Generations disappear, washed away, as a nation simply stares…
Chapter 1
Marie sat nervously in the Jedi Council's waiting room. She'd been summoned to the Council Chambers with her Master, Saesee Tinn. She didn't know why, but something about this summoning felt different. Perhaps it was the joke that her master had made early that morning, about her being ready for the trials soon. She didn't have much of a sense of humor, 'growing up in a place where sober old men were considered to be the wisest men in the universe will do that to you,' she thought. For some reason that joke had caused her more discomfort than the others that Saesee Tinn told.
Her friends, Sirian and Yaebginn had told her that she was probably just imagining it, that it was just another mission for the wonder duo, as they liked to call her and Master Tinn. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something momentous was going to happen in her life very soon. She fidgeted for the fifth time in a minute and tried to relax using Jedi techniques that she had learned as a child. It didn't work. Much.
"Calm down, Marie. What is it that has you annoyed so much?" Her Master asked. He was always so carefree. 'That's probably what makes us such a good pair,' she supposed. 'We act like a dynamo, balancing each other out.' "It's nothing, Master. Just a feeling about the Council session we have today."
"A feeling? Do you want to talk about it?" He looked uncharacteristically concerned.
"What's there to talk about. I haven't evened figured out what it means. Anyway, it's probably nothing. I'm having a hard time believing that the Force could be acting on a seventeen year old Padawan but not her Master." She tried to look flippant for his sake, but failed miserably.
"Padawan, do you remember the first time I tried to teach you something?" The Master continued without waiting for an answer. "It was a day into our new life together. You were sitting on the floor during your daily meditations when I walked in. I remember thinking that you had to be the most dedicated student of the Jedi Order, most thirteen-year-olds neglect their meditations. I decided that I needed to lighten you up if you were going to be my partner in crime, doing practical jokes on other Masters in the temple. I thought I would teach you a technique for easy levitations, so you could do some of the tricks yourself. You know, the bucket over the ancient door trick. I brought you out of the meditation and started to teach you. Do you remember what happened?"
She thought for a moment. "I told you that with all due respect I already knew that trick. That I had discovered it when I was eleven."
"Exactly. I was astounded, so much so that I immediately started testing you to see just how far ahead you were. I was surprised and pleased to find you were at the same level of control as a Padawan that had been with their master for a couple of years. Don't doubt that the Force could be acting on you, Apprentice. You have the control to successfully be a model conduct of the Force." He looked at her proudly. "And I'm not just saying that to praise you. I really mean it."
"Thank you Master. You have given confidence, just like you always do." She smiled at him.
Before she could add anything else, the door to the council chambers slid open, signaling them to enter. Marie took a shaky breath. She still didn't know what the feeling was, but the trip down memory lane had given her more confidence. "Well this is it. Are you coming?"
She entered the room warily, as though it were filled with hungry nek battle dogs. Not to her surprise it was filled with twelve calm Jedi Masters. 'Full house, must be something really important.' She bowed respectfully as she took her place at her Master's side. She gulped as she couldn't help but feel that all the eyes in the room were staring directly at her, save for here Master's.
'They must be able to sense my anxiety.' She took a deep breath and released her emotions into the Force, as she had been taught.
"Nervous are you?" Master Yoda asked.
"Yes Master Yoda. Though I am not sure why." She was truthful with the masters in the council. Many an apprentice wasn't, but she couldn't she a reason not to be. They can sense your emotions from a mile away.
His next question was short and to the point. "Why?"
"Of that I am not sure, Masters. I believe the Force is acting upon me for some reason." Saesee Tinn nodded his approval for the acceptance of that possibility.
"Acting upon you it is. Telling you that something big is going to happen, you think, hmmm?" Yoda continued with the questioning, while the other Masters remained silent.
"Perhaps, Master Yoda. That is the feeling I'm getting." She admitted, never looking directly into the short alien's eyes. With the questioning had returned the anxiety.
"Right you are. Happening, something momentous is. How do you feel?" Yoda asked, seemingly changing the subject.
"Nervous Master, I am sorry. I will try to control my feelings better." She looked up after calming herself.
"Entitled, you are, to that emotion, considering the circumstances. Yes, called you here for a final mission, the Council has." He didn't add in his trademark, 'do or do not, there is no try'.
"What do you mean, 'final mission'?" Saesee Tinn had finally spoken, now that the questioning of his apprentice had finally ceased.
"Ready, your Padawan is, for the trials." Master Yoda replied calmly.
Marie felt like she was about to faint. She was only seventeen! How could she be ready for the trials? "M-masters, a-are you c-certain about this?" She asked.
"No certainties, there are. Believe we do, in your abilities." He said. "Self doubt, there should not be."
"I am sorry Masters. I just didn't think I would be ready until I was well past the age of twenty. To be told that you believe me to be ready at this age, is, well, a little overwhelming." She'd felt nervous before, but the last time she'd felt this nervous was when Masters were choosing their Padawans.
Master Saesee Tinn put a hand on her shoulder. "You know you are ready. If you look deep inside, you'll realize this. I know you're ready."
She looked up at him with faith in her eyes. She took yet another deep breath and let it out slowly, releasing her anxiety as she did so.
"Good, Apprentice Marie. You are demonstrating that our faith is not misplaced. There will be one final mission. I will accompany you. If you show that you would make a good Knight, you will pass the trials. If not, you will be given an opportunity to take the trials later, when you are ready. Do you understand?"
"Yes Master Windu. I understand. When do we leave?" She asked.
"We'll give you some time to think about the events that have transpired in this room, and to tell your friends of this sudden change of pace." The bald Jedi Master said.
"Thank you." She replied in a quiet voice.
"You are dismissed." They left the council chambers without saying a word. They were almost to her chambers when her master stopped her.
"You didn't sound very confident in the Council Chambers. Why?" He asked.
"I just didn't think it possible that someone my age could be ready for the trials, master. I thank you for your confidence, though." She smiled.
"It was no problem. I think you should get some sleep though, you look pale. This has been a very big shock for you." He looked concerned for a moment.
"That was my plan Master Tinn. I am tired." She admitted as they walked towards her rooms. "Thank you for you concern."
"You know, in just a few more years, I might have actually taught you the value of practical jokes." He said wistfully.
"You may yet still, master. I haven't passed yet." She raised an eyebrow.
"But you will. Now go and rest. You've had a big day." He watched her enter her room and sighed. He was going to miss her when she passed the trials.
Marie flopped down onto her bed and closed her eyes. She thought for a moment that she might only be dreaming, but it hurt when she pinched herself. She groaned. She knew that this last mission would be harder than the rest, so she needed her rest. But she couldn't sleep. She looked at her chronometer. Nineteen hundred hours. No wonder slumber wouldn't come.
She lied there for a little while and tried to sort out the thoughts in her head. When she got up, her head was a little clearer. She headed for the cafeteria. She needed some food.
When Marie entered the cafeteria, however, everyone was staring at her. She had a bad feeling about this. The feeling only got worse when everyone started whispering to their friends. The young apprentice tried to ignore them as she got her food and headed for a deserted table in the corner. But her friends noticed and got up to sit with her.
"So, we heard the news. Why didn't you come and tell us?" Sirian asked.
"Yeah, why?" Asked Yaeb Ginn, Sirian's close friend.
"I needed to sort it out in my head, is all." She mumbled, wishing for once they wouldn't pry. She felt a monster headache coming on.
"Okay, so why didn't you sit with us?" Sirian wouldn't let it drop.
"Because I haven't figured it all out yet." She said, keeping her eyes on her food. "What if I stuff up?"
"And what if you don't?" Said a female voice from across the table. Marie hadn't noticed her sit down.
"Master Cythera! You startled me." Marie dropped the solemn face in a moment of surprise.
"Come on Padawan, don't bother your friend. She obviously has a lot on her mind." She dragged her young Padawan away from the table.
"I guess it's just you and me. So, do you feel like talking?" Yaebginn asked.
"No, it's not just you and her, Padawan. Can't you see you're hassling her? Return to your table." Master Rivkah said.
"Yes master. See ya Marie." He glowered at his master when she didn't follow him.
"I'm sorry for my Padawan's behaviour." She said to the apprentice. "So, you'll be joining your Master Tinn soon as a Knight."
"If I pass the trials. That's a big if." She said with a brave little smile. "But I'll do my best."
"You will. All of your friends have faith in you, I have faith in you, and most importantly, your Master has faith in you. You'll pass with flying colors."
"Thanks Master, your faith means a lot to me." She smiled as she left, her confidence returning. She just might pass the trials.