STARWARS: CONNECTION IN THE FORCE

Book1: Inevitable Nightmare

Chapter 2

Negis Artanis was standing in the academy's training area with his fellow younglings. In his hand he held the training lightsaber he had picked up a couple of minutes ago. All of the younglings had received one… but they had been instructed to use them only when ordered. All that you would see Negis as would be a very young child who has started learning to be a Jedi at an early age is all. That's all you would think.

The Jedi Academy was where he was at. This place was his only home. He was not born here, but he was raised here though. He was among a class of 13 other younglings that were the same as him.

At least that is what he thought. A couple of days ago while he had been practicing in his room, which was not allowed, he had succeeded in using the Force properly. Afterwards, he told Master Yoda of what had happened and the Master came to the conclusion that, "Negis, even at the young age you possess, talented in the force, you are." Negis never liked thinking about a possibility that he was too powerful. He just wanted to be a normal Jedi like the others in his class would be one day.

One reason was that he took the code of the Jedi very seriously. Being told that a person could be more powerful than the norm, in some cases, could cause said person to develop a lust and craving for power within him. Negis knew this and didn't really want to have such a power. But it was too late, he already knew, and the thought of power would have probably started my path to the dark side, he thought. However, he is actually obsessed with the Jedi code, so he probably was over-reacting about the dark side.

But the real reason he did not want the power was because of his brother. When Negis was small, about three years of age, before he was in training, his parents told him that his brother many years before had become a Jedi… only to be murdered in his sleep by a Sith Lord. His brother had been extremely powerful though, and Negis' parents said that, because of such power, his brother was a threat to the followers of the dark side. His parents told him that story the night they were murdered, just like their eldest son. Negis' parents told him that the Sith Lord that killed his brother was known as Darth Maul.

So as an orphan, Negis was raised by the Jedi though their training. Negis hoped that one day he could meet this Sith Lord face to face… and really see how that monster could have destroyed his brother so easily. But Negis did not want to stray too far towards that goal, for just as he knew… it could be the end of him. Master Windu once described what it is like to turn to the dark side. He said it was exactly like losing yourself to insanity, but the only difference is that the person would like it. Negis was only 6 years old… yet he could seemingly use the force with almost no error, and think about life from a mature point of view. How in the Force could someone like him be created?! It made no sense! Negis was always sickened by the thought of what he was. Even though he did not want to admit it… he was afraid. Afraid of being too powerful and being killed in his sleep like everyone before him in his family. But what if could use my power to help? What if I could control it completely? he thought. But the thought did not help. In a simple term… he was afraid of the dark.

But all of a sudden, at that very moment, he felt a sense of relief, a feeling of a… a different person? Lately he had been feeling echoes in the force, different people dying and being sent into oblivion. Great. Now a dying soul. Like that could make me feel any better, he thought. But wait a second! This was not a death in the force! This was a living person! How could a living person be felt in the force unless they were a Jedi or Sith!? But this was even different from that. It was someone young, not as young as Negis, but someone still very young. Young and… hurt. Hurt all over on the inside.

But then Negis could not concentrate, because he heard a distinct *click* *clack* tapping noise coming down the hall. It was obvious that every one heard it, because everyone was moving around, trying to form a circle encompassing the entire training room. A circle meant to give out a lot of space in the middle of the room.

*Click* *Clack* Negis desperately tried to scramble around all his other class mates to get to where his friend Treck was standing. Treck was a male Twi'lek, 8 years old, with grey skin with a hint of blue. Treck was his closest friend in the class. Treck respected Negis for being so determined all the time, he also knew that Negis was very powerful. Negis respected Treck for the same reasons and a bit more.

"So what's with you over there staring into deep space again Negis?" Treak said in his own language, right as Negis stepped beside him.

"Well… you know, just thinking about what Master said about me being powerful, again," Negis replied back in the Twi'lek language.

"Why are you so worried? If I was told something like that, then I probably would be full of myself, like I always am, except a bit more than usual" Track said proudly.

Negis sighed and said, "Yes but in the future, we will be trained to not be like that."

"Yes, I know, but I believe that you have got to cherish being a youngling before it is too late. And then, just like that, you're a Padawan." Treck said back.

And then Negis directed all of his attention to the tapping noise down the hallway. It was getting louder and more familiar. Oh yea. It's him all right. Negis though.

The door slowly swung open. Standing there, at the doorway, at 2 feet 2 inches, was Master Yoda. Yoda slowly walked in, the tapping noise coming from his even shorter walking stick. As Yoda walked, Negis could clearly see that the wise master was stressed out due to something unknown to most people. In his eyes was what appeared to be hundreds of years, of knowledge, walking to the center of the room. When Yoda reached the large center circle, he stood there straight as a board, both of his hands straight out resting on top of his walking stick.

Everyone looked worried in the room. Very worried. They had never seen their instructor look this strict before. He usually was this little ol' funny guy that was fun to have teaching you. But his expression was completely different… completely new to the younglings.

Then suddenly, he broke into a smile and chuckled.

"Oh, see I can that worry about me, you do," he said as he started walking around. "But worry not. Not enough sleep, an old coot like me, can ever get enough of."

Everyone broke into giggles. Oh good, Master Yoda was just fine.

Yoda spoke again with powerful voice. "Younglings, today, we will be practicing, feeling the force, by using the short lightsabers that have been given to you."

This procedure had been explained to them before. Use the force and the lightsaber to block minor blaster bolts. Simple, except no one had done it before, not even Negis. Oh, but how exciting! It was the younglings' first step to learning combat.

Yoda then continued to walk them through the procedure again to refresh their memories. Unfortunately, Treck was a talkative person and could not stop whispering about how great this was going to be. Negis saw Master Yoda get a little more aware, and Negis did not want his friend to get into trouble.

"Treck! Please stop talking! Master Yoda is speaking!" Negis whispered in Twi'lek.

"Huh?" Treck replied.

It was too bad that Negis was a terrible whisperer though. Turned out Yoda had caught on.

"Negis, Treck. Something to say, you have?" Yoda said.

Everybody in the room then faced Treck and Negis. Negis was ready to faint. He could not think up a plan this fast!!! Lucky for them, Treck was a mastermind at thinking fast.

"A-em." Treck cleared his throat so he could speak Galactic Basic. "Excuse us Master. We were just uh… talking about what you were saying and uh… yea Negis here," he said as he slapped his friend on the back, "he said he would like to try and uh… demonstrate, yea."

"Negis? Is this true?" Yoda said.

Negis thought he was going to faint. But he had to think fast too!

"Y-yes!" he managed to say in a normal tone.

The room erupted with noise. Everybody said random things like "he is so brave" or "I wonder if the Master will let him do it?" Treck patted Negis on the back as if to say, don't worry about it.

"Hmmm. Alright. Negis, step fourth." Yoda said in a way that silenced everyone.

Negis did as he was told. He slowly walked three long strides.

"Now, Negis, activate your training saber." Yoda said.

On hearing his instructions, Negis reached for the weapon in his belt. Then for a couple of seconds, he fidgeted with it trying to find which way to point it. And then, he held it straight out in front of him and pressed the big red button that was easily found. Vssszzzzmmm. Out came a streak of beautiful yellow light, and stopped at about 2" 6'. Wow! It looked more like decoration than a weapon, really.

Then out of the very center of the room, a 6in circle opened up and out came a little remote droid. It hovered a yard away from Negis. Negis held up his blade in a defensive position.

"You need to, feel the force and let it guide you and defend yourself. Ready? Soon, start firing, it will."

Negis breathed deep and took in Master Yoda's words. He did what he always did when trying to use the force. He closed his eyes. When he did, it was like seeing with a different set off eyes. Then he thought, Block this laser.

In a very quick motion, the remote droid fired. Negis, still with his eyes closed, saw a flash of light, felt his arms barely move, and then nothing. He then opened his eyes. No pain? Had he succeeded in his task? Every one in the room was awestruck. Even Maser Yoda looked impressed.

And so Negis realized he had a talent for it. For about five minutes He kept blocking and deflecting, raising the remotes firing speed up and up and up.

And then after five minutes, in the middle of Negis closing his eyes, he sensed something distracting. What in the blazes was it this time?! It seemed like a nuisance until Negis realized that it was the same person as before! His eyes were closed. He saw the person, not very clearly, but he did see. He saw… a little girl.

Then a pain rushed up his leg. He dropped to the floor. Master Yoda's eyes widened. In a fraction of a second, everyone saw Yoda jump into the air, activate his lightsaber, slice, deactivate, and land before the halves of the droid hit the ground.

Negis was back on his feet after Master Yoda dismissed the younglings.

"Master."

"Hmm?"

He had to tell Yoda what he saw, period.

"Master, the reason I missed that last shot was well… because I was distracted. Something I sensed in the force… no… someone." Negis said.

"Ah, such a strong gift, you have, Negis. This presence in the Force, I as well have felt."

"Really?! Well, whoever she is, I know that she is very hurt."

Maybe Negis would get to meet her. That would be interesting.