DISCLAMER:I, Jairus, declare that I do not own Star Wars or any of it's characters. Although, apart from Jaden Korr, who is off the Jedi Knight:Jedi Academy gamesuch an awesome game!, all the other characters were created by me. Hmmmmm wish I did own it though.
Chapter two.
After docking at the port Saha and her master rented out a speeder and made their way towards the settlement. It took an extra day because the fuel gauge broke and Saha had to walk the three hour hike to a nearby village to get the parts to repair it. But finally they got there.
As soon as they entered the boundaries Saha could feel the tension like a fog enveloping the village. A middle aged man rushed through the front door of the settlement leader's house and jogged over to them happily.
"Master Jedi I am so happy you've come."
The two Knights bowed to him.
"It is our pleasure Sir. I am Teka Keno and this is my apprentice Saha Lo Bane."
The man smiled. Saha could see he was tired. It was no wonder. The Sand people could attack and wipe them all out within minutes and he couldn't do anything about it.
"Please come in," he said quickly, ushering them towards the door. "You must be tired after the trip."
The two Jedi were introduced to Brag's wife who returned their bow then went up to the house's second floor. The settlement's leader set three small cups on the circular table and offered them seats.
"So what's the situation?" Teka asked, taking one of the cups and sipping the blue liquid inside. She sighed contentedly.
Brag slumped into a chair opposite her. "The Tuskan Raiders are coming closer every day. We try to scare them away but they are three times our numbers. And they know that too."
His eyes fell to the table in dispair. "There are four children in this settlement, three of which haven't reached the age of ten yet. Other than that there are only eight men here, including me, and their wives. We could never hope to fight them off if they attacked."
"Hopefully," the Jedi Master replied. "It will never come to that. My apprentice will stay here and help you with running the settlement."
Brag looked at the Twi Lek sceptically. "Are you sure you can handle the responsibilities?"
Saha smiled reassuringly. "I lived in a settlement much like this one for five years. My father was the leader there. He taught me much."
Brag nodded, but still wasn't sure.
The two Jedi sensed a ripple behind them. They turned round to see Trosa and a young boy in front of her, mouth wide open, eyes bulging out of their sockets. Saha smiled. Being a Jedi she often saw that same expression from children.
"Master Jedi, this is our son Jaden. Jaden this is Master Teka and Jedi apprentice, Saha."
"Nice to meet you Jaden," Teka said, nodding her head.
The ten year old flashed a grin that Saha guessed would have girls after him in teenage hood. "Nice to meet you to. Are you here to save us from the Sand people?"
"We are here to negotiate," Teka replied. She turned back to Brag. "While Saha is here I will go to the Tuskan Raiders in a sign of peace and try and come to some sort of agreement with them."
Brag frowned but the Jedi Master continued before he could speak. "I know you own this land master Brag and I will not allow them to steal it from you. If they do not leave I will have to in-force the law."
The moisture farmer nodded. "Thank you. When will you be leaving?"
"It is too late today. I will go tomorrow at first light."
"Good," Trosa interrupted. "That's settled. Now I'm sure everybody's hungry so let's eat. Jaden, help them with their things."
"Yes mother," he replied, only too happy to walk alongside a Jedi.
"Follow me," Saha said, leading him out of the house.
"So your not a Jedi yet then?" he asked as she fliped open the speeders seat and grabbed a bag from within.
"No," she replied. "I am in my eighth year as an apprentice. When Master Teka says I am ready I will be knighted. Until then I will learn."
The young boy took hold of the bag given to him and slung it over his shoulder. "The spare quarters are over here," he gestured to a set of steps leading down into the desert ground a couple feet away from his house. "That must take quite a bit of patience," he replied to her earlier comment. "Just learning and never asking when you'll become an official Jedi Knight."
Saha smiled. "Yes sometimes I am eager to get my training over with but my Master has brought four Padawans up to the rank of Jedi over the years. I know when I'm ready I'll be given that position to. And I want to be ready when that time comes otherwise I will be of no use to the Jedi Order. One of the main teachings of a Jedi is patience you know."
Jaden nodded, setting the bag down beside one of the spare quarter's beds. His mouth opened as if he was going to say something else but then it closed and he forced a smile. Saha could feel the nervousness flowing out of him like a river.
"Don't worry Jaden. We'll sort out the matter with the Raiders. You, nor anyone in this settlement, will get hurt."
He blinked in surprise, nodded again, turned and walked back up the stairs. Saha shook her head. "I've never met anyone like him before."
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That night wasn't as hot as the ones before. But Jaden still couldn't get to sleep. He replayed his conversation with the Jedi apprentice over and over again.
Why couldn't I tell her? Wait, I know the answer to that question. I'm scared. I'm scared that if what I can do is what I think I can do then I will be taken away from home. And I can't leave mum and dad here by themselves. I so want to train as a Jedi but I can't. Not now, maybe later but not now.
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"Make sure no one leaves here before I'm gone. Brag said they have enough supplies to keep them for a whole week. I should be back at the latest by tomorrow. Oh and set up-"
"A security watch," Saha cut in on her Master, something she very rarely did. "And help them with their chores, and if the settlement occupants have any problems have them come to me not Brag. I know Master."
The human lady smiled warmly at her apprentice and laid her hand on her shoulder.
"May the Force be with you Saha."
The Twi Lek returned the smile. "May the Force be with you to Master."
Jaden watched them bow to each other from a distance then waved as Teka speed away towards the Tuskan Raider's campsite. Saha walked back to the settlement.
"Anything I can do to help?" he asked as they went back into his house.
"Yes, there is." Jaden looked up at her expectantly.
"I want you to go up to your room and study." His face fell. With a big sigh he turned around and slumped up the stairs.
"Thank you Saha," Trosa said from the kitchen. "It's hard to get him to study now days." The apprentice walked into the kitchen and began helping the housewife with the food.
"I remember when I was his age. Always running away from my chores and going off exploring, though they usually ended with painful consequences over my mother's knee."
Trosa chuckled. "Luckily for Jaden he usually does what he's told. Although Brag and I both know he's different some how."
Saha's head snapped up from where she was cutting a giant red fruit. "Different. How?"
"Well," Trosa paused to gather her thoughts then continued. "There are four other children in this settlement and although he's friends with them he's never really fit in. They are much more active than him and are always joking around, as most kids their age do, but he is usually off some where staring into the distance. And his eyes! Sometimes when I talk to him it's like those beautiful blue orbs can see right through me." She shook her head. "Maybe I'm just crazy but if I'm not mistaken I don't think other mothers notice these things about their child. And, if I do say so myself, I'm rather observant."
Saha went back to her cutting with a smile. "Don't worry about Jaden, Trosa. He's fine."
"I hope so," the mother replied.
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Jaden frowned. He couldn't concentrate on his studies. There was something buzzing at the back of his mind. Kind of like the feeling you get when you've forgotten to do something but don't know what it is. He looked around the room. Nope, nothing different there. A gust of wind suddenly rushed through the open window. Standing up he gazed out at the endless sea of orange sand. Saha was sitting on the ground just out side her quarters, eyes closed. Five rocks the size of her head sat in front of her.
It must be some sort of Jedi exercise. Jaden thought. His suspicions were proved right when one of the rocks floated up into the air. Even though he knew the powers of the Force were strong it was still the first time he had seen it in action.
Once the first rock had been suspended a metre high another one went up beside it, then another and another until all five were floating in the air alongside each other. They then, one by one, dropped slowly to the ground again. Saha turned her head towards him. "Jaden, continue with your studies."
His eyes bulged and he ducked down behind the window. "How the heck did she know I was watching," he exclaimed aloud.
Saha closed her eyes again and smiled.
My theory was correct.
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"Jaden please stop with this futile mission," the Info droid moaned. "It's a complete waste of time."
But the young boy was not to be swayed. A tiny pebble the size of his finger nail lay on his desk with his undivided attention.
"I can do what I want with my time ID," he replied, using the droid's nick-name. "I've finished my studies already. No one, or no droid, can stop me from lifting this pebble."
The droid shook its body in surrender. Jaden closed his eyes like he'd seen Saha do, picturing the stone in his mind.
Lift, he thought. Lift! But no matter how hard he concentrated the pebble didn't even tremble.
"Jaden tea!" his mother shouted. He sighed.
"I'm never going to be able to do it."
"Yes!" ID cried happily. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. I'm so happy you agree!"
Jaden switched him off and rushed down stairs. His parents and Saha were already there waiting for him.
"Good day of studying son?" Brag asked.
"Normal."
Saha smiled expectantly when he looked up at her. There was a silence for a bit then suddenly:
"Saha, how do you use the Force?"
Brag and Trosa choked on their food. "Jaden," his father growled after he had recovered. "That is not for you to know."
"No that's ok," Saha said. The parents looked at her in surprise. The apprentice kept her eyes on Jaden. His face lit up in astonishment. She nodded. "That's how. You do not call on the Force by thought but by feelings."
Brag and Trosa looked at each other, not knowing what had just taken place.
"That is so cool," Jaden said in amazement. "You just talked to me through your mind! But I thought the Force, kind of like, controlled you."
Saha nodded. "Partially, but you can also control it. That control though takes time and training."
Trosa looked at her food. "So that's what it is." Saha averted her attention to the housewife.
"All the things I was telling you about this afternoon are signs of a potential Jedi?"
Saha nodded. "I believe Jaden is Force sensitive, yes."
"Really!" he said in excitement. "Are you saying I could become a Jedi?!"
Saha looked at Brag. He was staring down at his plate. "The choice I believe is yours alone," she replied.
Brag gazed up at the Twi Lek and nodded. "She's right. I've never admitted it but I always knew you were gifted."
Jaden looked at his parents gleefully when suddenly a thought hit him. "But that means if I want to train as a Jedi I'll have to leave here and go with Saha and Master Teka. I can't leave you."
"We can handle the settlement with the other's Jaden," Trosa said. "This is a great opportunity for you. Don't let it pass you by."
Saha could feel the struggle within him. She was about to say something when her COM link suddenly crackled to life.
"Yes Master."
"Saha the Raiders are coming towards you," it screeched. Brag jumped to his feet. "They're going to attack!"