"Slower. Think how to apply the katas Master Windu taught you and strike with deliberation," Master Labooda told me as I started getting too excited in our sparring match. Although spar might be a bit generous. We were going through the motions of a spar at a slow pace to practice strikes and blocks while being given the chance to think of what the best move would be.

"Good. That is a better pace," Labooda acknowledged as I adjusted my pace to better match hers.

This method of sparring was apparently something known as moving meditation. A way to sink deep into the Force while continuously moving. Most children found it an easier way to get into a meditative trance over the classic sitting still method and it was a valuable skill for a Jedi to have because it allowed one to listen to Force more easily in combat. I found I preferred the traditional sit in one place and clear the mind approach, but if my Master insisted I had to become proficient in moving meditation, I would just have to practice it until I could sink into a meditation at a moment's notice.

"Good. And stop," Master Labooda said before we began to do our cool down stretches. While not physically challenging, I was put in mind of the couple of times I had done yoga in my previous life. Yoga, despite how slow and simple it looked, was a very thorough work out. Controlling one's movements so carefully during a spar also proved surprisingly good at warming up the body and working out all sorts of muscles I had not thought about.

Thankfully, I had a young body that will recover quickly from any abuse I put it through. Far better than my previous body before I died, which was just beginning to stiffen up and it was starting to get harder to get out of bed. I had not even realized how much aging was affecting me until I began to notice how much more energy I now have and how flexible my body is. I'll have to remember to take better care of myself in this life to stave off that uncomfortable stiffening from creeping up on me.

"Alright, let's practice your Force abilities," Labooda said as she pulled out a Sabacc deck. I groaned internally as I sat on nothing in the middle of the air, a comforting pressure like a second skin coming to me. The practice Labooda put me through was an interesting mix of dividing my focus while getting listening to the Force.

I would keep myself in place in the air while moving objects around the room while leaving an illusion in its original spot. All this while I had to guess the value of the card she drew. It was the last one I was having issues with, I could not get a good read off Labooda's mind when she gave me a second chance after actually drawing a card.

The illusions I left behind were getting better, although they started getting a bit vague and blurry as I created more. At first I would just leave a glowing light at the spot, but as we have continued to practice I began to copy the items.

Labooda seemed disappointed that I could not perform any sort of telepathic ability with any regulatory, when all other Jedi were capable of doing such readings with a fair degree of success.

Aside from the frustration at the telepathic part of the exercise, the training was enjoyable and I could see how I could use these techniques in several situations. The exercise only takes a few minutes to get through before we are done and heading back to our apartment to wash up and have lunch. Today we were going to have some white grain that reminded me so much of rice, with some steamed vegetables and a protein rich fruit that when grilled and basted in a dark sweet sauce reminded me of grilled eel. A simple meal, but one that gave me such a pleasant, nostalgic feeling for my previous life.

Japanese style dishes, despite no Japan existing, were surprisingly easy to either recreate or find a close approximation. There was even a soup stall some distance away that served a noodle soup so close to ramen that it made me look forward to the scheduled rain shower days just to go there. Nothing better for a rainy day, especially after a good day at work, than a nice warm bowl of ramen.

After lunch, we were going to meetup with some senatorial contacts that Master Labooda knew. The Jedi regularly worked alongside and under the direction of the senate to investigate and negotiate a variety of situations around the Galaxy, so having a connection to some senators was considered important for Jedi to have in order to better keep tabs on the happenings around the Galaxy.

At least, that was the spoken reason. It didn't take much to realize that what was really going on was a religious organization keeping a degree of soft power going and ready to use over the politicians in control of the government. An ancient tactic utilized in nearly every society and still common both at the time of my previous life's death and in this new existence. And if I was to be a part of such a corrupt system of religion hovering over and able to control the politicians, then it would be a good idea to play my role well.

—-

Anakin was crawling along the ceiling of the fortress, keeping to the sides and the shadows. Tanya's technique of floating was proving incredibly useful for stealth as he slowly made his way to the security station in order to lower the blast doors of the ship dock.

Arriving outside the door, he looks around to find no pirates. Dropping down, he opens the door and gives a smile at his good luck. These pirates had left no one to man the cameras or the controls. Quickly going to the console, Anakin begins to work his stuff to open the blast doors. Turning, Anakin spots a datapad sitting on a nearby console and grabs it before heading out.

"Master, I found the security room, the blast doors are now open, I'll meet you at their ships," Anakin says into his comlink.

"Good job Anakin. I'll see you there shortly," Obi-Wan responds, sounds of blaster fire coming through his end of the link.

—-

The meeting with the senators was held at a bar. My Master was taking a five year old into a bar to meet grown men. A bar that screamed sleazy activities occur there, with bright neon signs and rough, well worn furniture.

A bar that had a pole built into the bar on one side that had a pair of Twi'lek women dancing around it. Due to my physical age, I was only able to give a critical evaluation of the pair. They were physically fit with appropriately sized curves to be considered arousing in general according to societal norms in my last life, their smooth skin was looked slick and glistening and their head tails, lekku as they were known as, trailed down to their mid backs. They were both in brightly colored bikinis that gave only a modicum of modesty and on their foreheads they had on headpieces that matched their bikinis.

We were meeting senators in a strip club. I look to my Master and raise my eyebrow at her, feeling incredulous at her audacity to take a five year old here. I may have memories of a previous life, but that does not change the physical age and as far as Master Labooda knows I only have memories from this life.

"You are taking a kid into there?"

Labooda folds her arms and gives me a look with a raised eyebrow. "You are hardly a child mentally. I am sure you will be fine."

Shrugging, I follow her in and to a table where a fat blue skinned Twi'lek and a slick looking human that reminded me a great deal of a sleazy Casanova, biker type.

"Ah, Jedi Labooda, so good to see you," the blue Twi'lek said, setting his utensil down next to the meal he was eating and got up to great my Master with a grand gesture. "And this must be your padawan, I am Orn Free Taa, senator to Ryloth."

While fat and slovenly looking, Senator Orn was at least very polite with excellent manners.

"Name's Garm Iblis, senator from Corellia," the human greeted with a lot of his glass. A rather American greeting, give name and position with a very casual and relaxed manner. No formality at all.

"A pleasure to meet you both," I say with an appropriate bow to men in such positions.

"None of that now, we aren't here for any official business. Just a few old friends meeting up for a few drinks and to catch up on old times," Senator Iblis said, waving me off.

"Thank you for taking some time to meet with me and my padawan," Labooda said as she sat down, leaving me to take the last spot with a very good view of the stage.

"Liking what you see?" Senator Iblis asked with a laugh, making me realize I was staring at the dancers. I was never one who spent much time going to such establishments in my last life, finding it a ridiculous waste of time.

"I'm sorry, I just was not expecting to be meeting up with such august persons as yourselves in a place such as this," I respond, trying to keep the embarrassment from showing on my face.

Senator Orn have a tsking noise as he ate his meal. "I find that I need to keep tabs with the Twi'lek slaves that end up coming to establishments like this and make sure they are at least being treated well."

"Slaves?" I could tell my voice was hissing as I said it. "Is slavery not illegal within the republic."

It would appear I had touched an old topic as the three older people sitting at the table looked at each other with varying looks.

"You set this up didn't you," Senator Iblis said, pointing his drink at Master Labooda.

"You chose the location," she answered with a small smile.

Senator Orn heaved a heavy sigh and looked at me. "You are technically correct, but the situation is rather more complicated than that." Indicating the pair dancing on the bar, he continued, "these two sold themselves into slavery in order to help their families back on Ryloth pay off certain debts owed to some rather unsavory individuals. Frankly, their lives are actually better than they might be had they stayed. You see, Ryloth is far from these core worlds where the laws can be more strictly enforced and Ryloth is a rather poor planet. The only things we have to export are spice, and our own people."

Santos Orn gave the pair the first lingering look I noticed him give them since arriving. "I wish there was more I could do, but Republic does not have the resources to send to stamp out the slave trade so far away, and with Hutt space allowing slavery freely, certain diplomatic considerations have to be made to establishments owned by Hutt enterprises."

"It is horrible," I could hear myself say as I stared at the Twi'lek slave dancers. "Taking people out of the economy, weakening the flow of money through the system while removing their incentives to perform well."

With the new information, I could notice some signs I had glossed over previously in my surprise at being in such a place. "They are faking their joy rather obviously. Their smiles are not reaching their eyes, and their dancing is sluggish and repetitive. No creativity or excitement in their movements. Free women working in an environment where they are rewarded for better performance would be more interesting to watch."

It took a moment, but a laugh broke out from the Corellian senator. "Sar said you were a smart one, but she never mentioned you were one to find such interesting problems with something most people say is a moral or ethical problem."

Looking at the man with a raised eyebrow, I couldn't help but feel a smile begin tugging at my lips. The joy of an academic debate present. "Morals tend to be built by what society deems important and ethics are how the society works to achieve those morals. Thus a society that values slavery would find owning another sentient a moral action and it is ethics that would determine how the slaves are to be treated. No, to end something as despicable as slavery, other considerations must be made to make it as unviable as possible, removing all incentives that makes slavery an attractive prospect for slavers to pursue."

"If you can come up with such a situation, I would be happy to work with you to enact it to help my beloved one," Senator Orn said, a small smile on his lips nearly hidden by his cheek fat.

Firming up my resolve, I give a nod. "I will." I could not let something so counter to a proper free market as forced labor continue existing.