Throughout the following week, Mya caught glimpses of Orion as she
went about her daily duties, meditating, practicing with her lightsaber,
and attending lectures given by the various masters.
Whenever she saw him, Orion was always sitting by himself, sometimes observing the people around him, sometimes lost in thought. One time, Mya saw him in the menagirie, a brightly colored bird sitting on his outstretched arm. He laughed as it nibbled at his ear and licked at some nectar he had brought with him.
Making her way to the main building for a lecture on healing, Mya gave Orion one last fleeting glance as she entered the giant stone temple.
********
Ten days after his awakening in the hospital bed, Orion decided to ask Master Vondo for admittance to the Academy as a Padawan, or Jedi apprentice.
He woke early that day, mist still covering the Academy grounds as he made his way to the garden where the Master began each day with some quiet meditation.
Stepping through the simple wooden arch that marked the garden's entrance, the young man quietly walked down the stone pathway. He stopped when he saw the stone bench, and the wizened Jedi sitting on it.
Master Vondo-baas Pugnaturus had been the Academy's head Master for longer than anyone could remember. He was of medium build, and humanoid in appearance. The only thing that gave him away as an alien was his skin, which was a dark green tone. His self-control and battle skills were legendary, but he was also known for his kind heart and warm smile.
Right now, though, his face showed no emotion as he sat cross-legged on the bench, deep in meditation. Although he had known of both Orion's presence and his wish the moment the young man had entered the garden, the Master wanted to see if the youth possessed any amount of patience.
Master Vondo watched through his mind's eye as Orion saw him meditating, then sat down on the path a few yards away, waiting for the Master to finish his meditation.
He expected Orion to give up and leave after a few minutes, but to his mild amusement, the youth stayed right where he was, barely even figeting. (Such self-control in someone so young is rare indeed,) thought Vondo as he continued to meditate.
After an hour had passed, though, he decided that both of them had waited long enough. Rising from his meditation posture, the Jedi stretched and looked around, smiling at Orion as he saw him.
"Good morning, Orion. What brings you out to me so early in the day?"
Orion stood and bowed to the Jedi Master. "Forgive me sir, I didn't wish to disturb you."
Vondo smiled. "That's quite alright. Why don't you join me for a walk and tell me what's on your mind?"
Orion nodded. "Thank you, Master Vondo, I would enjoy that."
The two set off into the garden, walking along the well-kept stone path. They walked in silence for a moment, but then Orion broke the ice.
"Master Vondo, I would like to make a request."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"I.I would like to become a student of the Jedi Academy."
At this Vondo stopped, appearing to consider the young man's wish. After a few moments, he nodded to Orion, who was watching him nervously.
"Very well, I shall initiate you into the Jedi Order. However, you are at the age of those with only two years of study left, so I will personally train you until you are at that level. If you are honest and diligent, it should take no more than two months. It won't be easy though. Are you willing to undergo such a trial?"
Without hesitation Orion nodded. "I will do whatever it takes to become a Jedi."
Vondo smiled. "That is good. I can see you have a pure heart, and that your wish is an honest one. However, I wonder if you do this for another reason as well?"
Orion turned slightly red. "Yes master, you are right. I wish to stay here and become a Jedi because I know almost nothing of my old life. What I do remember of it, is that it was filled with pain and suffering. Because of that, I would rather start a new life here. The other reason, though, is that I find myself attracted to one of your students, Mya Victurus, and I do not wish to leave her."
The Master laughed out loud. "You have been honest, and for that I commend you. I tell you now that Jedi are not forbidden to love, because love is one of the fundamental aspects of sentience, and to deny a basic emotion is to invite insanity. However, one musn't allow emotion to occupy your every waking thought, for if you do, your mind will be clouded and your judgement will falter. A Jedi, therefore, can love, but he must be able to control it when necessary. Do you understand this?"
Orion bowed. "Yes master, thank you for explaining it to me."
The Master then grinned. "Just please be smart about it. The last thing either of you needs is for Mya to get pregnant, OK?"
At this Orion tripped and almost fell over. "Master Vondo! What do you take me for, a whoremonger?!"
Vondo laughed again. "I was merely testing your character. Now come with me, and we will begin your training."
Motioning for the green-eyed youth to follow him, the Jedi Master walked out of the garden and into the wilderness beyond.
********
Two months and one week later..
Orion opened his eyes, feeling the morning light on them. He sat up, instantly awake, wondering what test would await him on this day.
The past weeks had been nothing but that, tests upon tests upon tests. Under the tutelage of Master Vondo, he had quickly developed and harnessed his Force potential, learning many skills, among them healing and sensing. However, Vondo also taught him diplomacy, a skill at which Orion proved to be a quick study as well.
Now, Orion was well on his way to being a full Jedi. In fact, he was almost on par with the student's in Mya's year, the only difference being that he had yet to construct a lightsaber.
Wondering when he would be able to do so, the apprentice stood, looked around, and found his master nearby, watching him.
Vondo nodded, his expression solemn. "You have done well, my student. Your last test is at hand. You will need to assemble a lightsaber and charge it with energy born of the Force. I shall leave you now and return to the Academy. When you have finished this task, return to the main temple, seek me out, and show me your lightsaber. Your training will then be complete."
Orion simply replied, "Yes master."
The Jedi Master handed him a datapad with schematics, then turned walked out of the clearing they were in, returning to the Academy.
Once he had gone, Orion sat down and looked at the screen. After a few minutes, he shrugged.
"It will take some time, but the Force is with me, so it can be done."
Standing, the young Padawan began to walk towards the spaceport of Von Ekka, wondering when he would get to see Mya again, for he had thought of her every night before he let sleep consume him. With a smile on his face, the young man set off to finish his final task.
Whenever she saw him, Orion was always sitting by himself, sometimes observing the people around him, sometimes lost in thought. One time, Mya saw him in the menagirie, a brightly colored bird sitting on his outstretched arm. He laughed as it nibbled at his ear and licked at some nectar he had brought with him.
Making her way to the main building for a lecture on healing, Mya gave Orion one last fleeting glance as she entered the giant stone temple.
********
Ten days after his awakening in the hospital bed, Orion decided to ask Master Vondo for admittance to the Academy as a Padawan, or Jedi apprentice.
He woke early that day, mist still covering the Academy grounds as he made his way to the garden where the Master began each day with some quiet meditation.
Stepping through the simple wooden arch that marked the garden's entrance, the young man quietly walked down the stone pathway. He stopped when he saw the stone bench, and the wizened Jedi sitting on it.
Master Vondo-baas Pugnaturus had been the Academy's head Master for longer than anyone could remember. He was of medium build, and humanoid in appearance. The only thing that gave him away as an alien was his skin, which was a dark green tone. His self-control and battle skills were legendary, but he was also known for his kind heart and warm smile.
Right now, though, his face showed no emotion as he sat cross-legged on the bench, deep in meditation. Although he had known of both Orion's presence and his wish the moment the young man had entered the garden, the Master wanted to see if the youth possessed any amount of patience.
Master Vondo watched through his mind's eye as Orion saw him meditating, then sat down on the path a few yards away, waiting for the Master to finish his meditation.
He expected Orion to give up and leave after a few minutes, but to his mild amusement, the youth stayed right where he was, barely even figeting. (Such self-control in someone so young is rare indeed,) thought Vondo as he continued to meditate.
After an hour had passed, though, he decided that both of them had waited long enough. Rising from his meditation posture, the Jedi stretched and looked around, smiling at Orion as he saw him.
"Good morning, Orion. What brings you out to me so early in the day?"
Orion stood and bowed to the Jedi Master. "Forgive me sir, I didn't wish to disturb you."
Vondo smiled. "That's quite alright. Why don't you join me for a walk and tell me what's on your mind?"
Orion nodded. "Thank you, Master Vondo, I would enjoy that."
The two set off into the garden, walking along the well-kept stone path. They walked in silence for a moment, but then Orion broke the ice.
"Master Vondo, I would like to make a request."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"I.I would like to become a student of the Jedi Academy."
At this Vondo stopped, appearing to consider the young man's wish. After a few moments, he nodded to Orion, who was watching him nervously.
"Very well, I shall initiate you into the Jedi Order. However, you are at the age of those with only two years of study left, so I will personally train you until you are at that level. If you are honest and diligent, it should take no more than two months. It won't be easy though. Are you willing to undergo such a trial?"
Without hesitation Orion nodded. "I will do whatever it takes to become a Jedi."
Vondo smiled. "That is good. I can see you have a pure heart, and that your wish is an honest one. However, I wonder if you do this for another reason as well?"
Orion turned slightly red. "Yes master, you are right. I wish to stay here and become a Jedi because I know almost nothing of my old life. What I do remember of it, is that it was filled with pain and suffering. Because of that, I would rather start a new life here. The other reason, though, is that I find myself attracted to one of your students, Mya Victurus, and I do not wish to leave her."
The Master laughed out loud. "You have been honest, and for that I commend you. I tell you now that Jedi are not forbidden to love, because love is one of the fundamental aspects of sentience, and to deny a basic emotion is to invite insanity. However, one musn't allow emotion to occupy your every waking thought, for if you do, your mind will be clouded and your judgement will falter. A Jedi, therefore, can love, but he must be able to control it when necessary. Do you understand this?"
Orion bowed. "Yes master, thank you for explaining it to me."
The Master then grinned. "Just please be smart about it. The last thing either of you needs is for Mya to get pregnant, OK?"
At this Orion tripped and almost fell over. "Master Vondo! What do you take me for, a whoremonger?!"
Vondo laughed again. "I was merely testing your character. Now come with me, and we will begin your training."
Motioning for the green-eyed youth to follow him, the Jedi Master walked out of the garden and into the wilderness beyond.
********
Two months and one week later..
Orion opened his eyes, feeling the morning light on them. He sat up, instantly awake, wondering what test would await him on this day.
The past weeks had been nothing but that, tests upon tests upon tests. Under the tutelage of Master Vondo, he had quickly developed and harnessed his Force potential, learning many skills, among them healing and sensing. However, Vondo also taught him diplomacy, a skill at which Orion proved to be a quick study as well.
Now, Orion was well on his way to being a full Jedi. In fact, he was almost on par with the student's in Mya's year, the only difference being that he had yet to construct a lightsaber.
Wondering when he would be able to do so, the apprentice stood, looked around, and found his master nearby, watching him.
Vondo nodded, his expression solemn. "You have done well, my student. Your last test is at hand. You will need to assemble a lightsaber and charge it with energy born of the Force. I shall leave you now and return to the Academy. When you have finished this task, return to the main temple, seek me out, and show me your lightsaber. Your training will then be complete."
Orion simply replied, "Yes master."
The Jedi Master handed him a datapad with schematics, then turned walked out of the clearing they were in, returning to the Academy.
Once he had gone, Orion sat down and looked at the screen. After a few minutes, he shrugged.
"It will take some time, but the Force is with me, so it can be done."
Standing, the young Padawan began to walk towards the spaceport of Von Ekka, wondering when he would get to see Mya again, for he had thought of her every night before he let sleep consume him. With a smile on his face, the young man set off to finish his final task.