***
About a week after seeing the Jedi Council, Master Windu contacted my father and told him that they had a Jedi Master who would train me. He also said that this Jedi had just gotten back from a two-week suspension. He couldn't say why, as that was classified information.
Father and I went back to the Temple a few days later so I could meet my new master. Back in the Council Chamber, I stood, once again, in the middle of the circle of Jedi elders. Father was standing in the back of the room, watching. "Young Ari-Ana," Master Windu started, "once again I am obligated to tell you that to become a Jedi requires the deepest commitment and most serious mind. It is not a venture to be undertaken lightly. As such, Jedi instruction is rigidly structured and codified to enforce discipline and hinder transgression. A Jedi who fails in his training can be a very serious threat. The Dark Side of the Force beckons to the impatient, and students in the past have been lured to its call with devastating consequences; these are known as The Lost Twenty. All connections to previous family life are lost. Are you ready to make these sacrifices, as part of your Jedi training?"
"Yes, Master Windu. I am willing."
"Very well. I shall now introduce you to your Master, who will train you in the ways of the Jedi and the Force. He will be your mentor, your teacher. You will, in time, learn to trust him completely, even up to the point of trusting him with your life without a second thought. He will become your best friend and like a father to you. Are you ready to meet him?"
"Yes, Master Windu. I am ready."
"Very well. Master Harress, please join us." I looked toward my left where there was movement.
A middle-aged man in a tan tunic, medium-brown robes and a mahogany cloak emerged into view. The cloak's hood was over his head, and he had his hands folded in front of him inside the wide sleeves. When he was next to me, he lifted his head and I could see his care-worn face. It was a kindly face, a very fatherly face, one a person would find easy to trust. However, despite the look of his face, I felt a tingle of a cold feeling run through me again.
"Master Schlui-Harress," Master Windu said, "this is Ari-Ana Zanne Venyatuima, your new Padawan."
He bowed deeply at the waist. I bowed back and the feeling went away. He reached out his hand, and I took it. His hands were rough and had callouses. It seemed as though he had had a tough life.
Master Yoda addressed me, "Young Ari-Ana, ready are you to leave your parents and train in the ways of the Force? Ready are you to train under this Jedi Knight? Ready are you to give your whole life to the Jedi Order?"
I looked at him and said, "Yes, Master Yoda. I am ready."
About a week after seeing the Jedi Council, Master Windu contacted my father and told him that they had a Jedi Master who would train me. He also said that this Jedi had just gotten back from a two-week suspension. He couldn't say why, as that was classified information.
Father and I went back to the Temple a few days later so I could meet my new master. Back in the Council Chamber, I stood, once again, in the middle of the circle of Jedi elders. Father was standing in the back of the room, watching. "Young Ari-Ana," Master Windu started, "once again I am obligated to tell you that to become a Jedi requires the deepest commitment and most serious mind. It is not a venture to be undertaken lightly. As such, Jedi instruction is rigidly structured and codified to enforce discipline and hinder transgression. A Jedi who fails in his training can be a very serious threat. The Dark Side of the Force beckons to the impatient, and students in the past have been lured to its call with devastating consequences; these are known as The Lost Twenty. All connections to previous family life is lost. Are you ready to make these sacrifices, as part of your Jedi training?"
"Yes, Master Windu. I am willing."
"Very well. I shall now introduce you to your Master, who will train you in the ways of the Jedi and the Force. He will be your mentor, your teacher. You will, in time, learn to trust him completely, even up to the point of trusting him with your life without a second thought. He will become your best friend and like a father to you. Are you ready to meet him?"
"Yes, Master Windu. I am ready."
"Very well. Master Harress, please join us." I looked toward my left where there was movement.
A middle-aged man in a tan tunic, medium-brown robes and a mahogany cloak emerged into view. The cloak's hood was over his head, and he had his hands folded in front of him inside the wide sleeves. When he was next to me, he lifted his head and I could see his care-worn face. It was a kindly face, a very fatherly face, one a person would find easy to trust. However, despite the look of his face, I felt a tingle of a cold feeling run through me again.
"Master Schlui-Harress," Master Windu said, "this is Ari-Ana Zanne Venyatuima, your new Padawan."
He bowed deeply at the waist. I bowed back and the feeling went away. He reached out his hand, and I took it. His hands were rough and had callouses. It seemed as though he had had a tough life.
Master Yoda addressed me, "Young Ari-Ana, ready are you to leave your parents and train in the ways of the Force? Ready are you to train under this Jedi Knight? Ready are you to give your whole life to the Jedi Order?"
I looked at him and said, "Yes, Master Yoda. I am ready."
***
I rode back home with Father, and Master Harress borrowed an airspeeder from the Temple.
At home, I gathered my things, trying desperately to keep strong for Mother, who was sobbing uncontrollably.
"Oh, my baby is leaving me!" she cried. "My grown-up daughter!"
But finally, when everything had been packed, and I turned to her, seeing her tears evoked my own. I threw myself into her arms, and we cried.
I'm never going to see her again, I thought. My mother . . .
Master Harress nervously cleared his throat. "I'm truly sorry, but we really must go."
Mother sniffed loudly and pulled back, holding me at arm's length. "Of course. Forgive me, Master Jedi." Looking back to me with her shining green eyes, she kissed me on both cheeks.
"Be strong, Ari. Be strong for the Jedi."
"I will, Mother." After one final hug, I turned to Father.
Tears were evident in his eyes also, but he used his Jedi training to hold most of them in. I gave him a bone-shattering hug and whispered, "Thank you, Father. Thank you for making my dreams come true."
"Oh, Ari, it was not me. You made your own dreams come true." He pulled back, keeping his hands on my shoulders. "Now, you go out there and make your old father proud. Vanquish the evil from this galaxy. Serve the Jedi Order faithfully. And never forget that your mother and I love you."
"I won't, Father. I will make you proud."
I turned and picked up my bags, following Master Harress, ready for whatever might cross my path.
Or so I thought. . . .
Once back at the Temple, Master Harress helped take my bags to my room. I unpacked everything and got settled. Since I was quite tired from the busy day, I laid down on my bed for a short nap before I was scheduled to go before the Council. Just when I had gotten comfortable, I heard a knock at my door. Grumbling under my breath, I got up and answered it. Standing with his back to me was Greigg. When I opened the door, he turned around, with his hands behind his back, and smiled.
"Miss Ari-Ana! Hello. I heard you were accepted into the Jedi Order, and I've come with a room-warming gift." He paused and didn't move.
After a few moments, I asked, "Well, what is it?"
His smile widened and he said, "My presence, of course!"
I rolled my eyes and started to close the door.
He put his hand out to stop it and said, "Hey, wait! Don't be rude. I know I'm not allowed inside a female's room, but I was thinking that maybe I could give you a tour of the Temple."
"You are aware, Padawan Toma, that Jedi Padawans are forbidden to engage in any type of romantic relationship, are you not?"
He raised an eyebrow and said, "Wait, you thought that I . . . " -- he pointed to himself -- "and . . . you . . . " -- he pointed to me. He shook his head and laughed. "Oh no! I'm so sorry that you took it that way. I am simply trying to be friendly because I know how strange it can be, being the new person and all in a new place. I hope that this doesn't make things awkward."
"Well, thank you for your thoughtfulness. I appreciate it. And I'm sorry for my assumption. However, I'll have to take a raincheck on that tour, seeing as how I'm about to go before the Jedi Council shortly to be reviewed and receive my first assignment. I'll be seeing you around, I suppose."
"Just send a droid or something anytime you want someone to talk to." He told me where his room was and left.
About an hour later, Master Harress came back to take me to the Council Chamber so they could review me on the Force and the Jedi Order.
I rode back home with Father, and Master Harress borrowed an airspeeder from the Temple.
At home, I gathered my things, trying desperately to keep strong for Mother, who was sobbing uncontrollably.
"Oh, my baby is leaving me!" she cried. "My grown-up daughter!"
But finally, when everything had been packed, and I turned to her, seeing her tears evoked my own. I threw myself into her arms, and we cried.
I'm never going to see her again, I thought. My mother . . .
Master Harress nervously cleared his throat. "I'm truly sorry, but we really must go."
Mother sniffed loudly and pulled back, holding me at arm's length. "Of course. Forgive me, Master Jedi." Looking back to me with her shining green eyes, she kissed me on both cheeks.
"Be strong, Ari. Be strong for the Jedi."
"I will, Mother." After one final hug, I turned to Father.
Tears were evident in his eyes also, but he used his Jedi training to hold most of them in. I gave him a bone-shattering hug and whispered, "Thank you, Father. Thank you for making my dreams come true."
"Oh, Ari, it was not me. You made your own dreams come true." He pulled back, keeping his hands on my shoulders. "Now, you go out there and make your old father proud. Vanquish the evil from this galaxy. Serve the Jedi Order faithfully. And never forget that your mother and I love you."
"I won't, Father. I will make you proud."
I turned and picked up my bags, following Master Harress, ready for whatever might cross my path.
Or so I thought. . . .
Once back at the Temple, Master Harress helped take my bags to my room. I unpacked everything and got settled. Since I was quite tired from the busy day, I laid down on my bed for a short nap before I was scheduled to go before the Council. Just when I had gotten comfortable, I heard a knock at my door. Grumbling under my breath, I got up and answered it. Standing with his back to me was Greigg. When I opened the door, he turned around, with his hands behind his back, and smiled.
"Miss Ari-Ana! Hello. I heard you were accepted into the Jedi Order, and I've come with a room-warming gift." He paused and didn't move.
After a few moments, I asked, "Well, what is it?"
His smile widened and he said, "My presence, of course!"
I rolled my eyes and started to close the door.
He put his hand out to stop it and said, "Hey, wait! Don't be rude. I know I'm not allowed inside a female's room, but I was thinking that maybe I could give you a tour of the Temple."
"You are aware, Padawan Toma, that Jedi Padawans are forbidden to engage in any type of romantic relationship, are you not?"
He raised an eyebrow and said, "Wait, you thought that I . . . " -- he pointed to himself -- "and . . . you . . . " -- he pointed to me. He shook his head and laughed. "Oh no! I'm so sorry that you took it that way. I am simply trying to be friendly because I know how strange it can be, being the new person and all in a new place. I hope that this doesn't make things awkward."
"Well, thank you for your thoughtfulness. I appreciate it. And I'm sorry for my assumption. However, I'll have to take a raincheck on that tour, seeing as how I'm about to go before the Jedi Council shortly to be reviewed and receive my first assignment. I'll be seeing you around, I suppose."
"Just send a droid or something anytime you want someone to talk to." He told me where his room was and left.
About an hour later, Master Harress came back to take me to the Council Chamber so they could review me on the Force and the Jedi Order.
