CHAPTER 3:

MASTERS AND APPRENTICES

Anakin grimaced as he used the tools he was given from the supplies. Repairing a comms system from a starfighter like this with such primitive tools was like repairing a gear-driven pocket watch with a hammer and chisel(1). He had a knack for technology, what with building C3PO from scraps, as well as that racer pod. Still, it was slow going. He was grateful he had pilfered as many useful parts as he could carry from the starfighter before he left it, though the JSDF had offered to bring it here once they could get cargo helicopters through the Gate. Anakin had reluctantly agreed: he knew these people would doubtless want their scientists to look over the technology, but he was stranded, and he had little choice.

He had been debriefed extensively about where he came from by a man called Lieutenant General Hazama. Being the Earth's first contact with the Galactic Republic and the Jedi, Anakin strove to remain civil and diplomatic, helped by Hazama's genial attitude. Even so, he knew he had attracted attention from some corners.

As he worked, he became aware of an approaching presence. The flap of the tent Anakin had commandeered as his quarters and workshop was gently opened, and the blue-haired girl, Lelei, poked her head in. "May I come in?" she asked in Basic.

"Go ahead," Anakin said, not minding her simple curiosity. She was clutching an elaborate staff, and her expression was strangely stoic.

Lelei sat down opposite him on the table he was using as a workbench. "Lady Mercury says you come, not from beyond the Gate, but from beyond the sky, from another world circling another star."

Anakin nodded as he soldered one connection. "You seem to accept that fact well, Lelei."

"I am a scholar of magic and of other matters," Lelei said simply in a matter-of-fact manner. "The Gate connected to another world. It stands to reason that there are others out there. She also said that what you used to protect us from the flames of the Flame Dragon was not unlike magic…and yet not. She called it the Force."

Anakin nodded again. He began fitting another component, one that wouldn't need as much concentration as he spoke. "How to explain it…the Force is an energy field that permeates the entire known universe, and especially living beings. It shapes one's actions and thoughts, and by the same token, one can shape it yourself," Anakin said. Then, he blinked. Did he just lecture someone like Obi-Wan or Yoda or some other Jedi tutor did?

…It felt good. So that's why they did it!

A small smile touched his features at the revelation (though inwardly, he was whooping in joy) as he continued. "Of course, to be able to use the Force, one needs to have a certain amount of midi-chlorians in your cells. I don't know whether your world has much in the way of cellular biology knowledge, but they're a type of organelle like mitochondria or chloroplasts…"

"Organelle?" Lelei asked, blinking. "Cellular biology?"

"Ah. You don't, then. It'd take a long time to explain that. With the Force, we can influence thought, use what others cultures call telekinesis, and even sense things others cannot." As he slotted another component into place, he said, "I am what is known as a Padawan, an apprentice Jedi."

"Lady Mercury said that a Jedi was a kind of warrior monk who could use the Force," Lelei mused.

"Yes. I was rather unusual in that I was accepted into the Jedi Order at an older age than usual. Most are taken as younger children," Anakin said. "So why are you so curious about me?"

"You distracted the Flame Dragon with little more than the Force and the weapon you wielded, a lightsaber, Lady Mercury said it was called. And my mind is open to other ways of performing magic."

"The Force is not exactly magic, Lelei," Anakin said. "It has been mistaken as such, but there have been many studies into how the Force can be used. And while it's still very much a mystery in many regards, it's not exactly magic."

"Then teach me, please. Even if I cannot use the Force in the same way that you can, I believe that whatever you can teach me, I could use in my magic," Lelei said.

Anakin looked at her, before laughing. "No, sorry, I'm not trying to mock you," he said, waving at her. "Sorry, I was just…me, a teacher. The very thought…I mean, I guess as I got more experience in the Jedi Order, I'd have to take on a Padawan myself, but…I'm still a Padawan, Lelei. And…I don't think I have the patience for teaching. Besides, haven't you got your own teacher? Wouldn't he be offended?"

Anakin heard a harrumph, as the bearded face of Cato appeared at the tent flap. "I would be a very poor teacher, my dear boy, if I didn't think there was anything further one could learn. A tenet of learning is that the more you learn, the more you become aware of your own ignorance. Lelei had my blessing already. Indeed, I'm curious about this myself. My student is also interested in learning about the JSDF as well. And in exchange, we can teach you about this world and magic."

Anakin nodded thoughtfully. Rory had spoken to him about some of the things in this world. But he needed as much information as possible, especially if he got this comms system working. As it was, jury-rigging components meant to facilitate near-instant communication across many hundreds or thousands of light years was difficult. But should he manage it, he needed to have as much information to give to the Jedi Order as possible.

"I'll consider it," Anakin said. "Incidentally, how's Tuka?"

"I believe she's still trying to cope with her father's death," Lelei said quietly. "While she accepts his demise, she is taking it hard…"

Later, he decided he needed to get some practise in. Obi-Wan had drilled it into his head that he needed to keep his lightsaber skills sharp. As he moved through his drills, using the battlefield just outside the base, he became aware he had an audience. As he finished, he turned to face them. Itami, Kurata and another female JSDF soldier, Shino Kuribayashi, were watching, gaping. So too was Tuka. Lelei was watching on with intense interest, and Rory was smirking.

"Okay," Kuribayashi said to Anakin. "I'll admit, that was pretty awesome."

"You're using a laser sword, of course it's awesome!" Kurata cheered.

"Lightsaber," Anakin corrected.

"Indeed," Rory purred, strutting towards him. "That being said…I think you'd do better with an opponent. It's been too long since I've simply sparred against someone."

"…But I might hurt you," Anakin said. "Or cut up your halberd."

Rory raised an eyebrow, before proffering the end of the halberd. "Try to cut it."

Anakin, a little uncertainly, swung his lightsaber down on the end of the halberd…but to his shock, the metal merely sparked and began glowing. Rory took the halberd away after several seconds, planting it into the soil, and causing it to hiss from the heat. "This halberd is as heavy as one of those vehicles they used to bring us here. Don't worry, I won't come at you with intent to kill. But I'm not going to make it easy for you." She suddenly lunged at him, her actions screaming at him through the Force, and he was forced to dodge, slashing at her in a counterattack she blocked.

For the next few minutes, they fought, their weapons and movement a blur, sparks flying from her halberd as his lightsaber collided with it. Her fighting style was like a graceful dance. Anakin realised that she was holding back on him, playing with him like a cat playing with a mouse, and his anger grew, his movements became more sloppy…and then, she knocked him to the ground, holding the blade of her halberd to his neck. "The Jedi, so you said, claim that anger sets you down the path to the Dark Side of the Force. It certainly makes you sloppy in combat if you don't know how to control it." She took the halberd away, and then helped him to his feet. "Now, tell me, how did I beat you?"

"…Because you were stronger and faster than me," Anakin growled. It felt like one of Obi-Wan's lectures, and he struggled to keep a hold on his temper.

"True, but, as a Jedi, you should have been able to compensate using the Force. My being stronger and faster was only part of the factor. Firstly, look at my weapon. What's the one thing you notice that's different?"

Anakin stared, the question forcing him to think. The obvious would be the fact that it wasn't an energy weapon, but then, he realised that what she meant was rather simpler. "Range," he said. "You have a better range with that."

"Exactly. Many times, I was able to keep you out of range using my halberd. Secondly, I have been fighting for over nine centuries. And you are eighteen. While your lightsaber fighting style is not quite like swordplay, it's close enough in some regards. I know how to deal with sword fighters. In a one-on-one battle, I could beat virtually anyone wielding a sword, and indeed, the only way I could be defeated in a battle against many is if I got dismembered and my limbs prevented from coming back together. Thirdly, as noted before, you got angry, and sloppy in the process. The Jedi may have this thing about the Dark Side, but anger does tend to make your skill go down." Rory then gave him a smile. "Hey, don't feel bad about it. Do you want me to be perfectly honest? That was the best spar I've had in decades. Few mortals would be capable of fighting me like that. Of course, these guys' firearms could do some damage, though I'd regenerate from those…"

Anakin felt his anger recede a little at what seemed like honest praise. True, it wasn't like Obi-Wan or his other lightsaber instructors didn't praise him. Hell, what Rory said in some regards was similar to what they did. But the way Rory said it…it almost felt like it was his mother Shmi saying it. There was a warmth there. Not that Obi-Wan lacked warmth, but there was, Anakin began to realise, something else there. Obi-Wan, he realised, had the same detachment as other Jedi, or at least tried to emulate it. Obi-Wan tried to be a big brother to Anakin, but in truth, he seemed uncomfortable with the role. Then again, Obi-Wan hadn't even had a family, unless you counted the Jedi Order.

And yet, Rory felt…well, despite her age, there was both a maternal and sisterly feel to it. Despite her admitting to be the emissary of a god of war and calamity, she seemed…well, normal. Well, save for her bloodthirstiness in battle. Anakin was sure that more than a few Jedi would label her a Sith.

As if sensing his thoughts, Rory asked, "Tell me, why do you fight? As a Jedi, given what you told me, sometimes, you would have to kill in the line of your duties."

Anakin looked at her. "I fight to protect others."

She cocked her head, and peered at him, before smiling. "I thought so. You do genuinely believe that, despite the taint of darkness, of anger and fury. That's good. Emroy's philosophy is perhaps an alien one to the Jedi, but not wholly incompatible. To Emroy, killing is not in itself a sin. Rather, it is the motivation behind it. Killing for self-gratification, for selfish reasons, he despises that, for you lie to yourself and to others, and that taints your soul. But to protect others, or to deal with those who are themselves murderers and rapists, that is no sin to Emroy…"

He mulled over her words as he stayed up late into the night, working on the comms device. And he began thinking about what he had been going through in the Jedi Order. How he felt they held him back from his full potential. He'd found himself distracted with daydreams of his angel, of Padme Amidala. Apparently her term as Queen of Naboo had expired, and she was now Senator for that world. A significant part of him had wanted to see her again. No doubt Obi-Wan and the others would have some choice words for him.

Strangely, Rory had done more for him than many of his teachers. She didn't say it out loud, but she wanted him to get stronger, he knew it. There was an unspoken demand in her crimson eyes.

Yes…strength to protect others…maybe this time away from the Jedi Order would be good for him. To expand his horizons away from their gazes. To get stronger without all the damnable lectures. To find his own path. To void with this Chosen One business, and all the expectations that entailed.

Maybe here, for the first time since he left Shmi behind on Tatooine, he could be himself. Be the Jedi he should be, not what the expectations of the Order dictated him to be. Working alongside the JSDF as a peacekeeper. He was probably spitting on protocol about interfering too much in the affairs of another world, but he was finding himself not giving a damn.

People here needed his help. That was all there was to it. And the Jedi Council could go screw themselves if they took issue…

CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:

So, we've started Anakin's process of maturity. Ironic, how Rory, a being who'd probably be seen by many Jedi as a Dark Jedi at best, would probably be the one to turn him away from the Dark Side. Not to mention being a teacher of sorts for Lelei.

Next chapter, Italica!

1. The Doctor used this metaphor in the Doctor Who story Pyramids of Mars, only adding that, because of the dangerous procedure he was working on, 'one wrong move and you'll never tell the time again'.