Chapter One

Hrowlf barks a reply in Shyriiwook, "With the power of the Force and the living world by my side, no challenge could best me!" and slaps his nearest companion on the back.

Jado grunted as Hrowlf slapped his back, and grinned. "I spent about half my time helping Aria find her way out. Turns out, she could get lost in her own back yard," and elbowed Aria in the ribs. Then he looked at Brent and winked.

Aria smiled weakly as Jado teased her. She made an effort to deflect the elbow, but her reflexes seemed slower than usual, "I am just glad it's over." She glanced at each of her companions, as she did her smile became genuine, "and I'm glad we did it together. "

"Thanks to your teachings, master, I was able to complete the trial." While his words seem confident, anyone looking at his face would know that what Brent endured left a lasting impression…and not a good one.

"I trust that, as much as it was to endure, the force knew that we were ready for it. And, maybe, it knew that was the test we needed to move forward and face whatever comes next." She smiles, throwing her right arm over Jado's shoulder and the other over Brent's, "Plus, while we learned that I can't be trusted with directions, we also learned that Jado should invest in some climbing gear." She winked with her right eye, so that only Jado and Master Tyre would notice.

"Of course not everybody has the same test. I am not you and you are not Aria. We have different strengths and weaknesses, the Force knows this and so tests us accordingly. Would you judge a Nerf as you would a Nexu?" Hrowlf laughs at the very thought.

Jado snorted at Aria's jibe and leaned his head toward her. "Actually, it'd help if I didn't oversleep and leave my climbing gear under my bunk. I'm just glad I strained my shoulder, instead of falling to the cavern floor."

Jado probably looked as affected as everyone else, but he was still processing the ordeal. No one was truly prepared for these trials, not that he'd heard, and he still wasn't quite sure what the exact test had been. He did feel like he had learned something, but felt as if the knowledge of what that was remained a little outside his comprehension.

Callis' and Hrowlf's exchange distracted him momentarily. "Hrowlf, Coruscanti kid over here. I didn't understand a word you just said about, what was it? A nerf and a nexu?"

With a satisfied grin Aria let Brent go, allowing him to ruminate on his experience. She used her now free hand to prod Jado's shoulder with just enough pressure to remind him of the strain, but not enough to cause more than minor discomfort, "Nerf's are a furry beast with curly horns and nexu's are fierce toothy felines that'll tear you limb from limb before you can blink. I don't even read the things we're supposed to and I know that."

"Jado, stop picking on the wookie! Just because he can grow a beard and you can't!" Brent grins, getting caught up in the joviality of his comrades.

With a grunt, Jado took just enough of a step away from Aria so that she couldn't keep pressure on his shoulder and crossed his arms. Either they didn't know, or they perhaps suspected, but reading still didn't come easily. It wasn't the amnesia, it was the fact that Jado had no education. Survival in the Coruscant under levels didn't permit such things when gangs were happy to sell or abuse you, and subhumans would just eat you. Even that he couldn't quite remember, and had to relearn from a book on his datapad.

"Right, well this is the first trip away from Coruscant that I can remember." His expression blanked as he tried to remember. "I haven't even seen an inhospitable ball of ice like this, before today. Not even before...."

Then he snapped out of it and poked Hrowlf, "As far as I can tell, he is a beard. Besides, you should compare your attempt at a mustache before pointing out my beard," and laughed. There was no need for seriousness after a victory.

When Jado pulls away Aria's grin fades quickly, she sensed the brief sadness or grief or regret... She was unsure. The power she had discovered in herself during the trial was new and she did not yet understand it or how to properly control it. She glanced to Master Tyre, her facial expression conveying her lack of understanding of the sensation she was experiencing.

She walked closer to Jado and whispered quietly so that only he would hear, "I apologize if my remark stung." Then, she bumped her shoulder against his, and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, "So, with that behind us what next? Think you can beat me yet Jado? Maybe your skills are better with a real lightsaber."

"Beard? You little naked things only wish you could have such a majestic flowing mane as me. It's alright to be jealous. I know I would be were I cold and damp like you must surely be. Speaking of which, shouldn't we get back to the ship soon? I hear there's this thing called 'frostbite' and Aria is already looking a little bluer than usual." Hrowlf yowls to the group.

Rolling his eyes at Hrowlf's comment, he picks up his pace. "The fur-ball's right, though, we should get back to the ship. I'd like to start assembling my lightsaber ASAP." Brent looks down at the crystal in his palm, smaller than he thought it would be, before putting it safely away.