Star Wars: Return of the Sith
22: Tenn's Tale: The Skywalker Wedding
By Nanaki
225 A.B.Y.
Two weeks into the school year, Tenn was a little disappointed. It wasn't that the material wasn't interesting and important, it was both. It was just that she knew almost all of it already. So far, the lessons had involved mostly classroom lectures, without many chances to actually use one's Force powers. So Tenn was a little excited when, for the last lesson before the weekend, the AP students were ushered into a classroom to find Asara Sebatyne waiting for them. Master Sebatyne was one of the Order's foremost experts on lightsaber combat, as well as the leader of what was informally referred to as the Jedi's "wet works" squad, a group of masters sent to handle situations that were quite likely to involve combat. But then, combat was a Barabel's preferred method of handling most situations. Tenn had been surprised to learn that Seco was Master Sebatyne's Padawan learner, though it did explain a bit about his personality.
Since Tenn didn't have much experience with lightsabers herself, she was listening intently as Asara explained why lightsaber combat was still a necessary discipline to study, even in peacetime, when she heard whispering to her left. The Barabel Master's keen hearing picked it up as well. "Am I boring you, Seco?" She asked quickly.
Seco straightened up from where he'd been leaning over to talk to Negian. "Well, no offense Master, but yes! I got this lesson from you when I was ten, and I already knew it at that point, too." Seco made what Tenn now considered to be his trademark impatient gesture with his right hand. "I mean, I could teach this class no problem."
"Well then..." Asara took a step back, gesturing with her left arm for Seco to come up front. "Be my guest."
Seco's eyes narrowed as he strode up to the front of the classroom, though a slight smile remained on his face. "Why do I get the feeling I was just set up?"
"Because you're not stupid." Asara smiled as she carefully sat down in a chair that was not designed for a being with a tail.
"All right then." Seco turned to face the rest of the students. "My master was going over the reasons to study lightsaber combat, which I think can be summed up with three simple words: Because we're Jedi." Instantly, Negian's hand shot into the air. "What, Negian?"
"That's actually four words, shortened into three by using a contraction." Negian pointed out. Tenn couldn't keep a smile from appearing on her face at that.
"Shut up, Negian." Seco said quickly. "Anyway, the purpose of this lecture is to give you an overview of the seven styles of lightsaber combat, so let's get to that. First off, referring to them as seven styles is misleading, because there are only four true styles."
"Aren't you oversimplifying things a bit, Seco?" Master Sebatyne asked pointedly.
"Hey, who's teaching this class, Master?" Seco responded. "I'm going to explain, trust me. Anyway, first up is naturally Form I, Shii-Cho, which would be more accurately called a beginner's introduction to Soresu. Not really a distinct style of its own, it's more like a primer for more advanced things to come." Several students looked to Asara for confirmation of this pronouncement, but she just smiled and shrugged.
"Next up, Form II, Makashi. A form that was developed specifically for fighting other Force users wielding lightsabers. Makashi is a style focused on precise, efficient movements, but with enough flourishes to distract the opponent. Makashi is also relatively easy to use with only one hand on the lightsaber, so if you want to wield two sabers at once, this is your starting point."
"By the way, we do not encourage new students to try wielding two lightsabers at once." Asara spoke up.
"True enough. You'll just hurt yourself if you don't know what you're doing." Seco nodded. "Next is Form III, Soresu. The most defensive style, it was developed as a way to combat multiple opponents with blasters. Soresu revolves around keeping your blade centered in front of your torso, so you don't have to move it much to deflect blaster bolts. When facing off against another lightsaber, Soresu turns into a style based on using the opponent's strength against them. Useful enough, I suppose, but I'd rather just defeat my enemy quickly, before his strength becomes an issue." Again, several students looked toward Asara, to see if she condoned this statment, but she didn't respond this time.
"Form IV, Ataru. The most acrobatic style, Ataru is based on using the Force to enhance your movements, especially movements that violate the normal laws of physics. If you want to use pure speed to overwhelm your opponent quickly, this is the way to go. Not recommended if you're injured or already tired. Also keep in mind, it's devastating against a single opponent, pretty weak against multiple opponents.
"Next is the most confusing 'style', Form V, which is divided into Shien and Djem So. Shien involves precisely deflecting a blaster bolt so as to turn it into a counterattack. A very handy skill to have, but why it's considered a separate form from Soresu, I have no idea. Why it's lumped into Form V with Djem So, which it is COMPLETELY unrelated to, only the Force knows. Djem So, meanwhile, is a style that's based on using brute force to smash through your opponent's defenses. To me, the movements of Djem So signal what you're about to do to your opponent a little too clearly, and anyone using Makashi, Soresu, or Ataru should be able to beat someone relying solely on Djem So. With that said, come circumstantial evidence exists indicating that Darth Bane's preferred style was Djem So, despite the fact that he wielded a curved-hilt lightsaber made with Makashi in mind. But then, Darth Bane was a freakish hulk of a man who probably could have gone into battle with nothing but a slab of duracrete, and still emerged victorious. Now, I'm not saying everyone should study Djem So because Darth Bane liked it, but at the same time, it's a clear endorsement of the style from someone who saw a LOT of combat in his lifetime." Tenn found it a little odd that Seco was using Darth Bane, of all people, to make his point, but she couldn't deny the logic behind the observation.
"Next up is Form VI, Niman, which is like Form I in that it's just a pale imitation of another, better style. Niman was deemed the most 'practical' style to study by Jedi at the end of the Old Republic, which is probably why so many of them were embarrassingly easy prey for opponents like Asajj Ventress and General Grievous. Now, that other, better style that Niman imitates is Form VII, Juyo, which is simultaneously the most powerful style, yet not a style at all." Seco smiled a bit at the confused looks on his classmates' faces. "Juyo is more of a way of thinking. It requires that you already be proficient with several other styles, but then basically says, take what works best for you from each style, then don't worry about the rest. Because of this, no two Jedi use Juyo exactly the same way. The Old Republic Jedi who were so fond of Niman thought Juyo was a bit too martial for their tastes, and discouraged most Knights from studying it. However, some notable Jedi who could claim to have singlehandedly saved the galaxy, including Luke Skywalker and Jaina Solo, spoke very highly of Juyo.
"Anyway, since Form I and VI are just simplified versions of other styles, and Juyo is a hybrid blend of styles, I stand by my statement that there are only four true styles of lightsaber combat: Makashi, Soresu, Ataru, and Djem So." Now Seco turned toward Asara. "Well, Master? Did I miss anything?"
"Any degree of objectivity." Asara replied dryly. "But I can't deny that your opinions have a sound basis in logic. Largely MY logic." Now, she stood up again, and moved back to the front of the classroom. "While I agree with Seco that not all styles of lightsaber combat are great for use in actual combat, I will say that all are worth studying, even so. Understanding why they were developed in the first place will help you to understand the Jedi Order as a whole." Now she looked up at a chrono on the wall. "All right, this class was supposed to take a whole hour, but Seco managed to condense it down quite effectively. I doubt that any of you mind starting your weekend a bit early, so class dismissed."
Tenn raised her eyebrows for a second, but then just shrugged and stood up. Almost all of their instructors so far had a pretty informal style, and it didn't surprise her that Seco's master would be more informal than most. As she was stashing her datapad in her small backpack, she sensed Negian approaching from the left. "Can I talk to you for second?" He asked quietly, but rather quickly, she noticed.
"Sure, what's up?" She turned to face him, and noticed that he had a bruise on his forehead, largely obscured by his tattoo. It hadn't been there yesterday, she was sure.
Negian glanced toward Seco for a second. Tenn did too, and saw that Seco was clearly glaring at Negian. "Uh... not here." Negian turned back toward her. "Somewhere a little more private?" He suggested.
'Oh boy, here we go.' Tenn sighed inwardly. Still, it wasn't as if she hadn't sensed this moment coming. Might as well get it over with. "Sure." She shrugged. "Lead the way." Negian turned left as they headed out of the classroom, and after a few apparently random turns in the halls, they were out of sight and sound of the other students. "So... How did this happen?" She pointed to the bruise on his forehead.
"Huh? Oh, that. Well, Seco and I had a... frank exchange of ideas this morning." He waved it off like it was no big deal.
"How do guys do that?" Tenn wondered aloud.
"Do what?" Negian asked, a slight smile on his face.
"Just... beat the poodoo out of each other, then go back to being friends ten minutes later." Tenn elaborated.
"I dunno. I never really thought about it." Negian admitted. "Anyway, I just wanted you to know I've heard that Master Rondo is looking to take on a Padawan learner at the end of this school year, for the first time in over five years, since his last Padawan was promoted to Knight."
"Wait, what?" Tenn frowned, confused. "Who was his last Padawan?" She asked the first question that came to mind, though that wasn't what was confusing her.
"Dirk Skywalker, of course." Negian grinned. "But I mainly wanted you to know because there's a good chance you could end up being that Padawan."
"Huh, how's that?" Tenn was aware that she sounded like an idiot, but she had no idea what was happening here. This wasn't the conversation she'd been expecting to have at all.
"Well, Seco and I already have masters, and there's a lot of talk that Lucia is going to be promoted straight to Jedi Knight once she's done with the AP program, because she is incredibly talented, let's be honest. From what I've seen so far, there's only one other student that can even come close to Lucia, and that's you."
"Well thanks, but Padawan selection isn't based on ability alone." Tenn finally joined the conversation. "There's the whole question of personality, whether master and apprentice make a good team." She pointed out.
"Very true, and I think you're a strong candidate in that regard, too." Negian grinned. "Under the title, hulking physique, and incredible power, Master Rondo is actually pretty shy, and a bit of a nerd too."
"Well that's... good to know, but was that really what you wanted to talk about?" Tenn couldn't help wondering. 'Wait, am I actually disappointed that he's not asking me out?' She asked herself.
"Well, yeah. Why? Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" He asked, seeming nonchalant, though if Tenn hadn't been so befuddled she might have noticed that he sounded a bit nervous now.
"The Skywalker wedding..." She said, against her better judgment. 'Kriff it, I AM disappointed.' She realized.
"Oh, right." He nodded, doing a convincing job of acting like he'd forgotten all about it until now. "Who are you going with?"
At this point, Tenn's brain failed her completely. "Well, I uh... um... don't know. Who are you taking?"
"Well you, I hope." Negian grinned as he answered, even as he felt his hands trembling in anticipation of how she would react to that.
"I... what?" Tenn's eyes widened in sudden comprehension. "You murglak!" She slapped him on the shoulder. "You planned that out like an expert, didn't you? If I hadn't brought it up, you would've been able to walk away like you never meant to ask me in the first place, right?"
"That was the idea." Negian admitted. "Though I'd like to think my plan shows a certain amount of confidence and self-restraint, as well."
"Probably more entertaining than how Seco would've done it..." Tenn admitted. "That 'frank exchange of ideas' you had with Seco was about who would get to ask me first, right?" She reasoned.
"I'm... not at liberty to comment on that." Negian answered slowly.
'That's a yes.' Tenn couldn't help but smirk a little at that thought.
"So," Negian straightened up a bit, "Will you go to the Skywalker wedding with me?"
"Apparently, I'd love to." Tenn answered honestly, still feeling a bit confused.
"It'll be fun, I promise." Negian smiled in relief. "Well actually, it'll be all of us standing outside in our best dress robes in hundred degree heat, but the reception will be fun. I imagine you'll be arriving pretty early with your father?" She nodded. "All right then, I'll meet you there when the rest of the Jedi start to arrive." He started to turn to leave.
"Shouldn't we pick a time and place to meet up?" Tenn wondered.
"Nah, that's okay." Negian shrugged. "I'll just sense your presence and find you. I can do that, you know." He tapped the side of his head before he turned to walk away. Despite that fact that she'd started this conversation planning to turn him down, Tenn couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement as she turned to head home.
.
"Are you seriously going to date my Padawan?" Alaric asked as he set Tenn's dinner down in front of her. Tenn, taking a drink of water at that moment, only narrowly stopped herself from spraying it out her nose.
"How do you know about that?" Tenn demanded, wiping her mouth with her napkin.
"He sent me a message." Alaric gestured to where his datapad was sitting on the kitchen counter. "Said he thought it would be best if I heard it from him directly."
"Well, he's honest to a fault." Tenn remarked as she surveyed her food. Her father was a good cook, since he was used to making his own meals, but she suspected this was takeout from the Corellian restaurant a few buildings over. "Besides, we're not DATING, we're going to the Skywalker wedding together. Who knows what'll happen after that."
"I think we all know what will happen after that." Alaric responded, then took the first bite of his meal. "You're both young, attractive, and in peak physical condition. Just... why does it have to be him, out of everyone? I foresee awkward situations in our future."
"I understand that no dad likes to see his daughter dating, but look at it this way: Is there anyone you'd trust with me MORE than Negian?" Tenn tried to apply a bit of logic to the situation.
Alaric let out a long sigh. "I can't say that there is. It's just, you're the same age now as your mom was when she had you and... I worry. That's all."
Tenn realized that was what was really bothering him, far more than Negian specifically. "With all due love and respect, I am a LOT smarter than Mom was at my age." Tenn replied, smiling a bit as she did. "I'm not the type to get swept off my feet by some smooth talking Padawan." She didn't think of Negian as being particularly smooth, though given the sneaky way he'd asked her to the wedding, maybe she needed to reevaluate that opinion.
"Still, what's going to happen when you two break up?" Alaric asked just as Tenn took a big bite of her dinner.
Tenn coughed, then made a very exasperated gesture with both arms. "We haven't even gone out once yet, and we're already breaking up?!"
"Well, most relationships formed at age sixteen don't last all that long." He pointed out.
"Dad, you're worrying about worst-case scenarios months or years down the line." She pointed her fork at him. "If, on the off chance we end up forming a relationship serious enough to NEED breaking up, and we then, DO break up, I'd like to think we'll be mature enough to still function as colleagues."
"All right, all right." Alaric held up his hands in defense. "At least it wasn't Seco." He mumbled. Tenn decided to let that one go.
.
The weather was warm and clear two days later, the day of the wedding, though on a world with as little surface water as Coruscant, it almost always was. Standing outside in the glaring sun on the Jedi Temple's harsh duracrete plaza, in full dress robes, with close to 500,000 other beings, even a desert native like Tenn was a bit uncomfortable. Of course, those 500,000 beings were just a small fraction of those who would have liked to be here. A Skywalker wedding was an event that happened only every thirty years or so, at least in recent history. Dirk Skywalker was an only child, just like his mother, Paige. As was Paige's father, Grey. Though Tenn knew that Dirk hoped to break that streak of only children.
As friends of the family, she and her father had been allowed into the "staging area" for the wedding, inside the temple. Tenn had sat with Lucia as she was getting her hair done, and Lucia had taken the opportunity to vent a little. "He just keeps saying, 'Well, twins run in my family.'"
"That is true, isn't it? At least up to a point." Tenn responded gently.
Lucia grimaced. "As I keep explaining to him, fraternal twins run in his family, because the ovaries of Skywalker females don't keep as tight a reign on their eggs as they should. The women of my family have no such tendencies."
"Well, then maybe you'll have identical twins." Tenn suggested.
Lucia smiled at that. "That's exactly what he keeps saying, too." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "I suppose I should find all this heartwarming. I'm just not ready yet, honestly."
"I can understand that." Tenn nodded. "I'm sure he does too, deep down. He's probably just been talking about it a lot lately because he's excited about getting married."
Lucia turned to look at her, to the dismay of the stylist working on her hair. "Tenn, you are entirely too reasonable for your own good." To Tenn's relief, she followed that up with a hearty laugh. "I suppose I'd be a lot less nervous if I wasn't basically marrying into royalty. I know both the Jedi and the Republic reject the whole concept of nobility, but that's basically what the Skywalkers are, and always will be, as long as they keep saving the galaxy on a regular basis. Not to mention the fact that all Skywalkers ARE descended from a queen, albeit an elected one."
"But Dirk doesn't act haughty at all, at least from what I've seen." Tenn pointed out. "And Paige... she clearly has very high standards for herself, but she doesn't look down on other people."
"You're right, the Skywalkers themselves are very humble." Lucia agreed. "It's the way the rest of the galaxy idolizes them that's going to be a chore. It's quite a reputation to live up to. And when the time does come to bring a new generation of Skywalkers into the world... Well, I'm not going to be the most traditional, grounded mother, I know that already."
Tenn smiled now. "Name one Skywalker that's actually had a 'traditional' mother, whatever that might be. Maybe Luke, when he lived with Owen and Beru Lars. Otherwise? Ben had Mara Jade, Cade had Morrigan Corde, and Dirk has Paige. Skywalker moms have a history of being take-charge women of action. You'll fit right in."
Lucia returned the smile. "Thanks, Tenn. You're always looking on the bright side of things."
'Am I really?' Tenn wondered now, as she idly wandered among a crowd consisting of hundreds of different species. She'd never though of herself as being particularly cheerful or optimistic. The boys back on Ryloth thought of her as being cold and stuck-up, but then, the boys back on Ryloth were largely a bunch of sexist jerks who were intimidated by her special powers. Now that she was thinking about it, she realized that was what was refreshing about Negian, and Seco too. They weren't intimidated by her at all, since at the moment, they were far more powerful than she was. She supposed she ought to feel a little intimidated by them, but she really didn't. She'd catch up to their level sooner or later, probably sooner. She was a Vao after all, in blood if not in name.
On that thought, Tenn spied a head crowned with horns that was a bit taller than most heading in her direction. Negian smiled and waved as he caught sight of her, and Tenn found herself smiling back. She liked the way he smiled; it seemed like he was smiling more because of her personality than her looks. Though how he managed to convey that feeling by smiling in a particular way, she couldn't explain. "Well, this is quite the event, isn't it?" He remarked as he walked up to her. "Even on Coruscant, I don't think I've ever been in the middle of this many beings at once. Should we bother trying to find a better spot?" He wondered.
Tenn turned toward the raised platform where the ceremony was about to take place. It was meant to be high enough to give everyone a good view, but that was probably only true within a thousand feet or so, and they were well outside of that range. She nodded. "Yeah, dressed like this, we're probably entitled to get closer. But let's not be pushy." Negian just nodded. They headed toward the platform, circling around to one side or another whenever the crowd got too thick. Eventually, they found a good spot beneath a lamp post about five hundred feet out, in the midst of a large group of Ishi Tib who were very happy to have two members of the Jedi Order in their midst. The two Padawans, for their part, were very grateful for the water sprayers the amphibious Ishi Tib were using to stay cool while waiting in the hot sun. Tenn was trying to figure out if the Ishi Tib were one big family or not. Either way, they represented a large range of ages and all seemed to know each other.
Then, there was a sudden rush of murmuring in the crowd, and everyone looked up. A procession of Jedi Masters was heading up a ramp toward the raised platform. Well, almost all Jedi Masters. C-3PO and R2-D2 were bringing up the rear. The Masters fanned out on either side of the ramp, except for Master Rondo and the droids, who continued all the way up. Then, as Dirk and Lucia appeared at the base of the ramp, the Masters ignited their lightsabers in unison, then held them up high to create a tunnel of light for the young couple to traverse. As Dirk and Lucia ascended, the lightsabers behind them were slowly lowered and extinguished. On the platform, Master Rondo would be performing the actual ceremony, while C-3PO and R2-D2 filled the role of official witnesses, as they had at most Skywalker weddings for nearly two hundred fifty years now.
However, as soon as Master Rondo began speaking, a loudspeaker attached to the lamp post began translating his words into a language Tenn didn't recognize, but after a moment's thought decided must be Tibrinian. "Wait. Really?" Negian looked up in confusion. Apparently the speaker had been programmed with sensors to identify what language the majority of beings around it would speak, and translate the ceremony into that language. It was a very polite and completely unnecessary gesture, since virtually all of Coruscant's over one trillion beings could speak Galactic Standard Basic. Any beings traveling to Coruscant from other worlds would likewise be able to understand Basic.
Tenn quickly pulled out her datapad, sure that there must be some kind of map of the plaza that would show which language the various loudspeakers were broadcasting in. Sure enough, there was a map, but as soon as she opened it up, all the written words also appeared in Tibrinian, or at least, that's what she assumed it was. Now at a loss, she turned to the elderly Ishi Tib female on her right and gestured to the map. The Ishi Tib gave it a quick look, then pointed Tenn to a spot four loudspeakers away from their current location. Tenn gave a quick bow of thanks, then turned to show Negian the map and point in the right direction.
However, when they arrived at the allegedly "right" spot, the loudspeaker was above a large group of Twi'leks, and so again not broadcasting in Basic. Tenn would have been perfectly fine staying here, but the baffled expression that remained on Negian's face showed that he didn't understand a word of her native language. Looking to her datapad again, Tenn saw that the labels on the map had shifted to a simplified form of Rylothian writing that, bizarrely, was several centuries old, but at least she could understand it. Finally locating a speaker that was broadcasting in Basic, she again pointed Negian in that direction.
Unfortunately, a good half of the beings in the plaza were now searching for a loudpspeaker broadcasting in a language they could understand, so by the time Tenn and Negian arrived at the speaker in question, it had switched from Basic to Selonian. Tenn was wondering whether they should even bother searching for another speaker, or whether they should just head back to the group of Twi'leks, where she could at least translate for Negian, when a wave of applause started erupting throughout the plaza. Looking up, Tenn was startled to realize the ceremony was over already. Dirk and Lucia were waving cheerfully to the crowd as they walked back down the ramp, the other masters falling in line behind them, apparently unaware that a good half of the audience hadn't actually heard their vows.
Now celebratory music began to play from the speakers, a bit too loud, and food vendors began wheeling carts into the plaza. Since the vast majority of beings present weren't invited to the reception inside the temple, a public festival had been planned for those stuck outside. "Um... I'm not really sure how to respond to that." Tenn admitted.
Negian just shrugged, a grin on his face. "Well, we'll get to hear it on the news later. And that was actually kind of fun. Strange, but fun."
"Still, I'm glad we actually get to go to the reception. It would be kind of a ripoff otherwise." Tenn nodded toward the temple.
"Life usually feels like a ripoff." Negian observed, the smile remaining on his face. "But today, not so much. Now let's head inside before I sweat right through this robe."
.
Later, after the speeches had been made and the food had been served, Tenn and Negian stood next to Dirk and Lucia's table at the front of the largest chamber in the temple, Tenn regaling them with the story of the multi-lingual loudspeakers. To her relief, Dirk found it very funny. "Ah, I told the planners they were over-thinking it." He chuckled. "Messing with the display language on the datapads is the icing on that cake of chaos, though. I hadn't heard about that detail." Tenn and Negian didn't stay at their table long, there was still a long line of senators, governors, and powerful businessbeings all waiting to pay their respects, after all.
However, they didn't want to head back to their assigned seats, either. Seco was currently at their table, halfheartedly talking to the lovely Togruta girl he'd asked to the wedding. She looked both thrilled to be here and thrilled to be talking to him. So thrilled, in fact, that Tenn was pretty sure Seco would be getting laid tonight, if he would only snap out of his funk enough to realize that the opportunity was in front of him. "Well, seems like we should hit the dance floor at this point." Negian observed, though he made no move to actually head in that direction.
"Seems like it, but I, uh, can't dance." Tenn reluctantly admitted.
"Really?" Negian raised an eyebrow. "Well, good work not conforming to stereotypes. Now I wish I could say my tattoos peel off, or something..."
Tenn realized she was smiling in spite of herself. "Hey, I dance great on my own. What I mean is, I have no idea how to dance with a partner."
"Oh. Well, me neither." Negian admitted. "So, would you care to artlessly sway in time to the music with me?" He held out a hand.
"Sounds fun." Tenn smiled softly as she took his hand. They headed out onto the dance floor, which was mainly populated with politicians and dignitaries, nobody dancing very well, and nobody caring. Tenn put her hands on Negian's shoulders, while he put his hands on her waist, trying not to be obvious about how much he was enjoying the physical contact.
"Thanks for coming with me, by the way." He said softly.
Tenn shrugged. "Well, you managed to ask in an entertaining way."
"Still, I know Seco and I have both been coming on pretty strong." He looked off to the side for a second. "And I know we haven't known each other for very long yet, but I've seen enough to know that guys who come on strong are not for you." He smiled softly. "It's just, Seco and I have been fighting over who was going to be your boyfriend for about five years now."
"Five years?" Tenn looked up in genuine surprise. "How is that even possible?"
"Five years ago, your dad hung a holo of you up in his office. It was taken by some lakeshore on Ryloth, I'm assuming by your mom." Negian smiled gently as he related the details. "You were wearing a tank top and VERY short shorts, smiling and yet looking a little irritated at the same time. But the main thing Seco and I noticed about that holo was, you did NOT look eleven years old. At all. If I hadn't known we were the same age, I would have guessed you were fifteen, at least. After a few weeks, your dad noticed all the attention that holo was getting and took it down, but that was the start of the rivalry."
"And it actually lasted all the way up until now?" Tenn was dubious.
Negian shrugged. "I think, on some level, we both assumed that one of us would either lose interest, or else be involved with someone else when you actually got here, but it didn't turn out that way. It was probably naïve on my part, since Seco is the most competitive person I know."
"Why is that?" Tenn wondered, not deliberately trying to change the subject, but she was curious.
"Why is he so competitive?" He asked, and she nodded. "Remember how Seco said that we were both orphans, taken in by the Jedi at a very young age?" She nodded again. "Well, that is true for ME, but not really for him. Seco's parents were spice addicts, so far gone that they barely remembered to feed him most of the time." Tenn's right hand went to her mouth in shock. "By the time child services intervened and took him away, he'd been left lying in the same spot for so long that the back of his skull was actually flat. During the extensive medical treatment he received after that, it was discovered that he was Force-sensitive, and the Jedi quickly volunteered to be legally responsible for him. So in that sense, he was an 'old school Jedi', but his parents were still alive. I think his mother still is, but he wants nothing to do with her. Not that I blame him in the least."
Tenn found herself reevaluating her opinion of Seco with this new information. Suddenly, his cockiness seemed a lot less irritating. Since he had been quite literally cast aside by the people who were supposed to love him the most, it was only natural that now he constantly wanted to show people that he was the best, that his existence had worth. That everyone should want to be his friend because he was so talented. "Don't pity him." Negian gently shook his head, sensing what she was thinking. "He hates being pitied more than anything else in the world. Plus, he's intelligent, he's strong in the Force, and his personality isn't nearly as abrasive as it could be. He's got a lot going for him. I think that's one reason we've been competing so hard for your attention. We both see each other as someone who's worthy of you."
"Hmm... I get the feeling there's a reason the other boys in our class have been reluctant to talk to me." Tenn surmised.
"You got that right." Negian admitted with a smile. "They knew they'd have to face off against me and Seco together if they got too friendly, and no one in his right mind wants to do that."
Tenn let out a small sigh. "I suppose I should be grateful that you both just didn't pee in a giant circle around me on the first day of classes."
Negian laughed. "Although... it might be nice if courtship was that straightforward."
"On my world, it usually is." Tenn reflected. "I should warn you, Negian, by my own species I'm considered cold and stuck-up. A bit of a challenge, you might say."
The smile remained on Negian's face. "I enjoy a good challenge. But more than that, based on your personality, your sense of humor, I really think I'm the right guy for you."
At that, a grey haired human wearing an expensive looking suit leaned in from Negian's left. "Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?" Then he resumed dancing.
"Thanks. Thank you, Mr. Drunken Senator!" Negian waved after him as he twirled away. Then he turned back toward Tenn, looking a lot more nervous than he had a second ago. Tenn wasn't sure if he was about to go for it or not, but she thought of a way to defuse the situation, either way.
She held up her index finger to his lips, and quickly shook her head. "Nope. You thought about it too long. The moment's over."
"Oh." Negian shrugged, the smile returning to his face. "If I'd known there was a time limit, I would have acted more decisively. Wow, those sound like famous last words, don't they?" He observed.
"Maybe not as famous as 'Yes, I'm sure my blaster's safety is on,' but yeah, they do." Tenn grinned. Then, the music switched to a much more energetic, fast-paced song, and further conversation became difficult. Looking around, Tenn saw that Dirk and Lucia had stepped onto the dance floor, and whoever was in charge of the music had decided to spice things up a bit. Tenn stepped away from Negian, though she kept hold of his right hand with her left. "You up for this?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
Negian responded with the most confident smile she'd seen from him so far. "When you're around, I'm up for anything."
.
"How is it that you can blow me off and still seem sexier than ever?"
"'Cause you're whipped."
"I thought so." - Turk and Carla, Scrubs
.
(Nanaki's note: The full story of how Dirk and Lucia got together is worth several lengthy chapters in its own right. However, having a long flashback take place within another long flashback seems like a level of writing hell that would best be avoided. I have a feeling at least some of that story will come up naturally as we go along, in any case.
So, now that it's come up in more than one novel, I want to take moment to vent about Palpatine's official name. For those of you who haven't read Aftermath: Life Debt or Catalyst, the Emperor's officially sanctioned first name is Sheev. Yes, Sheev Palpatine. Let that sink in for a second. In what bizarre galaxy is this considered a better name for him than Dantius? Palpatine's father, at least in the Expanded Universe, was named Cosinga. Which name sounds more like it belongs to the son of Cosinga Palpatine: Dantius, or Sheev? Now, Sheev would be a fine name for a Rodian bounty hunter, or maybe a con artist in the vein of Marn Hierogryph, but for our beloved Emperor, (I'm using "beloved" in a "love to hate" sense here.) it's terrible.
Also, a movie called Rogue One was released recently. You might have heard about it. I just want to remind everyone that it has no bearing on this story. In the Expanded Universe, the Death Star was pretty firmly Tarkin's brainchild throughout, and the lead designer was Bevel Lemelisk, though the original concept was actually developed by Raith Sienar. Or was it the Geonosians? Honestly, the Death Star's origin story in the EU was overly complicated, and Rogue One is probably a case of the new universe doing it better. The idea that the Empire built a separate, proof-of-concept prototype of the superlaser, and then never used it, is especially insane. Yet, since that's the story in the Expanded Universe, that's the version of events this story is going with. Not that it's going to matter a whole lot. My characters are going to be kept pretty busy with new threats, at least if Gadran the Hutt and Sado Kressh have anything to say about it.)