Chapter Two: An Enigma Named Jane

Mace Windu stared down at the small girl, still trying to grasp the fact that she was Jocelyn's daughter. And the fact that Jocelyn was dead.

Who is her father, then? He wondered. He didn't even know Jocelyn was pregnant.

Nearly four years before, Jocelyn had vanished, causing a minor uproar, particularly amongst the younger students. Jocelyn taught beginner lightsaber courses and was adored by all the younglings for her knowledge, kindness and gentle nature.

Upon checking Jocelyn's quarters, they found all of her personal belongings had been packed, leading to the assumption that she had run away. No one knew why, as she left no note.

No one had heard from her since.

And now her three-year-old daughter had arrived at the Temple, demanding to be trained. Force, how she reminded him of Jocelyn….

Mace shook himself of that thought, pushing memories of his friend aside.

He thanked the middle-age woman—who had stood at a close distance for the entire exchange—for escorting Jane to the Temple.

"It was nothing, Master Jedi," The woman said. She smiled down at Jane. "Good luck with your training, young one."

"Thank you," Jane said, returning the smile.

After giving a final wave to the motherly woman, Jane turned to Mace.

"You've put me at an indisposition." She said.

"I… have?" Mace asked, his brow furrowing at, not only her statement, but at her choice of words. Her vocabulary was very advanced for a three-year-old.

"Yes. You know my name, and you obviously knew my mother, but I do not know your name." Jane pointed out.

"Ah," Mace said with a nod. "My name is Mace Windu."

"What am I to call you?" Jane asked. "Do I call you Master or Jedi or by your given name or surname?"

"You can call me Master Windu," Mace said. "Follow me. We're going to go to the Council Room."

As they walked to the Council room, Mace wondered briefly if Jane could be lying about who her mother was, but shoved that thought aside a second later. He had known Jocelyn since they were younglings and it was clear that Jane was a perfect copy of Jocelyn. Her long, silky brown hair tied back in a braid with a green ribbon. Her big, bright hazel eyes that seem to be changing color in the light and with her changing emotions. Her full lips curved into a sweet and innocent smile (Though, if she was anything like Jocelyn, she was rarely innocent). The little nose that crinkled with laughter. Her Corellian accent that coated her basic.

Still, her appearance gave no indication as to who her father was. It puzzled Mace.

"Jane," He asked, breaking the silence between the two. "Do you know who your father is?"

"I'd lie and say I don't know, but I do," Jane said, looking at her blanket. "I won't tell you his name, though. Just know that he is dead, and was dead long before I was born."

"Was he Force-Sensitive?" Mace dared to ask.

Jane's hazel eyes became brown, hiding the green, signaling to Mace that she was frustrated and didn't want to talk about her father. He was surprised at the sudden Jocelyn trait coming from the girl.

"That fact," Jane said darkly. "I shall keep to myself."

"You said your mother started your training." Mace said, wanting a change in the subject in hope for a reprieve from the dark glare coming from the girl.

"Yes. She taught me how to levitate things and to meditate and all the Corellian Jedi traditions," Jane looked down at her blanket. "Mommy wanted to follow the Corellian path, but no one would teach her here. She learned from an elderly Corellian Jedi before I was born and taught me what she had been taught. I want to complete my training and follow the traditional Jedi ways, but I want to stay true to my heritage. In a way, I want the best of both worlds."

Jane looked up at Mace.

"I'm kinda scared, Master Windu," Jane said. "What if Qui-Gon won't take me as his apprentice even after I show him my paper and everything?"

"Jane," Mace said softly. "There is something I need to tell you."

"What?" Jane asked, feeling her blood run cold. Of course there would be a problem. Everything had gone too easily up till now.

"The Jedi here on Coruscant are only allowed to take one apprentice at a time. Qui-Gon already has an apprentice." Mace said.

"He does?" Jane felt her heart sink. Would she be sent back to Corellia now? Who would train her?

"What am I going to do now?" Jane mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"Do not worry, Jane," Mace said. "Master Jinn's apprentice should have completed his training by the time you are old enough to be taken on as a Padawan. I just wanted you to understand why Qui-Gon would not immediately take you on as an apprentice."

Jane nodded. She didn't know at what age the Temple Jedi were taken as apprentices, but she hoped it wouldn't be too many years. She had already begun her training and was eager to finish it, no matter how long it took.

"When can I meet Qui-Gon?" Jane asked.

"That, I don't know," Mace said. "He and Padawan Kenobi are on a mission. Missions can last days, weeks or months. Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi have been gone for two weeks now. No one is sure of when they will return."

They walked in silence for another few minutes. Jane studied the walls of the Temple.

"You never told me what is going to happen once we get to the Council Room," Jane pointed out.

"You're very curious, I see," Mace said, allowing a rare smile. Yet another Jocelyn trait. "The Council and I are going to test your aptitude in the Force."

"How so?" Jane asked as they turned a corner.

Mace explained the process to Jane, explaining how they would ask her to identify objects without looking at them, have her levitate a few objects, and some other similar tests. Jane took in the information and nodded.

"Do you have any questions before we go in?" Mace asked as they stood outside the Council room.

"No, I understand everything," Jane said.

Mace activated the door panel. Jane took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Two hours later, a Crèche caretaker escorted an exhausted Jane out of the Council room. She had passed every single test the Council had given her. She exceeded everything they had expected out of her. She was quite in-tune with the Force and her mother's training had obviously paid off.

And it stunned them all.

"Jocelyn's daughter," Ki-Adi Mundi whispered, still in shock. Like Mace, Jane's appearance, attitude and abilities shocked the entire Council as soon as they saw the little girl.

"And godfather to the girl, Qui-Gon is," Yaddle said, looking at the document Jane had entrusted to the Council in her three-fingered hands. "Wise choice or not, unsure I am."

"She looks so much like Jocelyn," Adi Gallia said sadly. "I remember when Jocelyn was that small."

Adi had been Jocelyn's master, and the one who had brought the orphaned Corellian girl to the Temple. She had been heartbroken when Jocelyn left shortly after Adi had taken on Siri Tachi as her apprentice.

"Powerful, Jane is. From both mother and father, I feel," Yoda said gravely. "Who her father is, did she say?"

"No," Mace said. "But she told me that she knew who he was and that he is dead."

"Hmm," Yoda hummed thoughtfully. "An enigma, young Jane is. Solve her, we might never shall."

No one could respond.