Chapter Eleven
Egidio walked around in a fog as they made preparations for him to become a Padawan. The fitting of his new Padawan robes took a while partially because he did not fit the usual sizes, six foot six inches and skinny as a rail, and partially because the seamstress kept getting stuck with the pins as she marked the robes for alterations. Finally, she leaned over to Maure and asked. "Are you sure about this boy?"
"Surer than I have ever been about anything." Maure declared.
While they were waiting for the seamstress they took him to the barber for his customary hair cut. The barber required two stitches where he cut his finger for the first time in his long career. "Are you…"
"Yes, I am sure." Maure interrupted.
Finally, he was dressed, armed with his lightsaber and ready to leave. Maure looked him over and said. "There is one more thing we need to do before we leave. If my Corellian is correct Egidio means young goat you need a more appropriate name for a Padawan." Egidio brightened up at the thought of no longer being teased about that name. "How about…Skyler that sounds like a brave name for a Padawan. What is your last name, Skyler?"
"I don't have one I was aban… I am an orphan." Skyler said with a hint of his old sadness.
"How about Walker because you have the longest legs I have ever seen on a human." Maure said looking him over.
Skyler's face lit up as he heard the name and he repeated it to himself several times. "Skyler Walker, Skyler Walker, Skyler Walker, Padawan Skyler Walker." Each time he said it he beamed a little brighter.
"Padawan Skyler Walker, Padawan to Knight Maure Jinn." Maure said proudly.
Skyler puffed up with pride turned and tripped over his feet, unaccustomed to his new boots.
Alexa burst into tears, hugged Maure and after a long and sad goodbye then turned and ran to her quarters sobbing loudly as she went.
Maure put her hand in the crook of Skyler's arm and walked out as if he were escorting her into a magnificent ball.
As they arrived at the ship Sam met them at the ramp and announced that Skyler Walker's updated profile had be received and his accommodations had been prepared alone with his food preferences and the extra load of medical supplies.
As they prepared to leave he turned to Maure and said earnestly. "I appreciate you choosing me and I will try my best not to kill anyone on our team." Then he turned and stepped on Yoda, causing him to limp for a week.
oOo
Tanacca set course for Kamino and sat back and watched as the stars streaked as they entered hyper-space. Skyler stood in the entrance of the cockpit to see it too. He had always wanted to see this but had never been allowed in the cockpit before. He had been the only student to crash the flight simulator, literally. Tanacca brayed: "I just love to watch…"
She heard a familiar noise and felt a warm smelly liquid run down her shoulder into her lap. Bray: "&$$#&#$!" Tanacca ran out of the cockpit and into her quarters, spending the next few hours washing the goo and smell out of her fur and drying it.
Maure didn't know whom to feel sorriest for Yoda, Tanacca or Skyler. "Skyler go to your quarters and rest, you have had a busy day and you look positively green. I'll see to Yoda and Tanacca. Sam will clean up the mess."
"If you want to take me back now, I will understand." He said quietly and turned another shade of green.
"No, we are in this together." Maure said as she popped Yoda's hip back in place. She looked at Yoda as Skyler's door closed. "I know, but I have a good feeling about this boy."
"Describe my feeling as good, I would not." Yoda said painfully. Maure had to carry him to his quarters, much to his embarrassment. "Dignified, this is not!"
oOo
Later that night Maure sat alone in her room meditating. 'I hope you know what you are doing,' She said to the Force. 'Because no one else seems to.'
oOo
Fortunately, the trip to Kamino took a while allowing Yoda to recuperate, somewhat. Maure and Skyler practiced with the training sabers that Master Alexa Jinn had insisted they bring along to work with. The burn cream the healers sent helped immensely on the training saber burns and Maure was assured by the holo-med-tech her hair would grow back. Tanacca kept her distance just in case he erupted again and Yoda stepped lively when he came near. They spent most of one day reloading Sam's memory after Skyler crashed into her. (The engineers are still trying to figure out how he did that one.)
oOo
On arriving at Kamino the group made contact with the landing tower and received instructions on where to land. "This is to easy." Maure said.
"Need easy, we will." Yoda said looking over at Skyler.
"I don't mind if you want to leave me on the ship. I mean I know I…" Skyler said softly.
"No, you are going with us. Who knows you might trip over the Sith." Maure said reassuring him. Yoda looked like he was the one that needed reassuring.
A very tall graceful lady with large eyes and a soft voice greeted them at the entrance of the space station. "Good day Jedi. You have been expected, Master Killum will see you in the conference room."
Yoda straightened and forced himself not to limp. He looked at Maure as they followed the Lady down a long hall, through a set of large metal doors and into a large white plastisteel paneled room with a huge rectangle conference table. At the head of the table was the older man that he and Yobocca had seen in the camp on Duken. The man that ducked out in the face of a battle and left his apprentice to deal with the Jedi alone.
"You are getting an annoying habit of interfering with my business. I want it stopped! There is enough space out here for all of us. This is my base. You leave me alone and I will leave you alone." Killum said almost civilly.
"Jedi our name, is. Stop calling yourself by it and we will." Yoda said boldly. "Also children collected in name of Jedi, turned over to us, we want."
"You are a little small to be making such demands." Killum fumed.
"Size and power, the same, they are not." Yoda said walking closer to convey the fact that he was not concerned of Killum's height advantage. He was more concerned that Skyler followed him. 'Not training saber, he has.'
"Leave now or you will be dealt with harshly." Killum hissed.
"Turn over the children or turn Skyler loose on you, I will." Yoda said narrowing his eyes and speaking as forcefully as he could.
Killum looked up at Skyler who was several inches taller than he was. "He's just a child."
"Deadliest Jedi in temple, he is. Put renowned Jedi Master in bed for a week, he did. None want to spar with him, for fear of their lives." Yoda said earnestly.
Killum could sense the truthfulness of Yoda's words and from a certain point of view they were. "I have recently decided to get out of the training of younger disciples. It's much more time effective to wait and pick up your failures. So you may relieve me of their burden. I have better things to do with my time than wipe noses. Alanasa. " He called.
The graceful lady almost floated into the room. "Yes, Master Killum."
"Have you finished preparing the children for transport?" Killum barked.
"Yes, Master Killum. They are awaiting your orders."
"Show them and the Jedi out." He said and dismissed them all and sat down in his seat as if they all didn't exist.
"This way Master Jedi." Alanasa said softly and led them to another room and a rowdy group of brats.
oOo