The Odd Couple
--sparkvallen
All the usual disclaimers apply.
Thanks for reading! :)
Chapter Ten
Pharinseaya always found the return to Yavin IV breath-taking. The ancient Massassi Temples just barely peaked over the lines of trees bearing the same name... the name of the ancient peoples who'd once populated the moon. As the transport began its descent to Yavin IV, she watched from the passenger lounge, seeing those Temple peaks look larger and larger through the glass.
Rym stood beside her, quiet and watchful. She'd never been out of the Corell system so Yavin IV was an exciting though scary new place to her.
"Please take an open seat and be strapped in. We're beginning our landing and docking procedures."
Reluctantly, they both sat down though they remained in the lounge where they could watch, though with a lesser view being seated.
"How long didya say ya lived down there?" Rym asked.
"A little more than three years," she replied.
"Doesn't look like much on Yavin IV."
"There isn't," Pharinseaya agreed. "It's a very rural moon. There are the ancient temples which you could see and animal life aside from the Jedi..."
Rym nodded.
The landing was without incident and they were the only people on the public transport who were deboarding, much to the dismay of the other travelers. The process to unload a Jedi and her associate cost them two hours ground-side before they could lift off again and continue on their way.
Luke Skywalker, the leader of the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV was there to personally greet Pharinseaya as he stood on the edge of the landing pad. He too was garbed in the traditional robes of the Jedi Knight and wore a tired smile on his face as she and Rym approached.
Pharinseaya bowed. "Master Skywalker."
"Pharinseaya, it's good to see you here again," he said warmly.
"Master SKYWALKER?" Rym shouted. "You're LUKE SKYWALKER?!"
"Rym!" Pharinseaya gasped, turning three shades of red.
"It's alright," Luke said first to the Jedi Knight. Then, he turned his attention to Rym Svoby and bowed to her from the neck. "So, I gather that your name is Rym. Hello. Yes, I'm Luke Skywalker, the leader of this academy."
Gaping at him, she mumbled, "Rym... Svoby. From Corellia."
Luke glanced at Pharinseaya. She was still flushed and embarrassed at the outburst.
"Yer... really him?"
"I really am," he smiled.
"I... just... whoa!"
"I think that's the same reaction Pharinseaya first had when she came to train here, actually," he joked.
Pharinseaya wanted to tuck her head into her robe and never come out again at that! She sighed ruefully, realizing she could have prepped Rym better for the arrival. But, she hadn't been expecting Master Skywalker to be standing there waiting for her!
"Let's go inside," Luke said. "I'm sure you could use a little freshening up while there's time for such things and your guest might also like time to get settled. Then we can talk."
Rym followed them in silence, taking everything in in wonder. As they walked toward the main temple the Jedi used, she saw several different Jedi working on various stages of their training. From lightsaber sparring in the clearings to students invovled in meditation or physical exercise... she was in awe.
For Pharinseaya, despite Luke's teasings, it felt good to be "home." She had to wonder what Luke's impressions were of Rym, the fiery mechanic guest, though she expected that their meeting later would cover his thoughts.
Skywalker led Svoby to one of the few guest chambers within the temple that had once been the sleeping quarters for a member of the Rebel Alliance nearly 30 years before.
"I'll just want to speak with Pharinseaya for a little while, so feel free to relax and refresh. We'll send for you, if that is alright."
Rym stared. She never in her wildest dreams would have imagined that she would ever meet Luke Skywalker, the hero of the Rebellion and first Jedi of the new Order.He smiled, then retreated down the hall. Rym sat down on the small cot, unable to believe her surroundings.
On the floor above, Pharinseaya dropped her travel bag on the floor and collapsed face first onto her cot. "Thank the Force for this space! What a trip!"
She forced herself up to take a shower and put on much cleaner and fresher clothing than she'd had for the duration of the trip to and from Corellia. Pharinseaya descended the floors to the small garden that the Jedi kept at the back of the temple where she just knew she'd find Master Skywalker.
He was there waiting for her with a cup of stimcaf. "I thought you would appreciate this," he said, smiling.
"And I do!" she agreed, taking the mug gratefully.
"I trust your mission went well?"
Pharinseaya considered his question. She hadn't known what to expect of his vague and elusive vision-inspired mission, so... "It went well," Pharinseaya said. "The mission seemed to be two-fold. One was finding Rym Svoby by seeming chance and the second aspect was our being in the right place at the right time to aid in the rescue efforts at a casino in Coronet City."
"I see."
"Rym and I have had our share of... challenges, but the important thing is that the woman is extremely Force sensitive. The only drawback at this point is that she's also very emotionally unstable. At least compared with Jedi standards," she amended.
Luke nodded. "And she is here for training?"
"If she is to be accepted, yes," Pharinseaya said honestly. "I made no pretense that it would be an automatic entry."
"Oh, so you didn't offer her an apprenticeship?"
She gave her a hard look, trying to discern if he was serious or teasing her again. "I... didn't, no. I wasn't sure that was my place, Master."
"Luke," he reminded her, smiling. "If you feel the connection is there, it's always at your discretion to make such an offer of apprenticeship. Is the connection there?"
Pharinseaya's eyes grew wide. "The reason I was still smelling of a chocolate nerf milkshake was because of such a connection!" she exclaimed. "Oh yes... it's there."
"Well then."
"Am I ready?" she asked.
"Do I really need to pull up the roster to remind you that you're a Jedi Knight, Pharinseaya?"
"That's not quite what I meant."
Luke sighed. "The first step in training someone else is always difficult. I remember how I struggled here with the first Jedi students. Streen, Clighal and the others... And Gantoris fell to the Dark Side from that first group. It's never easy. Only you know if you're ready."
Pharinseaya bit her lip, thinking.
Sensing her indecision, Skywalker added, "If you're not ready, Rym is welcome to train as a Jedi student until which point you are, unless another Knight were to take her as an apprentice. There is no dishonor in that."
"I know. And that... may be... best, for the time being."
He nodded. "You're free to go then and enjoy your return to the Academy. I'll have Rym come down and talk to her myself then."
"Thank you."
Luke caught a passing apprentice's attention and asked the young man to fetch Rym from the guest room. He nodded and hurried off.
Rym arrived with her escort only minutes later and was surprised to see that Pharinseaya was not with him.
"Rym, why don't you have a seat here," Luke offered.
Continuing to gape at him, she sat down. Holy Gaffi Stick! I'm sittin' with Luke Skywalker! But where is Pharinseaya?
"How do you find Yavin IV so far, Rym?"
"It's really... uh, pretty. And quiet. Nothin' like Coronet City."
He smiled. "Yes, its worlds different. I understand that Pharinseaya spoke with you about your Force potential."
"M'what? Oh, yeah, the fact that I can move things with my mind, yeah," she replied nervously.
"Right, that. How would you feel about training in the Jedi Arts here?"
Rym struggled under his gaze. "She thought that... that it'd be a good thing fer me to do. Pharinseaya did. Because I got canned from my job. I was a mechanic but he fired me fer helping Pharinseaya at the rescue."
"But how does it feel to you? Being here? The idea of studying here?" Luke pressed.
She all but squirmed on the bench. "I... uh... like the idea."
"Very good," he said with a nod. Far more of the conversation was happening through the Force as far as Luke was concerned; where Rym's communication difficulties made her hard to understand, he could sense what she meant and intended through the powerful waves of energy that came off her. "We'd be glad to have you here, Rym. You can begin at any time you're ready."
"Is... is Pharinseaya gonna teach me?"
"Not at the moment," he said honestly. "She is new as a Jedi Knight and isn't quite ready for the--"
"She hates me, jes say it," Rym snapped.
"Rym, no. Take it easy. This isn't about you," Luke said carefully, suddenly understanding Pharinseaya's comment about the woman's emotional state. She was obviously very insecure despite the bravado with which she carried herself. "Pharinseaya has things she needs to learn first before she can be a good Master to anyone," he explained. "And while you have things to learn about being a Jedi too, it gives you both time to... grow. Do you understand?"
"I suppose," she grumped, looking down at the grass.
"Believe me. Pharinseaya wouldn't have ever asked you here if she didn't think highly of you," he added, touching her shoulder gently.
"Do I get to uh... talk to her still?"
"Of course. I am sure she'll be around the Academy the entire time while you're here as well."
"OK."
"We'll move your things to the student level of the Temple and I'll have Pharinseaya meet you later to help you get started here in training," Luke said.
"OK, that's cool. Thanks, Mr... I mean, uh--"
"Master Skywalker."
She grinned. "Yeah. Thanks, Master Skywalker."
