Master Nu stood before Kyle, her expression calm but firm.
"I will be submitting my assessment to the Council in the same manner as Master Bondara," she informed him. "Your final trial will take place tomorrow. It will test your connection to the Force—your ability to engage with it, to draw upon it deeply."
Kyle nodded, absorbing her words. "I'll be ready."
"See that you are," Master Nu replied, her tone hinting at a challenge.
With that, Kyle turned and followed Torm out of the Archives, still processing what lay ahead. The Trial of Knowledge had been draining, though Kyle wasn't sure how well he had done. He'd relied on instinct for much of it—something Luke had encouraged—but how that translated to this era's expectations remained to be seen.
As they moved through the Temple halls, Kyle glanced at Torm.
"Mind if we stop by my quarters?" Kyle asked. "I want to see if Jan's up yet."
Torm nodded. "Sure thing."
When Kyle stepped back into his room, he found Jan awake and back at the data console. She didn't turn immediately, her fingers moving swiftly over the controls. The faint glow of the screen illuminated her face.
"So..." Jan said without looking away from her work. "How did your trial go?"
Kyle let out a breath and dropped his belt on the nearby table. "Fine... I think." He paused. "But honestly, I'm not sure."
That didn't surprise her. Kyle was never one to claim confidence when things felt uncertain—and nothing about his presence in this time was anything but uncertain.
"I figured as much," Jan said, finally turning to face him. "They're not exactly testing you the way Luke trained you. You've had to play catch-up since we got here."
Kyle smirked wryly. "Yeah... guess I should've spent less time practicing my blaster draw and more time studying galactic history."
Jan laughed softly, then sobered. "Still... everything we dug up yesterday had to help. Even if it didn't cover everything, it gave you something to work with."
Kyle nodded. "It did. And I'm glad you were there to help. Couldn't have done it without you."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Kyle knew Jan didn't always get enough credit for what she brought to the table. She wasn't a Jedi, didn't have the Force, but Kyle knew without her, he wouldn't have survived half the things they'd been through.
Finally, he asked, " Want to grab some lunch?"
Jan pushed back from the console, stretching her arms above her head. "Absolutely. Doing all this intensive research on current and ancient governments really works up an appetite."
Kyle chuckled. "Yeah... tell me about it."
They grabbed their things and headed out together, both grateful for the chance to unwind—even if only for a short while.
When Kyle and Jan stepped outside, they spotted Torm engaged in conversation with a Jedi Kyle recognized from the cafeteria but hadn't yet met. Kyle waited patiently for a break in the conversation. When it came, he stepped forward.
"Hi, I'm Kyle Katarn," Kyle said, extending his hand.
The Jedi shook it firmly, offering a slight nod. "Greetings. I am Tu Lin."
Jan stepped forward next, offering her own greeting and handshake. "Jan Ors. Nice to meet you."
With introductions done, the group continued toward the cafeteria. The lunch hour was winding down, and all of them—especially Jan—were more than ready to eat.
Once they arrived, they quickly grabbed trays and made their way to the serving area. To their surprise, despite being late to the meal, there was still a generous variety of food available. Each of them loaded their plates before settling at a nearby table.
The meal was calm—at least at first. They ate quietly, savoring the chance to relax.
But then, someone called out.
"Kyle!"
Kyle froze mid-bite, his instincts flaring as he scanned the room. He relaxed only when he spotted Obi-Wan Kenobi weaving between tables, heading straight toward them.
The young Jedi practically bounced with energy as he reached their table and slid into a seat beside Torm.
"I heard you did well on your Trial of Knowledge," Obi-Wan said with a grin. His tone was casual, but there was an eagerness beneath his words.
Kyle set his fork down, surprised but composed. "News travels fast around here."
Obi-Wan smiled wider. "And now that you're done… we can have that duel."
Kyle blinked. He had nearly forgotten about the sparring match they had agreed to the day before. Between his trial and the exhausting research session in the Archives, it had slipped his mind.
Still… he had agreed. Kyle wasn't about to back out.
"Sure," Kyle said with a shrug. "Let me finish eating and give my food a little time to settle, and we'll make it happen."
Obi-Wan's grin widened, excitement practically radiating from him.
Before Obi-Wan could add anything else, Torm spoke up.
"I'd like to get some dueling practice in as well."
Kyle glanced at him, surprised. Torm hadn't mentioned anything about dueling before now, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. Sooner or later, sparring with other Jedi was bound to come up.
Kyle nodded. "Alright. I'm game."
Jan smirked from across the table. "You're really stacking up the challengers, huh?"
Kyle grinned wryly. "Just my luck."
By the time Kyle finished his meal, Jan was still nibbling at her food while Torm and Obi-Wan contacted their masters on their personal channels. Kyle overheard part of the conversation—both were requesting that their mentors oversee the duels.
Kyle sighed under his breath. So much for a low-profile spar...
Jan gave him a knowing look. "You're not getting out of this, you know."
Kyle chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Even so, Kyle couldn't shake the feeling that this duel might end up being far more than a simple practice session. Something about it felt... significant. And if his instincts were right, the outcome of this spar might have greater consequences than anyone at the table realized.
He pushed the thought aside. For now, all he could do was finish his meal, keep his nerves steady—and get ready to step back onto the training mat.
About an hour had passed when both Obi-Wan's and Torm's masters arrived. Kyle was pleased to see Qu Rahn again—a familiar face that gave him a sense of steadiness. But Rahn hadn't come alone. Two other Jedi accompanied him.
One of them Kyle recognized instantly: Master Anoon Bondara. The Twi'lek's sharp eyes and calm demeanor gave away little, but Kyle knew enough to respect him—a master duelist with a formidable reputation.
The other Jedi—a young woman Kyle didn't recognize—stepped forward before Kyle could ask.
"Greetings," she said with a polite bow. "I am Darsha Assant."
Kyle returned the bow, offering a faint smile. "Kyle Katarn," he said before gesturing to his partner. "And this is Jan Ors."
Darsha smiled warmly and bowed again. "It's nice to meet you both."
"Likewise," Jan added, her tone friendly yet curious.
Introductions complete, the group departed the cafeteria and made their way to the training area. As they walked, Kyle glanced back, noticing a small group of Padawans and Initiates lingering in the hallway—hovering just far enough behind to avoid suspicion.
He smirked to himself. Guess this duel's already drawing an audience.
Bondara must have sensed it too, because once they stepped inside the training room, he turned back to the doors. With a calm expression, he entered his security code into the panel. The doors slid shut with a mechanical hiss, followed by the unmistakable click of the lock engaging.
The muffled groans of frustrated onlookers echoed faintly from the other side.
"If they want to see the duel," Bondara muttered dryly, "they'll need Council permission. And since I'm in charge of security..." He allowed himself a small smile. "They won't get it anytime soon."
With the doors sealed, the masters began laying out the rules. The duels would be one-on-one, ending as soon as a dueling saber landed a scoring strike. No prolonged matches, no elaborate displays—just precision and skill.
Qu Rahn stepped forward, carrying a small crate of training sabers. He handed one to each participant, including Kyle. The weapon was lighter than Kyle's own blade—less familiar, but still serviceable.
Adapt and overcome... Kyle reminded himself. It's what I do.
Once the rules were set, Kyle and Obi-Wan stepped onto the training mat, the rest of the group moving to the observation area.
Kyle and Obi-Wan locked eyes. Both assumed a ready stance, blades held steady.
Kyle felt the air shift—energy coiling tightly around them. He knew this feeling. It was the calm before the storm.
Obi-Wan's thumb flicked the ignition switch, and a blue blade flared to life. Kyle followed suit, his green training saber igniting with a sharp hiss.
For a heartbeat, neither moved.
Then, as if on cue, they struck.
The duel was on.
The two men became a blur of movement, their blades flashing and clashing with blistering speed. Anyone without the Force would have struggled to follow the exchange—and Jan was most definitely not keeping up.
From her vantage point, the duel seemed like chaos—blue and green sabers flickering through the air, punctuated by the sharp snap-hiss of each strike meeting its mark. Sparks danced across the training room floor as blades skimmed past one another, narrowly missing vital points.
Even without understanding every movement, Jan knew one thing for certain: the fight wasn't over yet.
The two combatants kept moving, circling, countering, adjusting. Kyle's blade cut low—blocked. Obi-Wan twisted, aiming a fast overhead strike—parried. Each move flowed into the next, their footwork precise and relentless.
Then, the pace shifted.
The blinding exchange began to slow—not from fatigue, but from Kyle steadily gaining the upper hand. Jan didn't need to be a Jedi to recognize it. Kyle had forced Obi-Wan onto his back foot, driving him toward the edge of the mat.
She knew that look in Kyle's eyes—the focused calm that meant he was about to end things.
Kyle surged forward, his saber streaking toward Obi-Wan's chest in a decisive strike. But Obi-Wan wasn't finished.
The younger Jedi suddenly extended his hand, thrusting forward with a Force push. The wave of energy rippled through the air, fast and powerful.
But Kyle felt it coming.
Instead of resisting, he disengaged just before the push hit, sidestepping the blast entirely. The sudden absence of resistance caused Obi-Wan to stumble forward, briefly off-balance.
Kyle didn't waste the opportunity.
Pivoting sharply, Kyle brought his blade down in a precise arc, the green saber stopping just short of Obi-Wan's exposed leg. The training saber's tip flickered against the younger Jedi's thigh—a clear, undeniable mark.
"Point," Bondara announced.
The room went silent.
Kyle stepped back, deactivating his saber and offering Obi-Wan a nod of respect. "Good fight."
Obi-Wan let out a breath, clearly frustrated but composed enough to return the nod. "Yeah... same to you." He shook his head with a rueful grin. "I didn't expect you to slip past that push."
Kyle smirked. "Yeah... I've had some practice with that one."
From the viewing area, Master Qui-Gon's expression remained calm, though Kyle didn't miss the faint look of approval in his eyes.
"Not bad," Qu Rahn added with a smile. "Not bad at all."
Jan leaned back in her seat, finally exhaling the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Show-off," she muttered under her breath—but the proud smile on her face betrayed her words.