I look back at my master. Arran Kae, Jedi researcher and future Darth 'crabby old woman'. Why am I doing this? Okay, okay. I didn't gel with the other teachers, because surprise, surprise, I'm not a native. Where I come from organised religion is tolerated as an amusing, socially acceptable mental disorder. Unquestioned received wisdom it is not. Compounding that is my upbringing. SF has a long tradition of questioning the status quo. I also respect learning and academia, a lot. So, yeah, the only master I bothered to listen to is the cranky iconoclastic academic. I occasionally wonder what Kae thinks of all this. Revan's one of the cool kids after all.

The stoic Jedi have cliques like any other organisation. This shouldn't surprise me. There are different interpretations on the Force and logically the divisions should fall along those lines, but they don't. Kavarr and Zez-Kai had some ancient argument which has carried on to them typically being at each other. Trying to be above all this is Vrook. Which gives us three camps divided more on who likes who more than ideology. Kae, being happy to stay in her cell doing research and venturing out only for meals or the toilet was one of the few apart from all this. So, the cool kids hang with Kavarr and his followers, the swots with Zez-Kai and the misfits with Vrook.

One of the worst things about being plunged into a thirteen-year-old body was having to do the whole school bullshit again, except that this time it could be for the rest of my life. He said, she said, they said for an entire however long people live here. No thanks. I guess I could have done something else, just gone my own way and formed my own team, with sabacc and Twi'leks. That's a lot easier said than done. Even outcasts want someone to talk to, now and then. Which brings us back to Kae.

Course now, it's a lot more exciting. How much does she know? How much is she letting on? She's going to be the Lying Liar who Lies and just how far down that path is she already? She does know that I know things I shouldn't, but does she know why? Does she know what I know about her? Is that why we're poking around Kashyyyk instead of random world no-one has ever heard of 7,137,245?

"'Rakata' is the Basic translation of a glyph frequently associated with many progenitor related incidents. Whether that is the name of a religion, political faction, nation or species is unknown. What is known is that many Rakatan sites and artefacts have a connection to the Dark Side of the Force. We were investigating an ancient site, I could feel the Dark Side down there and, I made the connection." I say.

"Hmm, that's a well-recited response. What do you think? What do you believe about them?" asks Kae.

She does know something! Kae never would bother with such questions normally. Facts, not speculation is what she's all about. Now, however, she knows that I know that she knows that I know something.

"Believe? That's a loose term master. I'll tell you what I know. Most Rakata artefacts were deemed inoperative or non-functional. The only two exceptions were the ones used by Lephraim the Despot and U'hi'la the Mad. My hypothesis is that both of these beings possessed enough ability in the Force to operate their respective artefacts." I say.

The Despot. The Mad. Is that my future?

"How would you test this hypothesis?" asks Kae calmly.

"The previous examples suggest it would be unwise to use myself as a test subject. A blending of the Force and technology? The Force is alive and aware. Chaining it to a device or machine is likely fraught with mishap." I say.

"Unlike say a Holocron, or your lightsabre?" she probes.

"A Holocron will only activate based on the requirements set by the maker. While that is often the use of the Force it is not necessarily so. A Holocron retains an echo of the maker's presence in the Force, and it will work for anyone. A lightsabre is similar. Anyone can use it, it is just more effective in the hands of someone proficient in wielding the Force. It is like a lens, focusing the Force to a purpose rather than a battery or engine which traps and uses it as fuel." I say.

Have I let on too much?

"Many would say such artifice is of the Dark Side. It is the Sith who seek to dominate and master the Force. They would say any such attempts would quickly corrupt and subvert the users themselves." says Kae.

They, not we. my master no longer identifies with the Jedi. To her it is just the most convenient place to perform her research, Normally she is very careful. Except, with me, her student. I have become one of the few people she trusts, that she connects to. I am the one keeping her from Darthing out. In many ways, we are in this together.

"If the two examples given so far are any indication, it is an understandable reaction," I say.

"So, were the Rakata and all their works what prompted the Jedi Code? That would make it a reaction, the antithesis to this as yet unknown thesis," says Kae.

I nod. "That or something like them."

Hmm. What did the Rakata believe? The Infinite Empire was depicted as cruel beyond imagining, they are painted as Uplifted savages and barbarians whose Galactic society reflected such savagery and barbarism. That's what was written down back home. What is true here? Is the Legends snippet I remember just the official history? One, written by the victors and successors? What really happened?

Would you like to know more? There, the heart of the matter. Go on, explore, learn and discover this crazy universe, or just do nothing, learn nothing, be no-one. Or, discover the truth. With that and armed with foreknowledge, I can avoid my destiny and forge a new one.

"So, what is it that we know apprentice?" asks Kae.

"We know the Jedi Code. If it is, as you suggest reactionary then we can postulate what it is a reaction against. Particularly those values it states it is against. Emotion, Passion, Ignorance, Chaos, Death. Were these considered virtues by the progenitors? In what way?"

"How do you propose we learn that?"

"The only way. By investigating this site on the surface and finding out if there are any records." I reply.

Which sees us a few days later once again pushing through Growlargh. Forewarned and better prepared we make, slow progress through a terrain that seems intent on preventing us from reaching our destination.

This is so cool! This Indiana Jones stuff is much for exciting than boring research in the Temple archives and, better yet it will keep me out of trouble. Can't go on foolish idealistic crusades when there's fieldwork to be done! Also, once you get used to it, Growlargh is not so bad. You can learn the dangers of the Fire Swamp and learn to live there. It's no casual stroll, but we eventually reach the site.

There's been a small fire recently. Not that unusual given the breadth of Dark Side influenced chemical warfare the ecology engages in and it has fortuitously made our job easier. The fire has revealed a door in the side of a small hill. We spend a few hours brushing away the debris from the site before examining the glyphs on the outside. Easily recognisable is the Rakata glyph. I wonder what it actually means? Hopefully, there is something inside that will allow us to begin translating all this. We dutifully take recordings of the glyphs.

"Now apprentice. How do we enter?" says Kae thoughtfully as she regards the portal.

Good point. This door has no convenient access panel, lever or even anything as humble as a doorknob. It gives no hint as to whether it opens out, in or which way it slides to allow egress. It is tricky to find purchase with our telekinesis. Almost as if it were made by beings who were aware of such methods.

"Not sure. The obvious answer is to use the Force." I say. Which we have been doing. The door and accompanying structure is 'resistant' is perhaps the best word. We can sense it is there but that's about it.

"But how? Almost as if it is purposefully opposing us," says Kae.

I don't really have a reply so I continue testing, pushing and probing, both physically and with the Force. Damn you, weird hammerhead guys! Why so bloody secretive? Give it up, already!

Almost unannounced I get a flash, a vision. It is of three Rakata, all in red and black. One approaches the door, raises it's arms and 'twists' is perhaps the best word. I see the door open.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. You open the door with the Force, just not the carefully measured and controlled version we have been using up to now. Hmm, how does it go...

Passion, Strength, Victory. I gather the raw Force energy just swirling about and gather it into something more, tangible. I adopt a similar pose to the Rakatan in the vision and focus.

There is a pause, a change in the order of things and then the door slides down revealing a millennia-old access tunnel.

"Well done, apprentice. Let us see what secrets lie inside," says Kae.

We enter..

The tunnel leads to a chamber with what can only be a desk. On it is an ancient terminal embedded into the desk beside which is a goblet with a handle. Besides the desk is an urn filled with dirt. On the other side from where the Rakata presumably put a potted plant is a hulking murder droid. It's big, cylinder atop six legs with sensors sticking out the sides and several libs ending in claws or tubes. Not particularly active, but still menacing. It would have been a whole lot scarier if it was pointed at us as we entered. Instead, it seemed intent on what appears to be the entrance proper to the facility. It was keeping people in, not suspicious or creepy at all.

Because Kae is still doing a fair impression of Aladdin in the cave of treasures I start looking for an access port on the droid. They may have run everything off a fusion of tech and Dark Side sorcery but you still need to do basic maintenance. After some searching, I find it and with a small tool pry it open. Now it's my turn to stare in wonder.

While I have no doubt that I am looking at an equivalent of a circuit it is unlike anything I have seen. Small black stones atop a piece of white marble with red crystal veins connecting them. Other stones and crystal formations are also present, but black rocks dominate. Now, if this were a horror flick back home then what happens is that I mess about with it some, accidentally activate it and it goes straight into 'kill all humans' mode. Or nothing happens initially but when we're deep in the complex it activates, goes to 'kill all humans' mode and activates the defence systems. So, let's not do that then.

"What are you doing? How about seeing if you can activate this terminal here," says Kae, finally out of her spell. I move to obey.

The terminal is not as sophisticated, but still alien. After a lot of messing about, there is a spark of life. The screen flickers and goes through what can only be a bootup sequence, during which several glyphs and more importantly, a map of the complex flashes before us before the entire thing shuts off again. Although there was little time to establish any real sense of scale the facility is enormous. Mega dungeon enormous.

"We're going to need help with this," says Kae.

"These circuits could redefine everything," exclaims Arleeveran, a blue-skinned near human currently running a few tests on the Terminal Circuit. "Power distribution, computing, droid sentience would all go lightspeed." he continues.

Can it? Will it? Does it? The droids I interact here seem pretty clever already with personalities comparable to the droids in the movies. Looks like no major advances there, unless everything is already totally off base because I'm really sure Kashyyk had the Map thingy in a clearing and not somewhere in a sprawling progenitor facility we've barely stepped into. Of course, that's probably going up against the turn of the century computing limits and game design. How does any artefact survive in the open for several millennia, no, don't ask questions, just log the McGuffin and get on with the adventure.

"Understanding our past better is not enough?" I say as I try assembling a copy of the circuits. I can almost see how it is done, but the finer points which are the difference between a piece of art and a functioning circuit are eluding me.

"Just think of the patents, the royalties alone would make us wealthy beyond anything imaginable. Well for me, sorry, forgot you're a Jedi," says Arleeveran.

"That's okay, serving the Force is rewarding enough," I say, trying to banish the thought of mansions, space yachts, hot and cold running concubines...

"Think I can forgo the Force and just accept all the credits. Seems fair," says Arleeveran as he continues to tinker.

It's been a few weeks and news of an actual progenitor site has drawn researchers, prospectors and other opportunists like flies to honey. Hardly surprising, turning up something like this is miraculous. Despite the horrifying danger, the potential rewards are just too enticing. The Wookies were a little leery of the whole circus descending on them, but a bit of growling and gargling along the lines of bonus tourism, ongoing hero status and how the Galactics will keep the Trandos away got them sort of agreeing. So now there are prefabs, an expanding Starport, cafes and all the other wonders of Galactic Civilisation.

"A moment of your time Jedi." comes the new voice. I look up. Uh oh, it's Alana, the Czerka Corp liaison. Maybe the Wookies had a point. Not all facets of Civilisation are good. Alana has looks guaranteed to turn the head of even the stodgiest space monk and seems to have been issued a corporate uniform one size too small. I have also noted there's no hunky Corp intended to turn Kae's eye. The analysis droid probably suicided after running her psych profile. Which leaves me as the big weak spot.

"Yes, Ms Jons? How may I be of assistance?" I say. What is it this time?

"Master Revan..." begins Alana before I interject.

"Not Master, my title is Padawan, which means apprentice. So it's Padawan Revan if we are being properly formal." I say, and as you damn well know.

"Apologies, Revan. I, that is Czerka, would appreciate your assistance in negotiating being allowed to send out some extra survey teams. We would be most grateful in facilitating communications with the natives." purrs Alana.

I stand up, "I live to serve. Is the meeting now?" I say.

Alana gives a little jump a girlish squeal which might be enticing if I didn't know it was entirely manufactured.

"It's in a few hours, Revan. I thought we could conference beforehand, discuss our strategy," she suggests.

"Of course. Just give me ten minutes and then I am all yours." I say.

"Thank you, Mas, Revan. I will await you outside," says Alana before bouncing out.

I return my attention to the circuit.

"I don't get it. Why haven't you told her to go back to her masters on the Big C and she can peddle her wares somewhere else," asks Arleeveran.

"Then who do we get? Ms Jons is a known quantity." I say as I attempt to activate the circuit. Two stones align themselves, but the third jumps out of the socket and it all goes inert. Again.

"You really haven't been tempted?"

"What? Oh, that. Alana looks the part, I'm not dead, they did their research. I am still just an assignment to her." I say.

"That's important?"

"With the Force, it's everything. Besides, would you really go where everyone has been before?" I say.

"I'm really looking forward to those sweet patents," says Arleeveran as he returns his attention to his work.

"How long have you been on Kashyyyk?" asks Alana as we walk back to Evil MegaCorp HQ, Space Australia Branch. So far, so neutral. Wait for it though.

"Not much longer than you. A discovery of this magnitude is to be shared with The Republic." I say.

"How, noble. You could have just kept quiet and have all the secrets for yourselves," says Alana.

"The site is large and will require more work than the Order has available. Besides, most of the so-called secrets are historical in nature. Such knowledge of our past belongs to the Galaxy as a whole." I explain as we reach the Czerka prefabs.

"Their technical achievements are secondary then?" asks Alana. She also gestures to a chair and goes to prepare something from a small drinks machine. She returns with a cup of black viscous liquid and offers it to me.

I sniff the contents warily, drugging me is entirely within their MO. I try not to look surprised. Chocolate? Seriously? Okay, it's a potent aphrodisiac, but really? Entire resources of a Galaxy at their disposal and Czerka's femme fatale is buttering me up with a hot chocolate? I take a sip. Yuck! This is incredibly bitter. What the hell did she do to this?

"Not to your liking?" says Alana as she sits down opposite me. She takes a sip of her own cup.

"It's, a little bitter," I say.

"Of course it's bitter. It's chocolate." purrs Alana as if that explains everything. Which it doesn't.

"I just feel it could be improved with some milk and sugar," I suggest.

Alana gives me a look only half-remembered now of people when someone suggests drinking their coffee differently. However, true to her cause or, more precisely, the large bonus and promotion for suborning me she rallies. "What do you suggest?" she asks.

I get up and examine the drinks machine. After some messing about I get a menu and try a combination. Was it one to one or three to two? I also wonder exactly what mammal the milk is from. Maybe I do not want that knowledge. Still, how different can it be?

I settle on three to two milk and one to one sugar and some other flavourings. The machine, burps, whirrs, hisses and produces something more recognisable as a Hot Chocolate. A take a sip, tastes more like it too. I offer the new cup to Alana. She takes it and gives it a taste.

"Mmmm! That's absolutely amazing! Is this some secret Jedi recipe, something you have been withholding from the rest of the Galaxy?" she asks, licking her lips. Come on! Enough with the transparent seductress routine. Does this really work?

"Hardly a secret, the combination was a bit rough..." I begin but am stopped as Alana advances on me.

"Bit rough? You could start wars with what's in that head of your, she says reaching out to caress my right temple. "What's the recipe?"

"Two parts cocoa, three parts of milk and two sugar. Now, about your proposal to the Wookies." I say.

"The what? Oh, yes, them. Very well." says Alana, lowering her arm. "Your discovery was fortuitous, but this is unlikely to be the only such site on the planet. Czerka needs permission to send out more survey teams."

"I am surprised you have not already been doing so," I say.

"Why would you say that? Don't you trust me?" she says.

"I do have a certain amount of insight. So, the unofficial patrols did not come back?"

Alana pauses, I think I hear a muttered "Damn you Jedi" before she rallies, "Yes, and survey teams are expensive. I will need native guides."

"In the interests of preventing further loss of life, I will assist. Bear in mind though that you will still only be able to explore where these clans hold sway. Wookies are very territorial." I say.

"Well, that's better than nothing I guess. Now, tell me, do you know any other recipes?" she asks.

I try to maintain calm in the furry embrace as Sesqual roars at me, apparently, Alana's scent on me is enough to set off the green-eyed monster. We're different species, mechanically and genetically incompatible and she's five times my age. Pointing that out right now may not be wise though.

Mrowl, growl, gargle, oof, growl. I reply, hopefully expressing that Alana's intentions are not being reciprocated.

In reply, I get an interrogative cough and I cough back. Sesqual puts me down, pats me on the head and roars at Alana.

Alana pales and steps back. "What, what did it say?"

"That you should be respectful and mindful of the Wookies."

Growl, argh, argh, growl, roar.

No! I am not translating that. I'm too young. Still, after some reassurances that I am not as dumb and naive as I look, gee thanks ma'am, Sesqual lets us into the main Council room.

Wookies are firm believers in an all in, no holds barred form of government performed by whoever is around at the time. I'm sure several 'politicians' stick around more or less permanently to wrestle their cause, but still, come one, come all. They do make allowances for the elderly and infants to sit on the sidelines and it is a relief to be termed an infant. I make my case and the Sesqual dives in as my champion/representative. Otherwise, it's politics as usual.

"Is this safe?" asks Alana, clutching me as a detractor is laid out and slides to a stop beside us.

"Not at all. Although this is a relatively minor matter so everyone should keep their limbs and lives." I say.

"They will?"

"It's nothing different than politics elsewhere," I say as a Wookie staggers off nursing an arm. "They're just a little more honest."

"Honest?"

"Don't tell me that no one gets hurt because they were on the losing side at a board meeting. Same thing here. Wookies are just more honest than most."

Alana's eyes flash briefly but does not say anything further. Eventually, Sesqual stands up from the pile and dusts herself off.

Growl, Growl, Growlargh. Gargle, Roar.

Mrowl, growl, growl, growlargh?

Growl, Growlargh, Growl.

Okay. That settles that.

"What did it say?" asks Alana.

"You'll be allowed one escorted patrol. With some conditions. You have to lead it and I will also accompany you." I say.

"That does not sound so bad. My own Jedi Protector," she says.

"And Sesqual here will be our pathfinder." I complete.

Sesqual folds her arms and sniggers.

Not different at all.