Chapter 2
.................................................................................................................................................The following day, Jameh stood in a training room surrounded by Younglings. Master Adi Gallia admired the girl's swift learning and had bid her to work with the children because of her great patience.
The Younglings were quite fond of Jameh and took well to her instruction, always under their Master's watching eye. They admired Jameh's battle skills and sought to imitate but she knew that they were not quite ready yet so, with a laugh and words of wisdom passed down to her, she declined to demonstrate for them.
Soon, the Younglings' lesson was over and, bowing to each other, they and Jameh parted. She moved through the Temple quietly, her mind receding into thought. Every now and again, she touched her left bicep gingerly, feeling that the ointment liquid wasn't quite doing its job on the wound. When she raised her head from checking the bandage, she found Anakin standing a short ways down the hall, looking at her silently. When her gaze met his, his eyes dropped and he turned to walk away.
Jameh did nothing to detain him but, instead, headed for Master Yaddle's chambers. Yaddle was a creature of Master Yoda's species and a favorite friend of Jameh's. The 477-year-old Jedi Master had traveled throughout the reaches of space and, having been exposed to much varied knowledge, had acquired skills unknown to many other Jedi. She was a kindly Master and welcomed Jameh's company at all times. When Jameh reached Master Yaddle's chambers, the door panel slid open, revealing the small Jedi in a hoverchair by the window.
"Master Yaddle? May I come in?" Jameh paused in the doorway.
Yaddle sighed as though woken from some deep reverie and turned the hoverchair from the window.
The young Padawan bowed, "Have I disturbed you, Master?"
"No, no. Come in you may." Yaddle replied as she hovered down to a low seat.
Jameh stepped into the room, taking a seat nearby and crossing her legs. She always took every opportunity to sit with Master Yaddle and learn from her deep connection with the Force. She'd taught Jameh that much could be learned through meditation, and how to better use the Force to her advantage.
For a long while, both meditated intensely, reaching out with the Force. Jameh sensed the darkness on the edges of her mind growing slowly but steadily. Finally, she broke her concentration, sighing as though pained.
Master Yaddle opened her eyes and glanced at the young female Jedi, seeing her reach for her left arm. "Hurt you very much, it does?" she questioned gently.
Jameh looked at Yaddle, a little surprised, but then nodded. "Yes, Master, it does. More so than earlier," she answered.
Yaddle activated her hoverchair and floated around to Jameh's left side. "Provides us with many gifts and helps the Force does. If only to use it we know how." With that, she laid her small hand on Jameh's arm and closed her eyes. Jameh felt a strange sort of energy emit from the Master and flow into her.
Soon, Yaddle pulled her hand away, "Look."
Jameh lifted her sleeve and undid the bandage; the lightsaber wound was gone! She glanced at the old Jedi and then back at her arm, unable to speak.
Yaddle drummed her fingers on the side of her hoverchair quietly. "Much yet to learn have you, young Padawan," she said thoughtfully. "Work hard you must."
Jameh sighed. "I do want to learn, Master. You know I do."
Master Yaddle nodded. "Yes. Enough lesson for today."
Jameh understood the gentle finality in her voice and rose from her seat. "Yes, Master Yaddle. Thank you." With a bow, she left the room.
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"Guard! Guard! Parry! Attack!" Master Zeklar combined words with movement as he sparred with Jameh. Fending off his challenge, she whirled around speedily, clashing lightsabers with her Master once again.
Newan was pleased as Jameh's increasing grace, stability, and strength with a lightsaber. She was excellent in her defense and growing better in her attack every day. Finally, they both stood down, winded and sweating from the intense workout.
"Well done, Jameh. You are improving," Zeklar said as his lightsaber disengaged, the green beam disappearing with a hiss.
Jameh nodded as she disengaged her own lightsaber. She rubbed her left arm; it felt better than new and twice as strong since Master Yaddle had Force-healed the wound.
Master Zeklar gathered up his robe and tossed Jameh hers. "You've been shut-up here in the Temple for several weeks, Jameh. Go get some fresh air," he smiled as he said this. "But stay out of trouble."
"Yes, Master," Jameh replied, throwing her robe about her as she jogged out of the training room and down to the transport hanger. There she found a swoop bike and took off for a spin around Coruscant.
Like many Padawans, Jameh loved to fly and, whenever Zeklar would allow her, took a swoop bike through the city. After riding deep within the heart of the northern sector of Coruscant, Jameh landed the vehicle and wandered to a nearby street vendor to purchase a drink.
As she did, a shape slithered up to her from the shadows and she could smell the faint stench of Vallerium wine as a voice whispered in her ear.
"Heya, Jameh."
The young Jedi sighed. "Go away, Elan," she said, turning to face the young male Balosar.
Elan Sleazbaganno looked completely human except for two antenepalps protruding from his mussed brown hair. He was slightly older than Jameh and one of the most annoying drug dealers on the streets of Coruscant. He was constantly trying to make a quick credit peddling his—according to him—famed death sticks: a treated Ixetal cilona extract that offers euphoria but with the price of a shortened life. He was forever trying to pawn one of these drug doses off on Jameh or weasel a credit out of her nevertheless. Not to mention the fact that he had a thing for the attractive Padawan to boot.
"So, uh, Jameh…don't tell me you came all the way down here just to see me," he smirked, leaning against the wall of the nearby building.
"Don't worry, I won't." Jameh just sipped her drink.
Elan just chuckled and smiled again. "Come on, when are ya gonna give up all this Jedi nonsense and come hang with the fun crowd…and me?"
Jameh finished her drink and tossed the cup in a nearby garbage ewer. She contemplated pulling out her lightsaber; that would scare him good and proper and perhaps he'd leave her alone after that. But, no, lightsabers weren't intended to intimidate oily, annoying drug peddlers. She had a better idea. Turning, she glanced at Elan, speaking quite firmly. "You don't want to talk to me anymore. In fact, you didn't even notice I was here."
Her voice held a lilting strength to Elan's ears and he repeated mechanically. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. In fact, I didn't even notice you were here."
Jameh smiled. "Now go away."
Elan soon made himself scarce, the victim of a "Jedi mind-trick", and Jameh hopped back on her swoop bike, speeding through the city traffic again.
But, throughout the remainder of her ride, she felt an uneasiness building within her, the darkness pricking her mind once again.
..............................................................................................Hidden within the numberless crowds of the streets of Coruscant, a pair of vengeance-filled eyes watched the Jedi Temple tirelessly.
"I've found you at last, traitor. And you will pay for what your kind did to my family. Even the sanctity of the Jedi Temple cannot protect you."
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As she returned to the Temple, Jameh was met by Pilae. "There you are, Jameh. Did Master Zeklar send you out to stretch your wings again?" she asked.
Jameh smiled as she dismounted the swoop bike. "Is everything all right?"
Pilae nodded. "A Senator has arrived to speak with the Council."
"A Senator? From where?"
"I believe she is from the Litimar System," Pilae replied.
Jameh raised an eyebrow. "This is an unusual honor."
"Not really, Senators have come in for guidance and advice from the Masters before. But you were probably too young to remember." Pilae had several years on her Padawan friend and was undoubtedly close to her Jedi Knighthood Trials.
The two young women turned for the door and exited the transport hanger. As they were walking down the hall, they saw Obi-Wan approaching with a regally-dressed young lady; she didn't look much older than Jameh but was probably closer to Pilae's age.
"Senator Miyaie Jan'zed, I'd like you to meet two of our most promising Padawans: Jameh Terrikan and Pilae Lin'ess." Obi-Wan made the introductions.
Both Padawans bowed respectfully to the Senator, who smiled. "I have never had the pleasure of meeting female Jedi before." Lady Jan'zed spoke gracefully.
Jameh smiled and half-bowed again in return. "We have never had the pleasure of meeting a Senator, Milady," she said.
Lady Jan'zed smiled again. Then Obi-Wan spoke up, "We must be off or the Senator will be late for her meetings."
"Yes, Master Kenobi." Jameh and Pilae answered, and then they left the Senator and the Knight.
Lady Jan'zed turned to Obi-Wan. "They are excellent young ladies, Obi-Wan. You must be proud."
He nodded. "This way, Senator." Then he led her down the hall towards the Council chamber.
"That girl, Jameh, where is she from?" Lady Jan'zed asked as they walked.
"Jameh is from the planet Neritano on the Outer Rim; her parents were peasants who died in the Civil War. We found that she was Force-sensitive, even in the cradle, and so she was brought here for training." Obi-Wan replied.
Senator Jan'zed said no more but just cast her eyes back in the direction that Jameh and Pilae had gone as they reached the Council chamber.