The Kavin Chronicles: The Ysalamir Effect

[Troy Vortex]

Writer's note: The main character in this story is not the same Kavin Horn which I RP here at Core, but one I RP at another site, which takes place 500 years after the Yuzzhan Vong War, and in which Jedi marriages are common place.

Also, this story is rather long.


A data pad soared past Kavin's head, narrowly missing him. It hit against the wall, ricocheted, and skidded across the floor in pieces.

"What..." His question is interrupted as he turned by Jefri tackling him. Kavin managed to twist around mid-fall so he was on top when they landed. He pinned Jefri's arms to the floor. "What was that for?"

Jefri said nothing as he struggled, and finally wiggled an arm from Kavins grasp, striking him in the nose. Kavin's grip on Jefri's other arm loosened with the impact. At the same time, Jefri used the Force to push a bloody-nosed Kavin off him.

Quickly gaining his feet, Jefri pulled his lightsaber from his belt and ignited it. Instead of getting his own lightsaber, Kavin force pushed Jefri against the wall and held him there. Jefri dropped the lightsaber when he was slammed into the wall, and air was forced explosively from his lungs.

"That's cheating!" Shouted Jefri once he could breathe again. He unsuccessfully tried to break free of Kavin's force hold.

"I'm not about to get in a lightsaber duel with you in this mood! One or both of us could get hurt! What's wrong, Jef?"

"You think you're better than me." Jefri shouted. "It shows every time you look at me then shake your head and roll your eyes." Jefri paused, then added quietly, "And when you call me an idiot."

So, Kavin thought guiltily, that's what this is about. "Jefri, I'm going to release you now so we can talk about this rationally. If you make a move to attack me with your saber, I'll nail you back to the wall!"

Jefri nodded, and, sensing he had no attention of fighting anymore...physically anyway...Kavin released him. "I'm sorry I called you an idiot earlier." Kavin sincerely said. "I didn't mean it."

"Sure you did," Jefri replied as he picked up his lightsaber, deactivated it, and returned it to his belt. "Be truthful, Kavin. To yourself if not me. You think I'm a total idiot because I joke around and I'm not a serious stick-in-the-mud like you. You think you're so much better than me." His voice was bitter.

Kavin looked inside himself to see how he really felt. After reflecting a couple minutes with Jefri glaring at him, Kavin spoke. "Ok, for the moment I called you an idiot, I meant it."

"Hah!" Jefri exclaimed triumphantly.

"Wait!" Kavin held up one hand. "Let me finish."

Jefri folded his arms and nodded knowingly with a smirk.

"First you let those prostitutes in the ship after Masters Jev and Phtam told us not to let anyone in. Then you didn't notice them trying to get information from us telepathically while kissing one and feeling her up. Yes, I thought you were an idiot! Rutting around like a mindless animal." Kavin said vehemently.

"Ok," admitted Jefri with a grin, "that definitely wasn't one of my finer moments. But, lighten, up, I wasn't exactly rutting...yet."

Kavin shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"See? There you go again! You think I'm an idiot! But, I'll tell you something. Master Phtam thinks I've got more potential than anyone at the academy...and that includes you, high and mighty Kavin Horn, descendant of the great Corran Horn." Jefri jabs a finger in Kavin's chest as his voice rises.

Kavin winced at the mention of his many greats grandfather. He never liked to be compared to him, and Jefri knew it.

"Me," Jefri continues, obviously going over the top and playing it up for Kavin's benefit, "a nobody orphan, has more potential than you, with your Jedi parents and heritage." Jefri jabs Kavin's chest again. "And you can't stand it!" He said in a loud whisper as he got in Kavin's face.

Kavin took a deep breath, then released it. His voice was quiet yet intense as he replied, "You know what I can't stand? Yes, you've got great potential. Yes, more than I. But, that's not what sticks in my craw. What I can't stand, is how you just flounder around. You don't work to live up to that potential. If you did, I wouldn't have been able to keep you pinned against the wall. You would have seen right through those harlots before even letting them in! You could whip my a-- in a duel. Instead, you waste it!"

Jefri blinked at Kavin. "I'm not wasting anything. Being a Jedi does not mean that I can't have fun. Frankly, I think you hate me for having fun as a Jedi."

"Hate? Jefri, I don't hate you." This time, it was Kavin's turn to grin. "You annoy me to no end, but, I don't hate you!" Kavin puts his hand on Jefri's shoulder. "In fact, part of me admires you. You're always at ease, or appear to be, in any situation."

Silence reigned for a couple minutes as Jefri thought about what Kavin had just told him. "So," he grinned, "who is she?"

"Huh?"

"Who are you saving yourself for like you told the prostitute who came on to you? I paid good money for those prostitutes, and you didn't partake!" Jefri said with a not-so-hidden chuckle.

"Oh, that. I just said that as an excuse." Kavin turned away as he blushed, not really wanting to go into that. He didn't want to give Jefri any more ammo with which to tease him.

"Nuh-uh, you meant it. I sense it."

Kavin chuckled. "Oh, yeah, now you sense things." He said with a grin. "You couldn't sense the woman trying to pry thoughts from you, but, you can sense what I meant."

"It's that one girl, isn't it? The one from summer classes back before we became padawans, isn't it?" He snapped his fingers as he remembered the cruel nickname some of the kids had given to her, "Tauntaun face!"

Kavin quickly turned back to Jefri, and for a moment Jefri thought he was going to hit him. However, Kavin took a deep breath then quietly confessed, "Yes, it's her." He pointed a warning finger at Jefri. "But don't call her that. Her name is Miri."

"Come on, even as besotted as you were with her... and apparently still are... you can't have missed how... ugly she is."

"You may be arrogant, but you're not shallow enough to think appearances matter, Jefri, so don't pretend to be." Kavin paused, then added, "This is how I see her." He sent a mental image of a woman with long dark hair and a glowing complexion. Her eyes were stars which radiated a warmth and beauty surpassing any Jefri had ever seen.

Jefri let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Does she have a sister?"

Kavin threw back his head and started laughing. Jefri looked at him with surprise, since he'd never heard him laugh like that. Then he grinned and started laughing as well.

"Does she feel the same way?" Jefri asked once they'd stopped laughing.

"She did when she went back home to Bakura and I became Master Jev's padawan. She hasn't indicated her feelings changed since."

"So, you've kept in contact with her?"

Kavin nodded. "We correspond regularly." He didn't mention that sometimes he could reach out with his feelings to her and feel her response.

Just then, Masters Jev and Phtam came back. "Is everything alright, boys?" Master Jev asked.

Kavin and Jefri looked at each other and grinned. "Yes, Master." They said in unison.

Master Phtam had come around to get a better look at Kavin. "Then why is your nose bleeding?" he questioned in his baritone voice.

Kavin's brow furrowed in feigned puzzlement as he put a hand to his nose and looked at the blood on it when he pulled it away. "Oh, that must have happened when I slipped on that data pad and fell." He indicated the broken data pad that still lay scattered on the floor.

"You're not a very good liar, Kavin." Said an amused Master Jev. Then she added firmly, "What happened?"

Kavin looked at Jefri, then back at his master. "We were fighting, Master." He confessed.

"And who started this fight?" Master Phtam looked suspiciously at Jefri.

Both boys answered, "I did." They looked at each other. Kavin explained, "Jefri threw the first blow, but I provoked him when I called him an idiot."

"Kavin, why did you call him an idiot?" Master Jev asked.

Kavin swallowed and looked at Jefri. "I was goofing off again, and wound up breaking the data pad." Jefri supplied.

"Thank you Jefri," Master Jev spoke as she kept her eye on her padawan, "but I asked Kavin. Why did you call him an idiot?"

Kavin couldn't look Master Jev in the eye as he said, "Like Jefri said, he broke the pad while goofing off."

"You mean it didn't have anything to do with the prostitutes who came here today?" Kavin jumped as Master Phtam's deep voice came from right behind him. Kavin turned his head to see Jefri's master holding up an earring that must have fallen off one of the prostitutes, and closed his eyes. Busted, he thought.

"So," Master Jev said, "who hired and let them in?"

"I did," Jefri confessed with a grin. "That's why Kavin called me an idiot."

"Do you think this is amusing, Jefri?" Master Phtam asked in a dangerously quiet voice. "We specifically told you not to let anyone in."

A sobered Jefri replied, "No, sir. I'm sorry, Master. I heard that prostitution on this planet was legalized and that the practitioners here..." he paused as Master Phtam looked sternly at him. "Well, I wasn't thinking sir."

"Is there anything else that happened while we were away we should know about?" Asked Master Jev.

The silence in the room seemed to stretch to an eternity when Kavin finally broke it. "They were spies."

The two masters shared a look. "Could you elaborate on that, please, Kavin?" Master Phtam asked in a deceptively mild voice.

"The prostitutes were spies sent by the people you were trying to get information from for our mission."

"How do you know this? Did they tell you?" Master Jev asked.

"No...not consciously anyway." Kavin blushed as he related, "I sensed the prostitute who came on to me prying into my thoughts, so I blocked her, and did a little prying myself." He paused, then cutting the story short, added, "then I made them leave."

Master Phtam looked at Master Jev. "We must make sure they didn't find out anything, Vorraina." She nods in answer. They each looked into their padawan's eyes intently through the Force. A few minutes later, they withdrew from the boys' minds and looked at each other.

"You are both lucky," Seama Phtam admonished them, "that nothing has been compromised. I'm beginning to wonder if either of you are ready for this mission. It's going to be a difficult one if neither of you can be trusted to follow orders."

"Master," Jefri spoke up, "don't blame Kavin. He didn't do anything wrong! He didn't know I sent for those prostitutes. He was meditating in his cabin when I let them in. In fact, it's because of him they didn't get any information, because, I..." Jefri paused as he looked at Kavin, "...I was an idiot. I didn't notice when the prostitute...I mean, spy pried into my thoughts." He looked back at his master. "Don't punish him for my mistake."

"Taking responsibility for your actions and sticking up for Kavin is admirable, Jefri," Master Jev said gently, but held Kavin's gaze. "But Kavin, can you tell us why you should shoulder some of the blame?"

Kavin swallowed and lowered his gaze. Taking a deep breath, he quietly replied, "Because I was willing to risk the mission to keep quiet and cover up Jefri's mistake." He closed his eyes, clearly ashamed.

"It is time we lift off. Master Phtam and I retrieved the information we needed. The two of you go to your cabins to meditate as we get ready for lift off. We shall talk more about our mission once we enter hyperspace."

Kavin bowed to Masters Jev and Phtam, then walked past Jefri with his head still bowed. For his part, Jefri quickly bowed and joined Kavin on the way to his cabin.

"Hey, Kavin." Jefri grinned as he spoke cheerfully, "thanks for trying to cover for me. I owe you one." He slapped Kavin on the back.

Kavin only sighed. "Cheer up! Nothing serious happened!" Jefri put a hand on Kavin's shoulder, but Kavin shoved it off and picked up his pace to go ahead of Jefri, then went into his cabin without speaking.

Jefri stared at the closed door to Kavin's room. "Was it something I said?" He quipped, then shrugged as he turned to go to his own cabin.

[Troy Vortex]

Once the door slid shut behind him, Kavin smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "You're the idiot, Kavin." He scolded himself as he walked over and lay down on his bed. He felt bad that he had let Master Jev down. He was ashamed that, even though he had seen through the spy posing as a prostitute, and had made her along with her cohort leave before anything had actually happened, he still had become aroused in response to her advances. He felt as though he'd been unfaithful to Miri.

He also felt bad how he'd treated Jefri, first calling him an idiot, and just now, brushing him off so rudely. Taking a deep breath, Kavin sent, *Please forgive me, Jef, I'm not upset with you, but at myself. I'm the idiot.*

There was a sense of surprise in Jefri's reply. *No apologies necessary.* Kavin laughed in spite of himself because he could just see Jefri's cocky grin as he heard him add, *We're the idiot brothers.*

Feeling a little better, Kavin tried to relax and meditate, but couldn't stop thinking of his master's look of disappointment when he had tried to cover for Jefri. Without realizing it, Kavin had come to look at Master Jev as a mother figure. It was natural, he supposed, since his own mother had been killed while on a mission shortly before he became a padawan. He would give anything to never see that look on her face again. She had believed in him, and he'd let her down because he didn't want Jefri to get into trouble... again. It was a stupid thing to do, because what he had done could potentially have put the mission in even more danger than what Jefri did. If the spies had gotten any information from either of them, hiding the fact that they'd been there could have put their lives in even more danger. Well, as Master Jev always says, what has happened has happened, and cannot be taken back. We must go on and learn from our mistakes. Kavin thought. I'll go on, master, and I won't let you down, I promise!

Still, Kavin could not meditate. There was still the guilt he felt about being turned on by the spy. Kavin reached into his pocket and pulled out a holo-sphere. Switching it on, he sighed as he gazed longingly at the three-dimensional image of Miri. He stopped himself from reaching out to her. He didn't want her to know his shame. He turned off the holo-sphere, returned it to his pocket, then got up and paced the small room.

A couple minutes later, Master Phtam's voice came over the intercom. "Jefri, Kavin, please come to the common room." Kavin took a deep breath and slowly released it before leaving his room.

Masters Jev and Phtam were sitting in two chairs in the common room with a table between them when Kavin came in. Master Jev motioned for him to sit on the couch opposite them. He bowed and did so as Jefri came in behind him and also took a seat on the couch after bowing.

"Before we speak of the mission," began Master Phtam, "we'd like to know what each of you have learned from today's incident."

Kavin and Jefri looked at each other. "After you." Kavin nodded to Jefri.

Jefri grinned, "Age before beauty."

*Age indeed, you’re only seven months younger than I.*
*I’m still better looking.*
Kavin shook his head, and cleared his throat to cover a laugh as he looked back to Master Phtam. "Ok. I learned not to let personal feelings get in the way of a mission. Jefri and I had finally opened up to each other, and I didn't want to spoil that by telling on him, that's why I covered for him. It was a mistake that may have jeopardized the mission and put all our lives in danger." He looked at Master Jev, "I'm sorry I disappointed you, Master." Kavin sensed a wave of reassurance come from Master Jev as she smiled gently, and he responded with a small smile of his own. He felt Jefri staring at him. "I also learned not to call people hurtful names. Even if it seems to fit at the moment." He looked at Jefri. "I apologized to you earlier, but I'll do it again. I'm sorry for calling you an idiot."

Jefri smiled and nodded. "Already forgiven."

"Anything else, Kavin?" Master Jev asked.

Kavin thought for a moment as he looked at his master. There was one more thing, but he hesitated before replying quietly. "Even though I've a large family, and am close to them, I've come to think of us," he indicated Jefri and Master Phtam as well as to Master Jev and himself, "as sort of a family."

*Your ears are turning red, brother.* Came a teasing send from Jefri.

When I'm no longer a padawan, I'm going to grow my hair down to my shoulders, Kavin vowed to himself.

After a brief silence, Master Phtam turned to Jefri. "What have you learned?"

"That Kavin's not as big a jerk as I thought he was." He said with a grin, then got serious. "I learned not to let my sense of fun jeopardize a mission. My carelessness could have brought us to harm, and I'm sorry about that."

Master Phtam nodded to him, and Master Jev asked, "Is there anything else?"

Jefri looked from Master Jev to Master Phtam, then to Kavin. He looked like he was going to say more, but, shook his head. "That's all."

"Ok then, on with the mission." Master Phtam spoke. "We found out Peshkel Company's laboratory and testing facility for what they call the Y-force generator is in the Sumitra Sector on Trenthus Delta. It's basically a rock with a thin, breathable atmosphere. Since the generators are supposed to have the same effect of ysalamir, we will have to be cautious if they have it working. We won't be able to rely on the Force. What the council sent us to do is to download the company's research on this data crystal," Seama held up the crystal, "then erase their computer files. If they have a working generator, we'll steal it if we can, destroy it if we cannot. Any questions so far?"

"Why aren't we going to arrest those involved?" Jefri asked.

"Because they haven't done anything illegal so far." Master Jev replied.

"Then won't we be breaking the law?" Kavin asked with his brows furrowed.

"That's a good question, Kavin. The answer is no. There is a little known provision in the law which allow the Jedi to disable operations which can lead to a threat to the Jedi Order, as long as we don't hurt anyone. I think you can see this qualifies."

Both Kavin and Jefri nodded.

"How do they test to see if the generator is working?" Asked Kavin.

"They keep vornskyr around, and see how the animals react when the generator is turned on. Since the vornskyr use the Force to hunt, they become confused when they don't sense it. Simple, yet effective."

"We will have to take the fighters down, and leave the ship in a hidden orbit around Trenthus Epsilon so we won't be detected, which means one of you will have to stay on the ship." Master Jev supplied. "Do we have a volunteer for that job?"

Kavin and Jefri looked at each other. Neither wanted to be left behind. Jefri grinned, "Flip ya for it." He said as he took a coin from his pocket.

"Not with that coin." Kavin grinned back as he pulled out a coin from his pocket. "I'd rather use one that has both heads and tails."

Jefri's face looked flushed as he returned his coin. "Ok," he rolled his eyes and sighed.

"You call it." Kavin said as he flipped the coin.

It spun high in the air, and just before it started its downward plunge, Jefri coolly said, "Tails." Kavin let it land between them on the couch, and Jefri moaned. "Two out of three?" He asked hopefully.

"It's settled then." Master Phtam said before there could be any argument. "Remember, Kavin we'll be undercover, so, no Jedi robes."

"Yes sir." Kavin reached out to pick up his coin, but Jefri snatched it before he could get it and looked at both sides.

"Hmph." Jefri handed it to an amused Kavin, then crossed his arms.

Master Phtam cleared his throat. "Here's the set up of their laboratory." He tapped a button on the table, and a hologram of the facility hovered above it.

Several minutes later, Masters Jev and Phtam had finished going over the mission plans.

As Jefri and Kavin got up from the couch, Master Phtam stated, "Jefri, I'd like a word with you alone."

Kavin looked at Jefri then at Master Phtam, "I'll just go back to my cabin and meditate. I um, couldn't meditate earlier, because my mind was too busy." He admitted as he turned to leave.

*Your ears are red again* Jefri sent as Kavin turned the corner.

As he was about to go into his room, Master Jev approached from behind. "Kavin, I'd like to speak with you, too. Do you mind if I came in?"

"Um," he paused as he tried to remember if he had made his bed. "Sure." He opened the door and stepped aside to let his master in first. Once they were inside, he offered her the only chair in the room, then sat cross-legged on the bed, which was, indeed, made.

"I just wanted to tell you, I'm proud of you, Kavin." Master Jev began. "Your quick thinking kept the spies from gaining important information, which may have cut our mission short."

Kavin looked down at his hands which were folded in his lap. "Thank you, Master." He replied softly. He didn't feel very proud of how he handled things, or rather, how he had reacted to the spy's come on.

"What's wrong, Kavin?" She gently asked.

The young padawan looked up at his master, but couldn't bring himself to look in her eyes. His face reddened as he opened his mouth to speak. "I..." he swallowed. There seemed to be a rather large lump in his throat. "I really don't wish to talk about this right now." His face turned even more red as he looked back down at his folded hands.

He couldn't say what he really thought which was he didn't want to talk about it with her. It was too embarrassing. However, Master Jev seemed to get the point. "I had hoped, Kavin, that we were close enough that you would feel comfortable to come to me with anything you'd go to your mother for."

Kavin quickly looked up at his master, this time looking straight in her eyes. "I am!" He said earnestly. "You have been like a mother to me since mine died. I..." he faltered, looking down at the floor. I wouldn't even talk to my mother about this if she were alive right now, he thought.

Master Jev rose from the chair and came over to sit on the bed next to Kavin. She put a comforting hand on his back. "Do you think you could talk to Master Phtam about this?" Her voice was full of understanding.

Kavin looked up at her, face brightening with gratitude, and nodded. "Yes, master." Then added, "Um, I'm sorry I...I mean, I don't mean any offense to you, but..." Kavin stopped and looked down again.

"Oh, Kavin," Master Jev said warmly as she gave him a hug. "I understand. No apology needed."

Kavin returned the hug. "Thank you," he said as he felt motherly love flowing from her. *I love you too.* He sent as they ended the embrace. He blushed as a tear ran down his cheek, and wished he didn't always show his emotions so easily. Looking away from his master, he wiped the tear away on his sleeve.

Master Jev put a hand gently on his cheek and turned his head so he looked back at her. "Don't ever be ashamed for showing honest emotion, dear padawan."

"Yes, master."

"I'll send Seama in when he's finished speaking with Jefri." Master Jev said as she rose. Kavin stood as well, and walked with her to the door.

"You've a pure heart, Kavin. Don't be so hard on yourself." Was Master Jev's parting remark.

Kavin blinked as the door closed behind his master. She knows! He thought. I didn't tell her anything, but she knows anyway! Then he realized she must have inadvertently sensed it when she was probing to see if the spy had obtained any information from his mind. "Great," he mumbled as he went back to his bed and sat down. "Just great."

Then he wondered why she wanted him to tell her what was on his mind if she already knew. A chime came from the door, indicating someone wanted to come in. So much for meditating. He thought irritably. He got up and crossed the room again, and opened the door. He swallowed as he bowed to Master Phtam, then stepped aside to let him in.

"Vorraina tells me you need to get something off your chest?" Master Phtam bowed slightly then walked in.

"Did she tell you what it was about, sir?" Kavin winced as he heard the irritation in his voice.

"No, she did not," Seama tilted his head as he replied mildly. "You'll have to enlighten me."

Kavin offered Master Phtam the seat where his master had sat earlier, and sat on the bed with his feet still on the floor. "Well," he stood and began pacing. "I...when I... I mean," he stopped to take a breath. "When the prostitute who turned out to be a spy touched me, I..." he stopped pacing and stood with his arms crossed, blushing.

Smiling, Seama stood and walked over to Kavin, and put a hand on his shoulder. "You had a physical reaction?" There was a gentle amusement in his voice, and Kavin blushed. "Kavin, you are a normal healthy male. Certain physiological reactions to stimuli are unavoidable. Even among Jedi. From what I have heard, you acquitted yourself well. There is nothing to be ashamed about."

"Yes, but, I feel like I was unfaithful." Kavin swallowed as he looked Master Phtam in the eyes.

Seama removed his hand from the boy's shoulder as he sensed an intense wave of emotion from him. He took a moment to analyze what he felt from Kavin, and realized it was a strong feeling of true love. Surprised to find this in one so young, he wondered if it was another padawan whom Kavin loved so intensely. Then he remembered seeing a ten-year-old Kavin saying farewell to a homely black-haired girl. The girl had given him a kiss on the cheek, and as she left, Kavin had watched her go with an expression of pure bliss. That was five years ago. Master Phtam couldn't help but smile at the memory. He couldn't remember her name, but remembered she had come to the temple, not to become a Jedi, but to learn how to control her empathic abilities and block out the many feelings of others that constantly bombarded her.

"What's her name?"

"Miri." Seama detected a sparkle in Kavin's eyes as the boy -- no, young man, Seama amended his thinking -- spoke the girl's name.

"Let us sit, Kavin." Master Phtam said softly as he sat on the bed. When Kavin obediently sat on the bed near him, he continued. "Search your feelings. How do you feel about Miri?" Seama already knew the answer, but wanted Kavin to see something for himself.

"I love her." He replied without pause. "She," he paused, trying to find the right words. "She is a part of my soul. The most beautiful part." His voice was quiet, but the strength and purity of the love that he sensed come from Kavin as he spoke made Seama's breath catch in his throat.

Seama had to center himself to clear his mind before speaking. "Now, how do you feel about the prostitute?"

Kavin blinked, and thought about it. "I don't really feel anything." He shrugged, "I don't love or hate her." Then he smiled, realizing what Master Phtam was getting at. Then he frowned, confused. "But..."

Seama chuckled. "Kavin, do you know what yolasian water is?" When the young man shook his head, he supplied the answer. "It is a perfume that has an artificial pheromone additive. It is said to be able to affect the males of most of the many races in this galaxy."

Understanding came to Kavin. "And you are saying that the spy used this perfume?"

Seama nodded. "I caught a whiff of it as Master Jev and I returned to the ship." He smiled, "I had a small reaction, myself, and that was well after the woman in question left."

Kavin looked at the master sitting next to him and narrowed his eyes. "You're not saying this to make me feel better, are you sir?"

Master Phtam laughed. "No, Kavin, I'm not." Then he looked back at Kavin. "Does it though?"

Kavin smiled and laughed as well. "Yes."

Seama patted Kavin on the shoulder then rose from the bed. When Kavin stood as well, he turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder once more. "You've a pure heart, Kavin. You need to learn to trust it and not be so hard on yourself."

"Master Jev told me the same thing."

"She is very wise." A smile played across his features as he added, "we would both do well to listen to her." Patting Kavin's shoulder then turning to leave, Master Phtam said, "I'll leave so you may meditate now."

"Master Phtam?" Seama stopped in the doorway and turned, and Kavin smiled as he bowed, "Thank you, sir."

Seama bowed in return then left.

Kavin took out the holo-sphere as he walked back to his bed and sat down. He turned it on and gazed at Miri's image. *I love you* Kavin wasn't sure if she could hear the actual words, but, he knew she felt his love reaching out to her, because he felt a warm joy and love in response. Smiling, he turned off the holo-sphere and returned it to his pocket. Crossing his legs, he cleared his mind and began to meditate.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been meditating, but Kavin became aware of a buzzing noise. He got up and went over to the door to open it. There stood Jefri, "Can we talk?"

"Of course," Kavin bade him come in as he stepped aside. "What's up?" He asked as he walked back to his bed and sat cross-legged on it.

Jefri paced. "Why don't you sit?" Kavin asked, indicating the chair or a place on the bed. "There's plenty of room."

Jefri stopped pacing, but didn't sit down. "Did you really mean it when you said you thought of us as family?"

"Yes. Why would I lie about that?"

Jefri shook his head. 'Oh, I don't think you were lying, I..." he sighed and sat down on the bed with his feet on the floor. "It's just that, well, this is kind of hard for me to put in words."

Kavin nodded, but kept silent, letting Jefri get around to saying what he needed in his own time.

"Well, you know I was an orphan brought up at the temple. All the Jedi looked after me, but, it was mostly Masters Jev and Phtam who raised me. Even though they're not married or anything, I came to think of them as my parents." He paused, looking at Kavin who nodded encouragingly. "When Master Jev took you on as her padawan, I," he paused, looking down at his feet. "I despised you for taking her away from me." He looked up at Kavin as he added, "I know that sounds stupid, because she was still there for me, but, I felt jealous of the time she spent with you."

Kavin nodded, "And at first she spent alot of time with me, didn't she." It was more a statement than question.

"Yes, she did. On the one hand, I could understand you needed that time she spent with you, because I know your mom had just died, but..." Jefri stopped, shaking his head.

"You felt I was taking away your mom, and that I was lucky because I still had a father, not to mention brothers and sisters. Why did I have to have your mother, too?"

Jefri looked at Kavin in surprise. "Yes, that's it exactly! How could you know?"

Kavin chuckled. "Master Jev helped me figure it out. At the time, you kept making snide remarks whenever I passed your way. You'd never been like that before, so I asked Master Jev why you hated me all of a sudden."

Jefri thought about that, then grinned. "I was pretty much a snot to you, wasn't I?"

Kavin laughed as he nodded.

"I'm sorry I gave you a hard time."

"No apologies needed." Kavin said softly as he put a hand on Jefri's shoulder.

"I don't know how you can be so forgiving."

"Well," began Kavin as he folded his hands in his lap, "have you heard of sibling rivalry?"

"Yes," Jefri's eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. "I've never experienced it though."

Kavin chuckled. "You may be more acquainted with it than you realize. As you know, I've five brothers and two sisters, so I know sibling rivalry intimately. We argue and compete for our father's attention, but we still love and care for each other. In fact, I remember my brothers, Stave and Rosh, having a knock-down, drag-out fight. I don't remember what it was about, but, the next day, when a school bully picked on Rosh, Stave defended him, even though the bully was twice his size." Kavin grinned at Jefri. "Does that seem familiar to you?"

Jefri smiled as he nodded.

"You remind me of my little brother, Tannien. He's only ten though, and wouldn't think to hire prostitutes." Kavin feigned a look of concern, "At least, I hope not."

Jefri laughed and gave Kavin a playful punch in the arm.

Both of them stood up at the same time. "Well, I think I'll go turn in." Jefri said as he stretched. "It's getting late, and we've a big day tomorrow. Well, you do anyway. I'll just be staying here, on the ship." He rolled his eyes.

Kavin laughed. "Too bad you can't call in a few prostitutes to wile away the time."

"Hardy har har. You're a riot, Kavin." Jefri grinned as he left the room.

[Troy Vortex]

After Jefri had left, Kavin wrote in his journal the events of the day before turning in. While he slept, Kavin had a dream in which, instead of the spy disguised as a prostitute coming on board, it was Miri dressed in the same outfit. As a result, he woke in the morning in an exceptionally good mood. He found himself humming "The Ballad of Luke and Mara" as he dressed in a simple white tunic and black pants. Over the tunic, he wore a vest with a pocket on the inside. He put his lightsaber in the inner vest pocket and pulled on his boots.

He wasn't sure what to do about his padawan braid, however. He raised the collar of his tunic so it hid the braid, but shook his head. "Looks stupid, and it may not stay up!" Kavin's rolled his eyes as the collar plopped back down. He decided to ask Master Jev what to do about the braid.

Still humming the ballad, Kavin left his cabin and strolled into the common room. Masters Jev and Phtam were already there eating breakfast at the table. "Good morning," Kavin cheerfully greeted them as he got his own breakfast.

“You sure are in good spirits today, Kavin.” Master Jev observed as her padawan sat down to eat.

“I had a good night’s sleep, Master.” He smiled as he lifted a spoonful of cereal to his mouth. After swallowing a couple bites, he added, “I was wondering what to do about the tail.” He flipped his padawan braid around so it hung in front of his shoulder.

“Well, you know, it’s a fashion many teenagers are wearing nowadays, so they won’t necessarily peg you as a jedi padawan.” Jefri said as he came into the room. “I believe it’s your brothers’ band that started the trend.” He added as he helped himself to some juice and cereal then sat down to eat.

“I hadn’t thought about that.” Kavin admitted, rather relieved he wouldn’t have to cut it off. He smiled as he thought of Stave and Rosh, two of his older brothers, who had started a band seven years ago called “The Force Unleashed” when they were twelve-years-old. Ironically, their very first hit had been “The Ballad of Luke and Mara”, two years ago. It was an old tune written back when Luke Skywalker wife’s wife, Mara, gave birth to their son, but “The Force Unleashed” had made it their own. There had been rumors that Rosh was actually a girl because his voice never changed, and he kept his male soprano voice. Kavin laughed when he remembered Rosh had almost pulled his pants down at an interstellar press conference to prove his manhood, and was stopped by Stave. He had torn off his shirt instead and said as he flexed his pecks, “Hey girls, what do you think?” Kavin wouldn’t have put it pass them to have had that planned. Even now at the age of nineteen, Rosh’s voice hadn’t changed, and he’d rip his shirt off in the middle of concerts to the delighted screams of the females in the audience.

Realizing Jefri and Masters Jev and Phtam were looking at him like he was crazy, he explained. “I was just thinking about Rosh’s onstage antics.”

Jefri laughed. “Yeah, he’s pretty cool.” He playfully slapped Kavin on the back. “Why can’t you be more like him?”

Master Phtam cleared his throat. “I believe we’ve enough trouble on our hands with you, young padawan.” He smiled slightly as he looked at Jefri.

Jefri just shrugged and continued eating his cereal.

After breakfast, they made a last minute check of their preparations for the mission.

Seeing Jefri looking rather sullen, Kavin quietly offered to change places with him. Jefri blinked at Kavin, not believing he’d actually give up a chance to get some action. Though tempted to take him up on the offer, Jefri shrugged, “Nah, you won the flip fair and square. I’ll be fine.” Then he added smugly, “just don’t mess up.”

“You just remember you are supposed to keep the ship hidden.” Master Phtam interjected as he came over to the boys. “It’s time to go, Kavin.”

“Yes, sir.” Kavin replied as he looked at Jefri and gave him a small nod. He was rather relieved Jefri hadn’t taken him up on his offer to change places. He hadn’t relished the thought of staying aboard, and could hardly believe his luck when Jefri declined. Even though Master Phtam had described the planet as a ball of rock with a breathable atmosphere, he found it preferable than staring at the same walls over and over.

Approximately forty-five minutes later, three jedi stealth fighters had landed on Trenthus Delta, and their occupants made their way into the laboratory, acting as though they belonged there. They nodded to passersby as they made their way through the complex.

Kavin felt rather jittery. He’d never had a time when he didn’t feel linked to everything around him. Obviously the generator was working, because he felt disconnected from the force. He jumped when Master Jev put a hand on his shoulder. “Relax, Kavin.” She kept her soothing voice quiet. “You look like you’re going to jump out of your skin at any moment.”

“Sorry,” Kavin blushed. “It’s just that I feel so… cut off.”

“That’s the ysalamir effect.” Master Phtam responded as he led the way up some stairs to a terrace. “Quiet now, someone’s coming this way.”

Several minutes later, they were in a computer room. Actually, Masters Jev and Phtam were in the room. Kavin was keeping watch outside on the terrace, trying to make it look like he wasn’t trying to keep watch. Soon, they were finished downloading the appropriate information onto the data crystal, and Master Jev erased the information off the mainframe. They nodded to Kavin as they came out of the computer room. Now it was time to find the y-force generator.

The trio walked single file as two men who appeared to be scientists strolled in their direction. Kavin followed Masters Jev and Phtam. As the two scientists passed by Master Phtam, Kavin’s vest caught on a crate that was sitting next to the wall, and his lightsaber hilt fell out of his vest, rolling in front of one of the strangers.

“Hey, you dropped something, kid.” The tall, heavy-set man picked up the lightsaber, not realizing what it was. He started to hand it to Kavin, but became curious. “What is this anyway?”

“Just give it back!” Kavin snapped as he saw the man about to activate the blade. He quickly grabbed it. The scientist didn’t relinquish it, and the blade lit up between the two of them. If Kavin hadn’t grabbed it when he had, the blazing saber would have stabbed through the man’s mid-section.

The man’s eyes went round as he gasped. “Hey, you’re a jedi!”

Kavin shook his head, eyes wide. “He’s not a jedi.” Master Phtam replied in a cool tone.

Stubbornly, the man retorted, “Then why does he have a lightsaber?”

“I stole it off a dead jedi!” Kavin quickly answered, his face going red. He hoped the guy thought he was turning red out of anger. “Give it back!”

“A puny kid like you couldn’t have killed a jedi!” The man countered suspiciously as he pushed Kavin away from him. Kavin hit against the railing at the edge of the terrace.

“Kavin, watch out!” Master Jev called out as she pushed the large man with her shoulder. He had been swinging the lightsaber right towards Kavin. The overhead swing just missed him, but hit the railing, cutting right through. The weakened balustrade couldn’t hold against Kavin’s weight, and he fell to the floor below.

The next thing Kavin knew, Masters Jev and Phtam were kneeling over him with the scientist’s companion standing nearby. He didn’t see the man who attacked him.

“Thank the light side! Kavin, we thought we lost you!” Master Jev breathed with relief.

“Can you stand?” Master Phtam asked with concern.

As he sat up, there was a stabbing pain in his side, and he couldn’t move his right arm. He moaned as he put his left hand to his side. “I think I broke a rib, and I can’t move my right arm.” Slowly, he tried to stand, but a wave of dizziness gripped him, and he started to fall back to the floor. Quickly Master’s Jev and Phtam reached out to support him, and helped him to stand the rest of the way. “Sorry, I’m dizzy.” He held his left hand to his head, and felt a bandage there. So, they bandaged my head while I was unconscious.

“Dorl,” Master Phtam addressed the scientist. “Could you take Kavin to his fighter?” At Kavin’s confused look, Seama explained. “Dorl is a core sec operative.”

“Sure.” Dorl came and supported Kavin.

“Head straight to Kashyyyk, we’ll meet you there. Take this with you,” Master Jev told Kavin as she handed him the data crystal. “May the Force be with you.”

As Master Jev watched her padawan depart, Master Phtam put a hand on her shoulder. “He’ll be fine.”

“I know,” she said softly, then started back up the stairs. “Let’s finish the job.”

Seama frowned as he followed. “Is there something wrong, Vorraina?” He looked with concern at her as they walked side by side.

“I guess not feeling the Force is taking its toll on my spirits.” She smiled slightly at Seama. “Let’s get that generator.”

That’s not all there is to your mood, is it, Vorraina? I may not be able to feel it in the Force, but, I’ve known you for far too long not to know when there’s something troubling you.

Vorraina saw him looking at her from the corner of her eye, and sighed. “I can’t keep anything from you, can I?”

“I hope not.” He smiled. She smiled back, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. “What is it?”

“I had a dream last night.” Vorraina confessed as she continued walking.

“You don’t usually take stock in dreams and visions.” Seama looked at her curiously. “Because the future is always in motion.”

“Yes, and I prefer to get guidance from the Force in less esoteric ways.” This was a conversation they’d obviously had at least one time in the past. “However, everything in the dream has come true so far, including Kavin getting injured.”

“So, what happens next?”

“After we get the generator, we are attacked by vornskyr and I get killed.” She spoke quickly.
Seama stopped short. “You saw your own death, and you’re just now telling me?”

Vorraina stopped and turned to Seama. “And what would you have done if I’d told you this morning over breakfast? Told me not to come? This mission needs to be carried out, Seama, or many more jedi could get slaughtered.” Master Jev’s voice was firm with resolve. “Just because part of my dream came true doesn’t mean all of it will.”

Seama only nodded.

“Let’s finish this.” Vorraina turned and continued walking, and Seama followed in silence.

They finally reached the generator a few minutes later. Vorraina reached over to shut it down, but Seama stopped her by gently placing his hand on hers. She looked up at him, and their eyes met. No words were spoken, but an understanding passed between the two friends even without aid from the Force. Seama then released her hand. Without further ado, she turned off the generator.

It was like jumping into a pond on the hottest day of the summer as Seama and Vorraina felt the Force wash over them. Yet, they kept their minds on the mission and began quickly dismantling the generator from its moorings. It was amazingly small for the size of the field it created. Seama put it in his backpack.

Soon, they were outside. An alarm went off, and they began to run. They heard a strange howl and sensed they were being hunted. Their fighters were just over a hill they were heading towards, but there were vornskyr coming toward them from that hill, and some approaching them from behind and either side. There were thirty in all they confronted.

Without glancing at each other, they simultaneously withdrew their lightsabers and ignited them. They stood facing in opposite directions. Seama charged up the hill as he used the force to hurl three snarling vornskyrs in front of him against a boulder. One of the three died instantly as its neck snapped when it hit against the outcropping. The second was knocked unconscious, but third just shook it off and came leaping towards Seama, who sliced its head off without even looking. Seama cleared a field where they could get over the hill as Vorraina took care of the vornskyrs attacking from behind. One of the vornskyr managed to give Seama a vicious scrape on the head.

Once over the hill, they ran to their fighters, still pursued by ten remaining vornskyr. As Vorraina turned off her lightsaber and was about to enter her fighter, two vornskyr leapt over the canopy from the opposite direction. One caught her wrist in its powerful jaws, and she dropped her lightsaber. The other tore at her face, and she fell from the top of the fighter to the ground.

“Vorraina!” Seama yelled. He leapt from his fighter and used a powerful force push to shove the vornskyrs off his friend and rammed them against her fighter’s hull. As he ran to her, he easily dispatched the original ten vornskyr who had pursued them.

Reaching her side, he quickly picked her up and used the Force to levitate her lightsaber into his pocket. Holding her in his arms, he force jumped into the cockpit of his fighter, and closed the cockpit. It was a tight fit, but, he wasn’t about to leave her body behind. He had sensed that there were people coming with blasters, and decided to go before anyone else was hurt. He took off as they were coming over the hill.

“Seama,” Vorraina spoke weakly as they left the planet’s atmosphere and headed towards Trenthus Epsilon.

“Hush, Vorraina. Save your strength.”

“Make sure Jefri doesn’t blame Kavin.” She whispered faintly.

“And make sure Kavin doesn’t blame himself?”

“Kavin will be fine,” Vorraina smiled slightly. “It’s Jefri I’m concerned about. Please…” she gasped in pain, and then she continued as her voice became fainter, “please make sure he doesn’t blame Kavin.”

“I’ll do my best, Vorraina.” He said as he attempted to bandage her wrist in vain.

*I love you, Seama.* He felt her message as her spirit left her body.

*And I, you, my friend.*