Chapter Two
Training Days
On top of one of the ancient Massassi temples, which were built centuries ago by the servants – or more correctly, the slaves – of the Sith magician Naga Sadow, sat now a Jedi adept meditating. It was Jahita Krass. In front of him sat Jedi Knight Eyoul Gaad, the Bith. Eyoul had been so kind as to help Jahita with his training. Perhaps it was because he feared that Jahita might fall into Kyp Durron's grasp, as he would put it. However, Jahita was only glad that someone took the time to even speak with him, much less walk with him and show him around the Academy, since he was too insecure to even ask himself. It had always been like this – he was always too closed up within himself to actually reach out to other people and seek their company. But that was just how he was. He found comfort in his studying of history and daydreaming.
This he hoped would change. Not his interest for history, though, but the thing about being alone, shut off by sheer shyness. Eyoul had helped him quite a deal by bothering to speak and even meditate with him, which the other students seemed not to be fond of doing, for some reason. Truth be told, it was rather Jahita's own fault, though he might not admit it. Yet he was glad. He liked the Bith for his calm and mature behaviour. Eyoul did not ask tons of questions about where Jahita was from, what he planned on doing if he ever became a Jedi, and all of the other sorts of nonsense Jahita's classmates would bombard him with.
At this particular moment, both Jedi were in deep contact with the Force and spoke to each other through it. Jahita had advanced quite fast, but as Master Solusar had so rightfully told him, Jahita was trying to hold himself back somehow. However, the Jedi Master had also noted that he was glad that Jahita's joy for the Force. And Jahita had to admit that through it, he had opened his eyes to the life that surrounded him. Animals, plants and even bacteria amazed the young Jedi.
Through the days of learning about the Force, it had now come to a point where he could almost make out the small microscopic beings, which could be found on every planet or moon with a capability of sustaining life. The spark of life shone brightly from the bacteria and it filled his Force vision with light. Jahita wondered what would have happened if he had seen this light with his own eyes. He figured that he would probably go blind. However, it was not only beings that crawled, walked, swam or flew that he could sense life emanating from. Even the trees of the jungle also gleamed with the light of life. When he really concentrated he could see that this light, which appeared like a shining fog or smoke in his mind's eye, it seemed to be everywhere, binding, penetrating and surrounding all that was living and not.
Eyoul noticed the smile on the student's face. "What do you see, Jahita?" the Bith asked.
"The wonders of the Force, Eyoul, and the magnificence of life."
Eyoul nodded. "The Force is indeed magnificent. Do you now understand why it is a powerful ally?" He rose.
"Aye, Eyoul," Jahita said and likewise rose, but kept his eyes closed. "I'm so glad for these new experiences. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me." He slowly opened his eyes. "I dare not imagine the possibility of me being dead had it not been for my aunt Sari."
"So that was her name? Sari?" Eyoul asked.
Jahita slightly bowed his head. "Aye, her full name was Sari Telano Obyeni. She was the most loving and caring aunt one could dream of. My parents were both killed in the Imperial Inner Circle's assault on Coruscant, but she saved me and took care of me afterwards. After she secretly travelled to Carida to rejoin with her husband, who was working as a spy for the New Republic, I lived with my mother's parents. Then…" He halted in his speech. His eyes began to shine somewhat. Tears wanted to flow, but Jahita restrained them.
"I know, Jahita, you don't need to talk about it." Eyoul placed a hand on Jahita's shoulder.
"I just wish that I could have returned the favour and saved her, Eyoul. After all had it not been for her, I would never have been initiated to the Force."
"Then you must repay her in becoming a Jedi Knight and thereby honour her memory," Eyoul said solemnly.
The words of the Bith eased the pain. Jahita smiled. "That I'll do, friend. And I'll make her proud."
"I'm sure you will, Jahita," the Bith said full of confidence. He returned Jahita's smile in his own peculiar way and turned towards the gas-giant that stood in all its majesty above them His countenance turned thoughtful for a moment. Then he asked, "What would your answer be, if Master Solusar asked you to build a lightsabre now, Jahita?"
Jahita's body made a motion, which indicated that he was surprised. He stood silent a moment. The idea of building something mechanical – when he had trouble managing mechanical things – was really weird. Why should Master Solusar even ask me to perform such a difficult task? I've hardly been here a month…
Jahita gave a hint of smile and bowed his head. "I would respectfully decline."
Eyoul turned about to face the young student. "How come, Jahita?"
"Well, if asked, I would tell him that since I've only been here for a couple of weeks, and though I've learned so many valuable things, my training days have only just begun. My knowledge and understanding of the Force is in the stage of a beginner."
Jahita looked the Bith in the eye, having a serious look on his face. "Besides, having a lightsabre is a great responsibility. When I wield a lightsabre, I have death in my hand and I could strike anyone down with the weapon, but that isn't the way of the Jedi. I know that my knowledge in Force will enhance once I fully understand this weapon and the responsibility that follows with it, but I wouldn't feel secure enough having that burden on my shoulders yet. I fear that I would fail in understanding what would be expected of me if he'd even ask me to make one now."
Eyoul stood for a moment and looked at Jahita. Another of his peculiar smiles appeared on his face. "If you only knew how many failed in that test, Jahita. I did," he said and grinned. "Your wisdom in the Force has surely grown."
"I'm not so sure I passed it, Eyoul, for speaking frankly I fear that weapon." He nervously flexed his fingers and continued, "Both because of the burden that follows and the fact that it's mechanical. I'm not the great repairer or builder of such things. In fact I almost loathe such devices."
"Only because you can't control them, Jahita," Eyoul said, his words filled with a Knight's authority, but gentle. "But you can learn such things if you only allow yourself to."
"I understand," Jahita said with his head still bowed down, not in shame, but in respect.
"I trust you will, Jahita. Master Solusar told me that you're a good pupil. I'm glad that I have the privilege of getting to know you."
Jahita lifted his head and gave a big smile. "And I'm glad that I have you to talk to, Eyoul. It can get a little lonely around here."
"But remember what we are told about fear, Jahita. Remember that a Jedi knows no fear. There is no emotion; there is peace."
Jahita had an odd expression on his face. "Er, I still haven't exactly figured that one out yet, Eyoul. How can there be no emotion? I mean, when I'm glad, I have the emotion of gladness. How could there be no emotion when I can feel it?"
Eyoul chuckled a little. "Ah, so you're learning the old Jedi Code now." He let his grinning die out. "Well, to speak frankly, Jahita, I can't say that I understand it fully, but to this, I would say that we should rather discard emotions such as anger, hate and fear. I'm sure that the Code doesn't mind you being glad or filled with joy. There's just the chance that when friends die and we become sad and filled with sorrow, it could happen that the sorrow is followed by fear and anger. This can make us hate something or someone. And hate is not the Jedi way – it is the path of the Dark Side."
"So me being glad, doesn't make me less Jedi, right?" Jahita asked with a hint of relief.
"Of course not, Jahita," Eyoul answered and laughed. "After all, we are only human," he said and laughed even more, and Jahita joined him.
After a moment of laughing, Jahita gave a sigh of relief. "Ffib, Eyoul, for a Bith you sure know how to joke." His laughter slowly died down. "Then again, I don't know any Biths aside from you, mate."
The two of them grinned a little more.
Eyoul reassumed his concentrated look, but with a smile. "Jahita, you like history, right?"
"Sure do. Very much indeed. Well, of course it depends on the subject, but in overall, yes."
Eyoul crossed his arms. "Well, as far as I've heard, today's lesson will be held by Tionne. She is going to tell your class some of the history of the Jedi Order."
A big smile erupted on Jahita's face. "All right!"
"Well, this should certainly boost your interest in the Jedi history. Besides, Tionne loves to share the wisdom she received through the Jedi Holocron before it was destroyed."
"But didn't Master Solusar and Master Skywalker find a library on Ossus, which contained some of the Order's history?"
"Yes, they were led to a hidden library by Rayf Ysanna of the Ysanna tribe, if I remember correctly. Tionne has studied much of the findings from that library and she sure has learned plenty. You and your classmates are to meet in the Grand Audience Chamber in an hour. Make sure that you are there in time, she doesn't like uncommitted Jedi." The last remark was said with a smirk.
"I understand perfectly, Eyoul," Jahita said with a big smile. "In that case, I ought to get a shower and some fresh clothes. This meditating in the sun can be quite warm."
"As you wish," Eyoul said. "Think you feel up for it?" he asked and looked at the edge of the roof.
Jahita only smiled before he turned his back to the Bith and jumped off the roof, landing securely on a lower level. He used the Force to slow his descent so that he would not break his legs by the impact. He kept the same procedure until he had reached the ground. Once he had reached the ground, he waved to Eyoul, who still stood at the top of the ziggurat. "See you later, mate!" he shouted and ran over to the temple where his room was.
Tionne Solusar sat alone near the podium in the Grand Audience Chamber. With her, she had brought her special stringed instrument, which she played so beautifully so that all who listened were touched to the innermost part of their soul. She had 'inherited' the instrument from her grandmother after she had been executed for her knowledge and telling of ancient Jedi tales, but that was many years ago during the Emperor's New Order. Tionne sat so peacefully and meditated in Force that one would think that she was a beautiful decorated statue, which had been made in honour of beauty and music. Her fair white hair and pearl-eyes – which always seemed to shine with light – made her look like a beautiful space angel and may well have been the cause of envy among other women. Rays of light shone through the tall windows in the Chamber and almost illuminated the entire room. Green vines crawled up on the walls – regardless of gravity. Their green leaves teemed with life. Insects of various sorts were busy in collecting their meals as well as providing occasional predators with a bountiful feast. Now and then, loud screams could be heard from the stintarils – some furry animals – that were having a little fight among their nests in the Massassi trees, as well as the ear-tearing shrieks of the howlers – a kind of lizards that lived in the jungle, known for their long tongue as well, which was notably painful to feel lashing into one's legs. The exchanging of calls between some purple-furred woolamanders was heard, as well as the chilling cries of reptilian predator birds. The undergrowth, too, teemed with life. The beautiful songs of the other various sorts of birds echoed wonderfully through the dense jungle and gave Tionne a deep satisfaction of good meditation. No wonder Master Skywalker thought this location to be ideal, she thought in her quiet mind.
Though her eyes were still closed, she sensed the presence of other beings, which treaded so carefully that they would not disturb her.
"I'm glad you could come, class," Tionne said with her eyelids still closed.
Some began apologising for disturbing her, but Tionne only smiled and opened her eyes. She giggled a little and waved her hand to them. "Come and sit in front of me, please."
The students acknowledged and walked over to the podium where Tionne was sitting.
"You can all call me Tionne," she said gently.
Tionne was indeed a beautiful woman. Her white hair seemed almost to rest peacefully on her head. Her bright eyes almost shone with light and her voice seemed to be as gentle as a little waterfall. She was the official Jedi historian, as well as the Academy's administrator and teller of Jedi legends and other such tales; she was also particular renowned for her ballads. Her husband Kam Solusar was also an administrator of the Academy. Jahita had become very fond of Kam as a teacher. He hoped that it would be the same with Tionne.
"What do you feel when you're meditating?" Tionne asked while attending her instrument. When no one appeared to be answering, she randomly picked someone by pointing her finger. "You," she said without even looking. "What do you feel when meditating?"
Seeing Tionne's finger pointing directly at him, Jahita started, "I feel a great calm as if I was in some sort of heaven," he said and smiled insecurely.
Tionne looked up from her instrument and at him. "And what do you see?"
Jahita felt how the peace of the Force entered him and he closed his eyes. Through his inner sight, he could see the cloud of light, which covered all that he saw. He could as usual see the features of the Chamber and even Tionne and his fellow students. Within them, he could see a great light that shone very brightly. "I see the Force," he said with his eyelids still closed.
"What does it look like?" Tionne asked, although her way of asking indicated that she already knew.
He opened his eyes. "Like light. Like a cloud of light that binds and penetrates everything."
"And surrounds all things as well." Tionne took hold of the instrument and made herself ready to play.
"What will we be doing today, Tionne?" a student asked.
"I will sing a song for you. I've made some songs based on the stories I've learned through the Jedi Holocron, as well as other sources."
"Quite a funny way preserving history," another said.
Tionne smiled gently. "Many races in the galaxy preserve their history in this way. Some are very plain and uninteresting for others, while some tell of great deeds, which capture the attention of many. I make these songs in order to comfort and encourage my fellow Jedi. Sometimes there is much sorrow to be battled. A song helps a great deal if it hits the soft spot." The last remark she said with a grin.
"But sometimes I've received a little criticism for what I've done," Tionne continued. Her smile had faded. "Some years ago when I started my training here at the Jedi Academy I had made a song about the most ancient of the Jedi: the Jedi that fought in the Sith Wars many thousand years ago. At that time, a student had died mysteriously. His name was Gantoris and he came from a moon called Eol Sha. When Master Skywalker first met him, Gantoris asked him if he was the dark man, who was to show Gantoris great power and then destroy him. Needless to say, Master Skywalker became quite worried by this, but Gantoris eventually agreed to come with him. He died here. He had been burned up from his insides. We were all very sad and scared by this. Then the rumour spread about a dark man who had instructed Gantoris in secrecy and in the end killed him, when he refused to obey this dark man. The terrible things did not end here though. After a while Kyp Durron started to act strangely."
Jahita felt his stomach twist upon hearing that name. If Tionne or any of the others around him noticed this, they hid it well.
"It was he that one day criticised the song I had been working with for several weeks. He told us that it was all a lie. Master Skywalker talked to him and asked where he got his information. I don't remember exactly what he said, but Corran Horn, the Corellian Jedi, immediately suspected Kyp to be under the influence of the dark man, because Corran had seen this dark spirit. We later found out that the dark man was the spirit of an ancient Sith lord named Exar Kun. Kyp suddenly disappeared one day and soon after Carida was blown to bits."
Jahita felt tears pressing to come out. He quickly wiped them away and ignored the lump in his throat. He suddenly noticed that Tionne was shedding tears.
"It was a horrible experience to feel their deaths through the Force." She looked at Jahita. Her eyes almost shone by the tears. "You lost someone there, didn't you?"
Jahita did not know what to say at first. "How did you know?" he asked puzzled, but quickly knew that it was a silly question.
"The Force can reach out to us and tell us things. Our feelings can vibrate through the Force like when you toss a stone into a pool of water." She gave him a compassionate look. "I didn't mean to intrude."
Jahita nodded once and tried to swallow the lump in his throat that bothered him. "It's okay. I did lose someone very, very close to me."
"May I ask how you felt that day, before you were told…?" She paused. "Er, I don't know your name, I'm afraid."
"Krass. Jahita Krass," he replied. "I don't remember much, except for feeling sad and depressed, even before they told me that my au…the one I knew, was dead."
"Why do think you were sad and depressed, Krass?" Tionne asked carefully.
"I don't know. It just came abruptly and haunted me all day." He looked at Tionne; his face was filled with lack of understanding. "Why do you ask?"
Tionne sighed. "When something happens it can send vibrations through the Force. This can be felt by Force-sensitive beings, like you and me. It may well be that your feeling depressed had been caused by Carida's destruction. Master Streen, for example, could hear the death cries of the millions of people who died. It was worse for him."
Jahita almost became more puzzled. It makes sense, but still… "How is that possible?" he asked.
"It's difficult to explain, but the Force is strengthened by life and if life is exterminated in great numbers, then it affects the Force. Like the pool metaphor I used before. You could also think of the Force like a great web of strings. When one string snaps, the entire web vibrates."
"So that's why we can feel it. We feel the sorrow of the Force." Jahita suddenly felt as if he had received insight.
"Well, that's one way of putting it." Tionne thought for moment. "Do you see the Force as a being, Krass?"
"Kind of. It seems too strange to think of it as just a source of power," he said and quickly added, "but that doesn't mean I'm going to worship it or stuff like that."
Tionne chuckled. "I see." A gentle smile went over her face. "You have a wonderful way of seeing things, Krass."
Jahita did not quite understand Tionne's point. "What? What do you mean?"
"You don't see the Force as a tool, or as you put it 'a source of power'. This will give you more insight of the Force and its being. It is a magnificent power that is everywhere in this galaxy. All life nourishes of it. Life is the Force and the Force is life."
Jahita lowered his eyesight and smiled. "If you put it that way, well, aye. My first encounters of the Force have really amazed me. I find it so hard to believe that people take it for granted. I truly believe that the Force-sensitivity is a gift given by the Force itself. There has to be a meaning for us having the knowledge of it."
Tionne almost could not believe she was hearing. It had been very seldom that, students so understood the ways of the Force without being trained or taught for a period of time. If there was anyone that reminded her of Jahita, it was children. Children, who had begun Jedi training, were often far more simple in their way of thinking when it came to understanding the Force than the elder beginners were. But Jahita was no child.
"How old are you, Krass?"
"I'm twenty-one standard years old."
Tionne seemed to wonder on this, but then remembered her plan of singing to the class. "It seems that we've totally forgotten about that song I wanted to sing for you all."
Everyone began to grin, but it did not last long because Tionne had already started to sing. Without fully knowing the cause, Jahita closed his eyes and fell into some sort of trance. He could still hear Tionne's melodic voice and the wonderful sound of her instrument, but suddenly it seemed to him that he could hear other instruments as well and other voices that sang with Tionne. He opened his eyes. There was no one except Tionne, but he could still hear others singing. What in the galaxy? He closed his eyes again. He could feel the Force flowing strongly through him, but not as powerful as when he accidentally blinded Kyp and some other students. It was as if the song had stirred something inside him.
He almost felt one with the omnipresent Force.
"What? He recited the entire song?" Kam Solusar said. He quickly remembered to lower his voice as to not wake everybody.
Tionne nodded.
"But he's only heard it once. How then could he recite it afterwards?"
Tionne was as puzzled as her husband was. "I don't know, Kam, I really don't know." She smiled. Jahita Krass had completely surprised her and everyone else when he had managed to recite the tale of Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider – Jedi he had never heard of before except for once when she had sung her ballad about these long-dead Jedi. "After I had finished the song, I asked the class if anyone wanted to tell what they had heard in the song. Before anyone was able to volunteer, he recited every single line. As he spoke I could feel the Force flowing very strongly in the room, but so gently as I've never felt it before."
Kam's face made a funny expression. "Say, he's not going to steal you from me, is he?" He failed to keep his suspicious look and started to laugh.
"Shh, remember, the children are sleeping – my jealous little man." A big smile erupted on her face.
"Who's little?" Kam said and hugged her. They kissed softly and stood for a while embracing each other. "That Krass sure is a weird character," Kam finally said.
"Because he can recite a song after hearing it once?" Tionne replied with a smile.
"Well, not only that. I was more thinking about that incident the first day he came here." He sighed.
"Was it that bad, my love?" Tionne gently stroke a finger through his hair.
"No, but I sure would like to know if what that kid will turn into later on. That outburst he had – it felt like something dark, like deep anger buried beneath whatever resides in his mind." He paused for a moment. "I just wish we had more insight and wisdom in handling such strange situations." He chuckled a little, "Luke really had a tough time handling all of us and our diverse problems. Heck, he was all alone in tutoring us."
"Not alone, Kam, you helped him quite a bit. And Corran helped, too."
"Yeah, we did." He thought for a moment. "But that's the past. Now I can't help worry about the future."
"Why, Kam?" Tionne asked and held her husband tighter against her.
"With this new enemy that has come, things are about to get pretty heated around here. I fear that we'll make warriors instead of peace-makers."
"A Jedi knows no fear, or have you forgotten?" Tionne said and smiled carefully.
Her smile was returned. Kam put his hand on her cheek. "I know, but that doesn't ease the worry. I've felt something else that day Krass made that spectacle of his." He paused a second to breathe. "I felt as if something is destined for him – something terrible. I can't say for sure."
Tionne kissed him once and looked into his eyes. "Let's hope that nothing terrible will happen to him."
"Yeah, I hope so, too, my love." He gave a smile. "The same goes for all the Jedi out there, as well as here. I hope we can get through this without taking too much loss."
Tionne nodded. "The Force will help us. It must."