Disclaimer: I do not own any of Star Wars, the right of ownership of Star Wars belong to Lucasfilm and I guess Disney too. The only thing I own is the characters you do not notice and the plot.
Chapter 27: Jedi Trials
Within the Jedi Order to become a Jedi Knight, one must have to pass 5 trials. Those 5 trials are called Trial of Skill, Trial of Courage, Trial of Spirit, Trial of Flesh, and Trial of Insight. Trial of Skill involves using the skills you have learned, usually with a Lightsaber while avoiding distraction. Most commonly a Padawan will have to duel with a Jedi Battle-master or in other words a sword master.
Then the Trial of Courage is to test the Padawan's courage, because being a Jedi means to have courage. Usually the Padawan will be assigned a task that they must complete while being in the dark beforehand. Most Jedi do not talk about their Trial of Courage to keep those in the dark.
After Trial of Courage is the Trial of Spirit. While on the outside, it may not look much, but as common it is on the inside what matters. For this trial Padawan will have to look deep within their souls, on a quest of self-discovery. During this they will face their most dangerous enemy, themselves. To do this trial, a Padawan must go into a deep meditative state; usually overlook by another Jedi just in case if they go to far that it could cause damage. Then the Padawan will have to write a summary of what happen in their journey within their soles.
Now out all the trials, the Trial of Flesh is the most trying trial of all 5 trials that a Padawan must take to become a Knight. This trial usually involves the Padawan overcoming great physical pain, hardship, or loss, the test sometimes resulted in death or dismemberment. So it got be something emotionally like the lost of a close friend or be in physical pain. Long time ago, to pass the trial a Padawan will have to be hit by a blast of Force which was known as the Burning. The Jedi Order had long banned that tradition.
Lastly, the last trial is called the Trial of Insight. This trial is used for to test the understanding of the Padawan just because a Jedi could take down a Sith Lord does not mean that they cannot be undone by lesser criminals. This trial helped a Padawan to see what was really in front of their eyes through use of the Force. Seeing through illusion, evaluating an individual's true persona, and unveiling lies are essential to any successful mission. This trial might require a Padawan to analyze and decipher riddles, or decode broken text in scattered files. Sometimes, a field of stones would be laid out on the Trials Chamber floor and a Padawan would be forced to locate the single grain of sand amongst it. Padawans are forbidden to look up any riddles in the Jedi Archives, because that will make the trial not a test.
It is common for a Jedi to pass these trials outside of the temple on a mission. When a Padawan manage to defeat a Sith they could pass the Trials of the Flesh, Trial of Skill and Trial of Courage. Sometimes it happens sometimes it does not.
Mark went over the terms of each trial with his Padawan Rachelle Hunter. By talking to the council, Rachelle have already pass her Trials of Flesh due to the lost of her first mentor whom she was very closed to and from the explosion she suffer in 19 BBY when protecting Younglings within the Jedi Temple where they were invaded. Due to her acts on her missions with Mark, she passes the Trial of Courage. Most for the fact that she was willing to save Senator Zane from Jabba the Hutt without her mentor to aid her, because he was injured from a duel on Kamino in 20 BBY. She passes the Trial of Skills when she duel on Kashyyyk against a bunch of highly train Dark Jedi which she defeated in battle and against Darth Destria.
So really at the Jedi Temple, Rachelle only need to complete 2 more trails and she will become a Jedi Knight. To Mark, half the missions Rachelle he figures she would pass almost all her trials. Those trials are the Trial of Spirit and the Trial of Insight.
"Calm down Rachelle, you will do fine. These two trials are easy compared to the rest, from a certain point of view. The Trial of Spirit is emotionally tiring. I have faith that you will pass them." say Mark. "Wouldn't it be dangerous for me enter the deep of a meditation?" ask Rachelle a little worry. "There will be a Jedi Master in there to guide you out of it if it become like that. Before you ask, it is not me. The Council thinks it is unwise for the mentor to test their Padawan for the trials in case of bias thought. Do not worry, I will be out here." say Mark standing in the large entryway of the Jedi Trials Chamber.
The Jedi Trials Chamber is a large high ceiling that is made out of dark stone and dimming lighted. Along the sides are statues of Jedi Masters from long ago who are dead. Mark only had been in there once in his life for testing because he passes all but one of his trials out in the field. He passes his Trial of Spirit when he went into a deep meditation when he and Kota was heading to Corellia for a mission.
Through the Force Mark can sense that Rachelle is nervous. If it was not for the aid of the Force, Mark would never know it because Rachelle hides it well. Rachelle takes a step closer to the doorway and then dashes to Mark and give him a tight hug.
Mark was caught off guard by this. He just holds his hands out for a few seconds as he hugs her back. "I know you are nervous, if it made you feel better, I was nervous when I had to take my trials here. I know it is much easier to pass them out in the field. You must not let your nervousness get to you." whispers Mark as he hugs her.
For some strange reason, Mark felt like he could hold Rachelle there for a long time. He knows he have grown close to Rachelle more than he had with his other two Padawan. He breathes slowly and looks at her in her eyes. "You have nothing to worry about. According to many, you learn from one of the best." say Mark making a note how people tend to think he is one of the best Jedi that graces the halls. In his view he is not as great as Yoda; despite he knows his skills are on the level of Mace Windu, Yoda and Dooku even when he was a youngling.
He remembers him practicing Lightsaber training with Dooku before Kota took him as a Padawan. Even only being at the Temple for two years and have less training then all the other younglings, he was on an almost even match with Dooku. When he became a Knight he could duel Dooku to a standstill and sometimes defeat him.
Mark was brought back to the present as he looks at Rachelle still holding him in a hug. "Rachelle, there is no way you are going to pass your trials with you hugging me. I promise I will be right here after you get done and if you are ready, the Council we get you ready for your last trial." say Mark. Rachelle nods as she rushes into the room.
Mark leans against the large entryway as he watches as Rachelle stands by a female Zabrak Jedi. Mark eyes widen when he sees this. How ironic is this, the Jedi that did not want to teach Rachelle anymore when he showed up at the Jedi Temple in 20 BBY is the one overseeing the Trial of Spirit.
Rachelle got down on her knees to begin to meditate. The Zabrak Jedi helps her get into the deep meditation she needs to be in for the trial. Mark just leans against the entryway and look watches her. The Zabrak Jedi nears Mark. Mark looks up.
"I never thought I will see Rachelle here. She seems to be so hard to teach. How did you manage do it?" ask the Zabrak Jedi as she was amazed. Mark just shrugs his shoulders. "I always have a way. It a talent I guess. I am not trying to be mean, but you should not be talking to me but focus on Rachelle." say Mark looking over the female Zabrak Jedi shoulders to look at his Padawan who was deeply in a meditation. The Zabrak Jedi nods her head and walk back over to Rachelle.
Two hours later Rachelle walks over to him after handing a script of what has happen during her Trial of Spirit. "Willing to try to the Trial of Insight sometime today or you want to wait till tomorrow to try." say Mark. "First I want to get something to eat. I am starving." say Rachelle with a slight smile on her face.
"That is up to you." say Mark as he follows her from the Trial Chamber. Mark can sense his Padawan feels very proud of herself. They walk up to the dinning hall of the temple.
Obi-wan was sitting at a table and Mark decides to sit down with him. "So how is it going? I heard Rachelle is taking her trials today." say Obi-wan as he looks up from his plate. "Yes and I think she will do perfectly fine." say Mark. Obi-wan looks up as Rachelle approaches them. Mark looks beside his plate and see Obi-wan looking at pictures in a Holobook. They were pictures of Satine on Mandalore. There were pictures of him and her together. "What is it?" ask Mark as he looks at Obi-wan. "Nothing really, haven't seen Satine in a few weeks, she is saying she would be arrive on Coruscant next week and I am trying to think of something to surprise her with?" say Obi-wan.
"You are looking pictures of your time to help you find out a surprise?" ask Rachelle slightly confused at that thought. "Sometimes going over the past can give you a good idea for the future." say Obi-wan. "Master Kenobi, through it is good to review the past for the future, one must not get lost in the past and start living in it or there will be no future." say Rachelle.
Obi-wan cracks a smile when he hears Rachelle state this. She has learned a lot under Mark's teachings. He could image that would be something that Mark would state. If he know better he was for sure Mark was going to state that. "I do not live in the past. I have no reason to." say Obi-wan.
Obi-wan and Satine have been dating for awhile now. Mark knows Obi-wan wants to make a life for her, being a Jedi is hard to do that, but if they have a family, the money that Satine makes as duchess will help the family. For those families like the Marek, since both of them are Jedi and being a Jedi does not provide money, due to their service to the Republic, the Republic pays them a set amount of money for a family that have children so that the children can have stuff like other children. Still a lot of Jedi holds on the belief that they do not need a lot of things, and when they have a family they just want to make sure their kids have something to do. It was a plan that Mark and the group of Senators that help him bring down Palpatine came up with to help Jedi families.
Since the High Council agreed to allow families they saw that this might be a good idea as long as it does not interfere with the way of the Jedi. They could see why younglings will need stuff to do. They were aware times are changing. Before the Clone Wars the only money a Jedi have was the money that they might need for missions. Only people in the Jedi Order who actually get pay are people like Maria that are not a Jedi or Force Sensitive that works there as maintenance, chief and various of other jobs.
With all the change it surely lifted people views greatly about the Jedi. They have more support then they had ever had. Still there is the fear of them that still go around since they can do stuff that most people cannot do.
"So Rachelle are you going to do your final trial today?" ask Obi-wan looking at Rachelle. "I think so, after I eat through. Who knows going that deep into a meditation could make you so hungry." say Rachelle. When she said this, Mark look down and saw two meals on her tray. He understand because he went through that too when he was with Kota, even through Kota stated it happens sometimes.
An hour and half hour later, Mark walks down to the Trial Chamber. He has his arms cross behind his back as they walk toward the chamber. Mace Windu stands at the entrance with his arms cross in front of him. They walk into the room and Mark notices the floor was litter with stones. Right away he knows what the trail is. Rachelle must find a grain of sand among all the stones and pebbles. It is a common trial for the Trial of Insight, even with everyone know it, they still would not help even if told about it.
"Well, Mark care to explain to her." say Mace. Mark removes his hand from behind his back. "For your Trial of insight, you must find one grain of sand among all of these stones. The reason is some of the stones may look like the grain of sand it will test your ability to see past the fakes. Used what I teach you, Master Windu will be the person in charge of the trial, I am just merely explaining to you." say Mark.
Rachelle looks across the room of small stones. She has a good feeling that this might take awhile. If it wasn't for the Force, she might have been worry about it taking so long. She throws her head back and gives a long but slow sigh.
Before beginning she looks around to see her mentor leaning against the wall with Mace Windu standing next to him. Memories of what she have been taught from him and her first mentor flare into her mind like a wildfire burning through dried, dense forest.
Knowing that if she keeps having these memories she will never be able to focus on the task at hand. She closes her eyes and throws her worries out into the Force so she can focus. A Padawan could spend hours in the room, but they must bring the grain up or they will fail and have to redo the trial again.
Mark watches as Rachelle walks slowly across the stones. Pass the middle, back through the middle, and then make a right. Mark knows what she is doing. She is using the Force as she moves around to narrow the search. Despite not being there where Mace made the trial, Mark knows the exact location of the grain due to the Force.
He remembers back when he did the Trial of Insight. Dooku watch over him during the trial. Mark stunned the aged Jedi greatly at his performance. Within a couple minutes, Mark found the grain only turning over the stone he need. Most Padawans takes a couple tries.
Rachelle bends over and slides a rock away. She holds her fist in the air with a smile on her face. Mark eyes dart to the fist and a smile break through his serious face. "My Mark you trained her great. She did much better then I have thought. She almost beat your record of 2 minutes, but she move couple rocks and failed to find the stone." say Mace.
Rachelle walks over to Mace and drops the grain of sand into his hands. "That was slightly more difficult to do than I have thought." say Rachelle. "Do not worry, no ones perfect." say Mark. "Expect you." laughs Rachelle.
"Oh no, I am not perfect." say Mark. "He is right Rachelle. He does make mistakes. He is good, one of the best that grace the halls of the temple, but he is not perfect. None of us are perfect. Mark have his fair share with brushes against the Dark Side, but was wise enough to stop before falling." say Mace.
Mark then claps Rachelle on the shoulder. "Today is not about me. Congratulations, now you must meditate for a day to see what the Force will say what path within the Jedi Order you might take. Your Knighting Ceremony will be hold afterwards." say Mark.
"When is it?" ask Rachelle. "The Council agreed two days from now if you passed your trials which you obviously did. Congratulations Padawan Hunter." say Mace. "Hey it Knight!" say Rachelle. "Not yet, patient young one. You are not a Knight until you are Knighted." say Mark as he walks out of the room with her.
Mace smiles slightly as he looks at the grain of sand in his palm. He could tell that Rachelle would be a great Knight. Seem like the Council was right to put her with Mark. Looks like Mark taught the difficult ones again. Mace leaves the room.
Okay I could not help myself. I have been waiting for the right moment to do this chapter and this seems to be perfect. I did plan on Rachelle getting Knighted after Leia was saved. The informantion about the trials came from Wookieepedia and my understanding of them. As for me the Trial of Insight and Spirit was a bit hard to describe.
Well until next time, enjoy.