(Chapter three.)

Ja-ni left the Scarlet Speedster's autopilot in charge as they soared through hyperspace. She felt suddenly self- aware and unsure of herself as she glanced over to the co-pilot's seat and it's ocupant, a man she thought she'd never see again.

Kanan entered the cockpit with HK-37 a step behind him. Just like old times,eh boy? Kanan said to the Dark Apprentice as he put a reassuring hand on Ja-ni's shoulder.

The Dark Apprentice ignored the comment and asked, Is Vader secure?

Don't worry, Kanan instructed. There are four guards with him, three human and one robotic.

The Dark Apprentice visibly relaxed as Ja-ni stole another glance at him. Without warning he rose and left the cockpit.

As the door slide shut Ja-ni asked Kanan, What's wrong with him?

The lies that Vader told him. He's still unsure what to believe. Kanan replied.

Do you believe it's really him and not a clone? Ja-ni asked.

Kanan let out a short laugh, Oh it's him all right. I just don't know how.

Despite Kanan's claim, Ja-ni still felt a reservation. Could it really be Cale Lestin? How could he have come back? How did he survive? These questions fed her doubts and instead of leaving the cockpit to find him, she found herself distracted with optimising the mathematical efficiency of their course through the Expansion Region towards the Core.

In the training room aboard the Scarlet Speedster, Cale Lestin faced off against some of his former foes, losing himself in the meditation of battle, giving himself to the Force. His twin blue lightsabers whirled and flashed as he annilhated the opponents of his test, before settling into a calmer form of meditation. The answers he sought had not come through battle, they had not come through training. Perhaps now in quiet solitude a clue to who he was would be revealed to him.

Breathing steadily and focusing on himself, on the centre of his being, the Dark Apprentice dreamt.

Blue skies filled with rolling white clouds crossed his vision. A healthy world blanketed with soft green grass. The Dark Apprentice could feel that he was not alone, and looking around in his vision he saw a child running toward him, but still too far away to make out clearly. A hand slipped into his own and Ja-ni was at his side. Her touch stunned him and the dream ended.

Back in the Scarlet Speedster, the Dark Lord sat alone tormented by his thoughts.

The trip to the fleet rendezvous remained awkward in the confined space of the ship. Both the Dark Apprentice and Ja-ni did their best to avoid each other, both seemingly afraid of disappoinment. Ja-ni feared this man would turn out to be a clone of her love, but her fear was dwarfed by the Dark Apprentice's own doubts. He was not afraid of being a clone, but only that Ja-ni could not love him if he was.

Kanan did his best to convince them both and even HK-37 had confirmed that there was a one hundred percent DNA match between the Dark Apprentice and the man HK-37 had spent so long trying to kill. However, this did little to convince Ja-ni and the Dark Apprentice.

For nearly three years Ja-ni had mourned the loss of her love. Then rumors had surfaced of an incredibly powerful Force user's escape from Kamino, of destruction brought upon Cato Neimoidia, news that left her to ponder what was going on. Ja-ni was distracted by her thoughts, then the Bounty Hunter had come and taken her, delivering her to the worst nightmare. To have Cale Lestin abruptly returned to her as her rescuer once more had stunned her. Then having him so close on the ship as they traveled through hyperspace, she had realised that she had not moved on as much as she thought she had.