Jaro Kestis

Jedi Diplomatic Core

> "*I don't know any magic. And I don't know very much about the Force. But I know right from wrong. And this feels... Right.*"
> ― Jaro after passing his Knight trials
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**Jaro Kestis** is a Jedi Knight within the New Jedi Order. The son of Cal Kestis, who was once himself a Padawan under the old Jedi Order, Jaro was born on the world of Ruusan in 10 BBY at the height of Imperial power. Ruusan was a planet that held major historical significance the Jedi Order of old and Jaro often claims of dreaming of the planet long after having left it. His parents—his mother being a former Nightsister only identified as 'Merrin' --were extremely nomadic in an effort to avoid catching the eye of the Inquisitorius or the Empire itself. Thus Jaro was taken all over the galaxy even as an infant, never staying in one place for long.

After the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, Jaro's family assimilated into the New Republic, and fourteen-year-old Jaro settled on Denon, finally staying somewhere longer than a week or two. They would stay there for many years, with Jaro's younger sister Trilla Kestis born during their stay there a year later. Unfortunately, Trilla would be one of the many children to disappear across the galaxy in 6 ABY as the first of many children's raids with unknown perpetrators. Jaro's parents would be enraged by the brazen act and Jaro himself was immensely affected by the incident. Eventually, the three came to consensus; Cal and Merrin would go out in search of their daughter, and Jaro would go to the New Jedi Order on Yavin IV to seek out Leia Organa Solo, carrying with him a Holocron bearing a message for the Grandmaster.

By the time Jaro had arrived at Yavin IV, he had come to understand that, like his father, he was gifted in the Force. This would only become readily apparent after he delivered the Holocron to Leia, who then welcomed Jaro into the ranks of the Jedi Order. The sixteen-year-old had little-to-no idea that the Holocron had contained both information of the old Order that would no doubt prove valuable to the new Grandmaster and a message from Cal imploring Leia to watch over his son as he searched for his daughter. Leia honoured the old Padawan's request and would eventually come to personally instruct Jaro as his Jedi Master.

Jaro excelled in the Order, his Dathomirian heritage giving him a preternatural edge in combat and athletics, while he struggled with the fundamentals of the Force. It was slow-going, but eventually Jaro was able to successfully overcome his difficulties with the Force and passed his Knight trials with flying colours in 10 ABY and achieving assignment to the Jedi Diplomatic Core, a wing of the NJO established by Leia to advise and assist in galactic politicking. As tradition now dictated, Jaro, a new Knight, took on his own apprentice; the young Jace Syndulla, who did not come from a dissimilar heritage to Jaro's. The two men bonded swiftly as Jaro proved himself a natural teacher. Taking Jace with him on his many missions for the New Republic government, Jaro was proud to see his apprentice excel, and eventually Jace received provisional acceptance into the Jedi Starfighter Corps presuming he passed his Knight trials, the corps being headed up by the notoriously strict Jedi Master Kyp Durron. By 13 ABY Jaro was appr