Private Where it All Went Wrong

[Caden Evesa]

Caden licked his teeth softly.

He had heard reports, read all of the official statements. The Senator from Duro had been assassinated. It was pretty much common knowledge around The Silver Jedi. Everyone had at one point been talking about it, but eventually it had been forgotten like everything else in the galaxy. Once one thing happened, a thousand other things tended to follow.

Caden was guilty of forgetting. He had kept himself busy, first on Corellia and then with Mathieu Brion on Commenor. He had spent time in the medical bays after the mugging that he and Mathieu had been victim of and hadn't had time to even think about the assassination of some Senator whom he didn't know nor had ever met.

He slammed down the portable holo projector on the side.

Chirp let out a little whistle, almost fear. The little droid had never seen it's owner so angry. The droid didn't know where to go except the corner, out of the way. It was probably for the best, Caden was shaking he was that angry. He had never been as angry as he was, his training had taught him to control his anger. Normally.

Caden and Okkeus Dainlei had returned to Kashyyyk for the first time since Yurb. They had settled in well since returning, Caden felt welcome. He was the first out of his class to be chosen by a Master and the kids who used to bully him now respected him, especially now that he had a lightsaber unlike them.

That wasn't why he was angry.

The young Jedi Padawan had entirely forgotten about the assassination of The Senator from Duro. He was pretty sure that everyone had forgotten. It had happened so long ago that he hadn't expected anyone to bring it up. He hadn't expected to walk into his old room in the academy within The Silver Rest and find the holo projector.

He hadn't expected to turn the holo projector on and see what he saw. He hadn't expected to see Okkeus Dainlei in the get away vehicle. It was CCTV footage of the assassination, and Okkeus was clearly visible. Caden hadn't expected to see it and he had spent a good ten minutes processing what he had seen.

Then the anger had set in.

The young man grabbed his lightsaber off the side, his fingers closing around the cool metal of the shaft. He didn't even bother attaching it to his belt, instead he just adjusted his robes and set off down the corridor towards his masters room. Chirp didn't even bother to follow him, and it was probably for the best.

He smashed his hand off of the door of his mentor, and didn't even bother waiting for permission to enter. He just walked straight in, lightsaber in hand (yet deactivated). He locked eyes with Okkeus and licked his teeth, breathing deep. He was seriously angry, and he was sure Okkeus would be able to feel it.

"When were you going to tell me"

He kept his eyes on Okkeus.

"Master"

Okkeus Dainlei

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

His finger scrolled across the datapad.

Looking at a page for X-Wing modifications, he had found a booster pod that could fit hit ship. It would allow him an extra burst of speed for a short amount of time. Whenever him and his Padawan did decide to race the ships, this could give him an advantage. Though he was supposed to be a responsible master to Caden, there was no way he would set his competitiveness to the side.

Turning to Mouse he gazed upon the droid. It beeped out a satisfying noise, making him smile. He had spent some time learning the droid's language, making them even closer. Mouse's company was great to have around, especially when his Padawan was in classes. Much like he was now.

The rate at which his Padawan was learning and excelling was amazing. Caden was smart, funny, courageous, and powerful. The two weren't just Master and Apprentice, they were practically best friends. Though the code says masters are not to build stron relationships with their Padawan, it was very hard to. Especially when they felt like a friend and a brother.

He could sense Caden coming down the hallway, meaning the classes had been let out. He saved the datapad and turned it off, setting it on a nearby table. Rubbing both of his hands down his robe he flattened it out, making himself look a little more professional. Leaning forward in his char he heard his Padawan's hand hit the door.

"Come i..."

The boy had bust through the door, lightsaber in hand, and very angry. Never had he seen his Padawan with so much anger. Sprinting from his seat he put both his hands in front of himself, waving them downward. Hopefully the boy calmed down as he tried to relax him.

"When were you going to tell me, Master."

What was he talking about? Lowering his hands he set them by his side, within reach of his lightsaber. He didn't want to hurt his Padawan, but this wasn't his Padawan. Something happened.

"Caden, what are you talking about? Tell you what? And please, put away your lightsaber."

The boy's angry gazed stayed. Caden's eyes never left his, almost as if they were glued together. But not in a good way. What was going on?

Caden Evesa

 

[Caden Evesa]

Caden looked around the room.

The cold, hard metal of the lightsaber was turning his knuckles white as he gripped it, the force of the grip he was applying not even registering. His entire body was being controlled by the anger he had been taught to control and bottle, to not let free for fear of temptation to the darkside of the force.

It was tempting, the darkside. Every master he had ever come across had told him the same. The darkside of the force was easy to access and that's why many Jedi tended to fall from the light, like something falling to the netherworld. The darkside granted power that was easy to access, but made you a bad guy in the eyes of most.

Caden could easily have matched the young Jedi Knight in force combat. Okkeus had the experience, of that Caden was certain, but he had strength in the force, a potential that many deemed unnatural. Caden was fairly sure in a standoff they would both leave having reached a stalemate.

In lightsaber combat, Okkeus had the upper hand. Okkeus had been training for years in saber combat, where as Caden had only had a few lessons with Damian Starchaser . Okkeus had the upper hand if anything became physical, and that put Caden at a disadvantage.

Communication was his only true tactic, his use of words. In that, neither had an advantage. Plus, Okkeus had already initiated a conversation, asking what he needed to share. Okkeus seemed willing to go along with the whole talking and communication approach.

"The Senator. I've seen your face there Okkeus, I know what you did"

He spat the words, disgusted. Okkeus was what he viewed as a true Jedi Knight, what he aspired to be. Okkeus had served as a role model, unlike Damian who was more drunk uncle in his approach. Okkeus had all the values that the Jedi required, and Caden has respected every one.

Until now, he had viewed Okkeus as his true friend, his brother. He had viewed Okkeus as everything he had wanted to be, more than just a teacher. Okkeus had been family, for family was more than just blood. Family was a bond that was shared that could never be broken.

His next sentence had intent, it was intended to hurt. It was intended to dig a knife right into the shoulder and twist it. It was intended to cause pain and tear Okkeus apart. Caden was angry and when angry, people tended to say things to hurt others. His target was the man he called brother.

"You're no Jedi, you're nothing but a worthless assassin"

Okkeus Dainlei

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

His heart seemed to fall through his chest.

Tulan Kor had said he would take all the backlash from the murder. The man said that they would not take anything from it. All of his trust was held in him. But I guess no one is able to control everything. Especially the fact that he didn't even see the man get murdered. All he knew was something clicked in Nida Perl , which made her kill the man.

All of his time spent with Caden and the relationship they built seemed to just crumble away in seconds. All the journeys, all of the missions, all of the fun...gone. Just because he was a getaway driver.

His Padawan was still filled with rage, and some was starting to rise up in Okkeus. Not at Caden, but at himself. All of this was his fault. Why did he ever go on that mission?

But then Caden's next words hit him like a Star Destroyer.

"You're no Jedi, you're nothing but a worthless assassin."

Dying was something that he had not experienced yet, but he imagined this is what it felt like. The person he trusted and respected the most just turned on him. Someone that you had grow a close relationship to just shots you in the back. He stood there for a few seconds, trying to hold back tears.

"Caden I... I don't know what has happened to you. Bu-but I didn't do it. I didn't kill him."

Turning away from his Padawan he faced the back wall. He saw Mouse in the corner, shut down. It killed him to imagine what the poor droid was going through right now. Tears slowly started to fall down his face.

Caden Evesa

 

[Caden Evesa]

"I didn't kill him"

The sentence spoken by a liar, by a fool who was more concerned with saving face than he was of telling the truth to the person he was supposed to trust the most. Caden had seen the young Jedi Knight there, all of the evidence pointed towards the man being guilty.

The young Jedi Padawan saw the tears falling from the older boys face. In his heart he knew he should have felt guilty for the hurt he was causing, but his head didn't care. His head wanted the Jedi Knight to hurt, wanted him to see that his actions had consequences.

Everything they had been through had meant nothing, clearly. Okkeus hadn't even bothered to tell the young Jedi, the boy he called his brother, anything. He hadn't bothered to disclose that he had been on the mission, that a Senator had would up dead because of his actions.

It wasn't even so much the murder that had upset Caden, it was the betrayal. It was the fact that Okkeus hadn't trusted his best friend enough to tell him anything, to tell him how he had been directly (or indirectly, as Okkeus argued) responsible for the death of a human being.

"You were there Okkeus, I saw you"

The sentence cut like knives, the anger pouring out with every breath and every word spoken. He wasn't even remotely close to calming down, teetering on the edge of light and dark like a knife point. Any action could push him either way, and he was sure Okkeus could sense that like he could.

"Whatever he did for you to murder him, he didn't deserve that. He didn't serve execution. He deserved a fair trial with fair judges, not you and whatever goons you had with you serving as judge, jury and executioner. You killed a man who may well have been innocent"

Caden heard a glass shatter in the corner of the room, the force uncontrolled within him as he moved closer and closer to falling off the edge, to falling to the darkness he had spent so long fighting against, spent so long proving he could resist.

All because his brother had stabbed him in the back.

The memories they shared together, everything from Takodana to Corellia, their meeting on Kattada and everything else around that. Okkeus had served as one of the best teachers Caden had ever had the honor of serving under, one of the best friends he had ever had, and it was all gone.

He still couldn't bring himself to ignite the weapon in his hand, an eye for an eye wasn't the answer. No matter how angry, Okkeus was still close to him, no matter how damaged their relationship had very clearly become during the last few minutes.

The lightsaber fell from his grasp at last.

"You will leave the Jedi temple tonight. You will leave Silver Jedi space within twenty four hours, and I won't turn you over for the assassination you helped commit. If I find you within Silver Jedi space after this, I will kill you"

And he meant it.

Okkeus Dainlei

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

“You killed a man who may well have been innocent."

He flinched as the glass shattered at the end of the room. Every ounce of energy had been drained out of him. Every single word his Padawan was saying was killing him. Every memory they had together just seemed not be forgotten.

No sense of forgiveness was coming from Caden. At this moment nothing could be done to fix it what had happened. There was no way he could talk with the boy. Tell him the truth.

The man he killed was a slave trader. He was doing terrible things. The plan wasn’t to kill him. He was an obstacle in their major plan, rescuing Thal.

Silence that spread across the room was broken by the sound of Durasteel hitting the floor. Looking down he saw Caden’s lightsaber laying on the floor. Memories came to him like floodgates being opened.

When they went on their first adventure on Takodana, where Caden got his first crystal. Him gifting the boy the Rancor tooth he found, as he put it on his lightsaber.His Padawan going through the trials on Mygeeto to revive his other crystals, and build his lightsaber.

Nothing could have prepared him for what was next.

“You will leave the Jedi temple tonight. You will leave Silver Jedi space within twenty four hours, and I won't turn you over for the assassination you helped commit. If I find you within Silver Jedi space after this, I will kill you."

His legs felt week. It took all of his remaining power to not fall down right now, not to break down on the floor. Then boy he had know for so long hated everything about him.

“You know what, fine. And you know what? Take this. You earned it.”

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small wrapped package. He tossed it down in the table. Inside was a Corellian Jedi Credit, which was meant to be a gift for the boy once he became a Jedi Knight. But he wouldn’t be around to see that happen.

Grabbing his datapad he walked out of the room, not even daring to look at Caden. He could sense the rage still within the boy.

Mouse had powered back up and started to follow him. He couldn’t even think about what to say to the droid.

As he walked down the hallway of the Silver Rest he thought about his Padawan, well ex-Padawan, teetering so close to the dark side of the force. The Silver Jedi Concord didn’t need two Jedi falling to the dark side.

Only one will be fine.

Caden Evesa