Chapter 2 - The Jedi Order

Fives wasn't sure how this happened, he out of millions of his brothers was a part of the group of five, Commander Ponds and Cody, Captain Rex, Echo, and himself that accompanied General Kenobi into the Temple. But he wasn't complaining, five really was his lucky number.

Echo was just as excited as he was, the higher ranks were better at concealing their emotions, if they did feel the same, but how could they not?

They were inside the Jedi Temple.

"Are you sure bringing them is a good idea?" the Senator asked, "Are you sure bringing me here is-"

"Yes," General Kenobi said, "Just stay with me and don't pull any weapons and no one will object."

Fives sort of disagreed with that after the look the Temple Guard had, well not integrated them, but greeted them the entrance.

But the General had said two things that allowed them to pass unhindered, They aren't Mandalorians and they are with me and the Senator.

Which seemed to be enough, though Fives was a bit curious about the Mandalorian jab. No, they weren't truly Mandalorians, but Jango was and they spoke and knew about Mandalorian culture. If anywhere outside of the Jedi and Kamino that might become home for them it would have been Mandalore.

However, Fives was far too giddy to be bitter at this as they walked through the grand halls, the passing Jedi looking at them as curiously as he was looking at them.

"Sifo-Dyas," the General said with relief.

The Jedi was about average height with greying black hair half pulled back from his face and his skin was very fair. His brown eyes were dark yet kind.

Fives felt oddly protective of the man even though he was likely Count Dooku's age. The General greeted the man kissing his cheek as if they were grandfather and grandson from the holo-dramas Fives had seen.

Sifo-Dyas returned the gesture, and suddenly seemed more present, as if the familiarity of the gesture grounded him as he asked, "How was my old friend?"

They were standing in an empty hall but Fives was still caught off guard by the General's forthcomingness, "He's a Sith Lord."

Sifo-Dyas smiled, "I know."

"You do?" the General asked, "We need to tell the Council."

"I have and they don't believe me."

"But-"

Sifo-Dyas shook his head, "They aren't here, my child, they are with the Chancellor in the Senate building. The Separatists… there was an attack, droids, and now there will be a war."

"No," General Kenobi answered shaking his head, "I have to speak with them it's a trap-"

"I've already told them all of this," Sifo-Dyas insisted, "And you're telling them that Master Dooku has become a Sith Lord will not help. They will not believe anything Dooku told you."

General Kenobi didn't seem to know what to say to that.

Senator Amidala said, "I must speak to the Senate."

"The Senate isn't gathering until later tonight," Sifo-Dyas said.

"Why aren't you upset?" General Kenobi asked.

Sifo-Dyas touched the General's arm, "Because the future is fluid. Dooku may have fallen to the Dark but he is not evil, not entirely."

Fives knew he was missing a lot in this conversation, but he was simply ecstatic that he got to listen in on this information at all.

"How-" General Kenobi started before catching himself, "Dooku was the one who brought on your- attack."

Sifo-Dyas smiled gently, "I was asking for it. I pushed myself, as well as him, too far, I saw more than ought to have and I paid the price for that." Then his wistful tone changed, "But enough of this, if we don't hurry we'll be late."

"To see the Council?" Senator Amidala asked, "But you just said we weren't going to see them."

"No, no, the Council can snort Death Sticks for all I care. Obi-Wan has a promise to keep," Sifo-Dyas said, taking the General by the arm and leading him back down the hall, the rest of them following.

"Are you serious?" the General asked, "We don't have time-"

"We have plenty of time, you would only be reminding the Council of things I've been arguing for years. Plo and Kit have been on my side since the beginning, but three out of twelve voices are not enough to turn a vote."

"Where are we going?" the Senator asked the question Fives was burning to ask.

"To the Initiate Trials," Sifo-Dyas said cheerfully, "Once or twice a year we hold a tournament that allows our initiates to compete in the hopes of catching a Knight or Master's attention to be chosen as a Padawan."

The General shook his head, and looked directly at Fives, his blue eyes piercing even through the helmet visor, and he said, "My apologies, troopers. Sifo-Dyas, these are Commanders Ponds and Cody, Captain Rex, ARC-Troopers Fives and Echo. Ponds, Cody, Rex, Fives, and Echo, this is High Council Member, Master Sifo-Dyas, he grew up with Dooku."

Sifo-Dyas inclined his head, though he didn't slow even if he said earnestly, "It is a true honour to meet you all. I'm pleased to tell you that your futures are brighter than they were because Dooku didn't kill me as he might have."

Fives had no idea how to respond to this statement or this conversation in general. Jango had warned them all that it was highly unlikely that they would be treated as regular people.

"The honour is ours," Cody said, recovering first and giving their General a fraction of a head tilt.

Not only had their General remembered their names but he had remembered who was who.

"How much of the future did you see?" the Senator asked.

Sifo-Dyas smiled at her, "I saw all of it on many different paths, which, regretfully, is much the same as seeing nothing at all. I can tell you nothing for certain, only agree with what rhymes. Now, come, Obi-Wan, we will draw enough of an entrance without being late."

"I am not going to pick a Padawan today," the General retorted.

"Your Master chose your first Padawan too soon. Had it been up to you, you would only recently be interested in taking your first Padawan, perfectionist that you are. I see no reason to deny that future simply because Qui-Gon underestimated his opponent."

General Kenobi's face went hard, and he said nothing more as they descended deeper into the Temple.

As Sifo-Dyas predicted, they drew quite a bit of attention as they entered a great room with stone steps wrapping a half curled wall like one of the computer rooms on Kamino. They took their seats, Echo and the Captain sat on either side of him, on the step above Cody, Kenobi, the Senator, Sifo-Dyas, and Ponds.

Fives didn't ask permission to take off his helmet to see the room with his own eyes. Rex didn't reprimand him but he didn't join him either. Echo seemed too focused to think of taking off his own.

There were half a dozen young teenagers, some truly children still, on either side of an oval line inlaid into the stone floor. On the opposite side of the room were other Jedi Knights, some looking like teachers as they sat with groups of younger children about three Jedi who were sitting by themselves.

Clearly, they were the last to come as a blonde hair Jedi nodded to Sifo-Dyas and began to outline the rules of the tournament.

"I am Master Cin Drallig, primary lightsabre trainer of the Senior Initiates," the Master said, clearly for the benefit of the youngest group that was staring at him with wide eyes.

Fives probably looked like one of them, sitting on the edge of his seat as he was.

The Master continued, "Unlike most lightsaber challenges, today's event will allow for the use of telekinesis and switching between forms as well as, though I advise against that as well as against improvisation. The match is called if someone steps over or are pushed over the line or if the training sabres threaten a death blow. As a reminder to everyone here, it is not necessarily the winner of a match that will be chosen as a Padawan, nor is any Knight or Master here expected to choose a Padawan today at all. This is simply an exercise to allow the Initiates a place to showcase their combat skills."

Fives raised his brows, it was so similar to things he and his brothers had been told while training, only kinder and maiming appeared to be off the table.

Not that he or any of his brothers had ever tried to maim each other, but the Kaminoans had both encouraged that level of force while saying any long term 'defections' would lead to 'decommission.'

Which was Long Neck speak for murder in the name science and credits.

The first pair to enter the field were a young Twi'lek girl and a Zabrak boy with brown markings on pale skin.

It was the first time Fives had ever seen Jedi use their weapons in person. The hum and the clash were fascinating, and Fives found himself awed that such young children were able to use such weapons with ease.

Fives had never shot himself, but then his blaster wasn't capable of slicing through his arm if he brushed the barrel against his forearm. These two were doing acrobatics and spins with such weapons.

The fight lasted for about five minutes, both shinies sweaty and shaking as they bowed to each other.

The next group was two humans, they weren't as good as the first, but their duel was thrice as long and was ended by the one boy getting pushed out of the ring by the other.

The General tsked, and said in a low voice that did not travel across the room, while addressing the Senator, "That boy cheated, Cin saw it too, he almost certainly will never be chosen as a Padawan now."

Fives glanced down at the beautiful profile of Senator Amidala's face as she turned to look up at the General seated beside her. "Cheated how?"

The General sighed, "See the boy who slipped, his boots, they left skid marks on the stone. Ah, look, Cin is talking to the boy now. He must have gotten the grease from the shop, but if he was smart, he got it from one of the maintenance hangers."

"Why would that be smart?" she asked.

"Because we keep track of the shop equipment, but no one would notice a missing tin of grease from the hangers, it would be assumed someone, or even a droid, needed it. Getting into the hangars though can be tricky, so it would look better on his record if he was able to prove he was able to get out and in."

Fives frowned, "Isn't that stealing? Don't the Jedi look on that poorly, Sir?"

Echo elbowed him.

But the General turned to look up at him, a smile playing on the edge of his lips, "The Knight's service? Emphatically, yes. As I said, he will in all likelihood never be chosen as a Padawan now. The road to Knighthood is one of dedication and great personal sacrifice, cutting corners and mal intent like that reflects poorly on the person they might become, on how they may handle their commitment. But he is a child, cheating doesn't indicate that he will be a bad person as he grows up."

Fives fought not to squirm even as he felt the Commanders glowering at him behind their helmets, "I'm sorry, I don't understand. It sounds like you're saying that cheating is okay and forgivable yet that he just failed on taking his first step to Knighthood."

The General nodded, "The Trails is not simply a practice. He knew there would be Masters here, knew also that his teachers and caretakers would be here, and still, he attempted to cheat. That is both stupid and shortsighted, it lacks a measure of common sense that is a prerequisite to becoming a Padawan. However, children can do silly things under pressure. If he was able to get into the hanger without being noticed rather than simply going to the shop class, it reflects a certain sort of cleverness. That will reflect on which Corps he assigned to."

"So, you chose their jobs for them, Sir?" Fives asked.

"The initiates caretakers, instructors, and Councils choose, though, once they reach maturity, they have more options to move between services, to start families of their own, and even leave the Order altogether if they wish. But until then, they are our younglings and we are responsible for their well-being. Padawans and Knights make up maybe a tenth of the Order, and that's out of the found Force Sensitives throughout the galaxy who have exceptional potential."

"Very elitist," Padme said.

The General shrugged, "Sifo-Dyas and I have survived more assassination attempts than you, your Highness. Neither becoming nor being a Knight is exactly a safe way of life."

"You're warriors," Ponds said, "and to be the best, you have to start this young."

"That is the idea," the General said, "Though personally, I think if we adapted our teachings we could accept older initiates."

Sifo-Dyas chuckled, "He's biased."

The General huffed, "And you aren't? Anyway, the life of a Knight is more than dangerous and during our training, we learn things that are very dangerous to others. Little things can sometimes grow into big things. But the boy will not be marked as a villain."

"Simply not allowed to pursue his life goals," the Senator argued.

The General smirked at her, "Just because you became Queen of Naboo at fourteen does not mean everyone has figured out their life's purpose so early."

Fives really didn't know politics well enough to follow. A queen becoming a senator?

The next pair came up, a human boy and a young Togruta female.

After having seen two duels, Fives was pretty sure he knew what to expect.

He was wrong.

Very wrong.

One green light versus one blue, and the sheer speed… took Fives' breath away.

Master Sifo-Dyas turned to smile at him, "Ataru wielders, particularly flashy."

The General hummed, "The Togruta is using Ataru paired with Djem So, that's impressive. Tasking on both a physical and Force level." He leaned forward as the oranged skin female with distinct white markings on her face, dodged a hair's breadth out of the way of her opponent's sabre strike, to nearly taking the boy's head off in return. "Most impressive, to come that far... " Then he said for their benefit, "most initiates are trained in Form I and Form VI, one being the basic, most like regular swordplay adjusted to be careful of the sabres dangerous nature to the wielder, and the other is form that takes from all the other former forms. It is taught to all because it has a defence that can help against any other form. So for an initiate to be so far along in two other specified forms..."

"She's fourteen," Sifo-Dyas said, "she has spent the last year focusing on her duelling forms, she has yet to choose between Djem So and Ataru."

"Interesting," the General said, "She looks as if she has the potential to be the best of her generation. And there is nothing wrong pursuing to forms, though perhaps Shein would be a better pair to Ataru that is in itself more offensive."

"What's the difference between Djem So and Shien?" the Senator asked.

"Both are Form V, it is an adaptation of Form III, my own speciality, but Shien is more useful for defence, most similar to Form III, Soresu, and blaster fire while Djem So was designed to help you against other lightsabre wielders."

"Couldn't you learn both?" she asked.

"Certainly, but each form takes about a minimum of ten years to truly handle, including variations within the forms. Mastering a form is… takes more dedication that can't necessarily be measured in hours practised. While being skilled in multiple forms can be an asset, it also can be used against you as there are inherent weaknesses to each. Multiple forms can help you make up for that or it can give you more holes in your arsenal," the General explained, as the two young Jedi flew across the floor.

"How close is she to getting a handle on either of those forms?" Fives asked.

The General was quiet as he watched, then he looked back at Fives with a slight frown that Fives worried was directed at him.

But the General didn't sound upset, just thoughtful as he answered, "I'm not sure, her sheer amount of raw potential is in itself impressive. But there's something wrong with her grip, and she leaves her one side open. Her concentration is split inproportionally between defending herself and following through with her motions." He looked back to the duel, "Still impressive." He looked at the Jedi beside him, "You said she was fourteen? Why hasn't she been chosen yet? Or has something happened to her current Master?"

Sifo-Dyas shook his head, "No, she has yet to be chosen. She has been deemed too aggressive."

"She's a Togruta, they are a predatory species," the General protested, "Soft spoken Shaak Ti is only two years older than me. She is known for her wisdom and kindness, but I can assure you that when we were growing up, she wasn't someone you wanted to cross."

Fives wondered what it must have been like to be raised with so many other species. Heck, other genders. It was his brothers and the Kaminoan scientists. Jango and later Dooku were their only contacts to the galaxy outside of highly filtered media contacts.

Fives couldn't help but gasp when the boy brought his hand back to punch her as her blade went wide.

The young female stumbled back, and Fives would not have liked to be on the receiving end of such a gaze. Her blue eyes were like the churning seas turning before the rain restarted on Kamino.

Ahsoka couldn't help herself from bearing her canines at Kesser, the little brat from the year down from her.

Kesser was the teacher's favourite, but Ahsoka knew the face he hid from the Masters. He was good at meditation, history, flying, communications, and duelling. Having got far along enough of his study of Form VI, he had been allowed to choose to move on to a form of his choice.

And he wasn't even thirteen yet.

But the Masters didn't know was how much he put down his crechemates. How he would help them in word but not in action. Backhanded comments spoke so sweetly that the poison in his words simply felt like your own doubts.

Ahsoka hadn't known Kesser well until this year when she had been reassigned to his creche.

Her cheek stung where he had struck her, her only defence would have been to take off his arm or kill him as he left himself defenceless.

Master Sifo-Dyas had told her not to hold back, but she really doubted if Master Kenobi who watched with an entourage of Mandalorians and a Senator would be impressed by her maiming her opponent.

Not that a sabre on it's lowest setting could have done permanent damage, Kesser still would have found himself in the healer's ward.

Ahsoka had enough playing, if Kesser was going to be a fool, she would show him how idiotic he truly was.

She flipped her grip on her sabre, her motions feeling instantly more natural as she sprung at Kesser, the Force guiding her forward.

She knew a reverse guard left her vulnerable on one side, but she was faster than Kesser, which at least faster than him for it not to be a problem.

Her sabre came down at hit, again and again, Djem So was designed to break your opponent, and she was simply better at Ataru than he was.

She saw sweat build on his brow and she smiled.

He had punched her in the face, and with one liquid motion, she pulled his sabre hilt right from his hand as she brought her foot around to kick him in the face.

When Kesser came up roaring at her in outrage, she had two humming blades at his neck.

"Initiate Ahsoka Tano is the victor," Master Drallig said as he stepped forward, not sounding or looking at all pleased.

She hadn't pretended today to not be aggressive, to not be angry, and desperately hopeful that tomorrow she would wake as Padawan and not a farmer.

So she didn't care what Master Drallig thought as she extenished the lightsabres, bowed to Kesser before tossing him his lightsabre back. The green-eyed boy with brown hair glared at her, but her own gaze was already searching out Master Kenobi.

Hers was the last duel of the Trial, and Ahsoka could hardly breathe as Master Kenobi and Sifo-Dyas rose to approach her.

She could barely hear above the pounding of blood in her veins as they came ever closer.

It was a life time.

It was a blink of an eye.

"Most impressive," Master Kenobi said, giving her a bow that she hastened to return, "My name is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, it is an honour to meet your acquaintance, Initiate Ahsoka Tano."

"The honour is mine," she said, heart in her throat.

"Master Kenobi has a question to ask you," Master Sifo-Dyas said without any subtlety whatsoever.

She didn't miss Master Kenobi's glare toward the other Master.

Master Sifo-Dyas smiled at Kenobi and said without qualm, "I was just informing him how your ship for joining the Corps departs tomorrow at noon."

You are my last chance, she wanted to beg, but she knew that wouldn't help, even if she burned inside.

The Force was with her, she knew the Force was with her, why couldn't anyone else see that? She was meant to be a Jedi Knight.

Master Kenobi looked as if he was trying not to roll his eyes, but when his gaze fell back on her, his expression softened.

Her hope broke.

He was going to let her down 'gently'. As if breaking all her hopes and dreams could be done kindly no matter how well meaning he was.

But Master Kenobi gave neither the answer she was dreading nor the answer she was praying for, instead, he asked, "Would you care to duel with me, Initiate Tano?"

She blinked at him, "What?"

He quirked a brow at her, "These are the Initiate Trials. Surely Master Drallig told you that Masters interested in a potential Padawan can challenge the initiate to a spar before they make their choice."

Ahsoka was struck speechless and nodded. She did know that, just as she knew that the last time a Master had challenged an initiate formally at the trials had been some hundred years ago or so.

"It would be my honour, Master Kenobi," she said before she could second guess herself lest this opportunity pass her by.

"Very good," he said, before showing Sifo-Dyas out of the rink.

The Council Member walked off, laughing. He didn't retake his seat, however, as he turned to watch.

Master Drallig left shaking his head, a scowling Kesser at his side.

"Breathe," Master Kenobi instructed as they took their positions. "You have sparred with Masters and instructors before. This is no different."

She nodded and bowed, even as she thought this was entirely different.

This duel would decide her future.

When the duel started, she didn't attack, and neither did he.

They were on the third sideways stalk around the circle, when she saw Master Kenobi glance toward the stands.

She knew Master Kenobi was rumoured to have near mastered Form III, Soresu, but she wasn't going to wait all evening for him to strike and get bored of her.

Master Kenobi's focus snapped back to her and he parried her every strike with ease. On one strike he pressed back into her so she was sent back a few feet. But she wasn't harmed, despite the fact that she was pretty sure he could have gotten her if he had been on the offensive.

"Reverse your grip," he instructed, "You move more organically with that hold."

She flipped her sabre with a rush of giddiness, his instruction was the exact opposite of Master Cin Drallig, who was present.

She let her worries go with that surge of energy, let herself be in the moment. Now was all she could affect, and she would use each moment to win Master Kenobi over.

He beckoned her forward.

She ran at him, the Force giving her wings.

Master Kenobi let himself be chased across the floor. A rhythm formed between them as they learned each other's presence in the Force and sabre techniques.

Ahsoka was trying to keep herself from getting too comfortable, she knew he was trying to wear her out.

Form III was the Unbeatable Form. Master Drallig said with Form III you could never lose, though you might not win either as your opponent could run away.

She was nowhere his equal, one way or another he was going to beat her, whether she collapsed for her or he ended the duel at any moment with a clever offensive move.

But that wasn't the point of this, Kenobi was testing her, seeing how long she could go, seeing what she was capable of.

"Catch," Kenobi said out of the blue as he tossed his own lit sabre at her.

She caught it before she could think, before she could reverse her attack as she kept moving forward against the unarmed Master.

But Master Kenobi seemed very familiar with both Ataru and Djem So as he moved past her every strike, still retreating as he flipped, knelt, rolled, and jumped.

Until he wasn't retreating, and he was at her with fists and kicks.

It was her turn to jump, and she trusted him not to get himself hurt as she defended her person with the sabres.

His sabre was a bit large for her hand and it wasn't designed for a reverse grip. She also had never been allowed to wield two sabres in a duel before. All the little adjustments left her only able to defend herself as Master Kenobi attacked her with blows that could have broken her bones.

She tried leaping backwards with Force assisted leaps, but Kenobi was faster than her, and she couldn't get the advantage.

Ahsoka threw her hands forward, raising two fingers and thumb to help her direct the Force. She put as much concentration and energy as she could into as she felt herself start to approach her limits.

It wasn't until the Force extended from her like a gust of wind did she realize how foolish it was to attack a Master like that.

Only, much to her surprise, it worked and Kenobi was blown back, he went to one knee as he braced against the Force push.

He looked up, catching her gaze with intense blue eyes. He smiled, "Excellent, Ahsoka, most excellent."

She didn't have time to bask in his praise as he came at her again.

Her concentration blown, her hold on the Force wavering, she knew she did exactly what every Master had warned her not to do. She fell back on her instincts, her motions losing grace as she attempted to keep up with the Master Jedi throwing blows at her that no part of her wanted to know how they felt if he connected.

As a result, her motions became more improvised and she felt horror as her blade came around toward Kenobi's unguarded neck.

In that moment, she felt a tug on the Force.

A third sabre was lit and easily deflecting her blow. Kenobi flipped backwards to regain his balance, a green blade held in his hand that she was pretty sure was Sifo-Dyas's.

When he came at her again, she got a true feel of what it felt like to have two sabres in a reverse grip.

It was her, it felt correct.

But she was tired. It wasn't long before Master Kenobi got his foot caught behind her heel and she found herself on her butt, a green sabre humming at her throat.

Ahsoka grinned up at him as she extinguished the sabres in her hands. If she wasn't breathing so hard, she would have told him that was the most fun she had ever had turning a duel.

His eyes were filled with warmth and pride as he extinguished his sabre. He knelt so that he was at eye level with her. "You are a fine warrior, Ahsoka Tano, you would make an even finer Jedi Knight."

She bowed her head in thanks before handing him back her sabre, her throat too tight with emotions to say anything.

Master Kenobi smiled gently at her as he hooked his sabre on his belt before offering her a hand, she took it.

For a crystalline moment her fears and hopes rose to a crescendo and she felt as if either the dashing or the acknowledgement of future she had been aspiring towards for a lifetime might destroy her. Whoever she was in this moment would not be the person she would be in the next.

"Ahsoka Tano, would you like to be my Padawan?"

"Yes," she squeaked.

His smile was so genuine that she felt as he offered this to her as a gesture of pity but because she had truly earned his respect.

Her legs felt shaky as he brought them to their feet.

She finally regained her voice, "Thank you, Master Kenobi."

He bowed his head, "May the Force be with us, Padawan Tano."

Her smile was so large she knew she was flashing all her teeth, but she didn't care, because this, this moment, was the happiest moment of her life.

The Force seemed to sing around them, her happiness must have echoed throughout the galaxy.

AN: Thoughts, arctic foxes, or feedback. Pretty please?