Tempest gazed out across the vast expanse of endless city. From the dizzying heights of the balcony at
the pinnacle of the Jedi temple one felt as though they could look right into eternity. Speeders raced to
and fro in neat lines and transports took off and landed at various ports. The busy city buzzed all around
her. It was day's end and the sun was putting on a spectacular display as it faded below the horizon,
glistening on the windows too numerous to count on the megalopolis.

Tempest, however, didn't notice the blazing purple-orange sunset taking place in the distance. She was
wrestling once again with the painful questions that plagued her every waking moment since her
husband's untimely death two months before. How could this have happened? What went wrong? What
could she have done to prevent it? This torturous self-interrogation had become her life. The questions
had wound themselves like ruthless tentacles around her thought and emotions, allowing only pain and
self-condemnation to pass into her consciousness.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the gentle voice of a Jedi Master, summoning her back into the council
chamber. "They're ready for you."

Tempest swallowed back a lump in her throat and hesitantly followed the Jedi back into the chamber.
She looked around at the vast room, marveling, as she always did, at the intricate ornamentation. The tile
floor, the colossal windows that overlooked the awe-inspiring planet of Coruscant, the gigantic steel
support beams. The Jedi temple was truly magnificent, regal, towering above all other structures on the
planet.

Walking among these masters of the religion that she had come to love so much and had devoted her
entire life to struck in her a sense of awe as well. She felt humbled in their presence.

Once inside she stood in the center of the room with her head slightly bowed, anticipating their decision.

"Tempest, first of all," Master Mace Windu began, " we want to give you our condolences once again on
the death of your husband. As you know, the decision had been made, prior to his death, to give him a
seat on the council. We all share your grief, he was a great asset to the Force. However, we have
decided that you are not yet ready for the trials, and that a new Master must be chosen to complete your
training. Therefore, we have chosen Astol Brin to be your new mentor. You are already aquainted with
him, and I'm sure that you are aware that he is a powerful Jedi. He will train you well."

Tempest felt a distinct twinge of disappointment with the decision. She was positive that the council
would agree that she was ready for the trials.

She quickly buried her feelings hoping that master Yoda would not sense them, carefully avoiding his
piercing gaze. If he did notice he did not mention it to her, and she was dismissed from the presence of
the council.

She thanked the council for their decision and left to find her new master, not wanting to lose one
moment. She was determined to start immediately.

Tempest had known Astol her whole life. He and her husband had been like brothers. It was a good
choice, and though she felt that no more training was necessary, she knew that she was fortunate to be
his padawan.

Finding his quarters, Tempest rapped softly on the door. Astol greeted her and invited her in. He was a
tall, stout man, towering at least 6 inches over Tempest. His black hair had a hint of gray, but the
youthful look about his face veiled his age. He had a deep resonant voice, and just hearing it brought a
little comfort to Tempest's heavy heart. His smile was sincere and comforting as he greeted Tempest
with a warm embrace.

"Come in, Tempest. Its good to see you, my dear."

"Thank you, Astol. Its good to see you." Tempest smiled back and entered, sitting on a small couch.
Astol sat beside her.

The living quarters of the Jedi temple were modest. Not much more than a meditation room with a cot,
the only décor in this particular chamber being a beautiful water color painting of the monstrous falls on
Naboo.

Tempest admired the painting for a brief moment before beginning.

"The council just informed me that you are to be my new master." Tempest said, trying to ignore the
pitying look in Astol's eyes.

"Tempest, we don't have to begin right away. Take some time to heal, regroup……"

"No!" Tempest's outburst caught both herself and Astol by surprise.

" I…. I'm sorry" Tempest stammered, " I'm just ready to get started. The dark side has taken enough of
my life, I'm not going to let it take any more." Tempest looked away, not wanting Astol to see the battle
that she was having, and losing, with her emotions.

Astol looked at her for a long moment, choosing his words carefully, "You can't blame yourself, Tempest.
What happened to Yantam wasn't your fault, nor could you have possibly prevented it." He paused,
searching her face for a reaction.

Tempest knew full well that Astol had been tapping into her thoughts and emotions. She could sense him
doing it even now, deciding that trying to block his attempt would prove futile. She didn't have the will to
do it, anyway.

She gazed into the peaceful scenery in the painting, longing to lose herself in its simple beauty. She and
Yantam had been to Naboo once on their honeymoon. She could close her eyes and still hear the
thunderous roar of the mighty falls, feel the cool mist on her face. She could feel Yantam's strong arms
around her as he held her close and kissed her in this beautiful setting. It had been a glorious time with
her beloved, one that she would never experience again…..

"I want to start immediately." Tempest repeated, forcing herself back into cold reality.

"Very well." Astol sighed. "We will begin tomorrow."
 
 

*****************************************************************
 
 

"Much anger I sense in her." Master Yoda said. "Keep a sharp eye on her we must, or be seduced by
the dark side she will."

"She has almost completed her training. It would be unfortunate to have invested so much time and not
allow her to finish. We will watch her closely." Mace Windu leaned back in his council seat, the sense of
foreboding clearly written on his face. "We will watch her closely."
 

Tempest rose at the crack of dawn to start her day the way she and Yantam had done since she became his padawan many years earlier.
She meditated for an hour, followed by a rigorous workout that he had designed for her, ending with stepping through some forms with her lightsaber. This was the loneliest of times for Tempest.
As she moved through the familiar regimen alone her heart ached for her husband, directing, guiding and loving her as he taught her the ways of the Force. It was hard to continue without him, but she knew that he would not have allowed anything less.
She did note one disturbing difference this particular morning, however. Her meditation time did not come easily, nor was it a peaceful time of reflection as it usually was. There was a hint of darkness and turmoil that she could not place a finger on. It frightened her. She would discuss the matter with her new master.
She wrapped up her workout and sat down to take her breakfast. Gazing around the quarters where she and Yantam had shared their life she realized that every corner held a memory for her. She smiled as she remembered the time that he had wrestled her to the floor in the bedroom, tickling her until she was gasping for breath, pretending to scold her for some trivial matter that she had failed to deal with. She remembered the pained look on his face when she told him that she was unable to bear children, and how they held each other and cried, at this very table. She gazed through the glass door at the balcony where they had shared all of their thoughts and dreams. Dreams yet to be fulfilled. Shattered dreams…..
A sudden disturbance in the Force jolted her back into the present. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she rose to her feet, almost toppling the table. The last time she felt this was the night of her husband's death. She jumped with a start at the rap on the door. Out of sheer reflex she ignited her saber and then pushed the button that activated the view screen, half expecting to see the sith standing outside.
Much to her surprise it was Astol.
She de-activated the weapon, relief washing over her from head to toe, and opened the door.
"Astol, what are you doing here? I was just about to leave for the temple….."
"I thought we could start here, if you don't mind. More privacy." Astol smiled.
"What?…Oh, sure…..Yes, that does sound appealing, under the circumstances. I am getting very tired of being asked how I am feeling by every person I come in contact with." Tempest smiled at Astol, shaking aside the unsettling feeling. She chuckled softly, realizing that a sith would not have had the courtesy to knock before entering.
"Is everything ok? You are white a sheet." Astol's smile melted into a look of concern.
"I just felt a disturbance in the force." Tempest crossed her arms hugging herself as if she had gotten a sudden chill.
"Strange, I sense nothing." Astol's tone was almost condescending.
Tempest did not appear to notice.
"I don't know. Maybe this whole ordeal has made me paranoid. I don't trust my own feelings anymore." Tempest turned away from her new Master, shaking her head. "How I must sound to you. Forgive me, Master, ignore my mindless chattering. I'm ready to begin when you are."
Astol reached out and took Tempest's arm, gently turning her to face him.
"Tempest, the wound you carry is a fresh one, it needs time to heal. Draw upon the Force for strength and healing. It is your true source. Yantam was merely a conduit, as are you. He is now one with the Force. Find peace in that my dear child. You must find peace if you are to go on with your training." Astol placed a finger under Tempest's chin, lifting her face to look into her eyes and continued, "A Jedi cannot allow herself to have such a battle going on in her mind and heart. She places herself in harm's way. Therefore, my first instruction to you, my apprentice, is that you focus all your energy into finding a place of peace. We cannot continue until this is achieved."
"But Master," Tempest protested, "training is the very thing I need to find peace. Please don't..."
"Tempest," Astol interrupted, "do you understand that the Jedi are in grave danger right now? The dark side has resurfaced and is wiping us out by the thousands, and knights are joining their ranks in even larger numbers. Tempest, you know what Master Yoda says about the path to the dark side. It begins with fear. I sense much fear in you. Fear of going on without Yantam, fear of allowing yourself to heal," Astol paused, knowing his next statement would hit Tempest the hardest, "and fear of the sith that murdered your husband."
Tempest started to protest, but realized that she couldn't. She had already searched her own feelings and discovered that she was indeed fearful of a great many things, not the least of which being the mysterious sith Lord that took the life of her husband. It was painful to face, but it was clear to her now that she could no longer suppress her feelings. She had to get them in the open, deal with them, and be healed, or she would be putting not only herself in danger, but her fellow Jedi, and that was unacceptable.
Tempest bowed her head in submission, "Yes, Master."
"Tempest, I know this is hard for you. I've watched you, sensed your feelings. You must trust me. I'm only doing this for your well being."
"I know, Master."
Astol leaned forward and softly kissed Tempest's forehead.
"Tempest, we are all here for you. All your fellow Jedi. We are your family, you will never be alone."
Tempest broke from his grip and walked to a large picture window, peering out into the bustling city.
I feel alone. She thought bitterly.
Tempest had been born on Coruscant to Teref and Moyra Esme. Her father had been a powerful Jedi, and Tempest had been identified almost immediately from birth as one with whom the Force was unusually strong. She began her training at the tender age of six under the guidance of Yantam Minter, who had himself, at the time, only recently attained the level of knighthood. She trained diligently alongside her master, who often marveled at her ability and strength in the Force.
Shortly after Tempest's sixteenth birthday it had become evident that her and Yantam's feelings extended far beyond that of master and apprentice, and to no one's surprise they soon married.
After much thought, and countless requests from the Force for guidance, Tempest made the difficult decision to put her training on hold to start a family. Their efforts were perfunctory in the beginning, and neither was very concerned when she did not get pregnant right away. They were young, they reasoned, and had plenty of time.
It wasn't until one solid year passed before Tempest became disquieted by their lack of success. She shared her concerns with Yantam, who thought her fears unnecessary, and told her as much.
Tempest's concern turned into despair, as try after agonizing try all proved fruitless. It soon became evident that there was definitely a problem, and Tempest gave in to her instincts and had some extensive tests performed on her body. The unthinkable, the possibility that she did not allow herself to even consider, soon became reality. The tests proved conclusively that Tempest was unable to bear children. She had, in fact, probably been pregnant a number of times, but lost the baby each time before she was even aware of it. There was nothing that could be done.
Shortly after this most unhappy revelation, Tempest's mother developed a rare, degenerative disease called Sherobian's Disease. It was so rare that scientists didn't give it much attention, and therefore, had not developed a cure, or even an effective treatment.
Tempest watched her mother transform almost overnight from a vital, healthy woman, into a frail shell of a human being. Six months after her diagnosis Moyra Esme was dead.
Tempest was heartbroken. She and her mother had been very close, and Tempest felt guilty that she had not been able to give her mother a grandchild before her death. She found that much of her life was riddled with guilt now.
Her father had been most profoundly affected by her mother's death. He became reclusive, not even accepting visits from Tempest, sitting alone for hours, and sometimes days in the living quarters that he had shared with Moyra for some 30 years. And at his funeral three months later Tempest knew that her father had died of a broken heart….
Indeed she was alone.
She pressed her forehead against cold pane of glass, sighing heavily, her hot breath fogging the glass. She hadn't noticed that Astol was right beside her, gently touching her arm.
"Tempest, I will always be here for you."
She looked at him and smiled weakly. "Thank you, Astol."
Astol continued gazing at her for a moment and then blinked, "Well, I must get back to the temple. Some pressing matters to attend to. Take care, Tempest. Be mindful of what I have told you. The Force can heal your wounds, but you have to allow it. Do not allow your mind to become clouded with grief. You are very vulnerable, and a prime target for Sidious."
Sidious. The very mention of the name gave her a chill. It wasn't fear, she was sure of that. It was more….a healthy respect. Tempest knew full well what he was capable of. She had been witness to many of her fellow Jedi falling victim to his enticing snare. That would not be her fate, she was most certain of that.
She walked Astol to the door and pressed the button. The door lumbered open and Astol started out. He paused and turned to Tempest, reaching a hand out and stroking her cheek.
"If you need anything, and I do mean anything at all, don't hesitate to get in contact with me.
Tempest took the hand off of her cheek and squeezed it, "I will, and thank you. I know that Yantam would have been most pleased that you have been chosen to take his place as my master. I will not fail him, or you."
"I have no doubt of that, my young apprentice. I will have you whipped into shape in no time." Astol winked and then bounded down the steps and headed toward his parked speeder.
Tempest watched him until he was out of sight and then went to the kitchen to clean the breakfast dishes, realizing, much to her dismay that she had forgotten to mention the matter of her meditation.
She sighed. "Ah well, I'll tell him tomorrow."