This idea was inspired by GSpectre's Officer of the Republic SI thread and shout out to him for helping me with not only the idea but proofreading this prologue.
This is something of a writing exercise for me but I feel that its been evolving in my head as I've given the idea more thought. This is Legends canon because I know it better and honestly like it more but I will include some canon elements here and there. I've got some extensive knowledge of the setting and hope to create some interesting divergences.
So by all means as this is a writing exercise for me. I encourage and accept feedback and criticism as well as discussion over the concepts.
45BBY Jedi Temple Coruscant
The lightsaber is heavy in my hands, lungs laboring as my opponent circles me, she was not nearly as tired as me. The training room is empty save for myself and Ilena with the assembled Knights and Masters in the viewing balcony above alongside my fellow apprentices.
The Force is with me though and through the colorless 'vision' it gives me I can see her smile; she's confident as ever and with good reason, I'm no slouch but she's better than me.
"Good fight Viera but this is it." And then she's on me lightsaber flashing.
I raise my saber to block and the sizzling as the two connect fills my ears before we begin the dance again; lightsabers flashing as I try to block, and maybe come up with a plan, calling to the Force I allow it to lift me into a forward leap, lightsaber flashing towards her head as I descend.
She's already blocked my strike and I get a glimpse of her lightsaber flashing towards me before I can think about it my blade is moving to intercept without any conscious input from me, our blades lock together, crackling and sparking I try to push her back or at least disengage but she is immovable and before I can try anything tricky her knee slams into my gut, knocking the wind from me. A follow up push knocks me to the ground and I don't get up, I can't beat her.
"I submit Ilena, you win." I briefly contemplate grabbing her training saber and surprising her but Ilena Xan is a friend and I don't really want to do that to her.
Her smile is warm, her aura in the Force brightening at her victory. I really hate being a Miraluka sometimes, it's done wonders for getting me used to the Force as a concept but I miss seeing color and form.
Master Bondara calls the match and the Apprentice tournament in Ilena's favor, The Rutian Twi'lek Battle master is honestly a lot of fun and I know full well I'll miss him when Maul kills him, I've considered saving him but I don't know how besides doing my damndest to hang around Coruscant in 32BBY in hopes I'm there when Maul arrives and can help him win or at least survive.
How long am I going to live? Assuming I don't get killed at Geonosis, during the Clone Wars, or during the purge? Food for thought, later that is.
He reaches down and effortlessly lifts me to my feet, giving me a reassuring pat on the back, a nice gesture but I'm not really broken up over the loss Ilena has always been better at me at lightsaber combat; not surprising considering I know she's destined to be a combat instructor herself later in life. I'm content with second place.
I have just enough time to steady myself as our other friends rush out to congratulate us; people I've come to know beyond their characterization in books: Arligan Zey, Politrix, Jai Maruk, Maks Leem, and Jang Li-Li.
"That was a great fight, you're guaranteed to get chosen by a master." Jang as perky as normal, strong in the Force and filled with potential but dead before her time at Ventress's hand.
"Thank you, Jang, it was an exhilarating fight, Ilena fights dirty though." I can feel her retort before I hear it.
"That was a legitimate move, stop being so petty." I shrug good-naturedly and tone out her lecture on the importance of close-combat skill, I can see where she'll get the nickname 'Iron Hands' from.
From behind her Zey frowns, and kicks at the ground in frustration. I resist calling him adorably grumpy.
"I'm just happy that Ilena avenged me." Oh Zey, you're just as grumpy as a child as you will be during the Clone Wars. I'm not sure what to do about that really and unsure of how much his attitude was stress, his actual personality or Traviss letting her bias show in her writing.
"You think too much Zey. If you didn't hesitate you'd have done much better." I'm not proud of head-butting him, in a moment of surprise, but it did work. He sighs and waves it off, not at all concerned.
"We all did well and there are plenty of potential Knights and Masters to take us as padawans. There's no need to let anxiety and worry get to us." Maks smiles at all of us, her friendly nature a calming reassurance, for them not for me. I know all of them become full-fledged Jedi in canon but I'm not so sure about my own future. Still I offer the Gran woman a smile if only to reassure her, she's too sweet to leave upset.
Master Bondara ushers us out of the training room and tells us to get some rest; we'll be informed in the morning whether we've been chosen or not. Twenty initiates filter out of the room and into the main hall, conversation filling my ears as everyone talks between themselves.
"Winning the tourney doesn't necessarily mean a Master will choose you, what matters is that you show the potential to be a Jedi, we all did that I think." Politrix hangs at the edge of the group, Jang's friend more than anyone else. I know of her death but little else. Another person to save, how I don't know but I will.
Jai already has a crush on her, it'll pass, unless I do something to push it forward.
I sighed, relaxing my tired muscles, "I'm going to hit the library and relax a bit. I'll see you in the morning." With a short bow, I excused myself, nodding at their farewells and going my own way.
It is haunting to walk down a translucent corridor, where if I focus, I can see through walls and doors with little difficulty. The Jedi around me existing as auras in the Force, colorless and with features I have to focus on to comprehend beyond basic shape. I hate it so much; I'd have been content as a Rodian if only to have normal sight back.
No use in complaining though, not like I can change it. Cope, I have to cope.
The Temple library is perhaps the most calming place for me and the only consolation for my forsaken existence. In another time, without the existential threat of Palpatine's purge, I would have been content to become a Jedi Librarian and spend my life here reading and learning the histories of thousands upon thousands of worlds. With the threat looming it serves as a place to relax and attempt to plan.
The Matukai and Luka Sene exist thankfully, so that's one part of my grand plan still in play, likewise there are short mentions of the Zeison Sha and Witches of Dathomir. I see no mention of the Fallanassi but Lucazec and Ialtra exist so when I get the chance I have to see if they're there and teaching their abilities. If not, then the Disciples of Twilight on Dyspeth are my best bet.
Learning the skills those orders teach would be invaluable to keeping myself alive and strengthening the Order through people I teach it to, assuming I teach anyone, but it does little to solve the big problems.
Palpatine and Hego Damask's efforts in building their power base and destabilizing the Republic are already underway. I've no way of stopping it now being all of 12 years old and when I'm finally free to act against them, reversing it will be impossible.
As such I've decided that outside a few certain events I'm not going to bother trying to run around behind them in an attempt to undo their plans. Instead I need to have plans to lessen the impact of theirs. If I can't prevent it, I need to counter it, and I have a rough plan to do that.
The first and most important part is that an army of clone troopers with ingrained loyalty to a Sith Lord who will turn on and kill you at a single command is a horrible idea. Three years is not enough time to train an army of non-clones to counter-balance them. However, ten to fifteen years is hopefully long enough. I need to find a way to support the Militarist faction in the Senate gain enough power to overturn that aspect of the Ruusan Reformations. Aks Moe is my best bet there, a militarist but ambitious and scheming enough to know how to maneuver and bribe, perfect for opposing the red tape Sidious will throw at him. I just need an inroad to meet him. Candadine Bru and Ambassador Golfhan are likewise going to be necessary partners in that area.
I bow slightly in greeting to Master Nu who returns the greeting but otherwise leaves me to my own devices. I've been here enough for her to grow accustomed to my presence. I go to my usual secluded terminal and begin bringing up the galactic map that I've been referencing. Millions of worlds and sectors pop up on the data terminals before me, I narrow the focus to the Mid Rim, still countless planets and sectors but I can comprehend the scale easier and I have an idea of what I need to find.
Thank you, extensive knowledge, of Legends canon and Jedi memory techniques. My target is simple, somewhere in the southwestern portion of the Mid Rim is the supposed destination of the Katana Fleet. Granted the Katana Fleet won't disappear for another year but hopefully it'll still disappear to the same place. Not good to place faith in random chance but with the Force involved who knows.
Though on the chance that it doesn't go there I need to do something else to offer aid to the Militarists. A Jedi's support for the faction could afford it a lot of weight but I don't know if it'll be enough. Even more I'm an apprentice right now, little more than an initiate. There's no way I have enough clout to give them some support, I need someone else to speak out in their favor on my behalf, someone known and respected.
And I have some ideas on who.