His master Jans Rudo led him to one of the training areas frequently used by the teachers. It was a rare day of bad weather on the planet, and Master Rudo had suggested a bit of training.
Fair, Yousa supposed. He had been so busy with Jans as of recently that he had seldom time to sleep, let alone train. His training was more practical he thought, as most of the last three weeks had been spent in the field.
Yousa wondered if perhaps they could eat something before starting training, but he wondered if he really wanted to eat the food at the temple. Normally for lunch on Wednesdays there was a kind of herbal broth served. And while Yousa had always enjoyed it before, he wondered if it might be a little too rich for his stomach after many weeks of constant hunger.
He had felt the need to void his stomach last night when they'd arrived back on Coruscant to the temple. He had never actually vomited before, so it was a bit shocking when, what felt like a hiccup, turned out to be... Not.
Jans had been sympathetic, and anyway, Jedi didn't laugh at each other. Or even their Padawan.
No, Yousa supposed he wasn't hungry enough to test that particular theory. He would simply continue eating Nutrition Paks. Until he could stomach those easily, he wouldn't push himself.
They had not known when they'd left for Watil that they'd be there for so long. Nor had they known the depths they would have to sink to stop the trafficking ring on the planet. It'd made the slave trade on Tatooine look quaint in comparison.
They stepped into a large oval shaped room that would serve their purposes. Yousa sat down on the floor cross-legged, placing his hands on his knees and started breathing slowly. Jans sat with him, facing him. They'd only been meditating for maybe a quarter of an hour when Yousa felt a presence. It took him less than a second to identify a presence he had felt only three times in his life.
Master Kenobi stood outside of the room, and Master Rudo stood and walked to the door. Yousa sensed that Master Kenobi sought council with Jans. Had sensed her in the temple and come to speak with her. He understood that the conversation could not possibly have anything to do with him, so he did not follow. Then another presence.
It was quiet and maybe a little familiar, though Yousa could not remember where he'd last sensed it. He'd met Master Kenobi at meal times, or in the library once or twice. Yousa only knew who he was because of his normally very alert mind. But the presence was not one he could place in the infinite memory Master Rudo claimed he possessed. He tried not to focus on it.
Then the door opened once again. "Yousa, come here." Called Master Rudo. He rose from his sitting position. Master Kenobi offered a smile and a nod in acknowledgement of the Padawan. Yousa looked around for the other presence and saw another Padawan behind Master Kenobi. He was tall, though he could not be much older than Yousa based on his face. With dark hair and a smirk. Yousa recognized him from supper, where he'd seen him a few months prior.
"Yousa this is Master Kenobi. And this is his Padawan Anakin." Master Rudo told him. He bowed to Master Kenobi and nodded in acknowledgement of Anakin. "Master Kenobi was just telling me that he would require additional assistance with an errand. He was wondering if you'd like to come."
Yousa didn't question his Master often, for she did not lead him wrong. But he sensed, not with the Force but with his common sense, that there was something not being said. He nodded, more to show he'd heard her speak than to actually say yes or no. "I sought you out for your unusually high test scores. You've proven academically successful in all your learning. I'd be asking for you to render assistance in picking some equipment for a dangerous mission."
Yousa understood that Jans probably needed some time alone. As she had been very disturbed by the mission they'd come back from. He would never say his Master was weak, but she was a fragile person. She probably needed to take some time alone. That was fine by Yousa.
He nodded, not that he'd probably had much choice in the matter, and he looked at Jans. "Will I see you for supper?" He asked. His species, a Jaldarian, had oddly shaped mouths (like a fish) on their otherwise humanoid bodies, and they often sounded as if they had a thick German accent. Master Rudo smiled.
"Yes, I will see you." He nodded then moved to stand next to Anakin behind Master Kenobi. He assumed that Anakin stood behind his Master out of respect or perhaps his Masters' preference, he was not trying to stand next to Anakin specifically. Anakin seemed to pick up on this. He held out a hand. "Anakin Skywalker." He introduced himself. "Yousa Bapeo." He told him, they shook.
Anakin smirked again. Masters Kenobi and Rudo were discussing something quietly, clearly not meant for their ears. Anakin turned his head to look out a window in the hallway they stood in. Yousa could see ships taking off and landing, skyscrapers being built or expanded by droids. The monotony of Coruscant.
Finally, Master Kenobi beckoned them to follow with a hand and they followed at a short distance. Master Kenobi kept glancing back at them over his shoulder, until finally he stopped altogether. They came to a stop behind him. "What are you doing back there?" The Padawan exchanged looks. "I was following you." They said in unison to each other. They shrugged after a second and walked with him in toe, on either side.
Master Kenobi asked Yousa questions about himself. "How old are you?" They were coming into a garage where the temple kept some gliders. "13 standard years." He answered quickly. "Ah, same age as Anakin here. Have you two met?" They shook their heads no. Master Kenobi selected an orange glider that could seat four. "This should work nicely." He told them.
Yousa hopped over the side and into the passenger seat. But instead of Master Kenobi taking the controls, Anakin did. "Go slow Anakin, we're not podracing." He scowled at his Master in the mirror, and was adjusting everything to fit him. He moved the seat forward and rotated the mirrors to work for him. With everyone strapped in (Master Kenobi was in the backseat) Anakin flew them out of the parking garage and into the steady air traffic.
Anakin seemed to be a natural born flyer, and they were on their way in no time. "Master Kenobi, where are we going?" Yelled Yousa over the air rushing around them. Anakin hit a button on the console and a canopy flipped up over the interior of the glider. It was almost silent, but for the anti-gravity engines.
"We are going to the shopping district. I have some business to attend to alone, in the meantime I shall require you to buy some things for me." He pulled out a pouch with a card in it. He handed the card to Yousa. "This is a credit card, you'll be able to use it to pay for everything I'll need."
He rattled off a list of things to buy. Among them were Nutrition Paks, some camping supplies, and a more compact, speed oriented glider that the Jedi Temple did not have. He would need all of this on a mission to Hoth, he told them. "Hoth?" Asked Yousa, the name was one he'd never heard of. "Hoth, it's the sixth planet of the Hoth system. I don't expect you'd know it, it is rather remote. It's very cold in the planet, so I'll be needing the right supplies for the environment."
Yousa removed a tablet from the console of the glider. He found Hoth in the Jedi Database, he read a bit about the wildlife. Then made a few notes. "Will you be requiring moisture collectors for your trip?" Master Kenobi thought on it. "No, I'll use my ship to find a lake when I land. I will need water purifiers however."
Yousa nodded. Then read more about Hoth. He could not find any information about settlements there. "Master Kenobi, why are you going to Hoth? I don't see anything in the Database about settlements." He shook his head. "You wouldn't. There is a small one near the equator of the planet, where the cold is more tolerable. I believe a man I was trying to capture may be hiding there."
They started to descend, into one of the closer shopping districts. Anakin brought them in for a smooth landing. He opened the canopy and the two Padawan got out of the vehicle, Yousa tucking the credit card into his boot and held his tablet for easy reading.
Master Kenobi was having a few words with Anakin while Yousa examined a holographic projection of Hoth.
"Anakin, stay safe, and listen to Yousa!" Anakin nodded, and Master Kenobi took off, now flying the glider himself.
Yousa showed the other Padawan a sign a few blocks away, announcing Speeders for all climates. "We'll need that first if we if are to carry around our purchases." He suggested. Anakin nodded. They walked quickly. Master Kenobi had given them no time of his arrival, but told Anakin apparently that he'd "be back soon."
Once they reached the shop, it was rather empty. The rain coupled with the workday meaning not many people were shopping today. The few patrons and salesmen in the showroom were surprised to see two Padawan shopping. They walked around for a minute before a salesman came to assist them, a practiced way of making customers feel like this was their choice, that they weren't being badgered. It was very well done, Yousa thought.
"Hello there, what can I help you find?" Asked the man interestedly. He had a bit of a cockney accent, but it was a bit marred by his large nose. Yousa stepped forward quickly as Anakin mounted a single person speeder, testing it. "We are looking for something good in cold weather climates. Fast, but handleable in snowy conditions." The man thought for a moment, watching Anakin test how the seat felt on a different speeder.
"I can show you a line of vehicles that may interest you, how cold were you thinking?" Yousa thought for a second. "The North Pole of Watil." He answered, not wanting to give away the mission, though he wasn't sure how secret it could be. The salesman shivered at the thought. "Very cold, then." He beckoned for them to follow, and Anakin gave him the thumbs up from behind the speeder he was examining.
They stepped into a turbolift with the man and the glass doors slid shut. They whizzed past a large number of floors, Yousa noted that the further up in the building they went, the less sporty the vehicles became.
Soon they slowed to a stop, landing on a floor filled with dark black vehicles. Clearly meant to be highly visible in white snow. The doors slid open and the man led them to a larger model. "This here is a righ' beau'y. Made for traction in cold climates, and made so the battery will start in negative degree weather. Also has a bit of armor, if you need it."
Yousa nodded appreciatively. Anakin strode forward, examining the visible bits of engine. "How many can it seat?" Anakin asked. The long slender body looked like you just straddled it. "Recommended for four. See the foot mounts on the side? The front ones obviously double as ignition and throttle."
"Weapons systems?" Asked Yousa, pointing to a forward mounted something. "Oh, right, not much in the way of weapons, that's a harpoon, that is. Can sink through ten feet of metalcrete. Meant to pull down glaciers and whatnot, for easy driving."
Yousa nodded, but awaited Anakin's verdict. Him being the flying expert. "And what's the top speed?" Asked Anakin eventually. "Two hundred and twenty kilometers per hour." Anakin whistled. "Not as fast as a podracer, but still sure to get your blood boiling." Said the seller eagerly. Anakin's eyes widened slightly. "True."
The Padawan exchanged looks. Anakin nodded. "And... How much?" Asked Yousa quietly. The seller grinned, his teeth baby blue. "For rental or purchase?" Yousa thought that in any case, the speeder looked good.
"Should've just bought it." Said Yousa as they waited for someone to bring it out to them. "Do you know how long your mission will take?" Asked Yousa. "Master Kenobi doesn't seem to think it will take long." Yousa shook his head. "Well, he better have it back in two weeks, or it would've been cheaper to buy the thing."
Ten minutes later, they were riding it to the All Store. Anakin wasn't going full throttle (as those speeds weren't allowed), but he was certainly having fun with the handling, but with the footrests on the side and the handles in front of each rubber 'seat', Yousa felt secure.
Once they'd parked in the cavernous docking bay outside the store, Yousa and Anakin were on their way inside. Yousa checking his boot quickly to make sure he still had the card. Once inside they were confronted with thousands of aisles that stretched across the many kilometer long room. In any of these aisles were the thing they needed.
A shopping drone came to assist them. "Hello, what can I help you find today?" Asked the drone in a computerized chirp. "Camping supplies." Yousa told the drone. A shopping pad came over and the Padawan stepped onto it. The drone and the pad moved at the same speed.
They reached their destination in less than twenty minutes. Which given the vastness of the store, was very quick indeed. On the walls of the fifty foot aisles were tents of every shape and color, spits for roasting food, sleeping bags that were large enough for a Hutt. "Master Kenobi said he was getting clothing appropriate for the climate." Anakin told Yousa.
Nodding, Yousa gave directions to the drone, who would raise and lower the pad to any of the shelves. Yousa picked a tent meant for cold weather. It could supposedly hold ten people. But with everything that Master Kenobi and Anakin were bringing, it would probably be the right size.
Next he picked out a cooking stove for the Nutrition Paks or any other food. He picked out some thick blankets and some large boxes of fire kits for when they were camping. After a few more minutes of buying they seemed to have acquired everything. They payed with the drone and left, the packages being brought to their speeder.
They tied everything on, and once they were certain it was secure, Anakin kicked the engine into life and they were off. Master Kenobi called Anakin on his holographic projector. Anakin was driving, so Yousa answered for him. "Hello Master Kenobi! Anakin is driving right now!" Yelled Yousa.
Master Kenobi nodded. "And have you got everything?" Yousa shook his head yes. "Excellent. Is it easier to simply meet me at the Temple?" "Yes! We'll be there soon!" And he hung up. He banged on Anakin's shoulder, yelled "Temple!" and pointed towards its vague shape on the horizon. The Padawan nodded.
They pulled into a the parking area where they met Master Kenobi and Master Rudo. Once Anakin was shutting down the roaring engine, the Jedi approached. "Certainly stylish." Said Master Kenobi with a smile. "And visible in the snow." Added Yousa. "We picked out camping supplies for your trip, all here." He motioned to the boxes tied to the speeder.
Master Kenobi smiled approvingly. Master Rudo looked strained. "Master? Is something wrong?" She motioned him over a distance. They stood away from the others.
AN: Hope you enjoyed this, if you're a Star Wars fan or a casual reader, leave a review!