The following Interlude material was sent to Scott regarding his character, Kenai.

Meko Dayspinner has been in a real funk since you entered Hyperspace. He hasn't really slept in days, due to the Warp engines giving him trouble...which he insists is a "bad thing" while in Hyperspace. Thus far his dilligence (and the help you have given him) has kept the "variations" he keeps bitching about within acceptable levels. You are fairly confident that your fellow Cordawan will get you to Smuggler's Haven safe and sound.

Meko's funk doesn't seem to be because of the troubles the ship is giving him...he actually seems most happy when dealing with the repair problems. Kenai's only clue to the REAL cause of Meko's funk comes from a comment he made to Kenai yesterday. Out of nowhere he said, "These Jedis we travel with are very young and inexperienced. They seem to not trust the Force." Kenai pressed Meko about the comment, but Meko would only say, "They will be enough...they have to be enough" Kenai knows that Meko Dayspinner is a very experienced "Squire," and has accompanied Jedis on missions for over a decade. You think back to your days as a "Squire" to Meeko-Jon, and he did seem to almost "flow along with an unseen path." But Meeko-Jon was practically a Jedi Master...of course he know how to "follow the path the Force provides us." Quinn and Vette will learn, they will improve...they will have to.

Kenai's brow creases...what if Marna Jade or her twin read one of our minds aboard the F.B.T. Avenger. Do they know that we know the children are being "farmed" from Milos? Do they know we are headed for Milos? Will they wrap up operations there...or reinforce their defenses...because they KNOW? It is all so uncertain. Obviously, the Fendora-Bengala are in league with some dark power...perhaps a reincarnated Darth Vile himself! Transporting children from Milos to...well, some unknown location...turning them to the Dark Side...training them in its seductive power. Clearly if this flow of youth to the Dark Side is not stopped...if Darth Vile's(?) efforts are not checked...if the Second Shadow War breaks out tomorrow...how will the few Jedi stand against it? These Jedi we help and support must get to Milos...they must make things right!

Kenai hopes the two-year's worth of efforts made on Tibaroe were worth it. That the "seeds" planted there will somehow help turn the tide...or at least be a small part of some larger, more-complex plan for salvation. The Golden Race were very powerful once, if only our help assists them in reaching their potential...

Farn Lloyd's face keeps popping into Kenai's mind. That bastard. Kenai hopes that screwing up production on Milos will hurt Lloyd...cause him pain. No, really that won't be enough. Normally Kenai tries to live the Jedi Code...to live up to the standards he grew up with...but on this one matter he is weak. Kenai knows that he will not be truly happy until Farn Lloyd's throat is within Kenai's tight grasp...until Farn Lloyd's dead eyes stare up into his...as dead as Master Meeko-Jon's eyes on that fateful night....will he get a chance to feel the joy of that release?

So many more pieces to the puzzle...so many more tasks to perform before that final Shadow falls across this Sector. It boggles Kenai's mind to think of all that lies before him...but finally the first 4 lines of the Jedi code come to Kenai's mind...and bring him a certain peace...

There is no emotion - there is peace.
There is no ignorance - there is knowledge.
There is no passion - there is serenity.
There is no death - there is the Force.

At this point Scott wrote me something back...but I haven't located a copy of what he wrote yet. Whatever it was, I wanted to redirect him a little bit, so I wrote the following back to him....

...Meko takes a long hard look at you, and his face softens from an initial flash of anger to a kind look.

"Kenai, allow me to tell you something about Jedi that may have never occurred to you. Perhaps this knowledge will allow you a certain level of peace. When a Jedi dies, it is because one of two things have happened. He has either become disconnected from the Force by not trusting the Force, OR the Jedi accepted death as what the Force expected from him. It is one or the other. A lack of faith leading to incorrect decisions leading to an untimely death, OR a complete leap of faith, realizing that the path the Force has chosen for you will lead to your death, but embracing that fate...embracing the Force."

"Take your lost charge...Meeko-Jon. Did not Farn Lloyd spit in his face...and tell him the Jedi religion was dead? Did you not move to punish Farn Lloyd, but Meeko-Jon stopped you from doing so. Even then Meeko-Jon knew his role...he probably even knew he would die that night. Did he question the Force? Did he allow emotions, and rational thought, and assumptions to rule his choices? NO! He followed and trusted the Force...that is what Jedi do. Period."

"Don't just believe me though...how does the Code of the Jedi begin..."

There is no emotion - there is only peace.
There is no ignorance - there is knowledge.
There is no passion - there is serenity.
There is no death - there is the Force.

"The Force! That is all there is. All else is false paths and pitfalls. Novice Jedi follow their hearts...Masters follow the flow of life...they follow the Force. I believe these two Jedi have within them what it will take to be great Jedi, but they are not there yet. If they trust the Force...if they follow the Path of Clear Sight as they were taught on Melan-Ker...they will succeed. If they follow emotion, and rational thought, and passions...there will be only death...perhaps for all of us."

"I appreciate your candor, for I know we have not crossed paths much in our journeys. I have only seen you occasionally at the White Tower helping to train young Padawans. I will continue to share my thoughts with you...but you must help me also. We must shape these inexperience Jedi. When important decisions are to be made...they must consult the Force...they rarely do this, and thus find themselves without a Clear Path to follow. One has to simply ask...and the Force will answer."

"There was one thing you said that I cannot help but disagree with. We could have simply asked the Mick-Ricks for the weapons...they were highly respectful of Jedi, and hate the Fendora-Bengala Trade Corp. If the Jedi would have told them that they intended to begin a revolution on Milos...the weapons would surely have been given to them prior to the Avengers and Deathseed even coming out of HyperSpace! No, I am afraid our "adventure" on the Avenger was a dark choice indeed. I have a feeling that Marna Jade or her twin read someone's mind in our party while you were aboard that ship. I feel they know of our mission...know of some or all of our plans...and even now prepare for us. In addition, our attack on the Avenger slowed our journey to Milos...and heavily damaged our ship. Did these inexperienced Jedi ever use their connection to the Force to seek the Clear Path...the correct path? No. I assure you the Dark Side powers are not being so careless. I imagine that Marna Jade's practically suicidal attack on the two Jedi was simply a ploy to gather information from the minds of the non-Jedi in the party! Do you see why I fear haphazard actions...why we must follow the Force?!?"

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Scott...thanks for writing back...feel free to write back again with any comments about this or other matters!.......Mark