Star Wars: The Unlikely Hero
--sparkvallen
Disclaimer: Star Wars is copyrighted by Lucasfilm and associated companies - I do not own any of the Star Wars characters, settings, etc.
Chapter Three
"You do realize that was the Padawan that some Knights are calling 'The Chosen One', don't you?" Siri asked, her words whispered as she and Falco both smiled and waved back at Anakin as he hurried off for his next lesson.
"Uh… well, yeah!" Falco said with exuberance. "Doesn't that mean he was like… chosen by his Master?"
Siri shook her fur-covered head. "No. The Chosen One. It's part of some sort of prophecy from the ancient Jedi, I think. I overheard the instructors talking about it. He's going to be very important some day."
Falco shrugged, not grasping the gravity of what Siri was trying to tell him. "He says he going to help me with my droid-accessory making!" he said, changing the subject a bit.
"Oh, I've heard all about his droid making already!" Siri replied. "Up where the Masters and Padawans live when they're at the Temple, I guess Anakin has been tooling around with the Temple's droids. The Masters aren't real pleased with him for it."
Falco frowned. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he asked, "Why not?"
"They say 'The Chosen One' should be meditating on the Force."
The six-year old huffed. "That's stupid."
Siri's dark eyes widened as she looked at Falco. "That's what we should be doing too! We are becoming Jedi, not droid manufacturers in the Core!"
"My classes are boring though. I can't wait 'til we're… you know… old enough to be Padawans! That will be so much better than going to school around here."
She tsk-tsk'd him as though Siri were levels about him in Jedi training. Though in the same level as far as their abilities went, Siri was technically older because of her species' rate of maturation. "Focus on the now, Falco. That's what the Masters say."
"Yes, yes! Listen to Siri, you must!"
Both younglings whirled on their heels at the distinctive voice of the ancient and wise Jedi Master Yoda. He was the eldest on the High Council having served for nearly 900 years! He was beloved among the younglings because they knew him as the most playful of all the Masters and he was very disarming being shorter than even Falco and Siri!
"Master Yoda!" they exclaimed in unison, offering the tiny green Master bows.
His large ears twitched as he smiled and bowed stiffly to both younglings. "Wise you are, young Siri, is it?"
Siri was beaming with pride that Yoda would know who she was. "Yes, Master Yoda. And thank you, Master."
Wizened eyes gazed upon young Falco who was positively squirming with nerves in his beige tunic. "And you… Falco Volt, you are, yes?"
His eyes went wide to know that Yoda also knew his name. With there being thousands of Jedi Knights across the galaxy let alone those housed within the Jedi Temple, Falco could hardly believe that Yoda would take the time to know who they were too! "Yes… yes, Master Yoda. I'm Falco!"
"Take my Force class you will!" he chortled. "Both of you, yes!"
They stared at the Jedi Master, dumbstruck. Even at their level as students, Siri and Falco knew that not just anyone was able to take a training class with Master Yoda. He didn't teach all that often as it was; one had to be picked to join his course. And they just learned how that selection came about. Both younglings knew that Yoda had not taken a Padawan since his most recent had "joined" The Lost Twenty; every student learned of those twenty Jedi who had left the Order for different reasons. Falco and Siri each wondered if being in Master Yoda's classes was the only way to ever formally learn from him.
"Yes, Master!" they both replied.
Laughing to himself, Yoda moved on, leaning heavily on his small cane. The two younglings stared after him for some time before turning to each other and embracing with a powerful hug.
"Force help us! We've been asked to study with Master Yoda!" Siri squealed.
"Like… whoa! I… I… I mean, of course he'd let you in, Siri!" Falco said, shaking his head in wonder. "But… you know I'm like… I don't pay attention in class already! Why would Master Yoda want me in his class?"
"To teach you to pay attention to the moment, nerf-for-brains," Siri teased. "Who cares why! He wants us both in there!"
Beside themselves with glee, the two friends cleared their table in the cafeteria and hurried off to the respective classes for the rest of the day. Like everyone else, they knew that a Force class with Master Yoda would be held outside in the gardens beyond the Jedi Temple in the evening. In order to get to that lesson though, they would have to work through the day's courses in languages and mathematics first.
The same evening…
Following the evening meal but still before dusk when he was due out in the gardens, Falco sat on his sleep-couch, distressed. He hadn't been joking when he asked Siri why in space Master Yoda would want him to attend his class! Falco knew that he was competent with the Force - he could hear and feel its guidance as he grew up and learned more and more. But he by no means felt like he should be in a class taught by the leader of the High Council.
"I'll probably say or do something stupid and he'll be all like, 'Hey, you! Falco! Why don't you get out of here, youngling! You aren't going to make it as a Jedi, so just get out of here!' I'm sure that's what will happen," he whispered to the empty dormitory room.
Still, as his bedside chrono indicated it was time to head down to the gardens, Falco went. He rode in silence down the turbolift to the main level of the Temple and met with Siri at the egress doors. Where he felt depressed and scared about this course, his Chadra-Fan friend was bursting with energy and excitement at their opportunity. Siri realized though that Falco was stressing out and tried to contain herself. A little.
"Falco, you better get happy. If anybody, Master Yoda will be able to see you don't want to be here," she whispered as they went outdoors.
It was a warm night on Coruscant though the sun had dipped below the horizon. The sky glowed a fiery orange-red, though by the time the lesson with Yoda was done, it would be well after dark. They walked together across the winding path to the grotto in which they would find the Jedi Master and other students.
"I can't help it," Falco finally said to Siri. "I just know Master Yoda's going to tell me I'm an idiot or something."
He was a gifted youngling and Siri knew it. She knew how her friend aced exam after exam; she knew that Falco barely paid attention in his classes because he was already competent in the material! And yet, Falco suffered from major self-esteem problems, thinking the worst of himself when he was one of the stars of their level.
"He can't say that about you," Siri replied. Falco looked at her. "That's my job, nerf-for-brains."
He stuck his tongue out. "Stop calling me that, or I'll…. I'll make up some goofy name for you!"
It was a standing joke between them that Siri could hurl loving, but insulting names with the wit of many adults. Falco was usually the brunt of such names and for all his efforts to reciprocate, he was usually left stumped. With that truth in mind, Siri smiled. "You just try."
The other four students who were already students in Master Yoda's class were seated lotus-style and in a semi-circle in the grass. The Jedi Master himself was perched on a rock that was knee-high to Falco. The other younglings were a mix of species and all chronologically older than both the Human and Chadra-Fan. Falco and Siri sat down beside each other to add to the semi-circle and looked to Master Yoda.
Both sensing and knowing from experience the natural rivalries that could exist among younglings, Yoda said, "Equal we all are in the Force. All of you and… me!"
The children giggled, believing with good reason that Master Yoda was far and beyond equal to them. He wrinkled his face in a smile, anticipating their thought, however naïve it was.
"Know you meditation and how to use the Force to move objects," Yoda said, summarizing the Force skills among his six pupils. The older younglings would surely be more proficient but the Jedi Master knew roughly where everyone's studies lie. "With Yoda you will learn to feel deeply in the Force, yes! Deeply, you will go into who you are and into who we all are."
Falco shifted in his lotus position, uncomfortable with the seriousness with which Yoda now spoke. This was different from all his other courses where he could rely on intelligence. What the Jedi Master was asking of the younglings was to feel even more than they had done thus far with the Force and he was again unsure he was up to the task.
"Calm you must be," Yoda said as though he heard Falco's very worries. "for a Jedi's strength flows with the Force… worry not you must, younglings…"
Somewhat dazed by his unusual speaking pattern and the lull of his voice, Falco could feel himself drifting into a meditative state. The younglings around him brightened in his mind's eye as he touched the Force consciously. Falco smiled to himself as he sensed Siri through the Force and she gave him a mental, playful nudge. He let himself relax further as Yoda continued to speak.
"Yes… trust the Force you will… guide you, it does, younglings… Look deep! Feel the Force flowing through you… show you it will your progress as a Jedi as it shows you where you will go as you grow," Yoda said softly. "Feel! Feel your classmates. Feel the Temple itself and the Jedi there…"
The younglings made soft "ooh" sounds as the Force continued to broaden their awareness and their perspectives. Falco though remained silent as the Force guided him toward one particular being within the Temple, the Padawan he had met earlier that day: Anakin Skywalker. Through the Force, Falco was "seeing" what Anakin was doing in his chamber beside Obi-wan Kenobi's. The Padawan was angry. Enraged. Falco wasn't sure why, but he could see Anakin stomping about throwing a tantrum. He watched with awe and some fear as Anakin brought the many droid parts about him in a whirlwind in the Force; it was a skill, Falco knew that was limited to experienced Jedi only because of the control it took. He suddenly understood the references to Anakin being a "chosen one" given his Force abilities but it frightened the youngling to feel what anger there was in the Padawan.
Falco trembled in the physical as he tried to guide his awareness away from Anakin Skywalker. He didn't want to see anymore and couldn't understand why the Force was showing him this display. Gritting his teeth, Falco moaned as he couldn't quite bring himself out of the meditation.
"Easy, young Falco," Yoda said, his voice soothing the storm in Falco's mind. "Breathe you must and relax more…"
Falco's eyes snapped open and realized that he'd been crying! Rubbing roughly at his cheeks to wipe the tears away, he stared at the green-skinned Master, feeling panicky. Yoda looked to the other younglings and quiet dismissed them for the evening; they all knew exactly when to meet with the Jedi Master again in the grotto without it being said. Siri lingered until Yoda had shooed her off to the Temple, leaving he and Falco alone.
From within his small dark brown robe, Yoda produced a sweet and handed it to Falco. The little boy took it readily, sucking on the hard candy as he tried to get himself under control. He still felt very much shaken by what he had seen.
"Saw something in the Force you did," Yoda remarked. "But what, I wonder?"
Taking a deep breath, Falco thought of the rage he had sensed in Padawan Anakin. Was it even safe to tell a Jedi Master… even Yoda? He bit his lower lip then said, "Master Yoda, I saw Padawan Skywalker."
"Ahh! Met him today you did, yes?"
"We are… both, you know, in Instructor Kel's class." His cheeks flushed as he remembered why they had met. "I kind of got… in trouble in class today because I was working on a drawing. I knew the material though, so it wasn't like… like I totally wasn't paying attention though."
Yoda smiled slightly.
"After class, Anak-- Padawan Skywalker caught up with me to… to uh, talk. Because he likes droids too," he explained, his nerves shot.
"Yes, yes, Falco Volt and Anakin Skywalker! Both boys who know droids well, yes!" Yoda's smile faltered as he watched the youngling before him. "Saw what did you of Padawan Skywalker?"
"He was… um… like really upset in his room. Really angry! He was making a whirlwind with the Force and all of his parts were flying around him!" Falco said.
Yoda's ear twitched as he listened, his equivalent of raising an eyebrow.
"I… I got scared because, I mean it was cool to see Anakin being able to use the Force so powerful like that, but… I was scared because a Jedi isn't supposed to get really angry, right? I mean… I learned the Code so I know that it's all like 'there is no emotion, there is peace' but… Anakin was really mad and acting up!"
The Jedi Master stared at Falco, looking at him deeply, purposefully. Falco felt like the Master was looking through him and right into his soul. He did his best not to squirm. Or run.
"Interesting it is that the Force shows you this, Falco. Do you know why?"
"Um…" Falco tried to think about it - why would the Force show him Anakin pitching a fit in his room? He had no answer though. "I don't know, Master."
Yoda seemed to have an interpretation of the vision and experience, given the look in his eyes. All he said to the youngling before him was, though, "Be friends with Padawan Skywalker when he is on Coruscant with Master Obi-wan. But! Remember this vision you should, Falco. Powerful the Force is and important it must have been for you to see what you did."
"Yes, Master Yoda."
The Master's expression softened again, becoming far more playful. "Go on now. To bed you must go. Even a Jedi needs rest, yes!"
Falco scampered to his feet and bowed to Master Yoda. He nodded sagely in return and the youngling hurried back to the Temple and his dormitory, thinking hard about what he had seen and what Yoda had said about the vision through the Force. Meanwhile, the Jedi Master remained in the garden grotto, his expression troubled.
