Disclaimer:I do not own Star Wars or any of it's character or ships all though the character in my story, such as Kenta or Teka, are my own creation.
Chapter one
Of Initiates, Jedi's and announcements
Kenta strode forwards, pressing his advantage as the remote tried to find an opening to counter attack.
Three other remotes lay on the floor of the training room, sparking and smoking, some of them cut into
quarters.
"Remember to trust the Force. Through it your instincts will become heightened into conscious thoughts."
A Jedi Master stood at the west wall, watching the twelve year old attack his mechanical opponent with
controlled strikes. A blind fold wrapped tightly around the youth's face wet with sweat, stinging his eyes.
He tried to ignore the pain and focus on the small orb of light that ducked and weaved in his mind a split
second before the remote. Suddenly it disappeared and flashed to life directly above his head. Kenta
quickly jabbed his lightsaber up just as the real remote, in a burst of speed, blurred up and charged a laser
bolt. But Kenta's foresight proved correct as, just before the sphere fired, his blue energy blade speared it
right through the middle. In a crackle of energy it exploded into a thousand pieces.
"Wahoo nice one Kenta," one of the four clan members cheered.
"A new record," a Talz said, his droid translating the squeaks and buzzes that came out of his straw like
mouth.
"Congratulations my friend," the only female of the group commented formally, her sparkling silver hair
waving as she nodded in approval.
"That will be all for today," the clan instructor said, a male Mon Calimarian. "You all did very well." Kenta
threw off his blind fold and bowed with the rest of his friends as the Jedi Master left.
"Well I think it's high time for some food," A spiky haired boy said happily.
"Do you ever think of any thing else Frajet?" Kenta asked.
"I doubt it," the Talz replied. The girl with the silver hair stepped forward and put her hand on Kenta's
shoulder.
"I doubt it also but I'm hungry so let's go."
The four friends exited the training room into the main hall of the Jedi Temple, talking and laughing. The
marble floors and walls reflected the gentle glow of the lamps, giving the whole place a quite atmosphere
which the many Jedi walking back and forth enhanced with their graceful strides.
"Hey look its Teka," Kenta exclaimed as a Twi Lek female entered the hall from a briefing room. The four
clan members immediately sensed something wrong as they approached her.
"Hey Teka," Frajet greeted the Jedi Knight informally. "What's up!?"
Her troubled expression suddenly dissolved when she saw the Initiates.
"I am well. What have you been doing this past month?"
"Don't worry about us," Ejak, the Talz, said impatiently. "We've just been continuing with routine training.
What missions have you been on?" The Twi Lek smiled gently. Although dark thoughts had been occupying
her mind of late no matter how bad they were she could always count on the Quick Water clan for respite.
Ever since they had arrived at the Jedi temple four years ago she had connected with them. She didn't
know why. Perhaps it was because she was the one that found out Kenta was Force sensitive and he,
joining the clan, had introduced them to her. Having already grown fond of the Tattooinian her feelings
also spread to his friends. Either way she was glad for it and had no wish of distancing herself from them
despite the age difference.
The five walked down the hall towards the food courts, the Jedi telling in thrilling detail of her chase in a
pod racer after a gang leader and the climatic hand to hand battle after her lightsaber had been knocked
out of hand. The clan members listened with wrapped attention, the action filled life of a Jedi amazing
them to no end.
"Luckily the two demolition droids he set on me were destroyed by the guards and I tripped him up with
the Force and knocked him out. If it wasn't for those guards though I would have been flatter than a Mud
Flounder." Kenta shook his head in astonishment.
"I can't wait till I can go on missions."
"You must first learn to protect yourself before protecting others," their silver haired Initiate said, quoting
the ancient Jedi saying. The others groaned.
"Do you always have to be such a wise student Sheka," Kenta teased. She smiled as she felt for her cup
and took a long gulp.
"Who said I was just being wise."
"Oh," Frajet banged the table with his fist. "You just do it to annoy us!" Teka smiled as they threw food at
the Correlian which she caught with the Force and threw back. Her sightless eyes sparkled mischievously
as her counter attacks found their marks. Even though she couldn't see her friends they quickly learnt not
to under estimate her as the Force was used to sense her surroundings. In fact she could see better than
any of them as, even without concentrating, she could sense everything within a fourteen feet radius
around her.
"Any way," Teka commented after the girl had pummelled her clan mates with their own meals. "I must
go see the Jedi Council on some business." The Initiates looked at her with pleading eyes. She wanted to
stay but she knew she had used up too much time as it was.
"I am sorry but the life of a Jedi calls. May the Force be with you." The youths repeated the phrase and
watched her go.
"Now what should we do?" Ejak asked, pushing his empty plate away.
"Could all level three Initiates please report to the Assembly hall, could all level three Initiates please
report to the Assembly hall. There will be an announcement at five o'clock." The Quick Water clan looked
at each other curiously.
"Well I guess that's our answer," Kenta commented as they got up from their table then raced each other
to the hall.
The Assembly hall was the biggest room in the entire Temple. A total of three thousand people could fit in
which was plenty big enough for the five hundred level three Initiates arriving there. In the ground floor
the chairs spread out from the stage to their peek of one thousand eight hundred right up against the back
wall. The second level was a giant balcony with suspending pillars which could hold a thousand and seven
hundred beings. It was a big hall.
Kenta and his friends quickly melded into the crowd of Initiates most aged twelve racing through the front
doors to be in the front row. Fifteen minutes after the last student found a seat all suddenly went silent. It
was as if a blanket of calm and peace had enveloped them. Seconds later someone entered the room. A
middle aged Vurk male strode down the centre isle confidently, the train of his robe flowing out behind
him. Whenever he passed a pew the student's faces stretched into safe and happy smiles. He walked to
the stage, glided up the steps, moved to the centre and turned around. His eyes were a deep ice blue,
showing a soul filled with compassion but right beneath the surface a controlled hurricane of power. A
crescent shaped bone that made up his forehead shed a slight shadow over his narrow, blue skinned face.
The top of his head curved back slightly in a half moon shape. As his gaze swept the crowd each Initiate
felt as if he was looking directly at them.
"You have all been studying here for different spaces of time," he said, his voice strong and deep. "For all
of you your Instructors have given special treatment to raise your weaknesses to the level of the Bear, or
level three as some of you call it, so you will be ready to be chosen by Jedi to teach you individually but ,
most importantly, so you can protect yourselves and others from harm in the field." He paused to let this
sink in. The students thought about this and, when the Jedi Master sensed they were ready for the next
stage in his speech, he continued. "I have talked to all of your instructors personally and they assure me
you have now all achieved this level." Kenta buzzed with excitement along with the rest of the hall. The
Vurk spoke again and they immediately went silent. "In one week from now Jedi will come for respite from
their assignments and choose for themselves a student to teach until they have reached the level of
Knight. You will all be chosen and in being chosen become Apprentices. I expect you all to take this new
title seriously and to respect and follow your Master's commands. Understood?"
"Yes Master," the crowd replied in unison.
"May the Force be with you." And with that he stepped down off the stage and began congratulating each
student as they milled round him. The Quick Water clan tried to make their way through but the crowd
was too thick.
"Hey Sheka," Kenta said to the Correlian. "Can you find us a way through?" The girl nodded. Her friends
immediately sensed the Force move through her as she saw in her mind the individual students rushing
around the High Jedi Master. Small alien and human shaped lights flashed across her mind's eye as she
tried to find an opening.
"Follow me," she said eventually and lead her clan through every gap and break in the flow of bodies at
exactly the right time. In second they were face to face with the Vurk. He saw them and smiled gently.
"Hello there Quick Water clan." They all bowed and then began barraging him with questions. He put his
three fingered hands up with a chuckle and led them away from the crowd. Amazingly just at that time the
other students began to leave.
"Now we can talk. How has all your training been?"
"Great," they all said in unison.
"Master Protex," Sheka piped up shyly unlike her usual confident self. "I was wandering when we would
know who our masters will be?"
"A Jedi Master will choose you within the week," he replied. "They are all great Jedi but do not be
disappointed if you are chosen by someone you would not expect. The Force moves in mysterious ways
and in time you'll realise why you were partnered." The clan nodded in agreement, suddenly all very
excited.
I hope she chooses me, Kenta thought to himself. Sheka, as one of her strengths was mind reading,
looked at her friend curiously.
I wonder who he's thinking of? She thought.
The next week proved very thrilling. The white furred alien Ejak was chosen on the third day by a male
human Jedi Master. Among the Temple on Corriscant he was very well known and had trained two
Padawans up to the level of Knight already in the past sixteen years. The Talz was extremely honoured to
be chosen and his friend's congratulations were genuine.
Frajet, the male human from Tattooine, was chosen on the fourth day. A female Wookie, although quite
and reserved completely different to his loud and bubbly personality, approached him one day during the
mid day meal. She had said she did not feel comfortable in teaching him without getting to know him and
so they talked every day The Jedi spoke through his mind for at least two hours. Frajet took an immediate
liking to her and they left after only two days for their first mission.
And that left only Sheka and Kenta. Both missed their friends but then suddenly they were called once
again to the Assembly Hall. There were only thirty others that had not been chosen yet to which they
thought was because the masters thought all the most promising students were taken. But it wasn't so. In
fact the reason for the delay as Protex explained was that the Jedi coming on a inter Galaxy ship were
stopped by an electro magnet storm in their path. It had taken five days to find a new route to the
Temple. The Head Master said they would be back within the hour to which the Initiates breathed a sigh
of relief.
"But," the Vurk continued. "There is one Jedi that is already here." The students murmured to each other.
"And that Jedi is me." Kenta and Sheka started with the rest of the crowd in shock. Protex, teaching an
Apprentice? It was astounding. He hadn't taken a Padawan for five years ever since his last one had died
in combat.
"I know you all know of my former Padawan's death but, although it has taken a while, I have learnt to
heal and am ready to teach another. My Padawan will be…" Everybody leaned forwards in rapt attention
even though the Jedi Master didn't stop for a dramatic pause. "Sheka Salano." Nobody said anything.
Kenta slowly turned to face his best friend whose face was completely dumbfounded.
"Sheka," he shouted and threw his arms around her. Everyone one else cheered and whistled. Protex
smiled proudly.
"I don't believe it," she said in amazement. Although Kenta was happy his clan mate had been chosen by
such an important Jedi he was also sad for he knew from now on he wouldn't see her for a long, long time.