Star Wars: Connection in the Force

Inevitable Nightmare

Chapter 4

Negis was running through the halls of the Jedi Academy. Today was a special day, not anything referring to the other younglings, but it was something secret.

And Negis loved to discover secrets.

His Twi'lek friend Treck had even said to him, "Meet me after dark by the Knight training area. I know a way to listen to the counsel's super secret meetings!" After that Negis had been practically bounding off walls. Mostly because there had been a rumor going on that there was going to be a new youngling. For the other younglings, something like this is BIG news. The last time there had been a new student, it was Negis. Younglings eat up new younglings like a Hutt for it's grubs. Not only was Negis excited about that, but also… what if this new student is the one Negis had seen in the Force!

So off COURSE he was excited.

At that moment, it was about midnight according to Coruscant time, so everyone but Negis, Treck, and possibly a few other trouble makers were awake. In moments like these, he liked to tiptoe while he ran, like an assassin.

Negis was nearly at the rendezvous, when his plan took a turn for the worst.

Bump!

Negis fell to the floor, which he then immediately got back up only to realize he bumped into Maesu, one of the other younglings. Mae was a fine young lady of 7 years old, she had brown hair and one braided ponytail.

"AH," she screamed when they bumped into each other, "Who's there?!"

"Shhhhh, Mae! It's Negis! What are you doing out of bed!?"

"I-I don't know," she stammered obviously frightened to death, "I just heard footsteps outside my room so I came to see what they were, but I got lost and then I bumped into you and… I was so scared I'm so glad you found me!

Mae was in tears, as she held onto his robes, terrified.

"Mae! Calm down! We'll get caught if you keep screaming," he loudly whispered.

She slowly calmed down. While Negis tried to gather his mind, this girl (that was nearly one-half his size bigger than him) held onto his leg for protection. He immediately was puzzled by this situation.

I could have sworn that I was not making even a peep, he though, I only weigh 50 pounds.

Something was amiss, but he couldn't do anything about it right then. So he took Mae back to her room, and said not get out of bed again. Negis then continued to steadily creep towards the rendezvous point, but this time, his mind was full and he was not at all amused. After about a minute or so, he met Treck at the very large double doors that led into the Jedi Council meeting room.

"Negis!! Where have you been?" Treck was not a very patient Twi'lek at most times, but Negis had to cope with himself being "casually-late" most of the time.

"Sorry, a problem occurred on my way here," Negis replied.

"So that's what that scream was… aw well your just on time, I saw them go into there not to long ago."

"Okay," Negis said back after regaining his breath, "So what is this secret passage you use to listen in on the Counsel?"

Treck led Negis to the left of the right wall where there was an easily seen, large air vent.

How cliché, Negis thought.

"Come on, if we crawl up this, we'll reach this platform that hovers over the Counsel Meeting room, we can watch them and listen to what they're saying," Treck gave a giggle and proceeded to crawling up the vent.

"Uh, ok… but I'm not so sure about this."

"We'll be fine. Just climb on up."

Negis did as he was asked. Surprisingly, the vent was very spacious and Negis had plenty of room to crawl. The only real downside was that it was extraordinarily filthy and grimy.

Negis and Treck then proceeded to crawl up the giant filthy vent. As if almost seemingly built to irk any fool that would actually crawl up a vent, the passage would get very narrow, and then get very large again. As they crawled deeper and deeper, the air started to become thicker and thicker with dust, which strained Negis's lungs, and made the trip twice as hard.

Nope, Negis thought, this is definitely not a good idea.

They crawled and crawled until they couldn't crawl anymore. Just like what Treck had theorized, after what seemed like an eternity of muscle straining agony, they finally reached an opening to the Jedi Council chamber.

"O-oh… m-my… gosh," Negis managed to say while practically hyperventilating. Treck gave an innocent smile as Negis gave him an evil eye.

"M-maybe… we'll take a different route next time," Treck said embarrassed, while putting his hand behind his head.

With all their might, they crawled the rest of the way, which was a relatively easy job considering the rest of the way was horizontal. Once reaching their destination just on time, Treck used his training lightsaber to cut the end of the vent and remove it as quietly as possible.

Immediately upon removing the vent cover, both Negis and Treck heard many voices talking with different tones. The two boys then quietly leapt onto the large circular glow lamp which served as an excellent platform. Without hesitation, they lay down in an attempt to listen.

Below them were only four of the Masters and a small child. The Masters in their Council seats, the child in the center of the room with Master Kenobi standing beside it. It was no surprise that many of the other Masters were not there. It has been said that the other Masters were off striking "aggressive negotiations" with the Trade Federation ever since rumors of a Resistance Movement came aroused around the galaxy.

Master Yoda, Master Windu, Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Master Kenobi were talking excitedly but also trying to quiet down for one another to speak. Master Windu was holding a holo-projector towards himself so he could see the projection and so the obvious new youngling could not; it was a basic test given to see how force-sensitive a child was. Master Windu seemed to be astonished for some reason as he covered his face with his hand and mouthed the words "by the Force."

"Continue with the test, Master Windu," Yoda requested.

Windu uncovered his face and said, "Of course."

The other Masters then became silent as Windu changed the holo-projection.

Negis leaned forward a bit more to see the child more clearly. He was then surprised to see that it was a female human that was clearly 8 or 9 years old. Her attire was that of some Outer-Rim world farmer girl. Her hair (seeming black but actually extremely dark-purple), though, seemed to be purposely cut in a unique way so that he could not see her eyes. She oh so looked serene and shy as she brought her chin up. Gravity pushed her hair out of her face and Negis got a good look at her. He struggled to not immediately fall off the glow lamp as he stared into the eyes of beauty.

She was adorable!

Her hair hid a particularly cute face and bright blue-purple eyes. Negis had never seen such a beautiful face before; he was awestruck.

"Wow," Negis whispered.

Treck then spoke up, "Whoa, I may not be human but… did not expect that at all. You seen this Ne… hey! Are you checking her out or something?"

Negis then felt warmth rush across his face, "Wha… ah no! I'm… I was just… surprised more than you, heh heh," Negis desperately tried to hide his blush, life is living hell for a youngling who has revealed his or her emotions to Treck.

"Reeeeeaaaaalllllly," Treck smirked, "Fine, fine. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Treck! You perfectly know that we're not supposed to think like tha-"

"Um…" The girl started to say quietly.

Negis stopped what he was saying in the middle of his sentence to listen. Her voice was pretty to.

"Uhh… is it… a… X-39 landspeeder," the girl sounded practically as if she had no idea what she was talking about, "I think," she added very quietly.

The Council Chamber was barraged with voices of astonishment by the Jedi Masters. Master Windu leaned back and put his hand over his face and said "Correct."

"Don't you see Masters?" Master Kenobi spoke, "Like I told you. This girl is showing Force-Sensitivity that is as great as when Anakin first took this test."

"That is what puzzles me, Obi-Wan," Master Windu replied as he sat up, "Never has there been any myth of two chosen ones."

"Correct you if I may, Master Windu," Yoda said, "But would not you mean, three chosen?"

"Yes Master Yoda," Windu replied, "I am also aware of young Artanis's incredible skills, but I would not go to such lengths as to immediately assume that there may be three chosen. Saying that there are two chosen is puzzling enough."

The little girl seemed to be confused as of why she was the center of attention, as she began to stare at nothing in particular. Negis himself was amazed by the conversation. The Masters were talking about him! He was so excited he did not realize how far off the glow lamp he was leaning, and soon heard a small gasp come from below him.

The girl was staring right at him.

He felt his face turn scarlet as he crawled back, but no matter how far he came back, he just felt her still staring at him the entire time. He noticed Treck was trying to hold back giggles as he watched his friend get totally embarrassed.

"Saytani," Master Yoda addressed the girl, "troubling you, something is?"

Negis and Treck froze.

"Umm…" the girl Saytani began.

Treck then frantically told Negis that they had to get out of there now, but when Negis froze, he REALLY froze. He could not move he was so terrified. Once they find us, he thought, now were going to get expelled and sent to the Outer Rim and oh no oh no oh no!!!

Negis then snapped out of it, but it was too late, Treck had bolted. He then spread himself out on the glow lamp and closed his eyes. If he slowed his body function, perhaps they would not sense him.

Vvvvruuuuummmmm.

Negis felt the glow lamp plat form get caught in the Force. He got up to gain balance and not fall off. He then realized that the platform was being pulled to the ground through the Force! Slowly the platform came down and down and rested on the ground. Negis could see that it Master Yoda pulling it to the ground. Yoda at first did not look pleased.

But then after Yoda got a good look at Negis, his frown changed to a grin.

"Saytani Mayo Sakura," the Master began, "your new room mate and guide, Negis Artanis."

Negis then turned his gaze from Master Yoda, to the little girl that he had not noticed until now, that was standing ten feet from him, looking deep and innocently into his eyes.

Up close she was still unbelievably adorable, but through closer examination, she was obviously lost, sad, lonely and in need of a friend.

As Negis looked back at her, he knew that he was going to be that friend.