WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The High Republic #7, available now from Marvel.
Claudia Gray's Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark introduced the idea of a Jedi Wayseeker into the Star Wars universe. Wayseekers were essentially Jedi that no longer operated under the jurisdiction of the Jedi High Council. While primarily light side Force users, Wayseekers found their own way through the galaxy and worked independently from the Order. Into the Dark's most famous Wayseeker, Orla Jareni just made her comic debut where she arrived with perfect timing to save Keeve Trennis.
Keeve has been struggling ever since reaching the mind of the Drengir's Great Progenitor. Star Wars: The High Republic #7 by Cavan Scott, Georges Jeanty, Karl Story, Annalisa Leoni, and Ariana Maher saw Keeve deep in a vision after her encounter with the Drengir. She was in a dark, unfamiliar area surrounded by beings she had encountered on earlier adventures, including one that she knew to be dead. Throughout her vision, she is talked to by a ghostly version of Orla Jareni. Orla tried to direct Keeve toward answers but Keeve was struck down by an unknown lightsaber-wielding opponent thus awakening her from the vision.
Keeve went in search of a distraction and was directed towards a factory by Jedi Master Maru. They received a report that the Nihil was going to attack it. Since most of the Jedi were dealing with the Drengir threat, the mission fell to Keeve. She arrived in time to protect the workers but a strike to the head caused her to suffer another vision. Luckily, Orla showed up at the factory just in time to save everyone.
Keeve recognized Orla from her vision which caught the Wayseeker slightly off guard. Orla further explained that she was directed by the Force to Keeve's location to "find a Jedi in danger of losing herself." Keeve tried to plead ignorance but Orla saw through it and called her out. This caused Keeve to explain that she saw the darkness everywhere. She showed true fear, stating that Sskeer nearly succumbed to the Drengir and felt there was barely any hope for her.
Keeve was in a terrible position before Orla showed up. She was struggling with the corruption of the Drengir while the majority of the Jedi Order were busy dealing with the Drengir threat. Her former master Sskeer had cut himself off from the Drengir but his Force sensitivity is fading fast, thus he can only provide so much support to Trennis. Top it off with the fact that she was about to get beat down by a group of average Nihil marauders and Keeve easily could have ended up dead or worse.
Orla is the perfect mentor to help Keeve overcome her Drengir connection. Not only has she had her own confrontations with Drengir, but she has had issues with the Jedi Order which caused her to take up her Wayseeker role. She had prevented the Nihil from taking a valuable strategic resource that could have proved detrimental to the Republic. After her disciplinary meeting, she became a Wayseeker. Several weeks have passed since she left the Order and she has become more attuned with the Force. While she might not have the answers that Keeve needs, the Force brought them together for a reason.
With Sskeer struggling with his own problems, Keeve is in need of a new mentor while she navigates her Drengir connection. She has only recently become a Jedi Knight and the power of the Great Progenitor is way too much for her to handle alone. While the other Jedi Masters such as Maru and Avar Kriss are attempting to destroy the Drengir, members of their own Order are being overlooked. Luckily, Orla Jareni is here to help Keeve escape her demons and find her way back to the light side.