"Young one, may I speak with you?" a voice behind me spoke. I turned around to lock gazes with Master Saa.

"Of course, Master." I stood up from the chair where I had been meditating just a few moments before. We planned to leave Maix tomorrow, having collected more food and re-filled the ship with fuel. We had been carrying so much of it, and now we had little extra left. We would have to find a filling station after we left Maix. I wouldn't miss the filthy planet.

"What is it, Master Saa?" I asked as she drew me over to a corner. Aayla was at the other end of the room, which happened to be the training room, showing basic Djem So blocks to Ahsoka. Whatever Master Saa had to say, they didn't need to hear yet.

"Do you know what battle meditation is, little one?" I wondered briefly if the Neti Jedi master would ever decide to call me something besides 'young one' or 'little one'. She called my Padawan by his name, but she never did me!

"I've heard of it, but I have never seen it in use."

"I am a practitioner of this technique. I had a vision yesterday, and I feel I must teach it to you."

"Huh?" I asked. Battle meditation was a powerful technique that usually was self-taught or given only to very powerful masters.

"You heard me correctly, little one. I want to teach you battle meditation." For once I completely overlooked the whole 'little one' thing.

"I would be honored, Master Saa."

She smiled. "We will start immediately, if that is alright with you. Now is a good time because you were meditating and I can safely assume that you are centered."

Well, I hadn't exactly been the model Jedi in the past few weeks, and I hadn't sat down to meditate for half as much time as I would have liked. But I wasn't going to disagree with Master Saa. The Neti Jedi Master sat on the ground and patted the space beside her. I sat down, crossing my legs and putting my hands on my knees.

"Close your eyes," Master Saa said. I did so. "Breathe deeply, and find the energy signatures of Master Shaak Ti and Master Tsui Choi."

I breathed deeply and searched for their energies. I found Shaak's easily. I knew her energy even better than Luminara's. Master Choi was harder, but I found him soon enough. They were in the same room…still on the cruiser, and walking….towards the training room, where we currently were located.

"I found them," I said.

"Good. Wait until they enter the training room."

I complied, and when they entered the training room, Master Saa touched my shoulder lightly. Suddenly I was aware that both of them had their lightsabers out. They were sparring. I wanted to open my eyes so I could watch, but I got the distinct feeling Master Saa would be angry if I broke my concentration. So I kept them closed.

"Battle meditation is used to boost the morale of your allies and decrease that of your enemies." Her voice was close to my ear and in a whisper. "I want you to focus on Master Ti, since I know the two of you have a close bond. Reinforce her energy. You know she can do anything, you know it in your heart. So tell her."

I reached out through the force, touching Shaak's energy. I called every scrap of admiration, of affection, and of reverence I felt towards her, and pushed it all into her. I remembered every time she had saved a life, every time she had been patient with me, and every act of extreme bravery she had shown throughout the clone wars and the purge.

Someone touched my shoulder. My eyes opened slowly and sluggishly. Onyx black met my gaze.

"What are you doing?" Shaak asked.

"I am teaching her battle meditation, Master Ti," Master Saa said from somewhere behind me.

"Oh, I did not realize you were instructing her." Shaak smiled. "Would like us to continue?" I noticed the Master Choi was still in the middle of the room. He was panting. For some reason, a spark of pride jumped in my heart. Shaak pulled away from me and walked back to Master Choi. They exchanged a few words and then went back to sparring.

"Carry on, Young one," Master Saa said. I wondered fleetingly if this was what Shaak felt like when I called her 'Master'. Then I forced my eyes closed and focused myself once again. Again I felt for Shaak's energy, putting out every ounce of admiration I felt for her into her own energy.

"Very good," Master Saa whispered in my ear again. "Now, I want to focus on Master Choi. To him, I want to send a strong message that says he is strong, but Shaak is stronger." A brief flicker of reluctance reared its head. I squashed it and focused on Master Choi. I didn't want to kill all his self-esteem, so I did my best to be gentle.

A crash jolted me from my meditative state. My eyes flew open. Master Choi picked himself up from the heap he had landed in just a few feet from where I sat. Someone started clapping.

"That was…impressive…Master Ti…" Master Choi grunted. It was Master Saa that was clapping. Shaak joined her.

"What?" Master Choi asked. Aayla and Ahsoka had wandered over. Aayla was clapping too. Ahsoka looked impressed.

"It was not really me," Shaak said. "Master Saa is teaching Shanti battle meditation." Every head in the room swiveled to look at me.

"What's battle meditation?" Ahsoka asked. I gave her brief outline of the purpose, and when I finished, she was beaming.

"That's so cool! Can you teach me, Master Saa?"

The Jedi master shook her head. "I can teach only one at a time. Battle Meditation if very difficult to teach. Perhaps when I am finished with young Shanti, she can teach you, Ahsoka."

'You'd do well to let that one go,' Master Fay said in the back of my mind. 'Becoming annoyed at one of the greatest Jedi Masters of all time every few minutes just because she calls you 'young one' will bring you no pleasure.'

Inside my head, I grumbled. "Why are you always right?"

"Speaking of teaching, when is Ahsoka going to get a master?" Master Choi asked. I jolted out of my thoughts.

"I have been training her myself, but I feel she can learn more under a younger Jedi. Master Choi, since you seemed concerned about the matter, Ahsoka will be your apprentice." I remembered that Master Choi had never trained an apprentice that lived past their second month of training. Master Choi's mouth opened, but a look from Shaak silenced his protests. Or so I thought.

"Master Ti would be a better choice, don't you think?"

"She is a powerful and wise Jedi, true, but she has already trained a magnificent Jedi and deserves a break from younglings." Master Saa smiled. I barely caught a snicker before it escaped my mouth when I caught sight of Master Choi's face. Ahsoka looked at him.

"Fine," Master Choi said. "I will take now take you, Ahsoka Tano, as my Padawan Learner." I smiled. Everyone clapped and dipped their heads, bearing witness to the words exchanged. None of us had ever been authorized to learn the ceremony of making a Padawan, not even Master Saa, so we made our own.

"Alright, Shanti, I want you to try with multiple opponents. Aayla, Master Ti, Ahsoka, Bultar, and Wone are on team one. Luminara, Master Choi, Tann, Zett, and Irka are on team two. Shanti, I want you to pick one team to try and reinforce using what I have taught you."

"Alright, I understand, master." My heart leaped. She had called me by my name! No. I need to focus. I did a quick mental game to decide which group to back up. I got my answer after a moment. I sought out the energies of Master Choi, Luminara, and their group.

"The goal is to get the flag, which is my cloak. Master Ti's team will be trying to get the flag, while Master Choi's team is defending the flag. This a good exercise for everyone. There will be ten minutes on the clock. If Master Ti's team steals the flag under the ten minutes, they win. If Master Choi's team successfully defends their flag, they win. Shanti will practice her battle meditation for a few rounds. There will be no lightsabers involved for this round. You may put your weapons here by Shanti. Does everyone understand?"

"Yes," Shaak said. Her team nodded as they stepped forward to put down their lightsabers. My eyes were closed, but I could feel their presences.

"We understand," Master Choi said. His team nodded as well, relinquishing their weapons.

"Very well. Begin!" I reached for the energies of the team I had chosen. I had at least four instances where I was immensely proud and impressed with all of them. It was quite easy.

This time was different then last time. I felt peaceful. So extremely peaceful I didn't understand why they called this technique 'battle' meditation.

I was more alert than I had ever been. I could see every move both teams made. Five minutes in, Master Choi was having an easy time defending the flag. It was working. Shaak's team was losing.

The first round ended, going to Master Choi, of course.

"Second round, begin!" Master Saa said. This time I could see that Shaak's team had the cloak. I shifted my focus to them. Shaak was fighting hand-to-hand with Luminara, who was resisting my battle meditation with amazing strength. Shaak was older, taller, and more experienced, but Luminara was extremely strong and much better at unarmed combat. I was so calm, I didn't care. I could only be amazed at the grace with which (my girlfriend? Lover?) Luminara and my former master moved.

Shaak eventually got Luminara in a headlock, and the ten minutes were up. Master Saa touched my shoulder and I came out of my meditative trance.

"You are picking up on this very fast," she told me.

"Thank you, Master," I replied. She smiled.

"This last round is the tie breaker. Lightsabers are allowed." Every Jedi rushed forward to get their lightsaber.

"Will Shanti be using battle meditation this time?"Aayla asked.

"Yes. But I will be as well." She sat down beside me, crossing her long legs. "We will see if you learned fast enough to keep up with me."

"Alright, Master," I said. I closed my eyes, feeling peace rush at me immediately. She was likely to win, but I didn't really care.

"I will reinforce Master Choi's team, while you take Master Ti's team," she said. I didn't open my eyes, but I nodded my head.

"Begin!"

I put all my concentration on Shaak and her group. I poured every ounce of concentration I had in me on them. I didn't remember what happened, but all of a sudden Luminara was shaking me, and I opened my eyes.

"What happened?" I asked. Master Saa stood behind Luminara, looking half shocked and half proud.

"You perfected battle meditation in less than a day," she said. "It is no wonder you do not remember. I do not remember what happened the first time I did a perfect battle meditation."

"I did it…perfectly?" I asked quietly. Shaak stepped around Master Saa.

"Yes. You did."

"Yeah, their team won hands down," Zett muttered. His eyes were still sparkling, though, which meant he had fun.

"I cannot believe you perfected it so quickly. It must come naturally to you," Master Saa said.

"Thank you so much for teaching me, Master Saa," I said, dipping my head to her. She dipped her head back.

"I was my pleasure, Shanti. To teach such a talented student is truly an honor."

"I will be sure to put what you've taught me to good use."

Master Saa's eyes suddenly darkened. "Good, because I fear you may have to use it sooner than we would all like."