Chapter 22: A Test Of Strength

Kanan Jarrus sat in his room, meditating and waiting for Ezri to show up for their lesson (He had searched the whole ship for her and even asked Zeb, but he denied it because Ezri was still a little cold towards him because of him accidentally causing Hera and her to get shipwrecked). This was the third time today that girl was late. And he couldn't blame her because of the incident on that asteroid. Sometimes, he would wake up to her screaming in the middle of the night, calling for her parents and in her delirious state, she would call him "Daddy" or Hera "Mama." Actually, lucky for him that Sabine would be the first to calm Ezri down in case she was fully conscious. Speaking of which, Kanan knew that Ezri wasted her times with Sabine whenever they were not training, so he could, in part, blame his eldest daughter figure for making Ezri late. Kanan knew it was time for Ezri to be tested, to see if she was truly meant to be a Jedi. He did it when he was a padawan, for he was only fourteen when his master took him to Ilum to find his lightsaber crystal.

As Kanan meditated, Ezri was out of breath because she had just ran across seven miles of terrain to get back to the Ghost. She had been so busy with Sabine and showing her the TIE that she and Zeb had stolen that Ezri lost track of time. Quickly, she rushed to Kanan's room and hit the door to open to his room. She saw her Master, sitting on the ground, meditating and Ezri could feel through their force bond that Kanan was disappointed in her for being late. She did not need it in writing. Well, at least he and Hera did not know about her and Zeb stashing away the TIE fighter away (little did they know, that would play a major role in the future).

"Sorry I'm late, I was with Sabine," Ezri said, with her Padawan braid falling to the left side to of her head. It was usually tucked behind her ear so no one could see she was training to be a Jedi. Kanan giving it to her had actually made her feel safer when around her father figure.

Awkward silence.

"So, you going to invite me in?"

"You didn't knock, so what makes you think you need an invite?"

Kanan said, with his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry."

"Then you should knock first."

"Not for that. For missing training," Ezri said.

"It's all the same thing. The fact that you don't see it-"

Ezri backed away, waiting for Kanan to yell at her some more. However, he calmed down for a second. Kanan knew that screaming at Ezri was not going to solve anything. She did not respond to people with anger (probably because she was always afraid when someone shouted because of her life on the streets.

"I'm sorry, I ...I shouldn't have raised my voice like that," Kanan said apologetically but Ezri shook her head.

"It's fine," Ezri said. Kanan nodded, because he did not want to fight. Instead, he wanted to talk to her about a more pressing manner but in calm manners. They needed to think this through with calmer heads, which has prevailed in other civilizations prior to the fall of the republic and the rise of the Empire.

"Look, Ezri, the real reason I called you here is because when we were on that asteroid, you accidentally made a dangerous connection through the force. Now I have to know if you... Are ready."

"Ready for what?" Ezri asked as she looked at her master expectedly.

"For a test, a real challenge that My Master did with me," Kanan said. "One that could determine if you're meant to be a jedi...Or not."

"Excuse me?" Ezri said, her hands on her hips. Kanan backed away a little bit when he saw Ezri had that same look in her eye that Hera had. That girl really did take after Hera sometimes, even though most people noted that he and Ezri had similar mannerisms.

"To see if you can potentially become a Jedi," Kanan said.

"But you said I was a jedi. Why else would you be training me?"

"I never said you were a jedi. I said you had the potential to become one. But you lack discipline, focus."

"That's not fair," Ezri snapped, crossing her arms. "You know how I grew up. You of all people should understand what it is like to lose a family and have to live your life on the streets. I am not used to these rules. Kanan, I want to become the jedi you see in me, the one I don't always see in myself."

Kanan felt a bit of a fatherly pride for Ezri as she defended herself. Clearly, someone with a lack of discipline couldn't stand up for themselves, as Ezri had just done.

"Perhaps you're right, Ezri," Kanan said as he smiled at the memory of his mentor, putting his hand on Ezri's shoulder. "You're lucky I'm not my master. She would never let you get away with-" He stopped and looked at Ezri. Then he shook his head. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Do you want a second chance?"

Ezri nodded. "You know I do."

"Well then, go prep up the ship. Ezri nodded and smiled.

"As you say, Master," Ezri said, quickly rushing out the room and right past Hera, who watched the child run and she suddenly smiled before growing serious and heading down to Kanan's room.

"Ah, I might regret this," Kanan muttered to himself. Hera came into the room, and Kanan looked at her as she gave him a meaningful look.

"You have to do this, Kanan," Hera said. "After what happened on the asteroid, you have to help her."

"I hope I can," Kanan muttered as Hera put her hand on her lover's shoulder and smiled.

"I know you can," Hera said before pecking him on the cheek. Kanan found himself suddenly agreeing with Hera as he made his way to the Phantom.

"So, where are we headed for this test?" Ezri asked as she sat in one of the passenger's seats as Kanan sat in the pilot.

"That's what you're gonna tell me." Kanan said, putting the ship on autopilot. He sat down on the opposite side of Ezri. "When I was your age, there were around 10,000 jedi knights defending the galaxy. Now, we are few. But in those days, we had small outposts, Temples spread throughout the stars. The empire sought out these temples and destroyed many of them, but not all. I want you to meditate, let the force guide you to one of them."

"What if I can't find it?" Ezri asked.

"That's part of the test." Ezri sighed and closed her eyes as Kanan spoke to her. "Trust yourself. Trust the force."

Ezri stopped meditating and looked at her mentor.

"So, did you take this test at my age?"

"It was different for me, ezra. Everything was different back then. All that remains now is the force."

"And only my connection to the force can lead me to the temple," Ezri said with a smile. Kanan returned the smile to her, and gave her a fatherly gaze

"She can be taught," Kanan said as Ezri closed her eyes again.

"There's a massive stone- with a tunnel, I think-And a bright star inside of it."

Ezri could feel Force and the vision flow through her mind and she finally found it ...

"And it's right here, on lothal."

"You sure?" Kanan asked as he got into the pilot seat, with Ezri behind him.

"I can't give you the coordinates, but I can direct us there. I know I can."

Kanan finally made it to the area, where Ezri saw something so familiar. It was the stone from her visions.

"The stone

from my vision," She looked at Kanan accusingly. "You already knew."

" I checked the holocron back in my cabin."

"And it told you there was a jedi temple on lothal?"

"The holocron holds extensive star maps, but I was as surprised as you that there was a temple here. Course, I couldn't be sure this is where you were meant to be, but it makes sense. This is your home. You better figure out how we get inside. And don't take too long. Remember, the empire has access to all the old jedi records. They may know about this temple and have it under surveillance."

Ezri spent the next fifteen minutes trying to find the entrance to the building but nothing. No doors, no windows, nothing. It was ather frustrating she could not find a way in. She looked down at Kanan, who was meditating.

"Nothing. No sign of an entrance. Not even a crack."

"I know this is the place. I feel it," Kanan said in his dream state while meditating. Ezri rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, can't you give me a hint?"

"Don't look. Listen. Use the force to hear the stone and its story."

Ezari nodded and laid her hand on the walls of the Lothal jedi temple. She felt it flow from her hand into her head.

"The stone. The temple. It-It wants to admit me. No. Wait, not me. Us. Master and padawan." She looked away from the rock and to Kanan. "Together."

"Then together it shall be," Kanan said. Kanan and Ezri stood there, side by side as if they were a real family, and reached their hands out and together, the doors of the Lothal Jedi Temple opened up to them, bu tKanan warned her to not let her focus falter, or the entire building would fall down on top of them. Ezri was amazed as she entered the temple. She could feel all the sentiment. All the history within the walls. However, she looked around and she saw a corpse of a Jedi Master, causing her to scream so loud that the walls shattered. Suddenly, the doors behind her and Kanan closed. She looked up and saw her master was glaring at her.

"You lost focus," Kanan said.

"Well, dead guys are distracting."

"In here, you'll have to face your worst fears and overcome them. And there's no guarantee of success."

"I have plenty of faith. Faith you'll keep me on track."

"I'm not going with you."

"What? Where are you gonna be?"

"Right here, with them-Masters whose padawans never returned."

"You're putting your life in my hands?"

"You put your training in mine, Kanan reminded her.

"Remind me to never let you take my children out anywhere," Ezri said. She stepped into the hallway, a rock began to come in between them, dropping from the doorway. "Good luck."

Ezri panicked. She had to make this quick before the door dropped completely.

"Wait. What exactly am I looking for?" Ezri asked, having to crouch down to lisen to Kanan as the rock began closing.

"Nothing and everything."

"That doesn't help."

" I know..." Kanan shouted as the rock finally connected with the floor, effectively cutting Ezri and Kanan off. He sighed to himself. "But that's what my master told me."

Depa had told him that so long ago that it felt like he was hearing it again as if it was yesterday. Now his life were in Ezri's hands as he thought to himself.