[fic] Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale

[Darth_Yuthura]

The trip to RS 159 took about seven hours. After leaving the Enclave, our group docked with the hammerhead-class ship, Akagi. It would take us the rest of the way. I was given my own quarters as well as access to limited areas of the ship. After jumping to hyperspace, I took Ross to one of the cargo bays. Although it was not the best place to train, the cargo hold had enough open space to avoid the feeling of claustrophobia.

 

“Since we will be expected to assist Republic troops as soon as we arrive, we won’t have time to get aquatinted. Are you ready to begin?” I started off.

 

He bowed. “Yes, Master.”

 

I gave him a sour look. “Master?”

 

“Yes... Yuthura I’m sorry.”

 

I exhaled in frustration. “Listen... instead of saying you’re sorry, I’d prefer that you simply not repeat the mistake. If it’s just habit, I won’t take offense. I’m just reminding you that I don’t like being called ‘master.’ That is all.”

 

“Of course. I am ready to begin... Yuthura.” He bowed again.

 

“Before I start, I need to lay out some ground rules. First: You will not be expected to obey my every whim. I want you to think and act for yourself. Remember that I am not always right and neither is the Council. If I give you an order that you don’t agree with, I want you to tell me if you think it’s wrong.”

 

He was quick to object. “That’s not viable. The chain of command is in place for a reason. If you tell me that I can disregard orders when I’m under your command, you lose your authority.”

 

“What if I act in a manner that you know is wrong? Would you still follow me?”

 

I stared at me and told me what I wanted to hear instead of what he would have done. “You’ve earned your rank above me and that makes your orders overrule my opinions. I would follow your orders because you know better than I.”

 

I gave him a look to indicate that I was dead serious about my first official command to him. “I order you to go to the bridge and kill everyone there.”

 

He stared at me as if he knew that I wasn’t serious, but wasn’t quite sure what I expected him to do. He just kept silent... hoping to hear me belay the order, but I didn’t. Although he would not have done what I asked, he wouldn’t stand up against me.

 

I waited long enough to see that he wasn’t going to act. I was hoping that he would protest, but at least he wasn’t absolutely blind to authority. “I gave you a direct order and you are required to follow it. Why do you hesitate?”

 

“Because this is an exercise and I know you wouldn’t give an order such as that.”

 

I shook my head. “I just did. Are you going to defy me?” I said in a threatening manner.

 

I was driving some fear into him. He ignored everything he was taught and answered me. “I would not follow such orders.”

 

I grinned at that answer. “Then you’re learning. If you had followed the chain of command blindly, you would have been forced to do as I ordered. Because you knew that this was an exercise and that my order made no sense, you did what you knew was correct.” I crossed my arms in confidence. “Still respect the authority of your superiors?”

 

He nodded. “I understand what you are trying to tell me, but I still think it’s important to respect the chain of command. You did not become a jedi knight without proving that you had the skills and the wisdom of that rank. I don’t have your experience, so I would trust your orders over my personal opinion.”

 

I got in front of him to begin again. “I do not intend to train you to follow the jedi code. If you want to learn from me, I will teach you to act for what you believe to be right. As you train, we will have many conflicts because we won’t agree on many things. When we have a disagreement, it will be my responsibility to convince you that I am correct. If I can’t, then you shouldn’t follow me. Is that understood?”

 

He raised his hand. “I think I understand what you’re saying, but in practice, it can’t be done.”

 

“Alright. We disagree on this.” I sat down on one of the cargo containers. “I gave my reasons. Convince me with yours.”

 

He got in front of me as if to give me a lecture. “If we are in combat and you require that certain actions are done without delay... you can’t afford to have me argue with you.”

 

“That has merit, but you realize that I’ve never been in a war before... Master Vash says you have. Are you saying that you would trust me more than your own experiences?”

 

He smiled proudly at the complement I had given. “Master... Yuthura, I appreciate that you would take my opinion into consideration, but I’m prepared to follow your orders without question. If I don’t agree with you and there is time to argue, I will let you know. If there isn’t time, then I’ll not question you. Would that be acceptable?” He asked.

 

I nodded. “I suppose this kind of arrangement comes with experience. For now, assume that I don’t have any authority. Trust is earned, not given away... do not forget that.”

 

He nodded. “Can I give you some feedback... about being an instructor?”

 

I laughed at the thought that he would have the grounds to criticize me. I have instructed for at least three years while he had nothing under his belt. “Alright. Let’s hear it.”

 

“I appreciate that you’re trying to make this easier for me, but I know it’s not supposed to be. This how you instructed on Korriban.”

 

“Of course not. One sith student was the same as the next and I never took only only one under my wing. I also haven’t started with one who has been trained to your extent. I’m trying to give you some autonomy because you are more capable than a raw recruit. Would you prefer that I have you sit by and watch, or would you like to serve alongside me?” I said as I crossed my arms.

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

I smiled. “I expect nothing less.”

 

-----

 

After a few hours of discussion, I felt more confident about this arrangement. He was a bit too yielding when it came to concepts we didn’t agree on, but I pushed him to try and challenge me whenever he thought I was wrong.

 

Although it was not the sith way to show weakness, I’ve come to embrace another practice. If I have flaws, myself, I weaken myself by ignoring them or even convincing myself that they are strengths. If my padawan can prove to me that I’m wrong, then I cannot deny that he is stronger than me in that particular regard. It benefits neither one if he accepts everything I teach him as fact and disregards his own wisdom.

 

After about four hours, I thought that the next best thing we could do is have lunch together and get to know him more personally. I would have gone over his service record before we left, but I wasn’t prepared to have him with me for this mission. I was expecting to ask him a lot of questions.

 

“So how did you become a jedi?” I asked.

 

“My father was a Republic pilot. At some point during the Mandalorian wars, he was discovered to be force sensitive. At the time, I was about 8 and my sister was 12...”

 

I interrupted. “You have a sister? Is she also in the Order?”

 

He was silent for a long moment. Obviously, something had happened to her. “I’m sorry... I should keep silent.”

 

“No. We were both accepted. I was trained on Couriscant and she was trained on Dantoine. Although we were not allowed to keep in contact with the other, I tried to keep track of her.” He rested his head upon his wrist. “When the Mandalorian Wars erupted, Alastria followed Revan.”

 

That most likely meant she either fell to the sith or was lost. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

“What I found most difficult to understand was why she never asked me to join her. Although we weren’t allowed to talk to each other, she and I secretly kept in contact. I would have imagined that she’d have at least asked me... she never even told me that she was leaving. I had to hear it from her master.” He explained.

 

“Do you know what happened to her after that?”

 

He shook his head. “Probably turned to the sith like everyone else who followed Revan. Or she died in the war... it doesn’t matter.”

 

I saw that this was a wound that hasn’t healed. As much as I wanted to assure him that things would be alright, I knew that I shouldn’t try to give him hope. His sister was not a part of his life anymore and he had to accept that.

 

I tried to help. “Alastria made her choice. You should accept that your fate was not bound to hers. It may sound cold for me to say this, but you should forget about her and concentrate on only what you can influence.”

 

He stared at me for a moment. “Do you know if there is any way to determine if she had indeed become a sith? I suppose it would give me some closure to know if she died in the war or turned to the darkside.”

 

I shook my head. “Ross... I want you to keep your mind on the present. This is not the time for distractions. Knowing what happened to her would not change things, so it’s best to just assume the worst unless you have good reason to assume otherwise. Just assume that she’s gone and not a part of you anymore.”

 

He nodded. “I should only concentrate on what I can influence.”

 

I smiled slightly. “So you’re a councilor, but you’ve seen war before. How did that happen?”

 

“Master Vadim was a guardian. He brought me along so that I could get first hand experience of battle. He said that it’s too easy to make choices when one doesn’t know what their soldiers have to go through. Only two of the Council have seen war first hand... Masters Kavar and Vash.”

 

I had wondered why Vrook had been replaced. That answered my question. “You’re master seems very wise. Why aren’t you with still with him?”

 

He looked at me as if to silently ask ‘what do you think?’

 

I nodded. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He just stared at his food and barely touched it. Although it was just military rations, I knew he had to keep his strength up. “Ross, I know it’s not the best food, but you should take what you can get.”

 

“I’m not hungry.”

 

“You won’t get fat. And you might not get the opportunity to eat later.” I gestured to the food, but he wouldn’t touch it. I was getting agitated. “It’s only a minor issue, but I will force this slop down your throat if you don’t do it yourself. I’m sure you would rather be spared the indignity.”

 

He gave me a smug smile. “Didn’t you say that you were not my master? Isn’t it my choice?”

 

I sighed at the irony of this. He knew how to use my generosity against me. Perhaps if I were more subtle... “Please don’t make an issue of a minor thing. I want you to be prepared for whatever is expected or not expected to come. A stomach ache is better than stomach cramps... I would imagine you’d have learned that by now.”

 

He stared at me as I have at Vrook, but he did as he was told.

 

I knew that he wasn’t very happy with me, but I was glad that Ross complied. It was better to be over prepared than be without an advantage. Food was not as problematic as it once was in war, but it was still critical. On the rock we were going to, there would be no plants or animals, so foraging was not an option.

 

When he had finished eating, he looked at me as if to silently tell me that he was irritated. I felt that my authority over Ross was very fragile and I wanted to make it as easy as possible while not being too soft. “I wasn’t trying to be like Master Vrook. I want you to be as strong as possible for the task ahead. You should take advantage of every break you get, no matter how small.”

 

He didn’t look convinced. “That contradicts jedi ways. If I did that, then I would just be looking out for myself. Are you saying that I should just ignore everyone who asks for help?”

 

I smiled at what I was about to say. “It’s more complicated than that. You make preparations ‘before’ you commit to a goal... not after you’ve started. Now that we are about two hours away, you should be rested, fed, and relaxed while you have the chance. You can’t ensure that you’ll have another chance later. Would you agree?”

 

He nodded. “So now what?”

 

“You do whatever you wish until we arrive. When we land, we’ll hit the ground running. Be prepared.”

 

“I’ll return to my quarters.” He said.

 

“Alright. Be in the hanger by 18:00 hours.”

 

He bowed and left the mess hall. I noticed that he left his tray behind, but it wasn’t worth nagging about. Before I could take them to be cleaned, I heard a familiar voice behind me. “Trevelyan’s right about you. You have wisdom, but you have some rough edges.”

 

I turned around and saw him. “Canderous? What are you doing here?”

 

“I’ve been recruited by the Republic. I found an opportunity for war and I accepted.” He sat next to me without asking and I was not in the mood for small talk.

 

I was insulted by what he just did. If he felt he could just act as he wanted towards me, then he had no respect for me. “You did not ask if you could sit down. A sith would not have allowed such disrespect.”

 

“But you’re not a sith anymore.”

 

I stared at him with the coldest eyes I could. “You just acted because you believe me to be weak. You will show me proper respect.”

 

“Alright! I’m sorry.” He sighed. “Most jedi wouldn’t have said anything. I’m glad to see you haven’t gone soft.” He faced forward. “As I was saying, you seem to have the makings of a great leader, but you don’t know how to handle authority.”

 

I stared at him for a moment. “What’s this about?”

 

“I saw how you handled that kid. You did have a good point when it came to preparation, but what you just did... you acted like his mother.”

 

I frowned at the insult.

 

“I’m just offering you some criticism. Didn’t you notice how he reacted?”

 

I leaned my head back in frustration. “You know nothing of teaching jedi, yet you know know better than I.”

 

He shook his head. “I know about leadership and what it takes to make others follow you. You have talent, but you need to understand how to present yourself to your followers. If you treat them as equals, you gain respect, but lose authority. You must choose which you need more.”

 

“I was hoping for both.”

 

He took a sip from his glass. “That requires time. The best thing for you would be to exercise your authority first and demonstrate that you know what you are doing. As you prove yourself, he’ll learn to trust you implicitly.”

 

I nodded. “Can I ask you a question?”

 

“Of course. It just doesn’t mean I have to answer it.”

 

“If you were under the leadership of one you perceived to be corrupt, would you respect the chain of command, or would you move to have him removed?”

 

“Corrupt is a quaint term. If your leader is the strongest among you, he... or she would have the power to make the rules. If his subordinates have a problem with it, they must either follow them... resign... or challenge him for superiority.” He explained with full confidence.

 

“So if you were lead by one who broke his own rules, that wouldn’t matter to you?”

 

“There’s more to it than that. A leader has the right to do whatever he wants, but that doesn’t mean it’s in his best interest. The more ‘corrupt’ he becomes in the eyes of his people, the more times he will have to deal with followers challenging him for command.” He looked me in the eye. “Our Mandalore was the greatest warrior among my people, but even he could not afford to be challenged every day by inferior adversaries... it would whittle away his strength. So he followed the will of our people as much as possible.”

 

“Surely there were times when he acted for his own benefit more than for the benefit of your empire.”

 

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely as you would say. Mandalorian had absolute authority among my people, but if he exercised it... he risked being challenged by those that wouldn’t follow him. To keep the will of the people behind him, he had to convince us that it was for the interests of the empire. If he had the strength to do it, he could order anything of us. If he didn’t, he was replaced by the one who defeated him.”

 

I nodded. “That sounds much like the sith, but we... they declared that we must all strive to be the strongest in order to lead. My master, Uthar, knew the danger of great leaders being usurped by pathetic ones like Malak.”

 

He smiled and nodded in agreement.

 

I continued. “I am currently dealing with a problem in the leadership of the jedi. I don’t believe the High Council are going to be able to keep the Order together. I don’t have the power to challenge them, but I’m convinced that the system of leadership has to change. The jedi within the Order need to realize that they are not controlled by the Council and the Council has to see that they don’t have absolute authority over them.”

 

“Apparently they do. Most of the jedi within the order wanted to join the Mandalorian wars, but your Council overruled all of them.” He said.

 

I smiled as I saw a way to turn his logic against him. “Do you think the Council was right to ignore the Mandalorian threat?”

 

“Of course not! They were fools to ignore us. Your Order would have crumbled if it was not for Revan. He took command because he knew what had to be done.”

 

“So the Council did not deserve the power to command. If you say we should respect our leaders, then are you saying the jedi were wrong to defy them?”

 

“No. The jedi should have forced the Council to do what was required... or replace them.” He said.

 

I nodded. “It still has to be done. The problem is that they are too powerful to overthrow. How would I go about doing it?”

 

He looked at me with newfound respect. “You intend to stand up to them? You, alone, intend to take command?”

 

“Not alone. I am trying to get as many jedi as possible to back me instead of them. My question is this: how would I gain the support I need and take it from them?” I asked.

 

He sighed. “Why did so many jedi support Revan when he broke away from the Order?”

 

“Because they believed the Council was wrong.”

 

“Why him?”

 

“Because he earned enough respect to draw a fraction of the jedi to follow him.”

 

“Then you seem to know what you must do. Just be aware that many have died trying to take the title of Mandalorian. Don’t attempt anything until you know you are ready. Until then, you should acquire your strength in secret and you may even do well to turn them against each other.”

 

“You make it sound easy.”

 

“Understanding it is simple. Carrying it out is another matter.” He declared.

 

I looked at him for a moment. “Do you think I could do it?”

 

“I don’t know enough about you to make a judgment one way or another. Trevelyan thinks highly of you, but I don’t put that much faith in his opinions anymore.”

 

“Why not?”

 

He looked at me as if to give me a long-winded story, but I wanted to hear it. “When I first fought by his side, he wasn’t a jedi... but he was impressive. He didn’t have the fighting spirit of a Mandalorian, but I respected him. After he became a jedi, he was even more capable as a fighter, but avoided a fight whenever he could. Even then, I respected him more than I had before.”

 

“Then when he learned his true identity?” I asked.

 

“When I was told that he was Revan, I had no doubt that it was true. In battle, he seemed almost invincible. As a leader, he commanded respect from all who served him. After he learned his true identity, he wavered for a few days, but came to embrace the truth. I followed him with newfound respect and he lead us to victory against Malak.” He sighed in depression. “Then when it was over, he began rejecting Revan and all he once was. He was one of the bravest men I’ve ever known, but Trevelyan was too afraid to face who he once was. As far as I’m concerned... he’s not Revan anymore. He’s... confused.”

 

I nodded and realized that I likely had a major part in that. I was the one who told him that it was alright for him to believe that he was Alex Trevelyan. I should have encouraged him to accept the truth.

[HIGH ON PIE 14]

So Candy's along for the ride? This was another well written chapter. Yuthura seems to have clear goals, but it seems she does not quite yet know how to deal with Ross. She has little patience for his "righteousness". Their personalities are very different. I guess it will take time for them to get used to eachother.

 

The Canderous talking about Revan part at the end was especially interesting. Can't with to see what surprises the war zone brings! I got very immersed in that chapter, keep up your good work!

 

~HOP

[Darth_Yuthura]

One of the things that I've been doing was adding aspects of the real world into the fiction. One critical thing I've focused on is leadership skills. The only reason I put Canderous into the last chapter was for the sole purpose of speaking to Yuthura about her own capabilities and what a 'neutral' person would say about the Council.

 

If anyone would like advice on adding 'wisdom-like' content, certain religions can offer great tips. Example: from the book of James "We who teach will be judged more strictly." This was not where I got Yuthura's statement of the Council setting a higher standard for themselves, but it is almost the same thing.

 

It may sound strange, but the greatest thing in fiction may actually be reality. The more sophisticated or elaborate the details, the better. If you have a profession that can relate to the story... if you know much about engineering or science... try to weave them into the plot.

 

I'm a geography major in college, so I could create a reasonable explanation for why Korriban became a desolate wasteland. Because there were no nucleogenic particles in the atmosphere(no dust), the planet could not produce rain. No particle exist because there is no volcanic activity. The reason for no volcanic activity is that one of the sith lords did something to extract the geothermal energy.

 

This is an example of using what you know to add detail to a fiction and I hope that it made sense to you. If not, please ask and I'll clarify it as best I can.

[Rev7]

One of the things that I've been doing was adding aspects of the real world into the fiction. One critical thing I've focused on is leadership skills. The only reason I put Canderous into the last chapter was for the sole purpose of speaking to Yuthura about her own capabilities and what a 'neutral' person would say about the Council.

 

If anyone would like advice on adding 'wisdom-like' content, certain religions can offer great tips. Example: from the book of James "We who teach will be judged more strictly." This was not where I got Yuthura's statement of the Council setting a higher standard for themselves, but it is almost the same thing.

 

It may sound strange, but the greatest thing in fiction may actually be reality. The more sophisticated or elaborate the details, the better. If you have a profession that can relate to the story... if you know much about engineering or science... try to weave them into the plot.

 

I'm a geography major in college, so I could create a reasonable explanation for why Korriban became a desolate wasteland. Because there were no nucleogenic particles in the atmosphere (no dust), the planet could not produce rain. No particle exist because there is no volcanic activity. The reason for no volcanic activity is that one of the sith lords did something to extract the geothermal energy.

 

This is an example of using what you know to add detail to a fiction and I hope that it made sense to you. If not, please ask and I'll clarify it as best I can.

I totally, 100% agree with that statement. Those are what make the best fictions and stories. I really enjoyed this chapter, and I am just getting more and more immersed in this story as more chapters are produced. It really is an amazing story, and can teach you a few things in the 'real world'.

 

I am glad that Yuthura see's the corruption of the Council. Someone has to. I think the conversation with Canderous was executed perfectly. It is always good to know the opinions of other.

 

I kinda laughed at how Yuthura was 'parenting' Ross. (In a good way, that is. ) I think that Ross and Yuthura will have a great Master, apprentice relationship. Nice job with this chapter. It was cool to know a little bit more about you too.

 

~Rev

[Totenkopf]

I stared at me and told me what I wanted to hear instead of what he would have done. “You’ve earned your rank above me and that makes your orders overrule my opinions. I would follow your orders because you know better than I.”

 

Nice addition of the Candyman. Only noticed an apparent error or two. You seemed to be using the adjective Mandalorian instead of the noun Mandalore in a few places when speaking of their leader. That and "I" instead of "he" above. About all the constructive criticism I have to offer on this installment.

[HIGH ON PIE 14]

Makes sense to me DY. Thats what Tolkein did with Lord of the Rings and look how that turned out. While most of that stuff was not actual reality he made the details as realistic as possible. He even wrote the whole elvish language to make it seem more real.

 

I like the Korriban explination, seems very possible...very real, excellent. Also forgot to put in my last post: Yuthura teaching Ross to not be a pawn of the council is great. I love the whole Yuthura against the council thing. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

 

@Totenkopf: ... starts singing * the Candyman can*

 

~HOP

[Burnseyy]

what i've read so far is coming along really nicely.

you're keeping it realistic, and enjoyable at the same time.

[Darth_Yuthura]

RS 159 was just a big, dead rock. With an oxygen/argon atmosphere, it could at least support life. There was little to no water on the surface, a blazing star overhead during the day, extreme temperature declines at night. There was almost nothing about this planet that had any significance to the Republic. It was just a rock that happened to be near an important hyperspace rout, making it an ideal location for a refueling depot.

 

The Republic had established a station during the Mandalorian Wars to refuel warships traveling from the Republic core worlds to the Outer Rim. During the Sith War, it was not a tempting target; not enough to commit an assault force to take it over. Since the Sith advance was proceeding at pace, a refueling depot was not required. Since the Star Forge was destroyed, it had become much more desirable.

 

The Sith’s limited forces were not enough to fight their way to the Republic core worlds; they needed an alternate hyperspace rout. However, the fuel depot had to remain intact if the hyperspace rout could be of any use to the Sith. An orbital bombardment was not an option, so the battle would be decided on the ground.

 

The station was surrounded by only about a thousand troops, although the standard complement was 2500. The station’s defenses were also damaged and would have to be bolstered. I’ve been told that on top of seven jedi, the Akagi was also delivering much-needed food, water, munitions, and medical supplies.

 

-----

 

Our shuttle set down in a hanger. After we exited the ship, Master Vash was greeted by several poorly-dressed officers and soldiers. Their uniforms were tattered and dirty. The men looked like they haven’t shaved in weeks. I could also see in their posture that they’ve been through a lot.

 

The commander shook Master Vash’s hand. “I’m Captain Fujita. Welcome to RS 159.”

 

One of the men behind him added, “What’s left of it.”

 

“Master Lonna Vash of the Jedi Order. I’m taking command of the defense force.” She replied.

 

“I’m turning command over to you. Use whatever men or resources that you need to protect this facility.”

 

“Where should we deposit your cargo?” Vash asked.

 

Fujita gestured to one of his officers. “Mendoza will show you.”

 

Mendoza was under a lot of stress and had great hate in his eyes. “Yeah... yeah... just what we need... heal us, give us new uniforms, rearm us, and keep us here.” He went up and yelled at Master Vash. “Why can’t you get us off this rock?!”

 

Fujita got between them. “Keep your place!”

 

I saw so much anger in Mendoza’s expression... I didn’t know where such emotion came from. “I’m sorry, Master Jedi. Should I take you to the drop-off locations?”

 

Vash turned around. “Hayashi, go with Mendoza. You will organize the deliveries. Get the medical supplies first, then bring in the other equipment as you see the need to do so.” Vash then turned to the rest of the group. “I want everyone here with medical experience to tend to the wounded. Yuthura and Beleya, I want you to lend your aid to the mechanics and repair the defenses wherever you are directed. Padawan Senegal, if you can assist Yuthura, then stay with her. If not, then tend to the wounded as well.”

 

Fujita turned to his men. “My people will stay with you to escort you to wherever you need.” He gestured to his men. “You four will take the jedi to the medical stations. You two will help these three in here. Master Vash, I assume you want to be shown around the base?”

 

Vash turned to us. “You all know what to do. Follow your escorts... they all know the base better than us. We are here to help and to show these soldiers that they don’t stand alone. Do your jobs, but be prepared for battle. You will have to lead if and when an attack comes. Dismissed.”

 

The entire group separated and I was left with Ross, Beleya, and our two escorts. We were in a hanger and there were many vehicles that had to be repaired, but no one was tending to them. “What do you need me to do?” I asked one of the escorts.

 

“Our system for repairs and maintenance has broken down. We’ve been told to repair whatever is damaged using whatever is available. We have a few fighters in this hanger that need work, but the mechanics don’t have the parts they need to make them airborne.”

 

I nodded. “I could take a look.”

 

The second escort added, “We also have some speeders and artillery that are damaged. They’re in another hanger if you need me to show you.”

 

Beleya volunteered. “I’ll see to them.”

 

When she and her escort headed out, I faced Ross. “Do you have any experience with repairing ships?”

 

“I’m afraid not. I’ve never worked with anything more complex than a speeder bike. How did you come to learn about these?” He asked.

 

“A fighter is too complex for any one person to know how to repair everything, but I do have some skill with computer systems... remember? I think you should go help Beleya. Odds are that they would have swoop bikes or battle droids that are in need of maintenance. I’ll see what I can do with these ships.”

 

He nodded. “What should I do if we come under attack?”

 

“Defend yourself first. If you can help others, then do so, but don’t enter combat unless you must.”

 

“Yuthura, I’m more than capable of defending myself. If a battle should erupt, I will engage the enemy. That’s one of the reasons why we’re here.” He said.

 

For some reason, that reminded me of what Canderous said earlier. I realized that I had to trust Ross to take care of himself and trust in his ability to protect others. As much as I wanted to know he would not be a liability, I had to let him decide how he would engage the enemy.

 

I put my hand on one of his shoulders. “The soldiers will look up to you for hope. Your first priority in a fight is to protect them... understood?”

 

“Yes, Yuthura. I’ll do my best.” Then he bowed and was lead out by the last escorting soldier.

 

There were about seven fighters here... none of them looked like they could fly. The hulls were riddled with battle wounds and some needed to be reassembled. I didn’t know how I would be able to repair even one ship, but I had to try.

 

I examined the remains of one fighter and was surprised to find that the ship has been collecting dust and would have been rusting if there was any water to oxidize the metal. This fighter wasn’t just damaged, it’s been out of commission for weeks... maybe months. When I looked at the others, I saw the same thing. None of these ships were flyable! Why have they just been sitting in the hanger when they were needed for battle?!

 

As I kept looking around, I saw that I was not alone... there were about thirty mechanics sitting around. Six were working on one of the fighters that was almost battle-ready, but the rest of the group was doing nothing. I was angry at how these lazy ****** were wasting time when they needed to prepare for war.

 

I walked over to them and shouted, “I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not, but there is a war in progress and we’re going to need these fighters in the air. Why aren’t you working on them?!”

 

A female human stood up. “Excuse me, Master Jedi, but we’ve been waiting for replacement parts to come in. Without them, we can’t start the reassembly process.”

 

“These ships have been just sitting here for weeks! Don’t tell me that you haven’t ordered the parts you needed!”

 

She was afraid of me and looked like she thought I was going to hit her. “We did... they’ve never come. The base hasn’t been resupplied in three months. I’m sorry.”

 

My anger did not diminish, but it was no longer directed at them. It was the ******* that didn’t provide these people with what they needed. I calmed myself down and spoke in a normal tone. “Three months?”

 

She nodded. “The Republic’s forces have been stretched thin and we were told to make due with what we had. We tried to salvage what we could from the wreckage of downed fighters, but there was only so much we could use.”

 

“You had to salvage wreckage?!” I almost shrieked.

 

“We had nothing else. We’ve been able to put three fighters back into the air because of it, but I don’t think we can do much more unless your ship delivered the parts we requested.” She said with hope in her voice.

 

“I’m sorry. Our cargo was limited to food, ammunition, and medical supplies.”

 

She sighed in great disappointment and sat back down with the rest of her group. “I’m sorry, Master Jedi. There’s nothing we can do without replacement parts.”

 

I looked back at the fighters and came to a conclusion. “If you were to scrap one or two of these, how many fighters could you have armed and ready?”

 

“We’ve already considered that, but Captain Futija made it clear that we couldn’t afford to sacrifice any more fighters. And we can’t just remove a critical system... we would have to disassemble the whole ship to remove an engine or a flight computer. Odds are that we wouldn’t be able to reassemble any ship we take apart, even if the parts do come in later.” She said.

 

I stared at the fighters to make a point. “I don’t know about you, but I see no fighters flying right now. I think that one complete ship is worth more than a hundred of these. I want you to to determine how many fighters you could have operational with what you have. Disregard the loss of the ships and figure out the best way to get as many operational fighters available.”

 

Before I could turn around, she objected. “I’m sorry, Master Jedi, but we can’t do something like that without Captain Fujita’s authorization.”

 

I nodded. “Master Vash is now in command... and yes, I’ll have her authorization. Get your teams ready to begin when I return.”

 

“Yes, Master Jedi.” She said.

 

Before I turned around again, I noticed that one the male mechanics was wearing a cast on his left arm. I went up to him. “What’s that?”

 

“I injured myself about a week ago. My arm was caught between a bulkhead when it was removed from the hull.”

 

“Why hasn’t the bone been regenerated?”

 

He looked at me in surprise. “There weren’t enough medical supplies. I was just a mechanic... and it wasn’t life threatening.”

 

My jaw literally dropped at the explanation. I couldn’t believe that the Republic would allow such things to happen to it’s forces. I’ve never healed a bone before, but I decided to try. “May I?”

 

He nodded and unwrapped the arm. The bone was visibly out of place and I realized that I would have to reset it, otherwise it would heal improperly. I looked him in the eye. “I need to reset the bone, but it would be extremely painful. If you would let me, I could put you in a stasis trance to avoid the pain. Otherwise, you may have to wait for another hour for the medical supplies to be delivered.”

 

“Are you saying you could heal me? Here and now?”

 

“Yes, but I would have to put you in a stasis trance before I reset the bone. I’m just offering you the option of getting this done sooner than later, but you may prefer more conventional treatment.”

 

He nodded. “Thank-you. What do you want me to do?”

 

“Just lie on your back and you’ll soon lose consciousness. After I reset the bone, I’ll have to bring you back before I can regenerate it. It would be even more painful then, but I could alleviate it as the bone regenerates. Let me know if you want to begin.”

 

He got on his back and extended his arm. “I’m ready.”

 

I focused my mind and cut off the mechanic’s mind from the rest of the galaxy... he was unconscious. As I prepared to reset the bone, everyone was gathered around as if to witness me perform a miracle. I have to admit that I liked the feeling of being watched like a god or something. The last thing I wanted was to make a mistake.

 

I got in position and pulled on the arm to its proper position. The sound of the partially healed bones breaking was sickening, but it at least wasn’t inflicting pain on the victim. Although the nervous system was sending signals to the brain, it was not registering... yet. I pressed against the flesh around the bone and determined that it was in its proper position.

 

Although I should have taken him out of the stasis trance first, I decided to start mending the bone to alleviate as much pain as possible before I needed him to give feedback. When I brought him back to reality, he was groaning, but not as he would have if I had brought him back first. “It’s alright. I’ve reset the bone and it’s healing itself. How does it feel?”

 

He leaned his head forward and watched as force energy was sown into the arm. “It’s not as terrible as I thought it would be, but it still hurts.”

 

“Just give it a few minutes and I’ll be done.”

 

“This is remarkable. Thank-you for doing it.”

 

I looked at the other mechanics just standing around, but I wasn’t concerned with them. They didn’t have anything else to do, otherwise I would have told them to get back to work. At least they were silent.

 

When I believed I had succeeded, I put some pressure on the arm. “Do you still feel any pain?”

 

He laughed in disbelief. “The pain is almost completely gone. That’s amazing!”

 

“Move it around. See what you can do.” I told him.

 

He lifted the arm, moved his fingers, flexed his muscles, and smiled at me. “You did it! It still feels a bit sore, though.”

 

“That’s because you haven’t used it for a week. You’ll just have to live with that for a while as your muscles regenerate.” I said with supreme confidence.

 

Everyone looked at me with awe after what they just saw and I savored the moment for a while before I had to get back to the task at hand. “Alright, everyone. I want you to be ready to start on these fighters. After I get the authorization, we’ll be taking one or two apart and using the components for the rest. If you were impressed with what you just saw... you’ll be impressed with what I can do to speed up your work. Who’s the chief mechanic?”

 

The female mechanic who I addressed earlier stepped up. “I am. Natsha Lovanna.”

 

“Yuthura Ban. I’m here to assist, not take over. You are still in charge, but I’ll help in any way I can.”

 

“Thank-you, Master Yuthura.”

 

I bowed and began my search for Master Vash. Since communications were jammed, I couldn’t contact her via comlink. I had to find her and get authorization directly.

 

-----

 

The defensive perimeter was a terrible mess. Wounded soldiers with tattered cloths were on station clinging to their riffles like they were hanging on to their lives. I’ve never seen Republic soldiers in such terrible shape before. It wasn’t just their physical condition, but their was extreme hate in their souls that didn’t come from standard military conditioning.

 

When I passed by one of the medical stations, I saw a cargo shuttle unloading supplies. Mendoza and a few others were unloading it by hand and I thought I might be able to solve two problems at once.

 

More was going on here than I was aware of and I believed Mendoza would tell me if I gave him a reason to talk to me. “Would you let me deal with this?”

 

He had a container in his hands, but set it back down and got out of the way. “By all means.”

 

I focused the force on a few of the containers and moved them from the shuttle to where they were stacked in the center’s supply room. “You’re name is Mendoza... isn’t it?”

 

He responded with hate in his voice. “Yeah... what of it?”

 

“When you spoke with Master Vash, you tried to say something to her. What was it?” I asked.

 

He stared at me as if I just asked if he committed a crime. “Nothing.”

 

I looked directly at him. “It didn’t sound like nothing. You were desperate to leave, why?”

 

“We’re not supposed to be here!”

 

I finished moving the medical supplies I was suspending and paused for a moment. I wanted to hear what he had to say. “Why not?”

 

“We were supposed to be rotated off the front lines after 90 days.” He inhaled sharply. “That was over a month ago... and we’re still here!” He gestured to the cargo I had stopped moving. “Are you going to do this or not?!”

 

That startled me. I could not imagine a Republic soldier shouting orders with no consideration that I was doing him a favor. I got my attention back onto the job and kept silent.

 

He crossed his arms as if he were a commanding officer watching his minion doing his will, but he soon released a sigh of guilt. “I’m sorry. You’re not the one who kept us on this rock. I just can’t understand why the Republic doesn’t pull back if they’re not going to defend this place properly.”

 

“The refueling station is critical if...”

 

“They could just blow it to **** for all I care! That would keep the sith from launching a strike against the Republic. Instead, they left us with the burden of keeping it away from the sith. If they wanted this refueling station so much, they should have properly supplied us with what we needed to get the job done.”

 

“I’m sorry to hear that. How long have you been here?” I asked.

 

“I’ve been here for almost five months. We were supposed to be rotated off the front lines after 90 days. When Admiral Dodonna ordered the assault on the Star Forge, our replacements were killed in that battle. And since we weren’t considered a priority, all reserve troops were stationed at more critical locations. We had to stay where we were.” He got in front of me. “How much longer will we be expected to remain here? Is there anything you can do?”

 

I looked at him with a sympathetic expression. “I wasn’t aware that you’ve been under siege. I’ll speak to Master Vash and inform her of your situation. I don’t know what good it will do, but I’ll try to make her take action.”

 

I moved the rest of the cargo into the medical station and nodded to Mendoza. He seemed appreciative. “Thank-you. We had some cargo droids that needed to be scrapped because the battle droids needed repairs. Since we didn’t have them, we’ve had to move almost everything by hand. This is much appreciated.”

 

I bowed to him. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

 

“Don’t worry about us, Jedi.”

 

As he got into the cargo shuttle, I began looking around at the soldiers who were manning their positions. I could see why they had such hate in their souls. After watching over half of their unit killed over the course of five months, there was no reason for them to be hopeful. They’ve been forgotten and it was up to me to make sure they were remembered.

 

-----

 

When I approached the operations center, where Vash was expected, I was surprised to hear her shouting in extreme anger. I didn’t imagine that anyone other than Vrook would shout in such a way. Although I didn’t want to eavesdrop, I was interested in hearing what she was saying to Captain Futija.

 

“I’ve done the best I could under extreme circumstances! The Republic wanted this facility intact, but they didn’t help us until this last attack was already over. I had to make a choice and I had nothing but orders to hold down this station... and I did.” Futija declared.

 

“Two hundred men died because of it! If they had succeeded, the fuel tanks would have ruptured and the facility would have been lost anyway.” Vash stated.

 

“We were given an impossible order! We couldn’t defend the station with what we were given. It was inevitable, but I’ve held us together the best I could. If we followed the standard operating procedure, we would have been lost a month ago.”

 

Before Vash could reply, she felt my presence and came to me. “Yuthura... can this wait?”

 

“I just needed your authorization before I could carry out some repairs.” I said.

 

She looked at Fujita and then back to me. “What do you need?”

 

“I would like to scrap two of the fighters and use the components to complete the other ships.”

 

Fujita stood up. “Absolutely not. We need every fighter we have... we can’t afford to lose two more.”

 

I crossed my arms. “Without the parts, the fighters will remain on the ground. The mechanics say they’ve had to salvage scrap from wreckage to do the job. As you said... you need every fighter you can get.”

 

“There are still downed fighters that we have yet to salvage. With your aid, we could finally recover what you need from the wreckage. I want those cargo shuttles to do a recovery mission after they’ve delivered the supplies.” Futija declared.

 

Vash was against that. “Those downed fighters you speak of are dozens of kilometers away. It’s also likely that the sith have surface to air missiles in the area. It would be too dangerous to launch a salvage mission.” She faced me. “You may go ahead and scrap what you need to repair the remaining fighters.”

 

Futija released an exasperated sigh and left the room.

 

The two of us were both uneasy with the situation and she gestured for me to sit down across from her desk. “You look like you have something else on your mind.”

 

I sat down and asked a question of which I didn’t want to hear the answer. “You and Futija were just talking about a mutiny... weren’t you?”

 

She nodded. “How did you know? I wasn’t aware of it until just now.”

 

“Because these people have been left alone for months without any sign of hope. It seemed the most logical thing for them to do.”

 

She shook her head almost violently. “There’s nothing logical about that. A group of workers tried to sabotage the fuel pumps and nearly fractured the main fuel storage tanks. If fuel had escaped, the facility would likely have been destroyed.”

 

I looked at her very seriously. “Master Vash, I think that was what they intended to do.”

 

“Why? Why would they do such a thing?”

 

“I think they wanted to destroy the facility, but not to ignite the fuel. If destruction was imminent, the Republic would have been forced to rescue them before the station was lost.” I stood up and gestured her to look out the observation window. Outside were a several of the soldiers manning their posts. “Do you see them? Those soldiers have seen over half of their unit killed. They’ve been alone for months and they believe that they’ve been abandoned.”

 

She nodded in agreement. “I’m aware of their situation, but they will only have to hold their position for a little while longer. They need all the confidence we can give them.”

 

I was infuriated with what she just said. I’m supposed to know nothing of war, yet Vash acted like the morale of the men didn’t matter. Even I knew how significant that was. “No... you don’t understand. That act of sabotage was a warning. These soldiers can’t simply be clothed and healed... they need to be shipped out of here!”

 

“We don’t have the means! Republic forces are stretched as thin as it is. These people are just going to have to tough it out for a little while longer. They’ve held on for five months... they can hold out for another few days.”

 

“Every day is harder than the one before. They can’t be told to hold out for a little while longer... that’s what they’ve been told for the last two months. They won’t improve until they are taken away from this place.” I stated.

 

“Once Master Kavar’s troops have done their job, then the soldiers here will be rotated off the front lines.” She tried to put her hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. “Yuthura... you have frequently credited Revan for the acts he committed during the Mandalorian Wars. This is exactly the kind of thing he would have done.” She said.

 

I almost shrieked at her justification. “And yet you do the same thing! You can’t attack Revan’s methods if you use them, yourself!”

 

She looked at me and realized that there was more going on than Revan’s tactics, but she didn’t know what it was. “We... the jedi did not know about the situation here until only a week ago. If we could, we would see to it that these soldiers are relieved, but we don’t have that luxury.”

 

I harrumphed. “You call it a luxury? I call it gross negligence and dereliction of duty. These men and women put their lives on the line and their commander forces them to either fight back or die in the line of a duty they aren’t obligated to fulfill.”

 

I stared out the window with great distress on my mind. Master Vash gently pulled me to face her. “What happened here was beyond your control. You can’t change the way things are... the best thing you can do is try to help them as much as possible. They can’t go anywhere... they will accept that. Just focus on your job and try to give these brave men and women the hope they need to survive.”

 

“Hope it something they’ve forsaken long ago.”

 

She stared at me as if she wanted to say something to comfort me, but there was nothing else to say. “You just focus your efforts on getting as many fighters airborne as possible. The sight of air support would go a long way for the troops.” She picked up a data pad and put her orders in writing. “How are you and Ross coming along?”

 

“He’s much different from the sith I’ve trained. My problem is that he respects the chain of command too much.” That allowed us to chuckle.

 

“Yeah. Ross should be an easy apprentice for you to instruct. Why did you decide to take him, anyway?”

 

Although I was interested in speaking to Master Vash about less serious matters, we had important things to accomplish. “Master, we could talk about this later. For now, we have a lot of work to do.”

 

She nodded and gave me the data pad. “The sith haven’t committed their forces to a single, major strike. You can expect skirmishes of up to a few hundred troops. Be prepared for an attack at any time.”

 

“How many sith troops are there?” I asked.

 

“I’m going to hold a briefing for all the jedi and officers tonight at 21:00. At that time, we will discuss strategy.” She concluded.

 

“Very well, Master Vash. I’ll see you then.” I bowed and went back to start doing some repairs.

[Rev7]

Yay, an update!

 

Nice addition to your story here Darth_Yuthura. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like if I were stuck on a planet for five months without proper supplies, and being nearly forgotten. That is just so hard to seriously imagine. I'm glad that the Republic is finally taking action about their situation. As I said, nice addition.

[Darth_Yuthura]

After nearly an hour of work... with my help, of course... two of the fighters had been completely disassembled and the needed parts were ready to be installed within four of the remaining ships. Since the two fighters weren’t going to fly again, the hull plates and other useful parts were also going to be used.

 

Due to the lack of droid assistance, I was recruited to maneuvering the heaviest components into position while the mechanics fastened them into the ships. It seemed simple, but only because major repairs, such as for ships, required two phases. The first phase was placing the parts, which weighed tons each. The second phase was connecting the systems to the rest of the fighter. The second was the most delicate and was where the technical skills were needed. The first phase was so easy, that it was like putting together a 3 diminutional puzzle.

 

Since there were no droids to assist, I was responsible for most of the grunt work. That was fine by me, but I was hoping to work with the computer systems as well. I wanted to show the mechanics that I had some skills to offer as well. The mechanics haven’t been exposed to the conditions that the soldiers have, so interacting with them was rather enjoyable.

 

Chief Lovanna was directing me on the removal of a wing from one of the scrapped fighters when Ross came in. He saw that I was distracted and kept silent as I slowly shifted the undamaged airfoil and set it down. The mechanics were amazed that I was able to detach all the fiber optic cables and electronics while I was removing the wing.

 

When the wing was settled on the floor, Ross asked if I had anything for him to do. I didn’t know what he had to offer, but I didn’t count on him being able to do the grunt work of a fully-trained jedi. I also didn’t like the idea of putting these valuable parts in the hands of an inexperienced padawan. I knew I was capable enough, but it was taxing, even to me. However, I wasn’t going to just dismiss his assistance out of hand. I believed it was better for him to come to his own conclusion rather than me telling him.

 

I turned around. “Many of these components weigh a few tons. Are you capable of lifting such weights and holding them in position long enough to be fastened?”

 

“Of course. It shouldn’t be that difficult.” He said with utter confidence.

 

I was in an awkward position. I wasn’t fully aware of his capabilities, but I didn’t think he could do it... I didn’t think any padawan could. However, I wanted to see if he was just being cocky. He may indeed be capable enough, but I didn’t want to take any risks. I wanted to see what he could do, but I didn’t want to take any chances. I asked Natasha to have him try to position a damaged engine in one of the scrapped fighters. He wouldn’t know that it was just a test, but I wanted to see if he had it in him.

 

Natasha had an engine that didn’t have any visible damage, but it was beyond repair. She told him to position the engine and hold it there while she and another mechanic would fasten it to the ship.

 

Ross looked at me nervously, but wanted to prove to me what he could do. Then he focused his attention on the engine and lifted it off the floor... I could tell he was struggling. Although his hold was far from stable, he did get it in position. When the mechanics needed him to start shifting the engine by centimeters to get it properly aligned with the nacelle, Ross was already struggling to hold the engine in one place. Moving a huge mass a few centimeters was too difficult for him, but he kept trying.

 

When the engine was perfectly aligned, the mechanics got a few bolts attached before Ross lost control of the engine. When it hit the floor, the front turbo shaft detached completely from the rest of the engine and scattered pieces everywhere. Ross was very shocked and thought he had ruined a valuable component because we was too confident. “By the force! I’m sorry! I thought I had it... I didn’t mean to...” He couldn’t say anything else and was holding his hands as if to beg for forgiveness.

 

I was convinced he learned his lesson, so I put my hands on his shoulders to tell him. “That engine was already on the scrap heap before you touched it. This wasn’t a real task... I just wanted to see what you would have done under live circumstances.”

 

“You mean... you expected me to fail this?” He said as if insulted.

 

“I wanted to see what you were capable of. What if this had been real?”

 

He dropped his head in shame. “I thought I could do this... I really did.”

 

“Observing and actually following through are completely different. This was just a test, but next time it might not be. No damage had been done... don’t be ashamed. Just remember this so you can avoid having it happen again.”

 

He nodded his head, still uneasy about what just happened.

 

I asked him another question. “Were you doing this because you seriously believed you could do it, or did you want to impress me?”

 

He sighed. “Impress you.”

 

“If you want to impress me, show me control and discipline. I like one who recognizes their deficiencies over one who rarely makes mistakes.” I decreed.

 

He looked at me as if I didn’t know what I was talking about. “I don’t understand.”

 

“Tell me... what is your opinion of Master Vrook?”

 

He turned his head away to try and come up with the right way of sugarcoat the truth. “I respect him. He knows what he’s doing. I admit that I... don’t consider him a friend, but I understand why he was so harsh to me.”

 

I admit that I didn’t understand that, myself. “Why is that?”

 

“Vrook... is like a drill sergeant in the military. He’s not a nice guy to serve under, but that’s what makes him so effective.”

 

“Effective?!”

 

“Drill sergeants are supposed to push you to your limits. Always angry, insulting, and never satisfied. That’s what Vrook does... he forces improvement by pushing his students to be all they can be.”

 

I shook my head. “I’m sorry... I should have asked a more specific question. Vrook is a good instructor... I won’t deny that. I meant to ask if you believe him to be an effective leader and one you should look up to.”

 

He looked at me as if I were asking him a dangerous question. I think he knew that I was trying to turn him against the Council. “Do you look up to him?”

 

“I’d like to know your answer. Then I’ll give you mine.”

 

“The truth is that I don’t think I know enough to have a suitable opinion. I would trust a master’s opinion over my own on matters that I don’t fully understand. They have experience... I don’t.”

 

I nodded. “So when you were seeking a master to complete your training, was I recommended by another?”

 

“No. In fact, Master Atris and Master Kolchak advised against you.”

 

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Alfred advised against me? That was hurtful to know... and I didn’t hide it very well.

 

Ross looked at me with concern. “Are you alright?”

 

I nodded. “Yes. It’s just that... Master Kolchak... instructed me while I was on Dantoine. I didn’t think he would have spoken against me... maybe not for, but against me?”

 

“It’s wasn’t like that. He just said that you were adapting to the jedi and couldn’t afford to take on a padawan so soon. It didn’t seem like he didn’t trust you... he just said that you couldn’t be encumbered by an apprentice while you were still in training.”

 

I guess that the pain was eased by those words. It made sense and even comforted me to know Alfred knew how difficult it was when I returned. I released a deep breath and nodded. “So why did you go against them? I know why you asked me, but why did you go against the advice of those who had experience?”

 

“You remember about Vincenza? I’ve looked up to her all my life... I wanted to live up to her example. When I learned about why you returned to the jedi... you seemed so much like her. Only you took it one step further... you turned back when she kept going forward.”

 

I was almost embarrassed at the compliment, but it felt good to hear that another looked upon me so highly. I think I would have been blushing if I were a human.

 

“Despite what the jedi have taught me, I held on to many of the beliefs that I held from my old life. Vincenza was almost a symbol of sheer determination... when I had to do something that I didn’t enjoy or found difficult... I used to think ‘What would Vincenza have done?’ Then it didn’t seem to matter what was necessary... I did what she would have done. And...” He looked uncomfortable as he was preparing to ‘say a mouthful.’ “...I didn’t care whether all the masters advised against it. I wanted to follow your example more than I wanted to be a jedi.”

 

Suddenly, I realized that his respect for me was something irrational. As much as I liked having it, I had to put those feelings back in check. “Don’t say that. Don’t think it. We had this conversation before and I told you not to think of me as a symbol. If you do, I will stop training you.”

 

“Why? Because I respect you?”

 

“No. Because...” I didn’t know exactly why, but I knew that he has lost perspective of himself and his future. “Have you ever considered that you are not supposed to be Vincenza? Maybe you’re not supposed to be like me. Maybe you’re supposed to be exactly who you are.”

 

He crossed his arms as if in defiance. “Since when have you been the philosophical type?”

 

“What?”

 

“You speak as if we are destined to a specific fate. Do you believe the force has a will? Do you believe we all have a fate that we cannot change?”

 

This kid was clever... I could almost see him as Revan must have been before the mind-wipe. He was going to challenge me on this issue... and I knew I was going to lose. I didn’t know why, but I knew he was going to outflank me.

 

He continued. “Supposed to be? I’m sorry, but ‘supposed’ is like truth... it depends on the perspective of the individual. You were supposed to be a slave in the eyes of the huts. You were supposed to be Exiled when the Council denied your request to be retrained. Revan was supposed to accept the will of the Council when they forbid the jedi from entering the Mandalorian Wars. Master Atris said you were supposed to die when you turned on Revan.” He stepped up and positioned his head in the way that Trevelyan had when he showed me affection... this was wrong, but I didn’t know how to react. “I’m sorry, but ‘supposed to be’ doesn’t mean much to me.”

 

I had forgotten what point I was trying to make. And I felt it was best to just drop this matter. I needed more advice from Master Vash before I could proceed with this argument. “I’m sorry, but there is another matter that we need to discuss. We should continue this debate later.”

 

“Why? Because I’m winning the argument?” He said in a jocular tone.

 

I shook my head. “No. Because there are more important matters that must be dealt with. Are you aware that these people have been held on this moon for five months?”

 

“Five months? I knew that they’ve been through more than I was lead to believe, but...” He sighed. “Many of the wounds I treated were weeks old. Have they been without food or medical supplies for that long?”

 

“They’ve been living off combat rations for some time. As for the limited supply of kolto... only dire injuries have received treatment. One of the mechanics had a shattered bone that couldn’t be treated because they couldn’t afford to use what little kolto was left for a non-life-threatening injury. I don’t know how this could have been allowed to happen.” I said.

 

“I’m no expert on war, but I may be able to explain. The Republic military is in terrible shape. When you only have so many resources to go around, there will be an unfortunate many that won’t receive what they need.” Ross explained.

 

“But there are regulations that are supposed to prevent troops from being left here for an unknown period of time. Doesn’t this violate those regulations?”

 

“Yes it does...” I tried to reply, but he wouldn’t let me interrupt. “...however, it happens because there are not enough resources to meet certain standards while waging war. In order to supply enough ships to destroy the Star Forge, many Republic worlds were left vulnerable to attack by remnant sith forces. In order to have enough kolto for the rest of the military, these people were deprived of their share. Because there weren’t enough troops to fight, these soldiers were left here and their replacements sent to other locations.”

 

I smiled at him... although I hated his explanation of the situation, I thought highly of the fact that he understood war better than most who would become a councilor. Then my smile turned to concern. “Aren’t the commanders who commit these kind of acts court-martialed?”

 

He shook his head. “In war, there is nothing more important than victory. If acts like these help to make it possible, then the ends justify the means. Even these soldiers who suffered because of it would understand that it is for a greater good.”

 

“You mean all those who died because of it? Would they tell you that it was for a greater good?”

 

“If these men had to choose between a death for the Republic or a life under the sith... which do you think they’d choose?”

 

“They didn’t die because of the sith... they died because their commander didn’t take them off the front lines. Do you think they’d gladly die by the hand of their commander and not their enemy?” I asked.

 

He stared at me for a moment and thought about my logic. “You’re exaggerating. When these soldiers signed up to fight, they accepted the risk of death. They knew that their lives were going to be in the hands of a superior officer and they agreed to that arrangement.”

 

“They agreed to fulfill their duty before signing on. All this... the last two months were beyond the duty they were obligated to fulfill. Any soldier that died in the first three months died in the line of duty. Every death after that was because their commanders didn’t rotate them off the front lines.”

 

Ross nodded and didn’t object. Although I was right, there was nothing it could do for the soldiers who have been wronged. “That may be the way things should be, but that’s not the way they are. These troops are here and they need to hold together to stay alive. Psychological trauma will pass, but they need to keep defending this station... or they will die. They may have been wronged, but now is not the time for them to fight their superiors. Would you agree that the first priority is for them to stay alive?”

 

I sighed in frustration of the situation. “Yeah. I know what must be done.” I stared at him as I had with Alfred after he taught me an important lesson. I laughed at the irony of the student becoming the instructor.

 

“What? What’s so amusing?” He asked.

 

“Kid... you have a way with words. I’m still surprised you would ask me, of all the others, to apprentice you. You’ve got virtues that I respect and I’d be glad to have you along on a mission.”

 

He grinned and slightly blushed at hearing those words. Ross was flattered to hear me compliment him. “Thanks.”

 

“So... it’s almost night. You should expect to respond to an attack at a moment’s notice. I need to get back to work.”

 

He looked at the fighters now under repair and realized that he should try to find something that he could do to help out. If there was nothing that required jedi talent, then it was best to wait rather than exhaust effort on minor tasks. Cleaning rifles may have been easy, but even a jedi would be mentally exhausted after doing it long enough. It was best that he just stay ready for when the time came.

 

When he nodded and started walking away, I asked him a simple question. “What exactly will you do doing?”

 

“I’ll find something.”

 

“There might not be anything you can do right now. If you want to relax or get something to eat, that may be the best thing.” I suggested.

 

“I don’t know if you realize it, but there are more jobs than there is labor. I will...”

 

“One of them is defending the troops when battle should emerge. That’s more important than anything, so don’t compromise your strength by doing very trivial tasks.” He turned back to face me. “Unless there is something that would require your abilities, then you should take it easy until you’re needed.”

 

Ross wanted to make a good impression, so he was eager to work. However, he was also receptive to my advice and asked if he should take a position with some of the soldiers on the defensive lines.

 

“Alright, but I want you to be careful around them. They may be Republic soldiers, but they’ve been traumatized by the last few months. Don’t speak to them unless you must.”

 

“Why?”

 

“What exactly would you speak about? Home? Family? They have to keep their minds on the job at hand. Unless they bring up a subject, avoid talking about anything that could cause emotional turmoil. Understood?”

 

He looked at me in a grim way, but he understood. “I’ll be on the northern side of the defensive line near the antiaircraft turret. If you need me, I’ll be there.”

 

I nodded and he went to take his position. I had to take mine with the mechanics. If we are fortunate enough, we may have two fighters armed and ready by tomorrow.

[TheExile]

You should get some sort of permission and publish this as a true book.

This simply rocks, is so cool, so inspiring! I wish I would've replied sooner.

You just inspired me!

Good luck!

I wish I would've had a same good start as you...

Hm! From now one I'll go for the highest standards!

Thanks you really inspired me! Thank you very much!

[Astor]

Wow... I hadn't read any of this before, but I your work is great. I liked how Yuthura tested Ross...

 

It might just be me, and this is the first one i've read, but it seems that they're both filled with uncertainty and insecurity, and that those shared sentiments are helping them.

 

But, I did notice one teeny tiny spelling mistake...

 

Cleaning riffles may have been easy, but even a jedi would be mentally exhausted after doing it long enough.[/Quote]

 

Now, if you'll excuse me, i've got to go and read the 28 previous chapters...

[Darth_Yuthura]

Thanks. I'm glad to know that this has had an impact on at least a few others. When I had used first person perspective, I almost rewrote the first 10 chapters of the story in third person. I'm glad that it was not only enjoyed, but that it inspired.

 

I was inspired by Yuthura Ban and felt the character deserved a story of her own. At first, I was just writing about a great character, but I realized that I could add much more depth to this by applying actual psychological and religious concepts. You may have noticed that I strongly emphasized the subject of leadership.

 

Overall, I wanted to display that we have the potential to become whatever we choose. How we become our 'ideal selves' depends on our actions, both significant and small. The first step towards greatness is knowing our flaws and acting to correct them. Greatness is founded upon self-discipline and dedication.

 

P.S. thanks AK

[Rev7]

Very nice addition. I really like how Yuthura tested Ross. I think that it is looking very good.

[Darth_Yuthura]

You know what? Not once has anyone quoted anything from my story. Not once!

 

Only twice to quote mistakes. Am I to believe that NOTHING stands out from the story? Is there nothing worth quoting?

[Rev7]

Ross nodded and didn’t object. Although I was right, there was nothing it could do for the soldiers who have been wronged. “That may be the way things should be, but that’s not the way they are. These troops are here and they need to hold together to stay alive. Psychological trauma will pass, but they need to keep defending this station... or they will die. They may have been wronged, but now is not the time for them to fight their superiors. Would you agree that the first priority is for them to stay alive?”

 

I sighed in frustration of the situation. “Yeah. I know what must be done.” I stared at him as I had with Alfred after he taught me an important lesson. I laughed at the irony of the student becoming the instructor.

 

“What? What’s so amusing?” He asked.

 

“Kid... you have a way with words. I’m still surprised you would ask me, of all the others, to apprentice you. You’ve got virtues that I respect and I’d be glad to have you along on a mission.”

 

He grinned and slightly blushed at hearing those words. Ross was flattered to hear me compliment him. “Thanks.”

I haven't done it because I like every part in the chapter. If I quoted the whole thing, well...you know. I REALLY, REALLY liked this part though.

[Marius Fett]

This fic is REALLY coming along well.

 

Can't wait to read the finished thing.

[TheExile]

Ahem the problem isn't that nothing in your story isn't worth the quote...

The problem is there would be too much to quote ^^

[Darth_Yuthura]

Thanks. I didn't realize until a while later that quoting is quite difficult... at least for me. I take back what I just said, but thanks Rev7 for indulging me. I try to word each paragraph carefully... I guess that the lack of quotes is a good thing. If nothing stands out, then that's what a story should be like.

 

I actually would like to thank everyone for not quoting me. If you would like to see similar phrases or elements more often, then say so. I'll try to add them where I could.

[Darth_Yuthura]

I had formed a good relationship with the mechanics. Although Natasha was the chief, I was the nucleus of the repair efforts. After scrapping the first fighter, there were enough spare parts to get two of the others airborne. Natasha had us replace an engine, a laser cannon, an airfoil, and a few hull plates. The shield generators on the two ships were intact, but only had a few minutes of use before they burn out.

 

By sunset, the new components were set in place and we began putting the fighters back together. To save time, I was constantly moving from one of three ships to do the grunt work while the mechanics did the delicate tasks. I was confident that we’d have the first two fighters ready by tomorrow. They weren’t much, considering that fighters were offensive, not defensive, vehicles. At least they could serve as reconnaissance vehicles. Unfortunately, they weren’t airborne soon enough to warn us of the impending attack.

 

In the distance, I heard explosions and knew it had to be an attack. Natasha ordered that the mechanics take shelter in the station, but many didn’t have that luxury. I had a job to do.

 

When I left the hanger, I saw all the reserve troops getting out of their tents and running to the armories. I was surprised that the troops didn’t keep their weapons with them at night. In the time it took to reach the armory and run back to the battle, precious time and effort is wasted.

 

The troops on duty remained at their stations, but all who normally weren’t would reinforce those that were under attack. After I saw armed soldiers running out of the armory, I came to realize that they were running North. This attack was on the northern line... were Ross was.

 

After a moment of fearing for him, I pushed the thought out of my mind. He knew how to take care of himself and I couldn’t afford to have another person to worry about. I sprinted as fast as I could to reach the northern defensive line.

 

After about a minute of running, I finally saw laser fire in the distance. Then I saw a green lightsaber among the chaos. At least I knew beyond a doubt that he was alive. I followed that saber like a beacon and was closing in on the fight. I reached for my lightsaber and almost forgot I had two hanging from my belt. Although they were virtually identical, I took a few seconds to decide which one use.

 

I still had reservations for my original saber. It was what I used when I attacked Alfred. I had no sentimental value for the one I recently built, so I wasn’t afraid to lose it. I’ve never used two weapons before, so now wasn’t the best time to have both. In the end, I grabbed the one I haven’t used in years. Perhaps I would feel better about it if I used it to protect others. It was almost as if I could redeem the lightsaber while I redeemed myself.

 

When I finally had the saber in hand, I kept following the green blade and was close enough to see that Ross was behind some cover. Although he seemed to be handing himself well, I still wanted to be at his side for mutual benefit.

 

Shots were coming at me from several sources and I was more concerned with deflecting them away than deflecting them to the ones shooting at me. It was almost natural to me, thanks largely to the intense simulations I’ve been practicing with. The enemy troops were not clearly visible to the eye, but I could sense approximately where they were located. There were only a few hundred of them as well as several pieces of artillery... this was only a skirmish... not a full scale attack.

 

Ross was fully engaged with the battle and didn’t notice me until I was right beside him. We quickly fell back to behind one of the barricades. “They have artillery. I don’t know how to defeat these armored vehicles. They took out the turrets with the grenade launchers. Small arms can’t penetrate the armor.”

 

I took a look at the battlefield and where the enemy tanks were. I ducked behind the barricade and faced Ross. “We’re going to have to work together on this. Can you penetrate the armor with a saber throw?”

 

“I could, but I’d leave myself dangerously exposed.” He said.

 

“When one of them tries to get through, I want you to try and take it out from a distance. I’ll protect you.”

 

“They enemy tanks have grenade launchers. The troops may have seeker missiles. Can you protect me from those?”

 

“Grenades... yes. I’ve never dealt with seeker missiles before. What should I know about those?”

 

“You short-circuit the guidance system. Can you do that?”

 

I nodded. “You mean I can’t deflect them?”

 

“They lock onto a specific heat signature. If a missile is locked onto an individual, it will not easily be spoofed or follow a different target. Some versions even can adjust to avoid obstacles in order to reach their target. Seekers have to be destroyed... don’t try to use them against the enemy. Grenades you can throw back, but not missiles... understand?”

 

“Yes.” I said.

 

“I’ll follow your lead.”

 

I turned my attention back to the battlefield and saw two armored hovercraft closing on one of the adjacent barricades. I looked back. “Two of them are on the right... about 100 meters away. You should take the lead... when you make the throw, I’ll get between you and them.”

 

He nodded. “Let’s go!”

 

We ignited our sabers and he sprinted with me closely behind. There were blaster shots coming in from multiple directions and I realized that I couldn’t cover us both from both the troops and the tanks simultaneously. I shouted as we ran. “Ross! This is too intense for me to handle... fall back to cover!”

 

There was another barricade near where we were and he went right for it. Unfortunately, one of the tanks got sight us and open fired with their grenade launcher. Before taking cover, myself, I waited as the projectiles flew in our direction. Although they would not have landed near our position, I force pushed three rounds back to their source. If the gunners saw their rounds coming back, they would switch to lasers and hold their grenades.

 

Somehow, one of the tanks suffered a direct hit. It was not destroyed, but it did switch to lasers. I then followed Ross behind the barricade and used the time I bought us. Lasers wouldn’t penetrate the barricade, but grenades would have gone right over it.

 

Ross was full of fear and I knew I had to figure a means to destroy the tanks. He had to have confidence that we could stand up against these juggernauts. “Listen... we’re going to follow the same plan as before, but after you make the throw, I need you to be in direct contact with me. I could protect us both, but we need to be as small a target as possible. When you make the throw, get directly behind me but don’t restrict the movement of my arms. Will you do that, or should we try something else?”

 

“If you think you can, I’ll do it your way.”

 

“Whenever you’re ready...”

 

“Let’s go!”

 

Ross jumped over the barricade, leaving me several meters behind because I ran around instead of over it. Again, there was heavy fire all around and I could even see the soldiers through the darkness. As much as I wanted to start deflecting their shots back to their heads, I had to protect Ross.

 

When we were twenty meters from the first tank, he made the throw and I got right in front of him. After feeling his arms around my waist, I knew I had to maintain this position and couldn’t dodge these shots... I had to deflect ever one directed at us perfectly.

 

Ross directed his lightsaber at the first tank and it went right through the pilot’s compartment. I was surprised just how easily the blade of energy tore through the armor, but it was effective. When the shower of blood and sparks dissipated, I expected to see the saber coming back, but it kept going towards the second tank. This wasn’t what I expected and I knew the longer we were standing still, the more blasters would be firing at us. When I started seeing grenades coming at us, I was desperate to get out of there. I screamed, “No! Just one tank!”

 

“It’s right there!”

 

“I can’t cover us!” I quickly grabbed my reserve saber and put it against his hand at my waist. When I lifted my head back up, I saw a grenade coming right at us and I barely was able to deflect it away before it exploded only a few meters away. “I can’t cover us... take my saber and fall back!”

 

I saw his green blade drop to the ground. Without question, he ignited my reserve saber and he fell back to the barricade with me close behind him. He was angry, “I could have taken out that tank! Why did you...?”

 

I softy interrupted him. “More blasters fire at us the longer we stand in one place. I almost missed that grenade that exploded near us. Are you willing to try that again?”

 

He nodded. “We don’t have much choice. I’m going after my lightsaber as well.”

 

“We’ll destroy the tank first and then get the saber. I’ll follow you.”

 

He jumped over the barricade and I saw a sith trooper going after the lightsaber, which was laying on the ground, still engaged. “Ross! Get behind me use your green saber to destroy it. Two wamprats with one shot!”

 

He disengaged the violet saber he was holding and got behind me while he took control of the green blade. It started twirling, decapitating that sith soldier and punched through the armor, releasing an impressive shower of sparks and an explosion. As the saber cleared the flames, the blade had disengaged and only the hilt returned. Obviously, it had been damaged and I hoped that it could be repaired.

 

After taking cover again, Ross looked at his lightsaber and I saw the battle scars all over, but only the one on the power cell was more than superficial. It was disabled until a new power cell could be fitted.

 

“I guess you’ll have to stick with violet for a while. It can be repaired... don’t worry about it.”

 

He had his eyes fixed elsewhere. “Beleya is here.”

 

“What?”

 

He pointed. “Beleya... she’s over there”

 

I looked and saw another lightsaber in the distance. “We should get to her.”

 

Before I could start running, he grabbed me. “We should be protecting the troops. We should be spread out... not next to each other.” He objected.

 

“There are other tanks out there. I need to know how she intends to deal with them.” I faced him. “Stay here and protect the troops. If a tank comes at you... don’t face it alone.” After he nodded, I started my way across the battlefield and was close to Beleya’s position before I heard the scream of a seeker missile approaching.

 

I saw it moving towards Beleya’s position and she ducked for cover. The missile likely would have impacted the barrier and done no harm to her, but I wanted to ensure that it wouldn’t. I reached out and emitted a small burst of lightning at the missile. After it was disabled, the missile hit the barrier harmlessly. Although dead, I didn’t want one of those around any more than a grenade. I just threw it back at the sith forces... maybe I could hit one of them on the head.

 

Beleya looked agitated that it was me who stopped the missile. She gave me a very weak thanks. “How did you do that? When I tried to deflect those things, they either detonated prematurely or kept tracking me.”

 

“You have to take them out. Either fry the guidance system or force it to hit the ground.” I said as I moved to cover beside her.

 

“Are there any others?” She asked.

 

“Ross is on the other side of the battlefield.”

 

She looked at me as if I violated the jedi code. “You’re not supposed to leave your padawan to fend for himself in dangerous situations.”

 

“We don’t have time for that. How would you go about destroying these tanks?”

 

“Ion grenades.”

 

“I assume you have some?”

 

She grabbed a belt that was laying on the ground. Only one ion and two adhesive grenades remained. “I got one tank, but the collateral fire is just too extreme. I don’t know how to get a clear shot.”

 

I took the belt and took the adhesive grenade and thought of another strategy... the sticky material may be perfect against the grenade launcher. One hit on the grenade turret and it might be enough to backfire.

 

She saw me grab the wrong grenade. “That’s an adhesive grenade. It won’t...”

 

“I know what it is. It may be useful if it hits the right place.”

 

“What do you have in mind?” She asked.

 

Before I could answer, a grenade had landed behind the barrier... only a few meters away. I was surprised that I didn’t sense it and hesitated to get rid of it. Although I managed to force-push it away, I did so only a fraction of a second before it detonated. The sound was deafening. There was a brief flash followed by pain, but I was still alive.

 

My ears were ringing and it took a moment to realize what just happened. I felt my left shoulder and saw the blood on my hand. The wound was painful, but it was better than if the grenade exploded right behind us. It took a moment for me to realize I had to keep my guard up... I was still in a battle and vulnerable. Suddenly, I remembered seeing Beleya between me and the explosion. I quickly got up, expecting the worst.

 

It wasn’t what I feared, but very close to it. Before the grenade exploded, Beleya covered her head with her left arm. If she hadn’t done that, she would be dead. The shrapnel tore deep into that arm and her chest, but she was still alive.

 

I was about to throw her over my shoulder, but I realized that I had to take out the tank which fired that grenade. If it was close enough to launch it, then it was too close and had to be taken out before I could fall back. I ignited my lightsaber again and grabbed the belt with the grenades.

 

I jumped out from behind the barrier and found myself in the path of the tank, only about 10 meters away. It opened fire with its laser cannons, but I force jumped out of their path, not only dodging the bolts, but landing on top of the vehicle. I wanted to see what I could do with the grenades I had with me.

 

The tank’s grenade launcher was mounted on a turret to the side... that was my target. A misfired grenade would destroy the weapon and cause damage to the vehicle. I pulled the pin on an adhesive grenade and stuck it down the barrel.

 

Before jumping off, I realized how stupid that was. Since I was already on top of the tank, I might as well try to destroy it altogether. I pulled out my lightsaber and was about to deliver a killing blow, but I remembered the explosion that came after Ross’s saber punched through that last tank. I hated these things! I had to take it out without killing myself in the process.

 

It finally dawned on me not to attack the tank, but the drivers inside... they don’t explode. I couldn’t see them, but I could sense exactly where they were within the vehicle. I drove the lightsaber into the pilot compartment, killing the ones inside. Although there were others in the back, I didn’t want to bother with them. I destroyed the control panels to ensure the tank would never move again.

 

After a moment of satisfaction and relief, I knew I still had to tend to Beleya... and fast. When there was a clearing in the battlefield, I fell behind the barricade and examined her injuries.

 

Her wounds were consistent with a frag grenade. The left arm was torn up badly by shrapnel, but it was better than her head. It didn’t cover much more than that... there were severe wounds across her chest that it couldn’t treat. Because the shrapnel buried itself within her flesh, I could not give her a kolto injection or use the healing trance until it was extracted from the flesh.

 

With the force assisting me, I ran as fast as I could with her flung over my shoulders. The closest medical station was a great distance away and I also had to avoid blaster shots while I moved through the battlefield.

 

When I cleared the blaster fire, I ran away as others were moving towards the battle. There were so many running in my direction that I was concerned about a collision. Fortunately, the soldiers went around me when they saw the wounded Beleya being carried back. I was almost given a path completely free of obstructions.

 

One of the other jedi, Hayashi, was running to join the battle when he was shocked to see Beleya flung over my shoulders. He turned around to follow me. “What happened?!”

 

I kept moving, but answered. “She’s wounded badly. I have to get her to a medical station.”

 

“Let me take her. There is a...”

 

I was not interested in going back, so I refused the offer outright. “I’ve got her! Just keep going!”

 

“Where’s your padawan? Did you leave him behind?”

 

“I had no choice! If you find him, please keep track of him. I’m going to return as soon as I get her to safety.”

 

“I’m on my way. May the force be with you.” Then he turned around to join the battle.

 

-----

 

I was still mentally exhausted from all the chaos and didn’t want to go back, but Hayashi reminded me of my duty to Ross. Even if I wanted nothing more than to move myself out of danger, I had to push forward... this time for Ross. Next time, I would have to be willing to do it for myself... any member of the Council, except Atris would do the same.

 

When I reached the station, I cried out. “Medic! She needs immediate attention!”

 

I looked around the station and saw that no one was there. There were beds and equipment, but no one to operate. I had no idea where the infirmary was located within the station, and there was no time for me to find it. Despite my lack of medical knowledge, I had to try and save her myself.

 

It was a very sickening feeling to imagine having to repair something or treat someone without knowing what you’re doing. I knew she was too close to death to consider moving her again... I was the only chance she had.

 

I carried her to one of the surgical beds and set her down gently while I was debating in my head whether I should attempt to save her. I could very well end up killing her because of my medical ineptitude. If I didn’t act, she would die... I had to try and save her.

 

I examined the medical supplies that were now available and searched for the instrument I needed. I didn’t know what it was called, but it was designed to locate and remove metal fragments without significantly damaging the flesh. It seemed simple to operate, but it required a delicate hand that I may not have.

 

I located about seven metallic signatures with the scanner and started by removing the fragment closest to her heart. I wanted to start injecting her with kolto, but could not afford to have regenerated flesh form around the fragment.

 

I carefully maneuvered the instrument and slowly extracted the fragment from the first wound. I was under a lot of pressure, but felt some relief. I at least knew that I could work the instrument well enough to complete the job... once the shrapnel was removed, a kolto tank would do the rest. For now, injections would have to due.

 

After an agonizing few minutes, I had removed three fragments, but I feared that she was going to die before I was done. Before I began searching for the fourth fragment, I heard someone come in. I turned around and visibly sighed when I saw that it was Master Vash. She wasn’t a physician, but I know she’s treated injuries like this before.

 

“What happened?” Vash said while running to the surgical bed.

 

“Fragmentation grenade. You’ll need to treat her... I don’t have the skills needed.” I extended the surgical tool for her to take.

 

She grabbed it and started scanning for the remaining fragments. I was waiting anxiously to hear whether or not I made a difference to her chances of survival. Vash was quick to ask if I injected her with kolto. When I told her that I have, my heart sunk.

 

“You’re not supposed to use kolto until all the shrapnel has been removed. Kolto affects the regeneration of all the wounds, not just the ones you’ve treated.” Before I started displaying what I was feeling, she told me what I needed to hear. “It’s not going to kill her. I just need to act quickly.”

 

As I saw Master Vash hovering over Beleya, I could sense great fear within her. She wasn’t displaying it, but I knew how much pressure she was under. I don’t think I would have looked so calm under the same conditions... she was naturally hiding her true feelings. Simply watching her, I understood why the jedi would follow her without fear or doubt. Despite my feelings for the Council, I came to respect her.

 

Only a great leader could value a follower so much that losing her would affect her so greatly. In all my hate for slavery and all my desire to free those who suffered as I have... I felt so small compared to her. Just watching her was almost mesmerizing.

 

After a moment of staring, Master Vash kept her eyes on what she was doing, but still knew that there was a battle in progress. “Yuthura, I’m sorry but I’m going to have to ask you to get back out there... they need you. I’ll take care of Beleya. Please go.” She said in a very calm, yet persuasive tone.

 

I don’t know why, but I suddenly wanted to return to the battle. Before, I was looking for any excuse to get out of danger... now I almost felt like I couldn’t stand being anywhere else. I didn’t say anything. I just bowed and did what I was told.

[Burnseyy]

in reference to chapter 24:

 

lol the thought of Vrook punishing himself.

I must admit it's becoming frustrating, how Yuthura keeps ruining it for herself, which is great, because allowing people to get frustrated at certain ideas in a story, shows you're going about it the right way.

 

Love it so far!

[Darth_Yuthura]

in reference to chapter 24:

 

lol the thought of Vrook punishing himself.

I must admit it's becoming frustrating, how Yuthura keeps ruining it for herself, which is great, because allowing people to get frustrated at certain ideas in a story, shows you're going about it the right way.

 

Love it so far!

 

Thanks. I'm aiming to avoid repetitions, but I think this won't be the last time that kind of thing happens.

 

I'm trying to get Yuthura in positions where she observes good leadership and tries to act like the ones she respects most. Although I thought Vrook would provide a source for clashing swords with her, Master Vash would serve a better purpose.

[Burnseyy]

Thanks. I'm aiming to avoid repetitions, but I think this won't be the last time that kind of thing happens.

 

I'm trying to get Yuthura in positions where she observes good leadership and tries to act like the ones she respects most. Although I thought Vrook would provide a source for clashing swords with her, Master Vash would serve a better purpose.

 

repetition is difficult to avoid with stories like this. it'll probably happen with my Mira story I'm doing.

 

and why Master Vash?

[Darth_Yuthura]

Vash is one of the reasonable characters that didn't agree with the Council on the matter of Revan (mind wipe) or why they tried to exile her when she returned to the jedi. As Yuthura gets to know Vash, she comes to realize that Vash is a good leader. While she is angry at the rest of the Council, she thinks highly of Vash. I won't spill too much info right now.

[Burnseyy]

Ahh - I thought Vrook had the 'sternness' and 'strictness' to be a leader, but nothing else. Who ever heard of a stubborn, accusing leader? o.0