It was a beautiful summer day and the sun shown brilliantly over the mountains. Amira stood in Bail's office waiting for him. Her mind wandered to Obi-Wan as it did everyday for the last two years. She had held her memories from their last moments together very close.
Bail smiled as he entered, "You look wonderful today; happy." The smile on her face widened, "I feel good; strong." He closed the door, "You have something on your mind. Do I dare ask?"
She laughed, "You know me so well." He crossed the floor to stand beside her at the window, "You've been restless of late. I know you want to be doing something, anything." She nodded, "Now that I am fully recovered. I do have something I wish to do."
He crossed his arms over his chest, "What is that?", "I wish to go to the Dagobah System. It is time to complete my training. It is time to become what I should have always been." He let out a deep sigh, "You want to become a Jedi."
He walked away from her and shook his head, "You promised him you would wait." She countered, "I promised Obi-Wan my campaign against the Empire would wait. I said nothing of completing my training."
He walked back to her and pulled her into his arms, "My dear brave sister. You know I cannot hold you here. You must choose your own path." She rested her head against his chest, "Thank you for understanding."
Finding the Dagobah system had been easy enough. It was clearly marked on the navigation charts. Finding which planet to land on was more of a challenge and she had to rely on pure instinct.
The visibility was low and the turbulence formidable. Piloting the small ship through the low clouds and swampland was no easy feat. When she finally did set the ship down she was amazed she hadn't crashed it straight into the swamp.
As soon as the canopy lifted she climbed down onto the soggy ground. As creepy as this place seemed she was thrilled to be off Alderaan for the first time in two years. A feeling of exhilaration filled her.
She set off on foot in search of her teacher. Maneuvering through the vines and mud puddles was not nearly as challenging as avoiding the flying, slithering and scurrying animal life that inhabited this soggy world. None of the creatures she encountered had the higher intelligence to be Jedi Master.
She sat on a fallen tree watching a snake slither past when the tingling feeling of being watched filled her. She spun around and nearly fell off of the log, "Master Yoda!"
The tiny green Jedi Master also registered recognition though a little more subtly, "Princess Organa you are. Know me do you?" She nodded numbly and said, "We met at an Alderaan State Dinner once. It was long ago, but you left a distinct impression on me."
He crinkled his brow, "Yes, yes. Young you were. With your twin brother Jade you were playing. A Jedi Padawan he was then. Pained I was to learn of his death. Powerful Jedi was he."
He poked his gimmer stick at her, "Why are you here?" She responded, "I was told you could train me as a Jedi." His eyes grew wide, "Oh a Jedi you wish to be." She nodded respectfully, "Yes, Master."
He regarded her for a moment and said, "Strong in the Force you are. Saw it in you I did; you and your brother. Being a Jedi in these times easy is not." She nodded, "I understand Master Yoda, but I am not afraid."
His brow creased and his voice lowered, "You should be Princess, you should be. Hunted the Jedi are." She asked, "Will you train me?" He shook his head, "Not yet, tested you must be."
He hobbled closer to her and poked her with his gimmer stick, "Who told you to come here?" She answered, "Master Kenobi" Yoda sighed shaking his head, "Obi-Wan, presumptuous he is."
Amira's eyes widened in surprise and Yoda continued, "Faring well is he?" She shrugged her shoulders and replied sadly, "I have not seen him in two years, but he was well then." He turned suddenly and walked off, "Follow me to my home you will."
She accepted the steaming bowl of stew Yoda handed her. He asked, "Tell me why a Jedi you wish to be." She replied, "There are many reasons." She tasted the stew and grimaced a bit, "Delicious."
She continued, "I wish to honor my brother by carrying on his legacy, that part of him that I share. I wish to devote my life to restoring the Republic and I hope to pass on what I learn to future generations."
Yoda regarded her answer, "Admirable reasons you have. Too late your devotion may be. Understand you the dangers?" Looking away and sighing deeply she said, "Yes Master I know."
Yoda asked, "Pain and loss you feel, sacrifice you have made. Prepared are you for more of this?" She replied, "With your help, yes." He announced, "Tomorrow your training we begin." She asked, "What about the test?" Yoda replied, "Past the test you have."
She was being stabbed, no poked, "Time to begin it is." Yoda jabbed at her with his gimmer stick. She stretched and yawned, "I am ready." Yoda hobbled away laughing to himself.
After several weeks of mental exercises her physical training had begun. Every muscle she never knew she had screamed out. On this day the little Jedi Master had her running, climbing and jumping through the swamp for the past five hours. He urged her on relentlessly.
She began to understand Obi-Wan's stamina on Tatooine. He had spent his whole life being taught how to use the Force to conserve his strength only tapping it when needed and in the amounts required. Yoda taught her this now.
Finallyhe stopped, "Rest now we will." Amira somersaulted to the ground from the vine she had been climbing. She opened her pack and pulled out the water flask. She sat cross legged on the ground. Yoda was perched on a stump. "You learn quickly. Very focused you are." She sipped from the water, "Thank you Master."
He scratched the dirt with his stick, "Curious I am. Pursue the ways the Jedi you have not before now." She wiped a drip of water from her lip, "I did not consider it my destiny before."
Yoda continued to stir the dirt, "and now?", "Ever since my brother's death something has been pulling me towards this. Something I cannot explain." She continued, "Jade was a wonderful brother. Any time he was home he was with me. He loved teaching me the things he had learned in the Temple. We were inseparable."
Yoda observed her closely, "Pain you feel for your brother's loss. Revenge you seek?" She shook her head, "No Master, it is not revenge. I miss him terribly and yes, I was very angry about his murder. It wasn't until I visited Master Kenobi that I realized I was not the only one who has suffered."
He looked up from his stirrings and asked, "When was this?", "Nearly three years ago now. My brother Bail asked me to deliver a data chip to him. It should have been very simple but it turned out to be a life changing experience." He prodded, "How so?"
She replied "I was attacked by Tuskan Raiders near his home. I had Jade's lightsaber with me. I used it to defend myself. My skills were mediocre at best but I held them off for awhile, but they eventually overwhelmed me and I fell."
She drank from the flask and continued, "I think Master Kenobi sensed what was happening and was on his way to investigate. He saw most of the encounter and rescued me from them. He treated my injuries. I told him I was there for his help."
Yoda asked, "Help you did he?" She shook her head laughing slightly, "No, he did not want anything to do with our fledgling rebellion. I was so angry with him at first. I could not understand his reluctance." Her expression changed and she frowned, "Then I felt his sadness, his grief." Yoda nodded solemnly, "Yes, much he has been through."
She stood up and walked around keeping her legs from cramping, "He had so much pain Master. My heart ached for him. I came to realize that he had suffered far greater than I. It became clear to me that with so few Jedi left if I had the ability I should try to become a Jedi. I stayed with him as I recovered and he offered to teach me a few things. He suggested I come here to continue what he started."
Yoda bowed his head and said, "Yes, his teachings I see in you. Honor him with your dedication you do, but waited several years you have to begin.", "Yes, Well I had a run-in with the Empire." He replied, "More than a run-in I think."
She walked back over to him and sat down. She took a deep breath and began, "When I left Tatooine I had every intention to come here next. I set out to do one more mission for my brother first. The Empire intercepted my ship and arrested me."
Yoda sensed her anxiety, "Scars from this I see, but below the surface they are." She nodded, "Yes Master, there are scars. I was interrogated by Darth Vadar about Obi-Wan. Lord Sidious tried to turn me to the dark side. When I did not turn he tried to kill me."
Yoda pressed her, "You survived this; impressive this is. How did you do this?" She replied, "I am not certain. It took everything I had not to tell them about the children or where Master Kenobi was. I was scheduled to be executed when Master Kenobi rescued me."
Yoda looked at her in surprise, "Rescued you?", "I was being held in Coruscant beneath the Senate building. He came to Coruscant to find me. After Ireturned to Alderaan my recovery took some time"
Yoda was a quiet for a moment then he asked, "To Coruscant Obi-Wan went, dangerous decision that was. Did he confront Vadar?" She shook her head, "No Master, he did not. Vadar was not on Coruscant."
Yoda hopped off the stump and walked over to her, "Very strong you must be Princess. Resisted Vadar and Sidious you did, survive you have. Proud of you I am." She smiled, "Thank you Master Yoda." She stood up and bowed slightly, "What is next for my training."
He replied, "Have a lightsaber do you?" She became suddenly sad, "No Master. It was hidden aboard my ship when the Empire blew it from the sky." He unclipped his own and handed it to her, "Then mine you will borrow."
Somewhat awestruck she took it from him. He snickered, "Just a weapon it is." She nodded, "Yes of course, but the things this weapon has seen the battles it has fought. I can only imagine."
Amira trained with the Jedi Master for nearly a year stopping only once after six months to return to Alderaan to let her brother know she was fine and would be spending another half year under Yoda's tutelage.
She placed the crystal precisely in the cylinder, made a final calibration and clipped the casing back in place. She held the weapon in her hands for a moment before handing it to Yoda, "It is done."
Yoda held out his hand and she placed her newly constructed lightsaber in his palm. He examined it critically and then ignited it. A soft bluish green light shot forth illuminating the tiny hut in an aquamarine glow. He nodded appreciatively, "Done well you have. Your skills are complete."
He extinguished the lightsaber and handed it back to her, "There is only one thing left to do.", "What is that master?" He turned hobbled to the door, "Follow me." Amira followed Yoda outside into the night.
They walked a short distance to a clearing surrounded by enormous decaying trees. She joined him in the middle of the clearing. He turned to her and said, "Padawan Organa kneel." She did as he said, going down on one knee in front of the Jedi Master.
He inhaled deeply and released his breath slowly, "For over 800 years Jedi have I trained. Traditional training in these dark times impossible is. No Temple, no council, just a swamp and an old Jedi Master there is now."
He walked in a circle around her. She kept her eyes forward. He stopped in front of her and said, "You have trained hard. Learned much in a short time you have. Exceptional understanding of the living Force you have. Confer on you the rank of Jedi Knight I do. Rise Amira Organa, Jedi Knight."
She stood up and bowed deeply to Yoda, "I am truly grateful to have been your student. I am even more grateful for your friendship." Yoda grinned, "It has been a pleasure. An apt pupil you have been."
The next morning Yoda accompanied Amira to her ship. She knelt down in front of him so she could hug him. He smiled when she stood back up, "Jedi normally do not hug goodbye." She replied, "Perhaps they should." His eyes were moist and he nodded, "Yes, perhaps they should."
He continued, "The Force is strong with you, but dangerous to be a Jedi it is. Be discreet and mindful of what you have learned, save you it can." She climbed up into her ship, "I will Master." Yoda backed away and called up to her, "May the Force be with you." She waved back, "And with you Master Yoda."
He watched her ship lift and glide smoothly across the swamp over his head and up into the atmosphere. He tried to get a sense of what the future held with Amira as a Jedi, but as was usual these days, it was cloudy. Alone once again the tiny Jedi Master hobbled his way back to his hut.