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Imperial City, Coruscant
Lainey followed her Master to the center of the Mayan Ballroom where President Borsk Fey’lya had stood to address the guests. Lainey stared as he opened his arms to introduce the secret guest of honor. An audible gasp spread throughout the crowd as Kyp Durron’s name was mentioned, and he stepped through the open, main doors. His black cloak billowed out behind him as he wove his way through the crowd to meet up with Borsk. Lainey watched him converse with the President, then turn to address the group. "Good evening, gentlebeings. My name is Kyp Durron, Jedi Master."
Master Skywalker had once mentioned that he thought Lainey might have been a part of Kyp’s Jedi Order, so she stared at him now, squinting even, to see if he was familiar to her. He didn’t ignite the same spark of recognition Taren had on her. Strangely enough, Master Yoda’s teachings and sayings seemed more familiar to her than anything this Durron might have said. She could even envision Master Yoda teaching as if he was right in front of her.
Kyp’s continuation of his speech knocked her out of her reverie. His voice grew louder. "In the fifteen years since Jedi Master Luke Skywalker established his Jedi Academy, it has only been able to produce barely over a hundred Jedi Knights, many of whom were killed during the Vong Wars. Whole worlds fell with those Knights. The Jedi failed because there were certain lines they would not cross in order to protect the people. Lines that bound them to the light side of the Force." He put emphasis on the word "light" as if he were ridiculing the very thought of such a thing.
Lainey folded her arms and glanced at her Master, noticing the way his hands clenched into fists and the rigidity of his posture. Feeling her gaze, Corran turned to face her and raised his eyebrows as if to say: Can you believe this?
Lainey shook her head and touched his arm. "Master," she whispered.
"Yes?" Corran asked, lowering his head so he could hear her better.
"I don’t recognize him at all." She inclined her head towards Kyp, who was reminding everyone that when his Jedi acted, the Vong began to fall back. He explained that he taught them to follow the line between Dark and Light as closely as possible, even using both sides for the greater good. None of his Jedi turned into "Darth Vaders" and none of them lost control. These results greatly contradicted Master Skywalker’s teachings.
Corran snorted in disbelief. "I’d like to hear his definition of control." He paused. "Wait, did you just say you don’t recognize him?" He jabbed his thumb towards Kyp.
Lainey nodded. "I can’t see myself following him, Master."
Silence followed, except for the buzz of Kyp’s speech in the background. Finally, Corran’s green eyes pierced through her own. "Now, or ever?"
"Ever," Lainey said firmly. "From what little I can remember of training, anyway."
Kyp was going so far as to say that in dividing the Force into two sides, dark and light, the Jedi were cheapening their use and understanding of it. He felt that in order for the Jedi to be as effective and as strong as they should be, the Force needed balance.
Lainey shuddered at this implication. No good could come out of Kyp’s views of the Force - no good at all.
"For months now I have been researching, finding and studying artifacts. Recently I came across a prophecy of the Chosen One - the One who would bring balance to the Force," Kyp said, pausing to let his words sink in. "It reads as follows: And in that day when the Jedi Order has fallen into darkness, and chaos reigns, the Chosen One will flex his might, bringing balance to the Force, opening the way to a new, and strongest generation of the Jedi." He took a deep breath. "During the Vong Wars, the Jedi fell into darkness, too afraid to act, to fight."
Kyp continued by reminding everyone once again that when his Jedi acted, the Vong fell back. The order of Jedi he had established had had enough strength to defeat the Vong. They had been actively seeking the perfect balance between light and dark, with his guidance. And they had found it, under him, the Chosen One, the one who had and would bring balance to the Force. He mentioned that he intended to lead the strongest generation of Jedi ever, so should another crisis like the Vong occur, they would be ready for it. But his words were drowned out by the murmurs following his announcement.
The first few questions thrown at him by the guests and reporters were lost to Lainey. His announcement echoed in her mind, encircling and penetrating the darkest regions. Lainey closed her eyes, focusing on Kyp’s words and trying to focus on his image, trying to see him as the Chosen One. What she saw was a young boy with sparkling blue eyes and clouded innocence. The same boy then turned into a young man, growing in power and recklessness. Finally, a dark figure shrouded in a black cloak and armor, the betrayer of everything and destroyer of all.
Startled, Lainey took a step backward, moving away from the noisy crowd.
Luke Skywalker listened to Kyp's speech, mixed feelings forming a slight frown on his lips. Kyp had had problems with his anger, fear even, since starting Jedi training. But at least then he knew his anger was wrong and that he would have to learn how to control it. Over the years since becoming a Jedi, Kyp seemed to grow in arrogance instead of humility. He’d gone from knowing his actions were wrong, to justifying them.
Something about the prophecy tickled the edge of Luke’s Force senses, causing him to believe that Kyp had not made it up; he was simply interpreting it wrong. Or there was something missing. Luke strode purposefully towards Kyp, not wanting to shout out his questions like everyone else. He chose to speak calmly and quietly, hoping to get some answers out of his former apprentice.
"Kyp," Luke said softly, folding his arms across his chest. "What are you doing?"
Kyp turned slightly to face Luke, taking one step forward. "I am taking the path that the Force has laid out for me, Master Skywalker."
"The Force, Kyp?" Luke asked, raising his eyebrows. "Or your own pride?"
Kyp’s dark eyes flashed. "My pride has nothing to do with this. I found the prophecy..."
"And immediately thought it applied to you," Luke interrupted.
"You think it doesn’t?" Kyp countered darkly.
Luke spread his hands. "It could be interpreted a hundred different ways, Kyp."
Kyp’s eyes narrowed. "And you don’t think mine is correct."
"You’re right, I don’t," Luke said seriously. "The Dark and Light side of the Force cannot mix. When you turn a light on in a dark room, it doesn’t turn gray."
Kyp cocked his head. "Then perhaps there are no sides to the Force, Master Skywalker. Maybe it’s all in our heads."
Luke frowned. "That’s dangerous thinking, Kyp."
"Maybe," Kyp sighed. "But has it crossed your mind, even just once, that I just might be right? That the reason the Old Republic Jedi fell was because of lack of insight?"
Blinking, Luke shook his head. "That’s a major assumption. You’re basing all of your theories on a possibly legitimate prophecy, which you just might be interpreting wrong. There’s a lot of uncertainties here."
Kyp opened his mouth to object, then closed it just as quickly as if he had just thought better of it. Luke waited patiently for Kyp to gather his thoughts, just barely noticing how quiet the ballroom had become. Luke looked around the room, wondering how long everyone had been listening to their conversation.
"What’s it going to take for you to at least consider my proposal?" Kyp asked finally.
"Show me the prophecy, Kyp," Luke replied calmly. "And we will discuss this further, in private." He cast a meaningful glance at their "audience," which included holoreporters.
Corran Horn had run into Jagged Fel and Jaina Solo while Kyp was delivering his speech. "You know Colonel Fel," he said soon after watching the exchange between Luke and Kyp. "I almost wish you actually could knock the Force out of someone," he said, remembering the time when Jagged had beaten Kyp up after the latter had assaulted Jaina.
Corran balled his hands into fists as he watched Kyp exit the ballroom.
Jagged took Jaina’s hand. "That makes two of us, General Horn."
"Three." Jaina’s lip quirked. "He goes from trying to corrupt me, to corrupting the entire New Republic and Jedi order. Does he stop at nothing?"
"Short of world devastation?" Corran asked. "No."
"I think he’s moved onto bigger and better things," Mirax piped in, coming up from behind Corran and linking her arm through his.
Corran smiled at her. "Such as destroying Galaxies now?"
"Exactly," Jaina said gravely. "I don’t understand how anyone can actually believe his ridiculous claims."
Jagged slid an arm around her shoulders. "He backs them up with the word prophecy, so therefore they must be true," he said sarcastically.
"If there actually is one," Jaina scoffed.
Corran stroked his white shocked goatee. "I don’t think he is stupid, or creative enough to make up his own. He’s not above twisting it however."
Mirax squeezed his arm to get his attention. "We should probably go now," she said, nodding towards the slowly emptying room.
"Right." Corran looked around, suddenly noticing his apprentice was missing. "Where’d Lainey go?"
Mirax pointed towards the far end of the ballroom where Lainey stood staring out the transparisteel wall. "She walked over there when the shouting started."
Corran nodded, bid his farewells and goodnight to Jaina and Jag, then took Mirax’s hand and led her over to where his Padawan was standing. "Lainey," Corran said, touching her shoulder.
Lainey jumped and turned around, eyes wild. "Master Horn!" she exclaimed, trying to fight her shock. She nodded to Mirax. "Mrs. Horn." She greeted them, still somewhat shaky.
"Mirax," Mirax corrected her gently.
Corran could read fear behind Lainey’s eyes, though she was trying to suppress it with the Force. Something had deeply shaken her, and it hadn’t been his sudden approach. He frowned and touched her arm. "Are you alright?"
Lainey nodded, biting her lip. She cast her gaze to the floor. "Kyp Durron’s announcement just... made me a bit worried, that’s all."
Lifting her chin with his two fingers, Corran stared into her eyes. He was about to press her further, but something in her dark blue eyes begged him not to. He decided to leave it alone, for tonight anyway. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. "Me too, Lainey," he said softly. "Me too."
Copyright 2002 by Luney.
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