Star Wars
Sentinel - Chapter 1- No turning back
"That's why you must choose this life yourself. You must want this so much that every time you think about quitting, when you think about giving up… you need to remember why you chose this journey in the first place."
I do not own Star Wars. I do not even own all that much. Honestly, if anyone wants to sue someone, it should be my ADHD having muse.
#-#
#-#
Everyone around us is so clean. Amazingly clean. Making me feel dirty kind of clean. They all smell so good too! It's amazing! Master Leia leads us down a series of hallways, not that I could tell right from left in this place. We just keep walking, and walking. I just keep studying every detail I see.
The smooth metals used for the walls, ceilings and floor. The statues of people I don't recognize. The collection of new faces and species I've never seen before. It's all amazing. "We're going to the Council Chambers. There we will assign each of you to a Initiate Clan." Master Leia tells us. I wonder about that. Almost everyone I've seen so far has been pretty old. Well, older than us. But then, Zaza and Alaiza are old than me too… I bite back a sight, wondering why I'm so much younger than everyone else.
Master Leia presses something on a wall and a door opens up. It's much smaller that I expected. I mean, if the leaders meet here, they must be pretty small. Still, Master Leia waves to us – probably meaning that we should follow her. Once all four of us are in the cramped room, the door slides shut. Then the whole room starts shivering! My eyes shoot open from shock – I start to frantically fiddle with my braintail, trying to not freak out! The tavern never had anything like this!
Suddenly the shivering stops and the door slides open again. I don't wait to be told to exit – they'd sooner have to tell me to slow down this time! "You never been in an elevator before?" Alaiza asks. Is that what you call that freaky room?! It didn't seem to have any more purpose than giving me a heart attack! I shake my head from left to right, hoping that I come over less freaked out than I am.
"Shesa nebber seen Gungan City. Da mesa no find skwewy. But shesa nebber seen elelader? Shesa nutsen!" Thanks Zaza. Whatever that even means.
"Everyone has to learn some day." Master Leia says – I think that is her way of saying that it's okay to not know some things. But seriously! Moving rooms! Dats nutsen! Great, now I'm doing that!
Master Leia starts walking down another hallway, meaning that either we follow or get left behind – and probably lost. Later, rather than sooner, we enter a large room. High ceiling, lots of empty space. Yeah, this is more like a place important people meet. And not surprisingly, there are six people in the room waiting on us.
"Master Leia. Welcome back. I trust your journey was fruitful." Why should her journey have fruits? That's funny.
"I have brought back thirty new Initiates with me. All of whom passed the initial tests and can do so again should any of you desire to confirm that." Master Leia said. Oh, that's what that weird game was. "I have the three girls with me, so that we may begin the sorting process and let them get their rest. Kritz will bring the boys in as soon as we're done."
The room goes quiet. Too quiet. Like they're having talking in a way I can't even understand, or hear. "We'll begin with the Gungan. Please step forward and introduce yourself." I can see all of them clearly. Master Leia takes her seat, furthest to the right. Next to her is another human. He has dark brown skin like Alaiza, but is completely bald. Next to him is a smooth skinned male. He seems to have eight braintails and is dirt brown – his skin looks completely different to the human he's next to, like it's more leathery.
Next to him is a boulder of a being. He looks like one of the fish I saw swimming earlier, only bigger and more muscled. His nostrils are on his head, instead of on his face like mine. And his voice reminds me of a drum Father liked to play.
Next to him is a woman, a red skinned Twi'lek. I've never seen a red skinned Twi'lek before. She is old, but her skin is still smooth and her voice sings – as Ryl is supposed to sound.
"Una?" Master Leia calls me. I turn to her, wondering what she needs. "Please present yourself to the council." I feel all of them focus on me. I've never liked being the centre of attention.
Taking two steps forward, I start twiddling with my braintail tip. "I am Una Sivron. I'm six. I like reading, but I don't read as much as I'd like to. Before Master Leia found me, I worked in a tavern. I don't know the name, or where it is. I know that Olma liked moving around a lot, from one part of the desert to the next." Well, that summed up my life pretty well.
"Tell me, Una. Has Master Leia told you what you're here for?" The fishman asks.
I smile a little then I frown, thinking back on the talk we had on the way here. "She did. She also asked me to remember why I agreed to this, for when I start thinking about quitting."
"'When', not if?" The dark skinned human asks.
"She said the time will come that I want to quit. And that my reason will be all the helps me." I answer, twiddling with my braintail a bit more. They all seem nice enough, but their eyes are intense, like they are looking right through me.
"And what is your reason then?" The Twi'lek asks in Ryl. I smile at her, thinking back.
"I want to stop the Sith from killing people like they did my mother." They look at each other, asking each other things without using a single word.
"Did Master Leia tell you about that?"
"She didn't have to. My mother tucked me in, the first night on the 'ship'. I felt her there, even though she wasn't'. She even told me 'ma-allesh'." I tell them honestly. I see the smile on Master Leia's face, and the shock on the Twi'lek's.
"How do you feel about your mother?" One of them asks. I don't really know which one.
"I love her." I say. "She may be gone, but she promised we'd never really be apart." They all share a look and another silent conversation.
"Thank you, Una." Master Leia smiles at me. "Now, which clan shall we place her with?"
"Lotus Clan." The Twi'lek says in Basic. I didn't think she actually spoke Basic. Maybe she just likes the way Ryl rolls off her tongue? Father likes to only speak Ryl because of that. He's always been the one to hammer into me that Ryl should be sung, not spoken.
"Agreed. I think she will be the balm the Lotus needs." The human I don't know says. "Welcome Una Sivron, to the Order of the Jedi." I smile at him, bowing just like Master Leia would have.
"Come on, girls. Let's get you settled in, okay?" Master Leia gets up, offering me a one armed hug as we walk towards the door. Okay…?
#-#
#-#
Walking. More walking. And to shake things up, we walked some more. The person that built this place really had a thing for stone and wood. There are a lot of stones made in the shape of people. And almost all the floors are made of wood. Weird.
"This is the statue of Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker." Master Leia tells us. "He is the one that ended the reign of the evil emperor Palpatine over three hundred years ago. My great-grandfather."
"The funny thing is," She gets this weird look in her eyes, like she doesn't really understand something. "after all this time, the problems don't seem to be going away."
She's quiet for a long time, just looking at the 'statue'. Her face doesn't move at all, but I see emotion after emotion playing out in her eyes. "Come on, the dorms are this way." She says, but takes another long moment to study the statue before she resumes walking. I wonder at that. What problems? What hasn't changed in three hundred years? I start twiddling me braintails again. I don't like not understanding something. Things you don't understand always hurt you in the long run. Like the time I didn't understand that fire is hot. Yeah, that wasn't fun. But I was like three at the time!
We keep walking through more hallways. Down this one, up those stairs, down those stairs, down that hallway. This place is just one big maze! Just like those maze's in that magazine Mother let me read.
We pass another five or six 'statues'. Each time Master Leia stops and tells us the name of the person and what they are remembered for best. There was a Wookie, a Twi'lek, two humans and some other species I don't recognize. Zaza pointed out how strange she found it that no Gungan had a 'statue' put up in their honour. Master Leia tells her that maybe she'd be the first – she was just humouring her I think.
Eventually we arrive at a door. Master Leia opens it, motioning us to follow her inside. Didn't we spend the last twenty minutes following her? Should we have stopped at some point? I shrug, not sure what to think about that.
"Jeza, I have three new Lotuses for you." Master Leia announces. When I enter, I see a beautiful human meditating. Well, she was sitting on a mat with her legs crossed and hands folded, with her forearms resting on her thighs – she could have been reading a good book too.
"Master Leia. Welcome. I thought I'd sensed your return." Okay… how could this human sense Master Leia return? "Welcome, Younglings. I am Jeza Fyrr." She has funny eyes. Almost like the man with the eight braintails, but almost like there is only a shadow there too. She has a really kind smile though, and she smells really nice – like that desert flower Father gave me for my birthday.
"Why don't you girls introduce yourselves while Jeza helps you get settled in?" Master Leia suggests, already walking to the door and says her goodbyes. Just as I was starting to feel comfortable around her too.
I start twiddling with my braintail, wondering if I'd like Jeza. "Mesa greeting! Mesa am Zaza Binks from Gungan tribe! Mesa mui mui smilen per meeting you!"
"Greetings! I'm Alaiza Ebony, born and raised in the Royal City of Naboo! It's really nice to meet you!" Alaiza obviously wasn't going to let Zaza outdo her. I bite back a sigh, knowing this was going to be a regular thing.
"Hi. I'm Una Sivron." I offer her a little smile, still twiddling with my braintail nervously.
"Alright, two flamboyant and one shy. I can deal with that. Come on, we'll get you three settled and you can change into your new clothes." She tells us. I'm not shy. I just don't know you.
#-#
#-#
Jeza shows us around the 'quarters' – it looks like a sitting room with four bedrooms attached to it, but it's her party. Each bedroom has four beds chained to the walls – two on each long wall. She calls them 'bunks'. We are also given a big box where we can keep our things – she calls it a 'chest', but my chest doesn't look that big!
She lays out a white wrap around shirt, a coat and pants on each bed – other than one, saying that there isn't anyone to claim that bed. She also puts three pairs of brown shoes on the floor with socks that only reach my ankle. Everything has a funny name – the shirt is called a 'tyuu-nick', the coat has a name I can't even remember and the shoes are called 'boots'. I try to remember everything I can, but I know I'm going to not care in ten minutes. Maybe less.
We get dressed, putting our old clothes in a sack Jeza gave us. We look like clones gone wrong – wearing exactly the same thing. Still, I saw enough others wearing exactly the same thing, so I don't complain. Maybe it's to give us all a sense of belonging?
I do make sure to keep on my flappy – it almost looks like a short pants I wear on my head. It doesn't really match the outfit, but I'd feel so awkward not wearing it. I mean, a Twi'lek showing off the base of her braintails?! That just isn't done! It's like walking around completely naked! I shiver, making myself nervous just thinking about that.
Once we're all satisfied – Alaiza took a while to get the string of muttered curses out of her system, about how she wouldn't stand out in these clothes – we go back out to the living room. Only, this time we find more than just Jeza there.
There's a huge boy, I think he was that fish I saw swimming earlier! He's as wide as I am tall, and towers over me! He has black almost oily looking skin and his nostrils are on his head – just like that big man from the Council. He has a gentle smile though, telling the other with him to quiet down.
Another is a human boy. He has red hair and light pink skin, but is otherwise no different from any other human I've ever seen.
The third makes me look tall. He's so short that I wonder if the top of his head can reach my waist. He is hairless, with weathered, old-looking green-brown skin. And his ears look like someone wouldn't stop pulling on them – so stretched out. He does have a kind smile on his face though, as he watches the three of us. He only has three fingers on each hand; they look almost swollen and have large fingernails that seem a bit unkept.
The final boy is a little taller than me. He has bright pink skin, but is completely different to the soft pink of the human. The human is close to a pink-white, but this one is just pink. Hot pink, actually. Where the human has eyebrows, this one has tiny stalks that droop off his face lazily. He also has lazy stalks on either side of his chin. His ears are smaller than the human's as well. But his eyes…
Those pitch black eyes of his, somehow I see tenderness there. Father had that look in his eyes a lot, so I recognize it easily.
"Greetings fellow Younglings. Welcome to Clan Lotus. I am Gib of the Herglic. It is a pleasure to meet you." The big fish-like boy speaks in a deep thrumming voice; there is a gentleness to it that is hard to place, but even harder to ignore.
"Mesa greeting! Mesa am-" Yeah, I've heard this greeting once or twice.
"Greetings clan-sisters. I am Grenner Chance. It is good to know that I am no longer the only human of our clan." Grenner's voice is very formal, but he seems nice enough.
"Greeting. I am Alaiza Ebony. And don't assume too much, I will treat you no different than I treat any other." There's that challenging tone of hers. I think she likes testing others.
"Of course, I would expect no less." Great. Another person for her to fight with endlessly.
"Goji I am. Of the Lannik do I come. A pleasure to meet you it is. Truly an honour." The short one talks funny. He did bow though, unlike the others.
"Hi. I am Taral Nwûl." The pink-skinned one says. He sounds shy, probably no older than I am. "You have pretty lekku." I blush, not really expecting him – or anyone – to compliment my braintails.
"Thank you. I'm Una Sevron."
"Now that everyone is introduced, let us begin our meditation session." Jeza tells us. She motions to the mats on the floor.
#-#
#-#
It's been a week since arriving. Zaza, Alli and I fell into the daily rhythm pretty quick. Waking up every morning at five. Doing a half hour morning work out. Meditating for fifteen minutes. Then making our way to breakfast. The rest of our mornings were split between classes on history, culture, politics, and languages. Yeah, I'm learning to speak Ryl, now that I have almost no one to speak it with. Weird how that works, but I'm not complaining.
Our afternoons are more geared to exercises and special meditations to help us touch and focus the Force. Throughout the day there are seven allotted timeslots that we meditate with our clan. Jeza comes to us for this purpose, making sure to gather all seven of us, no matter where we are.
It's strange, and more than a little weird. I can't say I don't like it though. I never did like doing nothing for very long. There's so much to learn. Learning the way of the Force, learning the way of species and peoples I've never met.
Taral, as it turns out is a Sith. But the Instructor who pointed that out was quick to add that he is of the Sith species, not the Sith Order. Taral didn't seem to happy to have it pointed out at all; he cried during our meditation afterwards. Still, Gib and I talked to him about it. I even went so far as to tell him that I wasn't mad at him – with my mother being killed by the Sith Order and all.
I'm not really talkative with the others, I never have been much of a talker. But I will admit to feeling at home with my clan. They're kind of like goofy brothers – and sisters, which I still have to get used to.
"Una, stop thinking." Jeza tells me. Yeah, meditation. No thinking. Empty my mind. Meditation isn't my strong point. "If it's hard to not think, try thinking about one of the Three Pillars."
That might work. Let's see. The Three Jedi Pillars: the Force, Knowledge and Self-discipline. Knowledge is my favourite, but Jeza says it's not about having a favourite. Knowledge. From knowledge, wisdom may grow. May, not will. It is only when in balance with the Force and Self-discipline can wisdom really blossom. Goji is really smart with those kinds of things.
What was the mantra for Knowledge again? Umm. Master Yoda, grant me knowledge so that wisdom from it may bloom.
I repeat that mantra in my head over and over again, trying to be mindful of my body, yet not thinking about it.
"Very good. I will see you all at lunch." Jeza says, which means that we should get back to studying. I give her a quick hug, then run back to my Companion2000 which I left on my desk. I tap the screen to wake it up and continue reading about the odd rules involved in politics – I really don't like politics. I mean, you could be seen as innocent or guilty simply by how you word a sentence? How weird is that?
Well whatever. I just need to finish reading this before lunch, and I have like a megabyte of information left! This is going to take forever!
#-#
#-#
"So Una, how's you're lightsaber techniques coming along?" Gib asks as we sit down to lunch. Not everyone is sitting yet, so we have time to chat a bit. It's kind of weird that all seven of us are the same age, yet Gib just seems to be the spokesperson.
"I'm still not very good with deflecting. I just can't seem to sense where the next shot is coming from." I tell him honestly.
"Through the force, you must see. Deceive you, your eyes do." Goji points out. Like I didn't already know that. I just can't seem to 'see' with my eyes being blocked by that weird hat.
"What's taking Taral so long? That boy is usually the first one here!" Alli complains. Great if she starts complaining then-
"Yeah. It is kinda weird." Grenner adds his two cents. Any second now. I'm just waiting for Zaza to-
"Mesa was tinken da same ting!" Yup. Now that those three are curious they're going to start annoying Jeza until one of us is allowed to go look for Taral to tell him to hurry up.
"Mind your words, Sith!" All our eyes flip towards the group surrounding Taral. I don't even wait for Jeza to say anything; I get up and start running to Taral's side. Only, instead of just standing beside him, I put myself between Taral and the boys picking on him. "Aw, look the devil has a friend."
I glare at the human who dared call Taral a devil. He is many things and I dare not say all that he is, but he is not a bad person! "Una, please don't get involved." Taral asks, trying to push me aside. I take his hand into mine, squeezing it gently. I don't take my eyes off the boys in front of me though.
"What seems to be the problem here?" Gib comes up behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, Harry the human. You do realize that Taral is one of us right?"
"No Sith belongs in the Jedi Order!" The human barks. I think Gib was just teasing him by calling him 'Harry'. "Stay out of this Gib. This is between me and the Sith."
"Says the group trying to pick on my clan-brother." Grenner and Alaiza say at the same time. That was kind of weird, but true. "Back off!" By now, all of Clan Lotus is involved.
"Look, Sith do not belong here." The tallest of their bunch tries to reason with us. "I don't want this to get out of hand, so please just back off and let us handle him."
"You're the one who doesn't understand. Taral is an Initiate of the Jedi Order, which was decided by the Council just like everyone here." Gib says. "But even if you don't accept him as that, he is a member of Clan Lotus. He is a member of our pod. So if you start trouble with him, you start trouble with the whole clan."
Seeing that Gib and the others are handling the situation, I turn to Taral. His tray is on the floor, his food heaped around his feet. His clothes are a mess as well. These are all details that worry me, bother me… but the worst is… tears are streaming down his face.
Using my sleeve, I wipe away what tears I could. Wiping, swiping. Dabbing. For every tear I dry, two tears take its place. "Taral, don't cry. We won't let them pick on you anymore, okay?" As much as I try to fight it, I'm on the close to crying now too.
His eyes are quick to focus on mine, but the tears don't stop. Before I can wipe away another tear, he wraps his arms around me and hugs me. I hug him back, wondering if he's so upset that he wants to hide his face – he is burying it in my neck and collar.
"I'm not upset, Una." Even his voice is stained with tears. "I'm happy." He hugs me tighter, whispering things I don't understand. I don't push him back, offering what comfort I can. If this is what he needs, then this is what I'll offer.
#-#
#-#
"Alright younglings. This afternoon we are going to play a game." Jeza tells us. She is holding a ball in her hands, playfully rolling it this way and that. "I want you to practice passing the ball back and forward."
"Miss Jeza, mesa a wee big to be playen catch." Zaza really has been working on her Basic. I'm impressed, that was mostly the way to say it!
Before answering her, Jeza hovers the ball an inch above her hand. "That may be, Zaza. But this isn't a normal gave of catch. You are only allowed to touch this ball through the Force."
I stare at the ball, wondering how it's even possible for it to move without touching it. "I want you to each try hovering the ball by yourself first. Those that can will pair up and play. Those that can't will practice with me. Okay?"
Goji and Grenner both hover a ball to them, showing that they'd already figured this part out. I groan, knowing that I'll end up being the only one that can't. Zaza and Alaiza start competing to see who can make their ball spin faster. Gib hovers a ball to him. He walks over to me, saying something about 'think nothing, just do'.
That of course makes no sense to me at all. I try anyway. "I'll keep the ball right here. Just try to move it." Gib tells me. And he does just that. He holds his massive hand, palm up, in front of me. Just above the surface of his hand, the ball hovers. I know it won't take much to move the ball, seeing that my breathing alone moves it slightly.
I focus, trying to 'tap into the Force'. I focus harder. Nothing comes. Nothing. I feel something just on the edge of my senses, something just beyond my reach. But nothing happens.
"So, Taral and Una will work with me. The rest of you may go play, but stay out of trouble." Jeza says. I look at Taral, who smiles at me. I thought that he'd be the first to hover the ball – he just strikes me as the good-at-everything type.
"Come, sit with me." Jeza calls us to her. She's holding a funny looking thing in her hand. It's like a big triangle, only it's more than that too. Four triangles make up the sides, and square forms the base. Then there are little rooms I can see through the material it's made from. It's like a puzzle and I like puzzles!
"I want you to try hovering this little ball." She gives Taral and I a really small ball. It's almost the same size as the very tip of my braintail. "Only this time I want you to close your eyes."
Great, this again. This is exactly what Master Cotan has been trying to get me to 'sense'. Which is why I end up getting shot by that stupid remote every time it fires! Yes, I am mighty, I am great. I am getting shot by coloured light to entertain a Jedi Master.
"Stop thinking, Una. This isn't about thinking. This isn't about trying." I bite back a sigh, wondering if playing with my braintail will distract me from whatever I have to attempt this time.
"Stop reaching out for something you cannot grab. The Force is within you. It always has been. So reach within yourself, centre yourself. And from within you, you shall stir the Force." I hear every word she tells me. But all I can sense is that river of power just out of my reach. "No, not there. Out there is only chaos. Look within you. Deep down inside you."
As strange as that sounds, it's even stranger to try to see. I try to 'look inside myself', but all I sense is the cool air kissing my skin.
"Focus on your breathing. Feel the cool air flowing into your nose, through the back of your mouth. Follow that breath. See where that breath takes you." Okay, this has just gone from weird to down right awkward! Follow my breath? Fine.
I take a slow, deep breath through my nose. I hear the air being sucked in. It's cold and smells like the ocean – which isn't that strange seeing that we are- "Focus, Una. Let go of your thoughts."
Another deep, slow breath. I follow the cool air this time. It flows down into me, deep down. Another breath. I'm lost. The world seems to fade away. All I have is the sound of my breathing and the coolness of the air. I hear my own heartbeat now. Slowly, gently, I allow myself to ease deeper into this… void within me. "Yes. That's good. Follow that breath deeper. Deeper. Until you find the source. There you will find the Force within you."
Following the breath deeper. I can hear a symphony being played. My heart is a beating drum. My breath is like a gentle flute. My stomach is… well some weird sound that kind of gurgles and warbles. There's a sort of dull sucking sound, like water is being moved from place to place.
Deeper and deeper. There! There is something. Something warm. Something bright. I reach out for it, just as I reached for the same thing out there… only this time, it comes to me. Immediately I feel that warmth flowing through me, bathing me in it. I shiver a little as the last of the coldness leaves me. All that's left is warmth now.
"Yes. That's it. Now let the Force flow into the little ball in your hand. Through the Force you can make the ball do the impossible: defy gravity." I guide the warmth to the tiny ball in my hand. I feel it enter the ball, making the ball shiver.
It shivers. It shakes. But I do not feel the ball hover off my hand.
#-#
#-#
"Of all the irresponsible things I've ever encountered." Master Dia Tuka mutters. She's the red-skinned Twi'lek on the Council from before. "Jeza you of all people should know better." She sounds rather common speaking Basic – I liked hearing her speaking Ryl.
"I do not understand Master Dia. I am teaching the youngling entrusted to me the exact lessons I was instructed to teach. Perhaps you should explain what part of this is irresponsible."
"A Miraluka that cannot understand that a youngling must first learn Altus Sopor to blend into the Force and become untraceable for the Sith hunting us. I find that odd." Why do I have to be here to hear this? What did I do wrong? I did as I was told. "Now I expect you to correct this immediately. Teach your younglings Altus Sopor, and after that you may continue teaching Telekinesis."
"Of course, Master Dia." Jeza bows low, then guides Taral and I out of the Council Chambers. The door doesn't even fully close behind us before the questions boil up and roll off my tongue.
"What is Altus Sopor? Is telekinesis that thing you taught us with moving the little ball around? Are there more things to learn? What else can be done through to Force?" I never asked so much before. But there's just something about that warmth within me; I can't get enough of it!
"Calm yourself, Una." Jeza pats my head, tugging Taral along as well. "Altus Sopor is the ability to merge with the Force. So if someone tries to find you through the Force, they will only see the Force itself. I will show you and the others how to do this."
Well, not a whole lot to say about the walk back to our quarters. We pass a few statues – I know most of them, but a few of the names I'd forgotten. Still, there was one very important question that I've been itching to ask. "Jeza, why would we need to hide?"
"That's a good question, Una." Jeza tells me then goes silent. I thought she wasn't going to answer me. "I'll tell you when you get a little older." Yeah, I figured something like that was coming.
That just leaves me with the pieces of the puzzle I've been given so far. The Initiates that have been here longer despise Taral for being a Sith. We are in an underwater city, hidden away from the galaxy – whatever that is. We need to learn to hide away even within the Force. Something hasn't changed in three hundred years. There aren't a lot of Jedi left.
I don't know, but I think something happened to the other Jedi. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the Sith as well. Only, that doesn't really say a whole lot right now. I don't know, and it doesn't look like someone is going to explain it any time soon either.
"Jeza, can you tell me about the way of the Force?" I ask, hoping that more information would reveal what I'm missing.
"Hmm. Well, the Force is what many might consider the 'god' of the Jedi. It is an energy that resides in all things. Stones, water, paper, steel, plants, animals, people, everything. The Way of the Force, is how we go about honouring that 'god'. The Twi'lek named the two sides of the Force as Kika'lekki and Gerkak'tin – Light and Dark. Day and Night. Two opposing sides in continuous battle for dominance."
"However on the homeworld of the Twi'lek, there is no battle. At least, not as we know it. On one side of the planet it is always day. On the other it is always night." She smiled at her own words. Somehow that makes no sense as it is. There's something I'm missing to understand the picture she's looking at.
"So there is the Light and there is the Dark in the Force?" I ask, wondering about that. It just seems to… I dunno. Something about that just bothers me. I start twiddling with my braintail, trying to understand it a little. Light and Dark. Day and Night. Good and Evil? That's it. That's all there is? Where's the balance in that? You're either with us or you're against us? That doesn't make sense. There's more to it, there has to be! "So what aren't you telling me?"
"That is something you will learn in time. For now, focus on the task at hand."
#-#
#-#
"Ryloth. Homeworld to the Twi'lek species. Ryloth is unique in the galaxy, in that it is the only planet tidally locked with its star. One side of the planet is constantly bathed in sunlight, while the other is locked in eternal night."
Most of the words used to describe the homeworld of my people – I don't understand what I'm even hearing. What I do understand though, is that on the map showing all the cities on Ryloth… and none of those cities are located on either the dark or the light side of the planet.
Instead, they are in the land between. All of them. Not a single city to be found in the 'Bright Lands' or in the 'Dark Lands'. Apparently my ancestors found both extremes to be too much for their liking. And even then, the cities are hidden underground.
Is that what Jeza meant? Is there a third path hidden between the other two? Well, it doesn't matter. Right now I just need to focus on what needs doin-
"Vassij'ra – the customary selling of the first born daughter into slavery to help poor families survive." In learning Ryl, it seems that I am learning many other things as well. I just wish I understood why anyone would want to sell their daughter into slavery. Don't they understand the life of slavery? I mean, to not only do it, but to do it often enough that they name the deed and call it a custom?
There is more data too, regarding age and… "Most Twi'lek female slaves end up being dancers to entertain their master. Most Twi'lek males end up either being bodyguards or mechanics to serve their master's will." Mother and Father. My head suddenly hurts, but my heart hurts even more.
Knowledge can be dangerous. Like there's a ledge that you don't know is there. Once you fall off it, there's no turning back; you can't unlearn what you now know. My eyes reread the words over and over again. The pain doesn't fully go away, but it becomes dull after the sixth reread. I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. There's still a lot I need to study before the Instructor tests my 'progress'… whatever that is.
#-#
#-#
Something feels different. Everything feels different! I don't know what it is exactly, but ever since I'd learned about the fate of my people… Jeza says I'm driven. Alaiza and the others say I'm nuts – I can't exactly say why they'd compare me to salted snacks though.
Taral understands me though. He always seems to understand. He's usually my sparring partner during Lightsaber practice and a pretty good one too. I'm not really sure which one of us is ahead of the group though; everyone seems to not want to get left behind.
After a few years, we graduated from Clan Lotus. We're still not too happy about not being with Jeza, especially Zaza – I sometimes think Jeza is the only one that really understands what that girl is saying.
We stayed together for the most part. We dominated Clan Vrook when we got in, pretty much crowding the others out of the spotlight. And when we made it to Clan Rancor, our graduating clan, we pretty much earned a reputation throughout the academy.
Goji eventually made it to Padawan – the first of us. Gib and Brenner graduated less than six months later. Zaza and Alaiza not more than a month after. That left me and Taral. We didn't mind too much. I mean, we were the youngest… sort of.
Well, Taral and I have been growing pretty close. I can honestly say that he's the closest thing I have to a brother. I don't linger on the past anymore. The last thing Jeza told me was to remember the good, but do not drown in it.
Be mindful of the living Force. Be mindful of the present. It's so easy to say. It's even easier to think. But standing before the doors to my Initiation Trials… I'm nervous. Taral entered yesterday – he probably aced it knowing him. I just haven't heard from him to confirm that, so I'm nervous. What if I pass and he didn't? What if he passed and I don't? So many things to be concerned about.
I still talk to the others every chance I get, so I know what they've been up to. I know that Goji was the only one of the old Clan Lotus to not be paired up with another Lotus. Yes, we still call ourselves Lotus. It's the only thing we keep close to our hearts.
It's ironic really. They always tell me that Lotus used to be the least respected of the clans before I came. Well, technically before Zaza, Alaiza, Brenner, Taral and I came. We kinda came on the same ship. Everyone thought that Taral – being a Sith – would have dragged down the name even further. We didn't though.
We turned it all around. We blossomed. We became a family. A family I will soon be joining as we bloom among the stars strung on the necklace of the galaxy. All I have to do, is not mess this up. Simple right? It will be, just as soon as my heart stops throbbing in my throat and my stomach stops doing laps around my guts.
Maybe I should throw up now and get it out of the way? Master Leia says that sometimes we focus hardest when we are nervous, but I feel like the only thing I can focus on are my trembling hands.
Come on! Just like Taral and I rehearsed. Calm down. Calm down. "Una… it's time." Jeza informs me. I smile, knowing that she would have wanted to guide me into the Chamber of Trials. I just wish I knew what to expect.
I whisper one last thing before following behind my old matron, "Let the games begin."
End Chapter 1
#-#
#-#
A/N: Here we go! Just in time for me to head out for work. Keep in mind, you want more you review more ;)