I. Trials
"And for your final trial, before you can be declared a Jedi Master," Kit Fisto announced, "We have chosen a special task that very few Jedi have ever been able to accomplish. You must create an operational holocron." Jedi Master Fisto was a green-skinned Nautolan, with large black glassy eyes, a mass of neatly arranged head-tails in place of hair, and a set of gills on each side of his neck.
Jaren Cregg, Jedi Knight, felt his breath hiss out in a long, involuntary rush. He had spent many hours studying holocron construction, but he had not intended to attempt assembling one until his knowledge was more complete. Holocrons recquired an intimate understanding of electronics in addition to a high degree of control over the ever-shifting Force. Jaren looked up to see his droid, J9-Y, carrying a tray with some tools and several holocron parts on it.
"Good luck, master," the droid said with as much sarcasm as his vocoder could produce.
"I'm not a master yet, Jaynine," Jaren replied under his breath as he took the tray and set it on the work table beside him, studiously ignoring the droid's ironic tone of voice. Although Jaren had built Jaynine, their relationship was more like that of old friends than master and servant.
"You have 36 hours, Jedi Cregg, starting… now." Jaren tried to find a hint of emotion in Kit Fisto's dark, impenetrable eyes, but he could see none. Master Fisto had a reputation among the Jedi as being a fierce and passionate fighter, and his characteristic grin was a strong contrast to the light-lipped control shown my most of the masters. It was well-known that he had a deep friendship with the Twi'lek Jedi Aayla Secura, and that many of the masters disapproved of the closeness of their relationship, not because of any impropriety, but because they believed the intensity of attachment could lead to impulsive and irrational actions. As he stood at the door, however, his trademark smile was absent, and Jaren could see only his own reflection in the master's black, glassy eyes.
"May the Force be with you." Master Fisto uttered the words with quiet reassurance, guessing at Jaren's lack of confidence.
"And also with you." Jaren turned to his tools and began organizing them in preparation for his difficult task.
"Hold your off-hand up higher, padawan. That's the key to the spin-and-block defence."
"I just can't seem to perfect it, Master Windu," the apprentice responded in a slow, methodical voice. "I'll try again," he said with some resignation, taking up his position opposite his sparring partner. They fought with real lightsabers, not the practice foils reserved for younger padawans, and the penalty for failing to defend oneself properly could be severe.
"Don't worry, Lodon, you're doing fine. Practice is the only way to master this important tactic. This time you'll defend yourself against me, and you will not fail. Reach within, find the Force, and use it to predict my actions. Ready? Go!"
The padawan found himself suddenly beset by the venerable master, who was rumoured to be the best lightsaber duelist in the galaxy.
"Fear not, Lodon, for even I have been defeated," Master Windu asserted between strikes. Lodon, a slow-moving Ithorian, frequently used his off-hand for extra support on his lightsaber hilt to fend off the master's fierce thrusts. Suddenly Master Windu accelerated his already intense rhythm, forcing Lodon to spin in order to dodge a blow. Lodon stretched out with his free arm and Master Windu suddenly stumbled as a nearby plant reached out to trip him. With the unthinking reflexes of a veteran warrior, Master Windu sliced through the thin grey branch and raised his lightsaber for the next strike.
"What have you done?" Lodon cried out before he could continue the exercise. The padawan retracted his lightsaber, rushed over to the damaged plant and lifted the severed limb gently back into place. He wrapped his hand around the joint and closed his eyes in quiet concentration for a few moments. When he removed his hands a slight scar was all that remained to indicate that the branch had ever been sundered.
"Lodon M'thar, you are a resourceful padawan, aren't you?" Windu said with a chuckle. "It's no surprise your Herd Ship elders didn't know what to do with you. My offensive was intended to force you to make use of the spin-and-block maneuver. You, however, have shown that another, unorthodox defense may also be employed. That's enough sparring for today," stated the master, looking up at the other apprentices. "Carry out your exercises and we'll revisit the spin-and-block tomorrow."
Jaren sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, with a small polygonal prism suspended in front of him. Sweat poured down his face, which was creased with concentration. Tiny lines of energy sparkled and flashed on the surface of the prism, which slowly lowered to Jaren's open palm. His face and body relaxed, then he stood and walked to a nearby workbench.
"The fusers, please, Jaynine." Jaren grunted in thanks as the droid handed him the tool. "Alright, Jaynine, this is the moment of truth. If this thing doesn't work, we'll be exploring the Outer Rim for the next twenty years."
"Don't say that, you're much too valuable to the Jedi Order to be sent to the Outer Rim." This time there was only a hint of sarcasm.
"Thanks, Jaynine, but I think the Council might feel otherwise." He flipped up his magnifiers, and closed his eyes. Jaynine watched in silence, waiting for something to happen.
"Is... something wrong?"
"I... I don't know..."
Just then the door slid open and Jaren found himself once again viewing the friendly yet unreadable face of Kit Fisto.
"The Council awaits, Jaren Cregg, Jedi Knight."
"There is no need for me see the Council, Master Fisto, I have failed. The holocron doesn't work, and I am content to serve the Order as a Knight. I am not strong enough to train others in the Jedi way."
"That is for the Council to decide, Jaren. They have wisdom beyond all others." He reached out and levitated the holocron to his hand. "This is fine workmanship; you underestimate your own abilities." With that he turned and left the room, and Jaren reluctantly followed. They made their way to the nearest turbolift in silence as other Jedi went about their daily duties, oblivious of the recent trial.
When the turbolift doors opened, Jaren followed the Nautolan master to another set of doors ornately embossed with the Jedi insignia.
"Welcome to the Council Chamber," the master said warmly. The edges of his mouth were turned upwards, finally showing a hint of his customary smile, and although Jaren appreciated the encouragement, his head hung in defeat and resignation.
"Faced all of the trials, you have, Jedi Cregg." Jaren looked up to see Master Yoda, who had taught him when he was just a youngling. "Here is the result of his labour, Master Yoda," Fisto said as he walked over to the venerable Jedi and handed him Jaren's holocron. Yoda closed his eyes in concentration for a moment, then opened them thoughtfully.
"I have failed; the holocron does not work," Jaren said without looking up, "I apologize for wasting the Council's time. I am happy to continue serving the Order as a Knight, if that is acceptable to the Council."
"An important quality in a Jedi Master, humility is," Yoda replied, "but perhaps too humble you are, Jedi Cregg." Yoda opened his hand and levitated the holocron so that it floated back towards the Jedi Knight. Master Mace Windu looked over at Yoda, who nodded slightly, provoking a knowing look from the tall human.
"A holocron cannot be activated until its gatekeeper has been chosen, or so I have been told," said Master Windu, gazing out the panoramic windows at the planet-city Coruscant. "Due to the Force-signature established in forging a holocron, only the creator of the device can link it to its gatekeeper. This must be done before we can determine the outcome of your trial - you must choose a gatekeeper now."
For the first time, Jaren looked up and held the gaze of the Council members. Each one of them was a worthy gatekeeper, but as he touched the Force in search of an answer, his eyes came to rest on his first teacher. "I choose Master Yoda," he stated solemnly. The wizened master rose from his seat and, leaning heavily on his walking stick, approached his former student. Using the Force, Jaren raised the holocron between them, and then closed his eyes and fell into deep meditation. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow as a halo of light emanated from the holocron. The light expanded until it enveloped both the knight and the master, and then suddenly faded as Jaren fell with exhaustion. Yoda reached out and caught the holocron in his hand, while Kit Fisto caught Jaren from behind and helped him to a nearby cushion-chair.
"I... I'm sorry Master Yoda.. I don't think..." Jaren muttered as Yoda returned to his seat. The master once again suspended the holocron in midair and closed his eyes in concentration. Lines of energy sparkled and flashed across the surface of the device and suddenly an image of Yoda appeared above it. "Do, or do not, there is no try," the holographic version of Yoda stated sharply, shaking his walking stick at Jaren.
"The first holocron in over a thousand years, you have created," the diminutive Jedi master said as the holocron returned to his grasp. He held it as if it was an infant, almost afraid to touch it. "Remembered for years to come, this accomplishment will be. An apprentice you may now take, Master Cregg."
Jaren looked around in disbelief, expecting the other council members to disagree with the eldest of their Order. Instead, he found them nodding in agreement, eyes wide with awe. "Return to us when rested you are, Master Cregg." Yoda's eyes remained fixated on the cube in his lap. Suddenly he looked up. "Master Cregg."
"Yes, Master Yoda?"
"Thank-you for your gift."
"I hope it will serve the Order."
After Jaren had departed, Master Windu turned to Yoda, who was still preoccupied with the holocron. "He did not even think to make himself the gatekeeper," the dark-skinned Windu stated thoughtfully. "He will be an effective teacher, and a reliable leader, when the time comes."
"Ready for the duels, Lodon?" The bright, cheery voice of Jass Kir-Daylen, Lodon's sparring partner, rang out behind the slow-moving Ithorian. Jass was a human girl from the planet Fest, a cold and barely hospitable world in the Outer Rim. She was always full of energy and mirth, and was louder and less restrained than most of the young Jedi students.
"No, but I'll never be ready," the Ithorian responded quietly.
"Don't worry, Lodon, you'll do fine. I saw the roster, and you're up against the Sullustan, Nllr Tnub in the first round. He's quick, but not very accurate, and has little patience. As long as you can parry his attacks, you'll be able to defeat him."
"I'm not sure it will be that easy, but thanks for making me feel better, Jass."
Lodon sat in the seats above the dueling diamond and watched his fellow padawans face off against each other. A Jedi knight stood at each corner of the diamond in order to judge the opponents and to intervene if necessary. The duels were reserved for padawans near the end of their training, and real lightsabers were used rather than the practice blades employed to teach younglings. A large crowd of Jedi masters and knights sat in the raised seats surrounding the dueling diamond, quietly observing the hopeful young padawans as they sparred with each other. Every master that was considering taking on an apprentice was there, and since lightsaber combat required a great deal of concentration and adept control of the Force, the duels were generally used to decide which padawans would be chosen to become apprentices so that they could complete their training and become Jedi knights.
After a few duels had been fought, Lodon heard the adjudicator droid call Jass to the dueling diamond, along with her opponent, a young human male. With her knees and elbows slightly bent, Jass stood waiting for the starting signal while her opponent paced impatiently. According to ancient tradition, the duelists began their combat empty-handed, their lightsabers clipped to their belts. The starting signal sounded and within half a heartbeat Jass and her lightsaber were high in the air. As she flipped, her lightsaber hilt sailed through the air in front of her, manipulated through the Force alone. The blade ignited as if the lightsaber had a will of its own, then Jass reached out with both hands to swing it down in a powerful arc. The young man who opposed her was barely able to ignite his lightsaber in time to repel her attack, and he stumbled backwards from the impact. Jass seemed to instantly regain composure, and spun in a complete circle while at the same time striding forward to come up beside the other padawan. He blocked the strike, but in doing so he was forced to step outside of the diamond, and a buzzer sounded. Jass was awarded a point, and the duelists retracted their lightsaber blades and returned to their respective corners to start again. The match went on in a similar fashion, with Jass defeating the young man by a score of nine to one. Lodon watched in amazement as she executed extremely precise spins and flips while accurately aiming her deadly blade and avoiding that of her opponent. He noticed that several well-known masters sat in the audience, all of them looking on without emotion, but their presence alone was a clear indication of their opinion regarding the talented young padawan.
Soon Lodon was called to the diamond, and he took his place with some trepidation. His wide-set eyes on the ends of his hammer-shaped head gave him an excellent view of his Sullustan opponent, Nllr Tnub. Lodon could barely hear the starting signal over the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. He drew his lightsaber and ignited it in one smooth motion, as his masters had taught him, and set his feet in a defensive stance. A fraction of a second passed before he realized his opponent had taken the same strategy.
With his long legs, Lodon was able to reach the Sullustan in two strides, swinging his blade in an overhead arc. Tnub raised his lightsaber to parry, but had to step sideways as the force of the blow overcame his attempt to block the attack. He allowed his lightsaber to be pushed down towards the floor, and used the momentum to swing his blade around in an upward arc, giving him a clear opening to strike at Lodon's exposed flank. The Ithorian confidently executed the spin-and-block maneuver, raising his hands so that the tip of his blade pointed towards the ground as he turned. Tnub had not expected any resistance to his attack, and was quite surprised when his blow bounced off of Lodon's lightsaber. He nonetheless managed to keep Lodon on the defensive with three quick downward alternating strikes, but soon found himself retracing his footsteps when Lodon launched a counter-attack. The two padawans were very evenly matched, and the duel continued in a back-and-forth manner until Lodon finally forced the Sullustan to step out of bounds in order to parry an attack. The match continued in this manner for some time, until both combatants had each scored five points.
"This will be the first tie-breaking round of the tournament," the hovering adjudicator droid said cheerfully, "the padawan to score the next point will win the match and advance to the next tier. You will now have a thirty second break." Lodon's eyes roved back and forth in his flat, graceful face as he searched the audience for a familiar face. He noticed a few disinterested masters who appeared to be waiting for the next match to start before he found Jass, who waved enthusiastically and then made a circular motion with her index finger: the signal for attempting to disarm an opponent in lightsaber combat. The disarming manoeuvre was extremely difficult to master, but because of this, it was also unexpected. A failed attempt to disarm an opponent left the attacker vulnerable, however, and was only rarely attempted even by Jedi knights.
A split second after the starting signal sounded, Lodon found himself desperately fending off the Sullustan, who had launched a fierce offensive in a desperate bid to win the match. Lodon rolled under one of the attacks and made his way to the middle of the diamond, so that he was no longer in danger of stepping out of bounds. He turned and raised his lightsaber in anticipation of another attack, and found that his opponent had returned to his more cautious strategy, looking for a weakness in Lodon's stance and style. A moment later they both strode forward and began exchanging blows, testing each other's mettle. Eventually they ended up a half-meter apart, their blades locked together in a battle of strength and endurance, their faces only a few hand-spans apart. Suddenly Lodon remembered Jass's suggestion, and he released the pressure on his blade while rotating his wrists downward, creating the spinning motion required to twist the Sullustan's lightsaber out of his grip. Lodon miscalculated however, and as his lightsaber spun upwards it grazed Tnub's thigh, slicing a thin line through the lower part of his robe and into his leg.
"Disqualified, disqualified," the adjudicator droid's mechanical voice repeated as Tnub cried out in pain and fell backwards onto the dueling mat. Lodon instinctively dropped his lightsaber, allowing the dead-man's switch to retract the blade automatically. He knelt next to the Sullustan and placed his hands on the other's thigh, instantly connecting to and calling on the powerful binding and regenerative powers of the Force. After a brief moment Tnub's face relaxed and Lodon looked up to find himself surrounded by Jedi masters and a medical droid preparing a repulsor-gurney.
"I... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," he found himself muttering as he was escorted away while the next combatants were called to the dueling mat. Jaren Cregg, who had been watching the match and had rushed down to the Sullustan after he had been struck, remained on the mat a moment longer. He bent down and retrieved the Ithorian's lightsaber before following Lodon and the others to the hallway outside the dueling chamber.
"But Master Cregg, I don't understand why you would choose me as your apprentice. I lost my first duel and injured another padawan. It would probably be best if I returned to my herdship, and worked towards becoming an Acolyte."
"The duels are not only about winning and losing, Lodon, they also reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the student. You showed creativity by disarming your opponent while locking blades, and most importantly, you showed compassion by healing your opponent as soon as you had hurt him. The ability to strike down an opponent in battle can easily be manipulated to do more harm than good, unless it is restrained by discipline and kindness." Cregg paused while Lodon considered his words.
"Besides," he continued, "I'm no warrior. I have focused on using the Force to manipulate micro-electrical charges, and to understand the complex mathematics required for droid programming and astrogational computations. What good would I be as a master to an apprentice focused on lightsaber combat? The Force has many applications, and the duels simply provide us with a way of evaluating how a padawan will react when faced with a real threat." The master paused thoughtfully for a second time.
"You have no need to be concerned, Lodon. I lost my first duel as well."