[SpringsSong]

"So when did she become your actual Padawan?" Lana asked.

"I'm... not sure when she became my actual Padawan," Xyshari admitted.  "Shortly after we left from Nar Shaddaa, after dismantling one of the projects, General Var Suthra called us and told us that Darth Angral's closest general wanted to defect.  We went to meet him, and it turned out to be a Child of the Emperor."

[SpringsSong]

"I've always heard about Children of the Emperor, but unless you were one, you didn't know who they were," Lana said.

"Well, apparently Kira was one of them," Xyshari said.  "Born on Dromund Kaas, sent to the Sith Academy on Korriban, the whole deal."

"How did she get away and become a Jedi?" Lana asked.

[SpringsSong]

"Well, how she told it to me was that one day, she realized that she couldn't remember the past week," Xyshari said.  "When she realized that, she realized that they'd been taking her to see the Emperor.  She decided to slip out and sneak into a shipping container, and got off-world.  She got caught trying to steal Master Kiwiiks's hyperdrive on Nar Shaddaa, and... that's how she ended up with the Jedi," she said.

[SpringsSong]

"She stole a hyperdrive..." Lana began.

"From a Jedi Master, yes," Xyshari said with a chuckle.  "According to her, Master Kiwiiks was more shocked about it than upset.  Finding out that she had been born Sith barely phased her.  I... hope that she's okay," Xyshari said, her voice trailing off slightly.

[SpringsSong]

"It sounds like she was very adept at taking care of herself," Lana said.  "I'm sure she's done all right for herself in these last five years.  If you'd like, though, I'm sure we could try to put out feelers for her.  Would she be sympathetic to the Alliance's cause?"

"She'd probably ask me why I didn't ask her sooner," Xyshari said with a chuckle.

[SpringsSong]

"She does sound like the type that would ask something like that," Lana said with a chuckle.  "I wonder, though... you did describe someone that felt a little familiar.  There's a chance that we went through the Academy together.  Was she...?"

"Redhead, green eyes, scar under her right eye?" Xyshari asked.

[SpringsSong]

"Her name wasn't Kira, and we weren't exactly what I'd call friends, but I knew her," Lana said.  "One of the inherent dangers of growing up in the Sith Academy.  I'd assume that it's the same of Jedi, no?  You grow up with your peers from the moment you're brought in for training, and... well, that's that."

[SpringsSong]

"I've seen Jedi come into the Order... and fall out of it," Xyshari said.  "The life isn't for everyone that's Force-sensitive.  Did you know that Theron was put through training as a young boy, until it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was not Force-sensitive?"

"With Grandmaster Satele as his mother, I'm not surprised," Lana said.

[SpringsSong]

"I remember seeing him on one of the trials, actually," Xyshari said.  "He was trying so hard to do something that the rest of us were able to do with ease... you'd have thought that Satele would be able to tell that her son wasn't Force-sensitive."

"Perhaps she was hoping that exposure to the training would draw out whatever abilities he may have had," Lana said.

[SpringsSong]

"Or maybe she put him as far away from herself as she could because she was ashamed of him," Xyshari said.  "I mean, she'd broken the Code, and went into self-imposed exile until he was born.  She literally hid the pregnancy from everyone else in the Order, and her Master helped her."

[SpringsSong]

"And that is one reason why the Sith allow us to accept our passions," Lana said.  "Sith Lords disappearing because they were giving birth was not common, but... when it happened, it was at least known."

"Well, I'm a Code-breaker myself," Xyshari said.  "Although, five years ago, you couldn't prove it."

[SpringsSong]

"Explain," Lana said.

"Well, you knew I was married five years ago," Xyshari said.  Lana nodded, and Xyshari continued.  "He brought a ceremonial droid on board and performed a joining ceremony, but he had the droid erase any memory of our ceremony.  The only word binding us to those vows were our own," she said.

[SpringsSong]

"You did that so that nobody could prove that you'd broken your Code," Lana said, inclining her head slightly.

"I wouldn't do it that way now," Xyshari said, shaking her head slightly.  "I... I don't care what would happen if the Orders ever came back from all of this.  If choosing between the life I knew five years ago and my position as Battlemaster and the life I have now, with someone who loves me..."

[SpringsSong]

Xyshari didn't have a chance to finish her sentence.  Lana practically flew at her and she found herself pinned to the ground, in such a manner that Xyshari panicked for a moment, thinking that they were under attack.  It wasn't until Lana's lips made contact with hers that she realized what was happening, and she allowed herself to relax.

[SpringsSong]

Partially because of how she flew at Xyshari--and also because of her intent with the kiss--the contact of their lips was rough.  Lana moved to brace herself above Xyshari, but her right arm buckled slightly and she slipped, landing on Xyshari sligthly.

"Damn," Lana hissed, barely moving away from Xyshari.  "Didn't know lightsaber wounds could still hurt like this..."