Star Wars : New Jedi

That was enough to mollify the Katarn matriarch. "You've been helping out?"

Kyle grinned. "Of course! I'm not one of those Jedi who spends all day sitting an meditating before speaking in riddles." He flexed one of his arms to prove the point. "I work for a living!"

...

Patricia handed the young Kyle off to Morgan in order to get supper prepared. She may have accepted the older Kyle's presence, but the extra mouth to feed meant more preparation. Back in the living room, the two men sat down beside each other.

"Why tell me these things?" he asked as he looked between the two Kyles. The eyes were the same. No matter how much he thought about it, it all came down to that. Even more than what the Force – Kyle was going to grow up to be a Jedi! - told him.

"Because I can't lie to you. And given the chance to avoid you or mom..." Kyle let his voice drop off. "Look, I'm going to deal with the Valley once Jan comes back. That'll keep Jerec and his goons off you, I hope."

"Or I could just stay away from Ruusan," Morgan said.

"Honestly, I hope it never even comes to that," Kyle looked at his younger self. "Take more pictures, will you?"

"Serious advice, or just a request?"

"Request," Kyle said. "Although I wasn't in much of a position to collect, once things happened."

"You want to hold him?" Morgan offered, lifting the one year old up. "Could be good for you."

Kyle was stunned. Looking at the little child curled up in Morgan's arms, it was too easy to forget that it was him down there. He wanted to reach out with the Force, to see what he would be without the Valley. But something stayed his hand there. Would he harm himself in the action?

"Don't worry," Morgan said. "Just relax your arms."

"I know how to be careful, I've looked after kids before." Kyle had done so for the Solo kids on occasion when the two of them needed a break. It usually led to them latching onto their 'Unca Kyle'. And Jan teasing him about the kids. And others teasing him about Jan. And then him and Jan teasing Luke and Mara Jade right back. It was all in the family, so to speak.

Morgan put the babe into Kyle's arms, and for a moment, Kyle was lost in the impossibility. He was going to change things now, he had to, looking at the sleeping child. "Hey," he mock-whispered. "So you're Kyle too, huh? Look, listen to your father. And your mother too. They both know what they're doing, and if I do my job right, everything will be all right."

"That's enough," Patricia said from the entrance to the kitchen. "You look like you could stay that way forever, Master Jedi." She looked at Morgan, who nodded. "Will you stay the night?"

"Really?" Kyle looked out the window at the coming night. "Yea, I think I better. If you don't mind. I can sleep on the couch." He offered, not wanting to put his mother out any more than he had to.

"No, we have a spare room. Morgan can help you set it up." She glared at her husband, who only nodded in agreement. "Come on then. Time for supper."

After the meal, Kyle helped clean up. He may have earned a roof over his head for helping repair the infrastructure of the Homestead, but that meant nothing to the woman before him. "Are you going to war?" she asked as they cleaned the dishes.

"Probably," Kyle replied. "If you're worried about Morgan or little Kyle, don't be."

"You think it will be over soon?"

Kyle could sense her worry. Three years, the Clone Wars lasted. "I don't know. Hopefully. But this has been a long time coming." He didn't know what else to say. "But I can assure you that I'll keep your side of the family safe."

"Thank you, Master Jedi." She bowed, and Kyle mimicked the motion.

That evening, Kyle slid into bed, but couldn't sleep. And he wasn't the only one either, judging by the Force. The two of them, Morgan and Kyle met on the front porch of the home. "Can't sleep?" Kyle asked, even though he knew the reason why."

"No, I can't." Morgan admitted his weakness. "To hear your tale, and know it to be true, I can't help but worry."

"For me? Or for you?"

"Yes. Both. Patricia." The knowledge of how his wife died hit harder than anything else. "You told me this, to expect me to change it?"

"I don't see why we shouldn't try." Kyle said, looking up at the stars. "To not try would be the worst choice we could make."

"Will I see you again?"

"Not for a long time," Kyle said. "I have to fight in this war, to see things through to a better end."

"You still won't tell me a lot of things."

"If I succeed, father, then none of it will matter." Kyle considered making a recording of what he knew of history. Jan as well, to give to Morgan to help should they fail and Palpatine formed the Empire again. But that was something that could wait. "Come on, let's get some sleep."

...

( Baron's Head )

Morgan drove Kyle back to the spaceport once Jan signaled she was back in the system. She sounded rough around the edges, like she had been crying, but the two Katarn's ignored it for now.

Once the Raven's Claw landed, Kyle stepped up to the loading ramp, Morgan a half-step behind. "Don't stop there, son."

"Father?"

"Kyle? Is something the matter?" Jan called out from the cockpit.

"No Jan!" Kyle called back. "Just saying goodby to Morgan!"

"Kyle," Morgan said. For what it's worth..." He stumbled over the words he wanted to say, feeling that for Kyle, they had already been said.

"Kyle? What's taking so... long...." Jan said as she came to the ramp, seeing the two men there. "Oh, hello sir."

Kyle was glad for the distraction. "Morgan, Jan. Jan. Morgan."

"Jan!" Morgan pushed past Kyle to take Jan's hands. "So good to finally meet you! Kyle has nothing but kind words for you." He offered his words warmly, causing Jan to blush slightly. "You kids take care now!" He hopped off the ramp, careful not to hit himself on the ship in the process.

Kyle and Jan shared a look. "You told him." She accused.

"Well, yea. I mean, I couldn't lie to him." Kyle tried to defend himself as Jan advanced on him.

"Kyle." Jan said again, stones in her voice. "What did you tell him?"

...

( Ruusan Orbit )

"Jan, are you ever going to tell me what happened on Alderaan?"

"No, Kyle." Jan's voice was frosty the entire trip, and Kyle knew he was going to be in trouble for a long time.

"Jan?"

"Kyle."

"Please?"

"No."

"Jan?"

"Kyle."

"Are we going to stay in orbit, or can we go down to the Valley?"

The descent of the Raven's Claw was sharper than it needed to be.

...

( The Valley of the Jedi )

Kyle and Jan walked into the amphitheatre that was the capstone of the Valley tomb itself. Surrounding them were the rows of statues commemorating the Jedi who died in that last battle, arranged on the tiers. The stone statues of Morgan Katarn and Qu Rahn were naturally missing.

Jan stayed at the edge of this place, even her inability to feel the Force wasn't enough to not get a feel for this place. "Kyle? Be careful."

"I will Jan." Kyle activated his lightsaber and started to carefully crack the capstone to the Valley. He needed to get down into the Force Nexus to free the spirits before anything else could happen.

He worked carefully, knowing he would need to restore the capstone once he was done. The first time he was here, Boc and Jerec had simply ripped it open before resealing it behind the blind Jedi. The second time, the cracks were already there, allowing him to access the Valley without any extra effort.

Today, he wasn't going to be so rude. Kyle could feel the spirits in this place confused by his presence, but they did not hamper his work. They knew he would set them free.

Eventually, he had loosened the capstone enough that he could lift it with the Force out of the way. Gently setting it down, he took one last look at Jan, her face full of worry, then he jumped into the Nexus.