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16 chapter ahead. --
- Get up, younglings, get up. It would be a crime to lie in bed on this fine morning.
I wonder when I'm going to start hating our handler. And what the fuck kind of morning is he talking about? Or rather, how did he determine it was beautiful. I haven't seen a single window all day. Seems the same to me, day or night. If there's no weekend here, I'll go crazy.
Fuck exercise, fuck breakfast, fuck class... fuck it, I'm sick of it. I'll learn to sleep with my eyes open. Fedka Zbot, who everyone in our, and not only, platoon, called Walker mastered this useful skill, so how am I worse? Better yet, combine sleep with meditation... Man, that sounds crazy.
Today, in the first class, they continued to tell us about the Great First Chancellor, and I wrinkled my nose as I tried to distract myself from the aching pain in my muscles, while filtering my mentor's words at the same time. The problem was, I just didn't know anything about those times, and it was hard for me to know where the statistics ended and the propaganda began. I doubted that a Jedi could lie, but I doubted that he could sincerely believe in falsehood. Twenty-five thousand years, you'd never know what was true and what was false.
I'm screwed, though, with meditation. I couldn't do anything with my eyes open. And I was afraid to close them, because I was almost asleep as it was. Today's lecture, despite my mentor's efforts, made everyone sleepy. Still, four-year-olds didn't care about the laws passed at the dawn of the Republic.
All in all, this day was not much different from the previous one. The same lectures, the same food, the same gymnasium, where they didn't teach us anything, but just chased us around. It was not even explained what exercise was needed. And since I don't have to use my brain in the gym, this was the time I chose to practice meditation. Why? It doesn't take much. Calmness, concentration, and no thinking. That last point, however, is only desirable. Roughly speaking, you have to cut yourself off from everything around you, and it's as if physical exercise is designed for that. Stupidly running, stupidly jumping, stupidly stretching... You don't need the brains. Of course, it didn't work for me the first time. And the second time. And even the tenth. But after a month, I could already feel the Force in me while running. That incomprehensible fog. I was still strong enough to sit with the crystals before I went to sleep, and I could feel the fog sticking to them. The crystals proved to be quite useful in meditation. I was able to see that I was in the phase, and I was able to see that I was in a trance. I once sat like that all night, and if you think that meditation helped me to stay awake in the morning, you are wrong. It's a good thing the curator thought I was just an early riser. Maybe nothing would have happened, but I didn't want to find out. If I had known what the penalties were, I would have thought about admitting that I'd been up all night, but I had to improvise. They even praised me for being "up early," noting, however, that sleep was also an important part of the day's routine.
During my first month in the Temple, the beds in our room were filled to capacity. Three of them were occupied by human cubs, and one by a Tagruthenian. It was a race I remembered. Of course, who doesn't remember Ahsoka Tano? Generally speaking, this cub of the planet Shili, named Palatt Gani, was a rather amusing little fellow. He didn't wear shoes to begin with. When I asked him, "How so," he said that when they have shoes on, they, the Togrut, can't hear the spirits of the earth very well. After that answer, I decided not to ask him about it, because I was unlikely that the spirits of the earth would tell him to chew my throat in my sleep. I'm exaggerating, of course, but it's a bit weird to talk to stoners in general. Nevertheless, the spirits must have whispered something to him, because after my question I noticed that he was always hanging around, and after a few days finally lost his fear, lurking on my heels. I don't know, maybe it was because I was the first one to talk to him. He even ran beside me at the gym. And all this despite the fact that the guy was very sociable in general and fit into our children's group very quickly. And you know what he said when I asked him straight out: "What woodpecker"? Well, check it out - the sensible ones have to stick together, and I'm always separate. It's him, it turns out, trying to bring me and society together. As best he can, but still. And in general, you must agree, quite a mature answer for a four-year-old toddler. I didn't even realize it right away. Being in an environment of my physical peers, I secretly take all of them as my peers. Plus it's a different world-who knows what other races have children. There's Jiro Jiss, who's an Ongri, he's so fucking smart. For his age. But still, I'd say the bulk of the kids aren't that bright.
- Rayne, why are we going to the gym? - That clingy little subject asked me.
By the way, yes. At this point, we had merged with other groups of little spinoffs and were headed, by all appearances, to the gymnasium. We were supposed to be going to class, to another lecture.
- I don't know," I told the brown-haired man. - Why do you always ask me that? Why don't you go ask Jiro?
- Well... you're older... so I thought... - He hesitated.
- Pal, - I sighed, - what makes you think I'm older?
- Well...
- Jiro was born two months before me, so you should ask him that kind of question from now on.
- Don't be angry, Rein... - he lowered his head.
See? That's what I'm talking about. The little back-stabber's a pity-taker. He's got it figured out, hasn't he? I may be a cynic, but my heart's not made of iron - I may not like kids, but... but... shit. Fucking kids. They get on my neck and I can't take them off.
- I'm not angry, Pal. But I really don't know anything. They probably just changed the schedule. - I changed my tone, and the guy smiled at me. So what, I ask you? Like I told him the secret of the universe.
In the gym, we went to a total of a hundred snouts of children, but there we were divided into groups, assigning us a mentor. After that, we were divided into numerous areas for fights, where we were seated right on the floor. Good thing they weren't made of stone.
- Well, younglings," the mentor across from us began. - As of today, you will begin training in unarmed combat. In about a year you will be able to handle a training lightsaber, and my job is to ensure that by that time you have an understanding of combat in general and are able to wield your bodies sufficiently to use a lightsaber. Even if it's educational. And I will begin your training with a short lecture.
Let's start with the fact that there are seven forms of lightsaber combat. And each of the forms has a melee counterpart. These counterparts are not as good as the Echani martial art or Teras-kashi, for example, but they are undoubtedly useful, too. Though much of it depends on skill. Starting today, you will be taught the Shi-Cho style of hand-to-hand combat. A form of lightsaber combat. Although the hand-to-hand counterpart of this Form was developed after the creation of Makashi - the second Form, it fully conveys the philosophy of its swordsmanship brother. Straightforwardness, decisiveness, sharpness. Shi-Cho is the oldest Form, developed by the ancient Jedi specifically for lightsabers, and is very good for fighting against several weaker opponents. But because of its simplicity and ease of mastery, it is remembered and used to this day. And some have reached such heights that even the masters of later Forms are afraid to face them in a duel. So, younglings, I strongly advise you not to disparage the Form of Determination, as it is called.
That's how it's been ever since. Instead of just running and jumping, we were trained in hand-to-hand combat. But training is too strong a word. What can you teach four-year-olds? But the basics, yes, were taught. Just like a lot of other things. Reaction training, learning the right reflexes, and so on and so forth, I get it. Every move was explained to us from a philosophical point of view. Or something like that. Something like, "A straight punch is the essence of determination, the quintessence of power and honesty. The answer to your insecurity." And come on, how many kids understand what "quintessence" means? Whatever. Consider this my grumbling. Right now mentors are drumming words into us that will grow in understanding later. Children are first forced to memorize some gibberish that will be understood later, but most importantly, how: "So that's what the mentors meant! That's how it is! And I was still thinking. I see. Now I understand!" Of course, it's not just something to remember, it's something that gets embedded in your subcortex.
As time went on, the lectures... how shall I put it... became more complicated. What I disliked most were the lectures on the law of the Republic. I knew I needed it, but the mentor who taught us the law was so tedious... I did, however, learn a couple of interesting facts. How about the fact that the Republic, while officially condemning the slave trade, does not have a single law against it? It's against the slave trade, but the Republic has no legal basis for banning it. And a Jedi who steals a slave is not a liberator, but a thief. Just a thief. And that's the way it's always been. If the goal is to whitewash the Republic... hmm, it still won't work. All right. Anyway, if anyone says that the Republic can't fix this point because it has no troops and no navy, let them remember that this has always been the case, even when it was especially strong.
The more I listened to such lectures, the more I realized how rotten the Republic is. Take Spice, for example. It's a drug, in case anyone didn't know. Check out the gimmick - on the one hand, the Republic admits it's a drug and even fights the spread of it, but on the other hand, it can be made and sold officially by those licensed to do so. It's like a drug, like morphine on Earth. Isn't that great? As I understand it, if you pay the money to the Senate, you're a pharmacologist; if you don't pay, you're a criminal. And that's just what I know.
Back on Earth, I heard it sounded like the Republic was put up to this by the Sith. Like they've been undermining it from the inside for a thousand years. Maybe, I don't argue. But if that's true, I can only applaud them. They've done in a thousand years what their predecessors couldn't do in twenty-four. I sure hope I got somewhere in the middle of that thousand years. But I didn't have long to hope.
After that lecture, we were sent to the gym, where we once again practiced falls and rolls. By the way, I finally figured out what Shi-Cho hand-to-hand combat was like. Like karate. It's identical to what I've seen on TV in my world. I wonder if the first uniform itself, by any chance, resembles Japanese kendo.
- Stop. Next couple," the instructor said. - You and you, in a circle.
Now we were sitting in a circle, with pairs called into the center of the circle to practice their throws under the supervision of an adult Jedi. He was commenting and correcting them at the same time. I was one of the first to be there, and now I was just relaxing, listening intently to my mentor's explanations. I could meditate, but then I would miss the training itself. I was in the phase, and I had a feeling that it would be of great use to me in the future.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a movement at the entrance to the gymnasium. Someone was constantly coming in and out of there, and I was so seated that I involuntarily noted these people. More accurately, intelligent people. Or creatures? I don't care. Now an intelligent man entered the hall, whose race I remembered from watching the cartoon series, which, as you remember, I didn't watch all of, and only briefly. I don't remember the name of the race, but I think it was the Jedi who brought Ahsoka Tano to the Order. What's his name?
- Master Plo-kun! - I heard a cry behind me. And when I turned around I saw a little Togruta about thirty meters away waving her hand.
Exactly! That's exactly what his name is... Holy shit.

What was I supposed to say to that?

- Yeah!

The Dacari brothers are very friendly after all. And that's without any irony.

About an hour later, after saying goodbye to Ram and his family, my father and I went home. All the way home I wondered how to approach my father with my questions, for my curiosity was at its limit. I wasn't going to ask him anything on the way, in case he was distracted from the road, and good riddance to him, but no one was keeping me from figuring out how I was going to start a conversation. If my body were older, I would have asked, but I'm only four, almost... so I decided to play it safe. Even though I knew it was bullshit. Don't think I'm paranoid. I just got here with my adult mind, and I just couldn't take anything for granted. And that's why I was afraid of saying the wrong thing... Eh, it's hard to explain. Never mind.

When my father arrived home, he put the speederbike in the garage, picked me up, and was about to go into the house, but halfway there froze for a few seconds. He looked back at the speederbike, at the door to the house, and shook his head and said:

- "I don't see why not. I'll have to show it to you sometime. Come on, kid, let's go tell Mama we're all right, and I'll show you something interesting.

We found Sana Dakari, my mother, in the kitchen, where she was pouring juice into glasses.

- Hello, darling," my father kissed her ear. - Look, baby, what a wonderful mother we have. The men had just gotten home, and there was this wonderful drink waiting for them.

Then he sat me down in a chair and pulled one of the glasses over to me.

- So tell me, man, how was your meeting? - said the woman with a smile.

- Wonderful! New consumables for the droids, new seeds, and even a bag of Jedi wheat.

- Wow. You did it, didn't you? I didn't believe it.

- Not at all," he said conspiratorially. - After all these years, I am now the owner of a krait pearl. - he exclaimed at the end.

And his mother smiled. Sincerely. I felt her joy and just a little bit of pride. But not the joy you feel when you get something long desired, like my father's now, but the joy you feel for the person you love, rejoicing with him. Experiencing the pleasure that HE is rejoicing. How lucky they are to have met each other after all.

- You got her," she said, smiling. - What color is it?

- Green. Let me show you.

- Finish your juice first, you hurry.

- I have.

After these words my father drank the contents of the glass in one fell swoop, and my mother, shaking her head, nodded at me. I at this point, knowing my father, and fearing that I would be left here, tried to finish my portion. But because of my age, it was physically impossible for me to drink it all in one gulp, like my father. Besides, my glass was twice as big as my father's and mother's.

- Don't rush, honey, we're not going anywhere without you," the woman said, smiling.

My father took the bag out of the trunk of the speederbike, like some treasure. And in the same way, but from the bag, he took out a small metal container. And with what face he was opening this container...