Chapter 4: Anomalies and Knowledge

The trip from Yavin IV to Coruscant should have been routine—uneventful, just a few hours in hyperspace.

But midway through the journey, something changed—something that pulled Kyle out of his studies with the holocron Luke had provided.

For the past hour, he had been skimming through its vast knowledge, absorbing ancient Jedi teachings. But what intrigued him most were the lightsaber forms. The holocron contained wisdom on everything from philosophy to battle tactics, but this was immediately relevant. His recent sparring match with Kyp had left him with questions. Now, at last, he was beginning to find answers.

During their duel, Kyle had noticed something different in Kyp's approach—a subtle but unmistakable shift in his movements. His attacks were smoother, more rhythmic, following a pattern Kyle hadn't recognized at first. His battle instincts had allowed him to counter the younger Jedi's strikes, but Kyle knew that wouldn't last. If Kyp kept improving, it was only a matter of time before he found the perfect rhythm to break through.

Then, as Kyle skimmed through the forms, the holocron shifted to Ataru.

Kyle's brow furrowed.

Ataru. The Form of Aggression.

A younger, faster fighter—especially one with Kyp's natural talent—would take to it easily. It was built on relentless offense, overwhelming an opponent with speed, acrobatics, and powerful strikes. Kyle had seen it before. He had fought opponents who relied on it.

And he immediately recognized its weakness.

Ataru wasn't made for prolonged combat. It burned hot but fast. The moment its momentum stalled, or the user faced someone who could withstand its onslaught, the form began to crumble.

Kyp should have figured that out already. Their spar had forced him into a longer engagement, and Kyle had made sure to control the pace. If Kyp had been paying attention, he would have realized that Ataru's strengths could also be its undoing.

But knowing Kyp? He'd chalk his loss up to experience and luck.

Kyle smirked. He'd learn the hard way.

Before he could go deeper into the holocron's lessons, the ship suddenly lurched violently.

The Force screamed a warning.

Kyle was on his feet instantly, rushing to the cockpit.

The Anomaly.

"Is everything alright?" he asked as he entered the cockpit, his voice sharper than he intended.

Jan was already scanning the controls, her eyes locked on the flickering readings. Without looking up, she gestured toward the co-pilot's console.

"There's an anomaly in the readings," she said, her tone clipped but focused.

Kyle slid into the co-pilot's seat, hands moving instinctively over the interface. Just as he started analyzing the data, the ship slammed out of hyperspace.

A violent jolt sent both of them reeling, the ship rattling under the sudden shift.

For a brief, stomach-dropping moment, Kyle expected alarms—hull breach warnings, system failures, something. But instead, the Raven's Claw held together. No damage.

Which meant something else had caused it.

Kyle exchanged a glance with Jan. They both knew the only thing that could normally rip a ship from hyperspace like that—a black hole.

A possibility neither of them wanted to consider.

Kyle exhaled sharply, reaching out with the Force. Not just to check on the ship—but beyond it.

And that's when he felt it.

Like a thin veil had been placed over the Force.

It was stifling. A subtle barrier, pressing against his senses. Where there should have been a smooth connection to the Force, there was resistance.

Kyle's brow furrowed. "What the…?" He shook his head, brushing aside the momentary disorientation and refocusing on the ship's diagnostics.

The sensor array confirmed what he already suspected—no immediate damage, no mechanical failure.

Still, something wasn't right.

Kyle's instincts—honed by years of war and survival—told him this wasn't just a random anomaly.

"We'll have to keep an eye on it," Kyle muttered, glancing at Jan.

She nodded, already rechecking the sensor logs. "Agreed."

Her fingers moved over the controls, cross-referencing their location with the navicomputer. After a moment, she frowned.

"Weird," she said.

Kyle looked over. "What?"

Jan leaned back slightly. "We weren't thrown that far off course. Maybe a few hours at most."

Kyle frowned. A hyperspace disruption like that should have scattered them light-years away. Instead, they were still relatively close to their original trajectory.

Which meant something—or someone—had deliberately controlled the anomaly.

Jan exhaled. "I say we finish the last leg of the trip on sublight engines."

Kyle nodded. "Yeah. Let's play it safe."

Neither of them said what they were both thinking.

Something—or someone—had just altered their course.

And Kyle could feel it—his connection to the Force was still… off.

A Few Hours Later...

Kyle leaned back in his seat, returning to the holocron. He might as well make use of the time.

The holocron's gatekeeper, a figure whose name was spoken in a language Kyle didn't recognize, had explained that it contained everything a Jedi should know about personal and group combat—including combative Force abilities.

That part had surprised Kyle. Luke always preached that Jedi were keepers of the peace, engaging only as a last resort. Yet here was knowledge designed for direct combat.

Still, he wasn't about to ignore it. Information was a tool—one he intended to integrate into his own fighting style.

As he studied further, he found himself drawn to Form VI: Niman.

It made sense. The form blended elements of the first five disciplines into a balanced, adaptable style—exactly how Kyle preferred to fight.

But something struck him as odd.

Form VI incorporated bits of all previous styles—except for Form VII.

Kyle frowned.

That was something he would need to rectify.

Just as he prepared to delve into Niman's opening kata, Jan's voice interrupted his focus.

"We're coming up on Coruscant," she said.

Kyle exhaled, shutting off the holocron. Time to get back to reality.

Arrival at Coruscant.

As the Raven's Claw approached the planet, their comm system crackled to life.

"Unidentified vessel, state your name, transponder ID, and purpose of visit."

Kyle and Jan exchanged a look. That was… unexpected.

They were well-known associates of former Chief of State Mon Mothma. They shouldn't have needed clearance.

Kyle reached out through the Force, searching for answers.

And immediately, he felt it again.

The same resistance, pressing against him, stifling his connection to the Force.

This wasn't a one-time anomaly, but Kyle was a stubborn man and he wouldn't let this veil stop him from connecting to the libing Force and he directed his will and pierced through the veil for a brief moment.

Jan raised a brow as she saw Kyle's expression shift. "Something wrong?"

Kyle hesitated, then exhaled. He felt a nudge—stronger than before.

Make your Jedi status known.

That wasn't his style. Kyle preferred to keep his Jedi background low profile, known only to those he trusted. He never flaunted it in public.

But this time?

Something told him it was the right move.

He turned to Jan. "Tell them a Jedi is on board."

Jan gave him a skeptical look. "You sure?"

Kyle nodded.

A moment later, Jan relayed the message.

And everything changed.