This galactic adventure is dedicated to LeAnn, a woman as powerful as kyber itself.
Chapter: 1 Sisters of the Force
"As beskar sharpens beskar, so one person sharpens another."
A galaxy consumed by conflict! The Clone Wars spread across vast star systems, eliminating hope for peace. The Republic desperately tries to maintain order while the Confederacy of Independent Systems gains a greater following. Across a galaxy so lost with the threat of annihilation, it is far too easy to lose faith in the keepers of peace and justice. The Jedi Order strives to defeat discord and protect the Republic from collapse. With many of its strongest members on the frontlines, hope for the future rests on the shoulders of the next generation. Padawans gathered on Coruscant continue their valiant training to become legendary Jedi. While no path will be similar, each requires unwavering courage and resilience...
The fight for peace was the greatest struggle for anyone wishing to understand the way of the Jedi. There was a distinct juxtaposition between war and harmony, yet both were supposed to coincide. In the decadence of galactic warfare, it was easy for many to lose their way. While some saw the sacred Jedi as peacekeepers, others viewed only hypocrites to a fallen order. This disorder persisted throughout the Clone Wars as they continued to ravage the galaxy. But yesterday's victims would be tomorrow's leaders. Fresh minds were always stepping in to challenge the future of the Republic and all it stood for. For a padawan like Elsa Dellian, her journey had merely begun.
The shades to Elsa's dormitory were shut tight. The trapped air was as frigid as her homeworld of Aren, a planet she had not seen since childhood. Its faded vistas were lost in the recesses of her memories along with those of her fallen parents. The only remaining connection to the past was that of her sister, Anna. But even now such bonds would have to be monitored under the Jedi doctrine. Elsa closed her eyes and recalled the ancient code.
There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.
The mantra's final stem resided most with Elsa. She had always shown remarkable promise in her connection with the energy binding all living things. Through meditation, she found solace from the sporadic doubts and negative jeers that prodded her mind daily. With the room darkened and cooled to her liking, Elsa dropped to her knees on a blanketed surface. She ran her fingers across the fabric and sought to let go of the world around her. She softly shut her eyes and took a deep breath.
Silence overwhelmed her as the weight of the norm subsided. No longer was she the subject of gossip amongst others in the Jedi temple. She didn't need friends, for her ally was the Force. As she strengthened her bond with it, the objects around her began to float. Chairs, vases, and even her cot whisked around like debris in a swirling storm. Elsa remained fixed in its eye as another object levitated before her. The lightsaber, a testamentary weapon wielded by the Jedi for over a thousand generations...was very much part of Elsa's new legacy. The blade's hilt gleamed with arcetron metals as Elsa recalled crafting it. Less social time permitted a more creative lifestyle, and she often spent her hours collecting droid parts. The teal-tinted arcetron served as a perfect casing for her style of lightsaber.
As Elsa sunk deeper into meditation, she struggled to find tranquility dwelling on thoughts of her sister. Anna was the closest person she had to a family, but the Jedi taught her to free herself of such attachments. Yet hypocritically, Jedi were seen as some of the most caring beings in the galaxy. Anna always seemed to get by fine in her training, never seeming to falter at least from the outside. Elsa tapped further into the Force to disassemble her lightsaber. Each bolt intricately came undone while the emitter swiveled off. The switch, hand grip, and focusing ring detached in perfect synchronization. Each hovered like harmonious ornaments drifting in a sea of rumination. Lastly, her weapon's sleeve slid off to join the other pieces, leaving only an energy chamber floating between her eyes. While maintaining control over everything else in the room, Elsa calmly focused on the chamber. Like a master surgeon, she delicately parted the chamber and revealed the source of power within.
Though her eyes were closed, Elsa saw clearest than ever. A royal blue kyber crystal glistened in front of her and she felt its raw power. Though the crystal said nothing, it was like talking to an old friend. She remembered taking the pilgrimage all younglings did so many years ago. It was when Master Yoda took them to Ilum to find their kyber crystals. Jedi belief dictated the gem actually picked the Jedi, not the other way around. In moments like this, Elsa could comprehend why she was chosen. Like her, it was fresh and completely exposed...capable of so much to the well-perceptive. For the first time in forever, a smile found its way to Elsa's face as she relished in her crystal's glow. She was most serene, yet her heart raced with joy. The furniture around her swirled faster with her hastening breaths as she felt confident, even if only for a moment. She had woven the perfect morning to start her day, and all it took was her sister to start shredding it.
Anna practically kicked the door down like she was leading a raid. "Good morning Elsa!" she proclaimed in frenzied excitement. "Rise and shine!"
Elsa's eyes flew open as she gasped. Her concentration collapsed along with everything in the air. Anna braced as furniture plummeted to the floor in tumultuous crashes. "No!" Elsa hissed as her lightsaber pieces scattered across the carpet. She scrambled to collect them while Anna weaved about.
"Woah," her younger sister said. "Quite a mess."
Elsa's fury spiked and she pursed her lips. Every failed attempt to collect her still-rolling saber pieces only irked her further. She steadied herself with a slow breath and recalled Master Yoda's teachings. Anger would lead to hate, which would only stray her and so many others on a darker path. She had to be better than that. Elsa chose to conceal instead of feel, and masked her frustrations through a heavy sigh.
"Good morning, Anna." Elsa said somberly.
Anna fidgeted, unsure how to respond. "Elsa...are you alright?"
"Fine."
"Are you sure-"
"I said fine," Elsa intoned. "Please. Now you came in here with such exuberance. What is it you had to share?"
Though cautious at first, Anna's enthusiasm returned to its original intensity. "My Ataru is perfected."
"Oh?" Elsa mumbled as she reassembled her lightsaber through the Force.
"Lightsaber Form IV. The Way of the Hawk-Bat," Anna explained.
Flustered by her response and condescending tone, Elsa dropped her pieces. "I know what it is, Anna" she said. "But don't you think perfected is a strong word for a padawan to be using this early?"
Anna huffed. "Our goal is perfection, sis."
"Perfection entails a final goal. Knowledge is limitless," Elsa replied.
Anna's pause was lengthy, allowing Elsa to calmly resume reconstruction. "Gee, you're fun to share with."
Her remark broke Elsa's concentration again. Her pale fingers twitched as she briefly made fists. Conceal, she reminded herself. Don't feel. Find your peace.
Anna grumbled to herself and carried on. "Moving on, I saw a Republic gunship on my way to your room. It soared right across the the windows!" Elsa began a third attempt to mend her blade.
"Do you think we'll ever ride in one of those?" Anna asked.
"Maybe," Elsa replied as she cranked the emitter into place.
"Or fight in the Clone Wars?"
Elsa levitated the sleeve. "Only time will tell."
"Oh, or face down a Sith!"
"Who knows!" Elsa declared as her pieces fell all over again.
Anna, meaning well, mistook her tone for enticement and grinned. "I suppose that's the fun of it," she said. "Not knowing what's next for us. It seems like only yesterday we were getting discovered by a seeker and brought to this place." Anna noticed Elsa sulking over her fragmented lightsaber and squatted beside her. "I'm sorry...I've been doing all the talking! How are you?"
"How am I?" Elsa chuckled to herself. She convinced herself that if she could speak her mind without presenting anger, that'd it'd be alright. "Anna I was alright. But then-"
An incessant beeping cut Elsa off and Anna dug into her robes. "Sorry, Elsa. Hold that thought." She plucked a holoprojector and activated it in her palm. A blue hologram of her Jedi mentor emerged as stoic as ever. His robes were neatly pressed and served as a youthful contrast to his elderly face. Despite it being a hologram, the man's time-faded hairs could easily be seen. "Master Mattias," Anna said. "Good morning."
"Anna...Elsa," his gruff voice permeated the speakers. "You're up early, good. Meet me at the temple dojo on level two. You-" Mattias' eyes widened as he shrieked. "By the Force, Elsa! Your room is a disaster!"
"I can explain," Elsa rushed to defend.
"What would your master think if she saw such a scene?"
"I-"
"Remember that all of our actions reflect not only the Jedi Order but those of the Aren people."
Elsa sighed. "Yes, Master Mattias."
"Meet me at the dojo in fifteen minutes," Mattias said. "Please be prompt."
"We will," Anna replied before ending the call. "Don't fret about what he said. I'll help you tidy up." She bolted to her feet and started picking up chairs. A metallic body rolled to her feet and curiosity got the best of her. "What's this?"
Elsa Force pushed a sofa in front of her unfinished project. "Nothing," she replied nervously. Feeling rushed, Elsa swiftly assembled her blade by hand. She went to levitate the remaining furniture into place, but Anna heaved it first.
"There!" Anna grunted and wiped off her hands. "Nothing some muscle can't take care of. You know the Force doesn't fix everything."
"Neither does swinging a lightsaber," Elsa quipped.
"Bold words since we're headed for a dojo."
"Look," Elsa insisted. "I don't want to fight with my sister okay. The day's just begun."
"You're right," Anna concurred. "And what a beautiful one it is."
The sisters stepped down the halls of the Jedi Temple dormitories. Its proud pillars stood as tributes to centuries of noble history. Seeing so many passing Jedi in traditional robes juxtaposed against the advanced world of Coruscant outside their doorstep. Still, the cityscape's sunrise was a true marvel to behold. Its proud beams shined in through polished panes to illuminate the sisters' attire. Anna's form-fitting robes brandished brilliant hues of magenta, almost to represent the fall colors of Aren. Elsa's robes were an icy turquoise reminiscent of Aren's snowcaps. Anna ran her fingers through her auburn locks to straighten her padawan braid. She'd only gotten the idea because her sister was a step ahead, efficiently displaying her platinum blonde braid traditionally over the shoulder.
"Blast it," Anna cursed. Her eyes narrowed as she furiously fiddled with her hair in the elevator.
"Here," Elsa insisted as she tightened the braid for her. Her steady hands left Anna with a style to rival an instructor's.
"Thanks, sis." Anna admitted.
The doors opened and both sisters approached the level two dojo. There they found Mattias waiting patiently by the entryway. Contrary to the blue tint of the earlier hologram, Mattias' robes were an emerald green. He exchanged a bow with the padawans before speaking. "I appreciate your promptness."
"Where is Master Yelana?" Elsa asked.
Mattias smirked faintly. "Your master is tending to a very important matter, but I am here in her stead. I'm sure Anna doesn't mind getting some more time with her sister."
Elsa feigned happiness while concern lingered within. What matters could be more important to a master other than her padawan? she wondered. Elsa despised how she could let a thought like that take root. She had to stay humble, and could not let Mattias' relationship with Anna impact her views on Yelana. She feared the wiles of the Dark Side were at work in her life, consistently testing her to rise above.
Yet another one of Anna's questions snapped Elsa from her overthinking. "If you could go anywhere in the galaxy, where would you travel?"
Elsa pondered the thought while Mattias ascended on a platform. "I suppose I'd want to see our homeworld," she inevitably answered.
"Aren?" Anna scoffed. "Of all the planets in this vast galaxy, you want to see a place riddled with disarray."
"We're Jedi," Elsa asserted. "We rise to meet disarray."
"I know," Anna admitted. "But Aren? The planet rejected us when we were just children."
"If you didn't like my opinion, why did you ask for it?"
Anna pouted. "Elsa, just let it go. It's in the past."
"I already told you, I didn't want to fight." Elsa snapped.
"For this segment of training, you'll be fighting each other." Mattias announced from above.
Anna smirked and prepared to quip, but Elsa put a finger to her mouth. "Don't say a word," the eldest mumbled.
They stood at attention as Mattias paced and went over the rules. "The dojo is free of obstructions and enhancements. This will be a test of saber skill on the battlefield. To achieve victory, you must either disarm your opponent, or deliver a near-strike. For too long have you practiced on droids and virtual simulations. Now you face each other. Adjust your lightsabers to training settings and prepare to duel."
Elsa and Anna stepped to adjacent sides of the dojo. It was quiet enough for each of their soft steps to echo up to Mattias. "I can't wait to show you all I've learned," Anna urged. She withdrew her lightsaber and spun the hilt in her hands. Its durasteel plating appeared as steadfast as her resolve. With a quick flick of her wrist, Anna ignited her blue blade. The emitter crackled like lightning while the beam hummed like ensuing thunder. She assumed a bold offensive stance, all while displaying a daunting grin.
Elsa steadied her breaths to keep calm and called her saber with the Force. Her heart sank when the blade failed to trigger multiple times. Anna's demeanor simmered and she looked to her master with a raised brow. "Something wrong, padawan?" Mattias inquired. Elsa focused on her lightsaber, trying repeatedly to activate it. "Padawan?" he reiterated.
"Just a moment," she whispered to herself. Sweat seeped from her temple and escaped her palms. She then realized the blade had been improperly assembled in her rush.
"Do...you still want me to attack?" Anna asked.
"A Jedi only uses a lightsaber for defense," Mattias lectured. "Never for attack."
"Then Anna will have to defend herself," Elsa defied. Growing tired of her rising setbacks, she chose to risk it all. Rather than delay the duel any further, Elsa stretched up a hand and called Mattias lightsaber to her. He twitched as his weapon unclipped and zoomed down to her hand. She swiftly activated the green blade and performed a simple flourish. Acting on her words, Elsa charged towards Anna.
"Alrighty then!" her sister cheered and sprung into battle.
Elsa had done plenty of saber work in her time training with Master Yelana, but it was still nothing compared to what Anna had practiced. Because Elsa was so attuned to the Force, Yelana had spent the majority of their sessions strengthening that mastery. Elsa wasn't even sure what her saber form was. Then there was Anna boasting about how she'd apparently perfected Form IV. Thinking quickly, Elsa worked to recall her studies on what she knew about Ataru. It was an extremely aggressive style which focused on rapid bursts to dispatch an opponent. By the time Elsa realized this, Anna had already moved in to strike.
It was as if Elsa's attack had never occurred. Anna leapt into the air and spun her lightsaber like a madwoman. It's frantic hum was deafening and disorienting as it descended upon Elsa, who was unsure how to counter. She was teary disarmed from the get-go as green clashed with blue. Anna moved like a streak of lightning, zipping in Elsa's blindspots and striking from the sides. Elsa blocked where she could and spent most of her time weaving. She didn't even realize how much Anna was backing her into a corner. Elsa already felt her wrists tightening up as Anna locked blades with her. They stared into each other's blue gazes as sparks flared. While maintaining the block, Elsa softly closed her eyes. She redirected her thoughts to dwell on her own lightsaber and its faulty emitter. Delving into the Force, she locked it properly into place just as Anna disarmed her. Mattias' blade flew out of Elsa's hands while her own took its place. She quickly activated its blade and put some distance between her and Anna.
Blue plasma whooshed from Elsa's emmiter like waves on a shoreline. She steadied herself and assumed a stance similar to that of her master's. Meanwhile, Mattias recovered his lightsaber while Anna called to him. "Does that count as disarmament?" she asked.
"While you did rid her of a lightsaber," he began. "She...technically still has hers. Your maneuver was unorthodox, Elsa." Mattias said as he refastened his lightsaber. "But given your weapon's condition, I'll let it slide. Carry on."
Anna grit her teeth and shot Elsa a death glare. Gone was the giddy little sister who'd barged into her room. "This doesn't change a thing," she growled. With a mighty whirl of her lightsaber, Anna sprinted at Elsa with ceaseless aggression. She struck with enough repeated prowess to send Elsa staggering into the wall. Before she could slash again, Elsa unleashed a Force push that sent Anna sailing across the dojo. Her little sister recovered with a backflip and brushed the auburn knots from her face. "Come on, Elsa. It is not nice to throw people!" She goaded. "I overwhelm you and that's how you respond? Can't you beat me without any tricks?"
Elsa's anger returned and she felt it channeled towards Anna. She wondered if this was in fact a test orchestrated to prove her own resilience. After all, taunting in combat was not the way of the Jedi. No matter how durable Elsa's resolve seemed, her sister's words had a profound impact on her. If she was going to win the duel, she was going to step out of her comfort zone and do so without the Force. She had no need for witty remarks or jeers. Elsa knew what she lacked and where she'd have to make up for it. Anna rushed her once more, utilizing an array of wild, Form IV-based attacks. Elsa didn't make contact, and instead relied on flexibility and acrobatics to evade. Anna grew reckless with each slash at empty air, and in turn her precision slacked.
I just need to keep dodging, Elsa told herself. Anna's bound to tire out, and then I'll find an opening.
I just have to keep swinging! Anna willed herself. I cannot bend. I cannot yield! Elsa will slip up if I just push past the pain.
Elsa ducked as Anna's blade narrowly jabbed above her. She glanced up and noticed Anna had overextended her reach. That's it! Elsa said and urged herself to seize the opening. She struck back and threw Anna off balance. Elsa pressed her attack with a multitude of well-placed cuts to the shoulder. Exhaustion pried at Anna as she forced her arms up to block. Sweat trickled into her eyes and reddened them, yet still she persisted. Elsa's elegant, focused style kept her composed under pressure. She had Anna right where she wanted her. She cut to her little sister's right shoulder, then the left. Anna blocked both attacks, but stumbled off balance. Elsa went for the finisher by front-flipping directly over Anna. All she had to due was halt the tip of her lightsaber at Anna's chest, and that'd end the duel. While Elsa stuck the landing, the last thing she expected was Anna's lightsaber readied at her neck.
"What?" Elsa gasped.
"Got...you," Anna said between pants. Her lightsaber swayed in her trembling wrist. "You were fast, sis...but not fast enough." Mattias' applause signified the end of the duel. The sisters deactivated their weapons and exchanged traditional bows. While Elsa's bordered on submissive, Anna's was rigidly reluctant.
"Well done," Mattias said. "Both of you demonstrated a prominent degree of skill." He returned to the lower level as the sisters stood at attention.
Elsa caught her breath while Anna was a haggard mess fighting to restrain herself. She locked in her wobbly knees, all while neglecting her mess of disheveled locks. Elsa tried to help fix her hair with the Force, but Anna stomped hard. "Would you quit it?" she barked. Her scowl quickened into a smile as Mattias approached.
"Anna," her master began. "Your prowess over the aggresive Ataru granted you the victory."
Anna beamed with pride and flashed a toothy grin. "Thank you, master. I-"
"But without endurance, you'll tire quickly in a prolonged duel." Anna grumbled as Mattias turned to her sibling. "You had a rough start, Elsa, but you made it work. A Jedi must be confident in his or her abilities. You must be willing to embrace and hone the forms of combat. There are masters in the Order who never see conflict, but are prepared should it arrive." Elsa offered a solemn nod as Mattias motioned to a hooded figure above. "Is this not true?"
Elsa instantly recognized the elder's frame as she removed her hood. Lengthy hairs as pale as Elsa herself swayed down the woman's shoulders. Her hazel-eyed gaze fell softly upon the trio despite her furrowed brows. A spherical droid hovered beside her while its multiple lenses came into focus. "Master Yelana," Elsa greeted. "I wondered where you were."
"Do not preoccupy yourself in other paths, my padawan," Yelana answered. "I sense great fret in you."
"Do you sense victory in me?" Anna asked. "You missed quite a duel-"
"You will still your pride," Mattias interrupted.
"Considering who Anna's master is," Yelana quipped. "Anna's attitude doesn't surprise me. I have set a great honor in motion...both for the Jedi Order and for the people of Aren. It is a chance for us to represent our world and continue its legacy through these trying times." Anna and Elsa exchanged perplexed glances while Mattias smirked. "I have spoken to the Jedi Council, who in turn has been observing this very conversation." Yelana gestured to the hovering droid. "And also watched your duel."
Elsa's heart sank and she did her best to stand straight for the camera. Anna awkwardly waved and deepened her voice. "Greetings, Jedi masters. Masters of the Jedi." she proclaimed only to shut herself up.
Yelana resisted rolling her eyes and continued. "Anna and Elsa Dellian, the time of transition has come. The council has granted us permission to begin your journeys to knighthood."
Anna's widened eyes looked like they'd burst out of her head. "Knighthood?" she blurted. "We're to become Jedi Knights?"
"It had to happen sometime, young one." Mattias assured, trying to ignore her awkwardness.
Elsa remained silent and awaited her master's instruction. She fought to conceal her own astonishment though her heart thundered away. "The path towards knighthood won't be simple," Yelana intoned. "You will face the Five Trials as most Jedi before you had to."
"Well let's get started!" Anna exclaimed with fists raised. She was a horrid actress at pretending her legs weren't sore as she stumbled forward. "I figure we can do two trials before lunch and then hammer the other three before dinner."
"That's not how this works," Yelana grumbled.
"Right," Anna huffed. "Two before lunch, two before dinner, and one later once we're well rested." She snapped a confident finger and winked at Mattias. "Endurance! Right, master?"
Mattias facepalmed, unable to save his apprentice from that remark. Luckily the council droid had already departed to spare him the embarassment. "The trials have no set time," he grumbled. "They just...-"
"Happen," Yelana said. "The Five Trials of Knighthood are: Skill, Courage, Flesh, Spirit, and Insight. Each will come to you when the time is right. You will be tested, you will be strengthened...but only you will decide the fate of your progress." Yelana noticed the padawans' anxieties spiking and sighed. "But fear not, for all you need to do is trust in the Force and remember the Jedi Code."
"The Force," Anna groaned. "Right..."
Mattias caught on to his student's insecurities and offered a change in direction. "What did the council think of Anna during the duel?"
Yelana knew what he was getting at, but obliged. "Master Plo Koon said Anna displayed great valor," she recalled.
Anna smiled and pat her lightsaber. "Watch out, Count Dooku!" she declared. "This valorous Jedi is gonna take you down! I'll cut down his droids by the scores until I face that Sith Lord myself." The others gawked at her joke...at least they thought she was joking.
"Why don't we start smaller, General Dellian?" Mattias jested.
"General?" Anna reiterated. "I like the sound of that."
Mattias placed an arm around her. "I have an assignment for us that leads to downtown Coruscant," he said.
Anna shrugged and answered, "Well, generals have to start somewhere." Mattias cringed, wondering what he'd started. Anna gave her sister a brief nod and spoke excitedly. "I'l be seeing you around, sis."
"May the Force be with you," Elsa replied.
Anna snorted. "The Force needs me."
Elsa huffed, watching her proud sister depart for her assignment. "Mattias isn't hard enough on her," Yelana criticized. "It's only going to inflate her head further, and I don't want to be around when that pops."
"She's just confident," Elsa defended. "I admit it's...irksome at times, but Anna means well." She frowned at her lightsaber. "At least she has something to back up that mouth she runs."
Yelana raised a brow as the two walked upstairs. "What troubles you, padawan?"
"Failure," Elsa admitted. "I fear it, yet I feel it. So...both? I don't know." She pinched the bridge of her nose, struggling to explain herself.
"Don't fight yourself," Yelana instructed. "Quiet your mind and let it flow."
The dojo's silence was exactly what Elsa had yearned for. She shut her eyes softly and exhaled calmly. "Though it is said otherwise, I feel unfit to face the Jedi Trials."
"I see," Yelana replied. She trailed off for a moment and peered out across the cityscape. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course, master."
"And the council?" Elsa bit her lip and nodded. "Would you care to know what they thought of your duel?"
Elsa clenched her fists and pressed her knees together. Her shoulders stiffened as she hunched to make herself smaller. Though fearing the worst, she inevitably relented. "Wh-...what did they say?" she asked.
Yelana's stern face had always been difficult to read, forcing Elsa to brace for anything. "They were vasty impressed by your mastery of the Force." Elsa gasped as Yelana continued. "Not just any Jedi could maintain steady combat while repairing another lightsaber with her mind. You are more than you see yourself as. But it matters not who else believes it if you cannot."
"I know," Elsa whispered. "I'm...trying."
"One day trying will not be enough," Yelana intoned. "Twelve thousand, Elsa. That was your midi-chlorian count when the Jedi found you. That's as high as Master Windu's while there are council members with lower. You are mighty in the Force, child. But the gift you were born with is to be honed, not wasted."
"Then I will strive to be better," Elsa assured. "I trust my path and will strengthen my connection with the Force." She was an awful liar, but hoped to start somewhere with confidence. It baffled Elsa how people were expected to be vulnerable yet confident at the same time. Such thoughts kept Elsa branded with a perpetual look of rumination on her face.
"I also have an assignment for you," Yelana said. "I think it would be good for you to experience off-world diplomacy."
"Off-world?" Elsa realized. "Where are we going?"
"Not we," her master answered, much to Elsa's dismay. "An old friend of mine on the council will be taking you under his wing for this one."
Elsa found it difficult to mask her discomfort behind pursed lips. "But you just got here," she said.
Yelana placed a gentle hand on her padawan's shoulder. "I know, dear. Diplomacy calls me elsewhere."
"Then why don't I accompany y-"
"You're not yet ready for this mission," Yelana interrupted. "Please, Elsa. You must trust my judgement as I trust you. I've trained you well over the years and my friend will provide new perspective. He'll be awaiting your arrival in the temple hangar."
Elsa bowed respectfully. "Do you have to go?"
"You'll be fine, Elsa." Yelana said. "May the Force be with you."
Something about their final exchange seemed eerily familiar. Aside from talk of the Force, Yelana's words embraced Elsa like a forgotten memory. She delved deep within, searching for where she'd heard them before. When no memories surfaced, Elsa regressed to the present. Yelana was gone and she was once again alone...just the way she liked it. Elsa had grown accustomed to solitude as one would an unforeseen acquaintance. Though overbearing at first, it had grown to become her creative ally. Solitude also left her with an avalanche of thoughts to crash down upon her. While the concept of leaving Coruscant sounded refreshing, she concerned herself over the identity of Yelana's friend. Elsa thought of every council member she could until she jokingly imagined Master Yoda at the helm of a ship. Regardless of the outcome, she had to accept what the Force willed for her on the steps to knighthood.
Elsa entered the nearest elevator and selected the hangar level. Leaning back in silence, she rejoiced in the straight shot she had to the upper level. Elsa groaned when the elevator stopped midway to invite another passenger. The taller Jedi's black boots stopped midway instead of entering. His white tunic and blue tabards shined in the elevator's lighting. Lacking a braid yet still being relatively young, he had the makings of a Jedi Knight. Both he and Elsa looked each other over. While her gaze was irritated, this man's green eyes narrowed. He focused on her face and subsequently groomed his striking, red hair.
"Well?" Elsa asserted. "Are you getting in?"
His glare softened and he smirked. "Yeah," he said and shifted inside. The duo stood in a deafening silence as the elevator ride seemed to go forever. Elsa wished she could Force push the lift to her designated floor. No matter how she tried to avoid eye contact, she could feel the weight of his stare on her. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Elsa didn't look over. "Fine."
"You seem sad."
"I'm just fine," Elsa reassured him.
"Then the least you could do is smile," the Jedi joked. "We are the symbols of peace after all."
Elsa's frown deepened on purpose as she turned to him. "I challenge you to go across this whole temple," she demanded. "You find one statue, one painting...one holovid of a Jedi smiling." Her tone caught the knight...and herself, off guard. She returned to her corner when he didn't answer. "That's what I thought," she said. "So keep your nonsense to yourself."
"I like your wit, padawan." The knight chuckled and offered his hand. "Hans Westgard...Jedi Knight. You might've heard of me." Elsa completely ignored him until he scoffed. "That's polite, Aren. I may not be from your world, but the Southern Systems are fairly close. We're like family." Elsa resisted tapping her foot. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of her irritability. "Well I already know who you are," he continued to talk at her. "When you keep to yourself, you don't realize how many people actually talk about you. Elsa Dellian, the padawan recluse who can barely hold a lightsaber." Elsa glared at him and he threw his hands up in surrender. "Their words, not mine. Maybe your sister spread a rumor, I don't know."
"She wouldn't dare," Elsa growled. "You watch who you talk about, right now."
"I'm just speculating," Hans said nonchalantly. "Easy."
"Well here's something else for you to speculate," Elsa added. "You don't know a thing about my story so don't go passing judgement." She leered at the elevator as it slowly neared the hangar level. She cursed that Hans had picked a floor above her.
"I can help you, you know." Hans suggested while patting his lightsaber. "Steadfast and I can give you lessons."
Elsa brandished a disgusted grimace. "You named it?"
"A personal touch," Hans boasted and ran his fingers across his weapon's golden hilt. "It's pure Haysian smelt all the way from the Otomok System."
Relief overwhelmed Elsa as the elevator dinged. "Good for you," she said and slid through the doors. Her nostrils flared when she heard his boots tromping behind her. "Wasn't your floor further up?" she asked without looking back.
"Elsa, please reconsider." Hans insisted. "I can help you be a better duelist. I'm one of the best knights in this temple and everyone knows it. Aren't you tired of lifting chairs while others jeer behind your back?"
She spun around with a furious scowl. She couldn't believe that there were Jedi in the Order who didn't hold the Force with the respect it deserved. As Elsa looked him over once again, an idea formed and she nodded. "So...you can help me?" she inquired.
Hans smirked and brushed back his sideburns. "Undoubtedly."
Elsa feigned uncertainty. "That's such a confident promise to fulfill," she said. "I don't know a thing about your qualifications."
Hans corrected his posture and spouted off his accomplishments. Meanwhile, Elsa stealthily used the Force to tie the end of his tabard to a parked speeder bike. By the time she finished her work, he had still been ranting on. "After all," he said mockingly. "The Force can only get you so far."
"And sometimes," Elsa replied. "That's far enough." Using the Force, she accelerated the bike behind Hans. His eyes widened as the vehicle dragged him across the temple hangar. Both Jedi and mechanics were left in a limbo between shock and laughter as Hans zipped sideways. Once she was satisfied, Elsa forced the bike to break and Hans was flung over the supply section. He loosed an embarrassing howl before he crashed into a stack of crates. Humiliated with the pressure of so many observers, Hans angrily swatted away helping hands and stormed off.
Now that's a sight worth smiling about, Elsa thought. She stepped away from the scene and disappeared under the whir of starfighter engines. Elsa just laughed to herself until she bumped into an unseen figure. Her fears of it being Hans quelled when it was an older man who spoke.
"My, you're in a hurry." he jested. Elsa looked up as the master straightened his cream-colored robes. He was a fighter in the war, for segments of his body were padded with white armor reminiscent of the clones serving. "Elsa Dellian, I presume?"
Elsa cleared her throat and bowed. "Yes."
A grin surfaced through his neatly groomed beard. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance," he said. "I am Master Obi-wan Kenobi. Tell me, Elsa...ever been to the ice planet Hoth?"
"No," she admitted. "But the cold never bothered me anyway."