Chapter Title: Final Flight

Series Title: Unlikely Brothers

Ages in this chapter: Tanner (9)

POV: Ayden

Chapter Summary: Jedi Master Ayden Yen and his apprentice, Tannerlin Vai, travel to their mission on Terra, unknowing that it would be their final time together. (Takes place before Tanner meets his future brother, Dashen).


"Master, do you think this will be a long mission?"

Tannerlin Vai, my apprentice, tilted his head in my direction, light brown eyes focused. His curious nature, always ready to ask and learn.

Though young for off-planet missions, this was one of several now at my side. The boy, only nine, had been an apprentice for just shy of two full years. Taken early under the tutelage of my care and training, the Force having willed us together long before the normal age for an initiate to become an apprentice.

Tannerlin's eyes floated between myself and our surroundings. Other Jedi Knight, not involved in the ongoing war, were accompanying us on this trip, but the boy was the only apprentice. Regardless of that fact, he'd be well protected. This mission was to be one of negotiation and hopefully compromise. A valuable learning experience. Tannerlin's skills with the lightsaber were average at best; it was his sponge-like mind and willingness to listen and to respect that had me gently pushing him in the direction of being a negotiator or Consular type Jedi rather than the physically skilled, saber-abled Guardian Jedi.

"I'm not certain how long we might be on Terra, Padawan." I replied, watching as my charge took in the expansive black sky of stars outside the windows of the ship. Without a doubt, I knew that Tannerlin was seeing every bit of everything that passed. Moons, comets, freighters, fighters, micro planets. If out there, the boy caught it. Some he'd store away for later. Some, he'd think about questioning me right then. With the length of the flight however, it was our companionable decision to hold off on any questions until we were back home. After the completion of our mission.

"You've not slept since we left Coruscant." I said to him. "You should be well rested when we arrive on Terra. You'll have to keep up with us."

"Yes, Master. My legs move pretty fast."

I smiled. Had to. He had that affect on me. "Indeed they do." I agreed. "You still need to rest though. Come here."

With a slight body shift and left arm held out, I offered the boy to lean into my side. No hesitation as he shifted left and snuggled to my side. Our pairing… it was somewhat unique in the Jedi Order. A much closer knit team than most others after only two years working together. Very few other apprentices had ever been put into training as seven year olds. The Council had fought against it. Only Master Yoda agreed that the will of the Force was so strong that it would be wrong and possibly harmful to deny that bond.

Still, our journey thus far had been a careful one. Gently chosen missions, staying away from anything war-related, much more time at the Temple on Coruscant than a normal Jedi team. Days filled with extra classes and training. Though, even as he was left behind in the lightsaber skills department, Tannerlin never blinked. Instead, he excelled in learning. He may not be able to fend off a challenging enemy with his saber just yet, but there wasn't the slightest piece of the blade or hilt that he could not give you the detailed history of. I'd never seen a child so eager to learn and so happy to work hard to understand the things he did not know. Such was my apprentice. And I did love him dearly.

Attachments, yes? The Code forbade them. Some of the less Code-stringent Jedi however leaned more toward the idea that it wasn't the attachment so much as what you did with the emotions around it. I often found myself slanting in that direction. More gray than black and white.

Tannerlin was my apprentice, but he was also my family. Attachments be damned.

Those were my thoughts as the boy curled up to my side and closed his eyes in rest. Breathing set, he relaxed into it just how we'd practiced together. Slow and deep. In and out. My own eyes followed suit and I set myself into an agreeable meditation.

—-

Something jolted me awake. An odd sensation. If I were to admit it, slightly unnerving. Where it stemmed from, I couldn't say. The ongoing war had on occasion caused me some a anxiety, but this was not that. I exhaled and looked to my left. Tannerlin was awake, leaned toward the window of our transport pointing and counting?

Yes, counting. Counting ships, moons, who knew what else. There was always something to keep the boy's mind occupied. He was unique in this galaxy.

He was also tuned into me as he turned his head my way. "Master Ayden, are you all right? I think you were having a bad dream."

"Not a dream, just some strange feelings. Seems better now. How many of whatever you were counting did you count?"

The brown head moved to peer outside again, he tapped at the window. "So many of everything. I saw lots of moons, three blue ones, and even a purple one."

That was different. "You saw a purple moon?"

"I did. It was very small though and really far away, a little hard to see, so maybe it's wasn't purpley purple."

"Purpley purple?" I joshed.

"Yes, you know, purpley purple is a true solid purple."

"Of course it is." This boy. I couldn't help but laugh. "And what's the opposite of purpley purple?"

"Um… not purpley purple?"

I closed my eyes and chuckled again amazed at just how much I enjoyed the company of my apprentice.

"You make me smile, Tannerlin."

He smiled big at me. "I'm glad, Master. I'm so happy to have you as my teacher. Every day I think that. I just want you to be proud of me for trying hard, even if I'm not good at everything."

My apprentice knew his weaknesses. That he so freely admitted it without fear of admonishment, it said a lot about his future.

"Padawan, you are my family. Every day, I am proud of you. Always know that. And those things you may not excel in at the moment, you will improve in time. Will you be one of the Jedi's best with the saber? No. But that means very little. You work hard, you try hard. Those things are so much more important than excelling in a specific area. You will do great things in your life, of that I have no doubt. I think that's why the Force was so determined for us to find each other early."

"Master Ayden, do you think the Force knows my future?"

Now there was a question. Did I have a completely truthful answer? Probably not. I couldn't begin to know with a absolute certainty, the entire mystery of the Force, what lay beyond, and what was directly in front of us. I could however, hypothesize based on my studies, what the Jedi knew about the Force, and a general idea about the type of person Tannerlin Vai was now and possibly would become.

"Does it know your future? I can't say for certain. I do think it pushes powers together that are important. Why you are important, I've no idea. Just… I feel it."

That explanation seemed enough for Tannerlin. He nodded and wrapped his hand up in mine, tracing the scars there and finding contentment after a moment to return to his window view.

"There are billions of stars out there." He said in awe. "So many, no one can ever count. Each one is beautiful and unique. I've been learning all about stars in my astronomy class, Master. There's so much to know about them. Did you know that stars are mostly made from two elements? Hydrogen and helium, and that each star has six layers. Six! Can you believe that? A star just looks like bright light in the sky. But one that's been there for billions of years. Billions of stars, billions of years. That's a lot of billions, Master."

Another smile tugged at my lips. "That is a lot of stars." This boy, there was this draw to him. His love for life, his love for all information mundane or routine. I found myself sucked into things that I'd not thought about in years. The make-up of a star. The age of a star. I knew those things. Hearing the enjoyment from a Jedi of nine, when everything was new and bright… this child made my life so much better.

I checked the ship's chrono. We were about an hour out of Terra. Time to refocus and make sure Tannerlin was fully prepared.

"Padawan, what is our ETA?"

The change of subject from stars to the job at hand didn't phase him. A glance to the front of the ship and he caught the time.

"About one hour."

"And what to you remember about Terra?"

I could see him rolling the information around in his head. Thinking it through before answering my question.

"It's has a large spaceport in Kaolin, that's where we land. Terra's climate is currently mild, but it can get very cold and very hot there. The main city of Kaolin is flat, but it has hills and mountains not far in the distance. There are several crime bosses in and around the large town, and the town is also full of shops and vendors and cantinas. Oh and some places that I am way to young to know about." He blushed.

"Indeed," I grinned. "And what is our mission there?"

"Um… to help establish new regulations for import and export ships."

"Excellent!" I patted the boy on the knee. "You are as prepared as I am. What are the rules you will follow while we are on planet?"

"I make sure to follow your orders or the orders of the other Jedi Knights. Keep close to you, don't stray or leave your side unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Perfect. Make sure you have all your equipment ready."

Tannerlin patted his belt, his hand landing on the hilt of his saber. Checking the belt pouches, then straitening his tunic and robe. "M'ready, Master."

I followed the same routine, certain to have all my gear in order for the final approach to the planet.

"ETA is forty-five minutes, Master Ayden. I'm getting nervous. This is exciting, but scary too."

"Every mission is like that. Nerves help you stay alert. Never assume even the most mundane of missions will be too simple. I've been surprised on more than one occasion."

His legs got jumpy, bouncing up and down and he chewed on his lip. The usual signs of of apprehension for my apprentice. All was good. We were ready.

That strange cloud of darkness flashed through my mind once more. I closed my eyes and focused inward to shake it off. My own nerves most likely. Perhaps my connection to the boy working against me.

"Master?" Tannerlin asked me gently, feeling my confusion.

"I'm all right, Padawan. I promise. Just stick close to me and all will be well."

"I trust you always, Master Ayden. I'm so happy to be your apprentice. All the time I think that. Did I say that already?"

"You did, but I enjoy hearing it."

With a soft arm on his shoulders, I pulled the boy to me for a long moment, sending waves of calm to ease us both.

"I am so proud of you, Tannerlin. Always remember that."

And I'd said that already, hadn't I? Why had I felt such a need to say it again? To reinforce it again. Tannerlin knew it. I knew it. Damn nerves.

"I will, Master. I promise, I will always remember it. Thank you for being my teacher and my family. I'm ready for our mission."

My arm didn't move from Tannerlin's shoulders after my embrace, and he stayed gently leaning against me. Not protocol when approaching a planet, but for some odd reason, I couldn't yet bring myself to break the contact. It was comforting when I hadn't realized I needed the comfort.

This boy, this special apprentice. His future would be amazing. No matter where his life fell in the Jedi spectrum, he truly would be amazing. There was simply no doubt of that in my mind. And I would do everything in my power to make certain that he received that future. Everything.

"We'll land soon to the next step to your future. You are destined for great things, Tannerlin Vai." There I went again, needing to repeat these things, needing to say them out loud. Needing to know that this boy understood. "And I will make sure that you see that future realized. You have my word as your teacher. As your family." I squeezed him to me again. "Okay?"

He could have called me on being extra clingy. He could have fretted over my sudden need to announce all the things I'd already said moments ago. But, stars love him, he didn't. Tannerlin accepted people for who and what they were. Flaws, faults and all. It was part of what might hinder him some as a Jedi, but it was a huge part of what made him a good and decent person in his heart. Tannerlin Vai was pure. One didn't see that often in the galaxy. It was up to me to allow that part of him to thrive no matter the obstacle.

"Okay," he finally said back to me, tilting his head to lay against my shoulder. "I'll always do my best, Master."

"And be true to yourself. Who you are is important. Special. Don't let anyone take that from you."

I was sliding into an emotional place where I couldn't afford to stay as we lay but moments out from the mission. Nevertheless, something was pushing me to say these things, something was pushing hard. Almost if… our lives… Tannerlin's life depended on it.

My eyes began a rapid blink and I reached up to brush my dark hair out of my face. Get it together, Ayden. There is a mission to begin. There is an apprentice to train. Focus. Breathe.

Tannerlin breathed with me. I didn't actually notice the parallel until he patted me on the hand and told me again that he was ready, and checking in one last time to make sure I was all right. Such a good kid. How lucky was I to have him under my guard? To watch him grow and watch him prosper…

Our future… his future…

"Landing upcoming. It could be bumpy."

Checking his harness for security, the boy sat upright, losing contact with my shoulder. His practiced breathing continued, I could see him catch a glance at me every few seconds to make sure we were in sync. As long as I kept calm and cool, Tannerlin would as well.

The ship thumped down, exaggerated groaning sounds from the rear engine area, followed by a shattering clank as the landing ramp settled into place. I reached over to unclip Tannerlin's harness, then we stood together waiting for the other Jedi to depart first. My hand set on the boy's shoulder as he looked up at me, eagerness and trust in those nondescript pale brown eyes.

"You ready, Padawan?" I said.

"I'm ready, Master."

"Stick close and follow what I say."

"I will. I promise." He nodded affirmatively.

"So proud of you." There it was again. Something pushing me to repeat the same. To make absolute that my apprentice understood. To make sure he would never, ever forget.

"I'm proud of you too, Master." Came his response. Unexpected and it got me. I sucked in a few deep breaths to temper the emotion, kept my hand on the boy's shoulder…

…and we walked down the ramp to our future.


END