Chapter 10

"You have to be kidding me," Ben asked his mom, regarding his sparring partner with the look of someone expecting to wake up to reality at any moment.

"Your cousins trained with Noghri," Mara said reasonably. "Sirhka has honoured us by offering to train you in some hand-to-hand combat."

"The honour is mine, Lady and Lord Skywalker," Sirhka rasped.

"Ok," Ben squirmed at being addressed 'Lord' but otherwise said nothing. "What do I do?"

"Hit me with this, if you can," Sirhka handed Ben a foam padded staff.

Ben looked at the staff curiously and leisurely swung it at the Noghri's head, not wanting to hurt his partner. Sirhka merely stood there and stared at Ben as the staff hit her head with a soft thunk. Mara could not tell who was less amused.

"Ben, at least try to make an effort," Mara pleaded. "Sirhka won't do anything if she doesn't feel the need to."

"Fine," Ben pouted and took the staff two handed. He swung the staff above his head and tried to hit Sirhka on the left shoulder, but she suddenly disappeared and he went tumbling to the ground from his own momentum. His own momentum, and a gentle push on his shoulder from the Noghri who had side-stepped the attack.

"Attack again," Sirhka mewled as Ben pulled himself to his feet. Ben made a more calculated attack, swinging the staff from right to left, but without committing his weight to the attack. Sirhka jumped backwards, and quickly dodged his second attack meant to bop her on the head. Ben tried several other attacks, but each time the Noghri cleverly dodged the blows with no apparent effort.

"Stop," She hissed, holding out her paw for the staff. Ben gave it to her and waited expectedly.

"This is my first lesson," Sirhka said. "It is the most important of all. Tell me what it is."

"Umm, how to bop a Noghri on the head?" Ben asked.

"No," Mara groaned in embarrassment.

"The best defence is to not be where your attacker is," Sirhka growled. "I will now attack you, and you will not be where I attack."

"I thought you were going to teach me to fight," Ben argued. "This isn't fighting."

"You want to learn fighting?" Sirhka asked. She punched him solidly in the arm, causing him to cry out in pain. "That is a punch. Tomorrow I will teach you a block."

It took a moment for Ben to realize the vicious looking grin on the Noghri's leathery face was one of amusement as he rubbed the throbbing arm.

"This is more valuable than fighting," Sirhka rasped an explanation. "This will keep you alive so you can fight." With that, she took a swing at his head with the bat, and received a satisfactory hollow bang as it struck his ear.

"Ow!" Ben cried out, covering his ear with his hand. "That hurt!"

"Then don't get hit next time!" Sirhka exclaimed, and swung at Ben again. This time he dodged it – barely – and took a bop off his shin.

Ben grunted in pain, but finally started dodging the Noghri's attacks. Now that he had clued into the exercise, he started doing remarkably well.

"Good," Sirhka complimented. "Now I want you to counter attack. After I attack, you dodge and try to touch me. Lady Skywalker will demonstrate."

Sirhka turned to Mara and attacked without warning. She instinctively wove around the attack and tapped the Noghri's forearm.

"Your turn," Sirhka attacked Ben abruptly. More from jumping back with surprise than anything, he avoided the attack but did not retaliate. She performed several more attacks with increasing speed until he finally was able to tap her on the head once.

"Uh, oh," Mara said. Both Sirhka and Ben stopped their exercise and looked over to see Master Durron shouting at someone who was causing a class fall apart around him. "Oh well. Keep going."

Sirhka continued for another twenty minutes, teaching Ben various parrying techniques to go along with his dodging – or dancing, as Ben started to think of it as.

If the Jedi host a ball, Ben thought as he jumped over a low sweep, I'll be all set for the first dance.

"You will speed up now," Sirhka announced. "Use what you know and improve on it as best you can."

She started attacking with increasing proficiency and accuracy, ramping up the speed until she was landing blows on his arms and chest and legs faster than he could dodge.

"Slow down!" Ben exclaimed, dancing around one of her attacks for every five she made.

"Speed up!" She called back.

Mara watched with mild fascination as Ben tried dodging the attacks. Sirhka was going slow for a Noghri, but Ben was still struggling.

"Ben, relax," Mara called out. "Tense muscles will only slow you down. Relax your body and go on reflex."

Easy for you to say, Ben thought, and was rewarded by a shot to his head. He finally started to relax and increased his successful dodging rate by two blocks for every five attacks. He slowly improved, and finally started doing what Mara had hoped – using the Force.

Ben realized this, too, after he palmed the staff out of his way with perfect timing to send it flying across the hall.

"Excellent, Ben!" Mara exclaimed.

"No!" Ben shouted. "I know what you're doing, and you can't make me!"

Ben ran from the training centre without looking back. If he did, he would have seen his mom pull out her comlink.

"Incoming," She said with a smile.

-! #$%^&*()

"Sorry you had to witness that, Nelani," Eriana apologized as she approached the exit to the training facility. She glanced back at Kyp as he Force-shoved a rack of weapons across the room and launched a door off its hinges on his way out. "But you have some real nerf herders running this place."

"Tell me about it," Nelani agreed. "After leaving you and Jacen this place sometimes feels like an idiot factory some days. Care to take a walk?"

"I'd love to," Eriana said. "I heard there's a really nice garden around here but I can't seem to find it."

"This way," Nelani gestured. They walked in silence for a few moments until they found the garden and headed into it in a roughly eastern direction. Eriana took the time to regard the many beautiful flowers and shrubs growing around the garden, many from various distant planets.

"Eriana, why did Jacen send me here?" Nelani asked after a time. "I mean, its nice here and all, but…"

"We're better teachers?" Eriana supplied.

"Yeah," The willowy girl looked dismayed. "Jaina's great. She's obviously not as good with the Force as you guys, but she knows her stuff. And she's probably one of the more…compassionate instructors around here."

"Nelani, there is something you need to understand." Eriana sat on a bench at the side of the path beside a cluster of flowers. "The work we were doing was…well, it was way too advanced for me sometimes and I had been training in the Force all my life. I could barely keep up at times, and there's stuff Jacen's learned that I, quite frankly, couldn't even pretend to understand if I wanted to. There was no way we would be able to train you on top of what we were doing.

"What you needed was a strong foundation in the Force and Jedi ideologies, which the Jedi Order and the Academy should theoretically be able to provide. Unfortunately, as you can see, the whole system is...well, less than desirable in practice. I mean, the idea of taking fifty Jedi who each specialize in one field and getting them to teach in their specialty is a great idea. They obviously have some incredible knowledge to impart on their students based on what they're good at. But what if that specialty is fighting, not combat training? You can have the best fighter in the galaxy teach the most attentive students, but if he can't teach properly they won't learn.

"Likewise, you can take a dozen great Jedi who are powerful in the Force and put them in charge of an organization, but if they aren't leaders the herds won't be led. At first, everything looks great and dandy, but then people who are forced to do things they'd rather not be doing end up passing off substandard work. At that point everyone suffers."

Nelani thought for a moment and joined Eriana on the bench. "So, you're saying, the Jedi Order isn't being run as well as you thought it was when you sent me here?"

"Exactly," Eriana smiled bitterly. "At least someone around here has a brain."

"You really aren't impressed with the Order, are you?" Nelani asked with a trace of sarcasm.

"Nope. To listen to the way Jacen described it, it was a utopia for Force users at the end of the war. A well run organization, strengthened by the trials of war. But now they're…they're not real Jedi anymore."

"You think they're Sith?" Nelani asked, startled enough to pluck the flower she had just started to examine. Eyes wide with shock, she looked around frantically hoping nobody would notice, and quickly tossed the flower into the bush behind her.

"Oh, no, they're not that bad," Eriana said dismissively. "Not yet, anyway."

A few moments of silence sat between the two women. "What do you think the problem is?"

"Lack of leadership from the Council, not following Master Skywalker's example anymore, among other things. Skywalker's not doing a very good job training people to be leaders or creating a retirement plan," Eriana stopped for a moment. "And they seem too…in touch with their emotions. Everyone. It's almost like they only half-listened to Jacen before he left."

"Wow, I never noticed that," Nelani reflected. "Everyone does seem to be rather impatient and emotional. I always heard about Jedi calm and all, but the only people I really saw it in were some of the older students. Masters Skywalker, Horn, Katarn, Tionne, Kam, Jaina. And Lowbacca. He's great. Oh, Jacen, too, obviously. But he seems to use his emotions too, and doesn't get carried away with it."

"Well, yes, he does use his emotions. We both do," Eriana said with a smile. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but you might as well know so you don't fall into the same trap as the others around here. As Womprat says, we're 'Pulling a Bindo,' whatever that means. We control our emotions, like any good Jedi, but we also allow ourselves to use our emotions when using the Force to enhance what we can do. In order to do that without being consumed in the power one can generate through emotion-based Force usage, we guide our emotions. There is still a level of control and direction when we use our emotion that keeps us sane, that keeps our minds in perspective. This guidance seems to be absent in the Jedi around here. What they are practicing more closely resembles Sith ideologies with no control. Obviously not to that extent, but sometimes they're not too far off."

Several more silent moments passed as Nelani digested this information. Eriana kept respectively silent, enjoying the sight of an entire bush of flowers that changed colour every few seconds.

"Jacen…did something at the end of the war, didn't he?" Nelani finally asked. "A fight of some sort. I heard Jaina mention it, but I don't know the details. She didn't want to discuss it."

"I really don't know," For once, Eriana seemed to be on unsteady ground. "He told me something amazing happened, some level of Force control and power beyond all others he ever experienced, but he's really quiet about it. I do know his love for his sister and his family was part of what got him through it."

"Jaina did say he refused help from her, that he did it alone," Nelani noted. "I wonder if the Jedi around here know anything about it."

"I suspect Master Skywalker does, but I'm not about to ask him," Eriana said. "Especially not after what I just did to one of his Masters!"

Nelani laughed, unable to continue her thoughts for a few moments. When the laughing subsided, she finally said what she wanted. "That's not what I meant. Maybe they know he learned how to control the Force in a powerful new way, and started imitating him without getting the full lesson."

"That's what I think," Eriana agreed. "It is very possible, indeed. Let's ask Jacen."

"Now?" Nelani asked, startled.

"Sure, why not?" Eriana stood up and looked around. "Which way was the landing pad?"

"Eriana, I want to ask you something," Nelani looked up at the older Jedi very seriously. "About Jacen."

"Oh, Nelani, I'm sorry," Eriana's face fell, already knowing the question. While they had planned their escape from the Sith camp five years previous, Nelani had developed strong feelings for Jacen. He was the first person she had ever truly come to respect after the horrors of living with the Sith. Unfortunately for her, he never showed any interest in returning those feelings, and the respectful manner in which he avoided the topic made her long for him even more. Eriana became Nelani's confidant during the short time they were together, and they had spoken of this topic before. "He hasn't mentioned you that way. At least, not to me."

Nelani sighed, and decided a blade of grass beside her foot was the most interesting thing in the galaxy to stare at.

Eriana put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder causing Nelani to look up at her. "Come on, cheer up. He doesn't tell me everything."

"Really?" Nelani asked. She found that hard to believe, considering how close the two Jedi were.

"Really, really," Eriana confirmed. "Do you think I'll ever get the deactivation codes for Womprat out of him?"

Nelani laughed, standing up. "No, I suppose not. He is a bit of a pain though."

"A bit?" Eriana asked, not entirely sure who Nelani had referred to but decided it fit for either. "You weren't stuck with him on that bucket of bolts for five kriffin' years."

-! #$%^&*()

As they normally met every third day of the week, Jaina and Lowbacca played yet-another game of Dejarik in an otherwise empty common room. Seemingly out of nowhere, Ben came in full of tears and collapsed on Jaina's lap just as she defeated her friend.

[Care to play the loser?] Lowie asked Ben, who remained oblivious to what the towering Wookiee said.

"Lowie wants to know if you want to play a game," Jaina supplied, nudging Ben's face out of her shoulder where he dug it out of embarrassment.

"No." A muffled voice came from against Jaina's collarbone.

"Okay I guess I'll have to play another one. Yavin IV rules this time," Jaina said dejectedly, but winked to Lowie. A fangful grin showed he understood, and he reset the board for another match. The holographic creatures roared and shifted restlessly as the game station emitted its 'new game' tone.

"Losers first, Lowie," Jaina said, shifting herself under Ben's uncomfortable weight. Lowie made an obvious consideration, grumbled thoughtfully to himself, and finally moved his first piece.

Jaina quickly made her move, and waited politely for his. Again, he made a show of thinking about his move, finally making a strategically obvious move.

Jaina deliberated momentarily and made a rather foolish move. Lowie radiated a mixture of happiness and excitement through the Force.

"No!" Ben spun around, forgetting why he was crying and looking at the board. "Bad move, Jaina!"

Lowie and Jaina both faked surprise. "Oh, you're right!" Jaina exclaimed.

Lowie grinned, and took advantage of her move, capturing a valuable piece.

Jaina quickly made another move and Lowie transmitted his thoughts through the Force once again, making his plan blatantly obvious to anyone Force sensitive. Including a very stubborn one refusing to use the Force. As Jaina and Lowie had hoped, the messages were getting through to him on a near-conscious level.

"Don't take that one!" Ben shouted at Jaina, pointing to the holographic figure Lowie had just moved. His gambit was obvious, but Ben should not have been able to detect it without using the Force. They chose these specific rules today because Ben had never played it before.

"You're right," Jaina said, faking her surprise once again. "Ben, how are you doing this?"

"I don't know," Ben looked embarrassed and slid off Jaina's lap to play with some toys on the other side of the room. Lowie looked at Jaina meaningfully, and Jaina nodded at the board in return. They continued playing their game, broadcasting their thoughts, excitement, and disappointments as the game progressed. Once in a while Jaina noticed Ben look up suddenly when Jaina felt threatened or when Lowie became excited. A few minutes later after they had killed off the vast majority of their armies faster than either had ever done when playing for real, Jaina was about to make a critical mistake that would open herself to Lowie's endgame. Ben suddenly came tearing from across the room.

"NO!" Ben yelled, "The other way! Move to the other side!"

Jaina looked at Ben with her best impression of being startled. Lowie smacked his forehead and grumbled to himself his disappointment of his plan being foiled. Jaina grinned, following Ben's suggestion and winning the game for herself.

"How'd you do that, Ben?" Jaina asked, as Lowie stalked out of the room in false anger.

Ben took Lowie's seat and started scratching a paint chip on the game console with a fingernail. "I just knew…"

"That's the Force, Ben," Mara appeared at the door with a grin on her face. Ben looked up and saw his cousin and mother grinning broadly, and realized what had happened. Lowie came back with his own grin, chuffing of laughter.

"That…that was the Force?" Ben asked, utterly bewildered. "I thought it was just lifting rocks and playing with lightsabers."

"What do you think we've been trying to tell you, Ben?" Jaina asked. "Your powers are developing whether you want them to or not, and you need to learn how to control them. It's time you started your training."

"You tricked me!" Ben shouted.

"We sure did," Mara agreed, sitting down beside him and putting an arm around him. "But how would you like it if we taught you how to not be tricked anymore?"

Ben made some sort of non-committal grunt against his mom's shoulder.

"Great," Mara said. "Jedi Apprentice Ben Skywalker, on behalf of the Jedi Council, I present to you your Jedi Master."

"Jaina?" Ben asked hopefully.

"Nope," Jaina said. "Master Lowbacca."

Ben looked up at the Wookiee towering at twice his height, with a mixture of apprehension and excitement.

"But I don't understand Shyriiwook," Ben pouted, hoping he could still be paired with his cousin.

Lowie reached into a pouch, and produced a silver sphere that he released in mid-air. It looked like a training remote with extra sensor packages and a speaker, and floated just like one.

"I am Tee-Bee Ninety-Two, Human-Wookiee translations," The miniature droid spoke in a deep, almost bored voice.

Lowie barked at the droid, and it translated in its drawling voice. "It appears I am being given as a gift for a Ben Air Prancer. Is there a Ben Air Prancer to take possession of me?"

Jaina glared at Lowie who shrugged his confusion. "We'll work a few bugs out, Ben, but Tee-Bee will help you."

"Why are these humanoids speaking of me as if I am not here?" Tee-Bee inquired. "And where is this Ben Air Prancer?"

"I'm Ben Skywalker," Ben spoke up, and the droid moved to hover a hand span from Ben's face.

"Oh, dear," The droid said melancholically. "I suppose every humanoid needs a droid."

Ben ran over to the raised window portal across the room and curled up against one side of the frame with his knees to his chest.

"Could I talk to Ben for a few minutes?" Jaina asked.

The three quickly left the room, Tee-Bee complaining about being mishandled in Lowie's furry paw, and Jaina walked over to Ben. She sat opposite to him in the curve of the window frame, but he stared out, adamantly avoiding her gaze.

"What's wrong, Benny?" Jaina used the nickname she always used to tease him with when he was younger, and he smiled a little bit.

"I don't wanna be a Jedi," Ben pouted.

"I think you just don't like Master Lowbacca," Jaina said wisely. "He is a little intimidating at first."

Jaina took Ben's silence as an unspoken agreement and continued.

"Did you know Master Lowbacca and I went to the Academy together back when it was on Yavin 4?"

"No," Ben finally looked over curiously. "I thought he was older than you."

"He is," Jaina said. "But Wookiees live longer than us and they become adults later in life. He wasn't allowed to leave Kashyyyk until he was nineteen. He's one of my best friends, too, you know."

Jaina reached over and put a hand on Ben's shoulder. "I know you're not too big on being a Jedi, and I know you're scared of Lowie. But we all have to grow up sooner or later. Your parents and I, we all just want what's best for you.

"I'll tell you what. I'll come to your lessons with Lowie. If you really don't like them, you don't have to do them."

"Promise?" Ben begged.

"Promise," Jaina smiled and pulled him into a hug. "Now for your first lesson as a Jedi: Let's go see if we can reprogram that droid."