NOTE TO READER

Greetings Fan Fiction lovers. It had been quite some time since I've released a chapter for this series. Following the whole canonization nonsense of Revan and the Exile, I lost interest and appreciation for the story. But apparently my readers did not, having requested repeatedly that I continue with it. And so I have at last acquiesced with both apologies for leaving the story unfinished and gratitude for the support I have received. Thank you. I promise to see this through to the end, which is only a few chapters away, so stay tuned.

Finally, I apologize for the earlier release of this chapter. I had uploaded it originally without completing a final edit and there were too many mistakes for me to let it stand. Here is the final, much more readable edition. I do recommend that you go back and read the rest of the story before continuing, as many of the plot points and developments are related to previous events. Either way- Enjoy!

A.R. Minion

Four-and-a-half years ago...

It was already late into the night, and almost all of the Coruscant Academy had either retired for the day or was asleep.

The young teenage girl of Echani descent had done neither.

Walking the empty corridors alone, hearing only the sound of her shoes tapping against the marble tiles, the Padawan silently made her way towards the training grounds, and thought upon much during the traverse.

Atris – that was her name now, and had been for the last couple of years. It had taken quite a while for her to grow accustomed to being called that, but now she was so used to it that she had almost forgotten her original name.

It was quite a shock for her to have heard it today after so long.

While arbitrarily scanning through the daily records of the coreward databases, the Padawan had come across an image of herself as a young child, her former name clearly written in bold script, along with a rather impressive reward.

Apparently those... people were still looking for her, having restated their missing-child claim once again after several months. Originally having posted it not long after she had fled her former life, they even now continued to seek her after all these years

They were wasting their time. That girl has long since ceased to exist – murdered by her own naiveté and unrequited love for her parents.

Love – such an irrational and unreliable emotion, as the Jedi had taught her. It served no purpose in life any more than stimulants to a junkie. What joy and exhilaration it granted were but mere shadows compared to its true nature – one of cruelty and betrayal. People hunger for it, cradle it like some priceless treasure, have killed and died for it with no thought or regret. To live with love is to live with ignorance and mindless passion. Jedi were better than such things- embracing knowledge and harmony. Embracing truth and clarity. Love, for a Jedi, served no purpose.

Atris could not help but reveal a smile of gratification from such thoughts. She pitied that poor, stupid girl she used to be and revered the one she had become, feeling justified and fulfilled in a way she never knew before the Jedi. She had truly found her place in life.

However the adolescent girl was somewhat vexed by the fact that she shared her domain in the Order with so many so-called "peers" that did not appreciate what being a Jedi meant as she did. So many her own age that, despite receiving the same lessons as she did, were still frivolous in their mindset as Jedi, prone to the superficial pursuits of common society. During the day she would often hear the whispers and conversations of students engaged in pointless bantering about all sorts of non-relevant topics. Girls that would talk about holovids, and pretty dresses, and how "cute" they thought a boy was. And boys that would talk about sports, and games, and tell jokes. And so many that would talk about their families back home… such meaningless things to true Jedi.

The white-haired girl was quickly pulled from her thoughts as she approached upon the massive doorway to the training grounds, hearing the youthful grunts and huffs of a boy echoing from inside.

Rounding the corner she found the room's only occupant. And to her shock she recognized him.

Near center of the training grounds, a boy her own age was entrenched in combat practice. A dull vibrostaff firmly in his grasp, the black-haired student focused as he held his form, letting out a smooth exhale to clear his lungs and calm his nerves.

Even with the lights within the room turned very low and his back currently turned towards the entryway, towards Atris, she could still tell it was him- the Padawan that had disturbed her late-night studies in the library a few months back. The thief that had stolen her lightsaber off of her long ago and somehow wormed his way in among their number.

Atris found herself glaring at him with annoyance in her eyes. Why was he here? Of all hours in the day when he could have done this, why was he practicing in the middle of the night? True, she had her own reason to seek to do the same, but she at least did so with intent of self-improvement. Given how fickle a person she remembered him to be, Atris expected he was simply here to waste time again. And again, it was her time he was wasting, which she would not tolerate.

Stepping into the room then, she was about to demand that the interloper leave the training grounds and retire for the night. But the words suddenly leapt into the back of her throat. The black-haired adolescent had sprung into action.

His vibrostaff coming alive within his hands, the boy spun about rapidly, his movements intense yet balanced from a practiced precision. Each strike he made with his weapon was followed through with a fluid motion, the aggression of his attacks guided by an uncanny control and sure footing, forming a deadly and alluring dance that was both frightening and compelling.

For near a minute he maintained such level of intensity, all the while Atris watched while struck silent by what she was seeing. Such a mark of control and discipline was not something she could have expected to see from someone so close to her own age, especially someone like him… And his forms: Makashi, Juyo, Ataru. Where did a mere student learn these maneuvers reserved for the Knights and Masters?

The display came to an end as the boy fell back into his combat stance, holding it for a few moments before placing the tip of his vibrostaff upon the ground. Using it to support himself, he dropped his head forward and let out several exhausted breaths, clearly drained from such intense maneuvering.

The break in action stirred Atris from her bewilderment and she quickly dismissed her interest in the boy's knowledge of lightsaber combat and recalled her original intent in coming here, and her disapproval of the his presence. Walking over to the control panel on the nearby wall, she pressed down on the dimmer switch, causing the light in the room to increase to a proper level of luminance.

"Gah!" The boy let out a yelp, dropping his weapon with a loud clang as he hastily covered his eyes with his forearms. "Who- who's there?!"

It was only then that Atris recalled this boy's aversion of strong lighting. Willing enough to acquiesce, she turned the room's luminance back down, keeping it high enough so she would still be able to see clearly.

"You should not be here at this hour," Atris stated firmly as she approached the room's other occupant who quickly whipped about to look at her through slightly squinted eyes.

"Huh?" The boy blurted out, taking a moment to place her. "The one from the library?"

"And the one who's lightsaber you stole," Atris quickly added with a look of disapproval.

"Oh, right," the dark-haired Padawan muttered, rubbing his eyes as they adjusted to the brightness – set at a level comparable to early twilight. "Sorry again about that."

"Why are you here," Atris asked in a demanding tone, expressing her disapproval at the peer's presence, whatever his reasons might be. She knew she had no basis for dismissing him other than she didn't want him there, but at this hour of the night she didn't really care about the logistics of it.

Having gained a comfort level to where he no longer had to hide his eyes, the boy turned about calmly and picked his vibrostaff up off the floor. "I appreciate the chance to train without dealing with distractions."

His reason reflected Atris' own completely. As she expected – she didn't care. "Are you about done then?"

The boy's eyes remained steady as he looked to her. He showed no sign that he registered the hostility of her tone, or maybe he didn't care enough to challenge it. "I wanted to get a little practice in before meeting with Master Kavar tomorrow, so I-"

"-I don't care for your reasons, student," Atris interjected flatly. "If you're finished then please leave me to my own endeavors."

There was a silent moment after that between Atris and the boy. A moment in which she expected him to drop this mask of indifference and show the emotional responses she expected him to have. The same kind of responses she received from all of her peers of umbrage and aggression towards her blunt and assertive nature. He would show himself to be-

"Well, good night then," the boy said softly.

Staggering from exhaustion and having overexerted himself in his practice, he then walked over and placed his vibrostaff away on the wall mount. "Sorry if I caused any delay for you."

With that he immediately turned and at a slow pace headed out of the training ground's entrance, leaving Atris to herself.

…

Atris' gaze lingered on the entryway, seemingly lost as to what had just happened and by how it had been completely unlike what she had expected. There had no pride within his words, no lack of humbleness or disdain for her in his eyes. He said goodnight, and then he left…

…So why was she so perplexed by this? Had he not acted as a Jedi should - calmly and respectfully? Perhaps it had not been what she had expected, but wasn't that a good thing? Why then did she feel so confused? Confused by this boy whose name she did not even know.

Shutting her eyes tightly and lowering her brow, Atris rubbed at the side of her temple to alleviate the rise in tension she felt. Such thoughts were meaningless, she concluded. Having only seen this person twice in several years, what was the point of such thoughts concerning someone she likely would not see again spare chance?

Dismissing all thought of the interloper, Atris focused her attention back upon what she came here to do, quickly placing herself center of the room and arming herself with her lightsaber. The cyan beam erupted to life from her hands.

In the room's current twilight luminance it seemed to glow slightly brighter than usual.

Atris was quick to walk over and turn the lights all the way back up before continuing.

Present time…

"Master Atris?"

The teenage Jedi Knight slowly opened her eyes as she was pulled out of her meditation by the robotic voice. Her mind having been so far away but a moment earlier, she took time to place herself.

She was kneeling atop a floor pillow, her legs numb for uncounted hours in this position. The room she was in was small and bare, consisting of plastered walls and a marble floor with candles lining the ground around her providing soft glow throughout the immediate area.

This was a meditation chamber, Atris realized. And with that all of her more recent memories returned to her. She was in the temple of Dantooine's Academy. She had relocated herself from her room among the barracks to one of the isolated dwellings within the temple, effectively cutting herself off from all but the few others who spent time here.

And with that, she remembered why she had done so. Why she came here.

She… had faltered. Revan's words from when he had confronted her in the classroom still echoed through her mind. And until she could let go of them and prove they held no power over her, she needed to be here.

This was not her fault, she reminded herself. Nor was it Revan's, despite whatever his reasons had been in doing this to her.

No… the blame clearly fell upon Kai Lugo – the Padawan who had been acting as her assistant and protector here on Dantooine. A… colleague from Coruscant, Kai and she had known each other for several years now, though always had it been from a distance, their roles in the Order being so different. Him- an average Force User with over-excessive combat skills geared towards becoming a Guardian. Her- among the youngest students ever to have already achieved the title of Jedi Knight, well on her way to becoming a Master Historian.

So different in their goals, values, and mannerisms it was a wonder that they had crossed paths as much as they had while training in the academy on Coruscant.

More terrifying for Atris was the realization of how oblivious she had been of what the raven-haired Padawan had truly been doing to her in that time. Of how, through his improper nature and their continuous interactions, he had been afflicting her with-

Atris' mind flinched, causing her to grimace in discomfort, as it retracted from naming the sensation, knowing that doing so would only give it more power over her. She needed to avoid staring into the eye of the beast that now rested inside of her if she hoped to overcome it.

"Master Atris?"

The robotic voice called out again to her, Atris having all but forgotten it until now. She looked behind herself towards the open doorway of the meditation chamber where a servant droid currently stood awaiting her recognition.

"What is it?" Her voice echoed weakly throughout the small room, her throat parched from lack of food, water, or rest as she had spent most of her time in this chamber since relocating to the temple.

"Forgive the interruption, Jedi Knight," the droid said as Atris turned away from it, "I bring word from the Jedi Masters, concerning the original message you had me deliver to the Council."

Atris recalled the message she sent, declaring her act of moving to the temple and requiring that she be left to her own until otherwise. Given she was a Knight, she had the authority to do this of her own volition. She also recalled the latter half of her message in which she indicated Kai as being the source of the dire event she was now suffering from. Thinking upon it now, she regretted including that portion as it may have given rise to suspicions in the Masters' minds. But there was nothing she could do about it.

"What is their message?" She asked back while hanging her head solemnly.

"They merely wish to know the progress of your meditations, and if you will be able to better explain Kai Lugo's role in these events."

"No," Atris replied flatly, wanting there to be no room for further questioning in the matter. "Tell them I am making progress. As for… the Padawan, I will explain all of that when I have recovered and return to them."

"Very well, Lady Atris."With that, the droid closed the door to the meditation chamber once more, the sound of its actuators moving being audible through the closed portal as it walked away.

Alone again, Atris' thoughts turned to her meditations upon the Force, and the perplexing results of it. Memories of her younger years had been brought forth from the dark recesses of her mind to play in front of her vision. Specifically, some of the earliest memories she had of Kai in the Coruscant Academy.

The Force had been showing her these memories for a reason, she realized. And she needed to discover that reason, for she was certain it was the key to her overcoming her affliction.

Taking a deep cleansing breath, Atris closed her eyes as she focused once more upon the Force.

Almost immediately the memory continued.

Four-and-a-half years ago...

The cyan beam of her lightsaber collapsing as the weapon deactivated, Atris let out several exhausted breaths as her exercises came to an end. With the training grounds currently vacant except for herself, she had been able to practice without the distraction of nameless peers crowding her. And she had been able to focus that much more because of it.

She knew it was impractical to expect all of the students to take such initiative as she did, nor would the Academy be able to accommodate it, but as Atris stood there alone in that quiet room she felt a sense of focus and success that she would otherwise be denied in the presence of so many other students struggling to achieve in unison. In the last hour, everything that happened within this room – the sounds, the energy, the Force - was a reflection of her, no one else.

Now drained of her stamina and on the verge of collapsing from an extensive day, the adolescent Padawan headed for the exit to the adjacent hall. Her thoughts turned inward then, losing all perspective of her surroundings as her mind wandered. It has been a few weeks now since she was assigned a Master. While in itself this was no great achievement, with many Padawans several years her junior having already obtained apprenticeship, the fact that she would be her Master's only Apprentice was of great significance. Currently within the Order, Jedi Masters were permitted to take on multiple Apprentices, something that Atris starkly disapproved of. Achievement came through focus, and if a Master's focus was split then their students were doomed to never achieve their true potential.

No one could achieve their potential when held back by others…

Still in a tired daze as she moved onward, Atris exited the training grounds and rounded the corner of the hall, only to end up running smack straight into another person, both of them letting out a pained and surprised gasp as she lost her footing and fell over on top of the other.

Immediately pushing up off the other individual, Atris shook fog from her mind and frantically opened her eyes. Her gaze immediately locked upon the face of the culprit. A face she was coming to know well despite not wanting to.

"You again?!"

The emerald-eyed boy looked up at her through a pained and squinted gaze, the overhead lights clearly causing him no small amount of discomfort. His voice came forth in a weak huff then. "Please… get…off…"

Looking down, Atris realized both her hands were placed on the boy's chest, her weight pressing down on his lungs. Frantically she stood up and stepped back from her counterpart. "I thought you had retired for the night!"

"I..." the black haired teen muttered with a tired voice as he struggled back to his feet, clearly more exhausted than even she was, "I did… I intended to, but…"

He reached over on the ground then lifted up a length of fabric that he had apparently brought with him. "I wanted to return this to you."

Atris directed her eyes towards what lay in the boy's arms. It was a blanket – a simple, unassuming sheet of fabric barren of any form of unique décor or patterned stitching. It was insignificant and certainly nothing that she recognized as her own. "What are you playing at? This isn't mine."

"Yes it is," the boy quickly replied as if having expected her response, "You gave it to me when I fell asleep in the archives, remember?"

He looked down upon the sheet with a soft gaze. "I remember waking up the next morning thinking I would be sick from how cold they kept that place throughout the night. I would have been too had you not draped this over me before you left."

Atris' eyes turned away for a moment as her mind tried to put the pieces together of what had happened that night so long ago. She remembered the library. She remembered meeting this strange and annoying boy there when he stumbled upon her while she studied. She remembered him attempting to read from some random tome with no thought as to what it was. And she remembered him falling asleep then-

…

The rest of that memory suddenly returned to her, causing her eyes to intensify as they returned to the blanket. She had given it to him before she left that night; a small mercy on her part for someone who had been shivering from the cold. She had all but forgotten about that act. All but forgotten about that blanket. Why would she have remembered? It meant nothing to her.

"Why?"

The boy's expression remained even as they looked back at her. "Why what?"

"Why do you still have that," Atris asked with confusion and almost scrutiny in her tone. "It is just a piece of fabric; no different than any other. What reason could you possibly have had to have kept it all these months just on the off-chance you could return it to me?"

Almost seeming surprised by the question, the emerald-eyed youth looked away as he apparently searched inward for an answer. Did he really have to think so hard upon such a rudimentary question to his actions? Or perhaps he hesitated because her response had not been what he desired. She felt no gratitude towards him for bring her this insignificant item and would not pretend otherwise. If that caused him pain, then it was a lesson for him – don't have undue expectations.

The boy turned his eyes back upon Atris once more, and there was no pain within them, only a striking clarity.

"Because I need to learn to be grateful," the boy calmly replied. "I know that may sound bizarre for someone to say, but… I don't know how to feel gratitude like others do, and Master Vandar has told me that it is a most important thing, even for Jedi. I am unused to receiving kindness and mercies from others, and when it does happen, I am… confused by it, more than anything."

He looked down upon the blanket then, studying it for a moment. "You didn't have to give this to me. Yet you did. For whatever reason, you performed an act of compassion for me. And I…"

The boy looked back up then, a perplexity accompanying his gaze that revealed he was uncertain of what he was about to say. "…thank you. I- I am grateful."

His words were monotone, which most would interpret as lacking in sincerity. Atris however saw that it was a lack of familiarity and understanding that made the boy's words ring hollow.

The white-haired Padawan would have concluded such a lacking the result of self-reverence or an early life of opulence, but she knew that the boy had neither of these, for what little she knew about him.

No, he did not know how to feel gratitude because no one had ever given him anything before…

Atris' mind fell silent then as the revelation sank in that she was dealing with a person who did not know how to properly… feel. His earlier reaction, or rather the lack thereof, to her desires for him to leave the training grounds now made sense. Emotionally, this boy was… broken.

The adolescent girl quickly snapped back to reality then, finding she had been staring into the emerald eyes of the youth in front of her for more than a few moments. Others would have found this awkward, but the boy showed no reaction at all, only continuing to hold out the blanket for her to take.

…

Atris' hands rose up then, lifting the piece of fabric from the boy's outstretched arms. She looked down upon it – a bland sheet of cotton, nothing more.

"I should return to my room now," the raven-haired youth stated calmly, bowing his head respectfully as he turned and slowly walked away.

…

"What is your name?"

The words escaped Atris' voice as she turned in the boy's direction. He halted his progress and looked back upon her in response to being called upon. The boy seemed caught off guard that she wanted anything more from him.

"You name – what is your name?" Atris asked again. She found she had no reason to ask such a thing, and yet she felt compelled to ask it anyway.

"My name?" The adolescent boy muttered, the tremble in his words indicating that he found the query or perhaps the subject uncommon. Once again his eyes drifted as he became lost in thought – as if the answer was something he had to think upon. A few seconds later he regained his focused and met her gaze. "It's Kai Lugo."

"Kai Lugo." Atris echoed the name, burning it into her memory. "And I am Atris."

"Atris…" Kai echoed back as he looked upon her from down the hallway. "Hello, Atris. It's a pleasure to meet you."

His words once again rang with a monotone pitch as he spoke the greeting. He was trying so hard just to sound human…

"Goodnight, Kai," Atris replied with a small nod of her head.

"Goodnight, Atris," Kai replied, mirroring the gesture.

And yet, even from across the distance between them, as the boy brought his head back up, for a moment Atris thought she saw a small but genuine smirk upon his lips. It disappeared before she could verify it, but still…

Kai turned about once again then, walking away at a tired pace.

Atris was soon standing in that empty hall, with the blanket still within her grasp slowly warming her hands.

Present time…

The White Knight slowly opened her eyes as she stirred from her meditations and the memory.

Atris knew now why the Force had brought this recollection from out of the shadows of her mind to play in front of her eyes once again. Because it was something she needed to forget…

That day when she had first come to know the name of Kai Lugo – that was the day his chaotic nature had first inflicted itself upon her, causing the tremors of uncertainty and emotional turmoil to spur forth within her now. His was a clever and deceptive nature.

Yes… she would forget that memory- drive it's poisonous effects from her by rejecting all that it was.

At last, Atris thought to herself, she was finally on the road to healing.

"Was that all she said?"

"Yes, Master Vandar,"the droid replied to the elder Jedi as it stood before the congregated Council of Dantooine.

"Very well. You may go."

Receiving leave, the droid turned about and walked for the exit – the sound of its turning motivators echoing against the walls of the otherwise mute room until it left.

"So in the end," Master Zhar spoke up, giving voice to what he knew currently vexed the other Masters as well, "we no nothing more of this situation than we did from before we spoke with young Kai Lugo."

"That Atris would implicate him as having done something as grievant as to force her to seek sanctuary within the temple and yet not share what it was," Dorak added, not hiding the frustration in his voice. "As a Knight she has the authority to seek solitude, but perhaps this matter should be an exception. If Atris so openly insinuates Padawan Lugo as having committed some fowl deed, then she needs to explain it. Otherwise we do not have enough information to act one way or another."

"It is possible that she has not explained herself because she doesn't know how," Vrook replied, garnering confused eyes from his peers. "In her stay here, Atris has spent the most amount of time with Lugo. It would make sense then that if his abilities to influence others was to manifest in anyone, it would be upon her. Perhaps even more so than what we've seen in the young Mical."

Vrook shifted his gaze towards the other side of the room where Master Quatra sat. She had been silent since Kai left the chamber, having kept her eyes closed and head lowered, appearing almost as if sleeping. The others knew her to simply be deep in thought, though what such thoughts were of she did not see fit to share.

"We've already seen the evidence of Lugo's influence on those around him," Vrook continued, still eying the unresponsive Quatra. "Given Atris' actions, we can assume his influence has spread to her. And perhaps she, with her stronger connection to the Force and focused nature, was able to see the effects clearly enough as to identify the source as we know it to be."

Quatra opened her eyes and raised her head then, her expression calm but resolute. "Speculation – nothing more. We don't know what happened between Atris and Kai that drove the young Knight to seek solitude, if anything."

Quatra's words received more the one raised eyebrow.

"You believe Atris is lying?" Zhar asked for the rest.

"I believe Kai was sincere when he said he had no idea what any of this was about. And I believe his confusion and shock to the situation was genuine. As was his intent to settle the matter." Indeed, the image of the raven-haired Padawan turning his back on the Council and moving to leave without their permission was still fresh in many of their minds. As was the burning drive they felt within him- overwhelming and absolute in its focus.

"Arrogant and headstrong…" Vrook muttered aloud dismissively in response to the memory. He eyed Quatra once again. "He is too driven by his passions and should be taught better."

As Kai was her responsibility while he was here on Dantooine, the fault for his defiant behavior was laid directly at her feet. Quatra was content with that, though not before making sure the nature of the crime was clear. "It was not passion that drove him, Master Vrook, but his sense of responsibility. He was placed as Atris' Guardian while at this Academy and he takes that duty with the utmost seriousness – more so than he cares for the repercussions to himself. If Master Vandar had not reasoned with him, I doubt anything could have stopped him."

By how Vrook's gaze softened slightly, Quatra could tell her words had struck true with him.

"Then there is nothing more to be done now," Vandar stated with finality, then looking to Master Quatra. "It would be wise to allow Atris her solace until she is ready to speak. But as she is under your direct authority while on Dantooine, we shall leave it to you to decide if and when to pursue the matter."

"Yes, Master Vandar," Quatra evenly replied with a bow of her head.

With that the Council was dismissed.

Zhar and Dorak were both quick to leave to return to other matters. Quatra, Vandar, and Vrook however lingered, each of whom partook a moment of silent contemplation.

Vrook was the first to stir from his thoughts. "Master Vandar…"

"Vrook," Vandar replied evenly, "More you have to say?"

"We have seen the effects Kai Lugo has had on those around him even when he was kept relatively isolated on Coruscant. Yet we have given him the benefit of the doubt repeatedly since his arrival at the academy because we have nothing definitive to make a decision upon. We know that he's forged a bond with the boy Mical, yet we cannot prove its effects. We know the echo we heard screaming through the Force resonates from him, but we do not know its nature. And now we know that something has happened to Knight Atris that she clearly points at Lugo as being responsible, yet we hesitate because we lack the details."

He looked to Quatra then, his expression unaggressive but resolute. "We may never have the level of absolution necessary to make a completely informed decision concerning the Padawan. But that does not mean that a decision should not be made."

With that last note of input, Vrook calmly stood up and walked out, leaving the last two Masters in the room to their own, both of whom watched him leave with scrutiny. Yet what thoughts they had concerning the elder human's words were kept to themselves.

A heavy sigh escaped Master Vandar before he turned to look upon Quatra, finding the young Master had returned to closing her eyes and lowering her head. "You did not tell them of what you had discovered."

"It would not have helped even if I had," Quatra quickly replied, having expected those words. "Master Vrook has already decided that Lugo is too much of a risk to keep in the Order. Masters Zhar and Dorak both are uncertain what to believe, though this incident has not helped their views of the Padawan. Revealing the nature of the echo would have only opened them to considering even more extreme measures."

"But perhaps… that is what is needed."

Quatra looked up again at Master Vandar, her eyes betraying her surprise by the elder Jedi's words.

"Young Kai's situation is not something the Jedi Order is prepared to handle, Master Quatra," Vandar stated in an empathetic but certain tone. "You know this. As do I."

If there was anything the young woman could have said to challenge the elder Master's claim, she would have. But there wasn't. Quatra knew herself to be strong in her devotion to the Order and the Jedi ways, and with that conviction she had become one of the Order's most vital teachers on Dantooine. Years of guiding students from all walks of life had taught her a level of patience and understanding that she had never known whilst rising amongst the ranks. And she had thought herself ready for almost anything the life of a Jedi could throw at her.

And yet when she had discovered the terrible truth lurking within Kai Lugo, beyond the Padawan, beyond the Force, it had so overwhelmed her that, consumed with grief and shame, she had sought solace within her quarters, abandoning her role as a Jedi and teacher in that moment of overwhelming sorrow.

Even now she felt it lingering in the back of her mind – the anguish and sense of disgrace. They still longed to consume her, and Quatra fought diligently to deny them, echoing the Jedi Code in her mind chronically as to remain in control.

What Kai was suffering was unlike anything they had known before, and his unique relationship with the Force only compounded the problem and made it that much more volatile a situation.

Although Quatra practically knew the answer to her question, she asked it aloud if only for confirmation. "If we tell the others, Master Vandar… If we tell them everything, what can we expect they will see as the best course of action?"

Vandar hesitated to respond, not that he needed to think upon it, but rather he did not appreciate the answer. "That young Kai be cut off from the Force and discharged from the Order. As it stands, he is too much of a risk to remain among our numbers."

That was what Quatra had expected to hear, but it didn't end there.

"After which," Vandar continued, "he would likely be handed over to the Public Services on Coruscant, who would-"

"-Place him in a psychiatric ward," Quatra finished, knowing what would be the next logical step with all they knew of Kai's condition. "Locking him away from everyone and everything."

"If he is suicidal like you said, Master Quatra, then that would be what he needs. Otherwise he may once again throw himself into a deadly situation with no care for his own wellbeing, and the echo within him will continue to strengthen as his sufferings feeds it until it becomes something truly terrible."

Though she knew Master Vandar had merely spoken the truth, something about hearing it just made Quatra want the throw up. And above all, it was the irony of all of this was the knife in her stomach. "How can we be so cruel, Master?"

A moment of empathic silence fell between the pair before Vandar replied. "It is not about being cruel, Quatra. It's about helping the boy as best as we can."

"That's not what I meant," Quatra retorted almost angrily. "Kai spent his youth in the Coruscant Depths, fighting for his life, starving and suffering, protecting those abandoned like him at the cost of living on death's edge, and finding no kindness or pittance from any. We dragged him out of that Hell, placed our robes upon him with promises of a better life rich with purpose and fulfillment. And he has devoted himself entirely to that dream."

"Master Quatra…"

"But the moment we find out his former life had left deeper scars than we knew, we pull back. Threatening to take away the only home he has ever known, the purpose in life we gave him with all its hopes and dreams, and even the Force itself. Only to throw him into a new Hell and telling him it's for his own good-"

"Master Quatra!" In a moment that Quatra had never thought to see, Vandar had raised his voice in frustration. It was telling of how horrible a thing it was when even the Head of the Dantooine Enclave was moved by his grief. "We… may have no choice."

…No choice.

No choice?

Quatra felt something erupt within herself then as those words echoed over and over in her mind. At first she thought it anger and grief, but she quickly realized it was actually something else - something more.

Her eyes widened ever slightly as they lost focus, her mind enwrapped by the sensation. It was a burning she knew all too well – a resolve and clarity she had not felt since discovering the depths of Kai's situation.

Hopelessness was an expression she often heard from the mouths of her students who were so consumed by their frustrations and failures in their exercises and studies that they were willing to give up on themselves as Jedi. And as a teacher, she had made it her instinct to meet such surrender to futility with hard defiance.

Perhaps Vandar was correct. Perhaps a Jedi could do nothing for Kai. But a teacher… a guide…

"No," Quatra stated with certainty as she slowly stood up, garnering Vandar's unwavering attention. "We're not forsaking him."

Walking over to where all others have stood before the Council to speak and be judged, Quatra made her stand. "We did not lift him out of the darkness of his youth only to throw him back. He is our responsibility – that has not changed no matter what the situation. We took him in just as we've taken in countless others, and we will find a way to help him. Master Kavar will be arriving from Coruscant tomorrow. Once I tell him everything, we will honor the commitment we made to Kai and guide him through this. No more passing him around the Masters. No more keeping him isolated and alone. That ends now."

A deep silence filled the room then. During that silence, Vandar and Quatra looked at each other. No awkwardness. No scrutiny. They simply looked.

Admittedly the first thing that crossed the elder Jedi's mind was the inform Quatra the dangers of letting such emotions drive her and her utter dismissal of the risks involved in what she was suggesting.

But Vandar realized it was not a Jedi Master who had spoken. It was a teacher. A teacher who was condemning the measures the Council had taken in order to protect the Jedi from young Lugo's influence.

Thinking back several years, Tokare recalled being amongst the Masters of Coruscant when they first discovered the unique ability of Kai to forge Force Bonds. Astonishment and intrigue had quickly given way to caution and paranoia as they realized the threat such ability posed even to the Masters. In the end they had chosen to isolate the boy as best they could until the matter was further explored or evolved. And now that it finally had, the elder Jedi found he and the other Masters were just as confused and paranoid as when this all started.

Vandar smiled softly then at the young Master before him. "It seems Vrook was correct."

Quatra felt a shiver travel through her in response to those words, thinking for a moment that the elder Jedi had chosen to share in Vrook's pessimistic and extreme views concerning Kai. Fortunately, that wasn't the case.

"A decision must be made, Quatra," Vandar continued as he stood up from his seat and slowly walked over before the young woman, "and Vrook was correct that we may never know precisely what we are dealing with. And if so, how can the Council hope to make any sort of choice?"

Now standing before Master Quatra, Vandar looked up to her with an assuring smile. "Instead, I believe it is those who know Kai best that must make that decision."

Know him best? Hearing that made Quatra recall that she had not even known Kai's name for little more than a week. It almost felt sadly hysterical that Vandar would imply that she was among those qualified to make such a choice. But then, she was the one to discover the true nature behind Kai's inflictions. The one who looked at the person that lied beneath the Force and saw his wounds for what they are.

Still… a sense of fear found its way into her mind as well. As resolute as she was to help Kai, what if she chose wrong? What if the worst fears of Vrook and the others that wanted to keep Lugo in the dark were realized?

Vandar raised his hand to rest atop the back of Quatra's own by her side as she stood motionless. The sensation of the elder Jedi's comforting touch was surreal for the young woman. In an instant she was the teenage Padawan once again standing before her Master. "You have nothing to fear, Quatra. Because I know you'll make the right decision."

"How can you be certain, Master?"

"Because I know you…"

The night air was thin and light – early signs of a tumultuous storm that was crossing the lands to arrive at the Enclave on the morrow. Early signs of the rain, wind, and thunder yet to come.

As Revan stood upon the dark slopes outside of the Academy, the forewarning ambiance enveloped him whilst he moved through the motions of his unarmed combat training. He loved the irony of this stillness that filled the land and how it was but a precursor to the coming chaos on the horizon. He thought perhaps there was a lesson in it – how the gentle wind and soft air were nature's way of being merciful to the land before it would be drowned in freezing rain and scarred by searing lightning strikes. Or perhaps it was merely a deception – not mercy – nature's way of lulling its victims into a state of placidity before striking upon them with wanton fury.

Revan had often heard it said that nature was cruel and unforgiving. At other times like now it could be thought of as merciful and compassionate. In truth what it is was unpredictable. There was no intent behind the disasters caused by the gales and monsoons, but that did not make their devastation any less potent.

After releasing a flurry of well-practiced punches and kicks, Revan paused and let out a cleansing breath as he slowly made his way back into a calm stance. He was not as fast as he knew he was normally, the day's workload having drained much of his stamina. But training alone at night was a self-indulgence for the young prodigy and he took too much relief from the silence enveloping him to be weighed down by his over-exertion. Besides… it helped to clear his mind of distractions. Distractions that had caused him much grief since he learned of them.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this…" Revan muttered to himself as he remained still. His thoughts were consumed with the events he had set in motion, and how they had not gone as he had intended.

After their "talk" in the training room, Revan had anticipated Atris absconding to the Academy's temple to seek isolation and solace. His words had shaken her to her core, as he knew they would, and now she sought to center herself again. Did that mean she would seek to amputate that which caused her grievance or would she learn to accept and grow from it? Honestly, Revan did not care which she chose. Her foundations were flawed – anything built upon them would be just as much.

The role he had intended for her was over anyways. But even though this situation was a storm of his own creation, Revan found that he had not the control he thought he did. And the resulting gale may have proven utterly devastating.

"You were supposed to point the finger at me," Revan muttered in aggravation.

The White Knight had retaliated in her trauma, but not as Revan had intended. He expected her anger towards him for dragging out her skeletons would have driven her to implicate him to the Council as responsible for her afflictions. If she had, Revan would have stood before them and shown that it was Atris who was responsible for the state she was in, no one else. No one placed inside her the feelings that now plagued her. No one was manipulating her through passive means. No one was responsible for her failings except for her.

But instead… she had pointed the finger at Kai.

Revan had been there to watch as the droid collected Lugo from the training grounds to take before the Council. At that moment he had known that his plan had failed. And if the Council was as intent on Lugo's expulsion as Revan believed some of them to be, it may already be too late to stop it.

Finding no answer on how to rectify the matter was coming to him, Revan cleared the situation from his mind as he instead chose to think upon Vandar's cryptic words for the moment.

The Jedi Master had told him that he and Kai were almost completely similar in so many ways. And indeed – this Revan had already verified for himself during their match in the training grounds. Clear of purpose, clear of mind, clear of will – Revan had seen these qualities burning within Lugo ever so strongly. Qualities that Revan was often praised for himself.

But… Vandar had also stated that they were opposite of each other in another way. A way that the elder Jedi had said was just as significant, if not more so…

What had he meant? What was this quality within Kai's nature that was so opposing Revan's own?

Was it Kai's selfless and compassionate ways? Maybe... Revan knew himself to have more a strong sense of right and wrong than boundless empathy, but the young prodigy doubted that was what Vandar had meant. In fact he'd argue that his mentality was more the way of the Jedi than Kai's in that aspect.

And so the question remained: what was it that Vandar saw in Kai that he did not see in Revan?

Before any possible answer was revealed to him, Revan was pulled from his silent reverie as a pair of strong hands grabbing him from behind by the back of his biceps.

"Who-?!"

Without warning the student prodigy found himself being flung aside, landing face-first in the grass.

Disoriented by the sudden attack, Revan took a second to allow his senses to return to him. His mind had been so far from his surroundings that he was unable to react against the assault. But he quickly found his focus, flipping over on the ground to face his attacker. Looking up, he saw the shadowy figure standing over him threateningly, the full moons at the assaulter's back bathing him in light and obscuring his feature in deep shadow.

Even so, Revan recognized his aggressor – by physical form and presence in the Force. Honestly, he had been expecting this to happen sooner.

"Hello, Kai…"

Rolling thunder crossed over the land. A harbinger of the approaching storm way off in the distance. But neither of the two teenage students paid it any acknowledgement. Their attention was completely on each other.

"What did you do to her," Kai demanded with a rasp in his voice and venom on his tongue, making no attempt to hide how incensed he was or his aggression and utter lack of patience towards the student prodigy. A declaration that any sense of respect or equality he felt for his fellow student was non-existent now.

But Revan either didn't hear the anger in Kai's voice or didn't care, as he calmly stood back up and indifferently brushed the dirt and grass from his robes.

"Who are we talking about?" Revan replied as if he really didn't know.

Kai saw it for the mockery it was. "Atris!"

"Your Knight companion? The one you were sent here to protect?" Revan clarified unnecessarily as he eyed Kai evenly. "What makes you think I did anything to her?"

The raven-haired teenager suddenly charged at Revan. Three precise punches flew from his practiced fists, aimed at key points on the body intended to debilitate. But Revan knew of Lugo's affinity for combat now and wholly expected such precision, matching it with his own. In well-practiced maneuvers, he deflected two of the strikes and guarded against the third, all-the-while stepping back to maintain his balance.

Kai may have been the better combatant, but he would not find an easy foe here if that was his intent. Besides, if Revan called upon his Force abilities it would be over before it even began.

Looking upon the young Guardian though, Revan could tell he was set on his course.

"You didn't answer my question, Kai," Revan stated in an easy tone not adhering to the fact that both he and Kai were currently in combative stances. "Why would you think I did something to your colleague?"

"I heard what happened during the training session," Kai replied, maintaining his wrathful demeanor. "Whatever you did or said to her drove her from her students! And now she's cut herself off from everyone and hides in the temple! You're the reason she's done this!"

"Am I?" Revan coyly replied as he and Kai slowly began to circle one another while maintaining their stances. "I don't recall anyone accusing me of having done something wrong. But I do recall you being summoned before the Council this afternoon. Why was that, Kai? Did someone accuse you of wrongdoing? Did you do something terrible to her!?"

Kai let out a deep growl behind gritted teeth as he once again charged at Revan. He let loose two strikes in succession, both of which were deflected, before falling through with a leg swipe. Revan reacted before contact was made, back-flipping over the attack and landing in a crouched position, much like Kai was now in.

"I did nothingto her!" Kai protested loudly with absolution.

"But she accused you otherwise, didn't she," Revan retorted as they both made their way back to standing up. "Why do you think that is?! Whatever I said to her, why would she in turn implicate you as being the one who caused her grievance?!"

Revan could see that his words had caused a reaction with his opponent as Kai's eyes became unfocused for a moment.

"I've seen the way you two interact, Kai," Revan stated as he fell out of his combat stance, taking instead a calm pose that his counterpart refused to partake in. "The way you are so nonchalant about matters that she takes with utmost seriousness. Did you ever ask yourself why she is the way that she is? Why she is so dependent on the rules, process, and her views on what it means to be a Jedi. And why you, with the way that you are, assault those views?"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Don't play dense, Kai. You know of what I speak," Revan explained as he took a few steps back to give some distance between them, "Jedi who wish to forget everything it means to be anything other than a Jedi. They convince themselves it's a form of devotion when in truth it's a form of self-denial – a rejection of the world that hurt them in favor of the one in which they believe nothing or no one can hurt them. It's a lie, but an appealing one to those who have suffered severely at the hands of others."

There was a flash of recognition in Kai's eyes then. Revan wondered if perhaps the Padawan had some insight into the matter that he did not, if perhaps Atris had at one point shared with Kai something about herself that would lend more depth to what he was saying. In any event, it was to his advantage so he continued.

"I did nothing to her," Revan stated flatly, "nothing but attempted to show her that perhaps she needed to rethink her views a little. That a greater tragedy would come of it if she did not see what she was truly doing to herself."

"That is not your place!"

A somewhat vain argument from a guy who Revan knew did not value obedience and authority over purpose, much like himself. "Whose then? The Council? They're too busy patting her on the back for living up to their expectations to see the flaws of how she does it."

He eyed Kai mockingly then with a coy smile. "Yours then, maybe? Do you honestly think your voice or opinion carries any weight with her? You're not even a Jedi in her eyes! You're just a mockery that reminds her of what she wishes to forget about herself! Why do you think she hates you so much?!"

The anger seemed to boil over in Kai then, though Revan suspected it was less due to the insults he threw at the young Guardian and more because he implied that Kai was the one tormenting Atris. In either event, the result was clear. Kai charged at him again.

As the gap between them quickly diminished, Revan held up his hand towards his attacker, releasing a blast of Force energy.

Kai found himself knocked back through the air, caught off guard by the Force Push, but not out of control. Mid-flight he flipped backwards, placing his feet downward so that he skidded across the ground to a stop. Winded and slightly disoriented, he again rushed forward without hesitation.

Revan in turn released chronic blasts at his attacker, intent on subduing Kai from a distance.

But Kai was ready this time. As the waves of energy came barreling down at him, he called forth the Force Dash technique, dashing perpendicularly to avoid the blasts as he continued his approach.

"Perfect…" Revan grumbled under his breath in irritation as he fell into a combative stance in preparation for what was coming at him. He had really hoped this would play out without more violence. But as far out of control as things had gotten for him so far, he wasn't sure that could happen now.

Kai wasted no time, once in range performing a series of high and low round-house kicks. But he found Revan was prepared for him, rolling underneath and jumping over the attacks as they came at him.

Recoiling from the maneuvers, the young Guardian impulsively held up his arm, preventing a strike towards his neck with his forearm. Without warning he found himself on the defensive, blocking repeatedly at different angles as Revan made repeated attempts against his head and torso.

"Kai, this is idiotic!" Revan screamed between strikes, ending with a heel-kick at his opponents sternum which Lugo dodged by twisting at the waist. "What do you hope to gain by attacking me?!"

"The truth!"

Immediately the young Guardian flew into a flurry of attacks, placing Revan on guard as he found himself parrying and dodging a wave of strikes. Drained as he was, the student prodigy knew he would not last long if this continued. His remaining stamina was quickly being depleted and Kai would soon have him at his mercy.

What choice did he have?

As Kai attempted another palm-strike towards his opponent's collar-bone, he found Revan's open hand held out of meet him. Immediately his exertion came to an unnatural halt as his arm, nay his whole body became caught within an unfaltering grip. One so powerful it lifted him off the ground with ease. His arms were pressed against his sides as he struggled mid-air against the all-powerful vice now enwrapping him.

One Force technique later and Revan had Lugo completely under his control. It was somewhat to his surprise though that he found resorting to such a means as using Force Grip on the young Guardian left him with a sense of self-loathing. Strange as it was considering Kai was the aggressor here, Revan felt he deserved better than to have his strength and determination swept aside like this. However, the alternative was for the student prodigy to become the victim of those things, and he was even less fond of that idea.

"Enough, Kai! This nonsense is over!

Gritting his teeth as he hung in the sky, Kai opened his eyes and glared fiercely at his peer. "Wanna… bet!"

Even with his own power encasing the raven-haired warrior, Revan could sense Kai calling upon the Force, concentrating its energy within his form. And causing that energy to vibrate rapidly.

Revan's eyes went wide as he recognized the method for what it was. He recalled the young Guardian having said he preferred more supportive techniques. He should have suspected that Force Resistance might be one of them.

Immediately Kai could feel the hold upon him slipping. Looking down he saw that the student prodigy was struggling to maintain his control, concentrating with intense focus as he reached out with his hands, but they both knew it was futile. Within seconds the young Guardian's form dropped to the ground.

Revan grumbled in frustration as he took a combative stance one more.

"Tell me what you did to her!" Kai yelled as he dashed towards his opponent with fists at the ready.

Revan found the limits of his defensive abilities were suddenly put to the test as the attacks came at him much more fiercely than before. Was Kai getting faster as the fighting persisted or was Revan simply getting slower as his exhaustion gripped him ever stronger? Either way, he was running out of time. Fortunately he knew that Force Resistance did not last very long and soon he'd be able to bring his true power back into play. He needed only hold out till then.

Parrying another strike from the persistent fighter, the student prodigy countered by going on the offensive then, drawing out what precious seconds he needed until he could bring the Force back into play.

"You don't listen very well, do you, Kai!" Revan taunted in between attacks. "I already told you! All I did was try to help her! If she is in peril, I am not-"

Kai immediately grabbed Revan's still outstretched hand and twisted it about, causing Revan to grunt in pain as he was forced into an arm-lock by his opponent's greater strength.

"You think you know her better than I?!" Kai yelled rhetorically as he held Revan at his mercy. "That I would believe you telling her she has issues would make her hide in a hole?!"

Revan winced in pain as Kai continued to twist his arm. "Well, you seem to have all the answers, don't you! So tell me what is it you think I did!"

"You manipulated her somehow! Traumatized her and tricked her that I was responsible for it!" Even Kai, as enraged as he was, could still hear how lacking his accusations were.

Revan didn't miss it either, letting out an amused laugh. "As well-spoken as I am, even I would be impressed by such lingual craftsmanship as you're suggesting! What could I have said then to trick her into blaming you for her problems? I'd love to hear it myself!"

That verbal sparring had provided all the time Revan needed as he felt the energies within Kai become still once again. A Force Repulse wave rippled out from the student prodigy then, strong enough to cause Kai to lose his grip and tumble backwards across the ground with minimal risk of injuring him.

Rubbing the muscles of his freed and now very sore shoulder, Revan turned about to find the young Guardian, though clearly dazed and winded from the blast, was already working his way back to his feet.

The teenage warrior was relentless. No one could deny that.

But Revan had had enough. The last thing he wanted was to end up with more broken ribs like the last time he fought with Kai. Especially since there was nothing to be gained from this conflict.

…

…

…Actually, perhaps there was…

Having regained his composure, Kai was once again about to start his approach. But Revan's voice beat him to the draw.

"You win, Lugo."

Those words literally stopped Kai in his tracks.

"I admit it," Revan continued with and indifferent tone. "I'm responsible for the trauma, episode, or whatever it is that Atris says has afflicted her. And I convinced her it was your fault as well."

He thought to perhaps see some measure of gratification in Kai's features from this confession and was surprised when all he saw was the same mixture of determination and anger.

"Go to the Council and tell them I confessed if you like. They'll probably have me march in front of them and explain exactly what I said to Atris." It was Revan's gaze that became sharp and dangerous then. "That's what you want, isn't it? For me to reveal to the Council the reasons why Atris is a failure as a Jedi? Given that it was enough to cause her to abandon her role and duties, I'm curious what the Council will decide to do with her once they get wind of it!"

Kai's eyes widened then – a subtle response to the realization of what was being said. To what the manipulative Padawan was threatening.

A self-assured smirk crossed Revan's lips then. "But that's not really important to you, is it? Seeing me punished for what I did? No. You're only concern here is Atris and protecting her. You want her to be safe more than you care about what happens to me. But how can you do that when she's shut herself away and refuses to talk to anyone, especially you?"

Kai gritted his teeth at the Jedi prodigy, hating how Revan seemed to echo several of the thoughts that had been plaguing him since he had learned of this situation from the Council. How could he help Atris when she had cut herself off completely from him? When he had learned of Revan's involvement in the matter, it was the closest thing he had to an answer. Now it seemed he didn't even have that anymore.

Once again the thunder vibrated in the air about the young warriors, this time intense enough to warrant their attention as they both looked off into the distance, noting the black clouds that were resting on the horizon.

"How do you help someone who doesn't want your help, Kai? We could argue the semantics of respecting another's wishes, rules and authority, and what is morally justifiable. But the answer…"

Revan met the young Guardian's gaze as they looked upon each other once more, both of their eyes brimming with absolution.

"…is that you do it anyways, and let the consequences be what they may."

A warm gust of humid wind rolled over the land then, hitting Kai and Revan with its moist touch. Already the scent of rain could be detected upon the air. It would not be long now before the downpour was upon them.

"Well, this was an amusing way to finish my exercises." Revan declared in a casual voice as he stretched the remaining soreness from his arm, "But I have obligations in the morning. So this is goodnight, Lugo. I hope you got what you wanted from me."

Kai found he could not but watch as Revan turned away from him. A part of him, a large part, wanted to grab the manipulative Padawan by the neck to shut him up while dragging him to a containment cell to ensure he could no longer cause trouble. But the other part, the one that was willing to listen despite having all reason not to, had heard what Revan had said.

Was it just that easy? Was he to dismiss all the barriers between him and his responsibility towards Atris with such indifference as though he need not consider them? The idea of failing the Council by committing such an act, of failing Masters Vandar, Quatra, and Kavar, was agonizing to Kai Lugo. But the idea of leaving Atris to suffer alone… to fail her by not being there when she needed him was no less insufferable.

So Kai was forced to ask himself. Which would be the greater failure on his part?

He had no answer. And as he stood there on the open field, head hanging with eyes unfocused, he found that to be immeasurably worse.

"The storm will be here soon, Kai," Revan called out as he continued to walk away. "You better act before it arrives."

With his back towards the young Guardian, Revan was free to allow himself to smirk with satisfaction without obtaining Kai's notice.

Yes, the storm was coming. But he was confident that it was under his control once again…