Coruscant: Jedi Temple-- Council Chamber

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Nick felt a bit like a bug under a microscope as he stood silently next to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan while they each gave their respective reports on the events that happened on Harka VI.

He found the room to be quite beautiful what with its large, encircling windows looking out into the city. (A pity it was night time, though, the view from here during the day must be truly breathtaking.) The occupants thereof, though... well, despite the visual lessons Obi-Wan had supplied to ready him for this, he found himself having trouble willingly looking towards the Council seats directly after laying eyes on first the masked alien Plo Koon and then that cousin to the Abominable Snowman with the fancy hairdo--- oh, what was his name? Oppo Rancisis? They, as were each of the Council members, dividing their attention between the Jedi Knights and himself and Nick wasn't caring much for their scrutiny. He knew he should be paying attention to Qui-Gon's report, but the tale just seemed so... how to explain it? Like a story listened to but not real. So his mind kept wandering back to just before entering the chamber:

On the way to the Council Chamber he had been waylaid by several members of assorted species who all greeted him as Padawan Ayar, offering their condolences on the loss of his master. He would have stopped and corrected them on that, but Qui-Gon had deftly steered him away from these while giving his regrets that 'Ayar's' immediate presence was requested by the Council.

"At this time only we, Master Yoda, and Master Windu are aware of your true identity. Yoda thinks it best it remain that way until the Council decides what to do," the tall Jedi had explained. Nick had nodded, though he disliked accepting words meant for another. As a vampire, his assumed identities had always been wholly fabricated creations. This seemed a worse deception and he would be glad when it ended. Strange that he who had once been content to 'steal' so many mortals' very lives was now uncomfortable in usurping a single name. LaCroix would probably laugh at him. "Another fall into human morality?" Nick could almost hear him scoff, "Be true to your nature, Nicholas! You are above such primitive pettiness as that."

"So it is true, then? You are no longer Padawan Inav Ayar?"

Nick shook himself back to the present and centered on the tall, striking women who had addressed him from her seat. How long ago had Jinn stopped speaking?

"I am sorry? I never was this 'Ayar'. I have always been Nicholas de Brabant. Often I had to assume other names to hide my identity from others, but always I was myself--- and never did I choose such a name as 'Ayar', my lady... Adi Gallia." He smiled at her. Such an exotic beauty, she was! Only... he couldn't help wondering if the pale tentacles cascading from her headress were, in fact, part of a headress and not part of her head. He found it unsettling to discover that he wasn't sure either way.

Yaddle, a 400-year old female of Yoda's species, addressed him asking why he had had to hide his identity before and if it had anything to do with his being a Jedi padawan. He tore his appreciative gaze away from Gallia to explain that what he was before was not well looked upon by the people's he chose to dwell amongst; reiterating that he was most definitely not Ayar, but a stranger born someplace else entirely from their known universe.

The elongated 'Mr. Poof' sought his attention next, questioning with his almost shy manner. Nick found himself liking him at once despite his 'Q tip' appearance: the Master exuded only gentle curiosity.

"And yet you have Ayar's form." The long fingers gestured Nick's cloak hidden form.

"Yes." Nick agreed. It wasn't like he had picked it on purpose just to irk everyone.

"And Ayar is not with you."

"No," Nick paused. "At least, not that I am aware of."

"You do not sound too sure," Yoda noted.

Bowing his head, Nick turned toward the oldest Council member: the only one who shared his length of years. "I wake up and my whole world has been replaced; not in the usual count of mortal generations--- but in a mere second. I am not too sure of *anything* right now."

"Perhaps it was you who killed Padawan Ayar?" an aggressive voice mused aloud.

The accusation from out of blue caught Nick off guard as he momentarily flashed on the vampire's past victims. At once he felt a tingling in his mind not unlike that which he had felt whenever another vampire was near. Remembering what Jinn had told him about Jedi abilities, he realized that they--- or at least one of them--- was trying to get inside his mind. Nick felt his temper flare upwards as well as his guilt before his Anaran brain acted instinctively with the Force and started slammed down mental shields.

"No!" he grated out at the one with the high forehead, the binary-brained Knight Ki-Adi-Mundi known for his military prowess. Eyes narrowed to slits, Nick growled as his senses warning him that here was a potential enemy. He felt Qui-Gon's big hand encase his shoulder in warning, and suddenly realized that Mundi was one of those who had felt the most uneasy with Ayar's joining the ranks of the Jedi. If that was the case, it was highly doubtful he would accept Nick's presence. The interview had just begun and already he had a staunch detractor. {{Murphy's Law must work universally. Damn. }}

"And yet you have killed before." the Knight said with some satisfaction while his other brain began sifting through the jumbled images he had gleaned before this youngster who somehow held the mind of an ancient had shut him out. Now *that* had disconcerted the Jedi strategist--- that a *padawan* had been able to push out his mind probe after he had already entered in. And the foreign way his defenses had worked! Oh, they were consistent in texture to what he had felt in Ayar before--- but the employment of them had been... alien. So 'Nick' was not unfamiliar with mind shields it seemed, but he had a different mental quality than any he had encountered before. He found this was both intriguing and alarming--- and Ki-Adi-Mundi of the aristocracy of Cerea hated feeling alarmed.

"Do you always violate another's thoughts without asking?" The delicate features were sneering at him, purple irises enlarged to the point of nearly obliterating the pupils. Mundi reminded himself that the deceptively young padawan actually held a mind as old as Yoda's. But Ayar's 'weakness' had always been his propensity for strong emotions. Unfortunately the Anaran had been too mild of temprament to use that against him. But this one... this one held a strong mix of anger and anguish which Mundi could force to the fore; aid his peers in seeing the threat Master Jinn brought into their midst.

"Are you saying you have never done the same?" Mundi smiled pleasantly at his opponent's expression transformed from outrage to discomfiture. { Good-- keep him off-balanced! }}

"I..." Nick swallowed hard, willing himself to calm down; grateful for the strong presence of Master Qui-Gon at his back with his serene demeanor. It was never an ability he had been very good at: controlling his emotions. Wants-- yes; feelings-- no. LaCroix had often chastised him on it. Now, with this new and unfamiliar body, that control seemed even more illusive to him. "I.. admit that I have done some... hypnotizing in the past. I was working for law enforcement and it was necesary at times to catch a kill-- a perpetrator as quickly as possible," he conceded sullenly. Nick did not add that in his earlier centuries he had done so purely for fun at the urging of his father so as to develop the skill. He got the impression the other already knew that and narrowed his eyes again.

"We, also 'work' at keeping the Law," Mace Windu interrupted their staring match, mentally warning his peer to ease off, "so you realize that we are deeply concerned about this turn of events and how it will affect the Force."

"Masters," Qui-Gon spoke up on Nick's behalf, "I and my padawan have been with de Brabant for a day now. We both feel he is not a threat to us or others." He felt Obi-Wan nod in visible agreement with him. Eyes focused on the Cerean, he began speaking, "Indeed, we believe that it may well have been the Force itself that sent--"

Ki-Adi-Mundi rudely interrupted him. "The Force sent him--- but which side? I see much Darkness in this one. A Darkness that you have turned a blind eye to, Master Jinn."

Jinn scowled at the Council's newest member in irritation and briefly wondered if it had been wise after all to have turned down that seat himself. Yet he knew he did not have the right kind of patience for the Council's continuous bureaucracy. He was really more suited to teaching and short diplomatic missions. A pity dealing with the Council seemed to erode those skills somewhat--- but sometimes their apparent stubborn refusal to bend the rules even for the Force itself was extremely irritating--- and Mundi was the worst of the lot. He schooled his features back into their mask of serenity. {{ There is no emotion...}}

"Be that as it may, his core is of the Light."

"I am not convinced of that!"

"Obviously," Qui-Gon mouthed distastefully, "As you seem to have tried and convicted him already!" {{ Pompous...! }}

"Enough!" the ancient voice cracked like a whip. Immediately both Knight and Master backed down and apologized to the others for their unseemly outburst.

Satisfied, Yoda continued in a milder voice, addressing Nicholas. "Accusing you of slaying Padawan Ayar to use his body we are not. Already disclosed that it was the dark stranger that murdered Master Ta'okin and his apprentice Master Jinn has."--- he cast one chastising glance at Ki-Adi-Mundi--- "Yet detailed knowledge of you we must have, de Brabant, for involved with Jedi you are, choosing or not."

Nick nodded his understanding, moistening dry lips. He was not accused of murdering one of their own--- but he was suspect of being something potentially worse--- and they were not about to let him live if they deemed him to be a threat.

"Your mind must be opened to four of us, de Brabant," Mace informed him. "If you resist the process it will only be more painful for you." He held up a hand to forestall Qui-Gon's protest before the big Jedi Master could even open his mouth. "There can be no refusal, Qui-Gon. We have already agreed that there is too much at stake: the Dark Side cannot be allowed to control one skilled in the Force."

"Knowledge there must be for a decision we to make," Yoda agreed sadly. He had not agreed with the Council's almost unanimous decision to force a Mind Trial, having already decided that the newcomer was of a good heart despite his past failings and that--- for whatever reason--- it was the will of the Force that he had been brought to their galaxy. But even the words of the wisest among them could not dampen the other's uneasiness. They wanted more concrete reassurance that 'Nicholas' was not some manifestation of the Dark Side.

"I will try not to oppose you, then." Nick bowed with stiff formality to hide his uneasiness. This was very like that time he had faced the vampire Enforcers. Then, as now, his very existance had been put on the line by powers overwhelmingly greater than his own. I had LaCroix to protect me then. (( Now I'm alone. Jinn and Kenobi won't act against their own Council. If I die here, what will-- }}

|| There is no try, there is only do. Concentration on the 'now' would better to be doing. || Yoda's mental voice advised him.

Nick barely had time to smile at the gentle rebuke before the first mind hit him.
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End of Part 8