Chapter 2
"Master Jedi." A New Republic messanger called out to Erickson.
"Yes?" Erickson replied.
"You are required to meet Lieutenant Governor Calista in the Jedi temple spaceport."
"Oh. Any reason why I alone am specifically needed?" Erickson asked.
"She would like both of you, but I can't seem to find him." The messanger said, letting out a brief chuckle.
"Oh so you could've told me to tell my brother that we're both needed?"
...
"Yes. Wait, he's your brother?"
...
'For real?' Erickson thought.
"I'm kidding with you. I see the resemblance." The messanger said, laughing and returning to his post.
"And here I was, thinking all those kind of guys were expressionless. Or maybe that was Filoni's cheaper budget getting to me."
"What was that laughing I heard?" Rye asked, appearing beside his brother.
"Oh nothing. It was a messanger; he let me know that we're needed to meet Calista in the Jedi temple spaceport."
"Any reason to meet there?" Rye inquired with a raised eyebrow.
Just then, the messanger dashed back inside. "I forgot to tell you. Mainly, the Lieutenant Governor wants all of, or most of, the Republic officials to meet there to be present for the arrival for the Governor."
"Her husband?" Erickson asked, raising his eyebrows.
"I believe so."
"Well in that case." Rye said, he and Erickson heading off to leave. "Thanks for tellling us."
"It's my duty."
...
Calista and a welcoming committee stood on alert, waiting for a Republic shuttle to come into view. Calista stood with a grin on her face; she didn't know if her husband had made it out of Kamino alive, and now she knew, and she couldn't have been more excited. Rye and Erickson just entered the spaceport, brushing themselves up for the Governor's arrival.
"He's not here yet." Erickson whispered to Rye.
"Bro, I can see that." Rye replied.
"I know. Calm down."
...
"You cal- what's up with you now?" Rye asked.
"Nothing. I've just never met him before."
"Hardly anyone has." Ephraim piped up.
"Hey, Ephraim! Where've you been?" Erickson asked.
"Oh, been here. Same ol' same ol' thing."
"Mhm."
"Well this just begs only one question," Dex Inigo piped up, scaring Rye and Erickson. "Are you not going to be a 'fan' when you find out what he's like?"
"That's a strange question to ask. Why?"
"Well, I heard that he's a bit rough around the edges, a bit strict at times; he can be pretty intimidating."
Rye and Erickson wondered between themselves. 'Why would that be a worry?' After coming to a conclusion, Erickson asked, "Would you mind if I asked your age?"
Dex turned to them. "I can tell you're curious as to why I'd think intimidation is something to worry about, and you know that the only kinds of people that would fear intimidation from others are young ones; by implying what I did, you'd assume I am young, and I'm laying your suspicions down, telling you that I am." ... "I'm fifteen."
...
...
Rye and Erickson's mouths were agape, "Okay." Rye said a little shakily.
"Too excessive?" Dex asked.
"A little." Rye and Erickson replied.
"It's nice to know a Master that young. Teens are learning faster these days." Rye said to Erickson. Erickson nodded in agreement.
"A shuttle approaches." An announcer announced.
"And, he's here." Erickson said.
Everyone stood at attention as a Consular-class cruiser appeared in sight and descended down into the spaceport. Smoke exhausted from the ship as its landing gear lowered. Once all was calm, the ramp lowered. Once lowered, they beheld a brown cloak concealing a cleanly shaven face, with eyes of one scarred, and the expression of one deadly. But once he laid eyes on his wife, his face brightened up. They ran up and embraced each other.
"I'm here, Calista."
"So am I, Bennar." Calista exclaimed quietly, barely containing her joy.
"But we have much to discuss; the galaxy is in greater danger than we thought." Bennar looked to the crowd ahead of himself and said, "I appreciate your support for me, but right now the Republic, and even the whole galaxy needs support. In my work, I have discovered some terrible secrets of our enemy." Eveyone shared gazes. "We need to prepare for war."
The trio and their supervisor escaped hyperspace in orbit of the all-too-familiar light green and blue paradise. Lothal, reborn. By the fleeing of the Empire, Lothal had been given enough time to grow back into the grassy utopia it had been many decades beforehand.
"Lothal?! Interesting place to celebrate, don't you think?" Viran asked.
"Old Jho III's bar is popular; they serve 'both' types of drinks." Exar said.
'Well that's good to know.' Viran encouraged himself.
"Master Viran, we kinda wanted to celebrate. You know what we mean?" Jo asked.
"You guys want to be alone?" Viran asked with a tone that let the team know where he was headed.
"You can stay in orbit and we can let you know if there's trouble." Aang suggested.
...
Viran really didn't feel the need for it, but they weren't doing anything that involved danger. Reluctantly, he agreed, "How about a little closer? I'll stay in the atmosphere; keep your comm channel open."
"Um, how about I open it up if or when danger comes along?" Aang suggested.
Realizing Aang's reason, Viran just sat back and said, "Fine."
Then the trio's fighters flew forward towards the planet. Viran just looked onward. "Those kids are gonna be so screwed if-"
"Master Viran? Your channel is still open." Aang piped up.
"Oh." He simply said.
"I'm not a kid."
Viran took a moment to process what Aang told him. "What? Well, how come you're not, higher up, in the Republic? You're not yet a Jedi Master, or anything?" Viran asked.
... Then the channel went down.
"Guess I gave him something to think about."
The fighters flew past the clouds and entered the atmosphere -where Viran stopped in the clouds- into the shining Capitol City. It seemed as though Lothal was completely born again; everything was a beautiful bright (but not too blinding bright) white, and the grass was greener than ever.
"Oh my- wow!" Jo exclaimed, almost breathless.
"Behold. Once this was a war-ridden planet, now it is a flourishing paradise. After it was freed from the Empire, it got a chance to start growing back; after the Empire passed through, it had already gone back. It was only a matter of time before Lothal returned to its former glory." Aang explained.
"Sounds like it had quite a journey." Exar said.
"You wouldn't believe it."
"I've only heard of this place, and certain popular landmarks; I never actually... went to see it for myself."
"I haven't heard of it." Jo said.
"Where've you been your whole life?" Exar asked with a laugh.
"With you guys." Jo replied with a monotone.
...
"Touché, Jo." Exar replied.
They landed in the spaceports of the shining city and briefly explored the wondor of the restored planet of Lothal.
"So how long have any of you been visiting Lothal?" Jo asked.
"As far as I know, we've been coming here as often as possible. Obviously we've had no time to come here ever since we all encountered Erk for the first time; but yeah, we've been here plenty of times before." Aang answered.
"How come I never was here with any of you?"
...
"Because... you weren't around then." Exar answered a little nervously.
"Hmmm, Aang just said that you guys haven't been here since before we all encountered Erk for the first time."
"And?"
"I've been with you guys for two years, way before we first encountered Erk nearly half a month ago."
"Why are you bringing this up?" Exar asked.
"I'm pointing out that you guys have hung out here before, without me; if I didn't know better, I'd say you guys are trying to avoid me when you do this kind of stuff. Anyone else know about this?"
"Masters Rye an-" Aang elbowed Exar before he could finish. Jo just hung his mouth open in disappointment.
"Even the masters." Jo muttered. "Has it ever occured to you that I would've liked to take some time off? Has it ever occured to you that I would've liked to also hang out?"
Aang just hummed quietly. Exar looked off into the distance.
"We might be able to change it in the future. But we came here to celebrate our current success. So for now, let's bury all the negative emotion and head on to Old Jho's." Aang said.
'Oh but we're not done yet.' Jo thought to himself as he followed along.
Bennar called a private meeting with some of the best of the Republic. He, Calista, Rye, Erickson, Ephraim, Dex, and members of the Jedi council were present.
"First off," Bennar started, "Do we all understand that whatever is discussed here can not be shared with anyone else? We may tell the Chancellor, but no one else."
"With all due respect governor, if this has anything to do with something big that we're up against, then I would like to inform my team about it; they can handle anything they face. I speak from witnessing them in action."
"Interesting. What might your name be, Master Jedi?"
"Rye Follnor."
"So tell me, Master Follnor, tell me about your team." Bennar told him.
"Well. One's a cyborg, another's a Zabrak, and the third is a Besalisk. They're fairly young -well, Aang is pretty old- but are unusually strong with the force; they have accomplished much with their teamw-"
"I've heard enough."
"Pardon?"
"I said 'I've heard enough.' " Bennar repeated. " 'Fairly young' doesn't comfort me. Jedi that young are too ambitious, and that leads to pride; pride leads towards a downfall. And being young, they have much to learn. Point being that I don't trust teenagers too much."
"Aang, our Besalisk, isn't really a teenager."
"Really?"
"I'm a teenager." Dex piped up.
"That's a story we're not discussing at the moment, Master Inigo." Bennar said. "You were saying, Follnor?"
"Aang is indeed quite mature."
"Why isn't he on the council? If he's mature and powerful enough, then I say he is worthy to become a master." Bennar said.
"That's for the council to decide; we have to think about it. But growing more curious, I know we'd like to know about what he's done?" Female Kiffar Jedi master Luhon Chi'thiac wondered.
"Well we have something else to talk about." Rye replied.
"We have little time to kill, but we can afford to listen." Bennar agreed.
"If you insist. Well, Aang is -as I said- strong with the force. He has been the brains of the team ever since he joined; he helped defeat tyranny of the Empire?"
"He's that old eh?" Bennar asked.
"I don't think the secret is mine to give, of how he has kept his youth."
"Very interesting." Calista said, not being the only one growing curious.
"Aang is selfless and headstrong, both excellent attributes to his intelligence and character."
"Well then, after this meeting, I want you to take him to the council chamber."
Rye and Erickson were both proud and confused at the moment. It was quite a feature to be granted the rank of master; then if he was, it might mean his being around his team less. A lot less.
"He certainly sounds like Jedi Master material." Human male Jedi Master Rek Kenten opined.
"Now that that's settled, we have a more urgent matter at hand." Bennar said.
