Disclaimer: Star Wars is not mine. It will, unfortunately, never be mine. I'm just playing here for a little while. Jenna, however, is my idea, so please ask before using her.
Author's Notes: I am also citing Chronicles of Narnia as inspiration. Where this inspiration comes into play will be clear later, much later. I apologize for the shortness of these chapters. I try for long ones, but kinda run out of steam. And steamless writing is a painful thing to read. Suggestions, constructive criticism, and praise will be happily received; evil flames will be stuffed out the nearest airlock and spaced.
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Jenna opened her eyes and sat up abruptly in the darkened cabin. Light thrown by a nearby nebula illuminated the tiny compartment with an eerie purplish glow. The soft hum of the ship's engines in stand-by mode filled the air. The young master scanned the room, confused and disoriented. What had awoken her? Suddenly another wisp of fear curled through the Force, sending slight chills down her spine. Jenna groaned.
"Not another nightmare!" She mumbled as she pulled her robe off the hook on the door and jogged down the passage to the initiates' room. Quietly she palmed open the door and slipped inside, making her way to a small bunk in the corner. Under a light blue blanked, a small form was huddled, shivering and sobbing softly. A quick scan of the room showed fourteen other bunks, all still and quiet except for the faint stir of breathing. Jenna knelt by the frightened child and shook him softly.
"Neesh, wake up, its alright." The weary master whispered to the bump on the bunk as she sent waves of calming Force. Slowly the shivering and sobbing stopped, and a tiny Caamasi cub peeked out from under the blanket.
"Masa?" The fuzzy purple-gold initiate lisped. "Masa, we goin' home? I wanna go home. Bad fings heah." His lower lip trembled and his big brown eyes filled with tears. Jenna quickly swept the young boy into a tight hug.
"We are home, my little firebug." Jenna soothed, calling the lad by his nickname. Neesh was usually a perky child with a fire-bright grin. However, none of the initiates seemed to be immune to the nightmares that plagued them since the group fled Coruscant three weeks ago. Almost every night she made a special trip back to this room to quiet the fears of one of her charges.
"But Masa, the bonderog is gonna come in the airlock, an' he's gonna eat me!" Neesh argued back, thumping the covers with one little paw for emphasis. Jenna had to bite back a grin.
"Neesh, I happen to know through years of jedi training that bonderogs don't eat initiates." Jenna stated calmly. Neesh looked up at her with big eyes.
"Wot do they eat Masa?" The Caamasi squeaked, his ears perked in interest. Jenna set him back on his bunk and tucked him in gently.
"Alderaanian chocolate. With jellybabies on the side." The master deadpanned, her face absolutely serious.
"In fact, bonderogs make great company, and often host big parties." Neesh's eyes shone with excitement as he imagined such a feast.
"Thus, you have nothing to fear, firebug. Back to sleep with you." Neesh nodded sleepily and with a quick wave of the Force, he was back in dreamland, feasting with his new friends the bonderogs. Jenna rubbed her eyes. Disaster averted, galaxy saved, once again. With a weary sigh, she picked herself up off the floor and padded out of the room. As she strolled down the hall, she realized she was now far to alert to go back to sleep. Better go get some caf, it looks like it will be a long day.
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Stifling a yawn with the back of one hand, Jenna Trilkana slapped on the light panel for the galley. The ship's chronometer flashed blearily at her: 0430. Banishing dark thoughts about the earliness of the hour, Jenna set about making the life-giving drink commonly called caf. Once the preparations were complete, the dark-haired master slumped into a nearby chair. This mission, if one could call it that, was wearing her down. If she closed her eyes, she could still see the desperation in the eyes of the council that night three weeks ago. She had just returned from a treaty negotiation on Agamar, and was still weary from the journey when she had received summons to the grand council chamber. Jenna wearily shut her eyes, her mind replaying the conversation held that night.
"New mission we have for you, Master Trilkana." Yoda had begun peremptorily, before she could even offer the ritual greetings to the council. "Involves the initiates it does." This had not gone over well with Jenna. She was still mourning the loss of her first padawan, a young Twi'lek named Nig-ka Notril, who had died only a few months before. The young master wanted nothing to do with the initiates. It simply hurt too much. Jenna said as much to the council, abandoning tact in favor of bluntness due to her weariness and the painfulness of the subject. She knew matters were serious when the only reaction to her outburst was a slight flattening of Yoda and Yaddle's ears and momentary looks of censure from the rest of the council. Under normal conditions, she would have gotten an hour-long lecture for such a blatant show of disrespect. Jenna shook her head, bringing herself back to the present. There were still things to do aboard ship before the children awoke, and she best get started while she still had a hope of finishing them. If she hurried, she might be able to sneak in a few extra moments of meditation, Force knew she needed it. If she had to clean up one more result from a Force-generated food fight, she might go completely and irreversibly mad. Grabbing her mug of caf, she strode out the door, intent on her duties for the day.