on the first floor, though. Of course, back then, we didn't grow our own food. At least, not here at the Temple itself.]
[I thought that was one of the big things with the Jedi, being self-sufficient. All that Jedi impartiality and all that,] Theri Sent lazily as she started nibbling on a slice of the tanatha cake Kylan had brought from the lunchroom earlier.
[We had farms on various planets and the courier ships would bring the food home, among other things,] Inda replied. [We had our own krim-silk farms and we grew the flax for linen for uniforms. All apprentices were required to do a year's worth of work on one of the farms during their training, and some enjoyed it enough to ask to stay. It's a good life, helping things grow. Very peaceful, very much connected to the land and the living Force.]
Theri heard the wistfulness in Inda's mindvoice at this. [Sowelu Inda, you are a bundle of contradictions, you know that? Leader of rebellions and slave revolts one minute, farmer the next, philosopher and heretic the next.]
[Heh. Well, I never could decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. Then I died.] But Theri could feel Inda was pleased by her observation.
Kee laughed at this and slowly lifted a hand as a jewel-bird flittered close to them, radiating calmness and peace and welcome. The little bird was tiny, hardly the size of Theri's thumb, wings a blur of motion, it's feathers a swirl of gemstone colors, hovering and slipping sideways in the air as the Jedi Master lifted his hand. It tilted it's head one way and another, considering, then darted forward to land on Kee's fingers. Theri, her head still on Kee's leg, watched breathlessly, hardly daring to think or breathe for fear of disturbing the tiny creature.
[It's one of the exercises for calmness,] Kee Sent softly. [To have one of the jewel-birds land on your hand and not to scare it away. Takes a great deal of patience. Ben's never been able to do it.]
Theri frowned slightly at this, but she sensed there was more in Kee's words than simply an observation on Ben's lack of patience. [Do you think--you're saying I scared the Council this morning?]
[Mmm-hmm,] Kee agreed, smiling at the tiny bird still perched on his hand, then wiggling his fingers a little. The jewel-bird disappeared in a buzz of wings. [Yes, dearheart, you scared some of them. Koth and Mundi and Saesee for certain. Yarael wants to use the Mystics to go against the Sith.] The mirthless grin he gave then disappeared in a moment. [And Windu wishes he had an entire covert Intelligence unit of Mystics.]
[That sounds like Windu,] Theri Sent with a weary sigh. [Don't any of them realize the tricks are all secondary? We developed those tricks as a means to avoid Jedi and Sith, not to be used against you.]
[What Inda said has a great deal of truth to it,] Kee Sent in a neutral tone. [The Jedi are very much of the material world now, and there are so few of us and so much that needs fixing in the galaxy that we can't afford to let a potential weapon sit idle.]
[So much for peace,] Theri Sent with a cynical twist in her mindvoice. [You guys are as bad as the Sith.]
[Hmph,] Kee Sent with a grimace. [I'll ask you to remember what the Jedi do for the galaxy, young lady.]
[Yeah, stick your noses in everyone else's business,] Theri Sent with a grin. [At least the Sith are honestly greedy.]
[Isn't that a contradiction in terms?] Kee Sent with a laugh.
Theri laughed a little at this. [Probably. Well, we need to quit making so much noise, we're disturbing the kids.] She sat up slowly and stretched, tossed her hair back. [Kee--whatever happens, I love you.]
[And I love you, dearheart.] He took her hand and kissed her fingers gently. [Whatever happens, it will never change that.] Kee nodded toward Kylan and Tas and Rhyon, kneeling in the moss nearby meditating. [Go on, clear out your mind. I'll listen for Master Yoda.]
Theri nodded and got up to go join her students in the silent joyfulness of the Force.
The early autumn dusk was falling over Coruscant when the summons came at last. The Council had been debating for most of the day. Theri didn't know if this was a good sign or bad.
The lift door opened to the Council Chamber level in the eastern minaret tower and Theri straightened up and led her students out toward the Council, her face carefully empty of emotions, her soul touching the Force. Balance, she told herself. There is no destruction, there is no arriving or departing, there is only the moment. No past or future. Whatever happens, we'll survive.
They all stopped before the door of the Council, and Theri felt Kylan take her hand, then Tas take the other, and the fur on Rhyon's hands tickled her neck as he put his hands on her shoulders. [Everyone ready?]
A chorus of Sent affirmatives, and Kee Sent to Windu inside the Council to open the door.
The indigo twilight beyond the great vitriglass windows cast shadow into the Council's mosaic circle. The faint phosphor glow of the overhead lights was just beginning to brighten the room. Most members of the Council looked as if they'd been through hell trying to decide on the matter of the heretics in their Temple. Even Yoda looked tired. The arguing must have been very intense.
As they came to the center of the circle the door opened again behind them, and Mistress Goza came forward to face them, bowing to Yoda impatiently. Theri watched her then bowed herself to the old one with much more deliberate care.
Yoda's ears lifted and he glanced slowly around. [Padawan?]
[Here,] Kee answered immediately from beside the door.
[Here,] Inda Sent at the same moment as the spirit began to coalesce beside Theri, grinning slightly at his Master.
Yoda's ears waggled at this. [Confusing, this is, sometimes, to have both of you here. You will stand with Little One, Sowelu?]
[Of course,] Inda Sent back.
[You need to explain to me about your name sometime,] Theri Sent absently. [Which one's your first name?]
[They're both my first name,] Inda Sent with a twist of amusement. [Trust me, it's complicated. I'm from Proxima Tau. Or, I was.]
All inconsequential considerations were swiftly abandoned then as Yoda looked over at Windu and nodded slightly, signalling him to begin.
"The Council has decided that Taslimi Choi and Rhyonluppa of Kashyyyk will be allowed to continue their training as Mystics," Windu said quietly, giving Goza a very steady and emotionless look. "That will leave you free to continue your own work with the Chancellor without further obstruction or hinderance, Goza. Master Jedi are not absolutely required to train apprentices, and the Chancellor undoubtedly needs your skills and abilities. You are not truly suited to be a teacher, but the Chancellor himself has often spoken of your value to him as his truthsenser and aide. And you know that is where your heart and soul are, Goza."
Goza's shoulders slumped a little at this, but she nodded slowly and bowed silently to Windu in acknowledgement. She did not look over at her apprentices as she did so. Her face set in an unreadable mask, Goza turned and made her way out of the Council without another word.
Windu waited until the door had slid shut behind Goza before turning to pin Theri with his glance, but Yoda spoke now.
"Master Inda," Yoda said, "What are the criteria for a Mystic to become a Master?"
Inda quirked an eyebrow up at this briefly then answered. [Successful passage into the Force and return to this world of manifestation during a Mystic questing. The ability and willingness to convey the knowledge gained from that questing. A lifetime commitment to the Mystic Way.]
"These criteria, Theriyah has met?" Yoda asked.
[Yes, my Master. Else I would never have suggested she gather students to teach.]
Yoda humphed at this and looked up at Theri, who was looking from one to the other with faint wariness.
"Then acknowledge, the Council does, Theriyah's ascension to Master rank," Yoda said. A ripple of faint protest in the Force from some of the Council around them, swiftly controlled and countered by the approval that swirled from others. "To teach students, she has the right and duty, so long as Master Qui-Gon supervises."
Behind them, Theri could feel Master Koth's storm of disapproval, but he said nothing.
"You may stay here in the Temple with full access to our resources, you may continue with your plan to salvage a ship from the Undercity," Windu continued. "But there are conditions we wish met in return."
[Here's where they get us by the short hairs,] Kylan grumbled to his teacher.
Theri Sent her own agreement but didn't turn her attention from Windu. "Do we have the option of not agreeing to these conditions?"
"The only option you have is to get thrown out of the Temple without your students," Windu said darkly. "We can't do anything about Qui-Gon, but we can certainly toss you out on your ears."
Theri bristled inwardly at this but calmed and nodded once. "All right, what are the conditions?"
"Desist in working at Coruscant General," Mundi said, a hint of steel in his usually quiet voice. "And assist with missions and negotiations."
[ Shithra e'kanai! ] Theri Sent in an angry hiss to Kylan. [They're wanting us to fight the Sith! Damnit, why can't we just be left *alone*!]
[Patience, beloved,] Kee Sent in warning.
"You wish us to fight the Sith?" Theri asked in a cold voice. "Already there are four of the six captured or dead."
"There may have been apprentices of which we know nothing," Master Yarael said from behind them.
"And there are always those who we did not find in time to train who have gone to the Dark," Mistress Gallia said quietly.
Theri ground her teeth for a moment, then forced herself to breathe and relax, touched the Force and let the calmness unknot her mind and heart. "My first duty is to my students. Tas and Rhyon are not trained enough yet to go on such dangerous missions. Kylan and I could do so, but if I am hurt or killed they would all be without their teacher. When they are all trained sufficiently to defend themselves I will do as the Council asks."
"This is only fair," Mundi said with a nod.
[Now they're gonna tell you to deliver Sidious to them with a bow on his nose tomorrow morning,] Kylan quipped to Theri. [With a side order of Gamorrean fried slugs.]
[Heh. Good one, kid,] Inda Sent with a chuckle.
[Quiet you two jokesters,] Theri Sent, exasperated but amused. [I need to think here.]
"I do not like the idea of being under the Council's control," Theri said with some trepidation in her voice. "What assurances do I have that the Mystics will not be exiled again when we become a liability or a nuisance?"
She felt Kee wince inwardly, but she felt she had more than a right to ask such.
Windu and Yoda traded glances, both looked to Mundi, then Yoda's gaze travelled around the Council, guaging reactions.
"You have no such assurances," Windu said evenly. "Just as we have no real guarantees you and your students will not one day use your powers and skills against us."
Theri raised an eyebrow at that. [Ah, I get it. They don't trust us any further than they could throw us, but they want us where they can watch us and they'd rather have us on their side than with the Sith. We're too useful and too dangerous to let go or kick out,] she Sent hurriedly to her students.
[Yeah,] Kylan Sent in agreement.
[I hate being coerced into things, but it looks like we don't have much of a choice,] Theri Sent.
[Ask about the ship, ask if we'll be allowed to come and go as we like,] Tas Sent.
[Thank you, dear, I'd forgotten,] Theri Sent back to the girl with a mental caress.
"Once we have our ship, will we be allowed to come and go as we like?" Theri asked Windu.
Another unreadable glance between Yoda and Windu, and an instant wave of silent protest from Koth and Piell behind her.
Windu sighed and nodded. "Yes. You will be allowed free travel without hindrance."
Theri took a deep breath and let the objections she had go. This was not the best situation they could find themselves in but it sure as hell beat being thrown out of the Temple. She glanced up at Inda beside her, and his expression and emotional aura mirrored her own, not completely happy but seeing no other way. But he was leaving the decision to her.
"All right, then," she said at last. "If this is the only choice given us, then choose it we do."
"When one cannot go any other way, go forward," Yoda said quietly, his ears quivering.
[At the point of the saber, Master Yoda?] Theri Sent angrily.
[If you must. Tried to gain more for you, I did, but Koth and Piell and Saesee convinced many. ] The old one peered up at her with a veiled worried warning. [Take care, you will! Inda's defiance will serve you not on this saber edge you walk!]
"May the Force be with you," Windu said in dismissal, and Theri and her students bowed and turned to go.
The angry Thretkethan began the moment the apartment door slid shut behind Kee and he chuckled softly, amazed at the stream of curses.
"I understand the sentiments, dearheart, but all things considered I think things worked out well."
"Worked out well?" Theri exclaimed, whirling to face him, her green eyes bright with annoyance. "We're under the thumb of the Council and you think that's good? This must be some new definition of 'good' that I haven't been made aware of!"
Kee nodded and reached over to take her cloak off, put it over the back of the nearest chair. "You're not tossed out of the Temple, you and the children can start looking for your ship immediately, you'll have the means to rebuild it here at the Temple, you'll be able to come and go as you please, and no one will interfere in your beliefs or teachings. That seems a fair deal to me."
"Yeah, with the Council watching every move I make and using me and the kids as weapons against anyone they damn well please!" she snapped back. "That's not what I intended!"
"I know. But always in motion is the future."
Theri almost growled at him for quoting Yoda's favorite phrase. But she was just too tired to really care. The energy of her outburst abruptly drained out of her and she sighed and sank into one of the chairs wearily. She had to admit Kee was right, at least from his point of view. "I know. We could have done a lot worse."
"Indeed," Kee answered as he took off his own cloak and came to join her. In the yellowish light of the main room she looked very pale and he suppressed his worry before it could cross over their lifebond. "A long and tiring day, Mistress Theriyah."
She snorted at that as he pulled her into his arms to snuggle. "Silly, isn't it? As if I could ever be anyone's Master about anything."
"The Council said it, not me," Kee said and kissed her forehead. He took the clutch-beads from the half-dozen small braids and shifted her to sit with her back to him so he could unbraid her hair for her. "And you are doing the work of a Master, so why not have the rank? It's not like it's the blind leading the blind, y'know. You do know what you're doing."
She was still for a long moment. "I'm not so sure of that, beloved. But thank you for saying so."
Kee smiled and untangled the last braid, running his hands through the long ebony fall of her hair, pulled her back against him and held her for many long silent moments. Theri sighed and leaned back into his warm strength and felt the Force moving in him as he relaxed, reached to the Force herself and let the leftover frustrations and annoyances of the day go. She and her students were safe, they weren't going to be thrown out of the Temple for the moment, and she could rest.
"Kee?"
"Mmm-hmm?"
Theri squirmed around to sit so she could see him again. "There's so much going on in my life that I don't think I can fit it all in. There's too much to be done, and I can't get centered enough to deal with it all." She looked away and he felt something like faint shame flicker through her mind. "I don't know how to deal with this. So what do I do?"
"First of all, don't feel bad that you don't know what to do," he answered with a smile. "You're not the first to be overwhelmed. Second, you are going to rest and reorganize things tomorrow so that you're not so overloaded. I've seen how tired you've been the last few days and it worries me since you're usually buzzing with energy. That tiredness will affect your judgment so you're going to rest more until we can figure out what's wrong with you. So we'll lay everything out tomorrow and see what we can do to get things into some sort of order so that you don't go mad and start throwing things."
Theri grinned weakly. She *had* felt that way lately, more than once. And it indicated to her more than any other sign that there was something seriously wrong in how she was living. Where was the calmness and centeredness she'd always known?
"I guess you're right."
"You know I am," Kee answered and hugged her close. [I've been so worried about you, dearheart.]
Theri felt the uneasiness and worry that he'd been trying to suppress then, threading through their lifebond and the Force still flowing between them. [You're always worried about me,] she Sent with faint mischief.
[Yes, but now there's reason.]
Theri sighed and nodded, feeling his love and care for her wrapping around her in the tendrils of the Force, a warm furry protectiveness that he tried to keep from becoming restrictive or oppressive. [I've never been sick. Well, never except that time on Zharvan when I caught that Genebian virus. I'll be okay, don't worry.]
The words sounded tired and automatic even to her own mind.
[To bed. Now,] Kee Sent in a tone of mindvoice that would accept no arguments. She nodded and followed him to bed.
The ion storm that buffeted Errai Matar had shut down radio and subspace communications with the Lyncis when the patrol ship made it's scheduled pass through the system, but the lightcoder was still functioning perfectly through the storm. The planet was a dead rock, no life forms at all, just a fine gritty sand and gray lunar rock below an atmosphere too thin and too toxic to support humanoid life. What life there was on Errai Matar lived sealed underground and the only signs of habitation were the hundred hectares of solar panels embedded in the rocky floor of the twenty-mile wide crater and the white vanes of the wind generators. Errai Matar had been given to the Jedi long ago as a place to keep those who could not be kept where they could easily escape.
Not to put it too finely, Errai Matar was a prison colony for Sith.
The Lyncis came into orbit around Errai Matar, her force-shields visibly shimmering with the waves of ions in the solar winds thrown off by Errai Prime's white blaze. She could not stay for long in this punishing storm and began transmitting via lightcoder the moment she achieved geosynchronous orbit above the tiny habitation below. When there was no response to the check-in message the captain of the Lyncis called for the two Jedi they were ferrying to Droma.
"Mistress Fleyn," the captain acknowledged as the Jedi and her apprentice came onto the bridge. "Errai is not answering our hails."
"This is suspicious," the small Jedi Master said, peering down from the ship's viewports at the tiny dead world. "Padawan, what think you?"
A moment of silence from the young human apprentice as he queried the Force. "I am not certain, Mistress, but this *is* a Sith prison. It cannot be good news if they do not answer, and I have a feeling there is something very very wrong."
"As do I," the Jedi Mistress said. She turned to the Captain. "Try again to signal them, if they do not answer a second time then leave orbit and we will call the Justice for assistance once we are out of this system."
"We will not go down to see what is wrong, Mistress?" her apprentice asked quietly.
"No, there are Sith here and if the Jedi who watch do not answer then they are probably dead and we will only accomplish our own deaths if we are drawn into the trap," the Mistress answered. "Be mindful of the moment but do not ignore the future and do not be blinded by assumptions, Padawan. Especially with Sith."
"Yes, Mistress."
A moment later the Captain turned from his communications officer and shook his head. "Nothing. No answers from Errai."
"Leave orbit and continue on your patrol pattern, Captain," the Jedi Mistress said quickly. "We have no time to waste--"
A massive wave of pain and hatred overwhelmed the Jedi Mistress' mindshields in an instant, the Sending rolling like a tsunami wave from the planet below, a ravening howl propelled by the agony of the Jedi dying and the delight of the Sith whose hands dealt that agony. The bolt of pain sliced through Mistress Fleyn's mind and through her mind to her apprentice, both of them screaming and falling to their knees in the suddeness of the attack.
[Land. Now.]
The multivoiced Sending was so loud that even the non-telepathic crew of the Lyncis heard it, roiling through the air like wind-driven flames. The Captain and second-mate were trying to get the Jedi Mistress and apprentice on their feet again, but the two were barely conscious from the attack.
[Land. Now. Or we keep these alive to suffer.] And a horrific image burst into the minds of the bridge crew, the three Jedi who kept watch over the Sith at the prison, tied to metal tables, a laser drill focussed on the vaporizing flesh of an arm, the mental screams that the Jedi did not voice ripping through the minds of all who saw.
"Break orbit, now!" the Captain called to his helmsman. "Get us out of here!"
An animalistic growl that echoed in the Captain's mind, and the minds of the bridge crew were seized in the grip of a predatory intelligence, wrenched around by sheer telepathic force, and the horrible pain of the forced link followed the Lyncis all the way down to the surface of Errai Matar.
Darth Maul knelt on the deck of the Lyncis 's bridge, waiting silently and patiently for his Master to acknowledge and activate the transmission link. Around him, blood coated the walls and viewports, dripping down to congeal in rusty pools on the deckplates, the metallic scent pervading the air like the screams that had preceded it. The ship was in hyperspace now, the endless steaks of the stars shining ethereal light through the red glaze on the cold vitriglass.
He felt strong again, powerful again, drinking in the pain and terror until he felt his heart would simply seize up in rapture. This was what he lived for, this was what he craved, this wild absolute dominion over every sentient mind within his reach, the screams that were sweeter than any other pleasure.
The holoprojector beeped and the line of light began to unfold into the image of his Master, Darth Sidious.
"So you escaped."
"As ever, my Master," Maul said, not quite able to erase all traces of pride and arrogance from his voice.
"It was your own stupidity that defeated you," Sidious continued.
"And my own brutality and cleverness that freed me," Maul countered.
"Your wounds are healed?" The voice dropped an octave and the bass harmonics shivered the deckplates beneath Maul's knee.
"Healing," Maul answered. "The Force moves slowly so far from the Core."
"You must open yourself to it, and it will move as quickly as you command," Sidious snarled. "Do not rely solely on your own strength. Mere human strength cannot prevail against the Jedi."
"I will not enslave myself to something so unreliable," Maul said.
"Unreliable? Far more reliable than you will ever know," Sidious growled at him. "You move by it's dictates whether you acknowledge it or not."
"I do not choose to allow the Force to rule my conscious actions," Maul said quietly. "I control the circumstances which surround me."
"Open yourself to the Dark and you will be in control of everything at all times," Sidious growled. "As I am."
"So that I may defeat and kill you, Master? Do not block yourself into a corner, I only get suspicious when you do."
The ghost of a grin quirked on the face half-hidden in the black cloak hood. "Your smugness tells me much."
Smugness? Maul almost frowned. He was never smug. He dismissed it impatiently. "What are my orders, Master?"
"Who survives?"
Maul blinked, thinking. "Tahkra and Ylaren are dead. Niharn stabbed them both through the heart." He shrugged slightly. "Izar lives. You and I live."
"Niharn?"
"I--do not know for certain, Master. We began our escape together from Errai Matar, but he did not meet me at the ship. Errai's atmosphere cannot support humanoid life. I do not know if he is on the ship or not. I was too busy killing the crew, and I called you directly afterward." Maul shifted a little, twinges of pain in his healing stomach wound beginning to seep through the waning adrenaline rush of battle.
Sidious appeared to think for a long moment. Then, "Go to Korolis and recover. Get rid of the Jedi ship at the earliest possible opportunity. When you are healed, go to Syharath. We will discuss our next moves then."
Maul nodded once. "Yes, Master."
Three days after confronting the Jedi Council and Goza, Theri was sitting alone in Inda's hidden room when she felt Kee's amusement flicker through the lifebond and the brief surge of elation that came with it. [What? What are you laughing about?]
[Serala's gone into labor, Torin's getting nervous and Windu's starting to pace,] Kee Sent.
Theri smiled and settled her cloak around her again, wriggling back into the pile of pillows. She was reading through some of the Mystic teachings she'd not had a chance to go over yet, completely content to be alone in the silence. [If I were you I'd have some tranquilizer drug-patches ready.]
Kee's laugh echoed through her mind. [I don't think it'll get that bad, but it presents a problem. Windu was supposed to go to the Senate today to talk to some of the delegates, and since he can't I need to go in his place.]
Theri yawned and closed her eyes. [Have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't do.]
[That leaves a lot of possibilities open, dearheart.]
Theri snorted a laugh and turned back to her reading but found she couldn't concentrate on it now. Something nagged at her mind and she couldn't quite make out what.
What was it? She pulled her cloak around her and relaxed into the Force, sifting through the strands of time and energy of the spiral, touching. Seri and Torin? No. The baby? No, not exactly, though the thought of the child twinged something within her mind. Master Windu? No. The Senate? Yes, partially. Why? Was there a connection in the two, Seri's baby and the Senate? No, that didn't seem right.
"Damn, what a time for Torin to be unavailable," she mumbled. Precognition was not a gift she had much of, though after her questing she'd noticed she had more and more premonitions of danger or wrongness. [Beloved?]
[Yes?]
[Can I ask what you're going to be talking about at the Senate today?]
She felt Kee's surprise for a moment. Then, [The Trade Federation. They've started increasing the taxes on the trade routes from the Rim to the inner worlds. It's causing unrest in the Rim. The Chancellor wanted Windu to coordinate with some of the Senators from the Rim worlds to try to head off any trouble before it happens.]
The Force lurched in her mind like a bantha shot with a blaster. Theri gasped and clutched at the the edges of her cloak. Kee had no choice but to feel it.
[Tell me, beloved! What did you See?]
[Nothing,] Theri Sent raggedly. [Doesn't work that way with me, you know that...]
[What was it then? The Federation?] Kee's mindvoice was intense and worried now, feeling the way she was trembling despite the warmth of her cloak.
[Yes. Watch them, beloved. There is something not right there, something bad will happen soon.] She rubbed her face for a moment and and felt Kee's mental caress and his worry. [I'm all right now, the precog was just a little strong, that's all.]
[Any idea of the time frame?]
Theri thought about that for a moment, testing, asking the Force. [Several months. Less than a year, though.]
[Any idea how bad the trouble will be?]
Ever the Jedi, Theri thought with a smile at her lifemate's questions. [It will be the start of much worse,] she Sent softly, surprised at her own words. [The beginning of the end.]
Silence from Kee, and she could sense the vague mumbles of thoughts he didn't allow to cross over their lifebond. Then, determination and acceptance. [Nothing to do with you and I, beloved, will ever end.]
[So long as the Force is there to guide us,] she answered gently.
[As ever.] She felt him pushing the thoughts away briskly. [We have our duty, and we will go on.]
Theri sighed and nodded as she felt his attention go elsewhere. But why did their words and cheerful reassurance to each other sound like denial?
"Well, that's it," Tas said happily as her pack thumped to the floor of the hidden room that afternoon. "We're officially not Goza's apprentices anymore!"
Rhyon's pleased whuffle said much the same as he tugged his own large duffel bag over to the ledge.
[Rhyon, you don't wear clothes so what are you carrying there?] Theri Sent with some amusement.
[Tools, parts, readouts, textreaders, holocubes, disks and cards,] the young Wookie Sent merrily. [Tas has my brushes. And I do have a cloak, Tas has in pack.]
Theri smiled and watched Tas throw herself backwards into the pile of pillows with a grin of contentment. [I don't care if it is a hole in the ground, it's home!]
Theri chuckled at this. [But it's not the best of homes. But you'll be safe down here for a while until we can figure out what to do.]
[We can start looking for the ship!] Tas Sent excitedly, sitting up again, her eyes sparkling.
[True. Now that we don't have to get the money together for it,] Theri Sent with a grimace. [I still don't like the idea of being under the Council's eye for everything we do.]
[But they won't stop us, will they?] Rhyon asked worriedly.
[They say they won't, but you never know,] Theri Sent back and ruffled Rhyon's fur a little. [Don't worry about it now. We'll concentrate on the moment and deal with things as they happen.] She pulled her cloak from the metal railing of the ledge and walked over to the hatchway in the floor. "I've got to go up above for a while, a friend of mine is in labor with her baby and I promised I'd help. You two can stay down here if you want and get settled in or go up above if you like. You got your comlink, Tas?"
"Yeah, in my pack," the girl answered lazily.
"Good, keep it handy. I'll call when I'm free and we can get Kylan and go for dinner later," Theri said, preparing to drop down through the hatchway. "See you later, my dears."
"Later, Mistress."
Theri had scurried out of the droid corridor below the hatchway before Tas' farewell hit her. Mistress, she thought. Me.
She swallowed and got to her feet in the hallway beyond the droid corridor, still uneasy with the thought that anyone would call her Mistress. Shaking her head clear of such thoughts for the moment, she made her way back up to the Temple and headed for the Infirmary.
Coria Chonsai-Ghanbari came into the world screaming, much to the delighted bemusement of her parents.
She also came into the world weighing a healthy five and a half kilograms with all the requisite fingers and toes and a full head of dark red-brown hair.
Serala, exhausted but serenely happy, looked down at the tiny face of her newborn and laughed softly at the perfect miniature fingers extending and clenching as the baby slept. "She doesn't even sit still to sleep," Serala said quietly.
Torin, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her, reached out one finger tentatively to the tiny hands and smiled in wonder as the little fingers grabbed. [She's so strong already,] Torin Sent softly to Serala. [Look, Seri, she's grabbed on like a Mynock!]
Serala looked up at him and they smiled at each other in wordless wonder and contentment. The moment was too incredible for words or even Sending.
Behind them, sitting silently, Windu closed his eyes and reached for the Force, letting the joy he felt join with the endless calm and peace of the Force. He sighed and slipped an arm around Theri who sat beside him, and Theri grinned a little and leaned into his hug for a moment, happy beyond words for her friends.
[I'd never heard of someone sharing the pain of childbirth like that,] Windu Sent to Theri softly.
Theri shrugged a little. [I did it without thinking when I was little, back home on Thretketh. I was the fifth of twelve children, and by the time my last three siblings were born I had enough telepathic awareness to help my Ama. I'm told it helps ease the pain.]
[That it does. I felt no distress at all from the baby,] Windu Sent approvingly. [Or from Seri, once the nerve blocks took effect.]
The little room was dark save for one small hoverlight over the bed and even that was tuned to a gentle pastel glow, the faintly pink light pooling just around the bed. Windu and Theri sat in shadow to one side. Outside the polarized windows it was full night now over Coruscant.
[Would you like to hold her, love?] Serala Sent to Torin.
Torin swallowed convulsively and sudden uneasiness replaced the fascination. [Hold her? You mean me? Carry her?]
[Yes you, silly. You *are* her father,] Seri Sent back, quirking an eyebrow up at him.
Torin shook himself and nodded, and Theri could almost see him going over the childcare lessons in his head, searching for the relevant data. A moment later and all that was swept aside as he settled his newborn daughter against his shoulder and she wriggled a little to hide her face against his neck. That was all it took.
He'd been Sending to this little creature for the last several weeks, sharing the timeless contentment and not-quite-awareness. Serala had been able to hear the baby inside her body before he'd come home from his mission with Tiano's Falcons. He'd felt his daughter's restlessness even when Serala herself slept in his arms, he'd known instinctively the baby's acrobatics were from joy and not distress. Now the tiny little sparkling presence wasn't muted by unawareness but snuggled into his thoughts like a kitten circling down into a ball to sleep. The drowsy contentment and absolute trust radiated by this small miracle cast a new spin on her father's thoughts. Suddenly the world wasn't something he dealt with on his own for his own ends, nor was it some abstract mental exercise to think of Coria and Serala before himself. Now it was automatic that his first thoughts in any matter or situation be for this elfin child and her continued well-being just as over the months he'd come to think more of Serala's welfare than his own. Things weren't distant and faceless now, they were immediate and latched onto the neckline of his uniform tunic with miniscule fists that barely circled one of his own fingers.
Windu looked up at his apprentice and smiled faintly, sensing Torin's shift of mind. He stood and went to put a large and gentle hand on the baby's back, his eyes unfocussing as he listened to Coria's unformed and sleepy thoughts. [We'll have to be careful not to Send so loud around her until she's learned to shield,] Windu Sent softly to Serala and Torin both. [I'm certain she's already capable of Sending and Hearing, since you've both been Sending to her for several weeks. We'll check her midi-chlorian count tomorrow but I suspect it will be at least as high as yours, Seri.]
[I wouldn't care for her any the less if she was a total mute,] Torin Sent quietly.
He didn't look up to meet his Master's eyes, but both Serala and Windu heard the thoughts behind the ones he Sent. Like any self-respecting father anywhere in the galaxy, Torin had fallen instantly and evermore in love with his daughter.
Theri smiled at her friends and slipped away and out the door, leaving the new family in peace. She'd intruded enough and now she wished only the comfort of her students and lifemate to ease the faint wistful longing she couldn't quite suppress. One day, yes, she'd have children of her own. But it seemed like worlds away.
"The Chair recognizes the honored representative of the democratic monarchy of Alderaan."
Bail Antilles, Senator of Alderaan nodded to his secretary as the small hovercar detached itself from the boarding niche and began moving downwards in the well of the Galactic Senate, coming to a hover again before the podium in the center. He was an elderly man in his late seventh decade, dressed in the simple stark white silks and silver trim traditional to the leaders of Alderaan, his long brown-black hair streaked with wide slashes of silver and flowing unbound down his back. His face was fine-boned and thin, elegant and impassive as any career diplomat's would be. But there was determination in the famous amber eyes now, and a conviction that he must act. "Fellow representatives, Chancellor, I wish to speak on the matter of the new taxes imposed on the galactic trade routes by the Trade Federation. The tariffs on water from the outer Rim worlds are not only restrictive but border on criminal. There are many billions of people in the inner Core worlds who desperately need the water from the ice planets of the Rim and there is enough traffic in such a trade that the Federation can make a healthy profit without the need of these crippling taxes--"
"Objection! We object! There is no law anywhere in the Republic that restricts the free interaction of trade and the acquisition of profit!" said the Malastairian delegate of the Trade Federation as the delegation's hovercar whizzed up to hover next to the Alderaanian. "It is our water-hauler ships which must take the brunt of privateer raids in the outlying systems, our crews who hazard capture or death in the gathering of that water! In light of the recent pirate attacks the increase in taxes is justified!"
"But it is not restrained merely to the compensation of recent losses," Senator Antilles continued. "These new tariffs are fraudulent and the Federation has refused to open their records for Senate inspection. Without such records proper investigations cannot be made into the legality of the taxes in question. But as Chair of the Inner Systems Committee I have received many complaints from the representatives of those systems who require the water which the Federation supplies. I have also been made aware of the increase of taxation on the transport of other goods as well. Many of the worlds the Federation is choosing to impose these tariffs on are mineral-poor agricultural worlds or worlds that depend heavily on exports for their livelihood. These taxes are wreaking havoc with local and in-system economies. These taxes must be rescinded before mere unrest becomes violence."
"Our records are our business and we are under no compulsion to open them for Senate inspection," said another of the Trade Federation delegation, a blue-skinned stocky humanoid with a bushy tuft of orange hair springing from the top of his head. "We hold equal place with the systems of the Republic and are bound and subject to the same laws. We do not volunteer our accounting records for the perusal of the Senate anymore than the honored delegate from Alderaan would pass around the family holophoto album of that system's Royal Family."
Chancellor Valorum almost cracked a smile at that but refrained. Bail Antilles was an old friend and Valorum knew (as few in the Senate these days did) how close the Antilles family was to the Royal House of Organa of Alderaan. Valorum was well aware that one or possibly two of that scion House's children might well be of Antilles blood, as had been the case for at least three generations of both Houses. It certainly made no difference to the two Houses whose children were whose save only in the reckoning of royal titles and governmental responsibility. Passing around the family holophoto albums might have interesting repercussions indeed.
"To open the records of the Trade Federation would require a majority vote," Valorum reminded the two delegations. "It is true that privateer raids have been on the increase in the Rim systems of late, but the water-haulers are not the most profitable of targets. My own sources inform me that the majority of the raids have been on ore-freighters returning from Miram and Zaurak and these shipments are under the control of the respective shipwright companies and not the Federation. If you wish to clear yourselves of suspicion I suggest you volunteer those accounting records in the near future to justify these taxes or else rescind the taxes immediately. Mere profit alone cannot excuse the rising unrest among those feeling the bite of economics." Valorum looked down at the screens below his chair and nodded. "The Chair recognizes the Senator from the sovereign system of Naboo."
"Honored delegates, we of Naboo wish also to register our opposition to the taxes and tariffs imposed by the Trade Federation," Palpatine of Naboo stated as his hovercar drifted up beside the Alderaanian delegation. "Not only is the Federation taxing the transport of goods to our planet but is also charging exorbitant fees for the exportation of our goods to other worlds of the Republic. We do not export much in the way of ores or metals, nor are we a technologically rich world. Our main exports are in artworks and agriculture, and we are not able to balance our importation of expensive technologies with the income from our exports."
"That is not our concern!" The Malastairian from the Federation snapped, his eyestalks twitching in vexation. "We are concerned with transport of goods, not in what is transported or how profitable it is. We expect to make a profit from our services just as any other business of the Republic."
"But that profit must not be allowed to cause civil unrest or violence that will require expenditure of more Republic funding to alleviate," Valorum reminded the Federation delegate.
"Chancellor, I move to call for a vote to open the accounting records of the Trade Federation with the intent to determine if the recent increase in taxes is justified in light of the privateer raids suffered," Senator Antilles said.
Valorum nodded as his jurisconsults keyed in the request at the control panels in the podium, then stopped as one of his aides leaned over to whisper a message in his ear. He listened, then glanced up at the speaker and nodded again. "Who stands with Alderaan in this matter?"
"Naboo stands with Alderaan," Palpatine said smoothly, immediately.
"Vaikar stands with Alderaan," Valorum's secretary said, indicating the signal on the control panel before her.
Valorum sighed. "The vote will be called tomorrow morning. Make a note of it, gentlemen, and rally your supporters." Looking across the intervening distance to the railing of the Senate concourse and the half-dark under the overhang, Valorum gave a purely mental grunt of relief at the tall figure wrapped in the dark brown cloak, the shadowed face of the Jedi on duty there. You will attend those meetings, won't you my dear? he thought toward the motionless form standing there, and thought he caught the ghost of a smile inside the cowl.
[Of course, if you think it best, Chancellor. I'll make my plan of attack now.]
Valorum schooled his expression to impassiveness, but the touch of Goza's mind never failed to lift his spirits even if he could never reply in kind.
The first deep, regular tones of the Great Bell ringing woke Kee instantly from sleep. A moment of confusion, then, "Oh, no. No!"
"What?" Theri asked sleepily as Kee shot up in bed beside her and was tumbling out and diving for his clothes in a moment.
"Listen! The Bell!" he answered, and the anguish in his voice and mind jerked Theri instantly and totally awake. The bell continued to ring sonorously, seemingly endlessly. "Come on, get up! We have to go down to the Great Hall."
Then Theri remembered. The Great Bell, ringing to signify a Master's passing into the Force.
Without another word she flung the blankets aside and started tugging on her uniform.
Inda's long, sorrowing sigh echoed in her mind like the wind. [Damn that bastard. Damn his big yellow eyes.] Wearily, with too many memories and too much pain to even joke.
[What? Was it Maul?] Theri asked as she tied her sash and fastened on her belt, reached out a hand and Lifted her lightsaber to her hand from under her pillow on the bed.
[Yeah. Whyever did we think he was anything more than an animal?]
Theri didn't know, and left it at that. She winced a little as Kee glanced over at his desk and the overhead lights came on in the bedroom as he reached out to the switch with the Force. Theri caught him as he turned to get their cloaks out of the closet, looked up into the shadowed sapphire eyes and held his gaze for a long moment, reaching up to run her hands through his hair. [Remember I'm here with you,] she Sent softly. [Remember you can't change what's happened and no amount of killing will bring back whoever's been killed. You're a Jedi, not a Sith.]
Kee nodded, but she could feel him struggling with his emotions. She turned and got their cloaks from the closet and they were heading for the door.
They were not surprised to see several other Masters in the lift when they got on, all of them wide awake and somber. Qualara was one of them and he nodded to Theri and Kee as they got on the lift, tears standing silently in the purple eyes, the green hair mussed from sleep inside the dark brown of his cloak.
The Great Hall was vast, nine-sided. The huge night-darkened space swallowed the yellowish light of the old piezocrystal sconces on the walls. As they came out of the short hallway from the lifts Kee tugged his hood up over his head and Theri did the same with hers, folding her cloak around her and worming her hands up inside the sleeves just as Kee did. The Great Hall also seemed to swallow all sound save for the Great Bell high above in the domed apex of the Hall, the tone so low and loud that it vibrated through the stones of the Temple itself so that no one slept, all would be wakened by the tolling of the Bell. A Jedi Master had gone into the Force and her passing must be marked. The Keeper of the Hours had been the first one awakened only minutes before when the report had been definitely confirmed as had been the tradition for thousands of years of the Jedi, and the Keeper now stood high on the hidden balcony beside the Great Bell. Theri could just barely see the dark-robed figure up there, one hand extended toward the thick bar of metal hanging suspended inside the circumference of the great ring of auralanium, using the Force to move the clapper to strike the Bell.
The Jedi Masters were assembling below, streaming into the empty floorspace below the Bell, cloak hoods shrouding their faces and hands folded inside their sleeves, faces impassive or streaming with tears as they remembered others lost. Kee had all but shielded her out of his thoughts, locked in memories and sadness as he wove unerringly through the crowd to the small figure hobbling from another nearby hallway. Yoda also had a dark heavy Jedi cloak on, his walking stick thumping as he walked determinedly toward the gathering Jedi. Kee came up beside his Master, and Theri felt him Sending to Yoda. A moment later Yoda looked up at his apprentice, considering, then nodded. Kee knelt, carefully picked Yoda up to settle the old one in one strong arm. Yoda's small green hand latched onto a lock of Kee's hair for balance and Theri followed her lifemate's quick strides across the intervening distance to the Masters gathering beneath the Bell.
"Unexpected this is," Yoda sighed wearily.
Kee nodded a little. "Who was it, Master?"
"Fleyn."
Theri felt the stab of angry denial and anguish that lanced through her lifemate's mind. "Is that who was killed, Master Yoda?"
Yoda's ears, caught inside the raised hood, dropped nearly to his shoulders. "Yes, Little One. Old friend of Qui-Gon's, she was. Yearmate, as was Windu."
[Master, it was the Demon that did it,] Inda Sent softly, tentatively.
[Saw this, you did, Padawan?] Yoda asked the spirit.
A shuddery feeling threaded through Inda's Sending then. [Yes Master, I...I felt it happen. How could I not?]
Yoda sighed heavily as Kee brought him to the center of the gathering. Windu joined them silently, ghosting up on Kee's left and falling into step beside him, Qualara joining them a step later, then Mistress Gallia, Mistress Depa, Master Yarael. Mistress Yaddle tugged at Kee's cloak and a brief Sending passed between them, and Kee knelt once more and let his Master down to the floor beside Yaddle. Yoda sighed heavily and nodded at Yaddle, the two now at the center of the gathering. Yaddle gave a soft quaver and put one hand out to Yoda's bowed shoulders. Kee reached out and pulled Theri close with one arm and she felt the anguish pulsing through the minds and hearts surrounding her.
For in the end, for all their love of the Light and their fierce devotion to life, every Master and Mistress knew that death had to come sometime. When it came at the end of a long and happy life it was acceptable, even fitting, a rest well deserved after a lifetime of serving others in the joy of the Force. When it came at the hands of a Sith, it was a wrenching dislocation, a violent disruption of the peaceful order that Jedi always craved. No matter the disagreements between them, no matter the distance involved, every Jedi of Master rank would feel the ache of subtraction somewhere in their soul, the emptiness of one of their number no longer in the world of light and shadows. When the Great Bell tolled the death of a Master or Mistress they would be at peace with each other in mourning and rememberance.
And it seemed to Theri, peering around at the silent gathering, feeling the shared pain, that a blue mist was beginning to rise from the floor of the Great Hall in pulsebeats with the tolling of the Bell, swirling up slowly like early morning fog over a quiet lake. The feeling of many spirits joining the assembly, energies moving in sympathy to the call of mourning, memory calling up ghostly forms. Inda swirled into form beside her in his older form, the saddened eyes in the too-thin face, the tattered robes, the long gray-streaked hair. He reached over one arm and settled it around Theri's shoulders and she felt the coolness where his energies touched her, the chill of a spirit's touch. Several other spirits were appearing as well but the majority were merely drifts of blue fog swirling around and among the gathered Jedi. Their presence was nevertheless felt and welcomed. Another spirit swirled down into form briefly in front of Theri, turned slightly, and she was looking up into a pair of serene and merry eyes inside the darkness of a cloak hood.
[Take care of my Padawan, milady,] the spirit Sent softly, [Now that his path lies with you.] And the spirit seemed to relax and lost form again into blue mist.
[Who was that?] Theri asked Inda in an undertone.
[Kylan's Master,] Inda answered softly. [He's going to Kyl now. When the Bell rings, the spirits wander. It calls to the Force, it calls to us, no matter which side of life we're on.]
This is the reality of the Force, Theri thought as the sorrow past and present of the Jedi swept through all those now in the Great Hall and beyond to those who were out on their assignments elsewhere in the galaxy. When we call, it answers, when we give it takes, when we take it gives. When we gather together, the Force is there within us and around us, the web of connections and manifestation, the undertext of every moment, the height of every hope.
An unspoken signal seemed to pass through the gathering then, Sent and felt, acknowledged. Kee reached down for Theri's hand and clutched it tight, his eyes closed over the tears that still streamed. Voices began to speak, ghostly and living, voices joining with every word. " Oh spirit of wisdom and compassion, We have had a great loss. One we hold dear has passed away from us..."
The prayer went on, ending in silence again. Theri leaned into Kee's arm around her and Sent a wordless caress to him, felt the tightly coiled grief in his mind unknot a little in the promise of the prayer, felt him reach to her a little in answer to her caress. The sapphire eyes were still closed, the hand in hers trembled a little, but she felt some of the ache begin to pass as memories of Mistress Fleyn's life began to flicker through the Jedi gathered there, passing between mind and mind in flashing Sendings. Laughter, love, contentious debate, angry words, all of Mistress Fleyn's life that had passed by within the sight and hearing of those present. Theri felt Kee Sending an image of a young human girl, bright snapping eyes behind a blue-green lightsaber blade across the amber-lit space of a saber cube, laughing as she darted forward in their practice bout. [She was a good person,] Kee Sent, to Theri, to the gathering. [Fleyn was a calmness and a sensibility we needed to keep us focussed. She was my friend, though I had not seen her for some years.]
[She had her first apprentice, her first Padawan,] Qualara's mindvoice, faintly. [Fleyn was a good Mistress to him, kind and patient but tough when she needed to be. She made him think and question, as any teacher should.]
[Fleyn teased me no end when I found Torin and brought him home,] Windu Sent. [She thought it was funny I'd been tied down at last.]
[As she did when Yoda gave me Ben to train,] Kee added. [She said she had never expected either of us would let ourselves be tied down to the Temple.]
[While she went off gallivanting on missions all over the galaxy,] Mistress Gallia Sent, but there was a smile on her face amidst her tears. [She was my dearest friend, and I valued her insights and her fiery enthusiasm equally.]
[A soothing presence, she was, to worlds that knew not peace,] Yoda's mindvoice Sent. [Never one to strike save only where it was truly needed, in defense. Her hands were used in friendship before they would be used for harm.]
The rememberances went on for some time, Sendings passing through every mind like voices echoing down a canyon. As the remembering began to ease the pain of loss, as those living Jedi began to turn their thoughts to how Fleyn had lived rather than how she died, the spirits that wove through the gathering began to dissipate and disappear. Finally, as the Sendings began to go silent and the Jedi began to open their eyes and disengage from the sharing of grief and sorrow, the first rays of Coruscant Alpha glowed in the chromaglass lightrods, beginning to illuminate the darkness of the Great Hall and chase away the chill of night. At last the only spirit left in the Hall was Inda, and he gave Theri a small smile as he winked at her and began to dissipate too.
Kee and Windu stood silent together now, Qualara beside Windu, Gallia beyond him. [She was the first of us to die,] Kee Sent softly, openly, to those who remained of his yearmates.
"But life even now goes on, Qui-Gon," Yoda said softly, hobbling slowly up to them as the crowd began to move and separate into smaller groups, moving away to remember privately, speaking of Fleyn together quietly. "Even now, even here, life goes on."
Theri sighed as the bedroom door slid shut behind her. She'd not had many occassions to use the Jedi trick to put someone to sleep, but she was grateful she'd managed it without flubbing it up. Kee needed a few more hours sleep, especially after the details of Mistress Fleyn's death had come in from the Justice.
Maul had escaped from Errai Matar, and possibly Darth Niharn with him. They'd killed the three Jedi Knight guards and then forced the Lyncis out of orbit to land at the prison. How Maul had managed to force a ship in orbit to land she didn't know. She didn't know if he was strong enough telepathically to reach high orbit but if he'd worked with Niharn it was entirely possible. When the Lyncis had been recovered from an outlying system the rest of the story became clear. The crew, twenty-two men and women, had been dismembered with a lightsaber and left in fist-sized pieces. Mistress Fleyn's apprentice had been run through in several places. Mistress Fleyn herself had been raped and beaten before she'd been beheaded.
The lightsabers of the five dead Jedi had disappeared.
She took her cloak from the back of the chair where she'd left it in the main room of the apartment and swirled it around herself, went to the door of the terrace. Steeling herself, she opened the door and went outside, shivering not from the brisk cold but the possibility that she was being watched.
She looked out over the nearby buildings, wondering which one of the windows facing the Temple hid glowing yellow eyes and feverish obsession. "You bastard," she said quietly, knowing the remote microphones he used could pick up even the sound of her breathing. "Damn you, Maul! Why did you do this?"
Silly question, she told herself as she turned back and went back inside quickly. She knew why he did it. Fear and pain. She suspected if he'd had time he'd have gleefully tortured the crew and Mistress Fleyn but circumstances forced him to rush things. She supposed it was a small mercy that the crew and the Jedi had not suffered for long.
The Force in the Temple was slow and gray with mourning, though most of the sorrow had been dissipated in the dark hours of the morning in the Great Hall. The Knights and apprentices had begun filling the Great Hall with the dawn, seeking news and explanations. Mistress Gallia had sent the messages out to the families of the dead Jedi and sent a recall message to the brother of Mistress Fleyn's apprentice who was already a Knight serving as diplomatic aide on one of the Rim worlds. Five Jedi killed, one of them a Master, was an outrage.
[They knew the risks, kiddo,] Inda Sent softly. [Those three Knights who kept the prison colony volunteered for the duty. They knew the Dark would not be easily or willingly caged.]
[Doesn't make it any less senseless that they died,] Theri Sent back as she stood watching the fractal patterns changing on the comscreen. Beside the comscreen, R2-D2 sat silently, the lights on his domed head blinking, watching her. "R2? Do you still have that message that Ben sent to us from Teravin?"
An affirmative whistle from the droid, and Theri sank down into one of the chairs and wrapped her cloak around her wearily as the hologram began to play. Irrational, she knew, but for some reason she just wanted to see Ben's face again, hear his voice, remember a time when things were happier and less complicated. The bright eyes and blond hair, the tailbraid dangling around his neck, the laughter and soft words of wistfulness and love. Shaula Prime, Kee had said. She wondered if Ben was still angry at her. Her own anger at him had faded after a few days and now she just missed him again like she had a hole in her heart. Tears clawed at her eyes and a lump came into her throat as the hologram faded out. Maybe she should send him a message? Maybe if she told him Kee needed him he'd come home. And it wouldn't be that far off from the truth, Kee was pretty upset about Mistress Fleyn getting killed...
No. Yoda had given him an assignment and she knew he'd not abandon that before it's completion. She'd just have to wait until he came home.
Swallowing back her tears, she got to her feet again, steadying her lightsaber against her leg. "R2, I'm going down to Inda's room down in the sublevels. You stay here and call me on the comlink if we get any messages, all right?"
R2 beeped and whistled brightly in acknowledgement and she turned to go.
What was the point of Mistress Fleyn and the others dying? she asked herself. So far as she could see they had only made the mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with Maul and Niharn. Certainly the Jedi who watched the Sith at the prison were accustomed to dealing with the Dark, and Mistress Fleyn was certainly experienced in dealing with such. Why had they died?
[Does there always have to be a purpose to everything?] Inda Sent, hearing her thoughts.
[Nothing happens by accident,] Theri Sent back. [Therefore there must be a purpose in it. 'All things are good and right and just in the Force.' I'm just trying to figure out what good was done by the deaths of five Jedi.]
[ 'I must love what I destroy and destroy the thing I love,'] Inda Sent. [ A line from a song back when I was your age. But it fits in this situation. Think about it some and maybe you'll find your answer.]
Theri grinned a little as she got off the lift on the first floor of the Temple. Her old Master would sometimes give her such riddles and paradoxes to puzzle out, something to make her turn further and further into a question rather than just looking at the surface meaning of the words. Each word was a gateway into layers and layers of meanings. In typical Mystic fashion Inda was directing her to deal with the subject of death in a meditative way and to disengage her feelings from the event, something she'd not been able to do when her old Master had died. This opportunity, though, would not be wasted.
A few moments later she was pulling herself up into the hatchway of the hidden room. Over on the ledge nearby, Kylan sat crosslegged on a large pillow facing the wall, sunk deep in his meditation. Or at least, she thought he was meditating. She turned to take off her cloak and heard him sniffle behind her.
[Kyl?] she Sent softly, reaching to him with a caress in her mindvoice. [I take it your Master came to you last night.]
"How did you know?" the strained voice said and she turned to see him looking up at her, tears streaking down his pale face.
"I was in the Great Hall with Kee, and your Master appeared to me. He told me to take care of you," Theri answered. She went and knelt beside him, taking his hand. "Then he disappeared and Inda said he was going to see you."
Kylan choked, scrubbed his tunic sleeve over his face to banish the tears and looked away from her. "He--he would have said that--he was always worried about me because--he was always having to pull me out of fights when other kids would try to beat me--"
Theri smiled and squeezed his hand. "I know, dear." She noticed now the white leather cord he'd braided into a lock of his hair, his homeworld's sign of mourning. "Where are the kids?"
"Up above, they went to go eat, they'll be back in a little," he said, snuffling, trying to collect himself.
She nodded and slipped an arm around his shoulders, hugged him as close as he would allow, opening her mind to him. [I know, love, I know. Your Master protected you from other kids when you started realizing you were homosexual, didn't he?]
Kylan nodded wordlessly. [He never made me feel like it was something unnatural or wrong. He wasn't homosexual himself, but he never even batted an eyelash. I never knew there was anything wrong with it until I came to the Temple, and then he wasn't here to tell me otherwise, so...I shut up about it and kept it to myself. I had a lover on Yon-Tyo, but then I had to go and come home to the Temple. ]
[And you've been celibate ever since,] Theri finished for him.
Kylan looked up at her, startled, then nodded slowly and dropped his eyes. [You read me like a book, teacher-mine.]
[That's my job, love,] she Sent back with a teasing grin. [And your Master came to you last night and it all came back like it was yesterday, didn't it?]
Kylan nodded again slowly. [How do you know these things? Am I that easy to read?]
[No, love. I was thinking much the same last night, remembering my old Master. All the time we spent running from Maul and Sidious. Little moments I'd forgotten. Things he used to say to me.] She shrugged a little and leaned against his shoulder for a moment. [When he --when Maul killed him-- all I felt was rage and hate. Kee had to forbid me to go after Maul to make him pay for what he did. My Master was all I had. So no, I don't know exactly how it was for you, but I can definitely sympathize. And, Kyl, you're my best friend as well as my apprentice. I love you, silly. That's enough for me to guess what's going on inside your head even when you don't let me in on it.]
Kylan caught his breath again, holding back a renewal of tears, then reached over and hugged her fiercely for a moment. [I love you too, teacher-mine. As my teacher and as my best friend. And I wish it could be more.]
Theri smiled a little and hugged him back, then pulled away. [Well, love, speaking of memories, I remembered something my old Master and I used to do when we were first together, a teaching game. Do you know where I can get some old coins? Several different types?]
[Why?] Kylan asked, scrubbing the last of his tears away with his tunic sleeve again.
Theri slid off the ledge and went to the pile of pillows, dropped down onto one of the larger ones and drew a knee up under her chin. "When my Master and I were first together, way back on Zharvan, we used to do ESP training games with a handful of old coins instead of a randomizer. Just thought I'd keep the tradition."
Kylan nodded as he got to his feet. "I still have some old krimkats and goruins from Yon-Tyo. And some dru-kels from S'forin'ti. I'll collect the kids on my way back." He hopped down from the ledge and smiled at her a little lopsidedly as he headed for the hatchway. [Thanks, teacher-love.]
[None needed, love,] she answered, returning his smile as he dropped down through the hatch.
Two weeks later.
The image of a solid blue pyramid floated serenely in Theri's mind, spinning slightly, as she projected it to Rhyon, holding the image steady despite--
--a giggle breaking free just before a hand tugged on a lock of her hair, and the faint intangible pressure of another image trying to replace that which she held in her mind, the squirming feeling of another mind, Kylan's mind, trying to wiggle it's way into her thoughts through her single-minded concentration. But still the blue pyramid floated and spun in her mind, unfaltering, the image directed outward. Something jerked one of her feet off her leg where she sat in the lotus position and she allowed the jostle without breaking concentration.
[Two Sith, a Shwilik, and a Jedi walk into a bar on Eltanin,] Inda Sent suddenly, his mindvoice strangely muffled through her absorption. [Should I elaborate or would it be pointless?]
She didn't answer. Didn't even crack a grin.
The faint feeling of a Sending brushing past her, of a conversation shielded from her hearing.
The blue pyramid continued to float in her mind's eye.
[Beloved?] The Sending was soft and caressing, Kee's thoughts slipping into her mind on a wave of wordless promises and sense-memories of slippery-wet skin and the shattering sweet fire of need and fulfillment.
Oh, now that was *not* fair, came the fleeting thought through her mind, having to consciously direct her attention now to the image she projected as the sense-memories sent the shivers of hunger through her body. No. She wasn't going to break this time. She'd conquered tickling, she could handle this. She willed the blue pyramid in her mind's eye to spin vertically, directed all her mental energies to the visualization.
The sense-memory of lips and nibbling teeth on her neck, nuzzling. Another wave of shivers and numbness washed through her. Then the feel of Kee's own delight in her responses--
The blue pyramid in her mind imploded, the image shattered like a breaking mirror in the sweep of her lifemate's teasing laughter followed by the howls of mirth from her students.
[That was entirely unfair,] she Sent to Kee in a petulant grumble.
[Mmm-hmm,] Kee answered in a purring tone of mindvoice. [It's entirely unfair I can't be down there doing all that for real.]
Theri Sent a wistful whimper of entreaty and heard Kee's gentle chuckle. Her students were still laughing, Tas and Rhyon fallen back into the pillows beside her giggling uncontrollably, Kylan had his head down on his drawn-up knee and was laughing helplessly.
[Such unshakable control deserves reward,] Kee Sent mischievously, still Sending hopeful caresses.
[Unshakable control my afterburners,] Inda Sent, grousing. [If it was so damned unshakable she'd not have broken just because you're Sending her your wet dreams, Jinn.]
Theri could almost feel Kee rolling his eyes in exasperation at the spirit's bluntness.
[You have ice water for blood, don't you Inda?] Kee Sent after a moment.
[I did, yeah. When I was alive,] Inda snapped back. [Which is why my life was hell. I'm glad I'm dead, no one expects much of me.]
[While you expect everything of me,] Theri Sent, but strangely found her thoughts were free of resentment or anger.
[Only the best, kiddo. Nothing less.]
Theri nodded and focussed again on her students as the giggles started to subside. "Well, I guess that proves even I have a way to go in learning control," she said ruefully. "It seems I can resist everything except temptation."
That set Kylan off again and he toppled over into the pillows laughing.
Part 12
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