[b]In the life of a Jedi & Friends
Bestine Minor, Safe Refuge[/b]

The whines of engines died out as the freighter landed on the surface of the moon, Meilyan and Goddor waiting for its occupants to leave the ship, Tohkran ahd contacted them on his approach and informed them that his search had been successful. Sure enough the hatch was lowered and they saw Marack's massive form get out first, followed by Tohkran but nobody else initially. Goddor frowned at this and turned to Meilyan, "Didn't he say that he had found someone strong in the force to be a new padawan? Yet I see nobody beside master Tohkran and Marack?"

Meilyan was nonplussed as well, "Perhaps he found someone but needed to get his or her affairs in order and will join us at a later date?"

The Rodian padawan frowned, "Perhaps, still that might be risky and that doesn't sound like our master..." He trailed off, blinking and then looked closely. "Our master, is it me or does he even have a bigger shadow than Marack?"

There was no time to answer Marack muttered a greeting and lumbered past them, Tohkran smiled upon seeing them. "Ah it is good to be back and be among friends, Goddor, Meilyan. It is good to see you both, allow me to introduce you to Schaduw." He gestured to his left and something changed, the shadow seemed to 'shimmer' and solidify. He couldn't help but chuckle at their reactions, "Do not be alarmed, Schaduw is a Defel, his race has evolved in such a way that in 'normal' light he appears as a walking shadow."

The Defel was quiet as he studied his surroundings and then looked at the two others, Tohkran had mentioned those two, he had called them 'padawans' like he was going to be, so these were also students of his and able to control the force which he claimed he could too with his ability to influence people. He bowed his head, "Greetings." He said simply.

Meilyan was the first to get over her surprise, the female Mon Cal bowing her head. "Welcome to the Safe Refuge." She gestured around the area, "A place where we can be ourselves without having to worry about bounty hunters trying to capture us."

Goddor nodded in support of those words. "Indeed. A pleasure to meet you." He blinked when he noticed the Defel staring at his waist, at the lightsaber he carried there. "Interested in the blade?" He asked grabbing hold of it and showing it to the new padawan, flicking it on and letting the purple blade materialize as the scent of ozone filled the air.

Schaduw looked at it, "Yes... I had heard of these blades." He turned to Tohkran, "Do I need to get one myself?" He sounded a bit reluctant at the prospect.

He was answered with a chuckle and a shake of Tohkran's head. "If you do not want a lightsaber then I won't force it upon you."

Letting out a small sigh of relief Schaduw nodded, "No offense but... I think I prefer my own vibroblade, I made it myself and it has been a part of me for years, it's liek a extension of my own body so familiar and trusted I am with it."

"Like I tell all my students, these two and the younglings. It is not the blade that makes a jedi, it is the way he acts, his state of mind and his values." He asked for Goddor to turn off his blade and then led the three of them to the main compound. "Now lets get you settled in some quarters and have you meet the rest of the gang... oh when I introduce you to Thrall... let's just say he has both earned the right and yet at the same time he hasn't to call me by inappropriate names but I let him because for some unknown reason morale is increased if he keeps doing that." He politely ignored the stifled sniggers and chuckles from his two oldest padawans in response to that.

"I see..." Schaduw said, "You have a strange crew that you surround yourself with."

Tohkran let out a chuckle and looked over his shoulder, "Probably because I am a strange person."He grinned, "Now then, like I said, lets get you settled and start with your first practice to see if we can unlock your full potential."

It was some time later and Tohkran was sitting opposite Schadow, meditating for a hour and a half now and then he opened one eye. "So you know how to meditate? Or to have patience at least?"

The Defel shrugged, "Being a bodyguard usually meant to be patient a lot of the time. I found way to keep me focused while in essentially doing nothing. Is that what you wanted to teach me?"

Tohkran chuckled, "Maybe, or maybe I wished to teach how to meditate, clear your mind and thoughts of all emotion and see if you can feel... sense... and touch the world around you, but without using your normal senses, without using your sight, taste, smell, touch or hearing... if you can do that then the lesson will be successful."

"That sounds awfully cryptic..."

Tohkran grinned and shrugged, "I suppose so... welcome to your first lesson as a jedi."

"Please tell me that I am getting paid for this..." He was answered with soft laughter.

---
[b]Several days later, Tohkran's office[/b]
---

"Fascinating..." He murmured softly to himself as he kept reading the information relayed to him by the bothan network contacts he had established. Word had reached him before that there was insurrection taking place in the Antar system against the CIS occupational forces. Now he had received more detailed information. These rebels were using guerrilla tactics against the CIS forces on Antar 4 with some moderate degree of success, the actions performed by them were not ones done by amateurs or common folk disgruntled with their invaders.

The part that had him fascinating however were the reports them being led by a jedi, that bit of information, along with the system of Antar rang a bell with him, he had just send some of the information to his loremaster and was rewarded with a quick reply that confirmed his suspicions. "Antarian Rangers... could it be true? I thought they had been disbanded centuries ago..." He said to himself, trailing off at the possibilities. If some of them survived... if they still existed... and they still might assist jedi, which according to the information he had received it might be the case, well that might open up possibilities.

He looked at a other message taht arrived first however and frowned, Hoddo, his Hutt contact, apparently had need of his services and would in return pay a substantial reward, he wouldn't say what the job was in the communique, only upon arrival of he himself to Hoddo's palace.

Frowning he pulled up a galaxy map and highlighted Antar 4 and Hoddo's moon in Hutt Space, nodding slowly to himself as a plan formulated. The Antar System was on the way to Hutt space, he could theoretically first go to Antar 4, see if the reports had any truth about there being a jedi there leading the rebel forces on the planet and then move on to Hutt space to see what Hoddo wanted from him.

Making up his mind he contacted Thrall, "My good friend... prepare the Illusion of Grace for a journey... also... inform all ships to report in what commando and special forces they have available... I might want to... change their roster for something..."