Here's another new story for your reading pleasure. This one is complete, it's just a matter of getting it posted. The more reads/reviews I get, the more quickly I'll be motivated to post. Enjoy!

Satele Shan POV

I waited quietly in the council chambers while the last of our offworld members joined the holocall. The Jedi council was always scattered around the galaxy on various missions, but at least once a month we tried to get everyone in the same room, at the same time, even if most of my fellow masters were attending via holo.

Normally I'm very engaged during this monthly meeting. It was expected the grandmaster of the Jedi Order would, at the very least, pay attention, if not contribute significantly. This meeting was different, though. I doubted any of my fellow masters could sense it, but I could. It felt like a small blip in the Force. Like a single, intense flash of light at the fringes of my consciousness. The more I focused on it, the more it stubbornly refused to coalesce.

The meeting agenda was fairly normal, consisting of updates on current missions, discussions on potential future missions, affairs with the Republic, and so on. Nothing truly urgent, considering there was still peace, albeit a shaky peace, between the Republic and the Sith Empire. I contributed enough that my distraction wasn't obvious, but I was certain a few of my fellow masters sitting in the room with me had picked up on it, though none of them commented.

Finally, near the end of the meeting, the topic which I had been waiting for was brought up. I had been prepared to start the conversation myself, but figured one of the other masters would do it for me and I had not been disappointed. Jedi potentials were always discussed during these meetings, at some point. New students were very important to the Order. Our numbers had been on the decline for years now and new students were the only chance for our future.

"I think next we must discuss the request we received a few weeks ago from Nikka Drucos." Syo Bakarn said, looking between us. There were several head nods of agreement. This particular request had been seen by almost every member of the council and had been discussed several times before this meeting.

Normally, new Jedi potentials are found by masters while they travel the galaxy, usually relying on the Force to guide them. Sometimes younger children were brought to us by worried parents or older teenagers and young adults arrived on their own, to be tested. This situation was different. This Nikka Drucos already knew she was Force sensitive and though she wished to be trained, she had no desire to be a Jedi or to join the Order. Not to mention, she was older than our traditional new padawan. It was a very peculiar request.

"I think it would be dangerous to train her." Jaric Kaedan said in his usual gruff manner. "She's too old and set in her ways. She wishes to be trained, but without the goal of joining the Order. It's ludicrous."

"That is all true, Jaric, but what will happen if she's left untrained? If her potential is as she believes, would it not also be dangerous to leave her to her own devices? How long will she continue on her path before the Darkside catches up with her? If she truly has power, and desires to learn how to use it, it will only be a matter of time before the Darkside tempts her." Master Gnost-Dural added. He had first hand experience, considering one of his own padawans had fallen to the Darkside.

Orgus Din nodded. "Will she accept our refusal and leave it alone, or seek training elsewhere? We looked into her background and there's little information on her, almost like parts of her past have been erased. It's suspicious."

I remained quiet as the master's debated. My silence didn't go unnoticed.

"You've been oddly quiet, Satele." Bela Kiwiiks said, giving me a puzzled look. I refuse to believe you don't have an opinion on this matter."

The chatter silenced, everyone waiting for my reply. I nodded, exhaling slowly and gathering my thoughts. "I have, but only because I have been contemplating this request since it arrived and wished to hear all of your opinions on the matter. There is something about this woman that has been sticking in my mind during my meditations. There is something the Force is trying to guide me to, though it's stubbornly unclear. I believe we should grant her request and I wish to guide her training myself."

My comment shocked every one of the masters. It was extremely uncommon for the leader of the council to take on the role of primary teacher to a single student. Most council members simply didn't have time, and I had even less, but the blip in the Force had started when her request arrived. It wasn't a coincidence.

"Satele, you haven't taken a padawan since before you became grandmaster." Syo replied.

"I feel in this case, I must. The Force is drawing me to this woman, for what purpose, I do not know, but I think it would be a mistake to ignore her request. She has an important part to play, I can feel it."

"I believe you Satele, but it's odd none of us have felt this same sense of urgency." Orgus Din replied. "But I do agree with you, I think we should at least meet with her. Maybe if she's here, in person, we'll sense more. Not to mention, we can get a full read on her intentions. This whole conversation might have been for nothing, if it turns out she's not as Force sensitive has she believes."

We agreed on the course of action, though some did so reluctantly. After we adjourned the meeting, I headed to my meditation chambers to make a call. If Nikka Drucos wished to be trained by the Jedi, she'd need to come to Tython before we agreed to anything more than a conversation.

It was all so strange...

To Be continued...