'Exile's Revenge' Chapter 1: Mical

When he had met his former Master on Dantooine, Mical had considered telling him who he was and joining him. However, Troy Blukam was not the only Jedi left, no matter what any body else thought. In fact Mical had already met Master Vrook Lamar. And although Mical had no doubt Troy could find other Masters, he also had a feeling these Masters would end up dead, one way or another.

So Mical had kept his identity a secret, even when Troy seemed to recognize him, and continued on his journey. Master Vandar Tokare had been his next objective after Vrook, so Mical headed for Corellia, where it was rumored Vandar fled to after the destruction of the Republic Fleet at the battle of the Star Forge. It was said that the Master had escaped the destruction of Dodonna's Flagship by getting to an escape pod just prior to the ship's death. The slow moving pod escaped the notice of the Sith Fighters mostly by luck, but also due to Vandar's Force abilities. It was said that Vandar traveled for days before finding a planet, and from there he headed to Corellia.

When Mical landed on Corellia he heard over the holo-net that the Ebon Hawk, described as a "Capital Class" starship, initiated a space battle in orbit around the planet of Onderon. Mical had no doubt in his mind that his former Master was responsible for the firefight, though he had wondered what the Ebon Hawk's envolement in the battle was. 'Last time I checked, the Ebon Hawk was a freighter under the command of none other than Darth Revan,' he thought upon hearing the news 'Is it possible the Dark Lord has returned? And why is the Hawk described as a capitalship? It must be that piece of bantha poodoo Vaklu, trying to stur up trouble on Onderon, I should investigate this after I find Master Vandar.' However, no matter how hard he tried, Mical couldn't help but wonder if his former Master was working for Darth Revan again, as he had done during the Mandalorian Wars. That would certainly explain why the Ebon Hawk was in the same place as his former Master, but that didn't feel right to him. He knew that no matter what, his Master would never have fallen to the Dark Side, in fact he had left Revan's service even though everyone else had left the path of Light. 'I cannot worry about this now,' he had to constantly tell himself 'I need to find Master Vandar, he might know more than I do.'

Mical had to spend many days, as well as call in many favors owed by various Republic Officials but he finally learned that Vandar's last sighting was in Corellia City, the Capital of Corellia. He then had to use his latent Force abilities to locate the diminuative Jedi Master, but after nearly another week of searching he found Vandar living in a rundown section of the city, known for its high crime-rate. When Mical finally did find Vandar though, he was disappointed to find that the wise Master knew nothing more than he already did. However, Vandar did decide to continue Mical's training as a Jedi Consular, sensing his potential to become a powerful Jedi. Mical soon learned to harness the power of the Force and became a very strong warrior and mediator, and remained true to the Light Side, even after some extremely tough trials designed to test Mical's dedication. Within half a year the Red sector of Corellia City, where he trained with Vandar, became a much safer place. However, Mical frequently found himself worrying about his former Master, though their Force-bond had weakened to the point that it nearly didn't exist, he could still faintly tell when Troy felt really strong emotions, especially anger. And the anger was coming more and more often. Mical frequently found himself seeking Master Vandar's advice.

"Master Vandar, I fear for my former Master," Mical continually said "I can feel that he is still on the Path of Light, but there is a darkness within him that can not be ignored."

"Agree with you I do, Padawan," Vandar would answer "But there is little you can do until your training is completed."

"But Master, there is little else you can teach me." Mical said one day "You've said so yourself, I'm one of the most powerful Consulars you have trained. In less than a year I have become more powerful than I ever was at the Enclave. I want to search for my Master, the last thing I heard about him was that he had saved Telos from a Sith attack and headed off into deep space."

"Padawan, something to show you, I have." Vandar said "Just before the Mandalorian Wars, a vision i had. Filled with death and destruction, it was. I feared, and the other Master's agreed, that a vision of the Mandalorian Wars, it was. Why we counciled caution, instead of action, this vision was. Two wars we have now seen, and the vision I saw, of neither one it was. To fight a greater enemy, I believe your former Master has. Go to him, you should."

Then Vandar showed Mical a vision of the future, a future of pain, death, and agony, it was almost unbearable. Flashes of battles, duels, and creatures that certainly existed on no Republic world played through Mical's mind. Then just when it seemed to end, something new happened, something Vandar had never seen. It was an image of Troy Blukam fighting Darth Revan, alone. Both were skilled duelists, Troy having become a Weapon Master after completing his training as a Guardian, Revan, a once powerful Jedi Guardian turned Sith Lord, and each matched the other's attacks. The duel seemed to come to a standoff, until Revan, described as one of the most powerful Force-users ever, used the Force to throw shards of glass from a broken window, bits of plasteel from the many destroyed canisters, and many other kinds of debris at Troy. Unable to defend against so many objects coming from all angles, Troy fell, one of Darth Revan's Lightsabers stuck in his gut, and protruding out of his back.

"You should have joined me when you had the chance my old friend." Revan said "If it had been you that joined me instead of that blood-thristy fool Malak, we could've conquered the galaxy."

"And that is why I left, " Troy gasped, barely able to breathe. "You cared nothing for the Republic, or the Order. We went to war to do the job of the Jedi, and then you turned around and slaughtered those you were sworn to protect, you became what you fought. That is why I left, i only wish the Council had listened..." With that, Troy Blukam, the nearest thing to a true Jedi Mical had ever seen, died.

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"Come with me, Master." Mical asked "He will need all the help he can get."

"Agree with you i do." Vandar replied "However, into another war, i will not go. Others you must find, former allies of your Master, there are. Find them, you must. Upon you, the future rests. Go now, and return do not, my time has come, the Force calls me." And with that, Master Vandar, Mical's Master for the last year and a half, disappeared into nothing.

"Master?" Mical called out "Master, what has happened to you?"

"Become one with the Force, I have" Came Vandar's ghostly response "And bestow the rank of Jedi Master upon you, I do."