Sarah woke up and quietly yawned into her pillow. She checked the time. She wasn't used to sleeping in until 8:30 on a Wednesday morning. However, she still had a half hour before breakfast. She quietly opened the bedroom door and went outside. As she turned the corner, she knew the lower level's refrigerator had extra water and goodies. But was it a good idea to have something so close to breakfast?

"Good morning, Initiate Sarah," Madame Andrews said.

Sarah nearly jumped. She wasn't expecting someone to be watching her.

"It's okay, initiate. I didn't mean to startle you. I was just wondering why you were standing there."

"I thought about getting something. But I'll just wait for breakfast."

"That's probably a good idea. From what I've been told it's a real treat."

Sarah nodded and was set to go upstairs. However, her instructor interrupted her.

"Sarah, wait."

Sarah turned around.

"Today's activities are very important. There's three in all. I know you've been nervous. It's understandable after last week. But you need to focus on the here and now. Your classmates need you. You need to be ready to help them today. Don't worry about what could happen. Learn to trust your instincts and the Force."

"Yes, master," Sarah replied before she went upstairs. Although she recognized the aromas coming from the kitchen, her father was so busy cooking with Master Cara, neither one of them noticed her. Sarah decided to go back downstairs to the recreation room before breakfast.


"Okay, everybody. After breakfast, place your dirty dishes and utensils in the same spot as you did yesterday. When you're done, go over to the other table, grab a bag and print your name on it. At some point today, you're all expected to write a positive note to all of your classmates," Madame Andrews stated.

Sarah felt her stomach twist slightly. "What am I going to write to Madison? And what's she going to tell me?"

"Our first session, a brief meditation, will take place at ten up in the chapel area. We'll also tell you about your first small group activity before we go outside and do it," Madame Andrews added.

"And this morning's dish crew is … Brian, Will, and Molly. The rest of you will help Master Cara as needed," the Grand Master stated.

The initiates nodded and left the main living room. Once they reached their table, they quickly looked for their respective mugs.

Sarah quickly found her mug. She still wasn't sure why she chose one with a frog on it and a quotation about reflection. But at least it was easy to find. She sat down at the end of the bench next to the window. Thankfully, the benches were long enough she wouldn't be squished up against the wall. Slowly, her classmates settled in for breakfast. Sarah felt her heart race a little when Madison sat beside her.

Sarah took a deep breath. With her father somewhere close by, she was determined not to do anything to disappoint him.

"Sarah, can you pass the orange juice?" Madison asked.

Sarah blinked her eyes as the question brought her back to the moment.

"In a minute, let me pour mine first," she replied.

"Okay."

A few minutes later, Sarah's father came out with two pans full of french toast. Sarah couldn't help smiling as it was one of her favorite breakfasts at home. Her father didn't make it very often, so it was a bit of a treat.

"Okay everybody, I hope you like it. Bon appetit," he said.


After the meditation session and instructions about the first activity of the day, the group assembled outside.

"As I mentioned, we will have three pairs for this activity. Madison and Will, you'll be one group. Brian and Sarah, you'll be the next group. That leaves Molly and David as the third group," Madame Andrews stated.

"Remember, each of you will start at a different landmark and you'll have to successfully complete all three stations. And both of you have to complete each one. So, be sure to encourage your partner if you finish the station first," Master Cara reminded anyone.

"We're about to go to each of the stations to observe you in action. But you may go ahead an open your envelopes to see where you'll be starting first," the Grand Master stated as the adults left in three different directions.

Sarah opened her envelope and removed the paper. Inside, there was a crude map of the retreat grounds and where the three stations would be.

"Where do we start?" Brian asked.

"In the barn. Let's go." Sarah replied.

The pair ran quickly down the driveway and gravel path to the barn. Sarah opened the door and peeked in.

"Come on in!" her father said.

Both Brian and Sarah entered. This particular barn had been converted into a gymnasium of sorts. Sarah spotted benches off on either side while Brian noticed the basketball nets and markings on the floor for both basketball and volleyball. The courts were a tight fit inside the barn, but they were sufficient for recreational use.

"Welcome to the athletic station, initiates. Each of you need to grab one of those basketballs. Here, you each need to score ten baskets before you can move on to your next station," the Grand Master said.

Sarah and Brian grabbed the balls and were set to go to opposite ends of the court.

"Wait! You have to both use the same basket," the Grand Master stated.

The initiates nodded. However, when they took their first shot together, each of their balls collided above the basket and knocked the other away.

"Why don't I shoot first and you can shoot right after I do," Brian suggested.

Sarah nodded. If they staggered their shots, they could still complete their task quicker than if they went one at a time.

Although they missed their fair share of shots, the pair eventually completed their task.

"Good job, you two. Go ahead and go to your next station," the Grand Master said.

Sarah pulled the map out of her pocket. She was shocked to see the next stop was the chapel the monks used for their religious services. Wasn't that off limits?

As the pair worked the way up the spiraled ramp, Sarah noticed a sign on the door that read "Jedi Initiates" with an arrow pointing inside. Upon entry, the found another sign pointing to a stairway. They wouldn't be inside the chapel proper, but an upper room instead.

"Good morning," Master Cara said to the pair. "A Jedi needs to be strong in spirit. Here, I'd like the two of you to spend ten minutes meditating on what it would be like to work together as Jedi Knights."

Sarah and Brian looked at each other. This was certainly something they had never done in class. But this time away was supposed to be different – if not more advanced.

As Sarah closed her eyes, she tried to imagine what she'd look like when she was older. She could only hope her head-tails would be as long as her mothers. She wasn't sure what her montrals would look like., but she did her best to imagine herself as an adult.

"Go, I'll hold off our attacker," Sarah's voice echoed. She clutched her lightsaber a bit tighter as she deflected bolts shot by an unknown assailant.

"Right," Brian replied as he attempted to sneak up on the same assailant.

As Sarah continued to immerse herself in deep reflection, Master Cara interrupted her train of thought.

"Alright. Your time is up. I hope that went well for you," she said.

Sarah nodded. She didn't expect the time to go by so quickly. It never did any other time.

Brian checked his watch to make sure ten minutes did in fact elapse.

"I hope you envisioned yourselves working with each other. Go ahead and go to your last station," Master Cara stated.

Brian and Sarah went back outside. She was surprised when she looked at the map.

"We have to go back to the living room?" she asked in disbelief.

"Let's go. The quicker we finish this, the better for us!" Brian answered her.

Sarah nodded as they both went inside. Madame Andrews stood in the front of the living room waiting for them.

"So, you're my last pair. Are you ready for your last station?" she asked?

Both Brian and Sarah nodded eagerly.

Madame Andrews handed both of them a sheet of paper. "For the next few minutes, I'd like you both to write about what it would mean to be a Jedi," she told them.

Brain and Sarah looked at each other. This was definitely an unexpected assignment. Still, they nodded, walked over to a table and begin to write.


With all six initiates back in the living room, it was time to prepare for the next session.

"Okay, everyone. Good job. You'll have a half hour before we do our next session," Madame Andrews said.

Madison raised her hand and asked, "What were we supposed to do with all that?"

"Well, the purpose was two-fold. First, it gave you a chance to be paired up with someone, and hopefully learn a little more about them. That way, you'll be able to write them a note for their mail bag later. Also, this was a way to see different aspects of your personality."

"Oh."

"I don't know if any of you figured it out, but we had stations where you focused on the body – inside the gym; the spirit – inside the chapel's upper room; and the mind – with your writing exercise," The Grand Master said.

"What will you do with what we wrote?" Molly asked.

"That will be forwarded to Master Cal. This was a way to try to figure out your personality, and he will use it when the time comes to pair you with a master for your training," Madame Andrews said.


The girls sighed as they returned to the retreat house for lunch. Their latest session saw them pitted against the boys in a competition involving Jedi-themed trivia and a free throw-shooting contest. The girls outscored the boys in the trivia portion, but struggled at the free throw line. Molly was so frustrated she openly questioned the purpose of an activity with two totally different tasks.

"Initiate, as Jedi, we often get called on various missions. One day, you might be asked to be a guest instructor. The next day, you might find yourself in a lightsaber duel. It's important to be able to do well with both," Master Cara said.

"I guess that makes sense," Molly finally conceded.

After lunch, the group had a large block of free time. As the initiates went outside, the adults planned their final activity of the day – the full group activity.

Meanwhile, the class walked together down to the lake.

"Is this it?" David asked with disappointment in his voice.

"The one at our cottage up north is better," Molly replied.

"It looks deep," Sarah added as she looked curiously at the water.

"I'm going to take a closer look," Madison said. Much to her classmates' surprise, she started to walk onto the dock.

"Maddie, wait. You shouldn't do that," David said.

"I'll be fine."

"What do you think we'll be doing tonight?" Molly asked Sarah.

"I don't know – so long as it's something that Jedi do for real."

"Yeah, I didn't like the last activity either. Jedi don't shoot baskets."

"You're just mad because we beat you," Brian interjected.

As Molly turned to say something, a loud scream pierced the air. A few of the dock's planks were so old and rotten that Madison fell through a weak spot. She struggled to keep from falling entirely into the lake.

"Maddie!" David yelled.

Realizing something had to be done – and confident that she could swim to safety if she fell in, Sarah ran over to the dock.

"I'll get her!" Sarah called out.

"Sarah, wait, you might fall in, too," Molly called back.

Sarah quickly realized her best friend was right. However, she had an idea. She got onto her stomach, and she crawled along the dock until she was close enough to grab Madison's hand.

"Take my hand," Sarah told Madison.

"I... I can't. I'll fall in, and you'll get pulled in with me," Madison replied.

"You've got to. If you fall in, you might drown."

Madison released her right hand's grip onto the dock. Sarah took her hand, but she realized Madison was so scared that she was now dead weight. Sarah struggled to keep the both of them from falling in.


"I'm assuming they went down to look at the lake," Master Cara told her former master.

Their eyes widened as they heard a muffled scream.

"Something's not right, let's go!" the Grand Master said.

As they arrived, they saw four of the six initiates looking on nervously.

"What happened?" Master Cara asked.

"Maddie fell through the dock. Sarah's trying to rescue her, but I don't think they'll make it," David replied.

The Grand Master took Master Cara's right hand and held it. "We better help them," he said.

On the dock, Sarah continued to struggle with Madison.

"Let go of me, Sarah!" Madison said.

"No! If I do you'll drown."

"If you don't, you'll fall in with me. If you don't let go, I'll let go!"

All of a sudden, both girls slowly felt themselves being lifted up.

"Sarah, what are you doing?" Madison asked.

"I … I'm not doing it."

Both girls looked on nervously as they briefly floated above the water. What was happening.

As both girls were above solid ground again, both Master Cara and the Grand Master continued to use the Force to gently put them down. Madison hugged herself tightly as the cold water left her shivering.

"Everybody, pay attention to me. The lake is now off limits for the rest of our time here. The dock is, too. You still have plenty of free time left, but I want you to spend it in the gym, the rec room, or the space by the fountain," the Grand Master told everyone.

"Yes, master," Most of the initiates replied.

The Grand Master turned back to Master Cara. "Take Initiate Madison back to the retreat house. She need some warm clothes and she may need a medical scan. Contact the medical bay just to be safe," he told her.

Cara nodded and left with Madison.

The group walked back up the hill to the main area in complete silence. The reality of the situation begun to sink in.


Inside the retreat house, Master Cara took Madison to her room.

"Are you coming in?" Madison asked.

"I don't think that's necessary. I'd recommend taking a hot shower and changing into dry clothes. Once you're done, I'll scan you and contact the medical bay."

Madison nodded, went into her room, and locked the door.

Elsewhere, Molly and Sarah sat on a bench inside the gym. There, they watched the boys play some sort of basketball game.

"Sarah, you could have fallen in," she said.

Sarah nodded. "I know. But I had to try saving her."

"But what if you fell in?"

"I've had swimming lessons. I thought if I fell in, I'd be okay."

Molly shook her head in disbelief. "Not to mention, you two got suspended last week. Why would you save her after that?"

Sarah took a deep breath before she answered, "Somebody had to help her."

Back in the retreat house, Madison came back out of her room in a new outfit.

"How do you feel?" Master Cara asked.

"I'm still really shaky, master," Madison replied.

"Let me contact the medical bay and scan you. We'll see if anything is wrong."

Madison sat down on a couch next to Master Cara as the latter pulled out her datapad and contacted the medical bay. Upon hearing Knight Rachel at the other end, Cara spoke.

"I've got an 11 year old female who fell into the water up to her stomach. She's just taken a hot shower and changed her clothes. She appears fine, aside from feeling shaky."

"Perform a basic medical scan and transmit the results," Rachel replied.

Cara stood up and performed a basic medical scan on Madison. Madison stood up as well to make it easier for the Jedi Master to make a complete circular pass around her body.

"Her temperature is subnormal, but not enough for hypothermia to be a concern. Have her stay warm the rest of the day and avoid any further physical activity," Rachel stated.

"Acknowledging the subnormal temperature and instructions to avoid physical activity today."

"If the patient's condition changes, contact me."

"Will do," Cara replied as she ended the transmission. She then accessed her datapad's directory.

"What are you doing now?" Madison asked.

"We have to let your parents know what happened."

"But I'm fine!"

"I realize that, initiate. But we have to tell them you had an accident. Don't worry, I'll let them know you're okay."

"I just wish I didn't have to miss tonight's activity."

"At least you're safe. Sarah was pretty brave to try to help you. Especially after I had to keep you two from fighting like alley cats last week."

Madison's eyes widened. There was no way she could deny that Sarah actually tried to help her today despite their recent altercation. ▄