Sho Kest

Sho Kest was a and  Sage. Though an adept Sage with a strong gift for, he distanced himself from the Order in later years, preferring private contemplation. This endured until 69 ABY, when he rejoined the Order with his new student, Rin Sakaros.

Baran Do dissenter
Born on shortly after the conclusion of the, Sho Kest was discovered to be Force-sensitive and taken in among the Baran Do; with the , the increasingly dominant tendency to send Kel Dor to study with the Jedi had become instantly extinct. He was considered an apt pupil by his instructors, a quick learner who was well-suited to the life of patient contemplation and introspection of the Baran Do. He was elevated to the rank of a full Sage in his early twenties.

Sho Kest served as an instructor himself for younger generations of Novices for many years, and displayed a particular aptitude for identifying threats to Dorin from offworlders who visited the system. He foresaw the defeat of the and prophesied the return of the Jedi. His fellow Sages began to notice around the same time that more and more of his effort was devoted to visions of the galaxy at large, rather than the traditional Baran Do focus on Dorin alone. This caused some stress with the and elder Sages.

In 34 ABY, Sho Kest supported the training of among the Baran Do. While handled most of Solo's actual instruction, Sho Kest spoke now and then with the Jedi Knight, seeking Solo's perspective on the events of the galaxy at large. This interaction influenced him greatly, as did Solo's later fall to the dark side as Darth Caedus and the. Sho Kest debated frequently with his fellow Sages about whether they could—or should—have forseen the events and tried to stop them. Unable to persuade them to his view, Sho Kest distanced himself from the Order, moving out of the and retiring to Dorin's countryside for more private contemplation. In solitude, Sho Kest devoted himself more to pondering the fate of the galaxy. His brethren made periodic attempts to bring him back into the Baran Do fold, but he remained stubbornly resistant, seeming content with his solitary life until 69 ABY.

Rin
In that year, Rin Sakaros arrived on Dorin, seeking the instruction of the Baran Do. Having seen for themselves what happened the first time they taught a Forceful off-worlder, the Sages were reluctant. They could see that arming Rin with greater foresight than she already possessed would result in death. Undeterred, Rin sought out Sho Kest, who also looked into her future. Though he, too, could see that Rin's life would mean the end of other lives, his broader focus on the future of the galaxy allowed him to understand she would also improve some lives. Judging it worth the risk, he took Rin on as a private apprentice.

For the next seven months, Sho Kest taught Rin the Baran Do ways of perceiving the future. Despite her desire to learn quickly, Rin had a well-organized and patient mind from previous training, and went at the pace Sho Kest set for her. Though Rin lived in her shuttle at night, where atmospheric filters allowed her to breathe without the breath mask she wore on the surface, she spent most of her waking time with her master, and the two became friends.

Seven months after Rin's arrival, the Baran Do yet again beseeched Sho Kest to return to them. Able to foresee that such a move would benefit Rin, he agreed on the condition that his apprentice could accompany him. Though the other Sages remained leery of her, so strong was their desire to have their wayward brother home that they consented. Sho Kest continued to teach Rin, but encouraged her to learn from others as well even as he himself taught Baran Do Novices. Kest defended his pupil when senior Sages complained about the combat instruction she was giving the Novices, though he encouraged her not to press the point when the Master of the Order asked her to stop.

In 71 ABY, Rin felt she had learned all the Baran Do could teach her, and that any further improvement would come only from practice. As such, she thanked Sho Kest and bade him farewell. Sensing the future of turmoil and tragedy that awaited his apprentice, Sho Kest urged her not to rely entirely on her own power, and wished her well.

Later years
Sho Kest remained with the Baran Do after Rin's departure. His final fate is unknown.