Way of the Guardian: Chapter 2
Few things made Master Quatra as uncomfortable as she felt right now. She was quite capable of remaining lax in some of the most dire of situations, whether it be fighting for her life or teachings a field filled to the brim with Padawans. Yet something about standing before the other Council members, and having them listening discreetly to her voice, judging her intentions, watching her eyes and her movements, made her more uncomfortable than anything else could.
If she could have, she would have avoided bringing the matter before the other members of the Council, but with her expected arrivals due in any minute, she literally had no more time to think of a way to do so.
Quatra, though having been a Jedi Master for many years now, had only just recently been given the role of a member of the Council, apparently her predecessor had given up the position in order to pursue other exploits. In truth, she liked the power the position gave her: to discuss openly with the other Jedi Masters, to have access to the Jedi Archives that had for so long been beyond her reach, and to have not only her actions but her voice as well carry so much weight truly made the woman prideful with her sense of self-importance.
How quickly all that seemed to melt away as the faces of the Masters began to change after she had explained the entirety of what she and Kavar had arranged.
Not surprisingly, it was Master Vrook that lashed out first. "He is to be sent back to Coruscant immediately."
"Master Vrook, I apologize for not bringing this before the Council earlier," Quatra calmly responded, keeping her vision slightly turned downward as to project the sense of shame that she did not truly feel. "But sending him back just after he arrives will prove none the better for anyone. It is Master Kavar's and my hope that through this arrangement, we might be able to achieve-"
"-Achieve? What exactly is it you think you can achieve with him," Vrook quickly countered, seeming only to half-listen to what Quatra had been saying. "Whatever this… ability of his is, it is something that he is not even aware of, nor has he shown any sign of even being suspicious of its existence. It is foolish to risk at this point bringing it to his attention."
"I agree with Master Vrook," Master Zhar added. "Kai Lugo has yet to even prove himself as a Jedi, and, from what I have heard, despite not being one quick to anger or aggression, he still is rather self-defined in his views."
Having come to understand Vrook and Zhar over the time Quatra has served on the Council, she was not in the least surprised by their skepticism. Vrook, a man whose conviction often seemed to stem more from bitterness than logic, rarely showed anything but skepticism and distaste when it came to new ideas, especially when those ideas came from a certain youthful Master.
Scarcely did a day go by where the old Master would not remark to Quatra on what was proper means for teaching the dozens of hopefuls the Council had placed under her responsibility. Apparently, in Vrook's opinion, if she was not beating the fear of the Dark Side into her students, as the old Master did with his Padawan and the few hopefuls he instructed now and then, then she was failing in her position. And the fact that Vrook also never missed an opportunity to outspeak the young Council member just put the keen edge on the vibro blade.
Needless to say, Master Quatra had often gone to extreme lengths to avoid unneeded contact with the man.
Zhar, on the other hand, was not so much pessimistic as he was more or less reliant on that which he believed worked for all, especially when it came to training potential Jedi. However, from what Quatra had heard from Kavar, there was very little that could be done "by the book" when it came to the enigma that was Kai Lugo.
"We must not be so quick to condemn their actions," interjected Master Vandar, head of the Enclave. "None before have made a successful attempt to study upon young Lugo's unique abilities, and any that have tried to teach the boy were unable to avoid its affects for long. As it stands, it may not be wise for us to place this aside any longer."
Quatra would have passed the elderly Master an appreciative smile, if she were not sure that Vrook was watching her response intently. If there had been any among the Council that she felt she could have expected to support Kavar's and her decision, it had been Vandar. Many among the Order, Quatra included, looked up to the little green alien.
Figuratively speaking of course…
"While it may have been unwise for them to have set this plan into motion before bringing it to our attention," spoke lastly Master Dorak, "the fact remains that their intent is still sound, as are their concerns for the Padawan. How can the Order hope to guide young Lugo in the ways of the Force if we do not even have the means to provide him with a suitable Master?"
Vrook looked to the other seated Masters then, his eyes making it apparent that he was far from satisfied. "Are we to risk the consequences then if this whole matter turns out to prove more disastrous than we've perceived so far? Already we have seen how his headstrong opinions have inadvertently caused even Masters to stumble in their foundations. What do we risk by exposing the less tempered to him as well?"
"Excuse me, Jedi Masters…"
All eyes quickly turned to meet the figure of one of the Enclave's protocol droids standing at the chamber's entrance.
"A freighter has just landed within the Enclave."
"It seems they have arrived…" Vandar remarked as he and the others looked back upon Quatra. "Please go to welcome our guest students, Master Quatra. They shall need to know the layout of our facilities, so we shall leave such an endeavor up to you. It should give us enough time to deliberate on the matter. We will send word to you when we have come to a decision, at which point we would like you to bring them before us."
"As you wish, Masters," Quatra softly responded as she dipped into a respectful vow. "I leave you to your deliberations."
With that said, the young woman turned to leave, walking at a calm pace. Yet no sooner was she beyond the Council's sight did she let out a heavy breath of relief.
"Well… that had not been nearly as painful as I had feared," she muttered to herself as she started for the landing pad.
Yet she knew that such thinking was premature. The day, and possibly the week, had barely begun…
No sooner had Kai managed to step off of the freighter's loading ramp with all four carrying cases in hand before the ship's entrance closed behind him. It was apparent that Casus had not been jesting in the urgency his father felt in their departure as the young Guardian had barely managed to get out from under the ship before its engines began to activate.
"The man could learn to have a little more patience," Lugo muttered to himself, watching as the ship lifted upward from the landing pad and jetted off beyond sight. Yet even after the vessel had departed, the teenage Jedi found his gaze trapped upon the sky.
It was so strange for the boy who had for most of his life been surrounded by concrete walls and ceilings, rarely having felt the warmth of a sun on his skin or breathed in the freshness of an open sky before having joined the Order on Coruscant. It had taken him a long while to get used to there being so much light around him, along with the concepts of night and day and the patterns of life that accompanied them. And even stranger now it was for young Lugo to find himself in a place where he could look straight up and not see a single tower looming over him.
The quite serenity… the warm air accompanied by a nice, cool wind… the lack of motion and noise… closing his eyes and breathing in the fresh breeze scented with the local flora, Kai let his mind become still, bathing himself in the pure nirvana of the momemt…
It was his moment…
"Kai!"
Now it was over…
Reality hitting him with an ache to his ears, Lugo opened his eyes and breathed out that fresh air with a sour grunt. "Coming, princess…"
Upon turning around and starting to walk in Atris' direction, the raven-haired teen realized that he had been spacing out a little too long when his eyes caught sight of the figures standing next to the Echani girl: one a protocol droid that's photoreceptors indiscriminately jumped from one object to the next, the other a young woman, dressed within the robes of a Jedi Master, giving Lugo a strange look that made him look away in embarrassment.
"Nice first impression…" the young Guardian quietly bereted himself as he made the rest of the way over, all four travel bags still in tow.
Yet it was not because of anything that the Padawan had done that made Quatra look upon him as she did. Rather, the Jedi Master found herself studying the boy, watching him with a silent curiosity. And as she did, Quatra found herself understanding what Kavar had been speaking of, and what the other Masters had been wary of. This Padawan was… different, that was easy enough for the woman to see. His eyes and movements spoke of experience and understanding beyond his years, yet such seemed incongruent with his physical stature, as if he were an old man trapped within a young body. Or perhaps she was making whatever made Lugo unique into something that it was not…
"Greetings, Padawan Kai," Master Quatra greeted after having straightened herself up with a comforting smile, a look which Lugo silently appreciated over the judgmental one that Atris was currently giving him. "I am Quatra, one of the Masters that oversees the daily training of the students here on Dantooine."
"A pleasure, Master Quatra," Lugo responded with a polite bow of his head, "I would offer a hand to shake, had I one to spare."
"I see," the Master mused as she looked down at Lugo's luggage, "That is quite a lot of baggage for a short trip. I did not imagine a Padawan needing to take so much along with them."
"Oh, only about a fourth of this is actually mine. Apparently, my companion here decided it would be trivial to bring an entire library along with us," the young Guardian lightheartedly responded, looking over pointedly in Atris' direction, whom paid him no heed. Despite his obvious irritation at being forced into the role of a pack mule, the young Guardian knew that the Historian would never do anything without cause.
Still, it wouldn't have killed her to carry at least one…
Rather than give her counterpart any notice, the Echani Knight, as always, remained focused on her purpose. "Master Quatra, I assume you are aware of my purpose here?"
It surprised the Jedi Master how much the young girl's tone of voice reminded her of the same tone she often had to bear from Master Vrook, a tone that somehow found a way to cause her unneeded and undesired irritation and aggravation. It scratched at her like a bug bite, and yet rather than keep her calm sense about her like she knew she had to with her fellow Master, Quatra did not hesitate to harden the tone of her own voice. "I am aware of why you are here, yes."
The Echani remained gazing upon the Master with equal footing, something Quatra did not appreciate. "Good, then I request that I be allowed to begin a preliminary examination of the ruins immediately."
"What!?" Kai looked upon his counterpart as if perplexed by what she was saying. "We just arrived less than five minutes ago, and you already want to begin?"
"We did not come here to recreate, Padawan," Atris responded, accenting her pronunciation of Lugo's rank as if to remind him of it. "I plan to begin and finish my examinations in a timely fashion, so that perhaps staying here for an entire week will become unnecessary."
She spoke with such a rational surety. It was really irritating.
"No."
The two teenagers quickly turned their eyes from each other back upon the Master, both of them being caught off guard by Quatra's response, though for different reasons: Atris being surprised that her perfectly reasonable request was refused, while Kai found himself taken aback not so much because the Master had denied the request, but rather how she had done it, bluntly with no offer of explanation. He was not used to seeing anyone taking such a firm and final position against the Historian, at least not without presenting reason. Her demeanor often demanded undo respect from others, commonly putting her at length with those that did not offer it unto her, Kai not excluded. Whether she does this intentionally or not remained to be seen. Her methodical ways had little patience for those that hindered her objectives or questioned her actions and judgements without fair cause.
Yet Quatra, though having good reason for making her choice, did not offer to explain herself. And she did not have to.
And fortunately Atris, in spite of her dislike for what she saw as being insensible, still remembered her place well enough not to question the reasons of a Master.
"Very well, Master Quatra," the Echani responded with a respectful nod. "Then when will I be permitted to begin my evaluations?"
"The kath hound pack that has settled near the ruins is expected to begin migrating tonight," Quatra answered in a much more even-sounding voice than before. Despite not needing to offer her reason, the young Master did so in loath of the idea of being seen as authoritative, like another Master she knew…
"Once we have confirmed that the beasts have moved on, both of you will be permitted access to the area."
"Thank you, merciful kath hounds!" Kai exclaimed, not attempting to hide his relief even though he knew the Historian did not appreciate it. "Now, Lady Quatra, if you would be so kind as to point us in the direction of our quarters, I would really appreciate the possibility of regaining the use of my fingers."
Casting the Padawan a quick smile of amusement, the Jedi Master then turned about towards the protocol droid standing quietly behind her. "Please take their belongings to the guest quarters."
"As you wish, Master," the machine responded without missing a beat, immediately walking up to the young Guardian. "If you would please hand your bags to me, Padawan."
Kai looked at the droid's frail figure with a rather skeptical expression, but handed off the bags to the machine without any argument. "Don't blame me if you lose an arm…"
Quite surprisingly to Kai, the droid took the baggage into its awaiting grasp with no sign of being encumbered by the weight. "I am a model specifically designed for the tasks of mechanical assistance, young Jedi. My arms, as you call them, are capable of supporting near to five-hundred pounds of constant pressure."
With that said, the protocol droid turned about and began to scuttle off towards the landing bay exit, bags swinging lightly as it went along its way.
Rather than appearing grateful, Kai pouted childishly at the machine's turned back. "Where the hell were you when I needed you on Alderaan…?"
"I'm curious, Kai," Master Quatra spoke up, bringing the young Guardian's attention back upon her. "What exactly did your Master tell you would be your responsibilities when you accompanied Atris here?"
For a moment, Kai simply looked at the woman, unsure that he had heard her correctly, his brow furrowed in confusion. "My Master?"
Quatra quickly found herself casting a similar look back at the teenager. "Your Master… Kavar…"
It suddenly hit the raven-haired boy what she meant. "Oh I see… no, Kavar is not my Master."
The perplexed look did not leave Quatra's expression. "What do you mean? He is the one who oversees your training and sent you here with Atris, correct?"
"Yes, but I have never been officially designated as his Apprentice," Lugo clarified, his slightly melancholic voice hinting that this was something he has had to explain to others on several different occasions. "Besides combat training, Master Kavar has assigned me to other Masters to oversee the rest of my studies. I guess you could say he is more like a supervisor to me than a Master. As for why I am here, he was not very specific on why he decided to send me on this little excursion."
"I see," Quatra conceded, ending her inquiry with a rather sharp edge that caught the young Guardian's attention, though he dismissed it just as quickly as he noticed it.
Currently within the Jedi Order, the amount of Padawans and hopefuls easily outnumbered the Masters, forcing the Order to compensate by dividing up the overseeing of training for new recruits among the Masters. For those few like Atris who were considered "gifted", they were afforded the privilege of Apprenticeship to a single Master. Kai, as he understood it, only ranked average at best in terms of ability, and as such was required to rely upon many teachers in order to develop even his basic skills as a Jedi. That was what he was led to believe anyway…
"If I recall correctly," Lugo added in a matter-of-fact tone, "I believe his exact words were that I am to serve and assist Atris in her endeavors here on Dantooine in whatever manner she desires. He did not specify as to what that actually meant I would be doing. So far I have found myself forced into the roles of a bellhop, a waiter, and a babysitter. Not exactly unenjoyable occupations in their own right… I just wish the tips were better…"
He had every bit the sarcastic tone Master Kavar had warned Quatra about, and truthfully the young Master found it quite amusing; a nice break from the often monotone conversations she had to endure among the Masters.
"Very well, Padawan Lugo," the Master responded in what voice that Atris felt was too friendly for a Master to address a Padawan with, or anyone else for that matter, "from what Master Kavar has conferred to me, while you are here on Dantooine, your will be responsible for standing guard over Atris while she is conducting her examinations of the local ruins."
"A simple explanation…?" Kai exclaimed almost as if shocked by it. "I did not know Jedi Masters were capable of such a thing…"
Sarcastic indeed, Quatra mused…
"He will only be assisting me, Master Quatra," the young Historian interjected, "I do not require a bodyguard, as I had explained to my Master before we left. I am proficient enough in the ways of lightsaber combat to defend myself from mere beasts."
The young Master eyed the Historian curiously for a moment, thinking perhaps she had heard a slight undertone within the Echani's voice that hinted at a disdain for her Guardian counterpart rather than a pragmatic perspective.
"Perhaps, young Knight," Quatra calmly responded, "but you are not as proficient as him, correct?"
Atris nearly attempted to refute the Master's claim, but found the words caught within her throat at realized the factuality of it. She had known the raven-haired boy long enough to have learned of his… overzealous abilities in combat.
"And besides," the Jedi Master continued, "I doubt you would want to waste your time fending off bothersome beasts while attempting to complete your examinations…"
It was a reason the noble girl was more willing to accept.
"Fair enough…" The Echani looked upon green-eyed Padawan with indifference. "I trust you will be able to rise above your childish antics and ways to take your responsibility seriously, Padawan…"
Was she poking fun at him, Kai wondered as he looked back upon the young girl with unsure eyes?
No, he quickly answered for himself.
As always, she was genuinely insulting him.
Not for a lack of trying to persuade her, Kai has never once known the Historian to partake of comical antics; despite certain acts like the pleasant awakening she had given him earlier hinting at something that might border on being a sense of humor.
"I'm not too worried," the Guardian responded evenly, "I doubt kath hounds would find all that hot air you're full of very appetizing…"
Lugo finished off with a mocking bow, "but I shall endeavor to spare the poor beasts from such horrid indigestion…"
He knew he was pushing his luck with the Echani as he felt the dark gaze cutting through him even before he looked back up to greet it. Fortunately Quatra, after forcibly suppressing the urge to laugh into a barely controlled smile, spoke up before Atris could respond.
"Well, Padawan Kai, Knight Atris, I hope you both will find your stay here a pleasant one," the Master spoke softly, ending the rising tension between the pair as she brought their eyes upon herself. "The local Council will most likely be asking for your presence within the hour, but before that, I decided it would be best if I gave you a small tour of the local facilities. You will find that our complexes and teaching methods here on Dantooine are more… compact than those of Coruscant. You both will be expected to maintain your basic training while you are here, so please make use of whatever means we have to offer."
"I will," Atris quickly responded.
"We will," Kai corrected.
They truly were an interesting combination, Quatra quietly thought to herself, so unlike each other… Perhaps that was the reason Kavar had decided to have the enigmatic Padawan accompany the pragmatic Echani.
The young Master smiled warmly. "Very good, if you will follow me…"
Quatra slowly turned about and started for the exit, the two students following silently in step with her. As they left the landing pad behind them, the Master found she could not deny that she herself was developing an interest into this little scenario that Kavar had set up. Kai was different from the others, of that she could see clearly. And it would be fascinating to see just how unique he truly was…
The sound of metal ringing could be heard by the trio as they came upon an exit to the hall they were traversing.
"These are our combat training grounds," Quatra explained as they came to a stop after having rounded the corner to see what lay beyond. "Here is where our more advanced students practice their lightsaber forms, as well as their basic Force techniques."
A large open-sky room stood before the trio, filled to the brim with Padawans, all in the midst of training. Several pairs stood about randomly facing each other, dulled vibroblades secure within their palms, attacking and countering their opponents with basic offenses and blocks.
Within one part of the room several stone blocks ranging in size and weight sat upon the ground with a group of students standing around them, their hands outstretched as they attempted to push, pull, and levitate the heavy structures, most producing small or moderate affect.
Several other groups dotted the place, each participating in one form of training or another.
The only actual ones within the room that presently had their lightsabers drawn was a small group of five students standing in a quiet corner, far from the other students and with a good five or six feet between each of them. With calm yet controlled motions, they cycled through their combat stances, perfectly mirroring each other in both motion and style.
Among the hard training youths, a few older Jedi walked about, watching the trainees with eagle-sharp eyes.
Quatra found a smile slowly making its way upon her lips. Though she knew that perhaps it was foolish, she could not help but feel a strong sense of pride as she watched her students going about their training with calm yet stern focus. It was the fruits of both her and their labors, and it was bountiful.
Atris, predictably, took in the commotion with a passive interest, only bothering to make note of the styles of training she was witnessing and disregarding everything else.
Kai, though far more attentive than his counterpart was to what was going on in front of him, remained rather passive in his expression, which Quatra could not help but notice, having a good idea of why.
Having been kept rather isolated from other Padawans, especially large groups of them, young Lugo could not help but feel off-balanced in seeing and being around so many other students close to or above his own age. It was unusual for him…
"All Padawans are scheduled for spending at least an hour a day within this room, under the supervision of the Knights assigned here," Quatra pointed out to the pair. "Rather than going through the pains of deducing the most appropriate time for you to complete your martial studies, I shall allow you the choice of coming here at your leisure."
It suddenly hit the Master right after having said this that she should not have made that offer. With the other Masters currently debating whether to even allow Kai to remain on Dantooine, and with the young Guardian's proficiency for such a thing, offering him to partake of combat training at his own discretion was not the smartest choice to make.
Still, Quatra had already offered it and she could not risk possible suspicion if she were to just take it back.
"Let us continue… there are other facilities you should know about," she quickly added.
"Agreed," Atris responded, having little interest for such a thing. As Quatra turned to lead them away, the Echani teenager spoke up to catch her attention.
"I'm curious, Master Quatra, what information could the Enclave's Archives contain about the local ruins? Perhaps I should be allowed to delve into the records for possible knowledge that may help my investigations."
The young Master turned to face the Historian, a bit caught off guard by the girl's forwardness. It was common knowledge among the Order that the Jedi Archives were restricted from all but the Masters. And for this one to place herself high enough where she felt justified in having the restriction overlooked… Quatra very well could have denied the Knight's request like she had denied her earlier one, but the Master found herself uncertain. She had already been presumptuous in offering Kai the right to partake of combat training with the other Padawans, would the other Masters agree with her if she chose to deny Atris' request right then and there?
"You know the Archives are restricted to Masters only," Quatra clearly pointed out to the girl. "However… if you feel certain that you should be permitted access for the sake of your research, you will have the chance to bring your request before the Council."
"Very good," Atris responded, as if she had already gotten what she had desired.
"If they refuse you, however," Quatra stated with a slightly harder tone, "students are allowed access to our public archives that contain much data on local history and events. Perhaps you might be able to find some desirable information there…"
"Perhaps…" Atris echoed calmly, "If you would please show them them to me …"
Without another word being said between them, Quatra started down the hall with the Historian following close behind.
Kai stood silently for a moment, casting a confused look and scratching his head as he looked in the direction of the two women, a sadly amused smile forming upon his lips as he began to follow.
"A Historian versus a Teacher… Who will be the victor…?"
Despite the public archives being relatively large in size, with datapads and old tomes covering every shelf, relatively few students were currently making use of them as the trio made their way into the room.
In fact, there was only one student…
A small boy of no more than perhaps eight years with short blonde hair and blue eyes sat among the many empty tables that filled the room, a datapad lying before him.
Quatra recognized the young child immediately upon entering the room, having seen him alone in here many times before, and smiled her amusement at the fact the boy was so enthralled by what he was reading that he had not even noticed their intrusion. Both his hands held the datapad on the table as he read through it, his feet swinging freely as his legs were too short to even reach the ground.
It was a scene the Master had seen many times, and for some reason she did not understand, she appreciated it very much.
Silently she approached the child with the two Padawans behind her. Yet only Kai paid the boy any heed, Atris having chosen to wander off a bit to focus her attention on the many records that surrounded them.
"Hello Mical," Master Quatra called out in what Kai would have described as a very motherly voice if he knew what such a voice was like.
The young boy's head popped up with a fast jerk at the sound of his name, and upon seeing the Master standing opposite of the table from him, he jumped up as fast as he could, nearly stumbling over when his feet hit the ground as his legs were a bit numb from sitting for too long.
"G…Greetings, Master Quatra," young Mical blurted out, either being unsure of himself or, more likely, simply surprised by the sudden attention he was getting. "Wha… how may I be of service?"
The scene made Kai smile his amusement, though he refrained from laughing as to not insult the kid.
Rather, the young Guardian decided to address the boy himself in hopes of calming the child's jitters.
"Well met, Mical," Kai said as he stepped forward next to Quatra, his arms unthreateningly crossed behind his back, "My name is Kai Lugo."
The green-eyed Jedi finished with a polite bow to the young one, to which Mical returned with uncertainty.
"H-hello…" the little child responded, seeming a bit intimidated by the older boy.
"Master Quatra," Atris spoke up, catching the woman's and everyone else's attention, "I would like to quickly look through these records to see if there indeed is anything here that might help my research."
"Very well," Quatra responded without any vice, "take a minute to see what might help you."
The Historian only offered a small nod of appreciation before she disappeared beyond some shelves to begin her search.
The young Master could not help but perceive the noticeable changes within the Echani's tone. At times young Atris seemed rather forward, even rude towards her. At other times she retained a politeness that the Master was more used to receiving from the many Knights and Padawans that worked under her supervision. It was almost as if Atris was unsure of herself on some level. Or, at least, unsure of how she should address her superiors…
Perhaps the white-maned girl was testing her, Quatra wondered, examining what levels of freedom and privelege the young Master would allow unto her. The young woman was suddenly reminded of how Kavar had responded when the two had first discussed the Echani girl. He had seemed… unsupportive or her rise in stature, and the prospect of her becoming a Master so quickly.
Being unable to think of anything within the Archives that would particularly interest the young Guardian, Kai turned back around to face small Mical once again, who immediately turned his eyes away.
Such a quiet, timid child, Kai silently thought to himself as he looked upon the boy with a soft smile. The Guardian inexpectedly found himself assaulted with nostalgia as he looked upon the youngling, something he usually avoided as it often led to less enjoyable memories. Yet within Mical's faces, Kai could not help but see the faces of so many others…
Sharply closing his eyes and shaking his head, the raven-haired teenager forced the memories back down into the shadows of his mind. They were… too unsetling for him to think upon without being overwhelmed, and now was not the appropriate time.
Focusing his thoughts outwardly, Kai opened his gaze to look upon young Mical once again.
"Well, it seems we are going to be here for a little bit. So tell me, Mical, what are you studying so single-mindedly upon? It must be pretty exciting to have grasped your attention so completely…"
That was obviously the right thing to say as it put the boy back into his comfort zone, his voice becoming smooth with confidence as he grabbed at the datapad. "It is very fascinating, Mister Lugo. I have been reading upon the history of the Arkanians. Do you know of them?"
"A little," Kai answered, taking the seat next to where Mical had been sitting and offering to the young boy to sit back down, which he happily did. "What can you tell me about them?"
"They are a really amazing people," Mical responded excitedly, turning the datapad in his hand so Kai could look on it as well.
As the young boy began to go off on an enthusiastic lecture on the ways and history of the Arkanian race, Kai listening intently with a comforting smile on his face, Quatra found herself watching in silent curiosity.
It was strange, she thought to herself. She had never seen little Mical take to another so quickly. He had shown to be of an inquisitive nature, watching the other students as they went about their studies and taking what he could from it, but always at a distance. Rare was it for him to socialize with his fellow Padawans, doing so more often times out of obligation than of desire. Such explained his frequent longing for sanctuary within the Public Archives, Quatra having noted his singular presence within the library for hours on end, day after day.
Still… Quatra had often wished for a long time that Mical would open up even just a little to another student. How surprised was she when it finally did happen.
All it took from Kai was a kind, welcoming voice and sincere interest, and the small boy who usually liked to study by himself was speaking to the Guardian as one would a best friend, a big brother, or some one else for which one was bonded to-
…Bonded to…
Quatra suddenly remembered!
"Kai, Atris," the Master called out, pulling Lugo's and Mical's attention upon her. The Historian quickly appeared from behind a bookcase to look upon the Master, a datapad already resting within her hand.
"There are still other facilities within the Enclave," the Master continued in a calm voice. "If you both desire to come back here later, you will have the time to do so."
For but a moment, Kai and Atris simply stared upon the Jedi Master, both a bit caught off guard by how, despite her calm tone, there was a sense of needing to leave immediately. Anything she possibly needed to show them could not be that dire…
Still, this was not their home, and they were not equipped to question or contest a Master's intent.
"Very well," Atris replied as she placed the datapad back upon the shelf.
"If you say so…," Kai conceded as he pushed back his chair and stood up. Before stepping out from where he stood, the green-eyed teenager looked back down upon Mical as the boy remained sitting, a rather depressed look having formed quickly upon his face.
Smiling cheerfully, the young Guardian dropped an open hand atop the young boy's head, bringing the child's attention upon him.
"If I come back later, will you have more to tell me about the Arkanians?"
The brightness quickly returned to the child's face. "Sure! Lots more!"
"Alright then, later it is," Lugo replied with a smile, rubbing the top of the boy's head and messing his hair up a little. "Just don't burn your brain out looking at a datapad all day."
Mical let out a small laugh as he tried to straighten out his hair.
"See you later, Mister Lugo."
"I'm not old yet, kid. Just call me Kai," the young Guardian responded as he started to follow Quatra and Atris out of the room.
"Okay, Kai," Mical called out towards the teenager's turned back.
Lugo held up a hand to wave goodbye as he disappeared beyond the corridor.
Alone once again, Mical returned to quietly studying as before.
Only this time, he found himself smiling a bit…
The trio found themselves once again walking the halls of the Enclave in silence, each being deep within their occupying thoughts that had formed from their visit to the public archives.
For Atris, it was nothing severe. In the five minutes or so they had spent within the library, she had located a record on the local kath hound herds and their seasonal migration patterns. From what she had noticed when having scanned over the datapad, the occupation of the ancient ruins by the beasts was not an uncommon event. In fact, local farmers apparently have been able to keep record of it for several generations, calling the event a 'natural phenomenon' that none apparently could explain. The area around the ruins did not provide the packs with any specific advantage, nor did the area provide a reliable food supply for the hounds. So why did they commonly choose to converge among the ruins?
Master Quatra, on the other hand, found herself consumed with questions and concerns. Could she possibly have been overreacting to Mical's openness with Kai? After all, the only thing the young Guardian had done was be friendly. Certainly nothing troubling could have spawned from simply that… right? The young Master found that she had to remind herself that this was not a matter of intent. Kai was not even aware of his own uniqueness, let alone how he seemed to affect those around him. As Quatra looked over her shoulder to glance upon the green-eyed boy, she found the teenager was lost within his own thoughts.
Indeed, Lugo had much on his mind as well, but nothing that stemmed particularly from what had occurred within the public Archives, though he knew that young Mical had been the stimulator of what now consumed him. Memories of several years past had found their way from the deepest recesses of Kai's mind back to the forefront of his consciousness. Memories of the street urchin he had once been, running from slavers, half-starving to death, collapsing from exhaustion within dark alleys, and stealing the petty change and food scraps of others only so he may go through it all again another day.
He had escaped that life…
Many did not…
"Mical took quite a liking to you, Kai," Quatra spoke up, ripping Lugo away from his deep thoughts.
The Guardian smiled with a shrug of his shoulders. "Kids often have a lot to say, even when there is no reason to say anything."
The young Master gave a humored smile, knowing the truth of Lugo's words quite well. She found that the values of clear thought and reflection were not things the younglings of the Enclave were quick to learn. Ironically, Quatra believed that such chaotic thinking and speaking among her youngest students had leaded her to be considered a very patient and understanding teacher.
"You're a lucky one then, Padawan. A lot of the children I work with act as if they would rather die than speak to me of their troubles," Quatra remarked passively.
The silence that was returned to her had caught the Master's attention more strongly than had the young Guardian spoken back. As she looked upon him once again, she saw that her words had an unexpected affect on the boy, as his now down-turned gaze radiated with a cold nostalgia.
Though Atris had kept silent while the three of them were traversing the Enclave grounds, she also looked over slightly upon the Padawan when he suddenly became strangely mute, for she too could feel the deep mist that had formed within his mind. Inquiringly she watched him in that short moment as they continued onward, surprised to see such a dark shadow form upon the boy she had begrudgingly come to know over the last few years. She had never seen anything close to the look Kai had right then upon him before, despite the fact she believed him to commonly flaunt his emotions. Anger, loneliness, humor, sadness, joy, she had seen him express these feelings more times than she felt was practical for a Padawan. But the feeling that filled his eyes right then was like none of the ones before. It was silent, isolative, dark… and painful…
What was this hollow feeling? Where did it come from? The Echani Knight did not know… and so, after a few seconds, she chose to ignore it and Lugo, turning back to thoughts that more concerned her.
"Kai…" Quatra quickly spoke up in a concerned voice, "are you alright?"
Just like that, the darkness immediately fell away from Lugo's eyes as he looked back up. "Yes, Master Quatra, I'm fine, thank you. Just… you know… thinking a little too much…"
Quatra continued to stare at the Padawan for a moment longer, than lightly nodded her acceptance of his response before looking away. However the Master was far from placing what she had felt within the young Guardian out of her mind, as it had fallen upon her senses like a dark shadow among sunlight. The sensation that had suddenly appeared within Kai, it was like nothing the woman had ever felt before. In the many years for which she had been among the Order, Quatra had learned to feel and recognize the emotions of others. Anger, fear, sadness, even love, the well-trained Master had seen various forms of each, had learned to recognize them and their sources.
Yet what she felt within Kai was so much different.
It had pain, it had sorrow, it had anger, but it had no form…
It existed beyond Quatra's sight, and yet she felt… heard… its presence within Kai, not so much coming from him… but rather… through him… like several dozen voices were bouncing off of him in an echo…
Quatra had to forcibly center her thoughts as she felt the unexpected presence of anxiety building within. There was something unnerving about this feeling, like it was beyond her will to control.
Still… was she really afraid…?
"Excuse me," a voice from behind the group suddenly greeted them, cutting through each of their thoughts as they turned around to inspect the source, finding it to be one of the many protocol droids that inhabited the Enclave.
"Yes?" Master Quatra responded for the three of them.
"The Council has requested your immediate presence, Master Quatra, Knight Atris, Padawan Kai," the machine responded in its metallic voice.
"Already?" With the amount of tension she had left behind her in that room, Quatra had thought it would be quite a while before they would reach any sort of consensus. For them to have come to be conclusive so quickly did not bode well for young Lugo's assignment, as time had taught the teacher that optimism was far easier and quicker to be dissuaded than pessimism.
Still, after what she had just… experienced… perhaps such conservative thinking would be best in this matter, even if it was not the best for Kai…