Chapter 6: A Verdict Reached a Jedi Assig and Finally Rest

Kyle and Jan were instructed to wait outside while the Jedi Council deliberated.

Neither of them spoke as they stepped out of the Council chambers, the massive doors sealing shut behind them with a finality that made the moment feel heavier than it already was. The antechamber they were led into was simple—rows of chairs, minimal décor, an air of quiet reflection—a place where Jedi likely meditated before entering the Council's presence.

Jan took it all in with a quick sweep of her eyes before exhaling sharply. "Guess we wait."

Kyle simply nodded, stepping over to one of the chairs and dropping into it with a measured calm. Jan sat beside him, but her posture was anything but relaxed. She shifted slightly, arms folded, fingers drumming against her sleeve.

The silence stretched.

Then, at last, she broke it.

"Are you sure you did the right thing?"

Her voice wasn't accusing—just uncertain.

Kyle didn't answer right away. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, eyes unfocused as he stared at the floor. The weight of everything—their sudden displacement in time, the scrutiny of the Jedi, the uncertainty of what came next—pressed down on him, yet he didn't seem rattled.

Finally, he spoke. "I don't know."

Jan turned her head toward him, watching his expression carefully.

"I just know that right now, this is the will of the Force."

Jan blinked. That wasn't the answer she expected.

Kyle Katarn—the man who questioned everything, who carved his own path no matter the cost, who only accepted fate if he could punch his way through it first—was surrendering to the unknown?

For a moment, she didn't know what to say.

Her mind drifted back to Ruusan—to the moment Kyle had walked into a legend. She had been there when he fulfilled the prophecy of the Valley of the Jedi, but she knew the truth: he hadn't come for destiny. He'd come for vengeance.

And yet, somehow, the will of the Force had moved through him anyway, bending the path in unexpected, chaotic ways, leading him here.

Now, he was trusting it without hesitation.

Jan shook her head, exhaling through her nose. "Huh. Look at you, being all Jedi about it."

Kyle smirked faintly but didn't respond.

The silence returned, but now it wasn't as heavy.

Time dragged. Minutes stretched endlessly.

Kyle didn't check the chrono, but he felt the passage of time—long enough to know the Council was debating more than just their presence.

Then, finally, the Jedi who had escorted them before received a commlink transmission.

The voice on the other end was clear and firm. "The Council has reached a decision. Bring them in."

Kyle and Jan exchanged a look before standing.

No words needed to be spoken.

Whatever came next, they would face it together.

The massive doors to the Council Chamber slid open once more, revealing the seated Masters, their expressions unreadable.

Kyle and Jan stepped forward, coming to a stop at the center of the room.

This was it.

The verdict had been reached.

The silence in the chamber was absolute.

Kyle could feel the weight of their deliberation, the way their combined presence in the Force settled over him like an unseen storm. They weren't just deciding his fate—they were deciding how much of a risk he was.

Mace Windu exhaled slowly.

"The Council has reached a decision."

Kyle didn't move. He kept his posture relaxed, unreadable, but he could feel Jan shifting slightly beside him—her arms crossed, her stance tense.

"You will be allowed to remain within the Temple," Mace continued, his voice measured. "But under strict conditions."

Jan arched a brow but said nothing.

"Your skills, your knowledge, and your intentions must be assessed. Before we determine your place here, we need to understand exactly what you are."

Kyle let out a slow breath. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Yoda's ears twitched slightly. "A test of skill, you will undergo. Your training, we must understand. Your mind, we must see."

Mace inclined his head. "Master Anoon Bondara will oversee your evaluation."

Kyle exchanged a glance with Jan. The name meant nothing to her, and honestly, it didn't mean much to him either. But something in the air told him it would soon.

"And if I refuse?"

Mace's expression remained unreadable. "Then you will leave this place. And if we determine you to be a danger—Jedi or not—we will act accordingly."

The message was clear: If he stayed, he was under scrutiny. If he walked, they'd consider him a threat.

Kyle clenched his jaw slightly, thinking it through. He didn't like being put in a box. But walking away now would just make things worse.

Finally, he exhaled through his nose, his shoulders rolling back slightly. "Fine."

Mace studied him for another long moment before giving a slow nod. "Then your trial begins."

Yoda's gaze lingered on Kyle, something unreadable in his ancient eyes. Then, with a quiet murmur, he simply said:

"Much to learn, we all still have."

The doors to the Council chamber slid open once more.

Kyle and Jan were dismissed.

Kyle and Jan were directed back to their ship, instructed to gather whatever personal belongings they would need for their stay.

The walk back to the Raven's Claw was quiet, both of them lost in their thoughts.

Once inside, it took less than fifteen minutes for them to pack. Clothes, a few personal effects—things they never traveled without.

Kyle considered bringing the holocron Luke had given him, but after a moment's thought, he left it behind. There was no way the Jedi wouldn't sense it, and the last thing he needed was to give them another reason to interrogate him.

Instead, he took the memory cube containing his father's last message—the one relic he couldn't leave behind.

As they stepped back onto the landing platform, Jan paused at the ship's hatch, holding up a small encryption lock she had custom-built.

She smirked, securing it in place before throwing a pointed look at their Jedi escort. "Just so we're clear—if anyone tries to snoop while we're gone, they're gonna have a bad time."

The Jedi blinked, clearly caught off guard by the warning.

Kyle chuckled under his breath.

Finally, they were led back inside the Temple—to separate quarters.

At least, that was the idea.

The moment they were alone, Jan ignored the room assigned to her, following Kyle inside his instead.

Before he could even protest, she grabbed his hand, pulled him in, and shut the door behind them.

Kyle arched a brow. "Not even gonna pretend to follow the rules?"

Jan scoffed, stepping closer. "Please. When have I ever?"

Kyle smirked, but his amusement faded as he caught the look in her eyes—not defiance, not sarcasm, but something deeper.

Jan exhaled, her fingers still curled around his. "You know we're in this together, right?"

Kyle hesitated. Not because he doubted her, but because he had spent so much of his life walking paths with her.

Yet here she was. Refusing to let him face this without her. Refusing to leave.

He didn't need the Force to tell him what that meant.

Kyle lifted her hand, pressing a brief kiss to her knuckles before murmuring, "I know."

Jan didn't say anything—she just leaned into him, resting her forehead against his.

For a moment, the Jedi Temple, the Council's judgment, the uncertainty of their place in this time—none of it mattered.

It was just them.

And no matter what happened next, that was enough.