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┎┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┒ chapter four: to family ┖┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┚
THE LAST TIME Elysar stood before the Council had been two years ago, following the mission that had earned her the title of a Knight. She remembered feeling incredibly small surrounded by twelve Masters — the wisest men in the entire galaxy — especially after everything she had been through. They had called her actions brave, valiant even, but Elysar knew, in her heart, that she had been nothing but a quivering coward.
Now, she stood in the center of the circular room, head held high as she met the eyes of the Council members. They were whispering between themselves, no doubt shocked by everything they had just heard — Elysar had told them all about the stolen holocron, Lorn Pavan and the mysterious man who she suspected had killed Master Bondara and was responsible for Darsha's death.
"I have reasons to suspect that..." she let out a shaky breath and looked at Master Windu, "...it was a Sith Lord."
Master Yoda gave a long hum in reply, his brows instantly furrowing; Mace Windu, however, looked neither shocked nor disturbed — no, he was positively furious, his stony face becoming even harder to read.
"What reasons are those, Jedi Moven?" asked Master Mundi.
"The Force it was...tainted, corrupted. Both Padawan Kenobi and I sensed this dark presence at every crime scene, like a mark," Elysar licked her chapped lips in a nervous habit, "And...he wielded a lightsaber. A red lightsaber."
"You saw it through the Echo hmm?"
Elysar's eyes flickered to Master Windu before she gave a hesitant nod. The chamber fell into a pensive silence.
"How can that be?" wondered an Iktotchi Master Tiin, his golden eyes troubled, "The Sith have been extinct for a millennium."
It was when Master Windu finally spoke up that Elysar felt a burning sting of betrayal, "I do not believe the Sith could have returned without us knowing," he told Master Yoda.
Elysar's face heated up with humiliation. She didn't think he would so ruthlessly proclaim her a liar in front of the whole Council. Not after the last time.
But, perhaps, it was just the way things stood now, and there was little she could do about it.
"Ah, hard to see the dark side is."
"Jedi Moven," Master Windu turned his dark eyes to his former Padawan. She met them head-on, "You went against my command, stole a vehicle and used Psychometry without supervision."
"I deny none of these accusations," Elysar addressed the Council, "I regret the way I had to go about it, I do. But I will not apologize for seeking the truth."
"Hmm a lot to think about you gave us, Jedi Moven," Master Yoda nodded thoughtfully, "Your words are true, sense it I do, but break the rules you did still."
