After Kyle finished giving his feedback, he and Jan asked Torm if they could return to the Archives for additional research. Jan, however, insisted Kyle clean himself up first. Kyle agreed, making his way back to their quarters, quickly freshening up and changing into a clean set of clothes. Feeling refreshed, he headed to the Jedi Archives, where he found Torm and Jan already absorbed in reading.
Approaching quietly, Kyle peered over Jan's shoulder. "What've you found?"
Jan glanced up, mildly startled, then smiled. "I've been going through more of the Republic's historical records. You wouldn't believe how much of this stuff is heavily redacted."
"Redacted?" Kyle repeated, furrowing his brow. He turned to Torm, whose puzzled expression mirrored his own.
"That's odd," Torm admitted. "Information shouldn't be censored unless it's classified and stored within the restricted section. General historical records should be accessible to everyone."
"Well," Jan said, tapping her finger lightly on the datapad, "someone clearly disagrees."
Torm considered this briefly but decided not to pursue the mystery just yet. "I'll mention it to Master Rahn later; perhaps he might have some insights."
After several more hours of reading and researching, Jan finally leaned back in her chair, stifling a yawn. "Alright, I think I've had enough for today. I'm heading back for a nap."
Kyle and Torm accompanied her back to their quarters, ensuring she arrived safely. Once Jan was comfortably settled, Torm turned to Kyle.
"If you're still interested, there's a class starting soon that you might find worthwhile. You could see how the Order teaches the younger generation," Torm suggested.
Kyle nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds interesting. Lead the way."
Together, the two men made their way through the quiet corridors, the gentle hum of Temple life around them providing a calming backdrop to their journey.
Torm finally decided to do what had been on his mind ever since he'd been assigned as Kyle and Jan's guide: ask questions.
Kyle sensed this was coming but wasn't exactly sure how much he should reveal. He decided it would be safest to keep his answers vague. He answered truthfully where he could, openly admitting that he'd served in the military at one point and mentioning his homeworld, Sulon. He also shared briefly that he had family there, but beyond these details, Torm could tell that Kyle was holding back certain details.
"I'm sorry, Torm," Kyle finally said, sensing the Padawan's growing suspicions. "I'm not trying to be rude or secretive. There are just some things I'm not comfortable sharing right now."
Torm nodded thoughtfully, recognizing Kyle's sincerity. He decided to change the direction of his questions. "How long have you been training, then? Who was your instructor?"
Kyle hesitated momentarily, choosing his words carefully. "I can't tell you who trained me—not yet, anyway. But I've been studying the ways of the Jedi for less than ten years."
Torm's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Less than ten years? Most Jedi I know began their training practically from infancy."
Kyle offered a faint, self-deprecating smile. "Well, I guess I got a late start."
The two walked in thoughtful silence for a few moments longer before arriving at the classroom Torm had mentioned earlier.
Torm politely approached the Jedi overseeing the lesson, requesting permission for Kyle and himself to sit in and observe. The instructor gave a nod of approval, welcoming them to the class. Kyle followed Torm quietly, taking a seat near the back as the lesson commenced, curious about how the Jedi of this era trained their young students.
After a few hours, the class finally ended. Kyle was genuinely impressed by how the instructor had taught the lesson—clear, structured, and perfectly tailored to the younglings' level of understanding. It was a stark contrast to what he had seen Luke struggle with back at the Praxeum. Luke had done his best, but much of his training had been self-directed, and teaching adults with fragmented knowledge was never easy.
This, however... this was the Jedi Order at its peak. And it finally hit Kyle—he was living in an era where the Jedi were fully formed, fully operational, and guided by centuries of accumulated wisdom. If he ever made it back to his own time, he was going to bring back as much of this knowledge as he could.
The thought stirred something deeper.
Changing the future... it wasn't something Kyle had seriously considered before. Not like this. But sitting in that classroom, watching the younglings learn with such structure and discipline, he realized it might be possible. Jan had probably thought about it already—she was always five steps ahead when it came to planning. He made a mental note to ask her what she thought once they were back in their quarters.
As Kyle sat deep in thought, another group of students—this time older Padawans—began filtering into the room. The subject matter was different from the last session. This class was focused on the fundamentals of lightsaber combat. The instructor briefly introduced the topic, then told the students they would move into a sparring session after warming up and completing their drills.
Kyle leaned forward slightly, his interest piqued.
He turned to Torm. "Think I could ask the instructor if I could join in? I'd like to learn some of the drills."
Torm gave him an approving nod and walked over to speak with the instructor. At first, the Jedi Knight seemed uncertain—clearly not expecting an outsider to join the class—but when Torm explained that Kyle had been cleared by Master Bondara, the instructor's demeanor relaxed.
After a moment's pause, he gave a nod.
"He says you're good to join," Torm reported with a small smile.
Kyle stood up and rolled his shoulders. "Great. Let's see how the Jedi warm up."