The Trials of Mand'alor

Chapter 11

The Weird Things Jedi Do

Xerxes continued to stand in the middle of the Jedi council chamber, surrounded by the fifteen most powerful and notorious Jedi in the Galaxy. He stood waiting for Grand Master Eli to speak as the somewhat rotund Jedi master sat gazing at Xerxes, stroking his chin beard. "Well Xerxes," Master Eli said, "why don't you start by telling us a bit about yourself?"

Xerxes cleared his throat as he began speaking to the Jedi Council. "Ahem. H-hello. My name is Xerxes Fett. I'm the new Mand'alor and adopted son of Mand'alor the Father, Abram Merrel. I… only recently found out I was Force-sensitive after meeting Tai. Um, I happen to be a pilot. And a mechanic. I'm a bit of an amateur inventor." Xerxes could feel his brow beginning to sweat as he gave what felt like his 30 second 'about me' that was meant for job interviews. As he scoured his brain for something else to say, Xerxes was interrupted by the Jedi named Xander, who had been lounging in his seat.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say, you seem extremely nervous." Xander sat up straight and leaned forward. "Why is that?"

Xerxes thought that the answer to that was self-evident. "Well, I- didn't expect to be standing in this- situation- a few weeks ago."

"Where did you see yourself, then?"

"That- I don't know. It seems like the galaxy has thrown a lot at me all at once so I'm not entirely sure what to do with it."

This time the Selkath spoke up, "So, it is direction you seek. Guidance through the opportunities of life. That is why you are here?"

"No." Xerxes corrected. "Well, not entirely. I want to learn how to control this power in me. I've tried on my own and I don't feel like I've gotten any better at it or stronger for it."

Master Nickoli responded in a depreciative tone. "Then you come to us seeking to gain strength and control." His arms folded across his chest as he addressed the whole room, "Very selfish reasons to learn the Jedi arts. I see no reason why we should grant such a request from someone whose emotions swirl like a torrent. He is too old, too emotionally unstable. To train him would not only invite chaos into his own being but also into our order." Xerxes looked down as the words of Master Nickoli felt slapped his face. He knew he was prone to bottling up his emotions and uncontrolled outbursts as a result of that, but hearing it from someone else made it sound so much worse. Perhaps he really wasn't fit to receive any training then.

The voice of Cayot Tori came from behind Xerxes, "Although his emotions 'swirl' and what-not, I can't say I feel anything dark or truly selfish from him, especially at the idea of being denied training. If anything, it feels more like…sadness? Regret?"

Xerxes turned slightly and looked over his shoulder at the diminutive Jedi. "Well, you see, I can't protect my people if I can't learn how to use the Force properly."

"Hmmm." Master Eli's deep hum grabbed Xerxes' attention. "Tell us more about that, young Mand'alor. Why do you need to protect your people so deeply? What is it that drives you?"

Xerxes thought back to the night on Mandalore when he had decided to join the Jedi Order. "My brother is learning from the Sith. Maybe if I had been more prepared for their manipulations, I could've done something more to prevent it. But that's not what I'm worried about." Xerxes took a deep breath and looked up into Master Eli's eyes, "The Sith, Darth Verror, said any chance for an alliance was off the table. For a Mandalorian, that means they are a potential threat. Whatever they couldn't get from us before they will one day come back for and try to take by force, probably killing anyone who opposes them. I saw their strength, the power they wield. As I am now, there's no way I could defend myself against even one of them let alone protect my people from their armies." Xerxes placed his helmet on the ground, got on his knees, and bowed his head in supplication, saying, "There is no doubt in my mind that the fate of my people rests on this choice. Please, teach me the ways of the Force."

As Xerxes knelt waiting for a reply from the Jedi Masters, no one said a word. Xerxes could barely hear any breathing in the hush of the council chamber. He dared not look up for fear that whatever reaction he had gotten may be undone. Out of his peripheral vision, Xerxes could see some of the masters looking at one another and slightly nodding their heads or shaking them. He was about to take a glance at Tai Zhan to see what his reactions were when Master Eli began clearing his throat.

"Xerxes Fett, if you would please stand. Master Zhan, if you would please stand before us."

Xerxes grabbed his helmet and stood up as Tai got up from his seat and walked over to stand beside him. "Master Zhan, at this time the Jedi High Council denies your request to take Xerxes Fett as your Padawan." Xerxes glanced over at Tai, feeling the disappointment that was trickling from the Kel-dor. So, that was that? Not even given a chance. At least they had tr… "Xerxes Fett." Xerxes' eyes snapped back to Master Eli in surprise. "The council agrees that your desire to learn and protect your people is an admirable one and that the stability of the Mandalore Sector is of value to us and the Republic. Therefore, we will allow you the chance to prove yourself. You shall receive training as an Initiate. When we feel that you have proven capable of passing the Initiate trials, then we will allow for you to become an apprentice to Tai Zhan if he still wishes it at that time." Xerxes and Tai looked at each other and began grinning. "But be warned, if you take too long to do this your Jedi path will end there and you will be asked to leave the Order entirely. Do you understand?"

"Yes, of course." Xerxes bowed his head again. "And thank you."
"Very well then. The Jedi High Council is hereby dismissed."

As the Council members got up to leave or converse with one another, Tai clapped Xerxes on the shoulder and nodded approvingly. "While it may not be what we asked for, it is at least a start. I will ask Master Durron to send your other armaments to your living quarters. In the meantime, you should speak with Master Tori since he is the one in charge of training the Initiates as I mentioned earlier. One more thing. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me or any of the masters you may feel comfortable speaking with. I'll see you later." Tai then turned on his heel and started heading out of the council chamber to retrieve Xerxes' weapons.

This was it. Xerxes had been accepted for Jedi training. A sense of elation began filling Xerxes with pride. He'd be the first Mandalorian Jedi ever. Just another title to add to his slowly growing list. When would they give him a lightsaber of his own? Maybe they'd let him take one apart to see how they work so that he could build his own.

"Alright Fett, listen up." Xerxes turned to see the diminutive Master Cayot Tori looking up at him with his arms folded. "Whatever you're daydreaming about it can wait. Right now, we've got to get you caught up to the other Jedi your age and get you to pass the Initiate trials as fast as possible." Cayot raised a finger as he began leading Xerxes out of the Council chambers. "Luckily, you've got me on your side and with my expertise, you'll be swinging sabers past the other padawans in no time. Why I'd say you'll be finishing the Initiate phase by the end of the week."

…

A week later

"Damn-it, Fett! Do you have any idea how this looks?! What were you thinking?!" Xerxes was currently standing in the empty training room of the Jedi Temple, frustrated at today's latest screw up as Master Cayot berated him. Had it been about Xerxes refusing to wear the stupid Initiate uniform in favor of his beskar armor that would've been one thing, but this? This was something else entirely.

"I think what I did was rather impressive if you stop and think about it." Xerxes smarmily replied.

"Really?! You beating up an entire class of ten-year-olds? Yeah, really impressive."

"Over a dozen ten-year-old Jedis with at least a decades worth of training more than me, all armed with training sabers, thinking they could jump me because 'leT's GaNg up oN tHe mANdaLoriaN! he'S NoT aLLowEd weApOns in CLasS aND bEaTinG hiM WouLd gUaraNTee We pAsS tHe tRIals!' Which by the way, not one of them came even close to laying a hand on me."

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT, FETT!" Cayot growled, baring his teeth at Xerxes. "THE POINT IS…" Cayot balled up his fist and let out a deep breath before continuing more slowly, "the point is it looks really bad. A dozen or so kids claiming that you attacked them unprovoked, and yes, I know that's not the case even if I wasn't there to see it, but you know that Master Nickoli is looking for any excuse he can find to get you kicked out of the Order and something like this could be all that he needs unless I punish you in some way first."

"And what about those little snot-wipes?" Xerxes demanded. "What about their punishment?"

Cayot pinched the bridge of his snout, "I'd say that you beatin the ever-lovin crap out of them is punishment enough. They won't be trying anything like that again anytime soon, believe me." He folded his arms and looked up at Xerxes, one of his ears drooping to the side. "This does, however, make a couple of things clear as far as the trials go. I'm not concerned about your self-discipline through meditation and saber combat, you seem to have that down no problem. On the other hand, it's clear that you don't have an understanding of the Jedi Code. This also means that letting the Force flow through you will be difficult to prove. So, for your punishment, I want you to study the Jedi Code and write up a report on how you broke that Code with this fight. Understand?"

Xerxes sighed. "Yes, Master Tori."

"Good. Now go get started before Master Nickoli accuses me of showing favoritism."

"Are you showing favoritism?"

Cayot paused and gave Xerxes a long, hard look before replying, "I'm not entirely sure yet."

…

Xerxes eventually found himself in the Jedi Archives. The galaxy's largest library of information and knowledge laid itself before him with row upon row of holovids, datapads, and ancient Jedi Holocrons. Unfortunately, nothing was marked or labeled in any way on the shelves. Since he had not yet received any sort of clearance to use the archives' data terminals, Xerxes had no choice but to seek one of the archivists for help. He had managed to find one, but she had seemed busy with something she was typing up so Xerxes decided to wait nearby so that he could be seen waiting. The young woman in question had a fair complexion and blonde hair that was tied up into a half bun hairstyle and she wore the silk white robes of the archives. What someone as young and attractive as her was doing stuck in the archives was beyond Xerxes, but then again, the Jedi didn't seem to do things that made sense most of the time. After being continually ignored for several minutes Xerxes decided that patience wasn't his thing. He walked up to her and began clearing his throat.

However, Xerxes was having trouble finding a nameplate or any indication of who she was. "Ahem, excuse me Miss um… archivist... lady?" The young woman promptly stopped typing and sighed through her nose, like a mother being pestered by her young child for too long. Looking up at Xerxes from her seat, she clasped her hands in a professional, if not annoyed fashion, and addressed him.

"We have names here, Mandalorian. And since you seem insistent on interrupting me, I am archivist Eva Teral. What do you need from me?"

And any attraction that had been there evaporated at being called Mandalorian. So that's why she had been ignoring him. Xerxes was getting tired of the way most of the Jedi were treating him without even knowing him. Without realizing it, Xerxes' sarcastic tone came out. "I apologize for that, but since we're on the topic of names mine's Xerxes Fett. Or Mand'alor if you prefer."

"Your titles won't hold much sway here in the archives, Fett. What is it you need?"

Just get it done and over with, Xerxes thought to himself. "Right. I need anything you have on the Jedi Code; I'm writing a report about it."

"Not surprising," she said under her breath as she stood up from her seat. "Please wait at one of the nearby tables. I'll be back with what you need." Eva then picked up a datapad and began walking between the archive shelves. Xerxes took note of the lightsaber hilt clipped to the sash around Eva's waist. Odd that a historian would need to carry a weapon, but from what he'd heard before about the Jedi, they were practically married to their lightsabers. Xerxes chalked it up to the weird things Jedi do and sat down awaiting her return.

After 15 minutes or so archivist Eva finally returned with a small stack of datapads in her arms. "Here you are, Fett. A copy of everything we have relating to the Jedi Code, its meaning, and how it came to be." She placed them down on the table, "I trust that's everything you need?"

"No, yes. This will be very helpful. Thank you." Xerxes said calmly. Having had a chance to sit and relax had pushed the previous agitation from him. Xerxes picked up the top datapad and began thumbing down the screen for his subject when Eva cleared her throat at him. He tentatively looked up hoping he hadn't done something wrong, "Yes?"

"It's just a security measure," she matter-of-factly stated. "But I'm going to have to ask you to remove your helmet while reading from our archive. We don't want any leaks going where they shouldn't you see."

Xerxes rolled his eyes but didn't want to start something so he quietly lifted his helmet off his head, brushed his hair to the side, and placed his helmet on the table before reading from where he'd left off. After a moment, however, he noticed that the archivist hadn't left yet. Xerxes slowly looked up at her and asked, "Was there something else, Miss Teral?" Eva had a surprised look on her face as she continued staring at Xerxes' face. Her mouth was slightly agape and her hand was clutched close to her chest as she seemed to be processing what he had said.

"It's just,… I hadn't been expecting you to be so ha… human" she stammered. "Human, yes."

"Human?"

"Yes. We just… hear so many rumors about the mandalorians that you just never know what's…" She paused as she attempted to catch her breath. "really underneath that armor." Eva continued standing there, staring at Xerxes, as a slight pinkish hue began dusting her cheeks. "I HAVE WORK TO DO!" she suddenly shouted before turning away towards her desk. She then stopped, turned, and quietly said, "If you need anything else, please feel free to ask." She then hurried off, avoiding the glances of the other Jedi in the archive.

Xerxes sat there dumbfounded, thinking to himself …what the heck?!

…

There is no emotion, there is peace.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

There is no death, there is the Force.

The Jedi Code. Everything they believed in, everything that they stood for and lived by, all summed up into a few short sentences. Xerxes was currently sitting in one of the rooftop gardens meditating on everything he had just read about the Jedi Code. If this is what they base their lives on, Xerxes pondered, then it's no wonder they're all crazy. He was trying to make sense of it all. Peace, harmony, and serenity? Those had never been abundant in Xerxes' life and trying to incorporate them was going to be extremely difficult. Knowledge was easy enough to come by, but most people only ever had fleeting moments of peace in their lives, the Mandalorians especially. Which was why he had come up here to meditate.

As he was pondering the Jedi philosophy, Xerxes heard someone approaching him from behind. He opened his eyes and looked behind him to see the feline-like Jedi Master, Latasha'r, walking towards him. "Xerrrxes, I was hoping to find you herrre." she sat down next to him on the patch of grass he had chosen. "How arrre your studies going?"

Xerxes looked out over the wall surrounding the rooftop gardens and into the approaching sunset. "They're going. I guess."

"I heard about what happened with the younglings," she said in her velvety fashion. "I also heard that you asked for everrry text on the Jedi Code in the archive. How is that progrrressing for you?"

Xerxes sighed, "You know, most people don't get things like peace or harmony often in their lives, right? Most have to fight and join the discord of conflict and war just to survive." It was the only life he had ever known. "How am I supposed to have those things in me?" he asked turning his head in her direction.

Latasha'r took a moment to think about his statement before responding. "I don't think it's so much having those things as it is finding those moments of peace. Making moments of serrrenity and building harrrmony around you. Those moments arrre ones wherrre one can trrruly feel the Forrrce flow thrrrough you and guide you. I'd say coming herrre to meditate is a step in the right dirrrection." She looked him in the eye. "May I join you in meditation? Perrrhaps togetherrr we can find what you seek."

Xerxes lifted a hand indicating he had no problem with it. Latasha'r adopted a meditative seating pose and closed her eyes. Xerxes did the same and he concentrated on building a moment of peace in his mind. He focused on the wind as it moved through the leaves on the trees, the babbling of the fountain waters, the feeling of life outside the Temple grounds, and beyond the planet's surface. He focused on his breathing. In. And out. In. And out. In. And out. As his body began dozing off, Xerxes suddenly felt a tugging through the Force from without him. "I feel something," he said aloud not opening his eyes.

Latasha'r's voice quietly reached his ear, never breaking the moment he had built. "What is it you feel?"

Xerxes continued focusing on the tug, trying to find it. "I don't know, but it's calling to me."

"Where?"

Xerxes lifted his hand and slowly moved it along the horizon until he could point with certainty as to the direction it was coming from. He opened his eyes, pointing towards what looked like a small mountain outside the Temple grounds. "There." he declared. "Something over there is calling to me."