Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy A Fan Novelization

Chapter Eighteen - The Return to Byss

PART THREE - JEDI KNIGHT

"What do you mean we're going to Byss?" Jaden asked with confusion to her master's unexpected mission statement. "I thought the Disciples of Ragnos already siphoned Force energy from there when they took Rosh?"

"We... don't actually know that," Kyle said awkwardly. "I wasn't able to find out if he was captured by a Remnant vessel operating in the area or if it truly was Tavion with them. At any rate, when I went in search of him after you returned from Hoth I didn't go directly to the planet's remains like he did, I had some friends sneak me into some outposts near that area to get information. I was far from focused on whether or not the Force aura had been taken, but now we have the chance to complete his mission and determine if that's the case. From what I've heard, the Emperor spent a lot of time there, so it would be a huge source of power for Tavion. If it has been taken, we'll have an idea of just how powerful she is now. That's why I'm going with you on this one. Since Rosh disappeared there, it's too dangerous for anyone to go alone. We go as a team and we'll look for clues to his disappearance as well, perhaps there's something I've missed."

Jaden folded her arms, she hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep in the past few days, partly because she'd been having terrible nightmares, but also because she'd been working around the chronometer to finish her lightsabers she'd been training to use.

And things weren't going so smoothly with her friends either. Jas found out first because the day after her return, he presented Jaden with the finished holster the group had made for Rosh, although Jas had done most if not all the work. It had taken all of Jaden's willpower to tell him the basics of what had transpired on Vjun without going into too much detail, particularly without invoking too much emotion on her part. Poor Jas hadn't known quite what to say, which was a change for the mature Jedi. He merely gave her some hastily searched for words of comfort and reassurance, followed by an awkward pat on the shoulder. At Jaden's insistence he left the holster with her for safekeeping.

Arta-Mess and Kalil were next after Jas to approach with comments of sympathy about what happened to Rosh. The news sure got out fast and though she didn't want to open any wild can of information about it, she had to tell them a little. This of course spread to the rest of her friend group and eventually the whole Academy like wildfire. Most were sympathetic and comforting, which wasn't comfortable and felt awkward at best, but it showed that they cared. And then there were the others, including Jacyyn and Goran specifically, who seemed to distance themselves from her. It was fear she knew, a discomfort at what happened to their fellow student and a probable worry that it would happen to her, or them, if they weren't careful. Arta-Mess tried to say that it was because Jacyyn and Goran didn't know how to express their feelings on the matter, but Jaden knew that wasn't true. She saw the fear in their eyes. Raltharan seemed to be the only one who was indifferent to the subject and would say nothing on the matter. The mere mention of Rosh was nonexistent except in whispers when they thought Jaden wasn't listening, or attempts at compassionate conversation by Arta-Mess, Kalil or Jas, but other than that, it seemed the whole Academy regarded Rosh as dead.

"Do you at least want to review my new lightsabers before we head out?" Jaden asked, a little too sharply, but Kyle didn't address it and merely nodded. He seemed to sense the weariness in his apprentice. She led him down to the Academy's workshop where thousands of pieces of metal and other manner of materials and objects were housed for crafting things, particularly lightsaber hilts.

"Did you say lightsabers, by the way?" Kyle asked. "As in, plural? More than one?"

"Yep," Jaden threw over her shoulder in confirmation. Some of the harsh edginess she had was dropping from her demeanor as she excitedly crossed to her recent workbench.