The first of four

[Shade Magus]

Shade stood in front of Sekotan ship, Pride of Gaea, waiting for his Padawan Matthias Darkstone. He had something that he want to show the young man and also something to tell him. It had been a long time since Shade had done this sort of thing with his Padawan, but he knew, and believe the Force was telling him, that now the time was right for his eldest Padawan to be shown something Shade was shown a long time ago.

The Jedi held out his datapad and looked over the coordinates once more and nodded. They were right. He could only hope that no one had bothered the planet since he had last been there. He stood patiantly waiting for Matthias, hoping that he had gotten Shade's note.

[Matthias darkstone]

He felt a sense of excitement well within him when he saw his Master's note that moring under his door - meet me at the shipyards. No more, no less.

He had been with his master for a fair while now, and had come to trust him very deeply, as much as he trusted his sister, and to earn that would be a very rare thing indeed.

He entered the shipyard to see his Master standing in front of a Sekotan ship, and announced "You wish to see me, Master?"

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled as he looked up and saw Matthias.

"Yes. I am going on a voyage and I wish that you should accompany me. The only terms I have is that you must not question what may or may not happen on this trip. Do you understand? Or you willing to go?"

[Matthias darkstone]

Another rush of thrill went through him. He'd always loved adventures.

"Of course I will, Master. I would be honoured!"

[Shade Magus]

"Very well then. Gather anything that you might need. We are going to the planet Yevin. It is a moon that is very close to Yavin IV where Master Skywalker reestablished the Jedi. We should be gone for no longer than a week at the most. We will be taking my ship, the Pride of Gaea."

Shade turned and began walking up the ramp, but stopped and turned around.

"I am going to start the preflight steps. Be back in about 30 minutes ok?"

Shade finished walking up the ramp and went directly to the cockpit. The air on his Sekotan ship was much sweeter than that of the air outside. Mainly due to the fact that when his ship was created by the engineers on Zenoma Sekot he had asked that it be made with living planets of his homeworld, Gaea inside. It was the only part of his homeworld that remained.

The Jedi jumped into the chair and allowed the Force to flow into him, connecting him with his ship. It was a connection most idd not have, because his ship unlike most was alive. Hello. Hope you are up for a nice trip. His answer came automatically as his display lights flashed green. Good to see you're happy.

[Matthias darkstone]

Sword, lightsaber, a few clothes, and a holo-image of his sister would be all he would need for the trip. He trusted Shade would have taken care of the food factor...but he packed a canteen of water and a few rations just in case, plus a few other oddities.

That took all of 5 minutes.

He wrote a quick note to Azhure that he would be away with his Master for awhile and not to worry, and left it under her door on the way back to the ship.

He was very happy to see his Master in deep communion with his ship. He touched the bulkhead and was startled to hear it say in his mind Hello Matthias Darkstone. I am glad you will be joining us.

Matthias' eyes opened in surprise. "Um..Hello. Nice to meet you too." He grinned, and hopped into a seat.

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled as he sensed Matthias's surprise. Not many were accustomed to a ship that could speak to you.

"Strap in and prepare for lift off."

Shade raised the ship gently off the ground and pulled a switch towards him and the Pride started to move towards on of the open bay doors. When they reached the opening they slowly rose into the air. Soon afterwards, the Pride was out of the atmosphere and Shade was laying in coordinates to their destination and the stars streaked across the windows as they entered hyperspace.

"Take care of us."

Shade walked back into the holding area, made comfort area, and joined Matthias.

"It'll be about five or six standard hours before we arrive at our destination. If you don't mind there are some things I would like to ask you before we get there."

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias sat back and enjoyed the comfortable upholstery of his chair. "Fire away then, if this ship of yours doensn't send me to sleep...oooooh, is that a massage that this seat is trying to give me?"

Matthias looked slightly startled. "I hope this isn't the way your ship flirts is it?"

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled.

"She just likes to keep everyone happy. Now for the questions. I want you to tell me what you have learned abou the Force since you have become a Jedi Padawan. Is it for use as a weapon or tool? Is it for philisophical uses? Or can it be both?"

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias looked at him for a moment.

"The Force can be used in many ways, which can either further build us as a good person or demolish us if we abuse it. We are not meant to use the Force as a weapon - we are meant to be a peaceful people. It is a tool, to gain inner peace and knowledge of the universe surrounding us, and getting us out of unintended scrapes in the best way possible. I do not want to use my power of the force as a weapon, but more of a learning tool. There are more better ways of resolving conflicts than resorting to violence and as a result falling into the Dark side of the force..." He looked startled. For some reason, he felt he was rambling again in his famous 'textbook mode', although it was a mixture of what he'd learnt and his own personal opinion. "And fear, not anger, is the door to the Dark side." he remembered, something that Shade had told him not so long ago. Maybe he should learn how to make his answers more concise. THAT is something that really used to annoy Azhure when they were younger.

He looked at his Master, hoping he was on the right path.

[Shade Magus]

Shade nodded, pleased with the answer.

"Good. You have learned much. I hope that you will continue to learn. Now for the harder questions. Remember there is no right or wrong when it comes to this. If a man comes to you threatening you, what do you do?"

[Matthias darkstone]

He closed his eyes in concentration, envisaging it in his mind.
"Ask him why he'd want to threaten me. Then I'd disarm him or weapons and secure him, using as little an amount of violence I can help. I may interrogate him, find out who he is working for, or if he is working independently. I would not kill them without due cause, such as a direct attempt on my life, then I would be forced to defend myself with the aura of the Force."

[Shade Magus]

"Now let's say this man is just a terrorist and before you try to disarm him, he states that he has snipers on roofs above you and they will fire onto the surrounding crowds if anything is done to him."

[Matthias darkstone]

A memory came at that question....

He pictured himself in cloud city. It was a few months ago, after Nash Ngut had stated that Azhure was a fellow terrorist and had to die. Matthias had tried to subdue him, but he was surrounded, and people were dying all around him. He felt anger towardsthe ruthless, unsreasonable act of killing, and remembered pushing Nash off the building onto a garbage heap before facing his attackers, now closing in on him in a tight circle. Here he was, man and lightsaber, against 20 snipers armed with rifles. It seemed near impossible to save himself. He had seconds to live, and only the Force could save him. As the snipers moved closer, he closed his eyes and evisaged the rifles glowing red. Overloading. The rebels crying in pain and their rifles glowed red hot and charred their hands, causing them to drop their weapons. They huddled together in terror as he then mentally pushed them over the edge of the roof, landing alongside Nash, and watched as the citizens moved in to subdue....

He pictured himself in cloud city. It was a few months ago, after Nash Ngut had stated that Azhure was a fellow terrorist and had to die. Matthias had tried to subdue him, but he was surrounded, and people were dying all around him. He felt anger towardsthe ruthless, unsreasonable act of killing, and remembered pushing Nash off the building onto a garbage heap before facing his attackers, now closing in on him in a tight circle. Here he was, man and lightsaber, against 20 snipers armed with rifles. It seemed near impossible to save himself. He had seconds to live, and only the Force could save him. As the snipers moved closer, he dropped his weapon on the ground. "Kill me", he said. "Kill me so those with the poweress of the Force can be saved. I am only one man. What am I in respect to thousands of others?"...


He remembered both clearly in his mind, two possible solutions, two possible memories of what had really happened that day. The first he would have done without a second thought..the second seemed the most possible now. He had no desires to kill anyone, no matter what the reason.

[Shade Magus]

"The reason I ask you this is because of something I hope you will learn. Have you ever heard of the word shatterpoint? It is the point where anything can be undone. Take for example, diamonds. They are one of the hardest substances in the known galaxy, but with just a little tap with the right amount of force in the right place and they shatter. There is also a technique that the Jedi of the Old Republic used that allowed them to see shatterpoints in situations. Most of them though could only see the shatterpoint through meditation. There are those such as Master Mace Windu, who had been able to see them at a glance. It is something I have worked hard to learn over the years. It can be the greatest thing a Jedi learns, but also the worst given the situation."

[Matthias darkstone]

"Such as an error in calculation?" Matthias asked. "I heard in a bar on cloud city that a Jedi shattered his mind and became a blubbering heap...but I didn't believe it."

He'd heard of shatterpoint before and it sounded quite interesting. Something he could maybe one day learn...

[Shade Magus]

"I have never heard of that stroy, but yes I suppose that it could be used for the purpose."

Shade looked on the wall at a clock and then back to Matthias.

"Well we have about three more hours be foe we get there. If you want the mini-kitchen is in there, or just fill free to explore. I understand that most people have never seen a ship like this, so I can respect their curiosity. I have to go check a few things on the ship before we land."

Shade stood up and walked out of the room to the cockpit.

[Matthias darkstone]

..leaving Matthias to explore. He got up, and looked around, admiringly. This was a pretty cool ship that Shade had here. Thankyou , the ship answered. Wow, that was weird...it read his thougts.

He meandered through to the mini-kitchen, feeling peckish, and started to scavenge for food, preferably chocolate popcorn.

[Shade Magus]

Shade made his way towards the cockpit, but right before he went in he stopped and looked behind him. Good. Keep him busy for me ok, the Jedi sent to the ship. He reached for the button that would open the cockpit htach, but instead pushed on the wall right below it. A hidden door to his right opened and Shade quickly entered, the door shutting quietly behind him.

Inside the room was Shade most personal items. The remains of his first lightsaber. A picture of him and his brother. A picture of him and Xazor, the woman he was to marry. A picture of his late parents. A picture of his former Master Kat Kariena. Wonder where she is now? And other small trinkets that he had collected over the years. Shade walked over to a desk and pulled out the top drawer. Reaching inside he withdrew a book.

He laid the book on the desk and reached out with the Force. The book opened to a small map and Shade smiled. Good to know I can still do it. The map was of an island on the planet that he was taking Matthias to. It showed almost everything on the island, everything excep all the traps. Those his Padawan would have to take care of. Shade smiled as he sat in a chair infront of the desk. Soon it will be time. Shade leaned back and closed his eyes as he drifted into a meditation trance.

[Matthias darkstone]

He'd found a packet of peanuts and a bottle of soda before heading back to the cockpit. He entered to see it utterly empty. Where was Shade?

He felt a niggling presence at the back of his mind. He was still around, possibly in his quarters grabbing forty winks.

He sat down in the copilots seat, and rested his peanuts on the chair's arm, before the ship buckled underneath him, causing the nuts to go flying across the room.

He checked the ships scematics for damage, and seeing that all was well, he went over to his peanuts, to discover a peculiar depression in the wall. Something told him not to go near it, especially when his peanuts gave him an electric shock...

[Shade Magus]

Shade opened one of his eyes at a noise outside of the room. He smiled when he heard a gasp. Thanks Gaea. The Jedi then closed his eye and went back to meditation. It was only a short while before they got there.

[Matthias darkstone]

The peanuts weren't very friendly, he thought as he rubbed his hand. There was something at that wall, and if he was not mistaken, Shade knew about it and was hiding something. He thought his Master trusted him...then again, he did need his private sanctuary if that is what it was.

He shrugged and moved away, shooting a longing look at his peanuts.

[Shade Magus]

Shade jumped out of his seat as an alarm went off. The Jedi was looking around, till he realized it was just his alarm. He reached up and wiped his eyes free of sleep and reach out with the FOrce to see if Matthias was around. When he sensed him at the other end of the ship Shade walked out and turned into the cockpit. He found the comm system and spoke into i.

"Matthias we are about to come out of hyperspace. I think I am going to need your help when we do because there is an astroid belt around the planet."

[Matthias darkstone]

Matt poked his head up from around the door, before zooming and getting his peanuts with a satisfied smirk.

"Righto then. An asteriod belt shouldn't be too hard to handle," he remearked as he jumped into the copilots seat, making his peanuts fly away again. He shot them a dirty look. "Alright then, if you want to play that way, I play way. Prepare to die!" he said, as he pointed they rose in the air, and stauck fast to the arm of his chair, where from he began to devour them.

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled and shook his head as he watched Matthias. Always thinking with his stomach that one was. He reached up and pulled slowly down on a lever, the stars arund them coming in perfect view. The closely packed astroids also coming into view.

"Well...here you go. This is your first test. Only someone who completely trusts in the Force could navigate through here without scratching the ship, so have a go at it why not. There are the controls and these are the controls for the weapons."

Shade leans back in his chair and puts his hands behind his head after he pointed at the places he identified to Matthias.

[Matthias darkstone]

"Ahh..just like an old man, wanting us kids to do all the work!" Matthias muttered as he drew on the Force, and placed his hands on the controls. His mind grew to become an extension of Gaea, the Force helping him glide the ship through the debris of rock outside. The ship swung, twisted and turned, he all the time keeping his eye on the scene outside, never getting frusterated as an asteriod appeared in front of him from nowhere. He just trained the weapons on it, and it was destroyed.

Suddenly, there were no asteroids ahead of them. "Well," Matthias started, "That wasn't so hard now, was iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiit......."

His yelp of alarm was quickly cut short as he grabbed the controls again. Where the hell did that big momma come from? It was heading towards them at a velocity 5 times that of the ship, and there was no hope of moving away in time to avoid it, Force or no Force. Even the weapons were no match for this....

Then Matthias got an idea.

"We have no hope of avoiding it...is there any chance we could land on it?"

It sounded totally crazy, and he was hoping that would be the last thing that Shade would say in reply....

He took a closer look at his, and frowned in contemplation.

[Shade Magus]

Shade restrained from jumping to the controls. This was something he hadn't expected, but he had to let Mattias take care for. He hadto know the man could be in control in different situations.

"I personally wouldn't try, but you are at the controls. If you get us to the planet safely I might just let you in on a little seceret."

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias was too busy rerouting power to the engines.

"I had to drain the life support for a few minutes. I need to get enough power in the engines so we can whip under it..." He looked at his Master. "Any other power we don't need at the moment?"

[Shade Magus]

"Well....if we strap ourselves to our seats we should be able to cut the power to the gravitational sysytems."

[Matthias darkstone]

"Great idea..." He puncjed a few buttons, and the ship zoomed safely...until the asteroid began to follow them and fire weapons.

"Now, I totally didn't expect that...." Matthias muttered, as he turned the ship in a wide arc and evaded the lasers, firing back. He trained on one spot, on the underhull of the thing....until it vanished. Just vansihed. Like it had never been there. "What the..."

[Shade Magus]

Shade looked around just as Mattias did. This was not part of the test. What is going on?

"Just try and get us to the planet surface. I'll go to the back where there is a turret. I'll give you cover fire if anything else like that happens."

Shade stood up and walked to the back of the ship, where there was a latter and climbed up into the turret and turned the weapon system on.

[Matthias darkstone]

That whole ship thing was weird, and it didn't seem like a test that Shade would have given him, especially if Gaea was at risk of damage.

He bought the ship in a wide arc around the planet, and entered the atmosphere, preparing the landing procedues.

[Shade Magus]

The Jedi saw another one of the things and began firing his twin tubro lasers. He saw the ship blow and then the peices begining to heat up as they entered the atmopshere. Good Mattias is landing the ship.

[Matthias darkstone]

The ship flew over the land swiftly as it began its descent, and made a smooth landing. He shut down the engines and sat back. "Whew, that was close!"

[Shade Magus]

Shade leaned back in his seat for a moment, then jumped out of his seat and walked towards the cockpit. He took a seat on th edge of one of the consoles.

"Well I told you I'd tell you a secret when we go here, so are you ready to hear it?"

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias blinked. "Of course I am, Master."

[Shade Magus]

"This trip is designed to be my test of your abilities. If you do well then I am going to ask the Jedi Council that they consider you for promotion to Jedi Knight."

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias opened his mouth, and closed it again.

"I...I...I don't know what to say Master...this is an honour I didn't dream of..."

He blinked. "That thing out there before...that wasn't a part of it, was it?" He trusted that it wasn't. And if that was the case, then someone did it on purpose. And he had a fair idea of who that was. Someone who definetley did not want him promoted.

He got up, and streched. "Anything I need to do to prepare myself?"

[Shade Magus]

"There is nothing more that you can do except trust in your training. This planet was designed a long time ago by Jedi, for Jedi. Only a fully trained Jedi can make it from here to the end of this maze. Now I want you to take some time and get your thoughts together. When you are ready we will go into the forest, where you will begin your trails."

[Matthias darkstone]

For once in his life, he was excited, he thought as he gathered a few possessions. Rations. A canteen of water. His sword and lightsaber were tucked into his belt, under the robe he wore. He ditched the robe. He could use resources in the forest if he needed to cook. He could use the Force to survive.

He sat in a few moments of meditation, and his thoughts drifted to Azhure, far away in her quarters and possibly wondering where he was. Don't worry Mellie, I'll be fine.

He gathered his wits about him, and went out into the cockpit to his Master.

[Shade Magus]

Shade lowered the ramp and walked outside, Matthias following him. He loved the smeel of the planet and it had been a long time since Shade had been there. The Jedi pulled out a map from his obe and handed them to his Padawan.

"Here is the sarting point of your journey. Through I can not help you here, there is the path you will take. There are three obstacles awaiting you. The first is a puzzle in which you must figure a way to go past a wall, not around, not over, and not under. The second is a lake you must figure how to crooss. The last..."

Shade took a deep breath.

"The last is a duel against me. A fight in which I wil not holod back any, and you must give all. Are you ready?"

[Matthias darkstone]

The first two obstacles sounded like things he could handle. The last gave him a deep sinking feeling in his stomach. But he put on a brave face and bowed towards his Master. "I will not dissapoint you Master." With that, he took in a deep breath, letting the planets aroma fill him with a sense of ease. It was beautiful, and he let a small smile fall across his lips. He turned back to his Master. "So, I'll see you soon eh?" He waved, and began to walk away, following the path to goodness knows what lay beyond....

[Shade Magus]

"Yes. I'll be waiting for you at the end of the course. May the Force be with you."

With that, Shade got back in his ship, and departed the ground. He watched his Padawan for a second before turning north to the waiting spot. Ahh...they grow up so fast. Shade accelerated the ship, passing over the course, like it was nothing, but to Matthias it would be everything. Shade sent out his presence in the Force, sending with it a message to the young man.

Good luck.

[Matthias darkstone]

"Thankyou," Matthias whispered. "Today is a day in which I will make you proud of me."

He began his way down the path, getting deeper into the forest. It was warm, but not unbearably so, and he soon began to enjoy it. He wondered how long it would take him to reach the wall.

It didn't take long until he found it, and he ended up scratching his head in puzzlement.

[Shade Magus]

Shade landed at the finish spot and laid back in his seat, awaiting for Matthias's arrival.

[Matthias darkstone]

The wall....it was made of spiders. Squllions of them.

None had ever known that Matthias' worst fear was that of spiders. So how did Shade know?

A spider climbed onto Matthias' boot, and he flicked it off, before looking around him. It was very dark here for some reason.

He got out his sword to hack at the mass of spiders, but all they did was crawl on his arm and feast on his exposed flesh. The pain of the poison welling within it was unbearable, but he could stand it. He put the sword down, and scratched his head. He didn't really want to kill them, but the lightsaber was the only way to go.

They went for that too, entranced by the light. These things were invincible!

He folded his arms in frustration. How the HELL am I supposed to do this if I can't kill them? he wondered.

There was a way.

But he didn't want to do it. It would very certainly be his death...

...but there was the thought of his master waiting paitiently at the end of the course, watching his every move. He took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and walked into the wall of spiders...

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled as he felt his Padawan. He had made it through the first task. Facing his fears. That was always the toughest for him, but once it was over and the fact it was just an illusion it calmed one down.

[Matthias darkstone]

Well, the spiders didn't kill him at least. They weren't even there, although there were a few strangely real welts rising on him arms and legs.

His next task would be to cross a lake. He didn't know what it was going to be a lake of, but he sure hoped it wouldn't be more spiders...

[Shade Magus]

Shade looked at a clock and nodded. Matthias would almost be at the lake by now. He hoped he would do as well on this on as he had the other. The Jedi still couldn't figure out the mystery about the lake. When he had gone through this course it was black water filled with snakes, but he had heard others tell of different thing, and each was just as real as the next.

[Matthias darkstone]

It was a lake of - very thin acidic ice.

If knew if he walked on it, he would fall through and be vaporized instantly. There were no trees in sight, so he couldn't build a bridge. This involved thoughts of nuclear physics and chemistry - two subjects that he could not stand. What reacted with sulphuric acid and made it safe for him to cross?

Then again, it didn't really have to be that hard. He saw there were plenty of flat rocks around, enough to possibly....

He focused on the largest rock, big enough for him to lie or sit on, and willed it to lift with the power of the force that he was gifted with. It lifted, and hovered a few feet away from him, and he got up on it. It wavered a little as it moved over the lake, but didn't tip, and he moved it slowly to the other side, feeling the heat as the lake fizzed beneath him.

[Shade Magus]

Shade could feel Mattias's confidence growing in him. It felt good. Soon the young Padawan would be ready fo his final trail.

[Matthias darkstone]

it didn't take too long, and now with a sinking heart, he knew it was time for the final task. He didn't know why it was that he had to spar with his Master, but he knew it had to be done if he could be deemed a Jedi...

...but fighting without a cause? It seemed pointless to a degree. Why would a Jedi fight for no reason whatsoever?

[Shade Magus]

Shade watched from a distance as Matthias made his way towards the meeting spot. He stood up, pulled his lightsaber from his belt, and leapt down from the top of his ship. As soon as his feet touch the ground, he jogged to the top of a hill and watched his padawan make his way throught the forest. "Very good Matthias. I am pleased that you have made it this far. Not many can even get past the first trail, and yet here you stand ready to face the last. you are to be comended for your bravery and mastery of the Force."

[Matthias darkstone]

He felt a surge of happiness at his Master's praise.

"I thank you Master. But just one small question before I enter my final task...can you tell me why I must spar you?"

It was not that he minded, it was a crucial part of training, but something was niggling at the back of his mind that was making him a little aprehensive.

[Shade Magus]

"Why wouldn't you?"

[Matthias darkstone]

"Master, I would fight someone unless I had an ample cause. If someone were trying to kill me, or someone else that I know, I would suitably fight to defend both them and myself. You, Master Shade, are my Master and Friend....but, if it is to be done, it will be done."

He saw his Master upon the ship in the distance. "One final; question...is the weather nice up there, but you wont have the chance to enjoy it for long," he grinned as he unseathed his lightsaber. "Right, do we use these, or simple fists, or bolts of energy?"

He wanted to regain a light composure, although he could tell his nervousness was staring to leak through.

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled. "You are correct a Jedi does not fight unless he is provoked. This is a spar merely to see how far you have come from the day I first laid eyes on you." Shade somersaulted off his ship and landed lightly on the ground in front of him.

"You are allowed to use whatever you have a your disposal," the Jedi Knight said as he brought his own lightsaber up and the snap-hiss brought his green blade to life. "It begins."

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias swung his 'saber up to deftly sheild Shade's blow, that would have met his shoulder, and pushing it down again, before swinging it and sending his Master stumboling back a few steps, before taking a defensive stance, his face all curioisty and concentration. {Yay!} he thought, {I can finally pick on him with the risk of being injured!}

He moved in, and as Shade took a stance, swung a blow with his fist at his Master's head, whilst the other headed for his stomach.

[Shade Magus]

Shade eactivated his lightsaber and grabbed Matthias's wrists just before their blows landed. He twiasted bringing the Padawan up and over his back.

[Matthias darkstone]

And Matthias landed on both two feet, kicking out with them just as he landed, before twisting himself out of Shade's grasp.

[Shade Magus]

Shade spun to his left, bringing his leg up to the level of Matthias's forearm.

[Matthias darkstone]

He saw the leg coming and grabbed it, throwing Shade up over his head and making him land in a puddle

[Shade Magus]

Shade landed in the puddle, but slide for a few metters on the slippery ground. Just before he stopped he threw his legs back and rolled backwards, coming to his feet. "Very good Matthias. You have truely come along way from the first time I laid eyes on you. You fighting skills are most impressive indeed. Now we shall see how well your mastery of the Force is."

Shade held out his hand and lifted a fallen tree trunk, and held it over the Padawan and slowly lowered it.

[Matthias darkstone]

{I ain't gonna let no tree squash me!}

Matthias lifted his left hand, and stopped the tree in mid descent, battling with Shades power to pull it down, until it rose an inch, and stopped. He narrowed his eyes and it broke in half, both turning to make a pair and gently began to lower them, side by side. He widened his eyes, surprised it worked.

[Shade Magus]

Shade too was surprised, but he didn't let it show instead he dropped one of the logs and used the Force to move the other half in towards Matthias.

[Matthias darkstone]

Mathtias smirked, and with the power he unleashed on it trying to push it back, he exploded it, letting tiny bits of wood drift all over the place, before gathering them with the force and letting them fall in a small pile before his Master with a smile.

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled and begand to chuckle. Soon he was laughing. "Very good Matthias. You have well exceeded my expectations. This day you have made me very proud. You have overcome tasks that most would find difficult and shown that you are truely worthy of being called a Jedi Knight."

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias couldn't help but laugh along with his Master, before coming very serious. He wasn't able to hold it for long, and a tear slowly trickled from his eye.

"You know Master, this is the first time in my life in which I haven't turned out to be a failure," he said. "I am glad I have made you proud, and honoured to be considered as a Jedi Knight." He smiled. "Can I hug you now?"

[Shade Magus]

Shade smiled. "Maybe later. For now let's just go home. There I can bring this issue up to the Council and we can make your promotion official."

[Matthias darkstone]

"Cool", Matthias said, all smiles. "After you!" he waved his master toward the ship, and for play lifted him with the Force and placed him down in the ship before giving a look of pure innocence. "The Force did it, not me!!" he protested as Shade looked back at him..

[Shade Magus]

Shade shook his head and smiled. When he went to board his ship however, the ramp began to pull up. "Hey what the!" He felt a ripple of concern through the Force and knew instanteously what it was. "Oh come on. It's not as if I haven't been aboard while I was muddier."

With great reluctane the ship finally lowered its ramp and Shade walked on board, moving towards the cockpit. however the door wouldn't open. [i]"Fine. Then Matthias you can fly this stubborn thing. He turned and headed for the gallery.

[Matthias darkstone]

"You naughty little ship, you like me more huh?"

The cockpit door opened invitingly. "ok, play it that way then. But if you want me to be friends with youm, be nice to him will you?"

[Shade Magus]

Shade walked back to the gallery and sat down in a chair strapping himself in. Once he and Matthias was in hyperspace he could go to the fresher and clean up a bit. He fel the familiar pull and knew they were in hyperspace. Good now I can clean up a bit, he thought as he went to the refresher.

Thirty minutes later Shade walked out in a clean set of robes, the mud gone from his body. "Now that is refreshing," he said as he walked to the cockpit to see how Matthias was doing.

[Matthias darkstone]

The ship was running along smoothly, pretty much piloting herself under Matthias' nimble fingers.

"She's a good ship, you know. We should be back in home territory before long."

He got up and stretched. "And now that you've made yourself all gorgeous and clean again, I'll go off and do the same." He looked at his long hair in distaste, before dissapearing into the refresher himself and leaving Shade to navigate the rest of the trip.

[Shade Magus]

Shade sat down in the seat in front of the navigational systems and looked at the course plotted out. It is a good course, he thought as he turned and leaned back in his chair. The hard part of the journey was over. Now the only thing left was to see what Matthias was really about on the inside.

[Matthias darkstone]

He came out a while later, all clean and ready to face the council, 'saber hanging off his belt and boots shiny with polish. He plopped into a chair beside his Master. "I wasn't always like this you know," he began. "If this was four years ago, who knows what would have happened to me..."

He frowned for a moment. "But I shall not dwell on my past mistakes. They have built me into the Jedi I am today...but Master," he asked. "How am I to repay the lives of those I'd killed in fueds of the past? This has bothered me for quite some time since I'd grasped the Force and bettered myself."

He stopped, and looked at his Master. "Did you have any such problems to overcome?"

[Shade Magus]

He nodded. "Yes, but my deeds were done not before I became a Jedi, but while I was a Jedi. I don't know if I have ever told you this, but I have a brother who was or is training to be a Dark Jedi. A war raged between us, killing enough people to settle a small moon. I even went to the darkside once. It was old freinds who saved me...now not a day goes by that I don't think about what we did and how much I regret it. But it is done. All I can do now is look to the future and try to be a better man than I was then."

[Matthias darkstone]

A wave of sympathy washed over Matthia's as he listened to Shade's story. He pictured Shade's brother in his mind as though he knew him, although he ddin't, until he realised that Shade had done that.

"Was it hard to come back and accept the inevitable that your brother could not be saved, no matter what you did?" he asked.

[Shade Magus]

"I think fighting a pack of rancors with no weappons would have been easier at tat point in my life."

[Matthias darkstone]

"gee," Matthias said to himself. "I never knew there was anything harder than that. "

He looked at his Master with a faraway look of sympathy. "You did tell me once, but I didn't want to bring it up if it hurts you."

He put a hand on Shade's arm. "I don't know what it may have felt like, but I can imagine it..."

[Shade Magus]

"The past is history. The only thng that matter is that we lean from out mistakes and grow from them."

[Matthias darkstone]

That was so true. Matthias had experienced that himself pretty much first hand, so he knew what his Master was saying.

He punched a few controls as the ship dropped out of hyperspace some time later.

"ETO now 10 minutes," he said.

[Shade Magus]

"Ok. Now we just have to wait and see what the council says, but I am sure you'll do fine. you're a great man and a better Jedi."

[Matthias darkstone]

Matthias smiled. "Thanks."

His face clouded over as he felt something wash over him.

"What was that?"

[Shade Magus]

Shade shrugged. "I didn't feel anything. What was it like?"

[Matthias darkstone]

"Dunno-despair or something - or pain - no, it couldn't have been anything. Heck, now I'm wondering if I even felt it!" He shrugged, and bought the ship in a wide arc above their home.

"You like the honours of bringing her down?" he said to Shade, motioning to the ship.

[Shade Magus]

"I think you can handle it. I need to send a message to the Council letting them know that we request an audience." Shade swivled in his chair and began opening a channel to the Jedi Council.

[Matthias darkstone]

"Alright," Matthias said, but he was already letting the ship down. He bought her down smoothly and again was surprised at how good the ship was. In fact, he very much wanted one for himself.

Nice knowin' you, little ship.

Thankyou Mister Darkstone, it replied. It has been a pleasure.

Matthias blinked, still a little unnerved that the ship was capable of talking back to him.

[Shade Magus]

Shade nodded as Matthias set down the ship. He had a wide variety of talents. A good trait for a Jedi. "Matthias, before we go before the council, there is one last lesson that I wish to teach you. If you would follow me to my personal quaters please." The Jedi Knight lowered the ramp and walked out (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35764) towards his room, looking back for Matthias.