Keen's sitting on the floor in the common area of the Ghost. At the holo-table, Zeb and Rex are playing a game of Dejerik. Sabine watching from the computer terminal. Ezra and Kanan enter the room, clearly coming in from some training.
"Let's end today's lesson by levitating Chopper."
The Padawan eyes the droid, a smirk playing across his face, "If I do, can I drop him?"
The droid clearly protests, given his loud grumbling. Kanan shrugs, looking at the astromech, "Sure."
"Ha ha!" the Clone triumphantly shouts from the table.
"Aw, did I miss you winning, again?" the Jedi Master asks.
Zeb groans, chuckling at the game. "How do you make beating him look so easy?" he grumbles.
"Takes more than brawn to win this game, big guy," Rex responds for her.
"Also I've been playing him for like a
decade, so, lots of practice."
The boy draws his attention from the conversation, placing his focus solely on the droid.
Sabine smirks, leaning toward the droid, mumbling, "Lock it down."
Chopper responds, quickly latching himself to the floor.
Ezra draws the Force around him, attempting to lift the protesting droid.
"Come on Ezra, focus," his Master urges. He squeezes his eyes tighter, concentration clear on his face. "Focus. Use the Force. Look through the Force. Lift Chopper up, picture it in your mind."
The Padawan drops his shoulders, arm following along behind. Defeated, he says, "I can't. I–I can't do it."
"Hey, kid," Rex tells him, "while you're looking through the Force, don't forget to look with your eyes too. The droid's got his feet locked down."
The Mandalorian laughs, patting the droid on his dome.
Ezra sighs, "It's not fair."
"Real battles usually aren't," Kanan says.
"Still," Keen says, climbing to her feet, "you put in a good effort, and still did your best. Good job, Ez!"
"The Jedi General I served combined the Force with his wits and it made him a great warrior."
"Maybe, but the Jedi you served with was also one of the most powerful Jedi ever. Not everything Ani did will work for him, just give him a break, Rexy."
"Ezra's got plenty of wits," Kanan snarks, "What he needs is more discipline."
"Well, then you better let a soldier handle that."
The argument is interrupted by the Twi'lek Captain strolling into the room. "Sabine, I have a mission for you and Chop. Thanks to Captain Rex I've found an old base where we might be able to salvage some much needed medical supplies," she turns to the Lasat, "Zeb."
"Hmm. Huh?"
"You should go too."
Zeb sighs, climbing to his feet.
"Better find the med supplies quick, Captain Wits is about to need them."
Ari'abel rolls her eyes, shaking her head. It almost feels like she's back in the Clone Wars with Anakin and Obi-Wan.
The Clone chuckles, "So, there's where the boy's lack of discipline comes from. Hmm?"
"You're saying I lack discipline?" The Knight says, moving closer to the Clone.
The Twi'lek throws her hands up in the air, exasperated. She turns around, leaving for the cockpit. Keen chuckles as the two continue their argument.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I said."
"Here we go again," Ezra mumbles to Keen. She snorts, trying to hold in her laughter.
"Funny, but a soldier's discipline can't compare to a Jedi's. It takes far more discipline not to fight."
The Jedi Master sees him turn and look at the ladder. With a small motion of her hands, she shoots him up and away.
Kanan and Rex notice the boys disappearance just as he gets to the Phantom, shutting the hatch tightly.
"Well, that was nice," she smiles at the Knight and the Captain. She strolls for the door that leads to the docking port. "I'm gonna go do some Padawan training of my own," she points her index and middle finger individually at the two, "and neither one of you are invited."
She steps out of the room, moving onto the Phoenix Squadron ship in search of her student. The Jedi follows the strong Force-signature, finding her pupil in a large open room talking to a group of pilots. Keen leans against the wall nearest the door, crossing her arms.
The Princess turns a few moments later, her eyes landing on the Jedi. "Hey Master," she waves. Keen rolls her eyes, meandering over to her Padawan. "Is it finally time for more training?"
Keen side-eyes the gathering of pilots, "If you're not too busy with your new friends."
The Princess laughs, shaking her head, "Let's go! I want to learn! Wow, never thought I'd say that."
"Well, do try to curb your enthusiasm, we're going to work on meditating today."
As the Master and Padawan leave the room, the Princess groans. "I was hoping for more lightsaber practice."
"Everyone does, c'mon." She leads Leia into a large open room.
The Jedi Master sits down on the floor, patting beside her. Slowly, Leia lowers herself to the hard metal, looking around the room. "Close your eyes."
The Princess turns to look at her Master, before begrudgingly clamping her eyes shut, silence fills the room for all of five seconds, until the Princess starts humming.
Keen sighs, opening one eye slowly, peering at her student. "I want you to clear your mind, focus on the Force, and it's will, nothing else."
"Okay, I'll try."
"No. Do, or do not. There is no try." Ar'iabel feels the incredulous look her Padawan shoots her way. She's expecting a question, but Leia doesn't ask.
Her eyes close once again, silence once again descending upon the room. The only thing felt in the room is the Force. It fills the room, and the meditating Jedi and Padawan.
The Master and her student sit in that room, meditating for a long while. They're pulled from their deep concentration when the door slides open.
Keen's eyes open, snapping to the Jedi Knight, Clone Captain and Togruta. Leia looks at her Master. "That's enough for today, Princess. Go on, have fun."
The Padawan quickly leaves through the door, smiling at the others as she leaves. "Can I help you?" the Jedi Master asks from her place on the floor.
"Yeah, Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb got back from their mission, and brought some bad news. There are two more Inquisitor's."
"Really? Wow?" she says, sarcastically, climbing to her feet. "Only two? Everyone's alright?"
"Yeah," Rex says.
"I take it you knew about the Inquisitors?" Ahsoka asks her.
The Jedi shrugs, "I knew about them, same as you. I didn't hide in a cave directly after the Purge. I had some friends who left the newly formed Empire, and got some info. There's not a lot I don't know about the formation of the Empire, at least until they changed comm signals."
"So what do we do?" Kanan asks her.
"We fight. We rebel. Same as always. These new threats shouldn't worry us, not when we know that whatever we do can help make the Galaxy a better place for the new generation.
Takes place during the events of Always Two There Are