Tread carefully, Anakin, Obi-Wan's voice echoed in his mind, this could very well be a misunderstanding.
Anakin could feel Obi-Wan's confusion through their Force connection, but looking at Obi-Wan on the outside, he seemed the perfect picture of calm. As usual.
"We're not trespassers," Ahsoka slowly and calmly insisted, "We're just passing through."
The boy frowned, skeptically taking another look at the three Jedi before him. Anakin didn't need to stretch out with the Force to feel the boy broadcasting his emotions like a beacon. It was slipping from confidence in his ability to handle the three 'trespassers,' as he'd called them, to confusion on why the three before him weren't reacting in shock or surprise to their weapons. Technically, he was wrong—Anakin was certainly surprised that there were others, and young ones at that, with lightsabers. The boy though, was relying on the use of his foreign weapon to get them to turn around and leave. "Well, this is our land, and you need to get out before we make you!" He snarled, none of those confused emotions showing up on his expression. Just determination.
He was largely untrained, but Anakin could certainly feel that the Force was strong with him. A quick survey of the other attackers confirmed that they were all Force wielders, and all inexperienced with their use of it. They were relying completely on raw power, a power that if not controlled soon, could get out of hand. "We are not here to harm you," Anakin said in his most calm and persuasive voice he could muster, the Force guiding his words. "We know what you are…"
Every single one of them immediately tensed up, and Anakin could feel them projecting fear into the Force. "Just kill him, Peter," another one of the older boys said to their leader, the one who still had his lightsaber shoved near Anakin's face.
Be careful, Anakin...he's basically untrained in that weapon, and you don't want a scar over your other eye, y'know. How would you explain that to Padme?, Obi-Wan said through their Force bond. He's no Ventress, but I hear you, Anakin replied. Keeping a wary eye on the lightsaber in his face, Anakin swiched his attention to the one now speaking. This boy looked about the same age as the one named Peter, with curly black hair and bright blue eyes. "Kill them and be done with it."
"We are like you," Anakin tried again, returning his attention to Peter, still maintaining the calm, persuasive voice from before, sending comforting waves through the Force to all their assailants. Honestly, it should have been Obi-Wan trying to calm them all down, he was The Negotiator after all— whereas Anakin was still much more of an act-first-negotiate-later type of Jedi. However, Anakin also recognized this for what it was...Obi-Wan giving Anakin a chance to act in his new role as a Grand Master. "We can help you…"
"We don't want your help," The boy, Peter, snapped, "Last chance, or I will end you!"
Anakin slowly raised his hands. "Okay. I get it. We'll go."
"We will?!" Ahsoka asked, surprised, "But…" He immediately sent her a warning through the Force. Snips, let me handle this. Just follow my lead, and it quieted her effectively.
"Yes, we're going," He said outwardly, "This mountain isn't that exciting anyway." Slowly, he began to back towards the bridge, and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka followed suit. Peter and the other boys began to relax a little, relieved to see that the strangers were leaving. "Good," Peter said, and he began to project confidence back into the Force, "And, don't come…"
Anakin made his move.
Carefully, so as not to push them off of the cliff and kill them like he had Grievous, Anakin sent just enough of a Force-push to knock their attackers back a few feet. Most of them, the younger ones, fell over immediately, staring at Anakin with their jaws dropped, while the two older boys managed to stay on their feet, though they too looked like Anakin had just sprouted two heads.
Anakin didn't waste the chance presented. He whipped out his lightsaber, igniting it, and he heard Obi-Wan and Ahsoka do the same. "See?" Anakin said, raising an eyebrow as their attackers were dead silent, "We are like you. We are Jedi. Now, put your weapons down, and we will put away ours. We can talk this over."
For a moment, no one did anything. They all just stared around as if they couldn't quite believe their eyes. Anakin couldn't help but think how really weird this whole scene would look like to anyone else if they saw it...Three adults and all these kids on a barren remote mountain trail...in Nepal, of all places...each holding what must look like different colored glowsticks. If it hadn't been so deadly serious, Anakin knew he would've laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
But, finally, Peter's lightsaber retracted, and he clipped it to his belt. He was followed by the other older boy, and then the other kids, seeing that their apparent leaders were putting their weapons away, followed their example. Once the immediate threat was gone, Anakin sheathed his blade and stepped forward. "I am Anakin Skywalker, Grand Master of the new Jedi Order on Earth." Obi-Wan stepped forward as well. "And, I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, also Grand Master of the new Jedi Order." He motioned over to Ahsoka. "And, this is Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano. As Master Skywalker said, we wish you no harm." He paused, frowning as he surveyed the Younglings. "We didn't even know you existed."
"We didn't know there were other adults here with our powers either." The other boy said, looking over the three Jedi with a critical, cautious eye. He had an accent, an accent that sounded like one of those British actors Mindy was always fawning over. "I am Will Lambert, and this is Peter Lekobe. We're two of the few here who speak English, as most of the other kids were from lower-income families from across eastern Europe and had little education before they ran away here."
"Runaways?!" Ahsoka asked in surprise, "What were you running from?" Peter looked at Ahsoka like she was nuts. "The world, of course. Everyone that doesn't have these powers." When Ahsoka didn't seem to immediately understand what he was getting at, he sighed, rolled his eyes, and then further explained. "Every single one of us are here because our families drove us out, because they didn't understand our powers."
"Well...except Galen," Will muttered with a frown. Galen? Anakin frowned as dark, terrible memories suddenly resurfaced in his mind, and he opened his mouth to inquire further, but Peter was already moving on as though Will hadn't spoken.
"A few of our families even tried to hand us over to their country's governments to run scientific and medical tests on us. So, we ran away, and followed where our powers guided us." He shrugged and motioned behind him to the top of the mountain. "And, we found ourselves here." "And you live all by yourselves?" Obi-Wan asked, troubled. "How did you learn to create a lightsaber if you have no training?" "We do so have training," Peter insisted defensively, a scowl on his face, "We snuck up on you, didn't we?!"
"But, you didn't keep your shields up," Anakin pointed out, with a wave of his hand toward Peter, "and we don't even have to try to feel your emotions right now. You're clearly broadcasting them into the Force." Peter flushed. "Okay, well, we have a little." He admitted, grudgingly.
"About six months ago, an adult like you came here with his wife." Will explained, "We were living in and around the village below, and he came to us and explained he needed to begin our training. So far, we know enough to assemble these," he lifted up his lightsaber, "But, we're still learning."
Anakin and Obi-Wan glanced at each other, immediately communicating through the Force.
Who do you think it is?! Anakin asked, Anyone we know?
Only one way to find out, Obi-Wan cleared his throat, turning back to Will and Peter. "Are they nearby? Would it be alright if we met them?"
Will and Peter exchanged glances before Peter finally shrugged. "Sure. He thought he was the only one with these powers before he met us. I'm sure he would be more than happy to meet you."
Obi-Wan smiled warmly, "Thank you."
The teenagers and younglings turned and began to make their way up the mountain pass, seemingly unconcerned that the sun was almost set, and the dangerous pathway was now practically impossible to see. Anakin relied solely on the Force to guide them, and they slowly followed after Peter and the others.
Thankfully, it wasn't long before they reached a fork in the path, one way leading further up the mountain, while the other led slightly downward into some dark caves. The teens turned down towards the caves, and for a moment, Anakin paused, looking at the trail that would lead them up towards the crystals. He longed to put this meeting off, but it was also way too dark to accomplish much of anything up there now. So, hesitantly, he turned and followed the teens down into the caverns below them.
The caves were cool and damp, and for a while, there was nothing but pitch black darkness. It was so dark, that Anakin waved an experimental hand over his face and literally saw nothing. He heard Ahsoka make an uncomfortable grunt, but neither he nor Obi-Wan said anything as they went deeper down into the caves.
Soon, however, there was light ahead of them, and the teens quickened their pace, evidently eager to get back to whatever hide out they had developed in these rocks. Anakin stretched out with his senses, feeling the presence of about six other young ones and one adult. One of the signatures, more so than any of the others, shone brightly in the Force, and it was so familiar that it almost made Anakin stumble in surprise. "Master Halcyon!" Will greeted, his voice echoing through the cave.
Halcyon?! Nejaa is here, too?! Anakin said in utter surprise to Obi-Wan in the Force, and Anakin felt Obi-Wan's apparent shock at the news, both men surprised, because they had known this Jedi Master very well before he had been killed in their old galaxy.
But, Obi-Wan didn't have time to respond as they stepped into a large open cavern that was surprisingly fairly well developed with electrical lighting running on generators, complete with radios and tents and boxes of supplies stacked against the cavern walls. It was as if they had stumbled into a mini, underground village full of Force-sensitive teenagers, most of whom were now gathering around a small fireplace that was cooking what looked to be a roasted pig. And, fiddling with the cooking food was none other than Nejaa Halcyon, a Jedi Master whom Anakin had known and admired very much in their old galaxy. He had spent hours sparing with Nejaa as a Padawan at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, learning much from him in the process, and he had gone on one of his first major missions in the Clone Wars with him, shortly after he'd married Padme. Nejaa had been one of the few masters that had treated Anakin with respect and kindness instead of suspicion and wariness.
But, the part that Anakin had most identified with, and respected, in this Master (above all the others) was that Nejaa had also been married in secret, as Anakin had, plus he had also had a son with his wife (who Anakin had never directly met). Anakin had been one of the very few Jedi to find out about it (even Obi-Wan hadn't known), and he had kept that secret safely guarded, never telling anyone about it, even after Nejaa's death. It had saddened Anakin greatly when this great Jedi had died, and yet, here he now stood, listening intently as Will and Peter spoke to him about their newcomers.
He looked the same as Anakin remembered, too—tall, but not taller than Anakin. Olive skin. Dark eyes. Dark brown hair with a touch of gray at the temples and a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee. He wore a long sleeved black sweater and dark snow pants and hiking boots. "Well, what do you know," Obi-Wan, grinning, said to Anakin in the Force. Anakin smiled, I know. He looks exactly the same. I'm glad he's here. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.
When Peter and Will were finished speaking, Nejaa turned his full attention to the newcomers, and Anakin couldn't help but hope that he would see recognition in his old friend's eyes. However, as Nejaa studied them, it became immediately clear that he did not remember. Anakin couldn't help but feel a bit deflated by that, but he guarded those feelings before Nejaa could identify them. He felt Obi-Wan do the same.
He approached the three Jedi, and Anakin couldn't help but notice that his hand hovered near his lightsaber clipped at his belt. "Welcome," He said in that same smooth voice he had had back in their galaxy, "My young friends tell me that you're like us."
"That's correct," Obi-Wan replied with his signature warm, inviting smile. "I am Jedi Grand Master Obi-Wan Kenobi." Obi-Wan inclined his head toward him.
"I am Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano," Ahsoka added with a bright smile. Ahsoka had never met Nejaa before, so to her they were meeting yet another unidentified Force-sensitive.
It was different for Anakin, though. When Nejaa looked to Anakin to wait for his introduction, it suddenly became very hard for Anakin to talk around the lump in his throat. "Anakin. I'm, um, also a Jedi Grand Master. Anakin Skywalker." He could feel Obi-Wan's understanding and amusement through the Force. It was not exactly the most confident introduction that Anakin could have given, but it had been a while since he had run into someone on this Earth who he'd known in his previous life. Anakin had only expected to find lightsaber crystals on this mountain, certainly not old Jedi Masters.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all," His voice, unlike before, had a slight accent, a similar accent to the one he'd heard in France on his recent honeymoon. "I am Nejaa Halcyon, and these are most of the Force sensitive children I have begun to train." He motioned around the cavern. Most of the teens, the ones who had attacked them, had lost interest in the newcomers and were now doing various tasks, ignoring them (except for Will and Peter. They hung around near Nejaa, listening and watching the conversation with great interest). There were five others, though, mostly female, that stared in open curiosity, but did not approach them.
Anakin frowned: He had been certain that he'd felt another presence in the cave, but he was currently only counting fifteen teens, not the sixteen he had felt before coming into the cavern. Before Anakin could ask, however, Nejaa was inviting them to sit down.
The chairs were surprisingly comfortable, even if they were just camping chairs. "This is quite the setup you've got going on here," Ahsoka politely praised, bringing a smile to Nejaa's face. "Thank you," he said, "But, it's still barely up and running. I've been trying to figure out a way to set up better communications, but unfortunately, all of the rock makes it hard for radio signals to be reached. So far, I can only radio my wife down in the village." He grinned as he fiddled with the food on the fire again, "She's the one who warned us of your imminent arrival, after all. I believe you met her."
The blonde woman immediately flashed into Anakin's mind. "Oh, yes. Her. She, uh, tried to convince me that this place was haunted." Nejaa shrugged. "She didn't know you were like us. Most people we have caught trying to come up and take the crystals in the last six months took one look at the lightsabers and ran off and spread the story of it being haunted among the locals." Anakin and Obi-Wan nodded in understanding.
"So, there are crystals then." Anakin said, steering the conversation back to business. Part of him longed to question Nejaa, to get to know him again, to see if he remembered their shared adventures together. But, it was quite clear from the look on Nejaa's face that he didn't remember anything from their old galaxy, and anytime Anakin opened his mouth to try to explain, the Force would send him a strong pulse of warning, prompting him to close his mouth.
Nejaa did not reply right away. "Peter and Will said you're like us. They said you have lightsabers, and obvious Force abilities."
"We do." Obi-Wan replied, casually motioning to the lightsabers at their sides. "Anakin found lightsaber crystals at a merchant stand in Italy last month, and managed to get out of the man that he found them here."
"We didn't even think it would be possible to have this weapon here." Anakin added, and Nejaa frowned in confusion.
"If you didn't know," Nejaa asked, "then how did you build your lightsabers?"
Anakin answered before anyone else could. "They were passed down to us." It wasn't technically a lie. "Except the one Obi-Wan is carrying. We defeated a Sith apprentice back in November, and we kept his blade until we could figure out other…arrangements." He watched for any recognition that Nejaa knew what they were talking about, and sure enough, when Anakin mentioned the Sith, Nejaa's eyes darkened immediately, and he scowled.
"Sith," He grumbled, "I've never directly met a Sith, but if they still exist…" he trailed off, apparently lost in his own thoughts. "Master Halcyon," Ahsoka said after a brief silence, "How is it that you know as much as you do? Will and Peter said it was you who started their training, helped them build their own lightsabers…those are not easy skills to teach." Nejaa smiled, but this time the smile didn't touch his eyes. "If I decide to show you the Crystal Temple," he said, almost casually, "Then you'll see."
"And, what must we do to convince you to show us?" Obi-Wan asked, catching on to the 'if' in his statement, as had Anakin.
Nejaa leaned back, his eyes passing over the cavern, looking at all the teens scattered around. "One can't be too careful these days," he replied softly, and there was a pain in his voice that Anakin immediately detected. "Not only do those crystals need to be protected from the Sith because of the power they hold, but I must also protect these young ones. This is their safe haven," he motioned to the cavern around them, "and I don't want to risk their safety for three strangers who come claiming to be Jedi."
Anakin opened his mouth to verbally reiterate that they were who they claimed to be, but he quickly closed it, realizing that mere talk would do nothing to prove their intentions or satisfy Nejaa's concerns. With a sigh, Anakin carefully, and slowly, opened up to Nejaa through the Force, inviting him to explore Anakin's intentions. It was a vulnerable position Anakin was putting himself in, and he could feel Obi-Wan's jolt of surprise. It was not something Anakin did with anyone else except Obi-Wan...not even with Ahsoka. But, Anakin had known Nejaa very well, and had trusted him implicitly, even if this Nejaa didn't remember him. The only way they would be granted peaceful admission into the Jedi Temple would be for Anakin to prove his intentions to Nejaa in the most honest, truthful way possible.
Through the Force.
Nejaa's eyes brightened with understanding—he too understood what a big deal it was for Anakin to open himself up like this. Anakin felt Nejaa slowly, cautiously probe his intentions, being careful as to what he did, even though Anakin was inviting him to explore all of it. It reaffirmed Anakin's admiration for the man, and soon Nejaa pulled back, and Anakin could feel his satisfaction, as well as his respect for Anakin through the Force.
"You've clearly been through a lot." Nejaa said, "Things…I don't understand. However, I can tell that your intentions are pure, and you are telling me the truth." He leaned back and smiled. "I will grant you free entrance into the Jedi Temple."
Anakin relaxed, and he felt Obi-Wan and Ahsoka do the same. "Thank you." He said, meaning it.
Nejaa nodded and then leaned forward again. "Now. Tell me about your Jedi Order." So, Anakin did just that, with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka occasionally filling in when Anakin left something out. At one point, Nejaa had to stop in order to get the food off of the fire and serve it, giving the three Jedi their portions first, but he continued to listen intently as their conversation continued. By his side, Will and Peter sat diligently, also listening with rapt attention, their eyes wide as they took in every word.
"It sounds just like the inscriptions," Will muttered to Peter, probably with the intention of only him hearing, but Anakin heard it anyway.
"Inscriptions?" Obi-Wan asked, having apparently also heard it.
Will blushed, but Nejaa was the one to respond. "I'll show you when I take you to the Temple. I think it will explain this," he motioned around him with his hand, "A lot, actually. Anyhow, it sounds like you're well on your way to re-establishing the Order."
"Yes," Anakin agreed, and before he had thought it through, he blurted out, "And, we would love it if you and your Padawans joined us."
This surprised Nejaa. "And do what? Go to California?" Crap. Anakin hadn't even thought it through. He was just so excited to have met not just Nejaa, but so many young Jedi, and he had just blurted the offer out without thinking.
But, Obi-Wan, used to Anakin's impetuousness, saved him. "If you would like...yes," He said, "But, I think you have a good set up here, protecting the crystals. Perhaps you could stay here and continue to protect the Temple, which is vital for the Order to flourish, and Anakin could help you better establish communication with the outside world. We could keep in touch through that method."
"But how would you make such communications?" Nejaa asked, and although Anakin could still see the hesitation in his eyes, he could also feel his intrigue and desire to join them.
Anakin looked around at the small cave, his mind whirling to figure it out. "Well," He said slowly, "You're right—a cell phone or regular internet connection would never work down here. Perhaps I could make a comm unit that doesn't rely on those types of connections…"
"A comm unit?"
Anakin nodded. "Yes, I've done it before. It doesn't rely on the same signals that radio or cellphones need. It actually has a much stronger connection, greater reach capabilities than traditional media does—in fact, it would actually be an excellent way to keep the Jedi not only individually connected, but also keep our activities away from the prying eyes of the world's media and the worlds' governments." Anakin's excitement suddenly spiked at the thought, his mind moving a mile a minute at the possibilities.
Great idea, Anakin, Obi-Wan said through the Force.
I know, right?! Why didn't we think of this before? Anakin replied.
Don't ask me. You're the techie. That's your department, Brother, Obi-Wan said wryly.
Come on, Ben...What do they say? 'Birds of a feather flock together,' and well, you do have the suit for it, Anakin smirked.
Anakin, before I pluck your own feathers, how about you moooooove this conversation along, hmm? came Obi-Wan's instant reply.
Cluck-cluck, Anakin teased, as he grinned at his mentor, but his smile turned positively wicked when Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes and made no further reply, his cheeks turning red. Looking over at Ahsoka, Anakin could see she was wiping her eyes and trying desperately not to laugh out loud at this exchange, as she clearly remembered the Halloween party herself.
Not understanding their silent conversation, Nejaa asked, "Are these comm units hard to make?"
Anakin shrugged. "Not really. I could easily assemble one in a few hours."
"What would you need?"
Anakin listed off the materials, and when he finished, Nejaa nodded. "I can get you all of those. Do you think you could establish a connection before you leave?"
"Absolutely." Anakin nodded, hope rising in his chest. "Does this mean that you will join us?"
Nejaa smiled softly. "On one condition."
"Name it." Obi-Wan replied confidently.
Nejaa motioned to Will and Peter. "These are some of my very best Jedi pupils. I understand that it would be difficult to be their guardian in the United States with the laws the way they are, but they deserve the one-on-one mentorship the Jedi used to provide. I ask that, at least during the summers, you give them that training."
"Master," Peter said, surprised, but he didn't seem to be upset about the idea, "We love training under you…"
"I understand, Peter," Nejaa replied, "But, you two are better off getting additional training from Jedi Masters with much more experience than I have. This world is not a nice one, and if you're to meet those challenges, you need to be prepared the best that you can be."
Ahsoka spoke for the first time in a while. "I can take one of them as my Padawan during the summers." She offered, "I wouldn't mind." Anakin smiled at the thought—to his knowledge, Ahsoka had never had an official Padawan before, but he supposed that now that she was a Jedi Master, she needed to begin. All of them did, really. If they were going to rebuild the Order, they had to start training others...The sooner, the better.
"I will have to confer with my fiancé," Obi-Wan said, scratching his beard in thought, "But, I am open to the idea. We will also be asking another woman back in the States, a healer, to join the Order as a Master. Perhaps she could also take a Padawan."
"We can't make any guarantees for her, though," Anakin nodded, "But, as the Order grows, I expect that there will be more Masters to give one-on-one instruction to Padawans."
Nejaa nodded but looked at Anakin closely, studying him. "And, what about you?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrows, "What do you think about taking a Padawan?"
Anakin frowned. It had been years since he'd had any sort of apprentice. His last one had been Starkiller, and before that was Ahsoka. Both of them had ended in heartache, either because of other's actions or his own. He had failed both of them, in his mind. He loved that Ahsoka had the talent and strength to make it to becoming a Master, but he wished that he could somehow go back and fix those mentorships. He would have stood up more to the Jedi Order to help Ahsoka, and he would have trained Starkiller to be a Jedi, not a Sith assassin. Anakin sat, deep in thought, and his uncertainty must have shown on his face.
Anakin, you can do this, he heard Obi-Wan say through their Force connection. Obviously, you would need to ask Padme before really committing to anything, but this is an important part of rebuilding the Order. It's bound to happen, he continued.
You are a good teacher, Sky Guy, Ahsoka agreed, having also been concerned about Anakin's inner turmoil. What happened to me…don't let that stop you from moving forward and improving. Learn from the past, take the good and improve on the not so good. And, I don't think Padme will mind. She supports us all in this.
He could feel both of their faith and confidence in him, much more than he had in himself in this aspect, and Anakin grudgingly admitted they were right. If he was going to continue to progress as a Jedi Grand Master, he would need to take the next steps that were presented to him.
He glanced down at his wedding ring, thinking about Padme and what she might say before he spoke."I will also need to confer with my wife before I give a definite answer," Anakin replied slowly, "But, provided she has no objections, I would be open to also taking a Padawan during the summers."
He could feel both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka relax through their Force connection, and Nejaa smiled brightly. "Well, then consider me as accepting of your offer."
Obi-Wan's smile brightened. "It is a great pleasure to welcome you into the new Jedi Order, Master Halcyon." He extended his hand and shook Nejaa's own warmly.
"The pleasure is all mine, Grand Master Kenobi." Nejaa said with a smile, "Please. Feel free to talk with the kids. Some of them don't speak English, but I can translate for you if you would like. But, as I said earlier, Peter and Will are the oldest here and in most need of training."
Sensing that Nejaa had now turned the focus on them, both Peter and Will blushed, looking at the three Jedi warily. "If Master Halcyon trusts you," Peter finally said after an awkward silence, "Then I will trust you, too."
Obi-Wan smiled. "I can work with that."
And, as the night continued on, the three Jedi talked with the two teens in detail, getting to know one another before discussing the business aspects of what a Jedi really was and what they wanted to be. It was a different conversation that never would have happened back in the old Order. Before, it was usually the Master or Knight who would put in a request for a Padawan to the Council, and then Grand Master Yoda would assign Padawans based on attributes. This matter was much more personal, and as Anakin spoke to each boy, he found that, although he recognized their skill and appreciated them as Padawans, neither one of them felt…right for him.
Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, however, seemed to form a solid bond with the two boys. Ahsoka and Will seemed to be getting closer and closer, as if they had been long-separated best friends who merely had to catch up in order to reform their bond. Obi-Wan seemed to connect well with Peter, and Anakin couldn't help but notice that, although Peter had quite a bit of determination, he was also much quicker to be obedient, a trait that Anakin still was not very adept at. Perhaps, Anakin thought with a small smile to himself, Peter will be a far better match for Ben than I was.
Oh, don't think that, Anakin, Obi-Wan admonished him, and Anakin squirmed awkwardly. He hadn't realized he had projected that thought out into the Force. You may have problems listening and a rebellious streak a parsec long, but I think you taught me more than a 'perfect' Padawan ever would have. I would have had a much harder time instructing Luke if you hadn't of been my Padawan. I don't regret taking you on as my Padawan—I gained a brother and my very best friend because of it.
Anakin's chest warmed at his mentor's words, and he sent those feelings of gratefulness and brotherly love his way through the Force. Peter will be lucky to have you as a Master, if you choose him, Ben.
Obi-Wan was pleased with this, and he nodded slightly. That means a lot to me, Anakin. Now, go. Find yourself a potential Padawan. Anakin nodded and as Ahsoka and Obi-Wan continued their conversations with their potential Padawans, he got up, stretched, and began to walk around the cavern.
He wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for, and most of the teens he approached gave him a strange look and kept their distance. Anakin didn't push the issue—so far, he just felt like he was missing something, or rather someone, important.
Suddenly, something, a presence, the bright presence from before, hummed through the Force. It was brief, and it was immediately shielded, but it was closer than before, behind him.
Someone was following him.
He slowed his pace, stretching out with the Force, using it to feel out the various presences around him. Even though the presence was being shielded, now that Anakin knew it was there, he had a distinct feeling of where it should be.
It was closing on Anakin fast.
His hand casually slipped down to his lightsaber, but he did not pull it out just yet. He was certain this was one of the Jedi children, but why they were shielding their presence (and very well for a beginner, if he did say so himself) was a mystery to him. He hadn't done anything remotely threatening to any of the kids here, and Will and Peter seemed to have accepted him, so why…?
He heard the snap-hiss ignition of a lightsaber, and his quick instincts reacted. In a smooth flourish, his speed enhanced by the Force, he pulled his lightsaber and ignited it, whirling around as it clashed against the other blue blade, blocking a swing that had not been meant to kill Anakin, but just to injure him. More curious than upset, Anakin peered down at his foe…way, way down.
He froze. He knew that face.
"Vader," The boy, no more than eight, spat venomously, his dark brown eyes filled with animosity. His hair, unlike the other teens who had long, tangled hair, was shaved down to stubble, and he was not much taller than Anakin's hips. "Still following me after all this time. I should have known."
"Galen!" One of the nearby teens, another young boy, cried out before launching into heated questions in a language Anakin couldn't identify. Galen, or as Anakin had known him, Starkiller, responded back in the same language. Whatever he'd said silenced the other youngster, although he ran off, probably to get Nejaa.
"I'm no longer that man." Although Anakin was reeling with shock and guilt at seeing his young former Sith apprentice, he managed to keep his voice calm. "Nor am I the Anakin Skywalker projection you fought with growing up." He saw the recognition flash in the boy's eyes, and Galen hesitated. "Put your weapon away, and we can talk this through."
The hesitation left his eyes, and Galen sneered. "Sure! So, you can kill me…again? I don't think so."
Anakin noticed Obi-Wan and Ahsoka running up the cave, a worried look across their faces. Anakin suspected they would have no idea who Galen was, so Anakin sent a warning through the Force to both of them: I need to handle this on my own. They stopped, looking at Anakin warily, but they did not continue forward.
"Fine," Anakin said, "I'll put my lightsaber away first, and toss it to my friend over there." He nodded at Obi-Wan. He then gave Galen a stern look. "When I do it, I'm going to trust that you won't attack me with your lightsaber."
Galen frowned in confusion—this was not something Darth Vader would have done. It was painfully clear to Anakin that this boy remembered who Darth Vader was, and had likely sensed the familiar Force signature that Anakin had when he had entered the cave. It explained why Anakin had sensed him and then lost his presence shortly after he'd entered into the cavern.
Taking a deep breath, Anakin stepped away, removing his lightsaber blade from Galen's. Galen made no move to attack, but he still brandished the weapon threateningly. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and tossed it to Obi-Wan, who caught it effortlessly but gave Anakin a What do you think you're doing? look.
Trust me, Anakin said to them as Nejaa was arriving behind them, looking to both Anakin and Galen in confusion. Anakin returned his attention to the boy in front of him. "There." Anakin said. "See? I don't have any intention of harming you. Now, let's calm down and find somewhere we can go talk." He glanced up at Nejaa, remembering that he was keeping the secret of his past life hidden from him for now. "Privately, Galen."
Galen stood there, obviously uncertain, and Anakin could feel the boy stretching out in the Force to gauge Anakin and his intentions. He was still so strong in the Force…it amazed Anakin still, just as it had the very first time he'd met the boy after killing his father. The difference was, this boy, unlike most of the Force sensitives in that cavern, remembered that past and that training, and had the potential to…maybe not actually threaten Anakin's life, but certainly threaten the diplomacy of their mission.
He must have sensed that something was different about Anakin, because he finally deactivated his lightsaber, but it didn't leave his hand. "Fine. But, if I sense that you're trying to deceive me…"
"I understand." Anakin replied honestly, sending Obi-Wan another message. I'll be fine. This is Galen, the apprentice Sith assassin that I raised as Darth Vader. Clearly, he remembers everything, and clearly, he's confused and rightfully hurt. I need to deal with this situation on my own.
Understanding dawned on Obi-Wan's face, but he seemed to grow even more concerned at Anakin's words. Please, be careful, Anakin, he communicated, and Anakin could feel his anxiousness through their bond, if it doesn't go well…
I'll call you.
He watched as Obi-Wan nodded and turned to a worried Ahsoka and Nejaa, murmuring words of assurance as Anakin followed Starkiller…no, Galen...deeper into the cavern. He could feel curious eyes on them as they went, but Anakin ignored it as best as he could.
They finally reached a small tent much deeper in the cave with a few empty cots inside of it. An electrical lantern hung from the ceiling in the middle of the tent, and Galen sat down on the cot furthest away from Anakin, staring at him suspiciously. Anakin figured it wouldn't help the boy's nerves if he were standing over him, as tall as he was, so he picked a cot on the other side of the tent and sat, keeping his hands in plain view on his knees so that Galen could track his movements better.
For a while, Galen just stared at him, as if he weren't sure what to make of Anakin. Honestly, Anakin wasn't sure what to make of Galen either. "So," Anakin finally said after an awkward silence, "You remember your past life then?"
"I always have," Galen frowned. For an eigh-year-old, his vocabulary was fairly advanced, and Anakin figured this had something to do with his ability to recall his past. "But, I never thought…"
"That I would actually show up here, right?" Anakin shrugged. "I never thought any of this would be possible either. The Force works in mysterious ways, sometimes."
Galen frowned, and again Anakin could feel the boy brushing against his Force presence with his own, studying it, determining. "You're…Vader. But you're also…"
"I'm also Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Grand Master." When Galen still looked confused, Anakin elaborated. "I used to be Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker before I turned into Darth Vader back in our old galaxy. It's...a long story." He debated telling him the story in detail, but even with his extensive vocabulary, Galen was still only eight in this world. It was not a story to tell children his age, regardless of his memories. "But, I made very bad choices, and I suffered for it. After I killed you," those words tasted sour in his mouth but he pressed on, "It wasn't long before I found out I had a long lost son, Luke. He was also a Jedi, and he brought me back to the Light. I gave my life for his to kill the Emperor, and then found myself here."
Galen continued to frown and probe at Anakin's presence. Anakin didn't bother to stop him, and in fact opened up more to let Galen in, just as he had done for Nejaa. "I can feel…lingering remnants of Darth Vader in you, like….like scars." Galen said.
Anakin hadn't really thought of them that way, but he supposed it was true. He nodded to the boy. "I have spent a long time trying to atone for what I did as Darth Vader. I won't be able to fully make up for any of it, but I have learned to forgive myself, as others have forgiven me, and move forward."
He watched Galen try to comprehend this. The boy wrestled with the Anakin before him, compared with the memory of the monster that had previously raised him. "I don't…know what to think. I remember feeling like there could be a nice man in there deep down….but then you always proved me wrong."
Guiltily, Anakin nodded, remembering the multiple times he had betrayed Galen's blind trust. "You're right. I was always wrestling with what I wanted when I was your master. I knew I needed to kill the emperor, but when it came down to it, I just…couldn't. I knew I shouldn't have killed you, but I did. I would like to blame it on Emperor Palpatine completely, but that would be a lie. I made the choice, even if I was manipulated. I am truly sorry, Galen, and I would like to somehow make it up to you, but I understand if you don't want anything to do with me." In fact, as he said it, the Force stirred within him. Here was yet another chance for him to redo something and make it right. He had always regretted, even as Vader, how he'd treated (and ultimately killed) Galen, and now, here was his chance to be the Master he should have been.
But, that was not fully his choice to make.
Galen's emotions whirled with conflict, a conflict that was understandable, and also extremely hard for an eight-year-old to figure out. Galen was clearly intellectually much older than his physical current age, but he still had the emotional maturity of any eight-year-old. "I just…don't know." He finally said, and Anakin could feel the frustration rolling off the boy at not being able to make a concrete decision.
Anakin smiled softly. "I understand. I wouldn't blame you. But, I will be working closely with Master Halcyon. He's accepted the role of Jedi Master in the new Order. If, someday, you change your mind…just say the word. I would be more than happy to take you as my Padawan."
Galen still looked at Anakin as if he were waiting for Anakin to suddenly blow up and stab him again with a lightsaber, but of course, Anakin never did so. Finally, Galen nodded. "We'll see."
It was the only answer Anakin would get for now—for perhaps a very long time. With a sigh, Anakin forced himself to be content with that. More than anything, he wanted his forgiveness, but he knew it would take time. "Okay. I'm going to go back to Master Kenobi and Master Tano. Maybe I'll see you around?" He slowly stood up, careful not to make any sudden moves while Galen looked at him as if he were a bomb waiting to explode.
He was silent for a moment before he replied, "Sure."
With a wary, tired smile, Anakin turned and left the tent, his mind whirling with possibilities and decisions.
By early afternoon the next day, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Nejaa, and a few of his teens (Galen included, although he warily watched every move Anakin made, waiting for something to go wrong) crested the top of the trail, breathing hard from the exertion. However, none of them complained, because as they reached the end of the trail, their mouths dropped at the sight before them.
It wasn't like the Temple in Coruscant. The old Jedi Temple had always been magnificent and imposing, as well as peaceful. It had been one of the few things the Jedi were not simple about.
This Temple was no exception.
It wasn't as big as the Temple in Coruscant, but it was still pretty massive for how old it was. It had clearly been built thousands of years before. Anakin couldn't help but think how fascinating Mindy would find this place.
It was carved into the rock of the mountain, massive pillars looming above them, pillars with faded inscriptions and drawings carefully etched into the stone. "These inscriptions," Nejaa explained as they slowly approached, "Explain some of the customs of the Jedi and their enemies, the Sith."
Anakin frowned, his eyes narrowing as he tried to comprehend the carvings. "They look like ancient chicken scratch to me." He finally said after he didn't recognize any of the symbols.
Nejaa laughed. "It's Sumerian, actually." When Anakin blinked at him incomprehensively, Nejaa explained. "It's one of the oldest known written languages in the world. I studied ancient languages in college. I actually originally came out here to study ancient carvings and inscriptions in other caves, but then I found this place and these kids and…well, I couldn't abandon it. It called to me."
Anakin nodded in understanding, staring at the inscriptions, wondering what they said. "I'm sure we would love to get the information you've found here to catalog it someplace safe." Obi-Wan said, "That way future generations can have access to the information...without necessarily having to trek all the way here." Vaguely, Anakin wondered if Mindy might enjoy working on just such a project. It'd be right up her alley, too, he thought, making a mental note to ask her about when they got back home.
This seemed to excite Nejaa, as well, and he launched into an excited rant on what he'd found since coming here. Normally, Anakin would have listened with rapt attentuon, since he was curious about how the ancient Jedi who had lived on this planet (again, thanks to Mindy help), but he found he couldn't right then. He looked into the darker depths of the Temple and felt…compelled to keep going.
So, he did.
The inside was dark, lit only by the candles some of the teens who had gone ahead were currently lighting, showing even more inscriptions and art depictions on the walls. Some of the depictions looked to be of historical scenes, scenes that made no sense to Anakin, especially since he was still trying to figure out this world's history in his spare time. Again, he would have spent longer looking at each one, but he still felt that pull, that need to get to his destination.
Finally, the cavern opened up into a massive room, and as the teens began to light up the torches set into the walls, Anakin's heart soared, and his jaw dropped.
The room was full of crystals, more crystals than he had ever seen before. "Oh Force," Anakin whispered, stumbling into the cavern, unable to take his wide eyes off of the plethora of glittering stones. There looked to be even colors he had never even heard of in that room.
"There are even more crystals in the rest of the caves," Galen's voice quietly said, startling Anakin. He'd been in such a state of shock, he'd forgotten that he wasn't alone for a moment, and he struggled to get himself under control. "You look like you've never seen crystals before."
"Of course, I have," Anakin murmured, still unable to take his eyes off of the glittering cavern walls, "I've just never seen so many…"
Galen was silent, and Anakin felt him move away, probably to go talk to another teen, or just to get away from Anakin in general.
Anakin didn't have time to dwell on that, however. Soon, he felt Obi-Wan's presence, and he turned to look at his old Master. "I think we have enough crystals here to build the Jedi Order a million times over." He said, watching as Obi-Wan's jaw also dropped at seeing the huge expanse of crystals.
Slowly, Obi-Wan also stumbled into the room, his neck craning left and right to see the crystals, until finally he stopped by Anakin's side. He was quiet and staring for so long, Anakin almost wondered if the shock had put his friend on pause somehow. But, finally, Obi-Wan tore his eyes away and met Anakin's with a flabbergasted look. "I think," he breathed, "You're right."
Anakin clapped Obi-Wan on the shoulder, and the two of them once more looked up, watching the crystals, the future of the Jedi, sparkle in the dim light. Both Jedi smiled, unable to contain their joy.
"Obi-Wan, thisis it...The Order's future."
The order is building! New characters have been introduced...including STARKILLER! :D I just finished reading those books and I fell in love with his character. If Anakin is going to feel confident to mentor other Jedi, he should fix his mistakes with Galen as well.
And...next chapter is going to be SUPER, DUPER, OOPER (not I word I know) MAJOR. I'm crazy excited to write it, and I would have already started writing it while my Beta was editing this chapter, but I needed to do some outlining so that I had an idea of what to expect.
Also, thank you SO much for the reviews! It means so much to have your support. This is a major project, and although it's fun to write, it's still a hard project to work on, especially as the school year is winding down and everything is going insane (if you're a teacher, you understand). But your support and thoughts inspire me to suck it up and keep going!
...Rogue One Trailer anyone?!
Review!
Love,
Sarah
