The Jedi hybrid
Introduction
A long long time ago, in a galaxy far far away. After the death of the empire and Darth Vader, Luck Skywalker set out to Coresont, to the past Jedi temple to rebuild the Jedi order. The order grew at a surprising rate. The masters, Obi-won, Qui-gon, Yoda, and Mace Windo, were brought back with the help of the force as ghosts inside of holographic machines called "Proxies". The masters helped finish Luke's training and taught him how to train others, and after that, the force drew Luke to force sensitive children, which he took to the temple to be trained. When Luke died years later, the younglings he brought, with the help of the masters, restored the temple and the Jedi order with great hast. After 300 years, the order was rebuilt to its former glory, and Jedi left on missions of peace as they used to, many years before. The galaxies still had empire forces spread out in hiding, trying to take over once again, but the Jedi have made and sent forces made from Jedi learners that failed to find a master, before turning 13, to learn from, called "The Guardians." They were used in times that Jedi could not help a planet personally, or if a planet is under the control of the empire, and the Jedi need help to take it back.
Our story takes place on the planet of Coresont, 3000 years after the death of Darth Vader and the emperor. A boy at the age of 10 has come to the temple seeking out help to teach him in the ways of the force, but the rules of the temple were clear, he was too old to be taken into training but the boy came to the masters anyway, under a small park where many large and heavy machinery and vehicles were stored until needed. Jedi Master, Ku-lung, was among the ancient masters in their inspection of the bunker.
And now our story begins.
Chapter 1
"WELL THIS IS DIFFERENT" Was all I, master Ku-lung, could think when the guards interrupted the monthly inspection by the masters.
The guards knew better then to interrupt anything when the masters were involved, but here they are, two normal senate palace guards with a young boy between them. The boy was strange, and that was saying something when the whole planet was covered with thousands of different species of aliens. He was average height for boys his age, and he was humanoid in shape but that was almost the only things about him that were normal. His hair was long and tied back into a ponytail, but his hair constantly changed color, seemingly at random with flashes of different colors, but his hair was mostly a strange nervous color with flashes of other colors. Now his skin was very strange, I could tell that it was translucent on the top layer of the skin, but under was pure white, but not unlike his hair, the white was almost none noticeable because of all the patches of colors flashing and changing and shifting all over his body, and they were so bright that I could see the lights thru his clothes. One more thing was strange about this boy, each of his hands had ten little round pods, less than half of a complete sphere in shape, and they glowed with single pure colors, but changed colors constantly. His face was very expressive, every shift in his expression was largely obvious, and his eyes were strange as well. His eyes were normal until the irises, which swirled with a bright flowing blue, and in the center of his eyes was as many different shades as his skin, and changed just as often.
Now in my time, I have studied every known and unknown species of being in the galaxies, and none of them fit all of this boys traits. Then the guard spoke after stopping and saluting the masters respectfully, he said, "I am sorry for the interruption master Jedi, but this boy has asked to speak to master Yoda about something important." Yoda studied the boy carefully, and said, "Very well then, speak to him, I will." The boy looked at all the masters and nervously approached Yoda, he reached out his hand and handed Yoda a holo-pad. Master Yoda looked it over intently, and then turned to me holding out the pad for me to read. I took it and read it, and what I read was shocking. It was from an old friend of Obi-one's named Dex, and in the letter he says, "Hello master Yoda, I am sorry about what ever my boy is interrupting but this is important. The boy's name is Tex, he is 10 years of age. You will have questions about him and I will tell you what I know. Tex was born not far from my restaurant, by a women who I had once helped many years before, I heard the boy's cries and went to investigate. I found him as a new born in the entrance of a sewer, his mother was laying a foot away from the boy dead with her stomach sliced open. I took the body to the morgue and had her buried. And I just couldn't leave the boy with an orphanage, so I took him in and raised him as my son for the past 10 years of his life from day one. I don't know who the boy's real father is, but I know that his mother was a mix of two species, and because of how the boy turned out, I guarantee that the boy's father was a mix of more then two different types of species. This makes him a level 2 hybrid or higher. Now about all the colors on him, his hair changes color to mirror his emotions, and his skin changes color, but he can control the skin color to whatever he wants if he focuses just a little, most of the time he prefers to not bother so his skin changes color randomly. The pods on his hands he controls, and if you look at the file I put in the top right corner of the pad, it will tell you about the translation for the language we invented for him to communicate using the pods on his hands and hand gestures. Oh right, I should probably mention that he can't talk, he can make sounds and noises like animals and beasts, but he can't speak words in any language known or unknown. And I can't really explain his eyes at all really. But here is the main reason I am sending my boy to you. About three days ago I started to notice some of the signs for force-sensitive people for him, like things moving without him touching them, knowing things before they happen, and while he was sleeping I saw everything in his room float around him. I don't know if you will take him in, because he is too old, but I am begging you to take him in and train him in the ways of the Jedi. Please, I can't live knowing that he is afraid of hurting someone by accident. I have done many favors for the temple in my life, so I am asking you this favor now. I will understand if you reject him, but I only ask you to, in the very least, test him for acceptance. Thank you for the consideration.
Dex."
I opened the file and memorized the language, it was complex but it was easy for me. My specialty is memorization of languages, facts, species, strategies, and planets and their customs. Then I handed the pad back to Yoda, and turned to the boy, Tex. I said, "Welcome Tex. It is very nice to meet you. I am master Ku-lung, and I will be translating your language for the masters." Tex smiled nervously and his hair turned half grateful half nervous mix of colors. Yoda started, "Welcome you, we do. But judgment, a test, we must do, determine your joining the temple, we must. Understand, do you?" Tex nodded, then raised his hands and made a series of lights flash and gestures, I translated, "I understand. What kind of test must I do?" Yoda gestured to Mace Windo, and the master set a purple ball in the center of the circle of masters, in front of Tex. Then Mace said, "The test is simple. Lift the ball off the floor." I was stunned. This test was for masters of the force, the orb was made of a material that resisted the force, every master carried one, and they were used for the acceptance of a Jedi's apprentice's into the Jedi's rank of Jedi master, and gives the apprentice a force orb of his own. The master would levitate it, and have the apprentice levitate it after him, if it turns light blue then the apprentice has been accepted, but if the orb didn't change at all then the apprentice isn't ready. All master struggle to even lift the orb, most can't even lift it a foot off the ground. The fact that they were testing this boy with a test that even I have extreme difficulty doing, and I am a full Jedi master.
Tex looked at the orb, then at the masters, then looked back to the orb and reached his hands out and we could all see the focus and concentration and effort he was putting into it. He struggled for 10 minutes before giving up, slouching from the effort. Yoda just nodded and stroked his chin, and said, "Try hard, you did, but succeed, you did not. Apologize, I do, but accept you in to the temple, we cannot." Tex looked absolutely crushed, and Mace said, "You have the gift, but you don't have the basic training to use it. We are sorry, but we cannot help you in this. You may go." All I could think of was how harsh the masters were being, and how crushed Tex must be. Tex started walking away, back the way he came, and I turned towered the master about to argue with them when I felt a huge surge in the force, more powerful than anything I have ever felt before. It was so powerful and sudden that I almost drew my lightsaber, but I just reached out with the force to find what was causing this disturbance. I spun around when I heard a sudden, loud, painful screech, like a large animal roaring in pain. And I was stunned to find Tex with his head up, mouth open, screeching the horrible sound, then his screech changed to a kind of cry and he reached out with his arms and the force surged even stronger than before. Every object in the room except for myself and the masters was lifted into the air: space crafts, speeders, swoops, walkers, destroyer walkers, bombs, missiles, even some plasma grenades, plus the force orb, all thrown up almost to the ceiling. Then his arms dropped and the objects fell like meteors to the floor, a mile below. I acted on instinct and yelled, "TEX! CATCH THEM!" Tex turned around and looked at me with hurt on his face and hair and eyes, but when he realized what I meant he looked up without hesitation, and the force surged again even stronger than before, and his eyes completely filled with bright blue light, some of the light was reaching out in tendrils of light from his eyes, and he reached up like he was about to catch something on his shoulders. And suddenly everything stopped about 10 feet off of the ground, just hovering there, than the force orb hovered over to Tex, and everything was set back down right where it was before, except for the force orb which hovered like an orbit around Tex's hand as Tex walked to the center of the circle of masters, his eyes still glowing, and he kneeled down in meditation position in the center. The force orb started to circle him like he had his own orbit, and suddenly the ground rumbled slightly and eight different orbs shot from the floor from all around the bunker and joined the orbit. Then the orbs started to shred, pieces breaking off from them and joining together to form a cylinder, a devise that looked like it would fit into the cylinder, and one orb broke apart and reveled a multicolored crystal, which moved to the center of the devise. The cylinder was multicolored like the crystal, and the devise's different parts were multicolored as well, and when both seemed done, the devise slid into the cylinder with the crystal at the center and sealed shut. Then Tex reached out and gripped the cylinder and reached out with his other hand and the force orb hovered onto his hand. The boy stood up gracefully, and his eyes turned back to normal, but he reached out with the hand with the force orb, and gently pushed the orb towered master Yoda. We were all stunned, but the master seemed to focus on the boy with consideration, and I realized that the boy was asking Yoda in the most respectful, and honest way possible. When an apprentice offers the force orb to a master using the force, and the master accepts and forces the orb with him, then the orb will turn bright green, and both will know their answers. We all waited in suspense, watching Yoda and the boy, Yoda was stroking his chin with a thoughtful look on his face, and the boy was looking at the master with a desperate and begging look on his face.
When the force orb reached half way to the master, he closed his eyes and raised his hand, and the orb turned bright green. Tex relaxed, and Yoda opened his eyes and said, "Welcome you, I do, to the Jedi young Tex." The other masters echoed his welcome, including me. Although, Mace Windo was stroking his chin and studying the boy, as if thinking of what to do next, then Mace said, "You have passed the first test, but there are other tests you must do to insure that you can stay in the temple with the higher class students." Tex's smile dwindled, and a flash of irritation, nervousness, and shook, went thru his body and hair. I looked at Mace with a questioning look, but he just ignored me, and said, "Ku-lung, Tex, follow me please." And walked towered the door. Tex looked at me and said with his hands, "What tests?" and I couldn't even begin to answer him.
Chapter 2
WE FOLLOWED MASTER MACE WINDO out of the bunker to the transport. We road to the temple and continued to follow him, and I noticed that all the learners, and some masters, were all staring at the Tex. Tex was nervous, I could tell, but the colors that were flashing and changing all over him didn't help him fit in at all. But Tex didn't seem to notice all the people staring at him, or he didn't care enough to acknowledge them, he just kept looking around at the temples natural beauty and kept looking at Mace Windo with caution. I had to admire the Boy, he knew that feeling the judgment of others and taking them to heart was dangerous for himself and others, so he knew to ignore all those around him yet know everything around him at the same time. Master Windo led us to the saber training area, where two boys were sparing. I knew these two, Butch and Brock, they were the same age as Tex, and they were inseparable, they loved lightsaber duels and challenged each other constantly. Butch is large for his age, but agile, and is human, Brock is Butch's twin brother, he is slightly smaller than Butch but he makes up for it in speed and agility and strategy. They loved to fight each other already because they are brothers, but because they were both chosen for the temple, they could fight all day long with lightsabers and didn't have to care about getting in trouble because it is encouraged for learners to perfect their skills in practice, so they fought with gusto.
When we entered they were in the middle of a blind folded duel, so they didn't see us come in. Mace led us to a side door, we walked down stairs to a room with walls lined with cloaks of all different colors, and on the far wall was a machine, and connected to the machine via wire was a platform with scanners that spun to scan every inch of a person. Mace went to the machine and flipped a few switches and it hummed as it turned on, he turned to Tex and said, "Stand on the platform, arms out." Tex looked at me nervously, but walked over and stepped onto the platform. Lights shined as the machine scanned him, matching him to a cloak that will fit his species. I have seen this done many times before, and everyone got a different cloak to match, but this one was different, it scanned the boy for a few minutes and then the machine produced a tray with a pure white cloak on it. Mace gave it to him then had him change into it, and when he came out of the changing area it shocked me. The material was pure white, but it changed color accordingly to the colors his skin changed into, making his clothes seem almost transparent. Tex examined his new threads, watching the colors, then the boy looked at me and studied me for a moment then closed his eyes in concentration. The color of his hair changed to a golden yellow blond, and his skin changed to the same color as mine, and his cloak changed to the same color as mine as well. This stunned me for a moment, but then I thought that he was making a wise decision, changing color to a constant one so that he could blend in, but his facial expressions were still easy to decipher so that would still stand out but other than that, he looked almost normal.
Mace Windo seemed to be getting impatient, he said, "Follow me." And we went back up the stairs to the sparing area. The twins were just finishing up a duel when he reached the door, Brock made a sudden move and caught Butch's neck before Butch could raise his sword. Butch grunted and said, "A good move bro, I will give you that one." Brock just laughed and said, "A "GOOD move"!? I totally got you, and that deserves at least a 'Great' or 'brilliant'!" Butch just punched him in the shoulder and then they both seemed to notice that they had spectators. Butch said with a bow, "Master Mace Windo and Master Ku-lung." Mace Windo bowed back, and then said, "Gentlemen. This is Tex, he is new here and we would like to test his ability with a lightsaber. Would you, Brock, assist him in his test as his opponent?" Brock smiled mischievously, and said, "It would be my honor." Mace then turned to Tex and handed him a lightsaber since he had not yet gone to Hoth to find his lightsaber or his lightsaber crystal, and said, "Touch him with a fatal or disabling blow and you pass." Tex looked at me with fear, but his hair only flashed on the side that was facing me so that the others couldn't see, and I nodded encouragingly. Tex then took the lightsaber and walked over to Brock, and Butch clapped Tex on the shoulder and said, "Good luck." Then leaned in and whispered, "You're going to need it."
Tex took his place, and turned on his borrowed lightsaber, which was blue, and Brock activated his as well, I stepped between them and said, "BEGIN!" and stepped back as quick as I could, as Brock charged Tex with great speed and started slashing with a many series of blows. Tex was frightened but held his ground surprisingly well. He deflected each blow in a hurry, but couldn't seem to slice with his lightsaber, and Brock started taunting him saying, "That all you got? Come on! Move your feet!" Brock made a fast move and disarmed Tex and Tex fell to the ground scooting back in a hurry. Brock didn't relent as he said, "You get any training at all with a blade? Because it you did, then your trainer is weak, and pathetic, just like-" Brock was cut off suddenly when Tex's face suddenly changed to a protective rage at that last taunt, and opened his mouth and let out a roar so loud that Brock was suddenly stunned into stillness. Then Tex disappeared, well he didn't really disappear but his robes and hair changed color and patterns to match his surroundings so that he was invisible. Then, in a move that only I could follow, he turned around and launched himself away from his opponent and circled around Brock with lightning speed using the force, and I only knew that he was using the force because I could feel the force move around Tex, propelling him forward. Tex then launched himself into the air to the top of a pillar and then launched himself across the room to another and then launched himself at Brock and appeared suddenly and drew the object he had made in front of the Masters, and used the same hand to punch Brock in the face, sending Brock sprawling and stumbling across the floor, then Tex yelled with the sound of a roar and activated the device in his hand. Now I must tell you, most Jedi's lightsabers blades are two colors, blue or green, it is extremely rare that a Jedi blades color is different from those, Master Windo's blade is purple in color. And I mention this because the color of Tex's blade from the object he had made before the masters that turned out is a lightsaber made from the force, his blade was made of the same colors that his skin and center of his eyes was when he came before me that same morning, and they shifted and changed hypnotically, in a mesmerizing fashion. This discovery stunned everyone in the room including Tex and Brock, but Tex then started slashing and swinging at Brock using the force with every movement, and Brock deflected his blows but couldn't swing at Tex, then Tex seemed to realize that his lightsaber was a full power and turned a switch with his thumb and the light of his saber dimmed to a lower intensity just in time for Tex to hit Brock three times, on his shoulder, on his arm and on his neck. Then the dance stopped, with Tex's lightsaber pointed directly into Brock's face, an inch from the nose of Brock who was on the floor. We were all too stunned to move, even Mace, then Tex's blade powered down and he smiled and reached a hand down to Brock with a smile on his face, to all of our surprise. Brock shook off his daze and excepted Tex's hand with a smile, then patted Tex on the back and said, "Now THAT was a GREAT move." Then Mace Windo said, "Agreed. But who taught you to fight like that?" Tex used his hands to say, "I learned from Dex how to defend myself in a fight. He taught me every day from wake to breakfast, and then dinner to bed." I was surprised by this as I conveyed it to Mace quietly so that the two boys wouldn't hear.
Chapter 3
I said to the boy, "What did he train you with? You may grab whatever it is from the shelves if you like." Then Tex turned and studied the wall of weapons for a moment, then walked over and picked up a Guardian baton (Guardian batons are rods that are electrocuted with enough power to kill almost anything at full power and it was strong enough to withstand a lightsaber at full power). I was stunned that Dex would ever train this Boy with a weapon like that, but then I remembered seeing six of the same weapons hanging on Dex's wall in a room behind his counter, and was then unsurprised. I then said, "Butch! Your turn to fight Tex. But Tex, you will use the baton, not your lightsaber." Both Butch and Tex were surprised by that fact, but obeyed. And went into the ring, and Took their stances, I noticed that Tex seemed very much more comfortable with the baton then his lightsaber, and after he turned down the power of the baton, I started the match. This time, it was much different from the first match, as Butch charged Tex stood still until the last second then sidestepped Butch's attack and brought his baton down, aimed for Butch's back but Butch deflected the attack, and then they started slashing and blocking with intense speed, but Tex seemed to have the upper hand. Tex was relaxed as he blocked Butch's attacks and returned attacks of his own, but in the end Tex brought down Butch with a quick tap to the neck, which sent Butch to his knees in electric shock for only two seconds. Then Butch stood and shook himself off then shook Tex's hand and then both of them walked back over to us. I was impressed, but Master Mace Windo seemed irritated, but said, "Congratulations, you may now stay in the temple and receive Jedi training." Tex's face lit up with happiness and excitement, and Mace Windo left the room. Tex then turned to me and asked with his hands if he could keep the Guardian baton, I thought that since he was so good with the baton, he deserves to keep it. And I said, "Yes, you may keep it. Now come along, we must find you your Data-Pad so I can assign you a room." And with that we left the room.
Now the second I laid eyes on the boy and found out everything about him, I knew, at once, who I would assign him as his roommate. I decided to leave it a mystery for them both, but I sent a message to his roommate that someone would be bunking with the person soon and to prepare for another guest as the person saw fit. I know they will get along, "eventually", but at first it will probably be strange. As me and Tex reached the dorm floor, and stepped out of the hydro-lift, I pulled him aside as quickly and quietly as I could. He looked at me curiously and I got right to the point, "Listen, while you are here you will be pushed out by many of the students as all of them have never seen anything like you before. Also, as it is, you are separate from everyone else by carrying a Guardian baton as well as a lightsaber, no one at this temple has carried more than one weapon at a time, openly that is. Also, it is rare among Jedi to have a lightsaber of a different color then blue or green, and yours is every color imaginable, also your skin and eyes and hair are ever changing color and that will draw a lot of attention. (Than I considered that it might have the opposite effect, as he had turned vary much invisible during his duel.) Also, no one has your mastery of the force, even among the masters you are stronger than us all. Plus your inability to speak will upset people at first, and-." I was cut off when Tex said with his hands, "Do you think I am not used to being shamed out by people, and set as an outcast?" and I was stunned, and conceded to his point. I just said, "May the force be with you, young Tex." Tex returned the saying, then I sent him to his new room alone, hoping him and his roommate will get along, as I have also given his roommate a list of things that they must do to adjust him to the temple way of life. Then I went down the hydro-lift to teach my next lesson, wishing Tex all the luck in the world.
Chapter 4
I WAS SO EXCITED when I go the news that I simply ran to my room and immediately started to clean up the room and straighten the extra bunk that they had brought up. I was so nervous but excited, all at the same time, nervous because I had never had a roommate before and didn't get any information as who it might be, and excited because I've always wanted a roommate to talk to and have fun with. I am Marie, I am 10 years old and a daughter of a Jedi. Now you would think that having a Jedi as your mother would be awesome, but it's not, she is always away on missions, saving planets and stuff, but we did get to get out together sometimes around the planet and get a bite to eat at Dex's dinner, those were my favorite memories with my mother. But I am not what any of the other students call a great Jedi, I am smaller than all of the students in my age, and I am not strong, and the only force ability that I possess is the ability to feel when others are in trouble or are in need of help, and even that is limited to about a quarter of the temple. I was born here on Corasent, and my parents are human, but I never met my dad. Since I am not tall or strong and my force ability is weak, my ability to fight with my lightsaber is intensely lacking, I just can't wield my lightsaber without feeling incredibly off balance and awkward and uncomfortable, and that caused the others in the temple to tease me and make fun of me about all of my lacking traits, and they made fun of me constantly every time I messed up or lost a saber match which was often. I know that I'm not beautiful like most of the other girls my age, but I'm not ugly. My hair is golden yellow blonde, and my eyes are Endor green like my mothers, and my face is gently elfish, pointed slightly but not enough to make me stand out as birdlike or anything, I still look a little childish since I am still only 10, but I don't mind that as much as some of the others in the temple about themselves, and my skin is the same tone and tan as Master Ku-lung's. I guess I'm pretty, but not enough to get the boys in the temple to stop teasing me whenever they can, and to make things worse, my ability to sense when people are in trouble or need help didn't apply to me, so when they throw things at me I don't know that they did and get any warning like most of them do with the force. But I didn't mind not being the strongest or fastest, because I had gifts that most here didn't. I love to study the ways of the universe, about every planet, culture, language, star system, everything. And I am told that I am as smart and gifted with intelligence as Master Ku-lung, who, by far, is the wisest and smartest Jedi that has ever lived at the temple, and I admired him and looked up to him greatly. Master Ku-lung is my favorite person in the world, he comes to me some times and teaches me about things and stories that he knew, and we would often walk around the temple together talking about things that most people weren't smart enough to understand, and he would help me with my studies and help me with anything I asked him, and I would help him with whatever he asked of me as well.
Master Ku-lung was the one who messaged me about my new roommate, and told me to wait in my room for my new roommate to arrive. I knew that we would get along fabulously and talk about the gossip around the temple, like who liked who and who did what, like I've often done with my mother, and I hoped that my roommate would get here soon. I showered and brushed my hair and changed into fresh robes, wanting make a good impression first and foremost. And as I was waiting, I decided that I needed to calm down so I grabbed my Data-pad and laid on my bunk and played my favorite questioner game. Until I finally got the message from Ku-lung that my roommate was on their way up, and I hopped off my bunk and went to the door in excitement waiting for the knock. I waited for 4 minutes before I heard the knock, and I rushed to the door and pushed the button to open it, and stared in anticipation at the opening door. But who I found outside my door was not at all what I was expecting. The first thing that came to me immediately was that there must have been a mistake because the person at my door wasn't the girl I was expecting to see, but a BOY, and that alone was enough to make me freeze on the spot, but what I saw next was enough to make me scream in panic (almost.) HE was about my age, but almost an entire foot taller than me. His eyes were peculiar, as they were almost human eyes but not quite, the irises swirled bright blue but the center of his eyes changed color with multi different patches and streams of colors. Then I noticed the rest of him. His hair was the same color as mine, golden yellow blonde, and his skin was the same color as mine, and his robes matched the color of Master Ku-lung's, but he had a bunch of little pads on his hands, and a Data-pad in one hand. He also had a strange looking lightsaber on his belt and on the other side of his belt was a Guardian baton. That is what I noticed and analyzed in the first second I saw him, but when he looked up at me, his face and everything about him shifted and changed. His hair changed color with flashes of colors, and his skin and robes changed color as well, both dark and light colors rapidly changing, and the pads on his hands changed color as well, but they had only pure colors. Then before I could think that I actually saw that, he changed back to what he was before. I was stunned into silence, and he seemed just as stunned as I was, and the silence lasted a long time. We just stood there like idiots, staring at each other, until the tension because too uncomfortable for me to continue looking at him so I blinked and looked away, blushing slightly of embarrassment, and he did the same.
I cleared my throat and said, "Can I help you with something?" He blinked again but didn't speak, still looking a bit stunned, and I waited for an answer but he still said nothing, so I said again, "Hellooo? Can I help you?" He looked at me hopelessly, than seemed to get an idea, and gestured with his hand to his throat, and move his mouth but no words came out. I still didn't get it and I think he noticed, just then, his Data-pad beeped and he looked at it and opened the message. Then he handed the Data-pad to me, and I looked at the screen and read the message that Ku-lung had sent him for me to read. It explained everything, and I realized after a few lines that he was mute, and couldn't speak at all, but that he had a kind of language with his hands and hand-pads that I memorized immediately, I also learned that he was raised by Dex which given Dex's reputation wouldn't be good for him if anyone found out, (not that I don't like Dex, I love Dex, he is so nice and jolly all the time and he is so smart, I feel like Dex knows everything about everything, and I heard and have seen that many people go to him for advice or information including my mother. Plus, he makes the best food I have ever eaten. But people talk about Dex a lot, about how he knows the things he knows, and how he has lived as long as he has, plus, he is known as one of the most dangerous beings in the galaxies, but is as clean as a whistle so no one can arrest him.) I then read that he had the best ability with the force ever seen, and that he could only make noises like animals and stuff, and that his hair changes color according to his emotions, and he controls the color of his skin and the pads on his hands. After I read this, at the end was instructions from Ku-lung, I was to teach him the ways of the temple and how things worked here, and guide him thru the temple and he was to have all the same classes as me, and he was my new roommate. I found this unfair, and strange, but it was a request by Master Ku-lung so I decided that I will do what he asks. Then I gave him his Data-pad back and turned around and said, "Come on in roomy."
Chapter 5
I WAS A LITTLE UNCOMFORTIBLE, having a boy walk into my room and look at all my belongings and without anything to say about what he saw. But I just sat down on the edge of my bunk and crossed my legs and said, "My name is Marie. What's your name?" He looked at my curiously then raised his hand and said in his weird hand language, "I'm Tex. it's a pleasure to meet you Marie." I was still nervous, and he said, "Since we are going to be roommates, I guess we had better get to know each other. How about we tell each other a little about each other and see how it goes?" I thought about it for a little while, then nodded and he pulled up a chair and sat in it backwards and faced me, waiting for me to begin.
I don't know why, but I felt strangely comfortable with him and told him everything, everything from where I was born, to my parents, to my visits to Dex's, to my schedule here at the temple, to the things I learned while studying, but not about how I was a bad lightsaber fighter or my weakness with the force or about how everybody teases me and make fun of me and are mean to me. And he told me his whole story, from his birth to now, and told me that he was nervous about coming to the temple at first, he had never been away from Dex for more than a day. After that I showed him my lightsaber and how the blade was purple, but he didn't get why I was embarrassed about that, and I explained to him about lightsabers and how they usually come only in blue or green, except on rare occasions. He decided to tell me that he would show me his lightsaber, but he wanted to do it in lightsaber training for some reason. After that, we organized our room so that I could have a little privacy from him since I was a girl and he is a boy, then we got him some extra clothes, than we talked while I showed him around the temple before dinner while everyone was still in their classes and couldn't see us.
We went back to our room and talked some more about the temple and I told him about his classes that he would be taking with me. Than it was time for dinner. We walked out of our room and down to the eating hall where everyone of the students were, it was loud and full of activity, so no one even noticed us when we walked in and got our dinner and sat at my table where almost no one sat but me most days. Today there was four of my closest friends, Lark-Ra, Mimto, Yama, and Gr-land. We are the outcasts here at the temple, Lark-Ra is from a planet called Millda/Dane where there was almost constant war before he was born and as a result he was very protective of his friends but was too afraid to fight, Mimto was from a water planet and she liked water better then land and talked in vibrations into words, Gr-land is a Wokkie and everyone makes fun of him because he is smaller than normal Wokkies and talks in the strange Wokkie language, but Yama, she was a sweet little girl about 8 years old with blue skin but was made fun because of the red streaks that were scattered all over her body making her seem ugly and disfigured, and then there was me, the wimpy know-it-all with almost no force ability. I loved each of my friends for even thinking of taking me into their group, and they were all really great people if you got to know them, but that didn't stop people bullying us every day, some days worse than others. Today seemed to be a good day because when I sat down, no one seemed to be teasing or taunting them, yet. But when I sat down and introduced each of them to Tex they weren't sure that he wouldn't start teasing them as well, but Yama seemed to like him just fine, and she was fascinated with the pad on his hands and she took his hand to study them, he smiled and flashed the lights on them which made her stare in awe and wonder, hypnotized by the pretty colors.
Then it happened. Out of nowhere, a big fruit flew and hit Mimto in the back of the head, splattering on her clothes and on everyone else at our table. I turned around to find out who did it, but I already knew who did it, the biggest bully in the temple, Ar-moondo, who was sitting at his table looking away from us, but had a smirk on his face, as did his other bully friends at his table. I wanted to do something, anything, but I couldn't get the courage to stand up to them, I just pretended like nothing happened, as did everyone at my table except Tex. Tex looked at Mimto with a question on his face, but he couldn't talk so he stayed silent, he then looked around the hall searching for the one who did it. I knew that I should probably warn him about Ar-moondo, but I couldn't muster the courage to speak to him about this, as everyone at my table looked at each other with a look that we have shared since day one, that we need to stay quiet and miserable, and that there was nothing we could do about it. But Tex didn't know that and he didn't have the experience we had to know that he should be afraid to even have any courage at all, but I still couldn't speak, so I couldn't stop him from standing up as he looked for Ar-moondo. I hoped that he wouldn't figure it out, and he didn't, but Ar-moondo seemed to find him just fine, whispering to his friends, probably talking about how he looks, and judging him for sitting with my group. When Tex sits down, Ar-moondo stands up and walks over to my table with a smile that I know means pain. He sits down between Mimto and me, not even needing to shove Mimto out of his way as she backed away from him as fast as possible, he smiled a fake smile, like we were best of friends and put his arm around my shoulders. He said, "What's happening buttercup?" I just nodded to him and said, "Ar-moondo." And tried to shake off his arm but he just pulled harder, and it hurt slightly, he said, "Aww come on Marie, don't be a hater. I'm just sitting here because I see that we have a new kid and thought it would be nice to welcome him." He looked at Tex and smiled fake again, "Welcome to the Jedi temple, I'm Ar-moondo, I am the greatest person in this room and no one would deny it. What's your name newcomer?" I looked at Tex in fear, because I Knew that Tex couldn't talk and that was something that Ar-moondo would take offensively. Tex just looked at him with a blank look on his face, studying his face like he was looking for something, and Ar-moondo started to get impatient and said, "Hello? Are you in there? I asked you a question." But Tex just looked away from Ar-moondo and started eating his dinner like no one was around him, and I could tell that Ar-moondo wasn't going to have that, he said, "Hey Marie, I think your little friend here is a little rude. Should I teach him some manners?" I snapped to attention and shook my head and whispered weakly, "Please, no. He's just shy is all, nothing to get worked up about, please, don't do it." I was begging him at this point for Tex's own good health, and that was the only reason I was speaking at all to him. Ar-moondo didn't buy it, he stood up and moved onto the other side to sit next to Tex, and sat down, staring intently at Tex to look at him. By this point, the tables around us were watching the entertainment, intrigued by the encounter and the new guy. Ar-moondo stole a fruit off of Tex's tray and took a bite out of it, trying to get Tex to react, but Tex just went on eating, never looking at Ar-moondo once.
I was amazed by Tex's ability to push him out of his attention so completely, but Ar-moondo was getting frustrated now, he reach out and stole the entire tray from Tex, but Tex didn't even look up, he reached into his pocket and started fiddling with a small devise, fixing and bending different parts of it, absorbed into his little project instead of Ar-moondo. Now Ar-moondo was angry, he grabbed Tex's little project and flung it across the room smashing against a wall, and Tex just looked straight ahead of him, over top of Yama's head, staring at the wall. Ar-moondo wasn't going to put up with this any longer, he grabbed Tex's tray and all the food fell off of it, and raised it into the air like to hit Tex with it, when suddenly it happened. I heard a sound rumbling, deep within Tex's chest, rising louder and louder every second, it sounded like a threat of an animal, a growl of some enormous beast. Ar-moondo froze when Tex looked up at him with a look of warning on his face and a growl resonating thou his throat, which if it was facing me, I would have ran away in horror. But Ar-moondo only froze for a few seconds, then pulled back the tray again to swing, and I think Tex had enough, because before Ar-moondo could swing, the force suddenly surged around us, throwing most of the people around us off balance, even thou most of them were seated. It left us stunned at the sheer power of this surge, and the tray that was in Ar-moondo's hands suddenly was pulled out of his grip and flung to the opposite side of the room so fast that it looked like a silver blur streaking, zipping through the air. Tex stood up slowly, the force pulsing around him like a river, and faced Ar-moondo with his hands behind his back and a calm expression on his face, as if waiting for him to make a move. Ar-moondo must have been feeling brave, he charged forward with his lightsaber in his hand, the blue blade humming with the charge of full power, and he brought the blade down onto Tex with rage on his face. Tex was calm, and in a move as fast as lightning, drew his Guardian baton, and stopped his attack in its tracks. Everyone was stunned at the sight of the baton, which was humming quieter then the lightsaber but it was crackling with electricity surging on its edge, and Ar-moondo seemed to find this just as stunning as the rest of us. Tex pushed his opponents lightsaber back and struck Ar-moondo in his side, but at the last moment before the baton touched him, the electric charge dropped to low power, so the charge only dropped Ar-moondo to his knees, shuttering with the charge of the electricity.
We all were stunned beyond reality by now, and were even more stunned when he turned away from Ar-moondo and sat right back down. And started playing a 4D strategy game on the table in front of him, and completely ignored Ar-moondo. When Ar-moondo stood up he looked at Tex with a look of rage, then instead of raging again on Tex he turned on me, walked forward and back handed me across the face, and it hurt so bad that my ears were ringing, but I heard him say, "You'll be sorry for that bitch!" and walked back to his table and sat down looking absolutely pissed off. Tex looked up at me, but my vision was blurry so I couldn't really see him clearly, but I saw a look of rage on his face, but also concern. He picked me up and led me out of the room. When we got out of the eating hall, and walked out down the hallways back to my room, there were a few people watching us and some of them saw us enter the same room together, which no doubt would start talk about us, and Tex just set me on my bed and asked me for an explanation about the reason that Ar-moondo just attacked him. And I told him everything about Ar-moondo.
Chapter 6
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON at first thru this entire thing. All I knew was that I had something called the force, and that I had go to some temple somewhere and learn how to learn how to use it, but I didn't want to leave Dex alone with only the waitress bot to talk to, even thou she was a robot, I loved her like she was my mother, and us three had a lot of good times together, and I loved both of them like my own parents. But I didn't want to leave them, and it hurt that I was away from them. Meeting the masters and all that was great, Master Ku-lung was awesome and nice and all that, but I still wanted to go home, and when I screamed out of pain and sorrow when they rejected me, and all of that stuff happened, they excepted me. Except for that Windo guy, he felt that I wasn't ready, but after I fought Brock and Butch, who were real nice guys and not too bad at fighting either, he excepted, then I got sent to meet my new roommate who I expected was going to be male, then got shocked with the information when I found out that my roommate was a girl. Now Marie, I could tell that she was as shocked as I was, and it was awkward just standing there so I suggested that we get to know each other, and I found out a lot about her, and I was shocked to find out that the color of my lightsaber was somewhat of peculiar even to Jedi, I didn't want to show it to her, even thou her blade was purple so she could relate. She was so pretty and nice, that I thought there couldn't be even be one person in this temple that could hate or be mean to her. I was wrong. When I met her friends, Lark-Ra, Mimto, Gr-land, and Yama, I thought they were all very nice people, especially Yama who seemed to love the lights on my hands and I found it funny to watch her expression as I changed the lights.
Then there was Ar-moondo, the moron who hit Marie for no reason. After the eating hall incident, I decided that I was going to make him pay whenever I had the opportunity. The next morning, still early before the sun came up, the thing that Dex told me was called "Force sense" kicked up, and told me that someone was entering our room. I sensed 4 people, and that they were carrying something but I didn't know what it was, I decided to surprise them, so I camouflaged till I was almost completely invisible and jumped out of my bed and crept up behind them to see what was happening. It was 4 girls it looked like, they were holding different things but I didn't know what they were till they reached Marie's bunk, I heard them whispering, one said, "What do you think? Glitter, or paint?" another said, "Glitter, we don't want to ruin the bunk." And I saw them dump something onto Marie's hair and then one drew markers and said, "Black or red for the drawings on her face?" and that was when I decided to intervene. I stood behind then and growled loud enough for them to hear but quiet enough not to wake Marie, and they turned around with little shrieks of fright, and I revealed myself. They all had wide eyes open, staring at me in shock, then they started looking at the rest of me and I realized that I was only in sleep shorts, but I decided that I was going to use that to my advantage. I flexed my entire body and growled again, this time in warning, and they froze, I started towered them and they backed away from me, I stopped in front of Marie's bunk and growled again while crouching protectively in front of her. The girls looked between me and her, realizing something, I hope they see that they can't touch her again without going thru me first, but I don't know. They ran out of the room, looking back at me, then closed the door, I relaxed and decided that Marie should know about this, so I sat on her bed but before I could even touch her to shake her awake, she started whimpering and thrashing in her sleep, I touched her shoulder and shook her lightly. She lurched up gasping for air, breathing heavily with wide eyes full of fear, I moved only slightly but she noticed it and looked at me with fear and shrieked in horror and fear and panic, covered her eyes as she backed away from me saying, "Get away! Get away from me!" I didn't know what to do, so I decided that she needed to know that it was only me, so I forced my body to glow and change unmanaged, lighting up the room with lights. I waited until she stopped yelling, and peaked at me then dropped her arms and stared at me, I stayed still as I waited, then after a few minutes she started edging toward me, until she was close enough to reach out and touch my skin, touching and studying my skin until she looked at my face and said, "Oh! Its only you." She breathed out in relief, then said, "Sorry about that. Bad dream." Then she noticed that I only had on sleep shorts and started blushing, and said, "Umm, why aren't you wearing clothes?" I raised my hand and said, "There were four girls who broke into our room, they dumped glitter on your head and were going to draw on your face until I stepped in and scared them off." She looked at her hair and only now seemed to realize that her hair was covered with glitter, she started to blush again and said, "Oh. Ok then, I'm going to get a shower and get this stuff out of my hair. Don't worry about it, they do this to me all the time, they prank me while I'm asleep and embarrass me when I wake up." I went back to my bunk while she got up and went to the bathroom, I got dressed and waited for her so that we could go to our first class.
After we got dressed and washed up, we started to head down to the eating hall for breakfast. We didn't say anything as we walked down, and I noticed that the others were looking at us strangely, some started whispering to each other as we passed by. I didn't care about that too much, they could say what they wanted about me, but I don't want anyone talking bad about Marie. I know that Marie is hiding something from me, but I don't want to pressure her now. As we got our food and sat with the others at the same table as yesterday we got a warm chorus of good mornings, thou Mimto's was hard to decipher with her vibrating voice. I decided to sit facing the rest of the room instead of away unlike yesterday, just so I could keep an eye out for more surprises like yesterday. I had to admit that the food that they served at the temple was good, but not as good as the food that me and Dex cook up at our restaurant. That thought made me homesick. I really want to go home but Dad told me to stay here and learn how to use my gift so that's what I am going to do, besides I can leave during free period and go visit Dad if I want to.
While I was deep in that thought I sensed something, or someone approaching from behind me, so I turned around in my seat to survey the area. I almost laughed when I saw a young gung-Yun tripping over himself with a tray of food in his hands, he seemed to be looking for a place to sit but everyone was blocking him off. I felt bad for him until he reached our table, almost spilling all of his food all over us but caught himself. He looked scared and nervous, he stammered when he talked to us, he said, "c-c-c-can mesa be sitting here, at y-y-y-yousa table?" I smiled at the guy, he seemed friendly, and funny. I scooted over to make room for him and gestured for him to sit, he smiled nervously and sat down next to me. He said to me, "Mesa name be Ektos Binks. Whosa are yousa?" I smiled at him and tried to tell him with my hands, "My name is Tex. Nice to meet you." He looked at me weird as Marie started to say, "I'm sorry Ektos, he is mu-", but Ektos started moving his hands and made a series of gestures, and I realized that he was using my hand language, he said, "Yousa can't talk? That is fine, mesa uncle can't talk either. It be nice to meet yousa to." I was stunned. I looked at Marie and she seemed to be just as stunned, Yama said, "Why are you making those movements with your hands?"
Ektos looked embarrassed. Marie laughed and said quietly to Yama, "Tex can't speak so he uses his hands to talk, and it seems our new friend already knows the language." Yama just laughed, "Oh. That makes sense." I smiled at her, then the others asked, "He can't talk?" I shook my head, and they seemed shocked at this new information, and asked for the translation list. I gave them all a copy and started talking to Ektos, "Wait. You said that your last name is Binks? Are you related to THE Jarjar Binks?" he nodded, perking up a little bit. He said, "No one remembers what he did, it's in the temple archives and mesa go and learn about him all the times. But mesa family disappeared, after about 1500 years after Vader is where mesa family history ends." I nodded, and Marie said, "When did you arrive at the temple Ektos?" he replied, "Mesa failed the test many times, mesa only started about a year ago." Yama said, "Tex only started yesterday, and he already got into a fight with Ar-moondo." Ektos's face paled, well more than it already was, and said, "Mesa got into many fights with Ar-moondo, and they were always one sided. Mesa lost too many to count." I asked him, "What force power are you strongest with?" he hung his head and said, "Mesa find things." Marie asked, "What kind of things?" he answered, "Anything really, but if the things were lost then mesa find them better then hidden things."
Chapter 7
WE ALL WALKED TOGETHER to our first class, which was "knowledge of the universe" with master Ku-lung. We had this class with Lark-Ra, Mimto, and Yama. But we also had Ar-moondo and his "gang" in the class with us. Marie explained to me who his "gang" was and pointed them out for me. We sat in the middle of the room on comfy meditation cushions, and took out our data-pads, unfortunately Ar-moondo and friends were right behind us and I knew that would be trouble. Once everyone was seated master Ku-lung started class, he said, "To begin, who can tell me anything about the natives of Endor?" Marie's hand shot straight up, and made some of the ones in the back laugh. But Ku-lung didn't seem to notice this, he said, "Marie?" and she said, "The natives of Endor are cute little fuzzy creatures called Ewaks, they prefer houses in the trees to keep safe from the predators on the ground, and are a primitive species with only slingshots and spears and traps to fight with. They worship their gods as large glowing figures, and worship the sun as well." He smiled and said, "As always Marie, you are spot on." Marie seemed to beam with pride. As he continued the lesson we took notes on Endor, I remembered taking a trip there once with Dex. I remember we needed to find a kind of plant for some seasoning for one of our special dishes, I tried some and it was delicious. We sat there and ate all day and went home full and happy.
Just then, my data-pads screen got an icon on it that I recognized as a message sender. I opened it up and found a picture of Marie dressed as in a very geeky outfit and a goofy expression on her face and a button that said know it all, I know that the picture was fake but I saw the same picture on everyone's data-pad. And the room all started laughing quietly, poking and teasing Marie, and Marie's face was embarrassed and crushed as she slumped in her chair, trying to hide. Then another message popped up on everyone's screen, it was a picture of me and Marie walking into our room, and a caption above said, whore bitch. And everyone started staring and teasing her and saying mean comments to her, and to me to. I knew who sent the message and he was sitting right behind me.
When class was over Marie ran from the room, and I took off after her as the kids started saying harsh things as she ran out of the room. I lost her down a few hallways, and stopped running. I concentrated on the force around me, and tried to sense her, I found her hiding under the bridge in the fountain garden, the most beautiful place in the temple. She was sitting down hugging her knees with her face against her legs, and she was crying, she was crying hard. I ducked under the bridge and sat next to her, I tried to put my hand on her shoulder, but she pushed me away and sobbed, "Get away from me! Just leave me alone!" I just sat there stunned, trying to find some way to help her, but I couldn't talk and she wouldn't look at me. I thought for a while about what to do, then I thought of something. I got up and out from under the bridge, and stood just outside the entrance of the underside. I opened my mouth and let out an meow, like a little kitten. Then she stopped sobbing and looked around, still with tears in her eyes, and I backed away from the entrance and went to the other side and meowed again, and she looked towards the sound. I switched around and did it again, and she got up to investigate, but I just did it from the other side and she turned around and tried to find the source of the sound again. I kept doing this and she started to go faster, and she came out from under the bridge and I went under and did it again. And she started to chase me around trying to find me, and she started laughing and it was a beautiful sound. I turned invisible and waited till I was right behind her, then wrapped my arms around her and meowed right by her ear, and she squealed with joy and surprise. Then I jumped into one of the fountains with her in my arms and got us both soaked, and she started laughing and we started splashing each other. Then I grabbed her and dragged her underwater with me. She stared at me, and I let my body's colors shine lighting the entire fountain in beautiful multicolored light. She looked around at the shining water and then at me, and she wrapped her arms around my neck. We surfaced and she just hugged me, I hugged her back. She whispered into my ear, "Thank you for this Tex. I needed this." I just smiled and meowed one more time, and she laughed at me.
We got out of the fountain garden and dried off before heading to our next class, which we had to run to get to in time. Our next class was lightsaber fighting, and we had Lark-Ra, Mimto, Gr-land, Yama, Ektos, Butch, Brock, and Ar-moondo and friends with a bunch of other learners as well. We got there just in time for roll call, Ar-moondo and the others started whispering and laughing at us as we took our place in line. The teacher for this class was master Yoda, he look at all of us with wisdom, as started the class, "Today, duel we will, chosen at random you will be. Wear blindfolds we will not." Then he read off the list of opponents, Marie would be facing Mimto, Lark-Ra would be facing Gr-land, Butch against one of the other students, Brock against another student, Ektos against Yama. Then he said, "Tex facing Ar-moondo he will be." And that was when I heard Ar-moondo say, "Piece of cake, I'll have him on the floor in seconds." I accepted the challenge. Gr-land won, Butch won, Brock won, Yama won because Ektos dropped his lightsaber, and when I saw Marie fight against Mimto I realized that Marie didn't have much skill in the fighting department and lost her duel against Mimto. The duel between me and Ar-moondo was last, and as I stepped onto the uneven arena floor drew my lightsaber, I bowed to Ar-moondo like Yoda said to, and took my stance that Tex taught me, Ar-moondo took his stance and we froze. We waited to see who would strike first, and it was Ar-moondo. He slashed his blade at my head and I dodged it and jumped back to get some distance between us. He sent a fury of slashes and I dodged every one of them, then he said to me, "When you and the chick left the room did you two go and make out or something?" and that was when I had enough. I kicked him in the stomach and sent him sprawling backwards, then took my lightsaber in both of my hands and activated it. And I heard some gasps and sounds of awe as the beautiful multicolored blade glowed to life, the look of shock on Ar-moondo's face was priceless. I then pointed the blade at his face and dared him to attack. His face broke out into an enraged look and he charged at me full speed and slashed and sliced at me with everything he had, and I blocked and dodged every attack and returned blows when I saw an opening, then he thrust out his hand and sent a wave of force at me, which threw me onto my back, and he charged and before he slashed at me I deactivated my lightsaber and I turned invisible.
The look of shock on his face was satisfying as I got up and swung around him and activated my lightsaber and landed blows to his neck, ribs, back, legs, and arms, and stopped with my saber at his throat as I turn visible again. He looked up at me in shock, and said, "How?" I deactivated my lightsaber and hooked it onto my belt as I walked back towards the group. Then my force sense kicked up and I heard a saber fizzing thru the air, I grabbed my guardian baton and blocked the blow and jabbed Ar-moondo in the chest and sent him shacking where he stood, then blasted him back so hard that he landed on the floor and skidded until he hit the wall.
I bowed to Yoda, and stepped back with the group, who were now backing away from me and looking at me like I was some kind of monster. I looked around at them and only found horror and shock, except for Marie. She looked at me with relief and gratitude, and I knew that she was thankful to me for sticking up for her and giving Ar-moondo a big hit to his ego. I stood next to her and she whispered, "Thank you." I nodded to her, and saw Yoda using his thinking face again and I knew that something was wrong but I just couldn't figure it out. I mean Yoda has never seen me fight, but he has seen my strength with the force and I know that he knows that I'm strong with the force. But this look worried me deeply and I haven't a clue why. Then Yoda said, "For today, done we are." I left the room with Marie next to me along with the rest of our friends right behind her, along with the rest of the class following us. One of the others ran ahead of us and blocked my path, he said, "What was that? How did you do that? You disappeared right in front of us, like you were a ghost." Another joined him, "and what is up with your sword? I saw so many different colors, how is that even possible?" another joined the pack in front of us, "I have never seen such power from the force. And the way you fought was amazing, who trained you? I've only seen you here for a day, how did you get so skilled?" I just looked at them, and I knew that my expression was blank, but I was starting to get irritated with all of these questions that I couldn't answer. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and was turned around to see Ar-moondo before he threw a punch to my face, which knocked me off balance and staggered me for a moment.