In the snowy wastes of Rhen Var, Ulic Qel-Droma trains Vima Sunrider. When Ulic warns her about overconfidence, Vima takes the opportunity to cut off Ulic's medallion. After teasing Ulic, the two engage in a snowball fight. Reaching the edge of a precipice, Ulic teaches Vima that being a Jedi will involve having to make life and death choices and facing terrible ordeals.
He warns her that it is easy to become cornered. When Vima asks how does one become a Jedi Master, Ulic tells her that all Masters have to face ordeals but says that he is not a Master because he cannot feel the Force. He says that anybody can understand it if they try hard enough.
Meanwhile, Nomi Sunrider arrives on Rhen Var in her courier. Still angry at Ulic for his role in the Great Sith War, Nomi has come to confront him and reclaim her daughter. Nomi blames herself for neglecting her daughter's training, causing Vima to seek out Ulic, whom she regards as a failure and disgrace.
After finding Vima, she tells her to come home with her. Nomi makes eye contact with her former friend and lover Ulic. However, Vima tells her mother that she is staying here because Ulic has already has made her a Jedi.
Meanwhile, Hoggon arrives at the abandoned fortress with the Jedi Knight Sylvar on his starship. Hoggon is in awe of the Jedi and offers his blaster. However, the Cathar Jedi replies that she does not have need of his weapons.
Back at the fortress, Vima tells Nomi that Ulic has taught her a lot about the Force and that he is not the monster that she believed. Ulic tells Nomi that he did not ask Vima to come here and that he has taught her what he could. He reiterates that Vima is Nomi's daughter and not his. Ulic says that Nomi is welcome to complete Vima's training.
Realizing that this is one of the precipice situations that Ulic warned her about, Vima vouches for Ulic, telling Nomi that he saved her from a blizzard. Knowing that her mother wants her to become a great Jedi, Vima appeals to Nomi to give Ulic a chance. Nomi relents and Vima shows the ice sculptures of Master Arca Jeth and her father Andur Sunrider. After Vima shows Nomi the hologram of Andur that she borrowed, daughter and mother embrace each other tearfully.
Later, inside the fortress, Ulic thanks Master Arca for convincing him to live so that he could help Vima become a great Jedi like her mother. While holding his medallion, Ulic decides to make peace with his past. However, he is soon followed by Sylvar, who is determined to kill him for his crimes against the Republic, his alliance with Exar Kun, and for the death of her mate Crado.
Ulic counters that Crado was responsible for his own choices and that she shaped him as much as he did. He tells Sylvar that he had to overcome his guilt and asks if she can overcome hers. This enrages Sylvar who engages in a lightsaber duel with Ulic. Sylvar wants to kill him but Ulic asks why she can't move on. Sylvar counters that he has not been punished enough.
Ulic retorts that a Jedi Knight would bury their dead past. Sylvar replies that nobody can be punished enough for what he did. Hearing the commotion, Vima and Nomi rush to help Ulic. Sylvar drives Ulic to the edge of the precipice. He tells her that Crado paid for his decusions and actions. He reminds her that he is not the only one who lost someone in the Great Sith War. Ulic says he cannot change the past but that he has atoned for his wrongs. Ulic tells Sylvar that she is a pawn to her emotions and vows not to fight her as he deactivates his lightsaber.
While initially angry, Sylvar realizes that Ulic was right. She decides to free herself of her hatred and thanks Ulic for freeing her from her anger. However, Ulic is then shot through the chest by the opportunist Hoggon, who wants to be remembered for killing a major Dark Jedi criminal. Sylvar, Vima, and Nomi react with anger, shock, and grief.
While Vima and Nomi run to the fatally wounded Ulic, Sylvar angrily confronts Hoggong, telling him that she would have torn out his throat if not for the man he had killed. She throws him to the ground, prompting Hoggon to say that he can never understand Jedi.
While Nomi and Vima tend to the dying Ulic, he tells Vima to remember the possibilities and gives her his medallion. After Ulic breathes his last, he becomes one with the Force much to the amazement of the Sunriders. A tearful Nomi thanks Vima for helping Ulic to see through his own darkness. Nomi wonders how Ulic could still be a Jedi despite being stripped of the Force and losing everything. Vima replies that Ulic may not have been able to touch the Force but that he understood it and had the heart of a Jedi.
- Tales of the Jedi: Redemption (TPB)
- Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi, Volume 2
- Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: Tales of the Jedi Vol. 3
- Star Wars Legends: Tales of the Jedi Omnibus