Even as Seifer spoke, the claw retracted into the pedestal and the life-sized, holographic image of an old Cerean flickered into existence.

"It is...good to see you all," the image said, after regarding the group of six for a moment. "Welcome to Tython."

"Welcome? I've been here a long time, welcome's a little late in coming."

The image distorted slightly as the Cerean studied Kovin. "Ah, Kovin. Of course. I see you are now not alone. It would further seem that your companions can touch the Force. At least, most of them. The armored one knows much of battle, but nothing of the living Force."

The image distorted again as the hologram looked at Maya for a few seconds. Then it focused its attention on the rest of the group.

"Where are you six going?"

Maya shifted uncomfortably, before placing her self behind Kovin.

"Where are we going?" Thought Maya. "Anywhere but here, I suppose"

She looked to the others, allowing them to answer the image's question.

"I am Xan Yarr, once a Padawan of the Jedi Order before it was destroyed and its few survivors driven into hiding," Xan replies, "and we seek an old Jedi temple. The Sith have scored a number of significant victories and control most of the galaxy, and the Jedi who remain are few and relatively untrained. We are searching for lore or artifacts that can help us restore the Order and liberate the galaxy from Sith oppression.

"I assume since you are a Gatekeeper you would wish to verify this information before trusting us. That would be a wise course of action, and a reasonable request. I have a datapad here which I have loaded with recent news and reports that would verify the truth of my claims, which I imagine you would have no problem interfacing with and confirming the truth of. I also stand ready to answer your questions."

"Hmm...your technology is new, very unfamiliar...but useable." The Gatekeeper pondered the information on Xan's datapad.

"The Jedi destroyed? That is...unfortunate. And you are survivors? Padawans, with no master?"

"Well I've got you master, although you've grown a bit!"

"Well I've got you master, although you've grown a bit!"

The hologram smiled, almost sadly. "I am no master, young one. I am merely a protector of knowledge."

"That is correct, though in my case it has been twenty years since my Master was slain and I was forced to flee. The Sith, on the other hand, are numerous and powerful. I faced one of their dark knights once, and I only survived thanks to the timely assistance of my allies. I am certainly no Jedi Knight."

"This is grave news. The Jedi Order I knew, in life, would never have fallen to the Sith. But you would restore it? And you have come to Tython of your own accord? To search aimlessly for artifacts and lore?"

"Not aimlessly. I was guiding them to the temple in the valley down there. You've rendered service to me in the past - taught me how to fight, even if it was a little broken up. Can you help us?"

"If such artifacts still exist, and preferably not in the hands of the Sith," Jonas offers with a shrug, "this would be the place to look for them."

"Plus, we kind of crash-landed here, so we may as well give it a try," he adds, a somewhat sheepish look on his face.

"If such artifacts still exist, and preferably not in the hands of the Sith," Jonas offers with a shrug, "this would be the place to look for them."

"Plus, we kind of crash-landed here, so we may as well give it a try," he adds, a somewhat sheepish look on his face.

"So a lack of options has led you here? Happenstance that you crash-landed within miles of the birthplace of the Jedi?"

"Not aimlessly. I was guiding them to the temple in the valley down there. You've rendered service to me in the past - taught me how to fight, even if it was a little broken up. Can you help us?"

"Ah...so you seek the temple." The Gatekeeper nodded his head in a dignified manner.

"As you know, I am a protector of knowledge. I guard knowledge, yes; but I also shield others from knowledge when it would likely prove to be their downfall. I can help you in your task, but my doing so could put you and your companions in greater danger than you already are. I would need to ensure that my advice would not become deadly to those who seek it."

"It is true that we crash landed here, but I suspect the Force may have had a hand in guiding us here. Our need is great...we three are among the few who would see the Jedi restored, and we are woefully unprepared for the task.

"I assume you wish to test us first. What would you have of us?"

Firan turns from the group and the holocron, not entirely zoning out from their conversation, but certainly not invested in it. Their hokey religion seems to him to be obfuscating the practical purpose they had for coming to this place. They are too exposed for Firan's comfort, so he decides to watch the rear. Looking down and out at the landscape they came from, he lowers the scope on his helmet to engage his electrobinoculars are observe further.

"Very well, then...a test."

The Cerean looked back from where the heroes had come. "To restore the Jedi Order, you must be willing to do what others cannot—or will not. There is a small camp of the native life forms you call 'Flesh Raiders' only a mile back. They are an affront to the natural order of things; they cause too much wanton death and destruction. Go and wipe them out. Purge them from the face of Tython, then report back to me for your second test."

Maya looked to the others. Just hours before, the group had decided to spare the Flesh Raiders. She presumed that the lives of others were important to these Jedi. It was up to Maya to make the hard decisions for them.

"If that's what you require."

She looked to the Mandelorian - who was keeping an eye out. "Firan? Are you up for a challenge?"

Kovin turns in alarm, aghast at what the 'holocron' that had taught him so much was now commanding.

"You can't be serious Maya? We barely escaped those things, and now we're going to fight them? Nothing in the temple could be more dangerous than a camp full of armed Flesh Raiders! I hate them as much as anyone, especially for what they've done to the peace of the jungle, but we can't do that!"

Is there conflict waiting for us one way or another? Or both ways for that matter?

Maya smiled warmly. "Firan and I can fight from a distance. If we're smart enough, they may never see us."

"I wouldn't call taking potshots at Flesh Raiders smart, I'd call it suicidal. I'm funny like that." Kovin turns to the hologram. "There must be some other test we can take. We are fierce warriors, if that is what you require, but not like this."

Seifer, who had remained silent until now suddenly interjects. "A question if I may, Gatekeeper?" How can you reconcile an attack on on these creatures, who present no threat at this time with the Jedi Code? They are primitive and aggressive, but for what reason should we attack them? They aren't a legitimate military target. It's hard to justify taking this sort of action."

"Wipe them out? Purge them?" Jonas echoes the Gatekeeper's words, disbelief evident in his face. "Those are some harsh words there. Words I would expect to hear from a Sith, not from a Jedi Gatekeeper."

"This would be no honorable fight, made necessary because of the need to defend ourselves," he continues. "It would be an act of aggression, one without even the pretense of being provoked."

"A strange test indeed for a Jedi."

"You see! That's what I was saying!" Kovin ponders for a moment. "Wait, is this a trial of combat - or a trial of spirit? You want us to take the easy way out, to fight those creatures in exchange for an easier path forward. But to fight is - well from what I can hear it's not the Jedi way. And it's not the right way. No, we won't do it. Will you help us now?"

"That is not the Jedi way, Gatekeeper," Xan said. "But then again, that's your first test, isn't it? To see if we refuse, as a real Jedi would?"

"Even without being a Jedi, that sounds very not-Jedi-like to me." Firan thinks back to what Maya had suggested, "But yeah, Maya, if they want to hang around here I'm sure the two of us could handle it."

He takes his rifle out from his back and inspects it. Everything seems to be in working order, relatively clean, worn aesthetically but functionally sound, power packs still charged.

"The Mass Shadow Generator wasn't very Jedi-like either." He thinks to himself, momentarily feeling the sting of Malachor V lingering in his heart.

"If it helps, think of the ecosystem for this place. Hunters have a place in the world, they hunt game in a way that thins the heard, allows it to continue on sustainably. If what this Jedi-AI says is true then the raiders are harmful to the other life around them."

The Gatekeeper smiled. "Very good. The affront to nature, and to the Force, would be in the premeditated slaughter of these sentient beings, not in their continued existence. You have all passed the first test.

"However, as you rightly presume, these "flesh raiders" must not be allowed to continue to harm the planet around them. How would you propose to mitigate their destructive ways?"