The cityscape of the archeological settlement, now reclaimed by the Jedi Colony for the past several years, was eerily beautiful, with the large cluster of ruins lit by a moderate-level of lighting technology, the jungle spreading out before the ancient outcroppings, and from the distance the vast, planet-encompassing ocean that was dotted with thousands of islands. The closer of Lehon's two moons was so bright and nearby that its geological details were easily seen with the naked eyes. It dominated Lehon's indigo night sky, and seemed nestled into clouds that were transiting the moon.
Deacon 90, now reverted back to Selo Corel—the Jedi part yet to be decided—was seated on the roof of one of the tallest of the Rakata edifices. Kaird's family had retired to a circular structure lent to them by the Colony, so Selo finally had time to think. He had been on the roof for nearly two standard hours; replaying the last two days and how drastically different things had turned out since taking the job from Kaird back on Nedij. How the Burned Cloak crew barely escaped the small Imperial outpost on Utapau. And now, on Lehon, he and the Nediji family found themselves warmly received as family by a lost tribe of Jedi; hunkering down in a ruin-city that once served as, perhaps, the capitol of a Dark-Force civilization that had enslaved beings from other planets—
“Wonderful up here, isn't it,” Jedi Fri Dunn asked from behind. Selo had not heard her come up. She was still dressed in her festive robe for the banquet put on for the Cloak crew by the Jedi.
“It is absolutely gorgeous...” Selo smiled at her and she sat on the roof's floor next to him.
“So, are you going to tell me what's wrong,” she asked with a knowing face.
Selo chuckled as he shook his head. “You've always had a talent for reading beings, Fri...honestly, I have several things on my mind. I'm still wondering if I shook off the Empire back in Utapau System. I can't help but wonder if they've followed us here.”
“Well, based on what you told us during the feast, they would've dropped from hyperspace by now. The Empire doesn't play games. They would've simply filled the sky up with Destroyers and sent those blasted TIE fighters down to finish the job. Besides, our sensors from our ships and in the city would've picked up any ships that approached this system.”
He nodded at her point.
“You said several things were on your mind,” the middle-aged human female reminded Selo.
This time he sighed. “Search your feelings, Jedi Dunn,” he said formally, as they used to talk with each other on various Jedi assignments during the years just after the Clone Wars.
“Oh, Selo, I already felt it the moment I saw you and the Kaird family...you still have your doubts about the Jedi ways. Your feelings betray you, Deacon,” she added playfully. They both laughed softly, but then she became serious. “Well, Jedi Corel, this is a difficult era for the Jedi. One we've not seen since the Jedi Civil War nearly four-thousand, standard years ago. The Empire; the Sith...we are in the Light Side of the Force, we should be winning against these Dark Force agents!”
She shook her head as she reached out with the Force and casually picked up a pebble from the roof and let it circle her hand. “Given the Jedi situation in the Galaxy, Selo, I can't say I blame you for doubting.”
“But you don't agree,” he stated immediately; his eyes on the rock as she let it drop harmlessly to the roof.
She blew out a soft sigh and held up her hands as she shrugged. “Selo, for all we know, this could be all that's left of the Jedi! We're too scattered throughout the Galaxy to even sense one another, and we can't risk sticking our heads out too much, or the Empire will spot us and take us out of commission...and there's the Sith!”
“So what are we supposed to do, Fri? I mean, something has gone amiss! Either all that talk of prophesy of the Chosen One bringing balance to the Force is fiction, or we've done something wrong! Or, even if it's true, is it a good thing that the Force needs to swing its balance to the Dark Side?”
He blew out a sigh of frustration and gestured that he was sorry for losing his temper. Jedi Dunn graciously bowed her head, her long, dark unbound hair tussled by a gentle breeze on the ancient roof.
“Stay with us, Selo...stay here, on Lehon. Madam Ccer and her whole family are more than welcomed as well, of course. We actually have a few colonists who are not Jedi!” Selo nodded with approval of the open-mindedness of the tribe. “But whatever you do,” she continued, “please don't go back to that lifestyle of smuggling. And certainly don't go back working for any more Black Sun assassins!”
Selo had been looking at Lehon's closer moon, half-listening to his friend's suggestion. For he had expected the Jedi Colony would try to convince him to remain. But he did not expect that any of them knew about Kaird's past in the mafia! His head whipped toward Fri.
“We do have starships, Selo. Don't let our ratty tunics fool you,” she said with a grin. Again, her countenance became serious. “We have a rotation system where a few of us go out to the Inner Core planets; you know, make sure we stay updated with what's going on in the rest of the Galaxy. But we have to do this incognito, you understand. How do you think our Colony found out about Lehon?”
“This tribe is full of surprises,” he said with his own smile.
“Stay here,” she persisted. She fixed her eyes on his, more determined this time.
“Last time I checked, Jedi mind tricks do not work on other Jedi,” he said with good humor.
“If it took that to keep you here, Selo, I'd even try that.”
With that, she patted him on a shoulder with a smile, and left Captain Deacon on the Rakata ruin to consider her words.