Here's the second chapter. I'm thinking about doing a third. Sorry it's so long, but I just kinda kept going; I wanted to describe some of the Temple life, and I just wanted to write it down, so here it is. Oh, and thanks to Lady Drachir for reviewing!
Everyone else who reads this… REVIEW!
That's all, thanks!
Declaimer: I am disinclined to claim KotOR or KotOR II, so I would appreciate it if I wasn't sued.
TWO
Emlyn looked down at her new Jedi robes and scowled. She had been messing with them for the better part of ten minutes and still couldn't figure out the correct way to wrap them.
'Fold the right side over first, and then the left. The belt wraps underneath that flap there,' the voice said. Emlyn caught the amused tone.
"Yeah, sure, laugh at me. It's not my fault I've never worn Jedi robes," she muttered, following the instructions. Maybe it wasn't that difficult after all.
'It's not very hard. You just have to get used to it, and then they're almost faster to put on than normal clothing.'
I'll believe it when it happens.
It had been only a couple hours since the Council had tested her and determined that she was indeed Force sensitive. They had also informed her that she was strong in the Force, to which Emlyn didn't know how to reply. She told them only the general outline of her life before coming to Corusant, as they requested. There were some things that she was not ready to talk about.
The room she had been assigned to was to be shared with another Jedi, she knew not who. It was not large, but not cramped. There were two single beds with simple, clean coverings, and simple, clean walls painted a soft green that went well with the brown floor. There were a few plants on her room mate's side, and an ornate mirror resting on the nightstand. Her own bed, drawers, and nightstand were empty other than her pack that she had thrown into the dresser, and her double-bladed lightsaber. She had enjoyed the surprise from the Council when they had asked to see it.
Turning her mind back to her robes, Emlyn had to admit that the robes and the cloak were really comfortable and freed her movement tremendously. "I think I could learn to live with it," she said as she experimented by bringing her left leg straight over her head.
"That's good to know."
Emlyn spun around, left foot still in the air. She lowered her leg quickly and bowed to the Jedi woman in the doorway. "Hi. Name's Emlyn," Emlyn said with a smile.
The woman smiled back. "I am Nadira. It is a pleasure to meet you, Emleen," she said, accented. Emlyn wondered what her accent was. Nadira was taller than Emlyn by about three inches with long, dark hair that was woven into an intricate pattern on her head, and brilliant gold eyes. Emlyn realized with a start that Nadira was not human; she had claws on her hands. Not that a non-human was unusual, she just looked like one.
"You are wondering what I am?" Nadira asked good-naturedly.
"Yes," Emlyn said, unable to ignore her curiosity.
"I would like to tell you, but I myself do not know, Emleen. Is that how you say your name?"
Emlyn smiled. "It's Em-lin actually, but whatever works."
"Well, Emlyn," Nadira began, carefully pronouncing the name, "It is time to spar. Bastila will be teaching today."
"She's a Master?" Emlyn asked as she took off her cloak and carefully hung it on the wall hook.
"No, but she is Council member," Nadira answered. Then, correctly reading Emlyn's look, "There are not enough Masters to have a full Council, so there are a few that are but Jedi Knights. Bastila has only recently been given the title."
"Ah," Emlyn said as she lifted her lightsaber from the chair she had set it on to change. She was always wary of leaving it behind.
The training room was a large area with a few windows that showed the blue afternoon sky. The sight took away whatever nervousness Emlyn might have been feeling before she walked into the room; she loved the sky, the rain, the sun and stars, and the wind. But mostly the stars. They were always there, no matter what planet she was on, and they were the same ones, unlike the sun or moon.
Emlyn turned her attention back to the room as a beautiful brown haired woman entered the room. That must be Bastila. Glancing around the room, Emlyn was surprised to see others around her, for she had not heard them enter. She had to be careful not to let her guard down like that again.
"Welcome, all of you. Please set your lightsabers on one of the holders and select a training saber," Bastila ordered. The students obeyed, carefully laying aside their weapons and taking a 'stinger', as Emlyn later learned that they were dubbed for their non-fatal pain when touched.
As she turned away from the rack containing training sabers, Emlyn froze in surprise as she came face to face with none other than Dustil Onaesi. He looked equally shocked as he stared at her. Then his mouth twitched slightly. Emlyn wasn't sure whether it was a smile or a sneer waiting to come out.
"This is the last place I'd expect to see you," he said finally, reaching for his own training saber.
"Sorry to disappoint you," Emlyn said sweetly, "But I'm on as a full time student."
"It'll be a pleasure to have you here, I'm sure," Dustil replied, "But why are you here?"
"This may come as a shock to you, but this is a Jedi Temple, and Jedi are trained here," Emlyn said as though talking to a child.
"Are you always this sarcastic?"
"Only when I feel like it."
"Or when you don't know how else to be?" Dustil asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Emlyn felt annoyance and anger begin to grow in her stomach. No, I am training to be a Jedi, and I must have control. There is no emotion, there is peace. Giving a small smile, Emlyn replied, "Save your psycho babble for later, Onaesi; it's time to spar." Without looking back, she walked over to join the other apprentices lined up to begin practicing.
"Before we begin, we have a new student. Emlyn Trae, please walk forward," Bastila said once everyone was in line.
Emlyn stepped forward and bowed slightly first to Bastila, and then to her classmates. Bastila seemed a bit impressed as she motioned for Emlyn to rejoin the line. "I'll need to see you spar before I can gauge whether or not this class is too advanced for you," she said, "I'm not sure why the Council put you in this class, but I will not question them." Bastila glanced around at the students, her eyes lingering on Dustil.
Please, no, Emlyn thought.
'Why don't you like him, Emlyn?'
He's just so…
"Dustil," Bastila said.
Frack. Emlyn swore that she could hear laughter inside her head. The two of them stepped forward and bowed slightly to Bastila and then to one another. "Take your stances," Bastila said, hands behind her back. Dustil stood erect, hands loosely at his sides, a smirk just barely evident on his face. Emlyn felt a strong urge to smack him.
"I sense irritation in you, apprentice," Bastila said to Emlyn.
"I'm sorry, Bastila. I will try to concentrate," Emlyn said respectfully.
"Good. In fact, you've raised a good subject for a lesson; I shall bring it up with Master Vrook for you afternoon lecture," Bastila said.
Emlyn could sense the withheld groans from the rest of the class and nearly winced. That didn't sound like much fun. "Ready…and begin," Bastila said.
Dustil did not go for his lightsaber, but merely watched to see what Emlyn did. At first she waited, but when he did not make a move she drew her saber and swung at him experimentally. Dustil had his saber out so fast that it nearly shocked Emlyn. He deflected her blow with ease and moved in with one of his own.
The dance began, she moved, he moved, they were testing each other's limits, not wanting to overdue. It soon became clear that they were both much more skilled than the other had previously suspected. The match soon sped up, the whirring of the sabers filling the room like a swarm of angry bees, the lights of the blades twirling about madly.
"You're not bad," Dustil said, smiling toothily, his face near to Emlyn's. She jerked back and swung at him, and he blocked her strike.
Emlyn desperately wanted to retort, but held her tongue in check; he was going to beat her, she could feel it. She fought valiantly, but as soon as he realized that he could exert more power on her, and he did so, she could feel her dominance slipping. She doubted that he was even using the Force yet. It irritated her that he was simply testing her limits, trying to see what she was capable of.
Dustil came at her from the right, she blocked, the left, she parried, overhead, underneath, behind her; his tactic was to confuse and tire her, and it was working. I'm going to lose! She thought desperately.
'That is not something to worry about. But you are not fighting your fullest; let the Force flow through you, Emlyn,' the voice said softly.
Managing to escape Dustil's attacks for a split second, Emlyn took a breath and opened herself to the Force. She felt it flood through her system, filling her arms, legs, body, her mind. She felt Dustil go left before he actually struck, saw his feint before it came, and began to drive him back toward the wall.
"This has been really fun, Em, but it's time to end it," Dustil said, breathing almost as heavily as she was. Then he attacked with a speed and skill that surprised her; he was using the Force now. She fought back hard, very hard, but it was not enough. He was stronger, better trained, and soon she felt the heat of the tip of his saber at her neck. She had lost. She found herself thinking that it would normally bother more her to lose to him, but the fight had taken any ill feelings out of her. She should spar more often.
"Good, very good," Bastila said as Dustil drew his saber away from Emlyn's throat. She bowed to him, and he returned it.
"You're lucky I was tired, Onaesi," Emlyn said quietly, her face serious.
Despite her serious features, Dustil caught on. "I have a feeling you're going to stay that way, Em," he said with a smirk, "But if you want a rematch some time, I'm all for it."
Emlyn gave him a look for using a short name for her. "It's Emlyn," she said.
Before Dustil could reply Bastila was ordering them to rejoin the line of students. "You have talent, but lack discipline," she said to Emlyn, who wondered how she could tell that from one fight, and feeling a bit annoyed. She had been trained just fine.
"Pair up," Bastila commanded, "Emlyn, you will spar with me."
"Uh, sure," Emlyn said, stepping forward and bowing to Bastila.
Emlyn groaned as she landed on her cot, aching all over. She hadn't known there were so many muscles in the human body. Bastila had given her what for under the pretense of 'training' her. "I call it torture," she muttered to herself.
"You had fun in the training session, yes?" Nadira asked as she entered the room.
"Oodles," Emlyn muttered, trying to undo her belt without hurting something.
Nadira laughed softly and began to prepare for bed. "You will get used to it in time. Being a Jedi is not as easy as many think it is. Sometimes the training is so hard that you are unable to move for hours."
"Well, I feel better now," Emlyn said with sarcastic cheerfulness, "And here I was thinking I'd have a difficult time."
"You are strange, Emlyn," Nadira said unexpectedly, pronouncing her name carefully.
"How so?" asked Emlyn, working her way underneath the blankets and sighing in relief when she succeeded.
"You speak with much sarcasm…" Nadira began.
"Direct effect from growing up with parents like mine," Emlyn grunted.
"…And you have a strange presence around you," Nadira finished.
Emlyn looked at her curiously. "Presence? What do you mean by that?"
"There is something, or perhaps someone, very close to you all the time. I noticed it as soon as I saw you. It is hard to see, but it is there," Nadira explained.
She must mean you, Emlyn said to the voice.
'Perhaps, perhaps not. We shall see.'
Is being in the Temple affecting you enough to make you speak so cryptically? If so, I'm not sure coming here was such a good idea.
'I'm simply unsure,' the voice said indignantly, 'And you would do well to pay close attention to everything around you.'
When am I ever not alert?
'I don't think you want me to answer that.'
"Emlyn?"
"Yes!" Emlyn said quickly, cutting off her other conversation, "What is it?"
"I'm sorry, were you falling asleep?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Oh. You were… meditating then?" Nadira asked.
"Uh…"
"I felt the Force spike around you."
"Oh. Well, I'm… really tired, so I guess I'll see you in the morning," Emlyn said, at a loss as to what to say.
"Yes, have pleasant fictitious images," Nadira said with a smile, flipping the light off.
Emlyn hesitated, confused. "You mean dreams?" But the only answer was a surprisingly loud snore from across the room. "Yeah…" Moving carefully onto her side, Emlyn settled in for a good night's rest.
"Are you going to finish that?" asked the Sullustan, gesturing to Emlyn's remaining slice of meat.
"No, but you can…"
The Sullustan snatched the food off her plate with lighting speed and began to dig in.
"...have it," Emlyn finished, watching with a mixture of fascination and alarm as Urik dug into the meat. She decided to stick to fruit. Letting out a quiet groan, she stretched her arms above her head, trying to relieve some of the stiffness of her limbs.
"Still sore from yesterday, Em," asked an annoyingly familiar voice.
"Go poke a frag mine, Onaesi," she told him.
"All giggles and pleasantries aren't we, Em?" he responded, not bothered in the least as he sat down across the table from her.
"And I suppose you like training sessions with Bastila?" Emlyn asked, glaring at him.
"Actually, she works me harder than most," he said matter-of-factly, taking a bite of an orange striped fruit that Emlyn did not recognize.
"Why's that?"
"Let's just say she's a friend of the family, and she believe in pushing friends," he said around a mouthful of food.
"Auntie Bastila?" Emlyn teased.
"Thankfully no; she knows my dad and step-mom from way back," Dustil replied, poking at a suspicious lump of matter on his plate. "Sometimes I wonder what this stuff actually is…" he murmured, sniffing suspiciously at the 'food', "Good case for take out, huh?"
Emlyn opened her mouth to reply just as they heard the signal that ended breakfast. Dustil, after giving the lump on his plate one last look, smiled, or rather smirked, at Emlyn and said, "See you in meditation!" He stood up and with a two fingered salute to her, walked away.
"I'll meditate, alright," Emlyn muttered under her breath as she glared at Dustil's retreating form, "I'll meditate you right into the planet core."
'Touchy today, are you?'
Emlyn just scowled as she made her way to the peaceful meditation room. Her annoyance faded away as she walked through the door; the room had a domed ceiling that reflected the tiniest bit of light, and there was a fountain in the upper right hand corner, both factors giving the chamber an open, airy feel. Emlyn didn't think she'd mind spending all morning in there.
Following the other students' lead, Emlyn stood on the outer edge of a wide silver ring on the floor. It had markings on the inside, but she couldn't read them. They seemed to be some sort of old, complex language, or so she thought.
Looking up from the floor Dustil Onaesi caught her eye and gave a small smirk. She wished for something heavy in her hands.
"Welcome, students," said a strange voice. It was Master Vandar. He walked into the room on his small legs and smiled at the Jedi. "Good to see you, it is. Meditate we will, and then onto fighting techniques we will go."
So Master Vandar was to have their afternoon lessons as well. All of the things she was learning amazed Emlyn, but none so much as Master Vrook's lectures; the man had an uncanny ability to know exactly the thing you were least interested in and go on about it for interminable minutes at a time, calling on you to contribute input just when you drifted off into your own thoughts.
"Sit with your legs crossed," Master Vandar said, watching as the students obeyed, "Now straighten your back and toward the wall behind you pull your shoulders."
Emlyn sat up straighter and roller her shoulders back.
"Out from underneath your legs keep your feet," Master Vandar said. Emlyn knew he meant her. She shifted so that the toes on her right foot her near the back of her left knee and touched her left heal to her right shin.
"By your stomach put your hands palms up," Master Vandar continued, "Out as far as you can, rotate them. Feel it stretch across your chest, you should."
Emlyn followed his instructions. "Find you center," Master Vandar said. Emlyn worked on settling into her position. She marveled at how comfortable the position actually was, although it had nothing on a soft Derilian cushion.
"Clear your mind," Master Vandar told them, "Feel the Force flow through you."
Taking a deep breath, Emlyn attempted to clear away all of the thought that twirled through her head. It worked. For a few seconds. Until she began to tell herself not to think.
Okay, I know I'm thinking, but I need to. Alright, just… just let yourself go, Emlyn told herself sternly. Breathing rhythmically, Emlyn focused on the soothing song of the fountain and the whisper of the air as it danced through the room. "Relax," they seemed to say, "Let it all go…" Emlyn felt something strange just on the edge of her feelings. Without letting a thought go through her mind, she waited. The thing drew closer, enveloping her, embracing her, lifting her. She let it. It was the Force.
She could hear the heartbeats of her younger classmates, of Dustil, of Vandar. Then she heard the people beyond the room, beyond the Temple. And the heart of the planet. She nearly gasped when she felt the core of Corusant beating almost as though it was alive. Life. Beautiful.
The awareness moved to include a strange palpitation in the beat of the planet, almost like it was getting sick. Just as Emlyn began to focus in on whatever it was, it was gone.
"That is all for today." The voice snapped Emlyn out of her meditation. She was shocked at how relaxed she felt. "Out to the training ring," Master Vandar instructed.
Emlyn tried to copy the other Jedi as they flowed to their feet, but all she managed to do was get her foot caught on her legging and trip forward. She struggled to keep her face from getting hot as she made her way to the door.
"You did well today, apprentice," Master Vandar told her before she could leave.
"Thank you, Master," Emlyn replied with a bow, "It was… amazing. The Force… It's so… alive." Emlyn didn't know how else to say it.
Master Vandar smiled at her. "Alive it is. Support life, the Force does," he said, and then walked out the door.
"It is in all living things," Emlyn recited to herself as she followed him.
Saber practice was much harder than she thought it would be. The beginning stretched weren't bad, and neither was the warm up. The actual sparring though… Emlyn was once again paired with Dustil; the two of them were above the skills of the younger Jedi, who were all below thirteen. It made Emlyn feel old.
"Instruct you, Dustil will," Master Vandar told her, pointing to an open area to the right in the enormous open room. There were a few pillars here and there around the edges where Jedi could stand and watch the sparring.
"Wait," Emlyn said, confused, "I thought he was student."
"All are students to the Force," Master Vandar replied.
"No, I mean… Isn't Dustil a Padawan?"
"Passed his Trials last evening, he did," said Master Vandar.
"So he's…?" Emlyn trialed off and looked over to where Dustil was talking to an apprentice.
"A Jedi Knight, he is."
"Oh," Emlyn said in a small voice. Great. Now he could torment her on a whole new level. Just what she wanted.
'He's very talented, as you are.'
Yeah, the only difference is he can kick my…
"Ready to get started?" Dustil asked from behind Emlyn.
She turned around and looked him up and down. He did look pretty happy. She would be too if she had passed her Trials. "Yes, I'm ready," she said finally.
"Okay, you know your basics really well, and you have talent," Dustil said, not wasting any time, "But I'm going to teach you to feel the strikes before they happen, and without trying."
"Uh… Okay…" Emlyn said slowly. Then a terrifying thought struck her. "Am I your padawan?" she asked, alarmed.
"Not technically. I'm more like your tutor," Dustil said with a shrug.
"Short of teachers, we are," Master Vandar interjected, "Taught by Dustil, you will be. Learn much from him, you can. Partners, you are." With a last smile, Master Vandar walked away to assist other students. Emlyn wondered at the new method of teaching. But then again, it was almost the only way to go with so few Jedi left, most of whom were students. It was better than Dustil being her master, at any rate.
If this day gets any better I might just consider suicide, Emlyn thought to herself, scowling.
'I wouldn't commit to that just yet…'
Why, you think things will get worse?
"We'll start by having you run at that wall over there," Dustil said, pointing to the east wall, "With your eyes closed."
"What!" Emlyn hissed, "If you think I'm that stupid, buddy, you've got another thing coming!"
Dustil sighed and rolled his eyes. "It's a training technique, Em. Just trust me."
"As much as that krayt dragon you should be bothering," Emlyn said sweetly as she walked over to the wall.
"No more backtalk. I am teaching you, after all," Dustil said with humor. Then he became serious as he added, "But this relationship can't work if you don't trust me. We've got to learn to rely on one another and to trust without hesitation. We're supposed to be partners."
Emlyn sighed and bit the inside of her bottom lip. "I'm not so good at the trusting thing, ever since…" she stopped, "Never mind, it's not important."
Dustil looked her full in the face. "Yes it is. Tell me."
"I…I can't…" Emlyn stuttered, searching for a way to escape the conversation. It was the last thing she wanted to talk about; she had been running from it for three years now, and she was doing a good job of it. Then, realizing that Dustil would want some kind of explanation, she managed to get out a few words, an outline. "Someone… close to me betrayed me once. I trusted them with my life, and they broke me. I just… need to work through it," she said quietly.
"I understand," Dustil said after a moment. She could feel him studying her, could practically hear his unspoken words: I won't betray you. She shivered and turned her head away.
"What I want you to do is rush at the wall, without looking, and let the Force tell you when you're near enough to jump and push yourself off with your legs. If you want you can do a flip, but I wouldn't try it on your first time," Dustil told her.
Relieve to let the prior subject go, Emlyn nodded her head and stared at the wall. "Okay, here goes." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Let the Force be your eyes, your senses," Dustil said calmingly.
Emlyn opened her barriers that she kept around herself and let the Force through. She almost smiled.
"Now run."
Her feet carried her forward, closer and closer to the wall. There. It was right in front of her. She reached out with the Force and jumped at the wall, feeling her foot connect with the hard stone before she pushed off. She had done it! Unfortunately, in her excitement Emlyn had forgotten about her landing and ended up tripping across the floor, almost ending up flat on her face.
"Good!" Dustil said appraisingly when Emlyn opened her eyes. "Just remember that you'll come down."
Emlyn wanted to wipe the smirk off his face, but didn't think it would go over too well with Dustil. "Yes, oh wise and powerful Master. Instruct my tiny intellect in your superior techniques," Emlyn said teasingly, giving a mock bow.
Dustil laughed. She thought he had a friendly laugh. "It will take all my skills, I'm afraid," he returned.
"Wow, thanks for the overwhelming confidence."
"Anytime," Dustil said, flashing her a grin, "Let's try that again."
The next several months were hard work for Emlyn, but she had a better time at the Temple than she had had anywhere else in her life, even with Lea. She felt guilty thinking that, but it was true, and she thought it might also be that there were more people her age around.
She had a good time with Nadira, Urik, who hero worshiped Dustil and so was always around, Miranda, a twi'lek who was a couple year younger than her, Dustil, even though he drove her insane with his ludicrous but extremely affective training techniques, and she even enjoyed being with the Masters.
"Em! Em, wait up!" called Dustil, dodging students to reach her.
Emlyn looked up from her conversation with Nadira on how ridiculous men could be. "I'll talk to you later," Emlyn finished with a laugh. Nadira bade her goodbye and walked off. "What's up, Dus?" Emlyn asked her 'tutor', using the nickname that he disliked. Dustil didn't even blink at it.
"We're needed in the Council chambers immediately," he said, his face serious.
"What? Why? Is it urgent?" Emlyn asked.
"I don't know, but… can't you feel it?" he asked suddenly.
"Uh…"
"The Force. It's… different. Something's happened," Dustil said concernedly.
"You mean there's a disturbance in the Force?" Emlyn asked with humor.
Dustil raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, actually. But it's… strange. I don't know if I can explain it yet. Let's just get to the Council room."
"Okay," Emlyn said, beginning to feel uneasy. If Dustil, who could beat half the Masters on the Council in a saber battle, was nervous, what should she feel like?
"Hey, relax," Dustil said, as if reading her thoughts, "I'm here after all, right?" He smiled jokingly.
"Yeah, that makes me feel loads better, Mr. dumping-my-lunch-tray-all-over-Emlyn-was-an-accident."
"Good to know. Hurry."
The Council was silent as the two Jedi entered and bowed respectfully. "We have just received word from the Republic that there has been a disturbance on Tatooine, possibly involving Sith assassins," Master Vrook said.
Emlyn saw a frown steal over Dustil's face.
"Sending you, the Council is," Master Vandar told them.
"There is a witness who is willing to tell what they saw," Master Vrook continued, "And you will meet them at the cantina near the ship dock. You are to investigate this occurrence and report back to the Council, nothing more. Do not engage the Sith in battle if at all possible."
"We understand, Master," Dustil said. Emlyn was silent.
"Further instructions will be given to you on the way. May the Force be with you."
Thanks to all who read this, and don't forget to REVIEW . : ) Constructive criticism is welcome.
If you want to see the status of any of my stories (there are just three...hm) look on my profile, 'cause I'm still not sure about continuing any of them. I get sidetracked easily; I'll be doing one story and think of an idea for another, so I'll do that, and then it happens again. Gotta fix that habit, I know, but it can be fun! ; )