Toby walked into the room with the Jedi.
"Hello again, Tobias." Duxis said. Toby flinched. He hated when people called him by his real name. It reminded him of his past. Toby hated even the thought of it, much less telling anyone about it. He had lied to Evalina earlier, and he hated it. He actually knew a lot about his family, it was just a touchy subject. You see, when Toby was little, about two years old, his family had taken a trip to Coruscant. Life couldn't have been better. His mom and dad lived together in perfect harmony; he even had a brother and a sister. His brother was about his age, but about eleven months younger. His sister, two years older than he. Toby, Claudia, Riscelle and their parents all lived together normally on the planet of Fresia. It was very close to Coruscant, so they decided to trip there. Toby felt that something would not be right there, but he went anyways. At the current time, he had been the only one that knew he was different, being strong in the Force, but he didn't know that much, yet. When they first arrived, things started to go wrong. They were just looking around when suddenly; there was a loud noise, right outside where they were staying. They looked outside just to see a small fight break out. His father went down to help tame it, but died in the effort. Toby's mother, brother, sister, and himself were completely devastated. In the dismay, they could not afford to go home to Fresia, so they brought what belonging they had with them to a small house in center of the city. His mother and sister both got jobs and worked while Toby stayed at home with his brother. One day, many months after his father's death, Toby decided to surprise his mother at work by bringing her lunch. He was on his way there when he felt a strange sensation. It felt like horror, as if someone close to him had died. Trying to ignore the feeling, Toby continued on. When he arrived, everything was in total chaos. Workers were fighting each other, and people were being murdered right and left. Sooner then he realized what was happening; his mother got flown across the work place, and was hurt so bad, no one could even hope she was alive. Toby soon realized what had just happened, and raced to his mother's side. The last words she said was, 'Tobias Ray'. He didn't like to remember that time, so he had people call him just Toby. After the dust had cleared from the area where the fight had taken place, a man was standing in front of young Toby. 'Who are you?' Toby recalled asking. The man smiled down at him sadly, and said, 'I am Vinco Nutus. I will watch over you.' After that, he took him to the Jedi council, where he was made Vinco's Padawan learner. And, to his promise, Vinco watched over Toby, even now.
Toby shook his head, trying to shake the horrible memory.
"So why have you called me, Master Duxis?" Duxis laid his hands on the table. Arcana, Amor, and Vinco were in a circle around the table.
"We want your perception of Miss Skywalker." Toby blinked.
"Why?" Vinco raised his eyebrows.
"Because, we want to know whether you think she should stay."
"Well yes, but why do you care that I care?"
"Just tell us young one." Amor said with a slight tint of humor in her voice. Toby sighed.
"Well, she's smart, she cares what other people think, and she's nice, very strong in the Force. There? Efficient?" Toby didn't realize his tone until he had said it. He blushed a little. Vinco almost laughed. Duxis and Amor smiled, but Arcana's expression didn't change. Toby didn't know why, but he didn't trust that guy. Duxis cleared his throat.
"Yes, I think that's fine." He said something to Vinco that sounded like, 'Young minds.' Toby didn't care what they said. He told them what he thought. And it was true. "You can leave." Toby rejoined Evalina in the next room.
"What was that about?" She asked him. Toby shook his head.
"Nothing."
"Okay...?" Evalina said. "Something bad?" Toby again shook his head.
"Nothing bad, just nothing important. So what have you been doing while I was gone?"
"It's been like ten minutes, so not much. But, I have been watching the scenery."
"You mean space?" Toby said. Evalina laughed and he smiled.
"Yeah, I think we're almost there." Toby crossed the room and sat next to Evalina.
"So you like to be called 'Evie?' He asked. Evalina shrugged.
"Or just Eva. Evalina is so long and tiring." She said sarcastically.
"I like Eva." Toby noted. Evalina nodded.
"Me too."
They sat in an awkward silence for a long time, until finally, a familiar mechanical voice said; 'Destination in range'. They had entered Coruscant. Toby took a deep breath as he put his seat's belt on. He looked out the window, and saw a familiar part of the city. Toby frowned. Why did it look so familiar? Then it hit him. Toby gasped in pain of the memory.
"Toby? What's wrong?" Eva asked. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," Toby managed. He rubbed his forehead. Vinco appeared out of the room that Toby had previously exited with the first man, Duxis Omnium, behind him.
"Are you ready to get off Toby, Evalina?" Vinco asked. Eva nodded, but Toby didn't reply. He was still trying to get over the shock of his terrible memory. Eva nudged him.
"Toby." She whispered. Toby nodded distantly.
"Are you alright, Tobias?" Vinco asked. Toby's nose flared.
"Master, I told you not to call me that." Vinco smiled, clearly amused by Toby's anger. Toby got up and stormed out of the room.
"What is wrong with him?" Eva asked. "He was fine a few minutes ago." She pursed her lips. Vinco turned to the man behind him.
"Master Omnium, are you ready to be home?" Duxis smiled kindly at Evalina.
"Yes, are you young Skywalker?" Eva flinched. She wasn't used to being called that yet. Mostly it was Evalina Cassette or simply Evalina.
"Yes sir."
Within the next few minutes, they crossed over the remainder of the city, and landed on a floating platform in mid-air. Toby got off the ship as soon as he could. He found his fellow Jedi as they exited the ship.
"Ah, there you are young one." Duxis said to Toby as he approached him.
"Here I am." Toby said. He looked at Eva and smiled. She smiled back at him. Then she frowned and turned in a circle.
"Wait, where is Logan?" Toby frowned too, and then laughed when he remembered what had happened.
"He's still probably asleep." He said.
"That boy sure does sleep a lot." Vinco said. Eva laughed too.
"Toby told him to go to sleep and he did." She choked on another laugh. "He used a mind trick on him." Vinco looked at Toby.
"Toby you know that it should not be used on such simple things." Vinco scolded him, but he wore a small smile, so Toby knew that he thought it was at least slightly funny.
"Yes, Master." Toby looked down at the floor, so he would not laugh. "I'll go get him." Toby sprinted up the stairs of the ship and ran down a hall. He burst open a door and walked over to the bed. Toby looked down at the sleeping figure of Logan.
"Wake up." Toby said as he shook Logan. Logan opened his eyes.
"Where are we?" He asked groggily.
"Coruscant." Toby answered him. "Everybody is waiting on you." Logan shook his head.
"Sorry." He got up and stretched. He stumbled a little, and Toby put a hand on his shoulder.
"You okay?" He asked. Logan nodded sleepily.
"Let's go." Logan and Toby left the room and followed the hall to the door and exited. Toby noticed Logan squinting from adjusting to the light. They joined Eva and the Jedi at the edge of the platform. As many times as Toby had been there, it still amazed him how the platform could float in mid-air.
"We are just waiting for the transport to pick us up." Duxis explained. "It will be here soon." Sure enough, not a minute later, the transport arrived. "And there it is." Duxis said as he smiled.
A man appeared out of the flying vehicle.
"Ah, hello Rostremious." Duxis said. The man called Rostremious bowed slightly.
"Greetings, Master Omnium." He turned to Eva. "Might this be Miss Skywalker?"
"Yes." Omnium said. Rostremious approached Eva.
"Hello, young one. My name Calin Rostremious. You may call me Calin if you wish. My last name is quite long." He winked at Eva. She smiled. Toby smiled as well. He remembered that the first time that he had met Calin; he had said the same thing.
"Well anyways, welcome to Coruscant." Calin extended his arm behind him and Evalina looked over the side of the platform. Toby hadn't been kidding when he said the whole planet was a city. There were large building everywhere you looked, flying vehicles crowded the skies, and bright lights and signs crowded the streets. Toby noticed how Eva smiled at the bustling streets. Being from Naboo, she probably wasn't used to busy places or people. Naboo wasn't boring, it was just quiet. Maybe too quiet for Toby's liking. He shook his head as he tried to focus again. He came in as Calin was finishing his sentence.
"... So, if you would all climb in, we'll be on our way." Toby did as he said. After everybody had climbed in, they started moving.
Evalina got a knot in her stomach as soon as they started moving. Not just because of what she thought an irrational fear of heights, but because she was that much closer to meeting the Jedi Order. Evalina looked behind her and saw Toby smile at her. She tried a small smile, but it disappeared quickly. She turned back around. Why did she feel so... Out of place with these people?
Toby climbed from the back, and hopped out of the transport. Eva climbed out behind him. Calin spread his arms.
"Eva, welcome to the Jedi temple!" Toby put a hand on Eva's shoulder and guided her to the main entrance. As soon as they opened the door, Toby sighed. He was glad to be back. There were all kinds of creatures and species of people, all spread across the lobby. Toby was happy to be back with these people, but Eva looked petrified.
"What's the matter, Eva?" Toby asked in her ear. Eva tried to shake it off.
"Nothing." She replied. They continued walking, with the other Jedi right behind them, and Logan pulling the rear. Toby walked up a set of what seemed like endless stairs. When they reached the top, another Jedi was waiting for them.
"Hello." Eva jumped. His voice was a little bit lower than she had anticipated. Toby and the other Jedi bowed to the man.
"Hello Master Sopor Pacem!" Vinco greeted the middle- aged man. "This is Evalina Skywalker." He motioned at Eva. Toby wondered how Eva felt about this, because she wouldn't tell him truthfully. He knew something was wrong. Pacem lead the group through several more walkways and halls until he slowed to a stop at a small black door.
"Inside is the council." Pacem said to Eva. He turned to Toby and Logan. "I'm afraid that you will all have to wait out here until Miss Skywalker's fate is decided." Vinco stepped forward to join Sopor, but Toby was still a little worried. He didn't like the idea of Eva going in by herself with absolutely no way to explain what had happened. He knew Vinco was going to be there, but Toby felt it was a good idea to have two opinions. All she knew was that she had a high Midi-Chlorian count, and that she had a slight chance of becoming a Jedi. Toby took a deep breath and turned to Duxis.
"Master Omnium, may I have permission to attend with Eva-" He stopped himself. "Miss Skywalker?" Vinco shot him a look, Eva cocked her head and Duxis studied Toby's expression. Toby held his breath. After a moment of silence, Duxis said,
"If you wish. You are the one that may answer some questions. Come along." Toby let go of his breath. Eva looked relieved as well. Everybody but Logan and Vinco left into the next room. Toby smiled at everybody in the room, and most of them returned the smile. Toby missed his, for a lack of a better word, family. Although they were gone for only a week, he had missed them dearly. Toby again noticed that Arcana was the only one that did not smile at him. He did not feel right around him. Toby led Eva to the middle of the room and stopped where everyone could see them. Even before the council started asking questions, Eva grasped Toby's hand. Toby understood completely. He had felt no less scared when he had his interview. After they had all taken their seats, Duxis Omnium introduced Eva to all the Jedi, and especially, his second in command, as he liked to be called, Regiman Utvox. She had looked very confused, so Toby doubted that she would remember any of the others names. After the greetings, Duxis took out a small screen. On it were projected images, and Eva had to sense what they were without seeing them. Once he got it set up he told Eva to start when she was ready. Toby squeezed Eva's hand, hopefully showing his confidence. He knew what was on the screen; He could sense what it was. Eva narrowed her eyes and Toby knew she was concentrating.
"A ship." She said stoutly. Toby smiled. She was right. Duxis moved the screen to another image. After a moment, Eva said,
"A lightsaber." She looked up at Toby. He nodded earnestly. Duxis and Regiman exchanged looks. She was right again. They continued to ask her, and she got every single one right. When they finished asking her the questions, Eva grabbed Toby's hand again.
"Now," Duxis said as he put the device away, "Since you passed that, we may go on to the interview. So, Miss Skywalker," He spread his hands. "Tell us your story." Eva took a deep breath.
"Well, I don't know too much. Other than pretty recent. I'm sure that Toby could tell you more about what happened." Eva looked at him. He shrugged.
"Well, dear child, it doesn't have to be recent." Omnium said. "It could be your family, friends, places you've lived. It helps give us, a background check, for lack of a better term."
"Well, I had a sister." Eva said. "And obviously parents. Well, I'm not too sure about my mom. I never met her." Toby could notice that regardless how friendly they were, she was nervous. He felt sympathetic. "Um, I kinda noticed that something was wrong when my sister and I visited Mustafar." Omnium raised his chin, more interested now. "We kinda got in the middle of a war, I guess." She looked down. She didn't want to start crying in front of the Jedi. "They took my sister, and I was left alone for a considerably long time until my friend Logan's father found me and took me in." She continued her story the same way she had told Toby. When she finished, nobody said anything. Eva thought she had said something wrong, but just then, Duxis said,
"Evalina, you remind me of someone, but you are different somehow." He cleared his throat. After a long silence, he asked, "What is your sister's name?" Toby felt his heart in his throat. He hoped he was wrong in what he was guessing. Evalina dried her tears away before they came.
"Jillian." She said calmly. Gasps echoed in the room. She frowned and looked up at Toby. His face was deathly pale. He let go of her hand. So, he wasn't wrong after all.
"Evalina, why didn't tell us earlier?" Toby said quietly in her ear.
"I didn't know it was important!" She faced the council again. "Master Omnium, where is my sister? I thought she was dead."
"So this is what Vinco meant by suspicious." Omnium mused. Suspicious? Eva thought. Vinco had thought she was suspicious? Eva started to get upset. She thought they had been her friend, but they thought she was suspicious? The whole time?
"Look! I don't know what my sister was or where she is!" Evalina fumed a little louder than she thought she would. "But right now, I just want to go back to where I came from. I feel horrible! I was just beginning to feel normal, and then I find out that you thought I was suspicious!" Eva's voice was starting to get shrill. All the other Jedi, including Toby, looked shocked. Eva was afraid she was going to cry, but then hated herself for thinking it. She can cry, because she wasn't going to be there much longer. Who cared if they thought she was weak. "I want to go back. It's obvious that I won't be normal any other place than a stupid old town in Naboo. So just take me back, you don't want me!'' The tears spilled out. Eva rushed to the door, opened it and then slammed it behind her. Toby got to his senses and followed her. She ran down the hall of the council.
"Evalina!" Toby shouted after her. He ran down the hall. He finally caught up to her in a garden outside the building. She was sobbing like crazy. "Evalina." Toby repeated, more softly this time. Eva looked up, her face slightly red. Toby noticed that even when she cried, she was still pretty. He walked over to her, and put both hands on her shoulders, and made her look at him. She sniffed.
"What do you want, Toby?" she said accusingly. Toby remained calm.
"I want you to tell me what is wrong. You have felt bad ever since we got here, I could sense it." Eva sniffed and looked away again. Toby turned her face towards him.
"Look at me." he said softly. She complied, with a sad look in her big brown eyes. After a long silence, Eva finally spoke up.
"I feel like an outcast Toby. Nobody wants me. Everybody is so nice, most of the time anyways, even though I don't know them. I feel like this was thrown on me. I feel so young to take on such a responsibility. I've never really known family. Everybody feels like family here, except for me. Logan, bless his heart, is very welcoming, but he doesn't understand. I love him with all my heart, but I wish he just wouldn't have come. We're going to leave any ways." She started to cry again. Toby sighed and wiped away her tears.
"Why are you leaving?" he asked quietly. Eva looked up at him.
"I doubt they would let me come near them after what I just said." She threw up her arms. "I can't believe I threw away a chance like that. I can't believe it." She looked away again. Toby again moved her face.
"I won't let you throw away a chance like that. I'll go with you. If they don't except you, I'll go to Naboo with you." He smiled down at her. "I'm sure Vinco will come with me. We will be your family." Eva looked him in the eye. She studied his face. If she had any doubts that he liked her before this, they now vanished. Eva hugged Toby tightly. Toby wrapped his arms around her. He held her as she cried into his shoulder. He couldn't help but be reminded of himself. He felt the same exact way when he first arrived here. He was glad that he had Vinco, and he felt that he should be that way to Eva. He would never give up on her, no matter how stubborn she was.
