Act 3: Chapter 3 - New Lessons
Academy City
August 13, 2023
3 days later...
"August 13, 2023." Theron begins as he records an audio log in his home. "It's been three days since Misaka, Shirai, and I were able to escape a second trap set by the Second Brother. Although his true identity underneath that helmet of his remains a mystery, we were able to gather some intel on what we know about him so far for almost over the past two weeks, including what the Empire's true motives for Earth really is."
Getting up from his seat, Theron starts pacing and looking around in his room as he continues his log.
"Due to possessing the knowledge of using Force Lightning in our first encounter, the Second Brother is most likely to be a secret apprentice to the Sith Lord in charge of the Empire that exists in the Milky Way. Whoever his master is, is unknown, but thankfully it's not Vader and his master Palpatine. Still, the Inquisitorious' goals remain the same: hunting down Force users that are a threat to the Sith and the Empire's power, as well as indoctrinating Force-sensitive children into their ranks as Jedi Hunters or spies for the Sith. Speaking of the Sith Inquisitor, it's clear that the reason for the Empire's campaign in conquering Earth is because the Second Brother is looking for something. He claims to know of an ancient temple somewhere deeply beneath Academy City. Whether this is true or not, my main priority is to keep training and improving on my knowledge and skills in the Force if I'm to stand what chance I have against him."
The young Jedi pauses for a moment on what he should add next in his audio log.
"Meanwhile, Saten is making good progress in mental training." He continues . "She seems to be learning fast in our meditation states, given the different flow of time it effects in the physical world. I've yet to see if she knows how to fight without having to rely on a baseball bat she mentioned in using before. She's... remarkable, I'll admit. And it makes me wonder about our growing friendship and bond in these last two weeks of knowing her. Only time will tell."
He sits back down on his bed as he continues to record on his datapad.
"In the meantime, R4 is still investigating on Yomikawa for me. In my heart, I know she's loyal to the people here. However, she seemed... off when I interacted with her. I can't even read her with the Force for some reason. Hopefully, R4 might have the answers I need. I'll elaborate my findings in my next entry."
He ends recording and puts it away in a drawer before walking out of his room.
Uiharu types on her laptop as she is working on fixing the bugs on the ship's systems.
"Hey, Uiharu. How's it coming along?" Theron says while entering the ship's communications room.
"I figured out what's wrong with the new software you and R4 wrote." She chirps with a smile. "It looks like you two overdid on the code for the Ebon Hawk's autopilot and navicomputer. That's why the cockpit keeps catching on fire whenever you start her up and had to resort to emergency power."
"Yeah." He sheepishly chuckles while scratching the back of his head. "Computers aren't entirely my thing. I just focus on ship engineering."
"Glad that you have someone that can do it." The hacker proudly smirks, referring to herself.
"Thanks. So how long?"
"It should be done right about..." She answers as it finishes updating the ship's systems. "...now."
He looks at her screen and grins.
"Uiharu, you are one hell of a computer programmer."
She blushes at the compliment.
"By the way, have you seen Saten? I thought she's with you." He asks.
"She's back outside. Says she's training." Uiharu explains. "I think you inspired her to learn about the Force."
"Yeah, no shit." He rolls his eyes. "And she's learning fast. I just hope she doesn't turn into a Mary Sue."
In a different timeline, years from now...
A certain scavenger girl sneezes all of a sudden, getting her friend's attention.
"You okay?" BB-8 beeps as they rest inside a wrecked walker on the desert world of Jakku.
"Yeah. I'm okay." The girl says before frowning to herself. "For some reason, I feel like someone is insulting me."
Present Day
"Huh?" Uiharu confusingly asks.
"Nothing." He waves off. "I'm gonna go look for her. Feel free to let yourself out."
"Wait! What about working on the rest of the ship?"
But just like that, the Jedi has already left the room.
"Those two are made for each other." The Level 1 sighs. "That's what worries me."
On the training grounds behind the Jedi's home, Saten stands before a large boulder that's meant to strengthen the user's Force grip. Closing her eyes, she reaches out to the boulder and slowly lifts it up with thr Force. She struggles to keep it up in the air forever and eventually drops it back down on the ground with a loud thump.
"Very impressive, Saten." Theron applauds, getting the girl's attention. "You held that rock up for 3 minutes. My current record is 15."
"And you boasting about it is suppose to make me improve?" She slightly glares at him.
"It was a compliment." He deadpans. "Don't be too serious about it. You'll get better."
"Honestly, I'm starting to get bored lifting rocks. I want to try something else for a change." She sighs.
"Like what?"
"Hmm." She wonders before noticing his lightsaber holstered on his waist. "Your lightsaber, perhaps?"
"Huh?" He says before understanding what she means. "Oh! I mean... I guess it wouldn't hurt to teach you how to properly wield one."
She grins with excitement in her eyes.
"Yes! I actually get to use one!"
"Whoa, not so fast." He warns. "Before we do the real deal, I want to know your fighting style first."
"My fighting style?"
"Yes." He nods as he walks over to a stand housing Japanese training swords.
He picks two up and tosses one at her, in which she catches it.
"Seriously?" She questions him. "I know how to fight with or without a shinai."
"If so, then why haven't you used it to kick the Empire off of Earth two weeks back?" He asks, getting tired of her complaining. "Misaka and the others were doing most of the work and you haven't exactly proved yourself to me."
This greatly offended her, and she grits her teeth with rage.
"Hey!" She shouts, pointing her shinai at him. "Fighting large groups wasn't what I was expecting, and I can't fight three or more guys on my own."
"Is that so?" He smirks before turning serious and getting in his Form IV stance. "Then shut up and kick my ass already."
Saten gulps nervously and getting in her own sloppy stance. She then charges at him and starts wildly swinging her bamboo blade at him. However, he predicted this and sidesteps her first attack. Seeing an opening so easily, Theron kicks her in the stomach that sends her sliding across the dirt.
"That may work on a Stormtrooper, but not me." He mildly taunts.
"No fair!" She exclaims as she stands back up, gripping her two hands on her shinai. "Kicking in a swordfight is cheating!"
"This isn't kendo, Saten." He rolls his eyes. "Geat. Now I know why you're always called a damsel."
"Shut up!" She angrily snarls.
Pissed, the girl charges at him again and tries to get a hit on him. But once more, the Jedi sidesteps and trips her with his foot, knocking her down. Before she can recover, Theron's bamboo blade is placed before her neck, ending the training match. To be fair, this fight only lasted approximately thirty seconds and Saten got her ass whooped hard.
Saten was a little scared but that all went away when he lowers his shinai.
"Annnd that's your head." He concludes. "Every mistake you've made is a limb loss. A lightsaber's blade isn't proficient like a normal one is."
"How come this is so easy for you?" She whines. "You even have a lightsaber for damn sake!"
"Having a lightsaber doesn't make me a Jedi." He calmly lectures. "And your stance is all wrong. You're holding your blade like a baseball bat, lacking the discipline for you to use it correctly."
Saten feels frustrated at this.
"I want to go again." She says, getting impatient.
"No." He answers. "That style of yours sucks. If you want to avoid getting yourself killed, I'm walking you through the basics."
The girl groans.
"Now then," He begins. "Let's start with your stance."
Three hours later...
Theron watches Saten working on her new fighting stance as she struggles to get use to it more than her sloppy, more pathetic one she's so use to before. This started to upset the young Jedi as this so difficult for him to teach her.
"She's so slow at this. Atheletic, but slow." He sighs frustratingly to himself.
"Well, you're the one that offered to train Saten." Shirai points out.
He quickly turns to his right and sees the Teleporter standing next to him.
"You need to stop doing that." He says in annoyance. "Teleporting out of nowhere, I mean. And I didn't even sense you coming!"
"Hmph." She smugly replies. "That's for all the trolling you've put me through. But anyway, I see you decided to teach her how to fight with a lightsaber. That was quick."
"I'm teaching her the basics first. Unfortunately, her original form is so sloppy that I had to walk her through in practicing her new one. And it took me three hours for her to finally make progress."
"Hey, she's not a prodigy like you." Shirai says. "And most of us are trying to get use to the whole 'Force' thing existing."
"Duley noted."
Saten lowers her shinai and starts panting, exhausted from working on her new stance.
"Okay!" She calls out the Theron. "I've got it down. Happy?"
"Better." He nods in approval.
She walks over to him after putting the bamboo sword back where it was grabbed off of. She then notices Shirai.
"Hey, Shirai." She greets. "Didn't see you there. Where's Misaka?"
"Sissy's out shopping on her own, so I came to visit Uiharu inside the ship. I heard she finally fixed your ship's new software, Theron."
"Wait, really?" Saten asks before shaking her head. "Of course she would. It's Uiharu after all. Who am I kidding?"
"Well, tell Uiharu thanks again because right now I'm heading inside to nap so you three can go." He says, walking toward the back door.
"I thought we're going to do more today." The Level 0 says.
"Yeah well, I'm tired. Laters." He casually waves before heading inside and shutting the door behind them.
"Well that's anticlimatic for him." Saten mutters.
"Come on, Saten. Uiharu's waiting for us to go." Shirai says.
"Right. Let's go."
The Level 4 then teleports her and herself away to meet up with Uiharu at the front of Theron's home.
To be continued...
