Woman without a Country

Mical turned to Bao-Dur in shock. "Did she just kiss him?"
Bao-Dur sighed. "Get used to it."
"Well, I suppose it's not really any of my business," said Mical in some confusion. "But she is a Jedi, and she's not supposed to - she just kissed him again!"
"No, he kissed her." Bao-Dur smiled to himself. "I think that's funny. You really think you're not going to get mixed up in this."
"What?"
Kreia laughed as well. "At least this one won't write on the walls."
Mical looked at Kreia, then at Bao-Dur. "I'm sorry, I think I missed something?"
Ludmilla walked up, and gently drew Atton forward. "Mical, this is Atton Rand, our pilot. Atton, this is Mical, a Republic historian, and one of my former students that I never finished training."
"A historian," said Atton, "really?" He deliberately did not look at the armor and the rifle. "How fascinating." He bowed politely, without letting go of Ludmilla's hand.
"I need a drink," Ludmilla muttered under her breath.
"So," asked Atton, "are you going to finish his training?" He looked at her curiously.
"Uh....."
"Oh," Mical laughed politely and a little coldly. "I'm much too old."
"Really?" said Atton innocently, and looked at Ludmilla. "It worked on me."
"I beg your pardon?" Mical stared at him, then at Ludmilla, who shrugged.
"I know, it's against the rules, horribly dangerous, and so forth. But I'm willing to take the risk if you are. We could use some more Jedi." She kicked Bao-Dur in the shins.
"Ow! No way, General." Bao-Dur moved away from her. "If you're so desperate, why don't you train Mira?"
"She's as bad as you, old man."
Mical looked around in confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Have you really been going around training people as Jedi? Why?"
"So they can help me stop the Sith Lords, of course. Why else?"
"But - what of the Council? And weren't you exiled?"
Ludmilla shrugged again. "Someone has to do something. The Council is all in hiding. And speaking of exile, have you seen Master Vrook anywhere? He's supposed to be here somewhere."
Mical turned to Kreia. "Is everyone here mad?"
"Allow me," Kreia pulled Mical away, and sat him down on some nearby blocks, and began to explain.
Bao-Dur went back to exploring the room. "General. Come take a look at this."
Ludmilla joined him, as did Atton because she was still holding his hand. "Hey, those bodies are new."
The bodies in question were a pile of mercenaries, in battered but serviceable armor. They showed clear signs of having been hit with a lightsaber.
Atton picked up a datapad that was half-hidden beneath one of the bodies. "Oh, hey. Didn't we meet an Azkul?"
"Yeah, that was the leader of that mercenary camp. The one that's down two Mandalorians," said Ludmilla. "Why?"
"Oh, it appears he hates Vrook even more than you do." He handed her the datapad. "He's got Vrook captive in some kinrath caves somewhere."
"The kinrath caves? They're quite nearby," said Mical. He walked over, looking vaguely stunned. "I can show you the way. But, first... may I speak to you, for a moment?" he asked humbly.
Ludmilla smiled. She looked at Atton. "Here," she handed him over to Bao-Dur. "Don't let go of him. Tie him down if you have to."
"Can I just preemptively tie him down?" asked Bao-Dur. "Why don't you get him a leash or something if you're so worried about losing him?"
"Don't tempt me," said Ludmilla. "Come on," she led Mical away from the others, into the alcoves where stacks of ancient Jedi texts had once lined the shelves.
"You know," said Kreia slowly, "I know well how to make people not notice me, but I've never been able to actually disappear the way you do."
"You're just not trying hard enough," Atton grinned. He looked curiously at Bao-Dur. "You know, if you let go for a second, I could demonstrate again."
"Not a chance. The General gave me an order, and I don't feel like finding out what happens if I disobey it."
"I'd come back! I promise."
"How can you tell when a Corellian is lying?"
"Oh, not this again," said Atton in mock disgust, and Kreia laughed.
"You still have that light about you," said Mical softly. "I always loved watching you teach. It didn't matter what you were talking about, you just made everything so simple and interesting, we all wanted to learn."
Ludmilla smiled. "I was too impulsive back then. I should have thought more about what effect my actions would have on the lives of the people around me."
"Would you have changed anything?"
Ludmilla closed her eyes, and shook her head. "No, I wouldn't change any of the choices that I made. But at least I wouldn't be constantly surprised," she smiled ruefully. "I really am sorry that I left all of you the way I did. I should have said goodbye, at least."
Mical smiled back at her. "I think I'm more pleased that you came back. It really was a shock to see you. You haven't changed at all."
"Jedi magic," she laughed. "You look very tired," she noted. "You must have been working very hard lately. You always did throw yourself into your work," she remembered. "You need to relax more."
"There's been quite a lot to do," he sighed. "So much of the Jedi history is lost forever, and for a time it seemed that the light of the Jedi Order would fade from the galaxy entirely. I hoped to have some small part in saving something, some trace of the Jedi, some memory of the Order as I remembered it."
"Well," she smiled, "I think you're going to be called on to do a lot more, if you're willing."
Mical swallowed nervously. "If you're willing to take me as your disciple again, I'm willing to help you. More than willing."
Ludmilla smiled sweetly, trying to set him at ease. "I never gave you up. Just as you never gave up on me." She took his hands in hers, and concentrated on the faint bond between them, strengthening it. "We have always been Master and Disciple, Mical."
Mical gasped as the Force raced through him, filling in the parts of his soul that had waited patiently for years.
"I'm going to rely on your wisdom, Mical. I've been out of touch for a long time."
"Of course," he said, still slightly dazed. "I'll help in any way I can," he vowed. "Did you – did you see that?"
"What?" she asked curiously.
"I had a vision," he said, confused. Mical shook his head, trying to clear it. "I think it was of the future," he said uncertainly.
"Really?" asked Ludmilla. "What was it?"
Mical shook his head again, and pursed his lips in disbelief. "It was quite mad, really. I was building a sand castle, of all things. It was for a little girl, and Senators in beach clothes kept coming up and interrupting me."
Ludmilla burst out laughing. "Really? Were you in beach clothes?"
"Yes. And you were there as well, and so was your friend, Atton."
"Atton? At the beach? What was he doing?"
"Nothing at all, just lying in the sun." Mical frowned, trying to clear the vision from his head. "He was very emphatically doing nothing whatsoever."
Ludmilla smiled. "Well, that sounds like a good future to aim for."
"Well, yes," he said reluctantly, "but that's completely impossible."
Ludmilla shrugged. "Never underestimate the craziness of the Force."
"Oh, but – " Mical gave up, and tried not to think about the dark-haired little girl with his eyes. "Never mind."
She couldn't help herself from grinning. "So, do you remember your lightsaber lessons?"
Mical nodded. "I practice the forms daily. I think it kept me sane for a while there, and the habit just stuck with me."
"The Force does work in mysterious ways," she smiled. "When my ship gets back, we can see about building you a lightsaber."
Mical looked at her in surprise. "You're serious."
"You can help me teach Visas and Atton. They're having trouble with some of the basic forms. They need more sparring practice." She laughed again at his shock. "What?" She threw out her arms, as if embracing the entire world, the entire galaxy. "Did you really expect less from the Force?" For a moment, she opened herself to it completely, throwing her joy and happiness as far as she could. Dantooine would be rebuilt, she knew, and the Order would be restored – if slightly different for a time. Life would return to this world, and to Telos – there would be children, crops, fireflies; people would fall in love, travel, shop, grow old.
"Good heavens," said Mical, stunned at the sight of someone channeling the raw power of the Force.
"If you're going to hide from the Sith, perhaps you shouldn't you broadcast your location like that," snapped Kreia.
"Sorry," smiled Ludmilla. "I was happy."
"We know." Kreia shook her head. "A little self-control, girl, that is all I ask. Come, let us leave this place." She looked at their newest Jedi. "I think we have found all we need."