Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter. I decided to do a double upload today.
You guys are gonna be excited for this one. Let's get to it.
Chapter 3- Apprentice
Anakin shuts down the engines of his Eta-2 as he sees some of the Jedi Temple hangar crews heading towards his fighter to do their customary inspection. Anakin raises the canopy and hops out, R2 ejecting himself out of his slot a moment later.
"Welcome back, Master Skywalker," one of the techs says with a bright smile.
"Good to be back," Anakin responds brightly, patting R2 on the top of his dome before he heads out of the hangar as the techs start their inspection on Anakin's fighter.
As Anakin exits the hangar into the halls of the Temple, they run into Caleb Dume, a young Jedi Knight who was a survivor of Order 66 when his master Depa Billaba was killed by their clones. He had rejoined the Jedi Order about 8 months after once he realized it was safe to do so.
"Master Skywalker," Caleb says respectfully, inclining his head to Anakin.
"Knight Dume," Anakin answers the greeting.
"I was sent to meet you. Master Yoda and Master Kenobi are requesting your presence at the Great Tree," Caleb says.
"Alright. Thank you, Caleb," Anakin responds. He then heads off to his impromptu meeting.
Anakin hurries to the center of the floor to where the lifts up to the top of the Temple lie. Anakin hops into one of the lifts and hits the button. It takes only moments to climb up to the outside of the Temple close to the Great Tree. As it comes to a stop, Anakin hurries out of the lift. If Yoda and Obi-Wan had sent Caleb to be ready for his return and send him to them immediately, it must be something important.
It doesn't take long for Anakin to reach the Great Tree. As he approaches, he sees Yoda and Obi-Wan standing at its base, talking quietly with each other. He's a few yards away before the two notice him.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan greets his former apprentice.
"Master," Anakin says with a smile.
"Productive was your trip, Master Skywalker?" Yoda asks Anakin. Although Yoda is showing a bit more signs of age, he's still as active as he can be, though he spends even more time training younglings these days than he has in the past.
"I'd say so. I didn't learn too much, but what I did learn was insightful," Anakin responds.
"Already planning your next trip?" Obi-Wan asks.
"Of course," Anakin responds.
"Well, you might have to put that on hold," Obi-Wan responds.
Anakin looks at Obi-Wan in confusion, wondering what he could be talking about, but his thoughts first jumping to the possibility that there's some kind of emergency that needs his skills and power. "What are you talking about?" he asks after a moment.
"A new assignment we have for you, Master Skywalker. Your unique style, we need," Yoda responds.
"Okay. What planet is it?" Anakin asks
"Oh, it's not an emergency or situation in the galaxy. It's…something else," Obi-Wan says, just confusing Anakin more.
However, Yoda's next statement answers his confusion. "A job for you, we have, Master Skywalker. Wish to assign you a new Padawan, we do," Yoda says.
Anakin looks between the two Masters, surprised and confused. This was the last thing he expected. He had not really taken on a Padawan since Ahsoka was made a Knight. Occasionally throughout the years, he was asked to temporarily take on a Padawan who had been training with another master. The reasons for this was either the Padawan was struggling in their training and it was believed some time with Anakin would help them out, or they were Padawans preparing to take the trials and wanted some extra special training and were assigned to Anakin to help prepare them for trials. However, these instances only happened occasionally, and never lasted more than 2 months. They also always ended with the Padawans returning to their masters. Anakin preferred it this way. Although training Ahsoka had helped contribute to the man he was now, and had been something he greatly enjoyed, his goals for his own journey the last 10 years left little room in his life for a Padawan. Although he knew he would one day begin training Padawans again, he didn't expect it so soon.
Anakin finally gathers his thoughts and manages to say, "Um, what? Wh-why? I haven't really trained a Padawan since Ahsoka. And I've kind of made it clear what my priorities are. Why are you assigning me a Padawan? I mean…I'm willing to accept it, I'm just confused as to why."
"Anakin, you can continue your journeys and research, albeit different than you have been. In fact, that may be useful with who we have in mind," Obi-Wan says. He pauses, then continues, "We have a class of young Padawans who are ready to be assigned to their masters for training. Now, there is one young Padawan in particular who is…unique. He's not been like the other Padawans. More reckless, headstrong, and even aggressive at times. We think that you will be the perfect master to train him."
Then, Obi-Wan seems to notice someone behind Anakin. He then gestures behind him and says, "As a matter of fact, here he comes now."
Anakin turns around, and sees Shaak Ti approaching from the far side of the courtyard. Walking beside her is a young human male. He looks to be maybe in his early teens, about the same age as Ahsoka was when she became his apprentice. He's also not wearing typical Jedi robes. He's wearing black combat boots, dark trousers and a somewhat ragged dark brown tunic. He also has his hair almost completely shaved, another irregularity. This would never have been seen before the Clone Wars. But since then, some regulations have been laxed a bit in the Order.
Anakin looks back at Yoda and Obi-Wan. "You mind telling me about him? Who is he?" Anakin asks.
Obi-Wan steps up beside Anakin. "His name is Galen Marek. He's 14 years old. His parents are both former Jedi, Kento and Mallie Marek. They married shortly before the Clone Wars in secret," he says. He pauses, then chuckles and says, "Seems like you're not the only Jedi who had a secret marriage in that time." Anakin rolls his eyes in exasperation.
"His parents left the Jedi Order shortly before the Clone Wars when they discovered Mallie was pregnant, and Galen was born shortly after the first Battle of Geonosis. He was raised on Kashyyyk for the early part of his life. After the Clone Wars ended, Kento was inspired by a vision of the Force to have Galen trained as a Jedi. He was brought to the Temple and inducted into the Order. His parents have occasionally seen him since."
Obi-Wan pauses for a moment before he says, "Galen has been a very good learner, and has picked up the teachings of the Jedi faster than any other Padawan I've ever seen besides you. But…he is…not like a normal Padawan. He does not have his emotions in check like most do. He can be arrogant, overconfident, aggressive, and very unconventional. He's very much a maverick. Masters who have helped train him over the years have been concerned about him. We have been concerned about him straying from the Jedi code, or even falling to the dark side. Some have also been concerned about his ability to be a good Jedi, just as some Jedi were concerned about you initially. The Masters who have trained him in his youth have been concerned that his unpredictability and unconventionality cannot be adequately tamed and molded."
"Think otherwise, we do," Yoda says, stepping up beside Anakin. Yoda looks up at Anakin and says, "Best fit for Galen, we think you are."
"You and Ahsoka are the most unconventional Jedi in the Order, but Ahsoka doesn't have the experience needed here, nor is she quite the fit we're looking for. We believe that you are the perfect match. You are willing to go against tradition and regulation if you feel it is necessary, use unorthodox methods, and learn how to use even negative emotions for good. We feel certain that you can help Galen learn to control his power and his emotions, and train him to be the best Jedi he can be. Only under his tutelage can he become the Jedi he is meant to be," Obi-Wan says.
"Are you sure about this?" Anakin asks.
"Yes, Anakin. We thought about it long and hard, and reviewed with Ahsoka how your training of her went. We feel incredibly strongly that you will be the best fit for training Galen. You will be his master and train him until he takes the Trials and becomes a Jedi Knight. He is unusual for a Padawan, but we believe with the right training, he can become one of the greatest Jedi this galaxy has ever seen," Obi-Wan says.
Anakin looks at his old master, then back at Master Ti and his new apprentice, who are now just a few yards away. After a moment, Anakin says, "Alright. I'm up for it. This'll be interesting."
Master Ti and Galen stop a few feet in front of them. Master Ti smiles at Anakin and says, "Master Skywalker, good to see you again."
"Same to you, Master Ti," Anakin responds.
Obi-Wan steps forward. "Galen Marek," he greets the young man.
"Master Kenobi," Galen says respectfully, inclining his head to the Jedi Master.
Obi-Wan smiles a bit before he gestures towards Anakin. "Galen, I want to introduce you to your new master, Master Anakin Skywalker. He will take over your training and guide you over the coming years to prepare for the Jedi Trials," Obi-Wan introduces Galen to Anakin.
"Master Skywalker," Galen says, inclining his head respectfully.
"We'll all leave you two to get acquainted," Obi-Wan says before he walks away, Yoda and Master Ti following him.
Anakin looks down at Galen for a moment before he says, "Master Kenobi tells me you can be a little overconfident. Headstrong."
"I'm good at what I've been trained in. I'm stronger than anyone else my age," Galen responds.
"You may have the strongest Force potential of anyone your age and a great student, but that means little in the big scheme of things. What you know now is a fraction of what you can learn about the Force and being a Jedi. One of those lessons is in being humble and recognizing your shortcomings. If you can't learn that lesson, you won't be able to fully progress as a Jedi," Anakin says firmly.
"Yes, master," Galen responds.
"Now, I am not going to be an easy master. You can ask my former Padawan Ahsoka Tano about that. But what I am going to be is a master who can help you realize the king of Jedi you can become, and help you reach your full potential. It will not be easy learning under me, but if you are determined and willing to learn what I have to teach you, you will make it far. But I can only teach you if you are willing to accept that you always have ways to improve and are willing to learn from me. Understand?" Anakin says as he looks at Galen intently.
"Yes, master," Galen responds, sounding slightly chastened, recognizing Anakin is not going to be like his previous teachers.
Anakin is quiet for a moment before he smiles a bit. "Good. You passed the first test. This is going to be interesting for me and you. You'll go far Galen, if you are able to keep up with my training. Either way, this is going to be quite the journey for both of us," he says.
Galen begins to smile a bit. He is starting to think this will be even more of an adventure than he thought it would be.
And, I'll end the chapter there.
I've had some people ask me if I was going to include Galen Marek in this story. Well, here's your answer. Galen Marek (though he won't be called Starkiller in this story) will be Anakin's Padawan throughout this story, and will become a Jedi Knight by the end of it. I've become more and more fascinated with Marek the more I've learned about him, and I couldn't resist using him here.
Alright. Next chapter will be up soon. When it is, please leave a review, and stay tuned!