A New Player in the Force

"This is going to be easy," Sia-Lan muttered with a large smile as we both stepped into the sparing circle.

"Do not become overconfident young one, Initiate Shan has gotten to this round the same as you and has shown more variety in his approach than most Initiates do." Master Drallig countered.

I resisted the urge to smirk at the praise. I'd won my first spar thanks to a well-timed TK pull. My second had ended when I'd made my opponent's lightsaber too hot for them to hold, allowing me to tag them the required three times before they could pick it up again and my third match had been won when I'd let an attack phase through me; allowing me to place my blade to my opponent's neck as he stumbled forward when his attack met nothing but air. Feeling a lightsaber phase through me was a little nauseating, but it had gotten me to the fourth round.

Now if I could just pull off a miracle and beat Sia-Lan I'd make the free-for-all and complete the last of the main objectives for the Trials of the Initiate quest.

"That is true Master, but he has never scored a mark against me in spars," Sia-Lan replied to the Battlemaster. "Or anyone else in our Clan."

I smirked at her as we moved to our start positions. "Maybe that was on purpose. After all, I'm not really a member of your Clan, so why should I reveal all my secrets to someone I don't trust."

Sia-Lan's smile faltered a touch at my words even as Master Drallig stepped out of the circle.

"Prepare yourselves." He stated as he stepped away and there was a faint buzzing as the safety net powered up.

The gong sounded, and I got the notices that Precognition, Bullet-Time, and Player's Mind had all engaged, and we ignited our blades. Sia-Lan adopted a standard starting stance of Ataru while I adopted Makashi.

'I need to get her off her game.' I thought as we began to walk slowly around the edge of the circle. I kept my eyes locked on her, looking, waiting for a sign of what she had planned.

Almost before I could blink, she had cleared the distance between us and I shifted my weight to push her attack away. I flicked my blade, hoping to clip her as she landed but she spun gracefully and slid under my blade and out of reach.

"Not bad," she said with a small smirk. "You have been holding back."

I smirked back at her, letting her think that was the reason I'd lost so many spars and not that I’d been failing to use the Force properly.

"Let's see how much," she added before coming at me fast.

If not for Player’s Mind I may have freaked at the speed she moved, but thanks to it I didn't, and my blade moved quickly to meet hers, guiding it away from my body with the minimum of effort – as Makashi was designed to do.

She jumped over my head, swinging as she did, and I spun and ducked simultaneously to try to avoid the attack.

"Point, Wezz," Drallig called out and I looked at my combat log to see I'd lost about 15HP, meaning I hadn't been fast enough.

"You're better than I expected," Sia-Lan said as I shuffled back to increase the distance between us. "But still not good enough."

She leapt, blade held high, towards me and I brought my blade up to block hers. Though this time I lifted one hand from my lightsaber to grab hers, locking our blades in a cross between us.

"Speed kills," I replied as she tried to pull her hand away even as I used the Force to rapidly cool her hands, my own and her lightsaber; ice forming almost instantly around our hands.

I ignored the chill and pushed forward, trying to trap her head between the twin blades of energy. After a moment's shock, she did the same and our faces came closer and closer as we both put all our strength into the push.

A small smirk crept onto her face as the blades moved closer to me. "Not. Good. Enough." She grunted out as I began to feel the heat of the blade against my neck.

'Shite. She's older and stronger. I need to find a way to level up my stats. But what to d…' I smirked as an insane idea came to mind and I pushed my face forward, planning to give her a headbutt.

However, she sensed my move and tilted her head, trying to avoid the hit. This, instead of our foreheads colliding, our lips mashed together before being joined by our noses.

The reaction was instantaneous as Sia-Lan's head snapped back in shock, her grip failed her, and I pushed her backwards, driving her to the ground with both blades against her throat. Without Player’s Mind, I doubt I'd have been in any better a state than her, but with it, I used the advantage her shock created.

"Winner, Shan," Drallig stated and I powered down my lightsaber, ended the cold spell on Sia-Lan's hand and step backwards, mentally sending a prayer of thanks to TPTB for Player’s Mind while cursing at having essentially kissed a freaking child! As I caught her eyes, I thought I saw something shimmer in them as she lifted her free hand to her lips.

"Wh, what. What did you do?" She asked slowly as a finger traced the outline of her lips.

"I meant to distract you," I replied, extending my hand to her. "I wanted to headbutt you, but you moved, and…" My voice trailed off as even though there was no emotion clouding my thoughts, finding words to apologise for kissing an eight-year-old when you're twenty – on the inside – didn't exist. "Sorry."

"Um, no. It's ok." She gave me a weak smile and accepted the hand.

As I lifted her, my other arm went to her waist to support her weight and she inhaled sharply under her breath.

"Are you ok?" I asked slowly, wondering if the kiss had had more of an effect than I realised.

She continued to smile at me as our eyes met again and her cheeks reddened a touch. "Y-yeah. That was just unexpected." Her smile grew a little. "And different." The smile shifted into a smirk. "Just be more careful in future."

"OK. And, again, I'm sorry. Whatever you want me to do to make up for this, I'll do." I replied honestly.

Her cheeks reddened a fraction more at my words. "I'll remember that."

She stepped past me, letting her hand brush against the back of mine and I stood there for a moment trying to ignore the apparent signs of her flirting with me.

"Is something the matter Initiate?" I turned at the firm voice to find Master Dooku standing in the circle with two other Initiates. His brow creased as he watched me.

"No sir. Just thinking I may have used the wrong distraction. If you'll excuse me." I slipped passed him and the two Initiates waiting to duel and walked quickly over to where Dragon Clan was gathered.

I noted Sia-Lan was talking rapidly in whispers with Trudie and Jyl, the younger of the pair giving me a big smile when she caught me looking.

Having an inkling of what they were discussing, I sat beside Jaeman; as far as I could from the trio without not sitting with the Clan.

"Well, that was different," Darihd stated with a grin from Jaeman's other side, as he kept his eyes on the sparing circle. "I don't think I've ever seen someone kiss another to win a spar."

I chuckled a little and rubbed the back of my head. In hindsight, it was feeling like an increasingly of a bad choice, quest notwithstanding. "Yeah. I just meant to headbutt her, but she moved and… well." I replied nervously.

"So, how do you think Serra's going to do?" Jaeman asked, tilting his head towards the circle and I felt a cold shiver shoot down my spine as I saw that one of the Initiates that had stepped into the circle with Dooku was the girl I suspected had a slight crush on me.

"Fuck," I mumbled as I realised that I'd said nothing to her as I'd left the circle and she'd just watched me kiss her friend/rival in full view of her. "I'm so dead."

"Hey, it's not that bad. I'm sure that Serra unders…" Darihd's words were cut off as the gong sounded and Serra leapt at her opponent, slashing rapidly and aggressively in a way I'd never seen before. Her opponent, who looked a little older than her, stumbled backwards under the powerful onslaught.

"What the fuck?" I muttered as Serra landed two quick hits before sweeping her opponent's legs and driving the butt of her saber into the other Initiate's chest.

"Winner Keto," Dooku called out and I turned to look at Darihd.

"What was that?"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "At a guess, her channelling her anger into her attacks. I'd say Juyo, Form VII, but that's not taught to anyone below the rank of Knight." He replied adding another nervous chuckle at the end.

"Huh," was the extent of my verbal response as the girl marched out of the circle and towards us. Internally I was worried I'd hurt her more than I'd expected and that she'd just had her first brush with the darker side of emotions and the Force.

I stood as she came closer. "Serra, listen. I…"

I was cut off as she walked past me, clipping my shoulder in a way I felt was intentional. I stumbled backwards, landing on the floor on my butt, and watched as she continued to storm out of the hall. The only outward sign of the anger I suspected was flowing through her was the tightly clenched fists she held at her side; unnaturally not swinging with her steps.

"What was that about?" Jaeman asked as he and Darihd helped me up.

"No idea," I said but internally I knew that I'd hurt her emotionally by accidentally kissing Sia-Lan. I sighed at having to deal with this childhood bullshit and glanced at the two other boys. "I'll see you later." I walked off, hoping to find Serra and talk to her.

"Don't be too long. The free-for-all is in less than an hour." Darihd called out as I exited the hall.

I looked in both directions the corridor went but saw no sign of her, or anyone else. I sent out a ping with Force Detection, but it brought up over a hundred people within its radius of four-hundred metres. Without knowing which way she’d had gone; I had no way to lock onto which one was her.

"Dammit!" I grunted and punched a wall. All I could do now was relax before the free-for-all and hope that Serra calmed down before then.

'Guess this is what I get for only caring about winning a quest and hanging out with kids who've known nothing but the Temple.' I thought as I began to walk to the mess hall. Though I slid to a stop as I reviewed my log and saw a red notice.

Skill Usage Warning!

You have attempted to access an age-locked skill.

[Kissing]

This skill is linked to your age and as such cannot be seen or increased until you reach the required age.

…

'Guess I should've seen that coming.' I remembered all the adult skills it gave me from my past life had been age-locked, so getting the warning made sense.

With nothing to do until the free-for-all in a few hours, I continued on my way to the mess hall then planned to just relax beforehand. I could've practised Makashi, but I doubted a few extra hours would make a big difference to where I finished in the contest.

… …

… …

I stood with the other seven Initiates in the free-for-all for the ten-and-under category and took a deep breath as the Battlemaster and the two Masters who were assisting him stepped into the hall.

Once we'd all assembled for the finals, but before we'd entered the sparring hall, I'd talked to Aayla about working together to clear out some of the others until only Serra and we were left. She'd been receptive to the idea, but Serra had simply glared at me when I'd tried to bring up the idea with her.

I'd explained slowly and calmly what had happened with Sia-Lan, making sure to say I was only looking to win, yet she'd just given me a cold shoulder and irritated me enough that I'd walked off before I lost my temper at her acting like a freaking child. Well, we both were technically, but we were meant to be Jedi and be above emotions, or that's how the teachers drilled us in class about the meaning of the Code regarding our emotions.

I didn't agree with those teachers, but I kept my head down and stayed silent since making waves wasn't going to help me currently.

Serra's glare had intensified when Sia-Lan had wandered over to wish me luck – placing her hand on my arm as we spoke – and I was silently praying to both the Force and TPtB that I was taken as a Padawan as soon as the Trials were over or I might just quit the Jedi to avoid this juvenile bull-crap.

"The rules of the free-for-all are slightly different," Battlemaster Drallig stated as he stood in front of us with Masters Bondara and Dooku. "As this event uses the whole of this sparring hall, there is no way to be eliminated by stepping foot outside the hall. However, jumping to the viewing gallery above will result in instant disqualification.

"You will also be eliminated by taking three strikes to non-critical areas, being trapped in a fatal strike manoeuvre or rendered unconscious. We will call out when this occurs. This means that even if you are the sole survivor when the free-for-all ends, this does not guarantee victory. We will examine recordings to ensure that the order of elimination is correct before posting the final standings after dinner."

He paused and smiled at each of us in turn. "Regardless of how you do in the free-for-all, you should all take pride in the fact that you are the current best in your age group with a lightsaber but take heed to remember that a lightsaber is a mere tool of the Jedi; not the solution."

He turned and left the hall with Dooku and Bondara and eight spots on the floor were lit up.

"Move to a designated start position." A male voice stated from speakers above and around us.

I walked slowly to one of the light sources, trying to not look upwards at the gallery ring that surrounded the hall as I'd learnt that there were some important visitors to the Temple today as they wished to speak with me after the free-for-all.

I had initially been surprised about anyone outside the temple caring about me being here, but after a while thinking things through and I realised that my arrival would've set off a few notices.

The Galactic Senate must have received a report about someone arriving claiming to have killed a Sith before being taken in by the Jedi, so the politicians would be curious, especially a certain Senator from Naboo.

That had me worried that I'd already made it onto the Sith's radar, and possibly become a target to kill or convert to their cause.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head once more as the light marking the eight starting points faded and the others all ignited their lightsabers.

I followed suit, sliding into a Makashi stance and breathing deeply as a klaxon sounded and the room was showered in light. Makashi was not a good choice for this, but since my only other option was Shii-Cho, and that was the most basic of Forms, I would just have to adapt and survive as best as I could.

DUCK

…

I did as the warning advised and felt the heat of a saber as it whizzed through where my head had been.

'Crap.'

I turned, blocking a rapid strike from Serra before pushing her back with TK.

I opened my mouth to try and talk to her.

ROLL RIGHT

…

Again, I followed the advice and did so, but grunted as I felt a sting on my left shin; meaning someone had caught me.

I looked up to see a green-skinned Twi'lek had engaged Serra, though Serra smashed through her opponent's defences with ease, scoring two quick strikes to the Twi'lek's arms.

Seeing an opportunity, I pushed my lightsaber forward and clipped the Twi'lek on her lower leg.

I heard Master Drallig's voice call out, but whatever he said was lost as Serra turned towards me and attacked.

I blocked, weaved and followed Precog's warnings for as long as I could, but Serra was just too fast and aggressive for me at my current level and I was quickly tagged twice more.

"Initiate Shan has been eliminated," Drallig called out and I stepped back, hoping/figuring that Serra would turn her attention to the others.

However, she swung at me again, and I was forced to pirouette away from the strike, and on instinct, brought my lightsaber upwards, managing to clip her hand; making her lose her grip on her weapon.

"Serra, calm down!" I said as I pushed my saber into her hand, not wanting her to be eliminated because of her anger driving her to focus solely on me. "Get your head back in the fight Initiate." I tried to push the Force behind the command and I watched as she blinked a few times.

"Cam? Wha... Ok." She turned from me and I sighed in relief as she moved to engage someone else. This didn't mean she was no longer angry with me, but hopefully, she wasn't blinded by her anger.

I picked up the lightsaber Serra had dropped and walked towards the exit, though I noted a flashing notice in my log.

Force Power Discovered!

Compulsion

This is the ability to persuade a target to do something.

Chance success depends on factors including reputation, emotional state and LUCK.

Force training, such as that of a Jedi or Sith, also affects the chance of success.

NOTE:

Certain species are immune to mental Force powers.

…

'Sweet! Not much use in a building full of Jedi, but I guess even they are susceptible when emotional.'

Now I had another power to level up, though how to do so without using it on Jedi was going to be an issue while I was stuck in the Temple. That was also why I hadn't bothered to learn it since arriving and learning about it in the Archives.

I dropped the lightsaber in a basket as the doors to the hall closed behind me, ignoring the Jedi standing there, and began to walk away.

"Initiate Shan," I turned at a voice I recognized and found myself looking up at Qui-Gon Jinn. "I have been instructed to escort you to members of the High Council. They wish to speak with you."

"Yes sir," I replied walking beside him down the corridor. "Did they say why they wished to see me?"

Qui-Gon smiled. "You are not in trouble; of that I am certain. I believe this has to do with how you arrived here and the members of the Senate who are attending today's event."

'Fuck! I thought when they said after the free-for-all they meant later in the day, not right afterwards. Shite!'

I did my best to remain calm as I followed Qui-Gon down the corridors. A few glances at him to try and determine his age – and get a hint as to where I was concerning the movie timeline – failed as beyond seeing he was probably in his forties or fifties, there was nothing to indicate the current time, and Obi-Wan was not present.

I'd already learnt that the current Chancellor was a Human male named Kalpana and that Palpatine had been a member of the Senate for just over a decade, but that didn't tell me much. I was reasonably sure that Kalpana wasn't the Chancellor during Episode 1, but I wasn't certain exactly who had been, nor how long they had held the post before the Invasion of Naboo. This is what I get for not having seen Episode 1 in nearly a decade and the former Chancellor being relatively unimportant, save for how he was removed to allow Palpatine to ascend to power.

I breathed slowly as we entered an elevator and I sought to put my thoughts in order. As the doors opened and Qui-Gon stepped out, I quietly whispered to activate Player’s Mind and called up my stats. A quick mental calculation told me I had about twenty minutes before I ran out of Player Points and Player’s Mind automatically stopped, so hopefully, this meeting wouldn't go on for too long.

Eventually, we stopped outside a room in an area of the Temple that I hadn't been to before. We were in the central spire, however, from the view, I figured we were a dozen floors below the Council Chambers.

"Grandmaster Yoda is inside along with other members of the High Council and members of the Senate," Qui-Gon stated with a soft smile. "They merely wish to discuss with you how you arrived here and your plans." He chuckled and looked each way down the corridor before leaning down. "A word of advice when dealing with politicians, keep your answers short, accurate and simple. That way they have no chance to spin things to suit their personal narratives."

"Yes sir," I replied, already knowing that advice from my past life when explaining how things went wrong to superiors or hiding facts from those that I didn't want to know what my work entailed.

"You summoned me, masters," I said as I stepped through the door, figuring playing the loyal Initiate would help make things easier. I noticed Master Windu's brow rise a touch at me addressing them by their titles instead of my usual sir or madam.

"Ah, Initiate Shan, come, come," Yoda said, waving me over from where he was sitting with Windu, Sifo-Dyas and Belfarr and a half-dozen people who I didn't know. "Chancellor Kalpana, this is. To speak with you, most interested he is." Yoda added, indicating an older man who sat opposite him.

"Chancellor," I said slowly, bowing a touch to show respect for the office and taking my eyes from a face behind and to his right. Palpatine was here and I was glad I'd engaged Player’s Mind beforehand.

"This is the child of Revan?" Kalpana asked and my eyes came back up to meet his, allowing me to take in features.

He was old, at a guess I'd say in his seventies, with his white hair pulled back in a simple ponytail, and sharp blue eyes that seemed friendly, but I imagined would've looked like ice when angered.

"Great-grandchild according to his story," Master Belfarr stated in a tone that made me want to smack him.

"A story that our technicians have collaborated by data recovered from the ship he arrived on." Windu countered instantly, giving his fellow Jedi a short stare.

"Indeed. Most interesting." Kalpana said and with a smile, tapped a space beside him "Please, sit." The man where he had tapped stood, leaving a space for me, and moved to sit beside him, meaning Palpatine would be directly behind me.

"Thank you, sir," I replied as I sat down, turning to face the Chancellor. "Was there something specific you wished to discuss?"

Kalpana chuckled. "No, no. I like to attend the Initiate and Padawan tournaments when I can and after reading the report that was brought to me by my staff, and watching your remarkable performance in the obstacle course, I found myself most interested in speaking to a child of a Jedi still taught about over three thousand years later."

"Do not forget that his grandfather was a former Chancellor, nor that another famous member of their family was Grandmaster of the Jedi." I was again thankful for Player’s Mind as Palpatine spoke.

Kalpana laughed softly. "I am aware Sheev. I read your comments about Satele Shan when I went through your very detailed account of the Shan family." He shook his head and looked back at the man who would – if I couldn't find a way to stop him – one day bring about the destruction of the Jedi and the Republic. "I never knew you were so interested in ancient history."

"My father was something of an enthusiast for military history, his love of it is one of the few things we shared."

"Forgive me, but who was Satele Shan?" I asked. I knew the name from having played a little of SWTOR, but I hadn't stuck with it as I'd never enjoyed MMOs. I had also searched the Jedi Archives for information on her, but it was limited to details about her time as a Jedi, with only a brief mention of her having had a son. I asked now in the hope that Republic records were more extensive, but I didn't expect them to be.

"Records are, hazy, regarding your family tree, but Satele Shan rose to become Grandmaster of the Jedi Order during what was known as the Galactic War between the Republic and the Sith Empire. She was known to be a descendant of Revan and came along a few hundred years after you, so she would've been your, great-great-great-grandniece, or something similar. The war was about three thousand, seven hundred years ago if I remember correctly from Senator Palpatine's report."

"You do, Chancellor."

Kalpana smiled in thanks before returning her focus to me. "I am a little surprised that you haven't researched your family in the Jedi Archives."

"The Council decided to restrict information about Initiate Shan's family from him, as we do with all Initiates," Windu stated slowly. I met his eyes as he spoke, a little annoyed by them doing that, but remembering that they had done the same to Serra, I quickly lost my annoyance. "Familial attachments are against the code of the Jedi."

"Hmm, I've never questioned the Jedi way, but would him learning about what is ancient history really be a risk for young Cameron? You don't mind if I use your name, do you?"

"No sir. It's a nice change from being called Initiate Shan all the time."

He chuckled. "Yes, I imagine it would. So, about those records?"

"We will discuss this with the rest of the High Council, but I do not see a risk in allowing him access to those files," Windu said with a slight bow to the Chancellor.

"Provided he stays," Belfarr whispered loud enough for everyone to hear and I mentally cursed him for revealing that in front of Sidious.

Kalpana turned to me. "You do not wish to be a Jedi?"

"I am, uncertain, about my path," I answered slowly, trying to frame things to get Palpatine uninterested in me, without making it obvious. "While I am grateful for the Jedi for taking me in, it is difficult to let go of everything I knew and learnt before I arrived here. I find that what I was taught by my grandfather at times runs counter to the Jedi way."

"Living example of the reason for taking in Younglings so early, Initiate Shan is," Yoda added with a smile. "Though a tendency to use the force in unexpected ways, he does have."

"Yes, I saw the recording of his obstacle run. I didn't know Jedi could phase through solid matter." Kalpana stated and I knew Palpatine's eyes were on me; wondering how I did such a thing.

"It is an unusual application of the Force. Only a handful of Jedi even attempt to learn it and only one is known to the Council who has mastered the art." Sifo-Dyas explained.

"Indeed. Well, I can think of a few times when such a trick would be useful." Kalpana said with a chuckle.

"Maybe, but the usage of the Force in such a way is not commonly taught as it involves manipulating the laws of matter; an approach the Council has long since deemed as dangerous for learning by any below the rank of Knight." Windu countered. "Initiate Shan has been forbidden from teaching it to his peers."

"Though I know a few Masters who are interested in taking on the Initiate as their Padawan solely because he can do the unexpected, myself included." Sifo-Dyas countered with a small smile. "With the various conflicts occurring in the last few decades, it would do the Jedi good to have such abilities widely known through the Order."

"It sounds as though they don't want you to go young one," Kalpana stated to me with a smile.

"Maybe, but I am my own person."

He laughed softly, as did a few of his entourage. "Yes, you are." He reached behind him, and someone handed him a datapad. "Now, I've read the report that reached my desk, but I would love to hear, in your own words, how you ended up here; displaced by nearly four thousand years."

I sighed. "Yes Sir." While I had no interest in going over this story again – especially in front of Palpatine – I couldn't exactly refuse the Chancellor of the Republic.

… …

… …

I slumped against the wall of an empty conference room a few doors down from where I had met the Chancellor and sighed deeply.

What I had hoped would only be a twenty-minute meeting – due to the limit on Player’s Mind – had turned into a nearly two-hour discussion.

Chancellor Kalpana had listened quietly as I told my story once more, tapping at his pad occasionally until I finished; then the questions began.

He'd asked about little things at first in my story, like where on Talravin we lived and what my daily life was like, before slowly working his way to what was different about technology then and now.

He had been especially interested in the fact in the time I'd come from, personal force shields were commonplace and had hoped I knew something about them since no one today used them; save stationary versions used by rich individuals or expensive droids like the droidekas used by the Trade Federation.

He'd asked about other pieces of technology, but it was clear that he – or someone in his group who was subtlety manipulating him – was interested in getting their paws on technology that could potentially give them a leg-up in future conflicts.

I'd played dumb – which wasn't hard as I knew literary nothing – to those questions until I decided to turn the tables and ask about how the Republic worked. I knew that the current Republic was far larger than the one in Revan's time, yet I had asked why the military and security forces seemed so much weaker.

Of course, I knew that this was probably the work of the Sith over generations, but the Chancellor did not, nor did the Council.

Palpatine had agreed with me at that point, catching me off-guard until I worked out that he came from an Outer Rim sector; one that would be more at risk to pirates and exploitation than the Core sectors, and as such, should be pushing for more security forces in public.

Master Sifo-Dyas – whose name kept setting off a warning in my head, but I couldn't quite place where I knew it from – had also chimed in with his opinion that things were slowly deteriorating to a degree that open conflict between the Rim and the Core was a possibility in the next century or so.

Kalpana had then mentioned how private organizations, such as the Trade Federation, helped to provide security to the Mid and Outer Rim by arming their trade ships.

It had been hard for me to not argue too fiercely against letting private companies arm themselves to such a degree, or be gaining seats in a supposedly democratically elected government by all but buying off Senators, without letting on I was far more mature and knowledgeable than my age suggested, but I had held my ground until a member of his staff had informed the Chancellor that he had a dinner meeting with the Senators from the Corellia and Alderaan sectors in thirty minutes.

The moment that it was stated I could leave I had bolted out of the meeting and into this empty room.

"That was fun," I muttered to myself as I slumped to the floor. "At least I have a timeframe to go on now."

One little titbit that I'd gotten was that Kalpana was standing down at the end of the year and his main aide, Senator Valorum was expected to become the next Chancellor. Hearing that name – and having the Photographic Memory Perk – had helped me to link that name to the Chancellor before Palpatine.

Since I'd already learnt that a Chancellor could only serve for two, four-year terms, that meant I had no more than eight years until the Blockage of Naboo took place.

Now I just had to come up with plans to slow, if not stop, the Clone Wars and alter things so that the Sith wouldn't win. Though how to do so was not going to be easy, nor did I expect it to be one giant single quest, though I suspected that if I could pull off all three Changing Fate quests, things would be different and hopefully better.

'Actually, I'm a little surprised I haven't gotten a quest to stop Sidious or the Clone Wars.'

Do you need a quest to try to stop the Sith?

If you don't do anything, you will die like the rest of the Jedi.

Or replace Skywalker as the Emperor's puppet.

As for stopping the war between the Rim and the Core of this galaxy, nothing can do that.

All the Sith have done is fan the flames of discontent that have existed for millennia.

You even made mentioned earlier when in the room with a Sith Lord why this war is inevitable.

However, without the control of Sidious, the death toll will be worse.

Instead of billions dying in the war, trillions will.

This is a greater number than all those killed in the Clone Wars and by the Empire during its reign.

This will also leave the galaxy weaker when facing even more dangerous threats than the Banite Sith.

However, the choice is yours.

…

Quest Alert!

Sever the Head

Can you remove Darth Sidious from the board before the outbreak of the Clone Wars?

Rating: S***

Objective:

Kill Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious before the Clone Wars begins.

Bonus: ?

Bonus: ?

Rewards:

30000XP

Death toll in the quintillions over the next 100 years

Penalties:

Your death

Death of everyone you care about

Death toll in the quadrillions over the next 100 years.

Accept?

Yes/No

…

"Um no," I muttered as I read through the rewards and penalties.

It seemed that no matter what I did, the galactic death toll was going to be insane, which had me frowning as it suggested that even if I was able to change things so that Palpatine didn't become Emperor, there were still other threats to worry about. Which TPtB message had stated existed and was somehow worse than a galaxy-spanning evil empire. Also, what was a Banite Sith?

"Man, I sure picked the wrong bloody universe to be reborn into," I mumbled as I slipped to the floor as the reality of just how hard it was going to be to stop the Sith sank in; and the realisation that not having followed Star Wars, outside of the movies and Clone Wars cartoons, was going to be a major issue for knowing what was going on in the galaxy.

"Player's Mind," I said after a while of sitting there and instantly felt the worry, fear, anger and regret drain away. "Man, that is so abusable I can't wait until I get high enough to just leave it on twenty-four-seven." Though based on how long it took to regenerate Player Points from 0, I'd have to be about level 25 for that to be the case.

'Right, I know I can't just go out and hire an assassin to take out Palpatine, but perhaps I can find other ways to hamper his plans.' I stood and moved to the door of the room. I needed to get back to my quarters and start making plans for how to weaken the Sith for when war did finally come.

"Initiate Shan, is something the matter?" I slid to a halt as I exited the room and turned to see Master Sifo-Dyas talking with the very man I didn't want to talk with.

"No sir. I just felt a need to meditate after meeting the Chancellor." I paused, keeping my eyes on the Jedi Council member and away from the Senator. "I felt I became too emotional at times."

"There is nothing wrong with being passionate about what you feel is wrong about the Republic my child," Palpatine said with a kind smile. "In truth, it is heartening to see such desire to change those flaws in one so young."

I nodded a touch, showing respect for his office even if all I wanted to do was grab a lightsaber from my inventory and gut him with it. 'Thank you, Player's Mind.' "My grandfather was keen on me speaking my mind, Senator; however, such emotional outbursts are unbecoming of a Jedi."

There was the slightest wrinkling of Palpatine's brow as Master Sifo-Dyas smiled at me. "It is good to see you are taking your lessons to heart Initiate, but both the Senator and I share your concerns regarding the dangers the Republic is facing."

"Yes, however, we differ greatly on how to deal with our concerns," Palpatine added with a smile still on his face. "I know you are young, but what was the status of the Republic's standing military during your grandfather’s time?"

I shrugged a little. "I can't give you exact figures, but as I mentioned to the Chancellor, the Republic back then had fleets spread across the Rim and Core; the ship that brought me here detected over thirty cruisers in range as I left Talravin, most with Republic colours, I think. If that helps."

Palpatine nodded and rubbed his chin. "It does, it does." He seemed to be thinking about something. "I am unsure of the current status of Talravin's defence force off-hand, but I do know that the Republic military has only a single sub-fleet covering that entire sector."

"That's about fifty ships," Sifo-Dyas explained, making me nod even as I wondered just how unsure the Senator really was. He prepared a report for the Chancellor on myself and my family, and I suspected he was one of those who'd pushed her to ask me about what I knew of technology from Revan's time.

"That does seem low," I shrugged, "but I can't say for certain if the number of ships when I left home was normal or not."

"True. However, I know for a fact that ninety-five per cent of the Republic military is patrolling the Core and Colonies." Palpatine added in what sounded like he was just adding to the conversation, but I could see he was fishing for more from me and trying to influence my thinking. "Many Rim-worlds are forced to rely on their meagre defence forces. Republic law has strict controls on the number of ships non-Core worlds can have in their defence forces."

I nodded. "I guess I can see the Senate's thinking there but doesn't that limit Rim-worlds from raising forces to counter pirates and criminals?"

Palpatine smiled warmly and nodded. "That is my opinion too." He paused and looked at Sifo-Dyas. "It is encouraging to see that the Jedi are so keen to promote such outward thinking in their younglings."

Sifo-Dyas frowned. "Sadly, Initiate Shan is something of a unique case. Most Jedi do not share our concerns about the problems brewing in the Rim, nor the danger it poses to the Republic."

Palpatine's smile fell. "Hmm, that is most troubling." He turned back to look at me, kneeling a touch so we could see eye-to-eye. "Do know young-one, that your concerns are shared by some by others. Indeed, if you ever wish to know more about what is going on in the Senate or think of any ideas on how to improve things for all the Republic's citizens, please feel free to contact me. I am sure Master Sifo-Dyas will be more than helpful in arranging such a meeting."

I smiled back at him, though I could see through his plan. "I will Senator, but since I am currently an Initiate, and not allowed to leave the Temple, I do not know how likely it is that we can speak any time soon." 'Hopefully, it would be never again, but avoiding you entirely might make you suspicious.'

"You are only an Initiate for now young one. I expect the Council of First Knowledge will meet to discuss the next batch in Initiates to be taken as Padawans and I am certain your name will be mentioned." Sifo-Dyas said and I caught the very slight twitch of Palpatine's lips at hearing that.

"Truly?" he asked, and Sifo-Dyas nodded. "That is impressive as I was under the impression that most younglings were not taken as Padawans until they passed 10 cycles."

"It is uncommon, but not unheard of. I do know that Master Koon was taken as a Padawan learner when he was only nine cycles old."

"Hmm. Then it is even more impressive given your lack of time with the Jedi." Palpatine said to me as he smiled in a way that reminded me of Vaner Shan, though I doubted it was as pure as my grandfather's had been. "I will be watching your career most intently young one."

"If that is your desire," I replied, brushing off his interest before turning to Sifo-Dyas. "If I may be excused. I am feeling hungry and I'm worried that my clanmates will be worried about my apparent disappearance."

Sifo-Dyas smiled and nodded. "Of course. You should eat as you will be competing in the eleven-and-under lightsaber duels tomorrow."

I bowed a touch, before turning and walking towards the elevator as quickly as I could without making it seem that I was running.

As the doors closed and I began to descend, I gasped as I was finally able to place who Sifo-Dyas was. The Jedi who ordered the Clone army. I'd honestly thought that it had just been a false name used by Dooku or Palpatine to hide their involvement, but if it was a real person, then he would be murdered by one of them – or whomever Palpatine got to replace Dooku if I could prevent his fall to the dark side. Perhaps there was a way to prevent that.

Quest Alert!

Changing Fate [Sifo-Dyas]

Can you prevent or delay the death of Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas?

Rating: B

Objective:

Delay the death of Sifo-Dyas for long enough that other Jedi can learn he placed the order for the clone army.

Bonus: ?

Bonus: ?

Rewards:

2000XP

A large increase in reputation with Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas

Failure:

Place yourself in Darth Sidious' crosshairs.

Death of someone close to you.

Accept?

Yes/No

…

I looked at the quest carefully. The quest was more about keeping Sifo-Dyas alive long enough to make sure other Jedi – presumably, the High Council – learnt about him placing an order for a clone army for the Republic than preventing his death. Thus, one of the bonuses was probably about keeping him alive until the outbreak of the Clone Wars.

I was concerned about the fact failure could result in my ending up in Sidious' crosshairs – and I suspected that the fact it used that name there meant I would be a threat instead of currently being a possible asset – and the idea that someone close to me would die. The only people who even spent time with me were… Dragon Clan. Shit! Did that mean one of them might die if I failed this quest?

Player’s Mind had cleared any emotional response to that already, so I could examine the quest logically, and I could only see one course of action. While the risk of losing someone that might be a friend was high, the benefits of keeping Sifo-Dyas alive long enough to warn the Jedi were greater. To quote another movie franchise; the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few or the one.

"Yes."

The quest disappeared as the doors opened and I walked to the mess hall calmly, even as I played over everything that Palpatine had said in the last few hours in my mind.

'Damm, he's good.' Nothing he'd said had hinted at a darker motive, and yet he'd phrased things, or added little details, to just shift the conversations towards topics that if thought about longer would raise questions about the Republic and its effectiveness.

… …

… …

I stepped to the side a touch as my opponent swung his blade and then guided his blade away, making him stumble and allowing me to tap him gently near where his kidney was; or where it would be in a Human since the other Initiate was a Duros.

"Point, Shan," Bondara called out, and I grinned at my opponent. That tied the score at two-all in my second duel in eleven-and-older lightsaber duels having won my first duel by letting an attack phase through me before pushing that Initiate from the duelling circle.

The Duros leapt away, re-establishing distance between us as I smirked and taunted him by turning off my lightsaber, his red eyes narrowed at my actions, but he didn't leap in to attack me.

"What's the matter? Afraid to attack me?" I taunted, hoping to make him commit rashly. I'd come across this approach – known as Dun Möch – in the archives a while back but this match was the first time that I'd applied it in combat.

It felt like it was nothing more than typical taunting, but the files I'd read suggested that by applying a Force Compulsion to the taunt, it could unsettle an opponent and weaken their connection to the Force. Since Compulsion was at Novice:1, I was adding in a Force Weaken as well, which supposedly lowered a target's connection to the Force by a certain percentage for a while dependent on level.

The effects might be low, but even the slightest disruption of a target's connection to the Force might be enough to bring any of their fears to the surface.

The only issue was that using both cost 500FP each time, so I was reaching a point where I couldn't use it again without my FP going so low that Precognition and Bullet-Time would turn off, which would all but certainly cost me the duel.

"You think to trick me into a rash move?" the Duros asked as we slowly circled each other, his blade aimed at me while mine stayed turned off. "To charge in blindly like a fool?"

Time to just try good, old-fashioned taunting and see where that got me. I shrugged. "Well, if the shoe fits." He blinked a few times, clearly not getting the metaphor. 'Huh, figured that one would still work here.'

"Why would my footwear matter?" He asked with a blink of confusion.

I sighed and shook my head. "Never mind, you're too dumb to understand the level my mind works at. Is that normal for your species or are you a special case?" I asked with a smirk, which grew as his red eyes narrowed. "Ah, must just be you then," I added, rubbing in the insult. 'Man, this is too easy' Seriously, did the Jedi not teach the Younglings and Initiates how to handle a few simple insults?

He growled and stepped forward, his knees bending as if to leap, only to stop and take a deep breath. "No. I will not let you trick me."

"So, no basic maths then?" I asked quickly, starting to enjoy the taunting. It was childish, but hey, we were both kids! "Like twelve plus fourteen. Or should I make it even easier? What's two plus one?" I chuckled as he didn't respond. "Oh, come on. That's easy. Here I'll help you."

I held up my hand and started to count loudly. "One, two…"

With a growl he leapt, using the Force to propel himself higher than normal, his blade held high above his head.

As he began his downward arc, I closed my fist and yanked his lightsaber towards the floor.

My smirk turned into a smile as his eyes widened as he realised what I was doing, but he didn't release his grip and face-planted into the floor hard.

"Three," I stated as I placed my turned-off blade against the back of his neck.

"Winner Shan," Bondara called out as the light came back on and I rolled the Duros over.

"No hard feelings?" I asked as I held out my open hand.

He growled and slapped it away, pulling himself to his feet, before walking from the circle.

I shrugged at his behaviour, not bothered that he was pissed about losing, or that my taunting had worked, and walked out of the hall. No one from Dragon Clan was currently around as Serra's second match wasn't for about an hour and Aayla's was after that, so I figured I'd head to my room to relax before my next bout.

"Cameron, wait up!" I turned and smiled at the familiar voice.

"Serra. You here for your match?" I asked calmly even as I wondered why she'd picked now to talk to me as we hadn't spoken directly since the free-for-all yesterday evening.

After the meeting with Chancellor Kalpana, then the short talk with Master Sifo-Dyas and Palpatine, I'd found only Darihd and Jaeman in the mess hall, which when I saw it was nearly nine by the time I got there, wasn't a surprise. We'd sat at the same table this morning for breakfast, but she hadn't even looked in my direction, so I'd avoided talking with her. Instead, I had spent time with the boys of Dragon Clan; the younger members asking me for pointers on Makashi while we ate.

"Kind of," she said, her eyes meeting mine for a moment before they darted away. "I, I was hoping we could talk. Just us."

"Sure, how about my quarters?" I suggested since it was only about a five-minute walk from here; provided the elevators weren't busy.

"Actually, I was thinking we could talk in the Gardens," Serra said slowly.

"Sure." I agreed with a shrug and we walked quietly to the nearest elevator, then rode it in silence until we reached the garden.

She took my hand and lead me down one of the paths, ducking and weaving to avoid the overhanging leaves and branches until we arrived at a bench.

"This, this is where I come to think by myself." She said as we sat.

"It seems peaceful."

"Yeah. I, I spent a bit of time here last night thinking." She took a deep breath and then turned to face me, bringing her legs up to sit cross-legged. "I'm sorry for how I acted. I was angry with what happened between you and Sia and I wanted to hurt you when I had no reason to be so angry."

I smiled and turned to face her. "There's nothing wrong with being angry, we're not machines after all."

"I know, but we are Jedi, or we will be, and we shouldn't let our emotions control us. There is no emotion, there is peace." She said, stating the first line of the Jedi Code.

"I prefer emotion, yet peace." She tilted her in a way I knew meant she was either unsure and/or curious about something. "It's an older form of the Code I came across in the archives, from before the time of my great-grandfather. I like it better than the one you quoted."

"Why?"

I smiled at her. "I'll leave it up to you to consider what the differences are, and why I'd prefer it. And I accept the apology." She smiled back at me. "Still not sure why you were angry though." OK, I had a good idea why she had been, but I had to act like an eight-year-old, and they wouldn’t, at least not most boys. Her cheeks tinted red and I waved my hand aimlessly. "Doesn't matter anyway. You're my friend. My first one here."

She smiled happily. "Thanks." I turned back to face the path and we sat there in silence for a while, letting me slip into a meditative state to restore my FP.

"What did it feel like?" She asked, breaking my meditation.

"What?" I asked, silently hoping she was not asking about what I thought she was asking about.

"The kiss. What did it feel like?"

I kept my eyes straight ahead, not wanting to turn and face an eight-year-old girl who I was all but certain had a crush on me. 'This is starting to become an issue. How to stop this without losing a friend and someone I might need later on when it comes time to move against Palpatine?'

"I, I don't know. I wasn't exactly thinking about kissing her beforehand, nor have I done so afterwards." I said slowly.

"Hmm, ok." She said quietly and again we slipped into silence.

I felt her shift around a few times as we sat there, and I was certain she wanted to say more but was probably worried/afraid to do so. And there was no way I was going to say or do anything with her. Not now. Though once we were older, much older, I might be willing to see how far this could go.

I knew the Jedi were supposed to stay celibate, but my 'family' wasn't exactly known for obeying that rule, or others, and my great-great-whatever niece Satele had had a child of her own and still been Grandmaster of the Jedi.

Still, I was only eight now and…

My thoughts were interrupted by a beeping sound and I opened my eyes to see Serra pulling her commlink.

"Um, I've got to go. My match is in ten minutes." She said as she stood from the bench.

"Want me to come?" I asked, earning a smile from her.

"Sure."

… …

At the end of the day, I stood with all the other Initiates who had taken part in the Trails in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, patiently waiting for the High Council to speak. OK, I wasn't patiently waiting, I was just acting like I was so that this week could be over, the quest would finish, and I would experience the first level-up of my powers.

"The Initiate Trials are now over, and we are impressed with how all of you have done," Master Windu said from the small stage where he stood with the other members of the Jedi High Council. "This year we've seen impressive displays from Initiates, young and old, and a new record set in the Obstacle Course that may not be challenged for some time."

I resisted the urge to smirk at the indirect praise, even as Aayla gave me a shoulder bump and others turned to look at me. I just wished I hadn't lost to Jon from Katarn Clan in the third round of the lightsaber duels, though thankfully Serra took him out in the next round. I was impressed that she made it to the older free-for-all and it had me a little worried if I could complete the quest to beat her in a duel before we became Knights. But I had years to deal with that, so I wasn't letting it bother me too much.

"Tomorrow you are free to spend your time how you wish. That said, as always, no Initiate may leave the Temple without permission from a member of one of the Jedi Councils and an escort from a fully established Jedi." He stated, his eyes narrowing as they wandered over the crowd of children. "Additionally, the Council of First Knowledge will be speaking with most of you over the next few days to discuss your performance and future. Be assured that not one of you has failed the Order, nor will be dismissed from the Order for struggling at any event.

"Regular classes will resume the day after tomorrow. Dismissed."

I smiled as I saw the notice in my log for the completion of a quest and another for a level-up, but I wasn't going to open them until I was alone to avoid comments about me concentrating on nothing.

"So, what do we do with our time off?" Jaeman asked as Dragon Clan gathered around me.

"What about getting Cam to show us how to Phase?" Serra suggested, making Darihd frown, though it still looked strange to see someone do so when they lacked eyebrows.

"He is forbidden from teaching us how to Phase or Teleport."

Serra smirked crookedly. "Yes, but nothing was said about us watching him do it a few times to see if we can see how he does it."

I chuckled at that, as it was something that I'd thought about with the exact wording of the orders the Council of First Knowledge had given me regarding my powers. I should've expected someone else to spot that flaw as well.

"She's right. I mean, it's not like he is actively teaching us to do it. More like we're watching him practice." Aayla added with a smile that exposed her sharp teeth as she gave me another friendly bump.

"Yes, but there is the chance the Council would not look kindly on us trying to circumvent their ruling." Darihd countered, standing his ground.

"I'm with them," Sia-Lan said with a tilt of her head to the other two girls who'd spoken. "The worst they can do is give us extra chores as we've not actually broken any rules."

'Well, they could kick you out of the Order, but that'd be an overreaction.' I thought to myself as Darihd rubbed his chin as Jaeman and Funt voiced their agreement with the girls.

"Fine, but we're not bringing the younger ones into this. Only those who were in the Trials." Darihd sighed, relenting under the combined weight of the rest of his Clan. "This is dangerous if it goes wrong and I'm not risking any of them on our decision."

"Agreed," Sia-Lan said with a smile. "Though once they take part in the Trials, we'll let them watch."

"Don't I get a say in this?" I asked with a smirk. Truthfully, I was fine with this, since I wasn't breaking the order, and if the Council got stroppy, I could use it as an excuse to leave the Order; or extract something from them to get me to stay.

"No!" Aayla, Serra and Sia-Lan said at once, which made me chuckle as I raised my hands in mock surrender.

"Fine. Far be it from me to go against three pretty girls." I said, making all of them blush, though to varying degrees. Aayla's was the cutest as her cheeks turned a soft lilac. I was a little surprised that Sia-Lan blushed, even if it was only a very slight reddening of her cheeks. 'Fuck, did that kiss have more of an effect than I realised?'

"Initiate Shan," I turned and saw a grey-skinned Sullustan approaching. Based on his height was in his late teens, but since the growth patterns of non-Human species were not something that I was overly familiar with, I was only hazarding a guess.

"Yes?"

"I am Padawan Sivv Sebbs. I have been tasked with bringing you to a meeting with the Council of First Knowledge." He stated slowly.

I sighed and turned back to the others. "Looks like we'll have to hold off on that," I said, being vague in case this Padawan reported that they wanted me to demonstrate my powers to a Master.

Darihd smiled and gripped me on my shoulder. "No problem, we'll just deal with it later."

"Yeah, you shouldn't keep the council waiting," Serra said with a small smile, though it seemed forced and her shoulders were drooping.

I smiled at them and followed the Padawan through the corridors of the Temple until we stepped off the elevator that took us up the spire that contained the chambers of the Council of First Knowledge.

"They await you within," Sivv said before bowing and stepping back onto the elevator.

Once those doors closed, I whispered to activate Player’s Mind then stepped into the chamber. "You wished to see me?" I asked as the chamber doors closed behind me.

"Indeed, we do young one," the leader of this council, Master Vilbum, his mouth moving into what I hoped was a friendly smile. "You understand why you have been called?"

I shrugged. "To talk about my performance, I assume. That is what Master Windu said you would be doing."

Vilbum chuckled deeply, his wrinkled skin flapping about as he did so, and I was glad Player’s Mind was active to avoid me cringing at the action. "Yes, that we do. That and more."

"To be blunt, you are far too powerful for one with so little training," Master Piell stated, his one eye narrowing at me as he spoke. "I for one feel you should be placed on a shorter leash to avoid you becoming arrogant about your powers."

"We have been over this Even," the dark-skinned woman with the strange headdress said with a sigh. "The Initiate exceeded our expectations in the Trials and others have stated their intentions." I frowned at the words of Master Gallia; the name having been supplied by Jaeman after my first visit to this council chamber.

"Intentions? What intentions?" I asked slowly, my own eyes narrowing as I took in the five Jedi Masters in front of me. Yoda was not present like last time, so I assumed he was not a member of this council but had merely been there to see how I reacted to their instructions the first time.

"There is no threat here Initiate," Master Di stated, his blue eyes catching mine. "Relax."

"Perhaps you did not understand Master Windu's comments about our meeting with Initiates," Vilbum said slowly. "In addition to overseeing the teaching of Younglings and Initiates, this council debates on the futures of the young ones; whether that means assigning someone to one of the corps or discussing with them a potential master for future training."

"And which is to be for me?" I asked slowly. I knew the 'Trials of an Initiate' quest stated I had a chance to be taken as a Padawan, but if it was to a Jedi on one of the Councils, or who worked permanently at the Temple, I was going to leave the Order.

Vilbum chuckled once more. "We are not assigning you to a corps young one. Though there are, issues, we need to discuss with you before we can allow you to continue your studies."

Piell grumbled even as Gallia spoke. "Normally, an Initiate is selected by a Jedi and if the Initiate agrees to the match, everything is fine. Occasionally a pair of Jedi show interest in an Initiate and this council helps them make an informed choice as to which Jedi is more suitable for their growth and the direction that they wish to take with their studies." She smiled softly at me as I listened carefully.

"Then where do I fit in?"

"You are a rare breed," Master Nilas said and as I looked at the old woman, I noticed for the first time that she had a strip of light-blue cloth covering her eyes. "A light within the Force." She smiled. "Not like any Jedi I have seen before. Darkness touches your soul, yet it does not taint your essence. It makes you shine brighter, clearer than any I have seen before." I frowned at her words.

"Master Nilas is one of a rare type of Jedi called Seers," Vilbum explained, obviously seeing I was confused. "Seers are adjusted to the Force in a way few other Jedi are and are prone to powerful visions of future events." His brow drooped a touch. "Though the visions are far less than they once were."

"And she had a vision involving me?" I asked slowly, not liking the idea that the Force was trying to control what I would do or manipulate the Jedi into a course of action for me. 'Is the Force actually sentient in a way that allows it to manipulate the Jedi like they claim the Dark Side does to the Sith? And if so, is it trying to stop me from making waves, preventing me from changing what is to come?'

"She did. As did three other Seers." Gallia stated with a small smile. "Such an event has not happened in living memory."

I was glad, really glad, Player’s Mind was running, or I was sure my eyebrows would've merged with my fringe at what I'd just been told.

"They saw something about me?" I asked slowly, still not liking that the Force was seemingly trying to manipulate my direction while being curious as to what the vision was about. 'Hopefully nothing about the Chosen One crap.'

"That they did," Vilbum replied, making my brow rise rapidly even with Player’s Mind active. "Though strangely none of the visions matched closely with another." He paused and looked at Nilas. "However, that is not something to concern yourself with. The Seer Council, in conjunction with this Council, have discussed these visions and how they will affect your future training as a Jedi.

"You will be continuing your training with us, should you so choose." Vilbum continued with a smile that just looked wrong to me with the way his face wrinkled as he spoke. "But it is because of these visions that we made you our first summons after the Initiate Trials concluded."

"OK," I said slowly, not sure where this was going but certain that if I was assigned to a Master who wouldn't let me leave the Temple, I would quit the order. Six months in this place was starting to drive me up the wall, and with the Trials of an Initiate quest now finished, I had little to focus on within these walls. Everything else, save for what may be on the Holocrons in the Vault, whether it was quest related or otherwise, I felt was outside the walls of the Temple. 'I need to come up with plans to hamper Sidious' rise to power and build a power base of my own.' Though how to do that, was something I still had to consider.

"Masters and Knights have come forward to seek your permission to take you as their Padawan, but it is here that an issue arises." Master Gallia said slowly with a smile, though I saw Master Piell frowning as she spoke. "Many have spoken to us of a desire to train you, though we suspect many are just curious about your unexpected abilities with rare Force powers."

I nodded at her words even as I considered them. I had expected that some Jedi would be interested in training me because of what I did in the obstacle course, but I hadn't expected many to offer to train me.

"This Council has considered those requests and lowered it to four, from which you are permitted to make a final choice," Vilbum spoke, casting a glance at Nilas. "Two of these Jedi you have met directly, while another you may have seen around the Temple. The last, however…"

"Would be me."

I turned at the voice and ended up staring at a damm elf!

'Thank God for Player's Mind or I'd be gawking at her like a lost puppy, if not drooling.'

The Jedi in question was tall, lithe and just breath-taking to look at. Her long, silken blond hair cascaded around her angular face and her grey eyes seemed to dance as she smiled down at me.

"This is Jedi Master Fay," Vilbum spoke with a touch of reverence. "She is something of a legend, or myth, within our Order. Indeed, this is the first time in my life that she has stepped foot within the Temple."

Fay laughed in an almost musical way and I had to look away to avoid looking too much like a fool. "Master Vilbum is too kind. I simply follow the will of the Force, one that guides me across the galaxy and for once has guided me back here." While she spoke, her eyes stayed with me, or I assumed they did as when I looked back at her she was still watching me. "The Force spoke to me of a child torn through time and space, one born of warriors and Jedi, and yet not. One with the potential for true balance within the Force. It guided me back here where I found out about the child of Revan."

"I dislike that label," I said with a small frown. "And being seen in visions and prophecy," I added, making it clear – I hoped – that I knew about the Chosen One prophecy and didn't want any part of it.

Fay laughed once more. "Yes, most do. Yet you cannot deny that the Force has chosen to bring you to us, here and now. A time and a place far from your own. You cannot deny the actions of the Force."

"I deny nothing. But I am not a pawn in a game to be played by someone, or something, else." I growled.

"You believe yourself above the Force? That you are better than it and us?" Master Piell asked, his one eye narrowed heavily as he glared at me. "Then perhaps we should deny you further training."

"And allow someone so powerful to just freely wander the galaxy? That doesn't sound very wise." I countered, throwing his earlier words about me back in his face.

"Master Piell meant no disrespect young one. He simply stated, in his own way, that we all are guided by the Force. Jedi or not, it flows through and around us in ways even Grandmaster Yoda does not fully understand." Fay said with a soft smile as she stepped towards me. "I do not know if the Force's guidance has sent me here to become your teacher, or merely if it wishes for me to help you grow, but I accept this calling."

I bowed a touch. "I would be grateful for either ma'am." I turned back to Vilbum. "You said there were three others sir?"

"Yes. Masters Sifo-Dyas and Dooku have both expressed interest in taking you as their learner, as has Knight Lhan."

"Knight Lhan is the Cathar Jedi who has been helping Battlemaster Drallig with Initiate training. He is new to his rank and wishes to take a Padawan before taking up his role as Watchman of the Mandalore sector." Di added. "He is young for a knight but brave and loyal."

"And these four are the ones you feel would be the best choices for me to accept as my teacher?" I asked cautiously, avoiding calling any of them my master. That had always bugged me about the Jedi.

"Yes. However, we feel that even if you decide now on your Master, you should remain as an Initiate until New Year Week, which is in four months." Vilbum replied. "This is not because we feel you are unready, but because all four visions shared one single, common trait. That if you left the Temple permanently in the next few months you would die."

"Then might I take these months to get to know each Jedi better before making a final choice in the New Year?" I asked even as I processed that leaving early would result in my death, probably by agents of Sidious. 'Or more likely the bastard would abduct me to raise as a quote/unquote, Proper Sith.'

Vilbum smiled once more. "That would be a wise decision young one. Very wise. However, I must caution you to not mention our discussions about visions with your clanmates. We do not wish undue worry to affect them and distract them from their studies."

"Understood."

I suspected that mentioning visions and prophecies to Initiates was not a normal occurrence, and I could get their reasoning. I just hoped that this didn't cause me problems with the others or risk people starting to think I truly was the Chosen One. ‘Four more months of this place? Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Still, I will have more time with Dooku and Sifo-Dyas so even if I don't pick either of them as my Master, I can get closer to them and hopefully change both their fates.'

"I look forward to learning about you over the coming months young one," Fay said with a smile that would've made me talk gibberish if I was in my teens and didn't have Player’s Mind. "I suspect there is much we may learn from each other."

"As do I ma'am," I said slowly, keeping my eyes locked on her face.

"Feel free to ask for a further meeting if you wish to discuss your possible master young one, and if there is nothing you wish to ask, you are free to leave," Vilbum said with another of those wrong-looking smiles.

"Yes, sir," I said with a small bow.

Pivoting I walked slowly out of the chamber and into an elevator once one arrived; thankful it was empty, so I could start to examine the choices I had in front of me.

Dooku and Sifo-Dyas were both covered by quests, though if I failed then there was a chance that I could die with Sifo-Dyas if he was my Master or be killed by Dooku when he turns if I chose him. Though that was conditional on me failing the quests to save each of them. Also, Sifo-Dyas was on the Council and Dooku was working in the Temple as a combat instructor, so there was a high chance I'd be stuck in the Temple for a few more years at least, which I was firmly against.

Lhan was a virtual unknown as I had seen a Cathar male Jedi helping with lightsaber training, but he'd never trained me or Dragon Clan. Though he was going to head out into the galaxy soon and would be heading to Mandalore, which meant dealing with Death Watch and other Mandalorians. That might create possibilities for building up friendships and weakening Sidious' power base before the Clone Wars.

Fay, however, beyond being beautiful, was a true unknown. I hadn't met her in the Temple, nor had the name come up in the movies or cartoons. From what little she had said she seemed to glide around, letting the Force guide her where it wanted. That sounded both useful and problematic. Useful as it would let me likely see more than just a sector of planets or Coruscant, it would leave me at the will of the Force; something that irritated me as it seemed to suggest a semi-sentience to the Force. Problematic, however, as it might make it harder for me to work on my current quests or any plans, I had to build my power base and begin to disrupt Palpatine's plans.

"Is the Force actually sentient?" I asked the empty elevator, hoping that TPtB would give me a response.

Sadly, they didn't, and I sighed in annoyance. "Was worth a shot."

The doors opened, and I walked quietly back to my quarters. I needed more time to think through carefully just what the pros and cons of each of my options for Master were. And the privacy of my room would allow me to go through the quest completion and level-up notices.

'Is the Force trying to stop me? Is it working against me because I was sent here by a higher power?' I wondered as I walked.

Yes, and no.

Truthfully, we are unsure if we should tell you this, but we felt you needed to understand if only a little.

The Force is sentient, but not in a way you understand currently.

It is a force of nature, yet it feels the galaxy, the universe through the creatures within it.

And like all forces of nature, it seeks balance.

Sadly, simple beings such as yourself struggle for true balance.

Emotions, which the Force lacks, interfere with balance.

Yet to surrender to emotions, or cut them off, is not balance.

It is an extreme.

The Force accepts we have sent you into its domain yet is still trying to settle you into its need for balance.

…

That is all we are prepared to tell you.

Use it how you wish.

I stopped walking to read the message from TPtB and tried to process it.

The Force was living but not and sought balance. Yet both the Jedi and Sith were wrong about what that balance was. 'So, balance involves accepting your emotions, yet not letting them rule you. Like the older code that I had come across, emotion, yet peace. Or at least, that's how I see it. And damm! The Force is the one bringing the Sith to power to achieve balance as the Jedi are an extreme that it cannot accept.'

I chuckled a little at that even as I tried to get my head around the idea that the reason the Sith kept rising was that the Jedi had, in some way, become too strong for its liking.

'Looks like I have to find a new path. Well, I've got four months or so to survive in this place, so that gives me time to create plans. For now, I should just get back to my room and sort through where I am.'

The rest of the walk to my quarters passed in silence as the corridors were empty, and I reached my room quickly and quietly.

Quest Completed!

Trials of an Initiate

Objectives:

Advance to the free-for-all stage for your age group. [Yes]

Win at least 3 of your push-feather duels [Yes]

Complete the obstacle course with a time in the upper half for your age group [Yes]

[?] Place in the top 3 of the lightsaber free-for-all for your age group [No]

[?] Advance to the quarter-finals of the push-feather duels [Yes]

[?] Win at least 3 lightsaber duels against Initiates in the older age group [2/3]

[?] Win the push-feather tournament [No]

[?] Have an obstacle course time in the upper half of all Initiates [Yes]

Rewards:

1500XP

1000XP

1000XP

500XP

500XP

...

LEVEL UP!

Level: 8 - 9

FP: +500

PP: +2

STAM: +12

SP: +5

SKP: +32

…

"Nice. Extra FP means more time using powers between meditation recharges and while not a lot, two Player Points means I can have Player's Mind on for a little longer. List Stats."

Cameron Shan

Species: Human

Title: The Player

Level 9

HP: 130/130

FP: 4500/4500

PP: 18/18

XP [3530/9000]

STAM [108/108]

Hunger [0/100]

STR: 8 +

VIT: 8 +

AGI: 8 +

INT: 16 +

WIS: 12 +

CH: 10 +

Luck: 0 + [+10]

SP: 6

SKP: 32

PerkP: 0

PPP: 0

Credits: 1116

"Sweet, I'm already a third of the way to the next level." I spent a little bit of time examining my new status, and placed one SP in STR, AGI and VIT, bringing all three up to nine, and removing the small penalty that existed for the stats being under my level. "List Quests."

QUESTS

These are the story chains that will help push and shape your new life.

Quests come in various forms, from repeatable simple ones to long, multi-part campaigns.

Most of your activities will be set up as quests, however, you are free to decline most quests.

You can also create your own quests if you are willing to push yourself beyond what would be considered easy/safe.

All quests are rated from F to S*** for difficulty, with anything rated B or greater running the risk of bodily harm, if not death.

Current quests are:

Tremors Of The Ancient Sith Empire

Forge Your Own Path

Cleanse The Temple

Changing Fate [Dooku]

You Can't Hurt Me [User Defined]

Stones of Muntuur

Wipe That Grin Off Her Face [User Defined]

Changing Fate [Anakin]

Just Don't Get Caught [User Defined]

Changing Fate [Qui-Gon]

Changing Fate [Sifo-Dyas]

…

For more details, on a quest, tap it or say 'List Quest' followed by the quest required.

…

I whistled as I realised just how many quests I had. Yet as I thought through things, almost all of them were long-term, ongoing quests. The exception was Cleaning The Temple, but since I had examined everywhere I could inside the Temple, I assumed that required me to go below the Temple and examine the mountain it stood upon. And for that, I needed to be a Padawan to leave… No, I didn't.

Windu had stated that no Initiate could leave the Temple without permission from one of the Jedi Councils and an escort, so maybe I could persuade the Council of First Knowledge to allow me to explore the depths of the Temple with one or more of my prospective Jedi Masters.

'I'll have to wait a week or so before seeing if any of the Jedi are willing to escort me outside. Or I could claim to have had a vision about something dark under the Temple. I had one before about the attack on my grandfather's home, so it should be possible to fake something. But, if I do that, there's a chance the Seer Council may try to have me trained in learning to have visions. Which could see me trapped in the Temple long-term. So, faking a vision is a backup plan to get to the Temple underground.'

I shifted my attention to the Stones of Muntuur quest and browsed the details. For that, I had to lift all seven stones, which the quest was nice enough to inform me was fifty tonnes. With my current level in TK, I could lift just shy of three tonnes, but each stratum of the power increased the overall weight limit. Novice had been two kilograms per level, while Adept had been five kilograms per level and Professional now granted me twelve-point-five kilograms per level. If that rate of increase continued – and if it didn't it just wasn't possible to lift the stones – then I guessed I'd need to be somewhere in the Prodigy strata to pull it off.

The bonus was probably time-related – either before the Clone Wars or the blockade of Naboo – so I planned to spend as much free time training that up as I could. Even if I did nothing more than levitating a datapad under a table while reading or meditating I would quickly gain levels in the power.

The You Can't Hurt Me and Just Don't Get Caught quests were just a case of focusing on a few set skills/abilities when I could, so they moved to the front of my short-term planning for what to focus on over the coming few months.

Beating Serra was going to take effort and I suspected I'd need to learn more than just Makashi to pull it off, so I pulled Haqu's lightsaber from my inventory – which now had eighteen slots – and got into the opening stance for Soresu, only for a notice to appear in my log.

Skill Usage Warning!

Level isn’t high enough for self-learning.

[Form III: Soresu]

To self-study, you require Adept:50 in Shi-Cho and Makashi and Novice:10 in Soresu.

…

"Heh, didn't see that coming," I muttered as I waved away the notice. "List Skills." I quickly browsed until I reached lightsaber forms and noted I had about forty levels in Makashi and seven levels in Soresu to meet the requirements. "I wonder if similar rules exist for the other forms."

I slipped into the basic starting stance for Ataru and got another warning.

"Bugger," I muttered as I read and waved away that notice. That one told me Ataru to Novice:10 with Shii-Cho, Makashi and Soresu had to be at Adept:50. I moved to adopt a Makashi stance when a thought came to me and stopped.

One skill I hadn't seen at the Temple so far, and only hinted at in the few records I had perused on lightsaber combat, was the ability to control an active lightsaber via the Force. I remembered Kreia doing it with three blades in KOTOR2.

"Now this could be fun," I said as a smile threatened to break my face and I placed the lightsaber on the floor.

With a simple gesture, I lifted the unpowered weapon and floated it to the far side of the room. Then I tried to ignite it.

I sighed as nothing happened, but before I could try again, a notice appeared in my log. Calling the lightsaber back to my hand, I opened the notice.

Force Power Warning!

You attempted to use an advanced Force Power

[Lightsaber TK]

This power cannot be learnt until the following requirements are met:

TK: Master:1

Lightsaber [style]: Master:1

Makashi: Master:1

Soresu: Master:1

Shien: Master:1

Djem-So: Master:1

…

"Son of a… That's just not fair." I muttered as I waved away the notice. That was one of the coolest powers/abilities/tricks from KOTOR2 and here I was being told I couldn't learn it until I had mastered four different lightsaber Forms. Technically it was three as Shien and Djem-So were meant to be variants of Form V, but given that the notice listed them separately, I had to assume they were treated as independent skills.

"Guess that trick is a long way away," I muttered as I frowned though it turned into a small smile as I realised there was another power I hadn't attempted yet, but that I knew I wanted to learn.

I pointed my hand at my bed and concentrated.

A thin, weak bolt of lightning shot from my hand and struck my bed, igniting my pillow.

"Fuck!" I yelled as I raced over and started frantically waving the pillow while using cyrokinesis to cool it until it was no longer burnt.

I stared at the charred black object and sighed. "Pity there's isn't a Force power that can restore this," I murmured as I threw the pillow back onto the bed. I turned only to stop, and frown. "Maybe there is."

I walked over and picked up the pillow before concentrating on it and trying to channel the Force into it. My eyes bugged out as the blackened pillow slowly returned to its original white. "Well fuck me," I muttered as I dropped the now fresh-looking pillow on the bed and read the new notices.

Force Power Discovered!

Lightning

This is the ability to generate a bolt of energy that behaves like lightning.

Range and damage are dependent on level.

…

Force Power Discovered!

Restore

By channelling the Force into an object, you can restore the damage done to it.

The rate of restoration depends on the current level.

…

"Sweet," I said with a huge grin. "Now I can level lightning up without worrying about destroying my room."

I opened the window to clear the smell from the burnt pillow and exited the room. There were just under two hours until dinner, so I lifted the pillow with TK until my FP ran out then adopted the opening stance of Makashi.

… …

… …