Auturo's POV

Everyone and their force forsaken Master had to stop me on my way to my apartment. I couldn't have been this popular if I invented the lightsaber. Everybody wants to know, 'Auturo! Auturo! What are we gonna do about the Trade Federation?!' For the love of all things blue and breathing, being old doesn't make me some sort of expert. And worse then being singled out for being so 'old and respected' I was also being pestered while I was old, respected and uncomfortably hungry. There was no way I could have breakfast in the cafeteria now, I'd have Knights jumping down my throat in the way of my ham and eggs.

It was the first time I had resorted to stealth since my mission on Bothawui tracking that arms dealer. Cato was still my apprentice then and we had to get a log book with customer information, but now I needed to get back to my speeder in the hangar with as little interference as possible. The stakes couldn't be higher.

It was still early enough to cut through the practice area and not have to worry about running into anyone. Younglings would be in class, and hopefully Jedi and padawans would be eating breakfast like I should've been. They didn't really flock there until a little before lunch for whatever reason so that meant I'd only run into Cin or some other instructor and maybe the odd Knight practicing alone. If Cin wasn't there than that'd be fine, but if he was I might even ask him to join me. He wasn't one to talk politics.

I snuck down the few hallways from my abode to the practice area masterfully. I even cloaked my signature, just to see if I still could. The only chance I had of giving myself away was if someone heard my stomach growl. An old man like me ought to mess around like this if he doesn't want to become useless. All the hallways had been pretty empty thus far and I probably could've stormed through them all the same.

The practice area as I predicted was completely empty, but I sensed something here. A great struggle? No, a struggle, but not a great one by any means except perhaps the effort being exerted on one side. Drallig must've been taking some young blood to school. I smirked at that, everyone was quick to call Master Windu the best swordsman in the Temple, but who do they think taught him? I was ready to continue my journey towards a sacred plate of ham and eggs, but the force told me not to. To wait, to look upon Cin Drallig and his student.

I felt now both force signatures as I walked to the veranda on which they fought. Of course Drallig was the stronger one, but the weaker one I recognized. The force is a mystery to me even now after a life time of servitude. It was the boy, Hakoran.

I put more life into my steps, keeping a balance of speed and stealth, not wanting to interrupt the practice bout.

Teej was wiping sweat with a three fingered hand off his large crested head. He had discarded the top portion of his robes now, fighting shirtless with determination in his eyes. The force swirled around him, but he did not notice it. He wanted to be calm and focused, the force was trying to pass through him, but he couldn't open himself. That was strange, but not uncommon amongst younglings.

Drallig on the other hand, did seem to be a little strained. More due to the length of this bout than the effort he put into it I was sure.

"Good, good. I sense you are closed off, let the force come to you. It wants to help you, be a part of you. Once it does you won't have to work so hard." The boy nodded. Talking seemed beyond what he was currently capable of. He was so far engrossed in this bout, a bout he know he must not stand a chance in.

Drallig cut sideways and the boy blocked, but it was a feint and sliced up at his smaller opponent's chest. Miraculously Teej jumped quickly into a front flip over the saber instructor before he could be clipped. It was all for not however, as he gave a quick lunge while Drallig turned around, Cin moved out of the way of the training blade and gave the boy a quick tap on the wrist with his own blade.

The boy loosened his stance, extinguished his blade and started shaking his right hand vigorously.

"Ouch ouch ouch." He gave the Master a quick bow while muttering small swears of pain.

"You did well Hakoran." Cin said and patted the boy on the shoulder after extinguishing his own blade. I started clapping and moved towards them, the feeling of emptiness in my stomach returning. I hadn't noticed that it left.

"Very entertaining. That was an impressive display." I said.

"Ah, Master Alavar its a pleasure seeing you this morning." Drallig bowed with his welcome.

"Hello Master." Teej gave a deep bow and I smiled at him, he knew his place despite his unlimited potential. I knew why the force called me here now.

"What brings you here friend?" Drallig asked me.

"I've come to see this one believe it or not." I motioned at Teej. It was a half truth, I didn't intentionally look for the boy, but the force made it so. Teej himself looked extra surprised.

"Me, sir?" He asked.

"You, sir." I replied squeezing a smile out of the boy and Drallig. "Have you had breakfast yet? Lunch? Brunch? You want a snack?"

"Uh No sir, I mean yes, uh."

"Well it doesn't matter either way, you're coming with me on official business." I gave him a wink just to inform him that it wasn't serious. "Grab your stuff." He nodded and ran off to grab the top part of his tunic at the end of the veranda.

"Taking an interest in Hakoran?" Drallig asked quietly.

"Oh heavens no, I'm too old."

"Well they say no Master is too old if its the right student." I nodded at that. I had thought a few times while teaching Cato that I was too old then to be anyone's master.

"This boy is for Cato. The two will make a great pair. I can feel it." I said and then he lit up for the reality of the situation. I could sense he was relieved someone had taken an interest in the boy.

"Alright Hakoran, remember what I told you. Once you let force become your ally it will never let you down." Drallig said to Teej as he returned to us, the boy nodded and I put my hand on his shoulder, leading him back into the Temple. I could feel nervousness in the boy as we walked, but also that he was trying to get a grip on himself.

"Alright listen, we need to get out of the Temple as quickly as possible."

"Wait? What?! What are you talking about?"

"I'm starving." He was a kind of jittery little guy.

"Oh. Okay Master." He said slowly and started to walk faster. I still had a fear that at any moment I could be abducted by some young knight for a round of twenty questions.

Teej's POV

This man was strange. He was practically running through the Temple on our way to the hangar. I was tired from my practice with Master Drallig and keeping up with Master Alavar was actually difficult, he was a Bimm possessed. He must not have eaten days or something. He kept putting his head down and moving faster whenever we walked by someone. I don't think he had done anything wrong, but he was making me sort of nervous.

But we were at the hangar now and he seemed to loosen up, he walked over to an old red model. I had no idea what kind it was. Flying was something I wanted to learn how to do for the same reason I wanted to learn anything, but I didn't really know anything at all about ships or speeders. This one had an open cockpit and two leather booths with three seats each and I sat up front next to him with the space in between us. He gave me a reassuring smile and then the ship lifted off the ground with a loud hum and he turned the speeder ninety degrees and sped out of the hanger and into the cityscape.

It dawned on me that this could be some ride with how he had stormed through the Temple, but those thoughts were discarded as we sped above traffic. Couruscant was beautiful.

The sun had been up for a few hours and it shone down on everything, giving the city a beautiful shine and glimmer. So much was going on, people were everywhere and ships were moving in all directions.

"You don't get out much do you." He said it and it wasn't a question so I couldn't say anything back. "Its too bad, there are a lot of days like this on Couruscant. I don't know why you kids don't go out on field trips or something." I still had nothing to say, but I looked away from the city and at Auturo, he was wearing the same goofy old man smile. "We're going to be good friends."

"I hope so." I replied. He was so weird in only the way friendly old people can be. He made me feel welcome I guess, or maybe not welcome, but at least relaxed.

A/N: I'm sorry to anyone who was waiting for this chapter and if its not what you expected. It was really hard to write for whatever reason and I've been a little more busy than usual when I've felt like I could really write something. I promise to speed things up and keep the plot moving and actually thickening. I will more than likely redo this chapter after 10 and 11 are finished and posted because I really was just trying to get something up that fit the bill.