YO! Long time huh? Sorry about that. This story kinda slipped from my view when college hit. But now, WITH STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS HYPE, I'll ready to continue writing this story (when college and work allows me time to do so). Anyway, have a read. Sorry if it doesn't flow smooth or it seems weirdly worded.
Meeting the Other Jedi Masters
Even though she had agreed to meet with the rest of the masters in the Praxeum, Angela's anxiety was steadying rising, building itself up on each scenario that her mind was coming up with. There were so many directions and outcomes that come become reality. Although she had asked for an out and was gladly given it, fear of the what could become reality was starting to get to her nerves. Not only could Luke and Kyle senses her uneasiness, they could see it on her. Her eyes were locked on the closed door in front of her. Her hands slightly twitched at her sides. Her breath was steady but slightly heavy, easily noticeable to the two experienced Jedi, who were standing directly on each side of her.
Her mind gets pried away from imagining the outcome of the meeting when she feel a hand on her left shoulder. She looks over and is greeted by Luke, who was friendly smiling back at her. "It's alright. They don't bite. I swear."
Angela couldn't stop herself from letting out a slight chuckle and a smirk to go along with it. "It's not their bite I'm worried about." Luke's little jab to get her to ease up about meeting the other masters had worked. She started to feel some of her confidence returning to her. "I'm worried about their bark."
"Trust me when I say this. They aren't going to say anything negative about or towards you." Angela gives Kyle her attention, knowing he had more to add on. "They just want to meet the person who saved Luke's life. So what if you're slightly different than the rest of us? We all come from different backgrounds.; but, we don't judge people for a past they had no control over."
Katarn's words immediate send of alarm signals in Angela's mind. Keeping her gazes locked onto Kyle, she slowly takes a couple of steps backwards before stopping a few feet from both of them. "What are you implying?"
Kyle gets a puzzled look on his face. "What am I implying? What are you inferring?"
Skywalker couldn't help but silently chuckle at Katarn's reply to Angela. He knew exactly what Kyle did, which was that he had accidentally let on about knowing about Angela's abnormal tie to the Dark Side. Quickly mentally recomposing himself, Luke patiently waits to see how the situation would play itself out.
Her eyes shift from left to right, while trying to conclude what exactly Katarn meant with his words. She then realizes what he meant. "You know." He whispers so gently that Kyle and Luke barely catch it. Then she raises her whisper to her normal volume of voice. "If you know," She looks at Luke. "That means you know too."
"Yes." Luke confirms her statement, even though she hadn't directly said what she was thinking about.
"How long?"
"Since you pushed both Han and me out of the line of fire, on Tatooine."
She turns her back to both Luke and Han, wanting to look anywhere else but in their direction. However, she soon turns back around and looks at Luke once more. "You knew all this time, but you didn't act at all to it?"
Angela puts her eyes on Kyle. "And I'm assuming that he told you?"
"That's right." Kyle nods slightly towards her.
"You..." She decides to walk back to them, so that she wouldn't have to speak any louder than she wanted to. "You two didn't act like how I thought you would. In fact, you two only mentioned this now because I correctly inferred from your words, Katarn. Why didn't you two react to it?"
"Oh, we reacted to it." Luke answers. "We just...um..."
"We don't judge you by it." Kyle speaks for both of them. "Sure, the Dark Side within you is different from what we know and experienced ourselves, but that doesn't mean you are necessarily bad. It just means that you need to take a different path in order to not fall into it and lose yourself."
I don't even have a path to start my journey on. I never will. Angela just gives them as understanding smile. "Thank you. What you just said really means a lot to me." She verbally shows her gratitude to their kindness in not judging her because of who she was. "I haven't been treated so nice since..." She trails off and then slight shakes her head. "Anyway, enough chit-chat. Let's head in there so that I can meet the rest of the masters."
A new belief had been founded within Angela at that point. Her previous belief, that any Jedi Master that would meet her would shun and never accept her into the newly founded Jedi Academy, had crumbled away upon realizing that Luke and Kyle hadn't so much even gave her any look of suspicion or any noticeable, harmful gesture. it was quite the opposite. They treated her as if she had been a part of the New Jedi Academy since day one. If Kyle and Luke don't judge me because of who I truly am, then the other masters probably won't judge me either! I...I could be someone. I could actually have a home. And people that I actually know and care for.
As if on cue, all three of them move forward. The metallic door ahead slides upwards, welcoming them inside. Having gained her confidence back, Angela is the first through the doorway, followed by Luke, then Kyle. Once the door closes itself, Angela stops from taking another step. It wasn't because she froze out of a sudden burst of anxiety. It was because the room she had entered was not the room that she had pictured in her mind. The room was not huge in terms of space. Sure, the ceiling loomed way above anyone's head. But, the size of the room itself was not huge. The space was decent though. A good sized group of people could easily stand in the room. In the center of the room were eight chairs arranged into a loose circle. Standing in the center of the circling chairs were the rest of the Jedi Masters, who were chatting amongst themselves. However, they banter stops when they hear the door slide closed. All of the masters turn to face Luke, Kyle, and Angela. They greet them with warm smiles, while they waited for the three of them to walk into the circle of chairs to join them.
"I see that everyone is here." Luke states to everyone in the room.
"Of course, Luke. After all, we are curious to meet this person that saved you from certain death." A Chev lady walks slightly out from the group and addresses Skywalker. She notices the stranger that had entered in front of Luke and Kyle; and she decides to introduce herself without wasting a moment. "I'm assuming that you are the one that saved him, yes?"
"I am." Angela answers humbly before introducing herself. "I'm Angela."
The Chev also introduces herself. "I'm Master Tresina Lobi. We are so glad that you are well enough to see all of us, so that we can personally meet with you."
"Well, in that case, let's get started." Angela's smile brings a little bit of hope into Luke. He had been nervous about her meeting with the other masters, unsure on how they would react to her or her special connection to the Force. The odds of them sensing her connection to the Dark Side were next to nothing. However, nothing is a concept that neither Jedi or Sith can learn or believe in.
"Excellent." Master Lobi nods for Angela to come into the middle of the circle of chairs. "Come and meet the rest of the masters."
Nodding back to Master Lobi, Angela follows directly behind the Chev, with Luke and Kyle not far behind her. "We are so glad you are well enough to meet us, Angela."
"Yeah. I'm sore but functional." Angela mentally notes to not make any sudden movements, unless she wanted to feel a sharp jab of pain travel over her right side of her torso.
Master Lobi is the first one to get inside the circle of chairs, followed by Angela, Luke, and Kyle. The other masters turn towards them, ceasing their chatter as they gave kind gazes and warm smiles towards their newest guest to the Academy.
Master Lobi starts the introductions. "Everyone, this is Angela." She motions towards Darksaber. "The one who saved Master Skywalker and Han Solo from being shot on Tatooine." Since Angela was not moving any closer into the circle, Master Lobi takes gently grabs Angela's hand and guides her forward.
"There's no reason to be shy, Angela. We don't bite," Master Lobi chuckles. "Well, most of us don't."
"Are you still saying that I bite, Tresina?" An older gentleman infers that Tresina is once again poking fun at his seemingly cold forefront.
"You do not bite with your mouth, but what spews from it certainly has some sting. Well, every once in a while, at least."
The old man mummers under his breath, before walking up to Angela and giving his greeting. "Greetings, Angela. I am Master Streen."
Angela offers her hand, which he gently takes into his and shakes in greeting. After Streen gives Angela her hand back, he walks a couple of steps to the side, to allow the other masters to meet Angela face to face. Once all of them exchange greetings with her, Skywalker motions for everyone to take a seat so that they can figure several items out.
Knowing that the other masters are ready, Luke decides to start discussing the several matters he had on hand. "All of you know that we are having this special meeting because of what happened on my recent visit to Tatooine. I'll start with the bad and end with the good."
"The bad is that someone who had the intention of killing me, knew I was on Tatooine, even though I used precautions and only Kyle and Han Solo knew where I was. I hadn't been on the planet for more than a day before someone attempted to kill me in Mos Eisley." Luke motions to his right to Angela, who had decided to sit between him and Katarn. "Luckily, Angela intervened and took the hit for me without worrying about her well-being." Angela looks away from him in an attempt to hide her anxiety of being in the same room with five Jedi Masters who did not know of her secret.
"Speaking of Angela, she is the good news."
Angela does a double take at Luke. Good news? Me? Haven't heard anyone utter a good word about me for years.
Luke gives Angela a bright smile before giving the other masters his attention. "Like I said earlier, Angela used her body as a shield to block the shot from killing me and more than likely stopped the attacker form taking another shot at me and Han." Luke pauses briefly before continuing to relay more information. "I believe that Angela is important. I don't know why or how yet. I just have a sure feeling that she is important for us, as a New Jedi Order, to become strong."
Angela gazes down towards the floor. If he keeps this up, I'm going to faint from my heart beating too fast. I can feel everyone's eyes on me now. I better give them my attention so that they don't get any negative ideas about me. She returns her gaze upwards, glancing at each Jedi Master that is looking at her.
Luke wraps up his little speech. "That's all the information I can give you all at this time. Does anyone have anything they wish to ask or say?"
Master Streen speaks up. "Yes, as a matter of fact. However, this concerns you, Master Skywalker. I believe I speak for everyone here, yes?" The other masters nod and verbally agree with Master Streen.
"Very well." Luke gives Angela a warm, friendly smile at her, which brings down her nervousness just a bit. "Angela, if you want to, you may leave now while I speak with everyone here. You can explore the Praxeum and talk to anyone you meet if you have any questions. I'll catch up with you in a little while."
"I think I will have a look around." Angela gets up from her seat, returning a friendly smile back at Luke. "I'll see you in a bit." Even though she feels like rushing out of the room, Angela keeps her adrenaline-fueled body calm and collected as she strides out of the room as the automatic doors slide closed behind her. She lets out a long, stress-filled breath escape from her lungs.
"That...was stressful. I'm glad that's over!" She runs her fingers through her hair, which causes her mind to slowly change from thinking stressful, nervous thoughts and situations to planning out what to do or ponder over next.
She looks over her shoulder. Seeing the door shut behind her makes her think about the possible discussions that could be happening behind those closed doors. Angela walks down the lengthy hallway as she runs through a number of possible subjects that the Jedi masters are talking among themselves.
I wonder what the other masters wanted to speak to Luke about.
Angela casually walks around the whole Praxeum. She strolls past the hanger, not even glancing at the many transports that are resting in the bay area. What if they are talking about me to Luke?
A few minutes later she meanders past the main lecture hall, which had several students being taught the ways of several lightsaber forms. What if they felt that I'm naturally attuned to the Dark Side?
Angela eventually finds her way outside of the Praxeum and into one of the many outdoor training arenas. From where Angela stood, she could see many platforms, some vaulting-height while others were for jumping with the Force as a booster. There are also several huge trees with vines that looked to be usable to swing across large holes in the ground. "An outside training arena. Perfect. I need to take my mind off of this and a little bit of exercise on this course should do the trick." After a couple of quick stretches for her legs, she sprints towards the first platform, clearing her mind of her current worries and status.
For the first time in a long time, Angela enjoys running through the course without having to worry about other people watching her and thinking poorly about her. She feels like she is a kid again.
A kid that was not running from Imperial forces.
A kid that was free to explore and learn as she traversed the sands of Tatooine.
A kid that was innocent in every way.
A kid that was not constantly being torn between two sides of the life energy of the universe, that is the Force.
With every obstacle she overcomes on the course, Angela feel as though she is becoming that kid from long ago.
Hope you enjoyed it! Be sure to leave a review. Feedback is always awesome!
~TheJediAvenger~
