Chapter Three: A Job

"Master Veld, please report to the Council Room. Master Veld, to the Council Room." The metallic announcement blared through the speakers, waking most of the sleeping Jedi in the Temple. Tru groaned. With a good measure of willpower, he rolled out of his sleep couch and rubbed his eyes. When he'd gained some measure of consciousness, he glared up at the intercom speaker with a look that could kill, and glanced at his timedroid.

0530? This early? I should've kept my comlink on.

Out loud, he muttered, "Well, that settles it—I'm officially a Knight!" He rolled his eyes as he dressed quickly and put himself to rights. He grabbed a bag of muja candy off his workbench and ate a couple pieces.

Maybe it's a little early to eat this stuff, but some things never change, Knight or no Knight.

Ever since he was little, he'd eaten some kind of candy before breakfast—just for a sugar rush.

Come on… I need energy!

But the energy he'd waited for didn't come.

Guess I should graduate to energy drinks?

With a sigh, Tru tucked the rest of the candy into his tunic pocket and quietly strode out the door to the turbolift in the direction of the Council room, leaving the sounds of awakening Jedi behind.

This better be important… I don't want to be responsible for waking everyone up.

Tru smiled wryly as he thought of the confrontations he'd probably be making later in the day.

xxx

When Tru approached the Council Room, he saw Ali Alaan standing just outside the door.

Wryly, Tru smiled when he saw the also-sleepy look on Alaan's face. But his smile was taken from him when he realized that there was no blaringly loud announcement for Alaan—obviously, he had his comlink on.

They exchanged bows, and when Tru raised an eyebrow, Alaan just smiled.

Tru proceeded to furrow both his silver-gray brows, giving Alaan the unspoken query of what's going on?

In return, Alaan gave Tru a smile and a shrug.

Tru made no further facial questions, but understood that Alaan meant that the Council wished to see them both, and that Alaan had no better idea than he did of what was going on. Inwardly, he smiled that the Council had chosen to respect him by not informing Alaan before him, even though Alaan had the rank of "Master."

xxx

When they entered, Tru held himself a little straighter, and stood beside Alaan in the center of the Council Room. Amused, he noticed that the stern faces of the Council Members were not just serious; they were the masks of sleepy Jedi.

Glad I'm not the only one.

Alaan and Tru both bowed to the Council, which nodded in acknowledgment of the two Jedi. Master Yoda broke the silence.

"Master Alaan."

Alaan nodded and looked the little green gnome-like revered alien in the eye, signifying that he was awake and listening at such an hour in the morning.

"A task for you, we have. Difficult indeed, it is. Elaborate, Master Windu will. Master Windu?"

Though the words spoken were directed at Alaan, both he and Tru both turned in position slightly, to face the dark-skinned Jedi.

"Senator Gorqua M'bii has requested personal protection for the Senatorial elections in two days. As you may have heard, there is an increasing bounty on his head, for he knows the location of mother lode of his planet's precious crystals. Master Alaan, due to the increasingly thin ranks of Jedi, you have been chosen to be Senator M'bii's bodyguard. This assignment will be a short one, for the elections will soon be over. Will you accept?"

Alaan hesitated, thinking of the clan of younglings he was responsible for.

Apparently, the Council had already given this thought. Master Adi Gallia spoke up.

"Do not fret over your clan. This is why we requested the presence of Tru Veld."

At the mention of his name, Tru straightened considerably, and his silver skin flushed a faint metallic pink. He realized that his mind had been a bit unfocused, mostly from his lack of sleep.

Ki-Adi Mundi spoke up, addressing Tru. "You have been chosen by the Council to temporarily replace Master Alaan as caretaker of his clan until he finishes his assignment. His clan is small, so you should not have trouble. We have chosen you for your sound judgment." There were nods all around in the Council Room. Tru wasn't sure if they were nods of consensus or nods of sleep-craving Jedi, but he decided to take the former option. Mundi continued, "Do you accept?"

Sound judgment? I don't know about that…

Out loud, Tru answered. "Yes."

Yoda must have sensed Tru's apprehension, for he said, "There is no try, there is only do. Truly ready for this, you do believe you are?"

That completed the decision-making for Tru. "Yes," he answered.

Windu spoke again. "Then it is settled."

Yoda concluded, "You are now temporary caretaker of Master Alaan's clan. Master Alaan, your shuttle will arrive shortly. May the Force be with you both."

"May the Force be with you," echoed Tru and Alaan.

xxx

When the two Jedi left the Council Room, Tru headed for the younglings' quarters and Alaan headed for the shuttle bay. Tru heard Alaan sigh.

Bet he's not looking forward to Senate duty…I know I'm not looking forward to babysitting. Maybe I should ask the Council to switch the assignment?

But an assignment was an assignment, and their duty had to be done.

Whether we like it or not, I guess the Council has it set in stone.

Tru braced himself, knowing that the absence of the younglings' caretaker would only increase the ruckus the little ones would cause.

Well, here goes nothing…