As time passed, Ben and I grew closer. He always had something to fix/tinker with, and I was always willing to help him. We also used this time to practice sign language, because we picked it up faster than the others.
Jaina and Jacen grew increasingly frustrated, and I was an easy target.
It's possible that they thought they were teasing, but to a little kid...sometimes it's difficult to discern what is teasing and what is meanness.
Han and Leia caught them eventually. I remember that day.
Ben was ill.
I was alone.
I was rarely alone, but when I was, I typically took that opportunity to just daydream. I still do that, even as an old woman. I lose all contact with reality, and play different ideas in visions only I can see. I understand that everyone daydreams, but usually only for a few moments. I would let myself do that for hours. I was so enthralled with my adventures, that I did not notice the approach of the Solo twins.
I don't know what finally brought me out of that trance, but I knew that they had been watching me for a while.
"What do you want?"
"To the point, I like that. What were you thinking about?" Jacen asked.
I did not answer.
"Where is precious little Benny?"
"He's sick in bed."
"Did you really only live with your father before uncle found you in with the Hutts?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?" Jaina was asking me, in a baby voice.
"Maybe your father let himself die, because he was not your real father..." Jacen grinned.
"Take that back!"
"Jacen, that-."
"Shut up, dear sister," Jacen grinned as he turned to me, "I want to question the bastard myself."
"Jacen, we do not use that language lightly," Leia barked embarrassed from the doorway.
Jacen looked ashamed.
"What is your problem? She's just a kid, Jacen," Han growled.
I could just hear Jacen swallow.
"Asenath, come here."
I obeyed, side-stepped Solo's kids, and started to leave.
"Did they hurt you?"
"Never with fists."
Han's eyes were still ablaze with fury.
"They spoke cruelly to you?"
"Yes, but don't punish them. I'm to blame for not standing up for myself and just taking it, Mr. Solo."
"I can't let them get away with this. And it's Han. Mr. Solo makes me sound old."
I could call one of my hero's by his name alone: Han. How many can say that at six? He even gave me one of his trademark grins as he said it. That was the icing on the cake.
Leia was scolding her offspring and Han joined her. I snuck out of the room. It wasn't right for me to listen in. Besides, this way I could go see Ben.
I made my way to Ben's room, but stopped when I heard Mara's voice from inside. I turned toward my own room and realized that I needed to be alone.
In my chamber, I zoned back out, lost in thought. I knew my Jedi training was important and starting once my scars had faded a little more. I had already dreamed about my weapon of choice, and every time I thought about it, I would vibrate (I was an excited little bug).
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As a Jedi, weapon appreciation is taught from day one, whether you are using a real or training saber. The fighting style carries over from the training saber. If you train with a curved handle, you choose to build a curved handle saber. Not only is this a preference, but it is also for safety. Every blade is unique, and if one uses a blade they aren't accustomed to, bad things could happen. I knew before I even held a practice blade what I wanted my lightsaber to be.
My dream weapon would be a double-bladed masterpiece: the hilt eighteen inches end to end, an attachment that could make the blades spin (with Force control) to create a light shield, and both blades would be green.
That was just my training saber.
I wanted my real one to also be able to come apart into two one-handed blades, and for full extension of the blades to be no less than 60 inches.
During this time, I was also learning to read and write in Basic and Huttese. To practice, I would write down how I wanted my lightsaber to look, and I would write short adventure stories.
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Lesson number one had been to control my emotions.
Lesson number two was given to me by Mara Jake Skywalker: use your feelings- trust them.
This lesson was taught by using a remote.
This turned out to be a great exercise.
"Are you ready?" she questioned.
"Yes, I am ready," I said as I scratched my scars on the sides of my head.
The stitches had been taken out, and my hair was growing back in. Even though I had become accustomed to the red mo-hawk, I was also glad to have my hair coming back in.
"Knock it off, Asenath."
"Okay."
"We were in a private training room, where the bolded words DO NOT ENTER: TRAINING IN PROGRESS were strictly observed.
Mara helped me put on gloves with grips and activated a simple ball remote. It came down from its spot on the wall and hovered before me. It wasn't supposed to shoot until my lightsaber was active.
I took a deep breath, stepped into a defensive pose, and activated the saber.
The ball began to move from side to side and up and down.
I was too confident, of course, and I did not know how hard it was going to be to deflect the bots. I immediately paid the price. I grimaced at the impact, my leg numb for a few seconds.
"Don't watch the remote. Feel it in the Force."
I took the chastisement to heart, but asked a question, "Like I do with the pebbles and dust bunnies?"
"Exactly! It's bigger and you have to anticipate when it is going to strike. Let's do this," Mara said as she walked over to a box in the corner.
She came back with a rag.
She tied it around my eyes, and then she turned me back to the remote. I heard her backing away.
I resumed the defense position and reactivated my blade.
I concentrated and I could see the remote but not see the remote.
The remote floated to the left, to the right, up, left, down, right...I followed the object to try and establish a pattern.
No more Ms. Nice Guy.
I knew what had to be done.
The remote shot at me, but this time, I was quicker. I deflected the bolt, but there was no time to stop and celebrate. I continued the process for about an hour or so, before Mara Jade turned the remote off.
"That's enough for now," Mara announced before untying the rag.
I just stood there, surprised that it was already over.
"Go show Ben your choice of training saber. It may cheer him up."
I smiled at Mara Jade, and tore from the chamber toward Ben's room. Ben was still sick, but he was awake.
"Ben, your mom said I could come and show you my choice of training saber."
Ben grinned.
"Sweet! You're ambitious with that choice! How does it handle?"
"Like a dream so far! I used it against a training remote."
"I've done that lots of times. Are you sure this was only your first time with a remote?"
"Yep!"
"Wait until you go head to head with Dad. He will be a challenge."
"Me? Fight Grandmaster Skywalker?"
"Not for a while, yet. Remember, I've had a lot more experience with remotes than you do."
"That's true," I admitted, crestfallen.
"Sorry. I know you're proud of today's session. When I get well, we can go head-to-head with an instructor present. Deal?"
"Deal!"
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The different lengths of my hair started to get annoying quickly. It was too short on the sides, but too long everywhere else.
Jaina, on an act of good faith or apology, cut my hair so all of it matched. It was now all short, but it wasn't shocking to look at.
Jacen took me to the little market district near the "Imperial" Palace, and bought me some hair clips for when my hair started getting long enough to hold the sides back.
I'm sure Han and Leia put them up to it for tormenting me, but I didn't care. When they were nice like this, it was easy to see why everyone else liked them, too.
They never bullied me again.
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One night, as I was preparing for bed, I overheard Luke and Mara Jade discussing me. I was being groomed to be Jaina's apprentice, and Ben to be Jacen's. (Of course, this plan was derailed when Jun came into the picture).
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When I was deemed capable enough, Ben and I teamed up against Luke in a fight. I was seven years old.
Our trio entered the dueling chamber and suited up in armor of Mandalorian iron. The armor was being used to prevent incidents. Tenel Ka Djo, a former student under Luke, was fighting Jacen and lost her arm when her rancor tooth saber exploded from the intense pressure. Soon after, she left to back to rule Hapes, her home planet. For short periods of time, this armor was left flawless even by lightsaber blows.
Two observers entered the chamber: Mara Jade Skywalker, and Jaina Solo.
Luke started the skirmish by igniting his lightsaber first. Ben copied Luke, and I copied Ben.
During that time, my lessons had consisted of "mastering" footwork, and Luke used this to test me. He would step, and I would move accordingly.
This went on until Ben and I were almost circling Luke.
No progress was being made, so Luke started in with small taunts to try and distract us.
The first time I heard something that I didn't like, I removed the magnets from the sides of my head. I didn't need to hear to do my best; besides, without my hearing, I had to really focus in the Force.
I was able to see Luke's strike just before it came and Ben blocked it with no trouble. Using the block's momentum, Ben took the second strike, though he was blocked by Luke.
I knew this was a real fight, and Luke could be a monster on the battlefield.
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Luke and Leia were twins, born on Polis Massa to Padmé Amidala (a secret Skywalker) and Anakin Skywalker (who by this point had already converted to Darth Vader). Luke and Leia were born in the presence of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ben), Yoda, and Senator Bail Organa.
Padmé, unwilling to live in a world without Anakin by her side, died.
Obi-Wan took Luke to live with Owen and Beru Lars, Anakin's step-brother and his wife.
Leia was adopted by Queen Berha of Alderaan and her husband, Senator Organa (hence Princess Leia).
So, twenty or so years down the line, Princess Leia (and her family's ship Tantive IV) was captured by Darth Vader, and her droids (lost then stolen) ended up wandering the deserts of Tatooine where they were both picked up by Jawas, who sold them to the Lars' Moisture Farm.
R2-D2 fled the farm in search of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had remained on Tatooine to look after (for the most part silently and far away) Luke. By means of message, murder, and mayhem, Luke, Kenobi, and the droids decide to meet up with the Rebellion and try to save the Princess, but lacking space transportation, they seek a pilot at a cantina in Mos Eisley. Han and his Wookiee friend, Chewbacca, fit the bill, and they agree to pay Han an incredibly large sum to get them to Alderaan.
Alas, Alderaan has been blown to bits, and in the distance, is a moon-sized space station. Aboard is a prisoner Leia and Darth Vader.
Kenobi confronts his former apprentice and is killed.
Luke, Leia (unaware of their sibling status), Han, and Chewie escape the Death Star and join the rebel fleet.
Luke is appointed as a pilot, and he almost single-handedly destroys the Death Star with x-wing torpedoes in a vent.
Monster on the battlefield.
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What in total was at most a fifteen minute fight felt so much longer to Ben and me. Keep in mind that to a child five minutes can feel like five million years.
We were circling again.
I was trying to find a good place to take a swipe, and I lunged for Luke's leg.
Luke blocked the blow.
Ben went for the arm.
Blocked.
Luke made a move for my arm. He missed just barely.
I was struck with an idea, though it was risky.
While Luke took his move at Ben, I leaped and rolled behind Luke and swiped his armor.
That was a fight ending move no matter what star system you came from.
We all turned off our lightsabers. Mara and Jaina were moving their hands, a reminder for me to reattach my magnets (which I did just in time to hear the end of the clapping).
"Good move," Jaina smiled.
"Excellent work, both of you," Mara Jade praised.
We both beamed with pleasure.
"Beautiful foot-work, both of you! Just think- in no time at all, you will be on your first security missions. Time flies," Luke smiled.