Anakin sat thoroughly bored as he practiced his studying technique, using the force to channel his focus in order to speed read. So far he could read 15000 words a minute with 80 percent accurate recollection. Revan said he needed to get his recollection up to a hundred percent before focusing on reading faster.
It was the most boring part of his training. He preferred working with his training saber or his training blaster. Revan was teaching him how to fight with a Lightsaber in his mane hand and a blaster in his off hand. Although it was obvious Qui-Gon didn't approve of the blaster he was leaving Revan to teach what he thought was best.
During those training sessions Anakin wore a special helmet which dulled his senses. He couldn't even see with the blast Shield down and everything sounded muffled. He had to stretch out with his feelings in order to 'see' the target drone. He was getting pretty good at blocking it's stinging laser zaps and shooting it with his own stinging zaps. It was still only on level one though and admittedly he did get zapped occasionally or miss the target. Lucky his gun wasn't real and couldn't damage the ship.
Still it was pretty impressive. He was learning a lot and it had only been a week. Revan said it was because of this speed reading exercise. It taught him to use the force to focus, which allowed him to absorb information more quickly and easily.
Truth was Anakin had already figured out how to focus through the force like that himself. He just hadn't realized that was what he was doing as a Slave learning engineering or pod racing. He already had the skill, Revan was just teaching him to polish it. It was pretty cool that he could do it but actually training this power was so boring. Especially since most of the book files Revan was having him speed read were text books.
Anakin was learning math, science, galactic literature, multiple languages, history, everything and Revan was quizzing him on it all. Revan said Anakin would begin working on university level stuff by the end of the month... that was kind of cool... until Anakin realized he'd have even more reading to do.
Obi-Wan Kenobi walked over, eying the young boy as he tended to do. He seemed really weird around Anakin. He was actually kind of mean to him when they first left Tatooine but now he was more curious but still kind of distant.
Unknown to Anakin Obi-Wan actually regretted his behavior. The older Padawan had thought his master was going to replace him and now, with the relief of discovering the boy had a completely different master, came the shame that he acted in a way so unbefitting of a Jedi. Jedi were not supposed to let jealousy cloud their actions. True he was never cruel but he was very cold and short with the little boy... he was jealous of a boy just freed from slavery. He didn't know how he lost sight of the boy's former living situation like that.
Obi-Wan sighed walking over, "What are you reading?"
"Boring learning files," Anakin yawned. "Revan got a Datapad Containing a few terabytes of textbooks from all over the galaxy. It's SOOOOOOOOOO boring," the boy whined
"Master Revan," Obi-Wan corrected. "It's important to show respect where it is due."
The boy deflated, which really hadn't been Obi-Wan's intent. "But yes, I remember how boring all that reading can be when I had to do it."
"Obi-Wan made you do this to?"
"No, Master Yoda did, back when I was an initiate. I was three when I started but by the time I was ten I had the accumulative knowledge of several Doctorates, in nearly every field, same as most initiates,"
Anakins mouth dropped. "Really?... I guess I'm pretty far behind in my Jedi training then," the boy sighed.
Obi-Wan shrugged, "A little bit, the places your lacking most are in the academic areas, but your ahead when it comes to force powers. Most initiates only have a vague understanding of the Force. Many of the exercises you're working on now are taught to initiates but many more are force exercises taught to beginning Padawans. It's as equally as impressive a work load as it is how quickly your mastering them."
"Really," Anakin beamed.
"Of course initiates learn in a classroom setting, not direct tutelage under a master who can dedicate their time purely to them. You're quite fortunate in that regard,"
"Yeah, Revan is great."
"Master Revan."
Anakin rolled his eyes with a mischievous smile, "I think I spent enough time calling people 'master'."
Obi-Wan flinched as if he'd been struck despite it being a joke, "Perhaps, but maybe you should try to give that word new meaning for you."
"Eh?"
"The bond between a master and their apprentice is very different then the relationship an owner would have with a slave."
"Watto wasn't as mean as you probably imagine," Anakin shrugged. "He spanked me a couple times, but just for normal stuff any kid would have got it for. He never really hurt me or anything... he was a pretty fair master. He actually liked me to... sorta like a pet," Anakin mumbled the last bit, "that does housework."
Obi-Wan sighed, "That is my point entirely. Qui-Gon Jinn is far from a task master to me. He is my teacher... my father... I love him. It's very likely you and Master Revan would develop such a bond if you let it."
Anakin fidgeted a little, remembering the promise Revan made to him during his hair cut... he called him his son. Anakin always did wonder what it be like to have a father. Revan was exactly the type of man he fantasized about. He was strong, smart, snarky as hell, fun, great with tinkering... it was weird to have a man that so fit what he wanted. The boy was scared to believe it. Revan even taught him things like a parent should.
Still it was way too early to figure out where they actually stood. Plus Anakin was aware enough of the world to realize anything that perfectly fit what you wanted had to be a trick. He might be young but the life of a slave forced him to grow up quick. That's what he liked about Qui-Gon. The man gave him a chance to be a real kid. Anakin might have acted a bit to childishly as a result to make up for years without the opportunity.
Qui-Gon continued to be nice to him even after he learned he wouldn't be his master. He brought Anakin to the tailor Droid at the Jedi Temple just after getting the news that Anakin would be trained. He got the boy several Padawan uniforms in various colors he liked... that had been really nice.
Revan sighed as he sat at the other end of the kitchen and watched the boys mingle. Qui-Gon sat beside him observing the scene in silence.
"It's good to see your Padawan is finally coming out of his shell," Revan commented.
"It takes him a bit to warm up to people."
Revan shrugged, "You think that would have happened the first time you traveled with the boy. It is a two week trip between Coruscant and Naboo."
Qui-Gon sighed, "I might have been responsible for his uneasiness... I had planned to train Anakin myself if the Council refused to put him with the initiates. Obi-Wan probably sensed this and felt it was a betrayal."
Revan looked over at the older boy, "He is strong with the force, well disciplined. He is clearly ready for the trials. My guess is Anakin offered you a kick in the pants but now that the opportunity is lost you once again lost the will."
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow.
Revan chuckled, "Forgive me. Despite the Demotion to Knight I was once the only master on a ship with several apprentices under me. I'm afraid I became use to giving lectures and advice."
Qui-Gon sighed, "Then perhaps it be foolish to ignore such experience... My previous Padawan, before Obi-Wan, fell pray to the Dark Side. He was not, by any means, a full fledged Sith but he had been consumed just the same... I was forced to kill him. I failed him... your very existence proves I could have saved him."
"No, you couldn't," Revan assured.
Qui-Gon looked over and was surprised to see the young face so serious and... wise.
"Turning someone from the dark path is tricky. It takes a good deal of patience and understanding well also a willingness to admit that they will never return fully to the Light. The Dark Side will always be a part of them. You need to teach them balance, which most importantly you must have in order to show others.
"I achieved mine as a fluke. It was a side effect of the Jedi wiping my memory. They gave me a completely new life which bled with the potential for Light. Strange how they thought making me think I was a smuggler was the best way to do that," Revan giggled before continuing.
"Even then I retained my darker tendencies. I think they made me believe I was a Smuggler to explain them well also giving me the potential for a noble heart. When the old memories were awoken they clashed with the old and I found a sense of clarity. I can still be a down right evil bastard though, and will likely do things both you and the Council disagree with. However that comes from a root of balance. I am neither 'good' or 'evil', I'm both. It's why the Force chose me to train Anakin. I understand true 'balance' much better then the Council does.
"My balance came from blood sweat and tears from not only myself but those who were willing to help me. In the end though it was my willingness, my desire, to come back. Without that it wouldn't matter what the Council or my friends tried to do... I would have been lost... as my own apprentice was."
Revan looked deep into Qui-Gon's eyes, "Not even I can bring everyone back from the Dark Side. They have to have some willingness to face the Light again. Something that gives them purpose. Sometimes you can trick them into coming back, as I was, but that might not work. It would take years knowing they could turn on you at any second before they truly discover balance... but so long as they have that one moment. So long as you are able to get to them for the briefest of seconds, there is hope for them. Did you sense that in your Padawan?"
Qui-Gon sighed, "No... there was nothing left of the boy I raised. I tried everything I could think of to make him hear me but nothing mattered."
"Then he was dead long before you got there," Revan explained. "I have killed far more Sith then I have saved... Although I probably understand better then most what it is like not being able to save the one person that really matters... So this burden you carry? the reason you don't want your newest Padawan to leave your side? You feel overprotective? Wish to shelter him?"
Qui-Gon hesitantly nodded.
"But you also realize you do him no good holding him back like this? He is ready for the final trial but that doesn't mean he's done with you. You can still be there for him and guide him. He will no doubt still turn to you for such things. The bond between Master and Apprentice is not easily broken. Not even by something as devastating as the child growing up,"
Qui-Gon studied the young man a moment. He certainly sounded like a master but he spoke with more emotions. He relied on teaching others by sharing his own failings, not something most masters would be willing to do.
"You must be joking," Qui-Gon growled becoming more and more familiar with just how infuriating Revan could be.
They were standing around in the Queen's throne room on the ship as Revan explained his plan to her Majesty. Well... technically they were telling the Queen's double, but the real Queen was right beside her... dressed as a Handmaiden. The Jedi pretended not to notice. It was a useful disguise for the masses... although any powerful force user could sense the deception. They just had to hope the Sith after them wasn't fully trained.
Revan shrugged, "It seems only logical. Well you escort the Queen I will lead a small reconnaissance group into the palace. We'll make a survey of the enemy forces and report back."
"Anakin isn't ready for a reconnaissance mission!"
"Which is why I will leave the boy in the care of the Handmaidens until I return," Revan insisted.
"You can't just pawn off your Padawan!"
Revan rolled his eyes, "Anakin is, at this moment, a liability. In my day I would have had months to train the boy before our first mission but I was denied the opportunity. Anakin doesn't know enough to protect himself and so should remain with the civilians. I cannot sit at the sidelines with him when my skills could be used to protect the soldiers on the recon team."
Queen Amidala nodded, "I agree with Revan. What possessed the Jedi Council to send a child into a war zone I cannot understand. It be best to keep him with the none combatants during the attack. As for the Reconnaissance team I must agree the extra security for them would increase success of the mission. Do not engage. If you are discovered we lose the Element of surprise for the attack."
"Understood your highness," Revan bowed to the fake Queen.
After the meeting Revan went in search of his Padawan. He found the boy sitting in the droid bay playing with a small white and blue droid.
"Master Revan," Anakin smiled, knowing better then to not call the man 'master' to his face.
"How is R2 getting along?" Revan smiled.
Anakin moaped, "He misses his friends,"
Revan blinked, "Friends?"
Anakin nodded, "There used to be lots are R2 units in here but they were destroyed fixing the ship while we escaped Naboo."
Revan sighed, "It's always sad to lose comrades, even to droids."
Anakin gave a depressed nod as he hugged the droid, trying to comfort it. He had such a caring heart. The boy had grown very attached to the droid. Revan would have to try and make sure they weren't parted.
