Kamon nodded.

"Ok. Well I guess its time we talk to Gash. That, will be interesting. Trust me on that."

He started to walk and motioned for Jace to follow.

"Follow me. We'll go find Gash."

They headed off in search of the man.

Gash?

I didn't say a word, for I knew who the man was, and it was that which scared me the most. I didn't think that the man was evil, nor did I think he was especially good. But I didn't really have anything to go on, just stories....rumours.

Gash, however, appeared rather nothing like he'd been described in the rumors Jacen had been told. In part, because such rumors were exaggerated and likely would've painted the five-foot-eleven man as anything from a seven foot behemoth to an underdeveloped runt, and in part simply because Gash had changed.

Sitting in front of a holoterminal with Kasien Treseda (who held a variety of intelligence-related positions in the Rogue Jedi Order, official and less so) opposite him -- the two, close friends, were seldom seen apart during official Ossan Parliament matters -- Gash could easily have been mistaken for a diplomat or admiral, both of which he had once been. Since the bloody Battle of Bastion, a number of changes had altered his physical appearance. For one, the three scars which once marked his face were gone, cured by a Ryll treatment (which was used in place of Bacta, which the Jedi Master was alergic to). His once-famous glowing red eyes appeared a cool shade of green, transformed by contacts the Rogue Jedi needed anyway, for reading purposes -- something which his job demanded frequently. Instead of Jedi robes, he wore a simple dark-navy tunic, and a pair of desert-beige pants.

He looked up from his work, with Kasien also turning to face the two entering Jedi. "Visitors," Kasien said, though he knew the two already had Gash's attention -- and that the Jedi had likely known of their coming long before they reached the door.

"So I see," Gash replied. He studied them for a moment nodding his greeting to Kamon but concentrated primarily on the newcomer. "You are Jacen." The Rogue Jedi Master said, and it was not so much a question as a statement. "Yes. Your powers are strong, developed already."

The man, who was, in Gash's estimation, perhaps little older than a boy, nodded his assent.

Gash stood up from his desk, walking around it to stand beside where Kasien Treseda still sat. "It is my opinion that many Jedi who come to me having already shown extensive ability despite a lack of training place less of an emphasis on what I have to teach them, and more upon their independance."

Gash fished inside his pocket, pulling out a small, dark-blue cube. Dotting the centre of each face of the cube were small, red, spherical jewels. It seemed both mechanical and magical, and its usefulness was instantly apparent. From his belt, he unclipped a lightsaber. "A test, then?" He said, looking down at Kasien.

"You're the Jedi."

"That, I am." He tossed the two instruments -- the cube and the lightsaber -- to Jacen, trusting him to catch them, which he did. "I assume you know what a lightsaber is, and how it works. That cube in your hand is a holocron. Destroy it. Now."

Jacen stood looking at Gash for the briefest of moments. "Do it. I am not joking."

The lightsaber -cold in my hand- felt strange, and alien. I was not used to holding other lightsaber that were not my own, and I did not intend to start now, not with my own lightsaber clipped to my belt. I tossed the borrowed lightsaber back to Gash, who caught it with ease, and I smiled, the usual solo grin.

"If it is alright with you, I would like to use my own weapon. I have grown quite fond of it."

I turned my attention to the holocron in my other hand, exploring its surface with my iridescent eyes - eyes that used to be a dark brandy brown, but had been changed with the help of surface inserts. They were now a bright green on the right, and the left was an ice cold blue. It was not a unintentional that the eyes were two different colours; it symbolized the two people in my mind. There was Jacen Organa, the one I had grown up as, and then there was Jacen Solo, the one I really was meant to be.

"I do not mean to question your words, but I feel I have to clearify something for myself. A holocron, it is a wealth of knowledge from Jedi long dead. It is their gift; their powers; their experiences and knowledge shared with us so that we may learn from what they have done. If you truly want me to destroy it, I will, but please alow me to study its contents so that I may educate myself before so needlessly throwing away its materials."

"Eloquent, this boy," Gash said, looking down at Kasien.

"Very."

Gash flicked his finger at the holocron and lightsaber in Jacen's hands, and the two flew back to the Jedi Master. He smiled slightly, clipping the lightsaber to his belt and replacing the holocron back within his pocket. "You disobey me. It is a catch-22, to put it in ancient human terms. Will you be independant or subservient? Innately talented, or rely upon the teachings of old? And how can you disobey me and be independant, yet rely and depend upon the teachings of old? Or be subservient and yet destroy teachings which would strengthen you, albeit through dependance?" Gash shrugged. "I see why you hesitate before making a decision. Yet you take a chance. You do not know whether this test is one of your moral fiber, or your obedience, whether I will, laud your efforts or -- " Gash pulled from his belt the lightsaber, ingiting it and throwing it full-force at Jacen. It stopped, blade inches from his neck, the young man thoroughly startled and afraid. Almost instantly, the blade faded to nothingness, a mere illusion after all. "-- kill you altogether," Gash finished.

"But, you make the decision in your soul, in the end. You are independant from me, but you recognize the worth of the wisdom of your elders. This is admirable. But always remember that, just like there were two sides here today, there are two sides for every choice in a decision you must make. You may save a village from Sith assault, only to find that the would-be attackers flee and destroy a city instead."

Gash walked forward, closing the space between the two of them, and placing his hand upon the young man's shoulder, smiling approvingly at him. "The bravado ends here, Jacen. I'm a fairly forgiving master, and I rarely put on displays like this."

A moment later, Jacen found the holocron in his hand again, Gash placing it there unexpectedly. "This holocron contains the spirit and essence of a great Caamasi Jedi Master, named Teros Tre'Na. He has been a great wealth of knowledge, and a mentor to me in the rebuilding of Ossus as the gatekeeper of this holocron. I would never have let you destroy it. But you may, as you asked, learn from it."

The hand on my shoulder was startling, the holocron in my hand was completely unexpected. This man, this Gash, was full of surprises, and I didn't much care for surprises. Though, the man was smart, and powerful, and had lioved this long, so I supposed that a little change on my part would not be that big of a deal. I closed my fist around the holocron.

"Thank you, Gash. I will take care of it for as long as it is in my possession. I will make sure to return it to you in better condition then it was when given to me."

I turned to look at Kamon, and then back to Gash. The two of them had not spoken much to each other when we had entered the room, but maybe they didn't need to. I would look into it later, for now, I was waiting for the next thing that the surprising Gash would throw my way.

"That isn't saying much. That holocron is over four thousand years old." Gash smiled slightly. "Now, I'd suggest you two go. Myself and Kasien are pertaining to matters that, not only wouldn't you be interested in, but would be illegal for you to become privvy to."

He retreated to his desk, sitting down and pressing a button on the holopanel. "Unless, of course, you'd like to stay and have me gain you clearance to assist us on matters of a... junaril-fruit export tax hike?"

"A rollicking good time," Kasien affirmed. "Regular Naboo banquet."

"Indeed."

I gave a lop-sided grin, and placed the holocron in my pocket pouch. I retreated towards the door, with my hands in fornt of me with mock terror.

"I think I will take my leave. I don't think the patience or proper trainning to get through such a discussion. Thank you again, and May The Force Be With You."

With that I turned and walked out of the office.

Kamon also left the room. He nodded to Gash and Kasien before he left.

Walking out, he nodded to Jace.

"You did well, I think. Good job."

I stopped, and looked over my shoulder.

"Thank you, Kamon. It wasn't half as hard as I feared it was going to be. I suppose rumours really do get blown out of proportion, eh?"