Star Wars: Knights Of The New Republic

Chapter Five: Rising Tensions

Chapter Five: Rising Tensions

Kylar took his seat in the council chamber along with the other jedi masters. Crovel, the oldest of the council now and the respected leader after Taruk's passing, gave his old padawan a simple nod. All eyes were on him as he entered late to the meeting and crossed to his cushioned seat.

"Thank you for joining us, Sword Master Zen." Crovel greeted him.

" I apologize for being late, Master Crovel." Kylar bowed his head in response. "What did I miss?"

"If you had been here, you would have heard the discussion of the issues on Nar Shaddaa." Master Vestill said. She was the new head chronicler of the order, a Togruta of thirty seven years and the same, uptight nature as Krey.

"The incidents on Nar Shaddaa haven't been resolved? What about the local authorities?" Kylar asked.

Nar Shaddaa was a planet with many busy cities and levels to them, being the smuggler's den and crime capital of the galaxy. For a long time only gangs provided protection for their territory, now the weaker residents had banded together to pay a mercenary company to work as private security.

"Things are getting out of hand for the mercenary company to deal with on their own. They have officially requested jedi support." Master Sharson explained. He was a human with forty years under his belt. As head consular, he held nothing but respect from the jedi.

Kylar perked at the opportunity. He had been cooped up in the temple for a while now, just training and meditating. He had been itching to get out and go on a mission, to stay sharp.

"I'll go." Kylar volunteered.

Before Crovel,- who always gave Kylar his blessing- could say anything, Vestill spoke up. "it is customary to send a master and a padawan on a mission, to give the student a chance to learn and show off what they are already capable of. Last I checked, you don't have one." She said with a hint of satisfaction in her evidence as to why she thought Kylar shouldn't go.

It was true. For many generations the jedi would send a master on a mission, accompanied by their padawan. Kylar never took on a student to take under his wing. He had a few reasons as to why not. Having to stop and teach a padawan would slow him down. He'd have to watch their back, as well as his own. Kylar didn't want to go through the grief of losing a padawan if something bad ever happened as well. He'd seen how Taruk handled it when he lost his second padawan...

"Yes, Master Zen, why don't you take a padawan with you? Someone could really benefit from your tutorship." Sharson suggested.

"Yes, the order could really benefit from having guardians under your training." Crovel admitted.

Kylar sighed, knowing this discussion like the pieces of his lightsaber. This wasn't the first time Vestill had brought up the topic that Kylar was the only master beside Crovel who didn't have a padawan. He was pretty sure she just brought it up for amusement at his irritation these days.

"I'm not taking a padawan, I don't want one. I don't need one, especially not on Nar Shaddaa. That planet is full of cut throats, criminals, and mercenary scum. It's no place for a padawan to learn." Kylar explained for another time with a few added details. "Allow me to go to Nar Shaddaa. I'm the most capable for a situation like this, and I'll be even more alert without having to watch a student the whole time."

It's not that Kylar had anything against the padawans or young jedi. He had respect for them toughing out the trials as he had. He just really didn't get along with them. He didn't know how to interact with them.

Crovel gave a sigh, knowing the routine as well as everyone else in the council. "All in favor of having Master Zen go to Nar Shaddaa and assist with rising tensions there?"