[i]Yeah...yeah we should do that. I have a feeling we'll need to, you know, be prepared.[/i]

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Preparation, as the young Champion learned, amounted to nothing until the theory was put into practice. While his instruction at the Jedi Academy tried to teach this lesson, much of what the former Order taught got condensed into jumbled theory that got debated at roundtable discussions while the galaxy burned around them. Ironically, the Sith took the very opposite approach it seemed, which was(in his opinion) to take action first without fully weighing the consequences. He had to fight the urge to lean one way or another in their first week of lessons, correcting himself and sometimes contradicting an earlier statement with something he presented later in a lecture. The balancing act got easier after the first couple of days, however, especially with more study on his own in the wee hours of the night. He would leave his lover's side after tossing and turning those initial two days, sitting in an overstuffed chair that overlooked the tranquil wilderness and voraciously reading not only what the Elders had put together, but also other assorted materials that Vano had generously sent to him after sending a pleading message to their unofficial chronicler. He felt like he reached a turning point during one of he and Aria's joint lectures, wherein he was able to fully explore the aspect of harmonizing with the Force instead of using it as a weapon. When he saw the student's eyes light up after Aria supplemented his point and jotting down notes on his datapad, the ball of stress that had formed within his gut finally unwound. It didn't hurt that Malu was present at the lecture, a small smile creasing her features when the moment of clarity finally arrived. Coincidentally, after that particular day, the Elders stopped popping by as often; in fact, on the fourth and fifth days of their new found professor-ship, they were nowhere to be found in his ventures. 

There were, however, more variables to deal with even though the Elders were not providing their support that allowed stress to remain. Wrangling different age groups together was a chore, especially when the class consisted of five teenagers and ten younglings under the age of eleven. Thankfully he not only had Aria to bark with him at the children to get them in line, but there were about twelve or so newly appointed Knights that were assigned to the classes as apprentice instructors under Yerbol and Aria, Janika among them(Manso had become more absorbed than ever in aiding on the technological side of things, so his Qyaaari training was falling by the wayside.) They were indeed helpful, many of them grateful for the opportunity to have structure and order. Most, if not all, were former Padawans or Acolytes that were used to having guidance. Some of them pointed out how difficult it was to NOT have a singular purpose at an introductory luncheon hosted in the dining hall, many recounting their near death experiences at the hands of Alliance troops or Bracknell's personal hit squads consisting of Force wielding mercenaries disguised as "normal people". Their discussions made Yerbol all the more grateful that they had stopped Bracknell and also raised a red flag in his mind about Soto, seeing as they had heard little to no news about the former Jedi Master. Sooner or later they would have to return to Coruscant where she was being held to see if she could be rehabilitated. Hopefully she would still be in her cell. The thought of Soto AND Illesia free was a chilling one that he refused to entertain. 

On their seventh day, the instructional duo finally found some relative peace in allowing this particular group of students to do some independent study that was occasionally punctuated by a question from one student or another along with admonishing certain young people to stop playing Attack of the Rakata, a role playing game that most of them thoroughly enjoyed playing on their datapads when they had free time...or when they just didn't want to work. Once the students were properly pointed in the right direction, Aria and Yerbol were able to look out onto the serene jungle. He would every so often entertain small talk with Vano or his partner, but the latter seemed content with taking sneaky rest breaks which he wouldn't disturb, instead choosing to occupy himself with addressing messages from students about some of the harder concepts they had to present in a lesson THEY taught in a couple of weeks. As he sent yet another reply, Vano alerted them of a questionable news report.
"Send it to my datapad, Vano." The message was blank in terms of Cheriss' thoughts, but there was a link that took him to a news report detailing several disappearances in and around the Force-user settlement on Dromund Kaas. The investigative journalist writing the story proclaimed that "Alliance and Dromund Kaas security personnel are baffled by the sudden rash of disappearances, but assure those planet-side that everything will be resolved soon." There was also an attachment in the message which, when opened, revealed a one page report with the words "CONFIDENTIAL-URGENT" bolded in red at the top with a circular seal in the upper right corner indicating authenticity(He had gotten familiar with looking at confidential documentation during their "cyber warfare" with Bracknell's twisted version of the Alliance). What followed was a two paragraph explanation of mysterious disappearances occurring within a two mile radius of the settlement with unsuccessful search and rescue operations. There was also a note from the reporting Alliance lieutenant that there were reports of "shadowy figures" darting through the jungles during Alliance patrols that soldiers kept insisting were the Xiis. With a request for further advisement, the report ended. 
"If Cheriss sent this, then the rest of the Elders must know more." Yerol mused quietly, concern filling his features. 
"We'll need to find one of them." 
"Done." Voldon's sudden declaration nearly sent Yerbol clattering to the ground in surprise, the Champion turning around to find the Elder's face even more serious than usual.
"Come with me. Both of you. Vano, watch the students. We'll send Janika and Yoruba up here to help out in a moment." 

Voldon was silent the entire way up to the fifteenth floor of the complex, which was an entire area dedicated for the Elders, including a twenty by thirty foot room with panoramic windows with an even prettier view of the jungle than they had at the library. There were several comfortable chairs seated in a circle, all of which were filled by the Council members. Once Voldon took his place, he spoke:
"That report was forwarded from Dromund Kaas Alliance headquarters two days ago. Within the past few hours, we've received word of a small firefight that occurred outside the settlement along with concerns about how silent the communication from settlement to Alliance headquarters planetside has become." He paused, allowing for Malu to jump in:
"My abilities to sense life are limited by miles, but I don't think it's much of a stretch to assume that the Xiis want something from the settlement...or someone?"
"Or multiple somoenes." Matt whispered in a moment of clarity, looking to the standing duo before them.
"You mentioned to us that Illesia has some kind of 'Force draining' ability, yes?" Yerbol's heart sank as he nodded slowly. 
"Then that would mean that the settlement would've been an excellent feasting ground for her and the minions that follow." A heavy silence fell on the group for a few moments before Voldon broke it:
"We're sending you to Dromund Kaas with one of us in tow." Voldon looked to Cheriss with a knowing glance before verbalizing the thought:
"Are you still willing to go, Cheriss? Or do you want one of us to go in your stead?"