Bindo's Journey: Invitation

The cheers and applause fade with the crowd as it disperses from around the crumbling temple.  Several of the officers march up the long, stone ramp to offer their personal congratulations to the prodigal knight and his cohorts.  In turn, Jolee removes himself from the gathering and projects a gentle suggestion to conceal his presence from them so that he might pass while they stand single file, which offers a clear path down the ramp.

One young, female officer emerges from the crowd and walks passed the line, heading directly for Jolee.  She invokes a familiar sense in his mind.  And Jolee cannot place her, but she reminds him of someone.  For a moment he considers the possibility that his powers have failed him as her approach is unwavering, but then realizes his error.  She steps on passed without ever knowing he was there.

Jolee reaches the bottom of the ramp and begins to walk along-side the temple outer wall.  The aerial honor guard screech overhead for another pass and leave thunder in their wake amidst the clear blue horizon.  Concealed within the joyous thundering there is a low growl.

He casts his old eyes on Bastila and the day's new prodigal knight.  The mutually redeemed lovers embrace and Jolee standing as witness is shocked at himself for the wisp in his eye.

There is another growl; this time not drowned from overhead.  He turns and peers into the bushes to discern a round, wrinkled face cresting out from beneath the deep green leaves.  The Rancor has only begun to summon her courage to charge and with the flick of two fingers Jolee casts a mind trick that sends her away.

With the Rancor's departure the shadow concealing his heart from his mind is lifted and Jolee looks up to catch sight of the young woman once again.  She has been cornered by Mission Vao in conversation who is happily relating their adventure.

VANDAR:  Got something on your mind, do you?

JOLEE:  Master Vandar?

Jolee spins on his heels to deliver a low bow
and Master Vandar nods in kind.

VANDAR:  Long... it has been so very

long since I last saw you, Jolee.

Malak is defeated.  And yet, I sense

that you are troubled.

JOLEE:  Ha.  Don't worry about me.

I just need a suitable place to retire

to get away from all this fanfare.

VANDAR:  Young Jolee, Bastila has

been to see me since the 

Star Forge's destruction.  

JOLEE:  No doubt the reason we

are having this little discussion.

VANDAR:  Indeed, no doubt.  Though corrupted,

Bastila observed that in defying her to save Revan,

your reason for doing so... she noted that you referred

to yourself a Jedi.

JOLEE:  I did.

VANDAR:  There is no need for your reluctance

in saying so.  Naturally, you are welcome 

to return to the Order.  This was true 

even before your heroism in this war.

Jolee glimpses the young woman 

departing with Mission Vao, happily.

JOLEE:  My reasons haven't changed.

VANDAR:  Unfortunate.

JOLEE:  Yes.

VANDAR:  This will all come to be

a time of great change.
You might join us
in shaping it.

JOLEE:  I have not needed the Council before.

VANDAR:  Perhaps.  But have you considered

the possibility that the Council might 

be in need of you?

JOLEE:  What are you proposing, 

Master Vandar?  Why now?

VANDAR:  You missed the Mandalorian Wars.

Your guidance could have been invaluable, then.

JOLEE:  Or ignored, like the Council's.

VANDAR:  I speak of it to say help us to 

divert such tragedies in the future.

JOLEE:  I lost you Bastila.  Remember?

VANDAR:  She was redeemed.  And this much was 

more than we ever hoped for Revan.  He might

as well have only led us to the Star Forge

and arrived their our enemy.  I suspect

your guidance had a hand in this.

JOLEE:  You gamble dangerously, master.

Revan was close.  Bastila might have seen

him turn if it was not for his own love of her.

VANDAR:  Really?

JOLEE:  You didn't know?

VANDAR:  You had no teachings

to offer in this matter?

JOLEE:  Oh, I had teachings.  Though, I think that 

you would fail to recognize them.

VANDAR:  Indeed.  And your argument for

not instilling us with this wisdom?

JOLEE:  That I would not have been there

to guide Revan-the-former if I had a

seat on the Council.  I concealed your

scheme, paper-thin as it was, but I trusted

in the Force to take me on the journey.

You trusted the Force to lead them

and not yourself.

VANDAR:  On that point, I think your

opinion on the matter is clouded.

We did act.  And all the while we

were fighting to keep Malak at bay 

to give the Ebon Hawk time.

We sacrificed... much.

JOLEE:  And was it a victory, master?

VANDAR:  A victory, yes.

But not an end to our troubles.

JOLEE:  Then perhaps you have learned.

Unless, you still think you can lead

your own crusade across the galaxy.

VANDAR:  Tell me, what would you do with

the Sith that remain?

JOLEE:  You, might first try asking

them if they are still Sith 

after all that has happened.

VANDAR:  Thank you for your

guidance on this matter.

JOLEE:  My mouth is getting dry.
You're worse than your prodigal.

VANDAR:  Then we should join the

others in partaking the refreshments.

The two old Jedi walk side by side down the path
to the Elder Rakatan enclave, securely flanked on
both sides by Rancors being kept at bay by an
invisible energy field that binds them all together.

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